Disneyland vs Disney World Part I

Recently, I went on a trip to Walt Disney World.  It was my first time there in over 21 years.  There have been quite a few changes since I was last there.  And there are many differences to Disneyland, which I consider my home park.  Now that I’ve been to both resorts within the last year, I feel qualified to discuss the differences between the two and the pros and cons of each park.

Let’s start with the Magic Kingdom, which is essentially a copy of Disneyland.  First, the Magic Kingdom is a lot bigger than Disneyland.  Disneyland is essentially a circle which is pretty easy to navigate, and you don’t have to walk more than a few feet to get from one attraction to the next.  Magic Kingdom is not like that at all.  There were stretches when we were walking and the only thing nearby were restaurants or shops.  And with all the forks and different paths, it was quite easy to get lost or not know where you were.  We almost missed an entire section of the park because we couldn’t figure out how to get there.  Advantage: Disneyland

Now let’s look at the individual rides within the park, starting with the big rides.  Space Mountain at Disneyland is my favorite ride.  It is so much fun and I have the entire experience memorized.  Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom is very different than its California counterpart.  First, there are two tracks in Florida, which are slightly different than each other and very different from Disneyland’s.  I have to say they are much better.  Disneyland’s track is very circular, to say the least, while Magic Kingdom offers two tracks that have much more variety.  Secondly, the cars are quite different between the two.  Disneyland cars can sit riders side by side and have music in the headsets that is timed to the ride making it seem more thrilling.  The Magic Kingdom cars sit riders single file, have no music, and are rather uncomfortable.  Finally, the Magic Kingdom takes your picture at the beginning of the ride, while Disneyland snaps it at the end.  Overall, I have to give the edge to Magic Kingdom due to the longer and better track, although I much prefer the cars at Disneyland.

On to another mountain ride, Splash Mountain.  The edge here is clearly with Magic Kingdom.  First of all, the logs are much more comfortable in Florida, and you can sit side by side.  Also, they don’t sit so low in the water, so water doesn’t constantly splash in from the sides.  It makes riding at night much more pleasant.  Finally, the ride is a little longer and the storytelling feels a little more complete.  Disneyland’s Splash Mountain is a fun ride, but I enjoyed it a lot more at Magic Kingdom.

Next up, we have Thunder Mountain.  This ride feels almost identical in both places, with one glaring omission.  There is no dynamite chewing goat at Magic Kingdom.  For that reason alone I have to give the edge to Disneyland.

Pirates of the Caribbean is next on the list.  Pirates at Disneyland is iconic and a wonderful ride.  It’s an 18 minute cruise with some fun drops and state of the art animatronics.  Pirates at Magic Kingdom is a five minute rushed copy that doesn’t come close to living up to the original.  It’s a very disappointing ride.

Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom, however, is a slightly longer cruise than Disneyland.  I love the Jungle Cruise.  It’s one of my favorite rides.  Both rides are very similar with only small differences between the two.  For instance, there are no piranhas at Disney World.  And even with the added length, many of the scenes were the same at Magic Kingdom.  But I have to give the edge to Disneyland for a couple reasons.  First, it’s the original, and second, I’ve never had a rude guide there before.  Our guide in Florida was kind of rude and sarcastic in a mean way.  It really ruined the experience and we never made it back to try it again.

The next ride to compare is Haunted Mansion.  I kept hearing how the Haunted Mansion at Disney World was much better than Disneyland, but, honestly, they felt pretty much the same to me.  The order of some of the scenes was a little different, but both rides are equally enjoyable.

Comparing It’s a Small World is another clear advantage for Disneyland.  That ride is a classic, and as annoying as you might think the song is, you can’t deny the charm and good feelings the ride produces.  Bringing the ride from the 1964 World’s Fair, it was a remarkable achievement for its time, and it has withstood the test of time.  The ride at Magic Kingdom is a disappointing copy.  It’s shorter, darker, and less charming.

The Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin is an interesting ride to look at.  The rides are nearly identical in both places with only a couple noticeable differences.  The first is that the laser guns at Magic Kingdom are affixed to the cars whereas the guns at Disneyland are tethered by a cord and can be moved around easier.  Magic Kingdom, however, does have one video scene that is fun and adds a layer of storytelling to the ride.  But the guns on the Disneyland version give it the edge in my book.

The Tomorrowland Autopia at Disneyland and the Tomorrowland Speedway at Magic Kingdom are really only similar in the fact that you get to “drive” cars around a track.  But the track at Disneyland is far superior and much more enjoyable than Magic Kingdom.  There is more scenery and props and it feels longer.  Another notch for Disneyland. 

The final ride I will be comparing in this post is Peter Pan.  I rarely ride Peter Pan at Disneyland because the line is always long, but from what I remember, it is identical to the one at Magic Kingdom.  So this one is a wash.

The standings after looking at rides that appear in both parks is 6 for Disneyland, 2 for Magic Kingdom, and 2 ties.

Now, there are some rides and attractions which are only featured in Magic Kingdom.  These attractions include the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, and Stitch’s Great Escape.  There are also two attractions which used to be at Disneyland but no longer are like the Country Bear Jamboree and the Peoplemover.  The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a great ride and gives Magic Kingdom a significant boost.  The Monsters Inc Laugh Floor is also very fun and interactive and something I would be inclined to do again.  Stitch’s Great Escape is not very enjoyable overall.  I would not do that again.  And I very much miss the Peoplemover and Country Bear Jamboree at Disneyland.  Peoplemover was one of my favorites and I continue to lobby to bring it back.  Overall, this set of rides gives an edge to Magic Kingdom.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t look at rides at Disneyland which are not featured at Magic Kingdom.  That list begins with Matterhorn and Indiana Jones.  Those two right there should be the cherry on top for Disneyland, but then you add Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride on top and you make an even stronger case.  These are three of my favorites with the Matterhorn being such an iconic experience at Disneyland that it felt weird without it at Magic Kingdom.

Taking all this into account, I have to give Disneyland the overall edge in this instance.  If I had to choose between just Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom, I would choose Disneyland.  That doesn't mean I didn't love my time in the Magic Kingdom, as sharing the visit with my lovely girlfriend made the entire experience absolutely incredible. There will be more on that and looks at the other parks that make up both resorts later, but for the sake of time, I will end this post here and call it Part I.  Look for Part II sometime in the near future.  I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave your opinions and thoughts in the comments.