Disney World versus Disneyland??

[PirateBoatDropRide]

Lots of threads on this, so I will copy my reply from before
https://www.disboards.com/threads/disneyland-vs-disneyworld.3774601/page-3

WDW

• Much better as a "Resort" for a weeks stay in the Disney Bubble
• Much better option of Universal Studios parks than Cali (We actually spend more time at Universal in Florida than Disney Now)
• MUCH better Table Service options and PLENTY of them.....Good Lord, O'Hana is heaven!
• Crowds are worse, people are rude
• Staying off property is a pain
• Staying on property is great...and Expensive potentially
• Multiple Parks and much better options for older kids and parents
• Still has the People Mover !
• New Yorkers

DL

• Much better "Disney" feel
• Better versions of the rides
• STUPID expensive on-property hotels...avoid completely
• Easier to navigate
• Better park customer temperment
• Many fun things to do in Southern California, better climate
• Table Service options suck, crazy expensive, mediocre service at best.
• No New Yorkers!
• AP'ers can be a huge problem. Avoid themed days and event days that tend to draw them in and clog everything up.

Fair list, but would argue:

While I think WDW's table service options are much more plentiful and varied, the ones that DL does have are mostly good. I find little to no difference in service between the two. I think it's simply a function of having so many more table service restaurants at WDW versus DL.

It is definitely more expensive to stay at a Disney hotel at DL, but less necessary than it is at WDW.

AP'ers (I'm not one now, but was one several years ago) can be plentiful, but when they are at the park in mass, make DL feel more like WDW on an average to above average crowd day.

 

[Xalthon]

So are reservations not really needed for dining at Disneyland? Or if so, how far in advance would one need? Not having to plan meals 6 months out seems very appealing.

 

[PiratesMansion]

So are reservations not really needed for dining at Disneyland? Or if so, how far in advance would one need? Not having to plan meals 6 months out seems very appealing.

Reservations open up 60 days out.

Other than Blue Bayou (restaurant inside Pirates) and the various dessert parties or Fantasmic/WOC packages, it's really not a big deal at all and is considerably more relaxed than WDW (incidentally, I've found that to be true, in general, at all of Disney's non-Florida parks). Don't feel like you need to be up and making your reservations right when they open-totally unnecessary (there have been times when the dining packages haven't even been loaded into the system at that point), and you can probably get most anything you want a week out, or even day of.

People just don't go to DLR for table service nearly as much as they do at WDW (hence the diversity and quality of counter service offerings).

 

[whoever]

Reservations open up 60 days out.

Other than Blue Bayou (restaurant inside Pirates) and the various dessert parties or Fantasmic/WOC packages, it's really not a big deal at all and is considerably more relaxed than WDW (incidentally, I've found that to be true, in general, at all of Disney's non-Florida parks). Don't feel like you need to be up and making your reservations right when they open-totally unnecessary (there have been times when the dining packages haven't even been loaded into the system at that point), and you can probably get most anything you want a week out, or even day of.

People just don't go to DLR for table service nearly as much as they do at WDW (hence the diversity and quality of counter service offerings).

Reservations are indeed needed for table service at DLR.

 

[tsumgirl]

So are reservations not really needed for dining at Disneyland? Or if so, how far in advance would one need? Not having to plan meals 6 months out seems very appealing.

The ones I would definitely book at 60 days out are:
Blue Bayou
Plaza Inn Character Breakfast
Afternoon Tea @ DLH
Lamplight Lounge
WOC Dessert Party

If you have a party of 6+, I would book all reservations at the 60 day mark, as tables for larger parties can be harder to get. Likewise, any trips around holiday weekends or the first few days of a parade or festival would need advanced reservations.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Reservations are indeed needed for table service at DLR.

I never said it wasn't needed, I said generally speaking you can get them a week or so out. It's comparatively relaxed.

Not "don't get them," instead "don't freak out and feel like, for most things, you need to know everything way in advance."

They can comfortably leave behind the "OMG IT'S 6 AM 180 DAYS OUT AND I NEED TO RESERVE NOW OR I WON'T GET _______!!!!111" mentality that has taken hold in Florida. It's not even that intense 60 days out.

 

[disland7]

We are DL veterans who made our 1st trek out to the World in October. Honestly I knew I'd have fun but I didn't think I would really like it over DL and would be ready to go to my home park right away. But we ended up getting annual passes to go back once more this coming fall. If I were closer to it over DL it would probably become my home park. That said when I ask my kids which they prefer, they tell me Disneyland because there is just too much time spent on transportation, it's too hot and humid, and it doesn't have Guardians of the Galaxy. I personally dislike the over the top planning involved with Disney World and far prefer MaxPass or paper fastpasses over Fastpass+. You will have a total blast. Enjoy!!!

 

[azdisneylover]

Some like Coke. Some like Pepsi. But we all know Pepsi is actually better.

Some like WDW. Some like DLR. But we all know DLR is better! Lol

LOL, cute, but no. Dr. Pepper is the best!

 

[HydroGuy]

I never said it wasn't needed, I said generally speaking you can get them a week or so out. It's comparatively relaxed.

Not "don't get them," instead "don't freak out and feel like, for most things, you need to know everything way in advance."

They can comfortably leave behind the "OMG IT'S 6 AM 180 DAYS OUT AND I NEED TO RESERVE NOW OR I WON'T GET _______!!!!111" mentality that has taken hold in Florida. It's not even that intense 60 days out.

I agree with PM and the basic sentiment here. Dining at DLR is a different mentality than WDW, as are the reservations.

The ones I would definitely book at 60 days out are:
Blue Bayou
Plaza Inn Character Breakfast
Afternoon Tea @ DLH
Lamplight Lounge
WOC Dessert Party

If you have a party of 6+, I would book all reservations at the 60 day mark, as tables for larger parties can be harder to get. Likewise, any trips around holiday weekends or the first few days of a parade or festival would need advanced reservations.

I also agree with this, especially the part about the larger party size. When I only have two people, I don't sweat it as much. But when I have a larger group then I am looking at the 60 day mark. The two I always try hardest for are BB and the WOC Dessert Party. I have done the PI breakfast (once) and would agree about that as well. The other two in the PPs list I do not do so have no opinion. So I generally do pay attention to the 60 days mark for BB and WOC DP. I will add Oga's Cantina to the list now that it is taking reservations at 60 days.

As the PP says, it depends on time of year. I am going to DLR in 3 weeks with a group of 4 and realized at the 58 day point that I had not made any reservations for my group of 4. I was able to get BB at 11:30AM (my preferred time, in order to get waterside) as well as the WOC DP. Not peak season quite yet in early March but on the cusp of Spring Break. It can be done later than 60 days as I just showed, but I would not count on that.

 

[erinlizc]

WDW vets and we did DLR on our honeymoon since we're east-coasters and it was more of a once in a lifetime experience. I would definitely recommend 3 days if you don't think you'll be back anytime soon. That gives you a full day to dedicate to each park, and then a third day. I would highly highly recommend the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. Not only do you get to get on a few rides with no line, but going into Walt's apartment was just so special. You can really feel his presence in the park.

As for comparing the 2....gosh, it's so hard to do. There are things I like better about each park:

Disneyland wins:
Proximity to park hop
Nostalgia and superior Fantasyland with rides WDW doesn't have
Pirates is FAR superior, i like their Space Mtn too
Less stress about planning meals and fastpasses (Maxpass is awesome and comes with your photos for the day)
Cars Land - especially at night
CORN DOGS. They do not compare to WDW. Not by a mile
Low humidity and generally good weather
Max pass - I loved the idea of first come, first served on the day of. We were able to ride so much and felt the cost was worthwhile

WDW Wins:
The bubble. It doesn't exist in DLR unless you stay onsite and never leave the small area
All of the fun non-park stuff. Downtown disney is cool but doesn't compare to Disney Springs, resort hopping, water parks, etc
Opportunity for longer vacations. As much as I think DLR is a must do for any disney fan, after our 3.5 park days, we felt like we had done what we wanted to do and were ready to relax
Resort options for different budget levels w/magical express

Overall I love WDW so much more but am SO glad we did DLR. It was magical!

 

[kpd6901]

This can sound mean related to WDW, but it's not. 3 words sum it up:

Quality versus quantity

Where WDW has so much room and space to expand offerings, DL does not.

Where WDW is much more of a vacation destination for guests with months or years between visits, DL is not.

Where WDW can kinda get by with focusing resources on different projects to expand without turning severely impacting repeat customers, DL cannot.

DL must focus on the quality of its offerings in a way that WDW doesn't necessarily have to (although we would like WDW to). We have been to WDW multiple times and going again in a couple weeks and next August. We had our first DL trip in June 2019. We generally found most of the "duplicate" attractions at DL to be better, smoother, more relaxing, or better themed.

The mornings were extra great since, as a primarily locals park, the lines were pretty light and we could get A LOT done.

OMG- Maxpass!! So much better than FP+. I was concerned because we are used to mapping out and planning our FPs to avoid unnecessary backtrack walking around WDW. You can't preselect your FPs at DL. But, the parks are more compact than WDW, so any double-backing isn't really a huge deal. Also, it is much more efficient for getting significantly more than 3 FPs in a day.If the ride breaks down during your MP window, you get multiexperience pass loaded for you automatically.

The close proximity between the 2 parks makes hopping a breeze, and even better, you can get high quality Good Neighbor hotels for significantly less than the 3 DL resort hotels, be less than a block or two walking distance to the front entrance, AND still have at least 1 amEMH-style entitlement for a 3-4 or more day ticket.

On top of all that, you have the different attractions, also, plus the history, with very little stress.

We love it, and we'll be taking a Route 66 road trip out there for our next visit in 2022.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I have seen it expressed on here and elsewhere that Disneyland isn't a vacation destination in the way Walt Disney World is, and that's absolutely true. But I think that people who look at DL's size and say things like "well, THAT'S not a place to focus a vacation" are looking at the place in a way that is ultimately detrimental to their trip.

I've seen it expressed many times that for many WDW frequenters, people's vacations are either all Disney or no Disney. And it's true that for most people, Disneyland cannot fill a vacation in the way WDW can. But these people are looking at this situation fundamentally wrong, IMO The destination need not be Disneyland; the destination is Southern California.

While Disneyland can be a great vacation destination all by itself, it can also be just one part of a larger trip. There are so many things to do in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. You should be able to find something to do no matter what your interests are just because of the sheer number of options within a few hours (or less) of you. Visit some museums, tour some Hollywood Studios (NOT "Hollywood"), go to the beach (considerably closer to DLR than WDW), eat some great food, check out weird things like the La Brea Tar Pits, or go to the San Diego Zoo. OR you could fly or drive to other parts of California that interest you more; the bay area; national parks; drive the Pacific Coast Highway; visit the Walt Disney Family Museum; visit Napa. There's a diversity of options (AND price points!) that simply does not exist in the Orlando area unless you (like me) love theme parks 24/7 or frequent the Space Center.

Just something I wish more people would consider when they consider the DLR/WDW value proposition. After all, you wouldn't fly to any of the international parks without dedicating any time to the fabulous cities, regions, and countries they're a part of, would you?

 

[HydroGuy]

I have seen it expressed on here and elsewhere that Disneyland isn't a vacation destination in the way Walt Disney World is, and that's absolutely true. But I think that people who look at DL's size and say things like "well, THAT'S not a place to focus a vacation" are looking at the place in a way that is ultimately detrimental to their trip.

I've seen it expressed many times that for many WDW frequenters, people's vacations are either all Disney or no Disney. And it's true that for most people, Disneyland cannot fill a vacation in the way WDW can. But these people are looking at this situation fundamentally wrong, IMO The destination need not be Disneyland; the destination is Southern California.

While Disneyland can be a great vacation destination all by itself, it can also be just one part of a larger trip. There are so many things to do in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego. You should be able to find something to do no matter what your interests are just because of the sheer number of options within a few hours (or less) of you. Visit some museums, tour some Hollywood Studios (NOT "Hollywood"), go to the beach (considerably closer to DLR than WDW), eat some great food, check out weird things like the La Brea Tar Pits, or go to the San Diego Zoo. OR you could fly or drive to other parts of California that interest you more; the bay area; national parks; drive the Pacific Coast Highway; visit the Walt Disney Family Museum; visit Napa. There's a diversity of options (AND price points!) that simply does not exist in the Orlando area unless you (like me) love theme parks 24/7 or frequent the Space Center.

Agree 100%. And expressed that in this thread earlier. California and the nearby states (NV and AZ) just have Florida beat by a million miles. I cringe when I see people making their "once in a lifetime trip to SoCal" and spend all their time at the theme parks there.

Just something I wish more people would consider when they consider the DLR/WDW value proposition. After all, you wouldn't fly to any of the international parks without dedicating any time to the fabulous cities, regions, and countries they're a part of, would you?

I have to confess, I went to Tokyo Disney and did exactly this. Airport->Theme Parks->Airport. But that was at least partly because it was part of longer excursion to see the sites of China.

I have also been to DL Paris and Shanghai DL and would never, ever do this. In fact I would (and have) skipped DL Paris to see more of France.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

One thing I really love about Disneyland is how they make use of space. One area where this is particularly noticeable is in the queue area for Pirates; the line goes under a pathway. Another area is how the queue for Space is elevated above other things. This is both visually interesting and allows for more attractions in a smaller space.

The Florida parks are enormous, including the entrance plazas with all the transit options, and getting around can be tedious. Sometimes, though, the air conditioned transit provides a nice break, and Disneyland doesn't have that; I find I have to be mindful of that and take a break.

Agree with everything said above except:

1) BTMMR is better at DL due to the final lift hill scene. It's close, but DL gets the nod IMO.
2) Peter Pan is equal in both parks.
3) Jungle Cruise is better at WDW because I think it's slightly longer.

Peter Pan is marginally better at WDW because the cars in London move.

Space Mountain,

Agree mostly above but I actually liked the story line of Splash better at DL then WDW. The ride vehicles are far superior at WDW though which is why I think it gets the edge from most people. I really enjoyed the Haunted Mansion in WDW - it's just missing the Hat Box Ghost.

I agree about Splash Mountain ride vehicles and the Hat Box Ghost.

One huge reason I prefer Splash at WDW to DL is the speed the boats take through the attraction. It's supposed to be set in the deep south, and the boats have a meandering speed in Florida. The last time I rode it in Disneyland, they moved so much faster. It felt incongruous to the story line.

Yeah, in that case, you're gonna dig it. ...AND the weather! Don't forget that. Every time I go to WDW in the summer everyone looks at me like I have a 3'rd nostril for leaving such nice weather and coming out to the heat and humidity. It's different for us though, so in some strange way even that is enjoyable.

I agree - the weather is generally much better in California than Florida, particularly in summer.

 

[disland7]

Agree 100%. And expressed that in this thread earlier. California and the nearby states (NV and AZ) just have Florida beat by a million miles. I cringe when I see people making their "once in a lifetime trip to SoCal" and spend all their time at the theme parks there.

I have to confess, I went to Tokyo Disney and did exactly this. Airport->Theme Pakrls->Airport. But that was at least partly because it was part of longer excursion to see the sites of China.

I have also been to DL Paris and Shanghai DL and would never, ever do this. In fact I would (and have) skipped DL Paris to see more of France.

My kids are in a French immersion class so we really want to take them to France and I struggle with if I should go to DL Paris at all. My kids want to but my husband doesn't.

 

[HydroGuy]

My kids are in a French immersion class so we really want to take them to France and I struggle with if I should go to DL Paris at all. My kids want to but my husband doesn't.

Paris is my favorite city in the world. I have been there 8-9 times. And DL Paris only once. So that tells you how I would vote.

 

[Lumpy1106]

IMHO, Better at DL;

• Autopia
• Space Mountain
• Pirates
• Haunted Mansion (Holiday overlay)
• Small World
• Jungle Cruise
• Indiana Jones (compared to dinosaur)
• Fantasmic
• Radiator Springs Racers (compared to Test Track, though Test Track is faster)
• Grizzly River Run (compared to Kali River)

Better at WDW;

• Splash Mountain
• BTMRR (barely)
• Haunted Mansion (exception above)
• TZToT (compared to Guardians of the Galaxy, but the overlay is a massive improvement over the budget ToT that was there)
• Philharmagic
• Pooh
• Peter Pan

Everything else, side-by-side, is pretty equal. Carsland is my favorite land in any park - it's VERY good! Second place for me is Avatar.

ALL of this said, I live 20 minutes from DL and go to WDW more often. It's just more immersive and FAR away from "real life". When you go to DL you can hear the outside world and feel the pull of everything else you need to do. I am sure there are people in Orlando that feel the same way about DL though.

Responding to my own post because I forgot one - BUZZ LIGHTYEAR! MUCH better at DL - you can remove the guns so you can aim them. I almost can't ride the one in WDW it's so much worse.

 

[SeattleTink]

I have also been to DL Paris and Shanghai DL and would never, ever do this. In fact I would (and have) skipped DL Paris to see more of France.

I was in Europe last year, and in Paris 4 nights. I considered visiting Disneyland Paris one day, but ultimately chose to spend my time exploring Paris instead. Too beautiful of a city to not explore it every minute we were there.

 

[kpd6901]

I have never been to Paris. But that is the choice for my teenager's graduation gift when that time comes in 2023. We are big Disney fans and are definitely going to spend a few days at DLP, but we will definitely still be spending at least 4-5 days in Paris proper. When it comes to Disney parks, WDW is definitely the outlier in so many ways, some positively and some not so much.

 

[Winnowill]

My kids are in a French immersion class so we really want to take them to France and I struggle with if I should go to DL Paris at all. My kids want to but my husband doesn't.

We did two weeks in France last summer. A few days in Normandy (75th Anniversary of the Battle of Normandy), then four days/three nights at DLP, and a week in Paris itself. While four days at DLP might have seemed like a lot, we were able to explore it in leisurely fashion, relax, and really enjoy it. Also, that was the three-day period of last July when temps in France went above 100 degrees. Our timing worked out perfectly - those were the ONLY days we were in a hotel with A/C. The heat made it difficult to enjoy the parks in the afternoons, so having four days worked out well for us.

If you're going to be there and you have time, it's definitely something to consider doing - some of their familiar attractions (BTMRR and Space Mountain, for instance) are better than either of their American counterparts.