Many Disney fans who have only been to one of the U.S. parks are often surprised to find out just how different Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts actually are. If you are used to Walt Disney World and are now planning a Disneyland visit, don’t assume you know it all. Conversely, if you are a Disneyland veteran venturing to Walt Disney World for the first time, you need to change up your planning and preparation too!
Growing up in the Deep South, "Disney" for me always meant Walt Disney World in Orlando. My family took trips many times to Florida to visit Mickey and Minnie. After heading to college, I started dating a California boy and found out he loved Disney as much as I did. He grew up making similar Disney pilgrimages, except his family vacations took him to the original Disney: Disneyland in Anaheim, California. We married and settled in Northern California, where we visit Disneyland often, both with and without kids. Of course, we head back east to visit Walt Disney World when we can too!
With my Walt Disney World upbringing and Disneyland adulthood experience, I am in a unique position to offer some words of Disney wisdom to fans of one park heading to the other for the first time. Here are the differences between Disney World and Disneyland and the ways your Disneyland and Disney World vacation experiences will differ (as well as tips for making the most of those differences).
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Disney World vs. Disneyland: Key Differences
1) Size & Scale
You probably already know that Walt Disney World in Orlando is a much, much larger resort. Compare Walt Disney World’s 4 theme parks and 2 water parks to the 2 theme parks at Disneyland. The acreage difference, however, is what is truly astounding; compare about 30,000 acres of Disney-owned property at Walt Disney World to 510 acres at Disneyland.
The size and scope of Walt Disney World affects all aspects of a vacation there, from hotel choice to transportation options to just how early you have to get out of bed to make rope drop. The small size of Disneyland is a game changer for Walt Disney World veterans because many of those considerations are non-issues at Disneyland. Disneyland veterans, of course, need to be prepared to plan for new logistical challenges on a Disney World vacation simply due to its size.
2) Best Hotel Options
I’m a firm believer in the value of staying on property at Walt Disney World. The perks and proximity offered by Disney properties are simply too great to ignore if you want to experience all that Walt Disney World has to offer. Those perks include Extra Magic Hours (early entry and late night hours), priority Fastpass+ booking, access to Magical Express, free parking, and more. Because Disney offers a number of properties at nearly every price point, even budget travelers can often afford to stay on-property.
Related: Value vs. Moderate vs. Deluxe: Which Disney World Resort is Right for Your Family?
At Disneyland, my calculation changes and so should yours (check out my post detailing the factors to consider when staying on or off property at Disneyland and my thoughts on best Disneyland hotel choices for families with babies and toddlers). There are no "value" resorts at Disneyland and the perks of on-property access are not as great. Early entry is the only real perk of significance but you can get 1 day of early entry into Disneyland park with a 3 or more day ticket even staying off-property. Since Disneyland is so much smaller, there are many reasonably priced hotels within steps of the main park entrance that afford all of the proximity benefits at a fraction of the price.
3) Air Travel
When flying to Walt Disney World there is pretty much only one airport choice that makes sense: Orlando International (MCO). Those brave enough to fly Allegiant can also use Orlando's Sanford airport (SFB). Tampa is an 80 mile drive, but its airport (TPA) is rarely cheaper and could present traffic hassles.
A trip to Anaheim affords travelers a lot more air travel options, in my humble opinion. LAX is by far the largest airport in the region and the one that many travelers coming from the East Coast or South will need to use it to get the best deals. For travelers flying in from other places (especially up and down the West Coast), however, there are some airport choices that are excellent alternatives that are closer and easier: John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) and Long Beach (LGB). You can get from both airports to the Disneyland main gate in 20-30 minutes.
My family chooses to fly into SNA or LGB for nearly all of our trips, as both are served frequently by Southwest flights from SFO and OAK. There are other airports in the region that could work in a pinch: Burbank (BUR), Ontario (ONT), and even San Diego (SAN). See my complete guide for flying to Disneyland for all the details.
4) Transportation & Getting Around the Parks
The bus, ferry, and monorail system at Walt Disney World rivals the transit systems of some major cities, connecting dozens of hotels to theme parks and more. Getting the most out of your Walt Disney World vacation without wasting time in transit requires getting to know that system well.
In contrast, there really is not a transit system at Disneyland. There is a short monorail from Downtown Disney near the Disneyland Hotel that drops guests into Tomorrowland, but it isn’t that much faster than walking. There is also a shuttle system operated by the city of Anaheim to local area hotels too far to walk. My advice for Disneyland is to stay within walking distance and use your own two feet as transit while you are there. It’s liberating not waiting for shuttles.
5) Fastpass+ vs. Fastpass/Maxpass
If you follow Disney news, you probably already know about the Fastpass+ system at Walt Disney World utilizing new technology and Magic Bands. This system requires booking Fastpasses many weeks or months in advance to have access to the more popular attractions. It also limits you to three advance reservations a day in a single park.
Disneyland, however, still offers something akin to the “old” Fastpass system that you can only access in the parks on the day of your trip. There is no need (yet) to pre-book Fastpasses at Disneyland so those planning last minute trips won’t find themselves out of Fastpass luck. With the ease of park hopping at Disneyland, savvy Fastpass users can often snag more than a dozen Fastpasses in a single day by strategically changing parks and maximizing both systems.
And with the 2017 addition of MaxPass that allows Disneyland guests to book Fastpasses on their smartphones (for an additional $15 per person per day), the Disneyland system is even more convenient while still being more hackable. Make sure you read my guide to Disneyland MaxPass to learn how that new system works.
6) The Ease of Park Hopping
Walt Disney World and Disneyland tickets cost about the same, but a big price differential is the park hopper option. Many families forego park hopper tickets to save money. At Walt Disney World, this is often a wise choice because of the distance between parks and the transportation time required to park hop.
At Disneyland, however, the two parks are right across from each other, making hopping easy and a great way to ride more with Fastpass/MaxPass. There is simply more value from the park hopper ticket at Disneyland than at Disney World.
7) Effect of local visitors
Both Disneyland and Disney World offer discount annual passes to locals. Given the huge population of the Los Angeles area and the relative small size of Disneyland, however, the local crowds can affect Disneyland much more than the locals in Orlando do.
What does this mean for out-of-towners? Check Southern California holidays and school schedules before planning your Disneyland vacation to make sure the park won’t be flooded with locals if you are planning a once-in-a-lifetime Disneyland vacation.
8) “New” Rides
Disneyland has a few attractions that will be “new” to Walt Disney World veterans. Some of my favorites in Disneyland park include Matterhorn and Indiana Jones. California Adventure has Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land, Goofy’s Sky School, and many more. Finally, don’t miss some Disneyland originals in Fantasyland (especially if you have little ones): Casey Junior Circus Train, Storybook Canals, and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (which used to be in Disney World but closed years ago).
For Disneyland veterans heading to Walt Disney World, there are a lot of rides that will be new to you (too many to list!). The ones making headlines the past few years are the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, Frozen Ever After in Epcot, Avatar Flight of Passage in Animal Kingdom, and (the newest) Slinky Dog Dash in Toy Story Land in Disney's Hollywood Studios.
But don't miss these other favorites: Expedition Everest (Animal Kingdom), Rock 'n' Roller Coaster (Hollywood Studios), and Spaceship Earth (EPCOT).
9) Attraction Variations
If you have experienced an attraction at Walt Disney World that has a counterpart at Disneyland, it very well may be new to you too! Some of the rides may have the same name in both parks, but that doesn't mean the rides are the same. Pirates of the Caribbean, for example, is a substantially longer (and in my humble opinion, better) ride in Disneyland. Space Mountain's cars seat two passengers side-by-side in Disneyland, whereas the Walt Disney World ride has bobsled style vehicles where passengers sit by themselves in single file. Experiencing and exploring the variations is part of the fun of trying a new Disney park.
(Want a sneak peek at the ride differences? Don't miss this post comparing key differences between Disneyland and Disney World attractions.)
10) Dining
Dining choices abound at Walt Disney World simply because of its size. It would take months to try all the restaurant options! Disneyland has less variety but has several excellent restaurants in its own right too. For a nice Disneyland meal, try Napa Rose, Carthay Circle, Steakhouse 55, or Blue Bayou.
If having a dining plan is something you value, it's important to remember that dining plans are just not available at Disneyland. For Walt Disney World dining plan veterans, this is a great time to change it up and see whether the Disney dining plan is really a value for your family: see if you can eat cheaper without a dining plan for once (I bet you can!).
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What other differences between Walt Disney World and Disneyland have you noticed? How have those differences affected how you travel at each resort?
This post was last updated and is factually current as of May 18, 2019.
Amy at Mom's Magical Miles says
I'm a Georgia girl, so WDW was my "home Disney" park. I went to Disneyland for the Tinker Bell Half Marathon last January and was so glad I had DL veterans with me to guide me through! I think I will also prefer WDW, but DL had a sweet charm that I loved, and I'm a HUGE fan of being able to walk from parks to local hotels and back. Thanks for linking up with us for #MagicalMonday!
snshine123 says
As a life long Disneylander-since 1955, I will be the first to admit that my first trip to Walt Disney World was like stepping into a whole new world for sure but the one thing that remains the same-the magic of Walt is felt in both Parks!
Ann says
Hi! Your Disneyland/Walt Disney World comparison is fantastic! I have visited Walt Disney World many times. My first visit was when I was 11 years old, the year it opened! A lot has changed since then/it has grown so much. I first visited Disneyland when I was in my 50's. Now my youngest would like to go again for the 60 year celebration. When I first went to Disneyland, my sister in law told me I was going to be so disappointed, since I was used to going to Disney World. I thought: way to kill it for me. Boy was she wrong. I loved Disneyland just as much!! For a lot of the reasons you have listed in your blog. It is super charming and super easy to navigate from hotel to park. How refreshing to have a long day in the park, stay late and then walk right across the street to your good neighbor hotel! Pretty cool feeling for someone used to standing in line for the (what seems long late at night, after a day in the parks) ride back to the hotel by bus. I truly appreciate the smoothness of the Walt Disney World system when you stay on site. Magical Express is fantastic, no need to rent a car. But, Disneyland being a smaller property is refreshing. I hope we make this 60th anniversary trip. I am still planning. Have booked at a hotel right across the street and now just need to find a reasonable flight.
Oh, one last thought, or maybe a few more thoughts! Disneyland to me was much more charming. The attention to detail is amazing. I felt like the landscaping, etc. was nicer. Disney World has more concrete nowadays, to accomodate the large crowds. I think the only thing I miss at Disneyland, is that there is no Epcot. I love Epcot and its wide open spaces!
Ann says
Sorry, I almost forgot the most important difference between Disneyland and Disney World! Well, at least for my daughters ...we first went to Disneyland when she was 8 years old. Prior to that and since then we have only done Disney World. At age 8, she was a huge fan of a then popular online Disney game called Toontown. She was thrilled to death when she got to visit Toontown in Disneyland. Disney World no longer has Toontown Fair. They have removed Mickey and Minnie's country homes. So sad. It is now sort of Circus Themed with double Dumbo rides. Now, I wonder who's brilliant idea it was to get rid of Mickey and Minnie's houses??? Mickey is now at the front of the park for autographs, but it is just not the same. So, Toontown and Mickey and Minnie's houses are a must see in Disneyland. Also, It's A Small World is cooler in Disneyland as well. Love both places and love the differences.
B says
I've done both twice in the past four years, and they are clearly both awesome 🙂 my biggest tip is that Disneyland imo is the best choice for families with little ones. We had happy toddlers and a happy infant all through our trips. At Disney World, we didn't take the kids. It's too overwhelming to manage strollers on shuttles and have such a long journey home if the kids just need a break. So I think our babies will be introduced to WDW as an upgraded treat in ten years or so... when they're old enough to have the sustained energy to fully enjoy all the parks.
Ben says
Jedi training at DL includes better special effects and the option to battle Darth Maul vs. DW. DL also has Iron Man and Thor exhibits missing from DW. Carsland's amazing!
Jasveer Brar says
I have 8 years old and 10 years old son .so which is the best place disneyland or disneyworld
HENDERSON says
I had disneyland season passes and the crowds.....I would go on a thursday in feb and it would be packed, but the least crowded I saw it was on a saturday in july....nobody there, with a million pass holders, I always tell people go in the summer, most the pass holders are blacked out....the total opposite of disney world. We went 27 times in 1 year, and the lowest crowds is saturday in summer! Just FYI!
Wife in Texas says
Call me nuts, but I prefer DL over WDW any day... Love the smaller environment... being able to stay at a neighborhood hotel (and use Hilton points), park hop without traveling across the city, much more pleasant weather and being able to take a break from parks a day and go to ta nearby beach. Especially when our kids were younger. And I agree with a previous comment regarding Mickey and Minnie's house. Love that part of DL and wish they still had that at WDW
Torey says
I realize your post is old but not sure why you dislike Allegiant so much. I have flown with them 3 times and they have been great. Cheapest nonstop flight you will find to Orlando from many cities and they have always been on time! Which is significantly better than any other airline I have flown in 40 years of flying.
tripswithtykes says
I'm definitely not above flying with a low cost carrier (I flew Frontier myself on my last trip to MCO - see here: https://tripswithtykes.com/frontier-airlines-tips/). Airlines like Frontier and Allegiant and Spirit are cheap and can be a great way to save money on travel. But they are also very risky. A lot of passengers don't understand about the extra charges or no-frills rules. They don't prepare and end up spending extra money, negating the savings and having a less comfy ride for their troubles. And these airlines' on-time record and cancellation frequencies are significantly worse than most other US airlines (Allegiant and Spirit having worse records than Frontier usually). These airlines don't have the fleet flexibility if a plane has a mechanical issue or a weather issue strikes. Allegiant has had a number of circumstances in the news over the past several years where passengers have been delayed for 2-3 or more DAYS. They don't have agreements with other airlines to move you. So if you want to get to your vacation or get home when something like this happens, you may find yourself having to pay walkup prices on another airline. I think these ultra low cost carriers definitely have their place and personally will fly them on some occasions. But never are they an option for me if HAVE to be somewhere -- like a cruise sailing to catch.