For a lot of families that are booking their first Disney vacation the first question to consider can be what is the difference between Disneyland and Disney World? Which one should you visit first if you have never been on a Disney vacation before?
Of course, whichever one is nearest to you might be the easy answer. However, if you have to travel some distance to get to either Disney resort then knowing the differences will help you to decide. With that in mind lets take a detailed look at the differences between Disneyland and Disney World.
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1. Location
Disney World is located in Orlando Florida with the nearest airport being Orlando International Airport (MCO). The resort is also easily accessible from Sanford Airport (SFB) and also Tampa (TPA).
Disneyland is located on the West Coast in Anaheim, California. The resort is roughly an hour’s car drive from Los Angeles. The nearest airport is John Wayne Orange County Airport (SNA). Although further away Los Angeles (LAX) airport tends to offer more flight options for travellers.
2. Size
Let’s make this clear Disney World is huge compared to Disneyland. The land that Disney World covers is roughly the same size as San Francisco at 43 square miles. Disneyland covers just 500 acres.
If you have more time allocated for your vacation, then Disney World will probably be your best option. If you are looking to plan a shorter trip, then Disneyland will probably be a great option.
3. The Disney Castles
Similar to the difference in the size of each resort, the same can be said about each resort’s castle too. At Disneyland you have Sleeping Beauty’s Castle which stands at 77 feet tall and at Disney World you have Cinderella Castle which stands at a considerably taller 189 feet.
Do bear in mind though Disneyland did open first in 1955 (the first Disney Park) and Disney World followed in 1971 with the intention always being to be a bigger resort than Disneyland.
4. Theme Parks
Across the two Disney resorts you will find a varied selection if different theme parks.
At Disneyland there are two theme parks:
Disneyland Park
Disney California Adventure Park
At Disney World there are four theme parks:
Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Hollywood Studios
5. Rides
With more parks at Disney World, you expect a wider variety of rides and attractions. However, there are some rides that can be found at both resorts, although sometimes with slight design differences. A lot of these rides are Classic Disney attractions, and they are:
Astro Orbiter
Autopia/Tomorrowland Speedway
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Light Year Astro Blasters/Space Ranger Spin
Disney Railroad
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Haunted Mansion
Jungle Cruise
Mad Tea Party
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mark Twain/Liberty Belle Riverboat
Mickey’s Philharmagic
Star Wars Galaxy Edge (both resorts have a Star Wars Land with the same rides)
Peter Pan’s Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Soarin
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
Toy Story Midway Mania
Turtle Talk with Crush
Enchanted Tiki Room
It’s a Small World
6. Resorts and Hotels
Disneyland has just three hotels: the Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. Disney World has over 25 different hotels that come in three different tiers: Value, Moderate and Deluxe. Deluxe villas and bungalows are also offered at some of the Deluxe Disney World resorts too.
7. Transportation Options
Both resorts have the classic monorail to ride. Due to the size of Disneyland not a lot of transport is really required other than shuttle services to and from the parking lots.
A lot more transport is required at Disney World and you will find a large fleet of buses as well as friendship boats, ferry boats and the Disney Skyliner service that transports guests across different parts of Walt Disney World Property. The most used service though is the buses as they operate everywhere at Disney World.
8.Crowd Levels at Each Resort
At both resorts certain times of year are extremely busy such as when schools are out and during the holidays. Christmas and New year are notoriously busy at both Disneyland and Disney World.
With only two parks there is a smaller capacity overall at Disneyland. At Disney World with four parks you have more park hopping options should you look to escape the crowds inside the park you are visiting. Of course, you will need a park hopper ticket and you should check the ride wait times on the My Disney Experience App.
9. Water Parks
Disney World has an additional 2 water parks – Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. Both are large water parks with lots of different sized water raft rides and slides. You read more about the Disney World Water Parks here.
Sadly due to the size of the resort there is anything similar at Disneyland when it comes to water parks. Again though Disney World is better suited to a longer vacation where you can easily make the time to spend half or even a full day at a water park.
10. Shopping Districts
Both Disneyland and Disney World have their own shopping and dining districts. At Disneyland you will find Downtown Disney and at Disney World you have Disney Springs. Both offer a variety of shopping and dining options. As expected Disney Springs is the largest though both offer a nice way to escape the parks for some retail therapy or a meal.
11. Walt Disney’s Influence on Disneyland and Disney World
Both Disneyland and Disney World were Walt Disney’s brainchild. With Disneyland Walt was heavily involved in its design, development and opening in 1955. Walt would sadly pass away in 1966 and never got to see Disney World open. Although he was very much involved in the concept design and early promotion for Disney World it would be his older brother Roy who would come out of retirement to oversee the completion of Disney World.
I think it is fair to say that although Walt’s influence is very much a big part of Disney World there is a more historical and physical connection with Walt and Disneyland.
What is The Difference Between Disneyland and Disney World
I think the biggest difference between Disney World and Disneyland is clearly size. Both resorts offer the experience of escaping into a Disney bubble. Disney World is clearly the best option for a longer Disney vacation experience where it is not just about theme parks but also about dining, taking time out at your resort and a fuller vacation experience.
Disneyland is a perfect getaway for a shorter Disney Park experience or making up a part of a larger California based vacation. In all honesty though both are magical and you will have a fantastic experience at both Disneyland and Disney World.
You can find our full Disney World Planning Guide here.
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Thanks for stopping by.
Darren
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