Disneyland vs. Magic Kingdom poll(only those who have been to both)

[TP2000]

I've been to WDW many times, Disneyland twice (though to be honest, not much memory of the first time).

Though I think Disneyland has the better selection of rides, I voted MK because for walking around and just enjoying the park, I think MK is better. It is larger, so more space to move. I prefer the size of Cinderella's castle to Sleeping Beauty (just too small) and main street is I think twice the length (if not, it is definitely longer at least).

Your eyes deceive you. Or rather, Imagineering's work at forced perspective has deceived you.

Disneyland's Main Street is exactly the same length and width as Magic Kingdom's Main Street.

The Central Plaza (Hub) is also almost identical in size and dimensions at both parks. It is exactly the same length from the Main Street train station tracks to the Castle drawbridge in each park. And it is even almost identically the same length from the Main Street train station tracks to the Carousel in Fantasyland behind the Castle.

Main Street USA appears longer/wider at Magic Kingdom Park because the buildings were built noticeably taller. That was a change made to accommodate functional awnings and overhangs to shield people from the Orlando climate more. But the building footprints and length of the street itself, even the width from curb to curb, is identical between Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. Isn't that interesting?!

Here are the two parks compared at the exact same scale.

Cinderella's Castle is bigger, in both width and height. Space Mountain in Magic Kingdom is almost twice the size of Disneyland's single-track version. Otherwise, the parks share roughly the same space and scale. Disneyland has crammed more ride buildings into the space it has however, and extended several ride buildings out beyond the railroad berm to accommodate them.

 

[TP2000]

Alright. I'll admit I've never been to DL. One day. . . But it's not a fair comparison. DL is forced to do more with less (space) than MK alone. At WDW you can spread attractions across four parks. At DLR, two. So, on that basis alone DL wins over MK. However, WDW wins over DLR because more attractions over four parks than across two.

Actually....

If I'm not mistaken DLR's attraction count is higher than WDW's. If not higher they are virtually dead even. Which is sad considering WDW has twice as many parks.

You aren't mistaken. The "Attraction" count is almost a dead heat between the two Resorts. But Anaheim wins on Rides by a healthy margin.

The total Attraction count is...

Walt Disney World Resort
85 Attractions - 45 of which are Rides

Disneyland Resort
77 Attractions - 55 of which are Rides

That Attraction tally included every World Showcase pavilion as at least one "Attraction", even if it is just a themed courtyard of shops, restaurants or snack bars like Italy, Germany, Japan, UK, and Morocco. The major walking trails in Animal Kingdom also count as Attractions, and taking the train to Conservation Station counts as two things for that park - both a Ride and an Attraction due to the exhibits. Etc., etc.

The Main Street Vehicles are lumped together as just one Ride for both Disneyland and MK, even though there are three different options to take - Omnibus, Fire Engine, Horseless Carriage. The Horse-drawn Streetcars count separately as one Ride for each park.

Star Wars Launch Bay has been added into both tallies as an Attraction, even though that doesn't open until Thanksgiving on either coast. One Man's Dream has been removed from the WDW tally of Attractions.

The total is alarmingly close when you consider Anaheim does that with two parks and Walt Disney World does that with four parks. And Anaheim has the newest park in America with DCA (2001) but DCA has more Attractions and Rides than DAK (1998) and DHS (1989) combined.

 

[JohnD]

Actually....



You aren't mistaken. The "Attraction" count is almost a dead heat between the two Resorts. But Anaheim wins on Rides by a healthy margin.

The total Attraction count is...

Walt Disney World Resort
85 Attractions - 45 of which are Rides

Disneyland Resort
77 Attractions - 55 of which are Rides

That Attraction tally included every World Showcase pavilion as at least one "Attraction", even if it is just a themed courtyard of shops, restaurants or snack bars like Italy, Germany, Japan, UK, and Morocco. The major walking trails in Animal Kingdom also count as Attractions, and taking the train to Conservation Station counts as two things for that park - both a Ride and an Attraction due to the exhibits. Etc., etc.

The Main Street Vehicles are lumped together as just one Ride for both Disneyland and MK, even though there are three different options to take - Omnibus, Fire Engine, Horseless Carriage. The Horse-drawn Streetcars count separately as one Ride for each park.

Star Wars Launch Bay has been added into both tallies as an Attraction, even though that doesn't open until Thanksgiving on either coast. One Man's Dream has been removed from the WDW tally of Attractions.

The total is alarmingly close when you consider Anaheim does that with two parks and Walt Disney World does that with four parks. And Anaheim has the newest park in America with DCA (2001) but DCA has more Attractions and Rides than DAK (1998) and DHS (1989) combined.

Looks like I was correct. I specifically used the word "attraction", not "ride". And I conceded that Disneyland itself (just the park, "DL" or "DLP") has more attractions than MK.

 

[TP2000]

Looks like I was correct. I specifically used the word "attraction", not "ride". And I conceded that Disneyland itself (just the park, "DL" or "DLP") has more attractions than MK.

Isn't it fascinating how after 45 years of operation in Orlando, spread across four major theme parks operating for decades, that the tally is that close with Anaheim?!?

I think someone in TDA is making up for a bad case of Castle Envy.

 

[TP2000]

As we mull over that Attraction/Ride tally, here's another image of the properties. Epcot Resort Area (Epcot, International Gateway & Boardwalk resorts) on the left and the entire Disneyland Resort on the right (Disneyland Park, DCA Park, Downtown Disney, Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel, & all backstage facilities and 20,000 parking spaces)

Epcot has 23 Attractions, 8 of which are rides, with one water show nightly.
Disneyland Resort has 77 Attractions, 55 of which are rides, with two afternoon parades, two night parades, four nightly water shows and one fireworks show.

And they use the same amount of space to do it.

Considering all that, what really amazes me is that so many folks consider the Disneyland Resort to be more "relaxed" and "laid back". As they cram all that activity into that small space.

It's a truly fascinating way for the same company to run two very different resorts located in the same country.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Disneyland is hands down the better park.

 

[TP2000]

Here's another image that compares the two Hubs at each park. Disneyland on top, Magic Kingdom Park below.

The dimensions are exactly the same from the top of Main Street to the Castle. And the plaza roadway itself is also exactly the same diameter and dimensions.

The distance from Casey's Corner (Coke Corner in Disneyland) to the Castle drawbridge is exactly the same in each park.

The difference comes from the space beyond the basic diameter of the Central Plaza. WDW designers in the late 1960's pushed the land entrances out a bit and gave more space to the canals and landscaped banks along the canals. This made more sense when the Swan Boats were an operating attraction. The exception is on the northern side of the Plaza; the drawbridge in WDW is shorter, and the Castle moat is not as wide as Disneyland's.

The entirety of this spatial planning is to give the illusion of greater distances with a taller Castle at the horizon at WDW, versus the Disneyland original plan with a much shorter Castle on the horizon. But the overall size, length and acreage of the Main Street USA/Central Plaza areas are nearly identical in both parks.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

I am really surprised by this. I completely don't get the DL thing. I was only there once in 2008, but when we left, I remember thinking OK we did that once, no need to do it again.

Yet I adore WDW lol. Even just MK.

I found it very interesting to see different and often longer versions of the classic rides at DL, but it was definitely missing atmosphere and "magic" to me.

 

[PinnySmart]

Exactly this.
DL>MK
WDW>DLR

That said, I don't see where people get the idea that DL is cleaner or in better shape that MK. They seem pretty identical in that regards.

I agree on the cleanliness part. I just returned from a 7 day trip to DL for D23. I don't understand why everyone here thinks it is cleaner and more maintained. I made a mental list while I was there and it just isn't the case.

 

[KCheatle]

Actually....



You aren't mistaken. The "Attraction" count is almost a dead heat between the two Resorts. But Anaheim wins on Rides by a healthy margin.

The total Attraction count is...

Walt Disney World Resort
85 Attractions - 45 of which are Rides

Disneyland Resort
77 Attractions - 55 of which are Rides

That Attraction tally included every World Showcase pavilion as at least one "Attraction", even if it is just a themed courtyard of shops, restaurants or snack bars like Italy, Germany, Japan, UK, and Morocco. The major walking trails in Animal Kingdom also count as Attractions, and taking the train to Conservation Station counts as two things for that park - both a Ride and an Attraction due to the exhibits. Etc., etc.

The Main Street Vehicles are lumped together as just one Ride for both Disneyland and MK, even though there are three different options to take - Omnibus, Fire Engine, Horseless Carriage. The Horse-drawn Streetcars count separately as one Ride for each park.

Star Wars Launch Bay has been added into both tallies as an Attraction, even though that doesn't open until Thanksgiving on either coast. One Man's Dream has been removed from the WDW tally of Attractions.

The total is alarmingly close when you consider Anaheim does that with two parks and Walt Disney World does that with four parks. And Anaheim has the newest park in America with DCA (2001) but DCA has more Attractions and Rides than DAK (1998) and DHS (1989) combined.

Although they may have more rides at Disneyland Resort per square foot, at some point you need to look at quality over quantity. For example, the entire bugs life land is like an afterthought. And all of the pier rides are so basic and carnival-esque that they don't really deserve any credit for being "Disney" rides.

 

[Disneysea05]

I found it very interesting to see different and often longer versions of the classic rides at DL, but it was definitely missing atmosphere and "magic" to me.

Amazing to read this. The only Disney park in the world created by Walt himself ...missing atmosphere and magic?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Amazing to read this. The only Disney park in the world created by Walt himself ...missing atmosphere and magic?

Correct. I remember it being just flat and square and surrounded by Anaheim.

 

[Mike K]

It's a tough call. While I've visited WDW many times since my childhood, I've only visited Disneyland twice but both times they were beyond incredible experiences. As a purist, I'd have to lean towards Disneyland just due to its sheer history and the immense detail packed into its comparably smaller spread. Although both locations are magical, Disneyland will always have the extra special something that can't be topped.

 

[Disneysea05]

Correct. I remember it being just flat and square and surrounded by Anaheim.

Your memory needs to be refreshed.

If Disneyland really did lack magic and atmosphere, there would probably be no Magic Kingdom Park. Who would base a new park on that? Disneyland probably would not have thrived in the first place to justify another Disney destination.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Your memory needs to be refreshed.

If Disneyland really did lack magic and atmosphere, there would probably be no Magic Kingdom Park. Who would base a new park on that? Disneyland probably would not have thrived in the first place to justify another Disney destination.

It's a long way from 1955 to 1971 to 2008 to 2015.

 

[Figments Friend]

MM+ is definitely a factor. I have friends who buy an AP every year and visit 2-3 times per year. They have decided not to renew their pass this year and are looking at going to DL possibly getting an AP there. Obviously other factors were involved in this decision no new attractions, looking for something new etc. but MM+ was for them the tipping point.

They are not alone.
It was for me as well.

My last visit to WDW was in January of 2013, right before the swtich over to MM+ / FP+ went live.
I knew that the stormclouds were on the horizon, and it likely meant i would probably not be back anytime soon.
At this point, it likely will not happen until a couple of years from now when the 'World of Pandora' opens.
I'm in no hurry to return before then, and i have a 4-Day Park Hopper ticket sitting in my drawer.
Even that is not enough to tempt me to re-visit.
MM+/ FP+ and the insanity connected to it ( both from a financial direction and from a Guest perception ) turned me off cold.
The last few years i have just not been overly pleased with the direction things have been going at the Florida Property...so i turned away and looked elsewhere.
Disneyland was more then happy to 'take me in'.
There, i felt like a welcomed Guest of Walt's instead of a numbered cog in a wheel.
It was a refreshing change and a great improvement.
I am a full blown convert now.

I adore Disneyland. It truly is a 'magical' place.
Everything i loved about my 30+ years of visiting WDW is even more enjoyable out West, and you don't have to book everything months in advance!
Just walk in the front gates and decide on a whim what you want to do.
It's bliss.
While i will always be loyal to EPCOT Center of yore...and always consider that my 'home' Park, Disneyland is where it is AT now.
I never had a AP to any Theme Park until last year when i bought one for Disneyland.
Yes, i did....and i live on the East Coast!

Just returned from another wonderful time out there in California two weeks ago.....and i cannot even begin to fathom why it took me so long to 'make the jump'.
Wish i had done it much sooner, but i'm loving what they are doing out in Anaheim.
Disneyland RULES.

I can only hope that WDW gets back up on it's feet and starts delivering the caliber it used to.
Perhaps the new additions coming along in the next few years.....

Here's hoping....

 

[KCheatle]

Correct. I remember it being just flat and square and surrounded by Anaheim.

I 100% agree

 

[Figments Friend]

I could go on but you get the idea. For me it’s the little things that make a world of difference at Disneyland.



.

This.
So much THIS!

Sums it all up perfectly.
It really IS the 'little things' that end up being the big things that really matter.



-

 

[KCheatle]

Your memory needs to be refreshed.

If Disneyland really did lack magic and atmosphere, there would probably be no Magic Kingdom Park. Who would base a new park on that? Disneyland probably would not have thrived in the first place to justify another Disney destination.

First of all, I think your argument is misplaced. There was no WDW to compare DLR to when they decided to build WDW. When it was just DLR, obviously it was more magical than the other similar-type environments. But, one of the primary goals of WDW was to take that DLR immersion factor and increase it.

And, I agree that DLR lacks the immersion/magic factor that WDW has. There is just something about getting on the monorail and seeing a Denny's that bursts that magic/immersion bubble. And, the fact that almost everyone you meet is from California, and they all act like "Oh - this is just another day for us" is a downer. Certain rides may be better - but unquestionably I think the magic and atmosphere are better at WDW.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It all comes down to, where would you rather be: Disneyland or The Magic Kingdom? Ignore all other aspects of their respective resorts. Disneyland or The Magic Kingdom?