Which park has the best Frontierland in your opinion?
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Disneylands Frontierland vs WDW Frontierland
- Thread starter spectromagic04
- Start date
NiarrNDisney
Well-Known Member
My vote goes to WDW's because anyone who has been to DLR's can tell you that it is small and there isnt much of a variety of things to do. However DLR's has more dining options and the one's they have fit the theme very well and the food is wonderful.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
^^^ I just counted and DL's Frontierland has one more attraction than MK's.
I don't have an opinion in regards to the matter, but I will talk about what I love about Disneyland's Frontierland.
Thunder Mountain. It's my favorite of the mountains and it's a ton of fun. No need to say anything else, besides I can't wait for it to emerge from its refurb.
The Mark Twain. I love sailing around the Rivers of America, plus the MT reminds me a lot of Walt Disney's era.
The Sailing Ship Columbia, for the same reasons I love the Mark Twain. The deck below is really cool to explore and check out.
Tom Sawyer's Island. Really makes me feel like a small child again.
The Golden Horseshoe/Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. No need to say anything else.
The Laughing Stock Co. Again, no need to say anything else.
Lillian's Petrified Tree. I don't blame Mrs. Disney for disliking the tree (or bark), as it's not very attractive at all, but it is interesting to look at and marvel about its apparent age.
The fish and chips and chicken strips at Stagecoach. Both are yummy.
What's left of Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland.
Woody and Jesse walking around.
Big Thunder Ranch. I love all the animals, specifically Poncho, the donkey, and Clarabelle, the mini cow. I love the horses, the sheep and the goats, but Poncho and Clarabelle are my favorites.
Aren't they so cute?
I don't have an opinion in regards to the matter, but I will talk about what I love about Disneyland's Frontierland.
Thunder Mountain. It's my favorite of the mountains and it's a ton of fun. No need to say anything else, besides I can't wait for it to emerge from its refurb.
The Mark Twain. I love sailing around the Rivers of America, plus the MT reminds me a lot of Walt Disney's era.
The Sailing Ship Columbia, for the same reasons I love the Mark Twain. The deck below is really cool to explore and check out.
Tom Sawyer's Island. Really makes me feel like a small child again.
The Golden Horseshoe/Billy Hill and the Hillbillies. No need to say anything else.
The Laughing Stock Co. Again, no need to say anything else.
Lillian's Petrified Tree. I don't blame Mrs. Disney for disliking the tree (or bark), as it's not very attractive at all, but it is interesting to look at and marvel about its apparent age.
The fish and chips and chicken strips at Stagecoach. Both are yummy.
What's left of Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland.
Woody and Jesse walking around.
Big Thunder Ranch. I love all the animals, specifically Poncho, the donkey, and Clarabelle, the mini cow. I love the horses, the sheep and the goats, but Poncho and Clarabelle are my favorites.
Aren't they so cute?
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
I think DL is far superior! It may be smaller, but the nostalgia and history behind the land is what makes it superior...
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
I think people often forget about the area in back of Thunder Mountain and write off DL's Frontierland as being small as a result. We've got a petting zoo (with real, live animals!) and a pretty solid ranch-style BBQ restaurant back there that rest along what's arguably my favorite little trail in all of the park. In the mornings and later in the evening it can be so quiet and peaceful back there. And when it's lit up at holiday time it's really a magical little spot.
That said, it's hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison between the two parks. For one, WDW has Splash Mountain as part of their FL whereas we have it it in a completely separate land that virtually is an extension of Frontierland with another name due to being separated by New Orleans Square. WDW's Liberty Belle is considered part of Liberty Square. And they have the classic Country Bears in their FL and the luxury of a bigger footprint.
All-in-all, both are pretty solid if you ask me!
That said, it's hard to do an apples-to-apples comparison between the two parks. For one, WDW has Splash Mountain as part of their FL whereas we have it it in a completely separate land that virtually is an extension of Frontierland with another name due to being separated by New Orleans Square. WDW's Liberty Belle is considered part of Liberty Square. And they have the classic Country Bears in their FL and the luxury of a bigger footprint.
All-in-all, both are pretty solid if you ask me!
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
I'd call it a draw, personally. They're both good. Maybe I'd give a win to WDW with an asterisk. WDW's attraction lineup is stronger, but that's because it includes Splash Mountain, which is in Critter Country, and Country Bears. But, I think MK as a whole would be better if BTMRR and Splash switched places and Splash had its own land similar to how it is in DL, so I can argue circles around myself with this one. 
One really cool thing about WDW's Frontierland is that it's very hard to tell where it begins and ends. It fades in from Liberty Square on one end and out to Caribbean Plaza on the other side. There's even a well-themed shortcut to Adventureland in the middle.
One really cool thing about WDW's Frontierland is that it's very hard to tell where it begins and ends. It fades in from Liberty Square on one end and out to Caribbean Plaza on the other side. There's even a well-themed shortcut to Adventureland in the middle.
englanddg
One Little Spark...
I'll say that I like WDW's Frontierland better...but for a reason that hasn't been listed.
New Orleans Square is so much cooler there, that it outshines Frontierland (and off to the other side you have Critter Country, which I don't consider part of Frontierland, but I'm sure a DLC regular will correct me...)...whereas Frontierland at WDW is the star of that corner of the park (Liberty Square is even hardly a "themed area"...
New Orleans Square is so much cooler there, that it outshines Frontierland (and off to the other side you have Critter Country, which I don't consider part of Frontierland, but I'm sure a DLC regular will correct me...)...whereas Frontierland at WDW is the star of that corner of the park (Liberty Square is even hardly a "themed area"...
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Frontierland has been sliced and diced over the years at Disneyland. It once included the entire western third of the park from 1955 to 1965. But then in '66 it got cut off by New Orleans Square opening, and then in '71 it had its old Indian Village taken over by singing bears and turned into Disneyland's seventh land; Bear Country, changed to Critter Country in '89 when Splash Mountain opened.
Let's just ignore New Orleans Square showing up in '66, and the singing bears settling on the land the Indians were on, and use what both current Guidemaps claim as Frontierland property. Frontierland includes the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at both parks. But at Disneyland we'll throw out the Explorer Canoes as officially they are a part of Critter Country, and at WDW we'll throw out the Riverboat as it is part of Liberty Square.
Here's what that area encompasses at Disneyland vs. Magic Kingdom Park.
Disneyland
Five Attractions, Six Restaurants, Assorted Shops, Two Stage Shows, Shooting Gallery, Outdoor Seasonal Flex-Space
E Ticket - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
D Ticket - Mark Twain Riverboat
D Ticket - Sailing Ship Columbia
D Ticket - Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
B Ticket - Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo
River Belle Terrace buffeteria restaurant, Rancho Del Zocalo buffeteria restaurant, Big Thunder Ranch table service restaurant, Big Thunder Ranch seasonal stage show, Golden Horseshoe Saloon soda fountain and stage show, Stage Door Café quick service restaurant, Frontierland Shootin' Arcade, Festival Arena Seasonal Flex-Space (Currently home to Woody's All-American Roundup)
Magic Kingdom Park
Four Attractions, Three Restaurants, Assorted Shops, Shooting Gallery
E Ticket - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
E Ticket - Splash Mountain
D Ticket - Tom Sawyer Island
D Ticket - Country Bear Jamboree
Pecos Bill's quick service restaurant, Golden Oak Outpost quick service restaurant, Diamond Horseshoe Saloon quick service restaurant, Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
The interesting thing is that Disneyland feels like it has the smallest Frontierland, and by acreage I'm sure it does. What Magic Kingdom's Frontierland has in its pocket is that big western flank anchored by two major E Tickets sitting side-by-side, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain; The Desert Southwest Meets The Deep South. But Disneyland's smaller Frontierland has more rides, more restaurants, a great deal more entertainment, and more unique experiences with the petting farm and seasonal celebrations at the Ranch, than WDW's larger Frontierland space does.
For those who have visited both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Park, that's likely not surprising to learn.
And if you stand there thinking about it for too long, this Disneylander at Big Thunder Ranch will eat your shoelace!
Let's just ignore New Orleans Square showing up in '66, and the singing bears settling on the land the Indians were on, and use what both current Guidemaps claim as Frontierland property. Frontierland includes the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island at both parks. But at Disneyland we'll throw out the Explorer Canoes as officially they are a part of Critter Country, and at WDW we'll throw out the Riverboat as it is part of Liberty Square.
Here's what that area encompasses at Disneyland vs. Magic Kingdom Park.
Disneyland
Five Attractions, Six Restaurants, Assorted Shops, Two Stage Shows, Shooting Gallery, Outdoor Seasonal Flex-Space
E Ticket - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
D Ticket - Mark Twain Riverboat
D Ticket - Sailing Ship Columbia
D Ticket - Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
B Ticket - Big Thunder Ranch Petting Zoo
River Belle Terrace buffeteria restaurant, Rancho Del Zocalo buffeteria restaurant, Big Thunder Ranch table service restaurant, Big Thunder Ranch seasonal stage show, Golden Horseshoe Saloon soda fountain and stage show, Stage Door Café quick service restaurant, Frontierland Shootin' Arcade, Festival Arena Seasonal Flex-Space (Currently home to Woody's All-American Roundup)
Magic Kingdom Park
Four Attractions, Three Restaurants, Assorted Shops, Shooting Gallery
E Ticket - Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
E Ticket - Splash Mountain
D Ticket - Tom Sawyer Island
D Ticket - Country Bear Jamboree
Pecos Bill's quick service restaurant, Golden Oak Outpost quick service restaurant, Diamond Horseshoe Saloon quick service restaurant, Frontierland Shootin' Arcade
The interesting thing is that Disneyland feels like it has the smallest Frontierland, and by acreage I'm sure it does. What Magic Kingdom's Frontierland has in its pocket is that big western flank anchored by two major E Tickets sitting side-by-side, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain; The Desert Southwest Meets The Deep South. But Disneyland's smaller Frontierland has more rides, more restaurants, a great deal more entertainment, and more unique experiences with the petting farm and seasonal celebrations at the Ranch, than WDW's larger Frontierland space does.
For those who have visited both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom Park, that's likely not surprising to learn.
And if you stand there thinking about it for too long, this Disneylander at Big Thunder Ranch will eat your shoelace!
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
^^^ I love the goats!
ajrwdwgirl
Premium Member
My hubby and I were just discussing this in the car today, and then it shows up here as a post. Anyway, after we had a spirited discussion we both agreed it was basically a tie. DL might have an edge in food, but WDW has and edge for us in theming. But most importantly both of them have the awesome shooting gallery!
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Me too!
One of Disneyland's many unique traditions, in a park filled with almost six decades of wonderful tradition, is the daily Running Of The Goats. That magical time in early evening when the goats (and maybe a sheep or two) return to their real home behind the park at the Circle D Ranch for a hearty dinner, hence the running.
And did you know a major motion picture based on the Running Of The Goats was in the works? Here's the trailer.
englanddg
One Little Spark...
WE HAVE AN INTERACTIVE GOAT WITH HIS OWN WEBSITE!
DCL FANS HERE IS MY MESSAGE TO YOU!!!!!!!!
<grin>
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Quite possibly the best "ceremony" in the park. Look at the goats go!
I had no idea there were plans of a movie. That would have been a treat to see, they should have followed through!. They should make a documentary on all the animals of Circle D Ranch. Danny the horse is another favorite of mine.
EPCOTCenterLover
Well-Known Member
By far the best Frontierland is at DL Paris.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
I think I like WDW's more. One of my favorite things to do at WDW is go to Tom Sawyer's Island, which is completely different and not even worth going to at DL. I was thinking about this the other day. DL's tiny Frontierland sort of fits with the rest of the park in being more compact and charming, but it doesn't exactly suit the land. Indeed, it used to be way more sprawling at Disneyland! The wide open spaces and ambiance of the WDW Frontierland really suits it. At Disneyland, it be like:
"Not to worry. We are still flying HALF a Frontierland!"
"Not to worry. We are still flying HALF a Frontierland!"
Disneysea05
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
I still like Disneyland's set up better with a proper entrance off the hub leading through a fort and into a western town square, with the riverboat landing directly ahead.
Disneyland Paris does have the nicest looking Frontierland.
Disneyland Paris does have the nicest looking Frontierland.
EPCOTCenterLover
Well-Known Member
And it has the best content. Soon to get better, I hope, as Iger and company were just there "scouting".