WDW vs. Disneyland Resort - Night Time Entertainment

[DVCOwner]

I have just got back from a five day trip to the Disneyland Resort. Had not been to Disneyland for years. I have been going to Walt Disney World a least twice a year for several years now. I think it might be interesting to get other peoples views on Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland Resort. To keep it from getting to out of hand I would like to limit the discussion to one item at a time. The first I would like to talk about is night time entertainment.

Here are my thoughts on this. By far the best night time show of the two resorts is World of Color. Nothing comes close to this show in overall entertainment value. The only negative about this show is that there is no seating and even getting into a reserved area, you have to get there early to get a good place to watch from. I know that IllumiNations is also a standing room only show, but the crowd is not all in one area.

I liked the Disneyland Park version of Fanstasmic!, but a lot was lost in that it is performed in the middle of the park and out in an outdoor theater like the one in Florida. The Disneyland Resort pirate ship portion of the show was much better than the Poconos part of the show at Walt Disney World. I understand why with the lack of room to build.

I do have to say that The Magic Kingdom - Wishes evening firework show is the by far better than the one at Disneyland Park. I like how wishes tell a story and is not just a fireworks show.

So for single best night time entertainment I have to go with Disneyland Resort - World of Color, but maybe some seats could be added to the viewing area for World of Color.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I do have to say that The Magic Kingdom - Wishes evening firework show is the by far better than the one at Disneyland Park. I like how wishes tell a story and is not just a fireworks show.

The fireworks playing at Disneyland now are a temporary replacement for the regular show while the equipment is being updated for the new Disneyland: Forever production that starts on Friday.

What you saw a few days ago is not representitive of the quality of Disneyland firework productions over the last 10 years.

 

[Gojira ゴジラ]

Agree! World of Color is the best night time show. Even if the scope is night time show in general. The closest one that really evokes my emotion was KA (Circu deSoleil) but the World of Color edges it by a few notch.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Fantasy in the Sky is decades old and was only being performed to make way for Disneyland Forever, the new firework show debuting this Friday. You were unfortunate to miss the real firework show, Remember... Dreams Come True.

 

[Tom]

Disneyland's Fantasmic is definitely superior to WDW's - at least to me - for a few reasons. First, because it's so up close. Secondly, because I can walk up 2 minutes before the show, stand behind the crowd, and see the whole thing. Then, when it's over, just walk away. So convenient.

Wishes is still my favorite fireworks show, but the two times we were in DLR, the fireworks were rained or winded out - so I have nothing to compare to.

World of Color is absolutely fantastic. We saw the regular version in May 2013, then the Winter Dreams/Frozen version in December of the same year. Saw it one night from our Grand Californian Villa balcony, and another time from our Paradise Pier window. Couldn't get enough.

It only slightly wins over Illuminations, which is my favorite nighttime show, overall, at WDW.

 

[jakeman]

Disneyland's Fantasmic is definitely superior to WDW's - at least to me - for a few reasons. First, because it's so up close. Secondly, because I can walk up 2 minutes before the show, stand behind the crowd, and see the whole thing. Then, when it's over, just walk away. So convenient.

Yes to the overall show. No to the crowd. It was a madhouse when we were there. People were camping out seats two hours before the show.

Wishes is still my favorite fireworks show, but the two times we were in DLR, the fireworks were rained or winded out - so I have nothing to compare to.

The DLR fireworks show is pretty good. I would put it slightly above Wishes just because of the actual park call backs as opposed to the animated movie stuff of Wishes.

World of Color is absolutely fantastic. We saw the regular version in May 2013, then the Winter Dreams/Frozen version in December of the same year. Saw it one night from our Grand Californian Villa balcony, and another time from our Paradise Pier window. Couldn't get enough.

It only slightly wins over Illuminations, which is my favorite nighttime show, overall, at WDW.

The beginning and end of the show is absolutely awesome, as is the music. However the middle with animation on water fan I didn't find particularly inspiring.

In my opinion of course.

 

[Disneysea05]

It really upsets me to think how many thousands of people over the last several weeks thought that "Fantasy in the Sky" is all Disneyland can do with fireworks. Indeed Remember Dreams Come True was superior to Wishes, and I hope Disneyland Forever is even better!

I liked the Disneyland Park version of Fanstasmic!, but a lot was lost in that it is performed in the middle of the park and out in an outdoor theater like the one in Florida. The Disneyland Resort pirate ship portion of the show was much better than the Poconos part of the show at Walt Disney World.

I actually think more of the magic is lost from seeing a show like Fantasmic in a dedicated arena at DHS. It's much more magical to see the show spring to life in the middle of the park. That is how Fantasmic was intended to be, a river show.

 

[TP2000]

The Disneyland Resort pirate ship portion of the show was much better than the Poconos part of the show at Walt Disney World. I understand why with the lack of room to build.

Yeah, isn't it a shame how hemmed in and tiny the Walt Disney World property is? When they went to build a new water show in 1998 in a custom amphitheater from virgin earth in an expansion of a new theme park less than a decade old, they didn't have room do the big pirate ship number from Disneyland.

Meanwhile in 1992, Disneyland's Fantasmic! was wedged into a 37 year old theme park using 1950's planning and the pirate ship number uses a 1958 attraction that is actually an exact replica of an historically important American sailing ship that has to be redressed every night into Captain Hook's pirate ship. In the middle of Anaheim. In a park only locals go to. With a tiny castle.

I just wish Walt had bought a few more acres of swampland in '65, then Walt Disney World could have had room to add the pirate ship to their Fantasmic!.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

As with all things DL vs WDW this is very subjective. Personally I find Wishes, Remember Dreams, Illuminations, DL Fantasmic and World of Color all amazing (5 stars). Believe at DL would be a step below (4 stars) and then Fantasmic at HS and Fantasy in the Sky a half step below that (3.5 stars).

I have a feeling once Paint the Night, Disneyland Forever, and WoC-Celebrate are fully revealed this week DL will have the edge on best parade, best fireworks, and best spectacular though.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

IlluMination-Walt Disney World

 

[Bairstow]

Of the shows mentioned, Disneyland's Fantastic wins for me. None of the other shows have anything that competes with the full-scale riverboat or pirate ship stunt show.

Is there any particular reason why Illuminations wasn't on the list?

Also, as a caveat I would say that it's important to note that during a lot of the year, Disneyland limits its evening hours and use of fireworks on weeknights, which can be a real bummer.

 

[DVCOwner]

Is there any particular reason why Illuminations wasn't on the list?

It is the third one on the list.

 

[Bairstow]

It is the third one on the list.

Ah, see it now.
I must have been scanning for the word "Epcot".

 

[gsimpson]

I think there is a much bigger WOW factor with World of Color but I have to pick Illuminations as the best show. It is a story unto itself instead of a collage of a bunch of Disney movies and animation. I think Illuminations is much more "re-watchable". As far as Fantazmiks are concerned the WDW version is a very pale imitation, although I agree with better seating and sound. The stern-wheeler that comes out with all the characters at the end at WDW is very nearly a joke, as are the floats that come earlier in the show. Not to mention the dragon - which you really can't mention in Florida. I also saw the version in Tokyo, I really don't see why they even call that Fantazmik.

 

[Mukta]

As others have said, Remember at DL blows any other show out of the water. DL's Fantasmic! would be my second, closely followed by Illuminations. Wishes does nothing for me.

 

[TP2000]

I have a feeling once Paint the Night, Disneyland Forever, and WoC-Celebrate are fully revealed this week DL will have the edge on best parade, best fireworks, and best spectacular though.

I have a feeling you are right.

It's just a shame that @DVCOwner visited literally days before the 60th Diamond Celebration began and saw the old version of World of Color (whose very last performance is tonight), the temporary Fantasy In The Sky fireworks they did while they installed new equipment for Disneyland Forever, and missed out on Paint The Night entirely. At least Fantasmic! was operating for him.

 

[TP2000]

As others have said, Remember at DL blows any other show out of the water.

Agreed. That's the general consensus of Disney fireworks fans; Disneyland's Remember is (was) the best fireworks show they've come up with yet.

But on Friday the all new show, Disneyland Forever, debuts. And from all leaked videos, official info, and watching the recent rehearsals from my back deck, it will be even bigger and more spectacular than Remember. It debuts this Friday at 9:30PM, Pacific time.

 

[Mukta]

I don't know, TP2000. I was there when Remember premiered and I'll never forget the feeling I got. I watched that whole show with tears streaming down my face. I'm not sure this show can top it for me. I'll go next week to see it of course, but I am keeping my expectations low.

 

[TP2000]

I don't know, TP2000. I was there when Remember premiered and I'll never forget the feeling I got. I watched that whole show with tears streaming down my face.

Valid point. Remember certainly tugged at the heartstrings. Married with the wonderful artistry and technology the show used, it seemed to be the perfect combo.

We'll have to see what Disneyland Forever does on Friday. They appear to have installed a lot of new tech for this show, with a much bigger WOW! factor. Let's see if they get the emotion too.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Forever will definitely be bigger than Remember. Will it be as emotional? Not sure, but we'll see. It sounds like WoC: Celebrate will be in the same spirit as Remember, so that's good.