I've read different numbers for both, the most recent being 85 acres for DL Park, and 107 acres for MK. Does anyone know the exact numbers?
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Which is bigger - Disneyland or Magic Kingdom?
- Thread starter captainkidd
- Start date
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
MK, by far.
EDIT: Your numbers are right for MK. Not sure about DL. Time to look that up :lol:
EDIT: Your numbers are right for MK. Not sure about DL. Time to look that up :lol:
Do you really notice the size difference when in Disneyland? I'm guessing it must feel more cluttered as they have more attractions.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Don't know, I have not been, yet. I have heard, however, that it feels "quant" and not cluttered. It's like a microcosm of MK.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
Until the Fantasy Forest Expansion is completed, I was told that Disneyland Park is larger than MK by about 10-15 acres in terms of guest areas. Atleast several CMs held this statement true while I was asking out there (and I did ask different people at different times because I know the BS level of some nowitall CMs).
And yes it feels ALOT bigger than our MK. But I think that is also because you can't see the castle from all points within the park. And the amount of attractions is significantly higher park for park.
And yes it feels ALOT bigger than our MK. But I think that is also because you can't see the castle from all points within the park. And the amount of attractions is significantly higher park for park.
EPCOT Explorer
New Member
Disneyland is 85 acres. :shrug:
That's interesting about not seeing the Castle and how that effects perception of size. Can't you see SM or BTMR instead, though? :lol:
Figment632
New Member
Not even close MK!
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
But wasn't MK's size of 107 acres including the 20K area that is currently not open to guests? That would bring the parks to a fairly comparable size.
You can see the Matterhorn...though it doesn't stand out as much as a castle does.
SM is kind of in an obscure corner of the park behind the Star Tours building which blocks the site line from other areas in the park.
And you can't see anything from back in Toon Town.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
At times, it's very obvious. Like if you want to walk from PotC to Space Mt., it's probably under 5 minutes. Basically you can get to the hub from almost anywhere in the park in 2 minutes or less, if crowds are light. (The back of Toontown might be the most "out of the way" area of the park.)
But it doesn't feel cluttered to me. Somehow it all just works. You leave PotC, take a few steps, and there's HM. Take a few more steps, and there's Splash. But it all feels right, never forced or shoehorned. I've never stopped at MK and noticed how much open space there is, but it must be a ton.
If you overlay screenshots of each from Google Earth, the main guest areas are practically identical in size. Main Street USA is an exact match.
I think the layout of the paths in Disneyland is a lot better than WDW, though. There's about 3 options to get from land to land, instead of just one. In WDW, I really dislike how Adventureland is almost parallel to Frontierland, which causes a lot of back and forth walking. I also HATE how Thunder Mountain is far away from everything. It feels like it takes forever to get over there. In DL all the paths kind of flow into each other and it takes no time at all to get place to place without any backtracking (until the crowds start building in the evening anyway).
I think the layout of the paths in Disneyland is a lot better than WDW, though. There's about 3 options to get from land to land, instead of just one. In WDW, I really dislike how Adventureland is almost parallel to Frontierland, which causes a lot of back and forth walking. I also HATE how Thunder Mountain is far away from everything. It feels like it takes forever to get over there. In DL all the paths kind of flow into each other and it takes no time at all to get place to place without any backtracking (until the crowds start building in the evening anyway).
Disneyland definitely feels smaller while walking around. I think part of this is due to the scale. As you said, the Main Streets are technically the same in terms of space, but everything about Disneyland's is smaller in scale, from the train station to the Emporium, you name it. If you're over 6 feet tall, your head would actually hit the canopies in front of the buildings. That plus the lack of the water surrounding the hub makes the journey to the incredibly small castle seem shorter. Speaking of which, because of the lack of the surrounding moat, the entrances to Tomorrowland, Adventureland, and Frontierland are all closer to the hub than at the MK.
Tomorrowland is crammed and small. After the main drag, there's basically three buildings- Space Mountain, Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, and Innoventions that basically box in the rest of the land. The Autopia, Submarine Voyage, and Monorail are all intertwined to create the rest of the land.
Adventureland is so small it seems like an afterthought, despite being an original land. As soon as you enter the land, you see Tarzan's Treehouse about 70 yards away, and then New Orleans Square begins.
I think where Disneyland makes up the difference is in their Fantasyland and Toontown. Our Fantasyland barely goes behind the castle, whereas at Disneyland it runs all the way to the railroad tracks and in the case of Toontown, behind them.
Another factor I think in making Disneyland seem so small is the outdoor eating areas. Almost every restaurant in the park has outdoor seating with umbrellas galore that runs out into what would otherwise being a path. Tomorrowland Terrace and Village Haus are the most obvious examples. That and the ODV carts do tend to make the park feel crammed at times.
Tomorrowland is crammed and small. After the main drag, there's basically three buildings- Space Mountain, Redd Rocket's Pizza Port, and Innoventions that basically box in the rest of the land. The Autopia, Submarine Voyage, and Monorail are all intertwined to create the rest of the land.
Adventureland is so small it seems like an afterthought, despite being an original land. As soon as you enter the land, you see Tarzan's Treehouse about 70 yards away, and then New Orleans Square begins.
I think where Disneyland makes up the difference is in their Fantasyland and Toontown. Our Fantasyland barely goes behind the castle, whereas at Disneyland it runs all the way to the railroad tracks and in the case of Toontown, behind them.
Another factor I think in making Disneyland seem so small is the outdoor eating areas. Almost every restaurant in the park has outdoor seating with umbrellas galore that runs out into what would otherwise being a path. Tomorrowland Terrace and Village Haus are the most obvious examples. That and the ODV carts do tend to make the park feel crammed at times.
LoriMistress
Well-Known Member
MK is bigger.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
no...the first floor of the Main Street Buildings are done to the same scale as WDWs. you won't hit your head on the awnings.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
One bizarre thing to me (after growing up on MK) was how close the Adventureland and Frontierland entrances are to one another. I'm horrible with distances, but I would guess they're no more than 10-15 feet apart. You have the bamboo/tiki theme and the wooden fort rubbing shoulders, both promising completely different themes.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
I might have retract that comment saying they're to the same scale. WDW Main Street Buildings have a 12ft first floor, and although I can't find an actual height of the DL Main Street Building's first floor (don't have my Field Guide here!) I found that it said the first floor was a 3/4 scale...which would lead me to think it 8ft tall at the least.
Either way you wouldn't hit your head on the awnings being just over 6ft.
anyway...I really don't feel that any of DL feels crowded or ridiculously cramped. the Pirates, NO Square, Rivers of America, Haunted Mansion area is the most beautiful area I have seen of any Disney Parks yet. and with the exception of the lack of a working peoplemover, the queue for Space being on the building's roof, and the horrible waste of rotating building that their Innoventions is, I like their Tomorrowland. The Nemo Lagoon/Autopia/Monorail/Peoplemover blending is beautiful and IMO a FANTASTIC utilization of space. What a brilliant idea to have multiple attractions share the same area...much like how Casey JR and Storybookland Canal Boats share the same space. It's all done so well and makes sense that it keeps it from feeling overly crowded.
imagineer boy
Well-Known Member
I'll agree that DL has a very "quaint" rather than cluttered feel. It makes it feel a bit more cozy and a place where you can really enjoy the scenery.
devoy1701
Well-Known Member
Ditto...when i look at MK now all i see is concrete. :brick:
i can't stand our wide open terraces in Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
That's a great point. Those little areas where multiple attractions all converge (I wonder how many times a day the Casey Jr. and Storybookland operators wave at each other :lol
not only add to the charm, but are just plain smart uses of space.
the-reason14
Well-Known Member
Yes. I was a bit shocked seeing how small it is compared to the MK. But its conveniently small. It's easier to get from land to land, and its size adds to the charm. It really feels like your park or your land as Walt referred to it. And DL utilizes its small space very well and has more to do and a better fantasyland than the MK.