Disneyland Fantasyland vs. WDW Fantasyland

[Deleted member 107043]

I love the MK. I'll never forget my first monorail ride to the park. Seeing Cinderella Castle and the gleaming Space Mountain across Bay Lake was astonishing to me growing up with DL and its acres of asphalt outside the front gate and more urban setting. There's still something about that approach that gives me chills. It's one of those Disney things that you can't describe until you experience it.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I will say this, as far as the central village area goes, definitely Disneyland. But, as far as the stuff "beyond the castle walls" WDW. basicaly what I'm say is that if you combined Disneyland's Fantasyland with the expanded part of Magic Kingdom's, you'd have a perfect fantasyland.

 

[Curious Constance]

Everytime I see a picture of WDW's Small World, it makes me so sad. DL's Small World facade is one of my favorite areas of the park.

 

[Phroobar]

Everytime I see a picture of WDW's Small World, it makes me so sad. DL's Small World facade is one of my favorite areas of the park.

I agree. The WDW version shows a lot of cost cutting that effects the show quality. At least it's not as bad as the Chinese version with the zombie dolls and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Voltron figures.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

With my vivid imagination all I can think when I look at the that video is that it probably smells like mold and mildew in there.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Even though it feels like it's in a basement (and it basically is) I liked the old ''small world'' loading area at MK. No one agrees with me, but the issue arose when they built DL's palace exterior inside. I didn't like that. Then they rerouted the queue so it basically goes behind the facade, which is weird and dumb.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Even though it feels like it's in a basement (and it basically is) I liked the old ''small world'' loading area at MK. No one agrees with me, but the issue arose when they built DL's palace exterior inside. I didn't like that. Then they rerouted the queue so it basically goes behind the facade, which is weird and dumb.

They also got rid of the fountains, which I think was unnecessary.

passport2dreams blog did a good article on this and other recent (pointless) changes made to make MK more like Disneyland. Each park should keep its unique character.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I love the MK. I'll never forget my first monorail ride to the park. Seeing Cinderella Castle and the gleaming Space Mountain across Bay Lake was astonishing to me growing up with DL and its acres of asphalt outside the front gate and more urban setting. There's still something about that approach that gives me chills. It's one of those Disney things that you can't describe until you experience it.

Even the view of Space Mountain from the Contemporary's parkling lot is impressive.

Then you walk into Disneyland from the resort bus area and it looks like a complete after thought, partially burried underground and hidden behind various buildings.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

That's why Disneyland is great in its own way. There isn't really a grand approach like at Magic Kingdom. You may see the peaks of Space Mountain and the Matterhorn, but that's about it. But once you pass through the gates, it's like a portal and you're transported into another world. The exterior is unassuming and within you find something you'd never have expected. That's pure Disneyland.

 

[brb1006]

I love the MK. I'll never forget my first monorail ride to the park. Seeing Cinderella Castle and the gleaming Space Mountain across Bay Lake was astonishing to me growing up with DL and its acres of asphalt outside the front gate and more urban setting. There's still something about that approach that gives me chills. It's one of those Disney things that you can't describe until you experience it.

There's something about moving inside the Monorail and seeing you arrive and leave the resort or the parks that is hard to describe unless your there in person. You don't get that type of feeling at any other Theme Park.

 

[ght]

Even though it feels like it's in a basement (and it basically is) I liked the old ''small world'' loading area at MK. No one agrees with me, but the issue arose when they built DL's palace exterior inside. I didn't like that. Then they rerouted the queue so it basically goes behind the facade, which is weird and dumb.

I don't disagree with you. I prefer this:

over this

which is just a Cliff Notes of this

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The old setup with the mural and fountains is super charming in its 70sness.

 

[ght]

The old setup with the mural and fountains is super charming in its 70sness.

The vibrant colors of the old setup really stood out in the dark indoor queue and combined with the fountains and popcorn lights really popped. The bland white mini-DL facade is too blah for such a small space and is so close to the queue that it loses scale and really looks like stuccoed plywood or cardboard. It is something that works extremely well with distance but doesn't work at all up close, IMO.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The old loading area looked WAY better.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

The old setup with the mural and fountains is super charming in its 70sness.

Look up TDL's loading area. It's unreal in how 70s-tastic it is despite being built in the 80s. I assume it will be different once the attraction is relocated.

 

[Phroobar]

The old MK loading area was better but still is as crappy as the TDL loading area. At least Paris IASW loading is outside.

 

[Curious Constance]

The old MK loading area was better but still is as crappy as the TDL loading area. At least Paris IASW loading is outside.

That looks so sad.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It's incredibly charming in its own weird way. It's like The Magic Kingdom in the style of 2001 Disney's California Adventure.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

That pic doesn't quite do the TDL loading area justice. It is HUGE. Stepping into it is kind of amazing - it's so big and the mural is all-encompassing. Small world there is all but untouched since it opened and you can TELL. Excited to see what is cooked up for its relocation as part of their Fantasyland project.

 

[Phroobar]

It's incredibly charming in its own weird way. It's like The Magic Kingdom in the style of 2001 Disney's California Adventure.

You are king of the backhanded compliments.