Disneyland (for those who haven't been)

[Duke of Disney]

I'm going to Disneyland next year, but I'm afraid the smallness might get to me. That it might not be quaint, but just mini (mainly DCA)

I absolutely LOVE the feeling of everything being so separate in WDW. Like the 30 minute journey from parking lot to monorail to the gates of MK makes it feel like you're in a completely new world. And that goes to every park too. Everything feels like its own space.

From seeing pics, it looks as though DCA and DL are connected at the hip and that from each park you can see other things pop up like the ToT in DL and Space Mountain in DCA.

I agree, I love the journey between parks and feel it adds a great deal of dimension and value to being there.

 

[worldfanatic]

Anyway, I want everyone to know that if you get a chance to go to Disneyland, Just STAY ON PROPERTY!

This was the most important thing the OP said.
Sure, there are a ton of hotels withing walking distance that are much cheaper. And as a So Cal local, I stay in them from time to time.

But the experience doesn't come close to the one staying at the Grand Californian or the Disneyland Hotel (and to a lesser extent, Paradise Pier).
These resort's location right next to Downtown Disney gives an immersive experience that helps make up for DLR's much smaller size compared to WDW.

If you're gonna make a special trip to the Disneyland Resort, and you can swing it financially, STAY ON DISNEY PROPERTY!

 

[goreesha]

My family is originally from Southern California, and we have personal connections to Disneyland. Both of my grandfathers worked on the park. My maternal grandfather was a steamfitter who laid pipe. My paternal grandfather was a carpenter who worked on Main Street and at least one ride that I know of (the original Flight to the Moon). So my connection to Disney parks goes way back before my birth and starts with Disneyland not WDW.

Having said that, however, and despite the fact that Disneyland has more attractions (and, as you said, the best attraction at any park with Indy), I still prefer the experience of the Magic Kingdom. The smallness of Disneyland is significant, especially when you've been to MK. The smallness stands out. I mean, man alive, have you ever been on Main Street at Disneyland at closing time? You think MK Main Street gets crowded! Also, the clutter of Anaheim being all around the park has always driven me crazy. Now, this has gotten better since they turned Disneyland into a resort, because there is somewhat of a buffer right outside of the park with Downtown Disney and DCA. But, DCA is so dang close, there is scarcely any breathing room between the parks. Also, supposedly, the castle was made larger at MK by Roy's insistence because Walt had lamented that he wished he'd made the castle at Disneyland bigger. The thing is, Walt wanted more room when he built Disneyland, he just ran out of money. So MK fulfills that wish.

For the record, from what I read about Walt, if he were still alive, he would have become totally bored of Disneyland by the early 1970s and moved on to other things. In fact, he was already moving on to Epcot in his thinking and pulling away from Disneyland by 1966. If he were somehow still in good health in 2010, he would probably be trying to build a moon base or something by now.

 

[the-reason14]

I loved DL, and after going last year I understand how people can say its better than the MK. DL for one has more rides, a better fantasyland, Indy, a better pirates, Indy, the matterhorn, the submarine, and Indy. I still love the MK because it is my original park, but DL is great as it is, and has a charm and a "homey" feel to it that the MK can and will never have. Everything also seemed more relaxed at DL than at WDW. While in WDW, I always feel the need to walk as fast as I can to get from park to park and ride to ride. But DL, myself as well as people around me seem more calm. I guess because the whole place is small so there's no need to walk as fast as you would in WDW. But the bottom line is DL is great as is. MK is great as is but could use somethings because in comparison it needs to catch up. But both resorts have their strengths and weaknesses.

 

[ChrisFL]

My thoughts...DL has more GOOD exclusive attractions than MK does. The only ride I would truly miss is the Peoplemover, and maybe eventually it will come back to DL.

Fantasyland and Toontown are much nicer at DL (for now)

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

I agree on some points, but I really disagree with your comment about having to stay on Disney property in Disneyland. The Disneyland hotels are some much more expensive than a lot of the good neighbor hotels. We stayed at one that was literally a minute further walk than Paradise Pier hotel (maybe two minutes if we had to wait for the street light to change). We did not feel like we lost any of the magic, because the Dland hotels don't really offer any benefits like WDW resorts. And I saved a boatload of money that I was able to spend on pins!

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

Disneyland is indeed the original and the only park that Walt Disney ever visited. That fact alone is enough of a reason that many people will always give Disneyland the edge over MK in any comparison. The truth is that MK and all of WDW for that matter, would not exist if not for Disneyland, the original Magic Kingdom.

 

[JWG]

Love it. Haven't been since 1996. Want to go back. Can't convince the wife. Hates flying, thus doesn't like crossing the mountains. Hates southern cal (don't know why).

So much has changed since 1996, too. It'd be like a new experience.

 

[sponono88]

I'm going to Disneyland next year, but I'm afraid the smallness might get to me. That it might not be quaint, but just mini (mainly DCA)

I absolutely LOVE the feeling of everything being so separate in WDW. Like the 30 minute journey from parking lot to monorail to the gates of MK makes it feel like you're in a completely new world. And that goes to every park too. Everything feels like its own space.

From seeing pics, it looks as though DCA and DL are connected at the hip and that from each park you can see other things pop up like the ToT in DL and Space Mountain in DCA.

You can't see ToT from inside DL. And you can't see SM from DCA :wave:

and for the record, DCA has bigger walkways and smaller crowds (until WoC comes along) so some days it feels bigger than DL.

DL park is smaller than MK, but it's not that small :lol:

 

[TP2000]

Well of course you think the DL buildings are too short! You are really tall! :lol: I am only 5'2 so I am sure they will seem perfectly normal to me.

Yes, you'll probably be more comfortable at Disneyland. :animwink:

Main Street USA is the same length at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, but the street is slightly wider at Magic Kingdom and the buildings aren't neccesarily taller, but they have big and wide awnings built out over the sidewalks to help protect the Magic Kingdom sidewalks from the Florida rain and bad weather. At Disneyland, the sidewalks are wide open and the awnings are mainly decorative and there for theme instead of protection.

Compare The Emporium at Disneyland...

To The Emporium at Magic Kingdom...

Same size overall, but the Magic Kingdom added big awnings to protect the sidewalk from the rain. It gives the structure a more massive scale.

 

[TP2000]

Love it. Haven't been since 1996. Want to go back. Can't convince the wife. Hates flying, thus doesn't like crossing the mountains. Hates southern cal (don't know why).

You could take the train. Amtrak's Sunset Limited goes from New Orleans to Los Angeles. There has to be something in all of SoCal that you could bribe her with. A specific museum? A restaurant? A sport? A store? SoCal has it all, so there must be something.

 

[celandinesmith]

Hello,
The Walt Disney World is amazing place to go for holidays.There is the area's largest attraction with its many facets such as the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach, and Downtown Disney.

 

[puntagordabob]

Oh, and if you miss the old Tiki Room, go out there. Once you watch the original show, you'll beg for Iago. I sat there like this: :lookaroun thinking, "I use to love this show."

NEVER GONNA HAPPEN! Iago needs to go BYE BYE! The Disneyland Tiki Room is far superior the Under New Management show we are stuck with at the moment....

In the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room and Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing are awesome... And it WAS perhaps Walt's favorite attraction....He Loved the Tiki Room! WDW needs the DLR version of course we can call it The Tropical Serenade as it was always called here!

Give Jose back his show!

 

[SirGoofy]

And it WAS perhaps Walt's favorite attraction.

Can't agree with that one. If Walt had a favorite attraction it'd be CoP or Jungle Cruise...

 

[TP2000]

NEVER GONNA HAPPEN! Iago needs to go BYE BYE! The Disneyland Tiki Room is far superior the Under New Management show we are stuck with at the moment...

I agree. When I first saw WDW's Iago version of the Tiki Room in the late 1990's it was like being stuck in a really bad 1990's wedding reception. It hasn't gotten any better, and it's aging very poorly.

The Disneyland version of Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room is still very popular, and I think that has to do with the opening up of the entrance lanai five years ago and the wild popularity of the Dole Whips sold at the entrance.

 

[Krack2]

Can't agree with that one. If Walt had a favorite attraction it'd be CoP or Jungle Cruise...

I'm not a Walt-expert, but I always understood that his favorite attraction was the Disneyland Railroad.

 

[SirGoofy]

I'm not a Walt-expert, but I always understood that his favorite attraction was the Disneyland Railroad.

I dunno. They tell stories that he rode a Jungle boat around the river by himself every day he went to Disneyland. Who knows if they are true.:shrug:

And CoP was his baby.

But he did love his trains.

 

[hack2112]

Can't agree with that one. If Walt had a favorite attraction it'd be CoP or Jungle Cruise...

Psh, JC all the way.

I'm not biased, I swear! :lookaroun

As for DL feeling smaller than MK to me is bogus. It felt just as big if not bigger in some respects, especially with IJA and the tunnel that never ends... EVER. And I could completely tell that IJA and CTX had the same layout, but I'm a huge fan of both for completely different reasons (CTX preshow FTW!).

As for SM, I still think that DL's is the epitome of awesome, though our new sound effect in WDW really makes it clear that we're in a time machine going Back to the 90's... The Ride!

 

[hrcollectibles]

I have enough refreshments for all.

Do you have any beer? And I'm not talking about no plastic cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer..And is that McDonalds a Roayle with Cheese?

 

[hrcollectibles]

I've always tried to prevent Disney newcomers from having a "Chucky Cheese perception" of Disney, and I've always found "our" Fantasyland to be the hardest place to do that. It has always appeared cheesy to me (get the pun?) Disneyland's Fantasyland design was great.

If you have to point out a pun then I do not think it is a good pun at all