Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland, which has more of a "magical" aura?

[the-reason14]

Thanks for the feedback guys, this is great. I know that Southern California is a tourist trap to begin with so the amount of things to do there goes beyond DL but no doubt about it a huge motivating factor for me to go to SoCal is to see DL for the first time.

A couple more things:

I constantly hear how superior the Haunted Mansion is at MK as opposed to DL. I love the Haunted Mansion to death so how much better is the one at MK compared to DL?

And how much better is Pirates at DL? A lot? A little? No difference?

Also thanks for the heads up about the signage en route to DL. I'm so used to seeing a billion signs in Orlando all the time so it's nice to know I'll need to be a little more alert.

Lastly, I hear a lot about "locals" being the majority of the crowd at DL. This is not the case in WDW obviously. So here is my question. SoCal is a huge tourist trap, how can Disneyland - probably the biggest thing to do there - not be filled with people from all over the country and world? MK had 17 million visitors in 2009. DL had 14 million. It isn't that different. Do the locals really make up a big chunk of that 14 million?

I didn't get to do HM while I was there so I can't help there. But as far as Pirates is concerned, I'm sure I'm not in the minority when I say that it is wayyyyyyyyy better than the one in MK. DL's Pirate's is the book/novel, where MK's Pirate's is the bullet point cliff notes.

As far as locals are concerned, I came across people that I would assume were locals because they seemed to know a bit about the place, but I did come across a few people who I also assumed to be out of state tourist. Our second day there when walking down main st. another man said to his family, "Look, it's small" referring to the tiny castle, so I can only assume he didn't live there and ofcourse has been to WDW. Another thing that struck me as odd is DL had a lot of single's line, much more than WDW. And in my eyes, assuming most of the visitors are locals, then the single lines would be just as long and known about as the regular lines. But most of them hardly had anyone in them so I thought that was interesting.

 

[TP2000]

MK had 17 million visitors in 2009. DL had 14 million. It isn't that different. Do the locals really make up a big chunk of that 14 million?

Locals are a big chunk, especially on weekends, but I don't think they are the majority overall. At WDW you hear lots of European languages and accents. At Disneyland you hear lots of Australian and New Zealand accents, and there are groups of Japanese "office ladies" and middle aged Japanese couples. Big Taiwanese tour groups are another common sight at Disneyland that you don't get in WDW. The LA Times had a story about thousands and thousands of Amway China salespeople from cities in China that are making a pilgrimage to Disneyland this summer.

At WDW you have that mish-mash of East Coast accents from Boston to Birmingham, and every accent in between that can tip you off that they aren't "local". West of Denver the accents are distilled by the Rockies into a rather clearer form of diction, so you won't be able to pick out the Seattleites at Disneyland from the San Diegans based on their accent. But a West Coaster can do it easily; Seattleites will have pink skin and will be wearing expensive sportswear from Columbia and REI that you could use to go kayaking or hiking. San Diegans will have a much better base tan, and generally wear hooded sweatshirts as their outer layer instead of somthing made from GoreTex.

Clothing is often a dead giveaway from where people are from. I spent years living on the East Coast, and I still see people at Disneyland wearing typical Mid-Atlantic or New England outfits and I think "Boston!" or "Atlanta!". When I hear their voices their accents give them away, and they are in fact East Coasters on vacation at Disneyland. They generally stick out from what SoCal'ers wear in public.

 

[TP2000]

I didn't get to do HM while I was there so I can't help there. But as far as Pirates is concerned, I'm sure I'm not in the minority when I say that it is wayyyyyyyyy better than the one in MK. DL's Pirate's is the book/novel, where MK's Pirate's is the bullet point cliff notes.

Disneyland's Pirates is 15 minutes long with two drops.

WDW's Pirates is 8 minutes long with one "drop" that feels more like a slide.

Enough said.

 

[Krack]

I constantly hear how superior the Haunted Mansion is at MK as opposed to DL. I love the Haunted Mansion to death so how much better is the one at MK compared to DL?

It's been awhile since I've been in the MK Haunted Mansion, but as I remember it, the actual ride experiences aren't much different at all. The main differences are the exterior queue and the (sad) fact that you can't go into the stretching room in DL without a bunch of morons reciting the "Ghost Host" spiel the entire time.

And how much better is Pirates at DL? A lot? A little? No difference?

A lot.

Lastly, I hear a lot about "locals" being the majority of the crowd at DL. This is not the case in WDW obviously. So here is my question. SoCal is a huge tourist trap, how can Disneyland - probably the biggest thing to do there - not be filled with people from all over the country and world? MK had 17 million visitors in 2009. DL had 14 million. It isn't that different. Do the locals really make up a big chunk of that 14 million?

Two things:
1. I'm not sure SoCal is a big a tourist trap as you think it is. Are there things tourists will like to see? Sure (Disneyland, Universal, Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood), but it's not much different than NYC and no where near as bad as Orlando.
2. Locals make up a HUGE chunk of that 14 million. Locals treat Disneyland like people in other areas of the country treat going to the mall or the movies - it's the "go-to" thing to do when you've got nothing to do.

Also, it is very difficult to judge "out of towners" by the accents in Los Angeles, since nobody that lives in Los Angeles is originally from Los Angeles. They are all transplants to begin with. You'll find very few that are born-and-raised.

Another thing that struck me as odd is DL had a lot of single's line, much more than WDW. And in my eyes, assuming most of the visitors are locals, then the single lines would be just as long and known about as the regular lines. But most of them hardly had anyone in them so I thought that was interesting.

I suspect that because so many of the guests are locals/annual passholders, they've done it all before - so they are in no rush to get in as much as they can whenever they are in the park. Disneyland has relatively few Disney Commandos; they are perfectly content to wait in a queue with their families and chat about the park. That was always my experience.

 

[TakeMeThere81]

Since DL is close to the action in the city of Anaheim do you get the same vibe there?

No, I didn't get the same vibe. I think it makes a million times difference to stay at a Disneyland Resort hotel. You MUST stay inside the magic there, otherwise you are right on a dirty boring old highway, interstate in 5 minutes. It kills the magic imo.

Do you feel in another world and forget that Anaheim is so close?

Eh, a bit I guess, but it's not nearly as dramatic as the 40-square miles and all the resorts, and such Disneyworld has.

Does it matter if a monorail/ferry takes you to the entrance or is it just because I am used to it?

I think it makes a difference. You can totally walk right up to the entrance, but it's not as magical. It's like, "Hey, look there's IHOP, oh and look, there's Disneyland..." With the monorail/tram, you get to hear the voice over the loudspeaker and you are more immersed. There's much better anticipation.

Will I forget about being so close to the city and just soak up in the magic just like at MK?

Totally. Once you are inside the parks, it gets great! I felt a little more clostrophobic at DL because there's so much packed into just one park. And there were a lot of people there when we went. It wasn't as magical as I'd hoped. But that wasn't necessarily Disneyland's fault, kwim?

Do you even see the outside city when you are in there?

This one I have to hand it to Disney, I wasn't really aware the at the outside city is so close. In fact if you take the interstate there, you'll go right past Disney, and you can even see Space Mountain from the highway. It's weird. But while we were there, I had no idea we were so close to the freeway. Disney has done a really good job of isolating you into their world.

 

[musketeer]

I love reading this type of thread. But I wonder, do the people on this board like Disneyland better BECAUSE it's in California. I live in the Detroit area, downtown detroit is a mess, but the suburbs of detroit are very very nice. And one of the more affluent towns is called Birhmingham. I've noticed some people tend to prefer a place that is closer to Birhmingham, even if it is a chain and an exact same one is down the street. I think they do this because it's cooler and more hip to like the one near the cooler and more hip city.

Is that going on here at all? Because I've been to both, and I've read countless times of the people on this board saying how great Disneyland is, but I'm sorry, I just simply don't see it. All that stuff of it being the original...so what?

 

[Wilt Dasney]

I think it makes a difference. You can totally walk right up to the entrance, but it's not as magical. It's like, "Hey, look there's IHOP, oh and look, there's Disneyland..." With the monorail/tram, you get to hear the voice over the loudspeaker and you are more immersed. There's much better anticipation.

See, to me that aspect is part of the charm. In my mind, it was more like "OK, there's IHOP....there's Denny's, and there's...DISNEYLAND?!?!" :lol:

The abrupt switch from boring everyday places to DL is just amazing, because it's so sudden and complete at the same time. You turn the corner from what could be any street in any town and all of a sudden the familiar music's playing, the train station's in front of you, every sign of the outside world is instantly wiped away...it's like proof that Disney magic can live anywhere, and doesn't have to be nestled away behind miles of highway, parking, and monorail tracks. In at least one place, it can be literally around the corner.

 

[fosse76]

Another thing that struck me as odd is DL had a lot of single's line, much more than WDW. And in my eyes, assuming most of the visitors are locals, then the single lines would be just as long and known about as the regular lines. But most of them hardly had anyone in them so I thought that was interesting.

I experienced this as well. The only attraction that seemed to get use out of the singles line was Indiana Jones. Every other attraction I was the only one in it (even Soarin' Over California, where they just loaded me on the ride without waiting for a single spot). WDW should add single rider lines to a few more attractions (Soarin' and Toy Story already have the space for it).

 

[Mickey_777]

As a WDW vet, I had all these same questions before I went last month.

Since DL is close to the action in the city of Anaheim do you get the same vibe there?

IMO nothing, nothing can kill Disney Magic...it can be across the street from a garbage dump and as long as you can't smell the trash, it's all forgotten once you see the Railroad station or Main street.

Do you feel in another world and forget that Anaheim is so close?

Like I said above, yes. The area music and the open feeling once you walk into the esplanade make you forget Anaheim even exists.

Does it matter if a monorail/ferry takes you to the entrance or is it just because I am used to it?

There really is nothing like seeing the castle across the lake from the ferry but that first sight of the Disneyland Railraod station is pretty exciting (and free up to that point).

Do you even see the outside city when you are in there?

Only when riding the monorail. It also makes me trip that you can see the monorail, Space Mountain, and ToT from the street (Harbor) outside. But to me that made me all the more anxious and hurry to get onto DLR property.

Try to enjoy DLR for what it is and as two separate and wonderful parks. There are big differences but it's all Disney all day. You may have to deal with attraction breaking down more often than you're used to at WDW but if a CM doesn't hand you a fastpass, go to City Hall and they'll hook you up with one "any attraction" ticket for each ride that broke down on you. This happened to us 4 times and we got 4 passes the next day (saturday) which was awesome because it was much more crowded than the friday before. Also, I found DL more "run down" than WDW, contrary to what others have said. FL was in dire need of some paint touch ups. It is older after all I guess.

Beware of the Matterhorn because it can bruise you up, it's a rough ride. Also plan to have FL completely shut down on you for the fireworks. DCA also doesn't have much "magic". Even with all the additions coming in the next few years, I don't see DCA having that special feeling to it that you get at DL, MK, Epcot, or even DHS. Have fun!