Was Magic Kingdom considered superior to Disneyland in 1971?

[MickeyLuv'r]

There was one important aspect of early WDW that is easy to forget: Most Americans had never been to Central Florida then. Orlando was some random cow town with a weird name near the swamps.

Except southern FL was a WELL-established vacation Destination by the early 1970's. Actually, well before that. There was already Weeki Wachee Springs. Plus a host of other quirky roadside attractions.

St Augustine was already LONG a destination too, thanks to Castillo de San Marcos, Flagler, and the Ponce De Leon Park. (about 2 hours away)

FT Lauderdale was a big deal already in the 1970's and is only 3.5 hours south. Also: the Everglades National Park, Cape Canaveral (a big tourist site by the 1970's), and the Daytona 500 dates to 1959. FL's beaches were already a popular winter destination well before the 1970's.

Back then driving was one of the most common ways to get to FL, so a 3 hour drive as part of a road-trip vacation was normal. (Prior to that was Flagler's trains)

I don't know WDW was superior, but...crossing the USA was less common then - done by many, but less common than today. Traveling to FL from places all over the Eastern US was more feasible for people living in the east when WDW opened.

 

[SteveAZee]

Except southern FL was a WELL-established vacation Destination by the early 1970's. Actually, well before that. There was already Weeki Wachee Springs. Plus a host of other quirky roadside attractions.

St Augustine was already LONG a destination too, thanks to Castillo de San Marcos, Flagler, and the Ponce De Leon Park. (about 2 hours away)

FT Lauderdale was a big deal already in the 1970's and is only 3.5 hours south. Also: the Everglades National Park, Cape Canaveral (a big tourist site by the 1970's), and the Daytona 500 dates to 1959. FL's beaches were already a popular winter destination well before the 1970's.

Back then driving was one of the most common ways to get to FL, so a 3 hour drive as part of a road-trip vacation was normal. (Prior to that was Flagler's trains)

I don't know WDW was superior, but...crossing the USA was less common then - done by many, but less common than today. Traveling to FL from places all over the Eastern US was more feasible for people living in the east when WDW opened.

When I was a child, we did a few family vacations from NY to Florida staying at Daytona Beach but venturing inland for fun. Cypress Gardens, Six Gun Territory, and Silver Springs were three places I remember... all before WDW opened.

 

[Heppenheimer]

There was one important aspect of early WDW that is easy to forget: Most Americans had never been to Central Florida then. Orlando was some random cow town with a weird name near the swamps. MK was only half-built, yes, but most of the things outside the parks that we use today weren’t built at all. When my family went to WDW in the early ‘70s, we could count the alligators lying on the banks by the side of the roads that went past canals and water. The air smelled of oranges. Everyone knew all about Southern California; it was established. But making the decision to go to Central Florida at that time would have felt more like a risk—what was there? It was clear that a lot of money was being poured into the place, and the Disney publicity machine was pushing the image of the Contemporary Resort to the public super hard, but many people would have felt Disneyland was a safer bet, with more to do (like the Matterhorn), and an easier one to reach, and stay near, and get to.

Don't forget Cypress Gardens, though. Although I don't think this alone would have drawn people to central Florida, it was a well-known stop along the way to Miami. I'm too young to remember a Florida without Disney World, but in the pre-Disney World days, my parents had both visited Cypress Gardens independently before they met.

 

[flynnibus]

Remember the 70s wasn't a great period for Disneyland. Not until Space Mountain and BTMRR are added at the end of the decade.. for the most part it was aging and kind of stagnant. The outside of the park was peak chintz and DL and DL Hotel were riding out the wave of the 60s surge DL had. The best part was getting Country Bear Jamboree and the MSEP.

Disneyworld had all the fresh ideas... the whole 'vacation kingdom' resort... a massive new castle, new grounds, amazing new hotels, etc.

Disneyland of the time was still largely the regional draw it had been... Seasonal hours.. lots of 'festivals' and other promotional gimmicks to bring people out to the park. There are no APs... Disneyland is still something special to visit for most.

Disneyworld however was now this phenom. Disneyland is doing roughly 1mil people a year.. Disney World is doing 10mil a year.

Disneyland was it's happy California home full of tradition - and local flaire - while Disneyworld was the bold new fresh face.

The majority of the east coast wasn't driving to California... nor were the Western states driving to FL I think it was a lot more parallel universes than comparisons. Of course many of the prior DL faithful felt the new product lacked a lot of the history and charm of the original... but that also comes from a lot of love and attachment. I'm sure the faithful really felt Disney World couldn't touch NOS... while many out east felt TL and Frontierland were past their prime.

 

[flynnibus]

But making the decision to go to Central Florida at that time would have felt more like a risk—what was there? It was clear that a lot of money was being poured into the place, and the Disney publicity machine was pushing the image of the Contemporary Resort to the public super hard, but many people would have felt Disneyland was a safer bet, with more to do (like the Matterhorn), and an easier one to reach, and stay near, and get to.

This is still the era of the car... not many were into commercial air travel. Only a few would have that luxury of picking Cali vs FL just around Disney. As off beat Central FL was at the time.. still 10million came to Disney in that first year. That's the advantage of being within a day or two drive of the major population centers of the East Coast.

 

[larryz]

Disneyland still has a LOT more to do than the Magic Kingdom in 1971.

FTFY.

 

[Robbiem]

I remember Rolly Crump in his book talks about the scaled up nature of everything in WDW and being shocked at the loss of charm from the scale of Disneyland.

I’d love to know what people thought of Tokyo when it opened as well, I’ve found nothing on this.

Here in the UK euroDisney got a pasting when it opened, people said it was way too expensive and lacked a lot of classic Disney attractions

 

[SteveAZee]

Remember the 70s wasn't a great period for Disneyland. Not until Space Mountain and BTMRR are added at the end of the decade.. for the most part it was aging and kind of stagnant. The outside of the park was peak chintz and DL and DL Hotel were riding out the wave of the 60s surge DL had. The best part was getting Country Bear Jamboree and the MSEP.

Disneyworld had all the fresh ideas... the whole 'vacation kingdom' resort... a massive new castle, new grounds, amazing new hotels, etc.

Disneyland of the time was still largely the regional draw it had been... Seasonal hours.. lots of 'festivals' and other promotional gimmicks to bring people out to the park. There are no APs... Disneyland is still something special to visit for most.

Disneyworld however was now this phenom. Disneyland is doing roughly 1mil people a year.. Disney World is doing 10mil a year.

Disneyland was it's happy California home full of tradition - and local flaire - while Disneyworld was the bold new fresh face.

The majority of the east coast wasn't driving to California... nor were the Western states driving to FL I think it was a lot more parallel universes than comparisons. Of course many of the prior DL faithful felt the new product lacked a lot of the history and charm of the original... but that also comes from a lot of love and attachment. I'm sure the faithful really felt Disney World couldn't touch NOS... while many out east felt TL and Frontierland were past t

My preference now is going to WDW, partly for the parks, but also due to all the things one can do and see outside the parks. The bubble is big. My last trip to DLR I stayed at Grand Californian, and even with the direct access to CA and easy walk to DL, if never felt like a bubble. Just comparing riding the two monorails... the open, lush landscape, water, and hotels at WDW vs. the sides of buildings, Anaheim traffic, and A/C boxes and dumpsters... not so magical.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

My dad went to Florida in 1969, 1971 and 1973. All in March. So only the last time he got to go to WDW. So yeah, I think people still visited down there to an extent. Someone mentioned Cypress Gardens as an attraction. No, you didn't go down there for Cypress Gardens specifically but it was one of the things to do. By the way, Cypress is now Legoland, I am not sure how many people realize this.

 

[danyoung56]

For what it is worth, I went to both in like 83, 83 (right before Epcot Center opened), and don't remember either being better than the other.

Of course I was like 15 at the time, so my memory is a little fuzzy.

Not to be picky or anything, but E.P.C.O.T. Center opened in 1982.

 

[jloucks]

Not to be picky or anything, but E.P.C.O.T. Center opened in 1982.

Yea, "like" should have been "around"