Disneyland vs. Disney World: Part 2 - Rides/Attractions


Another way to compare Disneyland and Disney World is to talk about rides and attractions, with four parks Disney World has many more attractions than Disneyland.  Many of Disneyland's rides are also found at Disney World but they are not the exact same and that is what I will focus on.

First off, the fast pass system is completely different at the two parks.  At Disneyland when you get into the park you go to your first choice ride and get a fast pass and you cannot get another one until you have used that one.  So if you run to the Cars ride in DCA and your time isn't until 3 pm, you cannot get another fast pass until that one has been used or the one hour time window has run out.  Disney World, on the other hand, lets you preplan up to 3 fast passes per day 60 days in advance.  When we were at Disneyland in June, I already knew what rides I would be riding in DisneyWorld in July.  

I loved being able to pre-plan my entire trip to Disney World as I am a big planner.  I love to know what I will be doing and when I will be doing it, however I am not a big fan of having to plan.  I know that sounds silly.  I enjoy going to Disneyland and seeing where the day takes me.  I have never left Disneyland with a sadness that I missed something as there is so much to do.  While I love being able to have fast passes and plan ahead it also adds a stress to the trip, you could be walking by a ride you want to do with a short line but you have to be on the other side of the park for a fast pass.  There is no spontaneity in this, so it can be good and bad, it really just depends what kind of person you are; a planner or one who enjoys spontaneity.


Onto the rides:

I have a special place in my heart for Disneyland as it was Walt Disney's park.  He watched it progress from a dream to a reality.  He enjoyed strolling the park, meeting the guests and even on occasion waiting in line and talking to families.  I love nostalgia of every sort and that is why Disneyland tugs at my heart strings.  With all that being said many of the rides that Walt help create are still in the park: Autopia, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White's Scary Adventures, Storybook Land Canal Boats, Mad Tea Party, King Arthur's Carousel, Peter Pan's Flight and the Jungle Cruise Ride. The last four of those are also at Disney World but they aren't the same.  
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Autopia

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
             
So...Which has the better ride?

Disney World:

1) Peter Pan's Flight - These two are very similar to each other.  The one in Disney World is a little better (but not by much).  If you didn't do the two parks within the same month you probably wouldn't even notice, but Disney World's is lighter.  The one at Disneyland really feels like you are in darkness and at times can be hard to see, that could be because it is much older than it's counterpart.

2) Winnie the Pooh - When we were planning our fast passes for this trip to Disney World I noticed that this ride had long wait times, I was very confused by this because the Disneyland equivalent is a long wait if it is at 5 minutes.  When we rode this ride we realized that it is far superior.  If you go to Disney World a lot and decide to vacation at Disneyland don't put your hopes on Anaheim's Winnie the Pooh as you will be disappointed.

3) Tower of Terror - These two seemed to be drastically different to me and I love this ride.  In Disneyland it seems as though you wait forever in between the "Twilight Zone" beginning and the actual ride portion, I have waited a half an hour in between these two sections.  Disney World had half of the ride broken and we didn't have much of a wait.  Additionally, at Disney World there is more of an experience than Disneyland, at Disneyland you see the "hotel guests" and then drop.  Disney World takes you through the "Twilight Zone" you follow the guests and then drop.  The entire ride is probably double the time.  Disney World gives you more bang for your buck.
                  Disneyland                                                          DisneyWorld

4) Haunted Mansion - These were almost identical, the only reason I am giving it to Disney World is because of the cool waiting in line area.  They have lots of interactive stuff to play with while you are waiting in line and it is shaded.  



Disneyland:

1) It's a Small World - While very similar, the differences between the two causes Disneyland's to be the better ride.  The Disneyland ride has added Disney characters in all the countries (they are hard to see in some of them) but this little addition has made the ride a little less creepy and a little more fun.  At the end of this ride in Disney World it says goodbye to you by reading your magic band.  It says goodbye in the order you are sitting and frankly that freaked me out.  It was cute, but a little too big brother for me.  I didn't need reminding that I was being tracked through the park, by a giant Mickey Mouse (ok, maybe that is a stretch, but only by a little).  
Disney World

Creepy....
Disneyland


2) Pirates of the Carribean - Starting the ride floating by the Blue Bayou really is my favorite part, it sets the tone for the ride and it is a fantastic time.  Disney World doesn't have that part and it seems to be a little shorter of a ride.  To me this is a hands down win for Disneyland.  

3) Toy Story Midway Mania - The wait for it is much better at Disney World as you are indoors and you walk through and everything is oversized, as though you are a toy.  The ride itself is almost identical between the two parks except for both times I rode it at Disney World it whipped me around so much I thought I would be sick.  Disneyland's seems to be much smoother.

4) Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - This is a shooting game I give this one to Disneyland because it is easier to play.  You can lift the guns and shoot all around you, at Disney World they are stuck in one position and it makes much less fun.  The ride was also incredibly long at Disney World and in Disneyland there have been many times that I have been able to ride this over and over again.


5) Jungle Cruise - We rode this at night and it was really dark and extremely hard to hear the Skipper.  In Disneyland, we almost always ride it at night and I have never had any trouble as it is very well lit.  Other than that they seemed pretty similar.  


A few years back I took a tour of Disneyland with my brother, it was called the "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" Tour.  We walked around the park and were given lots of great information about opening day, places where Walt liked to be in the park and we even got a tour of the Dream Suite (suite in New Orleans Square that you have to be invited to stay in, or win a contest)  The tour was incredible, especially for two Nostalgic Disney fans like my brother and I.  If you go to Disneyland I highly recommend this tour, it is incredible.  They even let you cut in a few lines; Peter Pan and the Haunted Mansion when we took the tour.  
On the tour


****Very Important Note: The Dole Whip is amazing at both Disneyland and DisneyWorld





Stay tuned for Part 3...

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