Disneyland vs. Disney World
Disneyland vs. Disney World — what are the differences? And which theme park is best?
This guide will walk you through the differences between Disneyland and Disney World, and help you decide which theme park is the best to visit if you’re stuck deciding between the two of them.
I’m a huge Disney theme parks fan. I have a goal of visiting every Disney theme park in the world, and so far I’ve traveled to both US theme parks (Disneyland and Disney World) as well as Disneyland Paris.
Although I’ve been to Disney World more than 25 times, I’ve only been to Disneyland twice. Nevertheless, I’m writing this guide as a totally unbiased look at both theme parks, and using my knowledge and experience to help you decide which of the two theme parks is the best choice for you to visit.
Let’s get into the Disneyland vs. Disney World debate!
Location
Disneyland Resort is located in Anaheim, California, a suburb that is about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles. It’s the original Disney theme park that Walt Disney himself opened back in 1955.
Walt Disney World Resort is located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, a suburb that is about 20 miles southwest of Orlando. It opened in 1971, and although Walt Disney planned it, he died before it opened.
Size of Parks
Disneyland is smaller than Disney World. It consists of two theme parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. There are also three on-site hotels at Disneyland, and a shopping, dining, and entertainment district that doesn’t require theme park tickets called Downtown Disney District.
The entirety of Disneyland Resort encompasses roughly 500 acres in the midst of Anaheim, making it a lot more compact and walkable compared to the sprawling Walt Disney World Resort.
Disney World, on the other hand, spans 25,000 acres, or 40 square miles. It consists of four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Epcot, and Animal Kingdom. There are also two water parks, more than twenty on-site hotels, and a huge shopping, dining, and entertainment district called Disney Springs.
Time Needed
With the huge disparity in the size of the parks, there’s also a difference in time needed for a trip to Disneyland vs. Disney World. Obviously, you need a lot more time to properly “do” Disney World.
If it’s your first visit, I would recommend at least one full day per theme park, so four days total. You may also want to build in a “rest day” in the middle of your trip to relax at your hotel pool, explore some of the on-site resorts (many of which have great restaurants), and go to Disney Springs.
For Disneyland, I also recommend at least one full day per theme park, so two days total. I also think it’s worth spending half a day exploring Disneyland’s three on-site resorts and the Downtown Disney District.
Rides and Attractions
When it comes to rides and attractions, Disney World is the clear winner to me simply because there’s so much more to do given you have four theme parks to explore instead of just two.
Disneyland Park at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom at Disney World do have a lot of overlap. Both of them are “castle parks” with an iconic castle at the center (Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland and the larger, more grand Cinderella’s Castle at Magic Kingdom) and themed lands fanning out in spokes.
You’ll find a lot of the same rides shared between the two parks.
Disney California Adventure doesn’t have a counterpart at Disney World, although there are a few rides and attractions that do overlap between parks on both coasts. And at Disney World, there’s no counterpart to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom at Disneyland, save for a few overlaps.
Hotels
Disneyland has three on-site hotels that are all a splurge but worth it for the unique theming and proximity to the parks: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Pixar Place Hotel.
There are also lots of more affordable off-site hotels within walking distance of Disneyland.
At Disney World, there are more than twenty on-site hotels to choose from, divided into Deluxe, Moderate, and Value categories. There are also some great off-site hotels near Disney World, but unlike Disneyland, you can’t walk to any of the parks from them, with the exception of a small handful of hotels.
Getting Around
Since Disneyland is smaller, it’s a lot easier to get around. If you stay at an on-site hotel or a nearby off-site hotel, you can easily walk to both theme parks as well as the Downtown Disney District.
Disney World is much larger and not as walkable. The good thing is that free park transportation is available, no theme park admission required, including the monorail, buses, boats, and Skyliner gondolas.
However, some visitors still prefer to have a car to get around on their own rather than relying on Disney World transportation, especially if your hotel isn’t well-connected with transportation.
Weather
There’s no disputing that Disneyland has better weather than Disney World. Being located in Southern California, Disneyland enjoys year-round sunny and warm weather. It can get quite hot in the summer, especially the months of July through September, but it’s usually not unbearable, and it’s not a humid heat. Winters can be a little chilly, but the temperature rarely drops beneath the low fifties.
Disney World is much hotter and more humid overall. The months of May through September see extremely high temperatures, and later in the summer and early fall, daily thunderstorms are quite common. There may be some cold days in the winter, but usually winters in Central Florida are pretty mild.
Travel Style
If you’re someone who likes to wing it and have a more relaxed vacation, Disneyland would be my top picks. With only two theme parks and a smaller size, it’s easier to have a laidback trip here.
Disney World definitely requires more planning and coordination. If you want to take a longer trip and have a nonstop itinerary packed with different things to do every day, I’d recommend Disney World.
Disneyland vs. Disney World
This guide showed you the differences between Disneyland vs. Disney World.
It’s impossible to say that one theme park is better than the other. I think Disneyland and Disney World each have their strengths and weaknesses, and you should choose the one that’s right for you.
Whichever theme park you choose to visit, you’re guaranteed to have a magical time!
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