Magic Kingdom vs Disneyland

[Poster_SF]

I loved the thread about differences in Splash at DL vs MK... What are some other noticeable differences in the rides??? The atmosphere???? Just MK...not other parks at WDW. I have never been to Florida, but know Disneyland like the back of my hand. Are there any websites about the differences in the parks?? Thanks!

[JRob2k1]

The Space Mountains are totally different. Think of the one in FL as the Matterhorn in the dark. Two seperate tracks with single seating cars like the Matterhorn. Plus it's a lot rougher than DL's.

I like Big Thubder better there because of this one part where the track does some sorty of twists, but you are still going straight. Do you see what im getting at? Isnt that called trick track? Anyways, i like it better.

POTC is so much better at Disneyland. AT MK a lot of stuff is in a different order and it just doesnt flow like DL, but I'm alos partial to Disneyland.

The thing I like the most about MK is the wide open streets. It is such a mjor difference between the parks. You go there and walk around and come back to DL and you'll know what I'm talking about.

I know there are websites out there about the differences but I cant remember any of them...sorry!

JRob

[brian]

First off, this page (http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dlguide/1_Forward/whydl.htm) gives a good background from the opposite perspective of the original post. Why should someone that is familiar with WDW go to DL?

Then, this page (http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/wdwguide/1_Forward/magic.htm) gives a great overview of what WDW has to offer.

The problem is that you really can't compare DL and WDW. The original is best because it's the original... but the scope of WDW is so incredible you can't conceive of it until you've actually been there. With over 47 square miles of space the place is just HUGE!

My own personal opinion is that WDW is the place to go for longer trips, DL for just a few days.

[Gemini Cricket]

Here are some differences I noticed:

1. Disneyland's Haunted Mansion stretch room goes down underground. Magic Kindom's HM does not - the ceiling just goes up.

2. MK's Jungle Cruise has a section where you go into a covered temple with cobras in it.

3. MK has a lame Pooh ride. DL has Mr. Toad.

4. Bear Country Jamboree: MK has the original show, DL has the Vaction Hoedown. DL's version is on the endangered attractions list - to be replaced by a Pooh ride (see #3).

5. Enchanted Tiki Room: DL - original show, MK - new "under new management show". MK's show is pretty funny (including added animatronics).

6. MK has Alien Encounter. DL doesn't.

[rob]

Cinderella's Castle (WDW) has a resturant. Sleeping Beauty's (DL) doesn't.

[mickeyfantasmic]

DL has that "Walt was here" feeling which every great Disney fan loves to feel..and pick on the liitle details which prove it.
WDWs MK is a more relaxing experience since when you enter the park you have already (from quit some time actually) passed that same feeling which (untill the expansion) you have when youy pass under the railroad in DL....but it makes Disney fans say "This (and mostly EPCOT) was Walts last vison!
TDL and DLP give more a feeling of "study" and "experience" sicne they where concieved with actual requests in mind..OLC wanted TDL to have exact replicas of the best form the other 2 parks, DLP wanted (and probably is) to be the park which Walt would have designed and built with the 1990s finance and technology!
the main differences between the parks are therefor not (at least for me) in the rides, at the end the are practically balanced) but in the feeling and experiences, different for each park, which each Park gives!

[twistedmickey]

Before I even give my opinion, I would just like to say that I have never been to Disneyland. I have been to numerous sites regarding attractions and have tried, as best as I can, to compare WDW with DL. Having said that, the two biggest differences that I notice between these two parks are:

1. The thought that Walt himself walked at Disneyland. His spirit is there. I believe WDW lacks that.

2: The beauty of Fantasyland. IASW, Alice, Pinocchio and even the Matterhorn add much more magic to a magical park. Fantasyland at WDW is beautiful but there really is no comparison. Disneyland takes the cake on that one.

:p

[NMAmy]

I love Disneyland better than MK. My daughter and I found MK to be rather disappointing. Pirates
is so much better there. I missed floating through the Blue Bayeau restaurant with all the fireflies and the banjo player at the beginning of the ride. Small World was hidden in a small, very nondescript building without the beautiful outside that there is at Disneyland. No Matterhorn, either. But I was glad to see the Carousel of Progress, though. That and the TTA were my daughter's favorite rides. (Go figure!)

I do love WDW, though. You are just so immersed in Disney from the moment you get to your hotel until you drive off the property. MGM and Epcot were incredible. We always have a great time at either resort!

[mickeyfantasmic]

..the DL version of pirates is concidered, not only by fans but also by immaginerears, to be the best attraction in the history of themeparks!
No other version of the ride was ever able to beat it..not even the DLP "story type" ride!

[Gregmh48]

Disneyland's Fantasyland is designed to be a European village while the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland is designed to be a fair with its tent facades.

[JRob2k1]

Originally posted by Gregmh48
Disneyland's Fantasyland is designed to be a European village while the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland is designed to be a fair with its tent facades.

But if you remember, thats what Disneyland's Fantasyland looked like before the major overhaul in the 80's.

-JRob

[murko]

I'm L.A. based - so I've been to Disneyland about 20 times and DW only 3 or 4. That being said:

1. Pirates queue and introduction is MUCH better in LA.

2. Small World is better in LA in both the queue and the ride.

3. Carousel of Progress only in FLA - I still love that ride.

4. Pooh in FLA is horrible. They took out Mr. Toads, which is still a popular ride in LA.

5. No Alien Encounter in LA.

6. Haunted Mansion much better in LA.

7. Streets wider in FLA.

8. Castle more impressive in FLA.

9. Space Mountain is rougher and more inferior to the LA version.

[Napsto]

wouldn't it be anaheim, or california, disneyland isn't even in LA County. it is in orange county.

[80S ERA]

Does anyone know how the sizes of the 2 parks compare in acres?

I would expect MK Orlando to be much, much larger, since everything (ie - walkways, Main St., etc) is on a grand or full scale.

Anaheim must use illusion since space was never a luxury over here.

[Kevin Yee]

Originally posted by mickeyfantasmic
..the DL version of pirates is concidered, not only by fans but also by immaginerears, to be the best attraction in the history of themeparks!
No other version of the ride was ever able to beat it..not even the DLP "story type" ride!

Have you been to the DLP Pirates? I'm hard-pressed to find a better theme park attraction anywhere. They re-ordered the whole ride so it makes sense, the drops now make sense and add to the action, there is a swinging pirate and you are there as they scale the walls... it's all so good.

I love DL the original too... but I believe DLP has it beat in most respects that count.

[mickeyfantasmic]

I know Kevin that the DLP version of pirates has much more "storytelling" ellements..and yes...the whole order has been altered so that drops, caves, and AA are in a logical sense..but remeber the enviromentality od DLs Pirates is much more than anyother.

Immagine when the attractio opened in 1967...people where cruising down this river...eyes wide opened by the beautifull details of the bayos...the caves..the tresures..mist arises..and without any idea they start hearing pirates shouting at them...and they are literally transpported to another world!
I love disneyland paris....I ve been there 20 times since opening, counting the 12 of April 1992, I personaly consider it the most beautifull disney park ever...I consider Eddie Sotto, Tom Morris, Tim Delany and tony Baxter (along wiht there Adventureland and Frontierland counterparts) to be the greatest second generation immaginerars...but I still think that DLs pirates is superior to DLP (maybe I could say that pahntom manor, being a bit different, is better in paris..but no one beats DLs ambience).

[tiggerandtink]

Star Tours is at MGM instead of MK. Indiana Jones isn't there, but there is the exact same ride (though oddly, not as fun) in the Animal Kingdom called Dinosaur. Instead of Lincoln you get all of the presidents. The Pooh ride is actually really cool, I think people are just bitter because they lost Mr. Toad, which is understandable, it's not 'replace the wild ride' good, but it's very cute. MK has an actual barber shop on main street where I got a nice cut the day I proposed to my wife in the rose garden. The biggest difference, other than the humidity in Florida, is that they don't have a corndog stand in MK! Man, that was a hard one. :cool:

[DisneylandKid]

Though I have actually never been to WDW :(, I know a lot about it through websites, books, references, etc. Here are my opinions:
-Disneyland's Fantasyland looks much better. It has a charm about it with Matterhorn, and the old-fashioned village look. Isn't everyone complaining about Paradise Pier @ DCA because it is too carnival themed...well what is WDW's Fantasyland??
-Indiana Jones Adventure @ Disneyland. Need I say more?? :) :) :)
-More lands @ Disneyland
-Autopia looks to be more creatively themed than the WDW equivilent.
-How can 2 mountains (Splash, Thunder) be in the same land? I like how DL they are spread out.
-Pirates of the Caribbean Bayou. Again, what more is there to say? I love the bayou.

[ChiMike]

I agree with what everyone has said so far, I would like to make a few observations:

The ride for Pirates is much, much better in DL. I also like the B.B. area at the beginning. However, I object to the idea that the DL Pirates Queue is better?!?! I think it is non-conflicting for the theme of the B.B. - But it is for the most part switchbacks. I have never seen anyone praise POTC at WDW - but I must say that its queue is very good. It adds to the anticipation for the FL version, more then switchbacks would, and for people who have never been to DL, this is the only pirates they know and love.

Splash Mountain IS much better in WDW, not even considering a better ride vehicle.

Exterior of HM at WDW cooler (I know I am going to get flammed for this). I just like how it sits on the water more, and I like how the queue is farther removed from the main pathways. I am still upset about how FP &$*(#!@ the area up though!

Space Mountain Queue better

COP, HOP, AoE, We will still have CBJ

I still like SFR Treehouse much better then Tarzan

All together better TL.

Stronger Frontierland for the sake of giving up Critter Country and the idea that Splash Setting would coexist next to BTM setting.

Cooler Sub-ride when it was running

Lastly, I really like that the MK is far away from the parking. I just never felt the same with DL having parking so close. I know, I know, I know what you are going to say, but it still should carry some weight.

REGARDLESS,

I like DL much better and I like that DL has:

A much better FantasyLand, with much better attractions
A much better Toontown, with much better attractions
NOS
Indiana Jones
Better CM's IMHO

Mike

[disneyhead]

I don't think that with disneyland's recent expansion that it is fair to just compare the origanal disneyland park to the magic kingdom. I think it would be more approprate to compare the whole resort complexes.

[disneyhead]

Here is the rest of my previous post, for some reason when I hit the tab key it submitted my post:

As far as the Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland argument goes:
DL's POTC is better,
MK's Jungle cruise is better,
The Matterhorn is the original,
MK's space mountain is better than the matterhorn,
DL's space mountain is better than MK's (when the music is working).
DL's It's a small world is better than MK's (Though I find both insipid).
MK'S Haunted Mansion is slightly better (mostly on the outside).
Big Thunders are Different but equal
MK's Splash is better.
DL has the Blue Bayou
DL still has Toad.
MK still has Country Bears
DL's Fantasyland is better
MK's Castle RULES.
DL's Main Street is quaint.
MK's Main Street is too.
DL is intimate. (small)
MK is relaxed. (huge)

We could do this all night so I'll go ahead and move on to what's outside those parks,

The Hotels:

The Disnyland hotel looks like a Howard Johnson that some one painted disney stuff all over, it should have been torn down and replaced with a real Disney hotel in the new resort expansion.

WDW has three if the most tacky albeit cheap hotels I have ever seen (the all star resorts).

DL's Paradise Pier hotel is themed just like a standard beach hotel that made no sense until they added the beach carnival across the street but some how now seems to fit in well.

WDW has many "moderate" hotels that all have that special Disney touch. Then they have the Polynesian with it's incredible themeing and unbeatable view across the bay of The Magic Kingdom. The Grand Floridian with it's straight up upscale themeing, and the incredible Wilderness Lodge that is dripping in that Disney Magic that we all love so much.

DL now has the best disney hotel ever built, The Grand Californian has more class than the Wilderness Lodge and more Disney Magic than the Grand Floridian. The Best of both Worlds.

The Other Parks:

EPCOT has no counter part and it is for the most part pretty cool.

MGM is also cool but DL's Fantasmic is better, and DCA will soon be getting a Tower of Terror which is MGM's best ride. and they already have a Muppets 3D and a star tours. Rock N Rollercoaster is slightly better than Screamin'. DCA's Animation is much better.

Animal Kingdom has great theming,but has to little to do.
DCA for all it's criticism is still better.

Anaheim's downtown disney isn't as big but is better laid out and feels a lot less touristy, and has better resturaunts.

When DL fans go to WDW for the first time they are disappointed that the magic kingdom is less themed than DL but are blown away the immense size and total immersion in that disney magic. you can spend a whole vacation there and not see outside the "berm".

When WDW fans go to DL the first time they are surprised at how small it is, how well themed it is, and how close the outside world is.

They are both great resorts. AK and DCA included.

The spirit of Walt is on both coasts. He actually walked in Disneyland and he dreamed of walking in Disney World

I think preference has to do with which park you visit as a child, you know that first Disney park experience. For me , I lived in West Virginia and my parents took me and my brother to wdw for my eighth birthday Christmas week 1971 just three month after they opened. We stayed at the Polynesian and I still remember checking in to what seemed like the coolest hotel I had ever seen (they had a tropical waterfall in the lobby), then looking across the bay and after two days of driving finally seeing the the castle that still seemed so far away, getting on the monarail and finally getting to THE MAGIC KINGDOM. Growing up I visited there about 10 times, and in 1993 my wife and I moved to Orlando so That I could go to school there, and I Eventually ended up working on mgm's backlot. We used to go to the Wilderness Lodge for dinner, (the only place in all of orlando you can't see a palm tree from).

I finally got to Disneyland this past year to give my 5 year old daughter her first Disney park experience. It was great to see the park for the first time with a 5 year old. It gave me a less jaded perspective.

I am planning a disney trip for the first week in December and still having trouble diciding DL or WDW, Grand Californian or Wilderness Lodge maybe the Polynisian, East or West. I'll let you know.

[Wackokid]

whats the difference between splash mountain at DL and WDW? (besides the seats)

[Mr D]

I would say that the maximum stay at DL is 5 days to "leisurely do it all" while at WDW you would be pushed to enjoy all the little things the whole resort offers, I have just paid off $4000 for a ten day stay inside the park at a Home Away from Home resort this coming december, I would not pay a fourth of that to see all of DL, including DCA and DTD it just does not offer more than a couple of day interest to our family at DL whereas just before our stay at WDW we will visit IOA for two days at a budget motel in Orlando just down the street from IOA/US Escape. Two weeks in Orlando in december in the winter from Alaska for us, then next year its TDS/TDL!!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Originally posted by Napsto
wouldn't it be anaheim, or california, disneyland isn't even in LA County. it is in orange county.

R'nt we picky..jk

I think both parks are unique, even if they carry some of the same attractions.

I do wish DIsneyland was more spread out. It would be better but hey..you can;t have everything!!

I seem to remember liking WDW Splash mountain cause it had more drops but i could be wrong

[DisneyFreak2000]

*Main Street- DL more quaint and magical, MK spread out
*Adventureland- DL has a jungle outpost feeling, MK lacks that due to Pirates
*Frontierland- DL has the original western feelings, MK lacks that because of Splash Mountain and CBJ
*Critter Country- One of the best themed lands at DL. I love it!!!
*New Orleans Square/Liberty Square- DL's NOS kicks the *** out of MK's
*Fantasyland- DL's is more magical, MK's has a cheezy carnival feel (like Paradise Pier)
*Tommorwland- Both very different, but equal. MK has the "Future" feel but can seem out of date at times. DL has the "Jules Vernes" Tommorwland (which I love) but lacks some of the greater rides MK has
*ToonTown/Starland- Toontown wins (hands down)

I think Disneyland is better planned out than Magic Kingdom