Walt Disney World and Disneyland are both known variously as the most magical and happiest places on Earth. But don’t be fooled into thinking that means the two parks are carbon copies of one another. For starters, Disneyland is located in Southern California, some 30 miles outside of Los Angeles, and was the park that started it all in 1955. Walt Disney World, located near Orlando, Florida, was the grand continuation of—and expansion upon—Walt Disney’s ambitious dreams made true.
I’ve been visiting both Disneyland and Disney World regularly for over three decades. I have annual tickets and have clocked hundreds of visits in order to try everything they have to offer. I’ve discovered that each has its own distinct feel: Disneyland is smaller in scale and feel, and has a certain indescribable charm; Walt Disney World benefits from the gift of space and delivers with many exclusive-to-Florida experiences. Of course, each has castles and Mickey Mouse, but also unique attractions, dining, and much more. Below, we break down the key differences between Disneyland vs. Disney World.
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Walt Disney World theme parks
At around 40 square miles (upwards of 25,000 acres), Walt Disney World is massive and home to four theme parks and two water parks. Magic Kingdom is the original, and opened in 1971 with its iconic Cinderella Castle. Theme parks have proliferated there since. Epcot pays tribute to the past and innovations of the future and is home to World Showcase, a sort of World’s Fair–esque destination lined with pavilions representing global nations with an eye towards their cuisines. Hollywood Studios is a flashy celebration of tinsel town’s Golden Age, where you’ll get a continuation of Magic Kingdom’s Disney iconography alongside edgier rides like the Tower or Terror. Animal Kingdom has a safari-themed bent and is where you’ll find attractions pegged to Disney’s more, well, wild properties like Avatar and The Lion King. To beat the Florida heat, there are two water parks Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach water park.
Tickets to Disney World can be purchased in three tiers. There’s one park per day, which is what it sounds like—access to one park on a given day. Park Hopper enables ticket holders to enter more than one park on the same day, while Park Hopper Plus includes the perks of Park Hopper plus water park and/or golf course access.
Disneyland theme parks
The resort that started it all is more intimate at a still-impressive 500 or so acres, smack dab in the center of Anaheim. It’s home to two theme parks: Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. Disneyland is centered around Sleeping Beauty Castle and has a distinctly nostalgic feel—it was the park where Walt Disney himself spent a lot of time, and you can feel that presence still. Disney California Adventure Park celebrates its Golden State setting as well as favorite films like Pixar’s Cars.
Tickets to Disneyland can be purchased in two tiers—one park per day, and Park Hopper (given that there are just two parks, choosing which to hop between is as simple as which one to visit first).
Walt Disney World attractions
Walt Disney World counts dozens of rides across its theme parks, ranging in excitement level from totally family-friendly to thrilling. You’ll find classic attractions like Peter Pan’s Flight and Pirates of the Caribbean alongside pioneering marvels like the innovative Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance—a near 20-minute, multi-ride system attraction. Toy Story Land at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a kid-centric, colorful land with 4D attraction Toy Story Mania! and Slinky Dog Dash, a family-friendly roller coaster for the budding thrill enthusiast, but that park also has the Tower of Terror. At Magic Kingdom Park, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure continues the beloved tale of the Disney Princess and is packed with memorable tunes and an iconic multi-story flume drop. Epcot even has a stirring entry with with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, a revolutionary indoor roller coaster.
Disneyland attractions
Disneyland paved the way for the theme park industry as we know it with immersive, storytelling attractions that like It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion—both of these rides, it should be noted, are also available at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Dark rides (theme park speak for slow-moving rides through highly detailed, movie-like sets) here, like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, really shine. At Disney California Adventure Park, Avengers Campus brings the Marvel Cinematic Universe into the real world with such fare as the interactive Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure. Cars World in Disney California Adventure Park is not to be missed.
Walt Disney World dining
Walt Disney World has hundreds of dining options, ranging from quick service eats to Michelin-starred, multi-course extravaganzas. (Yes, Walt Disney World became the first theme park in the United States to earn a Michelin star with The Dining Room at Victoria & Albert’s). And it’s not just Mickey pretzels and Dole whip on offer, although both are good for on-the-go. Character dining is a favorite for families with children, and can be done at the iconic Chef Mickey’s as well as the African-inspired Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park. There’s also celebrity chef ventures, including an outpost from famed Iron Chef Morimoto at free-to-enter Disney Springs, the property’s dining and retail hub.
