I have been very lucky to visit both Disney World and Disneyland within the past three years. Here I will share my general experiences, compare and contrast the two resorts and share my personal opinions. Spoiler alert – I absolutely love them both, but for different reasons!
As an East Coaster, I never really thought I would get the opportunity to go to Disneyland. But after experiencing the magic of family’s Disney World trip in 2021, I started getting the itch to visit the original park. In June 2023 we were able to visit Disneyland as a family. We did two days at the parks, visiting both Disneyland and California Adventure each day. Safe to say, I was instantly charmed! It’s so beautiful and somehow felt nostalgic even though I had never been there. They don’t call it the happiest place on earth for nothing, friends!
One of the most common things I had heard about Disneyland before our visit was “it’s small”, always kind of with a negative connotation. I actually LOVE this about Disneyland. Yes, I know it’s a smaller footprint, but it packs in so much! It’s kind of the same way I feel about Trader Joe’s – I know it’s a smaller grocery store but everything they have is amazing and every time I go, I see something new! I love that because of its size, it’s much easier for kids to navigate without a stroller if you choose to do so. We didn’t need to use a stroller for our 5-year-old at Disneyland, but we sure did when she was 6 at Disney World! It’s also SO easy to hop between Disneyland and California Adventure, which is essentially right next door. California Adventure is also home to Cars Land, which is so cool and unlike anything we have at WDW (at least until they complete Piston Peak!).
One of the things people will often mention about Disneyland is their superior food options compared to Disney World. We definitely had some awesome dining experiences at Disneyland (and their churros are top notch) but I also really enjoy the dining at Disney World so they feel fairly equal to me in that regard. The one thing I really noticed at Disneyland that I don’t feel I see as much at Disney World is the presence of characters! You would just see the Mad Hatter riding in Alice’s Tea Cups (which are so beautiful in Disneyland by the way) or Peter Pan and Wendy causally riding the carousel. We encountered so many characters, including Mickey himself, just by chance which I don’t feel is as common in WDW.
Now for me WDW is my “home park” and just brings back so many magical memories for me every time I visit. Although it definitely takes more effort to navigate than Disneyland, I love that too because it just has so much to offer! It’s impossible to do everything in one WDW visit so I love that every trip feels different in a way. I love being in the “Disney bubble”, which really is something you can only get at WDW. I also love all the different resort and restaurant options you have access to within bubble! The Disneyland hotels are definitely very nice but it doesn’t feel quite as isolated from the outside world, which of course it really isn’t being smack dab in the middle of the city. Lastly, I just love Epcot and Animal Kingdom so much. Disneyland and California Adventure most closely resemble Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios (with a few Epcot elements mixed in). For me, Epcot is childhood nostalgia and Animal Kingdom has been a new experience with my family that we all really enjoy and you can only find those parks at WDW.
Have you been to both Disneyland and Disney World and if so, can you pick a favorite? For me, it’s a wash and I’d jump at the chance to visit either one! Probably doesn’t surprise you. I do think it’s situational and comes down to what you’re looking for out of that specific trip. If you have any questions or are interested in booking a visit, I’d be happy to discuss more! Thanks for reading and happy travels, friends!