What’s the difference between Disneyland and Walt Disney World? This question can cause heated debates, so I’m not going to say one is better than the other. I’ll just deliver a few facts and tips:
- Location:
- Disneyland is in Anaheim, California.
- Walt Disney World is located 20 miles outside of Orlando, Florida.
- Number of Parks:
- Disneyland consists of 2 parks:
- Disneyland: The original.Disney’s California Adventure: A California-themed park with rides a bit more on the thrilling side.
- Magic Kingdom: Most comparable to Disneyland in Anaheim, CA (yet Magic Kingdom is still much bigger than Disneyland.)Epcot: Focuses on international culture and technological innovation.Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Movie-set themed park.Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Over 500 acres of lush landscape and real animals.
- Blizzard BeachTyphoon Lagoon
- Disneyland consists of 2 parks:
- Size:
- According to Wikipedia, “At its peak, [Walt Disney World] occupied approximately 30,000 acres or 47 square miles, about the size of San Francisco, or twice the size of Manhattan.” (That includes all 4 of the parks.)
- Disneyland (including California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and hotels) covers about 300 acres or half a square mile.
- Attractions: Both Disneyland and Disney World’s Magic Kingdom have some of the same attractions— Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, Main Street, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and Tom Sawyer’s Island– but they are not built identically. For example, the Castle at Disney World is more than twice as tall as Disneyland’s.
- Tickets: Disneyland and Disney World sell tickets differently:
- At Disneyland you can buy a 1-day pass for Disneyland only or a “Parkhopper” which lets you “hop” back and forth between Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure (they’re within walking distance of each other). Parkhoppers are sold for 1-6 days and of course the more days you buy, the better the deal.You need to use your tickets within 14 days of your first visit.I like to buy them from FunFamilyFavorites.com.
- Walt Disney World sells “Magic Your Way” tickets. These give you admission to 1 park per day, and again, the more days you buy, the better your ticket deal.You can upgrade your ticket to a “Parkhopper” which, like Disneyland, lets you visit multiple parks on the same day, and can add admission to the water parks. Disney World also lets you add a “No Expiration” option so that your tickets never expire. Otherwise you have to use them within 14 days of your first visit.I like to buy them from FunFamilyFavorites.com.
I think some of the best Disney World tips are the same ones for Disneyland:
- Buy your tickets in advance
- Bring bottled water…and to avoid disappointment:
- Be aware of rides that are closed for maintenance
- Be aware of rides’ height restrictions.
More Disney World tips being researched…
