Disneyland vs. Disney World

Disneyland vs. Disney World:
Compared, Contrasted & Considered

“To all who come to this happy place: welcome. Disneyland is your land. Here age relives fond memories of the past, and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams, and the hard facts that have created America, with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”
- Walter E. Disney, July 17, 1955

The Immersion Quotient
As in, it’s just doesn't exist at Disneyland. Driving from LA, we saw very few signs beckoning us onto the property, and only a scant two billboards advertising the new Nemo Submarine Voyage, in sharp contrast to the innumerable advertisements and propaganda that literally submerse the Disney World property. We could clearly discern the entrance to Disney’s property by the appearance of a suddenly-immaculate street and the sharply-painted lanterns that adorned it... however, entering Disney World is somewhat of an event, akin to a giant black hole sucking in a particle of dust. You become suddenly engulfed by impeccable greenery and a parade of uniform-colored street signs, all bearing Mickey ears; the rest of the world ceases to exist as you hum along a strip of black concrete amongst an explosion of emerald. The cement of Disneyland simply did not create a comparable effect. That said, I fortunately was not able to glimpse any of the “neon jungle” that Walt so despised while within the park’s walls.

The Castle
It’s no wonder Sleeping Beauty stayed zonked for so long: who would want to wake up in that castle, knowing that in Florida Cinderella scurries around one that literally dwarfs its California counterpart? I hurried through the first circle of Main Street and turned the corner to gaze upon... a tiny little gas-station sized patch of pillars and pink. I have absolutely been spoiled by Disney World. There, you enter Main Street, turn the corner and... BAM! This giant castle holds you absolutely captive as it looms in the distance, massive and imposing, its 189-foot stature aided and abetted by the carpentry technique of forced perspective. I looked up the stats and, well, no wonder.... Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is only 77 feet! In other related trivia... it was originally designed for Snow White, but was changed to coincide with the release of Sleeping Beauty; I had always wondered why they gave the least successful of the Disney princesses a castle at their flagship park. Another entry in the category of fascinating facts: during construction of Sleeping Beauty Castle, Walt recalled stories about huge castles being erected in Europe to intimidate the peasants, and believed a smaller castle would appear friendlier and more appealing. Further, Cinderella Castle can easily withstand massive winds exceeding 110mph and was designed as a visual magnet (also known in Disney parlance as a “wienie”), a term introduced by Walt himself that originates from the cliché that a carrot dangled in front of a horse makes the animal walk forward. Call me a horse, but it certainly beckons me. There's nothing better than glancing out your window at the Grand Floridian and having the horizon greet you with so beautiful a structure as this.

The Concrete
At Disney World, it’s stamped; at Disneyland, it’s the real stuff. I realize this is not particularly important, but the actual presence of individually-placed bricks and concrete slabs lends Disneyland an authenticity and historic charm that Disney World, with its sleek, streamlined components, comparatively lacks.

Meet Me on Main Street
While structurally similar and containing many of the same shops, Disneyland's Main Street has managed to maintain some of its individual, specialized boutiques, whereas all the seemingly distinct Disney World shops have morphed into one giant and largely indecipherable souvenir store. I hopped like a delighted 10-year-old when I caught a glimpse of my beloved Penny Arcade, and could scarcely find a quarter fast enough to retrieve a peek into my future from Esmeralda, the mechanical gypsy fortune teller. It is obviously a truncated version of the original shop, but at least my enlightener survived budget cuts! I wish they would have retained the astrology-based fortunes as well, but I’ll take what I can get.

The California Adventure
What a waste of Disney time, space and money. It’s basically a miniature Six Flags - bereft of the delightful Mickey ears and Disney magic that so delightfully illuminates the Magic Kingdom. Sitting on a park bench and taking in the scenery, you may as well be seated at a local amusement park. Soarin’, at least, proved a delightful addition, but the Tower of Terror is miniscule compared to MGM Studios’ and, besides, what’s the point? A tribute to California’s landmarks? A large percentage of the park frequenters live in California; should they so desire, they may simply visit these places with a few turns of a car wheel. The remainder are visiting from other locales and thus also able to swing by these places on their sightseeing expeditions. A miniature rendition of the Golden Gate bridge is charming, but unrelated to Disney folklore or production.

The Grand Californian...
...isn’t so grand. While the Grand Floridian is modeled after the famous Hotel del Coronado in California and thus almost bleeds elegance and opulence, the Grand Californian is inspired by the famed arts and crafts movement (in the US, “craftsman” style typically denotes the styles of architecture, interior design and decorative arts that prevailed between the dominant eras of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, roughly from 1910 to 1925). It certainly does reflect the kind of neo-gothic, rustic and “cottagey” feel of the intended time, but accordingly fails to astound or entrance. With its muted hues that emphasize hunter greens and chocolate browns rather than the bright, resounding Imagineer-designed white and gleaming reds of the Grand Floridian, it seems to emanate a sense of friendliness rather than grandeur. It’s almost like a toned-down, non-themed version of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, absent the latter structure’s intense, captivating African-inspired elements and influences.

The Monorail
Where does the Disneyland monorail go, does anybody know? I’m not sure where, precisely, I had expected it to run, but it seems largely superfluous, merely an alternative to walking that a large percentage of the users simply frequent as an attraction rather than a relocation device. At Disney World it actually serves the function of transporting guests from the Magic Kingdom to the parking lots or adjacent hotels, and a second tram line moves people over to Epcot, so it provides a critical service and is typically one of the most effective and timely methods of entering the park. This could just be my perception, but the Disneyland monorail seemed rather pointless to me. From the Minnie Mouse portion of the parking structure, it was much easier (albeit less stimulating) to walk.

Parking
Speaking of parking structures, I was shocked to enter one when we pulled in to Disneyland. I realize they have to put all the people somewhere, and that with 47 square miles Disney World can afford flat parking lots whereas Disneyland cannot accommodate such luxuries, but it was still strange to enter a structure associated with lurking criminals and shadows on Disney property.

Size
Disneyland is small - 85 acres as opposed to Disney World’s 107 acres. You notice this most in the size of the walkways: Disneyland feels tight and has the feel of a small town, whereas Disney World’s paths were obviously designed to accommodate massive crowds. This makes the California park preferable for those with small children (or little sisters who abhor exercise of any sort) and lends it the small-town feel that Walt reportedly sought while constructing this interpretation of his Marceline, Missouri childhood home.

“What’s a Motto with You?”
There’s a plaque by the entrance of Disneyland that reads: “Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.” Where’s Disney World’s motto? What a beautiful saying, and magnificent way to set the mood. I’m going to frame that saying and put it above the door to my apartment. How absolutely perfect.

“A Pirate’s Life for Me”
Disneyland’s Pirates ride is superior in every way except for its queue. I missed the skeletons caught in a checkmate, but absolutely adored everything else about the Disneyland version. The Blue Bayou restaurant at the beginning was totally cool; I can see why everyone in the online community so reveres the place. The tiny green lights meant to resemble fireflies, my favorite insect besides crickets, were a brilliant addition to set the mood. Actually traveling under ground into a swamp-like area really made it seem like we were in the Caribbean, puttering through a thick area and awaiting a rather terrifying fate.

The Matterhorn
This was my first ride at Disneyland, as it does not (and never did) exist at the World. I couldn’t wait to hop on after reading so many stories about people being seriously injured by the ride vehicles, but it’s basically a cheap version of Expedition Everest at the Animal Kingdom. Boring, but I can see how it would have been totally invigorating and amazing in 1955. It’s also a nice addition to the park’s landscape.

it’s a small world of Beautiful Places
After leaving the Matterhorn, I wandered toward a giant, attractive piece of architecture gilded with gold paint and rather enchanting structural components... only to discover the building housed one of my least favorite attractions! There were also many little nooks and crannies off the main path that were so pretty I would just kind of stand and stare for a while; in particular, a little side road off of the Pirates entrance that led nowhere but sharply resembled the intended era and décor. It just served to set the scene and make for a pretty picture, and fulfilled its purpose excellently.

Troubadours
Disneyland is clearly meant for meanderers, who have all the time in the world to explore and traverse every nook and cranny of the park. Several times we thought we were headed toward the next land and wound up in a dead end, staring stupidly at the brightly-colored map in my hands; but, there were no empty areas bereft of eye candy or engaging décor. Walt obviously spared no expense to make his world engaging, encompassing and worthy of repeated viewing, whereas Disney World has several stretches of walkways that don’t really serve any discernable decorative purpose.

The Queues
... are so short at Disneyland! How delightful!

And finally, the traffic... rather, the lack thereof. We arrived around 10am on a Sunday, yet the place seemed almost deserted. Maybe it’s just part of the California lexicon to rise and come to attention at a later hour than I am used to at the Florida parks. I thought this was one of the peaks of the tourist season, the month before school starts, and a weekend day to boot!

But, you know what? Disneyland or Disney World, the Animal Kingdom or Epcot, I am absolutely delighted to be on Disney property anywhere, at any time.