When visiting Disneyland, there are a few major differences and unique aspects to the park that people often talk about and comment on. If you’ve only been to Disney World and then visit Disneyland for the first time, you may be surprised at just how different the two resorts are!
Here are a few remarks commonly said or overheard at the Happiest Place on Earth. Discussing each of these comments in detail could actually help plan your trip if you’ve never been!
“It’s so much smaller!”
Perhaps the biggest difference between Disneyland and Disney World is size. Everything in Disneyland is walkable, including both parks, Downtown Disney, and all of the resorts.
What does this mean? When planning a trip to Disneyland, you probably don’t need as much time as you do in Disney World! You could easily spend a full week in Disney World and barely scratch the surface at all that there is to do. At Disneyland, if you come with a plan and the crowds aren’t too bad, you could get BOTH parks done in just one or two days!
“I can’t believe Walt actually lived here.”
Disneyland is rich in history. As the original Disney theme park, it truly was Walt’s dream. Not only was it the only Disney park Walt ever stepped foot in, but he actually had an apartment where he would stay in when he was at Disneyland.
When Walt passed away, the Cast Members decided to leave a lamp lit in the window of his apartment, which is located near City Hall, above the Fire Station. The light is a symbol of Walt’s presence in the parks and how his spirit lives on day in and day out.
“I wish they had this ride in Disney World!”
Just as Disney World has unique parks like EPCOT and Animal Kingdom, Disneyland has its own unique park — California Adventure!
And not only does Disneyland have its own unique park, it also has several unique attractions you can’t find in Disney World. Some of these include Matterhorn, Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy Mission Breakout, Indiana Jones Adventure, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Incredicoaster.
And not only does Disneyland have unique attractions, but some of their attractions have holiday overlays that you cannot experience in Disney World! The most popular of these is Haunted Mansion Holiday, which takes place for both the Halloween and Christmas seasons. During this overlay, the classic attraction gets a complete makeover inspired by The Nightmare Before Christmas.
“it’s a small world” also has a holiday overlay which is widely popular among guests. Guardians of the Galaxy Mission: Breakout has a Halloween overlay, “Monsters After Dark”, in which the attraction shifts after sunset to a spookier theme. And Space Mountain has seen multiple overlays over the years, most notably Ghost Galaxy during the Halloween season and Hyperspace Mountain, a Star Wars theme which has come and gone over the past few years.
For entertainment, Disneyland changes its fireworks quite regularly, sometimes multiple times in a year, in part due to the higher amount of repeat visits from local Annual Passholders. California Adventure also has World of Color, a nighttime spectacular all of its own.
These are just a few of the ways Disneyland marches to the beat of its own drum!
What’s the craziest thing you’ve overheard at a Disney park? Let us know in the comments!
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When Walt would visit Disneyland the lamp in his apartment would be lit to signify that he was there. After he passed that continued to signify that his presence was always there. It’s not something they started after his passing.