INTRODUCTION

WHY “UNOFFICIAL”?

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

THE AUTHORS AND RESEARCHERS OF THIS GUIDE specifically and categorically declare that they are and always have been totally independent of the Walt Disney Company, Inc., of Disneyland, Inc., of Walt Disney World, Inc., and of any and all other members of the Disney corporate family.

The material in this guide originated with the authors and researchers and has not been reviewed, edited, or in any way approved by Walt Disney Company, Inc., Disneyland, Inc., or Walt Disney World, Inc.

This guidebook represents the first comprehensive critical appraisal of Disneyland. Its purpose is to provide the reader with the information necessary to tour the theme parks with the greatest efficiency and economy and with the least amount of hassle and standing in line. The researchers of this guide believe in the wondrous variety, joy, and excitement of the Disney attractions. At the same time, we realistically recognize that Disneyland is a business, with the same profit motivations as businesses all over the world.

With no obligation to toe the Disney line, we represent and serve you, the reader. The contents were researched and compiled by a team of evaluators who are completely independent of the Walt Disney Company, Inc. If a restaurant serves bad food, if a gift item is overpriced, or if a ride isn’t worth the wait, we say so. And in the process, we hope to make your visit more fun, efficient, and economical.

DANCE TO THE MUSIC

A DANCE HAS A BEGINNING AND AN END. But when you’re dancing, you’re not concerned about getting to the end or where on the dance floor you might wind up. In other words, you’re totally in the moment. That’s the way you should be on your Disneyland vacation.

You may feel a bit of pressure concerning your vacation. Vacations, after all, are very special events, and expensive ones to boot. So you work hard to make your vacation the best that it can be. Planning and organizing are essential to a successful Disneyland vacation, but if they become your focus, you won’t be able to hear the music and enjoy the dance.

So think of us as your dancing coach. We’ll teach you the steps to the dance in advance so that when you’re on vacation and the music plays, you will dance with effortless grace and ease.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING GOOFY

SMEDLEY PLOTZ, principal of the Disney Characters Junior Academy, is busy being bureaucratic when his secretary, Miss Nowitol, announces, “Wendy and the Lost Boys are here to see you, sir.”

Plotz straightens his tie and draws himself up in his chair. “Very well. Send them in.”

A modest procession pads in and stands sheepishly facing his desk.

“You’ve been missing for three days!” Plotz exclaims. “We couldn’t reach anybody in Never Land, and no one knew where you were! When you didn’t show up for class, we immediately issued an APB for Hook, Smee, and the crocodile thinking that they had something to do with your disappearance.”

“They all had verifiable alibis,” Miss Nowitol volunteers. “Hook and Smee were booked at Chippendales, where the captain was taking tips on his hook between bumps and grinds. The croc was at the dentist for laser whitening.”

“For three days?” the principal interjects.

“Lots of teeth, sir,” Miss Nowitol advises. “Crocodiles are distinguished from alligators by the fourth tooth of the lower jaw protruding over the upper lip,” she adds, apropos of nothing.

“Oh, Miss Nowitol, whatever would I do without you and your pointless factoids? Anyway … you there—start explaining.”

“It was my fault,” says Lost Boy Cubby. “Wendy wanted to go to Never Land by the usual route—you know, ‘left at the North Star and straight till morning.’ But I wanted to try out the GPS on my new iPhone, so we used that instead.”

“I told you to get an Android, but noooo!” interjects Lost Boy Nibs.

Plotz gives Nibs a withering look before resuming his interrogation. “Cubby … you were saying?”

“I didn’t know it, but I only had North America, South America, Central America, and Europe loaded on the GPS, so we ended up in La Tierra Nunca, off the coast of Honduras, by way of London. Every time we tried to head for the North Star, the GPS said, ‘Please turn around as soon as possible. After the roundabout, please take Exit 3, La Tierra Nunca.’ ”

As if competing on a quiz show, Miss Nowitol blurts out, “La Tierra Nunca is Spanish for ‘Never Land!’ ”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah—then what?” grouses the principal, clearly exasperated.

“Well,” Cubby continues, “we stayed in London for a day and a half while I downloaded the entire known universe into the GPS software. Then I programmed Never Land as our destination, but the GPS said to go to Pluto—”

“Pluto? How did he get mixed up in this?

“Not Pluto the dog, Pluto the planet.”

“Pluto is not a planet,” Miss Nowitol smugly states. “According to astronomers, it’s just a big ball of ice.”

“Miss Nowitol, please!” Plotz entreats, his patience fading fast.

“But it has five moons,” Wendy retorts.

“I mooned Ursula the Sea Witch last week,” offers Lost Boy Slightly.

“ENOUGH ABOUT PLUTO AND MOONS!”

“I asked the GPS for an alternate route,” Cubby resumes, “but when it was recalculating, it showed that there were tolls involved somewhere between the Milky Way and Andromeda. We didn’t have much money; plus we weren’t sure whether we needed exact change.”

“And we didn’t know what currency they take,” Wendy adds.

“So we made it back to Earth and went to the bank around the corner from the school to sort it all out,” Cubby concludes. “Pete”—the academy’s truancy officer—“nabbed us once we got outside.”

“This is a most egregious breach of the code of conduct,” Plotz declares gravely. “Until I determine a suitable punishment, I’m taking away your phone.”

“We don’t have it,” Wendy replies. “We loaned it to Alice, who gave it to the White Rabbit. He said he was late. For a very important date. With Hannah Montana.”

And so it goes …

The Death of Spontaneity

One of our all-time favorite letters is from a man in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. He writes:

Your book reads like the operations plan for an amphibious landing: go here, do this, proceed to Step 15. You must think that everyone is a hyperactive, type-A theme park commando. What happened to the satisfaction of self-discovery or the joy of spontaneity? Next you will be telling us when to empty our bladders.

As it happens, we at the Unofficial Guides are a pretty existential crew. We are big on self-discovery when walking in the woods or watching birds. Some of us are able to improvise jazz without reading music, while others can whip up a mean pot of chili without a recipe. When it comes to Disneyland, however, we all agree that you either need a good plan or a frontal lobotomy. The operational definition of self-discovery and spontaneity at Disneyland is the “pleasure” of heat prostration and the “joy” of standing in line.

It’s easy to spot the free spirits at Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, particularly at opening time. While everybody else is stampeding to Splash Mountain or Radiator Springs Racers, they’re the ones standing in a cloud of dust puzzling over the park map. Later, they’re the folks running around like chickens in a thunderstorm trying to find an attraction with less than a 40-minute wait. Face it: Disneyland Resort is not a very existential place. In many ways it’s the ultimate in mass-produced entertainment, the most planned and programmed environment imaginable. Self-discovery and spontaneity work about as well at Disneyland as they do on your tax return. One mother of two young boys had this to say about our book:

Your book was invaluable in giving us the tools to plan a great day…. We had a magical day thanks to being able to prioritize our goals. Thank you for the full descriptions of rides—with only one day, you really need to pick your battles.

We’re not saying that you can’t have a great time at Disneyland. Bowling isn’t very spontaneous either, but lots of people love it. What we are saying is that you need a plan. You don’t have to be inflexible about it. Just think about what you want to do—before you go. Don’t delude yourself by rationalizing that the information in this modest tome is only for the pathological and superorganized.

HOW This GUIDE WAS RESEARCHED and WRITTEN

WHILE MUCH HAS BEEN WRITTEN CONCERNING Disneyland Resort, very little has been comparative or evaluative. In preparing this guide, nothing was taken for granted. The theme parks were visited at different times throughout the year by a team of trained observers who conducted detailed evaluations, rating the theme parks along with all of their component rides, shows, exhibits, services, and concessions according to formal, pretested rating criteria. Interviews with attraction patrons were conducted to determine what tourists of all age groups enjoyed most and least during their Disneyland visit.

Although our observers are independent and impartial, we do not claim special expertise or scientific background relative to the types of exhibits, performances, or attractions viewed. Like you, we visit the Disneyland parks as tourists, noting our satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Disneyland offerings are marketed to the touring public, and it is as the public that we have experienced them.

The primary difference between the average tourist and the trained evaluator is that the latter approaches attractions equipped with professional skills in organization, preparation, and observation. The trained evaluator is responsible for much more than simply observing and cataloging. While the tourist is being entertained and delighted by the Enchanted Tiki Room, the professional evaluator seated nearby is rating the performance in terms of theme, pace, continuity, and originality. The evaluator also checks out the physical arrangements: is the sound system clear and audible without being over-powering; is the audience shielded from the sun or rain; is seating adequate; can everyone in the audience clearly see the stage? Similarly, detailed and relevant checklists are prepared by observer teams and applied to rides, exhibits, and concessions, as well as to the theme park in general. Finally, observations and evaluator ratings are integrated with audience reactions and the opinions of patrons to compile a comprehensive profile of each feature and service.

In compiling this guide, we recognize the fact that a tourist’s age, gender, background, and interests will strongly influence his or her taste in Disneyland offerings and will account for his or her preference of one ride or feature over another. Given this fact, we make no attempt at comparing apples with oranges. How, indeed, could a meaningful comparison be made between the serenity and beauty of the Storybook Land Canal Boats and the wild roller coaster ride of California Screamin’? Instead, our objective is to provide the reader with a critical evaluation and enough pertinent data to make knowledgeable decisions according to individual tastes.

The essence of this guide, then, consists of individual critiques and descriptions of each feature of the Disneyland parks, supplemented with some maps to help you get around and several detailed touring plans to help you avoid bottlenecks and crowds. Because so many Disneyland guests also visit Universal Studios Hollywood, we have included comprehensive coverage and a touring plan for that park as well.

A WORD TO OUR READERS ABOUT ANNUAL REVISIONS

SOME OF YOU WHO PURCHASE EACH NEW EDITION of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland have chastised us for retaining examples, comments, and descriptions from previous years’ editions. This letter from a Grand Rapids, Michigan, reader is typical:

Your guidebook still has the same little example stories. When I got my [new] book, I expected a true update and new stuff, not the same old, same old!

First, The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland is a reference work. Though we are flattered that some readers read the guide from cover to cover, and that some of you find it entertaining, our objective is fairly straightforward: to provide information that enables you to have the best possible Disneyland vacation.

Each year during our revision research, we check every attraction, restaurant, hotel, shop, and entertainment offering. Although there are many changes, much remains the same from year to year. When we profile and critique an attraction, we try to provide the reader with the most insightful, relevant, and useful information, written in the clearest possible language. It is our opinion that if an attraction does not change, then it makes little sense to risk clarity and content for the sake of freshening up the prose. Disneyland guests who try the Mad Tea Party, Peter Pan’s Flight, or the Enchanted Tiki Room today, for example, experience the same presentation as guests who visited Disneyland in 2007, 1990, or 1986. Moreover, according to our extensive patron surveys (about 1,000 each year), today’s guests still respond to these attractions in the same way as prior-year patrons.

The bottom line: We believe that our readers are better served if we devote our time to that which is changing and new as opposed to that which remains the same. The success or failure of this Unofficial Guide is determined not by the style of the writing but by the accuracy of the information and, ultimately, whether you have a positive experience at Disneyland. Every change to the guide we make (or don’t make) is evaluated in this context.

WE’VE GOT ATTITUDE

SOME READERS DISAGREE with our attitude toward Disney. One, a 30-something woman from Golden, Colorado, lambasted us, writing:

I read your book cover to cover and felt you were way too hard on Disney. It’s disappointing, when you’re all enthused about going, to be slammed with all these criticisms and possible pitfalls.

A reader from Little Rock, Arkansas, also took us to task:

Your book was quite complimentary of Disney, perhaps too complimentary. Maybe the free trips you travel writers get at Disneyland are chipping away at your objectivity.

And from a Williamsport, Pennsylvania, mother of three:

Reading your book irritated me before we went because of all the warnings and cautions. I guess I’m used to having guidebooks pump me up about where I’m going. But once I arrived, I found that I was fully prepared and we had a great time. In retrospect, I have to admit you were right on the money. What I regarded as you being negative was just a good dose of reality.

A Vienna, Virginia, family chimed in with this:

After being at Disney for three days at the height of tourist season, I laughed out loud at your “Death of Spontaneity” section. We are definitely free spirit types who don’t like to plan our days when we are on vacation. A friend warned us, and we got your guidebook. After skimming through it before we left, I was terrified that we had made a terrible mistake booking this vacation. Thanks to your book, we had a wonderful time. If it had not been for the book, we definitely would have been trampled by all the people stampeding to Space Mountain while we were standing there with our maps.

Finally, a reader from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, prefers no opinions at all, writing:

Although each person has the right to his or her own opinion, I did not purchase the book for an opinion.

For the record, we’ve always paid our own way at Disneyland Resort: hotels, admissions, meals, the works. We don’t dislike Disney, and we most definitely don’t have an ax to grind. We’re positive by nature and much prefer to praise than to criticize. Personally, we have enjoyed the Disney parks immensely over the years, both experiencing them and writing about them. Disney, however, as with all corporations (and all people, for that matter), is better at some things than others. Because our readers shell out big bucks to go to Disneyland, we believe that they have the right to know in advance what’s good and what’s not. For those who think we’re overly positive, please understand that The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland is a guidebook, not an exposé. Our overriding objective is for you to enjoy your visit. To that end we try to report fairly and objectively. When readers disagree with our opinions, we, in the interest of fairness and balance, publish their point of view right alongside ours. To the best of our knowledge, the Unofficial Guides are the only travel guides in print that do this.

THE SUM OF ALL FEARS

EVERY WRITER WHO EXPRESSES an opinion is quite accustomed to readers who strongly agree or disagree. It comes with the territory. Troubling in the extreme, however, is the possibility that our efforts to be objective have frightened some readers away from Disneyland, or stimulated in others a state of apprehension. For the record, if you enjoy theme parks, Disneyland and Walt Disney World are as good as they get: absolute nirvana. They’re upbeat, safe, fun, eye-popping, happy, and exciting. Even if you arrive knowing nothing about the place and make every possible touring mistake, chances are about 90% that you’ll have a wonderful time anyway. In the end, guidebooks don’t make or break great destinations. They are simply tools to help you enhance your experience and get the most vacation for your money.

As wonderful as Disneyland is, however, it is nevertheless a complex destination. Even so, it’s certainly not nearly as challenging or difficult as visiting New York, San Francisco, Paris, Acapulco, or any other large city or destination. And, happily, there are numerous ways, if forewarned, to save money, minimize hassle, and make the most of your time. In large measure, that’s what this guide is about: giving you a heads-up regarding potential problems and opportunities. Unfortunately, some folks reading the Unofficial Guide subconsciously add up the various warnings and critical advice and conclude that Disneyland is altogether too intimidating or, alternatively, too expensive or too much work. They lose track of the wonder of Disneyland and become focused instead on what might go wrong.

Our philosophy is that knowledge is power (and time and money too). You’re free to follow our advice or not at your sole discretion. But you’d be denied the opportunity to exercise that discretion if we failed to fairly present the issues.

With or without a guidebook, you’ll have a great time at Disneyland. If you let us, we’ll help you smooth the potential bumps. We are certain that we can help you turn a great vacation into an absolutely superb one. Either way, once there, you will get the feel of the place and quickly reach a comfort level that will allay your apprehensions, as well as allow you to have a great experience.

THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE PUBLISHING YEAR

WE RECEIVE MANY QUERIES each year asking when the next edition of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland will be available. Usually our new editions are published and available in the stores by late August or early September. Thus the 2015 edition will be on the shelves in the autumn of 2014.

WHERE’S THE INDEX?

TO ELIMINATE YOUR HAVING TO CARRY THIS TOME around the theme parks, we’ve created quite a few tear-out pages with touring plans at the end of the book. Consequently, we’ve moved the index from its usual position as the last thing in the book to immediately precede the tear-out pages.

LETTERS, COMMENTS, AND QUESTIONS FROM READERS

MANY OF THOSE WHO USE The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland write to us, asking questions, making comments, or sharing their own strategies for visiting Disneyland. We appreciate all such input, both positive and critical, and encourage our readers to continue writing. Readers’ comments and observations are frequently used in revised editions of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland and have contributed immeasurably to its improvement.

Reader Survey

Please fill out our reader survey online by visiting touringplans.com/disneyland-resort/survey. You can rest assured that we won’t release your name and address to any mailing-list companies, direct-mail advertisers, or other third party. Unless you instruct us otherwise, we will assume that you do not object to being quoted in a future edition.

How to Contact the Author

Write to Bob Sehlinger at this address:

The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland
P.O. Box 43673
Birmingham, AL 35243

Or e-mail him at unofficialguides@menasharidge.com. When you write, put your address on both your letter and envelope; sometimes the two get separated. It is also a good idea to include your phone number and e-mail address. If you e-mail us, please tell us where you’re from. Remember, as travel writers, we’re often out of the office for long periods of time, so forgive us if our response is slow. Unofficial Guide e-mail is not forwarded to us when we’re traveling, but we will respond as soon as possible when we return.

Questions from Readers

Questions frequently asked by readers are answered in an appendix at the back of this Unofficial Guide.

DISNEYLAND RESORT: An OVERVIEW

IF YOU HAVEN’T BEEN TO DISNEYLAND for a while, you’ll hardly know the place.

First, of course, there is Disneyland Park, the original Disney theme park and the only one that Walt Disney saw completed in his lifetime. Much more than the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Park embodies the quiet, charming spirit of nostalgia that so characterized Walt himself. The park is vast yet intimate, steeped in the tradition of its creator yet continually changing.

Disneyland was opened in 1955 on a 107-acre tract surrounded almost exclusively by orange groves, just west of the sleepy and little-known Southern California community of Anaheim. Constrained by finances and ultimately enveloped by the city it helped create, Disneyland operated on that same modest parcel of land until 2001.

Disneyland Park is a collection of adventures, rides, and shows symbolized by the Disney characters and Sleeping Beauty Castle. It’s divided into eight subareas, or “lands,” arranged around a central hub. First encountered is Main Street, U.S.A., which connects the Disneyland entrance with the central hub. Moving clockwise around the hub, the other lands are Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, and Tomorrowland. Two major lands, Critter Country and New Orleans Square, are accessible via Adventureland and Frontierland but do not connect directly with the central hub. Another land, Mickey’s Toontown, connects to Fantasyland. All eight lands will be described in detail later.

Growth and change at Disneyland (until 1996) had been internal, in marked contrast to the ever-enlarging development of Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. Until recently, when something new was added at Disneyland, something old had to go. The Disney engineers, to their credit, however, have never been shy about disturbing the status quo. Patrons of the park’s earlier, modest years are amazed by the transformation. Gone are the days of the “magical little park” with the Monsanto House of the Future, flying saucer–style bumper cars, donkey riders, and Captain Hook’s Pirate Ship. Substituted in a process of continuous evolution and modernization are state-of-the-art fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-generation attractions and entertainment. To paraphrase Walt Disney, Disneyland will never stop changing as long as there are new ideas to explore.

Disneyland Park was arguably Walt Disney’s riskiest venture. It was developed on a shoestring budget and made possible only through Disney’s relationship with ABC Television and a handful of brave corporate sponsors. The capital available was barely sufficient to acquire the property and build the park; nothing was left over for the development of hotels or the acquisition and improvement of property adjoining the park. Even the Disneyland Hotel, connected to the theme park by monorail, was owned and operated by a third party until 1989.

Disneyland’s success spawned a wave of development that rapidly surrounded the theme park with whimsically themed mom-and-pop motels, souvenir stands, and fast-food restaurants. Disney, still deep in debt, looked on in abject shock, powerless to intervene. In fact, the Disneyland experience was etched so deeply into the Disney corporate consciousness that Walt purchased 27,500 acres and established an autonomous development district in Florida (unaccountable to any local or county authority) when he was ready to launch Disney World.

Though the Florida project gave Disney the opportunity to develop a destination resort in a totally controlled environment, the steady decline of the area encircling Disneyland continued to rankle Walt. After tolerating the blight for 30 years, the Walt Disney Company (finally flush with funds and ready for a good fight) set about putting Disneyland Park right. Quietly at first, then aggressively, Disney began buying up the mom-and-pop motels, as well as the few remaining orange and vegetable groves near the park.

In June 1993 the City of Anaheim adopted a Disney plan that called for the development of a new Disney destination resort, including a second theme park situated in what was once the Disneyland parking lot; a Disney-owned hotel district with 4,600 hotel rooms; two new parking facilities; and improvements, including extensive landscaping of the streets that provide access to the complex. City of Anaheim, Orange County, and State of California infrastructure changes required to support the expanded Disney presence included widening I-5, building new interchanges, moving a major power line, adding new sewer systems, and expanding utilities capacity.

By the end of 2000, all of the changes, modifications, and additions were finished, and Disneyland began the new century as a complete multitheme park resort destination. The second and newest park, Disney California Adventure (or DCA to the initiated), celebrated its grand opening on February 8, 2001.

DCA is an oddly shaped park built around a lagoon on one side and the Grand Californian Hotel on the other, with one of Disney’s trademark mountains, Grizzly Peak, plopped down in the middle. Buena Vista Street, an entranceway evoking 1920s Los Angeles, leads to seven “lands.” Inside the front gate and to the left is Hollywood Land (formerly Hollywood Pictures Backlot), a diminutive version of the Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park at Walt Disney World. Then there are Condor Flats, Grizzly Peak, and Pacific Wharf, a trio of mini-lands (originally known collectively as Golden State) celebrating California’s industry, cuisine, and natural resources. Next is a bug’s land, with characters and attractions based on the Disney-Pixar film a bug’s life. Cars Land is dedicated to the desert town of Radiator Springs from Disney-Pixar’s Cars. Finally, Paradise Pier recalls the grand old seaside amusement parks of the early 20th century. DCA is described in detail later in the guide.

The entrances to Disneyland Park and DCA face each other across a palm-studded pedestrian plaza called the Esplanade, which begins at Harbor Boulevard and runs west, between the parks, passing into Downtown Disney, a dining, shopping, entertainment, and nightlife venue. From Downtown Disney, the Esplanade continues via an overpass across Downtown Drive and past the monorail station to the Disneyland and Paradise Pier Hotels.

Sandwiched between the Esplanade and Downtown Disney on the north and DCA on the south is the 945-room Grand Californian Hotel and the 50-unit Grand Californian Villas. Designed in the image of rustic national-park lodges, the Grand Californian supplants the Disneyland Hotel as Disneyland’s prestigious lodging property.

North of the hotels and across West Street from Disneyland Park is a huge multistory parking garage that can be accessed directly from I-5. This is where most Disneyland guests park. Tram transport is provided from the garage, the adjacent oversize-vehicle lot, and from outlying lots to the Esplanade. Kennels are located by the parking garage. Ticket booths are situated along the Esplanade.

SHOULD I GO TO DISNEYLAND PARK IF I’VE SEEN WALT DISNEY WORLD?

DISNEYLAND PARK IS ROUGHLY COMPARABLE to the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World near Orlando, Florida. Both are arranged by “lands” accessible from a central hub and connected to the entrance by a main street. Both parks feature many rides and attractions of the same name: Space Mountain, Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World, and Dumbo the Flying Elephant, to name a few. Interestingly, however, the same name does not necessarily connote the same experience. Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Park is much longer and more elaborate than its Walt Disney World counterpart. Big Thunder Mountain is more elaborate in Florida, and The Enchanted Tiki Room is about the same in both places.

Disneyland Park is more intimate than the Magic Kingdom, not having the room for expansion enjoyed by the Florida park. Pedestrian thoroughfares are narrower, and everything from Big Thunder Mountain to the castle is scaled down somewhat. Large crowds are more taxing at Disneyland Park because there is less room for them to disperse. At Disneyland Park, however, there are dozens of little surprises, small unheralded attractions tucked away in crooks and corners of the park, which give Disneyland Park a special charm and variety that the Magic Kingdom lacks. And, of course, Disneyland Park has the stamp of Walt Disney’s personal touch.

CRITICAL COMPARISON OF ATTRACTIONS FOUND AT BOTH PARKS

ADVENTURELAND

Enchanted Tiki Room About the same at both parks.

Jungle Cruise Updated audio-animatronic (robotic) animals and funnier narrators at Disneyland, but longer ride at Walt Disney World.

CRITTER COUNTRY

Splash Mountain Longer ride and a bigger drop at Magic Kingdom, but Florida’s effects are more frequently broken.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Longer and with more motion at the Magic Kingdom.

FANTASYLAND

Carrousels About the same at both parks.

Castles Far larger and more beautiful at Magic Kingdom; Disneyland has walk-through display.

Dumbo the Flying Elephant About the same, but WDW version has double the capacity and an interactive circus-themed queue.

It’s a Small World Disneyland version is longer.

Mad Tea Party Disneyland’s is open-air; otherwise the same at both parks.

Peter Pan’s Flight Shorter but with better lighting effects at Disneyland.

FRONTIERLAND

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad About the same; sights and special effects are better at the Magic Kingdom.

Tom Sawyer Island Comparable, but a little more elaborate and with a pirate theme at Disneyland.

Various river cruises (canoes, boats, and such) More interesting sights at Disneyland, and only Disneyland offers canoes.

MAIN STREET, U.S.A.

WDW/Disneyland Railroad The Disneyland Railroad is far more entertaining by virtue of the Grand Canyon diorama and the primeval world components not found at the Magic Kingdom.

NEW ORLEANS SQUARE

The Haunted Mansion Longer ride and new finale effects give Magic Kingdom the edge.

Pirates of the Caribbean Far superior at Disneyland.

A Minnesota couple who have sampled Disney both east and west offered this observation:

We have been to WDW in Florida several times. This was our first visit to Disneyland. For parents with children 10 years of age and younger, I highly recommend Disneyland instead of WDW. Its size is much more manageable. You can stay within walking distance of the front gate. That makes it practical and easy to get to the gates early in the morning (an absolute imperative) and get away in the afternoon for a break (always helpful). The size and scale of WDW make this impractical.

CRITICAL COMPARISON OF ATTRACTIONS FOUND AT BOTH PARKS*

TOMORROWLAND

Astro Orbitor About the same at both parks, but much higher in the air at the Magic Kingdom.

Autopia/Tomorrowland Speedway Disneyland version is superior.

Buzz Lightyear More mobile guns and better game play at Disneyland.

Space Mountain Much better at Disneyland.

*It should be noted that several of the attractions at Disney California Adventure, such as The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Disney Junior, It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, Toy Story Midway Mania!, Turtle Talk with Crush, and Muppet-Vision 3-D, appeared first at one of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Versions of Soarin’ Over California and Ariel’s Undersea Adventure have been exported to Walt Disney World. None of the remaining DCA attractions are found at Walt Disney World.

A Salem, Massachusetts, family who had visited WDW three years prior to their Disneyland trip, agreed:

We heard from many that Disneyland was small and that the castle was underwhelming. But the Disney magic was there, and we had a great time exploring what was unique about each park. We spent three days at the parks and wished that we had planned to be there longer. The parks may be smaller, but there is still plenty to see and do.

Disneyland first-timers (along with honeymooners and birthday or anniversary celebrants) are rewarded with a special pin, as this Oregon mom relates:

When I went to pick up something at Town Hall on Main Street, I realized that they had pins to proudly announce it was a first visit to DL. I don’t recall reading anything about this in your book and would have taken advantage of it with my older son’s first visit. Fortunately, there is no date on it, so I got one for each son and told them that no one would know it was the older one’s second time.

To allow for a meaningful comparison, we have provided a summary of those features found at Disneyland Park and not WDW’s Magic Kingdom (listed alphabetically on the following page), accompanied by a critical look at the attractions found at both parks on the facing page and above.

ATTRACTIONS FOUND ONLY AT DISNEYLAND PARK

ADVENTURELAND

Indiana Jones Adventure | Tarzan’s Treehouse

CRITTER COUNTRY

Davy Crockett’s Explorer Canoes

FANTASYLAND

Alice in Wonderland | Casey Jr. Circus Train | Fantasyland Theatre

Matterhorn Bobsleds | Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride | Pinocchio’s Daring Journey

Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk-Through | Snow White’s Scary Adventures

Storybook Land Canal Boats

FRONTIERLAND

Fantasmic! (at Disney’s Hollywood Studios) | The Golden Horseshoe

Sailing Ship Columbia

MAIN STREET, U.S.A.

The Disneyland Story, presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln

MICKEY’S TOONTOWN

Chip ’n Dale Treehouse | Gadget’s Go Coaster | Goofy’s Playhouse

Mickey’s House | Minnie’s House | Miss Daisy, Donald’s Boat

Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

TOMORROWLAND

Captain EO (at Epcot) | Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Innoventions (at Epcot) | Jedi Training Academy (at Disney’s Hollywood Studios)

Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (at Disney’s Hollywood Studios)