Disneyland - First Impressions from a Disney World Lifer

Contributed by Jennifer Aiken

Disney World. Disneyland. They’re both Disney, so they must be basically the same, right? No! I have been to Disney World in Orlando more times than I can count over the last 30 years, but I recently took my first trip out west to specifically experience Disneyland in California. As a lifelong Walt Disney World girl, I assumed that Disneyland would be basically the same. I was very wrong! From the rides, to the food, to the overall feel, Disneyland was so much different than I expected. Let me share some of my first impressions of Disneyland from the perspective of a Disney World lifer!

Where Are All of the Buses?

When you arrive at Disney World in Orlando, there are buses everywhere! When you arrive at Disneyland in California, there’s barely a bus in sight! Let me explain why.

I had the pleasure of taking my first trip to Disneyland with A Mouse and a Beach Travel Company, and most of my fellow advisors have been to Disneyland before. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, and I was told that we would be walking not only to Disneyland and California Adventure, but also to Downtown Disney, the Grand Californian Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel and some of the Good Neighbor hotels as well. I assumed that we would be walking for 30 minutes or longer to get to some or all of these places, so imagine my surprise when all of these various destinations took 10 minutes or less in walking time!

One of the biggest differences between Disneyland and Disney World is that everything in Disneyland is so much closer. Do you want to park hop between Disneyland and California Adventure? No problem - once you walk out of Disneyland, you can walk into California Adventure in about two minutes. Staying at the Disneyland Hotel but having breakfast at the Grand Californian? You can walk there in just a few minutes. Downtown Disney is right beside the entrance to the theme parks and all three resort hotels. If you’re on a budget, there are multiple Good Neighbor hotels right across the street from the Disneyland entrance. Everything is so convenient, and it makes it easy to experience the magic that Disneyland has to offer!

So... back to the original question. Why are there so few buses? Because they aren’t necessary like they are in Orlando! That is a win for sure.

Don’t We Need to Hurry?

If you’ve ever been to Disney World, you know that it’s a busy trip where you’re constantly on the go. Disneyland has an overall very different feel.

When we walked into Disneyland on a Sunday, I was expecting wall-to-wall people. That is not what I saw! There was plenty of open space to walk comfortably. That’s another thing - everyone was walking - no one was running to make it to the next ride or to their dining reservation. The feel of the park was much more relaxed than any of the parks at Disney World. The same was true for California Adventure, even though there were more people there than at Disneyland. The Lightning Lane system at Disneyland also reflects the more relaxed nature of the California parks. You can only get Lightning Lane passes the day you go to the park, and you can only get one pass at a time. And honestly, that’s really all you need for Disneyland and California Adventure. Because everything is so relaxed, it’s very easy to get everything done in a couple of days without Lightning Lanes. The same cannot be said for Disney World!

If you go to Disneyland, you definitely don’t have to worry about hurrying from place to place. That’s one of the best things about it!

The Rides Can’t Be That Different If They Have The Same Name, Right?

Space Mountain. Pirates of the Caribbean. The Haunted Mansion. Surely, these rides will be the same at Disneyland as they are at Disney World. At least, that’s what I thought before I got there.

There are many rides at Disneyland and California Adventure Park that either have the same name (It’s a Small World, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Big Thunder Mountain, etc.) or are similar to rides in Disney World (Autopia vs. Tomorrowland Speedway; Radiator Springs Racers vs. Test Track; Mission Breakout vs. Tower of Terror) to those in Disney World. Some of them are the same between parks - riding Soarin’, Toy Story Mania, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Dumbo, or any of the Star Wars rides are the exact same experience in California as it is in Florida, other than it is fun waiting in a different looking queue. However, some rides are quite different!

First, let’s talk about The Haunted Mansion. When I was there, this ride had The Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. This made the ride so much more fun and interesting! Even though it’s not offered year-round, it definitely created a more elevated experience than the standard version that Disney World has 100% of the time. Pirates of the Caribbean is also not the same between coasts. The version in Disneyland is much longer, has a second drop, and sails through more scenes than the Disney World version. The same can be said for Autopia in Disneyland - it offers so much more to see than the Tomorrowland Speedway. Mission Breakout has added excitement with the movie scenes and music that Tower of Terror doesn’t offer. And even though Radiator Springs Racers is much slower than Test Track, it is still more fun (in my opinion!) because of the characters from Cars. You’re also driving through the mountains instead of just going around in a big circle.

I’ve saved my favorite for last - Space Mountain. To be honest, I can take or leave Space Mountain in Disney World. But in Disneyland? I would never skip it! It is so much more modern and exciting than the Florida version. The cars are also more comfortable to ride in. Disneyland’s Space Mountain is a 10/10 experience!

So yes, some of the rides are similar, but there is definitely enough of a difference overall to take a trip to California to enjoy them for yourself!

Are You Sure This is Theme Park Food?

When I’m doom-scrolling through Instagram, I often see people posting pictures and videos of their food at Disneyland. I always think it looks so good, but it can’t actually be that good because it’s theme park food... right?

Wrong! I was so surprised by the variety and quality of the food in Disneyland. And you don’t have to go to table service restaurants to find great food! There are plenty of quick service places, such as Pym Test Kitchen, the Cozy Cone Motel, anything in San Fransokyo Square, Alien Pizza Planet, and many more, that offer excellent food choices. If you love a Monte Cristo sandwich, the one at Blue Bayou is probably the best one I’ve ever had. The corn dog I got at Blue Ribbon Corn Dog? Fantastic! I made sure to get a churro, and it was wonderful, too!

Theme park food can be pricey, but if you get it at Disneyland, you definitely get your money’s worth! Additionally, excellent options are found outside of traditional table service meals. Quick meals are less expensive AND delicious in Disneyland!

What Do You Mean There’s More Nostalgia?

I heard the following statement from multiple people before I went to Disneyland: “If you love Disney, you’ll love Disneyland because the nostalgia is there.” Well, there’s plenty of nostalgia for me in Disney World, so is Disneyland going to be that different? Spoiler alert - yes, it is!

Disneyland is the original Disney park - it’s where the magic started! And somehow, you can actually feel that magic when you walk onto Main Street USA. Perhaps it’s because it’s smaller, or maybe it’s just knowing that this is the place that Walt Disney created himself, but you just get that old-school Disney feeling when you’re entering Disneyland.

Other than just a feeling, the original rides that are still operational create a sense of nostalgia for anyone who loves Disney. Even though some of these rides are 70 years old, they do not feel dated at all. They are charming and a throwback to simpler times. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Snow White’s Enchanted Wish were two of my favorite rides that I rode on my trip. They are classic Disney, and even their queues feel nostalgic due to their size and theming. And while it’s not an original part of Disneyland, Mickey’s Toontown makes you feel like a kid again. Mickey and Minnie’s homes look like something out of a classic cartoon that you watched on the weekends.

As someone who has loved Disney since I was about 5 years old, visiting Disneyland was one of the best magical moments I've had! Disneyland is a must for anyone whose childhood was filled with all things Disney.

Disney World most definitely still holds a place in my heart, but Disneyland does now as well. I can’t wait to go back with my family and make new memories with them!

-Jennifer Aiken

AMAAB Travel Advisor

@enchanted.travels.by.jennifer

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