Are you trying to decide between Disney World and Disneyland for your Disney trip?

Today, we’re going to tackle this huge questions that we get asked a lot here, at DFB, “what’s the difference between Disneyland Resort and Disney World?”

We’re not gonna say which one is better, but we are going to dive into some details about what makes them different and how those differences might be the key factors in your decision as to which destination might be right for you and your family.

Location

So, first up, Disneyland Resort is in California, and Disney World is in Florida.

So depending on your coast, one or the other might be more efficient and more logical for you to visit because the plane ride might be shorter, less expensive, or even within driving distance from your hometown.

Size

Once you’ve figured out which park is more convenient for you to visit, next let’s look at the park size. Disneyland Resort is much smaller than Disney World.

Disneyland has two parks, Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, plus the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district. It also has three resort hotels, but with plans for some new accommodations opening soon! When you’re in Disneyland Resort, you can easily walk to-and-from all of the parks, resorts, and Downtown Disney with ease and without much hassle at all.

Disney World has four theme parks, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and its own shopping and dining district, Disney Springs. Not to mention two water parks, several golf courses, a wedding pavilion, mini-golf areas, and two full-blown waters all sprawled out over 40 square miles, which is about the size of Manhattan.

Disney World is so big that you’ll need to rely on several modes of transportation to get around from here to there. There are very few options that are within walking distance, and even those are usually quite a hike. It’s very spread out. The fact that this destination is so spread out and requires modes of transportation to traverse can be a concern for folks with mobility concerns or with little ones in strollers.

But even though you can’t walk everywhere, Disney World does offer some great transportation that can even be a fun part of your trip. Riding on the monorail or Disney Skyliner is often an iconic memory for many visitors, so that largeness factor may not be a downside to you.

Cost

Ok, now let’s talk about cost.

Basically, Disneyland Resort and Disney World are both gonna cost you an arm or leg. They’re both extremely expensive, and the other similarity is that you can do either Disney destination a bit more cheaply or super bougie.

Currently, for Summer 2023, a 4-Day Park Hopper ticket for Disney World is going to cost $668.04 per adult. That Park Hopper option allows for guests to visit more than one park per day to get the most out of their time in Disney World.

For those same dates in Disneyland with the Park Hopper option, guests will pay $455.00 per adult.

So, Disneyland comes out quite a bit cheaper, but keep in mind that it has 2 fewer parks and a lot few other recreational activities that Disney World offers to bolster that ticket value.

So, you’re saving a few dollars on that Disneyland ticket, but you’re also missing out on two huge theme parks. So, when you do that sort of comparison of price but also value, these two destinations pretty much come up even.

Hotels

Costs for hotels vary. In Disneyland, the three main Disney hotels here are very expensive, with guests easily paying $500 a night, although you might get lucky and find a special promotion to give you some relief from that steep price tag. Paradise Pier, Grand Californian, and the Disneyland Hotel are all going to be pretty pricey.  

Over in Disney World, the Deluxe Resorts are also going to carry about the same price tag. Disney World does also offer some other tier-priced hotel accommodations with Moderate Resorts, Value Resorts, and even a campground area which can bring that hotel stay down to about $150 a night, depending on where you decide to stay. All in all, Disney World offers over 25 resorts, each with a unique, immersive Disney theme and at varying price points to help accommodate different budgets.

When it comes to Disney hotels, Disney World has a much wider variety of options and price points than Disneyland. However, because of how compressed Disneyland is, there are a ton of non-Disney resorts nearby that have a wide range of price options and are still within walking or shuttle distance of Disneyland. And if they qualify as Good Neighbor resorts, some even offer Disney resort perks.

So, as far as hotels are concerned, it’s kind of a wash when it comes to which Disney destination might have an advantage.

Restaurants

Because Disney World is just bigger, you’re going to find a lot more variety of restaurant options here. More parks and more resorts equal more spots to plug in some great dining experiences. Another key difference between the two destinations is their emphasis on dining style.

At Disneyland Resort, the focus is more on quick service options. Disneyland has more quick service locations available, and they also put more emphasis on providing an amazing selection at those locations. Disneyland with have more variety and creativity on their quick service menus, and those portions will also be pretty hearty!

The emphasis in Disney World is on table service options. Perhaps it’s because Disney knows you’ve been traipsing across its huge parks that they provide more sit-down dining options. These options strongly encourage reservations but also provide unique yet approachable menus and a chance to sit down with your family or travel party, catch your breath, and just enjoy your dining experience.

In the past, Disneyland Resort usually won the snack game, but more recently, well, within the last 6-7 years or with the growing popularity of social media, Disney World has stepped up its snack game, too, with those fabulous Instagrammable snacks that almost require you to book a Disney trip immediately when you see it pop up in your feed.

Disney World definitely has more variety, fun snacks, and those luxurious sit-down meals. But Disneyland Resort is no slouch with its own unique offerings. The destination for foodies has to be Disney World, though.

Attractions

Just like with everything else we’ve covered, because Disney World is bigger, it just has MORE to offer. And the same is true with attractions. However, more doesn’t always equal better. There are some attractions that are shared on both coasts, like Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and “it’s a small world” but even though they’re duplicates, they’re not exactly the same. And when we do pit attractions against each other the Disney World version vs. the Disneyland version, the Disneyland version tends to win out.

Disneyland has a big factor in its favor in that it’s the OG park. It’s the one that Walt Disney actually built. He walked down Main Street, U.S.A., and rode the attractions there. So Disneyland has a huge nostalgia factor, having been touched by Walt Disney directly.

Each destination does also have unique rides. You can only find the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Radiator Springs Racers, and Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at the Disneyland resort. And you can only find Flight of Passage, the Country Bear Jamboree, and Slinky Dog Dash at the Disney World resort.

Summary

Each Disney destination is unique and offers perks and drawbacks depending on what your priorities are. If you’re looking for some amazing dining experiences and riding a ton of rides, then you might lean toward Disney World. If you’re traveling with small kids and want the convenience of a walkable park with nostalgic rides you remember riding, then Disneyland might be your pick.

They both have charm, delicious food, fun attractions, breathtaking fireworks displays, and that quintessential Disney magic, so it’s really just down to which park will suit you for your next trip!

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Which Disney Park will you be visiting this year? Let us know in the comments below!