What's the Difference Between Walt Disney World & Disneyland?
- Benjamin Perthel
- May 25
- 5 min read
Ever wondered about the magic behind the magic, and what truly sets Disneyland apart from Walt Disney World? While both offer incredible experiences, they each have their own unique charm and differences. Today, I'm excited to share a fantastic blog post from our fellow advisor, Ben Perthel, who dives deep into what makes each of the US Disney resorts special. Get ready to explore the nuances and discover which park might be your perfect fit!
Walt Disney World Overview
The Walt Disney World Resort covers over 25,000 acres around Orlando, Florida. This massive destination is home to four theme parks, two water parks, the Disney Springs shopping, dining, and entertainment district, two mini-golf courses, multiple golf courses, and 25 Disney-owned hotels.
The four theme parks are Disney’s Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Magic Kingdom is where you’ll find many of the “classic” Disney rides, like It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Carousel of Progress.
EPCOT features World Showcase, with pavilions representing 11 different countries around the World Showcase Lagoon, plus three additional areas: World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios brings an idealized version of Hollywood to life, and is home to newer lands like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom celebrates animals, both real and mythical, with expansive lands themed around Africa, Asia, and Pandora from Avatar.
Disneyland Resort Overview The Disneyland Resort, located in Anaheim, California, covers about 500 acres and includes two theme parks, three Disney-owned hotels, and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining district.
The two theme parks are Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.
Disneyland Park is the original theme park designed by Walt Disney himself. Here you’ll find classic rides like It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Autopia. It’s also home to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which offers the same experiences as its cousin in Florida.
Disney California Adventure, which opened in 2001, has evolved dramatically over the years. It has unique themed lands including Cars Land, Avengers Campus, and Pixar Pier. California Adventure also offers rides you won’t find at Walt Disney World, like Radiator Springs Racers, The Incredicoaster, and WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure.
What Are the Main Differences Between Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World?
Parks and Attractions
Walt Disney World has four theme parks, each of which can easily take at least a full day or more to explore. Disneyland Resort has two parks, each of which takes about one to two days to experience, depending on crowd levels.
Beyond just the number of parks, each resort offers unique experiences:
At Disneyland Resort, Cars Land in Disney California Adventure brings the world of Cars to life with rides, dining, and shopping.
At Walt Disney World, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT is a groundbreaking reverse-launch roller coaster, and EPCOT’s World Showcase — nearly the size of Disneyland Park itself — offers a deep dive into global cultures, food, and entertainment.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom, located at Walt Disney World immerses you in real-world and fantastical wildlife experiences you won't find anywhere else.
Even rides with the same name can be completely different between the two resorts.
For example:
Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland is longer and features additional scenes compared to the version at Magic Kingdom.
Space Mountain and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure have different ride layouts and vehicles at each destination.
Resorts and Transportation
Walt Disney World offers 25 Disney-owned resorts, divided into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe categories. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly stay or luxury accommodations, there’s a wide range of options. Given the size of the resort, Disney operates an extensive transportation system, often compared to the infrastructure of a mid-sized city. Buses are the most common mode of transport, but you can also get around by monorail, boat, or Disney Skyliner gondola.
At Disneyland Resort, things are much more compact — and much more walkable. The three Disney-owned hotels — Disneyland Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa — are all within a 15-minute walk to the park entrances via Downtown Disney or the resorts’ private entrances. Walking is the primary mode of transportation, but the Disneyland Monorail also provides a quick ride between Downtown Disney and Tomorrowland inside Disneyland Park. Once you pass through security at the perimeter of the resort, you’re free to move between the parks and Downtown Disney without additional bag checks — a big convenience.
Which Resort is Better for Your Trip?
Both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World offer magical vacations full of incredible attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment options for guests of all ages. Having traveled extensively to both, I can confidently say each destination shines in its own way — and the best choice depends on the type of trip you're planning.
Why Choose Disneyland Resort?
Disneyland Resort is perfect for shorter trips of 2–5 days.
Because everything is so close together, it’s easy to park hop, dine, and shop without relying on transportation. Walking between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure takes just minutes. Downtown Disney is also compact enough to explore in a single day or a few relaxing evenings.
If you’re planning a longer trip (7+ days), however, you might feel like you’ve seen and done most of what Disneyland Resort has to offer.
Why Choose Walt Disney World?
Walt Disney World truly shines for longer vacations of 6–10 days.
With four massive parks, two water parks, and countless additional activities — from golf to fishing to mini-golf — it offers an incredible variety of experiences. That said, the size means travel time between parks and resorts can be significant (sometimes 30–60 minutes), and “park hopping” requires more planning compared to Disneyland.
The range of hotels at Walt Disney World is also much broader, offering everything from budget-friendly value resorts like the All-Star properties to luxurious stays at Deluxe resorts.
Plus, if you love nighttime shows, Walt Disney World hosts fireworks and spectaculars almost every night at three of the four theme parks:
Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom
Luminous: The Symphony of Us at EPCOT
Fantasmic! at Hollywood Studios
At Disneyland Resort, nighttime shows and fireworks are typically offered only on select nights.
A Note About Airports
Transportation to and from the resorts is another thing to keep in mind:
For Walt Disney World, Orlando International Airport (MCO) is about 45 minutes away and offers dedicated transportation options to Disney hotels.
For Disneyland Resort, the closest airport is John Wayne Airport (SNA). It’s smaller and very easy to navigate but may have fewer direct flight options depending on where you're traveling from. Other nearby airports include Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) — though these involve longer ground transfers and more traffic.
No matter which resort you choose, you’re in for an unforgettable experience.
If you’re still deciding between Disneyland and Walt Disney World, I’d love to help you find the perfect fit for your next magical adventure!
Ben Perthel has been traveling since his first international flight at 4 months old. Since then he has traveled throughout the United States and Europe. I specialize in theme park destinations and sharing a love of Disney Parks and Resorts. A father of 2 young girls, I have experience planning trips for solo travelers, couples, and families.
Although newer to the travel industry I have many years working as a teacher and advising clients in real estate and luxury home construction. I believe it is critical to develop relationships with my clients and not apply a one-size-fits-all approach to travel planning.
Looking to plan your next amazing trip?
Reach out to me: bperthel@travelcnc.com
Comments