Main Differences Between Disney World and Disneyland
For those who may not know much about Disney in general, or have never been to one of its theme parks, the differences between Disney World and Disneyland can be confusing. To some, they may seem like the same theme park. However, there is no denying that the two parks are very different from each other in several ways.
Size
Disneyland and Disney World are of very different sizes. Walt actually created Disney World on the basis that it was to be much bigger than Disneyland. Disneyland is situated on about 500 acres of land in Anaheim, CA. It is also home to only two parks, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, while also housing a Downtown Disney area. On the other hand, Disney World covers 43 square miles, roughly the size of San Francisco. Disney World is home to four parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. It is also home to two water parks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach. Disney World also encompasses Disney Springs, a lavish area that offers several stores, restaurants, and forms of entertainment.

Hotels
One of the other main differences between Disney World and Disneyland is the hotels. Because of Disneyland’s limited size, it only makes sense that the park would have very few hotels. It has three on the property: Paradise Pier, the Disneyland Hotel, and the Grand Californian. Disney World has over two dozen resorts, broken down into three categories: Value, Moderate, and Deluxe. Therefore, there are several options for park goers to choose from in Disney World.

Transportation
Believe it or not, the only form of transportation in Disneyland is walking. There is a monorail, but it is actually viewed as more of an attraction than a mode of transportation. Walking is a very viable option in Disneyland, due to the limited size and the fact that the two parks are right across from each other. The hotels are also located right by the parks, so making your way around Disneyland is very easy.
Obviously, this is not the case in Disney World. Each resort offers bus transportation to the different parks, but some select resorts offer a monorail service to Magic Kingdom and others offer a ferry service to either Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios. Walking is also an option in Disney World. When I recently visited, my family and I walked from the Beach Club to Hollywood Studios, which only took about ten minutes. We also walked from the Contemporary Resort to Magic Kingdom, which took even less time.

Attractions
Some attractions are the same in both Anaheim and Orlando. For example, Space Mountain, it’s a Small World, and Pirates of the Caribbean can be found in both locations. Despite this, both locations house its own set of unique attractions. In only Disneyland, you can find rides such as Matterhorn Bobsleds, Mickey’s Fun Wheel, and Radiator Springs Racers. In only Disney World, you can find Spaceship Earth, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Overall
Because of the differences between Disney World and Disneyland mentioned in this article, it would be unfair to say that Disney World is a better park than Disneyland or vice versa. Each location has its own set of specific perks that make them special. I’ve only been to Disneyland once in my life, but I remember it bringing the same Disney magic that I’ve always experienced in Disney World. Although the parks are very different, both of them are excellent places to vacation.
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