This is my final installment of my impressions of my first visit to Disneyland.
Read Part 1
Read Part 2
I’d like to start by mentioning something important to me, and that is a concept mentioned many years ago.
Disney Zone Effect
It’s known as The Disney Zone effect and I was curious as to how this would come into play on my initial visit to Disneyland. I think that each one of us goes through some level of “zoning” when visiting a Disney theme park. Beyond that it may be a certain attraction, image, sound, or even odor, that puts us in that special place.
For me I’m not sure if I ever crossed into that zone while at Disneyland. I have a theory as to why it just did not happen like it often does at Walt Disney World. I found myself working hard at omparing what I was seeing in Anaheim to what I knew existed in Orlando. When you look at anything with that type of scrutiny it somehow takes away from the enjoyment.
I do recall a few moments during my stay where I sensed a bit of a Disney Zone feeling, but not as much as I expected. My guess is the same is probably expressed by those longtime Disneyland fans who for the first time visit Walt Disney World.
Maybe it’s a work in progress and my next visit may find me zoning a bit more.
and I think for me it was a case of my trying so hard to compare what I was experiencing to Walt Disney World
Cast Member Experience
I have to admit that I found the cast member experience in Anaheim slightly more enjoyable that what I’ve lately felt at Walt Disney World. Is there an explanation for this? I don’t know. It could be that the Disney legacy is more entrenched in Southern California than it is in Central Florida…or could it be that perhaps there is a bit more pride to being a Disneyland Resort cast member than a Walt Disney World cast member. All I know is that I found the cast members in Anaheim to be more aware of guest needs, more spontaneuos in knowing how to make the guest experience that much better, and always smiling.
Entertainment
There is more entertainment at Walt Disney World for sure but the nod goes to Anaheim for the level of entertainment. For what I saw it just seemed that the performers were more crisp, more refined, more talented, and more into what they were doing….especially at the Hyperion Theater in California Adventure.
This is not to say that the entertainment is not topnotch at Walt Disney World. It just seemed more refined, more polished, and more experienced at the Disneyland Resort.
Shopping Experience
This is a no contest. Orlando offers so many different shopping experiences in so many areas that there just isn’t any comparison between the two resorts. This is not to say that the DLR shopping experience is not a pleasant one. The DownTown Disney area has some very nice and interesting places to browse around and the parks of course have their share of places to look for that special souvenir.
The sheer number of places to shop and the diversity of the available merchandise just makes Orlando heads and shoulders above Anaheim in regards to shopping.
Overall Value
Here’s where it gets real difficult. When we speak of this thing we call value are we talking about our time, our vacation dollar, our love for all things Disney, or something else?
A close friend of mine, Brian Bennett, has often said that if he was given one day to spend at a Disney resort that he would spend it in Disneyland, but if he had a week he would spend it in Walt Disney World. I tend to agree with Brian.
I think that each resort has many components that appeal to all Disney fans. While at Disneyland resort I found myself thinking the same two thoughts over and over again.
There were times when I thought, “Hmmm, I wish we had this in Walt Disney World” or “Why isn’t this as good as it is in Walt Disney World?”
If we talk in terms of value for the vacation dollar I believe that Walt Disney World takes the edge only because of the number of theme parks, water parks, and other areas offered to the guests. YOu can experience more for your dollar in Orlando than in Disneyland.
If you put your time at the top of your list then you should know that the Disneyland Resort offers you the better opportunity to make use of this precious commodity. Its obvious that in a 12 hour day that DLR guests can enjoy more theme park experiences due to the proximity of the DLR parks to each other and surrounding hotels. In Orlando there is traveling time to consider between any two theme parks. Travel time from point to point takes away time spent at each point.
When we talk about love for all things Disney it’s a draw. for the Disney purists Disneyland gets the nod here. Why not? It’s the only Disney park Walt has experienced himself. It has been around for almost 60 years. It’s the first Disney theme park and has been there for several generations of Disney fans.
For others, Walt Disney World, with the number of theme parks, water parks, resorts, hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, recreational opportunities, and much more, offer something special to the Disney fan that DLR does not quite offer yet and that is a diversified vacation experience. The Orlando resort does have an advantage over it’s older sibling in CA in that there is a buffer to the outside world that CA does not enjoy. For many that gives them the chance to leave more of what they left behind and to easily escape from reality.
But it would be unfair for me to say the overall value is better at one coast than the other. It all depends upon the individual and the bottom line is that is part of what has made Disney resorts so successful…it’s giving each guest the impression that they are special…that he or she is the most important guest on property…both resorts do this…both resorts know the formula that works…both resorts give you value.
For those who have visited one or the other but not both, I encourage you to expand your Disney experience.
Oh…one more thing…I did not leave Disneyland without getting one of these…
I found almost all of CM’s just fine the only difference was where they are from. I find that at WDW many of the cast member’s badges have home towns from all over the country if not the world; at DL I found that they were almost all from “Anaheim”, I may have been the only one who noticed.
The one issue I ran into as Half marathon weekend support staff was while the race was on I tried to get all of our groups FP’s for World of Color that night and was denied due to the fact that they had not “entered” the park even though I had there cards. Once the race was over and we were back in the parks the FP’s were gone, just gives me a reason to go back.
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Jamie,
It’s true that you cannot get a FP is you have not officially “entered” a park. This is put into place to insure that the FP distribution system delivers FPs to only those admission media that have been date stamped for that day.
Mike
So a question for you from the reverse angle — we’re a “Disneyland-373, WDW-0 family” and would like to know what we should put at the top of our “must see at WDW that isn’t at DL, or is way different from DL”.
Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Well, there are several things that come to mind. Here are my top ten suggestions:
– Mickey’s Philharmagic
– Wishes
– Test Track
– Illuminations
– The American Adventure
– Mission: Space
– Rock n Roller Coaster
– Toy Story Midway Mania
– Expedition Everest
– Finding Nemo: The Musical
I’m sure others would chime in with some others.
Have fun.
mike
My husband and I visited disneyland this past August after many many trips to wdw. We found that we favor wdw overall. I could not agree with you more about pirates and Indy. Indy needs to come to wdw. While we enjoyed our disneyland stay, we just found ourselves missing our home resort. I firmly believe that most will gravitate to enjoying the resort that they first visited because there is a special emotional connection to that place. I do strongly encourage at least one visit to Disneyland for all wdw lovers. It creates a new found appreciation for the Disney lover at heart.
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So true Emily,
Each resort has its own strengths and sometimes I feel it is unfair to compare the two but I agree with you that everyone should visit each one at least once in their lifetimes.
Mike
Thanks for all your input on Disneyland. I’m a frequent WDW visitor and will be taking my first trip to DL in December. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the things at DL that don’t exist at WDW. I’m from New Orleans and I can’t wait to see how DL portrays my home city.
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Heather,
I’m sure you will have fun, especially since it’s the holiday season. I encourage you to be sure and visit a Moment with Mr. Lincoln, The Haunted Mansion, the Indiana Jones Adventure, Space Mountain, and just about everything in Fantasyland when you visit Disneyland.
As far as California Adventure, my best advice would be to visit Aladdin at the Hyperion Theater.
Oh and one more thing….make sure you walk through Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Have fun.
Mike
Hi Mike,
I’ve read all three of your DL blogs and like you experienced I felt the same when I first saw Sleeping Beaty Castle. I was shocked that it was not taller and I asked my CA friend “who put that mountain next to the castle”!
I really didn’t enjoy my visit because it was way too crowded and such small areas to move around. Your right how DL has used every available space.
I think WDW has spoiled me but when I entered
DL for the first time I kept thinking Walt walked these sidewalks.
I have my First Time pin on my bulletin board.
What I really fell in love with on my first time ever trip to CA were the beautiful Palm Trees!
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Cathy,
So now that I’ve experienced Disneyland and it’s fresh in my mind…how will I react when I visit WDW in a few weeks? It will be interesting.
Mike
I think your series gives the best summary I’ve ever seen of the differences between Disneyland and WDW, and I agree, it’s nearly impossible to say one is “better” than the other. They each offer a great (but different) experience.
Regarding the Disney Zone, I have experienced the same… But I have a theory. At WDW, you spend a lot of time in transit between resorts and parks. This is down time for most people when the most you will generally be doing is looking at the scenery. This gives the brain more time to absorb the whole experience, reflect on what you just saw, anticipate what you are about to see. At Disneyland, your transit time is mostly spent walking (and for me, trying to remember exactly where to find the mint juleps, or the bread factory). The body and brain are more active.
I think of this as the Disney energy taking a different form: at WDW, it’s the Disney Zone (a state of being). At Disneyland, it’s the Disney Mode (a state of activity).
That’s a bit philosophical, I guess.
A.D. Johnson
-Littleton, CO
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You may have a point A.D. I think the Disney Zone mode hits everyone differently and each of us have personal “triggers” that bring us into that frame of mind.
Mike
That’s interesting that you felt that way about the cast members. I felt the exact opposite. We had so much positivity – not talking about free stuff, but genuinely heartfelt congratulations – for our “just engaged” buttons at WDW, while our “just married” buttons at Disneyland didn’t even raise a smile from the cast members.
I put it down to the fact that Disney pay their cast members pretty horribly, and LA seems like an expensive place to live. You can’t really blame them if morale isn’t that high!
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Becca,
I’m sure that the majority of CM’s are fine but there will always be a small percentage that just do not live up to the legacy.
Mike