which attractions are the same at WDW and DL? About This Page:

[Dlandmom2]

Definitely try to hit Fantasyland first right at opening. Peter Pan and Dumbo will have the longest and slowest lines, imho. Alice can also be long, but it's sorta hit and miss...same with the Storybook Land Canal Boats and Casey Junior's Circus Train...they are cute little rides, but as long and slow as the lines get, they could be quite the let down. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride often has long lines, but it moves at a decent pace. Snow White's Adventures is usually a short line, as is Pinocchio at times. Hope that helps!

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by HeatherD

Going off-topic a bit, but here's what I do:
DLR = Disneyland Resort
DL = Disneyland Park
DCA = Disney's CA Adventure

But, yeah, I didn't even think about all the newer "rides" in DCA that are the same. Dave hit it on the nose.

Good point, Dave and Heather! Growing up near Disneyland, Disneyland will always be Disneyland and I can't call it "Disneyland Resort" or "Disneyland Park." It's just Disneyland. And DCA is DCA.

But now that we're talking about DCA, too, well, we love the whole Soarin' area. Unfortunately, Epcot had to retrofit that ride into an existing building. And while we enjoyed the way that ToT works at DL, we prefer the outside theming at Studios at WDW.

[kelkan]

As an avid Disneyland fan and being back from WDW for the 1st time --- I would suggest skipping Soaring as that is exactly the same so if the line is long, skip it. The Muppets show and Star Wars is also the same so can skip that but everything else was slightly different so you should ride them so you can experience the difference. I prefer our Space Mountain, Pirates and It's a Small World and Buzz Lightyear over WDW's and Our Toontown is way bigger and has Roger Rabbit

[raftislander]

I have only been to WDW once and grew up in California so I have a lot more experience with DL. There is a charm to Fantasyland at DL that I found completely lacking at WDW. It is smaller and you feel like you are walking into a Bavarian village when you come through the castle. The broad concrete walkways in WDW do not convey the same feeling of being transported to another place. The DL/Fantasyland area is too small now for the size crowds that it has to handle - not to mention the strollers!- so hitting it early is good advice. You don't need to do Dumbo unless you have a young child demanding it. Peter Pan gets very long lines and, IMHO, is much better in DL than WDW. Do it first. Then go to Mr. Toad which no longer exists in WDW. Alice would be my next line. Even when lines are long everywhere else you can usually walk onto Snow White and Pinocchio. People seem to either love/hate the Storybook canal boats. I am a fan and I like to go at night. Hope that you get a grandmotherly cast member on your boat who gives the patter as if she is telling her grandchildren a bedtime story. THis was one of Walt's favorite rides and original to the park. So even if you think a boat ride through miniature gardens is not for you- do it for history's sake. (The Casey Jr train essentially covers the same area as the canal boats, so it is not necessary to do both. ) The Storybook Canal Boats close down during the parade and positioning yourself near the entrance to watch the parade allows you to walk on when the ride reopens. I also think that the landscaping around the teacups is beautiful at night and that the setting puts WDW's to shame. An advantage to not having a hurricane season and milder summer weather is that the Chinese lanterns can hang among trees rather than under a metal roof. Magical at night! There are two lines to the Matterhorn. From the turnstiles, one line will form to the Fantasyland side and the other will form along the Tommorowland side. The Tommorowland side is a slightly faster (better) ride. Enjoy Indiana Jones, but we acquired this attraction by giving up the heart of the Jungle Cruise ride. It is a shadow of its former self and missable. Do not miss POTC, the beginning through the bayou is MUCH better than in WDW. The ToT in DCA pales in comparison to the one in DHS. Do not, however, miss the Aladdin stage production in DCA. It is a mini- Broadway show that ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT BE MISSED and is not in WDW. Do you understand that I think that you should go see this? Grizzly Peak is essentially the same ride as Kali river rapids, but the themeing is so different that they dont really compare. Much of DCA is going to be changed, so remember that this may be your only/last chance to see some attractions that are on the chopping block.

Hope you trip is is full of delights and surprises...........

[TNTWheels]

Also Downtown Disney is west and in between the both parks and it is a lot smaller than WDW (check out the maps on the Disneyland site). Just remember Disneyland is older and smaller but for history sake it is the first Disney park in the world. CA AD and Downtown Disney were all added about the 90's. So go have fun.

[TNTWheels]

Well at least u won't be board since both park here and there are different and it always nice to see the different each time. I know that I miss the area surrounding WDW were the monorail hover over everything and looking out is a blast plus you really feel like you are on vacation. But here you can enjoy the history and the CA's environment.