Top 10 Rides that are Better at Disneyland Than Walt Disney World
The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California and the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida share a lot of the same classic attractions, however, many of these attractions are done much better at one resort than the other. Here are a few rides in which I find the Disneyland version to be superior.
Pirates of the Caribbean is a dark ride attraction located in various Disney parks, including Disneyland in California and Walt Disney World in Florida. The ride takes visitors on a boat journey through various scenes that depict a pirate-infested Caribbean island. Originally conceived by Walt Disney... read more Absolutely no contest on this one. Disneyland's Pirates puts the Walt Disney World version to shame! After riding both, there is just no comparison. WDW's is practically an abridged version of the original, and Pirates was never supposed to go there anyway. The ride at Disneyland is twice the length and begins in a bayou setting right next door to the Blue Bayou restaurant. It also still has the talking skull, as well as lots of treasure-filled caverns at the beginning of the ride.
WDW's has almost no buildup and is missing quite a few scenes, notably the gunpowder and cannonball scene near the end. It really says something that Pirates is one of the star attractions at Disneyland, while it's not made nearly as big of a deal at Walt Disney World. Needless to say, if you want to see a truly phenomenal dark ride with singing pirates, go to Disneyland.
Space Mountain is the name of a space-themed indoor roller coaster attraction located at five of the Magic Kingdom-style Disney Parks. As someone more used to the Walt Disney World version of Space Mountain, I have to say that version has the more interesting track layout, and I like the beginning portion of the ride better as you go up the lift hill. The biggest problem with it now is that it's just too rough, largely due to lack of maintenance and refurbishments.
On the other hand, Disneyland's offers a fairly smooth ride with onboard audio, and the standard two-in-a-row seating is much more comfortable than the bobsled-like vehicles on WDW's. I also give a thumbs up to Disneyland's queue and exterior, especially when it's lit up at night. The layout might not be as interesting, but the onboard audio and effects make it an all-around fun time. Meanwhile, you might need to see a chiropractor after getting off WDW's... I am fond of the Space Mountain I grew up with, and it's still lots of fun, but Disneyland's is truly a great ride.
It's a Small World is a water-based dark ride located in the Fantasyland area at the various Walt Disney Parks and Resorts worldwide; these include: Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris,... read more Not gonna lie, this is largely here because of the facade. It's so grand and enchanting, which on its own gives it a huge edge over the WDW version. However, the facade is not the only thing differentiating the two. The interior scenes are completely different at both locations, and after watching videos of the two side by side, I prefer Disneyland's, for the most part.
I don't like the shoehorned-in Disney characters (not present in WDW's), but otherwise, Disneyland's seems better to me, especially the finale. It seems so much grander and more "legitimate," like this is the one true It's a Small World. In comparison, WDW's just doesn't give the same feeling. I can't say I'm a huge fan of the ride either way - that song does get pretty annoying after all - but watching Disneyland's gave me a feeling of enchantment that seemed lacking in WDW's. So, I'm giving this one to Disneyland hands down.
I've actually never done either version (and why would I want to?), but even still, it's clear to me that Autopia beats the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway by miles. For one thing, it's much less of an eyesore and doesn't feel out of place, unlike at the Magic Kingdom, where it is a poor transition between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Secondly, Autopia has a much more interesting layout and makes good use of space, whereas the Indy Speedway just goes around in a circle and feels like a giant, smelly waste of real estate (which in my opinion, it is, but it still gets long waits, so what do I know).
Autopia also has the bonus of kinetics, coming into close contact with both the monorail and the Disneyland Railroad along the way. The views are all-around much nicer. Indy Speedway really doesn't have much going for it. It feels completely out-of-place in the park. I really hope something better will come along to take its place in the future.
Having been to Walt Disney World more often, I am quite fond of that version. However, Disneyland's is a whole different experience. Let's address the standout feature first: the Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas, which have no comparable counterparts at Walt Disney World. These are definitely the biggest highlights of the train ride.
Aside from that, the views are generally better on the Disneyland Railroad than on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Especially towards the eastern side of the park, where you ride right through the It's a Small World facade and alongside Autopia. This is more interesting than anything seen on Walt Disney World's version. For me, the highlight of Walt Disney World's is going through Splash Mountain, but since you also do that at Disneyland, it's not particularly unique. While I'm perfectly fine with Walt Disney World's version, Disneyland's completely surpasses it.
Since I haven't ridden Soarin' Around the World yet, I'll just base this entry on the original Soarin' Over California attraction. In that case, it feels much more at home in Disney's California Adventure than it does in Epcot. (Soarin' Around the World does fit Epcot better, though). It may be the most popular ride at Epcot, but it doesn't embody what Epcot is as much as other attractions. It fits the spirit of California much better, and it's just a better experience knowing that you're actually in California. In Epcot, it just doesn't have the same effect.
The queue is also much better at DCA. There are actually things to look at, and you're not just in an unthemed, air-conditioned space. There's also no giant blue building ruining sightlines from certain parts of the park. Overall, it just works much better at DCA than it does in Epcot.
I know I'm going to get a lot of grief for this, but I hate Space Ranger Spin. The controls are so jerky and imprecise that I can barely score 3000 points, let alone the million my dad racks up! My inability to properly experience the ride has developed into a strong dislike, preventing me from enjoying the attraction without feeling overly competitive.
However, when my family flew to California for Disneyland, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the guns were actually movable. I didn't struggle with the clunky controls as much and had a much better time. Though the highlight of my Astro Blasters experience was due to another circumstance, I had a blast zapping aliens. I just wish that Disney World could replicate this experience someday.
While the ride is pretty much the same at both resorts, I prefer its placement in Paradise Pier over Pixar Place (soon to be Toy Story Land). Walt Disney World's version has a better queue, no question, but I don't like that it's treated like a headliner attraction there instead of a nice side attraction, which I think it should be. The queue is actually better than the ride itself, which isn't how it should be. It also feels pretty isolated, and 2-3 hour waits aren't uncommon, especially during the summer, largely due to the shortage of rides at Hollywood Studios.
On the other hand, the ride feels right at home in Paradise Pier and fits the theme of the land perfectly. I love having California Screamin' in the background. There's some kinetic energy as opposed to it being off by itself. Toy Story Land might change my mind, but for now, I really like it as a Paradise Pier attraction. Last but not least, I prefer having the Mr. Potatohead animatronic out front.
Not just the Riverboat itself, but the entire Rivers of America feels much better done at Disneyland. A large part of this is due to its location in New Orleans Square, which gives off a more enticing vibe than a boat ride in Liberty Square. The river feels much more active at Disneyland, partly because the park is significantly smaller, but also because there are not only the riverboat, but also the Sailing Ship Columbia and the Davy Crockett Canoes, not to mention Fantasmic! at night.
Walt Disney World only has the Liberty Belle and Tom Sawyer Island, and the Magic Kingdom is much bigger and more spread out, making the Rivers feel emptier in comparison. Lastly, the Riverboat and the river itself feel much more like actual attractions at Disneyland, not just something to pass the time. Overall, Walt Disney World's river is nice, but the whole Rivers of America concept is executed much better at Disneyland.
Splash Mountain is a log flume ride located at Tokyo Disneyland, and formerly the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland. Originally, it was based on the characters, stories, and songs from the 1946 Disney film, Song of the South... read moreWhile this version might be slightly shorter than the Walt Disney World version, it is the original. It has the changing portraits in the hallways and the holiday seasonal overlays, particularly the Halloween elements, which make the ride more fun and spookier than before. The music during the holidays really adds a magical and spooky touch.
Disney World never gives their rides holiday overlays, which seems to be a cost-saving measure.
Two words for you: Hatbox Ghost!
While both versions are popular, the Disneyland version stands out more. It's more up-to-date and has a better soundtrack. It still includes Tic Toc Croc, which Walt Disney World removed from their version, unfortunately.
Disneyland's version remains one of the best, though Shanghai's is a real winner - no competition intended.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a mine train roller coaster located in Frontierland at several Disneyland-style Disney Parks worldwide. The reason why Disneyland's Big Thunder is better is because it has more of a story to it. As a coaster enthusiast, I loved the Disney World incarnation. However, when we visited Disneyland in 2017, I was blown away by the dynamite scene. Florida's version just doesn't measure up to the real deal.
With the new effects and the TNT scene not present at Disney World, Disneyland's version is superior.
