Top 10 Attractions That Are Better at Disney World Than Disneyland
Honestly, this list should not exist. It’s true that some rides are better at Walt Disney World than Disneyland. But it’s very difficult to argue that there are 10 such attractions, even if playing fast and loose with the list and including shows and rides that are ‘spiritual successors’ to one another.
There’s a reason why you won’t find many lists like this. In almost all cases where direct clones exist in both California and Florida, they are either roughly equal or the Disneyland version is superior. The exceptions to that are few and far between. But, in my infinite wisdom, I backed myself into this corner without thinking of what such a list would include when writing my Top 10 List of Rides That Are Better at Disneyland.
To be transparent, my goal with that not-so-clever move was to avoid accusations of bias. Walt Disney World fans can sometimes have chips on their shoulders. There’s a reason “be fair to Florida” is a rallying cry, and I know WDW diehards get sick of hearing about all of the ways that Walt Disney’s original park is superior. How those two parks have as good of ride rosters as Florida’s four gates. While there is some truth to that, there are also many ways that Walt Disney World is better…
Of course, there are the common refrains among Walt Disney World fans who trumpet its superiority. The taller castle. The dozens of resorts and restaurants. That it’s the Vacation Kingdom of the World, and what Walt wanted to build to “fix” the shortcomings of Disneyland. That’s not what I’m talking about, though, as all of that would be better suited for Disneyland vs. Walt Disney World as a whole.
This is all about attractions, and there are plenty of ways that Walt Disney World “wins” on that front. It just usually doesn’t come down to cloned rides. There’s pretty much the entirety of Animal Kingdom, which–with limited exceptions–doesn’t have counterparts in California. (Well, aside from the San Diego Safari Park–but it doesn’t have an analogue in Anaheim!) There are the classic stage shows like Carousel of Progress and Country Bear Jamboree. There’s pretty much everything at EPCOT, which is still a sore subject among old school Disneylanders who lament the WestCOT that never was.
All of that’s just a partial list. The last decade-plus brought massive expansion to Walt Disney World, while Disneyland was comparatively ignored (having received its massive DCA overhaul at the tail end of the previous decade). Anyway, just wanted to demonstrate that I’m not biased towards Disneyland, but love both for different reasons. That may not be immediately apparent when you read through this fairly sad list of the attractions that are better at Walt Disney World…
N/A. it’s a small world – Just as we started the last list by explaining why Space Mountain didn’t make the cut, so too does this list begin with an exclusion. That’s because “it’s a small world” already made the Disneyland version of this list. And while I could get cute here and put it on both lists (it was an option when I was struggling to think of 10 picks), I’ve opted against it.
With that said, once you enter the show scenes, I do think “it’s a small world” at Magic Kingdom is better. I love the ‘flooded’ style, lack of characters, slightly superior score, and several little ways that Florida has a plussed version of the iconic attraction. This is the definitive version of the classic ride.
However, as demonstrated by preferring Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, I’m all about the complete package of an attraction. The facade and opening act of “it’s a small world” at Disneyland just sets the perfect tone, whereas the Florida version feels like a ride in a strip mall by comparison. So I’ll say this: “it’s a small world” at Disneyland is the better attraction, whereas the Walt Disney World version is the better ride.
10. Hall of Presidents & American Adventure – Neither the American Adventure nor Hall of Presidents have clones at Disneyland. Instead, there’s Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, which serves as the spiritual forebearer to both. The “problem” with all of these patriotic attractions is that they’re fantastic…and distinct.
I guess think of it in MCU terms, except with our heroes being great Americans instead of mutants. Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln is like Captain America: The First Avenger (except that would be George Washington…but I don’t want to compare Lincoln to Ant-Man or whichever Avenger was #16) in that it’s all about one single patriotic figure. The Hall of Presidents is Captain America: Civil War, not because it often has that effect on audiences, but because it’s a great team-up production of all presidents. Finally, the American Adventure is Avengers: Endgame, because it’s the best of the bunch–the genre perfected.
Does that make some degree of sense? No? Well, the bottom line is that Walt Disney had something special in Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, but the Imagineers managed to expand upon and refine the concept at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, which is where you can find the pinnacle of patriotic Disney stage shows. This list doesn’t get any better from here, so don’t say I didn’t warn you.
9. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue – This isn’t being deemed better at Walt Disney World because we have more luck with the randomized ride sequences in Florida than California. It’s all about the queue.
Disneyland’s Star Tours is blended into Tomorrowland so that it doesn’t stick out as a Star Wars ride in a land focused on the future. Or at least, that was the thinking a few decades ago when it originally opened and Tomorrowland had a cohesive vision. Now it’s just a hodgepodge, and no one bats an eye at Star Wars in the land.
Nevertheless, the Walt Disney World version was created specifically for this spot in the then Disney-MGM Studios, with the conceit being that it was a hot set for the filming of a Star Wars story. Accordingly, the queue weaves underneath the feet of a towering AT-AT, and around the trees of an Ewok village on the Forest Moon of Endor.
Or at least, a simulated set depicting all of that. It’s easy to forget the filmmaking framework around which this park was created and at least partially still exists. Most guests just see the towering AT-AT and Ewok village and assumes that’s the theme, but some may wonder why some of this stuff is half-finished. Confusing or cheap as it might seem, that’s by design–it’s what you see versus what the camera sees.
Regardless, it’s all impressive and this area around Star Tours at Disney’s Hollywood Studios was even better back when Jedi Training Academy: Trails of the Temple was being shown. It truly was like an immersive, ‘on-stage’ depiction of Star Wars. Different than Galaxy’s Edge, but still distinctly Star Wars!
8. Astro Orbiter – If you want to get technical, this is another attraction that doesn’t exist on both coasts. After all, Magic Kingdom has Astro Orbiter and Disneyland has Astro Orbitor. (Read both names carefully if you’re missing it.) While I’ll never understand the difference and hope there’s some stupid backstory to explain the “o vs. e” distinction, I think it’s fairly undeniable that Astro Orbiter flies higher than its Disneyland counterpart.
Quite literally. Astro Orbiter flies higher because it is higher, elevated on top of the PeopleMover. That same spot at Disneyland is home to the Observatron (yes, that name is real), just one of many bad ideas from Tomorrowland ’98 at Disneyland. While Astro Orbiter has closer views of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the elevated perspective of Astro Orbiter adds an extra dimension, and seeing the neon-drenched streets of Tomorrowland–not to mention Cinderella Castle, Space Mountain and the TRON Lightcycle Run canopy–take it to the next level.
7. TTA PeopleMover – While we’re in the area, we’ve gotta give a quick nod to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover at Magic Kingdom. This is the ride we ride most of any ride at Walt Disney World, and every time we see old photos of Tomorrowland at Disneyland, it breaks our hearts that we never got to experience the PeopleMover there. Maybe it’s just a “grass is always greener” thing, but Tomorrowland looks even better in photos of Disneyland from the 70s and 80s than any existing version of the land does today.
However, at this point I think it’s safe to say that the operational version of the PeopleMover at Walt Disney World is better than the abandoned tracks and load platform, plus whatever the heck the Observatron is supposed to be doing. But I suppose reasonable minds could differ. The shade the PeopleMover tracks supply can be quite nice! (Apologies for the knife twist, Disneyland fans, but I had to do it given the comparative weakness of the rest of this list.)
6. Tower of Terror – If you take the Tower of Terror and add a bunch of junk to the exterior and queue, while also changing the story and adding screens, is it still the Tower of Terror? That’s a question for the scientists. What I do know is that, against all odds, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout is way better than it has any right to be. Even as someone with a strong Twilight Zone bias, it’s honestly better than the version of Tower of Terror that it replaced at Disney California Adventure.
The thing is, these were never clones to begin with. The ride system for the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is different, and significantly more complex and maintenance-intensive. Which is precisely why DCA (and even Tokyo DisneySea!) opted for the simplified version. So I’m comfortable saying that Mission Breakout beats Tower of Terror at DCA, I’m also confident in proclaiming the OG Twilight Zone Tower of Terror the undisputed champion among all three.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror’s mood, atmosphere, and environments before the ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios are all top-notch. It’s ominous, intimidating, and foreboding from the moment you set eyes on the Hollywood Tower Hotel looming at the end of Sunset Boulevard. From there, the build-up continues in the queue and pre-show and the ride-through portion before the drops dials up the tension even further. While it features a ton of nods to Twilight Zone episodes, the attraction’s masterful use of suspense is downright Hitchcockian.
5. Dumbo – Oh great, another spinner. Magic Kingdom’s dueling Dumbos are better for a few reasons. First, there are two sets of them and two trumps one. Second, the lines are typically shorter (see first reason). Third, the beautiful nighttime lighting.
When Dumbo was moved and its capacity doubled, it also received an excellent new lighting scheme that really gives it added life at night. Missing is that iconic view of Cinderella Castle, but the view is still breathtaking with most of Fantasyland visible, plus there’s some excellent lighting, so we consider the dueling Dumbos a better attraction than the one (1) Dumbo at Disneyland.
4. Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid – Like Astro Orbite/or, this is a ride that has different names at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Unlike that one letter difference, this is multiple words and punctuation marks: Under the Sea – Journey of the Little Mermaid vs. The Little Mermaid ~ Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. I eschew both unwieldy names for a simple “Little Mermaid dark ride.”
The reasons that the Walt Disney World version is better has nothing to do with names or even the substance of the dark ride. Rather, it comes down to the exterior and queue. The Disneyland version repurposed the facade for Golden Dreams, a show about the history of California, during the DCA overhaul. That exterior based on San Francisco’s Palace of the Fine Arts is cool and fitting for Disney California Adventure, but the queue is short and basic.
By contrast, the Little Mermaid dark ride at Magic Kingdom was purpose-built during the New Fantasyland expansion, and features Prince Eric’s Castle plus a lot of rockwork and water. You might even argue that the (very long) queue and exterior are better than the ride itself. That’s no knock on the ride itself, which I actually think is underrated. The queue of the Little Mermaid dark ride at Walt Disney World is just really underappreciated.
This isn’t just true in the outdoor portion where there are peaceful reflecting pools and waterfalls, which are beautifully illuminated at night. It’s also the case in the caverns as outdoors transitions to inside the castle. If you ever stop to appreciate all of the little details when this line more or less empties out, you’ll see that a huge portion of the budget for Walt Disney World’s version went to placemaking. And that’s important, as it sets the stage for a more enjoyable ride-through experience.
3. Happily Ever After – This might be a suspicious selection, especially since we usually distinguish nighttime spectaculars from attractions. (Do Walt Disney World fans really want to open the entertainment comparison can of worms?!) Also, we previously proclaimed that Wondrous Journeys is Better Than Happily Ever After.
Well, two things have changed between then and now. The big one is that Wondrous Journeys has no dates left on the calendar in 2024. It’s unquestionably the best Disneyland fireworks show, making this a more favorable comparison to Disneyland’s other fireworks. The second is this list, which requires grasping at straws for attractions that are better at Walt Disney World.
Honestly, though, no straw-grasping is required here. The fireworks for the remainder of the year at Disneyland are Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular, “Halloween Screams” and “Believe… in Holiday Magic.” All three are fine, but none of them reach the same stratospheric heights as Wondrous Journeys or Happily Ever After.
Even in that above-mentioned post, we conceded that it’s a “why not both?!” scenario. They’re both phenomenal nighttime spectaculars, and just as easily as I can make the below case for Wondrous Journeys being better, someone else could advance arguments in favor of Happily Ever After. In fact, I can think of 112! (What is the height difference, in feet, between Cinderella Castle and Sleeping Beauty Castle?)
It’s not just that standing on Main Street and seeing Cinderella Castle towering in the distance. Due to Walt Disney World’s less urban location, the Magic Kingdom fireworks have bigger and better pyro. They also have more regular pyro, with the “projections only” versions of the Disneyland shows being presented quite often…and fireworks being cancelled even in the slightest Santa Ana winds.
Even though I think Wondrous Journeys is the slightly better show from a storytelling perspective, the overall fireworks experience is better and more predictable at Magic Kingdom. If you had to pick a day at random to try to watch fireworks on one of the coasts, the better bet–on average–would be Magic Kingdom’s Happily Ever After.
2. Expedition Everest – Animal Kingdom is the park of “on steroids” attractions. There’s Avatar Flight of Passage, which is Soarin’ on steroids (Avatar Flight of Passage) and this. Okay, that’s only two attractions. And arguably, several others are inferior versions of what exists elsewhere (Kali River Rapids, DINOSAUR, and TriceraTop Spin).
Regardless, Expedition Everest is a modern roller coaster that pulls pages from Matterhorn’s playbook and improves upon that iconic ride in nearly every conceivable way. Expedition Everest features a foreboding queue, incredible details, interesting ride vehicles, a spectacular ascent, and on-ride encounters with a yeti.
Many effects on the attraction now do not work; the most notable of these is the large Audio Animatronics “Disco” Yeti. Despite this, Expedition Everest is still impressively fun and Walt Disney World’s most ambitious roller coaster. In more ways than one, Expedition Everest is to Matterhorn what Indiana Jones Adventure is to DINOSAUR. So turnabout is fair play, as that was the #2 entry on our version of this list touting superior Disneyland attractions.
1. Fantasmic – This list has been a bit spicy and probably won’t be particularly satisfying to a lot of WDW diehards searching for ways that their home park is better than Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom. So why don’t we go out on a high note, giving the Florida fans a feather in their cap that is sure to enrage the Disneylanders out there.
Fantasmic is better at Walt Disney World. That’s right–it’s true. For decades, their Fantasmic being dramatically better than the DHS version was a huge point of pride for Disneylanders. The viewing area is more intimate and it feels like the show comes out of nowhere, they said. Murphy the Dragon is better than Maleficent on a stick, they boasted. The Mark Twain and Sailing Ship Columbia add so much, they argued. Florida’s is basically Pocahontasmic, they half-joked.
The “they” in these sentences was me. I said that if you haven’t seen Fantasmic at Disneyland, you haven’t really seen it. Well, a lot has changed. The first big one was that Disney’s Hollywood Studios reimagined its version of Fantasmic and added an all-new sequence that brings to life heroic moments from Disney stories such as Moana, Mulan, Aladdin, Frozen 2, and Pocahontas. That replaced the interminably long Pocahontas scene and the difference it made cannot be overstated.
The other things all occurred on the Disneyland side of the ledger, with crowds and congestion making Fantasmic painful to watch upon its return. Oh, and Murphy the Dragon caught fire and has been replaced with a belated B-mode. There are still little things that Disneyland’s Fantasmic does better, to be sure, but it’s no longer the superior show.
There was once a point when we avoided Florida’s Fantasmic and went years without seeing it, while never skipping Fantasmic at Disneyland. It’s not quite the exact opposite of that now, but Fantasmic at DHS is a can’t miss, whereas we only do it at Disneyland if crowds aren’t terrible. And they’re probably going to be pretty bad for the foreseeable future!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Which Walt Disney World attractions do you think are better than their Disneyland counterparts? Any rides that this list snubbed that are superior in the Florida parks? Anything on this list that you think is actually worse at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our picks? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
I haven’t been in the new Treehouse in California yet, but the one in Florida is my favorite. It’s on its own island and Florida obviously has more room so that it feels more removed from civilization. Plus, it’s one of the few things largely unchanged since 1971 (I know it has been extensively rebuilt once or twice but it hasn’t been substantially changed).
But why is the Swisskapolka now played so softly that you can only hear it when walking past the organ? It used to be so loud that you used to be able to hear it from basically the Adventureland Verandah to the Tiki Room.
The new Treehouse at DLR is really well-done. I’d call it a draw at this point, with the Disneyland Treehouse itself being better, but the bigger picture package edging it out at WDW.
How I miss the DL peoplemover. It was a blast. I love it at WD but there were more “things” to see at the DL version. TOT~ love WD version. I remember visiting WD for the first time and this ride was new. I was in awe of the outside and inside queue. Just really set you up for an eerie experience. The ride actually told a story and flowed. And oh boy! That drop. I didn’t even realize we were up that high. Just fabulous. Then several years later it came to DL. I was so excited. But is wasn’t the same. Seemed like just half the version. From outside, queue and actual ride. Don’t change WD version Disney!!
In the category of similar/equivalent rides I prefer Kali River Rapids to Grizzly River Run.
I’d add the monorail as substantially better at WDW. Our vacation hasn’t officially started until we have mantengansed alejado de las aggressively slamming puertas.
But we’re weird. Maybe that’s just us 🙂
There’s two that I thought would be a stretch, but I think could make Tom’s list without twisting the rules or relying solely on One Man’s Opinion. (Off-topic, why doesn’t DL have a One Man’s Dream clone?)
Turtle Talk with Crush: In Disneyland, it feels like a meta victory lap for animation in The Disney Animation Building, whereas at WDW you’re talking to a turtle in an exhibit in a sea lab which screams The Future.
Monorail: Disneyland has one route and you need to use your park ticket to enjoy it. WDW has an express route to a parking lot as well, but it also has a local route to several resorts and a third line as well.
(Just thinking of these made me remember that Animation Academy is slightly better in DL because of the experience. This list was hard. On to Tokyo!)
I don’t disagree with either of these. They won’t be making any updated version of this list, but if I were expanding this to a top 20 for some ill-advised reason, I’d include both.
Monorail: Disneyland version makes you use a ticket because it drops you off INSIDE the park instead of OUTSIDE of the ticket booth at WD. I loved this visiting for the first time as a kid. Unloading right in the middle of Tomorrowland.
A few easy ones you left off:
– Haunted Mansion (I no longer personally feel this way but the case can be made)
– Jungle Cruise – better sequenced and with a tunnel. I know you’re still salty about the Ops on this ride but it’s still the better show.
– Rivers of America and TSI – really no comparison. I know it’s not a “high value” comparison to most but those are really the heart of the West side of the park
– Main Street USA – not an attraction but the MK train station and street are a design masterpiece for their era
– Big Thunder Mountain. Everything is better at WDW, from the scenery to the location to the sequencing. To me its always been obvious that they designed the MK version first then built the DL version based off that template but “different”. I think it’s the best BTM, including Paris’.
I probably should’ve just made this a consensus list rather than my personal preferences, because I do not prefer Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at Walt Disney World. For HM, the reasons are discussed in the companion piece (as it did make that list). For Jungle Cruise, it’s all about Ops, as you point out. (I’ll concede that the ride itself is better at WDW, for what that’s worth.) Big Thunder is the closest call, and there are things I really like about both versions–maybe I should’ve just given the WDW version the nod so this list doesn’t include so many stretches.
Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island (an actual attraction) didn’t make the list because, quite honestly, they didn’t cross my mind while making this. I had full lists in front of me and everything, and just whiffed on it. TSI is so obviously better at WDW that it deserves a spot on this. I’ll rectify that with the first update, which will presumably come this fall after TBA opens at DLR.
I’d put Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise on the better at WDW list, although for the Mansion it’s a near thing. The Harpsichord Ghost is missing from Disneyland’s Mansion (or rather, it’s in Pirates of the Caribbean for some reason), and I think the exterior and queue area is better at WDW. On the other hand, installing the Hatbox Ghost at the wrong location for the ride’s story undercuts the Florida mansion for those of us who care about such things.
Meanwhile Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise lacks the ruined temple and feels much shorter than Florida’s. I don’t know if it’s *actually* shorter, but it feels that way, which counts for more than whatever a stopwatch would say.
Before they closed for retheming, I would have given the edge to Florida’s Splash Mountain as well. The two had their show scenes in a different order, and the WDW version managed to arrange them in what felt like a story, while the Disneyland version seemed like just a jumble. Though in fairness, WDW’s story was invented for the ride: the movie “Song of the South” is itself a jumble of unconnected bits (I have the movie on a Region 2 DVD from the time when Disney had already buried it in the USA but still sold it in Japan). As for the retheme, I have no idea whether the Tiana version is better at one park or the other.
Splash Mountain was definitely better at Walt Disney World. It’ll be interesting to see whether that continues with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, or if they manage to close the gap with the retheme. I’ll update accordingly once both are open.
In my opinion, Haunted Mansion is better at WDW. Disneyland’s building from the outside is much more beautiful, but it totally skips the first scene or two (or has them in the ride load area? i don’t quite remember) in a similar way that the wdw version of the caves at the start of the DL version is the queue!
In general, as you touched on here, probably mostly because of space, WDWs queues are much much better. In DL, i always feel like it’s just a bunch of switchbacks next to the ride and then as soon as i’m in the building, I’m on the ride. This isn’t always true, especially for newer rides like RSR, but for most, that’s how they feel.
Absolutely agree, haunted mansion is better in florida. But california more than makes up for that by having the far far far superior pirates.
As a whole, queues are definitely better at WDW than DLR. This is undoubtedly due to mix of weather and space, as Disneyland has the former but not the latter. That’s definitely changed over time once accessibility became important/necessary, but most attractions built before Indiana Jones Adventure have fairly basic queues at Disneyland.
This list really goes to show how much better Disneyland’s ride lineup is than Walt Disney World’s, pound for pound at least. So many of these are stretches or comparisons to rides that don’t exist at the other resort just to pad the list out to ten! Number 1 is a show and number 2 is not a one-to-one comparison and is incorrect, in this commenter’s opinion at least. We may have quantity here in Orlando, but Anaheim has the pronounced edge in quality.
I can’t believe you left off Philharmagic, especially since you were struggling to get to 10 anyway! Ever since the refurbishment where they updated it and added the (PHENOMENAL) Coco scene, it’s a must-do for us every time we’re at Magic Kingdom, sometimes multiple times a day! It’s just so fun visually, and of course the music is great. And omg the Coco scene!! I haven’t seen the DLR vision, but from what I’ve heard, it’s very lackluster. I was getting so excited scrolling through the list since it wasn’t coming up, and I was like awww my fave little show is getting a top spot! Only to get the snub. 🙁
I agree that the new Coco scene is fantastic and breathes new life into PhilharMagic making it, once again, a must-see every visit to Magic Kingdom. We don’t watch it very much at DCA, which is probably in part due to weather (never needing to escape the heat/rain/etc) and in part because it’s not as good due to the retrofit presentation.
I probably should’ve included it. I wanted a more ‘interesting’ list and leaned into indirect comparisons, but a few more 1:1s would’ve been smart. I’ll consider it for the coming update. Sorry to disappoint–but at least you’re right…?
I know this is a somewhat shoehorned comment, but if Dinosaur does get replaced it will almost certainly live on in the BGM of Animal Kingdom Lodge and Explorer’s Lodge (which use the same themes based on Animal Kingdom).
This post reminds me of when I set ultimatums for my kids before thinking through how little I believe in the principle and how annoying it will be to follow through with the consequences. I appreciate the discipline you applied to follow-through, Tom, particularly in this sleep-deprived phase of your family life. lol
Not only was this post written in the ‘new-normal’ of parenthood sleep-deprivation…it was written at 4 a.m. while both baby and parents had major jet lag. (Have you ever tried explaining a 13-hour time change to an infant? It’s just as much of a fool’s errand as this list.) At least I had the sense to wait to proofread and post, but I still blame the jet lag/sleep deprivation for any shortcomings in this list (…and anything in the next week or so).
This is one of the most universally relatable comments I’ve ever read. Well done!
Personal favorite: “If y’all don’t knock the heck off, we’ll go back to the resort and skip the fireworks!”
Context: we have 5 kids (at the time I made the idiotic comment above we had three) and since I’m an insane planner, I make a matrix of everyone’s top “must do” for the upcoming trip in question. On that particular trip I had done the WDW Marathon. Illuminations was my only “to do,” so we were sitting around after a very long Le Cellier dinner waiting for the show to start. The kids were 100% over it from a day of being dragged around watching me run by, which is super dumb for little kids who would rather be in the pool if not in the park. They were exhausted, annoyed, bored and ready to go. I threw out my ultimatum thinking it was check mate, only to see four people– my traitorous wife included– staring at me with “don’t threaten us with a good time” looks on their faces. I still catch crap for this from them, now that they’re in their 20s and not 13, 11 and 7. “Hey Dad, remember that time you threatened to do the thing we had been begging you all night to do???” Good times.
DW Big thunder is better than DL IMO
Also I prefer pirates at DW (controversial take lol)
I agree with one caveat: I would argue everything about Pirates except the actual ride is better at WDW. The area, show building, queue, etc. Especially when Pirates League was still open (RIP) I think the gap between the two rides is a lot smaller than most ppl make it out to be
I agree that the area, show building, queue, etc. are better at WDW.
I disagree that the gap is a lot smaller than most people make it out to be. 🙂
As Disneyland local who finally saw WDW Fantasmic this past year, I have to concede that Florida’s version is the superior. When I finally had a chance to see Disneyland’s new fantasmic this past month I walked away with sore feet (from not being able to sit during this version since I didn’t buy a dining package) thinking “that was pretty good, but I’m just feeling underwhelmed as opposed to feeling blown away by the WDW one” So I def see why you put that in the #1 spot.
WDW still has the correct Treehouse, while the one at DL was stupidly ruined long ago.
And don’t forget that DLP has better versions of Pirates, BTMRR, etc than either WDW or DL.
The DLR treehouse actually just went back to being Swiss Family Robinson themed not that long ago.
You have two of my top five WDW attractions in your list (and one of the two is not the people mover). I recall riding ToT when I was a young man many moons ago and I swear the drop was better. Now it’s like a spring. I thought back in the day it dropped a lot further and no yo yo effect. Someone please verify or tell me that’s not right.
That’s exactly why I haven’t ridden it in years. It sucks now. The yo-yo effect is not fun or enjoyable at all.
I will confirm when ToT first opened in DHS it was a little fake drop from the top and then the real drop. Only one. That I could barely handle. Then they wanted to make it more repeatable and added the random sequencing of up and downs. I can’t handle that anymore.
I’d argue that, in addition to HM, Tom Sawyer Island is also better at WDW. The two-island set up is the most elaborate version of the island in the world, it lacks the distracting and lackluster Pirates overlay, AND you can still tour the fort.
Additionally, I prefer the Florida Jungle Cruise. It seems better paced and the temple gives the ride a sense of payoff that the Disneyland version just doesn’t have.
Everything I’ve heard leads me to assume that PhilHarMagic is also superior in Florida when compared to the compromised (?) California version.
But otherwise I agree; generally speaking, the shared attractions are roughly equivalent or better at Disneyland. What makes Walt Disney World really shine are the things you can’t do anywhere else, primarily at Epcot and DAK (which is ironic, because I feel like those parks don’t always get the love they should, particularly DAK).
As soon as you noted in the DL post that you’d be doing a WDW list, I thought “How is he going to come up with 10 attractions that are better at Disney World?”
You made it even harder by doing this post-Splash Mountain. If there was any cloned ride where the WDW version was definitively better, it was Splash (for several reasons). It’ll be interesting to see how the two Tiana’s compare.
You completely nail my feelings about Anaheim versus Orlando Space Mountain, both of which I love. It’s not just that Orlando has the far better pre- and post-show queues. It’s also that no matter how spectacular the actual ride experience is in Anaheim, there’s just no getting around Anaheim’s version exiting directly to the restrooms.
I definitely miss the bouncy moving walkway leaving WDW space mountain
You can shorten the Mermaid ride names even further, like I do, and refer to them as “The Merms.”
I just call them “Ariel”
In my family we say “I’m riding Ariel next” at both parks.