I’m in the process of writing up a blog post about my recent trip to Disneyland with Amy. \u00c2\u00a0That will be a (mostly) chronological recap of what we experienced on the trip. \u00c2\u00a0In the meantime, I want to make a post regarding some of the differences I encountered at Disneyland – that is, some of the things that make Disneyland distinct from Walt Disney World. \u00c2\u00a0Some of them I knew going in, some of them were a surprise to me. \u00c2\u00a0Some of them are obvious, others not so much…<\/p>\n
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Let’s start with the most obvious and most notable: \u00c2\u00a0The Castle. \u00c2\u00a0Cinderella Castle in WDW, Sleeping Beauty Castle in DL. \u00c2\u00a0Everyone says that the Castle is so much smaller in DL. \u00c2\u00a0They’re not joking, nor are they exagerating. \u00c2\u00a0It’s tiny. \u00c2\u00a0It’s teeny. \u00c2\u00a0It’s almost not even there when you walk on to Main St. \u00c2\u00a0But there is an additional difference that’s not quite as obvious (and I’m not talking about the pink coloring, either). \u00c2\u00a0Whereas Cinderella Castle is simply the park icon with a restaurant upstairs, Sleeping Beauty Castle is an actual attraction. \u00c2\u00a0Specifically, it’s a walk through of the story of Sleeping Beauty. \u00c2\u00a0The entrance to the attraction is on the back of the castle, to the right (looking at its back). \u00c2\u00a0As you walk through the castle, you see little animated scenes and storybooks telling the story of the movie. \u00c2\u00a0If you don’t know the attraction is there, it’s easy to miss.<\/p>\n
Space Mountain and Splash Mountain have almost exactly the opposite seating configurations that you expect from WDW. \u00c2\u00a0That is, Space Mtn has 4 or 5 rows of two, while Splash Mtn has 5 or 6 rows of one, single file. \u00c2\u00a0Also, Space Mtn has only one track, unlike WDW’s two.<\/p>\n
Tower of Terror in DCA does not move forward. \u00c2\u00a0It goes up, you see a scene from the 5th dimension, and then you drop.<\/p>\n
Soarin’ Over California in DCA has a presentation that is crystal clear. \u00c2\u00a0Unlike the film still used at Epcot, the DCA version uses digital projectors. \u00c2\u00a0No dust, no dirt, no scratches, no bugs. \u00c2\u00a0To me, that makes for a significantly better overall experience.<\/p>\n
Haunted Mansion in DL is completely different on the outside, but mostly the same on the inside. \u00c2\u00a0The odd difference on the inside is that you walk through the hallway of portraits that change with the lightening and the busts that follow you as you pass by. \u00c2\u00a0In the WDW version, you are already in your doom buggy by the time you get to these scenes. \u00c2\u00a0In DL, they’re part of the queue.<\/p>\n
Pirates of the Caribbean is significantly longer (and better) at DL. \u00c2\u00a0There are at least 3 different scenes that simply do not exist in the Magic Kingdom’s version. \u00c2\u00a0If you’re coming from DL to WDW, you may as well skip PotC – it will be a disappointment. \u00c2\u00a0If you’re a WDW frequenter going to DL for the first time, PotC should be on your must-do list.<\/p>\n
Tinkerbell’s flight during the fireworks. \u00c2\u00a0At the Magic Kingdom, Tink makes a straight shot down from her perch in the Castle, landing somewhere backstage in Tomorrowland. \u00c2\u00a0At DL, She flies from the Matterhorn, and passes by the Castle several times<\/em>. \u00c2\u00a0She goes up and down, back and forth, and truly looks to be flying. \u00c2\u00a0It’s a significantly better effect. \u00c2\u00a0Plus, the summer fireworks (“Magical”) feature an additional flying character, Dumbo. \u00c2\u00a0I honestly have no idea if it’s an AA, a static prop, or a person in an elephant suit, but whatever Dumbo is, it looks\u00c2\u00a0terrific.<\/p>\n Disneyland’s “it’s a small world” features a much more elaborate facade than the Magic Kingdom’s. \u00c2\u00a0It also features the addition of several Disney characters inside the attraction. \u00c2\u00a0For example, Pinnochio & Jiminy Cricket can be seen in the Italy scene, while Cinderella and Jack & GusGus are sweeping the floors in France. \u00c2\u00a0Purists shouldn’t be overly unhappy about it, as the characters were designed to fit in with the rest of the dolls in the attraction. \u00c2\u00a0Indeed, if not for the non-human “sidekicks” accompanying each character, you really wouldn’t know that those dolls were supposed to be any specific character.<\/p>\n Buzz Lightyear in DL is subtitled “Astro Blasters”, as opposed to “Space Ranger Spin” in WDW. \u00c2\u00a0In Astro Blasters, you can actually pick up the laser canon and move it around, rather than just swivel it a limited range like in WDW. \u00c2\u00a0You cannot, however, simply hold the trigger down. \u00c2\u00a0If you do, your laser will continue firing, but you won’t score any points. \u00c2\u00a0You have to press and release it over and over.<\/p>\n I’m loathe to equate Kali River Rapids at Animal Kingdom with Grizzly River Run at California Adventure. \u00c2\u00a0They really are completely different rides, just rides of the same generic type – a family raft ride. \u00c2\u00a0The difference I want to point out is that GRR does not have a central compartment in which to store your belongings to prevent them from getting wet. \u00c2\u00a0I didn’t notice any kind of lockers nearby the ride either (maybe I just missed them?), so I really strongly advise you to come prepared with large plastic ziplock bags.<\/p>\n The Disneyland Railroad has 4 stops compared to the Walt Disney World Railroad’s 3. \u00c2\u00a0In addition to stops on Main St, New Orleans Square \/ Frontierland, and Toontown \/ Fantasyland, the DL RR also makes a stop in Tomorrowland. \u00c2\u00a0Plus there are\u00c2\u00a0dioramas\u00c2\u00a0 on the Tomorrowland->Main St leg of the journey. \u00c2\u00a0(Didn’t get to experience them this trip, so I don’t remember what they’re of, however)<\/p>\n Fantasmic has several differences. \u00c2\u00a0The best one is that DHS’s Pocahontas segment has been replaced by a super-cool Peter Pan & Captain Hook battle. \u00c2\u00a0What makes it so cool? \u00c2\u00a0It’s on a friggin pirate ship<\/em>! \u00c2\u00a0As the Sailing Ship Columbia travels around the stage, Peter, Hook, Wendy, and other Pirates are all battling along, with several acrobatics. \u00c2\u00a0Peter and Hook climb up in the rafters and sails of the ship, swinging all over the place. \u00c2\u00a0It is better than the Pocahontas segment in every conceivable way. \u00c2\u00a0The worst difference, on the other hand, comes when the Evil Queen transforms into the hag and invokes the mirror: “Magic Mirror, on the wall, all the forces of evil I call!”. \u00c2\u00a0At that point, Ursula appears on the water screens, and goes into a brief portion of “Poor Unfortunate Soul”. \u00c2\u00a0Then she transforms into Chernabog. \u00c2\u00a0And that’s it. \u00c2\u00a0“All the forces of evil” are apparently Ursula and Chernabog. \u00c2\u00a0In DHS’s version, this segment also includes Scar, Jafar, Frollo, and Hades. \u00c2\u00a0It makes a lot more sense at DHS, and it will leave you wondering “Huh? \u00c2\u00a0What about the rest of them?” at DL.<\/p>\n The other differences I wanted to point out are experiences I encountered that struck me as odd simply because it’s not what I’m used to from being a WDW veteran. \u00c2\u00a0Some of them are better, some are worse, but they’re all definitely moments that will make you go “huh!” if you’re not ready for them.<\/p>\n The first difference I noticed is that every CM at every restaurant – counter service and table service – will ask you if you have an Annual Pass. \u00c2\u00a0That’s because every restaurant at DL gives a discount (apparently ranging between 10%-20%) to Annual Passholders. \u00c2\u00a0No separate purchase of “Tables in Wonderland” required like in WDW. \u00c2\u00a0The other odd thing here is that every CM to whom you present your AP will ask \u00c2\u00a0you for your photo id – yet they don’t ask for id when you give them your credit card. \u00c2\u00a0Interesting where their priorities lie in that respect.<\/p>\n There are no biometric “fingerprint” scanners on the turnstiles at DL. \u00c2\u00a0Nor do you insert your ticket into a machine for entry. \u00c2\u00a0Rather, a CM scans the ticket’s barcode, and then you proceed through. \u00c2\u00a0If you leave the park and intend to return that same day, you need to get your hand stamped with a UV-visible ink stamp.<\/p>\n Another interesting thing about DL Annual Passes – they’re also PhotoPasses. \u00c2\u00a0They have a PP barcode and numeric code printed on the back. \u00c2\u00a0You give that to the PhotoPass photographer, instead of a separate PhotoPass card.<\/p>\n Finally regarding Annual Passes – DL Annual Passholders have to be photographed. When I was there in 2010, we had to go to a specific location inside Disneyland to have the photo taken. \u00c2\u00a0But now, it seems, the PhotoPass photographers do that as well. \u00c2\u00a0They have some sort of code they enter on their system that identifies the picture they’re about to take as the picture to be used for your Annual Pass id. \u00c2\u00a0Every time you go through the turnstile, your picture is displayed on the CM’s screen, so they can confirm your identity.<\/p>\n One of the more disturbing differences I found is that there are things Guest Relations CMs cannot do. \u00c2\u00a0Specifically, I managed to accidentally lose my annual pass. \u00c2\u00a0I went to City Hall on Main St, expecting them to be able to just reissue it (like I’ve done repeatedly over at WDW). \u00c2\u00a0Nope. \u00c2\u00a0They couldn’t do it. \u00c2\u00a0They don’t have the right computer systems. \u00c2\u00a0I had to leave the park and go to one of the ticket-selling windows. \u00c2\u00a0After fighting with their own computer systems for about 10 or 15 minutes, they were finally able to reissue it for me. \u00c2\u00a0 IIRC from my 2010 trip, Guest Relations also can’t make dining reservations for you. \u00c2\u00a0Instead, they hand you the phone and tell you what number to call.<\/p>\n In WDW, there are two colors of pin trading lanyards that the CMs wear. \u00c2\u00a0Black lanyards are for trading with everyone. \u00c2\u00a0Green lanyards are for trading with little kids only. \u00c2\u00a0At DL, no such code exists. \u00c2\u00a0CMs are all wearing multiple colors of lanyard, and they all trade with everyone.<\/p>\n If you park in the Toy Story lot, you’ll take a shuttle bus over to the Esplanade (the area between the two theme parks). \u00c2\u00a0But before you board the shuttle, there are CMs stationed right there able to sell you admission tickets. \u00c2\u00a0Frankly, I think this is brilliant, because the lines at the Ticket Sellers on the Esplanade were always<\/strong>\u00c2\u00a0long.<\/p>\n Getting into the Esplanade either from Harbor Blvd or from Downtown Disney requires going through Bag Check. \u00c2\u00a0That’s not really different from the WDW parks, but what is different is that there is no “No Bags” line for those of us without bags to walk through. \u00c2\u00a0You have to wait in line with everyone else.<\/p>\n I’m not actually 100% this is a difference between WDW and DL, but it caught us off guard. \u00c2\u00a0If a CM gives you one of those “Anytime, Any Attraction” FastPasses (usually as compensation for something else going wrong), take note that they are not valid at Star Tours. \u00c2\u00a0They’re valid at literally every other FP-enabled attraction in the two parks, but not Star Tours. \u00c2\u00a0Why? \u00c2\u00a0I have no earthly idea. \u00c2\u00a0The pass actually says right on it that it’s not valid at Star Tours, but I simply didn’t bother to look at it, because I never thought there would be any such kind of restriction. \u00c2\u00a0Imagine my shock when the CM at Star Tours pointed it out to us.<\/p>\n Many attractions have a single-rider line, but they involve you walking back up the exit queue of the attraction. \u00c2\u00a0I saw this on both Splash Mountain and Indiana Jones, but I’m pretty sure it’s at others as well, including California Screamin’. \u00c2\u00a0This is also how folks in wheelchairs get to the attraction (at least for Indiana Jones), and it can be a bit annoying trying to navigate “upstream” through all the guests getting off the ride.<\/p>\n There is no online dining reservation system. \u00c2\u00a0You have to either email or call the Dining department to make reservations. \u00c2\u00a0And reservations can only be made 60 days out, not 180. \u00c2\u00a0But for most<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0restaurants, you really don’t need reservations. \u00c2\u00a0Walkups are pretty easy to get nearly everywhere. \u00c2\u00a0One notable exception is the Blue Bayou. \u00c2\u00a0Even with our reservation, we waited about 25-30 minutes for our table, and heard many unhappy guests who claimed to be waiting 45 minutes or an hour for theirs.<\/p>\n FastPass machines work a little differently. \u00c2\u00a0When you insert your ticket, the machine doesn’t actually take the ticket into itself. \u00c2\u00a0Instead, it just reads the code, and you take the ticket back out, manually. \u00c2\u00a0Then the FP is dispensed. \u00c2\u00a0You also can’t put your ticket in any which way – it has to be put in with the barcode on the top left side. \u00c2\u00a0Oh, and DL still has the “good all day” unwritten rule for FPs, unlike WDW which changed recently to enforce the printed FP window.<\/p>\n Those are all the differences I remember coming across this trip. \u00c2\u00a0If you’ve been to both DL and WDW, please by all means, leave a comment pointing out any differences I’ve missed!<\/p>\nProcedures & Policies<\/h3>\n