Walt Disney World Resort vs. Disneyland Resort

Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland in California

​What are the differences between Disneyland and Disney World?

​Many people confuse or use these two names interchangeably. While both offer magical vacations, there are some very distinct differences.

​We love both, but let’s cover some differences so you can decide which is right for your next vacation! 

​Location & History

Disneyland Resort is located in Southern California, and Walt Disney World Resort is located in Central Florida. Disneyland Resort was built first – it is Walt Disney’s original park.  It opened on July 17, 1955.  

In 1964, Walt Disney began buying thousands of acres of Central Florida farmland to begin his dream of creating an even larger theme park for families to enjoy together.

On Oct 1, 2971, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World was opened!   
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Size

Disneyland is roughly 500 acres with two theme parks: Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park. These two theme parks are side by side. You can easily walk between the two to park hop. 

Conversely, Walt Disney World is over 40 square miles (or 27,520 acres)! There are four major theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  

To give you an idea of size, Disneyland can fit within the parking lot for Magic Kingdom.  
 

Number of Hotels

Disney Resorts Collection at Walt Disney World includes over two dozen different resorts to choose from for your Disney vacation! They vary in pricing and proximity to the theme parks (remember the sheer size of Walt Disney World!).  

Conversely, there are three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort: Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. All three of these hotels are within walking distance of the two theme parks. 
 

Castles

Both destinations feature beautiful castles that serve as major park icons, but they are different! Disneyland is home to Sleeping Beauty’s castle standing 77 feet tall in the heart of Disneyland.  

Walt Disney World’s centerpiece is Cinderella’s castle coming in at 189 feet!  (More than twice as large as Disneyland!) The Disney Imagineers not only had a larger budget for Cinderella's castle but also more land to work with for their new theme park project.  
 
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Trivia – Happiest Place vs. Most Magical

One final nugget of information we must share:  
Disneyland is the Happiest Place on Earth.
Walt Disney World is the Most Magical Place on Earth. 

And true Disney nerds (like us) know you cannot mix these two up.  
 

Feeling inspired to visit either Disneyland or Walt Disney World?  Got more questions on these two destinations? Or ready to book a trip to both?!  Let's chat!  

​Contact us for a free vacation quote.