Disneyland for the WDW Veteran

**ru42** · 04-20-2005, 08:47 PM

Disneyland for the WDW Veteran

Greetings and welcome to this little guide. Why am I writing this guide? Well, I hang out at 2 WDW web sites and a common question from those who know WDW is – what should I not miss when going to Disneyland (or what can I miss). This guide is to walk you thru the rides briefly and give you my opinion as to whether a WDW vet should spend time on the ride.

Let me stress that right now – this is my opinion. I have grown up at Disneyland and know the Park extremely well. I have been to WDW and know the parks their fairly well. Different people will have different takes.

My purpose is not to teach you about the rides; just to rate them. If you are at DLR for several days my answer is simple – ride everything! But for those on a tight schedule, this guide might help you to save time by not riding on something extremely similar to what you could find at WDW.

Rating System and Method:
I will go Land by Land and rate each Land in 3 groupings. The first grouping will be GREEN. These rides are absolute must do’s. The next will be in GOLD. These are rides that you could ride if you have time. The final grouping will be RED. Red means this ride is essentially the same as WDW.

This is a comparison of rides – not are these rides any fun. I might make a comment here and there but my purpose is to help you make the most of your time at DLR. I might rate something red (like Star Tours) that you love. Well, ride it then – just realize that the ride is no different then the version at MGM.

So – I think that lays the ground rules. Other Disneyland experts might give you a different take (please feel free to post.) You might have a question, please feel free to ask.

You will find links throughout this guide. You are linking to http://www.visionsfantastic.com - a very good Disneyland site that I also happen to be associated with. It will give you more details about the rides. Enjoy this guide and your time at the happiest place on earth.

MAIN STREET USA

Disneyland Railroad – While not vastly different then WDW, we do feature 2 items from the World’s Fair

Great Moments with Mr Lincoln – Walt admired Lincoln and this is his tribute. Currently GMWML is closed to bring a new exhibit for the 50th Celebration This new exhibit and film is exceptional and a definite must see!

Main Street Vehicles – I gave this red just because I love walking down MSUSA. If you want a quick ride to the hub, then jump on board.

ADVENTURELAND

The Enchanted Tiki Room – the original show!
Indiana Jones Adventure – great thrill ride
Jungle Cruise – new effects were added for the 50th raising this above the same ride at WDW

Aladdin Storytime – cute if you like simple stage productions
Tarzan Treehouse – some great views, same a Swiss Treehouse just with different theming

NEW ORLEANS SQUARE

Pirates of the Caribbean – Disneyland classic
Haunted Mansion – Disneyland classic
Disney Gallery – usually has great exhibits. Don’t miss the view from the balcony

Haunted Mansion Holiday - usually runs Oct thru Early/Mid January - The Haunted mansion gets a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. It is done well and is a very nice change for the ride.

CRITTER COUNTRY

Splash Mountain – fun ride, very similar to WDW. There is a single rider system for this rode

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – bad knockoff of the WDW version
Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes – long line, not worth it – ride a boat

FRONTIERLAND

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – essentially the same but fun to ride
Mark Twain Riverboat/Columbia Sailing Ship – nice tour around our Tom Sawyer island

Tom Sawyer Island – unless you have kids that need to lose some energy. See the island from the Mark Twain

TOMORROWLAND

Space Mountain – The post rehab Space Mountain is essentially the same ride as it was before, but the entire track was replaced so the ride is smoother. DLR Space Mtn is a side by side car. While the ride itself is very similar to MK, it is definitely worth riding.
Monorail – great view of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster – basically the same as BL Spin at WDW but we have a cool "e-mail a pic home" option at the end. Also - we have a 'play at home' component.

Honey I Shrunk the Audience – same show
Innoventions – same concept as Epcot; nice if a really hot afternoon
Autopia – same concept
Astro Orbitor – same as WDW
Star Tours – same as WDW
Submarine Lagoon under rehab – a new Finding Nemo theme is currently underway and the Subs are to return in 2007.

TOONTOWN

Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin – Great concept and a fun ride

Everything else – designed for small kid entertainment

FANTASYLAND

It's A Small World – the best one.

It's A Small World Holiday - runs Oct to early/mid January. The ride gets a Christmas around the world layover. It is a lot of fun!

Alice in Wonderland – DL exclusive
Pinocchio Daring Journey – DL exclusive
Matterhorn – great thrill ride
Story Book Canal Books – DL exclusive
Castle /Snow White’s Grotto

Mr Toad's Wild Ride – same as the former WDW, but since WDW no longer has this ride, it makes the GOLD list

Mad Tea Party – same as WDW
Peter Pan Flight – same as WDW
Snow White Scary Adventure – same as WDW
Caroussel – same as WDW
Dumbo – same as WDW
Casey Jr Circus Train – see the same sites from Story Book Canal Boats, only better

MOUSELANIOUS

Fantasmic! – Incredible show, a must see
Fireworks – The new show for the 50th is absolutely the best show that Disney has ever created at any of their Parks. I saw it opening night and it made me cry with memories.

Snow White Enchanted Musical – if you like Disney stage productions, go and see this one. The show is currently closed but rumors say it will come back in Spring or Summer of 06.
Billy Hill and the Hillbillies – fun show

Thanks for reading. I hope this was helpful

RU

**ru42** · 06-16-2005, 01:11 PM

UPDATE 6/16/2005

Well, the 50th kickoff has happened so I thought I would update this a little.

UPDATES:
Former Lincoln is now an excellent historical look at Disneyland. A new film was produced and stars Steve Martin - both exhibit and film are A+!

Jungle Cruise got a great facelift for the 50th - it is now better then it's counterpart in the Magic Kingdom.

Disney Gallery has a new exhibit - 50 artists tribute to 50 years. Very worth seeing!

I moved Buzz up from gold to green because of a couple nice features. The overall ride is pretty much the same. However, at the end of DL version you can e-mail a picture home taken on the ride. It has you score on it. It is FREE! Also, we have a 'play at home' component. Very cool!

NEW EDITIONS TO THE LIST

The Parade of Dreams - new for the 50th and by far the best parade we have seen in years; possibly the best ever. One unique feature is that there is a parade stop and many of the floats have special entertainment. This boosts the desire to see the parade many times just so you can see what each float does at the stop.

Remember...Dreams Come True fireworks spectacular. Get out a thesaurus and look up synonyms for excellent. Take all those other ways of saying excellent, add them together, multiply the result by a factor of 10 and you might come close to how spectacular this show is to watch. Disney has never produced any fireworks show that is even close to this show; including Wishes. If you are a true Disneyland fan this shows will make you laugh and cry.

That is all the updates for now!

RU

20K · 10-02-2005, 07:42 AM

Thanks for the tips. I'm definitely going to be there for Submarine Voyage's recommissioning.

buccool · 10-06-2005, 02:29 PM

This was a great guide even though I don't plan going to DisneyLand

dzney4lyf · 10-14-2005, 12:47 PM

This makes me want to go!!

Jiminy Cricket · 10-22-2005, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ru42

Disneyland for the WDW Veteran

Greetings and welcome to this little guide. Why am I writing this guide? Well, I hang out at 2 WDW web sites and a common question from those who know WDW is – what should I not miss when going to Disneyland (or what can I miss). This guide is to walk you thru the rides briefly and give you my opinion as to whether a WDW vet should spend time on the ride.

Let me stress that right now – this is my opinion. I have grown up at Disneyland and know the Park extremely well. I have been to WDW and know the parks their fairly well. Different people will have different takes.

My purpose is not to teach you about the rides; just to rate them. If you are at DLR for several days my answer is simple – ride everything! But for those on a tight schedule, this guide might help you to save time by not riding on something extremely similar to what you could find at WDW.

Rating System and Method:
I will go Land by Land and rate each Land in 3 groupings. The first grouping will be GREEN. These rides are absolute must do’s. The next will be in GOLD. These are rides that you could ride if you have time. The final grouping will be RED. Red means this ride is essentially the same as WDW.

This is a comparison of rides – not are these rides any fun. I might make a comment here and there but my purpose is to help you make the most of your time at DLR. I might rate something red (like Star Tours) that you love. Well, ride it then – just realize that the ride is no different then the version at MGM.

So – I think that lays the ground rules. Other Disneyland experts might give you a different take (please feel free to post.) You might have a question, please feel free to ask.

You will find links throughout this guide. You are linking to http://www.visionsfantastic.com - a very good Disneyland site that I also happen to be associated with. It will give you more details about the rides. Enjoy this guide and your time at the happiest place on earth.

MAIN STREET USA

Disneyland Railroad – While not vastly different then WDW, we do feature 2 items from the World’s Fair

Great Moments with Mr Lincoln – Walt admired Lincoln and this is his tribute. Currently GMWML is closed to bring a new exhibit for the 50th Celebration This new exhibit and film is exceptional and a definite must see!

Main Street Vehicles – I gave this red just because I love walking down MSUSA. If you want a quick ride to the hub, then jump on board.

ADVENTURELAND

The Enchanted Tiki Room – the original show!
Indiana Jones Adventure – great thrill ride
Jungle Cruise – new effects were added for the 50th raising this above the same ride at WDW

Aladdin Storytime – cute if you like simple stage productions
Tarzan Treehouse – some great views, same a Swiss Treehouse just with different theming

NEW ORLEANS SQUARE

Pirates of the Caribbean – Disneyland classic
Haunted Mansion – Disneyland classic
Disney Gallery – usually has great exhibits. Don’t miss the view from the balcony

CRITTER COUNTRY

Splash Mountain – fun ride, very similar to WDW. There is a single rider system for this rode

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – bad knockoff of the WDW version
Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes – long line, not worth it – ride a boat

FRONTIERLAND

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – essentially the same but fun to ride
Mark Twain Riverboat/Columbia Sailing Ship – nice tour around our Tom Sawyer island

Tom Sawyer Island – unless you have kids that need to lose some energy. See the island from the Mark Twain

TOMORROWLAND

Space Mountain – currently being refurbished but should be awesome
Monorail – great view of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure

Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster – basically the same as BL Spin at WDW but we have a cool "e-mail a pic home" option at the end. Also - we have a 'play at home' component.

Honey I Shrunk the Audience – same show
Innoventions – same concept as Epcot; nice if a really hot afternoon
Autopia – same concept
Astro Orbitor – same as WDW
Star Tours – same as WDW
Submarine Lagoon under rehab – possible new ride

TOONTOWN

Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin – Great concept and a fun ride

Everything else – designed for small kid entertainment

FANTASYLAND

It's A Small World – the best one
Alice in Wonderland – DL exclusive
Pinocchio Daring Journey – DL exclusive
Matterhorn – great thrill ride
Story Book Canal Books – DL exclusive
Castle /Snow White’s Grotto

Mr Toad's Wild Ride – same as the former WDW, but since WDW no longer has this ride, it makes the GOLD list

Mad Tea Party – same as WDW
Peter Pan Flight – same as WDW
Snow White Scary Adventure – same as WDW
Caroussel – same as WDW
Dumbo – same as WDW
Casey Jr Circus Train – see the same sites from Story Book Canal Boats, only better

MOUSELANIOUS

Fantasmic! – Incredible show, a must see
Fireworks – new show coming soon, can’t wait

Snow White Enchanted Musical – if you like Disney stage productions, go and see this one
Billy Hill and the Hillbillies – fun show

Thanks for reading. I hope this was helpful

RU

Grrreat guide!!! I just joined VF. Thanks for sharing your wonderful work with all Disney fans.

**ru42** · 12-14-2005, 04:38 PM

I am glad to see many people are using this guide. I just made some edits/additions.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is added to the list
Space Mountain is updated
Subs future is updated
It's A Small World Holiday is added to the list
The 50th Fireworks; Remember...Dreams Come True is added
Snow White...An Enchanting Musical is updated

Enjoy! And as always I am happy to help.
RU

MayBWeRMnt2B · 04-09-2006, 10:58 AM

Good list, although I'd still like to hear about stuff in Toontown even though its for little kids. :-)

**ru42** · 04-09-2006, 05:22 PM

Very good point. I will be at WDW late April/early May. I will be sure to check out Toontown Fair so I can compare it to Mickey's Toontown a little better. On the surface, from what I know, they are pretty similar. I will update my list in mid May.

RU

4Mickey · 04-09-2006, 05:28 PM

Not that I am by any means a Disney Land expert (since I've only been once) but this entire list was so incredibly helpful on my trip last Summer! As for Toon town, in my opinion, I like Disney Land's version better. I don't remember enough to compare the two, although at DL, there were more buildings a normal "town" would have.
PS- when will you be at WDW? I'll be down april 27-30th

MayBWeRMnt2B · 04-09-2006, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ru42

Very good point. I will be at WDW late April/early May. I will be sure to check out Toontown Fair so I can compare it to Mickey's Toontown a little better. On the surface, from what I know, they are pretty similar. I will update my list in mid May.

RU

Thanks! I'm an adult, but I still ride and explore everything in toontown in WDW, so when I go to Disneyland this May, I'm going to explore all of their toontown.

Also because when we booked our trip we get made 'honorary' citizens of toontown one morning... this should be amusing. Me and my dad.

Oh and we get a princess lunch. Lol. I'm REALLY looking forward to my trip.

View Poll Results: Did you find this guide useful
Yes	24	70.59%
No	5	14.71%
Maybe	5	14.71%
Voters: 34. You may not vote on this poll

04-20-2005, 08:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
ru42 Disneyland/Photo Moderator - DWT West Coast Division Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 30 minutes from my front door to Mickey's front door; Disneyland Posts: 752	Disneyland for the WDW Veteran Disneyland for the WDW Veteran Greetings and welcome to this little guide. Why am I writing this guide? Well, I hang out at 2 WDW web sites and a common question from those who know WDW is – what should I not miss when going to Disneyland (or what can I miss). This guide is to walk you thru the rides briefly and give you my opinion as to whether a WDW vet should spend time on the ride. Let me stress that right now – this is my opinion. I have grown up at Disneyland and know the Park extremely well. I have been to WDW and know the parks their fairly well. Different people will have different takes. My purpose is not to teach you about the rides; just to rate them. If you are at DLR for several days my answer is simple – ride everything! But for those on a tight schedule, this guide might help you to save time by not riding on something extremely similar to what you could find at WDW. Rating System and Method: I will go Land by Land and rate each Land in 3 groupings. The first grouping will be GREEN. These rides are absolute must do’s. The next will be in GOLD. These are rides that you could ride if you have time. The final grouping will be RED. Red means this ride is essentially the same as WDW. This is a comparison of rides – not are these rides any fun. I might make a comment here and there but my purpose is to help you make the most of your time at DLR. I might rate something red (like Star Tours) that you love. Well, ride it then – just realize that the ride is no different then the version at MGM. So – I think that lays the ground rules. Other Disneyland experts might give you a different take (please feel free to post.) You might have a question, please feel free to ask. You will find links throughout this guide. You are linking to http://www.visionsfantastic.com - a very good Disneyland site that I also happen to be associated with. It will give you more details about the rides. Enjoy this guide and your time at the happiest place on earth. MAIN STREET USA Disneyland Railroad – While not vastly different then WDW, we do feature 2 items from the World’s Fair Great Moments with Mr Lincoln – Walt admired Lincoln and this is his tribute. Currently GMWML is closed to bring a new exhibit for the 50th Celebration This new exhibit and film is exceptional and a definite must see! Main Street Vehicles – I gave this red just because I love walking down MSUSA. If you want a quick ride to the hub, then jump on board. ADVENTURELAND The Enchanted Tiki Room – the original show! Indiana Jones Adventure – great thrill ride Jungle Cruise – new effects were added for the 50th raising this above the same ride at WDW Aladdin Storytime – cute if you like simple stage productions Tarzan Treehouse – some great views, same a Swiss Treehouse just with different theming NEW ORLEANS SQUARE Pirates of the Caribbean – Disneyland classic Haunted Mansion – Disneyland classic Disney Gallery – usually has great exhibits. Don’t miss the view from the balcony Haunted Mansion Holiday - usually runs Oct thru Early/Mid January - The Haunted mansion gets a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay. It is done well and is a very nice change for the ride. CRITTER COUNTRY Splash Mountain – fun ride, very similar to WDW. There is a single rider system for this rode The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh – bad knockoff of the WDW version Davy Crocket Explorer Canoes – long line, not worth it – ride a boat FRONTIERLAND Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – essentially the same but fun to ride Mark Twain Riverboat/Columbia Sailing Ship – nice tour around our Tom Sawyer island Tom Sawyer Island – unless you have kids that need to lose some energy. See the island from the Mark Twain TOMORROWLAND Space Mountain – The post rehab Space Mountain is essentially the same ride as it was before, but the entire track was replaced so the ride is smoother. DLR Space Mtn is a side by side car. While the ride itself is very similar to MK, it is definitely worth riding. Monorail – great view of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster – basically the same as BL Spin at WDW but we have a cool "e-mail a pic home" option at the end. Also - we have a 'play at home' component. Honey I Shrunk the Audience – same show Innoventions – same concept as Epcot; nice if a really hot afternoon Autopia – same concept Astro Orbitor – same as WDW Star Tours – same as WDW Submarine Lagoon under rehab – a new Finding Nemo theme is currently underway and the Subs are to return in 2007. TOONTOWN Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin – Great concept and a fun ride Everything else – designed for small kid entertainment FANTASYLAND It's A Small World – the best one. It's A Small World Holiday - runs Oct to early/mid January. The ride gets a Christmas around the world layover. It is a lot of fun! Alice in Wonderland – DL exclusive Pinocchio Daring Journey – DL exclusive Matterhorn – great thrill ride Story Book Canal Books – DL exclusive Castle /Snow White’s Grotto Mr Toad's Wild Ride – same as the former WDW, but since WDW no longer has this ride, it makes the GOLD list Mad Tea Party – same as WDW Peter Pan Flight – same as WDW Snow White Scary Adventure – same as WDW Caroussel – same as WDW Dumbo – same as WDW Casey Jr Circus Train – see the same sites from Story Book Canal Boats, only better MOUSELANIOUS Fantasmic! – Incredible show, a must see Fireworks – The new show for the 50th is absolutely the best show that Disney has ever created at any of their Parks. I saw it opening night and it made me cry with memories. Snow White Enchanted Musical – if you like Disney stage productions, go and see this one. The show is currently closed but rumors say it will come back in Spring or Summer of 06. Billy Hill and the Hillbillies – fun show Thanks for reading. I hope this was helpful RU __________________ Check out my new DVDs on MY NEW SITE Last edited by ru42; 12-14-2005 at 04:36 PM.

06-16-2005, 01:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
ru42 Disneyland/Photo Moderator - DWT West Coast Division Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 30 minutes from my front door to Mickey's front door; Disneyland Posts: 752	UPDATE 6/16/2005 Well, the 50th kickoff has happened so I thought I would update this a little. UPDATES: Former Lincoln is now an excellent historical look at Disneyland. A new film was produced and stars Steve Martin - both exhibit and film are A+! Jungle Cruise got a great facelift for the 50th - it is now better then it's counterpart in the Magic Kingdom. Disney Gallery has a new exhibit - 50 artists tribute to 50 years. Very worth seeing! I moved Buzz up from gold to green because of a couple nice features. The overall ride is pretty much the same. However, at the end of DL version you can e-mail a picture home taken on the ride. It has you score on it. It is FREE! Also, we have a 'play at home' component. Very cool! NEW EDITIONS TO THE LIST The Parade of Dreams - new for the 50th and by far the best parade we have seen in years; possibly the best ever. One unique feature is that there is a parade stop and many of the floats have special entertainment. This boosts the desire to see the parade many times just so you can see what each float does at the stop. Remember...Dreams Come True fireworks spectacular. Get out a thesaurus and look up synonyms for excellent. Take all those other ways of saying excellent, add them together, multiply the result by a factor of 10 and you might come close to how spectacular this show is to watch. Disney has never produced any fireworks show that is even close to this show; including Wishes. If you are a true Disneyland fan this shows will make you laugh and cry. That is all the updates for now! RU __________________ Check out my new DVDs on MY NEW SITE

10-06-2005, 02:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
buccool See my avatar. You know you love him Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 453	This was a great guide even though I don't plan going to DisneyLand __________________ Remember without Disneyland there would be no mr.toad FOREVER for belle and her fight

10-14-2005, 12:47 PM	#5 (permalink)
dzney4lyf i come with a warning Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: in my own little world Posts: 12,738	This makes me want to go!! __________________

10-02-2005, 07:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
20K Finally Back! Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,150	Thanks for the tips. I'm definitely going to be there for Submarine Voyage's recommissioning.

12-14-2005, 04:38 PM	#7 (permalink)
ru42 Disneyland/Photo Moderator - DWT West Coast Division Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 30 minutes from my front door to Mickey's front door; Disneyland Posts: 752	I am glad to see many people are using this guide. I just made some edits/additions. Haunted Mansion Holiday is added to the list Space Mountain is updated Subs future is updated It's A Small World Holiday is added to the list The 50th Fireworks; Remember...Dreams Come True is added Snow White...An Enchanting Musical is updated Enjoy! And as always I am happy to help. RU __________________ Check out my new DVDs on MY NEW SITE

04-09-2006, 10:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
MayBWeRMnt2B living happily ever after... Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: the place where dreams come true... Posts: 7,152	Good list, although I'd still like to hear about stuff in Toontown even though its for little kids. :-) __________________ - Jeanne Engaged at Sunset Point - July 17th, 2008 Wedding at Sunset Point - March 3, 2009 Honeymoon at Disney's Polynesian March 2-6, 2009 2nd Honeymoon at Disneyland March 6-10th, 2009 Happily Ever After... Wishes can come true, if you believe in them with all your heart. And the best part is, you'll never run out of wishes. They're shining deep down inside of you. 'Cause that my friends is where the magic lives

04-09-2006, 05:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
ru42 Disneyland/Photo Moderator - DWT West Coast Division Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: 30 minutes from my front door to Mickey's front door; Disneyland Posts: 752	Very good point. I will be at WDW late April/early May. I will be sure to check out Toontown Fair so I can compare it to Mickey's Toontown a little better. On the surface, from what I know, they are pretty similar. I will update my list in mid May. RU __________________ Check out my new DVDs on MY NEW SITE

04-09-2006, 05:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
4Mickey "But why is the Rum gone?" Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Sailin' under me Jolly Roger Posts: 3,872	Not that I am by any means a Disney Land expert (since I've only been once) but this entire list was so incredibly helpful on my trip last Summer! As for Toon town, in my opinion, I like Disney Land's version better. I don't remember enough to compare the two, although at DL, there were more buildings a normal "town" would have. PS- when will you be at WDW? I'll be down april 27-30th __________________ "What ARRRRGH you doing?" "What are you doing?" "No, What ARRRRGH you doing?" Cap'n Jack lives again! "I'll try anything once or twice, that's the kind of mouse I am"