Pirates --- I thought I would start with Pirates (one of my favorites) although I have not been on either ride since they integrated the Pirates movie. I actually think Disneyland has the better of the two. What I like about the Disneyland ride is the very beginning through the bayou. I like the man in the rocking chair and all the fireflies. I also like looking at the folks in the restaurant and commenting on how “real” they look. At WDW, the ride goes immediately into the skeleton section of the ride. At WDW the drop is very mild since it’s just there to give the ride a little excitement. I know that the drop/drops in DL are designed to take you underground where the ride is housed.
Haunted Mansion --- The appearance of the mansions differ greatly between the parks. At DL it resembles a New Orleans mansion, and at WDW it is more of a creepy English manor. I love the creepy Spanish moss that hangs on the tree in front of the WDW version. In DL, the elevators truly take you down a level as the ride, once again, is underground. In WDW, the rooms do “stretch” but only because the ceiling rises. The WDW ride is at ground level. The DL ride has you walking a short ways prior to getting into the doom buggy. You walk by portraits that change. In WDW you board your doom buggy upon leaving the stretch rooms. You then see the “changing” portraits from the doom buggy. I believe the rides are almost identical.
Small World --- Sadly, the one at WDW doesn’t look anything like the one at DL. The outside of the DL version is so cool. Recently, WDW did give their ride a facelift, but it’s housed in a small building, and not set off on its own lot. I also think the ride is a bit shorter, though I couldn’t tell you which rooms they left out. (I don’t think the WDW version has a mermaid room).
Tiki Room --- WDW updated their program and it now includes the parrot from Aladdin Iago and the Zazu from the Lion King. I guess I prefer the old original version. I’m not sure if DL has followed suit or if they stuck to the original. The new version is a bit scarier (certainly noisier) so do sit by the exit if you’re there with little ones.
Snow Whites Scary Adventures and Peter Pan are identical. WDW does not have Pinocchio, which is really a shame as it’s such a good ride. They also no longer have Mr. Toad nor did they ever have Alice in Wonderland. The more I think about it, I’m inclined to say that the Fantasyland portion of the park is better in DL. DL also has the Casey Jr. Train ride and the little boat ride….also not at WDW.
WDW does have Mickey’s Philharmagic, probably the best of all the 3-D movie/attractions.
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