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With reference to planning an epic theme park journey, possibly you’re attempting to find out between Disney vs. Widespread and are questioning about their similarities and variations.
In any case, as two of most likely probably the most iconic and talked about theme parks within the USA, every areas current an unimaginable, action-packed family journey experience (at a value!).
On this text, we’ll look at Disney vs. Widespread by their similarities, along with the 9 foremost variations that set these family theme parks except for one another.
Having been to every Disney and Widespread, we’ve obtained a cope with on your complete points it is worthwhile to know to find out which is the upper various for you and the form of journey that you simply simply’re searching for.
Each method, family satisfying awaits!
This publish might embrace affiliate hyperlinks, which means that we might get hold of a small price, with out cost to you, within the occasion you make a purchase order order by means of a hyperlink. For extra data, see disclosure.
Disney vs. Widespread
Though many people debate, “Which is more healthy, Disney vs. Widespread?” that reply comes down to non-public opinion.
Some even wish to examine which theme park is additional nostalgic or is more healthy for households.
As quickly as as soon as extra, these options are more likely to vary based totally in your family members’s specific particular person ages, pursuits, and whether or not or not your expectations had been met when having visited there beforehand.
In our experience having been to every parks, nonetheless, there are a variety of similarities, along with 9 undebatable variations when evaluating Disney World vs. Widespread Orlando that we predict are value mentioning.
Though we’re large followers of every Orlando theme parks, our hope is that this comparability will help you to find out which is best for you and your family members.
And positive, we do share which park we would like, and why, within the occasion you stick spherical til’ the highest.
Let’s start by going over the basics of how every Disney and Widespread are alike.
Similarities of Disney vs. Widespread
Walt Disney World Resort and Widespread Orlando Resort are every positioned in Orlando, Florida, which is throughout the central part of the state.
Apparently, they’re positioned solely 9 miles down the freeway from one another.
Every Disney World and Univeral Orlando sit on an enormous plot of land that options:
- Theme parks
- Water park(s)
- Resorts
- A buying/consuming district
They every have one factor for everyone in that they supply a mix of thrill rides, slower rides, and leisure – merely in quite a few strategies.
Additional similarities of Disney vs. Widespread:
- Each has a variety of theme parks. Walt Disney World Resort is made up of Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Widespread Orlando Resort is made up of Widespread Studios, Islands of Journey, Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe (coming in 2025!).
- Every Disney vs. Widespread have locations in California as properly. There’s Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and Widespread Studios Hollywood positioned in Widespread Metropolis, California.
- Every Disney World and Widespread Orlando have associated ticketing decisions in that they supply multi-day and park-to-park decisions. Moreover, the additional tickets you buy, the a lot much less it could worth you in each park.
- Their complete worth is comparable with Disney being a bit costlier, nonetheless. Every Disney and Widespread provide all types of value elements, designed to enchantment to quite a lot of budgets, nonetheless. A complete breakdown of our Disney World costs could also be found proper right here!
- They each have waterparks associated to them. (Blizzard Seaside and Storm Lagoon at Disney, and Volcano Bay at Widespread.)
- There are nighttime reveals and trip celebrations at every.
- They each have journey packages on the market.
- Every have useful transportation strategies for resort firm.
- Every have on-site lodging ranging from value vary to luxurious that embody distinctive perks for resort firm. There are over 25 Disney World resort inns, whereas Widespread has 7 inns.
Resort Perks
Disney World firm who hold at Disney Resorts get hold of perks comparable to first entry to Genie+ which is the paid alternative for shorter traces.
Advance consuming reservations and additional magic hours are moreover a perk for Disney Resort firm.
Guests staying at Widespread Orlando Resort’s premiere inns get complimentary Particular Passes included with their hold.
They’re moreover allowed Early Park Admission an hour sooner than day firm throughout the morning.
Variations Between Disney vs. Widespread
Now, let’s take a look at the plain variations between Disney and Widespread.
These are the forms of points which will help slim down your selections and make it easy so as to resolve between one or the alternative.
1. The Castles
As a emblem of grandeur at each of the theme parks, every Disney and Widespread attribute an iconic fort that serves as a backdrop for family {photograph} ops and satisfying.
Disney’s 189-foot-tall iconic landmark, Cinderella’s Citadel, is positioned on the doorway to Magic Kingdom.
Though most individuals can’t tour the fort itself, Cinderella’s Royal Desk is positioned contained within the fort and provides a high-end consuming experience for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Positioned all through from Cinderella’s Royal Desk is the vastly modern Bibbidi Bobbiddi Boutique (ongoing closure related to the pandemic).
Proper right here, youngsters ages 3-12 can bear a makeover to develop to be a princess or a knight.
Likewise, the extraordinarily secretive Cinderella Citadel Suite offers lavish in a single day lodging inside Cinderella’s Citadel.
Sadly, The Cinderella Citadel Suite cannot be booked, as a substitute, it’s by invite solely or by means of profitable an occasional contest provided by Disney.
(Kevin Jonas, Mariah Carey, Tom Cruise, and totally different celebrities have apparently stayed on this distinctive suite.)
Widespread’s 150-foot tall landmark, nevertheless, is Hogwarts Citadel, positioned at Widespread’s Islands of Journey theme park.
Hogwarts fort is the precept setting up of Hogwarts Faculty of Witchcraft as featured throughout the Wizarding World of Harry Potter e-book and movie assortment.
Not like Cinderella’s Citadel, friends can really enter the fort gates and go inside Hogwarts Citadel for a very immersive experience.
Proper right here, there are Harry Potter relics and corridors of Hogwarts Faculty of Witchcraft and Wizardry that embody locations comparable to Dumbledore’s office, the Safety In opposition to the Darkish Arts classroom, and the Gryffindor frequent room.
The fort may also be dwelling to among the modern rides at Islands of Journey, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
This excellent 4D motion-simulator expertise takes place on an enchanted bench. (That sits atop a extraordinarily technological robotic arm!)
2. The Theming
Disney and Widespread are every theme-driven parks, which implies that their rides and reveals are additional regarding the characters and settings considerably than bodily thrills.
It is throughout the complete theming of the particular person parks the place yow will discover a very powerful variations.
For instance, it goes with out saying that Disney World choices theming based totally on the nostalgic Walt Disney World franchise.
It strives for a laid-back vibe that appeals to all people.
Widespread Studios, nonetheless, choices theming based totally on the leisure enterprise, particularly movement photos and television.
The vibe proper right here is edgier with additional high-tech and thrilling rides.
At Disney, it’s possible you’ll rely on to see rides and reveals based totally on the following:
- Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald & Daisy Duck
- Star Wars
- Pixar (Toy Story, Discovering Nemo, and The Incredibles)
- Disney animation (Frozen, Magnificence and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King)
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- James Cameron’s Avatar (Pandora – The World of Avatar)
- Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
The proper rides at Widespread Orlando embody these themes:
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- Marvel’s Avengers
- Jurassic Park
- Fast & Furious
- Transformers
- Spider-Man
- The Unimaginable Hulk
- Despicable Me, along with the Minions
- The Simpsons
- Dr. Seuss
3. Their Dimension
Disney World in Orlando is dwelling to 4 foremost theme parks and covers 43 sq. miles of land.
Because the equivalent measurement because the city of San Francisco, pretty merely Disney World is HUGE!
Disney World is comprised of:
- Magic Kingdom
- Animal Kingdom
- Epcot
- Hollywood Studios
- 2 foremost waterparks (Blizzard Seaside, Storm Lagoon)
- A lot of Disney inns
- Disney Springs buying and consuming neighborhood
Widespread Orlando Resort is significantly smaller and consists of three foremost theme parks unfold over 840 acres of land.
Transportation throughout the resort takes rather a lot a lot much less time as a consequence of its compactness and Univeral is taken into consideration to be additional walkable than Disney.
Their measurement could also be in distinction by viewing the following map (park sizes highlighted in pink).
Widespread is dwelling to:
- Widespread Studios
- Islands of Journey
- Volcano Bay (water theme park)
- A lot of Widespread inns
- Widespread CityWalk nighttime leisure difficult
Disney World’s larger measurement implies that there’s additional to do, nevertheless there could also be moreover additional flooring to cowl.
You need a minimal of 4 – 5 days in your Orlando itinerary to get even close to a full experience, and it requires A LOT of strolling.
Widespread Orlando, nonetheless, is smaller which means there’s a lot much less to do, however it absolutely’s less complicated to maneuver spherical.
A minimal of two – 3 days is required for an entire go to.
4. The Thrill-Problem
Some people will say that Disney World is for households with youthful children and that Widespread Orlando is more healthy fitted to households with older youngsters and youths.
We happen to actually really feel there could also be some truth to this in that now that our youngsters are older, they like Widespread Studios vs. Disney World.
The one exact proof to assist that’s {that a} imply of 11 rides per park at Widespread has high requirements, whereas a imply of 5 rides per park has high requirements at Disney.
(Peak requirements are important for thrill rides that require harnasses and generally include high and drive.)
As a consequence of this, thought-about one among our excessive options for visiting Widespread is to evaluate the height requirements in your favorite rides ahead of time.
In addition to, put collectively your smaller youngsters for the rides that they are, and often will not be going to be tall enough to expertise to steer clear of meltdowns as quickly as there.
Whereas there are nonetheless a great deal of factors of curiosity that children can do at Widespread, these factors of curiosity often will not be Widespread’s strong swimsuit, whereas a number of Disney World’s classics are fully suited rides for kids and toddlers.
5. Skip the Widespread Line Decisions
(As one among many many Disney changes related to the pandemic, Disney’s FastPass reservation system is gone. Widespread continues to produce their Particular Cross alternative, nonetheless.)
One among many largest variations between Disney World vs. Widespread Studios is their ‘skip the widespread line’ alternative.
Disney is notoriously recognized for very prolonged wait events for its headliner factors of curiosity.
The sooner system of allowing firm to resolve on 3 rides of which to skip the widespread line (typically referred to as FastPass), has been gone as a result of the beginning of the pandemic, and will not return.
Disney Genie+
As an alternative, FastPass has been modified by Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane Passes.
Disney Genie+ is a ticket add-on purchased by means of the My Disney Experience app that options Lightning Lane entry to better than 40 factors of curiosity.
For $15 per specific particular person per day at Walt Disney World firm purchase Lightning Lane entry to rides along with Huge Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom; Mission Space, Spaceship Earth and Verify Monitor at Epcot; Slinky Canine Dash, Rock n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; and Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
In addition to, Disney is now offering the acquisition of specific particular person Lightning Lane Passes for top-tier factors of curiosity not included in Genie+.
The report consists of Seven Dwarfs Mine Follow and Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, Remy’s Ratatouille Journey and Frozen Ever After at Epcot, Rise of the Resistance, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios, and Avatar Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom.
Attraction prices fluctuate from $7-$15 per expertise; prices and expertise decisions vary by the day.
Widespread Particular
The ‘skip the widespread line’ alternative at Widespread Orlando is called Widespread Particular.
Widespread Particular may also be a ticket add-on, which implies that it’s an additional worth to simple park tickets (prices vary by date and anticipated crowd ranges).
The add-on could also be purchased ahead of time, if you’re throughout the park, or comes free everytime you hold at a Widespread Premier Resort.
The acquisition of a Widespread Particular transfer implies that you should use the Widespread Particular line, to your whole day, at lots of the factors of curiosity at Widespread Studios and Islands of Journey.
The number of Particular Passes on the market on a given date is restricted, nonetheless, so it is endorsed to purchase them ahead of time.
*Be taught all about Widespread Particular and why we predict that Widespread Particular Cross is value it when visiting Widespread Orlando!
6. The Locker System
One different large distinction between Disney World and Widespread Studios is their protection for taking non-public belongings onto rides.
Every expertise at Disney offers the flexibleness to stow your non-public belongings and Disney park baggage at your toes whereas driving a expertise.
It’s a large bonus when eager to herald backpacks stocked with water bottles, lunch, and totally different Disney touring requirements in that you simply simply don’t ought to pay to retailer them whereas occurring rides.
Most rides at Widespread, nonetheless, do not allow non-public belongings (along with backpacks) to be launched onto the rides. In actuality, understanding the locker system at Widespread Orlando is significant to avoiding frustration and confusion when touring there.
Along with paid lockers on the doorway of the park, each expertise has each free or paid lockers based totally on the dimensions of your backpack or bag.
In numerous phrases, within the occasion you’re eager to economize, solely herald a backpack or fanny pack that matches into the complimentary lockers.
Proper right here’s exactly what we pack in our Widespread Studios day bag that is merely enough, nevertheless not an extreme quantity of.
7. The Leisure District
Every Disney World and Widespread Orlando have superior buying, consuming, and leisure districts that attribute among the many best points to do in Orlando.
The excellence is of their proximity to the parks, and on what they supply.
Disney Springs
Disney’s leisure district is called Disney Springs.
Disney Springs is positioned 2.5 – 6 miles from each of the Disney parks.
This equals a ten to 20-minute drive counting on the place you’re driving from.
The best points to do at Disney Springs include buying their specialty retailers, consuming at consuming locations, and driving on this planet’s largest tethered helium balloon (and loads of additional satisfying factors of curiosity!).
Citywalk
Widespread CityWalk is the title of Widespread Resort’s consuming and buying district.
You really ought to stroll by means of CityWalk with the intention to enter every Widespread Studios and Islands of Journey, which implies that the retailers and consuming locations there are much more accessible than at Disney Springs.
Widespread CityWalk lives as a lot as its nickname as “the epicenter of superior” as there are literally so many satisfying points to do at CityWalk.
Likewise, there are additional consuming locations proper right here than you may ever be succesful to experience in a single go to!
Check out our report of the best consuming locations in Widespread Citywalk, along with what we order at each place as soon as we’re there!
Additional planning tip: In my opinion, Disney focuses additional on their consuming experiences contained in the park, whereas, the perfect consuming locations and consuming experiences at Widespread are positioned in CityWalk.
8. The Parking
At Disney World, each of the 4 theme and two water parks has its private outdoor car parking zone. The parking heaps are large, they often all have separate entrances.
Trams cycle by means of the parking heaps offering rides to the park entrances, in some other case, it is a 5-15 minute stroll from the car parking zone to the park.
Worth: Widespread parking is $25/day (parking is sweet for all day and it’s possible you’ll go to totally different parks).
At Widespread, there’s one gigantic lined parking difficult for day firm visiting Widespread Studios, Islands of Journey, Citywalk, and/or Volcano Bay.
As quickly as parked, escalators and transferring walkways carry you into the transportation hub.
Proper right here, yow will discover security checkpoints, restrooms, merchandising machines, and souvenirs.
From the Widespread transportation hub, it is a 15-minute stroll to get to any of the theme park entrances.
Worth: Widespread parking is $27/day.
9. The Purchaser Service
Every Disney World and Widespread Studios consider providing a seamlessly top-notch customer experience.
They operate very equally when it comes to extreme necessities of buyer assist {{and professional}} staff members.
You will undoubtedly uncover a distinction in the way in which wherein that the opposing staff members make you ‘actually really feel’ nonetheless, as each park has a definite technique to its firm custom and promoting and advertising and marketing technique.
Disney staff that work at Disney Parks or Disney Outlets are generally known as Solid Members.
Solid Members are educated to be as constructive and pretty much as good as doable, along with to hold Disney to life for his or her firm.
Most stable members have lanyards for shopping for and promoting Disney pins with firm, along with are impressed to be interactive with firm with the intention to advertise feelings of nostalgia.
They’re typically acknowledged by costumes mimicking the rides, vests with bowties, or brightly colored polo shirts.
Widespread staff are generally known as Group Members. They too are educated to supply an gratifying and memorable leisure experience for his or her firm.
It sometimes seems that Widespread Group Members are hipper and edgier along with have a additional hands-off technique to the corporate with the intention to imitate the action-packed atmosphere proper right here.
They don’t primarily have the equivalent warm-fuzzy feeling as Disney Solid Members, however it absolutely matches with the ambiance of the park.
Widespread Group Members could also be acknowledged in colored polo shirts, costumes matching the expertise’s theme, and staff title badges.
Which Must I Choose, Disney vs. Widespread?
Disney World…calling all Mickey and Star Wars followers?
Widespread Orlando…calling all comic and Harry Potter followers?
I firmly think about that neither Disney World nor Widespread is more healthy than the alternative.
You truly can’t go incorrect in choosing each – they’re every superior!
I am going to say, nonetheless, that I like the final atmosphere increased at Disney, nevertheless the whole expertise experiences are increased at Widespread.
If I needed to resolve on only one park to go to out of all of them it might be Magic Kingdom – merely for the Disney nostalgia, and the possibility to say, “I’ve been to Disney World”.
Deciding between Disney vs. Widespread truly comes all the way in which all the way down to the weather that you simply simply’re searching for and evaluating, and what appeals to you and your family members.
My suggestion might be to do every parks on fully totally different occasions if in case you have got the time and the funds.
Make your Disney World journey all about Disney as a result of it takes longer to see your complete parks.
Combine your Widespread journey with some days on the seaside, or go there for an prolonged weekend as a result of it takes fewer days to do all of Widespread.
For a level of reference, our 3 boys had been ages 8, 10, and 12 as soon as we visited Disney World in Orlando.
They’d been ages 10, 12, and 14 when had been went to Widespread Orlando for the first time.
These ages labored for us, and we wouldn’t change an element as we felt they’d been on the nice ages for every.
We appreciated having visited Disney first when the children had been a bit youthful after which visiting Widespread as soon as they’d been older and tall enough to go on your complete rides.
Do you’ve got a want between Disney World vs. Widespread Studios? I’d like to take heed to your take!
Jen
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