By: Jenna Ensign, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
I have been to Walt Disney World a total of 30 times, and my heart lives in the Magic Kingdom. My family and I decided we wanted to see what all the fuss was about over in California! I chose to travel during the holiday season to see all of the Christmas magic of Disneyland. I spent 2.5 days exploring Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure, and Downtown Disney and here is what I thought about it!
My first impression of Disneyland came by entering Downtown Disney. Downtown Disney is a shopping area filled with great shops and restaurants! There were numerous Christmas trees and decor throughout the area! They were all themed beautifully and executed with perfection. After taking in the sights and smells, I dropped into Starbucks and grabbed a hot coffee and proceeded to mosey through World of Disney. If you’ve been to Disney World, then you’re used to the newly renovated and HUGE store that is World of Disney. The one in California is just a fraction of the size, but they still had a TON of merchandise to choose from! I purchased my Christmas Disneyland t-shirt and went on my way to check out my first park, Disneyland!
When I arrived at the turnstiles, I pulled up my electronic ticket that was emailed to me a week prior to my trip, and it was scanned by the cast member. Once your electronic ticket is scanned, the cast member takes your photo and gives you a paper ticket. This was very different from our experience in Disney World, where you just scan your Magic Band and head about your day. When entering the park, you lay eyes on Disneyland’s Train Station! It was like pure magic to see the train pulling into the station! The journey into the park was VERY similar to that of Magic Kingdom. Think of it like entering the cinema, you have the pre-show while walking under the train station with all of the posters, and then you’re greeted in the “lobby” when you see the initial hub, and when walking down Main Street U.S.A. you are walking through the hallway to your main feature, the castle!
Speaking of the castle, let’s discuss Sleeping Beauty Castle. It is TINY in comparison to Cinderella Castle in Orlando. I knew it was smaller, but I did not expect it to be THAT small. It was adorned with all of it’s Christmas splendor and was sparkling with lights. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside!
The rest of Disneyland park is small, and follows the same idea of a hub with spokes as Walt Disney World. It is very easy to navigate and has some great areas and rides to mention! I think my favorite ride in Disneyland park is the Haunted Mansion with the holiday overlay! You get to experience New Orleans Square on the walk back to the Haunted Mansion, and once you see the mansion, you will be in awe of it’s size and beauty! Stepping into the mansion, you are immediately immersed in the Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack Skellington, Sally and Zero are all over this ride ended with Oogie Boogie! It’s amazing! Perfectly executed theme! This version of the Haunted Mansion is my winner out of Disneyland and Disney World!
I also ventured out to ride It’s a Small World, and hands down, Disneyland’s version wins! The nightly fireworks spectacular is projected onto It’s a Small World and the ride closes down for about 2 hours during this time. I was able to grab a close spot to watch the Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular about 1.5 hours prior to show time! The show was amazing, but does not compare to those at Walt Disney World.
Our second day was filled with time in Disney’s California Adventure! California Adventure has a lot of amazing rides including the Incredicoaster, Web-Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout and Radiator Springs Racers. I think of the 2 parks, this one is my favorite! I did not get to spend nearly enough time here enjoying all that the park has to offer! The Festival of the Holidays was also going on and I got to try some yummy drinks and treats! Think EPCOT festival on a smaller scale, but still with great options! Cars Land was by far my favorite area of California Adventure! They had the cutest rides for littles, and the Christmas decor was stunning! Very well throughout and themed. In my future return trips, I would dedicate more time to enjoying California Adventure.
My third and final day was spend in Disneyland, walking about, watching the Christmas parade and enjoying some other fan favorite rides such as Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Matterhorn Bobsleds, and also enjoying some snacking! At the end of our day in Disneyland, we stopped off at Tortilla Jo’s in Downtown Disney and enjoyed the BEST guacamole I’ve ever had along with a very yummy Strawberry Mint Margarita! Totally recommend Tortilla Jo’s!
All in all, I had a quick, but busy trip to Disneyland! It was fun, felt very quaint and homey, and also felt really magical! In comparison to Walt Disney World, there is no real comparison in my book. Both are great in their own right, but Walt Disney World still holds my heart with its plethora of things to do, and never ending celebration. I will be back to visit Disneyland again in a few years, with more time to enjoy all of the things that I missed and enjoy more that is offered!
If you’re looking for a quick, magical trip, Disneyland may be your best option. If you’re looking for a week filled with endless things to discover, Walt Disney World is your best best!
Please reach out to Jenna, an agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels to plan your next vacation or you may contact Marvelous Mouse Travels.
