Not asking if World is better than land. We have 5 year old twins and a 7 year old. Thinking of doing Disney twice...once in Feb and again in several years when twins are big enough to ride all the rides.

DisneyWorld seems very expensive and daunting. Would Disneyland be a good option for our kids now and then wait to spend more money and go all out when they are older?

I've done both, DL most recently. DL is significantly cheaper, mainly because there are a lot of non-Disney (i.e. much cheaper) hotel options within walking distance of the parks.

We did along weekend (left HOU early on a Friday and returned early on a Monday). Had almost 3 full days in the parks. It was plenty of time to see/do everything. The shorter visit also helps keep costs down.

I would def recommend it if you're not ready to take the leap and go to WDW. Also CarsLand alone is worth the price of admission, and it only exists at DL.

We did DL when our kids were 6 & 8 and couldn't have been happier. Very walkable & the weather is nicer (no Florida humidity or afternoon rain showers). The kids absolutely loved the California Adventure or "Cars Land" part. The parks are much smaller than DW, so it made ducking back into the hotel mid day for a nap and recharge super easy.

Travel agent here as well. I honestly much prefer Disneyland over Disney World, especially if finances are playing a role. While WDW is not overwhelming, DL is FAR less overwhelming that WDW. It is still a fantastic Disney vacation without being completely overloaded and needing to spend 4-5 days to get it all done.

DL can be done very well in 3 days. I would highly suggest getting park hopper tickets so you can go back and forth between the parks. There are a lot of great off-site hotels that are within walking or bus transportation to DL, which is not the case in Florida. If I had my choice, I would be going back to DL again before WDW.

Feel free to PM me for more information, I am happy to help answer any questions. Or my email is in my profile.

Disneyland would be a great first experience. 3 days would give you plenty of time to do both parks. I like to fly into John Wayne (SNA) airport. I went last weekend. Two things that were super nice . . .
1. MaxPass was worth $10/person per day
2. Mobile ordering food instead of standing in line

Plus Carsland is unique!
I rode every ride in Disneyland except Matterhorn which was closed in one super long day (8am-9pm).

What's the best time of year to go? Have a 4yo son we may take to CarsLand for a day then down to Legoland. Beach weather would be a plus but I'd rather beat the crowds.

10andBOUNCE said:

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What's the best time of year to go? Have a 4yo son we may take to CarsLand for a day then down to Legoland. Beach weather would be a plus but I'd rather beat the crowds.

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We went in October. The Halloween decorations at both parks are really good, and there is a special parade and fireworks.

The link below is a good guide when it comes to visiting Disneyland. Some good discounts going on right now.

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/when-to-visit/

having done both with kids, Disneyland is my preference far and away. Disneyworld is a slog and a beating, imo. you are on the compound and there's no easy way out. Disneyland, you still have all the perks of southern California at your disposal.

Having done both with young kids...
Disney World is "Better". The parks are bigger and more immersive. Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom are really impressive. Hollywood Studios is good. Epcot is fun and should get more credit then what it normally gets.

It is also more expensive, the time travelling between resorts is increased, and there is a lot more planning involved. But it is an immersive vacation. You want Disney, you get Disney. Of course you can break away to non-Disney Parks, but I don't recommend it with young kids.

Disney Land is much more manageable. You are combining Parks. Disney Land is an approximate of Magic Kingdom but a little smaller in scale. California Adventure combines Animal Kingodom/Epcot/Hollywood studios. It makes for a fun park, but when comparing them all, you lose some of the intricacies. Lodging is cheaper, you don't have to Uber or ride buses, you can easily leave the park and go eat at Cheese Cake Factory. It also has a bit of the AstroWorld feel. The locals show up in full force especially mid afternoon. There are vagrants sitting at the entrance begging, playing music, or just sleeping off a high. But, once on the grounds, it is pristine.

Personally, if I am putting on a Mickey Mouse hat, and hauling my kids half-way across America for 5-7 days, I choose Disney World Especially for ages 5-10. If my kids are younger (where you are just hoping they survive the day) or much older (where they are more likely to want/need to go do something other than Disney), or if I only have 2-3 days, I would go Disney Land.

either way, just snap a picture of your family in front of the castle, know that you have officially entered the "I brought my family to Disney and am kicking ass" club, and have a great time.

Agree with the above. Disneyworld is an immersive destination trip, while Disneyland is great for a three-day weekend. Kids enjoy both but when they think of Disney the Florida experience is probably what they are imagining.

Disneyland all day. As mentioned above, weather and crowds so much better.

So what would be the approximate cost for Disneyland for two days in the summer. What days are best to go of the week during the summer to at least avoid the bigger crowds. Is Carsland worth it for a 12 and 15 year old. We know our nine year old will like it even if targeting a bit below his age. We did World years ago so some of the dinner with princess stuff we can pass on for the most part

Wicked Good Ag said:

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So what would be the approximate cost for Disneyland for two days in the summer. What days are best to go of the week during the summer to at least avoid the bigger crowds. Is Carsland worth it for a 12 and 15 year old. We know our nine year old will like it even if targeting a bit below his age. We did World years ago so some of the dinner with princess stuff we can pass on for the most part

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Yes to Carsland; my almost 13 year old (at the time) loved it. It truly is some of Disney's finest work.

As a whole, DL is much less princess focused. It reminded me a lot of WDW in the 80s and 90s.

For crowd calendars, go to a website called Touring Plans.

I think our three-day trip in October cost about $2200 for two, including airfare but not food. I can double check that number later. I did a ticket/hotel package with a good-neighbor hotel. Hotel wasn't great, but it was clean and cheap. There is not a huge need to stay on site because most of the off-site hotels are just a short walk away. The extra magic hours at DL are different for good neighbor hotels, though, and this caused us (and others) much confusion. But it did result in a cast member letting us in early (after lecturing us about our mistake).

Our visit happened to coincide with Gay Days, and it was actually pretty crowded. But between Fastpasses (DL still uses the old fast pass system) and single rider lines, we did everything we wanted, some multiple times.

Keep in mind, the new Star Wars stuff is set to open soon. They've already announced increases to ticket prices, and I'm sure crowds will be heavily effected. A site like Touring Plans should give you good insight as to how.

Wicked Good Ag, send me an email at csmith@travelwithontheroad.com and I can get you a quote.