It’s easy to get confused between Disneyland and Walt Disney World. While the two Disney parks share many features and offer a similarly magical experience, they still have their differences. Keep reading to find out what those are and which park is better for you.

The Facts About Disneyland

Disneyland was the first Disney theme park in history to be built. That makes it the real O.G. When you see old footage of Walt Disney visiting his theme park, he’s visiting the original Disneyland. It is the only Disney park to be designed and built to completion under the direct supervision of Mr. Disney himself. RELATED: The 10 Best Places To Get Waffles At Disney World Disneyland is older than Walt Disney World, first opening on July 17, 1955. Now officially known as Disneyland Park due to the other attractions on the property, it is located in Anaheim, California. It takes up 500 acres and is one of the most visited theme parks on the planet. Although it is the oldest of the Disney parks, the rides and attractions have all undergone renovations, maintenance checks, and refurbishments. Disneyland is part of the Disneyland Resort, which consists of two theme parks. In addition to Disneyland Park, there is also California Adventure Park. There are three hotels on the property: Paradise Pier, The Grand Californian, and Disneyland Hotel. You’ll also find a shopping district located just outside the park called Downtown Disney (although there’s plenty to buy in the park itself!). RELATED: 10 Things Disneyland Won't Allow Visitors To Do

How Walt Disney World Is Different

Walt Disney World is part of a huge entertainment complex located near Orlando, Florida, in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. It opened in 1971, five years after the death of Walt Disney. Although Disney never made it to his new theme park, he was involved in the early planning of it, selecting the remote location on purpose to secure a large property that was not surrounded by other businesses. The entire property is much larger than its Anaheim counterpart, covering nearly 25,000 acres. To put it into perspective, the Walt Disney World resort is double the size of Manhattan or around the same size as San Francisco. There are four theme parks on the grounds: the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and the Animal Kingdom. In addition to this, Walt Disney World hosts two water parks, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, and more than 20 hotels that cater to every budget. There is also a camping resort, golf courses, and Disney Springs, Florida’s answer to Downtown Disney. Walt Disney World was the world’s most visited theme park in 2018, receiving more than 58 million visitors over the course of the year. RELATED: 10 Times Disneyland Had To Turn Visitors Away

This Is How You Choose

Walt Disney World is much larger than Disneyland and offers significantly more attractions, but that doesn’t automatically make it the superior choice. To decide which park you should visit, consider the differences between the two locations and work out what’s important for you as a guest. The size is the biggest difference between the two parks. The Walt Disney World Resort dwarfs the Disneyland Resort and is packed with more theme parks, hotels, and other entertainment options that aren’t even available at the latter. This larger size means there’s more on offer, but it also means transportation can be more difficult. Time is often a deciding factor when it comes to choosing between the two. According to How to Disney, you could spend a month in Walt Disney World and still not see everything. On the other hand, all of Disneyland could be seen in under a week. If you’ve only got a few days to spare, Disneyland is a good choice that won’t overwhelm you. If you are craving a Disney vacation that lasts weeks, choose Walt Disney World. The different locations should also be taken into account. While both California and Florida are known to be warm and sunny, the weather in California is much milder during the summer months. If you plan on visiting Walt Disney World during July, be prepared for extreme levels of humidity and rainstorms nearly every afternoon. Some attractions stop operating in the event of lightning, but there is still plenty to do at Walt Disney World when certain outdoor attractions close. Ultimately, the attractions in the two parks are different. Disneyland is missing the Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot. Even the attractions in the Magic Kingdom that seem the same as those in Disneyland might be slightly different. The best thing to do is researching the specific attractions that you want to see and find out which park the majority of them are in. Think carefully about these key differences between the parks and it should be easy to determine which park is right for you! NEXT: Is Going To Disney World Worth The Vacation Costs?