If you’re looking to plan an unforgettable Disney holiday, you might be wondering whether to visit Disneyland® Paris, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, or Disneyland Resort in California. All three are beloved by Disney fans and feature amazing rides, attractions, Disney Characters, and spectacular shows.
However, there are some differences between the resorts, making the decision a little trickier. Each has unique aspects and offers a different experience, meaning all three are well worth a visit.
In this article, we’re going to compare Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California to help you decide which one to visit… and when! Read on to find out which one could be the perfect destination for you and your family.
Is Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland the same place?
No - Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland are not the same place. In fact, did you know that there are actually six Disney resorts across the world?
- Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
- Disneyland® Paris
- Disneyland Resort in California
- Tokyo Disney Resort
- Shanghai Disney Resort
- Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland® Paris are probably the most popular resorts with British tourists. For example, over 1 million Brits visit Walt Disney World Resort each year (source: Travel Weekly).
Here’s a little bit more about Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California.
Disney resort | Description |
|---|---|
Disneyland Resort in California | The very first Disney resort opened by Walt Disney in July 1955. It was a new concept in family entertainment at the time. |
Disneyland® Paris | The only Disney resort and the number one tourist destination in Europe (source: Road Genius). |
Walt Disney World Resort | The biggest Disney resort and one of the most popular holiday destinations in the world. |
Cost difference between Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California
One of the biggest considerations when booking your Disney holiday will be the cost. The cost for the Disney resorts differs, and various ticket types are available, depending on how long you want to spend in the parks and whether you’d like Park Hopper Access.
We’ve added the lowest daily from prices for adults from the tickets available on AttractionTickets.com to the table below to help you compare.
Disney resort | Cost per day |
|---|---|
Walt Disney World Resort | £35 |
Disneyland® Paris | £44 |
Disneyland California | £89* |
Of course, it’s not just the park tickets that you’ll need to purchase before your holiday. There are other costs too, including travel and hotels. Travelling to Paris, for example, is usually much cheaper than travelling across the pond to the US.
Size comparison: Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California
The main difference between the resorts is the size. Disneyland® Paris and Disneyland Resort in California are smaller, more boutique resorts, while Walt Disney World Resort is huge. It’s so big that if you haven’t been before, it can be difficult to comprehend its vast size.
Walt Disney World Resort | Disneyland® Paris | Disneyland Resort in California |
|---|---|---|
25,000 acres | 140 acres | 500 acres |
Did you know: Disneyland Resort in California could fit inside Walt Disney World Resort around 50 times?! Disneyland® Paris is the smallest of the three resorts. The size will influence how long you’ll want to spend there. You can spend at least three days at Disneyland® Paris or Disneyland Resort in California whereas we recommend spending two weeks at Walt Disney World Resort.
Getting around the Disney resorts
Another big difference between the Disney resorts is how you get around once you’re there. A lot of Disneyland® Paris and Disneyland Resort in California are walkable. The parks are right next to each other, and most of the Disney® Hotels are within walking distance. As well as this, most hotels offer free transportation to and from the parks.
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is more like a small city. A complimentary transport system connects the theme parks, water parks, Walt Disney World Resort hotels, and Disney Springs. Transport includes buses, ferry boats, Disney Skyliner cable cars, and the monorail.
You can also drive around Walt Disney World Resort if you’d prefer, but you will need to pay for parking. Want to avoid this? We suggest leaving the car at home and making good use of the free transport.
How many parks are there at each Disney resort?
Resort | Number of theme parks | Number of hotels | Shopping and entertainment area |
|---|---|---|---|
Walt Disney World Resort | 6 (2 of these are water parks) | 30 | Disney Springs |
Disneyland® Paris | 2 | 7 | Disney Village® |
Disneyland Resort in California | 2 | 3 | Downtown Disney District |
The Disney Parks
Walt Disney World Resort | Disneyland® Paris | Disneyland Resort in California |
|---|---|---|
Magic Kingdom Park | Disneyland® Park | Disneyland Park |
Disney’s Hollywood Studios | Walt Disney Studios® Park (to be renamed Disney® Adventure World in 2026) | Disney California Adventure Park |
EPCOT | ||
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park | ||
Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park | ||
Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park |
Top tip: When planning your holiday, be sure to schedule at least one day to visit each of the parks. Although the parks at Disneyland® Paris and Disneyland Resort in California are right next to each other, there’s so much to see that you can’t do it all in just one day.
Climate at the Disney resorts
Climate is another significant consideration when you’re booking your holiday. Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California all follow the same seasons as the UK, with cooler weather during winter and warmer weather in the summer.
Destination | Florida | California | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
Climate | Tropical climate with very hot and humid weather during summer and cooler weather in winter. Afternoon thunderstorms are common, especially from June to November. Winter usually has mild temperatures. | Consistently dry, mild climate, with lots of sunshine year-round. | Similar climate to the UK, with warm summers and cold winters with a chance of snow. Rain can (and does!) occur at any time. |
Average top temperatures in summer | 33°C (91°F) | 27°C (80°F) | 20°C (68°F) |
Average lowest temperatures in winter | 11°C (51°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 3°C (37°F) |
Busiest times at the Disney resorts
We always recommend booking outside of the busiest times if you can. Prices for accommodation, tickets, and travel are usually lower and you’ll find it quieter in the theme parks. This means you’ll be able to see and do more.
All three resorts are busiest at Christmas and during the school holidays and the US parks are also busy during spring break, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, and Halloween, so it’s best to avoid these times (or visit Disneyland® Paris at these times instead!).
Rides at Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California
Resort | Number of rides |
|---|---|
Walt Disney World Resort | 173 |
Disneyland® Paris | 62 |
Disneyland Resort in California | 49 |
But it’s not just the rides that are unmissable at the Disney Parks. Each one also offers musical shows that wouldn’t look out of place on the West End, opportunities to meet the Disney Characters, and some fantastic places to eat and drink.
Some of the rides have similar names in more than one of the parks, including some classics like Pirates of the Caribbean and “it’s a small world”. However, each one is slightly different, so even if you’ve been on one of them before, you’ll still love it.
All three resorts offer their own parade, each one with different Disney Characters, music, and floats. These parades are a must-see during your visit - they’re so magical!
Resort | Park | Parade |
|---|---|---|
Walt Disney World Resort | Magic Kingdom Park | Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade |
Disneyland® Paris | Disneyland® Park | Disney Stars on Parade |
Disneyland Resort in California | Disneyland Park | Magic Happens Parade |
Each resort offers a completely unique experience, so you can visit all three for a different holiday each time.
Ride highlights at each resort
While we can’t possibly list all the rides at each resort (we’d be here forever!), we’ve highlighted a few of our favourites below:
Walt Disney World Resort | Disneyland® Paris | Disneyland Resort in California |
|---|---|---|
Avatar Flight of Passage (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park) | Avengers Assemble: Flight Force (Disney Adventure World) | Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disneyland Park) |
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™ (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) | Star Wars™ Hyperspace Mountain (Disneyland® Park) | Space Mountain (Disneyland Park) |
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) | Indiana Jones™ and the Temple of Peril (Disneyland® Park) | Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland Park) |
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park) | Big Thunder Mountain (Disneyland® Park) | “it’s a small world” (Disneyland Park) |
Slinky Dog Dash (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) | Ratatouille: The Adventure (Disney Adventure World) | Radiator Springs Racers (Disney California Adventure Park) |
Food and drink
A very important part of any holiday is the food and drink - you’re going to need to fuel up for all the fun you’re going to have! Luckily, there are plenty of places to eat at each resort.
The dining at all three resorts is split into two categories:
- Quick Service: A fast-food style option where you order and pay at the counter, collect your food on a tray and find your own seat to eat it
- Table Service: A restaurant experience where you are shown to your table, a waiter takes your order, and your food is served to your table. This can also include all-you-can-eat buffets
Simply due to its size, there is a lot more choice at Walt Disney World Resort, with over 400 food outlets to choose from. Not only do you have the restaurants in the theme parks, but the Disney Resort hotels also offer dining. There are so many dining experiences for foodies - you can even have a Michelin-starred meal at Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
Disneyland® Paris features over 50 themed restaurants, and Disneyland Resort in California has over 130 dining options. Each resort has its own iconic Disney treats - you can choose from a Mickey-shaped waffle, pretzel, or even pizza!
You can have some incredible Character Dining experiences at all three of these Disney resorts. These are perfect if you’re travelling with children and want to make some extra special memories. Choose from classic Disney Characters like Mickey and Minnie to dining with royalty as you meet the Disney Princesses.
Is Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland better?
Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California are so different that it’s not really possible to describe one as “better” than another. Those who have been to all three will have their favourite, but all three make for some incredible holidays.
Now that you’ve got all the information you need about the differences between Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland® Paris, and Disneyland Resort in California, it’s time to decide where to visit first! Plan your trip of a lifetime now at AttractionTickets.com.
*Prices correct as of May 2026
