Disneyland VS Disney World – a question asked by many guests hoping to visit Disney for the first time or the fiftieth.
But if youâre looking for a more budget-friendly trip, should you go to Disneyland or Disney World in 2025 (and beyond)?
From hotels, to food to park tickets and more, thereâs so much to consider.
As a Disney World Annual Passholder, who has been visiting the parks since 2017, I visited Disneyland for the first time in December 2024, and wow, I realised a difference in price!
Letâs talk numbers and which park provides the best value now!
This post is all about determining which is cheaper: Disneyland VS Disney World.
Disneyland VS Disney World
Is Disney World in Florida or California?
Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida.
It was the second Disney park in the world, when it opened on October 1st, 1971.
Disney World is home to four theme parks:
- Magic Kingdom
- Epcot
- Hollywood Studios
- Animal Kingdom
RELATED POST: From Magical To Tragical: Ranking the Walt Disney World Parks
You can also find two water parks at Disney World:
- Typhoon Lagoon
- Blizzard Beach
(Typhoon Lagoon is typically open in the warmer months, whilst Blizzard Beach opens in the colder months).
Disney is home to over 25 resorts (at Value, Moderate and Deluxe price points).
Disneyland and Disney World also have shopping and dining areas.
Disney Springs (formally Downtown Disney) is found at Disney World. It is not located within walking distance of the parks. It is home to more than 150 offerings (from Disney stores to non-Disney shops to restaurants and bars and more).
Where is Disneyland?
Disneyland is located in the city of Anaheim, California.
It was the first Disney park to open, on July 17th, 1955. It was also the only Disney park that Walt ever visited, before his death in 1966.
Disneyland has two parks:
- Disneyland Park
- Disney California Adventure
Disneyland also has 3 on-site Deluxe Resorts.
Disneyland has Downtown Disney (a small selection of shops, restaurants and bars between the Disneyland hotels and the Disneyland parks).
How big is Disney World VS Disneyland?
How many acres is Disneyland VS Disney World?
Disneyland: 500 acres
Disney World: 30,080 acres
Although Disney World has only built on approximately a third of their land, it is still SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than Disneyland.
Disneyland VS Disney World CostÂ
Whether you’re considering Disneyland or Disney World, understanding where your money will go is key.
Letâs examine the costs across tickets, accommodations, food, and transportation.
Disneyland VS Disney World Prices of Tickets
Tickets are going to be expensive at both parks. However, Disney World tickets are approximately 3.9% more expensive than Disneyland tickets on average.
Regardless of whether you’re visiting Disney World or Disneyland, I recommend looking for the best deals from third-party authorized Disney ticket sellers.
For example, I purchased my 5-day Disneyland park hopper tickets with Genie+ for $121 less through Undercover Tourist.
The discounts won’t always be that great, but it’s always worth shopping around to get the best deal on expensive Disney tickets!
If you were planning on buying Annual Passes, both options are going to get expensive.
At Disneyland, Annual Passes (also known as Magic Keys) range in price from $599 to $1,749 + tax (some passes exclusive to California residents). The sale of Magic Key APs is often paused at Disneyland, and a lot of the year, they’re only available for renewal.
Disney World Annual Passes range in price from $469 – $1,549 + tax (with only one option for non-Florida residents and two most expensive options available for DVC members with direct benefits).
Disney World VS Disneyland Prices of Lightning Lanes
Both Disneyland and Disney World offer three types of lightning lanes (essentially paid Fastpasses):
- Lightning Lane Single Pass (for one select attraction)
- Lightning Lane Multi Pass (valid for more attractions, however a limited number of rides can be booked at any time and timeslots must be reserved on the My Disney Experience app).
- Lightning Lane Premier Pass (the most expensive option, where you don’t have to reserve a time for a ride. As long as it’s valid with your pass, you can just turn up).
Disney World Lightning Lane Price Ranges:
Single Passes: $10-$25 + tax, per person, per day
Multi Passes: $15 – $39 + tax, per person, per day
Premier Passes: $129 – $449 + tax, per person, per day
Disney World Lightning Lane Price Ranges:
Single Passes: $17 – $28 + tax, per person, per day
Multi Passes: Starting at $32 + tax, per person, per day
Premier Passes: $300 – $400 + tax, per person, per day
Disneyland VS Disney World Accommodation Costs
This is hard to measure for a few reasons:
- It depends largely on whether you’d like to stay on-site or off-site, in a hotel or apartment/villa/house.
- If you want to stay on-site, Disney offers a vast selection of resorts at value, moderate and deluxe level prices. Disneyland, however, only has 3 expensive Deluxe hotels.
If you’re staying on-site, Disneyland will likely be the most expensive option.
Disneyland Average Room Rates:
Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel – $355 – $466 + per night (+ tax)
Disneyland Hotel – $464 â $631 per night (+ tax)
- Disney’s Grand Californian Resort & Spa – $584 â $767 per night (+ tax)
Disney World Room Rates:
As there are over 25 Disney World resorts, it’s hardest to compare. So, let’s look at the range of prices for some standard rooms at value, moderate and deluxe resorts!
Examples of Value Resort Room Rates:
- Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort – $133 – $305 per night + tax (based on 2025 room rates)
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort –Â $217 – $425 per night + tax (based on 2025 room rates)
Examples of Moderate Resort Room Rates:
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort – $260 – $470 per night + tax (based on 2025 room rates)
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort –Â $268 – $505 per night + tax (based on 2025 room rates)
Examples of Deluxe Resort Room Rates:
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge –Â $506 – $915 per night (based on 2025 room rates)
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa –Â $824 – $1,350 (based on 2025 room rates)
Another hidden difference in the prices of on-site hotels at Disney World and Disneyland is discounts.
Generally, Disney World offers higher discounts and better promotions for guests staying on-site.
Disneyland doesn’t always offer a discount on their hotel rates (and if they do, it’s rarely above 10%-20%).
However, at some times of year, you can find discounts of approximately up to 30% off for stays at select resorts, for a certain number of nights (usually 5+ with lower discounts for shorter stays).
Disney World Annual Passholders can also access discounts of up to 40% off at select times of year.
RELATED POST: Can You Get a Disney World Annual Pass Resort Discount? [How to Save Thousands on Hotels]
You can also rent DVC points for DVC hotels at both Disney World and Disneyland (which can save hundreds or thousands on your stay). However, there is far more availability at Disney World, and wider selection of more affordable options (i.e. Old Key West, BoardWalk Villas, Saratoga Springs and Animal Kingdom Villas).
RELATED POST: Why Can You Save So Much Money if You Rent DVC Points? [Is it too good to be true?]
In general, if staying on-site is important to you, you’ll find more budget-friendly options at Disney World.
Disneyland VS Disney World Transportation Costs
This will vary greatly person to person, but chances are you’re located at least somewhat closer to either Disneyland or Disney World.
This would most likely reduce your transportation costs, if you decided to visit the park closer to you.
On a budget-friendly trip, transportation costs are an important factor to consider.
If you’re planning on flying, look on multiple sites to find the best prices. (I also recommend using a VPN. This allows you to change your location and find the best flight prices. I saved a few hundred dollars on my return flights from London to Orlando (MCO) by doing this).
Also, if you are planning to fly to Disney World or Disneyland, remember to factor in the cost of airport transfers or a rental car.
Disneyland VS Disney World Special Event Costs
Are you planning to visit Disney during Halloween or Christmas?
Well, you might just save money at one park over the other.
First, let’s talk about the spooky season!
Halloween at Disneyland Cost
Both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure are decorated for Halloween, and you can see these decorations with valid regular Disneyland tickets.
(In 2025, the Halloween season at Disneyland will take place between August 22nd, 2025 and October 31st, 2025).
However, Disneyland also hosts a Halloween party, which requires a separate ticket.
2025 prices for Disneyland’s Hallowen Party – Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure – have not been yet been announced.
However, in 2024, tickets for the party cost $134 – $189 per person, plus tax. Children aged two and under do not require a party ticket to attend.
Halloween at Disney World Cost
During the Halloween season, Magic Kingdom gets decorated for Halloween, and you don’t need a separate ticket to see these decorations.
The season usually runs between the first full week in August to October 31st (or a day or two into November).
Similarly to Disneyland, Disney World also has a Halloween party – held at Magic Kingdom – called Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – which requires a separate ticket.
2025 prices have not been released yet, but in 2024, Halloween tickets were priced at:
Ages 3-9: $109-$189 + tax
Ages 10+: $119-$199 + tax
RELATED POST: Walt Disney World Halloween: 3 Pros & 2 Cons of Visiting Disney World During the Halloween SeasonÂ
Christmas at Disneyland Cost
Disneyland does not hold any Christmas parties that require separate events.
Although the festive season is celebrated at both Disneyland parks, you just need a regular Disneyland ticket to experience:
- Christmas parade
- Christmas fireworks
- Christmas food
Christmas at Disney World Cost
Christmas at Disney World can be significantly more expensive, as Disney holds two Christmas parties (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios).
These parties require separate tickets (and if you want to attend both parties, it will cost you a small fortune!).
Whilst the prices aren’t out for 2025, here are the prices for 2024:
Mickeyâs Very Merry Christmas Party Ticket Prices:
Adults (Ages 10+): $169-$219 per ticket + tax
Children (Ages 3-9): $159 to $209 per ticket + tax
RELATED POST: Jingle All the Way: Your Guide to Disney World Christmas Party DatesÂ
Disney Jollywood Nights Party Ticket Prices:
Tickets cost between $159-$179 for this event.
RELATED POST: A Budget-Friendly Guide to Walt Disney World Christmas Celebrations
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding the Price of Disneyland VS Disney World
Which is better Disneyland or Disney World?
If you want to visit a smaller Disney resort, Disneyland is your best bet. You can go for less time and still experience a lot.
If you want more choices (from more parks to resorts), Disney World is great. However, to see as much as possible, a slightly longer vacation is preferable (at least for 4 days, if you would like to visit every theme park for a day).
Which is better for adults Disneyland or Disney World?
This is a tough question, as it depends on your interests however, Disneyland is better if:
- You’re interested in Disney history (especially related to Walt Disney – you can even go on Walt’s Main Street Story Tour, and view Walt and Lillian’s apartment!).
- You prefer slower, more relaxed rides.
- You’re happy to walk more than use transportation (particularly if you’re staying on-site or nearby).
On the other hand, Disney World is better if:
- You want to explore more unique theme parks, like Epcot and Animal Kingdom.
- You want to choose from more resorts (with more relaxed, “secluded” options like Disney’s Riviera Resort, Coronado Springs, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs).
RELATED POST: Is Disney World Worth It for Adults? [2025 Guide]
Why is Disneyland less popular than Disney World?
Disneyland is still popular, but receives less overall attendance than Disney World, because:
- It is smaller and has significantly fewer parks, attractions and resorts to experience.
- Disney World is more successful at (and tries harder to) attracting international guests.
Why is Disney World not called Disneyland?
The name of Florida’s Disney resort emphasises its scale – compared to the original Disneyland resort (as well as other Disneyland parks built around the world between the 1980s and 2010s).
What rides are exactly the same at Disneyland VS Disney World?
- Dumbo The Flying Elephant
- Mad Tea Party
- Peter Panâs Flight
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- Under the Sea  – Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Liberty Square Riverboat
- Astro Orbiter
- Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
- Rise of the Resistance
- Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
- Toy Story Mania / Toy Story Midway Mania
- Soarin’ Around the World
Ta Ta For Now
Choosing between Disneyland and Disney World in 2025 ultimately comes down to the type of experience you want and what fits your budget.
Disneyland offers plenty of history and charm, with a manageable layout ideal for shorter trips.
On the other hand, Disney World provides a vast, immersive vacation resort with more variety for longer stays at potentially lower nightly costs, especially for accommodation.
Which Disney park would you prefer to visit: Disneyland or Disney World?
And if you’ve visited both, which do you prefer: Disneyland or Disney World?
This post is all about determining which is cheaper: Disneyland VS Disney World.