This past January, I accomplished something I had never done before. I conquered a coast-to-coast, “six Disney parks in 16 days” adventure. Talk about an E-ticket ride!

The mid-winter whirlwind began with a visit to Walt Disney World from Jan. 7-13. I joined our daughter Tracy’s family in watching her take part in the four-day, four-race Dopey Challenge.

Four days after returning home from Florida, my wife Janet and I flew to Anaheim, California, where we spent three days exploring the Disneyland Resort with our friends Cathy and Rich Reynolds, and Mike and Dorene Splitstone. That visit was topped off with a trip to the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.

If nothing else, visiting Disney’s two American resorts in such a close time frame allowed me to compare them, sort of side-by-side. What’s different? What’s the same?

Here are some of my observations after trips to Walt Disney World and Disneyland just a few days apart in January:

‘SMALL WORLD’ HOLIDAY SHOW IS SPECTACULAR

Every year, as part of its holiday celebration, Disneyland overhauls the “it’s a small world” attraction and turns it into a breathtaking winter wonderland.

It starts with the exterior of the building, which is decked out in thousands of shimmering lights. There are so many bright, colorful lights, that the attraction can be seen from far-off lands … like Tomorrowland and Fantasyland.

Even the shrubbery outside “it’s a small world” is aglow with sparkling lights. If for some reason you don’t go on the ride – which would be a big mistake – the exterior lighting is a sight to behold in and of itself.

Once you climb aboard your boat and glide into the classic attraction, you enter a magical world filled with true holiday wonder.

During several sections of the ride, beloved holiday music replaces the equally beloved (?) “it’s a small world” theme song.

There are several Christmas trees placed throughout the attraction, as well as holiday lighting, wreaths, faux candles and Season’s Greetings signs. Many of the “it’s a small world” dolls are decked out in their country’s traditional festive finery.

It was such an enjoyable trip that we opted to ride again … and then again. It is an experience that will leave many guests with the time-honored eyes up, jaws down look on their faces.

Score one for Disneyland. The only question I have is: Why don’t they do a holiday makeover on “it’s a small world” in Walt Disney World?

DISNEYLAND’S UNDERWATER ADVENTURE

Disneyland is home to many unique attractions, some of which are exclusive to the California resort.

One such experience is the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, located in Tomorrowland.

Yes, when Walt Disney World opened in 1971, there was a submarine ride – 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – in Fantasyland. But after a 23-year run, the WDW subs closed in 1994, eventually making way for the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and the Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid attractions in an expanded Fantasyland.

Disneyland’s original version of the submarine ride, modeled after the nuclear submarine the USS Nautilus to celebrate its trip under the Arctic Circle, opened in 1959 and ran through 1998. The subs sat dormant until 2007, when they resurfaced with a theme centered around the popular Disney/Pixar film Finding Nemo.

The revamped Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a delight, so different from just about any other theme park attraction, past or present. To heck with linear-induction roller coasters and trackless ride systems. The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is a truly unique experience.

The subs accommodate 40 guests, who each peer out a porthole while they’re seated. What they see is a colorful, Nemo-themed undersea world that is truly awash in originality.

Score another one for Disneyland.

A PLETHORA OF MAILBOXES

A few months ago, we wrote about how there were just a few mailboxes located in the four parks at Walt Disney World.

During our visit to Disneyland Park, it seemed as if there was a mailbox everywhere I turned. On Main Street USA … near The Hub … in Frontierland and scattered elsewhere.

In fact, there are more than a dozen mailboxes sprinkled throughout Disneyland.

Being that 2025 is Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, maybe the powers that be are expecting an uptick in letters and postcards sent from The Happiest Place on Earth, which will feature a 2025 Disneyland postmark on them.

SAME ATTRACTIONS … BUT WITH DIFFERENCES

There are several attractions that appear in both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. They are basically the same … but with some very distinct differences.

We’ll start with Big Thunder Mountain, the popular runaway train/roller coaster attraction in Frontierland in both East and West coast Magic Kingdoms. We rode the WDW version prior to its closure for an extensive refurbishment, and then on Jan. 19, we got on the Big Thunder queue in Disneyland.

To me, the big difference between the two is the level of detail displayed in the queue areas.

In Florida, most of your wait time is spent in a building that doubles as a fictitious mining company office. There’s shade, water fountains and an occasional fan to ward off the heat. And there’s some clever signage along the queue.

There’s plenty of American Southwest-themed detail located along the track route, but you’re usually going so fast, you tend to miss most of it.

Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was built on the site where the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train once entertained guests (that attraction opened in 1956).

The queue for Disneyland’s Thunder Mountain is outdoors, so while you slowly make your way to the loading area around craggily rocks, you get to drink in all of the nuggets placed there by Disney’s Imagineers … such as the elaborate mining town, flora and fauna native to the Southwest and a collection of menacing-looking coyotes, skunks and rattlesnakes (all Audio-Animatronics, of course). There’s even a goat laden with dynamite.

I found Disneyland’s version – particularly the queue – to be much more detailed and interesting.

Speaking of detail, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Disneyland is a delight, particularly the elaborate opening sequence though the Louisiana bayou.

Once you board your boat in an area known as Laffite’s Landing, the journey begins through a darkened bayou, with views of guests enjoying the Blue Bayou Restaurant to the right and banjo music playing. To your left, there are a few houseboats bobbing on the water and several fireflies lighting the night.

After your boat plunges down two waterfalls, you enter an extended underground grotto, where you’re greeted by pirate-themed debauchery, gold doubloons, shiny chalices and party-hardy skeletons. As you glide by, a menacing voice tells us that “dead men tell no tales” … over and over.

Your boat glides gently past an old pirate shipwreck, where a skeletal helmsman pilot guides the ship through a thunderstorm. There’s also a boney pirate “drinking” rum and another one examining a treasure map.

Once you’ve sailed past all the pirate booty, the “lively” skeletons and the glittering treasure trove, it’s on to a full-on naval battle … which is pretty much where Walt Disney World’s version of Pirates of the Caribbean begins.

In both attractions, there’s a pirate galleon (The Wicked Wench) to the left and a Spanish fortress to the right; both lob cannon balls at one another during the skirmish, with some of the ordnance splash-landing close to your boat.

Then it’s on to the village of Puerto Dorado on Isla Tesoro, which is overrun with pirates in search of treasure. The buccaneers have captured Carlos, the town’s mayor, as they try to pry the loot’s whereabouts from him by repeatedly dunking him in a well.

From a window above, Carlos’ wife tells her water-logged husband “Don’t be ‘cheecken’.” Nearby, Captain Jack Sparrow makes the first of his three appearances.

After the revamped Auction scene, you glide into a town that’s been set ablaze. The final scene, in full view of a relaxed Capt. Jack, sees several pirates – with numerous barrels of explosives nearby – engage in a ferocious gun battle.

Walt Disney World’s version of the Pirates attraction was not part of the park’s opening day lineup and was only added after guest complaints. Florida’s low water table added to the “dumbing down” of the attraction.

To me, Disneyland’s Pirates ride is far superior, offering a more elaborate, more detailed experience.

Then there’s the matter of Dark Rides. To be blunt, Disneyland’s dark rides are FAR BETTER … and far more numerous, than Walt Disney World’s two dark rides (Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh).

When Disneyland opened in 1955, the inner workings of their dark rides (attractions where guests ride in vehicles through a darkened, Disney story-themed show) were pretty simple. Most of the figures were plywood cutouts, covered in colorful paint with primitive lighting effects. You rode your themed vehicle in and out of sectioned off “rooms” as the story of a specific Disney classic animated film unfolded.

Today, Disneyland’s lineup of dark rides in Fantasyland includes Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, Snow White’s Enchanted Wish, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Peter Pan’s Flight. Each has been upgraded over the years to include enhanced fluorescent lighting and special black light effects. In many cases, the simple plywood cutouts have been replaced by sophisticated Audio-Animatronics figures.

By far my favorite Disneyland dark ride is Alice in Wonderland. Guests are seated in ride vehicles made to look like the caterpillar from the original 1951 film. Alice’s curious adventure unfolds as you enter the first floor of the darkened show building and then down – you guessed it! – the rabbit hole as pieces of furniture, artwork and vases swirl around.

Riders glide past several classic scenes from the movie, including Alice in pursuit of the White Rabbit, who frets about being late for a very important date.

There are appearances by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, a garden of flowers singing “All in the Golden Afternoon,” the Caterpillar asking riders “Who are you?” through smoky letters, Tiger Lily, the Dandelion and the Cheshire Cat.

From here, riders encounter a group of singing playing cards, who are “painting the roses red” for the Queen of Hearts, who is seen playing croquet using a flamingo for a mallet and a hedgehog for a ball.

While all this is going on, riders are gradually making their way up to a second floor. While there, guests pass through the queen’s courtroom, then past a brigade of playing cards and two menacing guards before traveling outside.

From this rooftop perch, Matterhorn Mountain and the monorail are visible before riders glide down a winding path into the attraction’s final scene, the Mad Tea Party. After the Mad Hatter and March Hare sing “A Very Merry UnBirthday.” Alice proclaims that it is her unbirthday, as well. The White Rabbit then ducks as the candles of a giant unbirthday cake explode.

In all, Alice in Wonderland is a fun, clever homage to the Disney animated classic. And if you want to experience more Alice, the Mad Tea Party attraction is just steps away.

Lastly, there are the two railroads that circumnavigate Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

The Walt Disney World Railroad has some interesting areas, all of which take place at or near its three stops – Main Street USA, Frontierland and Fantasyland. For the most part, though, the train ride takes place along some pretty desolate and swampy backwoods sections of the Magic Kingdom.

At Disneyland, the railroad has several unique highlights. For one, the special Lilly Belle caboose (named in honor of Walt Disney’s wife Lillian) brings up the rear of the train.

After leaving the New Orleans Square station, the train crosses over a trestle bridge, with Frontierland and the aforementioned Big Thunder Mountain in view.

After exiting the Fantasyland station, the train travels behind the front façade of the “it’s a small world” attraction.

Finally, between the Tomorrowland station and Main Street, the train travels through an elaborate diorama featuring beautiful scenes from the Grand Canyon and an area known as Primeval  World.

Many of the dinosaurs seen during this segment were used in the Ford’s Magic Skyway attraction at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair.

Chuck Schmidt is an award-winning journalist and retired Disney cast member who has covered all things Disney since 1984 in both print and on-line. He has authored or co-authored seven books on Disney, including his On the Disney Beat, The Beat Goes On and Disney’s Dream Weavers for Theme Park Press. He has written a regular blog for AllEars.Net, called Still Goofy About Disney, since 2015.