Category: WDW vs DLP

Comparison of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort Paris in terms of design, queues, nomenclature, etc

Categories
WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Fantasyland (Part Two)

In the concluding section of my two-part article comparing the Fantasyland in Walt Disney World with its namesake in Disneyland Paris, I shall be looking at the Castles, the meet-and-greets and that unforgettable international cruise:a  “it’s a small world”.

 

THE CASTLE

In both WDW and DLP, the Castle stands visible from the majority of Main Street as the parks’ most recognizable weenie. Standing at 167ft in DLP and 190ft in WDW, this structure (often thought to be one of the entrances to Fantasyland, although it is actually IN that land) is the focal point of the night-time show: Disney Dreams in DLP and Celebrate the Magic in WDW.

Whilst WDW’s Castle is named after Cinderella; the Paris equivalent is themed to Sleeping Beauty and is officially known as Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant.  Both feature shops in their interior on the first floor.  On the second floor in Paris is a walk-around area which tells the tale of Sleeping Beauty, whilst the equivalent story in Florida features a restaurant (Cinderella’s Royal Table). Above that is Cinderella’s Castle Suite, which I know very little about, but there is a lot of interesting information, and photos, on the subject at http://www.disneytouristblog.com/cinderella-castle-suite-tour-photos/

Both versions of the Castle feature coats-of-arms, stained-glass windows and (allegedly) a hidden Mickey in their tiles. The one in Paris however also has an animatronic dragon living in its dungeon, sixteen towers (to represent Aurora pricking her finger on her sixteenth birthday) and various water features.

For more about the Paris Castle, see my article of 2012 comparing it to its Californian counterpart: http://mousescrappers.com/wordpress/?p=3681

 

MEET-AND-GREETS

In Florida, Cinderella can regularly be met inside the Castle (specifically in the restaurant on the second floor).  There is an equivalent eatery in Paris (L’Auberge de Cendrillion) which is equally classy, and also a good place for character meet-and-greets.

Although DLP doesn’t have any equivalents to the meet-and-greets in WDW based on Ariel or Merida (nor does it have any version of Pete’s Silly Sideshow) there are still several other locations in DLP’s Fantasyland where one can meet the characters.

One of these places is just in front of the Castle (the Royal Castle Stage) and another is just behind it, in a location where stage shows based on Sleeping Beauty and/or The Sword in The Stone are occasionally performed.

Other locations in DLP’s Fantasyland where you can encounter characters include Meet Mickey (pretty similar to the one in WDW’s Main Street) and Enchanted Tales with Belle. Enchanted Tales in DLP is a lot more simplistic than its WDW counterpart though, with none of the set, props or animatronics; it also features Belle in her “village” dress, rather than her “Princess” costume.

The final place in DLP’s Fantasyland where characters can be met is Princess Pavilion (similar to WDW’s forthcoming Princess Fairytale Hall, although hopefully the latter will be better run and with more to look at).  Whilst Princess Fairytale Hall is to be on the location of the former Snow White ride; Princess Pavilion is on the site of the former post-show to “it’s a small world”.

 

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

The concept of both versions of “it’s a small world” (as well as the lower case lettering and the quotation marks) is remarkably similar in both Paris and California, with identically-faced dolls singing the titular song, which was written by the Sherman Brothers in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Both feature the same recurring motifs and many identical sets and figures –not necessarily in the same order- and both were opening day attractions.

The main differences to the ride itself occur in the Finale room, which in WDW is much busier, features the ditty sung only in English and has drabber lighting.

The following room, known as the “goodbye room” is also stylistically different; in WDW this features the word “goodbye” in various languages adorning flowery designs, whereas in DLP this room features oversized postcards with ethnically different characters bonding on each. This scene makes less sense in WDW though, seeing as this resort’s attraction doesn’t feature a “hello room”.

Generally though I prefer the interior of WDW’s “it’s a small world”, because there is more to look at, and (after one ride) you don’t get the feeling you have seen everything.  Other reasons for it being my preference includes the trenching style meaning one can naughtily splash your friends, less chance of being bumped from the boat behind, better maintenance, better segueing and more interesting lighting effects.

The exterior of DLP’s “it’s a small world” however is much prettier than WDW’s.  In part this is because the load/unload zone is outdoors (and away from any restaurant windows). Both now feature the infamous clock, although DLP’s is the only one of the two which puts on a mini-show every quarter hour and it is visible from further away. The overall look is more aesthetically pleasing, featuring topiaries, real-life ducks, a three-dimensional model of the globe design seen in two-dimensions above the entrance to the first scene of WDW’s ride, and the Railroad tracks.

For more about the Paris “it’s a small world”, see my article of 2012 comparing it to its Californian counterpart: http://mousescrappers.com/wordpress/?p=3860

Categories
In the Parks WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Fantasyland (Part One)

Seeing as the last few articles from yours truly compared the Fantasyland attractions in Disneyland Paris (DLP) to their equivalents in Anaheim, I swear it is nothing more than serendipity which causes this article to be the first of a two-part comparison between the Fantasyland in Paris and its WDW counterpart.

Primarily, for these articles, I prefer comparing attractions (rather than statistics, restaurants, shops, restrooms, history etc.) but there are so few which can be compared to each other.

For example, DLP’s Fantasyland has no equivalent of The Barnstormer, the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station (though it has a Casey Jr. Circus Train), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Journey of the Little Mermaid or Mickey’s PhilharMagic (though arguably Animagique at the Walt Disney Studios Park is in some ways similar).

Likewise, WDW’s Fantasyland has no equivalent of Alice’s Curious Labyrinth, the Snow White ride (any more), Storybook Land Canal Boats or Les Voyages de Pinocchio.

Fantasyland attractions which are comparable are Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Peter Pan’s Flight, the teacups and the carousel; all of these attractions were operating on opening day in both Florida and Paris.

 

DUMBO THE FLYING ELEPHANT

In both WDW and DLP, this attraction seats two people per pachyderm with height controllable by the riders. Although I am not a fan of this attraction at all –I can go around in a circle whenever I want without queuing to do so- I would admit both are attractive to look at, with my preference being the one in Florida.

The shape of the two rides are similar with sixteen elephants coming out of a central hub, but the Florida attraction has more details on the hub, such as mother elephants and the story of Dumbo being told in pictorial form around the base. Both versions feature storks, although in Florida these are in three dimensions, but DLP is the only one to feature a central Timothy Q. Mouse.

WDW has two separate Dumbo hubs as well as an interactive queue area (neither of which appear in DLP) and, although both versions have water features, the Florida one is lit up in a more imaginative way at night-time.

 

PETER PAN’S FLIGHT

In both WDW and DLP, Peter Pan’s Flight uses the same overhanging mechanism to transport the rider above scenes from Peter Pan in chronological order. Differences include Nana being in the Nursery for the DLP version (and outside for the WDW one), the timing of the mermaid lagoon and WDW utilizing an omnimover-style load/unloading system.

Several details from the WDW version are missing in France. For example there is no shadow of our heroes reflected onto the moon, the miniature version of the Jolly Roger doesn’t shoot a cannonball when the guest flies overhead, there is no reference to The Lost Boys and there are fewer Indians.

France’s ride however does feature more of a sense of the rider actually flying, such as entering the Nursery from above, rather than from ground level. This makes exiting through the window (and over the city) more believable. The city itself also seems more London-esque.

Also, France’s ride has a nifty lighting effect (representing pixie dust being spread everywhere) when Peter Pan has taken over the Jolly Roger. This effect explains how the brig is now able to fly. In WDW, the same scene exists (without the lighting) thus the galleon’s aviation abilities are not demonstrated apart from in a mural at the end of the ride. This mural does not exist in DLP, nor does it need to.

 

THE TEACUPS

This attraction is officially known as Mad Tea Party in Florida and Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups in Paris.

Both last approximately ninety seconds, feature eighteen cups, start and end with a pre-recorded spiel and are accompanied by an instrumental version of The Unbirthday Song, as composed by Mack David, Jerry Livingston and Al Hoffman.

Both have Chinese Lanterns hanging overhead (which make the attractions especially pretty when lit at night) and both officially refer to the giant spinning platform as “the tea tray”. Extending this metaphor, each disc is referred to as a “plate”, and each cup is on its own “saucer”.

Both versions are covered (although the roof in DLP is much more ornate) and feature Dormouse popping his head out of a teapot. However, in WDW, this is in the centre of the ride itself whereas in DLP this is just standing nearby albeit visible from the ride. Incidentally, the operator’s booth for this attraction in DLP is supposed to be a sugar bowl, whereas the equivalent booth in WDW is unthemed.

 

THE CAROUSEL

In Florida, this is called Prince Charming Regal Carrousel, whereas the Paris equivalent is called Le Carrousel de Lancelot.

Both run at speeds of 4.4mph with flexible durations although the horses always end their rotation at the same location (and height) as they started. They also both feature a soundtrack consisting of looped Disney music and horses in a “leaping” position, as opposed to the more traditional funfair style without bent knees.

Differences between the carousels include the manufacturers (the Paris ride had been built specially by Disney whereas the WDW one had been built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1917), the story told on the panels (Cinderella in WDW; The Lady of the Lake in DLP), the number of horses operational at any one time (90 in WDW and 86 in DLP) and the colors; white in WDW and various in DLP.

 

OTHER

Both lands also feature a sword-in-the-stone (although neither any longer have the accompanying ceremony), a Cinderella Fountain and a stop for the Railroad.

Oh, yeah, and a massive castle.

In part two of this article, I will be comparing the castles and “it’s a small world” as well as looking at the numerous meet-and-greets which seem to take up most of the Fantasylands.

Categories
Disney History Gone But Not Forgotten In the Parks WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Tomorrowland vs. Discoveryland

Other than its geographical position (to the right of the Hub, with direct connections to only Fantasyland and Main Street, U.S.A.), at first glance Tomorrowland in Florida’s Magic Kingdom seems worlds away from its cousin Discoveryland in Disneyland Paris.

The layout is very different, as is the theming (Florida is a “space port” whereas Paris is a reflection of how nineteenth century visionaries imagined the future) and the dining experiences are incomparable.  For the sake of brevity, I will not discuss these eateries, nor the shops, arcades, characters or shows.

 

THE TIMEKEEPER

In 1994, a new color scheme in Florida’s Tomorrowland did bring the two Lands closer stylistically, as did the opening of The Timekeeper, an attraction which bore more than a passing resemblance to Le Visionarium (an opening day attraction at DLP, two years previously). Nonetheless, the Land’s artwork and backstory became more the vision of tomorrow dreamt of by 1930s comic strip characters, rather than that imagined by Jules Verne, H. G. Wells and their ilk.

Although the 360 degree film shown in Le Visionarium and The Timekeeper were pretty similar to each other, there were a few subtle differences, such the inclusion of a scene featuring Gérard Depardieu as an airport worker in the former and a view of the New York skyline in the latter. [Ironically, both of these scenes were temporarily removed: the Depardieu scene due to the 2000 Concorde crash; and the NYC section soon after September 11th 2001].

Aside from the main film, there were several other differences between Le Visionarium and The Timekeeper, including the exterior (which in Paris featured a flying car), the pre-show video and the audio.  Although the Paris attraction’s show was in French, there were headphones for guests wishing to listen to the show in English or German. The English audio was not the same as the version used in the Florida version, which was a lot more upbeat, utilizing the voice talents of Robin Williams and Rhea Perlman.

Over time, Florida’s color scheme has changed again, and The Timekeeper has closed (as it did in Paris) and the two Lands feel less related than ever before.

 

ASTRO ORBITER

One Discoveryland-inspired 1994 Tomorrowland change which is still in place is the re-theme of the aerial carousel Star Jets to the Astro Orbiter. This is based on Paris’s Orbitron Machines Volantes, commonly known just as Orbitron. Both attractions have twelve height-controllable rockets with zodiac signs on the tails rotating around a spinning “planetarium” which makes the ride feel faster than it actually is.

Whereas the WDW version is raised, thus affording beautiful views to the rider (especially at nighttime), the DLP version is slightly sunken, surrounded by “meteorites” and serves as the Land’s main weenie.

 

SPACE MOUNTAIN

The Paris version of Space Mountain (known in full as Space Mountain: Mission 2) is remarkably different from the Florida version. The exterior design is more steampunk, there are inversions, the rockets go in sets of six each seating four (whereas WDW’s rockets are in sets of two, each seating three), the pre-show is less interactive and there is no pre-launch tunnel of light or no post-ride robots.

Although there are two separate loading bays in both Paris and Florida, in the former these meet up and travel on the same track, whereas the latter has two separate “rides”, called the Alpha Track and the Omega Track.

The main lift in Florida is relatively slow, albeit with plenty to look at. In Paris this section is much faster. You are supposedly being catapulted out of a cannon [The Columbiad] and into space. This portion of the attraction is covered from the elements, but is visible to those outside, which adds to the kinetics of the Land.

The coaster section in Disneyland Paris feels the faster of the two. This may be due to its track length (including storage and maintenance) being 1.1km whereas Florida’s is almost triple this. The visuals are, in my opinion, a lot more interesting though, featuring more near-misses and an easier plot to follow.

Both have a Fastpass option, are manufactured by Vekoma, and have onboard audio (though Paris uses the SOBAT system whilst Florida utilizes Starry-O-Phonic Sound).

 

OTHERS

Paris does feature an Autopia, closer in theming to its Anaheim namesake than Florida’s speed-orientated Tomorrowland Speedway. DLP also has a Buzz Lightyear attraction, which is practically a carbon copy of the Anaheim one and so misses out on many of the cooler details which appear in Florida, such as three-headed dinosaur, the wall of Z’s, the rotating light effect or the domed screen.

Paris has no version of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, Stitch’s Great Escape! or Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. The nearest it has to the latter two is Stitch Live!, in Walt Disney Studios Park, which uses similar technology and audience interactions to MILF, but caters more towards younger children. (In 2009, there was a live stage show in Discoveryland on a mobile stage by Space Mountain, in which Stitch was the DJ, but the less said about that, the better).

Likewise, there are several attractions in Discoveryland which have no equivalent in Florida’s Tomorrowland.  These include Videopolis, Discoveryland Station and Les Mystères du Nautilus. This last attraction sounds like it may have been similar to Fantasyland’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage, and (whilst based on the same source material) it‘s closer stylistically, thematically and plot-wise to a 1950s walk-through attraction once housed over in Disneyland.

The two other attractions in Discoveryland which do not exist in Florida’s Tomorrowland (although they exist elsewhere in WDW, as well as in California’s version of the Land) are Captain EO and Star Tours. NB, DLP has still got the original version of Star Tours, rather than the “The Adventures Continue” upgrade existing stateside.

Categories
WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: Adventureland

Standing in front of the castle, with your back to Main Street, U.S.A./World Bazaar, the first Land you encounter clockwise in four of the five Magic Kingdoms is Adventureland. Internet rumors abound that in Shanghai, Adventureland will take up the Tomorrowland/Discoveryland position to the East of the Hub. However, for now, Disneyland Paris has the only “park one” where Adventureland is to be found elsewhere; it is located between Frontierland and Fantasyland.

Not including restaurants, shops or shows (seasonal or otherwise, past and present) there is very little to do in either the Walt Disney World (WDW) or the Disneyland Paris version of this Land.  If we also exclude meet and greets, there are fewer attractions in Adventureland in Paris than in any other Land; in Florida only Liberty Square and Main Street, U.S.A. have fewer.

 

SWISS FAMILY TREEHOUSE

In both Florida and Paris, this is a walk-through attraction themed to Johann Wyss’s 1812 novel Der Schweizerische Robinson (commonly known in English as The Swiss Family Robinson) and Disney’s 1960 film version of the text.

In many ways, the two are similar, featuring examples of how the Robinsons lived on a day-to-day basis, with look-but-don’t-touch glimpses into their rooms, underscored by the lively, if repetitive, strains of Buddy Baker’s catchy Swisskapolka.  Both have a set path to follow, featuring beautiful views, hand-painted leafs and more steps than you remember until it’s too late.

Although the waterwheel in Florida’s treehouse is more impressive than its French counterpart (in terms of its size and its ability to actually transport water), and the route has fewer theme-less yellow health-and-safety signs, I do still prefer the Paris version, as it is taller (89ft as opposed to 60ft) and features several details not included in the WDW version, such as the nearby wreck of the Robinson’s vessel, and a walk-through root cellar.

 

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN

This classic attraction was an opening day attraction in Disneyland Paris, and has been in WDW since 1973.  Both are set in a Spanish Fortress, although the one in France is supposedly a lot more run down with a darker queue area which only has one route.

The storyline for both versions of Pirates of the Caribbean (POTC) is pretty similar: a group of pirates attack a small village, set it on fire, and die with their skeletons found posed near their boats.  The order this is experienced in varies considerably, with the French version being the more chronological of the two.  Likewise, both have versions of the iconic moments (such as the auction scene, the pooped/gluttonous pirate, the talking Jolly Roger, the mayor being dunked in a well and so forth) but in a totally different order.

Paris does not yet have characters from the film franchise added (and whether they ever will, or should, appear has become a source of much debate) although a look-alike Jack Sparrow sometimes partakes in a meet-and-greet near the attraction’s entrance.

Details found on the Paris POTC which do not appear in any other version of the attraction worldwide include a protective octopus, sword-fighting pirates and a buccaneer who swings over the riders’ heads. Sadly its proposed Pirate-themed Shooting Gallery never made it off the drawing board.  Nevertheless, due to these details (and the overall narrative of the attraction) I would suggest that I prefer the Paris version to the one found in Florida.

 

THE MAGIC CARPETS OF ALADDIN

This Dumbo-esque attraction was added to WDW’s Adventureland in 2001 and an equivalent was added to Disneyland Paris in 2002 as an opening day attraction in their Walt Disney Studios park.  The French version, called Flying Carpets Over Agrabah, is not particularly different in terms of looks or control (with the Guests in the front controlling the height, and those in the back determining the angle).  Both feature sixteen carpets, all of which seat a maximum of four riders, rotating around a central lamp and, in my opinion, neither suit the Land in which they are housed.

Thematically, the French version is more interesting as it gives the impression that the riders are extras in a new movie, directed by the Genie.  His comments can get frustrating, especially if you have already heard most of them whilst waiting to board, but I still prefer this to the Florida counterpart due to the beautiful Agrabah backdrop, the use of FastPass, the lack of spitting camels and the better shade for those waiting.

 

OTHERS

Paris has no equivalent of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room or Jungle Cruise.  The latter has been put down to the language issue, as well as the climate not being right for either outdoor animatronics or thematically suitable plants. The Land does however feature a boat based on the eponymous one from The African Queen (which Jungle Cruise was partly inspired by) outside of a counter-service restaurant called Colonel Hathi’s Pizza Outpost.

The Explorer’s Club (the original table-service eatery, where Colonel Hathi’s now stands) once featured animatronic birds which would sing on occasion. The birds, located in a tree at the center of the building, still exist, but are now rarely-if-ever switched on. This design was reminiscent of Walt’s original idea for California’s Tiki Room; a restaurant where the birds performed whilst Guests ate. To a lesser extent, this also reflects one of the early notions for Disneyland’s Club 33, where an audio-animatronic vulture would have interacted with those dining.

Unique to the Adventureland in Disneyland Paris is Le Passage Enchanté d’Aladdin, a walkthrough attraction, where you pass nine miniature tableaux telling Disney’s version of the story, as per the 1992 film. This attraction is often overlooked by Guests, and doesn’t mean much to people who haven’t seen the movie, but it is incredibly detailed and makes good use of the Pepper’s Ghost effect. With the exception of the music and the dialogue painted by the opening/closing images (which are in French) the attraction is bi-lingual. It is the only attraction in the whole resort I have never seen a Cast Member at (and the switches and fire extinguishers are easy to find) so it is perhaps one of the easiest parts of the park to raise havoc in.

Also in Adventureland in Disneyland Paris is Adventure Isle (similar to Florida’s Tom Sawyer Island) and Indiana Jones et le Temple du Péril, which was the world’s first Disney attraction to feature an inversion, and is still the Disney attraction with the greatest height requirement to ride unaccompanied (54 inches).  This is a standard Intamin rollercoaster although for four years (2000-2004) the cars were turned to face the other direction, so the riders could not see which way they would be going next.

Categories
WDW vs DLP

WDW vs. DLP: The Railroads

One of Walt’s most famous edicts about Disneyland, whilst it was still in the design phase, is that it would be “surrounded by a train”.

The Disneyland Railroad (formerly the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad) opened with the park in 1955.  Equivalent Railroads have been opening day attractions at Walt Disney World (WDW), Tokyo Disneyland (TDL), Disneyland Paris (DLP) and Hong Kong Disneyland, with one planned for the forthcoming Shanghai park.

With the exception of TDL’s Western River Railroad, all Railroads circle the park and have stops by the park entrance.  There is so much that can be written about all five Railroads (not to mention the other train rides at the parks, such as Big Thunder Mountain, Casey Jr. or the Wildlife Express Train) but this article will focus solely on the basics, specifically referring to WDW and DLP.

 

THE NOMENCLATURE

DLP’s Railroad is now known as the Disneyland Railroad, although it opened as the Euro Disneyland Railroad in 1992. Although the attraction changed its name in the mid-1990s, the trains themselves didn’t lose the word “Euro” until early 2002.  The word wasn’t removed from the water tower by Frontierland Depot until 2009, and the initials EDRR are still visible on the iron railings at Main Street station.

The trains are called George Washington (with its carriages named after places important in Washington’s life: Mt Vernon, Boston, Philadelphia, Yorktown and Valley Forge), C.K. Holliday (with carriages named after the top vacation locations from yesteryear: Coney Island, Atlantic City, Chesapeake, Long Island and Niagara Falls); W.F. Cody (with carriages named after Western US cities: Silverton, Durango, Denver, Wichita and Cheyenne) and Eureka (with carriages named after Californian cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Diego and Sacramento).

WDW’s Railroad is called the Walt Disney World Rail Road.  The trains are called Walter E. Disney, Lilly Belle, Roger E. Broggie and Roy O. Disney, but the carriages do not have individual names.

 

THE STATIONS

Main Street Station was an opening day attraction at both resorts.  Taking this stop as a starting/ending point, the trains in WDW currently call at the following stations: Main Street Station, Frontierland Station (which opened in its original position in 1972, and in its new location in the early 1990s); Fantasyland Station (which opened in 2012, replacing Toontown Fair Station, which had replaced Duckberg Station); Main Street Station.

The route at Disneyland Paris is as follows: Main Street Station; Frontierland Depot (which opened with the park in 1992); Fantasyland Station (which opened with the park); Discoveryland Station (which opened in July 1993 to coincide with a new post-show to Star Tours); Main Street Station.

The Main Street Stations are the only ones not to use the title of their land in their nomenclature, seeing as neither feature “U.S.A.” in their official name.  In terms of theming and location, there are many ways in which both versions of this stop are similar.  For example, both are located above the entrance to the park, both are themed to a small town station from the turn of the twentieth century, both have featured prop fire buckets which many Guests believe to be there in case of a genuine emergency and both feature announcements solely made in English.

Three other details which set Main Street Station in Paris apart are: the viewing area for the parade (although this is often shut), the maroon band organ in the centre of the platform and the stained glass windows representing landmarks which can be found in the other lands of the park.  From left to right, these windows show the Orbitron (Discoveryland), Sleeping Beauty Castle (Fantasyland), Captain Hook’s Galley (Adventureland) and the Mark Twain passing Big Thunder Mountain (Frontierland).

In Disneyland Paris, the stop in Frontierland is the only one in the park to not feature the word “Station” in its title; it is officially named Frontierland Depot.  Its look is based on the original design for the Frontierland Station in California (still visible the other side of the tracks from New Orleans Square Station), which in turn was based on the one which appeared in the 1948 Disney film So Dear to My Heart.

Both Frontierland Depot in DLP and Frontierland Station in WDW feature a telegraph key which taps out part of Walt Disney’s 1955 dedication to Disneyland.  The former has a water tower for replenishing the tenders of the Railroad trains; in WDW the water tower can be found at Fantasyland Station.

 

THE GRAND CIRCLE TOUR

Both Railroads travel solely in a clockwise direction and have 3ft narrow gauge tracks.  The length of the onstage portion of the tracks is 7817ft in Florida and 7217.8ft in Paris.  Due to the difference in distance travelled, one would expect WDW to have the longer “Grand Circle Tour” (i.e. getting on at a random station, riding the Railroad past all stops, then getting off where one boarded) yet this lasts approximately twenty minutes in Florida and thirty in France.

The WDW Grand Circle Tour features glimpse of outdoor animatronics in WDW not visible from anywhere else accessible to Guests.  It also passes through Splash Mountain, and gives an up-close view of Big Thunder Mountain.  The DLP Grand Circle Tour goes through Pirates of the Caribbean and an equivalent of Anaheim’s Grand Canyon Diorama.

Other than when a station is shut for a refurbishment, generally Guests can embark or disembark at any stop of the Disneyland Railroad in WDW.  In DLP, this is not always the case, especially off-season and/or early or late in the day.  It has been known for Guests to only be allowed to board or exit at the station in Main Street, U.S.A.  A variant on this (which usually occurs when staff is limited) is where Guests can only board at that station but can disembark wherever they wish.

Another time when the DLP Railroad has specific boarding requirements are when the park runs “Good Morning Fantasyland” character breakfasts.  This means Guests can get to a restaurant in Fantasyland, without having to go through Main Street, U.S.A., which may not have opened to the public yet, and may still be full of maintenance staff.