While Disneyland and Walt Disney World have some of the same major attractions, throughout the years, the resorts have evolved and said goodbye to many fan-favorite experiences. But those choices weren’t always the same! Here’s a breakdown of experiences at Disneyland and Walt Disney World that they used to share and are now only available at one resort. 

When California’s Disneyland opened in 1955, it was the only place in the world to experience Disney Parks magic. That is until 1971, when Walt Disney World officially opened in Florida. While not necessarily in line with Walt’s vision, Magic Kingdom and Disneyland are sister parks, both sharing the same lands, some attractions, and an iconic central castle, albeit very different in design and size. 

Throughout the year’s, as each resort evolved with new parks and experiences, many of the beloved attractions that the resorts shared in common began to change. One resort would close or retheme an attraction, while the other kept it the same. Some of these closures have been highly controversial, with others less so. Let’s take a deep dive into the attractions you used to be able to experience at both resorts, but can now only experience at one.  

Disneyland Attractions No Longer at Walt Disney World

Rivers of America

Both Disneyland and Magic Kingdom opened with the Rivers of America, a long and winding river that hugged the left side of each park. Each carried their own unique fleet of water crafts that allowed guests to venture out into “wilderness” as a part of their magical vacations. Throughout the years, both have seen major changes to their lineup, with Disneyland’s hosting Fantasmic! and the Sailing Ship Columbia, with Magic Kingdom cutting all but the Liberty Belle as an option to experience the river. 

Well in 2015, the Rivers of America closed as Disneyland prepared to build Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, which significantly shortened the river but added tons of themed elements and rockwork that added a ton of charm to the classic attraction. 

Magic Kingdom’s version of the attraction remained mostly untouched until it was announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event that a new Piston Peak Cars expansion would take over the front half of the river and the back half becoming the highly anticipated Villains Land. Fans, while excited about Villains Land were heartbroken, with some going as far to encourage people to harass Walt Disney World President Jeff Vahle via email. Well, on July 6th, 2025, Rivers of America at Magic Kingdom held its final day of operations, officially closing on July 7th. The once lush area is now piles of dirt that will eventually host brand new experiences families are sure to love. 

Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island was also a victim of the new expansion at Magic Kingdom. Sitting on an island surrounded by the Rivers of America, the area opened on June 16th, 1956 at Disneyland and was an opening day attraction at Walt Disney World. Tom Sawyer Island is filled with caves, forts, rocks, playgrounds, barrel bridges, and more that give a quaint and explorative experience not really available anywhere else in the parks. 

Disneyland’s version, which is now known as Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, which was rethemed as part of the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise. It also was altered to include a large stage for Fantasmic! in the 90s, and the Fort Wilderness area of the land was closed in 2007. 

In the same fashion as Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island was mostly unchanged throughout its history. Much larger than the Disneyland version, there were tons of places to explore, including their Fort Langhorn area, which remained open throughout its existence. Just like Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island held its final day of operation on July 6th, 2025 before closing forever on July 7th.

Snow White

Often regarded as the scariest ride at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, Snow White’s Scary Adventures were also both opening day experiences. Originally designed to put riders in the role of Snow White, both had tons of scenes depicting the Evil Queen, creepy sets and characters, and a less than happy ending. 

Disneyland’s version has gone through a couple reimaginings over the years, with the first being in 1983. A part of the Fantasyland overhaul, the attraction was redesigned to include Snow White as well as new scenes that uplifted the attraction. However, the attraction still suffered for being dark for small children and still didn’t feature a happy ending. Come January 9th, 2020, Snow White’s Scary Adventures closed forever to be transformed into Snow White’s Enchanted Wish. Reorganizing the ending scenes to feature the awakening kiss as well as a more cheerful finale, the attraction officially opened on April 30th, 2021 and has been operating ever since. 

The Magic Kingdom attraction received a similar overhaul to Disneyland’s ‘83 refurbishment in 1994. It would operate as normal for over 15 years. However, in 2009, New Fantasyland was announced for Magic Kingdom, reimaging the entire back half of the park’s most fantastical land. Originally, in the center of the expansion were several highly themed meet and greet experiences similar to Enchanted Tales of Beauty and the Beast. However, reactions to the announcements were luke-warm, with guests worrying that there weren't enough things to do for the whole family. Well, as Tom Staggs took over the project in 2011, he also wasn’t too keen on the high concentration of Princess meet and greets, and replaced them with Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. 

But now Fantasyland needed a spot to place these meet and greets and didn’t need two Snow White attractions. So on May 31st, 2011, Snow White’s Scary Adventures was closed forever and replaced with Princess Fairytale Hall.

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was an opening day attraction at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. Disneyland’s version of the attraction originally sported tons of plywood flats compared to the other opening day Fantasyland dark rides and also featured a circus tent facade. Throughout the years, and especially during the 1983 Fantasyland overhaul, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride received tons of upgrades including a complete overhaul of the attraction’s facade. While still having the classic “flat” appearance, many 3D scenes, objects, and figures have been added to the attraction. 

Magic Kingdom’s version opened in 1971, and featured the familiar plywood flats. However, the attraction boasted two tracks compared to Disneyland’s one. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, which remained similar in story, featured two unique layouts that would occasionally interact with each other during the ride. Being constructed prior to Disneyland’s Fantasyland overhaul, many of the dark rides set pieces were far more similar to Disneyland’s original iteration of the attraction. This version of the attraction also featured the iconic “Hell” scene, which was, albeit, much shorter than Disneyland’s. 

Come 1998, rumors began swirling that Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride was coming to an end at Magic Kingdom. On August 27th, 1998, Walt Disney World announced the attraction would close less than two weeks later on September 7th, 1998. The attraction was replaced with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. 

Mickey’s Toontown

On June 18th, 1988, coinciding with Mickey Mouse’s 60th birthday, Magic Kingdom invited fans into a temporary experience called Mickey’s Birthday Land. For the first time, fans could step into the world of Mickey & Friends by visiting Mickey’s House, checking out Minnie’s Surprise Party, and more! Meant to be a short-term offering at the park, Mickey's Birthday Land was an absolute hit with guests, prompting Disney to extend and expand the offering. After the birthday celebration, Mickey’s Birthday Land became Mickey’s Starland in 1990. 

Well, after proving a character driven land could be incredibly popular and following the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Disneyland was ready to get in on the animated fun! Opening on January 24th, 1993, Mickey’s Toontown provided a permanent home for both the Mickey & Friends characters and Roger Rabbit. 

For a brief period of time at Magic Kingdom, Mickey’s Starland was dubbed Mickey’s Toyland for the 1995 Christmas season, but in 1996, the land would be transformed into the more permanent Mickey’s Toontown Fair. Guests could now experience some of the popular offerings from Disneyland’s area, including Minnie’s House, Donald’s Boat, and a new Vekoma family coaster themed to Goofy called Barnstormer. 

In 2009, with the announcement of New Fantasyland, Mickey’s Toontown Fair was set to close forever. The only surviving remnant of the land was set to be Barnstormer, which would see Goofy take on the role of a daredevil pilot. The rest of the land, including the giant tents were set to make way for a brand new Tinker Bell area, with meet and greets and large-scale sets. 

Well, just like Snow White’s Scary Adventures, the 2011 revised New Fantasyland plan would see Tinker Bell scrapped for a repurposed retail and meet and greet area inside the existing tents. The neighborhood would be dubbed Storybook Circus.

On February 11th, 2011, Mickey’s Toontown Fair officially closed, leaving Mickey and the rest of the gang without a proper home at Walt Disney World. 

Submarine Voyage

On June 9th, 1959, Disneyland debuted Submarine Voyage, one of three new Tomorrowland attractions to debut that year (the others being the Disneyland Monorail and Matterhorn Bobsleds). Submarine Voyage, which was based off of the USA’s latest nuclear submarines, brought guests on a semi-submerged adventure through the ocean, both real and fantasy. Featuring sunken ships, mermaids, the lost city of Atlantis, an encounter with a giant sea serpent, this revolutionary attraction became one of the first to require an E-Ticket. 

At Magic Kingdom, just two weeks after its official opening on October 1st, 1971, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage began inviting guests about the Nautilus. Inspired by Disney’s 1954 film, the attraction was incredibly similar to the Disneyland attraction with added theming elements from the film. However, come September 5th, 1994, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage would abruptly close and was set to reopen in 1996. The attraction was still a fan-favorite, but its high maintenance costs and low capacity made the attraction problematic for the park. What was initially meant to be a temporary closure ended up being permanent. 

Disneyland’s Submarine Voyage has its own near-death story. Just four years after the closure of Magic Kingdom’s attraction on July 29th, 1998, Disneyland announced that Submarine Voyage would close on September 7th for a refresh and retheme set to debut in 2003. Originally meant to be themed to Disney’s Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the animated film’s disappointing box office numbers led to plans being scrapped. The future of Submarine Voyage was uncertain until Finding Nemo proved to be an underwater smash hit. Finding Nemo: Submarine Voyage opened on June 11th, 2007. 

Walt Disney World Attractions No Longer at Disneyland

Carousel of Progress

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, alongside several other iconic Disney Parks experiences, debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Taking guests on a rotating, animatronic driven theatre experience, guests were welcomed into a journey through the technological advancements of the 20th century through the eyes of a typical American family. Running from April 22nd, 1964 through October 17th, 1965, the attraction operated for both seasons of the fair. 

After the popularity of the experience, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress would open at Disneyland on July 2nd, 1967. General Electric, who sponsored the World’s Fair iteration, agreed to sponsor a permanent addition at Disneyland. The theatre contained a second story post show with a Walt Disney World and Progress City exhibit

As we hit the 1970s, Carousel of Progress began dwindling in popularity with the local audience Disneyland majorly attracted. General Electric felt their investment wasn’t seeing new audiences, and asked Disney to move the attraction to Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in hopes the new location and larger tourist audience would make the sponsorship more lucrative for them. 

On September 9th, 1973, Carousel of Progress closed at Disneyland as it prepared to debut at Magic Kingdom on January 15th, 1975 alongside the first Space Mountain. General Electric signed on for a 10 year sponsorship. Extensive changes were made to the attraction, including the replacement of “There’s A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” with another Sherman Brothers tune titled “The Best Time of Your Life.” General Electric wanted to encourage guests to not wait for tomorrow, and, instead, go out and buy their products today. 

After 1985, and several updates to the attraction, General Electric dropped their sponsorship. Since then, Disney has made several updates to the attraction, including bringing back the attraction’s original theme song, and will soon be adding new magic and a Walt Disney animatronic in the future. 

PeopleMover

Going back to the 1964 World’s Fair, WED Enterprises (now Walt Disney Imagineering) partnered with Ford to develop a ride system for the Ford Magic Skyway attraction. Using Linear Induction Motors (LIMs) to push the vehicles across the track, Disney decided to update the WEDway system for a new attraction at Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. A showcase for a legitimate transportation system Disney intended on selling (including one installed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, TX), the WEDway PeopleMover opened on July 2nd, 1967. The relaxing attraction took guests on a tour of Tomorrowland and its attractions.

Debuting just after the opening of the first-ever Space Mountain attraction at Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World debuted their own version of the attraction on July 1st, 1975. Also designed to tour guests around Tomorrowland, the attraction features a long indoor portion inside of Space Mountain as well as the other existing Tomorrowland experiences. 

Disneyland’s attraction would eventually close on August 21st, 1995 in anticipation of a more thrilling retrofit known as Rocket Rods. Rocket Rods opened on May 22nd, 1998 and was plagued with both technical issues and capacity struggles. Boasting regular 2 to 3 hour waits, Disney implemented their first official single rider line to help offset the attraction’s major problems. 

Due to the financial disappointment of Euro Disneyland, Disney opted out of retrofitting the PeopleMover track for the much faster experience. This included banking turns and reinforcing the existing track supports. With the ride being a nightmare for maintenance and operations and with the existing infrastructure failing to handle the attraction’s forces longterm, Rocket Rods closed on September 25th, 2000 for scheduled maintenance and never reopened. The attraction’s demise was announced on April 27th, 2001.

Country Bear Jamboree

As it has been reiterated many times, good ideas never truly die. Country Bear Jamboree is no exception to this rule. Conceived by Walt Disney in the 1960s for the canceled Disney’s Mineral King Ski Resort, an animatronic bear band show was set to entertain guests visiting the planned vacation destination. After Walt Disney’s death, the bear band show concept continued to develop, even as the ski resort plans fell through. 

Imagineers working on the show decided it would fit wonderfully at the upcoming Walt Disney World project, and Country Bear Jamboree would open at Magic Kingdom on opening day in 1971. The rag-tag band of bears received an overwhelming amount of praise from guests, leading Imagineering to replicate the attraction at Disneyland Resort. 

Debuting alongside the tie in Bear Country land, Country Bear Jamboree began entertaining guests on March 4th, 1972. Unlike the Walt Disney World iteration, Imagineering added a second theatre for the attraction at Disneyland to keep wait times low for guests trying to enjoy the comedic melodies of Country Bear Jamboree. 

Unfortunately for Disneyland fans, Country Bear Jamboree met the same demise as Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Magic Kingdom. On August 21st, 2001, Disney announced that the attraction would close on September 9th, 2001 for a new attraction inspired by Winnie the Pooh. On April 11th, 2003 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh made its Critter Country debut where it still operates. 

Country Bear Jamboree at Magic Kingdom has received a few updates over the years as some of its humor has become dated and, in some cases, offensive to current audiences. On January 27th, 2024, Country Bear Jamboree would close for an update featuring new variations of hit Disney songs. On July 17th, 2024, Country Bear Musical Jamboree officially opened to guests. 

Tower of Terror

Disney-MGM Studios opened on May 1st, 1989, inviting Walt Disney World guests into a celebration and a behind-the-scenes look at the film industry. Originally opening with only a handful of attractions, Disney was quick to begin expansion on the promising park. 

Disney had been developing a new thrill ride for Euro Disneyland’s Frontierland. Dubbed Geyser Mountain, the free-fall attraction never ended up making it off the ground. But Disney quickly realized they could utilize that idea elsewhere. Looking to utilize a spookier property for Disney-MGM Studios, Imagineering was inspired by the classic Rod Sterling Twilight Zone series and decided to design their own story within the context of the iconic show. 

On July 22nd, 1994, The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror debuted as the new headlining attraction of the park’s Sunset Blvd expansion. Utilizing a thrilling trackless ride system, the attraction moves through two different elevator shafts to bring the 5th dimension to life in a way fans of the series had never experienced. 

Since opening day, Tower of Terror has received several ride profile updates, adding additional drop sequences, and, now, featuring a randomized drop profile. 

The success of the attraction led to inspiring new versions of the experience at several locations around the world. Imagineering began work on a highly altered version of the attraction for Walt Disney Studios Park. Removing the 5th dimension scene and keeping the elevator in one shaft during the entirety of the experience. However, as Disney California Adventure struggled to pull in attendance numbers, Disney decided to add this version to Hollywood Land ahead of its 2007 debut at Disneyland Paris. 

Opening on May 5th, 2004, Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror brought a new level of thrill to Disneyland Resort. Unfortunately for the Disney California Adventure version of the ride, the major changes to the ride weren’t well received by fans, often earmarking it as the significantly inferior version of the attraction. Regardless, the attraction built a dedicated fan base. 

In 2016, rumors began swirling that the 12 year old attraction would receive a major overhaul inspired by the highly successful Marvel film Guardians of the Galaxy. Initially, fans were quick to brush off these rumors as asinine. Announced at San Diego Comic Con 2016, Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! would take over the Hollywood Tower Hotel as the first step towards a new Marvel themed land that would open later down the line.

The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror officially checked out its last guests on January 2nd, 2017 before returning as Mission: BREAKOUT! on May 27th of that same year. 

The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror continues to be a headlining attraction at Walt Disney World, serving as the icon for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 

Haunted Mansion (Year Round)

In 1963, a mysterious French Quarter style mansion arose at Disneyland Park. Originally announced in 1961, guests anxiously awaited the debut of The Haunted Mansion. However, for 6 years, the mansion sat as an empty shell, with fans debating what awaited them inside. 

Originally conceived as the “Museum of Weird,” the attraction eventually evolved into a haunted house, but faced major setbacks during its design and construction process. Imagineers debated on whether the attraction should be a walk-through or ride, also having difficulty deciding whether to make the experience horrifying or humorous. Even the facade was a point of contention, as discussions arose surrounding whether the mansion should be dilapidated or  defectless. 

With other major logistic setbacks, including the 1964 World’s Fair and the tragic death of Walt Disney, The Haunted Mansion would finally open on August 9th, 1969. Perfectly combining a creepy atmosphere with hilariously charming ghosts and ghouls, the omnimover has gone on to become a fan favorite worldwide.

Haunted Mansion was an opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom, featuring a new facade to fit in with Liberty Square, fake elevator Stretching Rooms, an altered loading area, and a slightly extended layout that has helped solidify both variations of the attraction as icons. And what’s the best time to experience one of the spookiest attractions at Disney Parks? Halloween, right? Well, Disneyland fans cannot relate. 

After several successful holiday overlays in the 80s and 90s, Disney began developing a seasonal version of Haunted Mansion for Disneyland. Initially, Disney looked to adapt Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol for the experience, but later landed on Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. 

Creating a new script, temporary props and animatronics, and perfectly fitting the hit stop-motion film into the attraction, Haunted Mansion Holiday debuted on October 3rd, 2001. Since then, the classic iteration of Haunted Mansion has been unavailable during the Halloween season, and while the film still features plenty of spooks, it is a Christmas film. At both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, the Halloween season has crept into summer, with start dates beginning in August. 

This means, for Disneyland guests, Haunted Mansion Holiday operates from August to January every year, leaving the classic version of the attraction available for about seven and a half months of the year. 

Many feel as though the layover should arrive for just the Holiday season at Disneyland. This year, there was a brief moment where fans thought that dream had become a reality, however, the posted opening date was quickly replaced with another late August opening. 

Jingle Cruise

On the flip side, Walt Disney World, which generally strays away from seasonal overlays with a higher population of tourists, is the only place you can experience Jingle Cruise. 

Jungle Cruise, which was an opening day attraction at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, is a campy, corny, dad-joke filled adventure through some less than accurate depictions of the Jungle! It has remained a classic for Disney Parks, with every single resort featuring the attraction except Shanghai Disneyland. 

Looking to add some holiday hilarity to the attraction, Disneyland and Magic Kingdom debuted the Jingle Cruise for the 2013 season. Both the attraction, the queue, and the skippers were decked out for the holiday fun, sharing new and seasonal jokes to guests from around the world. 

Oddly enough, at the end of the 2016-17 holiday season at Disneyland Resort, Jingle Cruise took its last journey through the festive forests of Adventureland. Operating its final day on January 9th, 2017, the overlay never returned.

At Magic Kingdom, Jingle Cruise has returned every single year since its debut. It’s strange that the more local resort axed a seasonal offering, but it's cool to see Magic Kingdom continue to bring in some unique holiday fun. 

While there are plenty of comparisons online about Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort, both of them are top-tier theme park destinations worth visiting! For those looking to visit either the Happiest or Most Magical Places on Earth, Laughing Place recommends Mouse Fan Travel.

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