To make matters worse, it gets really confusing when we have “fictional London” and “real London” — what does that even mean? Did some author use his/her imagination to make fictional London? If so, doesn’t that fly in the face of the “every story you’ve ever known is real” motto from season one? Hence, does that make Wendy Darling, who’s from “real” London somehow “more real” than say Alice or Cruella — both of whom are from fictional London? I know, my questions are pointless.
I think the whole reason they ended up making the Darlings from the real world is because they wanted Baelfire to meet them, and go to Neverland from there. However, they had to stay consistent with the fact that the bean sent him to the Land Without Magic. It had to be the same world, because that was specifically the world Rumple was looking to get to for centuries. Still doesn’t make it any less confusing. I remember when several people asked if the Darlings and Alice were from the same world, back when Wonderland first started airing. Adam had to keep telling people that they weren’t.