Best domestic Disney park?

[networkpro]

I'll be the dissenting opinion, DCA is the worst followed by DL as second. Why ? It's location, and

Yeah that's the thing I like the least about MK, and to some extent all of the WDW parks. None of them really feel lived in at all. Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom doesn't feel like it could be a real tropical port town, but rather a Polynesian themed swap meet or strip mall. I get that the wide open layout and scale are appealing at a theme park level, but it throws off the experience to me.

Just like the endless strip malls outside the DL gates.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Wow, imagine Disneyland winning a poll on the Disneyland section of the forum.

I wasn’t expecting this to happen. I’m shocked.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'll be the dissenting opinion, DCA is the worst followed by DL as second. Why ? It's location, and


Just like the endless strip malls outside the DL gates.

What does the strip mall down the street on Harbor have to do with your experience in the parks? Do you think about the 7-Eleven down the street as you’re in line for Matterhorn?

OP asked to vote for the BEST. Not the worst. Unless you’re trying to stir the pot…

 

[mickEblu]

I’m really curious to see where DCA ranks after my trip to WDW. On paper, Epcot should be better than DCA maybe for World Showcase alone. But when you consider a “Future World” that’s a diluted shell of its former self, the size of Epcot and even World Showcase that’s diminished with the new show equipment visible in the lagoon it makes me wonder if I’ll even enjoy it more than the much smaller DCA that packs a decent punch for its size and has some beautifully themed areas with Grizzly Peak and Cars Land. Not to mention the high energy Pier that is a fun place to spend some time, especially at night.

 

[Dear Prudence]

What does the strip mall down the street on Harbor have to do with your experience in the parks? Do you think about the 7-Eleven down the street as you’re in line for Matterhorn?

OP asked to vote for the BEST. Not the worst. Unless you’re trying to stir the pot…

Wait, there's a strip mall down the street? I thought it was all hotels lol lol lol

I didn't know there was a 7-11, either. Clearly, if anything were going to live rent free in my mind outside of the parks, it's the Denny's across the street.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Wait, there's a strip mall down the street? I thought it was all hotels lol lol lol

I didn't know there was a 7-11, either. Clearly, if anything were going to live rent free in my mind outside of the parks, it's the Denny's across the street.

Right! Like of all things OUTSIDE THE PARKS to complain about, the strip mall on (or at least near) Katella is what comes to mind? Not the Mickey D’s or the IHOP directly across the street? Lol.

And yep, there’s a 7-Eleven down the street. I’ve gone there a few times to grab snacks. People complain about the outside of the parks, but I find the services very convenient. I have walked across the street to get some french fries at McDonald’s when the munchies hit multiple times.

 

[Dear Prudence]

Ranking, easy-peasy--

Disneyland
DCA
Animal Kingdom

 

[Californian Elitist]

Ranking, easy-peasy--

Disneyland
DCA
Animal Kingdom

What about the others? Lmaooo

 

[Stevek]

Disneyland
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
California Adventure
Disney Hollywood Studios

 

[Stevek]

Wow, imagine Disneyland winning a poll on the Disneyland section of the forum.

Yeah, not surprising BUT having been to all of the domestic parks multiple times, I personally feel pretty good providing my POV/rankings.

 

[Dear Prudence]

What about the others? Lmaooo

they don't exist as far as I am concern, hahahaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[el_super]

Ranking, easy-peasy--

Disneyland
DCA
Animal Kingdom

Pretty much how I feel too. Animal Kingdom is the lone standout at Walt Disney World. I'm sure I could attribute that to a bias toward green spaces/trees and nature (since So Cal is definitely lacking in those elements).

Within the context of DLR, I don't really care for DCA all that much. But compared to WDW, there's just more to do there (and more things I want to do).

 

[Dear Prudence]

Pretty much how I feel too. Animal Kingdom is the lone standout at Walt Disney World. I'm sure I could attribute that to a bias toward green spaces/trees and nature (since So Cal is definitely lacking in those elements).

Within the context of DLR, I don't really care for DCA all that much. But compared to WDW, there's just more to do there (and more things I want to do).

I wish DCA would lean back into being about California-inspired. I like that it's a park I feel relaxed in. It has some truly beautiful theming, and while a lot of the attractions give me vertigo, the ones I love I cannot live without. The Little Mermaid attraction looking like the pre-1906 Earthquake Steinhart Aquarium? Stunning. The Pacific Wharf looking exactly like the ones in Monterey and Pacifica? Amazing. Grizzly Peak paying homage to Yosemite, Muri Woods, and Native California? Perfection. The ranger station in the Redwood Creek Trail area is one of my all-time faves!

 

[Too Many Hats]

Yeah that's the thing I like the least about MK, and to some extent all of the WDW parks. None of them really feel lived in at all. Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom doesn't feel like it could be a real tropical port town, but rather a Polynesian themed swap meet or strip mall. I get that the wide open layout and scale are appealing at a theme park level, but it throws off the experience to me.

I hear what you're saying. I think ideally these places strive to achieve that delicate balance between realism/immersion and theme park functionality. If you go too far in the latter direction, you end up with a parking lot with rides in it (which is how some areas of MK feel to me). Go too far in the former direction and you have the misery of Disneyland's Adventureland on a crowded Saturday afternoon.

But Frontierland and Liberty Square at MK -- the whole stretch along the river, from Haunted Mansion to Big Thunder -- is a wide open space that somehow manages to feel like a real place to me. Not sure what place exactly (the frontier, southern, and colonial aesthetics overlap at times), and I can see how it's less lived in and detailed than the best corners of Disneyland, but it has a real transportive quality to it. Feels more like a real 19th-century American river than Disneyland's Rivers of America. For this area alone, MK earns a lot of points from me.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I love Disneyland, but I’m not a theme park fanatic at all. I’m interested in people and culture when I travel, which is why flying anywhere at that just to visit a theme park resort is an absolute no-no for me.

Have you done Disneyland Paris?

Last time we went (2018) we did the parks the first day, took a train and spent the day in Paris the next, did another park day, took a flight to Prague and spent the day their the next, spent another day at the parks, took a train and spent the day in Brussels the next…

Best of both for us, lots of travel but also lots of down time and relaxation time on our Disney days… and best of all we didn’t have to pack up and lug our suitcases all over Europe, we stayed in our DL Paris hotel the entire time.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

After having been to WDW then DL/DCA in 2018 (not planned but long story), DL in 2019 (ditto), and now WDW /Universal in 2021, I would rank the Stateside Disney Parks this way:

1- DL
2- MK
3- DAK
4- DHS
5- Epcot
6- DCA

Why?

It has nothing to do with DL being my home park and everything to do with charm, consistent theme, and classic attractions. Even MK has an abundance of that.

DAK is still a more consistent in theme and execution compared to DHS and DCA. DHS has a split personality in terms of quality.
Epcot used to be an easy #3 but has now fallen short. DCA is going backwards and moving quickly away from the excellent 2.0 vision and toward the absolute mess it was.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Have you done Disneyland Paris?

Last time we went (2018) we did the parks the first day, took a train and spent the day in Paris the next, did another park day, took a flight to Prague and spent the day their the next, spent another day at the parks, took a train and spent the day in Brussels the next…

Best of both for us, lots of travel but also lots of down time and relaxation time on our Disney days… and best of all we didn’t have to pack up and lug our suitcases all over Europe, we stayed in our DL Paris hotel the entire time.

DLP may just be my favorite castle park of all! (DL Tomorrowland is a mess, and that brings it down quite a bit.)

 

[Californian Elitist]

Have you done Disneyland Paris?

Last time we went (2018) we did the parks the first day, took a train and spent the day in Paris the next, did another park day, took a flight to Prague and spent the day their the next, spent another day at the parks, took a train and spent the day in Brussels the next…

Best of both for us, lots of travel but also lots of down time and relaxation time on our Disney days… and best of all we didn’t have to pack up and lug our suitcases all over Europe, we stayed in our DL Paris hotel the entire time.

I haven’t done DLP yet. I almost went on a short notice when I was in London in 2018, but it didn’t work out.

To be honest, I have no immediate plans to visit any of the other Disney parks outside of California. They are usually an afterthought. For example, I remember talking about going to France with a friend and mentioning some of the places I wanted to hit up. They mentioned DLP and I was kinda just like…oh yeah. Guess that’s an option. I have no deep desire to visit the others. I’m not necessarily into theme parks, Disney theme parks included. Not saying I’ll never visit them, just that they’re not a priority and are the last things on my list to do when I travel.

It’s really cool that you included other places in your itinerary! That’s more of what I would do, only I’d do DLP for one day and then the rest of my time would be spent elsewhere.

 

[yeti]

Best Value/would recommend to total Disney noob in this order
1. Disneyland
2. MK
3. Epcot
4. DCA
5. Studios
6. DAK

Based on personal taste
1. Epcot
2. MK
3. AK
4. Studios
5. Disneyland
6. DCA

 

[Too Many Hats]

My appreciation for Magic Kingdom's design continues to grow, and I really enjoyed just being there the other day in a way that I really haven't in the past. I especially love their Adventureland, as it's such a different take and feel vs. the others. As much as we laud DL's west side on this side of the forums, MK also has a west side that's distinct and fabulous in its own right. Similar concept, but the feel of the place is very different.

Absolutely. Feels completely different.

And yeah, MK's Adventureland -- love it. Well, aside from Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Let's never forgive them for that.