Can you give your reasoning as to why Animal Kingdom ranks so high in your list? Is it the overall theming?
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California Adventure or Hollywood Studios?
- Thread starter MK-fan
- Start date
Little Green Men
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't say it's miserable, atleast when I went. TSL was too crowded before SWL opened, but now the crowds are better distributed. Waiting for ROTR was a big to do but that's to be expected when you need to go to a park at 6 AM to reserve access.
Another thing DHS has is restaurants. While Carthay was a great addition to DCA and they have other good offerings, nothing beats the atmosphere of 50s Primetime, The Sci Fi, or the food at The Brown Derby.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Theming. Immersion. Overall experience. Less crowds.
bestcoastracer
Member
When were your last visits to DHS and DCA, respectively?
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
2017 for DHS, 2018 for DCA.
In, say, 2015, DCA would have absolutely wiped the floor with DHS, at least for me. Now? Who knows? There's been plenty of change.
@GrandCanyonConcourse have they fixed DHS' counter service problems since 2017? I do want to try out more of the table service there, having only done Brown Derby, but what they had as options for counter service threeish years ago was...not great.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
DCA is 100% a better park, IMO.
Things are getting a bit more equal now that DHS has received some love, but I'd still rather spend a day at DCA.
And quite frankly, seeing as I would likely use a Park Hopper, Disneyland Resort in general is a stronger offering, and a way better bang for your buck than WDW.
Things are getting a bit more equal now that DHS has received some love, but I'd still rather spend a day at DCA.
And quite frankly, seeing as I would likely use a Park Hopper, Disneyland Resort in general is a stronger offering, and a way better bang for your buck than WDW.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
I'd go:
1. DL
2. AK
3. Epcot
4. MK
5. DHS/DCA
6. DHS/DCA
Granted, Epcot and AK are places where I enjoy the atmosphere and leisurely going about my day. Both have much better bones than DCA. MK would beat both for attractions, if only for sheer quantity, but then I find MK a bit extra, so...
Little Green Men
Well-Known Member
Well Docking Bay 7 is certainly a great counter service, Woodys Lunchbox is surprisingly great food as well. Baseline Taphouse is a great addition too.
EDIT: I haven’t tried it yet but as of August The ABC Commissary got a make over with new menu items that looks fantastic and got great reviews too.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Funny that you rank them that way. When I created my ranking, I immediately filled in #1, #2, #5 and #6. I had to pause and think about #3 and #4.
I probably would have put Epcot #3 but my perception of Future World isn’t very strong and I’m having a hard time understanding the direction they are going with on that.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
Old MGM was cooler than modern DCA.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
I don't particularly care for Future World as is or where they're going with it. But then Future World has always been something of a dumpster fire for as long as I've known it, having missed almost all of the OG Future World attractions.
There are pockets-mostly the vintage ones still remaining-that are satisfying in that weird old school Disney way, where things seem to work almost in spite of themselves. World Showcase has tons of amosphere, even if it's a bit short on content.
Nostalgia to an extent plays into it though-if we're looking at Epcot solely from a ride's perspective, it's an easy argument to say it's the worst of the four WDW parks and quite possibly the worst of the US parks, period.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I was curious to see what my take on Epcot was going to be as someone has never gone and has no nostalgia for it. I imagine it would have been my least favorite of the 4 parks from a satisfaction standpoint considering all parks in their current state. There is a reason it was the only park I had booked for only 1 day. Not a whole lot of rides and aging Future World with construction walls anywhere. I wonder if I could see past the construction walls and find some nostalgia for it considering it has some of that old school Disney charm and is reminiscent of the 70’s mall esque Space Mountain complex. I wondered if World Showcase on its own is strong enough to bump it ahead of any of the other 4 parks.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
It is a horrible shame that EPCOT, 1 of only 4 parks built by the original WED and the only one that wasn't a castle park, has been so butchered.
I wouldn't even argue that what is being replaced has served much of a purpose for a long time, but they deserved better replacments more in keeping with the meaning of the original park.
World Showcase is strong, but honestly you could pick it up, move it out of WDW, get rid of the gate fee, and call it a shopping mall it would be much the same. Better even, because you would be able to splurge knowing you could spend money without a guaranteed $120+ surcharge just to get in the place.
It does feel like the bottom really fell out of Epcot when people realized that instead of going to Epcot they could go to Disney Springs and do essentially the same things for less money, with no ticket required.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
Makes you wonder how Epcot would do without APs, if and when they get rid of them there too.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
WDW in general doesn't have nearly as many APs as DLR, though they do (or at least did) have an Epcot evening AP.
Though if there's any park at WDW to just hang out and lounge around in the way APs do, Epcot is certainly it.
Strong rumors have been saying that for some time that it's been the festivals, particularly Food and Wine, that have been primarily responsible for keeping the turnstile numbers from declining too much.
Practical Pig
Well-Known Member
Also speaking as one who has not been to WDW, and based on just reading fan's comments online, your ranking matches mine.
mlayton144
Well-Known Member
Here’s mine- it’s tough after the first 2 without knowing the future of live entertainment performed by actual humans
DL
MK
AK
EPCOT
DCA/DHS
Dollywood
Knots berry farm
Gator land
Sesame place
Your local fireman’s fair
Universal
DL
MK
AK
EPCOT
DCA/DHS
Dollywood
Knots berry farm
Gator land
Sesame place
Your local fireman’s fair
Universal
aliceismad
Well-Known Member
I think it depends on whether you're focused on rides or the overall.
For rides:
DL
MK
DCA
DHS
AK
EP
For general enjoyability
DL
MK
_large gap_
AK
_small gap_
EP
DCA
_small gap_
DHS
For rides:
DL
MK
DCA
DHS
AK
EP
For general enjoyability
DL
MK
_large gap_
AK
_small gap_
EP
DCA
_small gap_
DHS
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
For my two kopecs of preference, DCA was better off as a parking lot.
Model3 McQueen
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
DCA got rid of MV3D, ToT, Screamin',.. and replaced them with inferior products. Only things worth liking now are Cars Land and a few beautiful scenic areas that came with the original opening. And Buena Vista street / trolley cars, I'll give Iger credit for that.
DHS is still wowing guests with RnR, ToT, MV3D. I didn't have the pleasure to see SW:GE but I do think Toy Story Land gets a bit more hatred than it deserves. Slinky dog is a blast.
The food across all Disney Parks sucks unless you know where to look.
My vote, in 2012 DCA all day everyday. Now, DHS hands down.
DHS is still wowing guests with RnR, ToT, MV3D. I didn't have the pleasure to see SW:GE but I do think Toy Story Land gets a bit more hatred than it deserves. Slinky dog is a blast.
The food across all Disney Parks sucks unless you know where to look.
My vote, in 2012 DCA all day everyday. Now, DHS hands down.