Disneyland ranked only 5th - These Are the Best Theme Parks in the U.S. to Visit This Summer

[nevol]

My point is that a carnival with 5 stars in a remote area of the country and a theme park with 30 times the annual visitation and a 4.6 star rating on yelp, hypothetically, doesn't mean the smaller park is better. There are mcdonald's on yelp with 5 stars. The people ranking their experiences are subjective and have different expectations.

 

[Darkbeer1]

My point is that a carnival with 5 stars in a remote area of the country and a theme park with 30 times the annual visitation and a 4.6 star rating on yelp, hypothetically, doesn't mean the smaller park is better. There are mcdonald's on yelp with 5 stars. The people ranking their experiences are subjective and have different expectations.

That what TA is, people's experiences. Someone walking on the beach at the Ocean's Edge for the first time, such as Huntington Beach, well, it is a free, amazing experience. And I would be shocked if it doesn't rate higher than a visit to Knott's, DCA or even Disneyland.

TA's list isn't made by a group of Theme Park Experts (That is what the Golden Ticket Awards are).

http://goldenticketawards.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/AT-GoldenTickets-2018-LowRes.pdf

TA is Average Joes and Jills rating their experiences, and looks at everything, including what they expected before they got there, and value for money spent. It is what it is.

By the way, my Top 15 list has some small, independent parks in it, and doesn't have a Disney or Universal park as number 1. And my list changes as parks change.

 

[BrianLo]

Everyone hasn't noted which park did not make the top 25... Epcot.

I do like that Animal Kingdom is so high.

But USH as everyone else has mentioned is easily the worst Universal park... Limited attraction variety. More of a nice studio tour with a half baked theme park tacked on.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It’s hard to get an accurate list based on TA reviews... I know many restaurants who get negative reviews due to crummy guests leaving crummy reviews.

If the list is based on quality, variety, and immersive theming... Disneyland wins.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The hate for USH is unwarranted, but also unsurprising.

It’s the ONLY Universal property that’s a movie studio first, theme park second, and sits on 100+ years of film/television and rich filmmaking history. It does what it can with the tiny space it has and the park does a good job.

These other Universal properties are unique in their own way, but the original will always be the blueprint for the imitators, DHS included.

 

[planodisney]

My comments definitely weren’t meant as USH hate.
IMHO, USH has improved a huge amount and with the addition of Pets and Nintendo will really be a great park and full day experience.
I really enjoy the place. I thought originally they were going to build an on-site hotel resort as part of the expansion.
I wish they still had E.T. and I wish they would have built the Spider-man ride instead of Transformers.

 

[disneymillionaire]

Classifying the Island as an Amusement Park is rich, let alone of of the best. This list was profit driven list, because the only way the Island is on there is if they paid to be.

That is the truth. The Island is not A theme park and has a total 3 rides. What a joke!

 

[Rich T]

My Personal List:

1) Disneyland (It's always Disneyland)
2) Knott's Berry Farm
3) Islands of Adventure
4) Dollywood
5) Cedar Point

 

[Jedi Stitch]

Nickelodeon at Mall of America must be because the mom can shop at 420 shops while dad and the kids can go ride rides. If mom spend enough money upfront, the fam can ride for free.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Nickelodeon at Mall of America must be because the mom can shop at 420 shops while dad and the kids can go ride rides. If mom spend enough money upfront, the fam can ride for free.

My guess is that most people have no expectations for a park in a mall and are pleasantly surprised. It's very nice for what it is (and the flume is legitimately great). Probably doesn't deserve to be on any list like this, but I understand it more than The Island.

 

[truecoat]

My guess is that most people have no expectations for a park in a mall and are pleasantly surprised. It's very nice for what it is (and the flume is legitimately great). Probably doesn't deserve to be on any list like this, but I understand it more than The Island.

Over the years they ripped out all the theming this park used to have when it was Knotts Camp Snoopy. The only remnants left now are on the log flume.

 

[Phroobar]

My guess is that most people have no expectations for a park in a mall and are pleasantly surprised. It's very nice for what it is (and the flume is legitimately great). Probably doesn't deserve to be on any list like this, but I understand it more than The Island.

What is the Island? Isn't that a bad movie about some clones trying to get off an island after finding out they are being used for body parts?

 

[mdcpr]

No Coney Island, Brooklyn??!!

 

[PiratesMansion]

Over the years they ripped out all the theming this park used to have when it was Knotts Camp Snoopy. The only remnants left now are on the log flume.

Granted, but I still don't think it's an awful place. The log flume is still there and that's honestly the most important thing. I'd rather have Nickelodeon Universe than the rather bland and generic "Park at MOA" that was there between licenses.

It's also much nicer than, say, Galaxyland at the Canadian MOA equivalent in Edmonton.

What is the Island? Isn't that a bad movie about some clones trying to get off an island after finding out they are being used for body parts?

It's a nice but overrated shopping center in Pigeon Forge, TN that has three-ish rides. All the more hilarious that the legitimately great theme park Dollywood is in the same town and is off the list.

But yes, The Island was also an awful movie.

 

[socalifornian]

Granted, but I still don't think it's an awful place. The log flume is still there and that's honestly the most important thing. I'd rather have Nickelodeon Universe than the rather bland and generic "Park at MOA" that was there between licenses.

It's also much nicer than, say, Galaxyland at the Canadian MOA equivalent in Edmonton.


It's a nice but overrated shopping center in Pigeon Forge, TN that has three-ish rides. All the more hilarious that the legitimately great theme park Dollywood is in the same town and is off the list.

But yes, The Island was also an awful movie.

That area felt like a mini I-Drive

 

[Touchdown]

Interestingly, that log flume will likely never be changed. They looked into retheming it but they can’t get construction equipment in and get the AAs out without removing load bearing walls for the Mall. Which is great because that log flume is one of the best (#5 behind the two Splash Mtns, Dudley and Timber Mtn in my book.)

 

[Phroobar]

Interestingly, that log flume will likely never be changed. They looked into retheming it but they can’t get construction equipment in and get the AAs out without removing load bearing walls for the Mall. Which is great because that log flume is one of the best (#5 behind the two Splash Mtns, Dudley and Timber Mtn in my book.)

That log flume does look pretty nice. Too bad Magic Mountain destroyed their log flume. That was classic. Well at least we will have the Jet Stream.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

You all make me wish I had more money and more time.