Hard time "catching on" with one of the parks?

[typhoonguy]

You know, I took a survey in my department and, ready for this?... Animal Kingdom came out on top! Which is also my favorite park. As a Cast Member that visits the park on a weekly basis, I feel it has the most 'replay value'. For me it's so relaxing and rejuvinating. The fauna and flora are such a breath of fresh air. I love all of the 'hidden' trails, the amazing quick service locations, and the attention to detail.

The most amazing part of Animal Kingdom are the stories hidden inside of the attractions. My favorite story is the mural in the maharaja jungle trek. It's the parable about mankind and respecting the environment. It's amazing that so many people miss all of these types of things woven inside the park. I love the fact that there are animals EVERYWHERE. I think many people miss too much and would really appreciate the park if they slowed down and opened their eyes extra wide. Anyone have a guess as to how many individual animal attractions and exhibit areas there are at Animal Kingdom? 20? 50? 100? Keep going... and yet most people catch Kilamanjaro, the Oasis, and possibly the animals in the front portion of Discovery Island.

AK is by far my favorite park, which is why I try to visit at least once a week. For me, it's Disney Design and storytelling at it's finest, you just have to slow down and not walk right past it.

 

[fizzle75]

You know, I took a survey in my department and, ready for this?... Animal Kingdom came out on top! Which is also my favorite park. As a Cast Member that visits the park on a weekly basis, I feel it has the most 'replay value'. For me it's so relaxing and rejuvinating. The fauna and flora are such a breath of fresh air. I love all of the 'hidden' trails, the amazing quick service locations, and the attention to detail.

The most amazing part of Animal Kingdom are the stories hidden inside of the attractions. My favorite story is the mural in the maharaja jungle trek. It's the parable about mankind and respecting the environment. It's amazing that so many people miss all of these types of things woven inside the park. I love the fact that there are animals EVERYWHERE. I think many people miss too much and would really appreciate the park if they slowed down and opened their eyes extra wide. Anyone have a guess as to how many individual animal attractions and exhibit areas there are at Animal Kingdom? 20? 50? 100? Keep going... and yet most people catch Kilamanjaro, the Oasis, and possibly the animals in the front portion of Discovery Island.

AK is by far my favorite park, which is why I try to visit at least once a week. For me, it's Disney Design and storytelling at it's finest, you just have to slow down and not walk right past it.

Well said!:sohappy:

 

[Parkerbexar]

I know ya’ll will roast me for saying this by I really don’t care for epcot too much. The reason is every time I have gone to epcot it has poured down rain. I have only gone to the world twice and I have only been to epcot three times but all three times it’s been a terrible down pour just my two cents. :lol:

 

[Pixiedust1393]

I honestly love all the parks. Magic Kingdom is the first park we go to when we arrive at WDW, execpt for the last time because it was NYE and full... So we chose MGM instead. When I'm home, I want to go to MK and MGM so bad... then once we actually get to WDW and go to MK, I start craving Epcot... Then followed by MGM and AK. This past trip we spent most of our time at Epcot. We must've walked around the world showcase 5 times (not my choice:lol: ) But... I couldn't pick a favorite because they all rank the same to me.

 

[Jekyll_Baker]

For me, the bottom of the list has to be the Studios (Disney-MGM or just Disney - you decide). OK, I might go to ride ToT, RnRC, or Muppets 3D, but if their standby times are more than 20 minutes, forget it. Or I might go to eat at SciFi or Primetime (either late lunch or early dinner at either). To me it's at best a quarter day park - thank goodness for AP's.

But if you're counting ALL "parks" at WDW, DisneyQuest ("virtual theme park") is the absolute bottom. I've been once and thought it was a waste of time, especially since I've never been much of an arcade fan. Follow that very closely by both water parks. I very rarely even go to the water park or beach that's just a few miles from my home.

But anyway, the other three real parks are pretty close together at the top of my list. MK and Epcot are close to tied for the top position. Both have wonderful atmospheres and special memories. And AK comes a close second. No one could have commented on AK better than typhoonguy above - I agree 100%.

The other three park

 

[Main Street USA]

You know, I took a survey in my department and, ready for this?... Animal Kingdom came out on top! Which is also my favorite park. As a Cast Member that visits the park on a weekly basis, I feel it has the most 'replay value'. For me it's so relaxing and rejuvinating. The fauna and flora are such a breath of fresh air. I love all of the 'hidden' trails, the amazing quick service locations, and the attention to detail.

The most amazing part of Animal Kingdom are the stories hidden inside of the attractions. My favorite story is the mural in the maharaja jungle trek. It's the parable about mankind and respecting the environment. It's amazing that so many people miss all of these types of things woven inside the park. I love the fact that there are animals EVERYWHERE. I think many people miss too much and would really appreciate the park if they slowed down and opened their eyes extra wide. Anyone have a guess as to how many individual animal attractions and exhibit areas there are at Animal Kingdom? 20? 50? 100? Keep going... and yet most people catch Kilamanjaro, the Oasis, and possibly the animals in the front portion of Discovery Island.

AK is by far my favorite park, which is why I try to visit at least once a week. For me, it's Disney Design and storytelling at it's finest, you just have to slow down and not walk right past it.

Exactly. It baffles me when people say there "isn't much there." All I can do is shake my head. It's a real shame to miss such an amazing place for no other reason than pure ignorance.

 

[Launchpad]

I didn't really care for Animal Kingdom until I moved here. I was like most where I would rush through it to get to the rides at Epcot or MK. Now that I live here and can go whenever I want I can take my time and experience more of it. It has an entirely different feel than the other parks and its a great park that's slowly working its way up.

Plus, Finding Nemo the Musical is worth the trip to the park by itself. :sohappy:

 

[Mansion Butler]

Epcot was once my favorite, now it's the least important for me to go to.

 

[beanbunny]

So much negative about AK - has anyone forgotten Festival of the Lion King, Kilijimaro Safari (first thing in the am), EE, Kali River Rapids????? I realize it's not like MK or EPCOT but it's definitely better than MGM - especially now that the backstage tour is pretty much a disaster! Anyway, can hardly wait for our next trip this summer!!:wave:

 

[madtheswine630]

I've been to AK twice since it opened, and had no inclination to ever visit again. Both times I've gone, sometime in May, the place had just been sweltering. I don't take heat very well--I know, ha ha, Florida's basically a hot wet dishrag in the summer--but AK seems to have its pathways paved in really dark material. Or at least, it was the last time I visited (which was just a couple of years after it opened, heh). I can plow through despite discomfort usually, but I had to leave that park after only a couple of hours. So that, combined with the fact that there wasn't much to interest me there, has basically put it at the bottom of my list.

But I guess it's time to revisit and see if my mind has changed. Everyone keeps praising KS to high heaven, and I have to say when I went on it "back in the day," it was pretty sad. We were lucky to see more than a handful of animals when we'd ridden it...maybe it's better stocked now? :lol:

I think it all really depends on where your interests lay as to what park is going to be your favorite and least favorite. I hop back and forth from MK to Epcot every day I'm there, in part because I'm always so frenetic on vacations. I love the eductional/cultural aspect of Epcot, and when in MK I more or less live in Liberty Square and Frontierland. XD It's not that the other two parks "don't have enough to do," they just don't have very much that falls in with my own interests. (But then, isn't that the beauty of having 4 parks? There's so much choice, almost everyone comes away happy!)

Nonetheless, I like to be proven wrong in cases like this, and I also love "discovering" new things, so whenever I get down there again, I'm going to go to AK and check it all out! ...Or check out as much as I can.

 

[SallyShine]

Lately for me it's been Epcot. I can't explain it, but I've been liking AK more and more and Epcot not so much. I don't hate the park, but it's one of those things where I need a break from it :lol:

Same here. I like AK more and more.

 

[Dagger]

(But then, isn't that the beauty of having 4 parks? There's so much choice, almost everyone comes away happy!)

Indeed

 

[Disnut]

It's actually two parks for me. Animal Kingdom has lost a lot of magic for me as has MGM-Studios.

At DAK it's really cast members. They are not as polite as the other three parks. I'm just not sure why, that's how it seems though.

MGM is just so bare. They are really missing a lot. They need more attractions.

I agree but switched around. My least fav is DStudios and then it is DAK. I like a few things at each park but really not enough for me to spend all day at these parks.

 

[davewasbaloo]

I know I am going to get flamed, but the park I can take or leave is the Magic Kingdom. It has some great stuff there, but in my view, it is far inferior to Disneyland or Disneyland Paris. If they refurbed it, improved the table service and the stage shows, my opinion might change.

The Studios is hit and miss, but it was my kids' fav - so I really do see it in a new light.

For me, I would be happy just spending my time at Epcot and DAK. To me, these 2 parks, the deluxe hotels and restaurants are what make it worth travelling 3000 miles for. Otherwise I just go to the other resorts around the globe.

 

[amandagibbins]

Animal Kingdom purely because our first visit two and a half years ago we went to the park to get breakfast but with two fussy eaters with us they were not happy with what was on offer just the beginning of a miserable day but we went back the end of last year and really enjoyed it but its still mk first epcot a close second for us

 

[SarahBella82]

Disney/MGM Studios for me. I can take it or leave it. I haven't been in five, six years, something like that. It's about time for me to return. Maybe in June.

 

[George]

I'm cursed when I go to MGM

As far a park I never seem to be in sync with, it's MGM. Everytime I've been something bad has happened. Rain, ticket/fingerprint thingy not registering correctly, more rain, and lost dinner reservations. Still, I really like Rock N' Roller Coaster, Muppets, and Fantasmic so I'm hard pressed not to go there at all.

DAK is my favorite park right now and I'm glad to see that others have it ranked number 1 or 2. The initial posts in this thread made me think I was part of some really, really small minority. Now I think its just a normal sized small minority.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I love some things in all of the parks. My biggest feeling of nostalgia and connection is to Epcot, least of all AK, but I just haven't built much of a history with that park yet. But Dinosaur is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

 

[Glasgow]

Hey, different strokes for different folks. That's why there are 4 differently themed parks. If everyone only liked MK they would've built 3 other MK clones.

I think each park has it's own charm. Obviously most people like MK the best since it is the original one at WDW and probably most accurately portrays Walt's original vision (along with Epcot of course), but I really appreciate the fact that there is variety with the other parks.

I've said this before but I think AK is more like a museum. As an analogy, if you just look at the paintings you can be out of there in a couple of hours, but if you read the descriptions and really take everything in you can be there for a day or two.

 

[Dagger]

But Dinosaur is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

I missed this along with most of the other attractions due to the weather, so now I am feeling like not having gotten the whole overall experience has made me unfairly judge!

Other than KS and the monkey area, we didn't see any animals... (again probably the weather)