How does WDW compare to rides outside of it? Can you name singular rides that equal or better Disney's?

Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Overall Disney still holds the best rides in the world but there are others that are pretty good on an individual basis. For example, I love Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Splash, Tower of Terror, Dinosaur, Soarin', etc. and stuff like that. But name your favorite non-Disney rides that are similar or close to these in overall enjoyment. For me they would look like this:

Kong Skull Island (Islands of Adventure)
E.T. (Universal)
Spiderman (Islands of Adventure)
The Mummy (Universal)

It is really hard when I think of it to go outside of Universal. They are the only other place that can do the dark rides pretty good so I'll have to rely on some rides that are just pure thrill for me or with a touch of good atmosphere:

The Beast (King's Island)
Magnum (Cedar Point)
Journey to Atlantis (Sea World)
 
General Mayhem

General Mayhem

Well-Known Member
Universal:
Forbidden Journey
Revenge of the Mummy
Spiderman
Escape From Gringotts
Skull Island Reign of Kong
Hagrid's Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure (look out for this one it's going to be big)
ET Adventure
MiB Alien Attack
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Original Version of Poseidon's Fury

SeaWorld Orlando:
Journey to Atlantis

Legoland Florida:
Masters of Flight

Six Flags:
Monster Mansion (Plantation)

Busch Gardens Williamsburg:
Escape From Pompeii
DarkCastle (but it closed this past year may it RIP)

Las Vegas (all mostly gone now):
Race For Atlantis (and most of the Forum Shoppes)
Caesars Magical Empire (It was like the Adventurers Club except bigger and more elaborate)
Star Trek Experience
MGM Grand Theme Park (before it was partially demolished and then fully demolished)
 
TwilightZone

TwilightZone

Well-Known Member
The mummy - universal hollywood
jurassic park river adventure (rip) - universal hollywood
the simpsons ride - universal parks
harry potter and the forbidden journey - universal hollywood
Justice League: Battle for Metropolis - six flags parks
spongebob 3D (rip) - California's Great America

While I love other rides at these parks, these are the closest to the "Disney feel" to me personally.
 
JIMINYCR

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
Disney has some great attractions, with a few that rise above other parks choices, and they certainly could beat everyone else in thrills entirely if they chose to. But they dont want to be that kind of a park. The thing that keeps them in the lead is the combination of rides, atmosphere, branding and service guests receive. I would enjoy a park that was filled with more adult/ thrilling attractions that gets my blood pumping and my fear factor in high gear.
 
monykalyn

monykalyn

Well-Known Member
Lost River ride at Silver Dollar City was far superior to Animal Kingdom's Kali River. Alas-it is gone this year - no word yet on what's replacing it. While I love KRR it is SHORT compared to Lost River...
I'd put SDC as a whole with Christmas decorations vs Orlando theme parks as well-as long as you don't mind losing all feeling in your face riding the coasters in December :joyfull:
 
N

N2dru

Well-Known Member
I agree with General Mayhem...Monster Mansion at Six Flags over Georgia is great. Actually it's former incarnation can be considered a predecessor of Splash Mountain because they both were centered around Joel Chandler Harris' Uncle Remus stories. A lot of Disney fans miss this. Its a cool family attraction in its own right with a catchy theme song to boot.
 
cheezbat

cheezbat

Well-Known Member
kap91 said:
Symbolica at Efteling (quite a few rides at Efteling actually - though I haven't actually been)
ET Adventure
Calico Mine Train at Knotts
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Symbolica is amazing! Currently my favorite trackless ride. (Haven’t ridden Mystic Manor). I loved the buildup on Baron 1898 too...so cool seeing a B&M coaster with serious theming. Their Flying Dutchman themed water ride was also top notch.

De Efteling does so much right.
 
BackOTheLine

BackOTheLine

Well-Known Member
General Mayhem said:
Universal:
Forbidden Journey
Revenge of the Mummy
Spiderman
Escape From Gringotts
Skull Island Reign of Kong
Hagrid's Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure (look out for this one it's going to be big)
ET Adventure
MiB Alien Attack
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Original Version of Poseidon's Fury

SeaWorld Orlando:
Journey to Atlantis

Legoland Florida:
Masters of Flight

Six Flags:
Monster Mansion (Plantation)

Busch Gardens Williamsburg:
Escape From Pompeii
DarkCastle (but it closed this past year may it RIP)

Las Vegas (all mostly gone now):
Race For Atlantis (and most of the Forum Shoppes)
Caesars Magical Empire (It was like the Adventurers Club except bigger and more elaborate)
Star Trek Experience
MGM Grand Theme Park (before it was partially demolished and then fully demolished)
Click to expand...

Ahhh - the Strar Trek Experience was great! We would sit at the bar and heckle the Borg!
 
R

rio

Well-Known Member
Battle for Metropolis and Houndini-The Great Escape from Six Flags come to mind for me, though the latter has a tendency to be heckled during its preshow.
 
T

Trackmaster

Well-Known Member
One ride that's actually pretty surprising is the making of the chocolate ride at Hershey Park (I don't remember the exact name). It has the same continuously loading ride system that many of the Disney ride uses, and actually uses animatronics and gives you a live look-in at a fake chocolate factory. Last I went, I don't think that they were using screens, but this may have changed.

And, the ride is actually outside of the park itself, and free to the public. And you get a free chocolate bar sample at the end.

Its pretty surprising considering that the rest of the park is pretty much unthemed amusement park rides -- but the ride collection is pretty awesome, just not really themed.
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Trackmaster said:
One ride that's actually pretty surprising is the making of the chocolate ride at Hershey Park (I don't remember the exact name). It has the same continuously loading ride system that many of the Disney ride uses, and actually uses animatronics and gives you a live look-in at a fake chocolate factory. Last I went, I don't think that they were using screens, but this may have changed.

And, the ride is actually outside of the park itself, and free to the public. And you get a free chocolate bar sample at the end.

Its pretty surprising considering that the rest of the park is pretty much unthemed amusement park rides -- but the ride collection is pretty awesome, just not really themed.
Click to expand...

I love that ride! Hershey has also done a really good job keeping it up to date over the years.

 
D

Driver

Well-Known Member
JIMINYCR said:
Disney has some great attractions, with a few that rise above other parks choices, and they certainly could beat everyone else in thrills entirely if they chose to. But they dont want to be that kind of a park. The thing that keeps them in the lead is the combination of rides, atmosphere, branding and service guests receive. I would enjoy a park that was filled with more adult/ thrilling attractions that gets my blood pumping and my fear factor in high gear.
Click to expand...
You are spot on! Walt's vision was " an immersion experience " and fun for the whole family. [ Walt quote] " Part of the Disney success is our ability to create a believable world of dreams that appeal to all age groups. The kind of entertainment we create is meant to appeal to every member of the family." And the immersion experience. [Walt quote] " I don't want the public to see the world they live in when they are in the park, I want them to feel they're in another world." His vision was for his parks to be different than typical amusement parks that were "kids based". Comparing Disney parks to other parks is like apples to oranges. Years ago my wife and I went to Hershey, great park with a lot of thrill rides ( for her), most of them turn my stomach so I sat on the bench and waited for her. The funny part is they have "characters " walking the park in candy bar costumes, ( where did that idea come from?) It's just not a fair comparison Disney never wanted to be like other parks.
 
aliceismad

aliceismad

Well-Known Member
N2dru said:
Monster Mansion at Six Flags over Georgia is great.
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Interesting that this has come up so many times. My husband reviewed it poorly compared with Disney. Of course, we haven't been there is 10+ years.

In terms of the ride enjoyment, several of my favorites are not Disney, but in terms of immersion, I don't think anyone does it better. A few Universal rides perhaps.
 
SirWillow

SirWillow

Well-Known Member
monykalyn said:
Lost River ride at Silver Dollar City was far superior to Animal Kingdom's Kali River. Alas-it is gone this year - no word yet on what's replacing it. While I love KRR it is SHORT compared to Lost River...
I'd put SDC as a whole with Christmas decorations vs Orlando theme parks as well-as long as you don't mind losing all feeling in your face riding the coasters in December :joyfull:
Click to expand...

A person after my own heart!! :)

I would put Silver Dollar City's train ride, with it's robbery, right there. The shows and entertainment at the park are on a par with Disney (love it's Saloon show). And I actually think that SDC does Christmas a bit better than Disney- it's a much more complete experience with near Broadway quality shows, great tasting and unique holiday foods, and the decoration outdoes Disney. Plus you might even get real snow instead of soap bubbles. 😁

Others I would put on the list:
Six Flags hall of Justice dark rides- very cool, and right up there
The bunch of rides at Universal that have already been listed- Potter, Kong, Jurassic Park, Spiderman, Transformers, etc.
Monster Plantation
Blazing Fury and Mystery Mine at Dollywood (and Lightning Rod if it's working)
Rhino Rally would have been on the list if it was still around
Calico Mine and Timber Mountain log ride at Knott's
Journey to Atlantis at SW Orlando

And a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting at the moment
 

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