How your Park Preferences have Changed

Scooter

Scooter

Well-Known Member
I have found that having young children or not having them can really influence your park choices.

When my kids were little:

Magic Kingdom
MGM Studios
EPCOT
Animal Kingdom

Now that my kids are all grown and moved out here are my choices for today:

EPCOT
Animal Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
 
Mansion Butler

Mansion Butler

Active Member
Well, let's see.

As a kid, Epcot was my favorite. I legitimately loved edutainment, I've always loved aquariums and back then The Living Seas was the best, and JII was one of my absolute favorite rides (not to mention Image Works).

Once Epcot started going through its changes, I started liking the Magic Kingdom more, just as red blooded Americans should.

The first time I ever went to Animal Kingdom, it was cold, I didn't see much on the safari, Everest didn't exist yet, we did Kali and Dinosaur, and then we left. So, bland safari, Kali and Dinosaur as the only other attractions done, no animal viewing, cold. Plus, we happened to be with another family and the girl my age was being a royal you-know-what and ruining everything with her insistence on hating Disney World.

That stuck with me, and years later I refused to ever go to Animal Kingdom even when I got in free. I just assumed it was a lame park with attractions I didn't like because that's all I know. I only went to do cast previews of Everest. Since I would walk directly to Everest and directly out, I didn't realize there was so much to experience.

One day I decided to try and do as many attractions as I could in one day, starting with DAK. That day, I realized the attractions were actually fun when I wasn't cold and sitting next to a jerk. A couple weeks later, I spent all day in the park with a friend, and we did all the little back trails and animal viewing things and went to Conservation Station and I started realizing how much ridiculous depth there is to the park. Not a lot of rides, but the rides that were there were fun, and the shows were great, and the themeing and sense of exploration and the animal walking trails were off the chart. At this same point, I was in Magic Kingdom every day, so it was becoming (while still awesome) a little less novel to me.

So, at this point, Animal Kingdom might just be my favorite park. That's skewed by how much time I've spent in MK, but if you asked me what park I would want to go to today, it would be DAK.

tl;dr lists

Childhood (Birth to ~15)
  1. EPCOT Center
  2. MGM Studios
  3. Magic Kingdom
  4. Animal Kingdom

Teenage Years (15-20)
  1. Magic Kingdom
  2. MGM Studios
  3. Epcot
  4. Animal Kingdom

Adulthood (Drinking Age to Present)
  1. Animal Kingdom
  2. Magic Kingdom
  3. Hollywood Studios
  4. Epcot
 
ChristianG

ChristianG

Well-Known Member
2004: (7 years old)
1. Magic Kingdom
2. DHS
3. AK
4. EPCOT

2011: (14 years old)
1. Magic Kingdom
2. DHS
3. EPCOT
4. AK

It hasn't changed alot...

The Magic Kingdom is just too magical to bump out of its number 1 spot!

DHS has 2 of the most iconic thrills of WDW. It also provides some great entertainment and attractions like Fantasmic, LMA, Beauty and the Beast, GMR, Star Tours, etc.

I am beginning to learn the purpose of EPCOT. It's a great example of a park that doesn't need a lot of thrill rides to be a great park! It does, however, feature some good thrills! But it also mixes in two different themes; the future of our society and the cultures of our world, and turns it into one great park!

There isn't much for me at Animal Kingdom, but it does feature some cant-miss attractions like Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, Khali River Rapids, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and It's Tough to be a Bug!

So throughout the years, my prefrences haven't changed that much, but WDW will ALWAYS be my favorite place to go!
 
rustysgirl

rustysgirl

Active Member
mine hasn't changed much.

first went to disney 9 years ago: back then it was =

MK
Epcot
HS
AK


now that i've been a good bit of times its =

Epcot
MK
HS
AK

only a slight change ;)
 
billybastion

billybastion

Member
Then:

MGM (because it WAS MGM then!)
Epcot
MK
AK


Now:

AK (I'm sure there were many audible gasps around the internet when this was read lol)
MK
Epcot
DHS
 
Prototype82

Prototype82

Well-Known Member
EPCOT has been and always will be my number one. And now that things are finally being somewhat shaped up and restored, it only reinforces this.
 
WDW_Emily

WDW_Emily

Well-Known Member
Mine has changed so much in just 5 years!

2006(when I was 14)
1.DHS
2.Magic Kingdom
3.AK
4.EPCOT


2011(at age 19)
1. EPCOT
2. Magic Kingdom
3. Ak
4. DHS
 
J

Jakester

Well-Known Member
My Disney Park Prefences:
2005:
1. Magic Kingdom
2. Epcot
3. Animal Kingdom
4. Disney MGM Studios

2011:
1. Magic Kingdom
2. Disney Hollywood Studios
3. Epcot
4. Animal Kingdom

Orlando Parks:
1. Magic Kingdom
2. Islands of Adventure
3. Disney Hollywood Studios
4. Universal Orlando
5. Epcot
6. Animal Kingdom

Magic Kingdom will always have Number 1 since i have so many memories there, Islands of Adventure is Number 2 because i enjoy the WWoHP (Was there for the grand opening). Epcot beats Animal Kingdom for me because it has some nighttime entertainment, if Animal Kingdom brings some kind of nighttime entertainment it'll eventually beat Epcot, DHS beats Epcot just because i like Fantasmic!, and Universal beats Epcot/AK because they do throw some pretty good Concerts
 
Mickey_777

Mickey_777

Well-Known Member
MK has and always will be THE Disney park and #1 for me. Epcot moved up to #2 since I grew up and can enjoy the food and international aspect of it.
 
Bri1121

Bri1121

New Member
I think Magic Kingdom is always number one. But I think of Disney pre- children and post! Pre- Children: Magic Kingdom was still number one. I was not a huge Epcot fan as a kid so next would have to come HS aka MGM! I was only to Animal Kingdom with kids.

The first time we went to AK with my daughter it was so hot! I remember thinking this sux! She was only 2 and the only great thing was everest! The next time we went we didn't even go there. Now for our upcoming trip in July - I know it will be hot again but I can't wait to take the kids. Especially my son who is into Dinos!

Disney with kids is a totally different experience and the Magic Kingdom is still our number one! And plan for a few days there. Then probably Epcot, AK and HS!

Pre- kids I loved the water parks but since kids we haven't been back. Once the kids are older we will try them out again!
 
jlandis44

jlandis44

Member
I don't think mine have changed over the last 5 years...

Epcot
MK
AK
DHS

(Although MK at night shoots to the top of my list!)

Epcot is so diverse. AK has so much beautiful scenery. MK is MK. DHS has become stale for me, but that still means it is better than most other parks on the planet.
 
OklaHoops

OklaHoops

Member
rating on parks

2000
1. MK
2. EPCOT
3. DHS
4. AK

2011
1. EPCOT
2. MK
3. DHS
4. AK

All the parks are great but the allure of the World Showcase just tops my list.


But... if I could add in Disneyland...:animwink:

1. Disneyland
2. EPCOT
3. MK
4. DHS
5. California Adventure
6. AK

It's hard to compare your favorite places.:sohappy::sohappy::sohappy:
 
Disneyfan1981

Disneyfan1981

Active Member
10 Years Ago:
-Disney MGM Studios
-Magic Kingdom
-EPCOT
-Disney's Animal Kingdom


Now:
-Disney's Animal Kingdom
-Magic Kingdom
-EPCOT
-Disney's Hollywood Studios

Being a parent now puts things into perspective. I have come to enjoy more the experience of things and how interactions play out more than thrills. In 10 years? Who knows? That is the fun of Disney.
 
surfsupdon

surfsupdon

Well-Known Member
As young kids in the 80s, we used to love MK and only spend one day at Epcot and MGM. They weren't very fun. They were fun for the day, of course, but nothing pulled us to go back.

When Animal Kingdom first opened it was so lame.


Now, in our 20s, we love Epcot and MGM (just wish the latter had a few more ride style attractions) and Animal Kingdom is a ton of fun--we even visit more than once per vacation, lol.

Magic Kingdom is now only visited after dark. It is always too congested and hasn't had a new headliner in a few decades now. I love this park, but we don't visit it nearly as often as we used to.


We still use the Resort as much, if not more, than we had in the past. It is more than a place to sleep; it is a place to relax, hang out, play, and it complements the theme parks really well.
 
plaz10

plaz10

Well-Known Member
When I was younger it was: MK
EPCOT
DHS
AK

Currently it is: EPCOT
MK
DHS
AK

I guess I appreciate all of EPCOT now that I'm older. And it used to be MK and EPCOT and then way down low at only half day each were DHS and AK. DHS has crept up to a much closer 3rd than before and AK is still very much at the bottom and a half day park for me. But DHS grew on me my last trip. I love TSMM and RnRC. I could ride both all day long. I spend a ton of mornings there just to hit those 2 up a bunch. Plus Fantasmic! is my favorite nighttime show...so DHS has that going for them as well. It's a close 1-2 between MK and EPCOt, DHS at solid 3 and AK in a distant 4th.
 
ariel90

ariel90

Active Member
Before
1.)MK
2.)DHS
3.)EPCOT
4.)AK

After
1.)MK
2.)Epcot
3.)DHS
4.)Ak

First Magic Kingdom will always be my favorite. Epcot moved up because as I became older I gained a greater appreciation for culture, art, food, and ....drinks. DHS I like it but it doesn't seem complete and needs to grow a little more. Animal Kingdom is a great park but it doesn't have long hours like the others so you do not get to spend much time there, however the atmosphere there is awesome.
 

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