Rank Florida's theme parks

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

The parks are constantly changing so this is as of how they are in their current states, how do you rank Florida's theme parks?
From best to worst.
​

 

[CSJORDAN]

Just my two cents (haven't ever been to Legoland, so will not include that in the list):

8) SeaWorld - lovely park, great animal encounters, some great rides (Atlantis, Manta, Mako). Kraken has gotten a bit rough around the edges, Antarctica and Wild Arctic nothing special. Park could use some more 'ride' attractions to fill in the day. Food and merchandise need major improvements.

7) Busch Gardens Tampa - nice park, impressive roller coaster lineup, and plenty of things for the entire family. Animal encounters are great, but feel like they could be expanded. Enjoy it here, but not a vacation 'destination', more of a day experience.

6) Islands of Adventure - had a hard time picking one UOR park over the other. Hogsmeade is phenomenal, and love Jurassic Park, Hulk, and Spiderman. Seuss area great for those with kids, but feel like there is some outdated/wasted space here (no actual attractions in the Lost Continent, outdated Toon Lagoon). Also great if you like water rides.

5) Universal Studios Florida - feels much more classic Universal. Diagon Alley is impressive (thought Gringotts IMO is inferior to Forbidden Journey and Hagrid's), the Mummy is up there with the Potter rides. A good variety of attractions too, with shows like Bourne and more classic attractions like ET and Men in Black. Some thematic inconsistencies here, like the stark contrast between old Hollywood and Springfield. Kids area needs updating, Fast and Furious and Jimmy Fallon a waste of space.

4) Epcot - In terms of my family's enjoyment, this would probably rank higher than 4th. However, Future World is currently a nightmare, and still will be lacking in attractions after the updates. Thematic elements in Future World seem to be slipping away. World Showcase is still AMAZING and a wonderful place to explore. The designs are spectacular, food and merchandise are mostly authentic, and the lagoon walk is gorgeous. Plus, good attractions in Frozen, Soarin, Test Track, and Spaceship Earth.

3) Magic Kingdom - some rides need some updating (see Big Thunder, Space, and Buzz), but who can deny the first Florida Disney park! Pure magic (can also be pure chaos though..). Food has been improved, but still could use some help. Circus area could be re-done into something more.

2) Hollywood Studios - yes, it is small. yes, some of the shows and areas need updating and expansion. What Disney has done so far for this park has been wonderful. Aesthetics here are fantastic, the Hollywood feel on Sunset Blvd and Hollywood Blvd are great. Tower of Terror is one of the best theme park attractions ever created. Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land have aided in helping the park feel developed, and there is a wide range of attractions for all ages. Also love some of the food/drink options (Baseline and Brown Derby Lounge)

1) Animal Kingdom - The standard in theme park design and creation. Yes, it does need a few more rides and attractions, but the attention to detail, theming, and storytelling elements are second to none. Everest, the Safari, Dinosaur, and Pandora are phenomenal. Food and drink options are superb. Really amazing if you take the time to explore everything the park has to offer.

 

[HongKongFooy]

1 Islands of Adventure
2 Animal Kingdom
3 Epcot
4
......aaaawe. I give up!

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Magic Kingdom's my top choice.

 

[bryanfze55]

I can only rank the ones I've been to:

1) Animal Kingdom
2) Magic Kingdom

- Large gap -

3) Universal Studios Florida
4) Hollywood Studios
5) Epcot

I've been to SeaWorld and Legoland in California only, but assuming the Florida versions are similar they'd rank #6 and #7 respectively. Haven't been to IOA, but based on its ride lineup, theming, etc. it would probably rank #3.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Currently is magic kingdom. It should be EPCOT...but they’ve had almost 30 years of mismanagement

 

[PopCentury]

6. Universal Studios Florida
5. Universal Islands of Adventure
4. Epcot
3. Hollywood Studios
2. Animal Kingdom
1. Magic Kingdom

 

[UNCgolf]

6. Hollywood Studios
5. Universal Studios Florida

Those two are comparable, but Diagon Alley is so much better than anything at Hollywood Studios that it puts USO over the top. Hollywood Studios was better 25 years ago than it is right now, which is really saying something. Galaxy's Edge is solid, but not good enough to cover up the other mistakes they've made in the park tossing out most of the original theme and replacing it with dross like Toy Story Land.

4. EPCOT

This should be number one. EPCOT circa the early 90s was better than any park that currently exists in Orlando, but it's no longer that park.

3. Islands of Adventure
2. Magic Kingdom
1. Animal Kingdom

 

[OG Runner]

I voted for the Magic Kingdom, but honestly it would depend on the day. I have always been a park hopper and rarely stay in
one park for the full day. I feel the same way about Islands of Adventure and Universal. They could be up on that same level
depending on the day. I also always have it so I can go between those two parks in a day. It all really depends what you want
to do on a given day. Somedays you want to hang out with Mickey Mouse and others Spiderman. (on the east coast)

 

[DisneyNittany]

I know this isn't answering your question, but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is easily the best and most immersive land(s) in Orlando. I say this despite not being a fan of specific IP dedicated lands.

Diagon Alley alone blow anything WDW has done out of the water, but when you add Hogsmeade (and going back and forth on the Hogwarts Express), it makes Pandora and Galaxy's Edge look like amateur hour. With the rumors of expansion (Ministry of Magic), it's only going to get better too.

Honestly, with the amount of money that they've spent on Pandora, GE, and TSL, Disney should be embarrassed with their output when compared to WWoHP.

 

[OG Runner]

I know this isn't answering your question, but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is easily the best and most immersive land(s) in Orlando. I say this despite not being a fan of specific IP dedicated lands.

Diagon Alley alone blow anything WDW has done out of the water, but when you add Hogsmeade (and going back and forth on the Hogwarts Express), it makes Pandora and Galaxy's Edge look like amateur hour. With the rumors of expansion (Ministry of Magic), it's only going to get better too.

Honestly, with the amount of money that they've spent on Pandora, GE, and TSL, Disney should be embarrassed with their output when compared to WWoHP.

I agree with you on the immersion factor of WWoHP & Diagon Alley, but the floating mountains of Pandora are nothing to be
embarrassed about. Also I do feel Forbidden Journey is one of the best rides in Orlando, again I have never found anyone that
was not really happy with Flight of Passage. I feel your absolutes in your comparisons are absolutely wrong.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I noticed that Busch Gardens was in last place at the moment in the poll. I've never been there so I must yield to that for the time being. Next one's up from the bottom was SeaWorld and Universal Studios. Gasp! I went for Magic Kingdom as my #1, but Universal is a really close second in my mind. SeaWorld would be right down there in second to last but probably only because I have never been to Busch chances are that Busch Gardens would win out over SeaWorld. In all fairness though, I haven't been to SeaWorld for probably 23 years.

 

[DisneyNittany]

I agree with you on the immersion factor of WWoHP & Diagon Alley, but the floating mountains of Pandora are nothing to be
embarrassed about. Also I do feel Forbidden Journey is one of the best rides in Orlando, again I have never found anyone that
was not really happy with Flight of Passage. I feel your absolutes in your comparisons are absolutely wrong.

That's fair.

The floating mountains certainly aren't anything to be embarrassed about, but the land just doesn't do anything for me. I feel nothing while I'm there (except that I want to get on FoP and then head to Africa). Definitely don't feel like I'm on an alien moon.

Ditto with Galaxy's Edge. It doesn't move the needle for me. I guess I'm in an outpost, but I just feel like I'm in WDW.

I say all this as an unapologetic WDW fan who would still rank all four WDW parks well above the two Universal parks.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Still have to place MK at the top. Islands of Adventure coming in close second. Never been to Legoland.

 

[OG Runner]

That's fair.

The floating mountains certainly aren't anything to be embarrassed about, but the land just doesn't do anything for me. I feel nothing while I'm there (except that I want to get on FoP and then head to Africa). Definitely don't feel like I'm on an alien moon.

Ditto with Galaxy's Edge. It doesn't move the needle for me. I guess I'm in an outpost, but I just feel like I'm in WDW.

I say all this as an unapologetic WDW fan who would still rank all four WDW parks well above the two Universal parks.

I can't change the way you feel. Try a walk through Pandora at night. I think you will feel the immersion a bit more.
As for Galaxy's Edge, all I can say is have a few blue or green milks, you will feel like you are somewhere else.

 

[UNCgolf]

That's fair.

The floating mountains certainly aren't anything to be embarrassed about, but the land just doesn't do anything for me. I feel nothing while I'm there (except that I want to get on FoP and then head to Africa). Definitely don't feel like I'm on an alien moon.

Ditto with Galaxy's Edge. It doesn't move the needle for me. I guess I'm in an outpost, but I just feel like I'm in WDW.

I say all this as an unapologetic WDW fan who would still rank all four WDW parks well above the two Universal parks.

I don't think Hogsmeade is all that great -- it's certainly not bad, but it's too small and it's a shame the way they wasted Hogwarts. I would say Pandora and Galaxy's Edge are roughly on par with it, although Galaxy's Edge has the opposite problem in that it's actually too big with a bunch of wasted space. If I was going to rank them, I'd probably go Pandora, Hogsmeade, GE, but they're all pretty close.

Diagon Alley, on the other hand, is an absolute masterpiece. Pandora and GE aren't comparable to it in any way. Being able to travel between the two via the Hogwarts Express is also phenomenal, as you mentioned.

As an aside, although I do like Pandora, I think you have to ride NRJ to feel like you've actually been transported to an alien moon. Despite the ride's other flaws, it succeeds on that level.

 

[yeti]

It depends if I'm voting for my personal favourite or the one I'd actually recommend. Weirdly enough they don't overlap for me.

My heart will always belong to Magic Kingdom and Epcot because I have so many cherished memories at these places. But I went with Islands of Adventure which is easily the most up-to-date, modern, "bang for your buck" theme park in Orlando. Plus Hogsmeade is easily the best among all IP Lands.

The only ride in Orlando better than Spidey and Forbidden Journey is Tower of Terror, so there's that. But there isn't enough to do at Hollywood Studios for me to recommend it over Islands.

 

[DisneyNittany]

I don't think Hogsmeade is all that great -- it's certainly not bad, but it's too small and it's a shame the way they wasted Hogwarts. I would say Pandora and Galaxy's Edge are roughly on par with it, although Galaxy's Edge has the opposite problem in that it's actually too big with a bunch of wasted space. If I was going to rank them, I'd probably go Pandora, Hogsmeade, GE, but they're all pretty close.

Diagon Alley, on the other hand, is an absolute masterpiece. Pandora and GE aren't comparable to it in any way. Being able to travel between the two via the Hogwarts Express is also phenomenal, as you mentioned.

As an aside, although I do like Pandora, I think you have to ride NRJ to feel like you've actually been transported to an alien moon. Despite the ride's other flaws, it succeeds on that level.

I actually don't disagree with you re: Hogsmeade. As a stand-alone, I wasn't all that impressed by it. However, taken as an aggregate, it works so perfectly with Diagon Alley/Hogwarts Express.

Maybe once the Star Wars resort is up and the shuttle is running, it'll have a similar immersion?

although Galaxy's Edge has the opposite problem in that it's actually too big with a bunch of wasted space

Agreed. When I was last there, it was shortly after it opened, back when it was still a ghost town, which made it look even more vast and wasted. Then again, I'm not a Star Wars superfan, so maybe I just don't get it.

 

[UNCgolf]

I actually don't disagree with you re: Hogsmeade. As a stand-alone, I wasn't all that impressed by it. However, taken as an aggregate, it works so perfectly with Diagon Alley/Hogwarts Express.

Taking the Hogwarts Express to Diagon Alley is incredibly well done. The fact that you exit into "London" and not into Diagon Alley (which is completely hidden from sight) and then have to duck down an alleyway to find it is absolutely perfect. We actually had to ask a cast member where it was because it was so well hidden, and that's exactly how it should be.

 

[Parker in NYC]

It's painful for me to rank Epcot as the worst of the Disney parks. Painful. But oh, how she has fallen. Frankly, MK in its current state isn't doing too well with me either.