Rank the Disney parks you have attended from best to "least"

adimond

adimond

Active Member
Epcot Center - especially its first decade or two; even now I can't give up on it, like an old flame
Disneyland - the crown jewel, with objectively the biggest critical mass of stuff worth doing
Animal Kingdom - only one I moved (higher) when I made this edit; it wears surprisingly well
Tokyo Disney Sea - so grateful I got to see it once, although the circumstances weren't great
Magic Kingdom - also better years back; would be higher if guest experience were less harried
Tokyo Disneyland - can't remember contrasts with MK at granular-enough level; love Tokyo food!
MGM Studios - I dunno man...it's had some good rides and ambiance, but even now not full-day
California Adventure - yeah more of the same problem, incoherence and misguided compromise
 
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bryanfze55

bryanfze55

Well-Known Member
1. Disneyland - If only it had a working PeopleMover, this would be a perfect theme park. The original and still the best. DL’s Pirates of the Caribbean is my favorite ride anywhere, and DL’s Fantasmic! is my favorite show.

2. Animal Kingdom - Has wonderful E-tickets but needs a couple more family dark rides to be complete. In terms of “theme,” though, there really isn’t a better executed park in the US. Beautiful and immersive. I also think Rivers of Light is underrated.

3. Magic Kingdom - The presence of PeopleMover, Country Bears, and Carousel of Progress is a big plus for MK. I also love Liberty Square and think MK has the better Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise. Still lacks the charm of Disneyland and has a weaker ride lineup overall.

4. Epcot - I never experienced the original Epcot, so I only know Epcot as it is. Probably the weakest overall ride lineup of a US Disney park. But I can’t deny I’m happy when I’m at Epcot and I enjoy traversing the World Showcase.

5. California Adventure - Cars Land is amazing, but what really keeps this out of last place is Grizzly Peak. It’s a very well-themed area, especially if you like national parks. Beyond those lands, the rest of the park is Six Flags.

6. Hollywood Studios - Probably better themed than DCA, but it’s too crowded and there’s too little capacity. It’s just not a pleasant experience. ToT is amazing, I love Star Tours and Muppet Vision, and I’m sure Rise of the Resistance and Runaway Railway are great too. The rest of the attractions here I find very overrated.
 
Marc Davis Fan

Marc Davis Fan

Well-Known Member
The problem with ranking the parks is that immersion/themed environments and attraction lineup are often at odds with each other. So, I will do two rankings, based on immersion and based on attraction lineup:

Parks I have visited, ranked by immersion/themed environments:
(1) DisneySea
(2) Disneyland Paris
(3) Disney's Animal Kingdom
(4) Epcot (due to World Showcase)
(5) Disneyland (including SWGE)
(6) Disney's Hollywood Studios (including SWGE)
(7) The Magic Kingdom
(8) Shanghai Disneyland
(9) Disney California Adventure

Parks I have visited, ranked by attraction lineup:
(1) Disneyland (by a wide margin)
(2) DisneySea
(3) The Magic Kingdom
(4) Disneyland Paris
(5) Disney's Animal Kingdom
(6) Disney's Hollywood Studios
(7) Shanghai Disneyland
(8) Disney California Adventure
(9) Epcot
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
1. Tokyo DisneySea
2. Disneyland
3. Tokyo Disneyland
4. Disneyland Paris
5. Animal Kingdom
6. Shanghai Disneyland
7. Epcot
8. Hong Kong Disneyland
9. Magic Kingdom
10. Disney California Adventure
11. Hollywood Studios
12. Walt Disney Studios Paris
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
1. Tokyo Disneyland
2. Tokyo DisneySea
3. Disneyland Paris
4. Hong Kong Disneyland
5. Disneyland
6. Magic Kingdom
7. Walt Disney Studios Park.
8. Disney's Hollywood Studios
9. Epcot
10. Animal Kingdom
11. Disney California Adventure

I may switch 10 and 11 after Avengers Campus is done.
 
D

duder

Active Member
I still need to hit Shanghai and Hong Kong.

The Tokyo parks are everything they are hyped to be, and honestly, for us, exceeded expectations. If you long for the days when WDW was at its peak, you owe yourself a visit to Tokyo, and it should be on every Disney fan's list. Not going to say bucket list, because its easier and cheaper than people think it is, so doesnt have to be once in a lifetime trip.

Long way to say there is a pretty decent gap between 2 and 3

1 Tokyo Disneyland - kind of a greatest hits of the castle parks, and you cant beat the show quality
2 Disney Sea - Park is just breathtaking. Its not #1 because I think it could use a few more rides. Only the original Epcot could compete with the feeling of being transported somewhere...magical..for lack of better words
3 Animal Kingdom - I just enjoy it more every time we visit. One of the few parks that still feels "pure" to its original design and intent.
4 Disneyland - hard to compete with the shear amount of attractions, just 'feels' good being there.
5 Disneyland Paris - Only been once, so hard to rank. Absolutely beautiful, could use a few more attractions, but definitely the most cohesive castle park. Going back in May, this time with Phantom Manor open, I have a feeling it could move up the list.
6 Epcot - In my heart it will kind of always be #1, but in reality, it should probably rank last in its current state, but there are still pockets where I can close my eyes and pretend I am back in the park of my memories.
7 Magic Kingdom - Its fine.
8 California Adventure - cars land is great, has some really fun rides, but as a theme park it is a jumbled mess
9 Hollywood Studios - Havent been since Star Wars was completed, so may move up
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
PiratesMansion said:
1. Tokyo DisneySea
2. Disneyland
3. Tokyo Disneyland
4. Disneyland Paris
5. Animal Kingdom
6. Shanghai Disneyland
7. Epcot
8. Hong Kong Disneyland
9. Magic Kingdom
10. Disney California Adventure
11. Hollywood Studios
12. Walt Disney Studios Paris
Click to expand...

I don't know if I have ever seen Magic Kingdom ranked so low.

AndyS2992 said:
Magic Kingdom
Parc Disneyland
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Walt Disney Studios
Epcot
Animal Kingdom
Click to expand...

Have not been to Walt Disney Studios in Paris, but the way everyone talks about it, it reminds me of the way California Adventure was talking about when it first opened. I have seen the map, it does look quite light in attractions. Can I ask why it is above Epcot in your mind?
 
Sirwalterraleigh

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Big Phil said:
I don't know if I have ever seen Magic Kingdom ranked so low.



Have not been to Walt Disney Studios in Paris, but the way everyone talks about it, it reminds me of the way California Adventure was talking about when it first opened. I have seen the map, it does look quite light in attractions. Can I ask why it is above Epcot in your mind?
Click to expand...
I have never seen magic kingdom thrown down with the dregs before...yikes

Studios Paris is way better now than when I went...that shows you how bad it was.

It was pitiful...like 4 rides or shows in a square of boxes. It was so not Disney it wasn’t funny...a disaster to fulfill a contract.
 
disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
Magic Kingdom remains number 1 for me.

Disneyland is number 2. While I think they have more rides, I'm not as addicted to this park as I am magic Kingdom. But food wise, it's number 1 on both coasts.

California Adventure. Cars land alone tops the other American parks.

Animal kingdom, excluding pandora.

Unfortunately Hollywood studios and epcot remain an embaressmet.
 
P

Pyromonkey

Member
disney4life2008 said:
Magic Kingdom remains number 1 for me.

Disneyland is number 2. While I think they have more rides, I'm not as addicted to this park as I am magic Kingdom. But food wise, it's number 1 on both coasts.

California Adventure. Cars land alone tops the other American parks.

Animal kingdom, excluding pandora.

Unfortunately Hollywood studios and epcot remain an embaressmet.
Click to expand...
When i had 4 days to visit WDW a couple of weeks ago i skipped Epcot completely and did Studios twice. I really like Studios but Magic Kingdom us still outdated with Tomorrowland an utter disapointment for me, went on Peoplemover only, nothing else.
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
Big Phil said:
I don't know if I have ever seen Magic Kingdom ranked so low.
Click to expand...
IMO you're paying the highest prices for the worst castle park experience in the world.
FastPass+ and operational cuts have made it very difficult to accomplish nearly as much as you can at the other castle parks and even compared to how MK used to be. And those hours are getting shorter and shorter so Disney can save some money and/or throw in more upcharge parties.

Getting to and from the park is a pain.

Maintenance is probably worst in the world right now, despite those high prices.

The crowds and humidity bring a negative energy and an edge to Magic Kingdom that I don't feel at the other resorts (and even the other parks at WDW feel more relaxed to me, honestly). The pressure to do it all combined with crowds and weather lead to some awfully stressed and rude visitors. Some of the other parks get plenty crowded, but weirdly feel more manageable even so because you don't have as much drama surrounding ADRs, FP+, and the "gotta catch em all" attitude is less prevalent.

Upcharges, upcharges, upcharges.

Compared to the other castle parks, Magic Kingdom neither has anything exceptionally unique nor much that I would consider to be the best version of anything in the world. It has the best fireworks show, but that's about it. Really, the only attractions I find to be special are the ones you can no longer experience anywhere else (COP, CBJ in English, Peoplemover) or are unlike anything else (I still enjoy and appreciate MK's Space Mountain).

From the Chicago area, the flight to Disneyland is only an hour longer, and I feel like I get a lot more for what I'm paying. The waits are generally about half what they are Magic Kingdom, for often better versions of the attractions, the weather is better, and there are a lot of things you don't get at MK-rides, entertainment, lots of quality counter service, you name it.

Tokyo Disneyland is directly comparable to MK, having taken most of its design cues from that park, but other than design, it is a better experience in every way. They see crazy crowds, but they're staffed appropriately, the guests are polite, the attractions are better (Dumbo is perhaps the only attraction they share that's better in Florida) and you can experience it without a lot of the nonsense that has overtaken MK.

The international parks are more pleasant to be in and generally speaking have had better service, maintenance, and more unique experiences. Asian park ticket prices are half what they are in the States; Paris, too, has cheaper tickets.

To me, the experience at Magic Kingdom vs. the other castle parks right now is night and day. I get that people value different things and are nostalgic for what they know, but I don't see how anyone could look at the experience at MK vs the other parks and objectively say that MK lives up to the others, even to everyone's favorite castle park punching bag, Hong Kong Disneyland. I just can't.
 
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AndyS2992

AndyS2992

Well-Known Member
Big Phil said:
I don't know if I have ever seen Magic Kingdom ranked so low.



Have not been to Walt Disney Studios in Paris, but the way everyone talks about it, it reminds me of the way California Adventure was talking about when it first opened. I have seen the map, it does look quite light in attractions. Can I ask why it is above Epcot in your mind?
Click to expand...
Of course. I just like studio themed parks as it is so it had that going for it and it is also home to Tower of Terror, a favourite of mine. I find I have more fun in WDS than Epcot despite WDS looking like a parking lot. Toy Story Playland is fun, Crush's coaster and Rock n Rollercoaster are great, Mickey and the Magician is a great show and it's nice and compact. Epcot as great as it is, is outdated, lacking in attractions, World Showcase is a wasted opportunity, each country needs a ride at least and the park is just full of abandoned areas which doesn't sit right with me. On Epcot days, the only things I look forward to are Spaceship Earth, Test Track, the Japan pavilion and the fireworks, the rest of the park is not too impressive to me really. Hopefully the current overhauls of both parks will boost both of them.
 

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