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

FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Epcot Center - World Showcase
Magic Kingdom
Epcot Center - Future World
DHS
Busch Gardens Tampa
Animal Kingdom - DAK is a colossal waste of time. It's a half-day park with a zoo tacked on. And even then, I've been to far better zoos.
 
HoustonHorn

HoustonHorn

Premium Member
Yes, I know it's only WDW. I'm a loyalist!

Current Ranking
1. MGM
2. MK
3. AK
4. EPCOT

Ranking Based on First Visits
1. EPCOT Center (1985)
2. MK (1985)
3. MGM (1993)
4. AK (1999)

Combined
1. EPCOT Center (1985) - as an 8 year old nerdy kid, the edutainment of EPCOT was amazing and magical
2. MGM (Current) - Star Wars nerd + Tower of Terror (my favorite ride at WDW, at least until my trip in April when I get to ride ROTR)
3-4. MK (Current)/MK (1985) - I miss 20,000 Leagues and think 7DMT is a poor replacement, but my first trip was before Splash Mountain, so the current MK gets the nod over 1985
5. AK (Current) - I love AK, but it needs so much more to do
6. MGM (1993) - enjoyable, but it was not our favorite park
7. AK (1999) - so few things to do when it opened
8. EPCOT (Current) - this breaks my heart, especially because OG EPCOT Center was so important to me, but the heart and soul of FW is gone
 
justintheharris

justintheharris

Well-Known Member
I've done them all except Shanghai. So...

1. Disneyland California
2. Animal Kingdom
3. Tokyo Disney Sea
4. Disneyland Paris
5. Tokyo Disneyland
6. Magic Kingdom
7. California Adventure
8. Hollywood Studios
9. Hong Kong Disneyland
10. Epcot
11. Walt Disney Studio Park

So ranking these is pretty hard but I think this is where I'd have it. Sorry guys but as part of the newer generation of Disney parks fans, Epcot really sucks. It does. It's boring. They downgraded their two best rides, Mission:Space and Spaceship Earth are fine and I guess Frozen is okay but everything is else is just bad. And no, I don't think the retro Epcot was any better. Perhaps it's because I grew up with a smart phone.

Another note: Tokyo Disney Sea isn't that original to me. Yes, the architecture is wonderful and the rides are good. But unique? Tower of Terror is still Tower of Terror and Toy Story Mania is Toy Story Mania and Indiana Jones Adventure is Indiana Jones Adventure. Journey To The Center Of The Earth is just Navi River Journey at first (pretty things with little story) and then the end is like Test Track and is great but it's over a little too quickly. The Nemo Sea Rider is nauseating. The only REALLY original things I liked were 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (which isn't talked about NEARLY enough) and Sinbad.

I feel the need to defend Hong Kong Disneyland. I know I didn't rank it highly but I do love the small park. There is an intimacy to it. Mystic Manor is overrated but I still shouldn't take away the fact that it is still a great ride. Grizzly Mine Cars is one of the best Disney rides ever made. Antman and Wasp is the makeover that Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin needs but won't get. A new castle, a Frozen land and a Marvel E-ticket will REALLY tie up the loose ends of the park and I'll be there soon after to evaluate.

California Adventure got off to a rough start but it's a dang good park now. I love it. I almost put it ahead of Magic Kingdom. It's now home to six awesome E ticket attractions and has two more on the way and four of them are far superior to their east coast counter parts. And World of Color is the best nighttime show at any Disney park.

Magic Kingdom I ranked higher than I wanted simply because I think it has suffered for the fact that it's the vanilla flavor for me but having said that, there's still many reasons to rank Magic Kingdom poorly. They have no unique offers with the exception of the Peoplemover, maintenance has let things fall to pieces and even having offerings that aren't entirely unique, I wouldn't say a single one of its attractions is the superior counterpart. Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain are all better in Disneyland and abroad. BUT to the parks credit, Happily Ever After is great and what they DO update and maintain (the hub.. and New Fantasyland) looks wonderful. I'd like to think Tron will begin to allow Disney to shift its focus to refurbishing other major attractions with a brand new E ticket open.
 
DisneyAndUniversalFan

DisneyAndUniversalFan

Well-Known Member
PiratesMansion said:
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.
Click to expand...
This is exactly right. What everyone needs to hear. 🙌
 
Bartattack

Bartattack

Well-Known Member
Tokyo Disneysea
Animal Kingdom
Disneyland Paris
Disneyland
Shanghai Disneyland
Magic Kingdom
Tokyo Disneyland
Disney Californian Adventure
Disney Hollywood Studios
Hong Kong Disneyland
Epcot
Walt Disney Studios Paris
 
The Grand Inquisitor

The Grand Inquisitor

Well-Known Member
I've only been to Disney World:
1. Magic Kingdom
2.Hollywood Studios
3.Animal Kingdom
4.EPCOT
I love Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Especially Hollywood Studios because of Runaway Railway and Galaxy's Edge.
 
bryanfze55

bryanfze55

Well-Known Member
cheezbat said:
1.Disneyland...the original with the most to do. Still a charming park.

2.Disneyland Paris...the most beautiful, large spaced out park with some fantastic versions of the classics.

3.Magic Kingdom...while this park has more to do than Paris, it’s just too crowded and has inferior versions of many attractions.

4.Epcot...I miss the old version of the park, but even still, there is something in Epcot you can’t find anywhere else. I truly hope after it’s redo it becomes an even better park.

5.California Adventure...great E-tickets, more attractions packed into it than the secondary parks at WDW.

6.Animal Kingdom...immersive, great detail, animals, Everest, and Pandora! This park still needs another few E-tickets as well as about 8 more C-D ticket attractions.

7.Hollywood Studios...just barely passes the worst Disney park now after adding Toy Story Land, Galaxy’s Edge, and Runaway Railway. The park still has a lousy layout, super stale shows, and is severely lacking in C and D ticket rides.

8.Walt Disney Studios Paris...the park has begun a transformation, and will grow over time, but as it stands right now, it’s too small, lacks in attractions, and some of the ‘cheap’ still shows in this park.
Click to expand...

While there’s certainly no such thing as a wrong opinion, this post highlights what I think is a worthwhile debate...

As @Marc Davis Fan pointed out earlier in the thread, ride lineup and theming/immersion are often at odds. DisneySea is probably the only non-castle park that has pulled it off. Should DCA really be considered a better park than DAK simply because it has ten extra carnival spinner rides that DAK doesn’t have? It does add capacity and gives kids something to ride, which I appreciate. But those are the measures of amusement parks, not theme parks. I can go ride swings and a Ferris wheel at Six Flags. It destroys the theming and immersion aspect.

WDW has clear issues with capacity and not having enough rides in each park, and yes - I’m as jaded as all of you are about that... but I just can’t fathom calling DCA a superior THEME park to DAK.
 
M

manmythlegend

Well-Known Member
1) Disneyland - Always #1 for me. Best ride offerings of any park in the world.
2) Tokyo DisneySea
3) Magic Kingdom
4) Epcot
5) Tokyo Disneyland
6) Shanghai Disneyland
7) Animal Kingdom
8) California Adventure - Almost put it above AK but I enjoy the atmosphere just a bit more for AK. It's a really beautiful park.
9) Disneyland Paris - I don't understand some folks who have this ranked really high. It's a cute park but the ride offerings are a bit light and I'm not impressed with the food offerings either which is pretty sad for a great culinary city like Paris. Tried to eat at Walt's last time and the prices were outrageous for a burger.
10) Hollywood Studios
11) Hong Kong Disneyland - Really cute park but just too small
12) Walt Disney Studios - This is a total embarrassment to the Disney brand
 
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M

manmythlegend

Well-Known Member
bryanfze55 said:
While there’s certainly no such thing as a wrong opinion, this post highlights what I think is a worthwhile debate...

As @Marc Davis Fan pointed out earlier in the thread, ride lineup and theming/immersion are often at odds. DisneySea is probably the only non-castle park that has pulled it off. Should DCA really be considered a better park than DAK simply because it has ten extra carnival spinner rides that DAK doesn’t have? It does add capacity and gives kids something to ride, which I appreciate. But those are the measures of amusement parks, not theme parks. I can go ride swings and a Ferris wheel at Six Flags. It destroys the theming and immersion aspect.

WDW has clear issues with capacity and not having enough rides in each park, and yes - I’m as jaded as all of you are about that... but I just can’t fathom calling DCA a superior THEME park to DAK.
Click to expand...

DAK and DCA are pretty close, IMO, as you can see from my rankings above. I went with AK one slot higher but I don't think it's crazy for someone to prefer DCA. DCA has several advantages over DAK, mainly the rides. The rides at DCA are fantastic (Soarin, Cars, TSM, River Run, incredicoaster). DAK has some incredible rides of it's own but if forced to pick, I'd go for DCA. Food offerings at both parks are excellent but I'd lean towards DCA just as a personal preference. You can get beer everywhere and the lobster nachos are fantastic. I love the food at DAK so won't fault anyone for choosing it. Where DAK wins by far is park atmosphere. It's one of the best themed parks in the world, perhaps only behind Tokyo DisneySea.
 
G

Getachew

Well-Known Member
only been to the WDW ones:

1. Hollywood Studios - gets a lot of understandable criticism, but I've always loved it. TOT is my favorite ride in WDW period. Still have yet to ride ROTR.
2. EPCOT - Actually my favorite, but it's a big mess right now. Hopefully even with everything going on right now, this eventually gets the much needed love it deserves. Unlike most, I'm excited about the new direction Disney wants to take it, and I'm way more excited about GOG than Tron in MK.
3. Magic Kingdom - Has the most rides, but a lot of the rides are mediocre, IMO. Still has it's classics though, and it's inarguable that this is easily the most "Disney" of the parks at WDW.
4. Animal Kingdom - Always was my least favorite, but it has grown on me a lot. I'll admit it's easily the most beautiful looking of the four parks.
 
TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives

TheDisneyDaysOfOurLives

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
Tokyo Disneysea
Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
EPCOT
California Adventure
Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
Magic Kingdom

Have not done the parks in China or Paris.
 
FettFan

FettFan

Well-Known Member
I've only been to Walt Disney World.

1. Epcot
2. Magic Kingdom
3. Disney Hollywood Studios
4. Disney Springs
5. The Epcot Monorail
6. Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at the Polynesian Village Resort
7. The Express Monorail
8. The Resort Monorail
9. Blizzard Beach
10. Typhoon Lagoon
11. The Skyliner
12. Winter Summerland Miniature Golf
13. The Minnie Vans
14. The WDW Resort Buses

Maybe 15, I guess. Animal Kingdom

Honestly, I don't particularly care for Animal Kingdom. It's a lackluster zoo with a handful of cool animals combined with a lackluster theme park that has only maybe three decent attractions.

I live within an hour drive to both the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and Global Wildlife Center in Folsom, both of which are far superior to anything DAK does.

Audubon Zoo | New Orleans, LA

Audubon Zoo offers a wide variety of family fun activities in New Orleans for the whole family to enjoy. Learn more about our pricing and hours.
audubonnatureinstitute.org audubonnatureinstitute.org
globalwildlife.com

Home - Global Wildlife

Book Your Wild Adventure Get ready for a WILD Interactive Adventure! Explore Our Vision The Global Wildlife Center is one of the largest free-roaming wildlife preserves of its kind in the country! We are located in Folsom, Louisiana and are home to over 2,000 exotic, endangered, and threatened...
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Look, if you want to see some neat African animals and ride some fun rides, just make the drive to Busch Gardens instead. Best part? You probably won't have to wait two hours for one roller coaster.
 
M

M:SpilotISTC12

Well-Known Member
Based on the current status of the park (when open):
Disneyland
Magic Kingdom
Animal Kingdom
Hollywood Studios
DCA
Epcot

All time no matter the time period:
Disneyland
Epcot
Magic Kingdom
MGM, errr, Hollywood Studios
Animal Kingdom
DCA
 
PostScott

PostScott

Well-Known Member
My personal favorite:
Disneyland
DHS (all those e-tickets are glorious... if you have FPs)
Animal Kingdom
Shanghai Disney
DCA
Epcot (im sure it'll change when all the projects are finished)
MK

List based on just walking around the park:
Animal Kingdom
Disneyland
Shanghai Disney
Epcot
DHS
DCA
MK
yeah lol I'm not a fan of magic kingdom
 

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