The 15 best parks you have been to (Disney or non-Disney alike)

[Walt Disney1955]

Just as it says. Rank them as you wish. Obviously just stick to the ones you have been to. I have only been to the American Disney parks when it comes to Disney.

1. Disneyland
2. Magic Kingdom
3. Islands of Adventure
4. Epcot
5. California Adventure
6. Animal Kingdom
7. Universal Studios Orlando
8. Disney Hollywood Studios
9. Dollywood
10. Universal Studios Hollywood
11. Busch Gardens Tampa
12. Cedar Point
13. Sea World Orlando
14. King's Island
15. Canada's Wonderland

Sorry, can't pass up Disneyland here. It's number 1. Thought for a second how I could put Epcot ahead of Islands but it was basically a coin flip. Two very different parks. Missed some other places like Kennywood, Darien Lake, etc. 15 is a lot of parks actually.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

1. EPCOT Center (1982-1994)
2. Disneyland (2005-2006)
3. Magic Kingdom
4. Universal Studios Hollywood
5. Disney MGM Studios (1989-2001)
6. Disneyland (before and after the 50th Celebration)
7. Disney Hollywood Studios (after 2001)
8. Epcot (after 1994)
9. Animal Kingdom
10. California Adventure

 

[jloucks]

15?! Oh sheesh... umm... in somewhat order...

Magic Kingdom
Epcot
Islands of Adventure
Scarborough Renaissance Festival (Texas)
Las Vegas (Hey, its a park, sorta)
Universal Studios Orlando
Disney Hollywood Studios
Disneyland
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Great America
Sea World San Antonio
Dallas Zoo
Fort Worth Zoo
Animal Kingdom

 

[BlakeW39]

Best or favorite? I'll go with best.

It's hard to choose. Disneyland is definitely #1. After that things become hazy.

1. Disneyland
2. Disney's Animal Kingdom
3. Universal's Islands of Adventure
4. Magic Kingdom
5. EPCOT
6. Disney's Hollywood Studios
7. Universal Studios Florida
8. Disney's California Adventure

In terms of Disney & Universal, I guess. I have not visited USH, sadly. DAK, IOA, and MK are kind of interchangable imo. Especially the former two. Guess it just depends on what you value in a theme park.

I wouldn't compare any of them to a regional thrills park like Cedar Point, though. Apples to oranges.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

1. EPCOT Center (1982-1994)
2. Disneyland (2005-2006)
3. Magic Kingdom
4. Universal Studios Hollywood
5. Disney MGM Studios (1989-2001)
6. Disneyland (before and after the 50th Celebration)
7. Disney Hollywood Studios (after 2001)
8. Epcot (after 1994)
9. Animal Kingdom
10. California Adventure

So I am guessing that you haven't been to Universal Orlando, either of the parks? And I have to ask, what makes Disneyland so low on your list? It's 6th! I get it that you like the 50th anniversary, but it seems like a normal Disneyland day to you is down the list and behind a few things.

 

[Dead2009]

1. Magic Kingdom
2. Hollywood Studios
3. Animal Kingdom
4. Epcot
5. Kings Dominion
6. Hersheypark
7. Six Flags America (when it was known as Adventure World, the Marylanders here should get that reference)

 

[WondersOfLife]

1. Disneyland
2. Islands of Adventure
3. Animal Kingdom
4. Magic Kingdom
5. Busch Gardens Williamsburg
6. Hollywood Studios
7. Universal Studios Florida
8. Epcot
9. Sea World Orlando
10. Carowinds
11. Dollywood
12. California Adventure
13. Six Flags Over Georgia

 

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

1. Disneyland
2. Animal Kingdom
3. Islands of Adventure
4. California Adventure
5. Universal Studios Hollywood
6. Universal Studios Florida
8. Hollywood Studios (Disney)
7. Magic Kingdom
9. Sea World San Diego
10. Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
11. Legoland California
12. Happy Hollow Park and Zoo

7. Six Flags America (when it was known as Adventure World, the Marylanders here should get that reference)

California understands via -> YouTube

 

[BlakeW39]

1. Disneyland
2. Animal Kingdom
3. Islands of Adventure
4. California Adventure
5. Universal Studios Hollywood
6. Universal Studios Florida
8. Hollywood Studios (Disney)
7. Magic Kingdom
9. Sea World San Diego
10. Legoland California
11. Happy Hollow Park and Zoo

California understands via -> YouTube

Interesting you have MK so low. I wanted to put it lower just bc it's kind of like bootleg Disneyland but realistically I think the quality of the park surpasses a DHS or something.

Why'd you place it so low? Fundamentally it's pretty similar Disneyland, inferior by a pretty large margin but on a basic theme park design level, not drastically different.

 

[BlakeW39]

Also I don't really think zoos count. Really not the same type of thing and you end up just asking, rollercoasters vs animals. Personally I prefer the San Diego Zoo to the vast majority of theme parks I've visited (I've been to like 16 or something) but wouldn't rank it in the same category.

 

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

Interesting you have MK so low. I wanted to put it lower just bc it's kind of like bootleg Disneyland but realistically I think the quality of the park surpasses a DHS or something.

Why'd you place it so low? Fundamentally it's pretty similar Disneyland, inferior by a pretty large margin but on a basic theme park design level, not drastically different.

My ranking is based on my experience with the theme parks. But anyway:

First, Magic Kingdom lacks good unique rides. Yes, the Peoplemover, Jamboree, and the Carousel of Progress are little charms, but they fail compared to Hollywood Studios ToT, rock'nrollercoaster, and Slinky Dog Dash. Seven Dwarfs is good enough, but waiting 120 minutes on it is not worth it.

Second, since this is based on my experience, and my experience at MK really sucked. The last time I went to this inferior park was when I was 9, during New Year's Eve. I started the morning with a smelly Autopia and massive crowds. Then, I waited for the extremely short Peter Pan, with the wait time being an hour (it didn't help with the ugly tent facades), the scary Haunted Mansion (I closed my eyes the entire time because I was 9), the hour-wait Splash Mountain, the hour-and-half-wait Thunder Mountain, and finally the hour-wait small world. Finally, there were the New Year's fireworks, which we were only able to hear and see a small glimpse of the fireworks. 6 rides. Compare that to Disneyland, with short wait times for Rise of the Resistance (rope drop), snow white, toad, Alice, small world, Matterhorn, Star Tours, Buzz, Jungle Cruise, POTC, Splash Mt., Haunted Mansion, Train, Indy, Big Thunder, Millennium Falcon, Winne the Pooh, Space Mountain, and Storybkland boats, 19 rides in one day.

Also I don't really think zoos count. Really not the same type of thing and you end up just asking, rollercoasters vs animals. Personally I prefer the San Diego Zoo to the vast majority of theme parks I've visited (I've been to like 16 or something) but wouldn't rank it in the same category.

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is a theme park, with a few attractions (1 dark ride, multiple flat rides, a kid coaster). It's basically AK's little brother. SeaWorld San Diego is the middle child. This little family is technically a theme park, featuring animal exhibits.

 

[Jrb1979]

1. Islands of Adventure
2. Cedar Point
3. Kings Island
4. Busch Gardens Tampa
5. SeaWorld Orlando
6. Epcot (80's to 90's version)
7. Hollywood Studios
8. Universal studios Orlando
9. Magic Kingdom
10. Hershey Park
11. Dollywood
12. Carowinds

 

[Tiny Tim!]

1. Disneyland
2. EPCOT
3. Magic Kingdom
4. Animal Kingdom
5. Knott’s Berry Farm
6. Disney Hollywood Studios
7. Disney California Adventure
8. Disney Typhoon Lagoon
9. Magic Mountain
10. Great America
11. SeaWorld San Diego
12. Universal Studios Hollywood
13. Enchanted Forest (Oregon)

 

[IanDLBZF]

1. Disneyland
2. Epcot
3. Magic Kingdom
4. Animal Kingdom
5. Universal Studios Florida (pre-2000s)
6. Busch Gardens Tampa
7. SeaWorld Orlando
8. Blizzard Beach
9. Disney California Adventure
10. Islands of Adventure (I think I only went once and never again)
11. Disney's Hollywood Studios

 

[wdwfan4ver]

1. Magic Kingdom
2. Islands of Adventure
3. DAK
4. USF
5.Epcot
6. DHS
7. Sea World Orlando
8. Busch Gardens Tampa
9. Six Flags of America - (the six Flags located in Illinois and last time went in early 2000s)

 

[BubbaisSleep]

1) Disneyland
2) IOA
3) Epcot
4) Cedar Point
5) AK
6) Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
7) DCA
8) Volcano Bay
9) Universal Hollywood
10) USF (very slightly beats DHS due to MMRR not being exclusive anymore & Diagon, I love Potter.)
11) DHS
12) Knotts
13) Magic Kingdom
14) Seaworld Orlando
15) Magic Mountain

Hoping to experience BGT & Dollywood in 2024.

Also I don't really think zoos count. Really not the same type of thing and you end up just asking, rollercoasters vs animals. Personally I prefer the San Diego Zoo to the vast majority of theme parks I've visited (I've been to like 16 or something) but wouldn't rank it in the same category.

I was honestly going to place San Diego Zoo really high up on my list too haha.

 

[Wilbret]

Keeping it to ten for some reason

1. Islands of Adventure - great coasters
2. Magic Kingdom - tradition
3. SeaWorld Orlando - great coasters, and they treat passholders well, lots of special events
4. Busch Gardens Tampa or Williamsburg - coasters, events, theming
5. Universal Studios Orlando - HHN for the win
6. CaroWinds - tons of coasters, one of few parks to still offer after 4pm pricing
7. Legoland Florida - Soooo many fun memories here, plus they never forced masks during the dark years
8. Disney Hollywood Studios - just remains BLAH to me
9. Six Flags over Georgia - "local" park, have been going here for decades. It's not great, but it's mine.
10. Epcot - I can drink cheaper in other places. It's hot. The lines for rides can be stupid long. Construction.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

A good number of my favorite parks no longer exist. They would not stand up to today's parks, but I Ioved them for other reasons, like the people, the live music, the food, the look of the parks, and the price/value!

One current park that reminds me of the defunct parks of yesteryear is Knoebels in PA. Knoebels has a number of classic amusement park rides.

Another fun park is Lakemont Park in Altoona, PA. I've only been there once, and I think it is still open, but I'm not 100% sure. It is home to Leap-the-Dips, the OLDEST OPERATING ROLLER COASTER in the world! It dates to 1902, and is a historic landmark. It was not the first coaster, and it has not been in continuous operation all that time, but riding it is a pretty cool experience.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Second, since this is based on my experience, and my experience at MK really sucked. The last time I went to this inferior park was when I was 9, during New Year's Eve. I started the morning with a smelly Autopia and massive crowds. Then, I waited for the extremely short Peter Pan, with the wait time being an hour (it didn't help with the ugly tent facades), the scary Haunted Mansion (I closed my eyes the entire time because I was 9), the hour-wait Splash Mountain, the hour-and-half-wait Thunder Mountain, and finally the hour-wait small world. Finally, there were the New Year's fireworks, which we were only able to hear and see a small glimpse of the fireworks. 6 rides. Compare that to Disneyland, with short wait times for Rise of the Resistance (rope drop), snow white, toad, Alice, small world, Matterhorn, Star Tours, Buzz, Jungle Cruise, POTC, Splash Mt., Haunted Mansion, Train, Indy, Big Thunder, Millennium Falcon, Winne the Pooh, Space Mountain, and Storybkland boats, 19 rides in one day.


Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is a theme park, with a few attractions (1 dark ride, multiple flat rides, a kid coaster). It's basically AK's little brother. SeaWorld San Diego is the middle child. This little family is technically a theme park, featuring animal exhibits.

That's too bad about MK. I can understand why you are not fond of MK.

 

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

6) Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

Completely forgot about this park!

That's too bad about MK. I can understand why you are not fond of MK.

perhaps I might retry MK in the future…