Theme Parks Have Rides, Right? WDW vs. DLR 2022 Edition

[TP2000]

Now that Covid is over and things are back to normal I thought it would be interesting to see where things stand on the Ride Count between WDW and DLR, after the last few years of delayed projects finally opening.

After all, we are only here and this website only exists because these are theme parks. Theme parks must have rides, or else no one would buy a ticket to go there and they wouldn't exist. So how many rides does WDW Resort have versus the Disneyland Resort in 2022? I am not including theater shows or walk-thru exhibits at any park, only rides where you get in a moving vehicle of some sort. The one sort-of exception is the Carousel of Progress at WDW, which I count as a D Ticket ride for WDW's tally because the theater revolves and that's just a very cool trick.

Disneyland Resort = 57 Rides

Disneyland Park = 38 Rides
E Tickets = 13 (Jungle Cruise, Indiana Jones Adventure, Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Star Wars Rise Before Dawn, Millennium Falcon Target Run, it's a small world, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Submarine Voyage, Space Mountain, Star Tours)
D Tickets = 7 (Mark Twain Riverboat, Sailing Ship Columbia, Davy Crockett Canoes, StorybookLand Canal Boats, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Disneyland Railroad, Autopia)
C Tickets = 11 (Horse Drawn Streetcars, Rafts to Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer Island, Winnie The Pooh, Casey Jr. Circus Train, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Snow White's Immersive Enchanted Wish Dream Experience, Peter Pan's Flight, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Alice in Wonderland, Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, Gadget's Go Coaster)
B Tickets = 4 (Teacups, Dumbo, King Arthur's Carousel, Astro Orbiter)
A Tickets = 3 (Fire Truck, Omnibus, Horseless Carriage)

Disney California Adventure = 19 Rides
E Tickets = 5 (Soarin', Grizzly River Run, Chase-A-Baby, Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!)
D Tickets = 4 (Spiderman, Little Mermaid, Toy Story Midway Mania, Goofy's Sky School)
C Tickets = 8 (Golden Zephyr, Jumpin' Jellyfish, Silly Symphony Swings, Emotional Whirlwind, Fun Wheel, Luigi's Roadsters, Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, Monster's Inc.)
B Tickets = 2 (Jessie's Carousel, Red Car Trolley)

Walt Disney World Resort = 57 Rides

Magic Kingdom Park = 28 Rides
E Tickets = 7 (Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion, it's a small world, Space Mountain)
D Tickets = 8 (Disney World Railroad, Little Mermaid, Tomorrowland Speedway, Liberty Square Riverboat, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Carousel of Progress, Seven Dwarves Mine Train, PeopleMover)
C Tickets = 5 (Horse-Drawn Streetcars, Rafts to Tom Sawyer Island, Peter Pan's Flight, The Barnstormer, Winnie The Pooh)
B Tickets = 5 (Magic Carpets, Dumbo, Teacups, Regal Carousel, Astro Orbiter)
A Tickets = 3 (Fire Truck, Omnibus, Horseless Carriage)

EPCOT Center = 12 Rides
E Tickets = 6 (Spaceship Earth, Journey Into Imagination, Cosmic Rewind, Mission Space, Test Track, Soarin')
D Tickets = 4 (Living With The Land Boat Ride, Gran Fiesta Tour, Frozen Ever After, Remy's Rat Adventure)
C Tickets = 2(FriendShip Boats, The Seas With Nemo Omnimover))

Disney's Hollywood Studios = 9 Rides
E Tickets = 6 (Star Wars Rise Before Dawn, Millennium Falcon Target Run, Mickey's Runaway Railway, Star Tours, Rock N' Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror)
D Tickets = 2 (Slinky Dog Coaster, Midway Mania)
C Tickets = 1 (Alien Swirling Saucers)

Disney's Animal Kingdom = 8 Rides
E Tickets = 5 (Flight of Passage, Kilimanjaro Safari, Kali River Rapids, Expedition Everest, DINOSAUR)
D Tickets = 2 (Navi River Journey, Train to Conservation Station)
C Ticket = 1 (Triceratop Spin)

So, in 2022, the two properties are still tied. And they'll still be tied in 2023 as each property gains one new E Ticket; Tron at WDW and Mickey's Railway at Disneyland. And there are no new rides under construction after those two things open.

 

[TP2000]

Did I forget any? I don't think I did.

 

[Consumer]

Did I forget any? I don't think I did.

Was the Monorail a deliberate exclusion?

 

[TP2000]

Was the Monorail a deliberate exclusion?

Oh, yeah. Thanks for reminding me.

I left the monorail out of the Disneyland tally because the WDW kids always get cranky about that. So it just counts as "transportation", like the parking lot trams (or the boats across Bay Lake at WDW). Technically, it's a ride at Disneyland (and one I like!), but realistically and in the Floridians defense it's just a nifty way to get to/from the mall or the hotel bars. And it doesn't count as a ride in WDW.

So, to keep the peace with our Floridian friends, I didn't count the monorail as a ride at Disneyland.

But us West Coasters know the truth.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Some of your ticket listings are off but that’s pretty subjective

 

[TP2000]

Some of your ticket listings are off but that’s pretty subjective

Agreed, it's totally subjective.

Basically, anything built for, or after, EPCOT Center is subjective. A few of the latest stuff is the hardest to assign, especially when there's no height requirements and they aren't "thrill" rides.

Rattatouille and Runaway Railway; D Tickets or E Tickets? They are impressive rides, but Rat seems to be a D Ticket and Railway seems to nudge just barely into E Ticket by scale and scope and subject material (beloved corporate icons!).

What is the little Omnimover in The Living Seas pavilion that takes you past some screens and the fish tank windows on the way to Seabase Alpha? I gave it a D Ticket rating, which I think was being a tad generous.

Many of the Disneyland stuff is easy because it most all existed when ticketing was in place, or follows easily established guidelines for E Tickets (Splash, Indy, Star Wars land, etc.)

But especially for the WDW parks, it's subjective and requires decision-making. C Ticket? D Ticket? E Ticket?
Stake your claim!

 

[Centauri Space Station]

What is the little Omnimover in The Living Seas pavilion that takes you past some screens and the fish tank windows on the way to Seabase Alpha? I gave it a D Ticket rating, which I think was being a tad generous.

yes that’s one I was thinking of that should probably be C

 

[Californian Elitist]

The Monorail is a ride here at Disneyland and should be counted as one.

Our Fantasyland has more rides than AK and DHS, respectively.

 

[Rich T]

Having spent a lot of days at WDW recently, one of my main take aways is this: None of the four WDW parks, individually, have enough rides to soak up the crowds. That is the single worst thing about the Florida Resort. Well, aside from the ruining of Epcot.

And, since I just came down with Covid two days ago (literally the day before I was going to get my next booster), I would like to point out that, while the Covid situation is not as awful as it once was, it’s not completely over. So far my symptoms are flulike with a really bad, persistent headache. This has torpedoed my plans to snag a Mr. Toad popcorn bucket. I am quarantining, playing Marvel Snap and marathoning Kim’s Convenience.
(Edit)
Personally, I’d rate Runaway Railway as a D ticket.

 

[shambolicdefending]

I assume I'm not the only one who sees these counts and concludes WDW is dramatically under-built?

 

[FoodRockz]

I'm a Floridian and vastly prefer DLR. These numbers are part of my reasoning. That is all.

 

[TP2000]

FYI, apparently there’s only two FriendShip Boat docks left at Epcot, and they run rarely now. (They discontinued the route to the east side of World Showcase). But I counted it as a ride for Epcot because Epcot is so desperate for rides and I feel badly for how that park has fallen and is now treated.

Epcot needs our pity, so a lone FriendShip Boat counts as a C Ticket.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

FYI, apparently there’s only two FriendShip Boat docks left at Epcot, and they run rarely now. (They discontinued the route to the east side of World Showcase). But I counted it as a ride for Epcot because Epcot is so desperate for rides and I feel badly for how that park has fallen and is now treated.

Epcot needs our pity, so a lone FriendShip Boat counts as a C Ticket.

It usually runs from 11-7 daily from Morocco to Canada

 

[TP2000]

yes that’s one I was thinking of that should probably be C

For two specific reasons, I just changed it and downgraded that ride to a C Ticket.

1. Yeah, now that you mention it, that little Omnimover is corny and chintzy.
2. This Oregon Pinot Noir that I opened tonight with the change to chilly weather is absolutely delicious! Sorry, Nemo.

 

[_caleb]

Don’t forget one point for Cinderella Castle at MK and a half point for Sleeping Beauty Castle at DLR

 

[Californian Elitist]

Having spent a lot of days at WDW recently, one of my main take aways is this: None of the four WDW parks, individually, have enough rides to soak up the crowds. That is the single worst thing about the Florida Resort. Well, aside from the ruining of Epcot.

And, since I just came down with Covid two days ago (literally the day before I was going to get my next booster), I would like to point out that, while the Covid situation is not as awful as it once was, it’s not completely over. So far my symptoms are flulike with a really bad, persistent headache. This has torpedoed my plans to snag a Mr. Toad popcorn bucket. I am quarantining, playing Marvel Snap and marathoning Kim’s Convenience.
(Edit)
Personally, I’d rate Runaway Railway as a D ticket.

Feel better soon!

 

[DrAlice]

Disneyland Resort = 57 Rides

Disneyland Park = 38 Rides
Disney California Adventure = 19 Rides


Walt Disney World Resort = 57 Rides

Magic Kingdom Park = 28 Rides
EPCOT Center = 12 Rides
Disney's Hollywood Studios = 9 Rides
Disney's Animal Kingdom = 8 Rides

Here is some quick "back of the envelope" math to add to the discussion.

At the DL Resort, guests pay $104-179 per park per day (1 day, non-hopper ticket).
At the WDW Resort, guests pay $109 per park per day (1 day, non-hopper ticket).

This means that without park hoppers and other fancy add-ons:

• DL visitors pay $208 - $358 for those 57 rides ($3.65-$6.28 per ride)
• WDW visitors pay $436 for 57 rides ($7.65 per ride).

Obviously there is more to all parks than rides, but I found this interesting.

 

[_caleb]

Here is some quick "back of the envelope" math to add to the discussion.

At the DL Resort, guests pay $104-179 per park per day (1 day, non-hopper ticket).
At the WDW Resort, guests pay $109 per park per day (1 day, non-hopper ticket).

This means that without park hoppers and other fancy add-ons:

• DL visitors pay $208 - $358 for those 57 rides ($3.65-$6.28 per ride)
• WDW visitors pay $436 for 57 rides ($7.65 per ride).

Obviously there is more to all parks than rides, but I found this interesting.

How many of those rides can a typical guest expect to do in a day?

 

[Phroobar]

Here is some quick "back of the envelope" math to add to the discussion.

At the DL Resort, guests pay $104-179 per park per day (1 day, non-hopper ticket).
At the WDW Resort, guests pay $109 per park per day (1 day, non-hopper ticket).

This means that without park hoppers and other fancy add-ons:

• DL visitors pay $208 - $358 for those 57 rides ($3.65-$6.28 per ride)
• WDW visitors pay $436 for 57 rides ($7.65 per ride).

Obviously there is more to all parks than rides, but I found this interesting.

I think the WDW visitors pay even more because they can't hit all four parks on the same day while at DLR they can.

 

[BubbaisSleep]

Don’t forget one point for Cinderella Castle at MK and a half point for Sleeping Beauty Castle at DLR

MK can be a size queen that lacks soul though (looks at Main Street). I like that at DLR any regular guest can actually go inside the castle, unlike MK when you either have to have an expensive dinner reservation or be the one families selected to sleep in a suite. Was pretty disappointed by that during my first visit. MK should receive an extra point for keeping Peoplemover open though haha.

How many of those rides can a typical guest expect to do in a day?

Quite a bit, especially since DCA is only steps away & you can book fast passes for both parks.


All 4 WDW parks are under-built. DL also has better variety of not only with dark rides but thrills within walking distance, so thrill-oriented guests can still love the Disney park. Within walkable distance I have Indy, Splash, BTM, RISE, ST, Matterhorn, Splash, & Space among all the Disney classics. If one of those broke, I still have a lot more.

Tron opening in Mk will help their balance at least, but a dark/thrill ride is really needed on the other side of the park. MK just truly feels like a child park to me whereas at DLR I don’t feel that way due to the all variety and attractions in one setting. Ultimately money is always well spent at just DL whereas I have to visit multiple parks to get that feeling at WDW.