PiratesMansion
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Theme Parks Have Rides, Right? WDW vs. DLR 2022 Edition
- Thread starter TP2000
- Start date
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Anyways… RIDES. Haha.
No Name
Well-Known Member
Who is embarrassed?
Nobody should take issue with you repeating yourself each year if they’re not also to take issue with TP initiating it. I think his ride list (not necessarily his slant) is very fair though. But I’m open to being convinced otherwise.
If you count the skyliner and monorail, do you also count the buses? The trams? But there are trams at two different parks, so is that two rides? And if so, are the monorails 2 different rides? Can one say that each bus route is an individual ride?
I’m also surprised that nobody has mentioned the hot air balloon, which even though it’s dumb, is in fact officially listed on the map as an attraction, and meets all definitions of a ride. There’s also the amphicars, the carousel, and the train. For a mere $156, you can ride all four!
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
Clearly neither Disney nor most of their guests are embarrassed, but perhaps they should be a bit more aware, at the very least, about the capacity of the parks (or lack thereof on a comparison basis).Who is embarrassed?
Nobody should take issue with you repeating yourself each year if they’re not also to take issue with TP initiating it. I think his ride list (not necessarily his slant) is very fair though. But I’m open to being convinced otherwise.
If you count the skyliner and monorail, do you also count the buses? The trams? But there are trams at two different parks, so is that two rides? And if so, are the monorails 2 different rides? Can one say that each bus route is an individual ride?
I’m also surprised that nobody has mentioned the hot air balloon, which even though it’s dumb, is in fact officially listed on the map as an attraction, and meets all definitions of a ride. There’s also the amphicars, the carousel, and the train. For a mere $156, you can ride all four!
I just wonder: what is the point of "the blessing of size" if the resort that's about ~500 acres has almost the same number of rides as the resort with ~30,000 acres? Yes, WDW has the amenities, golf courses, DS, water parks, etc. All of that is great. But fundamentally most people aren't coming to WDW for their golfing, to resort hop, or for any of those other things. Nor do the majority go because they really love Finding Nemo: The Musical. They're going to ride Space Mountain, IASW, Tower of Terror, Kilimanjaro, Spaceship Earth, and so on.
Do you disagree with the notion that the resort with the most parks should also, by extension, have the most attractions? And not just by a little bit, but by a lot? Sure, parks should have more than just rides. Absolutely. But thousands of people don't wait to get into DHS each day primarily for the opportunity to eat at the Brown Derby.
WDW has a lot of things going for it, but it's fairly objective to say, in comparison to other parks, that it is underbuilt in terms of ride capacity. In WDW's defense, it's not the only Disney resort where this is the case (Shanghai is also very underbuilt, and you could argue that the Tokyo parks are too), but since there are double the amount of parks at WDW as there are anywhere else, it's much more noticeable. Really, ALL Disney parks could stand to add more ride capacity.
For me, the lack of ride capacity (and corresponding swelling of wait times) IS a deterrent to me visiting WDW, the resort that is closest to me geographically. Perhaps it isn't for you or others, but it is something that affects my decision making, and I do think it has an impact on the average guest's visit to WDW, whether they are consciously aware of it or not.
Centauri Space Station
Well-Known Member
I don’t visit only for the parks and I know lots of others who feel the same. I visit to resort hop, ride the transportation (skyliner, monorail, boats) eat at the resorts, Disney springs, etc. There’s a lot more to WDW which is what it set out to do since it’s opening when it was just a magic kingdom, it still offered 2 resorts, monorail and boat transportation, dinner shows, entertainment, water activity, etc. I do think DHS and DAK are in need of more rides for sure, but I still enjoy my time there.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
And I'm not knocking the other things or trying to say that they don't have value.
But if you're going to ask Johnny Tourist why he wants to go to WDW and what he expects to do, you're going to get a lot more people say that they want to go on rides rather than go resort hopping.
There is a noticeable progression of longtime WDW visitors to spend less time in the parks and more time doing other things (i.e. resort hopping) over time. Perhaps part of that is wanting to see everything on some level, but it's worth noting that you don't see this at the other resorts, despite the fact that all of them have resorts that are just as nice at WDW (not every single resort ever, obviously-see Paradise Pier-but many of them are just as good). The only resort at WDW that really has no equal is AKL. My theory is that many WDW regulars slowly gravitate away from the parks and towards the resorts and other amenities in part because parks can be such a hassle to deal with-in part because they just don't have the ride capacity to absorb the crowds they now attract.
I feel like the fact that I (and others) are saying that the resort needs more ride capacity is being construed as some sort of attack or misunderstanding of the resort. I understand that in many ways WDW functions differently than the others and has more to offer than the other theme park complexes around the world. BUT if each WDW park had at least the same number of attractions as DCA does right now-and I'll give WDI the benefit of the doubt that they would build proper attractions and not just vomit flat rides in to accomplish the same goal-would the parks not be more pleasant to experience for every guest? Waits would be shorter, rides could be more regularly refurbished, and so on. All of that would make a better experience for pretty much everyone. Which is why it always interests me that there is so much resistance to even the idea that the parks should all have more rides (or animal trails or shows that aren't 30 years old or whatever the case may be) than they currently do.
Centauri Space Station
Well-Known Member
Yes I hear you, I don’t consider it an attack at all, I’m just stating for me and others I know we focus on both. Yes you have a point about the parks, but I’ve always enjoyed resort time and seeing everything.
The issue is DCA has about 8 flat rides, I don’t know building a bunch of those will solve a lot of capacity. TSL built Alien saucers and people complain it’s not an E ticket. While it’s true Beauty and the beast and Indiana Jones Stunt Shows are very old, a lot of others are newer or very popular like Festival of the lion king, Frozen singalong, American Gardens shows, etc.
No Name
Well-Known Member
I agree with that 100%.
The part I don’t agree with is that most guests should be, or ever will be, factoring this in when deciding where to go on vacation. Like I said earlier, if someone lives in the eastern half of the US, it probably doesn’t make logical or financial sense for them to fly far to Disneyland for one part of a week long vacation. And that’s given the slim chance it crosses their mind, because it’s not advertised and none of their friends/family have been. They ultimately want to go to the place that they’ve heard great things about and seen pictures of from their friends/family/etc, and that’s just typical behavior across tourism in general. Evidently we are in the slim minority who have a frame of mind for both places and care to discuss this.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
I would agree that they don't think about this, but part of it is that years of Disney and pop cultural osmosis has convinced them that WDW is this unbeatable and perfect vacation, and that it's getting harder and harder for people to ignore that dissonance with what experiencing the resort has become.
Part of that is newfangled complicatedness, but part of it is good-old-fashioned ride capacity. I think anything that contributes to the dissonance between the price they're paying and the experience they're actually getting should be addressed, and ride capacity is part of that. They may not have the words to express that necessarily, but if they go next door to Universal and even that is easier to experience (as even Universal has better ride capacity in their two parks for the crowds they get then Disney does), the conclusions they come to may not favor Disney even if they can't necessarily articulate why that is or what all of the factors are that contribute to that compression.
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If you count the skyliner and monorail, do you also count the buses? The trams? But there are trams at two different parks, so is that two rides? And if so, are the monorails 2 different rides? Can one say that each bus route is an individual ride?
I’m also surprised that nobody has mentioned the hot air balloon, which even though it’s dumb, is in fact officially listed on the map as an attraction, and meets all definitions of a ride. There’s also the amphicars, the carousel, and the train. For a mere $156, you can ride all four!
I also count the Campgrounds' golf carts and Segways.
And let's count the number of "Attractions." According to Disney, Journey of Water is one...
mlayton144
Well-Known Member
A golf cart ride through the woods at fort wilderness is quite enjoyable
MarvelCharacterNerd
Well-Known Member
As someone who doesn't go to the parks for rides primarily, but rather characters, shows and entertainment, even I think the non-castle parks in WDW need more rides!
I enjoy DHS as a show park entirely - there's literally not one ride I can go on there as they all trigger motion sickness. So my day there would consist of Beauty and the Beast, Voyage of the Little Mermaid (RIP), Indy, Frozen, and maybe MuppetVision. I enjoy the projection shows on the Chinese Theatre at night and I liked the two Star Wars mini-shows they used to do - the Stormtroopers on parade and the Star Wars 'fashion show' as I used to think of it where every character would step onto the stage, pose, wave and leave. There's enough there for me to do for a day & night but only because I usually leave the park and eat elsewhere because I have yet to eat anything really good at DHS and have had a lot that was bad (even though I like the concepts of the themed table service restaurants there, they're a pain to get a res for and the food while okay isn't great). But I wouldn't mind some rides added that I could actually go on. I long for E-Tickets that are rated "E for Everyone" lol ala Mansion or Pirates and not just thrill rides.
For AK, the only visit I spent more than half a day there was when there was a really wonderful bird dancer at FOLK and I went to see the show three times in a row just to watch his extension. Would've gladly spent the entire day there watching him dance if I could have. And in between I stopped to watch the acrobats and the drummers. Otherwise, pretty as AK is, there is NOTHING else for me to do there. I'm not a fan of zoos, the Avatar boat ride was one and done. So really, it's the shows or nothing at AK for me. That said, FOLK is probably my fave thing at WDW, so it's worth going to AK just for that. But I wouldn't mind some rides added that I could actually go on.
EPCOT has shows, food and actually a surprising number of rides I enjoy when I think about it - Spaceship Earth, The Seas, Imagination, Frozen and Gran Fiesta Tour are all ones I look forward to. And in spite of not liking zoos, I do like The Seas pavilion to see some of the creatures swimming in the big aquarium. I would probably enjoy the new Moana walkthrough though its location makes no sense. EPCOT is the second best park after MK in terms of well rounded offerings IMO.
I appreciate all the parks at WDW as a whole for what they offer, but they're definitely unbalanced.
And I think if you walked up to the average WDW tourist and said "Do you realize WDW has less rides than DLR?" they'd be gobsmacked. And they wouldn't believe it's possible.
I enjoy DHS as a show park entirely - there's literally not one ride I can go on there as they all trigger motion sickness. So my day there would consist of Beauty and the Beast, Voyage of the Little Mermaid (RIP), Indy, Frozen, and maybe MuppetVision. I enjoy the projection shows on the Chinese Theatre at night and I liked the two Star Wars mini-shows they used to do - the Stormtroopers on parade and the Star Wars 'fashion show' as I used to think of it where every character would step onto the stage, pose, wave and leave. There's enough there for me to do for a day & night but only because I usually leave the park and eat elsewhere because I have yet to eat anything really good at DHS and have had a lot that was bad (even though I like the concepts of the themed table service restaurants there, they're a pain to get a res for and the food while okay isn't great). But I wouldn't mind some rides added that I could actually go on. I long for E-Tickets that are rated "E for Everyone" lol ala Mansion or Pirates and not just thrill rides.
For AK, the only visit I spent more than half a day there was when there was a really wonderful bird dancer at FOLK and I went to see the show three times in a row just to watch his extension. Would've gladly spent the entire day there watching him dance if I could have. And in between I stopped to watch the acrobats and the drummers. Otherwise, pretty as AK is, there is NOTHING else for me to do there. I'm not a fan of zoos, the Avatar boat ride was one and done. So really, it's the shows or nothing at AK for me. That said, FOLK is probably my fave thing at WDW, so it's worth going to AK just for that. But I wouldn't mind some rides added that I could actually go on.
EPCOT has shows, food and actually a surprising number of rides I enjoy when I think about it - Spaceship Earth, The Seas, Imagination, Frozen and Gran Fiesta Tour are all ones I look forward to. And in spite of not liking zoos, I do like The Seas pavilion to see some of the creatures swimming in the big aquarium. I would probably enjoy the new Moana walkthrough though its location makes no sense. EPCOT is the second best park after MK in terms of well rounded offerings IMO.
I appreciate all the parks at WDW as a whole for what they offer, but they're definitely unbalanced.
And I think if you walked up to the average WDW tourist and said "Do you realize WDW has less rides than DLR?" they'd be gobsmacked. And they wouldn't believe it's possible.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
I’d agree that HS, AK, and EP all need more rides but it’s odd how different each park feels despite similar ride counts, I can spend 2 full days at Epcot and still feel like I didn’t do it all, there’s so much to see and do I don’t really notice the lack of rides, I feel similar with AK (for 1 day), there’s so many trails and shows and things to see I don’t really notice a lack of rides, HS is the one park I feel desperately needs rides, even with the addition of Galaxy’s edge and Pixar it often feels like we are walking in circles searching for something to do.
I’d probably put the next 3 or 4 rides all at HS to make it a full day park, it has enough thrills, it needs a few B-D tickets to eat people.
I’d probably put the next 3 or 4 rides all at HS to make it a full day park, it has enough thrills, it needs a few B-D tickets to eat people.
Professortango1
Well-Known Member
Epcot is the only park at WDW where I feel like I need 2 days. There's so many things to explore and do. Well, there used to be at least.
I loved the look of AK, but we had seen everything a few times by 1 PM last time we visited. After 4 trips in a row on EE, we decided to leave after dinner rather than waiting around for the nighttime light show.
DHS is needing some life. GE helps, but those shows are the same shows that I saw in Jr High and I just passed my 20 year HS reunion. Everything other than Midway Mania, GE, and Runaway Railway feel ancient. I love TOT, but after doing newer versions of the ride for years, even the original TOT feels like a somewhat clunky classic.
I can do that via the current guidemaps, but it's odd what WDW leaves off entirely. For example, Magic Kingdom Park guidemaps in 2023 don't have the Main Street Vehicles or the Horse Drawn Streetcar listed at all. They don't exist as a ride or an attraction. But I'm pretty sure they're still there, even if it's in just a short morning operation. (Disneyland has been running them all day and into the evening hours now).
Using the current guidemaps from January, 2023.... hang on... I just realized it's 7pm already and I'm going to need a cocktail if I'm really going to do this for the gang here....
I'm back. Dry martini with a twist this evening.
Using the current guidemaps from January, 2023, these are all the "Attractions" listed for Magic Kingdom Park and Disneyland Park.
Magic Kingdom Park = 30 Attractions
Main Street USA: 2
Walt Disney World Railroad
City Hall (????)
Adventureland: 5
Swiss Family Treehouse
The Magic Carpets of Alladin
Jungle Cruise
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland: 4
Splash Mountain (now closed to become Tiana's Mountain)
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Tom Sawyer Island
Country Bear Jamboree
Liberty Square: 3
The Hall of Presidents
Liberty Square Riverboat
Haunted Mansion
Fantasyland: 9
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Mickey's Philharmagic
Peter Pan's Flight
Under The Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid
The Barnstormer
Dumbo The Flying Elephant
Mad Tea Party
The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Tomorrowland: 7
Tomorrowland Speedway
Space Mountain
Astro Orbiter
PeopleMover
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
Disneyland Park = 49 Attractions
Main Street USA: 8
Disneyland Railroad
Horseless Carriage
Fire Engine
Horse Drawn Streetcars
Omnibus
Disney Gallery
The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln
Main Street Cinema
Adventureland: 4
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
Jungle Cruise
Indiana Jones Adventure
Adventureland Treehouse Inspired by Walt Disney's Swiss Family Robinson (you can't make up that kind of crap!)
New Orleans Square: 2
Pirates of the Caribbean
Haunted Mansion
Critter Country: 3
Splash Mountain
The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh
Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes
Star Wars Galaxy's Edge: 2, both use colons
Millennium Falcon: Target Run
Star Wars: Rise Before Dawn
Frontierland: 4
Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island
Mark Twain Riverboat
Sailing Ship Columbia
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Fantasyland: 13
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Snow White's Enchanted Wish
Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough
King Arthur Carousel
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Dumbo The Flying Elephant
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Peter Pan's Flight
Mad Tea Party
Alice In Wonderland
Storybook Land Canal Boats
Matterhorn Bobsleds
it's a small world
Mickey's Toontown: 6
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway
Goofy's Playhouse
Gadget's Go Coaster
Mickey's House (meet Mickey)
Minnie's House (meet Minnie)
Tomorrowland: 7
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Disneyland Monorail
Autopia
Space Mountain
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue
Astro Orbiter
Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters
What's notable about both park's maps is they no longer list meet n' greets on them, like Princess Fairytale Hall at Disneyland. That's not even mentioned on the guidemap any longer. It's on the App though, and the website, and it exists and is popular. The shooting galleries are missing in both parks also on the maps. And what's up with the Main Street Vehicles in WDW??? What I think this tells us is that the guidemaps are not being maintained or presented in a truly meaningful way in 2023.
Magic Kingdom Map 2024 - Happiest Place Vacations
This page includes a Magic Kingdom Map PDF and saveable image, maps of Walt Disney World, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios...
www.planningthemagic.net
Centauri Space Station
Well-Known Member
Nice list! I’d be curious what the other 4 parks attractions count is
Centauri Space Station
Well-Known Member
Lol sure next time you’re at EpcotYou'll have to buy me a drink.
Lol sure next time you’re at Epcot
Oh, hell. Who am I kidding? No strange gentleman has bought me a drink since the Clinton Administration!
Here's what the current Epcot guidemap lists in 2023 as "Attractions" in a park that has 11 actual rides. Interestingly, the FriendShip boat (singular) that allegedly still travels on the one remaining route between the Canada dock and the Morocco dock is not mentioned on the guidemap at all. Again, the guidemaps in the 2020's are messy and incomplete and not entirely helpful.
Who the heck is running these parks now?! Do they even care about details and giving their "guests" accurate information?
EPCOT = 21 Attractions
World Celebration: 3
Spaceship Earth
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
World Discovery: 3
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Mission SPACE
Test Track
World Nature: 6
Awesome Planet
Soarin' Around The World
Living With The Land
The Seas With Nemo & Friends Attraction (that's actually what the guidemap calls it, which appears to reference the little Omnimover)
Turtle Talk With Crush
Seabase Alpha
World Showcase: 9
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
Meet Anna and Elsa at Royal Summerhaus
Frozen Ever After
Reflections of China
America Gardens Theater
The American Adventure
Palais du Cinema (AKA Impressions de France)
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
Canada Far & Wide in Circle-Vision 360
Epcot Map 2024 - Happiest Place Vacations
Walt Disney World Maps Walt Disney World Map Disney Springs Map Disney Skyliner Map Magic Kingdom Map Blizzard Beach Map Disney Transportation Map Animal Kingdom Map Hollywood Studios Map Typhoon Lagoon Map Pop Century Map
www.planningthemagic.net
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Let's just get it over with....
Here's DCA's tally of Attractions from their current January, 2023 guidemap.
Disney California Adventure = 26 Attractions
Buena Vista Street: 1
Red Car Trolley
Hollywood Land: 5
Disney Junior Dance Party
Sorcerer's Workshop
Animation Academy
Turtle Talk With Crush
Monsters Inc. Mikey & Sulley To The Rescue!
Avengers Campus: 2
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
Cars Land: 3
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Radiator Springs Racers
Pacific Wharf: 1
The Bakery Tour, Hosted by Boudin
Pixar Pier: 6
Incredicoaster
Jessie's Critter Carousel
Toy Story Midway Mania
Games of Pixar Pier
Pixar Pal-A-Round
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
Paradise Gardens Park: 5
Silly Symphony Swings
Jumpin' Jellyfish
Goofy's Sky School
Golden Zephyr
The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure
Grizzly Peak: 3
Grizzly River Run
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
Soarin'
Next up, the other two spark parks at WDW!
www.kellydoeslife.com
Here's DCA's tally of Attractions from their current January, 2023 guidemap.
Disney California Adventure = 26 Attractions
Buena Vista Street: 1
Red Car Trolley
Hollywood Land: 5
Disney Junior Dance Party
Sorcerer's Workshop
Animation Academy
Turtle Talk With Crush
Monsters Inc. Mikey & Sulley To The Rescue!
Avengers Campus: 2
Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT!
WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure
Cars Land: 3
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, Presented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Radiator Springs Racers
Pacific Wharf: 1
The Bakery Tour, Hosted by Boudin
Pixar Pier: 6
Incredicoaster
Jessie's Critter Carousel
Toy Story Midway Mania
Games of Pixar Pier
Pixar Pal-A-Round
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
Paradise Gardens Park: 5
Silly Symphony Swings
Jumpin' Jellyfish
Goofy's Sky School
Golden Zephyr
The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure
Grizzly Peak: 3
Grizzly River Run
Redwood Creek Challenge Trail
Soarin'
Next up, the other two spark parks at WDW!
California Adventure Map - Updated January 2023!
Get ready for your trip out to Disneyland in California. Help plan your trip by checking out the California Adventure map before your trip!
www.kellydoeslife.com