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

[TP2000]

Here's Disney's Animal Kingdom, according to its guidemap from January, 2023

Disney's Animal Kingdom = 20 Attractions

Oasis: 1
Oasis Exhibits (not a very catchy name, is it?)

Discovery Island: 4
Wilderness Explorers (the little park-wide sticker collecting game thing for kids)
It's Tough To Be A Bug!
Discovery Island Trails
Adventurer's Outpost (Meet Mickey & Minnie wearing a lot of khaki)

Pandora - The World of Avatar: 2
Navi River Journey
Avatar: Flight of Passage

Africa: 4
Festival of The Lion King
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, Presented by OFF! Bug Repellant (perhaps my favorite corporate sponsorship of all time!)
Rafiki's Planet Watch

Asia: 4
Feathered Friends In Flight
Maharaja Jungle Trek
Kali River Rapids
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

Dinoland U.S.A.: 5
The Boneyard
Fossil Fun Games
Finding Nemo: The Big Blue and Beyond!
Triceratop Spin
DINOSAUR

And then here is Disney's Hollywood Studios as of January, 2023 after its multi-year and mega Billion dollar expansion.

Disney's Hollywood Studios = 21 Attractions

Hollywood Boulevard: 1
Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

Echo Lake: 5
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
Star Tours - The Adventures Continue (In Another Part of the Park)
Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
Vacation Fun!
For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration

Commissary Lane: 1
Meet Mickey & Minnie at Red Carpet Dreams

Grand Avenue: 1
Muppet*Vision 3D

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: 2 (a lot of colons here!)
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run

Toy Story Land: 3
Alien Swirling Saucers
Slinky Dog Dash
Toy Story Mania! (no midway need apply)

Animation Courtyard: 3
Walt Disney Presents
Star Wars Launch Bay, Presented by Hewlett-Packard (this is still a thing in 2023?)
Disney Junior Play & Dance!

Sunset Boulevard: 5
Rock n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (ignore the headlines)
Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Fantasmic!
Beauty & The Beast - Live On Stage

Hollywood Studios Map 2023 - Planning The Magic

Walt Disney World Maps Walt Disney World Map Disney Springs Map Disney Skyliner Map Epcot Map Blizzard Beach Map Disney Transportation Map Animal Kingdom Map Hollywood Studios Map Typhoon Lagoon Map Pop Century Map

www.planningthemagic.net

 

[TP2000]

Okay, so what did we learn there gang from the official guidemap Attraction tally circa January, 2023?

What I learned is that whoever is in charge of Disney's guidemaps is probably phoning in their work via Zoom while "working" from home and drinking Merlot out of their coffee cup.

The format is messy and all over the place. There is no consistency between parks, in messaging or in categorizing. Entire rides are missing, like the Main Street Vehicles at Magic Kingdom Park. Sometimes a meet n' greet counts as an attraction, like Meet Mickey in Toontown, and sometimes it doesn't like the equally elaborate Princess Fantasy Faire in Fantasyland which is not mentioned in the guidemap at all. While sometimes meeting Olaf in front of a plywood backdrop in DHS counts as an "Attraction".

In some parks, night spectaculars count as a park "attraction" like Fantasmic! does in DHS, and in some parks they don't count at all, like the fireworks in Magic Kingdom or Harmonious in Epcot which aren't mentioned on the maps. But just to confuse the issue, at Disneyland, Fantasmic! isn't counted as an attraction like its weaker cousin is in DHS. So even the same show can be an attraction or it can't be.

What a mess! Sloppy and random and totally inconsistent for a national brand that once prided itself on minding the details.

So, based on Disney's own guidemaps they've been giving out in January, 2023, here's where we stand on the list of "Attractions" even though some things are missing entirely and some things are classified entirely differently in various parks:

Walt Disney World = 92 Attractions
Disneyland Resort = 75 Attractions

 

[TP2000]

As a reminder, this is counted as an Attraction at Disney's Hollywood Studios. A small room where you "meet Olaf" and have your photo taken.

Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight! A beloved DHS Attraction! You are Immersed!

But this entire mini-land at Disneyland, Princess Fantasy Faire which includes a fully themed pavilion for meeting multiple Princesses at once, plus an indoor stage show doing musical/comedy shows several times per day, plus roaming outdoor atmosphere characters, a gift shop, and a few snack bars clustered around a themed courtyard is NOT an Attraction. It's not even mentioned on the guidemap at all.

Pour some more Merlot into that coffee mug for the 2 o'clock Zoom call. It's time to update the guidemaps!

On the guidemap shown below, the "CC" references Maurice's Treats (unexplained as a concept beyond that title, could be a hot dog cart or could be a Parisian bakery, who knows?!?) as a Disney Dining option for Fantasyland. The number 2 references the stop for the Horseless Carriage as an official Attraction on Main Street USA. Otherwise, the mini-land of Princess Fantasy Faire and it's elaborate meet-n-greet hall plus live theater shows plus shopping and area entertainment doesn't exist in the guidemap.

But if you are having a heart attack and need an Automatic External Defibrillator, there's one at the back of the Fantasy Faire you can use.

Let this sink in for just a moment... Parents with a cranky 4 year old trying to find Cinderella's meet-n-greet are NOT expected to refer to the guidemap, but someone needing an AED for an emergency heart attack situation IS expected to refer to the guidemap. This makes perfect sense in a TDA conference room full of idiots.

But at least the Fantasy Faire is on the park website listed in a tab under "Entertainment"? Because parents standing in the middle of gridlocked Fantasyland with a cranky 4 year old who wants to see Cinderella won't look at their guidemap, they'll go to the web and pull up Disneyland.com and search there? It'd be faster if they faked a heart attack and got a CM to take them to the AED. Oh, look, Cinderella!

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/entertainment/disneyland/fantasy-faire/

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Walt's tree stump is the best attraction at Disneyland and it's not even on that map.

 

[TP2000]

Walt's tree stump is the best attraction at Disneyland and it's not even on that map.

I love that petrified tree! And you're right, it isn't even shown on the map.

I've now realized the whole map thing is a real mess in 2023. Vague, inconsistent, missing key details, and yet happy to list dumb and cheap stuff like Meet Olaf! instead of explaining how Virtual Queue is different from Lightning Lane or Individual Lightning Lane and why you should buy Genie+ instead of just going with Genie on the App. Or even just what time the fireworks start.

It's almost like they want to tick people off who dare buy a ticket to their parks without investing in Individual Lightning Lane.

 

[Phroobar]

I guess some parks need attraction padding while others don't.
There was a time when the hall of fame statue head of Alfred Hitchcock was considered an attraction at Disney/MGM.

 

[Consumer]

But this entire mini-land at Disneyland, Princess Fantasy Faire which includes a fully themed pavilion for meeting multiple Princesses at once, plus an indoor stage show doing musical/comedy shows several times per day, plus roaming outdoor atmosphere characters, a gift shop, and a few snack bars clustered around a themed courtyard is NOT an Attraction. It's not even mentioned on the guidemap at all.

Pour some more Merlot into that coffee mug for the 2 o'clock Zoom call. It's time to update the guidemaps!

On the guidemap shown below, the "CC" references Maurice's Treats (unexplained as a concept beyond that title, could be a hot dog cart or could be a Parisian bakery, who knows?!?) as a Disney Dining option for Fantasyland. The number 2 references the stop for the Horseless Carriage as an official Attraction on Main Street USA. Otherwise, the mini-land of Princess Fantasy Faire and it's elaborate meet-n-greet hall plus live theater shows plus shopping and area entertainment doesn't exist in the guidemap.

But if you are having a heart attack and need an Automatic External Defibrillator, there's one at the back of the Fantasy Faire you can use.

Let this sink in for just a moment... Parents with a cranky 4 year old trying to find Cinderella's meet-n-greet are NOT expected to refer to the guidemap, but someone needing an AED for an emergency heart attack situation IS expected to refer to the guidemap. This makes perfect sense in a TDA conference room full of idiots.

View attachment 695739

View attachment 695740

But at least the Fantasy Faire is on the park website listed in a tab under "Entertainment"? Because parents standing in the middle of gridlocked Fantasyland with a cranky 4 year old who wants to see Cinderella won't look at their guidemap, they'll go to the web and pull up Disneyland.com and search there? It'd be faster if they faked a heart attack and got a CM to take them to the AED. Oh, look, Cinderella!

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/entertainment/disneyland/fantasy-faire/

I remember when Fantasy Faire was announced and how RatTalkers were upset about the loss of Carnation Plaza, but frankly Fantasy Faire is quite possibly the best addition to Disneyland in the last twenty years. 2010 to 2015 was a pretty sweet period for the Disneyland Resort.

 

[mlayton144]

Walt Disney World = 92 Attractions
Disneyland Resort = 75 Attractions

Let’s update to included water parks
WDW - 116 attractions
Disneyland - 75 attractions

 

[mlayton144]

Let’s update to included water parks
WDW - 116 attractions
Disneyland - 75 attractions

Shall we do restaurants and resorts as well ?

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[Phroobar]

• Walt Disney World:54 rides (average of 13.5 rides per park)
  • Magic Kingdom – 25
  • EPCOT – 12
  • Hollywood Studios – 9
  • Animal Kingdom – 8
• Disneyland Resort:56 rides (average of 28 rides per park)
  • Disneyland – 37
  • California Adventure – 19
• Disneyland Paris:32 rides (average of 16 rides per park)
  • Parc Disneyland – 21
  • Walt Disney Studios – 11
• Tokyo Disney Resort:46 rides (average of 23 rides per park)
  • Tokyo Disneyland – 26
  • Tokyo DisneySea – 20
• Universal Orlando Resort:30 rides (average of 15 per park)
  • Universal Studios – 18
  • Islands of Adventure – 12
  • Epic Universe – Unknown
• Universal Studios Hollywood: 13 rides
• Knotts Berry Farm: 41 rides!!!!!!

 

[PiratesMansion]

Like vs. Like. Theme Park vs. Theme Park.

Even Disney doesn't consider the Water Parks as the same thing as the theme parks, hence why they are counted separately.

As much as Disney would love it if you believed otherwise, restaurants and resort hotels (and I'm going to add shops in here too as a pre-emptive measure) are not rides (it's in the title of the thread, y'know?).

 

[mlayton144]

Like vs. Like. Theme Park vs. Theme Park.

Even Disney doesn't consider the Water Parks as the same thing as the theme parks, hence why they are counted separately.

As much as Disney would love it if you believed otherwise, restaurants and resort hotels (and I'm going to add shops in here too as a pre-emptive measure) are not rides (it's in the title of the thread, y'know?).

Well the guests certainly care about those things

 

[PiratesMansion]

Well the guests certainly care about those things

But again, the thread is not "which resort has more stuff," it's "which resort has more rides."

 

[Phroobar]

A "Ride" is a thing that moves you from place to place. It does not include petting farms or animal viewings.

Even Adventure City in Anaheim has 10 rides. Granted adults can only fit comfortably on two or three of them.

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

If we’re going to fudge the metrics of what defines a “ride” to make WDW fans feel better might as well include restrooms, too. And parking spaces.

I’ll admit the Tangled restroom may be worth an A-B ticket.

 

[mlayton144]

If we’re going to fudge the metrics of what defines a “ride” to make WDW fans feel better might as well include restrooms, too. And parking spaces.

I’ll admit the Tangled restroom may be worth an A-B ticket.

LOL - we can agree that DLR has more ride density , there’s no argument there. But at the end of day I guess the debate is who cares? DLR is much more of a locals park - if rides were really most important to people there wouldn’t be so many “undesirables” representing their consumer base , is this incorrect ?

 

[Sharon&Susan]

How many off-site hotels and restaurants are within walking distance of the Magic Kingdom? Pretty sure guests care about those things too!

 

[Sharon&Susan]

if rides were really most important to people there wouldn’t be so many “undesirables” representing their consumer base

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

DLR is much more of a locals park - if rides were really most important to people there wouldn’t be so many “undesirables” representing their consumer base , is this incorrect ?

Lol. We’re all undesirable for different reasons in the eyes of the great Christine “let them eat smaller-portioned cake” McCarthy.