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

[PiratesMansion]

Look, I'm all for appreciating WDW's ambiance, something that everyone should do and that does enhance the parks if you actually explore them (particularly World Showcase and Animal Kingdom). But the fact is that all of their parks, and especially Epcot, DHS, and DAK DO need more rides. Just looking at the most egregious example, one of those parks is 33 years old with about nine attractions and stage shows that have never been updated, some of which are older than I am. That's sad no matter how you slice it.

As explained by other posters in other threads, at Disneyland the monorail is treated as an attraction and is operated by park cast members. Additionally, it is listed, and has always been listed, as an attraction. At WDW the monorail is considered transportation and operated by transportation cast members. That's why it counts in CA but not in FL. Tokyo's serves a similar function as FL's and has similarly never been counted as an attraction, so it makes no sense to count the Florida monorails.

Parks aren't all about rides, but that is why most people come, and higher overall ride capacity in a park is beneficial for everyone. A theme park complex with four theme parks and a theme park complex with two theme parks should not have nearly as comparable of a ride count as they do. It's embarrassing to Florida and contributes to making those parks unpleasant experiences.

I'll be fair to Florida by advocating for them to add more rides and attractions, not by excusing their lack of attraction investment and adding in questionable other things to inflate the ride count.

 

[drizgirl]

I'm presuming that the short list of rides for DHS, DAK, and EP is because those parks were intended to be more than just a ride-centric park.

• DAK is also a zoo.
• EP is also a World's Fair and festival center
• DHS is supposed to be also a working studio with shows.

DHS is the real stinker because it's no longer a working studio and it doesn't have a full complement of shows.

The ride tallies would be less of a problem at WDW if Park Hopping was free, or, at least, not that expensive.

And I'm presuming that WDW thinks the situation is OK, because the new rides put into "the other parks" tend to be mega-dollar E or D Ticket affairs.

1) DAK needs credit for the 2 animal trails.
2) Legit question, do you get anything at the festivals that doesn't require an additional purchase?
3) Are we giving credit for what parks are supposed to be?

The ride tallies would be less of a problem if hopping was free and the parks were only separated by a 200' esplanade.

 

[MisterPenguin]

As explained by other posters in other threads, at Disneyland the monorail is treated as an attraction and is operated by park cast members. Additionally, it is listed, and has always been listed, as an attraction. At WDW the monorail is considered transportation and operated by transportation cast members. That's why it counts in CA but not in FL.

Are transportation CMs employees of the county?

Aren't they "cast members" like all other guest-facing park employees?

I don't see the distinction.

Anyhoo, the monorail at MK was limited to those having a ticket. It wasn't initially treated as public transportation but as a pay-for transportation vehicle as part of the park experience. Just like other transportation experiences such as the train or any in-park boat... or canoes!

Just because it's 'free' now, doesn't change its status any more than all the ticketed rides at MK that now are 'free' without the need for any additional purchase of a ticket, just like for the monorail.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Monorail is not a ride at WDW, but is a ride at DL.

We’ve known the numbers are extremely close, and have been for a long time. Pretty sure that hasn’t changed in any significant way.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Are transportation CMs employees of the county?

Aren't they "cast members" like all other guest-facing park employees?

I don't see the distinction.

Anyhoo, the monorail at MK was limited to those having a ticket. It wasn't initially treated as public transportation but as a pay-for transportation vehicle as part of the park experience. Just like other transportation experiences such as the train or any in-park boat... or canoes!

Just because it's 'free' now, doesn't change its status any more than all the ticketed rides at MK that now are 'free' without the need for any additional purchase of a ticket, just like for the monorail.

DCE Canoes are not transportation. They’re a ride.

 

[MisterPenguin]

2) Legit question, do you get anything at the festivals that doesn't require an additional purchase?
3) Are we giving credit for what parks are supposed to be?

2) Some of the festivals provide more freebie stuff than others. Arts have a few hands-on things and the Broadway show. Holiday has the pavilion story-tellers and Candlelight. Garden and Wine have the rock bands. Are there local festivals outside of Disney parks that aren't trying to sell you extra stuff once you're in?

3) As I mentioned, DHS fails as being "and also..." because it isn't providing that extra parky stuff that a reduced-ride-count park is supposed to offer. DHS really needs to put a show in Mermaid's building (or the long rumored black-box ride) and update Theater of the Stars show by kicking out BatB for something new. It could use another theater as well as more rides.

 

[mlayton144]

Parks aren't all about rides, but that is why most people come

One problem with this statement - WDW outdraws DLR by approx 20-30million year after year after year - so I’m for more rides in Florida (who wouldn’t be?) but facts are facts - it’s not all about the rides

 

[Brer Oswald]

Look, I'm all for appreciating WDW's ambiance, something that everyone should do and that does enhance the parks if you actually explore them (particularly World Showcase and Animal Kingdom). But the fact is that all of their parks, and especially Epcot, DHS, and DAK DO need more rides. Just looking at the most egregious example, one of those parks is 33 years old with about nine attractions and stage shows that have never been updated, some of which are older than I am. That's sad no matter how you slice it.

As explained by other posters in other threads, at Disneyland the monorail is treated as an attraction and is operated by park cast members. Additionally, it is listed, and has always been listed, as an attraction. At WDW the monorail is considered transportation and operated by transportation cast members. That's why it counts in CA but not in FL. Tokyo's serves a similar function as FL's and has similarly never been counted as an attraction, so it makes no sense to count the Florida monorails.

Parks aren't all about rides, but that is why most people come, and higher overall ride capacity in a park is beneficial for everyone. A theme park complex with four theme parks and a theme park complex with two theme parks should not have nearly as comparable of a ride count as they do. It's embarrassing to Florida and contributes to making those parks unpleasant experiences.

I'll be fair to Florida by advocating for them to add more rides and attractions, not by excusing their lack of attraction investment and adding in questionable other things to inflate the ride count.

Rides regulate guest flow. It’s why at Magic Kingdom, on my most recent trip, I never had any issue walking from place to place. However, at Epcot and Animal Kingdom (two parks that are much larger than MK), the paths were so congested that it made it really difficult to walk from one area to another.

 

[PiratesMansion]

One problem with this statement - WDW outdraws DLR by approx 20-30million year after year after year - so I’m for more rides in Florida (who wouldn’t be?) but facts are facts - it’s not all about the rides

That is irrelevant. Most people go to theme parks primarily to go on rides. This is not to say that people can't find value in other things, but what is going to get more people to book trips-Expedition Everest or Maharajah Jungle Trek? It's gonna be the ride. And I say that as someone who loves MJT.

Most people don't go to the theme parks primarily to sit on benches, eat, and shop-they go to go on rides. Especially at Disney parks where most of their attractions lack the barriers that iron ride parks have to keep people away.

That WDW as a complex outdraws every other theme park on earth does not negate that ALL of the WDW parks are underbuilt for the capacity they see. Pre-pandemic, wait times at DL were routinely about half of what they were at WDW for comparable attractions. Why? Not because Disneyland is dramatically less popular than Magic Kingdom-there's only about a million or so difference between them in terms of annual attendance, if I recall correctly-but because Disneyland has better ride capacity for the crowds it sees.

Why did FP+ and Nextgen become a thing? Because instead of building more rides, WDW thought they could redistribute crowds using the attractions they already had instead of building more rides. But what happened? It backfired and only highlighted the lack of capacity the entire resort suffers from. So they begrudgingly built more rides after the experiment was deemed a failure.

Think of how much more pleasant it would be for those 20-30 additional million visitors, if you're correct, if there were more places to put them? More rides for them to spread out to? I can't imagine most people enjoy waiting hours and hours for Flight of Passage because Animal Kingdom only has around nine rides.

To say the fact that more people come to WDW is somehow proof that the number of rides they have is fine is absurd. There are many, many parks that are only open six months a year that have better ride capacity for the crowds they serve than WDW does. How is that defensible for what is supposed to be the world's best theme park operator?

The only people who think that the number of rides at WDW parks is fine are execs who don't want to spend money and/or are clueless about the parks, and people who have had a little too much pixie dust.

That a theme park complex of four parks has only slightly more rides than a complex of two parks is embarrassing. Flat out. There are plenty of WDW virtues and things that I think they do better than anyone else, are underappreciated, and so on. But they need more rides. Desperately.

 

[_caleb]

That is irrelevant. Most people go to theme parks primarily to go on rides. This is not to say that people can't find value in other things, but what is going to get more people to book trips-Expedition Everest or Maharajah Jungle Trek? It's gonna be the ride. And I say that as someone who loves MJT.

Most people don't go to the theme parks primarily to sit on benches, eat, and shop-they go to go on rides. Especially at Disney parks where most of their attractions lack the barriers that iron ride parks have to keep people away.

That WDW as a complex outdraws every other theme park on earth does not negate that ALL of the WDW parks are underbuilt for the capacity they see. Pre-pandemic, wait times at DL were routinely about half of what they were at WDW for comparable attractions. Why? Because Disneyland has better ride capacity for the crowds it sees.

Why did FP+ and Nextgen become a thing? Because instead of building more rides, WDW thought they could redistribute crowds using the attractions they already had instead of building more rides. But what happened? It backfired and only highlighted the lack of capacity the entire resort suffers from. So they built more rides.

Think of how much more pleasant it would be for those 20-30 additional million visitors, if you're correct, if there were more places to put them? More rides for them to spread out to? I can't imagine most people enjoy waiting hours and hours for Flight of Passage because Animal Kingdom only has around nine rides.

To say the fact that more people come to WDW is somehow proof that the number of rides they have is absurd. There are parks that are only open six months a year that have better ride capacity for the crowds they serve than WDW does. How is that defensible for what is supposed to be the world's best theme park operator?

The only people who think that the number of rides at WDW parks is fine are execs who don't want to spend money and/or are clueless about the parks, and people who have had a little too much pixie dust.

That a theme park complex of four parks has only slightly more rides than a complex of two parks is embarrassing. Flat out. There are plenty of WDW virtues and things that I think they do better than anyone else and so on. But they need more rides. Desperately.

I only go for the crowds. No better place on the planet to be crammed into small spaces with disappointed, frustrated, hot/sweaty, exhausted, newly-broke families!

 

[mlayton144]

That is irrelevant. Most people go to theme parks primarily to go on rides. This is not to say that people can't find value in other things, but what is going to get more people to book trips-Expedition Everest or Maharajah Jungle Trek? It's gonna be the ride. And I say that as someone who loves MJT.

Most people don't go to the theme parks primarily to sit on benches, eat, and shop-they go to go on rides. Especially at Disney parks where most of their attractions lack the barriers that iron ride parks have to keep people away.

That WDW as a complex outdraws every other theme park on earth does not negate that ALL of the WDW parks are underbuilt for the capacity they see. Pre-pandemic, wait times at DL were routinely about half of what they were at WDW for comparable attractions. Why? Not because Disneyland is dramatically less popular than Magic Kingdom-there's only about a million or so difference between them, if I recall correctly-but because Disneyland has better ride capacity for the crowds it sees.

Why did FP+ and Nextgen become a thing? Because instead of building more rides, WDW thought they could redistribute crowds using the attractions they already had instead of building more rides. But what happened? It backfired and only highlighted the lack of capacity the entire resort suffers from. So they begrudgingly built more rides after the experiment was deemed a failure.

Think of how much more pleasant it would be for those 20-30 additional million visitors, if you're correct, if there were more places to put them? More rides for them to spread out to? I can't imagine most people enjoy waiting hours and hours for Flight of Passage because Animal Kingdom only has around nine rides.

To say the fact that more people come to WDW is somehow proof that the number of rides they have is fine is absurd. There are many, many parks that are only open six months a year that have better ride capacity for the crowds they serve than WDW does. How is that defensible for what is supposed to be the world's best theme park operator?

The only people who think that the number of rides at WDW parks is fine are execs who don't want to spend money and/or are clueless about the parks, and people who have had a little too much pixie dust.

That a theme park complex of four parks has only slightly more rides than a complex of two parks is embarrassing. Flat out. There are plenty of WDW virtues and things that I think they do better than anyone else, are underappreciated, and so on. But they need more rides. Desperately.

War and peace ….- I agree more rides would be great. However , you are so dramatic with how bad the offerings and experience at the world are - the attendance does not support your opinion. Why don’t all of those world people goto Disneyland instead? If you are talking $10k and up for a vacation on property , I don’t think the few extra hundred bucks for flights to go west would be a deal breaker ? I love DLR , you are just so dramatic with your analysis

 

[PiratesMansion]

War and peace ….- I agree more rides would be great. However , you are so dramatic with how bad the offerings and experience at the world are - the attendance does not support your opinion. Why don’t all of those world people goto Disneyland instead? If you are talking $10k and up for a vacation on property , I don’t think the few extra hundred bucks for flights to go west would be a deal breaker ? I love DLR , you are just so dramatic with your analysis

Well, I find DLR dramatically more pleasant to experience than WDW, so...

Why don't people go to DLR instead of WDW even if I perceive DLR to be better? Regrettably, I'm not the arbiter of the universe . But in terms of actual reasons: people are irrational and we all know this. There are plenty of people out there who regularly go to WDW for expensive on-property visits that just don't go anywhere else. They absolutely could afford DLR, the internationals, etc. but they just will not do it. Likewise, there are plenty of people who regularly go to DLR and ostensibly would be interested in the unique things WDW offers, but similarly just won't make the trek out to Florida.

Additionally there are travel concerns-many people who can drive to one won't fly to the other, etc. And we know that Disney parks have always had little overlap in terms of attendance. I remember reading something to the effect that before WDW was built, only around ~2% of its visitors came from east of the Mississippi River. I can't imagine that that number has changed much, and it has much less to do with quality (perceived or otherwise) than logistical circumstances. More people live close to WDW than DLR (and certainly many more are within driving distance), so naturally WDW sees more people.

Most people also just don't really know how the resorts are from each other and that there could be value from going to both. If people tend to know anything about how they're different, they know:
1. California Disney=small
2. Florida Disney=big
3. In America, bigger=better
4. Therefore, Florida Disney=better than California Disney
People aren't really looking for nuance or looking at ride counts when they make the decision on which to visit. Mostly it's which one is closer, but if they really could choose either, why wouldn't you, on paper, choose the one with more? It should be better, right?

In terms of other things you said: I don't know that I said the WDW's offerings are bad (although I don't think anyone would be truly mad if they replaced or updated some of those VERY old shows they've been running for literal decades), just that the WDW parks are dramatically underbuilt for the crowds they get, and that affects everything at the FL parks for the worse, IMO. They need more, much more. And much more maintenance! (Not that DLR is perfect in this area either, but WDW to me is often far worse. Probably because they don't have enough attractions to easily absorb the loss of an attraction that's down for refurb, which is why WDW attractions just don't close unless it's in exceptionally bad shape).

 

[mlayton144]

Well, I find DLR dramatically more pleasant to experience than WDW, so...

Why don't people go to DLR instead of WDW even if I perceive DLR to be better? Regrettably, I'm not the arbiter of the universe . But in terms of actual reasons: people are irrational and we all know this. There are plenty of people out there who regularly go to WDW for expensive on-property visits that just don't go anywhere else. They absolutely could afford DLR, the internationals, etc. but they just will not do it. Likewise, there are plenty of people who regularly go to DLR and ostensibly would be interested in the unique things WDW offers, but similarly just won't make the trek out to Florida.

Additionally there are travel concerns-many people who can drive to one won't fly to the other, etc. And we know that Disney parks have always had little overlap in terms of attendance. I remember reading something to the effect that before WDW was built, only around ~2% of its visitors came from east of the Mississippi River. I can't imagine that that number has changed much, and it has much less to do with quality (perceived or otherwise) than logistical circumstances. More people live close to WDW than DLR (and certainly many more are within driving distance), so naturally WDW sees more people.

Most people also just don't really know how the resorts are from each other and that there could be value from going to both. If people tend to know anything about how they're different, they know:
1. California Disney=small
2. Florida Disney=big
3. In America, bigger=better
4. Therefore, Florida Disney=better than California Disney
People aren't really looking for nuance or looking at ride counts when they make the decision on which to visit. Mostly it's which one is closer, but if they really could choose either, why wouldn't you, on paper, choose the one with more? It should be better, right?

In terms of other things you said: I don't know that I said the WDW's offerings are bad (although I don't think anyone would be truly mad if they replaced or updated some of those VERY old shows they've been running for literal decades), just that the WDW parks are dramatically underbuilt for the crowds they get, and that affects everything at the FL parks for the worse, IMO. They need more, much more. And much more maintenance! (Not that DLR is perfect in this area either, but WDW to me is often far worse. Probably because they don't have enough attractions to easily absorb the loss of an attraction that's down for refurb, which is why WDW attractions just don't close unless it's in exceptionally bad shape).

All good points - but almost apples and oranges - for families with kids that want a theme park vacation (that is Disney for most people) , you choose a turn key vacation at the world with, more adult offerings , and vastly better resort and dining options. You don’t have to leave property. Even the transportation is fun with the skyliner , monorail, and boats. Now let’s look at the DLR demographic- half are locals? If I were a local I would demand more rides and get what I really came there for - a really fun day going from ride to ride and eating quick service . Families going there a really fun 2-3 days and then maybe see some other California attractions (which isn’t exactly turn key) , this shouldn’t be hard to understand . Both experiences have their place

I TOTALLY agree that the nickel and diminf and reduction in service the last 5 years is concerning , which really is more a problem for the vacation folks (world)

 

[PiratesMansion]

All good points - but almost apples and oranges - for families with kids that want a theme park vacation (that is Disney for most people) , you choose a turn key vacation at the world with, more adult offerings , and vastly better resort and dining options. You don’t have to leave property. Even the transportation is fun with the skyliner , monorail, and boats. Now let’s look at the DLR demographic- half are locals? If I were a local I would demand more rides and get what I really came there for - a really fun day going from ride to ride and eating quick service . Families going there a really fun 2-3 days and then maybe see some other California attractions (which isn’t exactly turn key) , this shouldn’t be hard to understand . Both experiences have their place

I TOTALLY agree that the nickel and diminf and reduction in service the last 5 years is concerning , which really is more a problem for the vacation folks (world)

For family with kids, particularly younger kids, I'd argue DL is much less stressful to deal with, something that people don't often take into consideration. Far easier to see what you want to see and move on in an efficient manner. Better weather too.

And California has more going on than Florida does unless you're expressly interested in theme parks. It's not a Disneyland vacation, it's a California vacation.

If WDW wins dining, which I'm not going to dispute, it's primarily because there's simply far more options. Napa Rose, at least, stands up to anything at WDW IMO. And even then you could make the case that generally speaking, DLR has better quick service options and snacks. So it's not necessarily across the board-arguably WDW over-specializes in expensive table service restaurants and although good and unique quick service does exist in FL, it's noticeably less common than, say, DLR or TDR.

But anyway: rides. I don't think anyone would complain if WDW added more. More things to do, average wait time per attraction would trend downwards a bit. That would make the families happier too.

 

[mlayton144]

There is nothing turn key about a California vacation for the typical vacationer - LAX , traffic, harbor motels , packing / unpacking to visit other cities San Diego , etc - it’s no contest. It’s a different vacation

 

[PiratesMansion]

There is nothing turn key about a California vacation for the typical vacationer - LAX , traffic, harbor motels , packing / unpacking to visit other cities San Diego , etc - it’s no contest. It’s a different vacation

It's certainly more turnkey than a visit to many, many other states in the country. Given the choice of such exciting destinations as Mississippi, Indiana, Nebraska, Idaho, North Dakota, Iowa, West Virginia, Ohio (unless they like very good coaster parks or zoos), Vermont, and so on, California looks pretty good.

Again, because of geography and the fact that many people just don't have particular ambition to actually see this country beyond a certain demarcation point (be it their town, state, region, etc), many people are fixated on Florida despite the fact that California actually is everything people think Florida is and more. People just assume that Florida and California in general are roughly equivalent states in terms of what they offer and they don't know any better because of distance.

People definitely have preconceived notions about California, many of which either aren't true or are overstated, but again, distance and media hype play a role. Not denying that LA has bad traffic, but have you driven through Atlanta or Orlando lately? I'd say they're both worse (particularly Atlanta-yeesh!). Makes LA seem like a breeze. Sure, LAX isn't the world's best airport, but if you've been through a big busy airport in your life it's nothing you've never seen before. And there are several more airports to fly into! And so on.

The pack/unpack thing just seems arbitrary to me. I move cities/hotels frequently on my trips. It's a thing that happens. Not every trip is going to be a one stop shop (or should be), and it seems like a weird thing to penalize California for. Like there are too many good destinations, and that's somehow bad? If that's the case, pick one city/region and stick with it. Spend a week in LA and Orange County and have a few days at Disneyland and whatever else you want, because chances are if you have a passion for anything at all, there's a really good example within two hours of DLR.

But at any rate, this thread is about ride count. Not other things. So despite the fact that WDW has a lot of awesome things that DLR does not, the fact remains that on a per-park average, DLR comes out ahead in ride count, and the two resorts are closer on overall ride count than they should be.

 

[No Name]

Well, I find DLR dramatically more pleasant to experience than WDW, so...

Why don't people go to DLR instead of WDW even if I perceive DLR to be better? Regrettably, I'm not the arbiter of the universe . But in terms of actual reasons: people are irrational and we all know this. There are plenty of people out there who regularly go to WDW for expensive on-property visits that just don't go anywhere else. They absolutely could afford DLR, the internationals, etc. but they just will not do it. Likewise, there are plenty of people who regularly go to DLR and ostensibly would be interested in the unique things WDW offers, but similarly just won't make the trek out to Florida.

Additionally there are travel concerns-many people who can drive to one won't fly to the other, etc. And we know that Disney parks have always had little overlap in terms of attendance. I remember reading something to the effect that before WDW was built, only around ~2% of its visitors came from east of the Mississippi River. I can't imagine that that number has changed much, and it has much less to do with quality (perceived or otherwise) than logistical circumstances. More people live close to WDW than DLR (and certainly many more are within driving distance), so naturally WDW sees more people.

Most people also just don't really know how the resorts are from each other and that there could be value from going to both. If people tend to know anything about how they're different, they know:
1. California Disney=small
2. Florida Disney=big
3. In America, bigger=better
4. Therefore, Florida Disney=better than California Disney
People aren't really looking for nuance or looking at ride counts when they make the decision on which to visit. Mostly it's which one is closer, but if they really could choose either, why wouldn't you, on paper, choose the one with more? It should be better, right?

In terms of other things you said: I don't know that I said the WDW's offerings are bad (although I don't think anyone would be truly mad if they replaced or updated some of those VERY old shows they've been running for literal decades), just that the WDW parks are dramatically underbuilt for the crowds they get, and that affects everything at the FL parks for the worse, IMO. They need more, much more. And much more maintenance! (Not that DLR is perfect in this area either, but WDW to me is often far worse. Probably because they don't have enough attractions to easily absorb the loss of an attraction that's down for refurb, which is why WDW attractions just don't close unless it's in exceptionally bad shape).

Disneyland isn’t marketed to people far outside of the region, and so if people are traveling far for a theme park vacation, they’re going to go a resort with 4 of them that they see ads for, pictures of, and stories from. They’re not even really weighing the two as options.

I’ll cut to the point of the thread… TP spends a lot of energy talking about ride count because it fundamentally matters to him that Disneyland is perceived as better than WDW. On the other hand, the average Joe probably has about as much interest in this fact as I have when I read the bottom of a Snapple cap. They are having a wonderful time either way. But of course it’s true that the WDW parks (especially DHS) need more.

 

[FerretAfros]

Are transportation CMs employees of the county?

Aren't they "cast members" like all other guest-facing park employees?

I don't see the distinction.

Anyhoo, the monorail at MK was limited to those having a ticket. It wasn't initially treated as public transportation but as a pay-for transportation vehicle as part of the park experience. Just like other transportation experiences such as the train or any in-park boat... or canoes!

View attachment 695139

Just because it's 'free' now, doesn't change its status any more than all the ticketed rides at MK that now are 'free' without the need for any additional purchase of a ticket, just like for the monorail.

We seem to go through this every year with you. WDW’s monorail and Skyliner don’t count as park rides because they’re not listed on the park map as attractions. They’re transportation, as designated by Disney, and operated by transportation CMs (not attractions CMs).

It’s no different than the parking lot trams, resort launches and ferries on the Seven Seas Lagoon, buses to the hotels, or Sassagoula River Cruise boats. They’re outside the parks and don’t require any admission tickets, so they’re not rides. It’s the same reason why the Friendship Boats count for Epcot (where they operate within the park), but not for the Studios (where they only stop outside the front gate).

Yes, there’s a strong argument that there’s so much more to WDW than just the 4 theme parks. And yes, there’s a strong argument that there’s so much more to the theme parks than rides alone (one of MK’s few saving graces is a crowd-absorbing major theater attraction in each land).

But this discussion is about rides. And simply put, none of WDW’s 4 theme parks have enough rides for the levels of crowds they see on a regular basis. They’re woefully behind on adding meaningful capacity as attendance has continued to grow through the years, and it’s why planning a trip feel more like preparing for battle than a care-free holiday.

There are so many great things about WDW that make it unique, both among tourist destinations, and among Disney’s other destinations worldwide. But in 2023 with 2023 crowd levels and expectations, it’s attraction roster is just kind of embarrassing.

 

[mlayton144]

We seem to go through this every year with you. WDW’s monorail and Skyliner don’t count as park rides because they’re not listed on the park map as attractions. They’re transportation, as designated by Disney, and operated by transportation CMs (not attractions CMs).

It’s no different than the parking lot trams, resort launches and ferries on the Seven Seas Lagoon, buses to the hotels, or Sassagoula River Cruise boats. They’re outside the parks and don’t require any admission tickets, so they’re not rides. It’s the same reason why the Friendship Boats count for Epcot (where they operate within the park), but not for the Studios (where they only stop outside the front gate).

Yes, there’s a strong argument that there’s so much more to WDW than just the 4 theme parks. And yes, there’s a strong argument that there’s so much more to the theme parks than rides alone (one of MK’s few saving graces is a crowd-absorbing major theater attraction in each land).

But this discussion is about rides. And simply put, none of WDW’s 4 theme parks have enough rides for the levels of crowds they see on a regular basis. They’re woefully behind on adding meaningful capacity as attendance has continued to grow through the years, and it’s why planning a trip feel more like preparing for battle than a care-free holiday.

There are so many great things about WDW that make it unique, both among tourist destinations, and among Disney’s other destinations worldwide. But in 2023 with 2023 crowd levels and expectations, it’s attraction roster is just kind of embarrassing.

Who cares whether they are technically considered rides? I enjoy a free bay lake boat ride from wilderness lodge for 10-15 minutes with the captain singing 70s classics acapella and/or trivia on way to MK way more than riding dumbo or Pooh , I know a lot of people would agree. I think each of the WDW parks could use a handful of simple dark rides - enough e tickets already !

 

[MisterPenguin]

We seem to go through this every year with you. WDW’s monorail and Skyliner don’t count as park rides because they’re not listed on the park map as attractions. They’re transportation, as designated by Disney, and operated by transportation CMs (not attractions CMs).

I'm sorry for the hardship I caused you.

And I still disagree.

People darn near faint around here when Disney designates a walk-thru as "an attraction" but when Disney labels something as "transportation" then we're supposed to take it as the last word.

Got it.