This is set up differently than other survival games, and I did not come up with this originally, but got it from elsewhere, so credit goes to whoever it was that first made this...
There once was this one set of articles on Miceage.com that tried to determine, once and for all, which was the best Disney park of all time. That set has since expired, but it now has been revived on this blog called Parkeology: http://www.parkeology.com/.
You can also look at that thread here: http://www.parkeology.com/2010/08/thrilla-in-parkzilla-round-1.html.
The original contest was initiated back in 2005, but times have changed greatly since then. In any case, this set-up here determines which is truly the best park in the world and to do so we we will carefully evaluate the parks on a range of topics. But first, we must look to the past and re-run the previous three rounds before settling on a brand-new round. We will reveal who was the champion last time around, then in round four we will re-evaluate all the parks as they stand today and see if a new heavyweight has emerged.
So now, without further ado, let the free-for-all begin!
(NOTE: This was originally run late 2004 and early 2005, some facts have changed over that time and will be addressed in round four. This is the original series. ANOTHER NOTE: This following wording below will be copied almost verbatim from the original wording on the site from whence this contest began - "almost" in the sense that some words are revised to my liking, but the results are the same.)
MAY THE BEST DISNEY PARK WIN
There have been many questions that haunt man: Why are we here? What is the meaning of Life? Are we alone in the universe? Meaningful subjects that keep scholars up nights.
And then there are the really important questions for discerning readers such as yourself, like which Disney park is the best?
I have been fortunate enough to visit all of the Disney resorts the world over and more so I have been to each within the last two years. It's about time we tackle a serious subject, the answer of which has eluded mankind for decades and so once and for all we will answer the burning question: which is the best Disney theme park in the world?
Judging the parks fairly takes more than just a casual poll or a throw away opinion. There are thousands and thousands of elements that must gel together in order for a theme park to click into high gear and fire on all cylinders. All of these must be considered. It is also important to have some sort of level playing field for the judging. I've only taken two trips to Tokyo DisneySea for a total of eight days or so, while I have been to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World dozens of times and hundreds of days. It's only human nature to start to become bored with a park you have seen so many times. On the other hand a newer park holds all sorts of possibilities and potential, if not careful this newness can be blinding and perhaps lull one into an artificial sense of grandeur.
In addition there are factors that change and evolve. Things like the upkeep and maintenance of the parks fit into this category. For example Disneyland endured years of neglect which plunged it into a sad state of disrepair. Currently a massive rehab program is underway which is correcting many of the problems Disneyland has accumulated over recent years. In this case we will look at the most recent changes and judge the parks on not only how they look right now, but also how they will be AFTER current rehab projects are completed.
KEEPING COUNT
In order to keep things fair we have developed a rating scale. This scale takes into account four major aspects of any theme park and weights the scale to the most important factors. The scale the parks will be judged on is as follows:
(NOTE: This also came from Parkeology, where the contest was replicated)
While this is by no means a scientific poll I have asked several people (as well as myself) to rate each park. Only those who have been to the parks have rated them so there is no speculation. I have asked numerous people ranging from frequent visitors to first time guests to rate the parks they have experienced. The averages have been calculated and represents the parks final overall score.
So now we have a system to rate the parks, but in a head to head battle, a brawl to take it all, in a clash of world class parks what is the ultimate park? Which park will earn the title as the world's best?
In round one we pit all the Magic Kingdom style parks against one another in a no holds barred cage match. Which Magic Kingdom reigns supreme?
CALLING ALL CHALLENGERS
Lets introduce the contenders and check out the stats:
Hailing from Anaheim in sunny California U.S.A., we have the original, the innovator and the one that started it all, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Disneyland!
Entering the ring next, the east coast cousin of Disneyland, the most popular park in the U.S., from Orlando Florida, put your hands together for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom!
Next up, we have the beast from the far east, the Godzilla of theme parks, the most visited single park on the globe, from Tokyo, Japan, let's hear it for Tokyo Disneyland!
And last but not least, now entering the ring is the most popular tourist attraction in Europe, a technological tour de force and the only Magic Kingdom in which you can drink alcohol, from Paris, France, it's Disneyland Paris!
(What's that, you don't see Hong Kong Disneyland? Remember, this was written before that park even opened, but in round four, Hong Kong will have a chance to compete... wish it luck, it will need it.)
We know the rules, so let's get ready to rumble! This is going to be an incredibly close competition as each park has individual strengths and individual weaknesses. While many people may dismiss them all as being virtual clones of each other, the truth is that each excels in some areas and falls short in others.
DISNEYLAND
Let's look at Disneyland first. The park delivers a near knockout blow in the attractions category. Featuring ALL of the classics like Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain it also boasts the original and still best version of Pirates of the Caribbean. The attractions are varied and far flung. There is something for everyone here of all ages and all tastes. It is the only Magic Kingdom-type park with the Indiana Jones Adventure and has more Fantasyland attractions than any of the others. However, Disneyland has faltered with its latest version of Tomorrowland. The removal of the Submarine Voyage (rumored to return, but we don't know that yet) and the removal of the Rocket Rods has made Tomorrowland into a mere shell of its former self. All is not perfect, but overall Disneyland does very well with its selection of attractions (when they are all functioning) and so the park manages to pull down a near perfect 14 out of 15 for attractions.
However, Disneyland takes a bit of a beating in the atmosphere category. While it is a beautiful park full of old growth trees it is by far the smallest of the parks, roughly 50% the size of the others. No matter how hard it tries, Disneyland gets caught on the ropes because of the tight spaces. Odd relationships pop up like Haunted Mansion nearly touching Splash Mountain, and Sleeping Beauty Castle is Lilliputian when compared to the competition. There is no doubt that Disneyland has a wonderful atmosphere, but its size works against it and it comes up short of the other combatants with a score of 10.
But beware, because Disneyland battles back with a vicious series of jabs when it comes to intangibles. Here, the park really shines. It has all the history anyone could want. It has transcended being simply a theme park and has become a true American icon. It is the only park Walt Disney himself worked on and walked within. It oozes charm at every corner and has a brilliant layout that has become the template for all the others to copy. Disneyland rocks back with a 5 out of 5 in this category.
Finally Disneyland comes in the middle of the pack when it comes to dining. With the wonderful environment of the Blue Bayou restaurant, the park delivers a solid body blow, but sadly, its big gun, Club 33, is not open to the public and therefore does not count here. Other options include a variety of counter service and fast food establishments as well as churro and popcorn carts. Disneyland pulls out a respectable 3 out of 5.
So as the bell rings, Disneyland comes away with a 32 out of 40... very solid, but is it enough to take the title?
Find out next time in the newest installment of... Thrilla In Parkzilla!
There once was this one set of articles on Miceage.com that tried to determine, once and for all, which was the best Disney park of all time. That set has since expired, but it now has been revived on this blog called Parkeology: http://www.parkeology.com/.
You can also look at that thread here: http://www.parkeology.com/2010/08/thrilla-in-parkzilla-round-1.html.
The original contest was initiated back in 2005, but times have changed greatly since then. In any case, this set-up here determines which is truly the best park in the world and to do so we we will carefully evaluate the parks on a range of topics. But first, we must look to the past and re-run the previous three rounds before settling on a brand-new round. We will reveal who was the champion last time around, then in round four we will re-evaluate all the parks as they stand today and see if a new heavyweight has emerged.
So now, without further ado, let the free-for-all begin!
(NOTE: This was originally run late 2004 and early 2005, some facts have changed over that time and will be addressed in round four. This is the original series. ANOTHER NOTE: This following wording below will be copied almost verbatim from the original wording on the site from whence this contest began - "almost" in the sense that some words are revised to my liking, but the results are the same.)
MAY THE BEST DISNEY PARK WIN
There have been many questions that haunt man: Why are we here? What is the meaning of Life? Are we alone in the universe? Meaningful subjects that keep scholars up nights.
And then there are the really important questions for discerning readers such as yourself, like which Disney park is the best?
I have been fortunate enough to visit all of the Disney resorts the world over and more so I have been to each within the last two years. It's about time we tackle a serious subject, the answer of which has eluded mankind for decades and so once and for all we will answer the burning question: which is the best Disney theme park in the world?
Judging the parks fairly takes more than just a casual poll or a throw away opinion. There are thousands and thousands of elements that must gel together in order for a theme park to click into high gear and fire on all cylinders. All of these must be considered. It is also important to have some sort of level playing field for the judging. I've only taken two trips to Tokyo DisneySea for a total of eight days or so, while I have been to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World dozens of times and hundreds of days. It's only human nature to start to become bored with a park you have seen so many times. On the other hand a newer park holds all sorts of possibilities and potential, if not careful this newness can be blinding and perhaps lull one into an artificial sense of grandeur.
In addition there are factors that change and evolve. Things like the upkeep and maintenance of the parks fit into this category. For example Disneyland endured years of neglect which plunged it into a sad state of disrepair. Currently a massive rehab program is underway which is correcting many of the problems Disneyland has accumulated over recent years. In this case we will look at the most recent changes and judge the parks on not only how they look right now, but also how they will be AFTER current rehab projects are completed.
KEEPING COUNT
In order to keep things fair we have developed a rating scale. This scale takes into account four major aspects of any theme park and weights the scale to the most important factors. The scale the parks will be judged on is as follows:
(NOTE: This also came from Parkeology, where the contest was replicated)
While this is by no means a scientific poll I have asked several people (as well as myself) to rate each park. Only those who have been to the parks have rated them so there is no speculation. I have asked numerous people ranging from frequent visitors to first time guests to rate the parks they have experienced. The averages have been calculated and represents the parks final overall score.
So now we have a system to rate the parks, but in a head to head battle, a brawl to take it all, in a clash of world class parks what is the ultimate park? Which park will earn the title as the world's best?
In round one we pit all the Magic Kingdom style parks against one another in a no holds barred cage match. Which Magic Kingdom reigns supreme?
CALLING ALL CHALLENGERS
Lets introduce the contenders and check out the stats:
Hailing from Anaheim in sunny California U.S.A., we have the original, the innovator and the one that started it all, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Disneyland!
- NAME: Disneyland
- LOCATION: Anaheim, CA, USA
- AGE: 55 (going on 56)
- SIZE: 80 acres
- ATTRACTIONS: 41
- SIGNATURE ATTRACTIONS: Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, It's a Small World, all the classics
- SIGNATURE DINING: Blue Bayou, Club 33 (if you're so special)
- AKA: The Happiest Place On Earth
Entering the ring next, the east coast cousin of Disneyland, the most popular park in the U.S., from Orlando Florida, put your hands together for Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom!
- NAME: The Magic Kingdom
- LOCATION: Orlando, FL, USA
- AGE: 39 (going on 40)
- SIZE: 107 acres
- ATTRACTIONS: 33
- SIGNATURE ATTRACTIONS: Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, Peter Pan's Flight
- SIGNATURE DINING: Cinderella's Royal Table
- AKA: "Disney World" to many
Next up, we have the beast from the far east, the Godzilla of theme parks, the most visited single park on the globe, from Tokyo, Japan, let's hear it for Tokyo Disneyland!
- NAME: Tokyo Disneyland
- LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
- AGE: 28 (it's close enough)
- SIZE: 126 acres
- ATTRACTIONS: 36
- SIGNATURE ATTRACTIONS: Pooh's Hunny Hunt, Splash Mountain, Monsters, Inc.: Ride and Go Seek
- SIGNATURE DINING: Blue Bayou, Restaurant Hokusai
- AKA: Kingdom of Dreams and Magic
And last but not least, now entering the ring is the most popular tourist attraction in Europe, a technological tour de force and the only Magic Kingdom in which you can drink alcohol, from Paris, France, it's Disneyland Paris!
- NAME: Disneyland Paris
- LOCATION: Paris, France
- AGE: 19 (once again, it's close enough)
- SIZE: 140 acres
- ATTRACTIONS: 29
- SIGNATURE ATTRACTIONS: Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain
- SIGNATURE DINING: Blue Lagoon, Walt's
- AKA: Euro Disneyland
(What's that, you don't see Hong Kong Disneyland? Remember, this was written before that park even opened, but in round four, Hong Kong will have a chance to compete... wish it luck, it will need it.)
We know the rules, so let's get ready to rumble! This is going to be an incredibly close competition as each park has individual strengths and individual weaknesses. While many people may dismiss them all as being virtual clones of each other, the truth is that each excels in some areas and falls short in others.
DISNEYLAND
Let's look at Disneyland first. The park delivers a near knockout blow in the attractions category. Featuring ALL of the classics like Jungle Cruise, Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain it also boasts the original and still best version of Pirates of the Caribbean. The attractions are varied and far flung. There is something for everyone here of all ages and all tastes. It is the only Magic Kingdom-type park with the Indiana Jones Adventure and has more Fantasyland attractions than any of the others. However, Disneyland has faltered with its latest version of Tomorrowland. The removal of the Submarine Voyage (rumored to return, but we don't know that yet) and the removal of the Rocket Rods has made Tomorrowland into a mere shell of its former self. All is not perfect, but overall Disneyland does very well with its selection of attractions (when they are all functioning) and so the park manages to pull down a near perfect 14 out of 15 for attractions.
However, Disneyland takes a bit of a beating in the atmosphere category. While it is a beautiful park full of old growth trees it is by far the smallest of the parks, roughly 50% the size of the others. No matter how hard it tries, Disneyland gets caught on the ropes because of the tight spaces. Odd relationships pop up like Haunted Mansion nearly touching Splash Mountain, and Sleeping Beauty Castle is Lilliputian when compared to the competition. There is no doubt that Disneyland has a wonderful atmosphere, but its size works against it and it comes up short of the other combatants with a score of 10.
But beware, because Disneyland battles back with a vicious series of jabs when it comes to intangibles. Here, the park really shines. It has all the history anyone could want. It has transcended being simply a theme park and has become a true American icon. It is the only park Walt Disney himself worked on and walked within. It oozes charm at every corner and has a brilliant layout that has become the template for all the others to copy. Disneyland rocks back with a 5 out of 5 in this category.
Finally Disneyland comes in the middle of the pack when it comes to dining. With the wonderful environment of the Blue Bayou restaurant, the park delivers a solid body blow, but sadly, its big gun, Club 33, is not open to the public and therefore does not count here. Other options include a variety of counter service and fast food establishments as well as churro and popcorn carts. Disneyland pulls out a respectable 3 out of 5.
So as the bell rings, Disneyland comes away with a 32 out of 40... very solid, but is it enough to take the title?
Find out next time in the newest installment of... Thrilla In Parkzilla!