Top 10 Disney Theme Parks
Disney has 11 worldwide theme parks at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disney Resort, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Please note that while this list is only a few years old, it was pre-Shanghai Disneyland, and before other significant changes. As such, check out our Best & Worst Disney Parks in the World (2021 Edition) for a more current look at how each park stacks up.
While each of these resorts has a Disneyland/Magic Kingdom style park, not all of these parks are of the same quality, and their second gates and beyond are all fairly different. Some of you have been asking me to rank all of the Disney Parks for a while, and while this technically won’t do that since it’s leaving one off to fit within the “Top 10” format, it really will since it’s only leaving one off.
Think of this list as like my ‘power rankings’ for the Disney Parks. It’s my attempt at objectivity in ranking the parks, but my personal biases and most recent impressions undoubtedly will creep in a little. Like power rankings, my actual rankings could vary month to month or even week to week depending upon maintenance, new attraction announcements, seasonal improvements, and a litany of other variables. It’s all very scientific. 😉
Keep in mind that this list is all in good fun. Like sports fans, most Disney fans have strong allegiances towards their home park and take offense when they feel it’s slighted. Although I view the parks of Walt Disney World as my “home” parks, I don’t really think I have allegiance to these parks that prevents me from seeing their faults (although I do have admittedly strong nostalgia for 3 of the 4 parks).
In any case, remember that this is one random dude’s opinion on the internet. At the end of the day, it doesn’t impact your enjoyment of your “favorite” park if I rank it at number 8, nor does my opinion matter (at all) in the grand scheme of things.
With that said, here are my rankings of every Disney Park, minus the Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris…
10. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Even in its present state of closed attractions, disjointedness, and construction walls for Star Wars Land & Toy Story Land, Disney’s Hollywood Studios still manages to surpass the Walt Disney Studios Park in France, even if the La Place de Rémy Ratatouille mini-land opening did improve the Paris park significantly.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios still has great theming in its Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood Boulevard, and Echo Lake areas. The park still has an excellent version of Tower of Terror and Great Movie Ride is a classic. Other attractions like Star Tours, Toy Story Mania, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, but it needs more. Thankfully, it’s getting exactly that. We suspect that come 2020 or so, this park will be much higher up the list.
9. Hong Kong Disneyland
I don’t quite feel right putting Hong Kong Disneyland in the #8 spot on this list. Since its opening less than a decade ago, it has taken a lot of grief from fans who criticized it for opening on the cheap and bringing nothing original to the table. There was undoubtedly some validity to these remarks at first, but since its expansion concluded with the opening of Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Point, that hasn’t been the case. This expansion included Mystic Manor and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, two of the best attractions in the world, which really helped the park shed its stigma.
These new areas, plus great dining, plus a beautiful natural environment serving as a backdrop to the park, plus impeccable maintenance all make my opinion of Hong Kong Disneyland very high. Although I’m not the biggest fan of the park’s new Disney Paint the Night parade, it is another step in the right direction, and hopefully the same will prove true of the Iron Man Experience set to open in Tomorrowland. All in all, I think Hong Kong Disneyland has a very bright future, and is on the right trajectory to be an elite Disney theme park by its 15th anniversary.
8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom
The largest gap on this list is between the #9 and #10 spots. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has improved a lot in the last few years. If you’ve read my I Was Wrong About Animal Kingdom article, in which I praised the park, you know it has grown on me.
Relative to how I used to feel about the park, Animal Kingdom has moved up a lot. Its themed design is mostly first-rate, and the lands transport you to a different time and place. It’s an interesting departure from the normally romanticized versions of real places that Disney does, but it’s impressive theming, nonetheless. In terms of attractions, there are some standouts, especially those that are hybrids of zoological exhibits and theme park offerings.
Animal Kingdom loses points in that it arguably skews too much towards the zoological side, and in that the number of “regular” attractions is too low. Animal Kingdom’s future is a big question mark: based upon what we’ve seen, I think Pandora: World of Avatar will be the ‘fantasy’ area the park needs. If it’s light on substance, design, or feel too much like a land dedicated to poor-fitting intellectual property, Avatar Land could detract from the overall theme of the park.
7. Disney California Adventure
I could not contain my excitement for Disney California Adventure after Disney pulled the curtain back on the “2.0” version of the park. Now, over two years since then, no noteworthy subsequent projects have been commenced nor are any in the (announced) pipeline. It seems the Phase 2 plans for the park have all been abandoned, with nothing substantial happening until Cars Land runs out of gas in terms of driving new business.
This is unfortunate, and not because I’m any less enamored with the park than I was. I still think the overhaul was a brilliant success, and I love just spending time at the park. Cars Land is wonderfully immersive, Buena Vista Street is a proper park “opening act,” and Grizzly Peak does a great job of recreating California’s natural beauty.
However, the park still has plenty of room for improvement, especially in Paradise Pier and Hollywood Land, where areas still feel like circa-2001 DCA, or have become the dumping grounds for random junk that doesn’t fit elsewhere.
6. Epcot
Despite having its original mission statement and vision largely decimated, Epcot still has numerous bright spots, almost all of which are holdovers from its early years. While I am not a fan of its current direction, when viewed as a whole, Epcot still has a lot to offer.
World Showcase, although peppered with temporary kiosks, is still gorgeous. Spaceship Earth remains an awe-inspiring icon and pretty good attraction. Newer attractions in Future World haven’t always hit the mark, but some are quite solid. I firmly believe Epcot is not as good of a park today as it was in 1993, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s still a good park.
5. Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris is simultaneously the most beautiful Magic Kingdom-style park ever built, and the park with the most squandered potential. Disneyland Paris is a love it or hate it place. I’m firmly in the “love it” camp. The detail and the design made me fall in love with the place, and it’s somehow simultaneously charming and large scale. This is best embodied by Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, far and away Disney’s top castle, and like an attraction unto itself. The story and design of Frontierland (Thunder Mesa) also help Disneyland Paris’ cause, as does its Discoveryland and Adventureland, both substantial departures from the norms of these lands.
As far as criticism goes, I’ve never quite understood the complaints about other guests and Cast Members, but I do agree with concerns about maintenance, food quality, and a lack of new attractions. Still, with attractions like Phantom Manor, Pirates of the Caribbean (the best version in the world), Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and more, the park has a solid attraction roster. I view it as the perfect locals park, as there are so many quiet corners and intimate little spots to go and relax.
4. Magic Kingdom
Since I last sat down and thought of my rankings, the Magic Kingdom is probably the biggest mover on this list. In that time, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Festival of Fantasy parade have both opened, and construction has concluded. Many fans have been underwhelmed by New Fantasyland, and while I can understand that reaction, I love New Fantasyland as a whole. I find it to bring some charm and beauty to this part of the park, and something otherwise completely missing from the tent style of Fantasyland.
Maybe the Magic Kingdom is benefiting from my nostalgia here, but I think it’s looking better than it has in years. Its mix of classic and contemporary attractions scores it points, with personal favorites like Country Bear Jamboree, Hall of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, and the Peoplemover all adding to its appeal, even if they are underrated. While it lacks the charm of Disneyland, it makes up for that in grandeur, and has plenty of charm of its own.
3. Disneyland
The original. The only park Walt Disney walked. Now, I am not one of those people who believe there’s a certain “magic” to this park or that you can somehow “feel Walt’s presence” here (the only ghost I want to make contact with is Slimer). However, I think by virtue of the park’s age and its origins, Disneyland has a different tone than every other Disney park. Some of this is due to the many things that haven’t changed over the years, from the quirky details to the intimate spaces.
This sense of intimacy and quaintness wouldn’t mean anything if the substance of the park weren’t up to snuff. Fortunately, it is. It has an impressive roster of attractions, including castle park standards and non-standards like Indiana Jones Adventure and the Matterhorn. It has engaging live entertainment and good food. Its nighttime shows are the best anywhere. It oozes nostalgia and probably could do pretty well resting on its laurels and tugging at the heartstrings of guests, but fortunately, it keeps people coming back not just for the nostalgia, but for its solid substance. Disneyland is pretty much the complete package.
2. Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland arrives in the #2 spot not thanks to impressively original themed design, a surplus of brilliant original attractions, or a ton of charm. It really doesn’t have any of these things. Its attraction lineup is mostly a mix of the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland (with a few brilliant surprises, like Pooh’s Hunny Hunt). Its design is a bit of a hodgepodge in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland (thankfully, much of this will be fixed soon with the addition of the Beauty and the Beast expansion). On paper, it doesn’t seem superior to Disneyland or Magic Kingdom. In fact, it could even be criticized as being a coldly-assembled “greatest hits” park. (I don’t agree with that assessment, but I can see how some people might think that.)
Think of Tokyo Disneyland as the sports team that wins not because of its lineup of superstars, but because it executes on all of the fundamentals, not making any mistakes. While Westernland, Critter Country, and Adventureland are excellent, it’s not these lands that make Tokyo Disneyland shine. Maintenance, attention to detail, show quality, dining, Cast Members, entertainment, and more are all unsurpassed in the Tokyo parks. Plus, if it is a “greatest hits” park, that does mean the attraction lineup is pretty solid!
1. Tokyo DisneySea
I would hazard a guess that 99% of people who say “[blank] is the best Disney theme park!” with [blank] being a park other than Tokyo DisneySea do so only because they have not been to Tokyo DisneySea. Now, this is not to say that no reasonable person who has been to Tokyo DisneySea can still think another Disney theme park is superior, but…well…I’d be curious to hear their reasoning. Let’s just leave it at that.
I have already dedicated an entire article to the Top 10 Reasons Tokyo DisneySea is Disney’s Best Park, so I’ll just defer to that. Succinctly, I view Tokyo DisneySea as Disney’s best theme park in the world, and it’s not even a remotely close call.
Hope you enjoyed my look at the top 10 worldwide Disney theme parks. I really do love all of the parks that made the list, as it’s fun for me to compare and contrast all of the different parks. It’s like a hobby, of sorts.
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Your Thoughts…
How would you rank the Disney Parks you’ve visited? It doesn’t matter how many parks you’ve been to, I’m still interested in knowing! Do you think I mis-ranked any parks, or made any poor choices? If you have any other questions or comments, please leave them below.
My ranking would go:
11: WDS Paris
10: DHS
9: AK
8: HKDL
7: EPCOT (during food and wine festival, otherwise lower)
6: DCA
5: MK
4: TDL
3: DLP
2: DL
1: TDS
I have yet to have been on the Rattatouie ride at WDS Paris, but I do love Cinemagique and the Crush coaster, Tower of Terror and “Rock and Rollercoaster avec Aerosmith” are fun.
And like many others, I waiting for Shanghai to open to revisit the Asia parks.
Thanks for all of your posts and great pictures. I’ve found them fun to read and invaluable planning our various Disneyland trips (even though I’ve been there a ton). I’m now living in HK for the summer, and passing through Tokyo for a week, before heading back to the US. Been reading your HK Disney trip report pretty carefully – very useful. I’ve already been to HK and Tokyo Disneyland, and debated whether it was worth going back to HK Disneyland, Tokyo Disney, or to visit DisneySea for the 1st time. Based on your recs, I see that Tokyo DisneySea should not be missed!! This is quite a recommendation! I appreciate all the recs and input!
I know this was posted a while back, but I just had to comment. Hollywood Studios was my favorite park growing up and one of me favorites now. But I do agree there isn’t much to do there after a while. The thing is it depends on what you are looking for. For my family we LOVE the little plays and shows. Most people skip out on the those shows, going just for the rides. Hollywood Studios will always have a special place in my heart, the countless times I have seen Fantasmia and still amazed with the bright lights, my first roller coast on Rockin’ Roller Coaster, my widened eyes as I walk through Twilight Zone Heaven (born and raised a dedicated Twilight Zone fan here), and same goes for the Muppets (even when the jokes from your childhood begin to be less funny), and of course the Great Movie is another favorite but I feel that most kids would sit board and hate it. The biggest problem is it is not updated. It holds meaning for the adults and old soul people, but kids don’t really know who Aerosmith is, the Great Movie ride is stuffed with old movies. While I don’t want them to scrap those, maybe finding a way to add some newer ones would be nice. The latest Muppet movies probably bought the Muppets show some years in the future. I love the area near there, but again, sadly outdated. I mean I laugh cause I can envision Roger Rabbit in Toon Town, but no little kid watches that movie anymore. I agree, it needs a overhaul but I hope they don’t loose everything. Kind off that note, I still remember riding Universe of Energy like last year and almost no one laughed besides me. When did Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye The Science Guy become old and irrelevant? I’m not even that old and I remember seeing them as kids. Maybe that ride needs a bit of an overhaul too.
Then Animal Kingdom, the park that I feel like everyone skips over. When I was younger my family did not care too much about this one, in fact I barely remembering spending a day in any of my visits. Then I went back with my mum and sister when I was a teenager, and we feel in love with the park. I had to go back and face my childhood fears on the dinosaur ride (I wasn’t even scared of the dinosaurs, I was freaked out by the meteor, what I dork I am). We got to ride twice in a row thanks to the staff but sadly due to lack of attendance. By far the coolest thing there is the Festival of Lion King. It is incredible and even as a teenager I freaked out getting hugged by Timon. Little kid dreams come true.
So pretty much, I hope no one counts those two off.
On the ending note, I will never understand Epcot, but my technology loving mom dragged us there countless times to be that little nerd kid dreaming. It really must of been something in its day, cause it doesn’t get me excited at all. Wasn’t that the one Walt Disney was most excited for?
Waoo.. All parks are Great!!
I agree. I hate what they’ve done to the MK in Florida. The plaza used to be the crown jewels of WDW with it’s beautiful landscaping and canals, but now the WDW management has sacrificed it on the alter of bigger bonuses. They’ve desecrated it by filling in the south end of the plaza to make what amounts to a parking lot for guests to see the show. It’s all about money there. And since people are still coming, they are all about more capacity rather than maintaining Walt’s standard of quality and service. Personally, I will not visit WDW again and I will vote, when the opportunity arises, to oust the present Disney management which has slaughtered this masterpiece of the organization that Walt built. An attack on the integrity of the MK is an attack on Walt himself.
Hi Tom. Interesting to read how you ranked each of the Disney parks. It’s such as a subjective thing isn’t it? Do you prioritise landscaping, environment, e-ticket attractions and restaurants? It’s hard to know. Taking all these into account I’d agree with most of your rankings:
11. Disney Studios –
The Paris second gate is rarely visited by me. I think I spent 2 hours there over 5 days during my last trip – and that was mainly within Ratatouille. There’s a few assortments to enjoy such as the Animagique show and Crush’s Coaster. I am not a fan of Toy Story Playland anywhere but it at least has themeing. This park has the potential to be rethemed as a Pixar park if Disneyland Resort Paris ever gets any financial backing. Not much chance of that then.
10. Hollywood Studios.
I felt that I was transported to another decade the first time I entered Hollywood Studios and not in a good way. Firstly it’s far too small. I don’t think the ‘Hollywood’ theme works for Disney generally. It hasn’t been a good fit for their hotels or their theme parks. There’s an assumption that people are interested in Hollywood but I argue that it doesn’t really translate as it’s too broad a theme and poorly defined. So much so that it’s lost any meaning and can encompass everything in the medium that doesn’t tie together (i.e. star wars, American idol, little mermaid etc.). I completely agree with your comment regarding a complete overhaul. Desperately needed.
9. Epcot.
Probably a surprise to most but I don’t understand Epcot. Granted I never visited as a child in its peak but it seems a nowhere place. A park that hasn’t understood where it stands in the modern era. World Showcase is fine but having travelled around the world myself I find there’s little to appeal. I do enjoy Food and Wine and will visit WDW for this specifically. I agree with you regarding the icons of the park but the technology within it needs to be updated. There’s potential for Future World to look to the future, rather than the past.
8. California Adventure.
California Adventure is a hodgepodge. Another example of a park that could have been re-themed to Pixar titles rather than a state. A poor concept in my opinion and one I think has largely been forgotten (fictional Radiator Springs isn’t supposed to exist in California). Like you, I think Hollywood Land and Paradise Pier are big let downs. In my view Paradise Pier is everything Walt didn’t want in a theme park. In Australia we have beach theme parks such as Luna Park. It’s the same thing as Disney have created here (albeit ours is original). I don’t want to visit Disney for that! I do, however, spend a lot of time on Buena Vista St and Carsland both of which are exceptional spaces. California Adventure remains a park of two halves.
7. Animal Kingdom.
I rate theme over content. What Animal Kingdom does with its aesthetic represents one of the best examples of Disney themeing in the world. Animal Kingdom feels comfortable and looks spectacular. It’s my ‘chill park’. I agree that there isn’t enough content and I don’t believe that Avatar is the way to go. The concept of introducing mythical fantasy creatures is a good one and could be done through original content rather than the introduction of a reductive franchise. I may be blown away so am hoping the area challenges my preconceptions. Animal Kingdom holds much potential.
6. Tokyo Disneyland Park.
Tom you succinctly said that Tokyo Disneyland doesn’t have an “original themed design, a surplus of brilliant original attractions, or a ton of charm. It really doesn’t have any of these things”. This sums up exactly how I feel about the park. Although I agree with your assessment of maintenance, cast members and show quality, the quality of the environment itself is sadly lacking. Tokyo Disneyland is the most industrial magic kingdom park and lacks an essence of whimsy, detail, and the themeing is basic. The strengths of the park just cannot compete with its formal layout and sizable concrete walkways. The park, to me, features warmth from the cast members but ultimately remains cold as an environment; like a portable heater in a stadium. The reason why this park is rated higher than the well themed Animal Kingdom is because of the attraction line up and quality within the rides themselves. I am hoping against hope that the New Fantasyland project brings a level of beauty to Tokyo Disneyland.
5. Hong Kong Disneyland.
Tropical beauty, luscious gardens and some of the best themeing in a magic kingdom offsets the lack of attractions at this ‘best of’ park. I miss staples such as Peter Pan’s Flight (Fantasyland is too light on attractions) and Pooh could have utilized the Tokyo version. But its immersive Adventureland, Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point have allowed this park to shine. There’s a joy to be found here in incomparable environs with a nightly fireworks show, kinetic parade, and new evening electric parade. This Disneyland is becoming competitive. Did I mention it was beautiful?
4. The Magic Kingdom.
The Magic Kingdom has benefited from the New Fantasyland additions like you said. Although they haven’t reached for the stars, their inclusion has introduced beauty and whimsy into the rather dull Fantasyland. The fireworks have the benefit of space and I agree that the park has grandeur. I would argue that it isn’t particularly beautiful. Main Street/Town Square are looking increasingly sparse and empty. A balance between adequate space for crowds and aesthetic appeal may be harder to balance in this park and I’m hoping the hub redevelopment achieves both. I enjoy my days in the Magic Kingdom but always find replicating a fantasy Europe in Florida to feel slightly awkward. Cast Members have generally been fantastic here.
3. Disneyland Paris.
I certainly agree with you Tom that Disneyland Paris is the most beautiful of all the magic kingdoms. Sleeping Beauty Castle is, in my mind, more an icon for the Disney parks collectively than Cinderella Castle. I would also argue that Paris has the best attraction line up. Big Thunder Mountain is the best version on its own island, Phantom Manor is genuinely spooky, Discoveryland twists an outdated concept and introduces a more intense steampunk Space Mountain. Heck, Pirates of Caribbean is the most sensational of the lot with its multi-layers and coherent narrative. The detraction is guest behaviour. Smoking is disgusting, throwing rubbish is disgusting, the level of entitlement from a number of children is shocking, and although I’ve found cast members to be polite, the French culture deals with customer service differently. Disneyland Paris needs to enforce a code of behaviour in their parks and they simply do not. I agree the maintenance can be an issue. If only Disneyland Paris had not built up so much debt (or maybe was built elsewhere) it would be the premiere magic kingdom park. Although I think Paris’s Main St is the best, I would have preferred imagineers to move away from America and produce a more European entrance.
2. Disneyland.
A cute little toy town Disneyland where everything just seems to be on a smaller scale. This allows an intimacy missed within the Magic Kingdom and the charm you refer to. Like you, I don’t get caught up in the legend of Walt as a man and don’t buy into ‘Walt’s park’ as a justification of superiority. What it does have are wonderful passionate cast members who adore their park, maintenance under control, gorgeous landscaping, and a slew of attractions within a confined space. Disneyland is like a play set in which everything is reduced in size and placed next to each other, not really feeling like distinct separate themed lands but a flight of ideas scattered about. I don’t have a problem with Sleeping Beauty Castle in Hong Kong but in Anaheim it just looks minuscule! Probably my biggest complaint. If that’s the biggest complaint this park must be doing something right!
1. Tokyo DisneySea.
I don’t know if there’s anything more I can say than has already been covered in this blog. The beauty, intricacy and mind blowing themeing of this park is beyond comparison and beyond repute. Although I could argue that DisneySea is lighter on attractions than I’d like, it makes up for it with the sophisticated, creative environments that transport you to another time and place at every turn. This has been the only park that can rival the magic kingdom blueprint. Such a pity that this style of park cannot be translated to Florida. Put this down to the Oriental Land Co. who appear to have less of an issue with investment into quality as opposed to the Walt Disney Company who want to build the bare bones and expect revenue. Arguably spending more to fix up mistakes later.
It’s also nice to see some sophisticated and high end merchandise in DisneySea rather than figures, dolls and plush that we’re used to. Even then the Duffy plush suddenly becomes adorable! Pure Disney magic.
Although I don’t personally agree with all of your rankings, you’ve justified them in a way that I can’t really disagree (kudos on that), either.
You’re right that a lot of this is personal, and how you weigh the various factors. Clearly, Tokyo Disneyland’s coldness makes it drop several spots for you, and I can fully understand that. It’s not that way for me, but I get why it is for you.
With that park in particular, I will be curious to see how the upcoming Fantasyland expansion (which appears like it will be heavily landscaped) changes your–and others like you–opinion.
It will also be interesting to see how Shanghai Disneyland “scores” in that it seems that park will be heavy on landscaping and design when it opens, but light on attractions.
I’ve just visited Disneyland Paris and was highly disappointed. Although it was not my first time visiting the Park, something just felt off. I used to work as a Cast Member in the Magic Kingdom, so I know where to look for some details and I think that’s what disappointed me. Many attractions were in desperate need of maintenance, the Cast Members often didn’t pay attention to the guests (While meeting Merida, the guy from Disney Fast Pass was chatting with other cast members and did not took one picture of us because he was distracted. In fact, no one was watching the line and Merida herself has to tell the guests to come up to meet her). Also, and perhaps it’s a French thing, but the guests did feel different. They didn’t respect the lines, the smoking areas and the Disney magical atmosphere just wasn’t there. Another downside were the opening hours: Both Disneyland and The Walt Disney Studios opened at 10 and closed at 6 pm, with Disneyland having an extra hour to do the night show (but having the rest of the areas closed)
It really is a shame, because I agree in it being one of the most beautiful parks but when it comes to the Disney Difference, something just feels off.
Hi Tom!
Are you currently in Disney World? (11-21-14) I was taking pictures at Cinderella’s Wishing well last night around 6:00 p.m. and I thought you walked up at got a few quick shots of the side of the castle with the sun setting. As I realized it was you and thought to say hi -you were gone that quick. If it was you, wearing a purple and white stripped shirt, then Hello. Your blog and tips have helped me plan our trip so thank you!
Jen from PA
That was me–I move quickly! 🙂
Greetings! Great great pictures! What camera do you use? And how were you able to capture images with nobody around?
I agree with the list except I haven’t been to Disneyland Paris yet. I also want to say that in my opinion the gap between 1 and 2 is close for me. Tokyo Disneysea easily wins if the question is what park do you want to travel to. But I think the gap narrows if the question is which do you want as your home park? Just seems like there are so many rides at Tokyo Disneyland.
I haven’t made it to the asian parks, yet! Planning on waiting for Shanghai to open and then go and do a whirlwind tour of all 4 asian parks (along with Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai cities) as a third Honeymoon at 5 years! (we did Paris as a second Honeymoon)
My ranking is not “the best”, but rather the ones that I enjoy he most, not necessarily the best detail or best lineup of attractions, but rather the ones that I could see myself just hanging out in, not necessarily watching the shows or riding the rides. (Odd perspective, I know… but, having an annual pass to the Orlando Parks spoiled me)
8. Walt Disney Studios Paris
-Was there before Ratatouille, it’s far too small, its charming areas are well-done, but small and few-and-far between. I did early entry to try to ride Crush’s coaster and still couldn’t get close to it, so that has not been checked off my list. I love their Rock’n’roller! Chasing the lights in the launch that explode before the loop is just amazing!
7. Magic Kingdom
– Sorry! I just loathe this park! Every time I’m there it’s a fight to get into the park. There are nowhere near enough attractions to satisfy the crowds. The pathways are loaded full of people and it feels dirty to me. I love some of the classics here, but it’s always a test of my patience to visit this park and the fact that parents simply don’t parent anymore does not help. If this park were to invest in about 3 big people-eating attractions it would probably be an improvement!
6. Hollywood Studios
– This park nearly made #7 or #8, and but for the Great Movie Ride it likely would have. This park has no focus, is poorly laid out and is highly inconsistent. I love GMR, would love to see it kept long-term and just updated with new movies and technologies, but rumor has it that it is getting the boot. TOT is fantastic as the original and best (have not been to Tokyo DisneySea). I’m hoping the rumored park update is embraced and not cut back as I think the potential is there for a great park, but it really needs work.
5.California Adventure
– Heres a shocker! However, I have not been since the remodel! I’m sure it would move up on my list, but this is based on the first few years. The park, at the time, was full of non-disney attractions and severely lacked charm. Much of this has been improved in recent years, but I have yet to make it out to see the improvements, one day soon.
4. Animal Kingdom
– This is a great park, just needs more attractions! However, you can honestly spend a whole day slowly walking around this park and taking it all in as there is so much to see! I’m glad to see the nighttime show and other improvements to expand this park into the nighttime. However, I’m not wild about the Avatar-land as I think there were other better options, but it does fill the fantasy/future void that is somewhat missing in this park, so I will wait-and-see before making up my mind on the expansion.
3. Disneyland Paris
– Absolutely the best designed Disney park I’ve ever been to! However, it is the worst maintained park (though MK is close). Had this park been built anywhere else, it would likely be the absolute best. The details in this park cannot be overstated! But for the maintenance and the fact that the average guests here just don’t “get it”, this park would be a real contender for #1 in my book!
2. Epcot
– this ranking is totally based on the Festivals! I loved the park as a kid for its science/educational/cultural aspects (sadly slowly being lost to the exploitation of animated characters), but as an adult I have spend countless afternoons and evenings just strolling the promenade at Food & Wine and Flower & Garden (& wine, of late). I just love those days! Further, this park is also beautiful detailed and even after many years of strolling the promenade, I sometimes find new details I’ve never seen before.
1. Disneyland
– Purely ranked on the fact that it was the first park I visited and for a long time, the only park I visited. But also, this is the park Walt walked in and there is a magical aspect to it that I feel the other parks are missing. Further, there are so many attractions packed into this little park that the lines are never too long and you can really spend two full days exploring this park and I think its the only park (that I’ve been to) currently like that. It may be sentimental, but it will always be my favorite.
“fact that parents simply don’t parent anymore does not help” <- You've opened up a can of worms here that I could write paragraphs about, but at the risk of offending readers, I'll simply say, "I agree." Also, given that statement alone, I can say that you will LOVE the Asian parks. They could all be WDSP quality (they aren't, obviously) and they'd still rank highly. Parents at those parks DO parent, and there's definitely not the same "entitlement culture" we have in the United States. I still think you're being really harsh on the Magic Kingdom (agree it needs some people eaters), but I understand your list and can't fault any other rankings.
“But for the maintenance and the fact that the average guests here just don’t “get it””
I think you’d be pleasantly surprised by the recent maintenance activity at the resort.
I’m more interested in your second comment though – what makes you think guests don’t get it any more than in other Disney parks? You can appreciate the parks on so many different levels and you’ll always find people of every level at any park. There are a LOT of annual pass holders at the park (based on who I see at the fastpass machines), which strikes me as a sign that people, or at least locals, DO get it.
Great post. Personally I would rank Tokyo Disneyland a notch lower and Animal Kingdom a notch higher. However the Tokyo parks get huge credit for the sheer scale and variety of their entertainment and seasonal events.
I’ve just got back from Hong Kong Disneyland – my first trip there in 5 years. I was very pleasantly surprised – the baby of the group is growing up. Now with Mystic Point, Grizzly Gulch and Toy Story Land, it is becoming a more fully-rounded park. If they can keep growing it (as they appear to be doing) it has a great future ahead of it. The tragedy is that it opened far too small – without the three new lands, without It’s A Small World, without Autopia, and it will forever struggle to shed the image of the park with hardly any attractions.
I agree with you about the Paint the Night Parade – it’s nice to see *something* but it lacks the wonder of MSEP and Spectromagic. I think it’s far too short and too reliant on screens.
I wonder where Shanghai will go on the list in a few years’ time…
Knocking Disney’s Hollywood Studios off the list shouldn’t be too difficult for Shanghai. The sheer beauty of that park will likely earn it a decent spot. It, too, looks like it will have a light attraction lineup.
I think Walt Disney Studios is a better park than Tokyo DisneySea. The haphazard placement of WDS makes you feel you’re somewhere grounded in reality – in the very heart of the action – and you’re never more than a minute’s walk from another headlining attraction. By comparison, DisneySea seems to have way too much fluff and no sense of a cohesive storyline. You walk for 10 minutes and all you’ve seen is a lot of scenery – you forever feel like you’re on the ‘outside’ – and on top of that it’s way too easy to get lost. Where’s DisneySea’s coaster-in-the-dark? WDS has TWO. There’s ultimately nothing edgy about DisneySea… it’s like fantasyland, but a park full of it. Many of its attractions are unimaginative knockoffs of existing stuff – Sinbad is a duplicate of Pirates of the Caribbean, StormRider is a carbon copy of Star Tours, and it plainly stole both the Indiana Jones ride from Disneyland AND Disneyland Paris; WDS is a pinnacle of originality, unlike any other Disney theme park in the world.
OK, I’ll go find another blog to troll 😉 For what it’s worth, I agree with your rankings but I would place Epcot higher (swapping with the place of the Magic Kingdom). I wonder if that’s just because I never saw Epcot before 2013, so I didn’t know what has changed for the worse.
Is this a sarcastic comment?
Awesome post Tom! I was really looking forward to this one!
I’ve been to Anaheim, Tokyo, and HK (Going to Orlando Next year, Shanghai in 2016, and Paris in 2017!).If I were to rank the parks I’ve been to but with a completely biased mind frame it would look like this:
1) HKDL
2) Everything else
But objectively I would rank it like this:
1) TDS
2) DL
3) TDL
4) HKDL
5) DCA
#4 and #5 are really close. I just feel like as a whole, HKDL is stronger than DCA. DCA may have more rides but HKDL has the better setting, landscaping, and entertainment. Although World of Color is great, I would take Festival of the Lion King and Golden Mickeys over it any day. I haven’t seen the new Paint the Night Parade though so I can’t judge that for myself. HKDL also has the best Halloween seasonal offerings among all the parks.
Numbers 1-3 are less close. TDL is a really well-crafted park but the intimacy, entertainment, attractions, and history of Disneyland just make it more magical for me. I’ve only spent one day in Disneyland my entire life and I can honestly say it was more magical for me than the 4 days I’ve spent in TDL so far. That’s not to say I dislike TDL. Hunny Hunt and Ride and Go Seek are amazing attractions. I just like the feel of Disneyland more.
I can’t wait until I get to add the Orlando parks into my rankings!
Keep up the awesome posts!
Can’t really object to any of this–Hong Kong Disneyland is a charming park that does the little things right, much like the Tokyo parks. The only issue is has is being light on substance, and they are quickly fixing that, so it’s not as much of an issue as it once was, and won’t be an issue at all in 5-10 years. In the future, I could see people lumping all of “the Asian parks” together as examples of Disney’s best parks.
I’m surprised AK got ranked so low. It’s got impressive and consistent theming, and the zoo elements are well done. Yes by ride standards it’s thin, but saying AK is too “zoological” is like saying the original Epcot was too science-based. It’s what makes these parks unique.
Epcot was my favorite theme park in the world as a kid, but it’s dropped near the bottom now. Maybe some of it is the inevitable disappointment from nostalgia, but the Future World section seems old and tired, and the newer rides were unimpressive.
DCA almost needs a split score–some parts are great, others are a mess, and the theming overall is a complete jumble. Maybe they need to drop “California” and rename it to “Random Lands We Couldn’t Add To Disneyland Because It’s Full.”
The reason is because Animal Kingdom is a ‘zoological theme park’ not just a zoo, but skews too far (in my opinion) towards the zoological side. I still love it, but it could execute the zoological theme while getting the theme park elements right. EPCOT Center would have been too science-based if it felt like a science museum instead of a theme park.
I agree with you about the split score for DCA. At this point, it’s basically just their ‘studios’ theme park, where stuff that won’t fit Disneyland goes. Sort of like DHS at Walt Disney World. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with a studios park, but it’s the laziest way out, since “movies” isn’t really a theme so much as it is a broad category…
I have not been to the Tokyo or Hong Kong resorts, so my rankings only include Anaheim, Paris, and Orlando…
For my overall ranking the bottom is:
8. Walt Disney Studios Park
7. Animal Kingdom
6. Hollywood Studios
And the top is:
2. Magic Kingdom
1. Disneyland
The three middle slots are tougher. I think at this point I put Disney’s California Adventure over EPCOT. DCA has several attractions I really enjoy and some areas with great theming, while EPCOT seems to slide a bit every time I go. (I guess part of it is that I have never been as enamored of World Showcase as other people. I like the live entertainment, but the shopping and dining focus doesn’t thrill me.) But do I want to put Disneyland Paris above, below, or between those two? My visit to the DLRP was before the recent anniversary renovations, so I didn’t see the place at its best. I thought some of the attractions and areas were impressive, but there were plenty of misses, like the awesome looks but terrible attractions of Discoveryland. I mean, my favorite part about Discoveryland was the Nautilus walk-through… Right now I would put it below DCA and EPCOT, but I would like to visit it again and re-evaluate.
I really like Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and I don’t think I’ve skipped visiting it on a trip since I started getting really into Disney, but based on the number of times I’ve walked through the gates, I prefer Disney’s Hollywood Studios. DAK has great atmosphere including the animals, and there are a few good shows, but it doesn’t “work” at night and there’s no attractions that I am enthusiastic about riding repeatedly in a given trip, while the shows are more like every-other trip for me. The shows at DHS are not as good, but there are several rides I love and the holiday offerings (mainly the Osborne Lights) keep me coming back. Maybe the work being done at DAK over the next few years will change my mind, but maybe the Star Wars expansion at DHS will be awesome too.
Nice job. I’ve been to all the U.S. parks and Paris, and my rankings are pretty similar to yours. For a long time, I would have listed EPCOT at #1, but it’s fallen a long way. I still love it, but Disney is moving it in the wrong direction. Here’s how I would rank it:
8. Disney Studios Paris
7. Hollywood Studios
6. Animal Kingdom
5. California Adventure
4. EPCOT
3. Disneyland Paris
2. Magic Kingdom
1. Disneyland
If it wasn’t for some odd things (attractions breaking down, terrible food), DLP would be #2. I still loved going there and agree that it has the best Pirates (and Space Mountain!).
Having been to all the parks multiple times, I would agree with your assessment, except flipping Disneyland Paris with Tokyo Disneyland.
Tokyo Disneyland is awesome, but there is something cold about the large open walkways/spaces, as well as the lackluster Main Street and entry.
Paris sneaks ahead because of the excellent plussing of classic attractions and overall beauty of the park. Paris has the best versions of Main Street, Phantom Manor, Pirates, Thunder Mountain (on an island! What!?!), Castle (with a freakin dragon!), and Space Mountain (with the steampunk theme AND linear induction launch through a giant cannon!!! C’mon!) Too bad it isn’t all more well maintained.
My wish would be the Paris park with the Tokyo employees, guests, and maintenance. Once the Tokyo Fantasyland makeover is complete, which will add more character to a dated area of the park, I think the ‘feel’ of Tokyo will be much improved.
BUT, the race is so close, Tokyo Disneyland’s proximity to Disney Seas improves it’s ranking just from the warm glow coming off that fantastic park. On the flip side, Studios Paris is so bad, it’s aura brings down the entire resort.
But I could be persuaded…. the parades in Tokyo are super cool, and Pooh’s Hunny Hunt is one of the most fun things on the planet… ARGH! Now I want to go back to both!
It’s interesting to hear your thoughts on such a list. I’ve only visited the 6 US parks and would have a difficult time ranking them. I’d probably go: MK, Disneyland, AK/DCA/Epcot, DHS. With AK/DCA/Epcot changing depending on the day of the week.
You definitely continue to inspire a desire to visit Japan some day.
I bet you went back and forth a bit with #2 and #3. I haven’t been to the parks in Paris or Hong Kong Disneyland yet so I can’t say anything about them (other than I want to go…HK in 2016 and Paris in 2017 is the plan). I don’t like to compare parks because each Disney park I’ve been in (8 of the 11) has its own Disney magic that makes it unique. But if Captain Hook had me on the end of the plank threatening me with his menacing hook I would agree with your list except that Disneyland would finish slightly ahead of Tokyo Disneyland. Nostalgia is the deciding factor with a little bit of Main Street USA to throw in. I like the World Bazaar in Tokyo, but I don’t feel it sets the mood as well as Disneyland does…it has the perfect ambiance to start a Disney day as it transports you to an era of yesteryear with a touch of fantasy. That said…who stops to enjoy the ambiance of the World Bazaar in Tokyo? Next to no one!!! LOL!! It’s a mad dash to Pooh’s Hunny Hunt or Monsters Ride and Go Seek!
We are finally making another trip as a family to Walt Disney World…it will be our third trip…staying at the Beach Club. So after June of 2015 I might have more to say about those 4 parks. Love your blog…it’s a daily treat!