The question is eternal and hotly contested. Which Disney resort is the best one? Well, I’m about to put on my most flame-retardant clothing and step into the fray. In this discussion, I’ll evaluate some key elements such as unique elements and park value relative to admission price…oh, who am I kidding? Disney’s about the rides. They matter the most, and everyone knows it. Here’s how I would rank the Disney theme parks. You may start readying your torches and pitchforks…now.
6. Hong Kong Disneyland
Image: DisneyChoosing last place on this list is frankly the easiest part. In a way, Hong Kong Disneyland embodies the lasting legacy of Michael Eisner. A notoriously frugal CEO, Eisner agreed to build a park in Hong Kong in a unique agreement with the municipal government. As part of the terms, Disney received 43 percent of all profits while Hong Kong got the rest.
Image: DisneySince Disney didn’t have the same financial incentive and the city of Hong Kong had final say on the park, Hong Kong Disneyland just feels…cheap. Everyone knows it. The perception is a key reason why the park has lost a lot of money over the past few years. Most of the rides are duplications of ones that are popular at other Disney parks. Yes, there are a couple of key exceptions (hello, Mystic Manor!), but the perception is based in reality.
Fortunately, the executives in charge of Hong Kong Disneyland understand that the criticism is valid. They recently shut down their version of Sleeping Beauty Castle in order to rebuild it bigger and better. They’re expanding the park and renovating some of the current parts that are too…ordinary for the Disney brand. On the plus side, at a cost of under $80 in American dollars, it’s a solid value for a respectable Disney experience.
5. Disneyland Paris
Image: DisneyThe resort formerly known as EuroDisney has a lot of positives. It’s not the most popular tourist attraction in Europe by accident. The resort has several great attractions including a Ratatouille ride that is so amazing that Disney’s bringing it over to Epcot. They also have clever twists on popular concepts like Phantom Manor (their version of Haunted Mansion) and Star Wars Hyperspace Mountain (an innovative, themed iteration of Space Mountain).
Despite its marvelous attractions, Disneyland Paris also faces several fair knocks. It’s the least clean Disney park in the world. It didn’t even add park WiFi until recently. The tech here is 20th century in nature. Ride shutdowns are frequent and seemingly random, and public announcements about them are poorly done. In other words, it’s a Disney park in name only, one in desperate need of change. At a current cost that’s the equivalent of $109 American dollars, it costs the same as parks in the United States without delivering the same park experience. But…
Image: DisneyPerhaps no Disney theme park is more upwardly mobile than Disneyland Paris. The explanation for this potential ascension is new ownership. Historically, the partnership agreement here was akin to the one at Hong Kong Disneyland. The situation changed in 2017, when The Walt Disney Company acquired full ownership of the park. At the same time, they announced the intent to upgrade dramatically.
With the true Disney brand and corporate support, Disneyland Paris should become the park it was always meant to be. Hopefully, it’ll be one with less garbage. Nothing makes a person appreciate the cleanliness of Disney more than the one place that’s the exception.
4. Shanghai Disney Resort
Image: DisneyI fear this might be the most controversial choice. The positives of Shanghai Disneyland are undeniable. It’s the most forward-thinking of Disney parks, as it should be since it’s also the newest. Its attractions are always in the conversation for the best overall. They’re generally futuristic versions of classic Disney rides.
Perhaps the most famous example is Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, an amazing ride that starts conventionally. Once you’ve accepted that you’re on an old staple, the new Pirates ride drops you deep underwater and sticks a giant Kraken in your face. It also has new attractions like TRON Lightcycle Power Run, one that’s so good that Disney’s adding to Magic Kingdom.
Image: DisneyPutting this in simpler terms, Shanghai Disney Resort has redefined the expectations for a modern theme park. Why isn’t it ranked higher? Every new Disney park should set the standard the moment that it opens its gates for the first time. The key is how well it holds up over time. We’ve already seen with Hong Kong Disneyland that parks can go from popular to hugely disappointing over a few years.
Also, Shanghai Disneyland is still in a transitional state. It didn’t add all of its attractions immediately, instead phasing some in as part of a more gradual rollout. The most recent example is Toy Story Land, which debuted in April of 2018. This park will be easier to evaluate in a few years than it is right now. A proven track record should matter. I do want to point out the impressive value of this place, though. The highest ticket at time of publication is the equivalent of less than $80 in American dollars.
3. Disneyland Resort
Image: DisneyLet me start by saying that the four resorts listed here are all damn near perfect. I would go so far as to say that two of them are. The brutal choice is narrowing down the list in a way that excludes the Happiest Place on Earth. Yes, that seems blasphemous, even to me.
Here’s my thought process on ranking Disneyland. It came first. It matters the most because of this. It’s a monument to the vision and idealism of Walt Disney. Several of the most famous theme park attractions ever built have a built-in identity because of this place. And the nickname, the Happiest Place on Earth, technically only belongs to this resort.
Image: DisneyGiven the above, it deserves top ranking, right? Not so fast. By the late 1950s, Walt Disney already worried that he wouldn’t have enough land for his grand ambitions for the park. More than 60 years later, yeah… It’s a problem. Today, the construction of something new at Disney inevitably requires the elimination of something old. It’s a zero-sum form of park expansion.
Also, Disney’s already faced the pink elephant dancing in the living room. The other half of Disneyland Resort was a failed concept from day one. Disney’s since improved it thanks in large part to Cars Land and Pixar Pier plus some Marvel additions. It’s still very much a work-in-progress, though. I can’t in good conscience rank ahead of parks that are fully formed even if it THE most significant of all Disney theme parks.
2. Tokyo Disney Resort
Image: DisneyLike I said, I knew what the top two would be before I started writing this article. Choosing the favorite was a difficult exercise, as I absolutely believe that Disney owns the four best theme parks in the world. They don’t operate Tokyo Disney Resort, though.
The Oriental Land Company makes the decisions here. Based on the comments above, that sounds like a problem. In execution, however, they’re the company that honors the Disney brand the best out of all non-Disney licensees…and I don’t just mean theme parks. These strategists embrace the legacy of Mickey Mouse and co. in admirable fashion. They also have added a distinctly Japanese touch to the proceedings, leading to the most adorable food on Earth.
Image: DisneyTokyo Disney Resort has masterfully constructed and honed two themed gates, both of which are amazing. TokyoSea in particular is in the conversation for best park in the world. And some of its rides are the greatest ones outside the United States.
Tokyo Disney Resort doesn’t win for a couple of reasons. The first is that crowding is a constant issue, one that park officials have been slow to address. And that problem bleeds into the second concern. The theme park is behind the times in interactive tech. Fans begged for smartphone app support for years before the company announced in early 2018 that they would finally embrace the future. These two situations aren’t significant in the greater scheme, but when something else is perfect, you have to be in order to keep up…
1. Walt Disney World
Image: DisneyAnd yes, I do view Walt Disney World as a perfect theme park. It has everything that a theme park tourist could possibly want. You have your pick of a much larger Disneyland equivalent, a zoo with rides, a small park with ridiculously good rides, or a combination park and functional World’s Fair. Plus, there’s one of the nicest entertainment districts you’ll ever see at a theme park and even a sports stadium onsite.
As for the attractions, Walt Disney World is the gold standard. They were place where Space Mountain started, and they’ve maintained a track record of excellence all the way up to the latest themed lands, Pandora – The World of Avatar and Toy Story Land. The campus even has the best food that you will ever see at a theme park, with several Top Chef Masters and Michelin Star chefs onsite.
Importantly, Walt Disney World has also revolutionized theme park technology. Starting with Magic Bands, they’ve made it possible to enter a theme park, pay for goods and services, and start photographs in an online digital locker easily and efficiently.
Image: DisneyThe My Disney Experience app has improved the park experience with its maps and information. It’s also added Mobile Ordering so that guests can choose their meals and pay for them right from their phone, streamlining counter service meals. This place is the gold standard for technology and innovation out of all Disney theme parks right now, which is why fans of all the other Disney locations loudly ask why their park doesn’t have the convenience that Walt Disney World does.
While I’m aware of the various criticisms of Walt Disney World and have made more than a few of my own over the years, compiling this list has crystallized something for me. This park is the embodiment of theme park excellence. There’s no such thing as a bad Disney theme park, but there IS a clear winner. It’s the one in Orlando, Florida.
