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Your favorite park at Disney World is?

  • Magic Kingdom

    Votes: 53 32.3%
  • Epcot

    Votes: 70 42.7%
  • Disney's Hollowood Studios

    Votes: 15 9.1%
  • Animal Kingdom

    Votes: 26 15.9%

  • Total voters
    164

GravisMors

Member
Oct 29, 2017
404
That ride was so bad, I don't understand this deep nostalgia for it. I rode it a million times as well.

Personally it's less about the ride and more about the intrusion of Disney brands into the world showcase and even EPCOT itself.

The worst part of that ride was when they used to require you to queue up after the ride and wait to watch that movie. That little fishing village was cool but good lord did that extra wait suck sometimes, especially as a kid lol.
 

Bumrush

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,770
Next year, but yeah, very sad that it will be transitioned out. I knew it couldn't last forever, but it's so timeless and beautiful that I had hoped it would. I fear for the replacement injecting Disney IP and not at all telling a story like this show does, but we'll see. I'm skeptical but optimistic about the next show.

I've probably seen it 40-50 times in one capacity or another, and agree...very sad but optimistic.
 

TDLink

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,411
Epcot is better when you're an adult, but Magic Kingdom is still my favorite. Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Haunted Mansion, and even just Main Street itself can't be beat.
Magic Kingdom has the problem of most of its rides being inferior versions to Disneyland's. Space Mountain it's especially noticeable -- though hopefully the upcoming lengthy refurb will finally fix that.
 
OP
OP
Vanillalite

Vanillalite

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
7,709
Def agree it will be interesting to ask this question again after Star Wars, Tron, Guardians etc... all get finished.
 
Oct 27, 2017
1,929
I love Epcot specifically for the world showcase.
I love exploring all the different countries, getting drinks and eating all the good food.
 

TDLink

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,411
Def agree it will be interesting to ask this question again after Star Wars, Tron, Guardians etc... all get finished.
Guardians will only help Epcot.

Star Wars will maybe give HS a bit of a chance (it's the weakest park by far right now), but it still needs a lot more than two new attractions. The Toy Story area was kind of a waste of space imo.
 

flyover

Member
Oct 26, 2017
834
My whole life, I'd bolted through the post-Maelstrom movie room and never watched it. Finally stayed a few years ago, when I heard they were closing the ride, and it was... very bad! So bad that it made me love the ride a little more.
 

GravisMors

Member
Oct 29, 2017
404
Magic Kingdom has the problem of most of its rides being inferior versions to Disneyland's. Space Mountain it's especially noticeable -- though hopefully the upcoming lengthy refurb will finally fix that.

Except WDW had space mountain first. Personally, space mountain lost its "magic" when they closed off the ride queue to the ride itself. Used to be fun waiting for that cookie to float through space and hearing people lose their shit on the ride.
 

CallMeShaft

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,363
I voted Hollywood Studios because I have the best memories there, but a lot of what I remember is now torn down and gone. Toy Story Land seems fun enough, but I'm hoping that Star Wars land and the Mickey ride replacing GMR will be enough to keep it as my #1.
 

Tawney Bomb

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
1,346
Ohio
As a kid I loved Magic Kingdom and I still love it as an adult. Main Street makes one hell of a first impression and my favorite rides are all there.

Epcot was a close second though.
 

Xtortion

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,650
United States
Hollywood Studios is dreck right now

Animal Kingdom is a little light on attractions, but it has some great stuff and is the best themed WDW Park

Epcot's world pavilion is neat, but it's rides are lacking

Magic Kingdom wins easily in the rides category

Best is likely Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom depending on your tastes. Though Epcot's world showcase, while a bit niche in appeal compared to standard theme park fare, could give it the edge for certain people.
 

latex

Member
Jul 5, 2018
1,412
Epcot because World Showcase and I always feel the least claustrophobic there.

And watching Illuminations on a nightly basis was a major highlight of my younger years.
 

mclem

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,460
Next year, but yeah, very sad that it will be transitioned out. I knew it couldn't last forever, but it's so timeless and beautiful that I had hoped it would. I fear for the replacement injecting Disney IP and not at all telling a story like this show does, but we'll see. I'm skeptical but optimistic about the next show.

It somewhat surprises me that it's lasted so very long - has any Disney fireworks show lasted longer? - but it's a spectacular show so it makes sense. Easy to forget that it was originally introduced to herald the millennium:

1_863bf8077e7d44574b8bbbc49c9352be.jpg
 

KyleH

Member
Oct 27, 2017
283
NYC
If you haven't been on Flight of Passage it might change how one would rank AK.

Best ride in the park.
 

KNZFive

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,767
For me, it's Magic Kingdom, then Animal Kingdom, then Epcot, and Hollywood Studios waaaayyyy at the bottom until Galaxy's Edge (Star Wars Land) opens. Unfortunately, Hollywood Studios is half a park for part of this year and last year, but that's been rectified a bit with Toy Story Land.

I'm shocked Epcot is so beloved, but I can understand the arguments for it. I went in April, but it was with my friend and his young son, so that may have limited all the stuff we could have done.

MK is MK, packed to brim with rides and themeing. But I'm happily surprised at how Animal Kingdom has become so awesome. When it was just open in the late 90s/early 2000s, it was OK. But now that they've added a lot of rides and I'm old enough to appreciate the craftsmanship and design, it's easily my second favorite park. Everything feels unified under a common theme (except Dinoland USA, the worst section in all of WDW), even the movie tie-in area of Pandora.

I waited over an hour for Flight of Passage, wondering if it would be worth the wait. Then I rode it and holy shit, it instantly became a Top 5 Disney ride for me. I was expecting a simulator ride (which it still sort of is), but I got something that took my breath away and made me give a shit about the Avatar universe more than the movie ever did.
 

Cipher Peon

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
7,824
I've been to Disney World about a dozen times but I've never been in Epcot. And as someone who isn't a foodie but is straight edge, this thread really isn't selling me on it.

I do love Magic Kingdom, though. That's my favorite :)
 

flyover

Member
Oct 26, 2017
834
Why the fuck is Epcot winning? It is fucking trash.
It has very few attractions that I care about at all*, but it's my favorite park for just hanging out and walking around.

* - Except Impressions de France, which has an amazing soundtrack played through a great sound system. My favorite thing in the park.
 

TDLink

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,411
Except WDW had space mountain first. Personally, space mountain lost its "magic" when they closed off the ride queue to the ride itself. Used to be fun waiting for that cookie to float through space and hearing people lose their shit on the ride.
Doesn't matter what was first. Disneyland's Is way better with the smoother track and soundtrack (plus seasonal variants that really change the feel).

Disneyland had a lot of other rides first and they're almost all superior versions too. The park is just kept up better than MK.

The only one I can think of that's better at Magic Kingdom is Jungle Cruise. Unless I'm forgetting something, everything else is better at Disneyland.

Yup, you're right. Snow White used to be a bit better at MK but that's gone now, so...
 

BDS

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
13,845
Surprised at how many people love Epcot. I guess it's more popular among ordinary adults who aren't obsessed with Disney stuff (aka "not me"). For me, it's Magic Kingdom > Animal Kingdom > Hollywood Studios > Epcot.
 

Exis

Member
Oct 25, 2017
390
Epcot, I visited it last year and wish I could go back in time and visit it in the 80's.
The adding of franchises to the parks does nothing to make me want to spend the money to go there.
 
Oct 27, 2017
1,707
I have a trip to disney world coming up in 2 months, there are no fastpass+ that i can book for the avatar flight of passage, how long are the wait times for the ride? we plan on going before opening and just running to that ride first.

EDIT: were going Nov 12 to Nov 15, so during the week.
 

AndreGX

GameXplain
Verified
Oct 24, 2017
1,815
San Francisco
The only one I can think of that's better at Magic Kingdom is Jungle Cruise. Unless I'm forgetting something, everything else is better at Disneyland.

There's a few: WDW's Splash and Pooh are almost categorically superior, and others are debatably, such as Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and Big Thunder.

Also, I'm totally in Disney World right now and having a blast haha.
 
Last edited:

Ultron

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
2,769
Was there early this year! It's very close between Epcot and Animal Kingdom for me. Animal Kingdom has the best rides in all of WDW with Flight of Passage, Expedition Everest, and the Safari. And the Pandora area is absolutely amazingly well executed, and has the best fast food restaurant in the resort.

Epcot is just a cool area to walk around in with World Showcase, but Future World is kind of sad right now and the only really good attractions are Spaceship Earth, Soaring, and Test Track.

I guess I probably pick Animal Kingdom right now.
 

Pendas

Member
Oct 28, 2017
4,653
Age 5 - 20 = Magic Kingdom
Age 21+ = Epcot
Outdoorsy People = Animal Kingdom
People who like The Last Jedi = Hollywood Studios
 

jontin

User Requested Ban
Banned
Dec 29, 2017
854
Epcot during the food and wine fest, most definitely. Nothing like making a few laps and getting tipsy while eating some very fairly priced foods from each country.

On a regular day, I think Animal Kingdom has become my favorite. A lot more relaxed than Magic Kingdom, and currently has the best ride in all of Disney (the Avatar flight).
 

Trouble

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,142
Seattle-ish
I'm going to be at Epcot for the last two days of the food and wine fest. I'm super hyped. My girlfriend is about 10,000x more hyped.
 

Ultron

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
2,769
The Festival of Arts that they have at Epcot at the start of the year is also very good. Same food stuff all over, and interesting art stuff!
 

jp319

Member
Oct 27, 2017
574
Magic Kingdom has the problem of most of its rides being inferior versions to Disneyland's. Space Mountain it's especially noticeable -- though hopefully the upcoming lengthy refurb will finally fix that.
This is true about Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean, but the Haunted Mansion in WDW is better than the one in Disneyland. It has some cool interactive stuff while you wait in line and the ride has a library segment that Disneyland doesn't have.
 

Wolfgunblood

Member
Dec 1, 2017
2,748
The Land
It's Epcot Center by a mile, with a caveat. It's the Epcot of 1994.

9zUrgY9l.jpg


(Map is from 1989, but you get the idea.)

World of Motion was still in operation, Wonders of Life still existed, Universe of Energy, The Living Seas and Journey Into Imagination were still on their superior original incarnations, and most importantly Horizons was still in existence and still glorious.

Communicore and Innoventions is about a 50/50 split for me, but I tend to lean towards Innoventions simply because of the glorious Sega setup they had. Console demos and arcade machines as far as the eye can see.

Epcot started it's downward spiral when 1998 when Journey Into Imagination shuttered and the blandest, most downright offensive replacement took its place: "Imagination!" featuring Eric Idle, which a variant of operates still to this day.

A year prior we lost World of Motion, one of the late great Ward Kimball's best works. Test Track in its original incarnation was okay at best, but the current "neon" overhaul is just awful.

Horizons then shuttered in 1999. A sad, sad day. The ride was, of course, dated as hell but it was emblematic of the park's original purpose...the melding of science, technology, optimism and the enduring human spirit to expand our knowledge and bring the human race into new frontiers. Now it's a space simulator...hooray.

The Living Seas got a Nemo makeover in 2006, a foreboding omen of the IP creep that is slowly infecting both Future World and World Showcase at Epcot Center. The hyrdolators and Seabase Alpha were both stunning in their execution, and sorely missed.

Wonders of Life went seasonal for a long time and slowly started to decay. Body Wars was shuttered, live shows cancelled, and the interactive attractions slowly falling into disrepair. These days it's a sad reminder of a once-great pavilion.

Universe of Energy's original presentation, while admittedly dry, had some great moments. The opening radok panels presentation was a sight to behold and the theater-filling laser show in the outro was amazing as well. Ellen's Energy Adventure wasn't awful, but it also wasn't a patch on the original.

Then the final nail in the coffin fell into place in 2014. Maelstrom was replaced by Frozen garbage, and it was at that point that Epcot is all but dead to me. The park is slowly introducing more and more Disney branding (Guardians of the Galaxy? FUCKING REALLY?) to the point where it's not the same park anymore, and it's really sad.

It's practically a dead mall at this point. Lots of space but lots of empty space and slowly deteriorating attractions. It's a massive bummer.

But hey at least World Showcase, Maelstrom loss aside, has more or less survived the ravages of Eisner and Iger, that's a positive.

And I proposed to my wife during Illuminations in Japan on our 10th anniversary, so that was special.

But it's just a sad state of affairs overall.

Had a big rant on DisBoards about it back in 2013, and it's only gotten worse in the intervening five years.

The+Dedication+Plaque

Nothing beats that era of Epcot. Every exhibit and ride there had the perfect atmosphere. I want to go back
 

AndreGX

GameXplain
Verified
Oct 24, 2017
1,815
San Francisco
This is true about Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean, but the Haunted Mansion in WDW is better than the one in Disneyland. It has some cool interactive stuff while you wait in line and the ride has a library segment that Disneyland doesn't have.

Staircase too! And the interactive hitchhiking ghosts at the end. DL did at least get the Hatbox Ghost though
 

TheUnseenTheUnheard

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
May 25, 2018
9,647
Epcot is cool but the Magic Kingdom provides you with that sense of immersion that lets you get lost and forget about the hardships of life.
 

Marjorine

Member
Oct 27, 2017
749
Animal Kingdom. It used to be Epcot, but then my daughter came along, and she really likes Animal Kingdom. So I like whatever makes her happy the best.
 

Pau

Self-Appointed Godmother of Bruce Wayne's Children
Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,847
There are no wrong answers to this question.

Well, I have yet to go to Animal Kingdom but I'm sure I would enjoy it.
 

Xun

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,319
London
EPCOT for me personally.

Also fuck these things. So ugly. It's like walking through a cemetery before you get into Future World.

leave-a-legacy-at-epcot.jpg


Now here's the real deal. I really miss that three-pillar structure.

Bruce-Heidel-4.jpg
Good thing they'll be going soon, eh?

A massive shame the park will be more IP driven in the future though...

Somewhat related, but it's incredibly unfortunate just how much charm they've all lost over the years.

I'll never forgive Disney for butchering the old Magic Kingdom hub trees back in 2006.

Previously:

1.jpg


Now:

1ujSxCPl.jpg


The trees created a curtain into the world of fantasy and unfortunately the view looking down Main Street is lacking tremendously nowadays.
 

Solo

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
15,753
This is like asking best Indiana Jones movie. Like Raiders, there is Magic Kingdom and then there is everything else.
 

Kito

Member
Nov 6, 2017
3,157
As a resident who lives 15 minutes from Disney World? Epcot.

As a visitor, though? Animal Kingdom. It has, IMO, become the most well-rounded 1 day park experience with some of the best rides and shows, and the Safari and trails are fantastic.

Epcot is the best for leisurely strolls and hanging out, especially if you're a DVC member with the exlclusive lounge. I go there with my girlfriend once or twice a week after we walk the World Showcase catching and raiding in Pokemon Go, as well as pin trading. Great exercise and fun, and the free drinks and snacks at the lounge is the perfect way to finish the day.
 

Solo

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
15,753
Any of you guys saying Epcot actually been to Epcot lately? It was great in the 80's and 90's, but I went back to Disney World in 2016 after a 15 year hiatus and was shocked at how run down and barren Epcot felt. Hollywood Studios was no better, but at least in its defense half the park was closed for construction on Toy Story/Star Wars worlds. Animal Kingdom was awesome and #2 by a large margin, and Magic Kingdom as always was the timeless #1.