Reading through the discontinued Disney rides thread got me to wondering how many SDMB users have been to multiple Disney theme parks, and just which one would be their favorite.
Hence, this poll.
For me, it’s always (ALWAYS) been EPCOT. Yes, yes, I realize that the original plan - Walt’s plan - was for it to not be a theme park, but for it to be an actual planned community utilizing all of the latest breakthroughs in technology. But Uncle Walt died before the building of it could begin, and with Disney’s long, justly revered animation division in a slump, the parks and resorts division had to do something to try and keep the company afloat. So EPCOT became the company’s third theme park (and the second one in Florida), consisting of two “lands”: World Showcase, a sort of permanent world’s fair; and my favorite, Future World, consisting of rides and attractions both constructed with and featuring those selfsame latest technological breakthroughs. For a budding nerdnik already steeped in Star Wars, Star Trek, and 3-2-1 Contact, EPCOT was like manna from heaven.
But what do you think is the best? That perennial favorite, the Magic Kingdom? One of the parks located across the pond?
That would be the “Magic Kingdom”, I believe.
I’ve only been to Disneyland (and California Adventure), so I may be a bit biased, but it’s the original so there’s a magic there that simply can’t exist at any of the other parks.
Magic Kingdom Park
Epcot
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
If you’ve travelled to Orlando to visit Walt Disney World, you’ve probably been to at least the Magic Kingdom and Epcot.
Personally my fave is Epcot. I like the rides and I like the “nations of the world.” I don’t actually remember what is in the Magic Kingdom (I’ve been there 3 times!) but I’m assuming the cartoon-based rides and stuff.
They were just building the Animal Kingdom last time I was there, and I’ve never heard of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. But we’ll go in a few years when my nieces are old enough!
Yes, there’s a level of detail in the original that delights. Also, there remains a bit of history visible, there (despite the efforts of succeeding waves of career-making execs to obliterate it).
I want to say this is a interesting poll, and of course I voted Disneyland.
But given a choice of a extended visit to DL+CA vs the whole “Disney World” complex, I’d choose DW.
The OP is correct in that EPCOT is special in many ways. Certainly the food and drinks there are superlative, not to mention the shopping.
But Walt built DL, it has more history.
“Disney World” is Magic Kingdom (very much like DL), EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, plus two water parks and more stuff. So it is four theme parks.
I predict the poll will go DL by a large margin, then EPCOT.
Which leads to a question I’ve always wondered about: was it always called “Disney World” and was it always called “Magic Kingdom,” and was there always a distinction?
What I mean is, Magic Kingdom opened in 1971, and for many years was the only park there. Epcot (or EPCOT Center, as it was spelled then), the second park, opened in 1982. During those 11 years when Magic Kingdom was the only Disney park in Orlando, was it called “Magic Kingdom”? Or was it just “Walt Disney World,” with the name “Magic Kingdom” only being applied retroactively after there was another park there to distinguish it from?
And if both names, Walt Disney World and Magic Kingdom, were used in the early days, what if anything was the distinction between them?
The amusement park was The Magic Kingdom from opening day. “Walt Disney World” referred to the entire complex: the park and the hotels and the surrounding land. The distinction was always there.
But since there was only the one park, as you point out, people got in the habit of calling the amusement park Disney World or Walt Disney World. Many people have never gotten out of that habit.
eta: Disneyland always had the official nickname of “The Magic Kingdom,” and that’s the source of the official name of the Florida park.
DL used to be called TMK. But when DW opened (with just the TMK) then “Disneyland Orlando” was called Magic Kingdom. I would guess that everyone just said Disney World until EPCOT opened, yes.
Thanks for the info. We’ve only started going to WDW recently, since all four parks have been open. So for me, Magic Kingdom has always been just one part of “Disney World” (although perhaps the most obviously “Disney-ish”).
Fun fact: When the park first opened (10/01/1982), the iconic Disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, etc.) were nowhere to be found. A short time later (how short? I dunno, because I can’t seem to locate a cite for this “fun fact”, though I know I’ve heard it said by reputable sources before), the classic characters began making appearances in the park, due to customer demand.
Disneyland, although I consider DL and DCA to be pretty much one park since they’re so darn close together and convenient to hop back and forth to with a park hopper. I miss that as an ex-local. I’m local to WDW now and the travel between parks is a pain and getting to / getting home from MK in general is nothing but a hassle.
I’ve did DL Paris in 1994 and was very impressed, but only spent a day there. If I could visit any of the other parks, it would be DisneySea.
I’m a pretty major Disney fan, living & working about 20 minutes from the original Disneyland Park in Anaheim, CA, but my favorite remains EPCOT.
I first visited The Magic Kingdom in Orlando shortly after it opened, and was amazed at the abundance of land that was owned by Disney, but the actual park was crammed into what seemed like a small area. Maybe it only seemed small in relation to the area of land.
I’m not a big fan of cramming so many parks & attractions into the same area to make it a “destination.” Everything is always crowded all the time. Still, EPCOT with its blend of Future World and World Showcase remains my fave.
You speak truth, RC. Some large proportion of the American public has never heard of Orlando’s Magic Kingdom–they know it’s called “Disney World.”