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Hardly the "top 20 amusement/theme parks in North America." These aren't necessarily the best ones, they're just the ones the most people visit. I think we can all agree that Detroit is not a better city than Denver just because more people live there.
Two things that are worth remembering here. First, remember that many MANY people visit more than one Disney/Universal property in a day. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios are all part of Disney World. Disneyland and California Adventure are adjacent, as are Islands of Adventure and Universal Orlando. In many ways these groups of properties act as individual parks.
Second, remember that 13 of the top 14 parks listed here are not seasonal, and therefore have as many as five extra months every year to bring in guests.
Yes, there are a lot of Orlando and SoCal parks here, but OF COURSE there are, we all know already that California and Florida are huge tourist destinations with warm weather year-round. What's much more interesting to look at are the seasonal parks that make the list. Canada's Wonderland pulls in half the population of the Greater Toronto Area every year - that's incredible for a seasonal park.
I have no desire to visit any Disney park. I'm not into all the theme crap. I just want to ride fun rollercoasters. I prefer smaller parks where I can actually get on rides more than once and not spend all day waiting in lines. I'd love to go to Cedar Point someday. One of my favorite parks is Worlds of Fun in Kansas City.
I have no desire to visit any Disney park. I'm not into all the theme crap. I just want to ride fun rollercoasters. I prefer smaller parks where I can actually get on rides more than once and not spend all day waiting in lines. I'd love to go to Cedar Point someday. One of my favorite parks is Worlds of Fun in Kansas City.
Disney parks are about creating experiences and "magic". It's designed around nostalgia and sentimentality. It's not a park for everybody but for some it is an emotionally-powerful place. It can't be denied that Disney parks are brilliantly-designed places.
Disney parks are about creating experiences and "magic". It's designed around nostalgia and sentimentality. It's not a park for everybody but for some it is an emotionally-powerful place. It can't be denied that Disney parks are brilliantly-designed places.
I'm sure they are great for lots of people. They wouldn't be so frequently visited otherwise. I guess I've never been a huge Disney fan so the "magical" experiences they aim to create just don't appeal to me. I'm more of a thrill-seeker when it comes to parks.
Disney parks are about creating experiences and "magic". It's designed around nostalgia and sentimentality. It's not a park for everybody but for some it is an emotionally-powerful place. It can't be denied that Disney parks are brilliantly-designed places.
True, if Disney really wanted to open a thrilling park and have the world's fastest rides then they easily could do it. But one thing they do well is constantly keeping you entertained. A fun experience not just for the person going on rides but the child seeing all the characters and parades, and the parents having such a great time.
True, if Disney really wanted to open a thrilling park and have the world's fastest rides then they easily could do it. But one thing they do well is constantly keeping you entertained. A fun experience not just for the person going on rides but the child seeing all the characters and parades, and the parents having such a great time.
To each their own, but I never felt like our family was entertained at Disney so much as...ripped off with a glossy coating. Not to sound cynical, but there was just so. much. waiting. waiting. waiting. in line. For everything, all day long. Maybe it's different now, but when we took our kids, the characters were not out walking around the park, they were stationed in various locations within the park and you had to go wait in line forever just to stand next to them. Then you got to stand in line forever to ride a two minute ride (unless you used the Fast Pass and got to endure the nasty stares and comments from the people who opted to not use it but then resented you for using it). Then you got to stand in line forever to buy an overpriced hotdog. I felt like our entire day was wasted waiting for one thing or another instead of just enjoying the atmosphere and being entertained. And for what it costs to get into one of those parks, the entertainment should be wall to wall from daylight to dusk!
I also didn't appreciate their pricing strategy where anyone age 10 and up is considered and adult. We had a good laugh over that one.
To each their own, but I never felt like our family was entertained at Disney so much as...ripped off with a glossy coating. Not to sound cynical, but there was just so. much. waiting. waiting. waiting. in line. For everything, all day long. Maybe it's different now, but when we took our kids, the characters were not out walking around the park, they were stationed in various locations within the park and you had to go wait in line forever just to stand next to them. Then you got to stand in line forever to ride a two minute ride (unless you used the Fast Pass and got to endure the nasty stares and comments from the people who opted to not use it but then resented you for using it). Then you got to stand in line forever to buy an overpriced hotdog. I felt like our entire day was wasted waiting for one thing or another instead of just enjoying the atmosphere and being entertained. And for what it costs to get into one of those parks, the entertainment should be wall to wall from daylight to dusk!
I also didn't appreciate their pricing strategy where anyone age 10 and up is considered and adult. We had a good laugh over that one.
You keep mentioning waiting in line meaning that your focus is the rides. Rides are only a part of what makes Disney parks Disney. It's about the atmosphere, music, shows, parades, plays, food, experience. Whenever I go to Disneyland I go on maybe 2 rides... It's about everything else to me. The charming "middle America downtown" of Main Street, the atmosphere of the New Orleans quarter, the shows and music all around, the food carts, and at the end of the day, the parades, and snuggling close to your honey and watching the dramatic firework show.
You keep mentioning waiting in line meaning that your focus is the rides. Rides are only a part of what makes Disney parks Disney. It's about the atmosphere, music, shows, parades, plays, food, experience. Whenever I go to Disneyland I go on maybe 2 rides... It's about everything else to me. The charming "middle America downtown" of Main Street, the atmosphere of the New Orleans quarter, the shows and music all around, the food carts, and at the end of the day, the parades, and snuggling close to your honey and watching the dramatic firework show.
Well again, to each their own, and due to people having differing opinions and likes and dislikes, no one is wrong and no one is right.
Part of it has to do where someone is coming from. I happen to live in a quaint, small town in the Upper Midwest with its own real "Main Street U.S.A", so to me, that part of Disney just seems kind of corny and contrived. However, if I was from somewhere like NYC or LA, it would probably seem cute and quaint.
I don't hate Disney, I just don't think it's what it's cracked up to be. Different strokes for different folks, right? Obviously a lot of people disagree with me, because the place is raking in money and tourists hand over fist , pretty much seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. Good for them, and if people like it, good for them too!
One thing that's proven is Disney has the best employees. I've never had a bad experience with any like I have at other parks.
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