Past Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, there are theme parks in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. This listing ranks all 12, with professionals & cons, rides, reveals, parades, fireworks, and extra to find out the perfect & worst Disney parks worldwide. (Up to date December 30, 2024.)
Every of the Disney resort complexes has a fortress park, however not all of those parks are of the identical high quality, and their second gates (and past) are all very completely different. The listing is our try at objectivity in rating the parks, making an attempt to the best extent potential to eradicate private biases and pesky issues like nostalgia.
Just like the BCS and different energy rankings, nobody is certain to agree with these, regardless of them being very scientific and downright infallible. Joking apart, it’s completely potential that you simply’ll admire numerous points of interest, leisure, or the themed lands roughly than us, by which case your listing would differ. As with something like this, your mileage might range.
Our newest replace to those rankings comes with some huge openings and occasions this yr, together with the restoration of a lot of what’s been lacking within the final couple of years. The latest large-scale addition is the Fantasy Springs at Tokyo DisneySea, which made that fan-favorite park even stronger…but in addition, weaker. (We’ll clarify beneath–it is smart.)
Nearer to residence, Tiana’s Bayou Journey debuted on each coasts, however that was this yr’s solely new journey. Previous to that, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway debuted at Disneyland and TRON Lightcycle Run opened at Magic Kingdom. Over at EPCOT, quite a bit has been altering and “mission achieved” was declared on the overhaul. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Moana’s Journey of Water, and Luminous: The Symphony of Us all debuted.
Nonetheless, that’s about it on new additions for just a little bit…
Whereas there are nonetheless stragglers from the final improvement cycle that aren’t fairly achieved–largely within the Walt Disney Studios Park–2025 is a time for transition for most Disney Parks across the globe. One development cycle has completed, and one other is starting.
Since issues essentially take time to construct, which means no main new lands or points of interest in 2025. For that matter, little or no (exterior the aforementioned Parisian park) in 2026. The following wave of additives gained’t actually come on-line till 2027, and even then, the majority of the initiatives will wrap in 2028 by way of 2030.
Suffice to say, it’s going to be an fascinating few years for the Disney Parks Energy Rankings. Motion up and down the listing will most likely be minimal, and extra pushed by leisure enhancements and the way negatively development and closures do (or don’t) influence the visitor expertise.
Within the meantime, listed below are our present Disney Parks Energy Rankings for 2025…
12. Walt Disney Studios Park
After bettering because of the addition of the Ratatouille: the Journey trackless darkish journey a decade in the past, Walt Disney Studios Park is as soon as once more a park in transition. The massive recent-ish addition was Avengers Campus, which introduced a reskinned curler coaster, Spider-Man shooter recreation, and different additions just like the Marvel land in DCA. It wasn’t sufficient.
The excellent news is that extra is on the horizon! The most recent announcement is a Lion King Land & Experience, which is able to open…ultimately. Earlier than that, friends shall be handled to an array of recent experiences on the park that what’s going to quickly be referred to as “Disney Journey World.” This consists of Journey Bay & Method, the household attraction Raiponce Tangled Spin, Regal View Restaurant & Lounge, and the extremely anticipated World of Frozen land–all opening in 2026.
Earlier than all of that, Spring 2025 brings with it the reworked entrance space to Walt Disney Studios Park (nonetheless its identify for 2025), now referred to as World Premiere, which pays homage to historic film theaters in Hollywood. Will this be sufficient to carry Walt Disney Studios Park out of the proverbial gutter? In fact not.
Walt Disney Studios Park/Disney Journey World has a promising future, nevertheless it gained’t be a theme park really worthy of the Disney identify till 2026. For now, it’s far and away the worst entry on this listing. Even then, it’s going to be robust to move DCA for #11.
11. Disney California Journey
Almost a decade since Disney pulled again the curtain on DCA 2.0, the much-maligned second gate at Disneyland Resort continues to enhance, albeit minus a cohesive “California” theme. This has been achieved slowly, with a two steps ahead, one step backwards type of strategy.
The newest addition is Avengers Campus, which incorporates the previously-reimagined Guardians of the Galaxy – MISSION: Breakout and newcomer Internet Slingers: A Spider-Man Journey. Each are enjoyable additions, as is the land itself, which is stuffed with life because of the Marvel characters. There’s additionally San Fransokyo Sq., I assume, however that’s actually extra a recent coat of paint on the meals courtroom fairly than something new.
The excellent news is that Disney California Journey has rather more on the horizon earlier than 2030. DCA received maybe essentially the most love throughout D23, with bulletins of Pandora – World of Avatar, a number of new Marvel rides, and a Coco boat journey that sounds incredible. The unhealthy information is that none of it will open till Christmas 2027 on the absolute earliest, so we’re nonetheless just a few years away from DCA transferring up the listing. May Disney Journey World move it within the meantime? Eh, probably.
10. Shanghai Disneyland
Though there’s the query of whether or not anybody studying this could need to go to mainland China, that’s extra of a ‘procedural’ query and never germane to the query of the place the parks rank. Now we have but to return to Shanghai Disneyland because the border reopened earlier this yr, and don’t have any intentions of doing so anytime quickly.
The model of the park we final visited earlier than the world went sideways was good, however not nice. There’s a robust risk that Zootopia will push it to greatness. Some followers have proclaimed that it’s already there–that Shanghai Disneyland is superior to all different parks. Conversely, critics have derided it as franchise-driven and cheesy. We disagree with each polarized stances, discovering Shanghai Disneyland to be essentially the most ‘full’ fortress park throughout its early years relative to debuts within the submit Euro Disney period of half-day parks. It’s nonetheless fairly far behind the decades-established fortress parks, although.
Amongst its “residence runs” are Treasure Cove (particularly its revolutionary Pirates of the Caribbean – Battle for the Sunken Treasure attraction), Camp Discovery, Tron Lightcycle Energy Run, and Peter Pan’s Flight. We additionally give it factors for Enchanted Storybook Citadel, which is extra spectacular in individual than its divisive design appears to be like in idea artwork and photographs. Zootopia Land appears to be like prefer it’s additionally a house run.
9. EPCOT
The EPCOT overhaul is lastly completed, I assume. The development partitions are down, and World Celebration and CommuniCore Corridor have opened. Underwhelming as each could be–lateral strikes at the very best after ~5 years of development–they’re higher than partitions and a dust pit.
Fortuitously, there have been a number of worthwhile substantive additions. World Showcase is basically trying good, and the debut of Remy’s Ratatouille Journey helped that space change into extra well-rounded. Within the former Future World, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind moved the needle considerably, and is likely one of the greatest rides at Walt Disney World. Moana’s Journey of Water additionally helped spherical out the lineup.
Even so, extra substantive additions and upgrades are wanted within the Future World pavilions. Play Pavilion has been deserted, Spaceship Earth’s overdue reimagining was shelved, and a much-needed redo of Journey into Creativeness has been rumored for the final decade. EPCOT actually wants extra additions and precise enhancements on the entrance of the park. Its overhaul shouldn’t be over.
With that mentioned, EPCOT nonetheless has quite a bit to supply. World Showcase remains to be beautiful and provides a few of Disney’s greatest ambiance, anyplace. Spaceship Earth stays an awe-inspiring icon and fairly good attraction. Some Future World pavilions stay stable. It’s simply unlucky that half of the “overhaul” didn’t find yourself materializing or altering a lot.
8. Animal Kingdom
A powerful argument could be made that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the perfect theme park in Florida. Once you emphasize the theme in theme park, we’d rank it #1 of Walt Disney World’s parks. That’s excessive reward, and sentiment that appears shared by the final park-going public given Animal Kingdom’s hovering attendance.
The issue for us, and one not resolved by the beautiful Pandora: World of Avatar, is that there’s numerous fashion, however nonetheless not sufficient substance. Positive, the park is gorgeous and the purest instance of unblemished (or near it) theme at Walt Disney World. However, folks go to theme parks anticipating rides, not simply themed design. That is true for us, too. Whereas we love Animal Kingdom, we’ve discovered that we love the thought of it greater than the park itself, and truly go to it lower than every other park at Walt Disney World.
Whereas the zoological reveals, walk-throughs, and even leisure are fantastic, Animal Kingdom might use extra on the ‘conventional attraction’ finish of the spectrum. Expedition Everest was a begin and Pandora furthered this, however that’s nonetheless solely 3 excessive profile rides because the park opened. Animal Kingdom might nonetheless use a family-friendly darkish journey (or two…or three).
Tropical Americas will assist significantly, with the brand new Encanto journey plus reimagining of Dinosaur into Indiana Jones Journey. In our view, that’s a great begin–however simply that, a begin. The fact is that Animal Kingdom is the park at Walt Disney World the furthest faraway from its final huge additions, and it’s been overdue for extra new rides for the final a number of years. It’s sluggish descent down these rankings displays that.
7. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney Hollywood Studios has seen its inventory soar in the previous few years, going from #11 on this listing to #6. Its newest features come from Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the reimagined Fantasmic. The upper rating additionally displays different enhancements within the final couple of years, together with the opening of Toy Story Land, and different placemaking enhancements.
Crucial addition stays Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its mega E-Ticket Rise of the Resistance, which lives as much as each little bit of the hype and is tied for the #1 attraction (out of 91!) at Walt Disney World. Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run can be a robust addition, however not almost that good.
Nonetheless, as a complete DHS is definitely Walt Disney World’s most irritating park. The highest-heavy lineup coupled with a surplus of reveals makes crowds and wait occasions insufferable at occasions. This park might actually use one other darkish journey or two–or a minimum of reimagined variations of its long-running stage reveals that may be extra well-liked with friends.
It’ll begin to get that in 2025 with the brand new Villians Unfairly Ever After and reimagined Little Mermaid stage present. In just a few years, Disney’s Hollywood Studios may even add a Monstropolis mini-land.
6. Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland catapulted up this listing following its big growth consisting of Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Level. That growth included Mystic Manor and Massive Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Vehicles, that are two of the highest 15 points of interest on the earth.
Not a lot modified for an additional 5 years, however Hong Kong Disneyland now emerges from one other mostly-finished growth cycle. The 2 new Marvel rides have additionally confirmed to be a nice shock, even when the E-Ticket remains to be years away. The brand new Arendelle: the World of Frozen land is now open, and much exceeds expectations. Don’t take it as a right as merely a clone of the EPCOT attraction plus a kiddie coaster.
The fortress has additionally grown in dimension and scale, which was a controversial change however one which clearly establishes Hong Kong Disneyland as a park with its personal identification, and never only a lesser-Disneyland clone. Smaller, much less splashy additions have been revamped the previous few years, to the purpose that Hong Kong Disneyland now punches above its weight and is a worthy fortress park.
Don’t sleep on Hong Kong Disneyland should you go to Asia. It’s a nice shock and considered one of our favourite locations to spend time, even when its journey roster or themed design nonetheless places it–on paper, a minimum of–a rung beneath the “huge” fortress parks. You gained’t remorse visiting, and HKDL may simply steal your coronary heart, prefer it did ours. That’s why Hong Kong Disneyland is our Disney Vacation spot of 2025, and arguably deserving of a spot within the prime 5.
5. Magic Kingdom
Once more, nostalgia comes into play. My opinion of Magic Kingdom will more than likely at all times be coloured by reminiscences of my youth–this stays my “residence” fortress park. Sitting right here evaluating the park on-line, I can take a look at it with a essential eye, however in individual all of that melts away as I really feel like a child once more when strolling down Essential Road.
It’s additionally been a great couple of years for Magic Kingdom. Fortunately Ever After made its triumphant return and TRON Lightcycle Run is a superb addition. Tiana’s Bayou Journey additionally opened. As issues stand coming into 2025, Magic Kingdom nonetheless has a toehold on the #5 spot. Nonetheless, that would change as there are rising pains on the horizon.
Walt Disney World introduced two all-new Vehicles points of interest in a reimagined space of Frontierland and Villains Land growth at Magic Kingdom, primarily behind Vehicles Land, and between/behind Massive Thunder and Haunted Mansion. These are probably pluses from a journey roster perspective within the long-term as soon as they debut between 2028 and 2030.
To get there, the Rivers of America shall be crammed in, that means that Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Sq. Riverboat will completely shut. That has numerous followers upset, nervous about the way it’ll negatively influence the environment of Magic Kingdom. Even when it does handle to be a web constructive long-term, it’s nonetheless going to be a tough few years of development partitions.
On prime of that, New Fantasyland is not-so-new, Tomorrowland is sarcastically essentially the most dated and drained land, and a number of other points of interest are lengthy overdue for updates. Nonetheless, Magic Kingdom has essentially the most well-rounded attraction lineup of any park at Walt Disney World. It’s additionally residence to loads of fan-favorites like Nation Bear Musical Jamboree, Corridor of Presidents, Carousel of Progress, and the Peoplemover. Oh, and it’s getting a brand new evening parade, Disney Starlight Dream the Night time Away, in 2025. In order that’s a near-term win, on the very least!
With all of that mentioned, Magic Kingdom has a sure magnificence, grandiosity, and sentimentality. This sense of escape and suspension of disbelief makes it actually interesting. Go from Adventureland to Frontierland to Fantasyland, and also you stay immersed in every of those environments. Nonetheless, because the crown jewel park at Disney’s largest and hottest resort advanced on the earth, Magic Kingdom deserves higher. Plan your go to with our complete Walt Disney World Trip Planning Information.
4. Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris has admirably used the momentum of its incredible thirtieth Anniversary into success because of drones and seasonal leisure. The park has perfected drone reveals over the fortress, refurbishments have rides and Sleeping Magnificence Citadel trying splendid, and Disneyland Paris has introduced again fan-favorite basic reveals and parades, and can debut the brand new “Disney Tales of Magic” nighttime spectacular in early 2025.
Even earlier than this, Disneyland Paris was getting again on observe with main refurbishments to key points of interest. This has included in depth reimaginings of Pirates of the Caribbean and Phantom Manor, the latter of which is France’s distinctive tackle Haunted Mansion. Disneyland Paris nonetheless has room for enchancment (a lot of it on the operational entrance), however Disneyland Paris appears to be like higher than we’ve ever seen it.
That is coupled with the always-exceptional design work at Disneyland Paris make it one of many prime parks on the earth. That is notably true for many who favor parks as themed areas, fairly than collections of points of interest. On the journey entrance, Disneyland Paris remains to be a step or two behind the opposite fortress parks, nevertheless it compensates for this with so many wonderful areas and complicated particulars. Oh, and it has the perfect Disney fortress on the earth. It may be a irritating place to go to, but in addition extremely enchanting. Plan your go to with our complete Disneyland Paris Trip Planning Information.
3. Disneyland
Disneyland takes the #3 slot, and comes inside putting distance of #2. As soon as the Disneyland seventieth Anniversary Celebration begins in Could 2025, with the return of Paint the Night time Parade and Wondrous Journeys Fireworks, plus the debut of Walt Disney – A Magical Life, we imagine it’d sneak into that second slot. However till then, the sunshine leisure lineup units it again.
Then there’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the debut of its flagship attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Each the land and the journey are among the many easiest on the earth. Galaxy’s Edge is beautifully-done, immersive, transportive, and represents the evolution of themed lands. Disneyland doesn’t rating fairly as many factors right here as maybe it ought to, as the brand new Star Wars Land feels remoted and eliminated for the remainder of the park–additionally like a park inside the park–fairly than a coherent house that congeals with the better complete.
Nonetheless, this separation has one large upside, and that’s the preservation of the allure and intimacy of Walt Disney’s unique magic kingdom. The ‘conventional’ facet of the park nonetheless oozes whimsy, magnificence, and heat. Furthermore, Disneyland has a number of the greatest themed areas on the earth, with the Rivers of America, New Orleans Sq., Frontierland, Adventureland, and Essential Road all being extremely inviting.
Equally as necessary, it has an unimaginable slate of points of interest, starting from intimate Fantasyland darkish rides like Mr. Toad’s Wild Experience and Alice in Wonderland to blockbuster E-Tickets like Indiana Jones Journey and Hyperspace Mountain. Disneyland is extremely attraction-dense, with nice variations of the classics, plus a stable slate of leisure. Plan your go to with our complete Disneyland Trip Planning Information.
2. Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland’s $750 million growth has debuted, and the brand new Fantasyland, Toontown, and Tomorrowland additions have introduced quite a bit to the desk. They reworked numerous lifeless house into partaking themed areas, which has been a giant initiative for Tokyo Disneyland.
Leisure is slowly returning, venues are reopening, and cuts are being restored. It’s to the purpose the place, exterior of scaled-back seasonal occasions, Tokyo Disneyland feels fairly near what it was like in 2019. The park just lately debuted the brand new “Attain for the Stars” nighttime spectacular, which is okay. It’s additionally introduced again the Nation Bears seasonal reveals and different celebrations, which is a a lot larger deal.
Tokyo Disneyland’s attraction roster nonetheless provides the best hits of the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, with the perfect model of quite a few iconic Disney rides. Along with a formidable lineup of classics, Tokyo Disneyland additionally has a number of headliners of its personal in Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, Monsters Inc. Experience and Go Search, and Enchanted Story of Magnificence and the Beast.
It now not seems like a ‘clone park’ as so lots of its present lands have been overhauled, and that’ll be much more true in a pair years when the all-new House Mountain and revamped Tomorrowland debuts. For now, that a part of the park is a multitude of development partitions–to not the purpose to harm its rating, however sufficient to touch upon.
Nonetheless, it’s not the journey roster that places Tokyo Disneyland close to the highest. The leisure is wonderful, with a daily lineup of nice seasonal choices, plus the brand new Concord in Colour daytime parade and Dreamlights, Disney’s greatest evening parade. Past that, Tokyo Disneyland’s upkeep, consideration to element, present high quality, eating, and Solid Members are all unsurpassed. Plan your go to with our complete Tokyo Disneyland Trip Planning Information.
1. Tokyo DisneySea
Even after the debut of Fantasy Springs, there’s someway nonetheless professional debate about whether or not Tokyo DisneySea is deserving of the highest spot. You may learn Why Disney’s #1 Park is Getting 1-Star Evaluations for a full dialogue of why, however suffice to say, the park is an operational mess proper now.
For one factor, you might not even be capable of get into Fantasy Springs resulting from its restricted entry. So it’s tough to take this new land and its glorious points of interest into consideration when evaluating the park due to the way it’s “walled off” from many–maybe most–friends every day. For one more, numerous different leisure remains to be lacking. We wouldn’t go so far as to say Tokyo DisneySea seems like a shadow of its former self, nevertheless it has been noticeably downgraded.
As in comparison with what it as soon as was in 2019 or earlier, Tokyo DisneySea has misplaced its luster. Nonetheless, it was the perfect Disney theme park by a large margin earlier than, and retains that standing, albeit with a a lot narrower lead over its subsequent door neighbor and even Disneyland in California. The actual fact of the matter is that, even acknowledging its points and ignoring Fantasy Springs, if we might solely go to or advocate one theme park on the earth, Tokyo DisneySea would nonetheless be it.
I’ve already devoted a whole article to the High 10 Causes Tokyo DisneySea is Disney’s Finest Park, so I’ll simply defer to that for what else makes this park so unbelievably particular. Tokyo DisneySea remains to be Disney’s greatest theme park on the earth, even the present model of the park. That’s the underside line, and why it’d be disingenuous to let one of many Disneylands sneak into the highest spot over it simply because I’m annoyed by Fantasy Springs.
Oh, and should you do get into Fantasy Springs, and have an opportunity to expertise one (or a number of!) of its new points of interest, the excellence of Tokyo DisneySea turns into extra pronounced, as does its lead over #2 Tokyo Disneyland. This over $2 billion addition consisting of Peter Pan, Frozen, and Tangled areas is the most important finances growth of any present Disney theme park ever and completely lives as much as the hype. There’s a motive why Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey makes Sarah & Tom’s Record of the High 15 Disney Sights within the World, and Peter Pan’s By no means Land Journey virtually does!
Hope you loved this new version of the Disney Parks Energy Rankings. Remember the fact that this listing is all in good enjoyable. Like sports activities followers, most Disney followers have robust allegiances in the direction of their residence park and take offense once they really feel it’s slighted. Keep in mind that that is one random dude’s opinion on the web. On the finish of the day, it doesn’t influence your enjoyment of your “favourite” park if I rank it at quantity 8, nor does my opinion matter (in any respect) within the grand scheme of issues.
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Your Ideas
How would you rank the Disney Parks you’ve visited? It doesn’t matter what number of parks you’ve been to, I’m nonetheless fascinated about figuring out! Do you suppose I misranked any parks, or made any poor decisions? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
