It’s a timeless question: if you had never been to a Disney park before and could go to any of the six Disney resorts around the world, which one should you pick?
The answer to this question will very much be up to the individual person and what kind of vacation (s)he is looking for. However, the reasons behind that decision are as varied as the amount of rides, shows and attractions each of the resorts have to offer.
The Disney resorts in the U.S., Europe and Asia each have their own set of pros, and probably a couple of cons here and there, too. Although it only focuses on the two resorts in the United States, Disneyland and Walt Disney World, I think this video gives enough generalization to help lead people to a decision for the parks outside of the U.S., as well:
So there are some pointers for DL and WDW. But what about Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland? Once again, I think it depends on what you want out of your vacation.
- Tokyo Disneyland opened in 1983 and has 2 parks – Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. It also has a handful of “official” hotels and a shopping complex. I’ve been to this resort 4 times and as Disney parks go, it’s the one that makes my jaw drop the most. Here’s why: Tokyo Disney’s “bread and butter” are Japanese people who come back over and over. So the park officials know they have to constantly refresh. On top of that, it’s, for lack of better wording, “the Japanese way” to offer quality in what they do. So they offer stuff like this. And rides that may have the same name as their U.S. counterparts (*cough* Winnie The Pooh, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, etc. *cough*), but are SO MUCH better, because they’re willing to spend the money on that level of quality.
- Disneyland Paris opened as Euro Disneyland in 1992. It has 2 parks (Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney Studios Park), 7 Disney hotels, a golf course and Disney Village. We’ve been to Disneyland Paris Resort two times and found Disneyland Paris park to be one of the prettiest Disney parks we’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, Walt Disney Studios Park was built during a time when cost-cutting was the rage at Disney, and frankly, it really showed. I’ve heard from friends and seen articles and pictures since our last visit (which was the early 2000s, a year or two after it opened in 2002) that would suggest they’ve since put more money into the park (both parks, actually).
- We’ve not yet been to the Disney parks in Hong Kong or Shanghai, so we really can’t give an opinion on them. Hong Kong Disneyland was on our list for a stop when we go to Japan next year, but with the civil unrest that’s happening there right now, I guess we’ll wait to see what happens between now and then before we start making solid plans. Visiting the Shanghai park is not on our calendar right now, but I’m sure it could be added sometime in the future.
As Rob said in the video, which Disney park(s) you go to really depends on where you live and what you want to get out of your vacation. Frankly, cost needs to come into the consideration as well, since airfare may or may not be a factor, as well as how much time you’ll spend in a resort with one park vs. one with 4 parks, 2 water parks, a shopping district, etc.
It’s definitely a case of Your Mileage May Vary.
So how about you? Which Disney parks have you been to and which ones do you want/plan to visit?
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This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
