Best Amusement Parks on the Travel Channel

[tfiga]

I am currently watching this on the Travel Channel and Disney is not showing up anywhere. The did not even place in the top 3 for best parks for children... Anyone know why they would be excluded? I find it hard to believe that Disney would not make any of the categories.

 

[__disneygirl]

On those countdowns, they usually go for places like Six Flags and Cedar Point. No idea why! Disney will always be #1 in my book!!

 

[tfiga]

I was just amazed that it was not even in the top 3 parks for children.... Apparently whoever voted has never been to MK.

 

[disneyfan61]

Disney is considered a "theme" park not amusement parks.

 

[byoung]

I'll go to Disney first anytime. Even though it's 2+ hours flying time, compared to a 15 minute ride to 6 Flags Great Adventure in Jackson NJ.

 

[jlovesee]

When we released our results for our Readers Choice Awards and Disney only placed twice, we were asked this very question (BTW EPCOT won best food, and Magic Kingdom won best for families).

The best answer I can give is this.

Disney is the standard to which every other amusement/theme parks is judged, I dont think you will find an enthusiast who doesn't think Disney is the best around, but its SO MUCH better that comparing to anything it will always win.

I do think Cedar Point is overated... and that most Six Flags parks should be avoided like the plague. (excepting Six Flags Texas, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags Great America and Six Flags Georgia) if anyone needs any amusement park tips (like which ones to visit, etc) let me know I've visited over fifty different amusement parks not including Disney.

Jennifer

 

[tfiga]

Loved your answer.... I was just wondering how it managed to get overlooked, thanks for the info.

 

[Mecha Figment]

speaking of sixflags, check this monster thats comming to Six Flags over georgia. it actualy towers over an pre existing coaster covers a 4th of the park and goes out into the parking lot.

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/overgeorgia/ParkPress/GOLIATH_A.html


image.
http://www.johnnyupsidedown.com/new06/ga2a.jpg

 

[WaltD4Me]

I do think Cedar Point is overated...

Jennifer....not that I don't totally agree with you, I live 90 minutes from Cedar Point and haven't been there in YEARS, but I was curious as to why you felt it's overated?

I personally don't care for Cedar Point because to me all it is a place where you walk to one line, ride for a minute and a half, get in another line, ride another minute and a half, move on to the next line....ect....with no atmosphere in between. I like the whole experience, with shows and everything so since I'm not a total coaster fanatic, I can take Cedar Point or leave it. Mostly I leave it.

 

[KJHawley]

I personally don't care for Cedar Point because to me all it is a place where you walk to one line, ride for a minute and a half, get in another line, ride another minute and a half, move on to the next line....ect....with no atmosphere in between. I like the whole experience, with shows and everything so since I'm not a total coaster fanatic, I can take Cedar Point or leave it. Mostly I leave it.

Me too! I grew up an hour and a half from Cedar Point, and while I liked it, it's not Disney. No matter where you go, you're going to be waiting in line for hours and hours, and on rides for maybe 30 minutes a day. So, the bulk of your time is walking around, waiting in line, and just trying to enjoy yourself.

At Cedar Point or Six Flags parks, I always get the feeling that people are just cattle- and seeing how many people "moo" in line, I'm not the only one. But Disney is different. Sure the rides are fun, and I wish the lines were shorter, but even when I'm not on a ride I'm still having fun and enjoying myself. This never happens to me at other parks.

And this is another reason why I don't like going "commando" at the parks- getting there at the line drop, following all the tour gide maps, and all that. It may mean that I wait in longer lines, and I may not go on as many rides, but I still have fun!

 

[ChrisFL]

Disney is considered a "theme" park not amusement parks.

exactly

 

[golden1]

If I want to go on super fast and thrilling roller coasters, I'll hit SF. Let's face it, WDW has a few good coasters but nothing like SF. I went on the Superman coaster at Six Flags NE last summer and I guarantee that nothing at WDW even comes close.

However, if I want to vacation with my kids, WDW is the place to go. As much as I like fast coasters, I'd pick WDW over SF any day of the week. I would be happy at WDW just walking around, not even going on the rides. There is a special ambiance there that SF totally lacks. I haven't been to another theme park that even comes close. The closest is probably Busch Gardens in Virginia.

 

[OrlandoMike]

In my opinion there is a reason Cedar Point was voted #1.......it IS #1.

As far as the lines go, simply go in May or October, the lines are very short.

Great coasters, great flat rides, great hotels located right on Lake Erie, and great food!

45 days and counting!

 

[Stitch's Boy]

In my opinion there is a reason Cedar Point was voted #1.......it IS #1.

Couldn't agree more. Millennium Force , Top Thrill Dragster, Wicked Twister and 25 cent cotton candy this year. I do love going to Disneyworld, but I can't get down there that often. So I usually go to Cedar Point alot.

 

[Christopher Robin]

Reminds me of years ago...Playboy ranked the Top 10 Party Schools, and my school, Penn State, wasn't listed. Well, the next issue had an apology and an explanation, basically saying they didn't include Penn State becasue they didn't think it fair to rank the amatuers against a professional. I accepted that logic. <---Nittany Lion

 

[ChrisFL]

If I want to go on super fast and thrilling roller coasters, I'll hit SF. Let's face it, WDW has a few good coasters but nothing like SF. I went on the Superman coaster at Six Flags NE last summer and I guarantee that nothing at WDW even comes close.

However, if I want to vacation with my kids, WDW is the place to go. As much as I like fast coasters, I'd pick WDW over SF any day of the week. I would be happy at WDW just walking around, not even going on the rides. There is a special ambiance there that SF totally lacks. I haven't been to another theme park that even comes close. The closest is probably Busch Gardens in Virginia.

You may want to also check out Universal Orlando if you haven't already, all the wonderful theming you find at a Disney park, plenty for kids to ride and a few world class coasters as well. It's the best of both worlds.

 

[OrlandoMike]

IOA has 4 coasters, Cedar Point has 16! While I like IOA, they have nothing on Cedar Point!

 

[ChrisFL]

IOA has 4 coasters, Cedar Point has 16! While I like IOA, they have nothing on Cedar Point!

that's why I said "a few", but Cedar Point also doesn't have Spiderman, Jurassic Park, The Mummy, etc.

 

[johde]

I really enjoy both kinds of parks. There are experiences at Disney and Univeral you can't get any where else in the world. For the ability to take you to a different world there are no equals. The themeing is what makes the rides (and I love them for that). Very few of their rides though deliver the top thrills in the country. Tower or Terror, Mission space, and Test Track at Disney and Hulk at Univeral are totally unique thrill ride experiences you can't get anywhere else. The tallest coaster at Disney or Univeral is 125 foot tall (Dueling Dragon). Cedar Point has 7 Coaster that are taller than that. 4 of those are over 200 foot tall and of those 1 is about 300 foot tall and one is about 400 foot tall. Thrill rides like these can't be had at Disney or even Universal. That's why I enjoy both types of parks. Living in Ohio I am planning on taking several trips to Cedar Point and Kings Island for the physical thrills. I also plan on going to Orlando for the more emotional thrills.

Note: Is you want to see the full list of awards http://www.amusementtoday.com/2005gta82705.html is the link to the amusement today page about the 2005 awards. Disney did get top 5 awards in several catagories. Best Water Park BB (2), TL(5); Friendlist park staff MK(5); Cleanest Park MK(4); Best landscaping (Water Park) TL (2), BB (3); Best Food EP (2); Best Nighttime production EP (2), MGM (4). Best Water Ride MK SM (4); Best Dark Ride MGM TOT (3), DL IJ (4), DL POTC (5); Best Souvenirs MK (3); Best New Waterpark ride TL CnG (2);

 

[vsimeone]

Just wanted to say hi to all the fellow Ohioans on this thread! I used to go to Cedar Point a lot when I was younger. Hubby and I have a certificate for riding all the rollar coasters in one day when they had a contest once. I think at the time they had about 7. It was around 1986 or so and the Gemini was the newest one! Now that I'm an old lady, I can't take some of the newer coasters. I love the Magnum but haven't worked up to the Millenium Force or Top Thrill yet. WDW is just way more my speed now. Now, my daughter rides the thrill rides and I sit and watch. Guess the torch has been passed. I'll just go to WDW and eat and shop my way around the parks. That's what I do best!!!