Best Theme Park winner from Theme Park Insider

[Donut23]

just read this in USA Today's travel section......


Break out the butter beer, muggles: Universal's Islands of Adventures, powered by last year's debut of the wildly popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter, earned the top spot in the 2011 Theme Park Insider reader poll.

The website's annual awards are presented to the highest rated theme park, new attraction, table-service restaurant and on-site hotel, based on average reader ratings over the past 12 months. Islands of Adventure nabbed the best theme park award for the second time in a row; runners up were Busch Gardens Tampa and Disney California Adventure, which has lagged in earlier rankings but is in the midst of a $1 billion-plus makeover.

The Force was with Disney this year, as Theme Park Insider readers voted Star Tours: The Adventures Continue at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios as best new theme park attraction of 2011 by a wide margin. (Coasters were also popular, with Busch Gardens Tampa's new Cheetah Hunt and Texas Giant, the reconstruction of Six Flags Over Texas' classic wooden coaster, earning nods.)

Walt Disney World Epcot's Bistro De Paris was named best theme park restaurant for the second year in a row, with runners-up including longtime reader favorite Mythos at Universal's Islands of Adventure and a newcomer, Epcot's Via Napoli.

Three hotels earned kudos for being within walking distance of their respective parks: Disney's Grand Californian Hotel at the Disneyland Resort was named best on-site theme park hotel, with Universal's Portofino Bay Resort and Disney's Beach Club Resort coming in second and third.


Now who was the person who said Harry Potter was a flash in the pan and would be empty in 3 months?? Go ahead, raise your hand.


We ARE looking forward to the changes in California Adventure. Our next Disney trip will be DL and we will agree with best resort hotel. Nothing in Florida can touch Disney's Grand Californian. Love-Love-Love it there! Exceptional customer service and so well maintained, it's almost like it's NOT run by Disney beancounters like their other resort hotels.

 

[ASteelersMidget]

I'm actually not angry over this at all. In fact, maybe it will force Disney to update DHS/AK/EPCOT!







Well, I can dream it will.

 

[bapawoo]

This is all great to read. Now I'm curious to check out DL's Grand Floridian....

 

[Donut23]

I'm actually not angry over this at all. In fact, maybe it will force Disney to update DHS/AK/EPCOT!







Well, I can dream it will.

From your fingers to Disney's checkbook!!!!!

 

[Donut23]

This is all great to read. Now I'm curious to check out DL's Grand Floridian....

Stay there.....trust me.....you will LOVE the Grand Californian.

Take the resort tour! You will understand why this resort is so special.

Take some time for a walkabout. They placed this hotel on a tiny footprint but there are truly magical nooks everywhere. Designed by the same folks who created the magic of the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Little examples......

Watch out for the ceramic birds at the elevators. As you travel up the floors, you will see different birds. Ground dwellers on the first floor and the mighty eagle on the top floor.

Catch a YouTube video of the lobby......you can sit INSIDE the fireplace.

Checkout how the stone floor seemlessly transfers to the carpet but the beautiful illusion of the pattern continues unchanged.

Checkout the beautiful lamps.


Checkout the beautiful Briza courtyard. Downtown Disney is just on the other side of the building.....but you just hear the gentle wafting of music and occassional laughter. We LOVED our Briza view room.

DVC rooms are drop-dead georgous - built on what was employee parking....now under the building. Those rooms are on the edge of California Adventure. Again, in the evenings before the park closes you can hear the laugher in your room....it's like music. Oh yes, and the rooms facing the new World of Color....wowza!

NOTE: Resort guests now get a 30 minute EMH into California Adventure......so you can fastpass World of Color.

Eat at Napa Rose --- got the 5th star that Grand Floridian could never manage.



A friend took me there to celebrate my "un-birthday".....I was in the hospital when I turned 50. I discovered a true magic in this property. It is beautiful....and the castmembers know it....and are very proud of it.

I dragged my (then brand new) husband there a few years later...kicking and screaming. (He thought DL would just be too small). Anyway, he soon discovered the charm of this resort.

It's now our mostest-favorite Disney Resort.



Ok, can you tell I like it a little??????

 

[Padrepride]

I'm surprised to see DCA so high up there while it's undergoing massive construction. The entrance gate and the plaza behind it is still behind walls. It will be interesting to see if this ranking changes with the debut of Cars Land

 

[lockedoutlogic]

This means nothing...

...in other news: the sun will rise in the East and set in the West tomorrow

 

[skiingfast]

I'm surprised to see DCA so high up there while it's undergoing massive construction. The entrance gate and the plaza behind it is still behind walls. It will be interesting to see if this ranking changes with the debut of Cars Land

I'm sure Radiator Springs Racers will be winning best attraction for 2012.

 

[Reddog1134]

Eat at Napa Rose --- got the 5th star that Grand Floridian could never manage.

You DO realize you're comparing a restaurant to a hotel, right?