Congrats to Magic Kingdom!!

[itchin2go]

This is on my bucket list. Would love to go there. Don't they have a Kennywood as well somewhere?

Yep.

https://www.kennywood.com/

I went to school in East Tennessee, and we made jokes about Dollywood - you can imagine. Anyway, it's as much a surprise to me as anyone that it has emerged a reputable (much less award-winning) theme park.

 

[IrishNYC]

This is on my bucket list. Would love to go there. Don't they have a Kennywood as well somewhere?

Yes, it's near Pittsburgh. It's also one of only two amusement parks on the National Historic Register. The other is Rye Playland just outside NYC. That one is a dump. To put it nicely.

 

[bcrook]

Typically, TripAdvisor uses user reviews, like Zagat. The problem is, with any place that has a huge attendance, there are many people to give it a "5 star review" and many people to gripe and give a "1 star review". With a place like Dollywood, (and I mean no offense to anyone), the crowd that goes there is probably pretty self-selected and predisposed to love it. Me? I can't imagine stepping foot in the place. And I'm sure that there are many skeptics just like me who likewise will never go, and thus there aren't any people to drive the ratings down. To a large degree, the Universal Parks get the benefit of the same bump. There are many people who go to WDW who won't step foot in US or IOA. Thus, that lowers the population from which bad reviews can come. The people who go to US/IOA may be more predisposed to loving it. Disney, on the other hand, draws from such a wide audience that there are plenty of people who will report back that they hated it.

The Golden Ticket Awards use a much more balanced method of ranking the parks, and it is interesting to see that IOA finished ahead of MK both times.

Here is a link to their system.

When looking at rankings it is best to compare several ranking systems and see if trends occur.

Dollywood has some fun rides.

And Silver Dollar City has a rocking good wooden roller coaster called Outlaw Run. And the Powder Keg there is one of my favorite rides too.

 

[bcrook]

Remember this is just one trip website that rates these parks by the comments that are on its site. Now |trip advisor is a huge site and all, but seeing that Canada's Wonderland in Toronto,Canada not there or the Ferrari roller coaster in Saudi Arabia not even ranked. Well that shows how tilted they are. I mean the Ferrari has been ranked as a must do by every roller coasters dream ride.
Rankings are just like polls, depends on who is asking and whom.

Compare the Golden Ticket Awards to it. Some trends emerge.

 

[bcrook]

Here is the Theme Parks Insider Awards. That Aladdin Show in DCA is FANTASTIC.

This doesn't list the runner ups though. That is important for this discussion.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

I think tripadvisor covering the huge national theme parks is kinda silly. I use the site quite a bit, but I use it for hotels and restaurants. eveyones experience at a theme park can be completely different, even under the same conditions. I think tripadvisor is more useful for making sure the Hyatt in Charleston SC is properly cleaned than to find out which theme park is slightly more awesome than another.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't think Discovery Cove is in the same category. It's such a boutique, premium experience (and priced that way).

That is interesting about IoA though. Maybe because MK is so crowded all of the time now. And of course Harry Potter.

 

[cakebaker]

I find it funny that people will get judg-y when comparing theme parks they've been to with theme parks they've never been to.

I get judg-y about all amusement parks- I don't like them for the most part. Heck, I'm going to be honest here- I don't like any of them. I don't consider WDW to be an amusement park. Most of the others on those lists, I do with the exception of DL and DCA.

It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other how anyone ranks any of the parks. Personally, all I care about is which parks I like and I don't need TA to help me figure it out.

I just find it rather interesting that Dollywood- however good it may or may not be- is ranked above DCA.
I was also a tad surprised that Gatorland ranked above Epcot in top places to go in Orlando. Guess I need to revise my bucket list.

 

[DoingDisney]

I can't believe Epcot is that low.

I really can, as an amusement park ... what is there ? Its nothing.

World showcase is cool and stuff, but not an amusement park.

 

[Riff Off Gal]

I really can, as an amusement park ... what is there ? Its nothing.

World showcase is cool and stuff, but not an amusement park.

They have Test Track, Mission Space, Soarin' and The World Showcase makes it unique so that has to be a plus at least for me it is.

 

[cakebaker]

I really can, as an amusement park ... what is there ? Its nothing.

World showcase is cool and stuff, but not an amusement park.

Absolutely true, and one of the reasons I like it so much. Good point- if they're ranking these by how good of an amusement park they are, the rankings make much more sense to me.

 

[itchin2go]

I get judg-y about all amusement parks- I don't like them for the most part. Heck, I'm going to be honest here- I don't like any of them. I don't consider WDW to be an amusement park. Most of the others on those lists, I do with the exception of DL and DCA.

It really doesn't matter to me one way or the other how anyone ranks any of the parks. Personally, all I care about is which parks I like and I don't need TA to help me figure it out.

I just find it rather interesting that Dollywood- however good it may or may not be- is ranked above DCA.
I was also a tad surprised that Gatorland ranked above Epcot in top places to go in Orlando. Guess I need to revise my bucket list.

Just wondering which you have been to and why you don't like them .....

Also did I use the wrong word there? Want to be clear on your terminology. I said theme and you said amusement....

 

[DoingDisney]

Regarding the Methodology for this, I found this page, and its the methodology they use for another of their rankings, I would assume the method for this is fairly similar ...

Looks like its an email based global survey ...

http://ir.tripadvisor.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=899430

 

[LOL!]

I started this thread because I thought it was great that the WDW domestic parks placed favorably among a global sample. I haven't been to the top two rated parks so I can't say one way or another if my sole opinion is different than that of millions of others but I do have a feeling that if TripAdvisor had ranked Magic Kingdom as #1 some would have a much different opinion as to the validity of the rankings.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm only surprised that Disneyland isn't higher. Personally I would rank Universal Studios Florida as number one, then Disneyland and Magic Kingdom and Islands of Adventure. However a lot of people seem to adore Discovery Cove so that makes sense.

The same is true when it comes to Dollywood. People really seem to enjoy this park when they give it a chance.

I do think that they are all amusement parks by definition. Except maybe Epcot, that one isn't clear.

 

[LOL!]

I think tripadvisor covering the huge national theme parks is kinda silly. I use the site quite a bit, but I use it for hotels and restaurants. eveyones experience at a theme park can be completely different, even under the same conditions. I think tripadvisor is more useful for making sure the Hyatt in Charleston SC is properly cleaned than to find out which theme park is slightly more awesome than another.

Same here, I'll always check it for reviews on a hotel or restaurant that I've never been to. How do you think theme park reviews would be completely different when they are likely to be reviewed by the same people we trust of hotel and restaurant reviews?

 

[Planogirl]

Same here, I'll always check it for reviews on a hotel or restaurant that I've never been to. How do you think theme park reviews would be completely different when they are likely to be reviewed by the same people we trust of hotel and restaurant reviews?

I agree. People can just as easily perceive hotels and restaurants in different ways.

 

[Planogirl]

It is a little annoying that they picture an Islands of Adventure ride with their Universal Studios listing. I need to look for more of that.

Plus where are the superb Japanese parks?

 

[cakebaker]

Just wondering which you have been to and why you don't like them .....

Also did I use the wrong word there? Want to be clear on your terminology. I said theme and you said amusement....

I've been to Cedar Point, Universal, Silver Dollar City and a couple of Six Flags- that's off the top of my head. I'd have to look at the list again, but at least those. I'm sure I went to more in my younger days I've blocked out. Other than trying Universal last year, it's been a very long time since I went to any. I don't think they've changed in any way that would change my mind about them though.

Theme parks, amusement parks- I consider them to all be pretty much the same, but that's just terminology and really beside the point. I don't like them because I don't like parks where the main focus seems to be on how extreme a ride can they make- where they focus on the rides, rather than the experience. I understand completely some folks love them, and that's fine. If one is really into riding a coaster that peels your skin off your face, I can see where WDW might fall short.

 

[itchin2go]

I've been to Cedar Point, Universal, Silver Dollar City and a couple of Six Flags- that's off the top of my head. I'd have to look at the list again, but at least those. I'm sure I went to more in my younger days I've blocked out. Other than trying Universal last year, it's been a very long time since I went to any. I don't think they've changed in any way that would change my mind about them though.

Theme parks, amusement parks- I consider them to all be pretty much the same, but that's just terminology and really beside the point. I don't like them because I don't like parks where the main focus seems to be on how extreme a ride can they make- where they focus on the rides, rather than the experience. I understand completely some folks love them, and that's fine. If one is really into riding a coaster that peels your skin off your face, I can see where WDW might fall short.

And so Magic Kingdom is not a theme park?