NYTimez had a good idea to come up with a more formal ride count to reduce ambiguity. I considered a formal ride to be something where there was a ride mechanism which involved motion of some kind.
Below is a count of formal rides. It indicates DLR has 49 formal rides while WDW has 45. With the three new rides at DCA DLR will have 52. When WDW gets done with the New Fantasyland in 2013 (?) they will have 47.
This type of count I think is fair but would still like your thoughts. It shows DLR's two parks have more formal rides than WDW's four parks.
There are still some I think are a little ambiguous - at WDW. Stitch's Great Escape. Is that a ride? You do not move. You just sit. So maybe it isn't. I included it. Sum of All Thrills moves you. A lot! But it is part of Innoventions. I included SOAT but not Innoventions. How about Backlot Tour at DHS? I counted it as a ride mostly because of Catastrophe Canyon. Otherwise I think it is more of a tour than a ride.
In a later post I will try to sum up some of the non-ride attractions, and I expect WDW will come out way ahead of DLR on those.
DL: 32 Rides
Alice in Wonderland
Astro Orbitor
Autopia
Big Thunder Mtn RR
Buzz Lightyear
Casey Jr. Train
Davy Crockett's Canoes
Disneyland Railroad
Dumbo
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
Gadget's Go Coaster
Haunted Mansion
Indiana Jones
it's a small world
Jungle Cruise
King Arthur Carrousel
Mad Tea Party
Mark Twain
Matterhorn
Monorail
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Peter Pan
Pinocchio
Pirates of the Caribbean
Roger Rabbit
Sailing Ship Columbia
Snow White
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Star Tours
Storybook Land Canal
Winnie the Pooh
DCA: 20 rides (by June)
California Screamin'
Flik's Flyers
Francis' Ladybug Boogie
Golden Zephyr
Goofy's Sky School
Grizzly River Run
Heimlich's Chew Chew
Jumpin' Jellyfish
King Triton's Carousel
Little Mermaid
Luigi's Flying Tires*
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree*
Mickey's Fun Wheel
Monsters Inc
Radiator Springs Racers*
Silly Symphony Swings
Soarin' Over California
Tower of Terror
Toy Story Mania
Tuck and Roll's Buggies
* = Coming in June 2012
MK: 23 rides (by end of 2012)
Astro Orbiter
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Cinderella's Golden Carousel
Dumbo The Flying Elephant
Goofini Rollercoasters*
Haunted Mansion
Indy Speedway
it's a small world
Jungle Cruise
Liberty Square Riverboat
Little Mermaid*
Mad Tea Party
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Peter Pan's Flight
Pirates of the Caribbean
Snow White's Scary Adventures
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Stitch's Great Escape!
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Walt Disney World Railroad
Winnie the Pooh
* = Coming by end of 2012
Epcot: 11 rides
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Gran Fiesta Tour
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Living with the Land
Maelstrom
Mission: SPACE
Nemo
Soarin'
Spaceship Earth
Sum of All Thrills (Innoventions)
Test Track
DHS: 6 rides
Backlot Tour
Great Movie Ride
Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
Star Tours
Toy Story Mania
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
AK: 7 rides
DINOSAUR
Expedition Everest
Kali River Rapids
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Primeval Whirl
TriceraTop Spin
Wildlife Express Train and Planet Watch