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Disney’s theme parks around the globe are known as locations of great lore, beacons of magic, and worlds of wonder. Disneyland Resort in California has long been referred to as “The Happiest Place on Earth,” while the Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida embraces the nickname of “The Most Magical Place on Earth.”
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Credit: Becky Burkett
Many fans of Disney’s theme parks, whether in the United States or in other countries, will also testify to the magic, beauty, and splendor of the twelve parks. That’s because many of them have had positive experiences in the parks, whether they traveled solo or with friends and family.
Related:Disney World Guest Has a Strange, Disgusting Reaction to Seeing Cinderella Castle For the First Time
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But those who’ve yet to visit and are relying on online reviews to determine which park they want to visit–or whether they’ll visit a Disney Park at all–can get an entirely different idea about the parks.
This is especially true lately. Just as prices of Disney’s theme park admission tickets have skyrocketed, Yelp reviews of Disney’s Parks around the world have been glaringly negative, resulting in low ratings. And currently, every one of Disney’s theme parks has a rating of lower than 5 stars, and some of the parks have ratings far lower than that.
Disney Theme Park Ticket Prices Skyrocket
In October, ahead of the fall holiday season at Disney Parks, which includes Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, Disney Parks raised the price of admission at its California parks–Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure–and at its Florida parks–Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Credit: Disney Parks
The increase in the price of tickets was as much as 10% in some cases.
It was a decision on the part of the House of Mouse that angered many guests who were already unhappy about what they deemed overpriced food and beverage options, as well as long lines for most rides and attractions.
Disney’s International Parks
In addition to Disney’s domestic parks, The Walt Disney Company operates theme parks in Tokyo, Japan, Chessy, France, near Paris, and in Hong Kong and Shanghai.
Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort
All of Disney’s theme parks around the world are available for review on Yelp, with the exception of Shanghai Disneyland, as Yelp has yet to launch in Shanghai. Recently, The Daily Mail compared and contrasted each of the remaining eleven parks’ reviews online to see how they stack up overall and against each other, and the results might shock some Disney Park fans.
It’s important to note that Yelp reviews are based on customer’s impressions and opinions based on their individual experiences. The worst-rated Disney Parks locations have the fewest number of stars among the eleven that were rated, and the highest-rated park location is the one that amassed the most stars of the eleven parks. Information and ratings are current as of the time of this publication.
Disney’s Worst-Rated Theme Park: 3.7 Stars
Fans might be surprised to learn that Disney’s worst-rated park of all is Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. It’s not only rated the worst Disney World theme park; it’s also rated the worst of all theme parks owned by The Walt Disney Company.
Credit: Becky Burkett/Canva
Disney’s Hollywood Studios features an entertainment theme throughout the park. It’s home to the infamous Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, as well as Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Also featured inside the park is the fan-favorite Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith.
Credit: Disney Parks
“Wow, was it crowded and didn’t deliver,” Yelp user Stephanie G., who purchased the Genie+ service, wrote about her visit to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in spring 2023. “Maybe there are times it’s less crowded, but no ride was worth more than a half-hour wait.”
Credit: Disney
“Disney has finally and permanently totally failed in its mission to provide a joyful experience to the masses,” wrote Rick E. in his review of the same park. “Costs for everything are disgusting. Food is completely inedible, unavailable without excessive wait times, and priced 5 times what it ought to be. I thought I’d do the whole Disney trip once for my kid. I completely regret it.”
Another reviewer, Phil G., wrote, “[Disney’s Hollywood Studios] is the worst Disney park. It’s tiny and always overcrowded.”
Disneyland Park: 3.8 Stars
Disney’s very first theme park only amassed 1/10 of a star more than Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California, is the only one of Disney’s theme parks to have had Walt Disney’s fingerprints on it.
Related: Timeless Photos of Walt Disney Capture the Heart & Soul of the Legendary Visionary
Credit: Becky Burkett/Canva
Though diehard Walt Disney fans love the park for its nostalgia–and even think of a visit to the park as a sort of pilgrimage to honor the late great animator, others aren’t quite as fond of the park, at least when it comes to Yelp reviews.
Magic Kingdom Park: 3.9 Stars
Magic Kingdom Park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida garnered only 3.9 stars on Yelp.
Related:Imagineers are Reimagining the Wrong Attraction at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
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“First timer at Magic Kingdom,” wrote reviewer Elle M., who gave the park only two stars based on her experience earlier this year. “The restaurants were too crowded, parking was a nightmare, even with preferred, people bumping into you left and right, rude kids trying to cut you in line, so do I think it’s worth the money spent? Not at all.”
Disneyland Paris Parks: 4.0 Stars
Both of Disney’s French theme parks, Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park, located just outside of Paris, France, garnered 4.0 stars each.
Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris/Credit: Disney
Of the 114 reviews of Walt Disney Studios Park, most pointed out the small size of the park. Most also gave the park only four stars. Those reviews that noted how small the park is aren’t mistaken. Walt Disney Studios Park spans only 62 acres. In contrast, Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Disney World spans more than 150 acres.
“This is a fairly small park located right across from Disneyland Paris,” wrote reviewer Eric B., “but it’s worth a visit. We did one day two park pass, which was pretty affordable compared to the prices for US parks.”
Hep Cat Corner Restaurant/Credit: Disneyland Paris
But another reviewer, Nikki R., was far more disgruntled after her visit to the Parisian Disney park.
“This is no ‘Disney’ park!” she wrote. “They definitely had a staff shortage, lots of closed attractions, and employees who were plain rude!”
Amelia K. wrote in her review that she had “never left a Disney park sad . . . until I went all the way to Paris for my 40th bday.” Amelia gave the park only one star. “This place is not Disney. There is no magic whatsoever. The employees are rude and never smile or even acknowledge your existence.”
Credit: Flickr/EatMyDisneyDust
Another guest named Stephen W., however, was thrilled with his visit, writing that the theme park “absolutely puts Disneyland in Anaheim, California, to shame!”
Disney’s California Adventure Park: 4.1 Stars
The second theme park to be built at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, received a 4.1-star rating on Yelp. Nearly 2,000 visitors reviewed the park, and many noted its “negative” staff members and complained that there’s “no bang for your buck” at the park, which features themes related to the state of California and lots of nods to Pixar films.
Pixar Pier at Disney’s California Adventure Park/Credit: Becky Burkett
Reviewers did, however, praise the park for its “many alcohol options” and for its “creative food options,” but the praise was not enough for the park to garner a five-star rating.
Stephen L. reviewed Disney’s California Adventure Park on Yelp and said he had to pay $50 “for tater tots, a hamburger, and a soggy pizza.” He described the ordeal as “horrible.”
Credit: Becky Burkett
“It is charming here to some degree, but every ounce of enjoyment is sapped by the flood of people,” he wrote. “I really don’t think I ever want to come here again.”
Hong Kong Disneyland & Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 4.1 Stars
Along with Disney’s California Adventure Park, Hong Kong Disneyland and Disney’s Animal Kingdom garnered only 4.1 stars on Yelp.
Credit: Disney
Hong Kong Disneyland first opened to guests on Lantau Island in 2005. The park was originally created to resemble Disneyland Park in southern California and even featured Sleeping Beauty Castle as its iconic centerpiece. The castle has since been reimagined to include 14 Disney heroines in its design.
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“Pro: Barely a line anywhere, new castle, easy to get around,” wrote user Jackie F.
“We went on a Sunday, and I was so worried that the park would be packed,” wrote Roger P. “I’m not sure what the reason was, but it was completely empty!”
Kali River Rapids at Disney’s Animal Kingdom/Credit: Becky Burkett
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park at Disney World in Central Florida is home to the guest-favorite Expedition Everest attraction and the Avatar: Flight of Passage experience and boasts a unique zoological theme, but it’s not a “Disney zoo,” as some who haven’t experienced the park often believe. On Yelp, the park’s “attention to detail in the animal exhibits” was praised.
Other users, however, noted several non-operational rides and attractions and wait times for rides that exceeded two hours. though other commenters, yet again, noted broken-down attractions and two-hour wait lines.
Credit: Becky Burkett
EPCOT: 4.2 Stars
Credit: Becky Burkett
Credit: Disney Parks
Recently, on the anniversary of Walt Disney’s birth, EPCOT unveiled a brand-new sculpture of Walt, as well as a new area at EPCOT called “Dreamers Point.”
Aerial look at Dreamers Point in EPCOT. A box near center of the photo is believed to contain the statue of Walt Disney. pic.twitter.com/WZvlCUwfyS
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) October 22, 2023
Disney’s Highest-Rated Parks: 4.5 Stars
Of all of Disney’s 11 reviewed theme parks on Yelp, it was Disney’s Japanese parks that received the highest ratings. Tokyo Disney Resort’s Tokyo DisneySea and Tokyo Disneyland each earned 4.5 stars on average from reviewers.
Tokyo Disneyland/Credit: Disney Parks
Tokyo DisneySea is a theme park inspired by the many legends and myths that involve the sea and features attractions inspired by Pixar’s Finding Nemo (2003), Disney’s The Little Mermaid (1989), and Jules Verne’s famous novel, “Journey to the Center of the Earth.”
![Official]Nemo & Friends SeaRider｜Tokyo DisneySea｜Tokyo Disney Resort](https://media1.tokyodisneyresort.jp/images/adventure/attraction/963_main_visual_name_3.jpg?mod=20230724164857)
Nemo & Friends SeaRider attraction/Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort
The park’s rating, however, was brought down by those guests who took to Yelp to complain about crowds in the park. Some also noted the absence of a FastPass or Lightning Lane-style service in the park.
“I’m giving this a one star because all I did was wait in line and did not even get a chance to enjoy the park,” wrote Yelp reviewer Sophie L.
Related:Rare Snowfall at Tokyo Disney Resort: Just Breathtaking!
Tokyo Disneyland during snowfall/Credit: Disney/ABC
Tokyo DisneySea’s sister park, Tokyo Disneyland, opened to guests in 1983. On Yelp, disgruntled visitors noted the park’s long wait times for attractions. One reviewer even said she only rode four rides over a span of ten hours because of the lines.
The park did receive positive reviews, too, some of which described their experiences as “magical,” applauding the park’s interesting and “photo-worthy” foods, including mochi buns that are shaped like the Little Green Alien Men from Pixar’s Toy Story franchise.
Credit: Tokyo Disney Resort
Per Yelp reviews, Disney’s Hollywood Studios ranks as the worst-rated Disney park of all, while Tokyo Disney Resort’s two parks rank as the highest-rated Disney parks of all. But it’s important to note that each guest’s experience can vary greatly from another’s.
Credit: Disney/Becky Burkett/Canva
Sadly, it’s possible that visitors more frequently turn to Yelp to share negative comments about Disney Parks or another experience or entity than they do to share positive feedback.
So, if your experience has been different from those shared by Yelp reviewers and included in this post, why not visit Yelp.com to share your magical experience at a Disney park with others?
