THE magic of Disney World seems to be fading, as a surprising new study reveals the famous theme park isn’t among the top choices for thrill-seekers.
In fact, only one Disney park even managed to crack the top five list with them all far outshone by parks offering a variety of fun and family-friendly attractions.
The Cinderella castle at Magic Kingdom Disney World in Orlando, Florida, which ranked fifth in the study[/caption]
Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, which ranked eighth in the study[/caption]
Street performances at Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida[/caption]
New research by Nieuwe Casinos assessed Google and Tripadvisor reviews made by theme park visitors to determine which ones received the best ratings across the board.
The study reveals that Florida is the ultimate destination for parks with six of its iconic theme parks landing in the top ten.
At number one is Discovery Cove, a tropical all-inclusive day resort located in Orlando, Florida.
The theme park, combining a water park and a zoo, received a perfect five-star rating from over 85% of its guests.
Discovery Cove is also the sister park of SeaWorld Orlando and Aquatica Orlando.
The second highest-rated park is Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania.
The family-owned and operated amusement park and picnic grove received an impressive rating of 4.8 out of five stars on Google and 4.5 out of five on Tripadvisor.
In third place is Tennessee’s Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, which is notably the second longest downhill track in the US.
Earning fourth place is once again a theme park in Florida — Universal Islands of Adventure, where visitors can enjoy movie-themed attractions like Jurassic Park.
Rounding out the top five on the list is Disney California Adventure, a 72-acre park displaying Disney’s interpretation of California.
This follows recent news of a new Disney pass that allows visitors to skip every ride queue.
Replacing Disney Genie+ are the new Lightning Lane passes which can be used at Disney World in Orlando and Disneyland Resort in California.
They come with a price — depending on the season, they could be up to $449 (£405) per park.
In Japan, there is also a hidden Disneyland theme park that isn’t actually owned by Disney, but reportedly has “better” rides and unique snacks.
The company that owns the park has to pay licenses and royalties to Disney but are allowed to run similar rides and attractions.
Tokyo Disney Resort opened in 1983, with two parks at the resort – Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea.
Tokyo Disneyland has many of the well-known rides include Pirates of the Caribbean, Jungle Cruise, Big Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain, as well as It’s A Small World and Space Mountain.
And Tokyo DisneySea is 176 acres — over 35 acres bigger than Disneyland Paris and includes aquatic themed rides such as live Little Mermaid shows, Flounder-themed rollercoasters and boat spinning cups.
The park also has seven lands – American Waterfront, Mediterranean Harbour, Arabian Coast, Mysterious Island, Mermaid Lagoon, Port Discovery and Lost River Delta.
The top 10 highest-rated US theme parks
THESE are the top ten highest-rated US theme parks, according to Nieuwe Casinos:
1. Discovery Cove, Florida
2. Knoebels Amusement Resort, Pennsylvania
3. Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster, Tennessee
4. Universal Islands of Adventure, Florida
5. Disney California Adventure, California
6. Magic Kingdom, Florida
7. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida
8. Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Florida
9. Universal Studios Florida, Florida
10. Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari, Indiana
Aerial shots of Discovery Cove park in Orlando, Florida – the US’s number one theme park, according to the study[/caption]
Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida where visitors can swim with dolphins[/caption]
Pink and orange flamingos walking around at Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida[/caption]
