Is Disney REALLY that great to you guys?

Disney may be great in the minds of families but why is it so great in coaster enthusiasts minds? They lack in the thrill/coaster department, are very expensive, and crowded. So why would a coaster enthusiast want to go to a very expensive park that has not so great rides to adults. Sure they have the nice resorts, decent food, and theming, but that isn't too big of a deal to a lot of us is it? I would take a Cedar Fair park over Disney any day. Or even a SF park for that matter. I find Disney to be way overrated. What do you guys think?

Just because you have coaster enthusiasts posting here saying they like Disney, doesn't mean they are strictly "coaster" enthusiasts. You are allowed to like other things besides thrill rides.

Disney is able to do the one thing that most parks can't, and that some coaster enthusiasts love: Give you a Charmland feel at a Six Flags (or higher) price. :)

What do you guys think?

I think you make a lot of assumptions.

If you're looking for flat-out adrenaline rushes only, you are 100% correct. Disney sucks.

Luckily for me, that's not all I'm looking for.

If I could instantaneously go to Disney or any park not in Orlando, I'd take Disney every time.

It's not my favorite reason for going to Orlando, that's USO/IOA. But Disney does have the power and ability to do what almost any other park can never do. Disney just has the ability to take a 37-year old man like myself, and make me act like a 10-year old all over again. I can't explain it, I just know that I am so happy when I'm there, and I haven't found another park yet, (no matter how many great coasters they have), who can duplicate that feeling. The closest I come is USO/IOA!

What they lack in total adrenaline rushes, they make up for in making dreams come true. Parker, I agree with Moosh in that you are making way too many assumptions. I love coasters as much as any other enthusiast out there, but when I go to Cedar Point or King's Island I don't just ride the coasters. I ride the flats, the boat ride, the train, ferris wheel, ect. at CP. And at KI, I love Drop Tower, Delirium, The Crypt, the train, ect.

Don't be so close-minded to thinking that coaster enthusiasts can only ride coasters. I used to be that way, and after a while, the parks will get boring if you don't enjoy the whole experience.

I personally don't think that Disney is that great to me. To me, it ranks below a lot of parks. Disney World has 4 major parks, and I think they have 5 great rides at those 4 major parks. That's hardly any great rides if you think about it.

These rides for me would be Dinosaur, Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Snow White. Sure, I think other rides are good rides like the Teacups, Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Norway, Test Track, and Country Bears, but those aren't the rides I can ride for long periods of time like the great rides.

Look at Rockin Roller Coaster. If you look at the layout outside, it's looks like the most boring coaster ever, and people don't know the wiser. Am I the only one that doesn't care for that ride?

My favorite amusement parks are usually Six Flags, Cedar Point, and Dorney Park. Out of all the Six Flags sadly though that I went to (SFStL, SFMM-never tried the Tilt-A-Whirl, or swings, SFKK, SFOT, SFGAm, SFOG, SFA) they only have 1 great flat in my opinion, and that's Avalache at SFA. Cedar Point has 2 in my opinion, and Dorney Park has a whopping 3.

I rather go to Busch Gardens or Cypress Gardens instead. At Cypress Gardens, I think 4 rides are great: Power Surge, Yo-Yo, Starliner, the Okamogee Rampage. I have never been on the Disco which is a shame. At Busch Gardens also, I think the same thing. These would be Kumba, Montu, Scorpion, and Cheetah Chase.

I'm not too hyped over Orlando. Yes, they have a lot of amusement parks, but the most rides to me that are great in one park is 4, and that's Busch Gardens, and Cypress Gardens. To me, the Studios has 0, and IOA has 3. I don't really care to go to Sea World. *** Edited 4/21/2008 1:38:10 AM UTC by Spinout***

Disney is worth it. Totally. Disneyland (CA) is the true heart and soul of parks worldwide. Enduring classics, great coasters (Space Mountain is the best coaster in SoCal, EASILY!), awesome dark rides and just the best operations around.

I'm currently in CA, going to Disneyland tonight. Park is crowded (40000-50000 guests, easily), yet, the longest line is 75-90 minutes only... for the brand new Submarine Voyage. 5 trains at Big Thunder Mountain and California Screamin... (2300 pph), 40-50 logs at Splash Mountain, 2800 pph at Pirates, Space Mountain on a 20 seconds interval (people get out, you sit in and the train moves forward to the lap bar check).

Disney is so efficient with its rides because they keep it simple for the guests. No seatbelts unless they are the primary restraint (Soarin' over California, Star Tours, Grizzly River Run, Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Adventure) or they come like it from the manufacturer (The 3 S&S towers at DCA). No added seatbelts, 20 things for the ride ops to say before dispatching, etc.

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Parker17 said:
What do you guys think?

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Disneyland is hands down my favorite park that I've ever been to. I think you're taking the "Coaster" part of Coasterbuzz too literally.

I don't think that's it, Matt.

Parker has a hard time understanding why someone would prefer a park like Disneyland over a park that offers a double-digit coaster count and a higher thrill factor. That's not an unusual sentiment. When I was a much younger enthusiast I felt exactly the same.

I agree w/ Moosh here. Me, personally, I would rather go to Disney. I enjoy the customer service I get there. I love the rides. I love feeling like a kid again. I like Six Flags and Cedar Point and love their thrill rides, but I will choose Disney every single time over them.

My 19 yr old step daughter on the other hand was bored on our last trip to Disney. The highlight of our trip was the day we cut out and hit Busch Gardens and she rode Sheikra. For her customer service and a good story line are not important. A thrilling time is all she cares for.

We each are entitled to our opinions on this forum. So, to the OP, I say to you that we each think differently than you do. My guess is you are younger and looking for thrills and could not give two craps how you are treated in the parks. Just remember that not everyone thinks like you do.

Disneyland is hands down my favorite park that I've ever been to. I think you're taking the "Coaster" part of Coasterbuzz too literally.

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Totally agree and you can throw the DW parks right in there at 1a. To me it's Disney and then two levels down everyone else starts.

From what I've noticed on this forum is that while 'coaster' may be in the title name it's more about people who enjoy parks as a whole who post here. If it was just about roller coasters constantly I probably wouldn't even visit the site.

The draw of Disney for me is that it is rather unique. The story, the detail and the hard to find attractions that are not at other parks are what makes visiting Disney great. It seems that other parks (other then the orlando parks for the most part) are rather similar to each other. They all seem to have a drop tower, a B&M invert or SLC, a hyper of some sort, a spinning mouse and assorted clones.

My favorite rides outside of Disney are usually the rare ones:

Whizzer: last of its kind in the US
CP Wildcat: not that common at corp parks
Cedar down: one of 4 racing carousels left in operation
Classic Woodens:
Kiddieland in Chicago: Filled with vintage rides
Scorpian @ BG-Tampa: one of the last of its kind

P.S. Six Flags wanting to be like Disney is easier said then done. Time-Warner Six Flags tried and failed, why does Premier Six Flags think they can do it.

A lot of us are "Park enthusiasts" as well as coaster enthusiasts. Disney offers a much different experience than other amusement parks.

And the coasters at Disney parks aren't all that bad. Add theming to your RCT coasters and watch the excitement go up!

So many coaster enthusiasts seem to forget that Disney are the ones we should thanks for being the ones with the guts and courage for many things we take for granted today.

First tubular steel coaster? Arrow created it for Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland in 1959.

First computer designed coaster? Space Mountain at WDW.

First coaster to operate with a block based system to control the position of its cars? Space Mountain again.

Disney World is my favorite set of parks, by far. Its pure fun, and makes me feel like a kid again. While none of the coasters are near my top ten, it is home to my favorite non Coaster ride (Tower of Terror,) favorite water ride (Splash Mountain,) has by far the best shows of any park Ive been too (especially the nighttime entertainment, it cant be beat,) and is home to some amazing dark rides. Someday Ill make it to Disneyland too.

The Disney experience is awesome from the time you walk through the gate until the time you leave. I love it.

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Mamoosh said:
I don't think that's it, Matt.

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I don't see how we're in disagreement but ok.

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Touchdown said:
Someday Ill make it to Disneyland too.

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When you do make it out there, tell us before hand so we can all live vicariously, it will probably be a few years for me after my trip last month. :)

I utterly despise Disney's ham-fisted approach to admissions. I also don't like the fact that I'd need a kajillion billion dollars to vacation there in the fashion I'd really wanna.

But other than that? Yeah. Quite nice.

And frankly, their heavily-coastered competitor down the road would be quite a bore if it only had the coasters without the atmosphere. I'd just as soon experience T2 or Caro-Seuss-el as I would Dueling Dragons.

-'Playa