Beyond Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, there are theme parks in Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. This list ranks all 12, with pros & cons, rides, shows, parades, fireworks, and more to determine the best & worst Disney parks worldwide.
Each of the Disney resort complexes has a castle park, but not all of these parks are of the same quality, and their second gates (and beyond) are all very different. The list is our attempt at objectivity in ranking the parks, trying to the greatest extent possible to eliminate personal biases and pesky things like nostalgia.
Like the BCS and other power rankings, no one is bound to agree with these, despite them being very scientific and downright infallible. Joking aside, it’s entirely possible that you’ll appreciate various attractions, entertainment, or the themed lands more or less than us, in which case your list would differ. As with anything like this, your mileage may vary.
If you’ve read this list in the past, we should warn you that there are no changes to the rankings themselves as of our latest update in late 2025. That’s in part because no brand-new headliner attractions opened this year at any of the parks around the world. There have been new additions, to be sure, just nothing on par with the World of Frozen or Fantasy Springs of the last few years.
With one big exception, this is because the last development cycle has ended and the next one is just getting started. That lone exception is Paris, where the Walt Disney Studios Park (WDSP) expansion was originally slated to be completed by last summer’s Olympics, but now will be done in March 2026.
Since things necessarily take time to build, that meant no major new lands or attractions in 2025. To the contrary, we saw more major closures this year than we did openings! While some of those were very notable (especially at Magic Kingdom), they also didn’t really move the needle on rankings. Aside from the WDSP transforming into Disney Adventure World in March 2026, this is going to be the story of the next few years.
The next wave of additions won’t really come online until 2027, and even then, the bulk of the projects will wrap in 2028 through 2030. Suffice to say, it’s going to be an interesting few years for the Disney Parks Power Rankings. Movement up and down the list will probably be minimal, and more driven by entertainment enhancements and how negatively construction and closures do (or do not) impact the guest experience.
With that out of the way, here are our current Disney Parks Power Rankings for Late 2025…
12. Walt Disney Studios Park
Walt Disney Studios Park is a park in transition. The big recent-ish addition was Avengers Campus, which brought a reskinned roller coaster, Spider-Man shooter game, and other additions similar to the Marvel land in DCA. It wasn’t enough.
The good news is that more is on the horizon! The latest announcement is a Lion King Land & Ride, which will open…eventually. Before that, guests will be treated to an array of new experiences at the park that what will soon be called “Disney Adventure World.” This includes Adventure Bay & Way, the family attraction Raiponce Tangled Spin, Regal View Restaurant & Lounge, and the highly anticipated World of Frozen land. All of these new attractions open on March 29, 2026 at the newly-reimagined Disney Adventure World.
Walt Disney Studios Park/Disney Adventure World has a promising future, but it won’t be a theme park truly worthy of the Disney name until Spring 2026. For now, it’s far and away the worst entry on this list. Even once World of Frozen and everything else opens, it’s still going to be tough to pass DCA for #11. But the gap absolutely will close.
11. Disney California Adventure
Nearly a decade since Disney pulled back the curtain on DCA 2.0, the much-maligned second gate at Disneyland Resort continues to improve, albeit minus a cohesive “California” theme. This has been done slowly, with a two steps forward, one step backwards kind of approach.
The most recent addition is Avengers Campus, which includes the previously-reimagined Guardians of the Galaxy – MISSION: Breakout and newcomer Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure. Both are fun additions, as is the land itself, which is full of life thanks to the Marvel characters. There’s also San Fransokyo Square, but that’s really more a fresh coat of paint on the food court rather than anything new.
The good news is that Disney California Adventure has much more on the horizon before 2030. DCA got perhaps the most love during D23, with announcements of Pandora – World of Avatar, multiple new Marvel rides, and a Coco boat ride that sounds fantastic. The bad news is that none of this will open until Christmas 2027 at the absolute earliest, so we’re still a few years away from DCA moving up the list. Could Disney Adventure World pass it in the meantime? Eh, possibly. Probably not.
10. Shanghai Disneyland
Shanghai Disneyland was the most complete opening day theme park to debut in the 2000s, a crown it still holds after the opening of Epic Universe in Orlando. Don’t let its ranking here fool you, as Shanghai Disneyland has only gotten better in the years since, adding lands based on both Toy Story and Zootopia.
It still remains the most polarizing park. Some fans have already proclaimed that Shanghai Disneyland is superior to all other parks. Conversely, critics have derided it as franchise-driven and tacky. We disagree with both polarized stances, finding Shanghai Disneyland to be surprisingly ‘complete’ for a park that’s less than a decade old. It’s still pretty far behind the decades-established castle parks, though.
Among its “home runs” are Treasure Cove (especially its revolutionary Pirates of the Caribbean – Battle for the Sunken Treasure attraction), Camp Discovery, Tron Lightcycle Power Run, and Peter Pan’s Flight. We also give it points for Enchanted Storybook Castle, which is more impressive in person than its divisive design looks in concept art and photos. Zootopia Land looks like it’s also a home run.
9. EPCOT
The EPCOT overhaul is finally finished, I guess. The construction walls are down, and World Celebration and CommuniCore Hall have opened. Underwhelming as both might be–lateral moves at the absolute best after ~5 years of construction–they are better than walls and a dirt pit.
Fortunately, there have been several worthwhile substantive additions. World Showcase is largely looking good, and the debut of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure helped that area become more well-rounded. In the former Future World, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind moved the needle significantly, and is one of the best rides at Walt Disney World. Moana’s Journey of Water also helped round out the lineup, and Test Track 3.0 helped breathe new life into that thrill ride.
Even so, more substantive additions and upgrades are needed in the Future World pavilions. Play Pavilion has been abandoned, Spaceship Earth’s overdue reimagining was shelved, and a much-needed redo of Journey into Imagination has been rumored for the last decade. EPCOT really needs more additions and actual improvements at the front of the park. Its overhaul should not be over.
On the plus side, World Showcase is still gorgeous and offers some of Disney’s best ambiance, anywhere. Spaceship Earth remains an awe-inspiring icon and pretty good attraction. Some Future World pavilions remain solid. It’s just unfortunate that half of the “overhaul” didn’t end up materializing or changing much.
8. Animal Kingdom
A strong argument can be made that Disney’s Animal Kingdom is the best theme park in Florida. When you emphasize the theme in theme park, we’d rank it #1 of Walt Disney World’s parks. That’s high praise, and sentiment that seems shared by the general park-going public given Animal Kingdom’s soaring attendance.
The problem for us, and one not resolved by the lovely Pandora: World of Avatar, is that there’s a lot of style, but still not enough substance. Sure, the park is beautiful and the purest example of unblemished (or close to it) theme at Walt Disney World. Nevertheless, people visit theme parks expecting rides, not just themed design. This is true for us, too. While we love Animal Kingdom, we’ve found that we love the idea of it more than the park itself, and actually visit it less than any other park at Walt Disney World.
While the zoological exhibits, walk-throughs, and even entertainment are wonderful, Animal Kingdom could use more on the ‘traditional attraction’ end of the spectrum. Expedition Everest was a start and Pandora furthered this, but that’s still only 3 high profile rides since the park opened. Animal Kingdom could still use a family-friendly dark ride (or two…or three).
Tropical Americas will help considerably, with the new Encanto ride plus reimagining of Dinosaur into Indiana Jones Adventure. In our view, that’s a good start–but just that, a start. The reality is that Animal Kingdom is the park at Walt Disney World the furthest removed from its last big additions, and it’s been overdue for more new rides for the last several years. It’s slow descent down these rankings reflects that.
Dinoland being a construction zone, and the park reducing its already low ride count between now and late 2027, prevents it from climbing the list. That’s really the story of the Walt Disney World parks right now–weakened by construction in 2026-2027 (if not longer) but not to the point that any of them fall further on the rankings.
7. Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney Hollywood Studios has seen its stock soar in the last few years, going from #11 on this list to #7. This as a result of the reimagined Fantasmic (which is underappreciated among fans), Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and more. The most important addition remains Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its mega E-Ticket Rise of the Resistance, which lives up to every bit of the hype and is tied for the #1 attraction at Walt Disney World.
However, as a whole DHS is easily Walt Disney World’s most frustrating park. The top-heavy lineup coupled with a surplus of shows makes crowds and wait times unbearable at times. This park could really use another dark ride or two, or even a couple of flat rides to round out the ride roster. There really aren’t many family-friendly rides, just shows.
It was an up and down year for Disney’s Hollywood Studios, with the Villains Unfairly Ever After and Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure stage shows opening. Both are good additions. Shortly after those debuted, Muppets Courtyard and MuppetVision 3D closed to commence construction on Monstropolis, which should be a blockbuster addition in 2028.
Thankfully, 2026 is poised to be a big year for DHS. Debuting next year is the new mission on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring the Muppets, and reimagined Walt Disney Studios Lot, featuring the Magic of Disney Animation, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live, and more. This is more than any other park at Walt Disney World, and could bump up DHS a spot if everything is well-executed.
6. Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland catapulted up this list following its huge expansion consisting of Toy Story Land, Grizzly Gulch, and Mystic Point. That expansion included Mystic Manor and Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, which are two of the top 15 attractions in the world.
Not much changed for another 5 years, but Hong Kong Disneyland now emerges from another mostly-finished expansion cycle. The two new Marvel rides have also proven to be a pleasant surprise, even if the E-Ticket is still years away. The new Arendelle: the World of Frozen land is now open, and far exceeds expectations. Don’t take it for granted as simply a clone of the EPCOT attraction plus a kiddie coaster.
The castle has also grown in size and scale, which was a controversial change but one that clearly establishes Hong Kong Disneyland as a park with its own identity, and not just a lesser-Disneyland clone. Smaller, less splashy additions have been made over the last few years, to the point that Hong Kong Disneyland now punches above its weight and is a worthy castle park. Hong Kong Disneyland’s 20th Anniversary Celebration elevates it even further through Summer 2026.
Do not sleep on Hong Kong Disneyland if you visit Asia. It’s a pleasant surprise and one of our favorite places to spend time, even if its ride roster or themed design still puts it–on paper, at least–a rung below the “big” castle parks. You won’t regret visiting, and HKDL might just steal your heart, like it did ours.
5. Magic Kingdom
Again, nostalgia comes into play. My opinion of Magic Kingdom will most likely always be colored by memories of my youth–this remains my “home” castle park. Sitting here evaluating the park online, I can look at it with a critical eye, but in person all of that melts away as I feel like a kid again when walking down Main Street.
It’s been an up and down few years for Magic Kingdom. Happily Ever After returned and TRON Lightcycle Run is an excellent addition. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure also opened, and Disney Starlight Night Parade debuted. All positive additions, although the latter two are a bit more mixed.
However, growing pains have emerged in the second half of 2025. Walt Disney World is building two all-new Cars attractions in a reimagined area of Frontierland and Villains Land expansion at Magic Kingdom, essentially between and behind Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion. Those are likely pluses from a ride roster perspective in the long-term once they debut between 2028 and 2030. The problem is the next few years, in the lead-up to those lands opening.
Currently, the Rivers of America is in the process of being filled in, with Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Square Riverboat having permanently closed over the summer. The result of this isn’t just the loss of scenic beauty and kinetics–it’s replacing that charming area of the park with a sea of construction walls.
On top of that, New Fantasyland is not-so-new, Tomorrowland is ironically the most dated and tired land, and several attractions are long overdue for updates. Still, Magic Kingdom has the most well-rounded attraction lineup of any park at Walt Disney World. It’s also home to plenty of fan-favorites like Country Bear Musical Jamboree, Carousel of Progress, and the Peoplemover. Not only that, but fan-favorites like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Buzz Lightyear’s Space Range Spin are being enhanced, and the fruits of that will debut in Spring 2026.
With all of that said, Magic Kingdom has a certain beauty, grandiosity, and sentimentality. This sense of escape and suspension of disbelief makes it really appealing. Still, as the crown jewel park at Disney’s largest and most popular resort complex in the world, Magic Kingdom deserves better. Plan your visit with our comprehensive Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide.
4. Disneyland Paris
Disneyland Paris has admirably used the momentum of its fantastic 30th Anniversary into success thanks to drones and seasonal entertainment. The park has perfected drone shows over the castle, Sleeping Beauty Castle is looking splendid, and Disneyland Paris has brought back fan-favorite entertainment.
Even before this, Disneyland Paris was getting back on track with major refurbishments to key attractions. This has included extensive reimaginings of Pirates of the Caribbean and Phantom Manor, the latter of which is France’s unique take on Haunted Mansion. Disneyland Paris still has room for improvement (much of it on the operational front), but Disneyland Paris looks better than we’ve ever seen it.
This is coupled with the always-exceptional design work at Disneyland Paris make it one of the top parks in the world. This is particularly true for those who favor parks as themed spaces, rather than collections of attractions. On the ride front, Disneyland Paris is still a step or two (or 3-4) behind the other castle parks, but it compensates for this with so many amazing spaces and intricate details. Oh, and it has the best Disney castle in the world. It can be a frustrating place to visit, but also incredibly enchanting. Plan your visit with our comprehensive Disneyland Paris Vacation Planning Guide.
3. Disneyland
Disneyland takes the #3 slot, and comes within striking distance of #2 thanks to the successful 70th Anniversary Celebration, which brought with it the return of Paint the Night Parade and Wondrous Journeys Fireworks, plus the debut of Walt Disney – A Magical Life.
Then there’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and the debut of its flagship attraction, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Both the land and the ride are among the very best in the world. Galaxy’s Edge is beautifully-done, immersive, transportive, and represents the evolution of themed lands. Disneyland doesn’t score quite as many points here as perhaps it should, as the new Star Wars Land feels isolated and removed for the rest of the park–also like a park within the park–rather than a coherent space that congeals with the greater whole.
However, this separation has one tremendous upside, and that’s the preservation of the charm and intimacy of Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom. The ‘traditional’ side of the park still oozes whimsy, beauty, and warm. Moreover, Disneyland has some of the best themed spaces in the world, with the Rivers of America, New Orleans Square, Frontierland, Adventureland, and Main Street all being incredibly inviting.
Equally as important, it has an incredible slate of attractions, ranging from intimate Fantasyland dark rides like Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride and Alice in Wonderland to blockbuster E-Tickets like Indiana Jones Adventure and Hyperspace Mountain. Disneyland is incredibly attraction-dense, with great versions of the classics, plus a solid slate of entertainment. Plan your visit with our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide.
2. Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland’s $750 million expansion breathed new life into Fantasyland, Toontown, and Tomorrowland. Those additions transformed a lot of dead space into engaging themed areas, which has been a big initiative for Tokyo Disneyland.
Entertainment is (still!) slowly returning, venues are reopening, and cuts are being restored. It’s to the point where, outside of scaled-back seasonal events, Tokyo Disneyland feels pretty close to what it was like in 2019. Last year, the park debuted the new “Reach for the Stars” nighttime spectacular, which is fine. It’s also brought back the Country Bears seasonal shows and other celebrations, which is a much bigger deal. It could still use a couple more stage shows and more on the seasonal front.
Tokyo Disneyland’s attraction roster still offers the greatest hits of the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, with the best version of numerous iconic Disney rides. In addition to a formidable lineup of classics, Tokyo Disneyland also has multiple headliners of its own in Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, Monsters Inc. Ride and Go Seek, and Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast.
It no longer feels like a ‘clone park’ as so many of its existing lands have been overhauled, and that’ll be even more true in a couple years when the all-new Space Mountain and revamped Tomorrowland debuts. For now, that part of the park is a mess of construction walls–not to the point to hurt its ranking, but enough to comment on.
However, it’s not the ride roster that puts Tokyo Disneyland near the top. The entertainment is amazing, with a regular lineup of solid seasonal offerings, plus the Harmony in Color daytime parade and Dreamlights, Disney’s best night parade. Beyond that, Tokyo Disneyland’s maintenance, attention to detail, show quality, dining, and Cast Members are all unsurpassed. Plan your visit with our comprehensive Tokyo Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide.
1. Tokyo DisneySea
Even after the debut of Fantasy Springs, there is somehow still legitimate debate about whether Tokyo DisneySea is deserving of the top spot. The good news is that our scathing post explaining Why Disney’s #1 Park is Getting 1-Star Reviews is no longer completely valid. The bad news is that too much of that still remains accurate.
For one thing, wait times at Tokyo DisneySea remain ridiculous for ~200 days of the year. It’s no longer as absurd as it was when Fantasy Springs was using a de facto virtual queue, but it’s still pretty far off from 2019. There are 8 attractions that average wait times of 100 minutes or more. Five of those have averages above 2 hours. These are averages–peak waits of 240 minutes for multiple headliners is not uncommon!
For another, a lot of other entertainment is still missing. We wouldn’t go as far as to say Tokyo DisneySea feels like a shadow of its former self, but it has been noticeably downgraded outside of Fantasy Springs. This is a big part of why wait times are longer–because so many things that previously absorbed crowds are (still!) missing.
As compared to what it once was in 2019 or earlier, Tokyo DisneySea has lost its luster. However, it was the best Disney theme park by a wide margin before, and retains that status, albeit with a much narrower lead over its next door neighbor or even Disneyland in California. The fact of the matter is that, even acknowledging its issues, if we could only visit or recommend one theme park in the world, Tokyo DisneySea would still be it.
I have already dedicated an entire article to the Top 10 Reasons Tokyo DisneySea is Disney’s Best Park, so I’ll just defer to that for what else makes this park so unbelievably special. Tokyo DisneySea is still Disney’s best theme park in the world, even the current version of the park. That’s the bottom line, and why it’d be disingenuous to let one of the Disneylands sneak into the top spot over it just because I’m frustrated by the park’s operations and absurdly long lines (even by Japan standards).
As for Fantasy Springs, its attractions are popular for good reason. This over $2 billion addition consisting of Peter Pan, Frozen, and Tangled areas is the biggest budget expansion of any existing Disney theme park ever and absolutely lives up to the hype. There’s a reason why Anna & Elsa’s Frozen Journey makes Sarah & Tom’s List of the Top 15 Disney Attractions in the World, and Peter Pan’s Never Land Adventure almost does!
Hope you enjoyed this new edition of the Disney Parks Power Rankings. Keep in mind that this list is all in good fun. Like sports fans, most Disney fans have strong allegiances towards their home park and take offense when they feel it’s slighted. Remember that this is one random dude’s opinion on the internet. At the end of the day, it doesn’t impact your enjoyment of your “favorite” park if I rank it at number 8, nor does my opinion matter (at all) in the grand scheme of things.
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Your Thoughts
How would you rank the Disney Parks you’ve visited? It doesn’t matter how many parks you’ve been to, I’m still interested in knowing! Do you think I misranked any parks, or made any poor choices? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
