In the theme park world, few things have evolved as much as the lands inside of them. The original Disneyland showcases broad themes with a variety of rides that fit inside of those ideas. Jumping ahead to the last 15 years has brought a wealth of IP-specific lands. No matter your preference, a theme park is only as good as the lands inside of them. In this post, I’ll rank my favorite lands inside of Disney theme parks that I’ve been to.

With only one giant expansion out of the way for the coming years, it seemed like a good time to take stock of my favorites. Those that know me might pick at that statement, seeing how I’m constantly ranking things whether it’s an appropriate time for it or not! Honestly, I’m a little surprised that we haven’t done this post on Wandering in Disney before.

Part of the reason for that is because there are other theme parks to get to! I’m including the 10 Disney Parks I’ve seen – 4 at Walt Disney World, 2 at Disneyland Resort, 2 at Disneyland Paris and 2 at Tokyo Disney Resort. Once we get to Shanghai and Hong Kong, then I’ll add more. I didn’t include Universal Parks but the Wizarding Worlds and maybe an Epic Universe land might make the list if I did but nothing else would.

I’ve written quite a bit about different theme park lands over this site’s existence. The current trend of IP-specific lands like Cars, Toy Story, Harry Potter (wrong resort, I know), Star Wars, Pandora and more has been fascinating to me. As a whole, I prefer the broader lands but there’s no denying the success and immersion of the ones I just mentioned.

A few things I took into account while trying to rank my favorite lands were attractions, restaurants, aesthetic and immersion. Naturally, this comes down to personal preference even if I’m judging based on different factors. There’s no equation to rank theme park lands. And while I’ll try for the rest of my life to come up with one, I’ll probably disagree with the results once I do finally crack that code when I’m 83. Different colors, rides, lights and stories appeal to different people. All that to say, you’ll probably disagree with my rankings and please let me know in the comments!

I got my list down to a really clear cut 18, so I’m including an extra 8 but didn’t add any commentary to those. A few of those would have been top ten in the last few years or if I’d experienced them at a different time but these reflect my current thoughts. I wish Animal Kingdom’s Africa had one more ride. I love Galaxy’s Edge more than most but do wish there was a little more evolution since it opened. Frontierland at Disneyland Paris is so close but Big Thunder was closed while I visited. All 8 of the extras are so close to making the list, as 7-18 is pretty fluid.

After updating this list with the addition of Disneyland Paris Resort, I’ve kept 11 spots with commentary. One of my original 10 was bumped down and I already hurt its feelings enough by dropping it from the top 10, I didn’t want it to lose the commentary! Alright, these are my top 18 Disney theme park lands!

18. Pandora – World of Avatar (AK)
17. Asia (AK)
16. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (DL & DHS)
15. Frontierland (MK)
14. Frontierland (DLP)
13. Arabian Coast (TDS)
12. Africa (AK)

11. Adventureland (TDL)

Tokyo Disneyland’s Adventureland might not wow you on first walk through. It can feel a bit crowded and the immersion isn’t as in your face as other lands on this list. But the land embraces the South Pacific architecture, with pirates, jungle cruises and singing birds inside of those buildings. There are New Orleans Square alleys to walk through and a Family Treehouse to climb up and see Tokyo from. Adventureland is just a joy when it comes to rides and then you throw on the delicious China Voyager and Blue Bayou! That makes for the best Adventureland in the world.

10. Cars Land (DCA)

One of the first IP-specific lands continues to be the crown jewel of California Adventure. There are nits to pick, as the food isn’t quite as good as it used to be and the crowds are a real issue with Lightning Lanes in use. But once the sun starts going down and the neon kicks on, none of that really matters to me. When I do a “Top 10 Lands to Be in for Sunset” you’ll know two things: I’m running low on ideas and Cars Land will top the list. Radiator Springs Racers is an extraordinary headliner and the rest of the land is good ol’ Americana fun.

9. Fantasy Springs (TDS)

The DisneySea representation on this list is a little out of control, I’m aware of that. Frankly, I was closer to putting 5 ports/lands from the park in the top 10 than I was in eliminating one. There are days when I think I prefer Arabian Coast (number 13 on this list) over Fantasy Springs but that’s when I’m only focusing on DisneySea’s ports faults. The new area might not fit in as coherently with the rest of DisneySea as everywhere else in the park. But when I consider that Fantasy Springs has two of the best Disney attractions in the world, along with 2 other family-friendly rides it’s hard to leave off. That’s before we even mention the mix of dining (including one of the best restaurants in the park), beautiful views and water features. For now, Fantasy Springs feels right at 9 but might change after another visit.

8. Main Street, U.S.A.

There are other Main Streets that had a shot at this list. World Bazaar in Tokyo Disneyland has incredible framing matched with practicality. You can’t top Disneyland’s charm. Magic Kingdom offers a true wow moment. Disneyland Paris is the prettiest one of all though! We’ll start with the end of Main Street featuring Sleeping Beauty Castle (Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant). There’s a dragon underneath, a beautiful walkthrough on the second floor and the most perfect cubed trees you’ve ever seen. Technically, the castle is listed as Fantasyland but I don’t abide by that designation. Back on Main Street proper, there’s an extraordinary restaurant named Walt’s and arcades exceptionally beautiful. What the entrance lacks in attractions, it makes up for with every touch being gorgeous.

7. Mediterranean Harbor (TDS)

Mediterranean Harbor lacks a little bit in high end attractions, as I’m not a huge Soarin’ fan but the undercard is incredible. Venetian Gondolas offers an absurdly beautiful ride and Fortress Explorations is the best walkthrough attraction in the world. Mediterranean Harbor might have the best food of any theme park land and is also home to some larger than life shows. The views here are unmatched, as well. Maybe I should move this one up!

6. Fantasyland (TDL)

The first of two Fantasyland entries on the list, the sheer quantity that Tokyo Disneyland’s version offers is absurd. Two of the best modern dark rides in the world are here in Pooh’s Hunny Hunt and Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast! If that’s not enough, there are classics like Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, Small World and more. It’s a giant land that flows smoothly and has no shortage of highlights. From strictly a ride standpoint, this should probably be number one on the list.

5. Mysterious Island (TDS)

From one of the biggest lands on the list to the smallest, Mysterious Island has the best aesthetic of anywhere. I could hang out there all day long and enjoy myself, at least until I realized that I spent the entire day just sitting in Mysterious Island instead of enjoying DisneySea. The blues, greens and browns in the land are so distinct that they’re ingrained in my mind. Vibrancy during the day turns into mystery and somewhat spooky vibes at night. One paragraph is not enough to encapsulate the marvelous design of Mysterious Island. Oh yeah, there’s also two incredibly immersive attractions and a great counter-service restaurant inside of a volcano.

4. Fantasyland (DL)

Originally, I had Tokyo Disneyland’s version of Fantasyland above the Disneyland’s but that felt sacrilegious. Then I started thinking about the history, beauty and romanticism inside of Disneyland’s Fantasyland and kept moving it up the list. The attraction roster is great to this day, even if a good share of the rides are over a half century old. Variety is also offered here, with the swirling winds of the Matterhorn on one side and Casey Jr.’s persistence on the other. The use of space, the lighting package, Small World’s iconic facade and an amazing collection of dark rides are just a few of the things that make one of the oldest lands one of the best.

3. American Waterfront (TDS)

Very few lands hold the depth that American Waterfront has. In terms of theme, story and variety offered, no modern land can compete. It may not be as visually stunning as the other DisneySea entries but it’s no slouch either, as Cape Cod offers views of the actual Pacific and Mt. Fuji if you’re lucky. Tower of Terror is ominious and gorgeous in this land. Heck, even Toy Story Mania looks way better than it ought to. Restaurant Sakura and Teddy Roosevelt Lounge are as good as it gets. But just listing attractions and restaurants doesn’t tell the whole story as wandering around the early 1900’s New York streets is full of detail. Trying to catch all of the story that’s told here would take days.

2. New Orleans Square (DL)

Just having the original Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion is enough to get a shout out on the list. But it’s the other moments that vault New Orleans Square all the way to number two. Walking the alleys of New Orleans Square is beautiful and can be a rare peaceful moment in an environment that is not generally that peaceful. Lining up along the river to watch Fantasmic is a Disney rite of passage. The food and restaurant atmospheres are some of the best that a theme park offers whether it’s Blue Bayou, Café Orleans or Tiana’s Palace. Live entertainment and the kinetic energy along the water add extra life to a land that doesn’t even need it. New Orleans Square continues to be the peak of Imagineering.

1. World Showcase (Epcot)

Really, this one feels like cheating because of the size. What World Showcase lacks in rides (and it is severely lacking in quality rides) it makes up for in numerous other ways. The land takes up nearly half of Epcot and the different pavilions are all worth exploring – full of great shops, films, restaurants and views. It’s the only place on the list where I’ve spent an entire theme park day in. And I’ll do that same thing again, quite happily, in the future! World Showcase is beautiful and represents something powerful, a taste of other cultures that will hopefully inspire more traveling and understanding throughout the world.

What are your favorite theme park lands? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Looking for discounted tickets to Disneyland or Walt Disney World? Check out this site! If you’re planning a trip to a Disney Park, please check out our guides to help you get there!If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends, as well as like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!