A few weeks ago we wrote about the biggest weakness at each of Walt Disney World’s four theme parks. But that’s a downer way to leave things. I’ve always been a “bad news first then good news” type of guy. So, with the unpleasantries of mediocre food and flailing attraction rosters out of the way, it’s time to eye the good. In this post, we’re going back to Walt Disney World’s four theme parks to talk about what they each do best.

Like the weaknesses post, I didn’t have criteria for picking out the park’s best asset. For a couple of the four, this was a very easy exercise but others had us searching our feelings. Darth Vader couldn’t pull us into the abyss though and each of the four definitely have their unique strengths. I’m not sure I could have made the same proclamation five or six years ago and that’s encouraging.

In fact, I think the Walt Disney World theme parks are in the healthiest shape they’ve been in, as a whole, over the last decade. Additions and changes are certainly needed but Hollywood Studios and Epcot have improved dramatically and Animal Kingdom’s turn is just around the corner. Hopefully the forward momentum continues for the resort.

If you have a different strength for each park, let us know in the comments. For a few of these, it was splitting hairs to pick between one or the other. I could have easily added an honorable mention list but I’m eager to hear what others think. Let’s get to it!

Magic Kingdom – The On-Ride, or Show, Experience

For all of the time spent in line or bottlenecked in a swarm of humidity, Magic Kingdom certainly rewards guests for their patience. There are classic rides in every single land, making the payoff well worth it all. Whether you think a few of the rides are dated (or have better versions elsewhere) is beside the point. Look at this list of classics:

• Jungle Cruise
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Haunted Mansion
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• it’s a small world
• Space Mountain

That’s almost as many rides as Animal Kingdom has in total! On top of that, there are cult classics and new additions like the TTA PeopleMover, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Tron Lightcycle Run, the railroad, Dumbo and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. I’m certainly guilty of glossing over the amount of attractions here and focusing on the sometimes frustrating park experience but listing all of these rides puts the park into perspective.

On top of that, Magic Kingdom has, at the very least, a decent daytime parade in Festival of Fantasy and one of the best fireworks shows around in Happily Ever After. Sweating, crowds and the lack of quality restaurants are more than worth it once you get to the park’s showstoppers. A full day at Magic Kingdom is one of the best days you can have at any theme park.

Epcot – The Sunset Vibes

Compared to the other strengths I’ve listed, this one is hyper specific. “The entire park after 6 PM” isn’t quite as concise although maybe more applicable. For a long time, this strength would have just been World Showcase and that’s still a large part of what I put down. Nothing at Walt Disney World, and hardly any other theme park, compares to World Showcase as gold hour turns to blue hour. The area is beautiful, the setting is romantic and the energy is unparalleled. Going for dinner, catching a showing of Impressions de France, watching the nighttime spectacular and then taking a slow loop around World Showcase is a perfect way to spend a night.

But just putting that would be selling the rest of the park short. There aren’t many buildings more beautiful than the Imagination Pavilion at sunset. Journey of Water is best experienced at night! All of the attraction waits get shorter, as more people are pulled to World Showcase. Spaceship Earth and the lighting package through the central spine of Epcot is glorious.

There’s a diversity in things to do here, and I’m not just talking about the different World Showcase pavilions. You could cram in as many rides as possible. You could wander around aimlessly, soaking in the live entertainment. You could join me in running around like a headless chicken, taking photos as the light changes. There’s no right or wrong answer on what to do. That’s the beauty of Epcot at sunset, there is a rhythm and melody there that most parks don’t possess and you can experience it anyway that you see fit.

Hollywood Studios – The Headliners

Some parks impress with depth and a seemingly never ending list of things to do, some parks overwhelm with as many E-ticket attractions as possible. Hollywood Studios is definitely the latter. Whether it’s old thrill ride classics like Tower of Terror or Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster or the new kids on the block like Rise of the Resistance or flying the Millennium Falcon, the immersive and exciting ride experience is alive and well here.

Heck, Hollywood Studios even has some huge family rides in Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and Slinky Dog Dash. By the time you’re through those six attractions, plus a few others for good measure, it’s easy to see why Hollywood Studios is a favorite among thrill ride junkies. Not only does the park have them, but they come in different ride systems and fit various age ranges. The whole idea of Hollywood Studios right now is that it’s larger than life and the headline attractions represent that perfectly.

Animal Kingdom – Being Beautiful

You know the underwritten woman character in most romantic comedies that just wants to hear that she’s beautiful? Somebody could pay her a visit and compliment the things that really matter like her kindness, strength or heart. She’ll give a courteous “thank you” then the scene stumbles along. But the first person to compliment her physical attractiveness is the one she swoons over before they fall effortlessly in love. I hope that Animal Kingdom has a similar outlook as ‘pretty romantic comedy girl’ because there’s no doubting that the park is gloriously beautiful.

That overextended analogy may have been a backhanded compliment in some ways but the truth is that there is no stateside theme park that can match Animal Kingdom’s aesthetic. We could be talking about iconic structures like the Tree of Life, Pandora or Everest that give the park a sense of scale and grandeur or we could get into the minute details of the colorful signage, exceptionally designed habitats or quiet pathways.

The beauty adds to the depth of the park. While Magic Kingdom (just as an example) can be a pain to walk through, there’s something to always draw your attention at Animal Kingdom. That helps offset the park’s lack of rides. Spending an afternoon walking around, seeing animals and taking your time is unique and one of my favorite things to do at Walt Disney World. Theme parks don’t always reward patience and a slower pace but Animal Kingdom does, thanks to how beautiful it is.

What do you think the biggest strengths at the Disney World Parks are? Let us know, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below! Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our Disney World Trip Planning Guide to help you out. Looking for discount tickets? Check out this site! 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!