We’re at the halfway point of 2024 and the Disney Park Rankings need an update. The biggest changes to the parks have come for the one at the very top but there’s a few other points to be made along the way. I’m very lucky and excited to say that we’ve been to all 8 of the parks I’m ranking in this calendar year so the opinions are fresh and I’ll try to keep recency bias from affecting these totally subjective rankings. Where do those recent visits have us ranking the parks in 2024? That’s where this post comes in! We’ll rank the current version of Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Tokyo Disney Resort’s theme parks.

2023 brought a few changes to these resorts including a refreshed Toontown and the all new Runaway Railway in Disneyland, Tron Lightcycle/Run to Magic Kingdom and the closure of Splash Mountain in the American castle parks. Epcot took 2 (or maybe 3) steps forward and 1 step back with Moana – Journey of Water and fewer construction walls accounting for the former and the new nighttime spectacular (that phrase may be generous in this instance) for the latter. Across the Pacific, the Tokyo Parks debuted a few new shows but largely stayed status quo before a very expansive 2024.

Speaking of 2024, it’s been a relatively quiet year domestically. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has opened at Walt Disney World and the Country Bears have been reimagined. Epcot has taken most of their walls down to reveal… Well, it’s not good! With few big projects currently underway, D23 Expo brought us loads of news in August.

As for this year and this post, the eight parks I’m ranking are the eight I’ve been to – all six in the U.S. and the two Tokyo Disney Resort Parks. For those curious, the domestic Universal Parks aren’t ranked on the list but would be in the lower half if they were. These are clearly all my opinion and while there are reasons the rankings fall as they do, I do enjoy all eight parks on the list. Some are just better than others. Let’s get to the rankings!

8. Hollywood Studios

Things were so promising for a while as Hollywood Studios added 4 good to great attractions in the span of 3 years, along with a few other additions to capacity. The park was in disarray before that and had so much work to do. After those additions, there were a couple of holes left to fill and those were left open. As I said, the top 6 or 7 attractions in the park are really strong, there’s just nothing after that. Hollywood Studios desperately needs some high capacity rides, even if they aren’t E-tickets. On top of that, an overhaul in entertainment is necessary as many of the shows have been there for at least a decade and others coming up on 3 decades. That’s way too long. All in all, Hollywood Studios is carried by Galaxy’s Edge and Tower of Terror but is frustrating to navigate with long lines and a weird layout.

7. California Adventure

DCA can feel like the inverse of Hollywood Studios, at least when it comes to attractions. There’s plenty to do in California Adventure but there’s surprisingly few great attractions. Radiator Springs Racers remains a hallmark. Incredicoaster, Guardians, Grizzly River Run and Soarin’ all have their fans and are varying degrees of good quality. But then it gets pretty bleak with a roster of niche or copycat rides. When it’s not a festival season, the park lacks entertainment options and personality since the Hyperion Theater sits empty most of the time. The good news is that California Adventure runs some excellent festivals and has fantastic food. From November until May, the park looks great and is filled with entertainment thanks to those festivals. It’s a great hang out park if you’re a local but for those coming for a first time visit, it can underwhelm.

6. Animal Kingdom

This is the lowest I’ve ever had Animal Kingdom in these rankings but the attraction problem is becoming more and more noticeable. As of writing this, there are 7 rides open at this park. 8 if you include the train. That’s just not enough even if 3 of those rides are some of the best in Walt Disney World. With that out of the way, I still adore Animal Kingdom. The food is some of the best at any Disney Park, the walking trails are unmatched and there are animals to boot. Outside of our first place finisher, this is the best park to just go roam around in. You’ll see beautiful views, animals, impressive artwork and then stop at Nomad Lounge for a great round of drinks. Animal Kingdom is a big jump up from the previous 2 but clearly needs a few more rides at this point in time.

5. Magic Kingdom

4-6 on this list are all very close and pretty interchangeable. For now, I’ll put Magic Kingdom in the middle of that glob. I’ll start with the negatives on Magic Kingdom – the food and the crowds. The park can be exhausting to walk through because of how busy it is, with many people and things to dodge. And the restaurants are the worst of the 8 parks on the list. But the attraction roster is very impressive and Happily Ever After is the best nighttime spectacular currently running at any of these parks. Tron is a nice addition not just as a ride but for more kinetic energy in Tomorrowland. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure isn’t my favorite thing but the Country Bears were more enjoyable than I expected.

4. Epcot

We’ll end our run of Walt Disney World parks here. Despite a CommuniCore flop, Epcot is looking better! Journey of Water is a fantastic addition. Cosmic Rewind is one of the most fun attraction in all of Walt Disney World. And it’s always hard to beat an evening of just walking around World Showcase, enjoying all of the food and live entertainment. The park could use another great ride or two (or five), and I’m hoping that a remodeled Test Track could offer that. The central spine of the park has seen a lot of work done and I think it’s a mixed bag in terms of aesthetic. For now, it holds down the 4th spot but isn’t anywhere close to the top 3! It’s still one of the best ideas ever for a theme park but the identity is not very clear at the moment.

3. Disneyland

There’s a big jump up into the top 3. Disneyland is easily my favorite stateside theme park. It has the most rides of any theme park, has quality entertainment when the park is fully running and the dining is strong. Outside of the crowds and some old rides occasionally breaking down, it’s really hard to find any holes with Disneyland. With Runaway Railway following Galaxy’s Edge opening, the park has a nice blend of classic and new. Tiana’s Palace was an underrated addition last year, as well. With no big expansion plans announced as of yet, I’m curious to see how Disneyland will maintain over the next few years. I’m guessing it will do just fine!

2. Tokyo Disneyland

Tokyo’s castle park just narrowly beats out the original Disneyland thanks to Beauty and the Beast. I’m a fan of the new expansion and since I thought the parks were even before I’d been on Runaway Railway and Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast, I just went with the ride that I felt was superior. TDL also has more room to work with and it has Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, which is undeniable. I’m excited that the park will be adding a new projection show later this year and a redone Space Mountain in the future. It’s a tough battle for second place but Tokyo Disneyland wins it for now!

1. Tokyo DisneySea

The park’s not quite operating at the level it was before COVID. Some of the entertainment isn’t all of the way back and locals to the Tokyo parks will tell you there’s a little drop off in quality and guest satisfaction. Those are the only negatives when it comes to this park, as Fantasy Springs is a smashing success. Even if it didn’t change, DisneySea is still a superior theme park. It’s beautiful, has a good slate of rides, excellent restaurants and is the most immersive place I’ve ever been. A paragraph is not enough to describe how amazing this theme park is!

What do you think of our Disney Park Power Rankings? Let us know in the comments! Planning a trip to a Disney Park? Check out all of our Planning Guides to help you along the way. 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!