I am fully aware that sometimes people get confused and mixed up when it comes to the Disney parks - or amusement parks in general. Children especially are really good about going "OMG DISNEY WORLD" when they really mean Magic Kingdom.
However, one of my biggest pet peeves in the world is when adults mix up the parks. And it happens all the time. In the parks when I was working, I'd get asked for attractions at different parks or have to figure out what parks were being talked about when the person would get things mixed up. I know a lot of Cast Members find it amusing...I just find it annoying.
And in case you're wondering, the catalyst for this post was a conversation that I had at a holiday party. The guy (full grown adult, mind you) kept saying "Disney World" instead of Magic Kingdom, thought that Epcot wasn't a Disney park, and was insisting that Universal Studios was a Disney park (?!?).
SO, here is a guide to the different parks in Florida and California. GET IT STRAIGHT, PEOPLE.
*~*FLORIDA*~*
The Walt Disney World Resort
1. Magic Kingdom
We're going to start with Magic Kingdom, since everyone seems to think that it's WDW. Guess what? IT IS NOT. Magic Kingdom is only one part of WDW. This is the park that has Cinderella's castle. This is the park that has a lot of kid-friendly rides, like the Mad Tea Party and it's a small world. This is where Space Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pirates of the Caribbean all reside. This is where Wishes and the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade take place. The monorail and the ferryboat both come here. Ok? Ok.
2. Epcot
Epcot is just a monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom. It also has fireworks - Illuminations. It's the one with Spaceship Earth in that "golf ball" (aka. GEODESIC SPHERE) at the front of the park. This is the home of Future World, which has Test Track and Mission: SPACE. This is the park where you can find Soarin'. This is the home of the World Showcase, where you can walk around the world, exploring shops and eating new foods. Besides the monorail, you can also take the Friendship Boat to...
3. Disney's Hollywood Studios
This park USED to be MGM Studios, but it's not anymore. It's Disney's Hollywood Studios. This is mostly a SHOW based park - there are only six rides, three of which younger children cannot ride (The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Rock-n-Roller Coaster, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue - all have height requirements and would probably terrify younger riders anyway). There are tons of shows, though, and a lot of them are very good. The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! is a glorious stunt show that I love going to, Jedi Training Academy is really fun for your kids, especially if you can get them signed up to be in the show. The Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show is absolutely breathtaking (minus the jarring interruption by Lightning McQueen...seriously, that was a terrible idea). This is where the show Fantasmic! lies...it's one of the best shows that Disney has. It is NOT Universal Studios.
4. Disney's Animal Kingdom
You cannot get to DAK without a bus or a car. There is no monorail. There is no boat. It's bus or car.
This is where the Tree of Life is. This is where the Kilimanjaro Safaris is - a safari ride where you can take pictures of elephants and giraffes and what not. Expedition Everest, a roller coaster through the Himalayas, is here. Finding Nemo: The Musical is here. Pocahontas shows up to do meet and greets here. There are no fireworks or late night activities. This park does not have stickers or lids, and the straws are made of paper. Why? It's because of the animals. It's for their safety and comfort. Also: Don't complain if Kali River Rapids gets you wet. That's the whole point.
AND...it's not Jurassic Park. It's Dinosaur.
Universal Orlando Resort (aka. NOT DISNEY)
1. Universal Studios
THIS is where you'll find things like Barney, Shrek, Men in Black, and Terminator. A lot of big roller coasters, like the Rip Ride Rocket, are here. Basically, this is more for "big kids" with some piddly stuff for younger ones. And GOD HELP YOU if you take your five year old on Jaws. It's not a good idea.
2. Islands of Adventure
THIS IS WHERE THE WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER IS. It's not at Disney. It's at Islands of Adventure. This is also where all of the Marvel and Jurassic Park stuff is. It's not at Disney. It's here.
*~*CALIFORNIA*~*
Disneyland Resort
1. Disneyland
Disneyland. It's in Anaheim, California. It came first. It's got a Roger Rabbit Ride. Fantasmic! is here. The castle is Sleeping Beauty Castle. Mickey's Toontown is still in existence out in California, so Mickey still has his house out there.
2. Disney California Adventure Park
California Screamin'. World of Color. That is all.
And in case you're wondering about the rest:
Tokyo Disney Resort (Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea)
Disneyland Paris (Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park)
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (Hong Kong Disneyland)
Shanghai Disney Resort (Shanghai Disneyland Park)
There you have it. KEEP IT STRAIGHT.
AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.
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