Disney’s worst-rated theme parks revealed as company raises ticket prices across US locations
Disney’s 12 theme parks vow to be “Where Dreams Come True” — but their Yelp ratings, all of which fail to top 4.5 stars, say otherwise.
The Mouse House jacked up the price of admission to its parks in Florida and California by as much as 10% in October.
The move outraged guests, who also grumbled about overpriced food and long lines everywhere — not only for rides, but also for souvenir shops and even the bathroom.
Aside from Disney’s four Orlando, Fla.-based theme parks and two Anaheim, Calif., destinations, there’ are two Disney theme parks in Tokyo, Japan, as well as two in China — one in Hong Kong and one in Shanghai.
After analyzing the Yelp listings for 11 of the 12 theme parks (Yelp has yet to launch in Shanghai) — DailyMail compared how each of the locations stack up against each other, per customer ratings.
The worst rated, with 3.7 stars on Yelp: Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.
The park is an ode to the entertainment giant’s film studio, and is home to the infamous Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, as well as the Toy Story-inspired Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and the frequently-faulty Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith, which is currently closed indefinitely for “refurbishment.”
Of Hollywood Studios’ nearly 1,500 customer reviews, many noted that there were closed rides and long lines.
Yelp user Stephanie G. said of her experience at the park this spring: “Wow was it crowded and didn’t deliver.”
“Maybe there are times it’s less crowded, but no ride was worth more than a half hour wait,” added Stephanie, noting that she purchased the Genie Plus pass, which replaced the old FastPass+ system and lets visitors skip lines at certain rides and attractions by going through “Lightning Lanes.”
The Genie add-on will set visitors back an additional $15 to $25 per person, per day.
“Disney has finally and permanently totally failed in its mission to provide a joyful experience to the masses,” another user, Rick E., posted in his scathing review of the park earlier this year.
“Costs for everything are disgusting. Food is completely inedible, unavailable without excessive wait times and priced 5 times what it ought to be. I thought I’d do the whole Disney trip once for my kid. I completely regret it,” he added.
A fellow irritated visitor, Phil G., commented: “This is the worst Disney park. It’s tiny and always overcrowded.”
Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park was, in fact, the worst according to Yelp ratings.
Disneyland in California only fared one-tenth of a star better, clocking in at 3.8 stars on Yelp.
Of the nearly 2,000 one-star reviews were similar complaints of no bang for your buck.
Take Stephen L.’s experience last month, for example, when he said he dished out $50 “for tater tots, a hamburger and a soggy pizza. Horrible.”
“It is charming here to some degree, but every ounce of enjoyment is sapped by the flood of people. I really don’t think I ever want to come here again,” he added.
Another visitor, Amber Y., called her experience a display of “corporate greed” that “shattered” the nostalgia she once felt about the theme park — the first in Disney’s portfolio and the only one to be constructed under the supervision of Walt Disney himself. It opened in Anaheim, Calif., in 1955.
“I grew up in California and used to go here all the time; they used to give you free entry on your birthday, prices of the tickets were one set price, not fluctuating based on the day of the week/how many consecutive days you go,” she said. “It’s corporate greed and their desire to price gouge visitors is f–king unbelievable.”
Orlando’s Magic Kingdom theme park fared just a bit better, raking in 3.9 stars on Yelp.
“First timer at Magic Kingdom,” Elle M. wrote in her two-star review earlier this year. “The restaurants were too crowded, parking was a nightmare, even with preferred, people bumping into you left and right, rude kids trying to cut you in line, so do I think it’s worth the money spent?…not at all.”
Disney’s two France-based theme parks — Walt Disney Studios Park and Disneyland Park, both on the outskirts of Paris — each drew in 4.0 stars on Yelp.
Of Walt Disney Studio Park’s 114 reviews, the most gave it four stars and noted how small the park was.
For reference, this theme park — located in Chessy, France, roughly 20 miles outside of Paris — spans just 62 acres. Hollywood Studios in the US, meanwhile, clocks in at 154 acres.
“This is a fairly small park located right across from Disneyland Paris, but it’s worth a visit. We did one day two park pass which was pretty affordable compared to the prices for US parks,” commented Eric B.
However, reviewer Nikki R. was far less enthusiastic about Walt Disney Studio Park, and was disgruntled over the customer service. “This is no ‘Disney’ park!” she wrote. “They definitely had a staff shortage, lots of closed attractions and employees who were plain rude!”
Amelia K. shared a similar sentiment of Disneyland Park, also in Chessy. “I have never left a Disney park sad…. Until I went all the way to Paris for my 40th bday,” she wrote in a one-star review posted in April.
“This place is not Disney. There is no magic whatsoever. The employees are rude and never smile or even acknowledge your existence,” Amelia added.
However, a Yelper by the name of Steven W. wrote that this theme park “absolutely puts Disneyland in Anaheim, California to shame!”
Disney’s California Adventure Park, Disneyland in Hong Kong and Florida’s Animal Kingdom theme parks all raked in 4.1-star ratings on Yelp.
The California Adventure Park, billed as Disneyland’s more adult-oriented option, was lauded on Yelp for its “creative food options” and “many alcohol options,” though dissatisfied visitors were let down by the theme park’s customer service.
“Nearly every staff interaction we had here today was negative,” wrote Stephanie W. Another commenter chimed in: “Only thing is for the so called ‘happiest place on earth,’ it didn’t seem that way with the employees. Everyone there seemed like they were only there for a check and free tickets.”
Hong Kong’s Disneyland, opened in Lantau Island in 2005, was originally designed to resemble the original Disneyland in California with the famed “Sleepy Beauty Castle” centerpiece — though the structure has since been reimagined with all of Disney’s 14 heroines in mind.
Many reviews praised this theme park for being quieter than its counterparts elsewhere around the world.
“Pro: Barely a line anywhere, new castle, easy to get around,” wrote Yelp user Jackie F., while a commenter by the name of Roger P. added: “We went on a Sunday and I was so worried that the park would be packed. I’m not sure what the reason was but it was completely empty!”
Disney’s Animal Kingdom park in Orlando, Fla. — which also was rated 4.1 stars on Yelp and is unique for its zoological theme — was praised for its “attention to detail in the animal exhibits,” though other commenters, yet again, noted broken-down attractions and two-hour wait lines.
Disney World’s Epcot clocked a score of 4.2 stars on Yelp, buoyed by its “around the world” concept.
In Japan, Tokyo’s DisneySea and Disneyland parks tied as the highest-rated Disney theme parks, each nabbing a 4.5-star average on Yelp.
DisneySea — inspired by the myths and legends of the sea — was celebrated by American visitors for its inexpensive tickets and easy-to-navigate layout, where attractions are inspired by Disney blockbusters like Nemo, The Little Mermaid and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
However, its average rating was brought down by visitors who complained of how crowded the park was — and its lack of FastPass system. “I’m giving this a one star because all I did was wait in line and did not even get a chance to enjoy the park,” wrote Yelper Sophie L.
Tokyo Disneyland — the first international Disney theme park, opened in 1983 — was also docked for its long wait lines, where one reviewer claimed she only went on four rides in ten hours.
More positive reviews, meanwhile, called the park “magical” for its photo-worthy foods, like alien-shaped mochi buns that resembled the green creatures from Buzz Lightyear.
Representatives for Disney did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
