Originally Posted By Mr X Well, I wrote about this on another thread first, but I thought I'd start a topic about it since it applies to all Magic Kingdom parks. I hope this is in the right place, I sort of figure DL General also coveres "Disney parks general" since there's no specific place for worldwide comparisons. Anyway... Which Magic Kingdom entrance is the best, in everyone's opinion? As for me, Tokyo Disneyland is THE worst of the five by far, with California coming in second to last...I almost died when I saw the pics from Paris. THAT is how a park entrance should look! Orlando, of course, is lovely with all the hotels in view and the ferry and monorail of course (either second place or tied for first), and even crappy Hong Kong actually does have a pretty little entrance zone as well, taking it to third place. 1st place (tie) Paris/Orlando 3rd place Hong Kong 4th place Anaheim 5th place Tokyo Feel free to chime in on other parks as well, but do try to make seperate lists. For my personal "other Disney parks", the list would probably be something like this... 1st place Epcot (sans wand) 2nd place (tie) DisneySea/Animal Kingdom 4th place MGM 5th place DCA Unseen WDSP...I haven't seen particular pics of the entryway, and I don't know if any of the DLP stuff is visible, so I can't really comment.
Originally Posted By irishfan Paris does indeed have the nicest "Entrance" to an individual park, but it looses points when you look at the walkway to get to the entrance. Especially so in the public area infront of the train station. For me the ultimate entrance area for any theme park has to be the seven seas lagoon. <a href="http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=4453238&a=32581359&p=75829094" target="_blank">http://albums.photo.epson.com/ j/ViewPhoto?u=4453238&a=32581359&p=75829094</a>
Originally Posted By Mr X Beautiful pic, Irish...was that taken from the monorail heading up into the Contemporary? You just might have convinced me to place Orlando squarely in the number one spot, EXCEPT for the fact that I haven't been to Paris so I can only judge by the lovely pictures. Any pics of that walkway available? Maybe THAT could convince me lol.
Originally Posted By irishfan Thanks MrX, stayed at the Contemporary back in March and enjoyed beautiful sunsets like that every evening. Afraid I dont have any pictures of the walkway from Paris on my laptop. I'm back there in Decemberk, no doubt I'll be snap happy. They have spent quite a bit of time and money reconfiguring the public walkways in Paris over the last couple of years and it does look great. <a href="http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/v/hotels/disney_hotels/disneyland_hotel/DSC08645.JPG.html" target="_blank">http://www.photosmagiques.com/ gallery/v/hotels/disney_hotels/disneyland_hotel/DSC08645.JPG.html</a> As entrances to theme park go, this one isn't bad! <a href="http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/v/hotels/disney_hotels/disneyland_hotel/DSC08654.JPG.html" target="_blank">http://www.photosmagiques.com/ gallery/v/hotels/disney_hotels/disneyland_hotel/DSC08654.JPG.html</a>
Originally Posted By Mr X No, not bad at all. In fact, your pictures reinforced my idea that the two should be tied (though your arguments about the lagoon are compelling and I share the same sentiments!). Anyway, awsome entrances. Tokyo, as nice a park as it is (and DisneySea is even cooler )...doesn't have a nice looking entrance AT ALL. U*G*L*Y!!!
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle Do you have a picture of the Tokyo main entrance X? I have to see it now! I did a quick google and couldn't find anything, but it's the end of a long day and I can't think straight, so I'm probably overlooking something ... Irish - that IS a gorgeous picture! I think I have to put my vote in for Orlando now.
Originally Posted By barboy If we consider the entire general approach to the 11 Disney("dry") parks as part of the entrance area here is my list starting with my favorite: #1 Dl Paris #2 Magic King. #3 Hong Kong Dl #4 Disney Sea #5 EPCOT #6 Dl Anaheim #7 Tokyo Dl. #8 Cal. Adv. #9 Animal King. #10 MGM #11 WDSP
Originally Posted By gadzuux Personally, I think the OP is being too kind to 'animal kingdom' - not bad but not particularly special either. As I remember, it was rough hewn timber like an arbor over the turnstiles and a rather plain plaza out front. And a 'rainforest cafe' off to the side. Now once you enter the park, that's a different story. but the ticket plaza and entrance of 'animal kingdom itself... no great shakes. DHS is also not particularly inviting - just a curb from the load area, a plain entrance plaza with tall metal fences and gates, and a view of the BAH beyond. I haven't been to any of the overseas parks, but I would certainly put DL and DCA above AK and DHS, just on effort alone.
Originally Posted By Roger55 It depends on what you are defining as the entrance. Where do you start the comparissons at? Esplanade? Ticket booths? Actual entrance gates? Overall appearance approaching the entrance area? The area in front of DLP in front of the hotel is beautiful. But the area underneath the hotel where the tickets and turnstyles are is dark, crowded and unimpressive. The fountain area in the esplanade of HKDL is nice, but the ticket booth and tunrstyle area is boring. The MK entrance area is beautiful if you include the lagoon, but the tiny area from the boat docks/monorail station to the gates is not that special. TDL's entrance prior to the gates is bad any way you look at it. However, when the DLH is complete, if you take that area into consideration it might not be that bad. DL esplanade area is just OK at best, and it only gets worse if you try to include the Harbor Blvd entrance area. So, what I'm saying is that without a specific definition of what is to be compared, it is hard for me to rank the various MK entrances.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Personally I like them in the following order: 1. DLP 2. MK 3. HKDL 4. DL 5. WDSP 6. DAK 7. Epcot 8. MGM 9. DCA 10. TDL
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Dave, I don't quite understand why you have DL in 4th, but DCA in 9th, when they basically share the Esplanade.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I suppose I am going on what you see in front of you as you hear towards the turnstyles, as opposed to a 360 view.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss While I agree that the TDL entrance is bad, and that DLR's isn't much better, but on the other hand, on some level, the contrast works. I just think about how when I was a kid in the 60's, seeing the Matterhorn from the freeway. I didn't, and still don't really think about the entrance. Even between the turnstyles and the berm... I'm not really in Disneyland until I go through the tunnels. I guess what I am saying is that if they made the entrance too nice it takes away some of the anticipation. Or something. I think I'm not making sense. LOL.
Originally Posted By Mr X **Personally, I think the OP is being too kind to 'animal kingdom' - not bad but not particularly special either. As I remember, it was rough hewn timber like an arbor over the turnstiles and a rather plain plaza out front. And a 'rainforest cafe' off to the side.** Gadzuuk, I understand your point but what is really special ABOUT the DAK entrance for me is how you CAN'T see anything at all from the entrance. The whole place just seems sort of "mysterious", and I love that even the tree of life and everything else in the park is totally hidden from the outside (well, I know, not "totally" but pretty much). Just feels like you're about to enter a jungle or something...love it.
Originally Posted By Mr X **DHS is also not particularly inviting - just a curb from the load area, a plain entrance plaza with tall metal fences and gates, and a view of the BAH beyond.** It'll probably hit me as soon as I hit "submit", but what are these acronyms?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss DHS = Disney's Hollywood Studios i.e. MGM at WDW BAH =- Big "Butt" Hat
Originally Posted By gadzuux And I don't quite understand the hostility to the tile murals for DCA. While they're not the "best thing ever" - they ARE custom and ambitious. Al just knocked them in his recent column. They're arc'd and tilted, colorful and detailed, and actually in theme with the park itself - a rarity for DCA. The "CALIFORNIA" lettering is also something beyond what's necessary, and is often updated with candy-corn or candy cane styling. Again, not astounding, but certainly better than nothing. Is DCA the "best"? Not even close. But it's at least better than average.
Originally Posted By Mr X <a href="http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=MGMLandingPage" target="_blank">http://disneyworld.disney.go.c om/wdw/parks/parkLanding?id=MGMLandingPage</a> Isn't this the official site? Still says "MGM" there.
