After visiting all 12 Disney parks around the world, which is my favorite?

I’ve always been a big fan of Disney theme parks. As a kid, my family visited Disney World several times, and it was my favorite vacation. In my 20s, I had the opportunity to work at a Disney corporate office in California, and that experience only increased my love for the company.

When I worked for Disney, I traveled to Japan and visited Tokyo Disneyland. Seeing the differences between that park and the US parks sparked my interest in visiting other international Disney locations. I figured that some day, I would see them all.

Well, that day actually came quicker than I expected thanks to this miles and point hobby. On my recent trip to Japan and China, I visited the last two Disney parks on my list–Tokyo DisneySea and Shanghai Disneyland.

As a reference, here is the timing on my park visits:

Walt Disney World in Florida (4 parks including Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios): First visit was when I was just a baby. I’ve been back a few dozen times (I’ve lost count), with my last visit in 2021.

Disneyland Resort in California (2 parks including Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park): First visit was when I was 5 years old. When I worked for Disney in California, I had an employee pass that allowed me to enter for free up to 26 times a year. I used the heck out of that pass. I’ve also returned with my kids. In total, I’ve been to Disneyland over 50 times, with my last visit in 2017.

Disneyland Paris Resort (2 parks including Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park): I visited both parks in 2004 and again in 2022.

Tokyo Disney Resort (2 parks including Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea): I went to Tokyo Disneyland in 2000 and Tokyo DisneySea in 2025.

Hong Kong Disneyland (1 park): My daughter and I visited in November 2024.

Shanghai Disneyland (1 park): We just returned from this park in June 2025.

Several people have asked me which park is my favorite, but that’s a really tough question to answer. It’s almost like trying to pick your favorite child. And, my experiences are highly subjective, based on weather and crowds on the days I visited. Plus, I haven’t been to some of the parks in a few years, so my experience is already outdated based on new lands and rides that are constantly added.

Regardless, based on my own personal adventures at each park, here is how the parks stack up in my mind.

Best Disney Castle: Hong Kong Disneyland

All of the Disney castles are unique and interesting to see. But the castle at Hong Kong Disneyland is even more special because it has mountains as a backdrop.

Best Pirates of the Caribbean Ride: Shanghai Disneyland

The Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Shanghai Disneyland is hardly comparable to the version at the other parks. The technology, the track, the ride vehicle and the storytelling are all outstanding.

Best Runaway Train Ride: Hong Kong Disneyland

Most parks have a version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad runaway train ride, although they have slightly different names. It’s one of my favorite Disney rides. However, the version at Hong Kong Disneyland has an extra special something that wowed me (I won’t ruin the surprise).

Best Peter Pan Ride: Tokyo DisneySea

Peter Pan’s Neverland Adventure at Tokyo DisneySea is the most immersive and technologically advanced version of another of my all-time favorite Disney rides.

Best Park for Instagram: Hong Kong Disneyland

When I was at Hong Kong Disneyland, it seemed like many of the visitors were just there for the photo ops. This park catered to instagrammers with numerous photo op set-ups.

Best Park for Small Kids: Disneyland Resort in California

If you have small kids, Disneyland Resort in California is smaller and more contained than the Disney World in Florida. It’s easier to plan a short visit and not get overwhelmed with all the choices.

Best Park for Teens: Hollywood Studios in Florida

My older kids crave thrill rides, so if I had to pick just one Disney park for them, it would be Hollywood Studios in Florida. While it doesn’t have the large number of coasters that Universal Studios has, the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area increases the coolness factor of the park.

Best Food: EPCOT

It’s hard to beat the restaurant choices in EPCOT. Of course, every country around the World Showcase has food that represents its area. But then you add on the unique choices in the Future World areas like Space 220 and Coral Reef restaurant, and picking just 1 or 2 restaurants for the day is an impossible choice.

Best Cast Members: Tokyo Disney Resort

There’s no contest…the cast members at Tokyo Disney Resort were the most friendly of all the parks by a long shot. They’re always greeting guests, waving, wishing us a good day, etc. I don’t know how they keep up that energy all day.

Best Park for Good Weather: Disneyland California Resort

It’s always sunny in Southern California, right? Well, it’s true. The climate in Anaheim is milder and drier than other Disney park locations. Sometimes, the heat and rain can make or break a vacation.

Best Overseas Resort for US Visitors: Tokyo Disney Resort

If you can only visit one international Disney resort, I recommend Tokyo Disney Resort. Flights to Japan from the US are shorter in length than flights to Hong Kong and China. The cast members are super friendly. Plus, Tokyo DisneySea is very different from all of the US parks. And finally, Japan is just a really fun country to experience.

Best Overall Resort: Walt Disney World in Florida

Walt Disney World has it all. From luxury hotels to budget hotels to condos that fit large families, the accommodation choices are plentiful. Disney World has 4 parks plus water parks, making it easy to stay for a full week. The sheer number of shows, rides and restaurants makes it an easy choice for a repeatable vacation. I know that Disneyland in California is the OG. But Walt Disney World in Florida has so much more land to work with to keep expanding and adding options.

My Favorite Park: EPCOT

Out of all 12 parks, my personal favorite hasn’t changed in years. It’s still EPCOT. I wrote a love letter to EPCOT on the blog back in 2019, and it still rings true. It’s really like two parks in one with the Future World section and the World Showcase section. The rides are great, the food is awesome, and there are fewer visitors than in the Magic Kingdom.

Are you surprised by my list? Do you have a favorite Disney park?