10/7/22

Top 5 Lands at WDW 

because I said so

October 7, 2022

Hi. I’m here to meddle.

Honestly, that is how any “Top 5” list should start off. Opinions are so subjective, abundant, and usually odious. Think of the worst movie you can possibly imagine. No, not Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, that one is mine. BACK OFF! Okay, so do you have that poorly made, rotten, cringe-worthy piece of cinematic trash fixed firmly in your mind? Well, that is someone’s favorite movie of all-time. Take this and multiply it exponentially when discussing the Walt Disney World theme parks. Our fandom will devour you like piranhas if you try to make your favorites known publicly. Likewise, we will justify anything we enjoy, regardless of how garbage it may be. Someone will always be like “tEst tRaCk iS ThE FaSTesT rIdE oN pROpeRtY”. Seriously, if I want to drive 67 MPH in a car, I’ll go to work like I do every day. You can’t win trying to pick the best of anything. Someone will always disagree. A lot of someones actually. All you’re really doing is stirring the pot.

So here I go, pot-stirrer in hand. I am here to irritate you. I am here to infuriate you. I am here to wax poetic about some of you guys’ least liked places on WDW property, but just know this: my opinions are my own and I don’t expect anyone to share my feelings, no matter how superior they are.

So without any further ado, let’s get going. These are my five favorite lands at Walt Disney World.

 World Showcase

We might as well get the cheating out of the way first. Is EPCOT’s World Showcase really a land? Look, if y’all are going to continue to label Disney’s Art of Animation a “value” resort, then I can call World Showcase a land. EPCOT has always been my favorite park, and World Showcase is a major reason. I love the different cultures. I love the ever-changing festival booths. I love the cultural representative Cast Members. I love the authentic architecture. I love the unique entertainment going on in each pavilion and the concerts happening during the festivals. I love the nuanced music loops that subtly shift as you work your way around (clockwise of course, I’m no heathen). The holiday season in World Showcase is just icing on the cake. Storytellers, Candlelight Processionals, cookie strolls, and festive decorations just give EPCOT that extra razzle dazzle.

Yes, it can be obnoxious on Saturday evenings during Food & Wine Festival when swarms of college kids descend upon EPCOT like swarms of locust and get inebriated. Yes, it can be unbearably hot trekking around World Showcase Lagoon in July. Yes, Italy’s festival booth is always a crushing disappointment. But it’s still EPCOT. As my 14 year old would say: it just slaps different.

Asia

The authenticity that the Imagineers accomplished in the different lands in Animal Kingdom is nothing short of stunning. However, Asia is really on that next level. With the dual peaks of Everest and the Forbidden Mountain looming over the horizon, Asia captures the feel of being transported to another continent perfectly. The Maharajah Jungle Trek showcases some of the wildlife for which the park is known. Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain is a top 5 attraction in many people’s book. And Kali River Rapids… well, it exits. Let’s not dwell on that one.

The background music is fantastic, especially the closer you get to Expedition Everest. The chanting Tibetan Monks piece is downright haunting. The construction and design of the Anandapur village is incredible. The prayer flags, the subtle bicycle tire treads and animal prints in the pathways, and the colorful boats tied up along the river’s edge are all theming elements that make Asia a visceral and sensory masterpiece. Yak & Yeti, both the table service restaurant and the quick service window are excellent as well.

Adventureland

Adventureland is my first love. As you are approaching the iconic sign overhead and you start to hear the tribal drumming, you become the adventurer you always dreamt of being as a child. Excitement awaits around every corner. (Well, not EVERY corner. If you hang the wrong right, you could end up in a Sunglass Hut. Adventure is out there... 🙄) I have never been subjected to the Swiss Family Treehouse persecution trail, but I appreciate that it exists. The World Famous Jungle Cruise is a must-do for any pun loving, dad-joke spewing Disney fan. The Enchanted Tiki Room is simply charming. Skipper Canteen is the only table service restaurant in Magic Kingdom that I recommend to my clients. Pirates of the Caribbean is my favorite attraction in the park. And Dole Whip. Hello?

Adventureland isn’t the largest or most robust land, but it evokes a spirit of peril and thrill. The thrills come from exciting exploits, while the peril comes from dodging that stupid camel spit. It is the land that was burned indelibly into my mind as a twelve year old. I actually commissioned a full-sized replica of the Tortuga Tavern sign for my Adventureland themed office. I am intrigued by the storyline of the Society of Explorers & Adventurers that is threaded through the whole land. I just adore this entire area.

EPCOT World Nature

What used to be called Future World West, World Nature encompasses the Land Pavilion, the Sea Pavilion, and will soon include Moana’s Journey of Water. I can’t really explain why I love this area so much. I am a Living with the Land devotee and a huge fan of Soarin’ Around the World in the Land Pavilion. Garden Grill is an excellent table service location here too. The Seas Pavilion is amazing as well, but The Land will always hold my heart.

Pandora

I didn’t rank these in any order, but this is decisively my favorite land in all of WDW. There is no other location on property (with the possible of exception of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge) that can uproot you and take you to another planet. There is nothing quite like it anywhere. The floating mountains of the Valley of Mo’ara are utterly breathtaking. They are a technological marvel as well. At night, this land is illuminated by the pale glow of bioluminescence which adds an otherworldly mystical ambiance. The entire area is bewitching.

Along with the unparalleled atmosphere, there are two attractions which I enjoy thoroughly. Navi River Journey has an animatronic that is THE gold standard for Disney robotics. While Avatar: Flight of Passage is considered by many to be the most exciting attraction at any Disney park. Pandora has (in my opinion) the best quick service restaurant on property, Satu’li Canteen. And the Night Blossom, a slush drink with apple and pear limeade and Boba Balls, is sold at Pongu Pongu. It is my favorite. Right now I am weeping just thinking about it.

These lands aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they are my treasured places at Walt Disney World. Do you agree? Do you disagree? There is no comment section on this website, so keep it to yourself!