By far the most unique of the “Frontierlands” – it’s even got its own unique moniker to boot – Grizzly Gulch shines and sparkles as a relatively recent addition to Hong Kong Disneyland. The peak of this land – a large rock formation that bares more than a slight resemblance to Grizzly Peak at Disney California Adventure – towers over a charming wild-west village that is a joy to explore with several different easter eggs and fun features. And the centerpiece of this land just happens to be it’s only attraction: the unique and fantastic Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars. The ride literally runs over, under, around, and through the land, and takes up a massive footprint, making it an ever-present feature from almost every location. It’s a fantastic ride with great theming, animatronics, and a great layout that is a must-do for any true Disney fan. The problem with Grizzly Gulch is that, beyond the coaster, there is little else this land has to offer. Food is limited to only small snack cart. Retail is found only in a tiny walk-up cart as well. Truly, the buildings that make up this town are little more than hollow facades, and that’s a shame, as the land could truly benefit from something – anything – more. A sit-down restaurant, a dark ride, or even a spinner flat ride would do wonders to help round out this beautiful, but lacking land. As it is, Grizzly Gulch is all style with very little substance, and it’s the weakest of this pack for sure.

Westernland at Tokyo Disneyland is a major step up from Grizzly Gulch, with a well-rounded lineup of attractions, shows, and food offerings. Of course the headliner here is Big Thunder Mountain Railroad – and this is a legitimate version of that attraction. Beyond Big Thunder, guests will find the Rivers of America, which circles Tokyo’s version of Tom Sawyer Island, and is also the home to the Beaver Brother Explorer Canoes, as well as the Mark Twain Riverboat. This is a nice area, but far from the best in the world. Tokyo’s Frontierland is encircled by the Western River Railroad – which technically departs from Adventureland, but encircles Big Thunder, and the entire Rivers of America, on a unique version of a Disney railroad. Food and entertainment are solid including The Country Bear Theater, and The Diamond Horseshoe, with a great Mickey stage show and a table-service restaurant. Tokyo, as always, earns extra points for great cast members and fantastic upkeep, but Westernland does feel a bit lacking. It is not big, the attractions are a bit dated, and other than the Camp Woodchuck area, the land hasn’t changed much since inception. And while it isn’t the only Frontierland with a smaller footprint, the land doesn’t do the best job of creating that immersive “old west” feel that exists at several of the other resorts. It’s still a major jump over last place, but Tokyo’s Frontierland will have to settle for fourth place.

In typical form for the California resort, Frontierland here packs a lot into a very small footprint. A fantastic version of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad towers over all else, and takes up a large portion of the land itself. The Mark Twain and Sailing Ship Columbia dock across the way, giving tours of the world’s best Rivers of America, and circling the world’s best version of Tom Sawyer Island. The Golden Horseshoe offers fantastic live entertainment, as well as delicious snacks during the show. The land is littered with nice retail offerings as well as some other interactive features such as the Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition. This Frontierland boasts the strongest food offerings of them all, with the charming River Belle Terrace table service restaurant, and the delicious Racho del Zocalo Mexican counter service establishment. These both are built with not only great menus, but large outdoor patios that take advantage of the ambience of this corner of the park. With all of the high-density offerings, it’s hard to believe that this version of Frontierland can pack in much charm, but yet the land has several quiet places of retreat, to just take in and absorb the scenery, such as the dock overlooking the rivers of America, or the quiet ponds back by the abandoned Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland tunnels. It’s this magical combination of quiet immersive spaces and a well-rounded offering of things to see and do – all within a very small space – that make California’s Frontierland the third best in the world.

The Florida resort offers what is unquestionably the most attraction-heavy Frontierland out there. Wide pathways wind their way alongside the Rivers of America, with the Liberty Belle passing in front of a very worthwhile version of Tom Sawyer Island. On the other side of the river, among the shops and food outlets, guests will find a stellar lineup, starting with the Diamond Horseshoe stage show. This is followed by the classic Country Bear Jamboree – a dated attraction, but a great piece of Imagineering history and classic Disney nostalgia that seems to grow its fanbase with each passing year. Further up the bend, the land is home to not one but two major e-ticket attractions: Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. These are both strong versions of a couple of legendary attractions, worthy of a wait in line to experience, and they blend fantastically into the land, complimenting each other and offering a nice diversity of thrills. The Walt Disney World Railroad also makes a stop here, offering a fantastic sense of kinetic energy to the land. It’s not the greatest in terms of food, and the land does feel like it could use an update in some sort of form, but still, Florida’s version of Frontierland is a fantastic section of the world’s most visited theme park, and it holds its own with a well-rounded attraction round up as the second best Frontierland in the world.

Much has been said about the beauty of Disneyland Paris park. Its visual design is an attraction unto itself, and some even argue that walking this park and soaking in the details and theming are better than any single ride found anywhere within. Nowhere is this truer than in Frontierland, which is among the best lands Disney has designed anywhere, ever. The land takes place in the fictional town of Thunder Mesa, rich with a backstory of outlaws, gold diggers, and bandits. Right from the start this is something special, with a large fort full of passageways to explore comprising the entryway to the land. Passing through, the land reveals itself in all its glory: shops and eateries line the heavily themed streets, while the Disneyland Railroad passes by in the distance, and the Molly Brown makes circles on the riverway. The centerpiece of those waters – the island that is the Big Thunder Mountain attraction – is the focal point, and for good reason. This is the best version of this attraction in the world, and whether riding or just watching from the shores, is a beauty to behold. But it’s the house on the hill and the Phantom Manor attraction within that are the biggest stars here, as the tale of Henry Ravenswood and his daughter are woven into the fabric of the land in a way that adds a creepy and yet magical mystery to round out the experience perfectly. Like all of Disneyland Paris, it desperately needs to up its game in the food department, but that’s really the only blemish, as Frontierland at Disneyland Paris is a masterpiece of Imagineering, and hands-down the best version of Frontierland in the world.