Posted by Mike and Chris Pettey on June 14, 2020
Category: Disney vs. Disney
Tags: Disney California Adventure Disney vs. Disney DisneySea Epcot Walt Disney Studios Park

Second Gates are found wherever a Disney Resort exists and there is more than one theme park. Second Gates are theme parks that opened second (hence the name) after the original “Castle Parks” and are found at the Disney Resorts in California, Florida, Tokyo, and Paris. While the Castle Parks are all generally consistent with themed lands like Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and typically are encircled by a train, with a large castle in the center, Second Gates differ drastically from resort to resort. However, the Second Gates are where Disney chose to focus when expanding to transform their single Castle Parks into full-fledged resorts, and thus they will be compared and reviewed here. We’ve been to every Second Gate in person.

Major Similarities & Differences

You can watch fantastic videos of all Second Gates online, so we won’t spend time re-hashing the details of each experience. Instead, we will just point out the major similarities and differences we feel are worth calling out:

Two of the four Second Gates have been re-named since their inception:
- Epcot was originally called Epcot Center
- Disney California Adventure was originally called Disney’s California Adventure

The Tokyo and Florida Second Gates originally opened with very few traditional Disney Characters or other Disney Intellectual Property included in the park. This has changed over time and today is much more prevalent.
Three of the four resorts have had, or will have, major transformations in an effort to re-envision or revitalize the parks:
- Disney California Adventure saw a massive re-theme of its entrance and existing lands, as well as a large expansion, in 2012.
- Epcot is currently experiencing a major transformation of its entrance and Future World into three areas: World Celebration, World Nature, and World Discovery.
- Walt Disney Studios Park has begun a major renovation and expansion to add Marvel, Star Wars, and Frozen themed areas, all surrounding a large lake.

Tokyo DisneySea, specifically Cape Cod within the American Waterfront area, is the home of Duffy the Disney Bear and his friends. These characters are extremely popular in the Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai resorts, on par or even exceeding the popularity of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. For a time they were marketed in the Paris, California, and Florida parks, but have since been removed from these parks due to lack of popularity.
The California, Paris, and Tokyo Second Gates are all within a short walk (in some cases just steps) of their respective Castle Park. Florida is geographically separate to the point of requiring a car, bus, or monorail ride to get there.

The Rankings (from least favorite to favorite)

4. Walt Disney Studios Park (Paris)

Unfortunately, everything you’ve heard about Walt Disney Studios Park is true. It doesn’t take a genius to realize something is “off” when you wander into the park’s Front Lot and hear the Harry Potter theme, among other very recognizable non-Disney tunes. Disney Studio 1 is little more than a cheap indoor mall food court, and unfortunately this sets the stage for what’s to come. There is no logical layout to this park – various paths lead to dead ends, and rides feel plopped down next to each other in the most random of ways. It’s small, it’s poorly connected, and in many cases, only slightly better than what you’d find at your annual local fairground. In general, the Cast Members and food are on par for what the rest of the Paris resort offers – again, not exactly a positive. It’s not quite all a disaster though – the park does include a couple of attractions that are worth your while with Ratatouille and Crush’s Coaster – but those two are far from headliners, and can’t redeem what is an otherwise lackluster second gate. The park has major renovation and expansion plans on the horizon, but unfortunately it doesn’t appear that is going to be enough. Walt Disney Studios Park needs help on every level, and it’s going to be a long, slow battle to get this place worthy of the Disney name.

3. Disney California Adventure (California)

Ah, the mess that is Disney California Adventure. What started out as a love-letter to California (done on the cheap) has since morphed into the least coherent, most confusing, most frustrating park in the Disney portfolio. In 2001 the park started out weak, with tacky themes and tongue-in-cheek references (not to mention very few rides). Then in 2012, it pivoted into something with truly exciting potential, anchored by a brilliant opening act in Buena Vista Street, as well as the fantastic Cars Land and incredible headliner attraction Radiator Springs Racers. Unfortunately, since that time, it’s been continuously tinkered with to a point where today, it is a complete hodge-podge of unconnected themes, ideas, and concepts. How a 1930’s Red Car Trolley moving past the Collector’s Fortress from Guardians of the Galaxy makes sense is beyond us. And Pixar Pier? It’s not bad, just completely unnecessary. Disney California Adventure is a hard park to wrap your head around: many of its lands, on their own, do a good job telling a story and keeping things connected. But the problem is that none of the lands connect well with each other. As a result, there are some definite bright spots, but the overall theme and concept are rapidly disappearing, if they even still exist. With all of these changes, reinventions, rethemes, and remodels, Disney California Adventure is the one park in the entire Walt Disney Company that we can’t figure out. We’re not sure Disney can either.

2. Epcot (Florida)

Confession time: we never experienced the original Epcot Center, circa the 1980’s. Possibly one of our biggest Disney-related regrets, as it was clearly a fantastic – and very different – Second Gate on opening day, with a cohesive vision, and loads of inspiration. It’s probably the park we’ve experienced the most "virtually" by nature of attractions being gone that we never had a chance to ride. That all being said, we get why Future World was so hard to maintain, and so much easier for Disney to abandon. The future dates itself very quickly, and what was once cutting edge and visionary can quickly seem antiquated, and even silly. Constant updates get very expensive; the same problem plagues most of the Tomorrowlands around the globe. Time will tell if the future of Epcot can restore this part of the park to anything nearly as stirring as what it once was. In the meantime, World Showcase is still a fantastic experience that cannot be found anywhere else. The entire idea of having countries sponsor their pavilions creates an authenticity that stretches from the beautiful architecture to the engaging merchandise to the fantastic food and drink. And we’re all for the addition of rides and characters in this area, as long as they are done tastefully and cohesively. In reality, with a few more quality attractions, World Showcase could be a very satisfying park all on its own. Truly, Epcot is still a great park with strong bones, and we’re excited to see what the future will bring. So while many will argue it is a shadow of its former self, to us it is still the second best Second Gate in the Disney roster.

1. Tokyo DisneySea (Tokyo)

Was there ever any doubt? Tokyo DisneySea is so perfect that trying to write a review about it almost seems like an exercise in futility. There’s just no way that any review – whether written, via photos, or even via the best digital video – can even begin to capture the brilliance that sets this park miles apart from the rest. If you haven’t been, and you are a Disney and/or Theme Park enthusiast, getting to Tokyo DisneySea needs to be your Priority #1. The minute you arrive at Aquasphere Plaza, the details will captivate and amaze you. But walking under Hotel MiraCosta and into Mediterranean Harbor for the big reveal of Mount Prometheus is the pinnacle of all Theme Park experiences. The rides here are the best they can be – with breathtaking queues, complete thematic integrity, and cutting-edge special effects. Having the world’s best versions of Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, Soaring, and Toy Story Mania would alone make a good argument for its dominance. But throw in unique, one-of-a-kind headliners like Journey to the Center of the Earth, Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and the park elevates to a new level. Kinetic energy is interwoven perfectly with the theming, thanks the to the Venetian Gondolas, DisneySea Electric Railway, and DisneySea Transit Steamer Line. Food here is another do-not-miss, with fantastic dining – both table and counter service – as well as incredible snacks. Entertainment is off the charts, with street performers adding incredible improptu moments, in a park that already has stellar entertainment shows. Finally, the atmosphere: there is so much to see and explore, that the park itself could be considered the greatest “attraction” of all. Just try to walk around Fortress Explorations and not lose yourself in pure Disney magic. Take all of that, and now throw in the most enthusiastic, energetic Cast Members anywhere, and a true preventative maintenance program that ensures every light bulb is on and every effect is dialed in, and Tokyo DisneySea not only seals the deal for best Disney Second Gate, but the single greatest theme park in the world.

Written by Mike and Chris Pettey

YOUR THOUGHTS?

Agree or disagree with our rankings? Have you experienced any of these parks – either in person, or virtually via the internet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

5 Comments

Madi says:

June 15, 2020 at 2:10 pm

I agree although I have never been to Tokyo Disney sea

Laurel says:

June 15, 2020 at 10:15 pm

I would definitely put Tokyo DisneySea first. Best park ever! Words can not describe how amazing this park is. So ready to go back and experience it again.