Best and Worst Park Layouts

[CoasterAuditor]

Figured I’d ask a fun topic for those interested. What’s everyone’s take on park layout? What makes them great? What makes them not great? What elements of a park layout do you dread? What makes a park flow more effectively? What environmental features about a specific parks layout make it stand out or is more of an annoyance to the point it drags on the visit? Which parks seem better planned or poorly planned?

I’ll say parks with great layouts I’ve done in no specific order:
Islands of Adventure
Kings Dominion
Busch Gardens Williamsburg
Kings Island
Carowinds
Six Flags Great America
Knotts Berry Farm
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Six Flags Over Texas (to a degree)
Kennywood
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
Animal Kingdom
Epcot
Dorney Park
Six Flags New England
Six Flags Magic Mountain depending on my mood lol
SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld San Antonio
Galveston Pleasure Pier I just love that setup
Knoebels

Parks with layouts that are not a reason to rave about that park (this is not intended to be negative about these parks more just observational and not a comment on the parks appearance or anything of that nature):
Hersheypark (the long narrow section with the boardwalk occupying 80% of the land owned really doesn’t hit for me compared to the rest)
Cedar Point (so long, plus I don’t care for the quantity of bug carcasses)
Six Flags Great Adventure
Hollywood Studios
Six Flags America
Six Flags Over Georgia
Kentucky Kingdom (the most WTF layout)
Holiday World (“hmm go ride Thunderbird all the way…..up I walked into the Voyage queue”)
Lake Compounce but it’s been around since 1846 so I cut it slack.

 

[rollercoastercoaster]

I really dislike KD's layout actually. I remember my first few visits the park felt like a maze trying to find stuff. Even still now I feel like the park layout doesn't feel very methodical or thought out

 

[CoasterAuditor]

KDs layout comparatively to parks that do stuff like cram the waterpark in the middle of the park like Kentucky Kingdom and Hershey, honestly makes a lot more sense logistically.

 

[warfelg]

IMO:
~ Hershey is one of the worst layouts because of where the entrance was and how they expanded.
~ KD is really close to being the best layout out there.
~ KBF and CP get major points for being really easily transversable.
~ WDW/DL lose some points for being a little confusing at a few transition points (I've ended up backstage before by accident.
~ IOA having the lake in the middle with no easy way to get directly across loses some points.
~ BGW is a really awesome layout, a big circle with multiple ways to get around the park, and even the terrain is really good but it also means the middle cut through is a bitch.
~ Canada's Wonderland is just about my favorite.

Epic Universe is going to re-write greatness in park layouts that will be impossible to match unless someone decides to do a ground up brand new park.

 

[harry580]

Disney hollywood studios I can understand because there's not a lot of room for more attractions heck, great movie ride, studio backlot tour & maybe that disney animation studio would still open if the park has more room

six flags great adventure is debatable

kings dominion because why not put the water park in the old lion country safari area instead of the lake

but agreed with the best layouts

 

[Gavin]

When you factor in park transportation, I've yet to find a park that rivals BGW outside of Orlando.

 

[bill s]

KD's layout is oddly asymmetrical but easy once you know that. Some video complained of it while praising KI's, which really isn't much different, just move Planet Snoopy to Old Va.

 

[horsesboy]

kings dominion because why not put the water park in the old lion country safari area instead of the lake

Because the water park opened in 92 and Lion Country was ran till 93. When the water park was being planned and designed they likely hadn't decided to remove lion country yet.