2. Nara Dreamland (Nara, Japan)

From the train station and Mainstreet, to the Castle and Matterhorn, Nara Dreamland was a unique blend of Disneyland and big wooden coaster.

This now-closed theme park – made famous in the theme park community by a photo trip report on Theme Park Review – resembles Disneyland in a way few others can rival. From Main Street to the pink and blue fairy tale castle, the Matterhorn, the monorail, the Jungle Cruise, and a sparsely decorated Tomorrowland were all represented. But something was decidedly amiss – pickup trucks parked on midways, portable carnival rides in “Fantasyland,” and dilapidated, crumbling facades. Add in the aptly named Screw Coaster, a wooden playground, and the actually-decent Aska wooden coaster and you’ve got one strange grab-bag of amusement.

1. Lotte World (Seoul, South Korea)

While it does borrow elements from Disneyland, Lotte World is a successful resort of its own doing. It imitates (and sometimes surpasses) Disney Parks in innovation and beauty.

It may be unfair to call Lotte World in Seoul, South Korea a “copyright infringing” park. In fact, Lotte World is a wildly successful and innovative resort all on its own that, like so many others, borrows from the successes of Disneyland here and there. Sometimes, the park’s rides come across as an imitation. Other times, they seem to surpass any potential “sisters” that Disney has devised. Comprised of the world’s largest indoor theme park and an outdoor amusement park built around a white and blue castle, some offerings may sound familiar.

A water, fire, light, projection, and music show called Fantastic Odyssey (perhaps a take on Disney’s Fantasmic!) resides near Jungle Adventure, an indoor river rapids ride past animatronics jungle scenes. One of the park’s most incredible attractions is Pharaoh’s Fury, an EMV ride that resembles and rivals Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure with impressive effects, incredible scenery, and out-of-control motion-base technology. And like any good Disney-esque park, you can always meet Lotty and Lorry, two anthropomorphic raccoons that wear a blue suit and a red skirt & hair bow, respectively. Whatever you call it, it is truly among the “best” borrowers of Disneyland’s ideas in that it succeeds in implementing them in new and inventive ways.