Rate Your Favorite Disney Park Attractions

[PrincePhillipFan]

Just thought it would be fun to hear others and make their own top ten list of favorite attractions at each Disney park. List yours, and you can give reasons if you'd like

Disneyland Park:
1. The Haunted Mansion
2. Pirates Of The Caribbean
3. The Enchanted Tiki Room
4. Snow White's Scary Adventures
5. Matterhorn Mountain Bobsleds
6. Pinocchio's Daring Journey
7. Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple Of The Forbbiden Eye
8. Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin
9. Splash Mountain
10. It's A Small World

Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom:
1. The Haunted Mansion
2. Pirates Of The Caribbean
3. Country Bear Jamboree
4. Snow White's Scary Adventures
5. Carousel Of Progress
6. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
7. Space Mountain
8. Splash Mountain
9. It's A Small World
10. Mickey's Philharmagic

Epcot Center:
1. The American Adventure (the best AA theater show I think Disney has ever done)
2. Spaceship Earth
3. Maelstrom (simply for its sheer "WTF-ergy was that?!"
4. Test Track
5. Universe Of Energy: Ellen's Energy Adventure
6. Journey Into Imagination
7. Gran Fiesta Tour
8. Living With The Land
9. Soarin'
10. The Seas With Nemo And Friends

Disney's Hollywood Studios:
1. The Twilight Zone Tower Of Terror
2. Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Featuring Aerosmith
3. Muppet Vision 3D
4. The Great Movie Ride
5. Star Tours

Disney's Animal Kingdom:
1. Expedition: Everest - The Legend Of The Forbbiden Mountain
2. Dinosaur
3. Kilimanjaro Safaris
4. Kali River Rapids

[David S.]

I would have replied sooner, but I found it really difficult to rank these as well as to decide what to leave out. Also, I find it almost imposible to compare the attractions I enjoy the most because of their thrills vs. the ones I enjoy the most for their aesthetics, detail, and charm, so, while there can certainly be overlap between those two areas, I made two catagories. It will be evident that I gravitate towards "cute" in the "aesthetics" category.

I had great fun trying to sort this all out, and writing about my thoughts and feelings for the various attractions listed. I am just doing the MK now but will try to add the other parks as time allows.

I will list the attractions first by themselves, with detailed explanations below the list as to why each attraction made the list, if anyone is interested in reading that much!

MAGIC KINGDOM - Aesthetics/Charm/Ambience/Theming Catagory

Splash Mountain (tie)
It's A Small World (tie)
Country Bear Jamboree
Mickey's Philharmagic
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Peter Pan's Flight
Snow White's Adventures
Enchanted Tiki Room (original show)

MAGIC KINGDOM - Thrills Category

Space Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

DESCRIPTIONS - AESTHETICS CATEGORY

Splash Mountain - This could have also been put in the Thrills category, but it does better here, as it always runs neck and neck with Small World as my all-time favorite dark ride and all-around Disney favorite. By extension of it's status as fave dark ride, it is also my all-time fave "water ride". As far as thrills, the drops are fun, and I really like the surprise drop in total darkness halfway through the Laughing Place sequence. But the "wet" factor is actually a detriment, considering I am not always in the mood to get wet, particularly on those cool January nights in the 50's and 60's when I'd otherwise love to visit Brer Rabbit and friends! The big drop doesn't get you so wet; the problem is sometimes they leave the cannons on when IMO they should be off, which can soak you to the bone early in the ride. But enough on that, now that's it's clear that I love the ride for it's CRITTERS, dark ride elements, and music, I'll elaborate further.

Splash Mountain may well be the HAPPIEST ride or attraction ever created. IMO, only Small World can compete with it in that category. From the moment we enter the "How Do You Do" sequence with the singing frogs and geese, through the incredible "Laughing Place" scenes, to the "Zip A Dee Doo Dah" finale, this ride never fails to put a smile on my face and joy in my heart! I LOVE the songs, the critters are so cute and delightful, and the antics of Brer Fox and Brer Bear always crack me up!

Once the AA scenes start, the cuteness factor of this ride reaches at least 11 on a scale of 1-10. And it actually increases as the ride goes on! After the drop, when most flume rides would make a quick turn back to the unload area and be done, Splash does a great fake-out and goes into the happiest scene yet, the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Grand Finale! The scene with Brer Gator chomping on Brer Fox's tail and the frustrated Fox telling Brer Bear to "Stop that singing!" makes me laugh, out loud, no matter how many times I see it! Bravo, Splash Mountain! (PS. I am glad the "Welcome Home, Brer Rabbit" sign in the finale came back this January after a one year absence. It's "little details" like this that makes the parks so special!)

It's A Small World - Truly a classic that I never tire of, and I LOVE the catchy and addictive Sherman Brothers song. The art direction, color styling, and character design is amazing. I love the way the music arrangement changes throught the ride to reflect the location, and also the various animals located throughout the scenes, all of which are EXTREMELY cute! The raindeer, bird on soldier's hat, cow, geese, panda, hippo (with birds), froggies, giraffes, elephant, penguins, rain forest critters (like the gator with umbrella and baby birds), platypus, kangaroos, koalas, are all among my favorites, but I love them all! Even things like the cactus and sun are smiling and happy! Like Splash, this hits 11 or 12 on the 1-10 cuteness scale, and its message of love and tolerance is a beautiful one that is as relevant and needed today as ever!

Country Bear Jamboree - From the moment one enters the lobby and sees those wonderful Marc Davis portraits of the Bears that will be starring in the show, and the claw marks of the Bears on the floor, one can tell they are in for a real treat - an extremely cute, fun and funny masterpiece of classic Disney entertainment. When the show starts, EVERY character manages to be cute AND funny before they even open their mouth, which is a testiment to the great character design of Marc Davis. Add in the funny script by Al Bertino, great voice work, and a fun and catchy selection of songs that fit their characters' personality PERFECTLY, and you have a recipe for a masterpiece.

The show starts fast and finishes faster, with great, catchy songs and hilarious gags coming in rapid-fire succession. And just when things seem like they can't get any funnier, we meet Big Al, whose guitar and vocals are, well, just a little out of tune! Hilarity ensues when Sammy the Racoon appears as part of Henry's hat, Big Al interupts, and we get an inspiring, classic Grand Finale to send us out of the theatre with joy in our hearts and songs in our head! So here's to Melvin, Buff, Max, Henry, Gomer, Zeke, Zeb, Ted, Fred, Tennessee, Little Oscar and his Teddy Bear (personal favorites everytime they squeak!), Wendell, Liverlips Mc Grawl, Trixie, Shaker, Bunny, Bubbles, Beulah, Ernest, Swingin' Teddi Berra, Big Al, and Sammy! Life would be unBEARable without them!

Mickey's Philharmagic - Mickey's Philharmagic is my favorite of the 3-D films at WDW! When I was little there was an Animatronic musical show called Mickey Mouse Revue that played in the same building, with the same premise. Mickey would conduct an orchestra in a musical revue of classic songs from the Animated Classic features. That was one of my favorites, so I was disappointed when the show got sent to Tokyo in 1980, and I am happy that after all these years we have another attraction in the same exact building - the "Fantasyland Concert Hall" - that recalls the spirit and concept of the original revue.

Philharmagic is a great show with catchy, memorable, classic music, warm and lovable characters, and PLENTY of laughs. And I love the subplot of Donald chasing the hat through the various scenes! Two big differences, of course, between MMR and MP is that Philharmagic is able to use characters and songs from the "new golden age" that didn't exist yet in the Mickey Mouse Revue. And that the once Animatronic-based revue is now primarily a 3-D film-based one. One could say the 3-D film-based shows have replaced the animatronic shows as the Imagineers' medium of choice for the continuously-cycling show-based attractions in the parks. So it really helps that they have come so far in developing the 3-D shows into something much more than "movies".

Shows like Philharmagic have, in my opinion, just as much charm and magic as the Animatronic musical classics I love so much, like the Country Bears, Tiki Birds, late, great, Kitchen Kabaret, and the original Mickey Mouse Revue. The characters and music really come alive with warmth and personality. When Donald flies over the audience and gets stuck in the back wall, I am so into the show I am not even consciously thinking "first he's a film character and now he's an AA". The transition is seemless because the show is so FUN and you are engrossed in the story!

Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh - Like many, I was opposed to the idea of tearing down Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. But NOT because of anything against Pooh. I just thought there was room in the park for BOTH, and in fact I LOVE the Pooh characters, and the original animated classic film is one of my favorites. And, it turns out, so is this ride! This ride is thankfully faithful to the film - specifically, the Blustery Day sequence of the film. While not as elaborate or long as Splash or Small World, it fits perfectly with the spirit, length, and tradition of the other Fantasyland dark rides based on other animated classics. I like the use of the classic Sherman songs as the attraction soundtrack. From the first "Blustery Day" scene where the characters get a cute introduction, the charm and cuteness build throught the ride, culminating with the amazing, colorful psychadelia and charm of the "Heffalumps and Woozles" scene. We then see the beloved characters in peril in the flood scene, but then comes that great payoff of a happy ending with everyone celebrating, and Pooh getting his beloved honey! "Silly old bear", great ride!

Peter Pan's Flight - What a breathtaking opening sequence! I love how the very first scene of the dolls and bear having a tea party perfectly captures the innocence of the young (and young at heart). In the right mood, when Peter Pan says "Here we go!", inviting Wendy, John, and Michael (and riders, by extension) to a Neverland of eternal youth, it can give me goose bumps! This seques perfectly into a look at Tink's pixie dust, and a chance to wave goodbye to Nana before we REALLY get flying high! The flight over London is amazing, as is Neverland. Even though we are supposed to "Never Smile At A Crocodile", I can't help myself, as the one in the finale always cracks me up!

Snow White's Adventures - A case where I like the current version better than the original, as it features happy moments and is more faithful to the story. This ride does a MASTERFUL job of telling the story with its limited run-time. From the opening shot of Snow White singing "I'm Wishing" with the birdies at the well, we are totally convinced of her goodness and innocence. Likewise for the evilness of the Queen. The effect of the Queen turning into the witch is done extremely well, and I love the flight into the forest scene - specifically, how the menacing eyes in Snow White's imagination turn perfectly into the peaceful, lovable, birdies, squirels, bunnies, etc. This changing of the mood here is underscored PERFECTLY with score from the film. The happy music of the dwarves continues the welcome relief from the gloom. After Snow White eats the apple, a fun chase through the mine, and the (rhymes with witch) meets her fate, we are then given the payoff of a happy ending scene, with "Some Day My Prince Will Come" playing in the background! I always enjoy waving back at Dopey, the squirrel, and the birdies up on the ledge as they tell us goodbye on the way out!

Enchanted Tiki Room - this is not an endorsement of "Under New Management" over the original show, but a tribute to the Tiki Room itself, which I consider a bona-fide classic. I prefer the original show, which is sadly no longer at WDW. The new one would be better than it is if Iago was not so rude to the birdies and didn't interupt them in the middle of the classic Tiki Room theme song. After he gets zapped, the rest of the show from that point on has kind of grown on me. Nowhere near as good as the original, or the Bear show sequels, but adequate enough to enjoy seeing the flowers, tikis, and birdies in action. In their more limited roles, Jose, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz at least still retain their considerable charm. Consider the placement here, then, an "average" of the two shows. Tiki Room would be ranked near the top were the original still playing.

Honorable Mentions, Aesthetics Catagory

Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Cinderella's Golden Carousel, Mad Tea Party - Yes, these are "merely" spinning rides similar to those found at other parks and even carnys, but they add considerable magic and charm to Fantasyland, my favorite themed land.

Dumbo is my favorite Disney film, heck, my favorite ANY film, so it would be criminal not to list him here! He is extremely cute, and the circus music that scores this ride is extremely catchy. Plus, riding Dumbo is one of my favorite places from which to view the fireworks - if you can time that right, it's PURE MAGIC, a storybook dream come true!

The Carousel does a great job of continuing the Cinderella motif that begins with the Castle and it's murals, continues with the wishing well and fountain, and culminates with the Carousel. I like how the paintings on top of the Carousel tell the story of Cinderella when the ride spins. Also, the band organ arangements of classic Disney tunes emitting from the Carousel is one of my favorite music loops in WDW! A night ride on the Carousel under all of it's lights with that beautiful band organ music playing is another simple, yet sublime treat provided by the MK.

Mad Tea Party brings some of the great charm and music of the Alice and Wonderland film into the MK. I particularly enjoy watching the Doormouse pop out of the teapot!

Mickey's Toontown Fair - I really enjoy the music loop here, featuring John Debney's whimsical arrangements of scores from classic character shorts and beloved Silly Symphonies. And I enjoy walking through the various character's homes with their charming proping. There's a lot of fun details put into these walk-throughs, which I find truly underated.

Carousel Of Progress - The current version of the show is actually my favorite, and I LOVE Rover the dog. Gosh, he's trained so well, never runs away, and barks on cue! And of course I enjoy the catchy theme song by the Shermans. This show is really optimistic and very warm, and has just the right dose of humor. I particularly like the current Christmas scene for both it's humor but especially it's warmth: "As long as we're all here, and happy, and together for the holidays, who cares if I burned our Christmas turkey!" What a lovely thought.

At this point I could list nearly all the other MK attractions not covered above or in the thrills list below, as I have a VERY high opinion of most, but I must stop somewhere or else there would be no point in compiling a "favorites" list. So stop here I shall, except for the thrills category:

THRILLS CATAGORY
(written from a coaster enthusiast point of view)

Space Mountain - Hands down my favorite steel coaster in Florida. Not the "tallest" or "fastest", but two words make this ride - AIRTIME and PACING. There is a wicked pop of abrubt ejector frontseat air (early in the ride, on the uphill after the long straightaways following the second downward spiral). This moment of airtime is much stonger on Omega Track. There is also some solid moments of backseat air on the series of 4 straight drops in the middle of the ride. These are really strong on both tracks, which are exact mirrors of each other except for one subtle difference early in the ride that occurs when they enter, and then leave, the half of the building used by the other track. As for pacing, unlike most coasters, the sense of speed and intensity on SM INCREASES as the ride goes on, due to a relative lack of uphills which would slow things down, and the ride's biggest drops are saved for the second half of the ride. Add in the DARKNESS of being in an indoor environment themed to outer space (EVERY ride is a "night ride"!) long ride time, and great theming that is a Disney trademark, (in this case, complete with starfields, etc) and you get a coaster that is truly unique, quirky, and utterly brilliant, my favorite steel coaster in Florida.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - This is my second-favorite steel coaster in the state of Florida. Again, it all comes down to airtime, which on this ride is MUCH stronger in the front. Hands down my favorite coaster of the many I've ridden in the "Runaway Mine Train" genre. There are three lifts, and thus three main sections of thrill elements after the initial prelude prior to lift #1. Of these three segments, #2 is CLEARLY the strongest, featuring two great frontseat airtime moments (one abrubt, one a sustained float) and another spot which is the strongest backseat airtime moment on the ride. Segment #2 is also the longest and most out of control feeling of the three, followed by #1. The INCREDIBLE theming by WDI, as on Space, not only makes for an incredible setting but increases the thrills as well. Speeding through no less than NINE tunnels and tons of incredibly realistic rockwork make this ride seem much faster than it would feel if it were simply plopped down on a flat grassy field or Six Flags-style reclaimed parking lot. This setting makes for an INCREDIBLE night ride experience, and BTMRR gets props for being one of the few outdoor coasters in Florida to operate consistently AFTER DARK. I also like to ride during the day as well, to see more of the incredibly detailed theming including tons of cute animatronic critters! These critters, including piggies, goats, donkeys, possums, chickens, a mountain lion, etc., can be viewed from an even better angle from the Walt Disney World Railroad.

Honorable Mention, Thrills Catagory

Goofy's Barnstormer - This is "only" a "junior coaster", and an "off the shelf" one at that. But, it's still fun, and a perfect place to illustrate how even when WDI orders a ride system "off the shelf", the level of theming and attention to operations capacity put Disney light years ahead of their competitors. First the theming - never have I seen a junior coaster themed so well. From the charming pictures to the cute animatronic chickens to the landscaping, this ride system (a mirror image of a standard Vekoma Roller-Skater model) is so much more enjoyable than it is in other parks where it would often be plopped down on a flat, open, piece of land. As for the capacity, I have NEVER seen a junior coaster running 2 trains. But this one always does! To facilitate this, an extra curve and straightaway was added to the end of the ride, so one train could safely be held while the other loads. And load fast the operators do, almost NEVER stacking. The result is one train is ALWAYS cycling, and combined with the quick dispatches, ensures that if 1000 people are ahead of you in line, you will still get on the ride quicker than you would at another park with 1 train and slower dispatches and only 200 people ahead of you!

[Chernabog_Rocks]

Sadly, I don't really remember the rides at Disneyland It's been years since I've been there. I do remember liking the Dark Rides though, as well as Thunder Mountain...er Thunder Railroad? And the Bobsleds, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones and Roger Rabbit. Nowadays though I'm not so sure about the latter ones. Dark rides I think I'll always enjoy.