Peter Pan’s Flight. Frozen Ever After. Slinky Dog Dash. Flight of Passage. Walt Disney World has some of the best film-based attractions in the biz. And although we’re getting rides like Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and Rise of the Resistance in the near (and not-so-near) future, there are a few Disney movies that deserve their own rides in the Parks (I’m ready to become an Imagineer, please and thank you).
Have you ever watched a Disney film and thought, “Wow, that would be a great Park attraction!” at the end? I have SO. MANY. TIMES. — and these are ten movies that deserve their own attractions!
1) The Emperor’s New Groove
Okay, Disney, really? You literally made a Disney World ride within this movie and then NEVER USED IT?! I think that the Kuzcoaster could use some amazing ride technology where you watch yourself transform into some animal or another because of Yzma‘s potions. In order to find the antidote, Kuzco and Patcha have to guide you down the coaster to Yzma’s lair while you avoid waterfalls, black panthers, Yzma herself, and her sidekick, Kronk, along the way.
It’s possible I’ve thought about this one a little too much. 😉
2) Lilo & Stitch
I’ll give ya one guess to figure out what the title of this ride would be. THAT’S RIGHT!! Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride, brah! As you travel through the coaster, the title song would fill your ears with the melody. Can you imagine the coaster almost resembling a wave as you go surfing?? Yeah, I’m already excited to go on this ride, and it doesn’t even exist.
3) Up
We might have Soarin’ in Epcot, but an Up attraction would be a high-flying simulator that would lift you in the air in Carl’s house tied to an insane amount of balloons. You would travel through the city, past South America’s rainforests, and finally reach the top of Paradise Falls before returning back home. You could take the journey with all your favorite friends, like Russell, Kevin, and Dug. I can basically smell the waterfall, you guys.
4) The Lion King
We have plenty of The Lion King shows across Disney World, but where is our dark ride?! Nestled in Animal Kingdom, The Lion King: The Circle of Life would take your through the story of the film, immersing you in scenes like Pride Rock, the Elephant Graveyard, the wildebeest stampede, Mufasa’s image in the sky, and the final battle between Simba and Scar. The audio-animatronics on this attraction would be absolutely STUNNING (and would probably make me cry multiple times, tbh).
5) The Nightmare Before Christmas
In Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland, we see the Haunted Mansion transformed into a themed The Nightmare Before Christmas ride for Halloween and Christmas in the Parks. But The Nightmare Before Christmas is such a fantastic movie that it deserves its own ride all year long. A dark ride that takes you through Halloween Town, Finklestein’s workshop, the portal to Christmas Town, Oogie Boogie’s lair, and more would be a sinister and spooky treat that would have guests screaming with delight! And don’t forget the incredible score created by Danny Elfman that would undoubtedly be played throughout the ride.
6) Beauty and the Beast
Tokyo Disneyland is getting so many additions to its Parks, but one of the most beautiful attractions being featured is the Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast ride. I think that this would fit right into the Beauty and the Beast area in Magic Kingdom. Just picture it: seeing the “Be Our Guest” scene on the ride and then actually being able to eat the Grey Stuff at the restaurant next door!
7) The Princess and the Frog
Down in New Orleans, there’s voodoo (both good and bad) and a whole bayou to explore. Tiana’s Bayou Journey would be a flume ride with a little freedom with the track (similar to Frozen Ever After), allowing you to get soaked and still enjoy the story that The Princess and the Frog tells. You might even run into Dr. Facilier‘s friends on the other side as you discover how to change Tiana and Naveen from frogs back to humans.
8) Coco
Many Disney fans can agree that the Three Caballeros ride would be better replaced as a Coco attraction in the Mexico pavilion. The boat ride would take you through what happens in the film, utilizing animatronic and screen technology. However the most breathtaking part of the attraction would be the creation of the sets, incorporating the orange petals, ofrendas, and more from the film. The petal bridge and the colorful lights of the Land of the Dead would make for one heart-touching experience that would bring a family together. Brb, already getting emotional over “Remember Me” playing during the ride-through…
9) Monsters, Inc.
Okay, I already know what you’re thinking: there are multiple Monsters, Inc., attractions in the Disney parks around the world. BUT wouldn’t it be awesome to have a Monsters, Inc., motion-based dark ride simulating Mike, Sulley, and Boo’s race against Randall on the swinging doors through the factory? And, yes, there would be actual scenes as well, not just simulator screens. Monsters, Inc., is typically used as an attraction with a track, but with the right creators, it could be a thrill ride that would make any Scarer proud.
10) Wreck-It Ralph
S-U-G-A-R! Jump into your racing car!! For real, though: where are the Sugar Rush Racers that I’ve wanted since Wreck-It Ralph first premiered in theaters? While guests may not be able to actually drive a go-kart around a track, Disney World could have a simulation where you build your own kart, choose your racer from the Nine Random Roster Racers that would change every hour, and battle against other people to cross the finish line first. Whoever won the race would receive a special pin and obvious bragging rights!
Honorable Mention: Instead of just one film, Disney fans need a Villains ride where numerous villains from different movies come together in a sinister twist of events. I’m talkin’ Hades, Ursula, Maleficent, the whole she-bang!
Yeah, we’ll be waiting not-so-patiently for Disney to get on these! 😉
What ride would you like to see the most from our ten picks? Are there any other movie that you think deserve a ride in Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
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Or, hear me out, we could stop trying to shove IPs into every possible corner and let the Imagineers come up with new original rides. What is the last original ride we got, Expedition Everest?
I agree 100%.
Every time I watch that scene from Monsters Inc I say the same exact thing! This would make a great ride! I would love to see the
Rock n Roll Roller Coaster rethemed to a villains theme or the Kuzco theme.
No, just no! Rock’n Rollercoaster is perfect just the way it is. I love Aerosmith! Not every ride needs cartoon characters shoved in it.
we were just talking about how Test Track could be a Sugar Rush Racers ride.
Or maybe turn Tomorrowland Speedway into Sugar Rush so you could drive your own car…
The Monsters Inc. Ride you describe has been a dream that my whole family has been waiting for since the movie opened.
We really thought we would get that thrill ride!!
We would still love to see it!
A few more I want to see:
Big Hero 6/Meet the Robinsons: Let’s redo the Imagination Pavilion as the Invention Pavilion, and turn the building into the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. Inside we’d have a dark ride through humanity’s greatest inventions hosted by Hiro and Lewis. Cameos by Figment and Walt Disney, of course.
Tangled: A steeplechase story coaster using seats like the Tron coaster where you join Maximus to ride through the story. Universal already showed it could be done with the Hagrid coaster!
Up: I’d put this at Animal Kingdom anchoring a new South America land, where you ride house-shaped cable cars over South American animal habitats guided by Russell and Dug.