17 Disney Movies You Need to Watch Before Your Trip

We’ve got some (fun) homework for you! If you’ve got a trip to Disney World coming soon, you might want to catch up on a few Disney stories before your vacation. Why? Well, a LOT of the rides, shows, and even restaurants are inspired by Disney movies — and they make a lot more sense when you know the story!

But there are HUNDREDS of Disney films out there, and that doesn’t even count the many spin-off films, TV shows, short films, and more, so how do you know what to prioritize before your trip? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! No matter which Disney World park you’re visiting, we’ve got the top movies you should watch before you visit.

Magic Kingdom

For those of you heading to Magic Kingdom, there are a LOT of movie recommendations for you to check out. These movies will give you a little extra backstory and help you really appreciate the theming of each land. This is especially true if you’ve got young kids and will be spending a lot of time in Fantasyland! To prepare for your trip, we recommend watching:

• The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh (in preparation for the ride of the same name!)
• Alice in Wonderland (to fully appreciate the design behind Mad Tea Party, and all the goodies at the Cheshire Café)
• Beauty and the Beast (even if you don’t have a reservation at Be Our Guest Restaurant, watching the movie will give you full appreciation of Gaston’s Tavern — especially the big Cinnamon Roll!)

• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (You CAN ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train without watching the film first, but it’s much more fun if you can name all the dwarves as you go up that big hill)
• Peter Pan (Lots of people don’t get why Peter Pan’s Flight gets such a long wait in Disney World, but if you watched this film as a kid and understand the nostalgia, you get it!)
• The Princess and the Frog (To REALLY understand and appreciate the new theming of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which has a storyline that takes place after the events of the film)

• Cinderella (a tried and true classic — even if you’re not eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table, you’ll see Cinderella Castle itself in a whole new light)
• Jungle Cruise (this film was actually inspired BY the attraction, but it’s fun to draw ties between what happens in the ride and what you remember from the film)
• Haunted Mansion (there have been a few versions of this film, all inspired by the attractions around the Disney Parks — extra perfect for spooky season)
• Pirates of the Caribbean (while this attraction existed before the film came out, after its release, Disney rethemed the ride to have a storyline that fit the film!)

EPCOT

For those of you who are setting your sights on EPCOT, there are fewer films we feel are essential, but that makes them easier to add to your must-watch list before your trip.

• Ratatouille (Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is one of the most popular attractions in the whole park, and you’re shrunk down into the size of a rat for the ride — watching the film will make it MUCH easier to understand the story, as well as who’s who)

• Frozen (If you somehow haven’t seen Frozen yet, we highly recommend watching it before riding Frozen Ever After — that way you can quietly sing along to the songs!)

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is currently under a lot of refurbishment and going through lots of changes, but there are two films that you’ve GOT to watch before heading into the park, because their stories take up a LARGE section of the park.

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens (while watching as many of the Star Wars films as possible is a good idea, in our opinion, a large part of Galaxy’s Edge is focused around the newer films, which is why we recommend watching this one at the very least.)

• Toy Story (Toy Story Land takes up a BIG part of the park and is wildly popular, so you’ve got to at least watch the first film in the franchise!)

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom is also undergoing lots of changes, but before you visit, you’ve gotta check out these three films!

• Up (One of the most emotional Pixar films, but one we love all the same — watch the film and then become a Wilderness Explorer and collect badges all throughout the park)

• Encanto (while there isn’t representation for Encanto in this park just yet, a section in Tropical Americas will replace a large part of what was previously Dinoland, U.S.A. Watching this film will get you excited for what’s to come!)

• Zootopia (An all-new 4D show, Zootopia: Better Together! takes place in the same world as the film.)

Want to get the full list of films in one place? Check it out below!

Check out the whole list here!

Be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest Disney news and updates to help you prepare for your upcoming trip!

 

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