Just as with the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin may be out of place in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland but that does not mean it is a poor attraction. An updated version of a classic omnimover dark ride, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin was really one of the first Disney attractions to take interactivity to a whole new level, making Guests an integral part of the ride experience. Since it opened in Magic Kingdom in 1998, similar Buzz Lightyear attractions have opened around the world in California, Paris, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.
The attraction’s general layout and ride system actually date all the way back to 1972. This space was originally home to If You Had Wings, an aviation themed ride sponsored by Eastern Airlines that later became Delta Dreamflight. Dreamflight closed in January 1998 to be transformed into Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which opened ten months later.
The greatest aspect of this attraction is that, rather than telling Guests a story, Guests are made active participants; they literally become part of the story. This starts as Guests are making their way through the queue and are informed that they are the newest batch of recruits and Star Command is depending on them to defeat Emperor Zurg. Then, while Guests are on the ride, not only are they given some control over the movement of their vehicle but they can trigger different experiences and effects depending on what targets they hit.
In addition to the storyline of the attraction you also have the sense of competition that the ride creates. Not only are Guests competing against the person riding next to them and the rest of their families, but they are also competing with themselves and previous scores they may have had. This element of Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is what keeps Guests coming back again and again. It is an attraction that has tremendous re-rideability and has been incredibly popular since it first opened in Tomorrowland. Thus, it ranks #42 on the top fifty countdown.
#41: Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Magic Kingdom
This attraction is the perfect example of how rankings like these can easily change over time. Up until two years ago, the Tiki Room would not have been anywhere close to the top fifty attractions. When the “Under New Management” version of the attraction opened in 1998, it was an attempt to draw upon the success of The Lion King and Aladdin by adding the characters Iago and Zazu. However, the changes and updates caused the Tiki Room to lose much of its charm and nostalgia. That all changed on August 15, 2011 when Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room reopened in honor of the Magic Kingdom’s 40th Anniversary with a version holding much more true to the original.
The attraction at Magic Kingdom has its roots with the original attraction that opened in Disneyland on June 23, 1963. At the time, it was the first Disney attraction to feature Audio-Animatronic technology. A virtually identical copy of the show, originally called Tropical Serenade, was installed at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom when that park opened in 1971.
One aspect that made this attraction so memorable was its music, including the attraction's signature tune "The Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" by the Sherman Brothers. While “Under New Management” moved toward more popular and current music, the current incarnation of the attraction (although five minutes shorter in length) returns many of the classic favorites of the original.
When the attraction first opened at Disneyland in 1963 and Magic Kingdom in 1971 it was a technological marvel, really a groundbreaking attraction for the time. While certainly no longer that today, the Tiki Room still has a tremendous amount of charm and is certainly not short on heritage and history; this was an attraction whose design and construction Walt Disney himself oversaw. The Tiki Room is certainly a Disney classic and even though it was an original Magic Kingdom attraction it continues to entertain Guests to this day with its memorable characters and delightful music. For these reasons, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room ranks #41 on the top fifty countdown.
#40: Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin, Disneyland
Following the release of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” in 1988, Disney recognized the incredible popularity of the character and planned an ambitious set of attractions based on the movie for many Disney theme parks, including entire lands at Disneyland and the Disney-MGM Studios. However, after the financial disaster of the Euro Disney Resort plans were dramatically cut back with only Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland receiving any Roger Rabbit-themed attractions.
The fact that Roger Rabbit can be found so sparingly in Disney parks is something that makes Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon spin all the more memorable and unique. Another impressive element of the attraction is the amount of detail and theming found throughout. This starts with the exterior façade of the attraction and extends through the queue and into the ride itself. Even though many children today probably have no idea who Roger Rabbit actually is, the ride provides a fun and entertaining story. In the mold of classic Fantasyland dark rides, this is an attraction that immerses Guests into the middle of the story, featuring many characters and scenes from the movie. In this way, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin is an attraction geared more toward kids but may actually appeal more toward adults who are familiar with the film.
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin takes the classic-style dark ride to a whole new level with the inclusion of allowing Guests to be able to spin using their vehicle’s steering wheel. This element helps add to the craziness of the attraction that fits in perfect with the storyline. This is the type of attraction that, when you ride it for the first time, you never really know what is going to happen next. Even after you have ridden it multiple times, there are still new details that you might pick up on, whether in the queue or on the ride itself. However, what makes this attraction so special is that it features a beloved Disney character who has become so rare. Roger Rabbit was an incredibly popular character during our childhood, but has now faded into relative obscurity. His legacy is kept alive at Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin and is a big reason why it comes in at #40 in the top fifty rankings.
#39: Muppet Vision 3-D, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
From one set of under-utilized characters to another. Just like Roger Rabbit, the Muppets were supposed to have a much larger presence in the Disney parks. The original plans for the Disney-MGM Studios called for an entire Muppets land featuring a 3-D attraction, various shops and restaurants, and a dark ride attraction known as The Muppet Movie Ride. However, when Jim Henson passed away in 1990 plans were drastically scaled back and Muppet Vision 3-D was the lone survivor. The attraction does have the distinction of being the last project that Jim Henson ever worked on.
This is an attraction with the unique distinction of having a preshow which is just as entertaining (if not more so) than the actual show itself. All the theming and detail found throughout the preshow area really helps to immerse Guests into the story. Included among all the props are numerous gags, jokes, and elements that pay tribute to the heritage of both Disney and the Muppets. Throughout the preshow Guests can find various themed elements such as a net full of Jell-O that pays tribute to Mouseketeer Anette Funicello. The preshow itself features several memorable moments such as the Three D’s of Dorothy, Dina, and Max (Debbie was sick), Rizzo the Rat making an appearance as Mickey Mouse, and Sam Eagle reminding Guests that stopping in the middle of their row is “distinctly unpatriotic.”
The theater itself provides a striking resemblance to the Muppet Show theater while the show is more than just a 3-D movie. The show features a variety of Audio Animatronic figures including Statler, Waldorf, Bean Bunny, the Swedish Chef, and an orchestra of penguins in addition to an assortment of other special effects. Throughout the show Guests are blown by vans to create a vacuum effect, have both water and bubbles rained down on them from above, and experience the theater exploding with CO2 effects. The show also includes a special appearance by Sweetums who walks in the front of the theater searching for Bean Bunny.
Overall, Muppet Vision 3-D is everything you would expect from the Muppets. Funny and entertaining throughout, it is an attraction where you can expect the unexpected and nothing seems to go quite according to plan. Featuring a variety of characters that you know and love, this is an attraction that has withstood the test of time and continues to be incredibly popular among both children and adults. You can expect the show to become even more popular as the new Muppets movies introduce the Muppets to a new generation. As a result, Muppet Vision 3-D finds itself at #39 in the top fifty rankings.
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