This next attraction is another with a long and storied history as well as one of Disneyland’s most popular rides. During the construction of the Disneyland, dirt from the excavation of Sleeping Beauty Castle's moat was piled in an area between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. When the park opened, the area was dubbed Holiday Hill and was dotted with benches and pathways to encourage its use as a picnic area. After the opening of the Disneyland Skyway in 1956, Walt conceived the idea of a toboggan ride on the mountain with real snow, which would also act as a decorative overlay to disguise the central pylon of the Skyway. Use of the Matterhorn both in style and name grew from Walt's extended vacation in Switzerland while filming “Third Man on the Mountain.” He was impressed by the beauty of the real Matterhorn and merged it with his toboggan ride concept. The Matterhorn finally made its debut on June 14, 1959. Built by Arrow Development and Disney Imagineering, it was the first tubular steel roller coaster in the world.
Interestingly enough, when the attraction first opened the interior of the mountain was just an open space through which the bobsleds traveled. In 1978, the Matterhorn received a major refurbishment. The Imagineers' biggest task was to break up the hollow interior space into a number of small, icy caves and tunnels with far more immersive theming. Another major addition was the Abominable Snowman, named "Harold" by the Imagineers. The creature exists as three Audio Animatronic figures that roar at the bobsledders throughout the ride; the first is visible from both tracks at the point where they divide to take separate paths while the other two are visible only from their respective tracks.
Despite being an older attraction, the Matterhorn still provides a fun and exciting ride. In addition to its animatronic figures, the attraction features beautiful, ice-filled caverns, waterfalls, and splash-down pools. The fact that the attraction features two separate tracks also adds to the Matterhorn’s re-rideability. There are also other fun elements related to the Matterhorn itself separate from the attraction, including the basketball court that was constructed in the mountain’s interior and the mountain climbing that takes place there as well.
While the ride may be a little jostling and jerky, the Matterhorn is still a must-do attraction when going to Disneyland. Added to this is the attraction’s uniqueness, being the only Matterhorn attraction found at any Disney park. That being said, the Matterhorn has inspired numerous other attractions, such as Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, and Expedition Everest. Thanks to its long and storied history, immersive theming, and its fun and exciting ride experience the Matterhorn Bobsleds rank #26 on the top fifty countdown.
#25: Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, Magic Kingdom
We have now reached the half-way point in the rankings as we move from one Disney classic to another. Created by both Walt Disney and WED Enterprises as the main feature of the General Electric Pavilion for the 1964 New York World's Fair, this attraction was the moved to Tomorrowland at Disneyland where it remained from 1967 until 1973. It was replaced in Disneyland by America Sings in 1974 and reopened in its present home in the Magic Kingdom in 1975. Since then, the Carousel of Progress has gone on to become the longest-running stage show with the most performances in the history of American theater.
The basic plot of the Carousel of Progress has remained largely unchanged since it debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The circular center stage is divided into six scenes and surrounded by six audience sections which revolve from one scene to the next. While the first and last scenes involve the loading and unloading of Guests, the middle four depict an Audio Animatronic family appreciating the technological advances of the 20th century. Each of the four scenes is also set around a holiday associated with one of the four seasons of the year.
In addition to its Cast of animatronic figures, one of the things that Carousel of Progress is best known for is its music. Walt Disney asked songwriters Richard and Robert Sherman to create a song that could serve as a bridge between the "acts" in the show. When Walt explained to the brothers what the show was about, they created a song with his enthusiasm in mind and entitled it "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow". The Sherman Brothers later stated that they believed the song was Walt's "theme song," because he was so optimistic and excited about the future and technology itself. The song has gone on to become one of the most iconic pieces of music featured in any Disney park.
Experiencing Carousel of Progress is a right-of-passage for any child that visits Disney World. The attraction is a “classic” in every sense of the word. There are few attractions throughout any of the Disney parks that have such an important history and heritage and it is truly one of the few attractions at Magic Kingdom that Walt himself had a hand in designing. While the animatronic family has undergone a few changes over the years, the main theme remains the same. Combining a sense of nostalgia for the past with the advancements and progress made over the years, the theme of Carousel of Progress is one that Walt himself was extremely passionate about. Thanks to its tremendous history and legacy, Carousel of Progress comes in at #25 on the top fifty countdown.
#24: Mickey's PhilharMagic, Magic Kingdom
While this attraction was built much more recently than the previous two, it is still grounded deeply in Disney heritage. Mickey's PhilharMagic is located in Fantasyland and is actually the fourth attraction to utilize its show building. The theatre originally hosted the Mickey Mouse Revue. Later, it was the home to the 3-D film “Magic Journeys” after it left Epcot's Journey into Imagination pavilion and most recently it was home to the stage presentation The Legend of the Lion King. It is an attraction firmly rooted in Disney’s past. In many ways it is harkening back to the original Mickey Mouse Revue, whose basic premise was a musical concert in which Mickey Mouse conducted an orchestra made up of various animatronic Disney characters playing well-known Disney songs.
It can also be said that PhilharMagic draws inspiration from Disney’s “Fantasia.” When Walt was in the process of creating Fantasia he wanted to completely immerse viewers into the film in a way that went beyond just merely watching it on the screen. What Walt envisioned was a complete sensory experience that would include not only state-of-the-art sound (later dubbed Fanatsound) but also ushers in the theaters going up and down the aisles spraying different scents, blowing bubbles, etc. Unfortunately, due to costs, theaters were very reluctant to go along with Walt’s vision. Mickey’s PhilharMagic, therefore, is probably the closest thing to realizing Walt’s original dream for Fantasia.
While the show features a variety of effects, such as lighting, bubbles, water, and scents, the main aspect that drives the storyline is the music. PhilharMagic allows Guests to relive some of the most memorable moments and songs from a number of classic Disney movies. With songs like “Be Our Guest,” “Part of Your World,” “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” and “A Whole New World,” PhilharMagic’s 150-foot wide screen presents these moments to Guests in a way they have never experienced before. The show is like a Disney highlight reel, but the storyline of Donald chasing after the illusive sorcerer’s hat does an effective job in tying everything together as we move from one scene/song to the next.
Mickey’s PhilharMagic showcases some of the best of Disney animation and music. Rather than merely watching the film on screen, this show completely immerses Guests into these moments. It is really the type of experience that Walt set out to create when he first was designing Disneyland; attractions that went beyond what Guests were able to experience when they saw one of his movie’s in theaters. Featuring some of the most iconic characters and songs from several beloved Disney movies, Mickey’s PhilharMagic has become a must-do Fantasyland attraction and as such ranks #24 on the top fifty countdown.
#23: Finding Nemo-The Musical, Animal Kingdom
Sometimes an attraction that you think couldn’t possibly work ends up surprising you. That is certainly the case with this next attraction. When Disney first announced it would be turning Finding Nemo into a musical stage production for Animal Kingdom, many people questioned how effectively this could be done considering the movie featured no music at all. Finding Nemo: The Musical replaced the popular Tarzan Rocks, which had run at Animal Kingdom from 1999 through 2006. When it premiered in January 2007 the show received rave reviews and has since become one of the most popular stage shows in all of Disney World.
Finding Nemo: The Musical is a production that is truly Broadway caliber. This is partially due to the fact that the show’s songs were written by Tony Award-winning “Avenue Q” composer Robert Lopez and his wife, Kristen Anderson-Lopez. Combine this with energetic choreography, intricate puppets, and beautiful sets and you have the recipe for a successful show. Another element contributing to the show’s popularity is that it presents a new spin on the Finding Nemo story, rather than just being a complete rehashing of the movie. With its original songs, Finding Nemo: The Musical, offers something new to Guests who may have seen the movie before.
One of the show’s greatest assets is a passionate Cast of actors that really bring the puppets and the music to life. The songs might not be as well-known as those featured in other Disney shows, but the vocal skills of the actors really make these songs stand out. Interestingly enough, most of the songs in the show are based on lines in the film, including "(In The) Big Blue World", "Fish Are Friends, Not Food", "Just Keep Swimming", and "Go With the Flow." What is even more impressive is that the actors can sing these songs while also bringing their puppets to life. Meanwhile, all this acting is being done with the backdrop of a beautiful underwater environment that really helps to immerse Guests into this world.
At forty minutes in length, Finding Nemo: The Musical is considerably shorter than the movie, and yet it does not feel rushed by any means. In fact, the addition of music to the storyline might actually make it stronger. The show’s music helps convey to the audience a variety of different emotions and develop its characters in ways that could not be done in the movie. Overall, this makes Finding Nemo: The Musical an extremely successful adaptation from screen to stage and worthy of the #23 spot in the top fifty rankings.
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