Cars Land was one of the most highly anticipated expansion projects at any Disney park in recent memory. Meant to be the centerpiece of a completely re-imagined California Adventure, Cars Land promised to be a highly immersive environment the likes of which had never been seen before. To say that Cars Land delivers on this promise is an understatement. This new area of California Adventure is one of the most breathtaking to be found in any Disney park with a level of detail and theming that completely immerses Guests into the world of Cars. While Cars might not be the most popular or acclaimed Pixar movie, one cannot help but be impressed by the massive scale and beauty of this land. From its shops and restaurants to its neon signs, every aspect of Cars Land is meant to transport you down Route 66 to the town of Radiator Springs. At the center of this new land is its headliner attraction: Radiator Springs Racers.
With a cost of over $200 million, Radiator Springs Racers is one of the most expensive attractions Disney has ever created. The ride system itself is nearly identical to Test Track, yet this attraction takes it to a whole new level. Radiator Springs Racers is designed on a scale that Test Track can’t match. From its beautifully detailed rockwork (complete with waterfalls and caverns) to its large animatronic cars, Radiator Springs Racers takes Test Track technology and puts it into a much more highly immersive story. In fact, it is more of a dark ride with a high-speed component rather than a thrill ride like Test Track. To appeal more to children of all ages (although it still has a height requirement), Radiator Springs Racers only reaches speeds of 40 mph as opposed to Test Track’s 65 mph. However, the side-by-side racing aspect adds a component that Test Track does not have.
The true success of this attraction lies in its intricate detail, which starts as soon as you set foot in the queue. Set amongst the rock formations of the Ornament Valley, the attraction provides stunning visuals both while walking throughout the queue and while on the ride. It is the type of attraction that has so many little details that no matter how many times you ride it you will always spot something new. While the exterior portions of the ride are visually striking, the interior continues to immerse Guests into the story by featuring some of the largest Audio Animatronic figures ever created by Disney. These animatronics help bring the world of Cars to life and help Guests relive some of their favorite moments from the movie.
Radiator Springs Racers took a ride system that was already very good and made it even better. The attraction is a showcase of Disney Imagineering at its best, combining a high level of detail that completely immerses Guests, memorable characters and storyline, and innovative technology. It comes as no surprise that Radiator Springs Racers is the most popular attraction at California Adventure. It is an attraction that has raised the bar when it comes to immersive storytelling while still providing thrills that can be enjoyed by almost the entire family. Therefore, Radiator Springs Racers is worthy of the #10 spot on the top fifty countdown.
#9: Spaceship Earth, Epcot
From one of Disney’s newest attractions to one with a far longer history. Spaceship Earth is without a doubt one of the most iconic of Disney attractions. One cannot think of Epcot without conjuring images of this massive structure, one of the largest freestanding geodesic spheres ever constructed. Spaceship Earth is truly an engineering marvel. It is interesting to note that Spaceship Earth is in fact two structural domes. The upper dome sits on a ring with trusses that form a table-like structure that separate it from the lower dome. Below this ring, a second dome is hung from the bottom to complete the spherical shape. 165 feet in diameter, 180 feet high, encompassing 2,200,000 cubic feet of space, weighing 15.5 million pounds, with an outside surface of 150,000 square feet covered by 11,324-silver facets on 954 triangular panels, Spaceship Earth is an awe-inspiring site.
While visually impressive, Epcot’s icon is more than just an architectural masterpiece. While its structural design captures the spirit of what Epcot was supposed to be all about, the attraction it houses likewise embodies Walt’s original vision of EPCOT. The Epcot that exists today draws its inspiration from Walt’s plan for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. In Walt's own words: "EPCOT will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American industry. It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed, but will always be introducing, and testing, and demonstrating new materials and new systems." Examining the evolution and progress of the human race, Spaceship Earth provides a look back in time but also forward into the future. Throughout the duration of the attraction Guests see how our past has shaped the present and how it is also helping to lead us into the future.
Helping to bring the whole of human history to life is one of the largest casts of Audio Animatronic figures ever assembled. Recreating scenes from the time of the cavemen through Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the Renaissance and up to modern times, these animatronic figures are amazingly lifelike. These figures and scenes help to immerse Guests into history. Also brining this history to life is a powerful narration accompanied by a moving musical score. Over the years Spaceship Earth has featured several prominent narrators, beginning with Lawrence Dobkin and continuing with Walter Cronkite, Jeremy Irons, and currently Judi Dench. While it is difficult to match the power and intensity of the Irons version, Judi Dench’s narration is still poignant and features some memorable moments.
Spaceship Earth is one of the best examples of what can best be termed as “edutainment.” It is an attraction that combines education and entertainment together in a way that allows Guests to learn something but have fun while they are doing it. It is one of the few remaining Epcot attractions that hold true to the goals and intent of Future World specifically and Epcot in general. It is an attraction which at its heart is about moving forward, looking toward the future, and progress. Although it has had some changes over the years, these central themes have stayed the same. It is an attraction that Walt himself would have been very proud of. As such, Spaceship Earth comes in at #9 in the top fifty rankings.
#8: The Great Movie Ride, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
This next attraction is one very near and dear to my heart, one with a long history, and one which inspired an entire theme park. The Great Movie Ride was originally planned to be the main attraction in a movie-themed pavilion at Epcot, which would have been located between The Land and Imagination. This pavilion was to have featured, among other things, a restaurant themed after a drive-in movie theater as well as an attraction that would recreate some of the most classic movie scenes ever featured on screen which was to be called "Great Moments at the Movies." However, the new Disney CEO Michael Eisner and WDI president Marty Sklar decided that this idea was strong enough to not just be a single pavilion, but an entirely new theme park. Thus, the idea for the attraction was expanded and the Disney-MGM Studios went into development.
Sitting at the end of Hollywood Boulevard, the replica of Grauman’s Chinese Theater is the true icon of Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This replica is nearly identical to the original version in Hollywood. The intricate detail and craftsmanship of the building’s exterior provide a fitting home for the attraction. This theming is carried from the exterior courtyard, complete with a 1936 Cadillac and numerous celebrity handprints, into the building’s lobby featuring props from several memorable movies. Next, Guests enter into the preshow area where they are treated to trailers from some of the movies they are about to experience on the attraction before finally stepping onto the Hollywood soundstage and boarding their vehicles for their 22-minute tour into the movies.
The success of the Great Movie Ride can best be attributed to the attraction’s high degree of immersion. As the tour guide says at the very beginning of the ride, “The Great Movie Ride brings these movies to life and puts you right into the middle of the action.” Guests on the Great Movie Ride are not just passive observers, but rather active participants in the storyline; it is as if they are the “extras” in an actual Hollywood production. This is evident better than anywhere else with a feature that is unique amongst all Disney attractions, having the vehicle hijacked during the middle of the tour by either a gangster or bandit. In addition to the live-action component of the tour guide, gangster, and bandit, the movies throughout the ride are also brought to life by the attraction’s numerous Audio Animatronic figures, which present strikingly lifelike representations of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars such as James Cagney, Julie Andrews, and Humphrey Bogart.
What makes the Great Movie Ride so impressive is the massive scale of the attraction. Some of the show scenes are so immense that you cannot help but feel you are on an actual movie set. Interestingly enough, the entire attraction was first constructed in California and then shipped to Florida where it was pieced back together. The attraction’s success can also be attributed to a passionate group of Cast Members who help bring the attraction to life as the tour guides, gangsters, and bandits. While the movies throughout the attraction have not changed since the park opened in 1989, the Great Movie Ride still remains popular with Guests of all ages coming into the park today. In fact, the attraction plays an important role in helping to keep these classic movies alive for new generations. What truly makes the Great Movie Ride special is that nothing like it can be found in any other Disney park around the world. For these reasons, the Great Movie Ride finds itself at #8 on the top fifty countdown.
#7: Splash Mountain, Magic Kingdom
Song of the South might be a relatively unknown Disney film, but it serves as the basis for one of the most popular attractions found in Disney parks around the world. The idea for Splash Mountain was originally conceived by Imagineer Tony Baxter while stuck in rush hour traffic on his way to work. He wanted to attract Guests to the often-empty Bear Country and make use of the Audio-Animatronics from America Sings, which was also receiving poor attendance. Dick Nunis had insisted that Imagineering create a log flume for Disneyland, but the Imagineers were initially unenthusiastic about it and insisted that log flumes were too ordinary a ride to include in a park like Disneyland. While trying to solve the problems of including a log flume, bringing people into Bear Country, and reusing the America Sings characters, Baxter then thought of Song of the South and the concept of Splash Mountain was born.
Splash Mountain is probably best known for its thrills, in particular its 53-foot drop into the briar patch. When it opened in Disneyland in July 1989, its final cost of $75 million made it the most expensive attraction ever built by Disney up to that point. The attraction’s great success in Disneyland led to the creation of similar Splash Mountains at the Magic Kingdom and in Tokyo Disneyland in 1992. The real appeal of Splash Mountain, however, is not because of its big drop. In typical Disney fashion, Splash Mountain is so much more than a log flume attraction; it is more a dark ride with a thrill component, and one which completely immerses Guests into the storyline.
While many Guests who ride Splash Mountain may not even be familiar with Song of the South, the attraction very effectively sets up the main characters and plays out their story in a way that is very easy to follow. Each scene of the attraction is so detailed that Guests feel as though they are put right into the middle of the story. It is a level of detail that is usually reserved for traditional dark rides rather than major thrill rides. In fact, Splash Mountain probably has one of the best storylines of any Disney attraction. These stories of Song of the South are brought to life through numerous Audio Animatronic figures, beautifully designed show scenes, and (of course) upbeat, catchy music. With songs like "How Do You Do," "Everybody's Got a Laughin' Place," and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah," Splash Mountain will have Guests humming and singing these tunes for the rest of the day.
Splash Mountain would be a fantastic attraction even if it did not have its big drop at the end, but this thrill component takes the ride to the next level. It is a perfect example of how Disney can take a ride system (a log flume) that has been used in countless other theme parks and make it something truly unique and immersive. This attraction is also proof that you do not necessarily need to have well-known characters or be themed after a popular movie in order to be successful. What makes Splash Mountain so special is its attention to detail that helps to completely immerse Guests in the storyline. Thus, Splash Mountain ranks #7 on the top fifty countdown.
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