#wanted to do a test animation Roger rabbit style and it's going... it's certainly going

[thingsaday]

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[livinginlavender]

My Disney Ride-or-Die Rides

I love Disney. Have I mentioned that I love Disney? Because I absolutely love Disney with all of my heart and soul and body.

Part of that love is based on the movies. I grew up watching them and I still watch them more often than I’d care to admit. But a bigger part of my love for Disney is a tradition my family has held since I was 9 months old: visiting either Disneyland or Walt Disney World once every year.

I would like to clarify that Disney didn’t used to be as expensive as it is now, and that as we’ve gotten older my siblings as I have begun chipping in (if not entirely paying for ourselves) when it comes to our yearly family trips. But as the price to visit goes up, my family continues to be savvy with our spending and trying to get the most bang for our buck.

Part of that “bang-for-your-buck”-ness involves getting the most out of our time in the parks. That brings me to today’s blog post.

Not 20 minutes ago, my dad was sitting on Connor’s bed in his room calling out items from a list he found on the internet. Basically, someone decided what the 10 least-worth-it rides were at Walt Disney World, and at least half of them are near and dear to my heart.

After cursing the person who wrote the original list under my breath, I snagged my laptop and decided to come up with my own lists of 5 rides at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World that are overhyped, and 5 rides each that aren’t hyped up enough.

WDW Overhyped:

1.     Tomorrowland Speedway

Maybe I’ve just had too many bad experiences on this ride. There have been too many times where the car just…stopped on the track for no apparent reason. Or the steering was broken and sent me (and Connor) klunking back and forth against the track’s metal guide, unable to control where we were going until we finally reached the queasy, miserable end of the “ride.” But waiting an hour or more to be sorely disappointed every time? Not worth it.

2.     The Magic Carpets of Aladdin/Dumbo the Flying Elephant/Astro Orbiter

Look, I get it. It’s fun for little kids. Heck, when I was a youngin’ I loved the Dumbo ride in particular. But I’ve seen adults with no kids wait in line for way longer than is worth it, only to sit there unamused for a minute and a half before the hydraulics bring them gently back to the ground. Just…don’t do it. Please.

3.     Toy Story Midway Mania!

Alright. I know there are a lot of people (even within my own family) who disagree with me on this one. This ride is extremely whippy and makes me nauseous, which isn’t an easy feat. Maybe it’s just my competitive side, but I always end up with a sore wrist and fingers from tugging the dang string so quickly and vigorously. If you want a better ride like this, the Buzz Lightyear ride at Magic Kingdom is a better way to go, and the line is always shorter. Please, save your neck the agony.

4.     Soarin’

I’ll admit, this is a ride worth riding once, maybe twice if you’re really into it. I happily rode it again after they redid the video for it, and it was pretty damn cool if I say so myself. But I won’t ride it again for another couple of years probably unless I’m forced into it. It’s like going to watch an Omnimax movie over and over again; it’s a lot shorter, true, but it’s just as nauseating. On the plus side, it smells amazing!

5.     Peter Pan’s Flight

I feel bad for putting this down. This ride is a family tradition dating back to my Grandpa White, who my siblings and I never got to meet; it was his favorite ride, and his love for it is somewhat ingrained in everyone in my family. But… The shortest the line usually is? Approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Most of the time it’s 90 minutes or more. While it’s a very unique ride that’s certainly a staple at the park, it’s best to just wait for a firework show to start before going.

WDW Under-appreciated:

1.     Journey Into Imagination With Figment

This was on the person’s original list of “rides that aren’t worth the wait,” and I exclaimed, “No!” when I heard it. This has been one of my favorite rides since I was a child, and to me it embodies everything that the front half of Epcot is about. Science and creativity, balancing curiosity with logic, and allowing your imagination to flow and carry you towards new discovery! Plus, the music is catchy and the line is never too long. What’s not to love?

2.     Dinosaur

I don’t care if Disney gets rid of the rest of the Dino-Land park in Animal Kingdom. But so help me GOD, if they get rid of the Dinosaur ride, I will RIOT! In the perfect balance of science, adventure, and amazing air conditioning, this ride is always my go-to ride at Animal Kingdom. Oh, did I mention that Bill Nye the Science Guy narrates the theory of evolution when you’re in line? Even middle school-Kylie geeked out about that!

3.     The Carousel of Progress

I will never understand how people don’t flock to this ride. It’s heavily air-conditioned. You get to sit and relax your feet. You’re learning technological advancements over the last 100 years in smaller decade-based increments based on the lives of an adorable family. And again, Disney’s coming in clutch with another catchy song! “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away…”

4.     The People Mover

A mixture between air-conditioned and just cool, windy, and shady, the People Mover has a relatively short line and moves forward very consistently. It’s perfect when you just need a break from the pandemonium that is Magic Kingdom, or when your little ones need to rest, or even if you just want to take a peek at some of your favorite rides (i.e. Space Mountain) from an outside perspective.

5.     Living With the Land

This is…not exactly a ride most people flock to. They’d rather ride the Frozen ride, or Test Track, or something a little more exciting and “razzle-y dazzle-y.” But let me tell you, Living With the Land is freaking cool. When’s the last time you saw a pumpkin in the plastic mold growing into the shape of a Mickey head?

DL Overhyped:

1.     Matterhorn Bobsleds

Aside from the fact that I once almost dropped (and lost) my phone on this ride, it’s just very jerky. If someone hasn’t thrown out their back on this ride yet, I’d be surprised. A tip from a professional, though: the left side is smoother and faster!

2.     Dumbo the Flying Elephant (and the like)

3.     Toy Story Midway Mania!

4.     Autopia

Pretty much the same as the Tomorrowland Speedway above, but…even older. Imagine that.

5.     Peter Pan’s Flight

DL Under-appreciated:

1.     Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride

Is this ride still around? I feel like I remember someone saying it closed. Regardless, this has always been one of my favorites at Disneyland. Pop your kiddo behind the wheel of the car and let ‘em spin it away! Just…maybe cover their eyes at the end when it’s insinuated that Mr. Toad died and went to hell. It can be…traumatic.

2.     Alice in Wonderland

This ride is just…so old-school Disney and awesome. It’s got some of the best aspects of the original Disney rides, like the more traditional-style animatronics and the pull-down lapbars in a peculiar-looking vehicle. You traverse upwards through Wonderland before the doors open up to some higher-up leaves that your caterpillar-mobile traverses before bringing you back to the start of the ride. It’s short, sweet, and perfect if you can catch the line at the right time!

3.     Snow White’s Scary Adventure

This is another one that may not be there anymore? I can never remember! But after they took the Snow White ride out at Walt Disney World (later adding the Seven Dwarves’ Mine Train ride to somewhat replace it), this was the only ride dedicated to Snow White left. It’s cute, well-done, and a little spooky in just the right places. But everything ends with sunshine and rainbows as the ride dumps you back into the heat from its air-conditioned bowels.

4.     Monster’s Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!

While WDW has the Laugh Floor, nothing quite compares to an actual ride tailored to one of the best classic Pixar movies. Honestly, it’s just like watching the film being fast-forwarded through the less-plot-heavy parts. It’s just…adorable. And worth so, so worth it. Especially for Roz’s comments at the end!

5.     Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin

While it’s nice to have the context of the backstory, it’s not necessary to have seen, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” to love and appreciate this ride. Balanced between goofy and a little spooky, even the line as you wait to ride is extremely well done!

Any Disney park is an interesting balance of entertainment, education, magic, and more. It’s important, I think, to work on finding that balance in order to make the most of your trip. If you push too hard, you’ll burn out. If you don’t push hard enough, you’ll miss out. If you follow my advice, you’ll find out that maybe there’s more to visiting Disney than spending an inordinate amount of time standing around and waiting for a ride that may not be worth it.

If you’re interested in hearing more tips and trick for your travels to Disney, you can watch my video about it here!