If you’re like me, you’re spending the weeks… oh, who am I kidding, months before your trip preparing for your magical vacation. That means reading about trip plans, loading your mp3 player full of Disney music and ofcourse breaking out those Disney movies! While most people are loading up on Frozen (Can we Let It Go already?) there are actually a ton of movies that not only help get you into the Disney spirit, but also help you enjoy some attractions more.
I’m not going to lie, some attractions are for more of a… classic generation. They’re based on movies that some younger Disney fans may not have been exposed to. Sure you’ll recognize Ariel on Under The Sea, but try enjoying the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse if you have no idea who that it. It goes from an immersive experience Disney tries to give you to “well, that was neat I guess?” So do yourself a favor and do a little pre-trip homework! You’ll thank me later! Here are my top 10:
- The Country Bears (2002. Rated G) – Country Bear Jamboree is an old fashioned hoe-down featuring 20 animatronic bears in the Magic Kingdom. It’s an older attraction and one that on many trips we skipped right past. Singing animatronics were just a bit random when you could be with Mickey. Don’t let these be random bears! In the movie “The Country Bears” you’ll meet and get familiar with some of these beloved characters like Big Al and Trixie. Once you know these bears you’ll definitely want to stop in for a visit!
- Swiss Family Robinson (1960. Rated G) – As I mentioned earlier, there’s a whole tree house dedicated to this family at the Magic Kingdom. You’ll see how they lived after being shipwrecked. If you don’t know who they are, it’s just some random tree house to walk through. If you’ve seen the movie you’ll definitely connect more here!
- Tom Sawyer (1973, Rated G) – The Magic Kingdom is home to a special island where you can explore memorable places such as Harper’s Mill, Injun Joe’s Cave, and Fort Longhorn. If your kids have never watched Tom Sawyer they probably just won’t understand it! Sure they’ll enjoy the log raft ride across but will they understand who Becky Thatcher is when they see it painted on a railing?
- Davy Crockett (1955, Rated PG) – Why should you watch this movie before you head to Disney World? One word: Frontierland! Everywhere you turn you’re greeted by Coonskin hats and frontier living. Not to mention the “Davy Crockett” song in the areas music loop! Let your kids imagination really run wild by knowing more about Davy Crockett and this era!
- Haunted Mansion (2003, Rated PG) – The Haunted Mansion is one of the most beloved rides in Disney’s history. You board a Doombuggy and sing along with ghosts! Sound spooky? It can be! You can get introduced to Madame Leota before you ever leave home. Why not check out this movie and see how silly ghosts can be?
- The Muppets (2011, Rated PG) – Sure everyone knows Kermit, but what about Sweetums, Rizzo or Sam Eagle? Give yourself or your kids a quick lesson before it’s time to head to Muppetvision 3D at Hollywood Studios. Muppetvision is a 3D short featuring characters from the Muppet Show. Knowing the Muppets before you go in will definitely make this experience more enduring.
- Star Wars (1977, Rated PG) – A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away there was an epic movie made which led to a whole theme park area. That’s right! Hollywood Studios already has Star Wars attractions and now they’re GROWING! A whole Star Wars Land is coming so if you want to understand why Darth Vader needs padawans to defeat him or feel the excitement of boarding the Millennium Falcon I suggest catching up before your trip.
- Fantasia (1940, Rated G) – I’ve tried to avoid animated features in my recommendations but this is the exception. Fantasia is where you’re introduced to Sorcerer Mickey which has become a park icon. There’s sorcerer mouse ears, toys, sculpted topiaries of dancing brooms, and ofcourse there’s Fantasmic! It’s definitely worth watching before you’re surrounded by sorcerer hats!
- Pirates of the Caribbean (2003, Rated PG-13) – Yo Ho! Yo Ho! A pirate’s life awaits you in Adventureland! You’ll sail with pirates and see Captain Jack Sparrow which is a lot more impressive if you know who he is. He was added to Pirates of the Caribbean ride and also comes out to entertain guests occasionally.
- Tower of Terror (1997, Not Rated) – I’ll be honest about this one… I didn’t even know it existed! The Tower of Terror ride is branded by the Twilight Zone but there’s actually a whole movie based on the story of the Hollywood Hotel. Warning to the parents of the tiny generation: According to the description “The film starts out when 5 people walk into an elevator, but something goes very wrong. The elevator collapses 11 floors and the five people roam around the hotel as ghosts.” I don’t know how it’s presented and the ride is an elevator so you might want to check this out beforehand to see if it’s ok for your kiddo. You don’t want them terrified of a ride before they even get there!
There are my top 10 suggestions to make Disney attractions more immersive. Do you have more? Tell us in the comments!
