Yes, there is plenty of laughter in the air at parks. Some of it is the byproduct of anecdotes and banter exchanged among families and friends. Some of it is nervous laughter shared on coasters and other rides. Many shows and story-based dark rides incorporate some token humorous moments. But I believe parks could use more laugh-out-loud attractions, where comedy is as much a focus, if not the primary focus, as the thrills and other elements.

Fortunately, as The Muppets migrated across the Studios park to their new digs, the troupe’s trademark postmodern, vaudevillian shenanigans followed them. From all reports (I have not experienced RnRC 2.0), the queue, pre-show, loading station, and unload area are packed with videos (that include celebrity cameos), gags, props, and more that keep Muppets silliness front and center. The Imagineers even shoehorned the curmudgeonly animatronic hecklers, Statler and Waldorf, into the ride so that they could hurl some barbs as passengers whiz past them.

The Muppets have perfected the art, but as it has been said, “Dying is easy, comedy is hard.” Maybe that’s why there aren’t a heckuva lot of other examples where guffaws are the raison d’être at parks and attractions. Let’s explore a few.

RnRC isn’t the only thrill ride to elicit laughs. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure feature’s the franchise’s offbeat mayhem and hilarity. Like RnRC, the Guardians ride repurposed an existing attraction, the West Coast version of Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and replaced the mostly serious proceedings with a much lighter, and frequently funny, tone. To a lesser extent, the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coaster at Epcot, also injects some interplanetary humor into the ride.

The Minions are just as super silly in their pre-show presentations as they are during the main event for Minion Mayhem, the motion simulator attraction at Universal’s parks in Hollywood and Orlando. As is the characters’ wont, there are plenty of slapstick and wacky scenes to get guests giggling, but there are also some surprisingly tender moments. Considering the whole experience spans a few minutes, it’s incredible that Mayhem can elicit such a broad range of emotions. That’s part of the challenge at theme parks and attractions; unlike movies, TV shows, and other longer forms of entertainment, it can be hard to generate real belly laughs given the constraints.

Share

Ardent and more casual fans of ”The Simpsons” can find hilarious examples of the long-running series’ comedic chops in Universal’s namesake attractions as well as throughout the Springfield lands. Like RnRC, the queue and pre-show for The Simpsons Ride is absolutely jammed with nonstop nods to the show’s inanity.

Depending on how well the performer can improvise and interact with the audience, the laughter can be uproarious at Disney’s freewheeling Turtle Talk With Crush. Similarly, depending on the skipper’s improv skills and delivery of one-liners, the Jungle Cruise can be a riotous affair. While it’s based on a similar premise as Turtle Talk and also features a beloved franchise, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor at the Magic Kingdom doesn’t rise to the same level of lunacy–at least not when I’ve experienced the show.

One of the challenges of bringing a comedy-based show to a park is making it accessible and appealing to a broad audience. The Legoland parks solved that challenge with The Lego Movie 4D. Like the hip and wildly funny theatrical films on which it is based, the show cleverly operates on two levels. Children and adults simultaneously find it hilarious for different reasons. (There is a similar dynamic at Turtle Talk.) The Lego Movie 4D may be the park attraction that generates the most laughs for me. There are so many stupid (in a good, funny way), throwaway lines, I am in stitches.

Might Nate Bargatze lean into the funny at Nateland, the theme park he is developing in Tennessee? I’d have to assume that the popular comedian would want to showcase the craft that made him famous. But, as I’ve outlined, comedy at parks can be a tricky proposition. Maybe he can take some lessons from The Muppets.

Maybe the entire industry can look to The Muppets for inspiration. We could all use a whole lot more laughter and silliness at parks–and really everywhere else too for that matter.

What theme park attractions and shows get you laughing out loud? Do you agree there should be more comedy at parks?

Leave a comment

It is the highlight of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at both Disneyland in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, one of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World in Florida. And it just may be the best park attraction in the world. But here’s the thing: As with most rides, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance includes some thrills. Would you be able to handle them? Would you want to?

Unlike a roller coaster or any amusement park ride that is outdoors and easily viewed from the midway, visitors at the Disney parks have no visual cues to observe Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in action and gauge its intensity. That’s because the attraction takes place inside an enormous show building nestled in a wooded area. So, I will do my best to explain what occurs during Rise. That way, you’ll be able to make an informed decision about whether you (or the people who might be among your theme park posse) would be up to giving it a whirl.

What kind of ride is Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance?

First of all, it’s important to note that Rise is not a single ride experience. Unlike, say, Mission: Space at Epcot, which uses centrifuge technology to simulate space travel, or the Soarin’ rides at Disney California Adventure and Epcot, which uses (and pioneered) the concept of a flying theater to take guests on an “airborne” hang gliding journey to famous locales, the Star Wars attraction uses multiple ride systems and unfolds across a series of acts to engage guests in its narrative. It therefore takes some unpacking to describe what happens.

The entire experience lasts about 17 minutes. The sheer length of Rise, which is considerably longer than the more typical four-minute-or-so theme park attraction, only begins to hint at its epic scale and sheer wow factor. It is a triumph of park and attraction design, technology, and immersive storytelling. That’s why it is worthy of your careful consideration. If ever there was a must-ride Disney attraction, Rise is it.

But if you fall somewhere along the upper end of the theme park ride wimp spectrum (and you know who you are), you might be nervous about trying the Star Wars attraction. By demystifying Rise and divulging what happens during the experience, I run the risk of ruining the element of surprise for you. Ideally, it would be great if you could try the Star Wars attraction cold, without any prior knowledge. But, if you really want to know what to expect, consider this a big honkin’ spoiler warning–though the focus will be on the thrill-inducing aspects of the attraction, not the plot.

The Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge lands depict Batuu, a planet created for the parks. Batuu is a trading port that attracts eccentric characters from around the galaxy. At its center is Black Spire Outpost, which includes merchants selling wares in bazaar stalls, a cantina, and some eateries. Oh, and the Millennium Falcon just happens to be docked there. The Resistance (the good guys) have set up a secret encampment in a forested area on the outskirts of the village. This is where Rise is located.

According to the backstory of Galaxy’s Edge, the First Order arrived on Batuu a few weeks ago. A showdown is brewing between the sworn enemies, and you are about to be plopped into the middle of it.

The first act: Blast off

As you make your way through the encampment, you’ll see equipment cabinets and medical supplies stored by the Resistance. For the pre-show that sets the story in motion, you will be led into a briefing room where you will meet a holographic Rey. She will entrust you with some vital information that you cannot divulge to the First Order, or the fate of the galaxy may be doomed. (That, kids, is what is known as foreshadowing.)

For the first act of the attraction, you will board an Intersystem Transport Ship. It is supposed to whisk you away for a short journey to rendezvous on a safe planet. In usual theme park fashion, however, things will go horribly wrong.

This part of the attraction uses motion simulator ride technology, like Despicable Me Minion Mayhem at the Universal Parks, or one of the earliest attractions to use the concept, Star Tours at the Disney parks. Unlike those attractions, however, you stand aboard Rise’s transport vehicle. To give you a sense of the ride intensity, no safety restraints are used. You will experience a sense of space travel as the motion of the vehicle syncs with the action you can see through the viewing windows in the front and rear of the cabin, but it is quite mild.

Throughout this overview, I will use a thrill scale of 0 to 10 to rate the physical intensity of the experience, where 0 means no thrills and 10 means extreme thrills. Note that there are also psychological thrills; I have not factored those in. But if you are okay with the PG-13 hijinks of the Star Wars films, you’ll be fine with the drama you’ll encounter during Rise.

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

I give the first act on the Intersystem Transport Ship a thrill rating of 2.25. For comparison, Minion Mayhem and Star Tours rate 3.25 on the thrill-o-meter. Nearly everybody should be fine with the thrills delivered here. They are equivalent to the sensations you might experience aboard a fast subway car that navigates some small hills and turns.

The second act: Oh oh!

For the second act of Rise, you’ll be walking through the Star Destroyer. The size and scope of the massive carrier is impressive. When the door of the ship opens, you will be greeted by a phalanx of armed stormtroopers. You won’t experience any physical thrills here, but you will experience some deeply immersive and highly impressive storytelling.

The third act: Dodge the blaster bolts

For the third act, which is the heart of the attraction, you will be whisked onto Star Destroyer Fleet Transports. The eight-passenger vehicles are highly sophisticated and use trackless ride technology. Instead of guide tracks, onboard computers determine the path, speed, and motion of the vehicles.

The action is frenetic, but not overly wild. The vehicles speed up, come to sudden halts, spin a bit, and execute other evasive maneuvers as they try to avoid detection, dodge fire, or otherwise get out of harm’s way. At one point, your vehicle will board an elevator and rise perhaps 25 feet into the air to the upper levels of the Star Destroyer. I give the third act a thrill rating of 2.75. It is not as wild as Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland, which uses Disney’s Enhanced Motion Vehicles. Like Rise’s first act on the Transport Ship, virtually everybody should be able to handle this part of the attraction.

Subscribe now

The finale: Let’s get the heck outta here

For the fourth and final act of Rise of the Resistance, Disney combines three ride systems. This is where things get a bit hairy. But only a bit.

Major spoiler alert: You and your mates aboard the Fleet Transport will, in fact, make it out alive from the Star Destroyer and to safety. But you knew that, right?

Your Fleet Transport will lock down onto an escape pod. The pod is actually a motion base, that, like the Intersystem Transport Ship in the first act, will move in sync with projected action to simulate space travel. Remember how I wrote that you will rise about 25 feet in the air earlier in the attraction? Well, what goes up must come down. To get away from the Star Destroyer, your escape pod will suddenly plummet in space before your droid can regain control and pilot you back to Batuu.

Here is how Disney accomplishes the effect: As I indicated, the trackless ride vehicle is locked down onto a motion base. The motion base is then coupled with a drop tower-like mechanism to deliver a freefall. Think Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, but instead of a 199-foot drop, Rise drops perhaps 25 or 30 feet. It is startling, but not nearly as thrilling as the Tower of Terror. I give that terrorizing attraction a 7 on the thrill scale.

For the final act in the escape pod, I assign a thrill rating of 3.25. That is the same as the rating for Star Tours. The motion simulator thrills are similar (although the duration of the experience is much shorter), and, although it includes a drop, the freefall sensation is not all that intense. If you are okay with Star Tours and similar motion simulator rides, you should be okay with Rise of the Resistance.

Who can (and should) go on Rise of the Resistance?

With a relatively low height restriction of 40 inches (102 centimeters), children as young as 4 might be tall enough to ride. That doesn’t necessarily mean they should. The same goes for tweens, teens, and adults. Sure, thrill rides are supposed to be thrilling but regardless of height or age, the thrills that Rise delivers may not be appealing to some people. That should be a personal decision.

Still, Rise is relatively mild when compared to many other park rides and attractions. Some roller coasters, of course, are incredibly extreme. While Disney World and Disneyland do not have any Six Flags-level coasters, they do offer some thrills that are considerably more intense than Rise.

How would you rate the thrills on Rise of the Resistance? Do you think most young children could handle the attraction?

Leave a comment

Upgrade to Paid Subscriber

4.25 (out of 5)

When it debuted at Disneyland in 1987, the original Star Tours was the first major motion simulator attraction at a theme park, and the newfangled virtual reality concept ushered in a new era for park attractions. If theme parks are about escaping from the everyday world, motion simulators offer an ideal means of escape. Using seats that move in sync with filmed action projected onto a screen, the destinations are only limited by the imagination of the attraction’s designers. Star Tours was also a departure for Disney which, up until that point, had exclusively used its own content as the basis for its attractions. Partnering with George Lucas to bring in a third-party intellectual property to Disneyland was a bold (and highly successful) move. Subsequently, Disney bought Lucasfilm and now has the Star Wars franchise under its corporate umbrella.

Since the ride film made its debut, attraction designers have added Omnimax screens (such as The Simpsons Ride at Universal), roving motion base vehicles (such as Transformers: The Ride 3D, also at Universal), and other features to enhance the you-are-there experience. The movie ride space cowboys at Walt Disney Imagineering upped their own ante with a retooled version of the attraction that launched in 2011.

Now, half the fun aboard Star Tours is you never know where in hyperspace the ride will whisk you.

Read more

That got me thinking. I was able to curate our trips to theme parks and steer my brother clear of high-thrill attractions because I know them so well. Since others may not have that knowledge, I’ve decided to share my expertise and help those who might be in the same situation with a series of ride guides. Many attractions are hidden away, often tucked inside show buildings, so it can be hard to determine what’s in store and whether those who fall on the ride wimp spectrum would be able to handle them. I’ll try to demystify the rides and identify which ones to probably avoid and which ones to consider giving a go. I’ll even assign a rating for each attraction using a 10-point thrill scale, where 0 refers to ones that would be of virtually no concern to the wimpish, and 10 designates ones that would challenge even the most hardened ride warriors. Let’s kick off the ride guides by focusing on the original theme park, Disneyland.

It may be called “The Happiest Place on Earth,” but ride wimps see danger lurking just beyond Main Street U.S.A. When it first opened in 1955, Disneyland didn’t really feature anything that would have given wimps pause. Through the years, however, Walt’s original park has assembled a collection of rides that gets pulses racing. Mind you, there is nothing that comes close to some of the thrill-tastic coasters found at other parks, but those who want to keep things relatively tame would definitely want to steer clear of Disneyland’s more aggressive offerings.

Rides to (probably) avoid at Disneyland

We’ll start with the four rides that form Disneyland’s mighty “mountain range.” You will likely want to remain at the base camps for all of them. There is one more attraction at the classic park that would likely be too adventurous for you.

● Matterhorn Bobsleds: With its relatively slow speed (likely less than 30 mph) and lack of huge drops or inversions, Disneyland’s first roller coaster, which debuted in 1959 (and was the first in the world to feature tubular steel tracks), is not really all that thrilling. It is jarringly rough and not an especially comfortable ride, however. That, and the fact that it is a roller coaster (regardless of its comparatively low thrill profile) means you’ll want to consider foregoing it. Thrill rating: 4.25

● Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: There is more or less only one thrilling element throughout the entire log flume ride that was formerly known as Splash Mountain, but it’s a doozy. The vehicles take a 52.5-foot plunge at about 40 mph. It’s over in a matter of seconds, but the anticipation of the drop, let alone the drop itself, would probably be enough to drive you bonkers. It’s a shame, because the rest of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure–which is packed with animatronic characters, a rousing soundtrack, and a compelling story–is delightful. Thrill rating: 4.75

Space Mountain: Originally opened in 1977, the coaster is one of Disney’s most iconic rides. You may be surprised to learn that Space Mountain chugs along at a relatively poky speed of about 30 mph. (Consider that some coasters flirt with and even exceed 100 mph.) But the indoor attraction keeps passengers in the dark, and that makes the ride seem all the more terrifying. Thrill rating: 5

Share

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: At 28 mph, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is even slower than Space Mountain. And like Matterhorn Bobsleds and Space Mountain, it has no big drops or inversions. But with three lift hills, it’s a fairly long ride. The sheer length alone may make wimps recoil in horror. Thrill rating: 4.5

Indiana Jones Adventure: It’s not a roller coaster, but the attraction’s “Enhanced Motion Vehicles” are zippy and feature a fair amount of jostling. In addition, much of the action takes place in the dark, and there are plenty of in-your-face effects including hissing snakes, whooshing darts, and a giant rolling ball that threatens to squash passengers. Thrill rating: 4.25

Rides to (possibly) give a try at Disneyland

Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster: Yes, it’s a roller coaster. But with a height of 28 inches and a top speed of 22 mph, this is a very gentle ride. It barely qualifies as a “junior” coaster and is really more of a “kiddie” coaster. Plus, the whole thing is over in 44 seconds. If you’ve never been on a coaster, or haven’t ridden one in a while, Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster could be a good test for you. It could perhaps be a gateway to bigger coaster thrills, depending on how you tolerate it. Thrill rating: 2.75

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

The Haunted Mansion: Despite its scary-sounding name, the Haunted Mansion is really more silly than frightening. Young children may freak out at the somewhat dark scenes and imagery, but adults should do fine. As one of Disney’s all-time great rides, you really wouldn’t want to miss it. Thrill rating: 2.5 (for the scares, not the physical ride experience, which is quite tame)

Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run: One of the featured rides at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Smuggler’s Run is a motion simulator. It pretends to blast passengers off into space, but its ride vehicles never really move more than a few inches in any direction. Unlike most other simulator attractions, Smuggler’s Run is interactive, and all passengers have assigned roles (pilots, gunners, and engineers–although they will likely be changed when the attraction is updated this May with a new mission featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu). You might find the task that you are asked to perform to be distracting enough to make you forget about the minor thrills. Thrill rating: 3.25

Pirates of the Caribbean: It is dark, a bit disquieting, and (spoiler alert!) includes a couple of fairly mild flume drops, but you should do just fine. This is another gotta-ride Disney classic. So, go ride it. Thrill rating: 2.75 (for the drops)

Subscribe now

Star Tours: One of the original motion simulator attractions, Star Tours was given a makeover in 2011 and now features a random sequence generator. You never know where in the Star Wars universe you might be heading. If you are okay with Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (see above), you should be okay with Star Tours. Thrill rating: 3.25

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance: Perhaps the most sophisticated attraction in the world, Rise of the Resistance uses multiple ride systems (including trackless vehicles) and unfolds over a generous 17 minutes. You will experience some thrills, but they are relatively mild. The attraction’s finale takes place aboard an escape pod. In the interest of transparency (warning: I’m about to reveal a big spoiler), the pod blasts off and suddenly drops, Tower of Terror style. But (and it’s a major but), the drop is very short and should not cause any conniption fits among the wimpish. Thrill rating: 3.75

All the other attractions and things to do at Disneyland

What’s great about Disneyland for wimps is that even if you eliminated all of the attractions above, there is still plenty to do at The Happiest Place on Earth. You should be perfectly fine aboard the park’s many other rides such as Peter Pan’s Flight, Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, and the attraction that leads the pack in the theme park wimps’ hall of fame, it’s a small world. Then there are the shows, parades, nighttime spectaculars, character experiences, and the sheer joy that the park engenders.

Are you or someone you know a ride wimp? If so, is it helpful to have a thrill ratings and a ride guide? What other parks should I include in my series of ride guides?

Leave a comment

Upgrade to Paid Subscriber

4.75 (out of 5)

The Tower of Terror is a classic Disney theme park attraction. Combining a thrilling freefall ride, dazzling effects, and an inspired and fiendishly clever storyline based on the seminal “The Twilight Zone” television series, Disney Imagineers have created a ride that, like a select few E-Ticket attractions, is so much greater than the sum of its parts.

For those old enough to remember the original "The Twilight Zone" show (or those young’uns savvy enough to seek it out more recently), merely the sound of Rod Serling’s voice intoning, "You have now crossed over into...the Twilight Zone," is enough to give you a bad case of the shivers. A master storyteller, Serling created black and white mini-dramas that, through subtle plot twists and deft presentation, were deeply spine-tingling and engaging.

The Tower of Terror reproduces the Zone zeitgeist and invokes the same sense of off-kilter foreboding as the show. Instead of passively watching a television program, however, guests become active participants in a “lost episode.”

Read more

Okay, let’s pivot to Disney, which has bold plans to invest $60 billion into its parks and experiences over the next few years. However, many of the company’s most anticipated projects, such as a new Villains Land at the Magic Kingdom and a new Avatar-themed experience at the Disneyland Resort, are still a ways off. There are plenty of new things planned for the coming year at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, but they are largely incremental changes, such as updates to existing attractions. Let’s take a look at what’s in store at the Mouse’s U.S. parks.

In case you haven’t noticed, the USA will be celebrating its 250th anniversary in 2026. Never one to pass up a Yankee doodle dandy opportunity to honor the nation, both Disney California Adventure and Epcot will take guests Soarin’ Across America in tandem with the country’s festivities. Set to debut in the summer, the new flight pattern will replace Soarin’ Around the World, which has been presented at the parks for about ten years. Disney says the itinerary will include urban landscapes, national monuments, coastal scenes, and more to capture the country’s purple mountain majesties. After the company pioneered the concept of the flying theater with the innovative “Soarin’ Over California” in 2001, copycat attractions, such as Wings Over Washington, have proliferated. Soarin’ Across America will represent Disney’s third iteration of Soarin’.

Folks visiting Epcot will also be able to see new figures of Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff in the park’s Frozen Ever After next year. When it opened in 2016, the attraction boasted Disney’s first all electric animatronics. While they are remarkably fluid, they feature unsettling rear-projected faces. The somewhat creepy effect is used in other attractions, including Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry at Epic Universe. Thankfully, the new figures will be modeled after the characters at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland, which use traditional animatronics to animate the faces instead of projections.

As I previously reported, Disney announced that the furry friends of fandom would replace the bad boys of Boston at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Starting next summer, guests will be able to take a ride on Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets (instead of Aerosmith). They will still make their way into the studio of G-Force Records. But since his uncle purchased it, Scooter is now running the record label, and the Electric Mayhem is its featured artist. As was the case with Steven Tyler and the lads, the Muppet band and its fans need to hightail it across Los Angeles to get to a concert, so everybody piles into a tricked-out stretch limousine that’s actually a magnetically launched Vekoma coaster. Instead of “Love in an Elevator” and other tunes from the Aerosmith catalog, riders will hear classic rock tunes covered by Dr. Teeth and the gang as they hit 57 mph and encounter three inversions.

Share

Also at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, cadets will be able to go on a new adventure aboard Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run. And get this: The long-suffering “engineers” who were relegated to pushing buttons for no apparent reason in the rear of the cockpit will now be able to communicate with Grogu and choose to send the crew to either Coruscant or a Death Star in orbit around Endor. The updated attraction will launch Memorial Day weekend at both of the Galaxy’s Edge lands in Disney World and Disneyland to tie in with the debut of the latest Star Wars saga, “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” A reimagined The Magic of Disney Animation will open at the Studios park next year as well.

Over at the Magic Kingdom, passengers on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will be able to ooh and aah at colorful phosphorescent lights of Rainbow Caverns when they experience the rootin’ tootin’ ride next year. The new scenic elements recall the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train at Disneyland, which occupied the spot on which the California park’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad now sits. The classic attraction also inspired Calico Mine Ride at Knott’s Berry Farm, which still sends guests into its multi-hued caverns.

In Tomorrowland, guests on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will get to zap Emperor Zurg aboard new ride vehicles that will include monitors and new blasters outfitted with haptic feedback, colored beams, and sound. Along with “Z” targets that will respond when hit, the upgrades will provide an improved gameplay experience.

Might you be heading to Disney World or Disneyland next year? Of the new projects that will debut in 2026, what are you most anticipating?

Leave a comment

In the early days of Disneyland and Disney World, guests paid a nominal fee to enter the parks and then purchased individual tickets for the rides and attractions. The parks also offered books of tickets which bundled them together at a discount price. Disney graded its rides from “A” through “E” and offered corresponding tickets.

Those labeled “A” rides, such as the Fire Engine that traveled up and down Main Street U.S.A., were the lowest-tier and least expensive attractions. They were originally priced at 10 cents. Moving up the alphabet, the attractions were increasingly popular, sophisticated, and cost more to ride. An “E” ticket, which allowed admission to rides such as the Matterhorn Bobsleds and Pirates of the Caribbean, were the most coveted. When visitors used their ticket books, they would ration the “E” tickets carefully. First introduced in 1959, an E Ticket was valued at 50 cents (and admission to the park cost $4.50 for adults).

By the early 1980s, Disney phased out the use of individual tickets and instituted a pay-one-price policy with a jacked-up admission fee that included unlimited rides. Even though the tickets themselves are long gone, the term, “E Ticket,” endures. And it’s not confined to Disney parks. Any marquee attraction that aspires to theme park greatness, such as Epic Universe’s Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment or Danse Macabre at Efteling theme park in the Netherlands could be considered an E-Ticket ride.

Share

In addition to referring to the creme-de-la-creme of Disney attractions and park rides in general, “E Ticket” can also be used to describe anything that is considered to be among the best (or biggest, most exciting, etc.) of its kind. It’s a stand-in for descriptors such as “elite,” “headliner,” or as we are fond of saying in Massachusetts, “wicked awesome.”

By the way, nearly all amusement parks and theme parks used tickets up until the 1980s. Some would offer a pay-one-price option, but a pay-per-ride ticket system was the predominant business model. Unlike Disneyland and Disney World, many parks offered free admission and had an open-gate policy. Instead of using alphabet-coded tickets, most parks would vary the number of tickets it required to board its rides. Patrons might have to fork over one ticket for a low-profile kiddie ride, for example. It might take three tickets for a more thrilling flat ride, however, and five tickets to score a seat on a park’s signature roller coaster (its version of an E-Ticket ride).

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

There are still a handful of parks that use a pay-per-ride ticket system. They are mostly traditional amusement parks such as Knoebels in Pennsylvania and the seaside park, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in California. Those and other pay-per-ride parks do not typically charge admission to enter. In general, carnivals and fairs still use a pay-per-ride system as well.

In some ways, the ticket system could be considered more equitable for visitors who only want to get on a few attractions. Parents or grandparents, for example, may want to take their children or grandchildren to enjoy a park’s rides, but have no intention of boarding any themselves. Then again, the pay-one-price model allows ride warriors to cram in as many rides, E-Ticket or otherwise, as they can over the course of a day. For them, the elimination of tickets means they don’t have to keep reaching for their wallets, and they can get great value by paying once at the gate.

Interestingly, E Tickets have come full circle in a way. In addition to charging to get into its parks (and, as park fans know, it costs considerably more than the 1959 price of $4.50 these days), Disney now offers Lightning Lane Single Passes to reserve times on its most popular attractions, such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot. It’s not required, but without the optional pass, standby lines for the crazy-popular rides can swell to two hours or more. And like park admission, the prices for Lightning Lane Single Passes are significantly higher than the original E Tickets.

Have you ever visited a park that uses individual ride tickets? Would you prefer individual ride tickets to a pay-one-price model?

Leave a comment

Upgrade to Paid Subscriber

4.5 (out of 5)

It’s the perfect marriage of a ride concept to a story. What better way to immerse guests in the beloved world of Pixar’s film, Cars, than to plop them into revved-up vehicles, drive them into Radiator Springs to meet the talking-autos gang, and pit them against another carload of guests for a thrilling race-to-the-finish finale? In the hallowed tradition of Disney’s E-Ticket rides, Radiator Springs Racers delivers a grand-scale, gee-whiz, you-gotta-try-this-to-believe-it experience.

Read more

But Disney has announced that The Magic of Disney Animation will be returning in 2026. It will be located in the Animation Courtyard building at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that currently houses Star Wars: Launch Bay. Instead of a show and a tour, however, the reimagined attraction will be a multi-faceted experience that sounds as if it will be similar to the Animation Academy at Disney California Adventure.

According to Disney, the attraction will take inspiration from Once Upon A Studio, the delightful short in which the toons in the cels and drawings that line the walls of the Roy E. Disney Animation Building in California come to life after the humans skedaddle. The facade of the attraction will be designed to resemble the actual animation headquarters, right down to the oversized Mickey Mouse’s blue sorcerer’s that will adorn the building’s entrance. (The “Fantasia” prop was long a staple at the Studios, taking up a prominent spot in front of the Chinese Theater.)

Guests will be able to participate in a variety of activities, including the opportunity to sketch some of Disney’s classic characters alongside an instructor. There will also be a “Drawn to Wonderland” play area that will invite kiddos to climb structures, experiment with musical instruments, and explore sets fashioned after “Alice in Wonderland” concept art created by Disney Legend Mary Blair. In addition to her work on animated films, Blair’s highly distinctive style can be found in park projects ranging from “it’s a small world” to the towering mural which the monorail passes in the Contemporary Resort’s Grand Canyon Concourse in Disney World. As you might imagine, characters will be on hand to greet folks as well in The Magic of Disney Animation.

Disney will redub the Animation Courtyard as The Walt Disney Studios and make some aesthetic changes using its Burbank studio lot for reference. “The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure,” which opened in May, will continue to welcome guests during construction of the area as will the Walt Disney Presents gallery exhibit. The Disney Jr. show, which is geared to little kids, will close in September and offer a new version of the presentation when it reopens alongside The Magic of Disney Animation next year.

Share

In other Disney World news, the third iteration of Test Track opened at Epcot on July 22. It ditches the new age-y, vaguely “Tron”-like look of the most recent version for one that’s more rooted in the present day, albeit with plenty of high tech bells and whistles. Just before embarking on the outdoor speed loop that has always been the E-Ticket attraction’s hallmark, guests encounter a cool-looking scene projected onto an encompassing dome that depicts what transportation might look like in the future.

At the Magic Kingdom, the new Disney Starlight nighttime parade debuted in July. While it can be traced back to the classic Main Street Electrical Parade, its floats are outfitted with highly sophisticated LED lights reminiscent of Paint the Night. Among its highlights is an ode to “Peter Pan” set in London, complete with a shimmering Big Ben.

What would you like to see at a new take on The Magic of Disney Animation? Did you experience the original animation show and tour at Disney-MGM Studios?

Leave a comment

Upgrade to Paid Subscriber

4.25 (out of 5)

A landmark in interactive theme park attractions, Toy Story Mania takes ultra-flashy video game technology, embellishes it with 3-D graphics (yep, riders wear dorky 3D glasses), presents a game play experience that appeals to everyone from toddlers to the most experienced gamers, and wraps it all together using the engaging characters from the Toy Story films. The result is a giddy and highly addictive attraction that has nearly maniacal guests hell-bent on beating their ride-mates—and jumping back in line to trounce them again and again.

Read more

The grand dame is decked out for the party, although the embellishments are relatively understated. (No garish pink cake overlay for the castle or 25-story Sorcerer Mickey wand at this gala.) There are tasteful “Celebrate Happy” displays around the park–including a stylish 70 “brooch” mounted above the drawbridge on Sleeping Beauty Castle–as well as throughout the entire Disneyland Resort.

“Decor plays a huge part in celebrations connecting our past,” says David Caranci, manager, creative development at Walt Disney Imagineering. “We don't live in the past, but we honor the past.”

Speaking of honoring the past, the “it’s a small world” facade is the backdrop for Tapestry of Happiness. Developed for the anniversary, the nighttime projection show pays homage to Disneyland with visual odes to park mainstays such as the Main Street Electrical Parade, the railroad, and classic attractions, including the adored Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. At five minutes, the presentation is on the short side, but it’s packed with colorful scenes that really pop across the building’s wide expanse. Befitting the “it’s a small world” locale, the show’s designers took inspiration from Disney artist Mary Blair, whose modern art style informs the attraction’s distinctive look. There are no pyrotechnics to accompany the media, although there are synchronized lights and a zippy soundtrack that features the event’s “Celebrate Happy” theme song performed by the Jonas Brothers. Archival audio from Walt Disney (the actual man, not the company he founded) punctuate some of the scenes, including his inspirational remark, “We’re just getting started.” By the way, the landmark “it’s a small world” recently welcomed doll facsimiles of Miguel and Dante, from the Pixar film “Coco,” to the attraction’s ensemble.

Share

Another after-dark treat, Paint the Night, returns for the celebration. The parade features floats festooned with some 1.5 million LED lights. Themed to Disney and Pixar films that span many eras, the captivating procession showcases the lighting technology and the creativity and artistry that it inspires. Among the highlights is a massive Mack the Truck from Cars. His trailer sports a matrix of lights arranged in a three-dimensional grid that convey both movement and depth. Filled with wow moments, the final float is especially impressive. It presents an illuminated Mickey and his colorfully lit fab four buddies aboard a vehicle adorned with a trippy, psychedelic Mobius strip. Originally created for the park’s 60th anniversary, it’s great to have Paint the Night rolling down Disneyland’s streets again. It is a worthy, modern-day successor to the Main Street Electrical Parade.

Another returning nighttime presentation, Wondrous Journeys, fills Disneyland with grand-scale spectacle. The kiss-goodnight show, which includes fireworks exploding over Sleeping Beauty Castle melded with projections onto the castle and the buildings that line Main Street, U.S.A. is a tribute to Disney’s legendary animation studios. Originally designed for the Disney100 celebration, which debuted at Disneyland in early 2023, it pays homage to all of the company’s feature films, including “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Bambi,” “Encanto” and “Big Hero 6.” It is a satisfying tour-de-force that stirs emotions forged by our connections to the beloved source material. The projections can also be viewed on the “it’s a small world” facade and at the Rivers of America. The fireworks component is only available on select nights.

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

During the day, guests can see characters such as Genie, Pinnochio, Merida and some of her Disney princess pals, and others march down Main Street U.S.A. as part of the The Celebrate Happy Cavalcade. The teddy bear duo, Duffy and ShellieMay, lead the procession. Despite their Cape Cod origins, this Massachusetts native is only vaguely aware of the characters, which are especially popular in Disney’s Asian parks. (Although based on the crowd reaction, the stateside fan base for Duffy and ShellieMay is apparently growing.) “Cavalcades,” or mini-parades, debuted during the pandemic as a way for guests to see the characters from a safe distance. They seem to be sticking around, however. As the name implies, the perky procession is over before the party barely gets started.

The 70th celebration is in full swing, but the most anticipated experience–at least for me–won’t be available until July 17, 2025, the actual day of Disneyland’s 70th anniversary. That’s when Walt Disney – A Magical Life will debut at the Main Street Opera House. It will showcase the man who started it all and will feature a visit from Walt via Audio-Animatronics technology. While I understand that the notion of a robotic Walt Disney may be unsettling to some, I’m mighty intrigued by the concept and can’t wait to check it out. Along with the new show, there will be an exhibit about Audio-Animatronics as well as artifacts from Disneyland’s early years in the Opera House’s lobby. Also, a short film will be offered at the Main Street Cinema that will shine a spotlight on Disney’s legendary songwriting duo, the Sherman Brothers.

What Disneyland anniversary feature are you most looking forward to experiencing? Were you able to see Wondrous Journeys or Paint the Night when it first opened?

Leave a comment

And yet, if I’m really pushed, I will reveal that one park does, in fact, hold a special place for me: Disneyland. There are many reasons. As a young boy, I sat rapt in front of our family’s television on Sunday evenings to watch Walt Disney extol the virtues of his beloved park. I longed to visit the magical, faraway place and finally got the chance as a pre-teen to walk down Main Street U.S.A. That experience is etched in my memory and helped stoke my love for parks. It also was a seminal event that eventually led me to pursue this peculiar job.

Others may try to take credit, but Disneyland truly established the template for the modern-day theme park. (Fun fact: When it opened in 1955, the term “theme park” was not part of the lexicon; that came later as a way to distinguish Walt’s bold, new take on the amusement industry.) While much has changed through the years at Disneyland, there is still a palpable connection to the past with many original touches to be found. Because it is the only park that Walt had the chance to personally experience, his spirit seems especially present there. Compared to Disney’s other castle parks, its smaller scale makes it more intimate, charming, and approachable.

So it was a great joy to be there when the grande dame kicked off her 70th anniversary celebration last week. I’m pleased to report that Disneyland is as wonderful as ever and that its certain je ne sais quoi remains intact. It looks sharp with special anniversary decor sprinkled throughout the resort. While Disneyland Park is blowing out 70 birthday candles, younger sibling Disney California Adventure is joining the party as well with both parks offering new and returning shows, parades, and other experiences. For this article, let’s focus on the festivities at DCA. In a future missive, I’ll share the 70 soiree happenings I checked out at the birthday gal’s park.

One of the highlights of the celebration is “World of Color Happiness!,” an all-new iteration of the nighttime fountain and water screen projection extravaganza at DCA. The show reflects the “Celebrate Happy” theme of the 70th celebration, which acknowledges the famous line intoned by Walt Disney as part of his speech on Disneyland’s opening day: “To all who come to this happy place, welcome.” Before the official show begins, there is an uproarious safety spiel delivered by The Muppets. The nearly five-minute introduction is filled with the troupe’s trademark anarchy and silliness, including stern rejoinders from Sam Eagle and no-nonsense Joe the Legal Weasel that, of course, are duly ignored. Hey Disney! How about a full-length World of Color show featuring The Muppets? (By the way, Kermit and company are also celebrating 70 years of fun in 2025.)

Share

The main show is anchored by Joy from the “Inside Out” movies. Of course, along with happiness, a little rain must fall, so Sadness, Anger, Anxiety, and the films’ other emotions are also part of the proceedings, lending some pathos and other feelings to the otherwise jubilant presentation. “Tangled,” “Encanto,” “The Goofy Movie,” and other Pixar and Disney flicks get shoutouts as well. Bookending the show is an engaging rendition of “Rainbow Connection” sung by Boyz II Men, which is a great callback to The Muppets.

“We realized very quickly that our friends at Pixar had created the perfect team with the cast from ‘Inside Out’ to help tell the story and explain what happiness is,” says Jennifer Magill, senior producer at Disney Live Entertainment, explaining the brainstorm session she and her team conducted to develop the new show. “You can’t have happiness without all of the emotions, and the fun just started from there.”

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

As with all World of Color presentations (this is the seventh version of the show), it is quite grand, and really puts the “spectacular” in nighttime spectacular. It deftly capitalizes on soaring, richly hued fountains, resonant animated scenes, curated music, and other tricks in the show designers’ toolbox to weave an alluring story. It may have been the location in which I parked myself for the presentation, but my sightline was a bit compromised, with some of the action taking place beneath my vantage point. It didn’t help that in today’s phone-obsessed world, I had to peer above a sea of devices poised aloft to capture the show. For crying out loud folks, put down the phones and just be in the moment.

It doesn’t last long, but the Celebrate Happy: A Little Bit of Magic Every Night projection show that animates the Carthay Circle restaurant is nonetheless sweet. I don’t believe Disney is advertising showtimes for this; rather, guests will be delightfully surprised as they stroll past the building and see it spring to life. Tinker Bell is the star here, casting her pixie dust across the Hollywood icon proxy. The soundtrack is “Celebrate Happy,” an original song performed by the Jonas Brothers that can be heard throughout the resort during the celebration.

Subscribe now

Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!, a returning daytime parade, is rolling down the promenade at DCA for the 70th. Among the studio’s movies, it includes contingents representing “Up,” “The Incredibles,” and my favorite Pixar film, “Soul.” As the floats pass by, many have surprise characters on the back of them holding up the rear, such as Dug, the talking dog from “Up.” It’s a nice touch.

Joining the anniversary frenzy, Andy has slapped (digital) “70” and “Celebrate Happy” stickers throughout the carnival games on the interactive ride, Toy Story Midway Mania! (Note that the exclamation mark is part of the attraction’s official name, not an unnecessary grammatical flourish on my part.) The random targets enhanced with a “70” are worth more points; instead of 100, guests can nab 700 points, while a few coveted 1,000 targets yield 7,000 points. Tip: don’t bother aiming for the “Celebrate Happy” stickers. They may grab your attention, but they are worthless. As you might imagine, the point inflation leads to higher scores. I usually end up with a mediocre 100,000 or so total points on Midway Mania, but my score on the anniversary version topped 169,000. By the way, when the attraction opened in 2008, an Imagineer told me the screen-based, fully digital attraction could be easily transformed with holiday overlays and other changes. Until this 70th makeover, however, Disney had not offered any special editions.

It’s not a part of the 70th celebration per se, but a new show, Disney Junior: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Live! (yup, yet another exclamation mark), debuted at DCA’s Disney Theater when the anniversary event kicked off last week. The perky live show, aimed at young children, features Mickey and Minnie and their quest to gather Daisy, Pluto, and Goofy for a party. It beats me why Donald doesn’t get an invite. Grandparents and otherwise exhausted adults, take heed: Except for a few metal benches along the walls, there is no seating in the theater. The whole idea is to get kids up and dancing to the original tunes along with the performers.

Is the venerable Disneyland among your favorite parks? Did you know that the term, “theme park,” was not coined until after Walt’s park had been in operation a few years?

Leave a comment

As I reported on Tuesday, Miral, the United Arab Emirates company that operates the 15-year-old Yas Island theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, is aggressively expanding the property with a new, record-breaking roller coaster, other new attractions, and new lands at its existing parks: Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi, and the Yas Waterworld water park. It is buoyed by the resort’s performance, saying that it attracted 38 million visitors and a 20% attendance growth at the parks last year, breaking all records for the property. The new Disneyland Abu Dhabi would be Yas Island’s crown jewel.

Details are sparse. Speaking at a press conference in Abu Dhabi yesterday, Disney CEO Bob Iger, along with Miral and UAE officials, talked in broad terms about what’s on the way, but did not indicate a timeline for when the project would break ground and open, or any other particulars.

“As our seventh theme park destination, it will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways,” Iger said. He added that the park and resort would be “authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati,” which recalls a similar phrase the exec coined for Shanghai Disneyland.

The park and resort will be located along the waterfront at Yas Island. Because of the region’s harsh desert conditions, Abu Dhabi’s other theme parks are largely located indoors. There is no word whether the Disney park would also be housed indoors, although it’s likely. It’s difficult to tell from the largely impressionistic concept art, but it appears that instead of a traditional castle, this Disneyland may feature a whimsical glass tower as its focal point. Perhaps that will be part of the “contemporary architecture” that Iger referred to.

Share

It strikes me as a bit odd that Disney would share the spotlight at Yas Island with SeaWorld, Warner Bros. World, and Ferrari World. And while “resort” implies that the Disneyland property would include lodging accommodations and other amenities, Yas Island already offers seven hotels, including a Hilton and the upscale W Abu Dhabi.

Miral will develop, build, and operate Disneyland Abu Dhabi, while Disney will license its IPs, design the park, and provide operational oversight. This is similar to the arrangements Miral has with its existing theme parks. It is also akin to to the deal Disney has for Tokyo Disneyland, which is wholly owned and operated by The Oriental Land Company.

Disney’s surprise announcement could be, in part, a response to rival Universal, which has been on a tear building new parks and projects, such as Universal Epic Universe in Orlando and its new park and resort in the UK. Although Walt Disney World and Disneyland will be getting plenty of love as part of the company’s $60-billion investment in and expansion of its parks and experiences division, folks in the US would love to see an entirely new park added to either or both of its California and Florida resorts. However, it will be exciting to see Disney reinterpret its classic Disneyland park in a new locale, possibly indoors, and with today’s technology.

Are you as surprised by this announcement as I am? With Disney in the mix, might you consider visiting Yas Island?

Leave a comment

The park industry’s other big cheese, Disney, is in the early stages of an ambitious $60-billion plan to invest in new and expanded attractions and more across its parks and experiences division. What a time to be a theme park fan, am I right? Let’s run down some recent reveals from The Mouse and find out what it’s been up to with all that cheddar.

Disneyland Paris is transforming its second gate, Walt Disney Studios Park, into Disney Adventure World, with the changeover set to launch in 2026. The resort announced that the park’s reimagined indoor entrance plaza, which it is rebranding “World Premiere,” will welcome guests starting May 15, 2025. The Art Deco-inspired entryway will include a new quick-service eatery, The Hollywood Gardens Restaurant.

As I previously reported, World of Frozen, a new land similar to the Nordic outpost at Hong Kong Disneyland, as well as a log flume attraction in the vein of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure but themed to the “The Lion King,” will open as part of the expanded Disney Adventure World in 2026. A flat ride, Raiponce Tangled Spin, will be part of Adventure Way, the redesigned land in the park’s center. Now, the resort has announced that a second flat ride, which will be themed to “Up,” will be added to the area as well. According to concept art released by Disney, it appears this will be a standard carousel swing ride found at many amusement and theme parks. A number of manufacturers produce the spinning rides, notably Zierer, which calls its model the Wave Swinger.

Share

Meet your new Buddy at Walt Disney World

In other company news, Walt Disney World in Florida announced that the Tomorrowland favorite, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, will be closing in August and reopening next year with changes and improvements. The Magic Kingdom attraction will feature new vehicles that will be outfitted with video monitors to display passengers’ gameplay and new handheld shooters that will feature colored beams, sound, and haptic feedback to help guests better track their blasts and improve their scores. The attraction’s “Z” targets, which are currently static, will be tricked out to respond when passengers successfully activate them. Space Ranger Spin will also feature a new introductory scene featuring “Buddy,” a robot who will coach players as they depart on their intergalactic mission to help Buzz Lightyear zap Emperor Zurg.

The Florida parks have a number of developments it will be rolling out soon, including a new show, Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After, and the revamped The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure, both debuting at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 27. Later in the summer, the third iteration of Test Track at Epcot will rev up. The park’s new adults-only Spaceship Earth lounge, GEO-82, along with a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed tavern at the Magic Kingdom will begin pouring drinks later this year.

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

Before new tariffs were introduced and financial markets started going kablooey, the Disney parks had already begun offering special deals, even during the typically busy summer season. Now, forecasts that call for a challenging period in the travel and tourism industry have to be rattling all parks and attractions. Among Disney World’s latest offers: 50% off children’s (ages 3-9) park tickets; free dining plan with certain hotel packages; and discounts on select Disney hotel bookings.

Like me, have you had a hard time getting a decent score on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin? Will you welcome the attraction’s enhancements? This might warrant a separate article, but have US and world events, including shaky economic forecasts, had an impact on your plans to visit parks this spring, summer, and beyond? Might you take advantage of special deals like those offered by Disney World?

Leave a comment

Upgrade to Paid Subscriber

5 (out of 5)

When the original Pirates of the Caribbean debuted at Disneyland in California in 1967, the landmark ride was jaw-dropping and an instant hit. Decades later, it remains a beloved classic and still merits its "E-Ticket" status. In rare cases, sequels manage to outshine the originals (“The Godfather: Part II,” “Toy Story 3”). Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for the Sunken Treasure is one of those rare cases. The tour-de-force follow-up is jaw-dropping in its own right and takes its place among the planet’s best rides.

Read more

At the recent South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Texas, the company presented The Future of World-Building at Disney panel and offered a few more details about some of the developments. The latest installment of Disney’s YouTube series, “We Call it Imagineering” also provides some insights. Let’s dig in on some of the reveals.

The Monsters Inc. coaster will be an uplifting experience

Disney had previously indicated that a Monsters Inc.-themed roller coaster would be coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World. It will take over the park’s Muppets Courtyard. (Fear not Kermit and Miss Piggy fans. While the fate of Muppet*Vision 3D is unclear–although the company has vowed to preserve the film in some way–the furry gang will remain at the Studios by displacing Aerosmith as the focus of the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster.)

The Disney folks had also previously shared that guests on the new coaster would be invited into the Monstropolis factory to ride alongside Sulley and Mike Wazowski, mimicking the door vault scene from the original Monsters Inc. movie. They also indicated that the attraction would be an inverted coaster, which is an inspired use of the ride system in which the train hangs suspended from the track above. This will be the first inverted coaster at a Disney park.

What was revealed by Imagineers at SXSW was the wild vertical lift that passengers will encounter in the ride’s loading station. Guests will board the cars at ground level, and, similar to the scene in the movie, the train will be hoisted into the air and dispatched into the elevated door vault. It will be a dual-load station with one train lifting into position, while guests board a second train. The process looks fascinating, although it may be intimidating for those tending toward the squeamish side of the thrill spectrum. I’m guessing that the coaster itself will be more or less family friendly. (Disney tends to shy away from the more extreme rides of its rival, Universal.) Regardless, I’m also guessing that once guests reach the indoor loading station in the queue and witness the trains rising vertically, some of them are going to bail. But that won’t be the case for ride warriors like us, right?

Share

Get your Cars kicks off Route 66

We already know that the Rivers of America at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom will be drained (sigh) to make way for a Cars-themed area. It has been teased that a new E-Ticket attraction would take guests for a ride along dusty trails and over rugged mountains aboard the anthropomorphic vehicles. At SXSW and on the latest “We Call it Imagineering” episode, Disney divulged that the attraction would take the form of an off-road rally and that passengers would race over rocky terrain while dodging geysers and other obstacles. To simulate the experience, Imagineers are developing a prototype production vehicle.

“No one builds these in a factory because it has to do so much more than just carrying you from one place to another,” said Imagineer Michael Hundgen at the SXSW panel. “We have to create a car that conveys a feeling when you ride in it.”

“It allows us to put the emotion into the motion,” added Bruce Vaughn, Imagineering president and chief creative officer.

It appears that the ride vehicles may be autonomous and free roaming. This reminds me of the Dynamic All-Terrain Dark Ride that Orlando-based ride designer Dynamic Attractions introduced back in 2018. I don’t believe the company, which has subsequently faced financial troubles, ever produced the concept for an actual attraction.

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

Take flight with Tony Stark

Over on the other side of the country, Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure is expanding. For one of the new attractions, Stark Flight Lab, guests will have the chance to soar like Iron Man using the same kind of robotic arm technology that is featured in Universal’s Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. At SXSW and in the You Tube episode, Imagineers shared some peeks at what guests can expect when they visit Tony Stark’s gizmo-packed workshop. It seems passengers will zoom along a track using LSM motors (which sounds suspiciously like a roller coaster, albeit probably not a very fast one) and align with the robots. Each arm will couple with a two-passenger car, pluck it from the chassis, and lift it into the air for some acrobatic maneuvers.

Star Wars synergy

Changes will be coming to both of the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge lands at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. The company has already announced that it will be dropping its strict timeline orthodoxy and allow guests to experience the franchise’s multiverse when they visit the parks. For example, a young Luke Skywalker will be on hand to greet guests at the annual Season of the Force event that will take place March 28 to May 11 at Disneyland. Now, Disney says, guests will be able to go on an adventure with Din Djarin, AKA The Mandalorian, and Grogu aboard the interactive attraction, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run. Imagineers will be trading out the media for the new storyline, which will debut Memorial Day weekend 2026–the same time that a new “The Mandalorian and Grogu” movie will debut in theaters.

To what new Disney attraction are you most looking forward? How do you think more casual Disney fans (i.e., the GP) will react to the vertical lift for the Monsters Inc. coaster?

Leave a comment

Upgrade to Paid Subscriber

4.5 (out of 5)

“Lord Almighty, I feel my temperature rising,” crooned Elvis Presley on the soundtrack. What I felt rising, however, was my ride vehicle as it shot like a rocket to the top of the tower and lifted me out of my seat for the first of many bouts of free-floating airtime. Before I had a chance to catch my breath, I plummeted precipitously. It was a tough assignment, but it served a higher purpose: to help free the imprisoned Star-Lord, Peter Quill, and his intergalactic buddies.

I was aboard Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! at Disney California Adventure, the Marvel-themed E-Ticket ride that replaced the park’s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 2017. It repurposes the faster-than-freefall ride system and delivers what feels like even wilder thrills than the original attraction.

Read more

Perhaps the most intriguing attraction opening next year will be Walt Disney – A Magical Life, a new presentation at Disneyland’s Main Street Opera House. A film will chronicle the legendary showman’s extraordinary biography followed by–get this–a visit from Walt. The man who pioneered Audio-Animatronics (and theme parks themselves for that matter) will take the form of a robotic character to speak directly to the audience. It may be a tad unsettling to see the company founder and park namesake take the stage, but I’m all for Walt getting his Animatronic moment in the spotlight. According to Disneyland, after its initial engagement, the new show will share the theater with the long-running Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Disney’s depiction of the 16th president of the United States made its debut at the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair and was among the first Animatronic representations of a human figure.

The Walt Disney show will debut May 16, 2025, the same day that Disneyland kicks off its 70th anniversary celebration. When Walt spoke at the opening of his beloved park in 1955, he famously said, “To all who come to this happy place… welcome.” In his honor, the theme of the event will be “Celebrate Happy,” which is also the name of a new song that will anchor the celebration.

Disney California Adventure will tie into the joyous theme with a new nighttime lagoon show, World of Color Happiness! (I feel a need to point out that Disney inserts exclamation marks when it names many of its presentations; it is not any grammatical exuberance on my part.) Combining fountains bathed in vibrant hues, lasers, and a 19,000-square-foot water screen, the new iteration of World of Color will focus on happy scenes from films such as “Inside Out,” “Tangled,” and “The Lion King.”

Among other 70th anniversary celebration elements, all of which will launch on May 16, will be the return of Wondrous Journeys, the stunning nighttime castle show at Disneyland Park. It incorporates projections on Main Street U.S.A shops, the “it’s a small world” facade, and locales at the Rivers of America along with the focal point on Sleeping Beauty Castle. The high-wattage Paint the Night parade will also return to wind through Disneyland Park with 1.5 million LED lights adorning its festive floats. Speaking of parades, Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration! (exclamation mark alert) will make its way back to Disney California Adventure. The daytime procession will feature characters from movies such as “Up” and “Turning Red.” Disneyland recently opened its version of Tiana's Bayou Adventure, the update of Splash Mountain.

Meanwhile, over at Disney World…

Part of Disney’s $60 billion booty will be spent on a new Disney Villains land that will take shape beyond Big Thunder Mountain at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom in a few years. But visitors will be able to experience the wrath of the meanies in a new show, Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After, coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios in summer 2025. Maleficent, Cruella de Vil, and Captain Hook will lead the repugnant reprobates in the production that’s slated to kick off at the park’s Sunset Showcase theater in the summer. The Little Mermaid – A Musical Adventure will finally debut at the Studio’s long-dark theater in the Animation Courtyard. The long-delayed, revamped show, which is also set to launch in the summer, will feature songs such as “Part of Your World” from the classic film and will incorporate puppets along with live actors.

The third version of Test Track at EPCOT is set to rev up in late summer. Foregoing the otherworldly, sci-fi look and feel of the most recent take on the attraction, the update will return to the pavilion’s World of Motion roots and celebrate the automobile’s past, present, and future. In late spring, you’ll be able to nosh and imbibe at EPCOT’s Spaceship Earth Lounge. I’ve had the pleasure of dining in this space at private events in the past. The park will now be opening it up to all guests.

This summer, the Magic Kingdom will be getting its own nighttime parade, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away. From the looks of the rendering (see above), it appears the floats will incorporate the latest in LED light technology. In its day, the Main Street Electrical Parade was wonderful, but show lighting and effects have evolved dramatically since then. The Blue Fairy of “Pinocchio” fame will lead the procession and make way for toon titans from movies such as “Frozen,” “Moana,” and “Peter Pan.” Over in Adventureland, you’ll literally be able to drink up me hearties when a new Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired tavern starts serving grog in late 2025. Yo ho.

Finally, a new 4D theatrical presentation, Zootopia: Better Zoogether! (still not my exclamation mark), will take over the The Tree of Life Theater at Animal Kingdom, which previously was the home of (get ready for the exclamation mark) It’s Tough to be a Bug! The show, which will feature characters from the popular movie, will debut early in the year.

Well, the prognosticators were correct. Disney has revealed that Monstropolis will, in fact, be replacing the Muppets land. But the company did not try to put lipstick on a Miss Piggy about the fate of Jim Henson’s furry friends. In a heartwarming turn of events, the Muppets will remain at the Disney World park by bringing their infectious brand of fiercely funny anarchy to the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster. So, it’s time to bid farewell to Steven Tyler and the gang instead.

The news shared on the Disney Parks blog had few additional details. Repeating the announcement made at the D23 event, the headlining attraction at the Monsters Inc. land will invite guests into the Monstropolis factory to ride alongside Sulley and Mike Wazowski and an aerial conveyor belt of doors, mimicking a pivotal scene in the original movie. In an inspired move, the ride system will be an inverted coaster, in which the cars will hang suspended from the track above. Taking a cue from the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor theater attraction at the Magic Kingdom, laughter, not screams, will be what humans will be asked to provide to keep the power grid humming in Monstropolis. The land will also include character greetings, restaurants, and shops. Work is set to begin on the Monsters Inc. land some time in 2025.

Take advantage of the special holidays offer and subscribe to About Theme Parks.

Save 25% now

According to Disney’s blog post, the Imagineers plan to preserve the Muppet*Vision 3D film. My guess is that it might have limited runs at the Magic Eye Theater in the Imagination pavilion at Epcot, which at one time was the home of Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. The Muppet attraction first opened in 1991 at what was then known as Disney-MGM Studios. It was the final project overseen by Jim Henson, who died in 1990. Muppet*Vision 3D was also an opening day attraction at Disney California Adventure, but has since closed.

Am I sad to see Muppet*Vision 3D go? Sure. It makes clever use of the film gimmick, at one point purporting to break the 3D wall. It is also laugh-out-loud silly, even after multiple viewings. But let’s face it. The attraction has not been generating huge crowds. It was probably time to either update it or close it to make way for something new. The Monsters Inc. attraction, which will be the park’s third coaster, will surely be wildly popular.

Give a gift subscription

Disney’s stewardship of the Muppets, which the company acquired in 2004, has been spotty. Despite multiple attempts to revive the franchise, it has not been able to land on a winning formula. Folks of a certain age adore the Muppets, but the franchise would not seem to be as relevant among younger audiences. And that’s a shame. Finding the characters a new home at Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, however, is a cause for hope.

I’m a Massachusetts guy and love the bad boys of Boston, Aerosmith. But they are kind of an odd fit for a Disney park. “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)” and “Love in an Elevator,” two songs that are played on the ride’s onboard speakers, are a far cry from “It’s a Small World.” The aging band has announced its touring days are over, and it’s long past the time for a refresh of the launched coaster. So as much of a fan as I am of the group and as sad as I am to see Muppet*Vision 3D go, moving the Muppets over to Sunset Boulevard and onto the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster is more than just a conciliation to me. It’s kind of a genius move.

Share Arthur's About Theme Parks

Music has long been an important part of the Muppets’ shtick. From the concept art above, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem will likely be featured in the attraction. (It also appears that Aersomith’s black super-stretch limos may be converted into groovy, tie-dyed Muppet-mobiles.) Disney says that A-list performers will also be along for the ride. I suspect there could be a storyline, which will involve a music festival, that might use the sudden launch, high speed, and inversions of the coaster to capitalize on the Muppet tradition of turning good intentions into utter calamity. That would be in the spirit of the “something goes horribly wrong” ethos that drives most great theme park attractions.

The high-profile ride will put my beloved Muppets into the spotlight, where they belong. For me, that conjures a sweet emotion.

Are you sad to see the Muppets film and land close? What do you make of Disney’s decision to move the Muppets over to Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster?

Leave a comment