Which Rides Would Walt Disney Have Loved?
Walt Disney and a mouse created all the wonders that have driven The Walt Disney Company for the past 100 years.
Sometimes, I like to examine the Disney theme parks today and imagine how Walt Disney would have responded to the latest attractions.


Photo:visitorlando.com
I guess I’m asking, “Which rides would Walt Disney have loved?” Here are the eight attractions that sprung to mind.
Na’vi River Journey


Photo: Disney
When Walt Disney envisioned The Happiest Place on Earth, he segmented the concept into several stories.
Disney would tell each one via an entirely different themed land. In theory, they would transport guests to faraway places full of inconceivable sights.


Photo Credit: The Verge via Facebook
That description fits Na’vi River Journey like a glove, doesn’t it? Even better, Walt Disney loved his little boat rides.
Na’vi River Journey elevates that concept in a way that wouldn’t have been possible in Uncle Walt’s lifetime.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure


Photo: Disney
As a reminder, Walt Disney built his entire career around small, furry creatures, starting with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit.
Later, Disney achieved even more success with Mickey Mouse, who is arguably the most recognizable pop culture character ever.


(Matt Stroshane, photographer)
What would Walt Disney love? He’d treasure the thought of shrinking to the size of a rodent and experiencing life from that point of view.
Seriously, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure would bring Walt Disney soooo much happiness. Oh, and he’d marvel at the ride carts, too.
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
I suspect that Walt Disney’s first trip to EPCOT would prove bittersweet, as he realized his final dream didn’t quite come to fruition.
Still, much of the park itself would dazzle him. He’d relish the knowledge that his dream for a daily World’s Fair had become a reality.
Also, the thought of thriving pavilions, several of which highlight infotainment and the world around us, would please him.
Specifically, I suspect that Disney would excitedly roam the grounds of The Seas with Nemo & Friends and ask many questions about its operations.
Eventually, Disney would board the ride itself. When he did, he’d realize that his Imagineers had ultimately perfected the family friendly Omnimover ride.
That knowledge alone would warm his heart.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train


Credit: Disney
Nobody believed that Disney could create a feature-length animated film, much less turn it into an extraordinary blockbuster hit.
For that reason alone, Walt Disney held a soft spot in his heart for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs until the day he died.


Image Credit: Disney
How happy do you think Walt would be when he reached the end of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and saw the characters happily dancing together?
On top of that, Disney would also be happy because the mine cart itself provides a ride experience unlike any other. The motion is unique.


Photo: Disney
During his lifetime, Disney rode a few roller coasters and mine cart rides, but he’d gasp in awe at the twists and turns of this one in particular.
Soarin’ Around the World


Soarin’ Over California
This ride would have delighted Disney’s founder for two different reasons.
As a world traveler, Uncle Walt would have adored the unprecedented perspective of Soarin’.


Soarin’ Around the World DCA
The ride structure provides a bird’s eye view of some of Earth’s most impressive landmarks and natural wonders.
Just as importantly, you can fly like Peter Pan! Since Walt Disney adored this character from childhood, he’d relish the sensation of flight.


Photo: Disney
After all, in 1955, Disneyland tried to recreate that sensation with Peter Pan’s Flight. Soarin’ is that concept taken to its logical extreme.
Spaceship Earth


Heart of Te Fiti
Disney’s amazement over this attraction would exist in two forms.
First, he’d gaze in awe at the structure itself. A fan of architecture, Disney would likely have tons of questions about the building’s creation.


Photo: visit orlando
Once Imagineers explained the finer points of building a giant tee ball in the sky (and on swampland, no less), he’d want to take a ride.
That’s when Disney’s amazement would double. He’d realize that his successors had recreated the entirety of civilization inside an architectural marvel!
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance


Credit: Disney
Walt Disney wouldn’t need to know anything about the Star Wars universe or its characters to admire this experience.
A devout lover of the idea of outer space travel, Disney had built several rides along those lines, like Mission to Mars and Rocket Jets.
Similarly, Disney had both created and watched the 1950s sci-fi films that are now on display in all their splendor at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant.
So, nothing about Rise of the Resistance would have required additional knowledge.
Instead, Uncle Walt could have simply soaked in the amazing attraction in all its splendor.
Can’t you picture his face the first time he entered the hangar area and came face-to-face with an entire room of Stormtroopers?
Toy Story Mania!


Toy Story Mania
All Walt Disney really wanted in life was a safe place for families to play together.
To his credit, the entrepreneur created such a place for generations of theme park fans.


Photo: Disney
Nowadays, we expect family fun whenever we visit Disney, but Uncle Walt wouldn’t have any idea how far his idea had expanded.
He’d delight in Toy Story Mania!, which is basically a street carnival game elevated into a digital experience.


Photo: Disney
Since Walt Disney would have no baseline for what an arcade game is, he’d be mesmerized by the ingenuity of the technology.
Oh, and Disney would have as much fun as the rest of us do as we try to get the best score in our ride cart!
I suspect that Mr. Disney wouldn’t score well in that first round, but he’d have a glorious time!
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror


Tower of Terror
On the one hand, the existence of this attraction would have confused Walt Disney.
Remember that he lived until late 1966. The Twilight Zone had already become a part of the national conversation by that point.
In fact, the show had already completed its original run by then. Walt Disney would have known of it.
Ergo, when Disney saw that attraction today, he’d question how Disney gained control of the intellectual property, which he would have known as Paramount’s.


Photo: The Orlando Real
Then, Disney would experience a second surprise the first time he entered the Tower of Terror, but his confusion would work in reverse.
When guests ride this attraction, they know it as a drop tower experience. Disney would have no understanding of the term.


Photo: Touring Plans
So, the part that surprises us, the moment when the elevator cart detaches from the shaft, wouldn’t stun him as much as what came next.
When the attraction went dark and then threw him into free fall, that might be the moment when Walt Disney fully appreciated the progress in his industry.


Photo: LA Times
Twilight Zone Tower of Terror does things Disney wouldn’t have even known possible. All the while, it packages the immersion in an IP Uncle Walt would know.


Photo: MickeyBlog
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