#54 - Magic Kingdom Snack Carts

Category: Restaurants
Category Rank: 8

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 21

We go to Magic Kingdom for the first time, though as you can see, it won't be the last.  We actually will be spending over a third of our time on this list in that park, as it brings the most memorable sights and sounds from the World.

And we should say, smells as well.  Our next entry is once again a snack item, but unlike the other three on our list, this one's biggest selling point is the smells wafting from it.  They are the Magic Kingdom Snack Carts, and their periodic placement around the park help place those lovely aromas everywhere.

While the carts sell a variety of different items (ice cream bars, popcorn, cotton candy, frozen lemonade), our favorite item is the cinnamon-glazed almonds.  These roasted nuts and the popcorn especially can be smelled from a long ways away, and are the perfect late-night snack.  More cinnamon-sugar than nuts, I'd say, the nuts offer a great salty-sweet taste.

I mentioned we were creatures of habit when it came to our snack credits.  Magic Kingdom is the one park that we don't always do the same thing when it comes to snacks, so the temptation is to put this snack much lower than the other three snacks.  However, we are ranking the restaurants, not the snacks, and the carts bring something extra to this equation as well.  The old-time carts couple with the fresh smells to bring that relaxed sense of small-town America in the middle of this bustling amusement park.  Nostalgia.

We will stay in Magic Kingdom with our next attraction, featuring a slow-ride with a famous narration that has been around since the opening of the park.

#53 - Jungle Cruise

Category: Slow Rides
Category Rank: 9

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 20

Our next item in our list is the infamous Jungle Cruise.  This is an entry that many would put higher, maybe even top ten.  It has been around since the park inception and has built up quite a following over the years.  Weird Al Yankovic took his shot at the Jungle Cruise through parody:



Essentially, the ride is a trip around a river with a few scenes from the "wild" of the world's dangerous rivers.  There are pythons and rhinos and headhunter natives and such, all animatronic.  But the ride is not about the animatronics; it is about the Skipper's Spiel.

The entire spiel is a scripted monologue of the corniest jokes (we are from Iowa, so they apparently were made special for us).  Here's a list of the bit.   Or if you prefer, here's the entire thing:





As mentioned, the exhibit's longevity and cult following make it a well-known WDW attraction.  For us, it finds itself behind other Magic Kingdom items like the Tiki Room, Pirates of the Caribbean, and It's a Small World, though.  The attraction was enjoyable the first two times we visited, but it has lost its luster a bit being so repetitive, and we don't always go on it.  Which, doesn't scream nostalgia very much.

For #52, we go back to our interactives/memorabilia category, looking at an item that every person staying at a WDW resort gets.

#47 - Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom

Category: Interactives/Memorabilia
Category Rank: 4

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 19

I wasn't quite sure if our next item should count for our list, or whether it was considered a "thrill".  Nor was I sure whether it was truly nostalgic or not.  Most of our interaction with the event has been on the thrill side (we only did it on our last family trip, and it was more of a thrill for our youngest two children).  It remains to be seen if our family treats this as nostalgic.

For those not sure what this is, the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is an interactive scavenger hunt within Magic Kingdom.  There is a bit of backstory, as Merlin from the Sword in the Stone is recruiting you to help track down the notorious bad guys of Disney movie fame.  Their ringleader, Hades, is attempting to take over the Magic Kingdom by reassembling the Crystal of the Magic Kingdom.  To accomplish this task, you sign up for the adventure at the Main Street firehouse, where you receive a pack of spell cards.  Then you go to different interactive portals hidden within the storefront windows (usually) in the different lands, waving your identification card to activate the next part of the story, and using one of the spell cards to ward off the bad guy.

The idea of interactive role playing games (RPGs) is a new feature being implemented within theme parks over the past decade.  The goal is to create appeal for age groups that might not have appeal otherwise, and to be an attraction for repeat visits.  As a collectible card game, the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is very appealing to both genders, but especially to 2nd thru 5th grade boys, who might not find much of the park that exciting, given its proclivity of rides for young children and princesses.  Plus, it is an activity that you don't undertake the first trip to Disney, when there are so many new things to explore.  We hit it on our fourth family trip.

Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom is also not the only interactive role playing game either.  At Animal Kingdom, there was a Wilderness Explorer game where you can earn badges like Russell from Up.  This only appealed to our youngest daughter, but it made what could otherwise be a boring day at Animal Kingdom going on foot trails with Grandma "who has to see the parrots", she was able to madly scramble around the park to fill up her badge booklet.  She was not successful as account of not enough time, so she still has it, and if age hasn't caught up with her, she will tote it out for completion on our next visit.

At Epcot, there is the Agent P game, which was boring for our youngest, but incredibly fun for our two oldest, and me as well.  Though I'm not a Phineas and Ferb aficionado, I know enough about them to know that they have a very wry sense of humor throughout the cartoon.  The interactive game, where you are seeking to foil Dr. Doofenschmirtz's dastardly plots, is woven into the Epcot World Showcase experience so beautifully that scenes you had taken completely for granted come alive (e.g. we did something to shoot off a projectile that goes into the huge volcano on the back mural of the Mexico pavilion, causing it to erupt... and for all this time, we thought it was just a volcano).  There are some other games that we haven't played yet as well, so this isn't the all-encompassing list.

I'm picking this item for a few different reasons.  It is representative of the RPGs in general, and since it most closely connects with the most nostalgic area (Magic Kingdom) and Disney characters, I more readily pine for WDW when thinking about it.  Plus, it truly fits the "memorabilia" portion of this category, as you keep the cards that you get when you go in.  This includes special cards for events like the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.

I'm also picking it because it has the promise to be symbolic of greater things to come for the parks.  This was our first interactive scavenger hunt game that we did, and Disney is actively trying to step up both these and interactive queues to improve the experience.  We can see many more of these added in the future.

But, I'm really picking it for one special event.  As I made this list, I thought about how big an impact first impressions made on me, as many of our firsts appear near the top of our list.  As I mentioned, the first go-round playing this game was so much fun for Zach and Hannah that I was having the time of my life despite it being the fourth trip.  We were in Magic Kingdom, not riding on rides, and still having quite a bit of fun.  How does this happen?

We were in Frontierland by the Liberty Boat ride doing our interactive spot, where we were waiting for two elderly ladies (mid 60s by my estimation... my apologies if the adjective elderly does not apply there) were playing with it.  We at first thought they were having trouble with the game, as they were just standing there, and so Zach attempted to show them what to do.  They smiled and said, "Oh, we know.  We are just deciding which of our spells to use on Dr. Facilier."  Then they showed us this binder full of plastic-sleeve-contained cards that they were using, containing at least 500 cards.  Yeah... you could say they were fans.

We followed them around (there are only so many spots in the hunt, and more often than not, they had us going to the same spots.  At one point, they asked us what cards we had, being this our first time, and they traded us some neat ones for some of our duplicates (giving us a 2 for one deal in the process).  In other words, they made our kids day.

What drives a couple of elder ladies (my apologies again) without kids to come and enjoy a game designed for 10 year olds to the point of amassing a huge collection?  #47 on our list does.

Speaking of interactive queues, we hit a queue for our first time at #46.  It features a ride that was remodeled a few years ago, and went from our biggest disappointing ride on our first trip to one of our favorites.  The new queue is a big reason why.

#41 - Frontierland

Category: Park Ambience
Category Rank: 6

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 18

We are finishing up our second set of ten (and our first third, for those who love fractions).  We are heading to Magic Kingdom, which will be a common occurrence.  Over the next 25 or so items, half of them will be in Magic Kingdom (!).  During this time, we will also be hitting many of the common staples of Disney World nostalgia--the slow rides that have been around for decades.

First, though, we return to our park ambience category.  The Magic Kingdom features seven lands that sit around the central hub castle.  Each park has its own ambience of course, featuring architecture, music, foliage, shopping experiences, attractions and even roaming characters all in period costumes.  This is, of course, one of the neatest things about the Magic Kingdom experience--walk into a new land and get a whole new world.

Frontierland is one of my favorite lands in the park... perhaps my second favorite.  The land is an L-shaped area that goes primarily along the riverboat waterway, before the shorter leg goes alongside the two mountain rides.  For being a long area, it is fairly devoid of attractions.  After you leave the twin mountain rides, the only thing along the path is the Country Bear Jamboree (which is easy to miss, both accidentally and intentionally).  There are some venues for special events, as well as a few western-themed shops and the Pecos Bill restaurant.  Also, there is the Westward Ho food cart, which always is pumping out great aromas.  The end of the land butts into Liberty Square and the Haunted Mansion.

WDW's lands are more than just period pieces.  Each helps reinforce those common themes that Disney attempts to portray.  Frontierland hearkens back to America's love of the Wild West, including the 50s when cowboys were the popular cultural item (to be replaced by astronauts in the 60s, as seen in Tomorrowland).  Again, the land takes the patron back to a simpler time, one where Mark Twain characters would be comfortable.

One thought that runs through my mind as I walk through this area is that people are a lot more relaxed over here.  I feel like Tomorrowland is a high hustle and bustle area (though nothing compares to the castle area during peak times), while Fantasyland is chock full of stroller carts and whiny kids.  Perhaps it is the lack of attractions, but this is one of the two places in the park where I feel you can get a nice leisurely stroll.

The other thing that really relaxes you is the waterway.  There isn't much water in the park other than the waterway here.  While it is tempting to credit the boat ride as being the nostalgic attraction here, the reality is that the boat ride is a major disappointment.  It is only the boat being part of the water and the surrounding view that makes one reminisce, and I credit that to Fantasyland.

Our next stop is a seasonal activity in Epcot, one that lasts seven weeks in the fall, and one we experienced for the first time on our last trip.

#39 - Enchanted Tiki Room

Category: Shows
Category Rank: 3

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 17

It is at this point that I need to mention an album that I love.  It is from Disneyland, not Disney World, but most of the songs work for both (and I have made a shortened playlist out of the key songs anyways).  The CD is Disney's Happiest Celebration on Earth, and I've got to admit, many hours have been spent listening to it, thinking happily about our next trip.

I mention it because many of the items on this list get an extra boost just by being on the album.  This is true of #39.  The Enchanted Tiki Room is an animatronic show of music that has been around since the inception of the park.  It features singing birds as well as singing other creature types.

The show itself has been passed over by other attractions at Magic Kingdom, as shows are often sparsely filled (unless it is raining or unbearably hot, where the show like the Hall of Presidents offers a great break).  No one is coming to the park because it is there.  However, that puts it in good company on this list.  Being an original attraction, there is something that feels distinctly Disney about it.

We mentioned the different themes of WDW, especially in Magic Kingdom.  There is the gentle laziness of the small midwestern town, the root-toot-tootingness of the Wild West wilderness, the progress of the future in Tomorrowland, and the magical nature of Fantasyland.  The Tiki Room gives us that wild adventure in exotic locales.  We of course saw that in the Jungle Cruise earlier, and the Tiki Room provides that with the exotic birds of the South Pacific tropics.

From the perspective of relativity, this attraction has always been not as significant to us as others, like Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, or even Haunted Mansion.  Adventureland as a whole seems to pack less "Disney!" punch than the many of those other lands.  So, this attraction is a bit low on our list.

Still, it is an original attraction at Magic Kingdom and it couples the catchy music with quite a bit of humor, so you will see it higher than the run-of-the-mill slow rides like Peter Pan or Winnie the Pooh.

Our next attraction is a slow ride from Magic Kingdom as well.  It too has been around since the inception of the park, and it doesn't feature a Disney character like the ones listed above.  In fact, it is often a forgotten ride, or one that a person takes only when desperate for a chance to rest their feet.  Still, it is a favorite of our family's; we go on this ride every year to get a good glimpse of the park.

#38 - Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

Category: Slow Rides
Category Rank: 8

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 16

In what might be a common theme, we have another attraction within Magic Kingdom that people commonly use to take a break from the other crazy attractions and their accompanying long lines.  This one is our first attraction in Tomorrowland, and it is another original attraction from the park's opening.

The Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover has undergone two different name changes over the years, but the ride remains basically the same.  It is a narrated 10-minute trip in an open-air train-like shuttle throughout Tomorrowland.  It includes going into the Space Mountain complex and seeing that ride in the dark, which is a unique experience.  That is, until you also go into the Buzz Lightyear building as well.

This ride is one of the many original attractions that was also at Disneyland.  The concept of a PeopleMover is right in line with the "Progress toward the Future" theme, even with its inception back in the 60s, and has spawned likewise innovation to be dubbed PeopleMovers too (like at the airport).

I mentioned in my last post I didn't include Peter Pan in this list, which many would think should have a place.  Another that wasn't included is Dumbo.  There are, of course, many more slow rides that I won't include, but I think those two are probably the most likely to raise eyebrows (or, eyebrow, if there is truly only one person reading these posts).  So, what justification do we have for including this ride over these other two?

Yes, Kathy, it truly is that fun to ride!

Part of the issue is, of course, I don't feel a strong connection to either of those slow rides.  They aren't particularly enjoyable and that comes after typically a ridiculously long line (you could do the Aladdin Flying Carpet ride for the same experience in half the wait time).  In my opinion only, those rides have gotten by on reputation more so than any thrill of the attraction or any nostalgic quality.  I certainly don't eagerly anticipate riding them on my day at Magic Kingdom.

Of course, that view is probably in the minority.  There is a long line for a reason at those, so I rightly expect both of those rides to be in the top 30 on other people's list (Dumbo, maybe even top 15).  That's okay with me... again, I'd be interested in reading someone else's list.

Picture taken by Hannah (caption mandated by Hannah)

The other factor in this is that, for me at least, WDW has this paradoxical quality.  It is one of the busiest, craziest places on Earth, where all these individuals are vacationing at the same time.  And yet, there are these pockets of places where you can relax and enjoy.  Relaxation and enjoyment are common threads through all of these items on this list.  And yet, ironically, the relaxation is an illusion.  In many cases, the events and attractions are unbelievably crowded.  However, Disney has somehow structured the queue, the environment, and the attraction itself to create that sense of peace and calm that come with relaxation.

I don't get that sense on Peter Pan or Dumbo.  Those rides always seem too short, especially for the wait, and I get off with the sense "That was it?".

The PeopleMover, conversely, is a very relaxing ride.  You typically can walk right on it, and it gives you an overhead view of all the attractions in that area.  Which, in turn, builds your anticipation for those rides as well.  In all, the PeopleMover is right about even with the Tiki Room, and thus is right next to it in our rankings.  Maybe it gets a slight nod because it moves.

We move back to the "Rest of the World" with #37, and much like the mugs, this one is sure to cause quite a bit of head-scratching.  Our next item is our favorite food court in all of WDW.

#34 - The Laugh Floor

Category: Shows
Category Rank: 2

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 15

Our next item is truly an innovative attraction that you wish Disney would do more of, the interactive Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.  The Laugh Floor is essentially an improv comedy club featuring CGI projections of monsters on a screen and overlaying performers' voices as they interact with the audience.

The backstory for this attraction is that we humans are entering the monsters' world post-Monsters, Inc (the movie), where "scream power" has been replaced with "laugh power".  Before entering the theater, there is a short background movie that is pretty enjoyable to watch, featuring Mike Wazowski having a bit of banter with the giant slug Roz.  Once you enter the show room, you are treated to a little bit of situational humor, as a spotlight randomly selects audience members and highlights them with silly phrases like "Hides a third eye", "Is surrounded by monsters" (Kristen's designation), "Feels the need to get up and dance", and "Is treating the audience to churros".

Mike then comes out as the "monster of ceremonies" and introduces acts, while keeping an eye on the meter that gauges how much laughter we have made.  We cannot leave until the can is full, which always is luckily right on time, so the next audience can come in.

The show lasts 10 minutes in length and features 3 sets.  There will be a two-headed act that will do a sketch on weird geography facts (their name will be something like "Mac and Cheese" or "Sam and Ella").  Then, there will be a monster named Buddy Boil who will do a mind-reading exercise.  And finally, Mike's cousin Marty will come out and read jokes that audience members have texted in (we have had a couple featured on the show).  With each act, the show does a great job of interacting with the audience, reinforcing that this is a live and unpredictable show, and rolling with the punches that the audience provides.

Depending on how your feel about comedy shows, this could be one of your favorite attractions, like it was for us after our first visit.  Unfortunately, while it remains a live improv event, it relies on the same acts each time, and the jokes get recycled.  It is more fun for us at this point to see how the audience reacts then it is to see the act itself.

In this respect, it is like the Kilimanjaro Safaris; an item that could have easily qualified as a "thrill" attraction on your first visit, but one that slips into nostalgic attraction after a couple of visits.  We still will go to the attraction every time we are in the Kingdom, because it is a fun time and enjoyable to reminisce.  For our family, that puts this attraction right in the same spot in the list with the Safaris, slightly above the PeopleMover and the Tiki Room that haven't been must-see attractions, but below the other items in the Magic Kingdom coming up.  The show, being a newer one, hasn't had the time to build up the sense of nostalgia that Pirates of the Caribbean or Its' a Small World have.

We return to our Interactives/Memorabilia category for our next item.  This one is one of the more famous interactive activities within the World, becoming big at the turn of the century and remaining popular even today.  For us, there was one trip to the world where we were obsessed with it, but it has fallen a bit as we have gotten older.

#28 - Pirates of the Caribbean

Category: Slow Rides
Rank: 6

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 14

I mentioned earlier that there is an album I enjoy listening to with songs from the park attractions.  Though the album is from Disneyland, most of the attractions are present in WDW, and mostly at Magic Kingdom.

We come up to our next attraction that is true of that list, the Pirates of the Caribbean.  Pirates has the unforgettable tune "Yo Ho! A Pirate's Life for Me" as its featured selection, which has subsequently found itself in just about any pirate-themed movie or show Disney has to offer.  This was the last ride designed by Walt Disney himself, opening in Disneyland 3 months after his death.  And of course, it is the ride that has an actual human skull in among all its fake skulls (not to gross you out or anything).


The ride itself is a slow boat ride, and happens to be a pretty dark ride for most of the way.  There is one small drop in the ride, but it doesn't qualify to make it a thrill.  The ride features animatronics of pirates in different scenes, including a cannonball fight (with "explosions" coming pretty close to your boat), the raiding of the pirate-town Tortuga, pirates stuck in jail, and a few other favorites.  The ride itself is fairly uneventful, and would probably be in the "Imagination with Figment" wing of popular WDW items (read: no one riding it) if the movies had not come along.

But, come along they did, and the extremely successful movie franchise brought more visitors to the ride, as well as the placement of new characters from the movie.  Davy Jones, Blackbeard, Barbosa, and of course, Captain Jack Sparrow all are now seen in the ride, thus making this ride a favorite for 8-12 year old boys.

Pirates of the Caribbean brings up the question of animatronics, those animated "wax-sculpture" like figures made to move in limited movement, over and over.  When a person moves past a display of these characters, it recreates the storyline, which probably was pretty novel back in the 1950s.  But, with the advent of better video displays and 3d technology, it looks really old.  Contrast the new Ariel ride in Fantasyland with the Harry Potter Journey into the Forbidden Forest ride.  Yes, the latter has quite a bit of motion and simulation in it, but the ride cleverly sprinkles in animation at key points in the ride, whereas relying on it.  It is a much more immersive experience.

Disney will probably be the last stand on animatronics, as it hearkens back to the glory days of the parks.  I have difficulty imagining Pirates of the Caribbean or any of the animatronics rides (Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh) as being immersive or intense.  So, in my opinion, there's really only two ways to look at rides like that:  1) a nostolgic trip back to when amusement parks were simpler times, or 2) an eyesore that you simply want to avoid.

Pirates is one of the few rides I put into that first camp, and the movies help put it there for others as well.  I enjoy an educational sight-seeing ride like Living With the Land more than Pirates of the Caribbean, but Pirates is definitely more nostalgic.

One interesting thing to consider is how big "pirates" have become within the Disney magical experience.  We know about the magic of "princesses" and "fairy tales" for girls.  Boys have been treated to different magical experiences, be them spacemen (Tomorrowland), cowboys (Frontierland) or pirates (Adventureland).  In fact, the area of Adventureland itself was supposed to bring to life the adventurous feel of South Pacific islands as well as jungle areas, but the pirate motif has taken over.  There are seminars on how to act like a pirate there every day, as well as the opportunity to do a male makeover into becoming a pirate.  Pirates were just a Peter Pan thing at one time, but now they are big on the cruiselines in addition to other parks.  For that reason, a ride that has no close connection to classic Disney characters becomes one of the most nostalgic rides in the land.

Our next item features pirates, as well as skeletons, ghosts, and quite a few different things.  But this seasonal event is not scary in the least.

#27 - Mickey's Boo-to-You Parade

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 4

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 13

Our next entry will require us to make several distinctions.  The Boo-to-You Parade, the Halloween-themed parade, is a staple of the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (NSSHP).  The inclusion of a parade on this list requires us to determine what category it should go in, and if it is separate than the party itself.  I've gone with "seasonal" for the category, since it is only available at certain times during the year, and it is definitely different (and much better) than the typical Disney parade.  I could have gone with "show", since if a typical Disney parade makes this list, that is where it would be categorized.

I also decided to separate it from the party, which will have a separate spot on this list (spoiler).  While the party will also be categorized as "seasonal", it essentially would be an ambience, given the decorations and overall atmosphere present in the park.  Therefore, other seasonal shows (such as the Villains Castle show) would have their own separate spot on this list, but activities that are not attractions (i.e. trick or treating) do not.  Yeah, that's probably way too much thought on the rules of a made-up list, but if I don't have rules, I have nothing.  Well, except for achy knees.  I always have achy knees.

Anyhoo, this entry is about the parade.  I was under the assumption that the parade went on in Magic Kingdom throughout the Halloween season, and not just on party nights, which would be another reason to separate the two.  However, I'm not sure that is the case, as I haven't found the parade listed anywhere without being connected to the NSSHP.  For all my readers, please feel free to use the comments to let me know the truth on this.  Also, for all my readers, please do not steal the blankets tonight in bed.  (You see... this is a joke, because I have only one reader... ha... I love jokes).

In general, parades suck.  They really do.  I am getting grumpy in my old years, but I have always detested parades.  Sitting out in the heat on an uncomfortable picnic blanket getting baked, all while watching a super-slow procession of vintage vehicles and farm equipment is not fun in any setting.  Also, having kids kill each other over Tootsie Rolls thrown out by some Pork Princess, and having every politician in the state walking around, milking the event for airtime and causing a huge backup... also not fun in any setting.

Disney parades are different, however.  There is no candy being thrown out (a good thing, in my opinion).  The time is short (20 minutes), and the vehicles keep great pace.  You can take them or leave them, and there are plenty of places along the path to get a good view.  Plus, they have actual music, performances, and worthwhile "floats".  Granted, I don't look forward to WDW for the parades and in general avoid them, but I far from detest them.

The seasonal parades are different even more.  These actually have holiday-themed floats and music.  While Disney performers in general are very professional, they still seem to "get up" more for this event.  The Boo-to-You Parade features many of the things you would expect in a Halloween parade (skeletons, ghosts, pirates, etc), but all presented in charming, family-friendly manner.  The parade starts with a ride by the Headless Horseman (of Ichabod Crane fame), and several of the villains get top billing on floats.

There are several sets of performers that are quite fun to watch.  You can see chimney sweeps from Mary Poppins doing a number with their shovels, causing sparks on the pavement.  There are also a set of dancing ghosts from the Haunted Mansion ride, including the 3 Hitchhiking Ghosts doing a strange robotic dance on a float.  It is like an animatronic, being performed by a real performer.  My favorite is the skeleton band that performs near the end of the parade.  All of this is set to a song that doesn't grate on your nerves (check out the Electrical Parade for an example of grating).

Overall, this is a fun event, and it screams Disney.  They have the ability to take items like Halloween monsters and make it family friendly without being cheesy.  This is definitely one of the better attractions in WDW, and would rank even higher if this list was of my favorite attractions.  It loses a bit in terms of nostalgia, mainly because we were introduced to this parade on just our last visit.  Still, it will be hard to experience Halloween now without reminiscing of the park.

Since we have Halloween on our minds, we will stay in this vein with our next attraction, a slow ride from Magic Kingdom with another catchy tune, and 999 haunts as well.

#26 - Haunted Mansion

Category: Slow Rides
Category Rank: 5

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 12

We finish up this Halloween corner of our list with the Haunted Mansion.  This ride has much in common with Pirates of the Caribbean (hence their proximity to each other on the list).  And, as we mentioned in the PoC post, this is a ride whose animatronics keep it in the nostalgia category, and out of the cheesy category.  Actually, I would go so far as saying this is the best animatronic ride that there is, as the animatronics in the dim light and the overall scenery actually help it look more spooky.  Typically, animatronics stand out a mile away, and these tend to blend in with all the other effects.

If you have not been on the ride, it first should be said that this ride is not scary.  Spooky, perhaps, but singing ghosts is, again, a truly Disney family-friendly spin on Halloween.

Speaking of singing ghosts, this also features a song from my favorite album, and one that is very much under-appreciated by my family members (just sayin').  Grim Grinnin' Ghosts is synonymous with the ride, and you can't hear the song without reminiscing about it.  How cool is this song?  I present to you VoicePlay:





Yeah, that's pretty cool.

This ride has too many neat items to point out in this post.  There are lots of effects, such as the floating head in the bubble, the murdering widow portraits with her dead husbands, the hitchhiking ghosts at the end, and the singing busts, all of which make you say "Hey, I remember where that is on the ride!".

As I mentioned before, if we were ranking overall rides, this would be my top of the slow rides, with maybe one exception (depending on how you categorize it).  In terms of nostalgia, though, the top four slow rides will be tough to beat, and the Haunted Mansion doesn't bring much else other than the fun of the ride in terms of nostalgia (it certainly doesn't bring a good movie, unlike Pirates of the Caribbean).

It does, however, serve as the primary attraction in another of Disney's themes.  We have mentioned themes like "When You Wish Upon a Star Fantasies", "Progress towards tomorrow", "One World of Cultures" and "Becoming One with the Environment".  We also mentioned the Great Outdoors, the Adventure of the Jungle, the Relaxation of Small Town USA, and the Relaxation of the Deep South in New Orleans.  The small, but very present "Not-So-Scary" theme is just as important.  Disney always works with evil villains.  Yet, they find ways to make evil villains not so scary for young kids.  The playfulness of scary elements can be seen in attractions like NSSHP, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan.  But nowhere can you find them better displayed than Haunted Mansion.

Speaking of themes, we really have not talked about Disney's most iconic theme very much, the "When You Wish Upon a Star" theme filled with fantasies and princesses.  We do so in our next entry, as we revisit our park ambience category to look at the newest of Magic Kingdom lands.

#25 - New Fantasyland

Category: Park Ambience
Category Rank: 5

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 11

It has been a while since we hit the park ambience category (here's a reminder of what that entails).  We had last hit on the ambience of Frontierland within the Magic Kingdom, known for providing its sense of the great outdoors in conjunction with cowboy culture.

Our next selection will be an interesting one.  We select the New Fantasyland area from Magic Kingdom, higher up on our list than Frontierland.  We aren't selecting the old Fantasyland area, either.  If the point of the list is nostalgia, it seems an odd selection to go with the land of the Magic Kingdom that is the newest.  What gives?

As close as I can get to Be Our Guest is stock images

First, let's talk a bit about the land.  The "expansion", as it is often referred to, was first proposed at Disney's D23 expo in September of 2009.  Construction then took place from 2010 all the way to 2014, when the final piece (the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train) was finally released.  The new area adds 11 acres of new space to the park.  It also came at a cost of about $500 million.''

This land primarily features elements for Beauty and the Beast and for the Little Mermaid.  There is a Little Mermaid slow ride and a grotto for picture-taking for the latter.  For the former, there is the Beast's castle in the background, the Be Our Guest Restaurant (which we hear is amazing, but we still have not been able to see after several trips), and some shopping areas such as Gaston's Tavern.

Speaking of which, Gaston is quickly becoming the main attraction.  His overbearing personality makes him a favorite for guest visits.  Here are two of his greatest hits:








There are many more from Youtube worth watching.  The expansion also features the aforementioned Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and a redoing of the Toon Town Area, as well as moving around a few other items (like Dumbo, and a new Princess greeting area).

So, why does the new Fantasyland appear on a list of the most nostalgic items?  There are several reasons.  First, this area is the biggest new area to take place since our start at the parks (Christmas of 2009).  That in of itself makes it special for us, seeing as we saw the before/during/after of that development.

Plus, the new land is really beautiful to look at.  Many people have been disappointed with the Fantasyland Expansion given that it was a response to the new Harry Potter area within Universal.  But, the land does many things well.  It is wide open and expansive, but also natural in the use of rocks and vegetation.  It also utilizes the new interactive queues on the Little Mermaid and Seven Dwarf Mine Train.  In many ways, this is the future of Disney World ambience creation.

Additionally, Fantasyland is the area that the Magic Kingdom (and Disney, for that matter) is most synonymous with.  We have several other big hitters coming up (the Castle, the Monorail, the Golf Ball), and this land is up there with them for other people.  The fact that Disney was able to take the land and improve it without tarnishing the nostalgic tradition.

We continue in our Magic Kingdom mini-run with another nostalgic ride, one that debuted at the 1964 World Fair in the General Electric exhibit.  It fits in the "slow ride" category because it does move (around and around, and actually getting somewhere), but it could be categorized as more show than ride.

#24 - Carousel of Progress

Category: Slow Rides
Category Rank: 4

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 10

We finally made the top 10 at Magic Kingdom, and our next one up definitely fits the bill of nostalgia.  In fact, it is nostalgia about nostalgia, if you will.  Meta.

The Carousel of Progress debuted at the 1964 World Fair in New York.  It then went to Disneyland for a while before being moved over to the Magic Kingdom, where it has stayed since the park opening.  According to multiple reports, this was Walt Disney's favorite attraction, and the one he wanted to stay open forever.

The ride itself barely qualifies as either a ride or a carousel.  You sit in a 240-seat auditorium, which faces the center of a giant ring.  You then rotate to six different scenes within the ring.  Or rather, the whole ring rotates (hence the "carousel").  Each scene depicts another place in history:

• Scene 1 - Loading
• Scene 2 - Valentine's Day - 1900s
• Scene 3 - 4th of July - 1920s
• Scene 4 - Halloween - 1940s
• Scene 5 - Christmas - Modern Times
• Scene 6 - Unloading

The Modern Times section has been updated many times throughout the years, adding additional technology as it becomes mainstream in the culture.

Each of the scenes is acted out by animatronic characters of the same family.  They don't age as they go through the scenes; it is as though they are simply transported from one to another.  Whereas the animatronics we saw in Haunted Mansion aren't as pronounced, the animatronics here won't fool anyone.  They are classic animatronic characters, moving in their semi-robotic gestures and generic mouth movements when speaking.

The Carousel of Progress is, in many ways, a strange ride within the park.  It has no thrills whatsoever (even Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean have a little thrill factor).  It also is not tailored for little kids like It's a Small World, Peter Pan, or Winnie the Pooh.  It is primarily educational, and often the educational rides are reserved for Epcot, or maybe Animal Kingdom.

There is really only four different reasons you would go on a ride like this: 1) You've gone to the park 6 times and you say "We've got to try out this ride", 2) It is raining, 3) You are doing the WDW46 challenge, or 4) You love nostalgia.  Because of this, typically this is a walk-on ride without any lines (just wait for the next show to start).

However, it is surprisingly good.  At least for our family, we have quite enjoyed the story, the reminiscing about times in the past we weren't alive for, and of course, the song.

Yes, once again, another attraction from Magic Kingdom buoyed by the song on the Celebration CD.




You have to love that song, in conjunction with the album art... straight out of the past.

So, what about its place on this list?  If a person is serious about creating a list of top events, Carousel of Progress would have to be on it.  Not only is it an original attraction, but it also holds the record for the longest running show with the most performances ever.  Couple that with being Walt's favorite, plus it being classic animatronics and about nostalgia itself, and this is a must entry.  This item is the centerpiece item for the "Progress Towards Tomorrow" theme for Disney.

However, its place on the list will range.  Some might have it extremely high on this list.  We've lowered it a bit for two reasons.  One, while we like the ride considerably, you will see a change starting with #21 on the list towards activities that are special primarily to us as a family.  The Carousel of Progress was not an attraction that we visited for the first 4 trips we took, so it loses out.  Plus, few people think of the ride synonymously with WDW like they do Dumbo or It's a Small World.  In fact, few people think of it at all unless they are at the park.  For this reason, we put it down a bit as well.

We are up to #23 next, and it features are top nostalgic show in the entire list.  This 4D show is also at Magic Kingdom, and we'll discuss the "First Day" concept as well.

#23 - Mickey's PhilharMagic

Category: Shows
Category Rank: 1

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 9

We hit the top nostalgic show within Disney World.  This comes with a couple of caveats, of course.  The top shows within WDW all qualify as thrills (Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo: The Musical, the stunt shows, Illuminations, Fantasmic, Celebrate the Magic, and Wishes).  And, there are other items that are "show-like" that fall under different categories (like the Carousel of Progress or the parades).

Regardless, PhilharMagic is an excellent show, utilizing the 4D technology we looked at earlier.  The show features many classic tunes from movies, such as "A Whole New World" and "Be Our Guest" just to name a couple.  The story follows Donald Duck, who is attempting to set up the orchestra for Mickey, the conductor.  He utilizes the sorcerer's hat to "enchant" the orchestra instruments to come alive, where they immediately get out of hand, causing him to lose the sorcerer's hat.  In the process of retrieving it, he wanders through different scenes of different movies, singing their popular songs, until the end where Mickey recovers the hat and conducts the finale of the orchestra.

The use of classic characters, scenes from movies, and music all make this show perfect for the Magic Kingdom.  Given the composition of the movie, I suggest this one to be much more memorable and nostalgic than the other 4D shows within the world.  Actually, not only the 4D shows, but also other shows like the Laugh Floor or the Tiki Room.  Plus, this show outpaces other nostalgic rides within Magic Kingdom that we just looked at.  Indeed, while #23 might not seem that high up on the list, it sits on the precipice; the list takes a dramatic change at #21 towards items that are mostly nostalgic because of what they mean to our family more so than the general public at large.

That last thought makes this next statement a bit ironic.  PhilharMagic actually does have a valuable place in the Abbey Disney experience which buoys the ranking a bit.  I'm going to refer to it as the "First Day Effect".

Our first day at WDW as a family was December 23, 2009.  It happened to be Hannah's 4th birthday, and while the day was pretty cold (high was high 50s), the Minneapolis we left from was below zero.  Needless to say, our first trip was so magical that we have made it an annual occurrence since then, taking grandparents along the way, and even seeing Kristen and I go there for our "romantic getaway".  I'm going to attribute a lot of this magic happening on that very first day.

We arrived in Orlando at 12:30, checked into the Port Orleans Riverside, and made it over to the Magic Kingdom at about 2:30.  From there, we ate at a restaurant (that will be pretty high on this list), and went to several attractions.  It happened to be an Extra Magic Hours night, so even though we woke up at 4:00 am, we ended up staying at the park until 1:00.

This first day was an unbelievable day for our family.  Hands down, it was our best day ever at Disney.  Everything was new and wondrous, and the Team Members were all so helpful and happy to be there.  Each one of us were having so much fun without any stress, or fighting.  I truly cannot remember another day like that... certainly none on vacation.  And, yes, a week of being together helped create some times where we got on each other's nerves a bit, it still was a rarity for the week.  We just had fun there.

The items we did and experienced on that first day are therefore extra significant to our family and will always stand out.  We happened to visit the "left side" of Magic Kingdom, not really going into Tomorrowland at all.  And even today, we tend to like the items on the left side more than the right.

Wheezy is Two Steps from Hades.  That's an inside joke just for our family.

I've labeled out the items that I consider "First Day Attractions", that have extra significance because of that first day.  PhilharMagic happened to be one of those events.  I can still remember Hannah sitting on my lap for that show, enjoying the food coming out to her during the Be Our Guest scene.  Hannah's too old to sit on my lap anymore (regardless what she says), so it is memories like those that persevere.

We are going to hit one last attraction in this general area that we have been in, before we begin hitting the attractions that have extra significance to our family (be them favorite places to eat, places to shop, or special activities to do).  Our next attraction is another one that will probably be on everyone's list, and typically higher than a #22 ranking.  It is another classic attraction that debuted at the 1964 World's Fair, but unlike Carousel of Progress, this one is much more famous.  Though to some, the song is much more annoying.

#22 - It's a Small World

Category: Slow Rides
Category Rank: 3

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 8

It should be no surprise that the iconic "It's a Small World" ride made the list.  For many, the question will be why is it so low.

Perhaps a better question would be, why is this ride and the past 6 or so entries different than Dumbo, Peter Pan, or the Tea Cups, 3 other long-lasting iconic rides that don't make the list at all.  We asked the question before, and now is a good time to come back to it.

Part of the "nostalgic" equation is that a ride has that sentimental feel to it that comes from a long history within the parks.  Another big part is the personal experience that we have had with the attraction as well.  While "thrill" isn't a consideration, the rides still need to be enjoyable.  And, some very iconic rides lose out because of this.  We also mentioned that attractions get an extra buoy from the "First Day Effect" or having a famous song attached to the ride.  And, attractions also get buoyed by how well they connect with the "themes" of Disney World (including the ones they are synonymous with).

Here is where those three rides lose out.  The three rides are nothing I consider significant; they are extensions of existing movies.  Rides like It's a Small World and Carousel of Progress (and Haunted Mansion/Pirates of the Caribbean for that matter) have had to exist on their own, not piggy back off another character.  For this reason, any upcoming Frozen items will have a hard time making the list, unless the experience is extraordinary.  Furthermore, those rides feature long waits for limited excitement, and in all honesty, the experience could be fairly well replicated at different parks (in fact, Universal has done so with spinners and spinning cup rides).  When you couple in that they don't benefit from the first day effect, and that Kristen got sick being in the proximity of the Tea Cups... yeah, they aren't that special to us.

It's a Small World is different, though.  It definitely is not a thrill ride, but the experience is not something that any park is going to replicate.  Much like Carousel of Progress, it is synonymous with its centralized theme (the "we are all one big world" theme that Epcot's World Pavilion strives for).  It has the song attached to it as well, which is actually much more innovative than those who think it is insidious repetition would believe.  I would posit that It's a Small World is the top slow ride for nostalgia for most the world.  Why else would Dreamworks, when mocking Disney, choose that song to spoof in Shrek?

It just isn't that special to us.

Again, it isn't an annoying experience, like the long lines or the motion-induced sickness of the other three rides have been.  We go on It's a Small World on every visit because we do like it.  But while it has everything else going for it above, it is just one of many not-significantly-special attractions to us.  And since our list is shifting as the top 21 all will have special significance to us, It's a Small World ranks about as high as it can here.

Though, I've gotta admit, we do like this shirt of Zach's.

Okay, we have been building up throughout this list for the big shift starting at #21.  We are now ready for that big shift.  And, our first one is an actual, honest-to-goodness restaurant (no fooling you with some other food option).  This one is a classic... just be sure to ask for the ketchup.

#17 - Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 3

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 7

We come to our 2nd parade in our list, the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade.  This parade takes place during the holiday season (November-December) at Magic Kingdom, and is a feature of the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  The parade starts off as a nighttime spectacle, but eventually has shows during the day as well.  That was the case when we went for our first day back in 2009.

Much like the Boo-to-You parade, it contains many festive floats, as well as several marching groups.  The tin soldiers, for example, are one of the better attractions in the parade.  But, you also have the dancing ice-cutters from Frozen as well as skiing elves.  Mix in all of your favorite characters from the movies, and you have a great time.

To give you a rating, this parade is great, much better than the regular parades, which in turn are better than the everyday parade.  And, no, not everyone loves a parade, but whereas I find the regular Disney parades somewhat tolerable, the Christmas parade is a must see.  But in all honesty, it isn't as good as the Boo-to-You parade, which is more innovative and a better song to boot.

So, why does this one rate 10 higher than the superior parade?  The main reason is the significance to our family.  Shortly after we arrived on our first day at the park, we ate and then wandered a bit.  At that point the parade was starting.  In essence, this was our very first attraction in all of our Disney experience.  I can still remember our location from within Frontierland (on the river side), with Hannah on my shoulders at the time so she could see the floats in the parade.


Those first few moments of any one's first Disney trip are the most magical, beholding the park for the first time.  Adding that to the magic of the holiday season, and you have quite a special event.  It is hard to think about Christmas without remembering that day.

We come back to our restaurant category, and we have yet another table service restaurant at #16.  This is also a favorite of ours that we have visited many times, and you will see a striking resemblance to the overall experience that Whispering Canyons provides.