Now, its time to do a list. That’s right, another list. This list covers the best attractions Magic Kingdom has to offer. These attractions offer the best in terms of overall theming, quality, amount of details, and lasting appeal. These are 15 places I will visit once, maybe more, every time I visit the park. Will you agree with this list? Most likely not, but I honestly don’t care, because I am right and you are wrong. That’s just the truth. Here are the 15 things you must do while walking around the Magic Kingdom.
#15: Walt Disney World Railroad
Despite it not actually being an attraction, it does offer a hintage of Disney magic. There’s just something special about an old-school train, and Magic Kingdom is one of the few places that allow you to experience this classic mode of transportation as many times as you want with little wait. You can sneak behind Adventureland and hear the jungle noises, sneak past Big Thunder and catch the funny details, or get a grand glimpse of the Contemporary Resort as you travel back to Main St. USA. Plenty of beautiful scenery, and at just a nice speed, I always have to visit the railroad at least once.
Fun Little Tidbit: Try to catch the Hidden Mickey while passing by Splash Mountain
#14: Tomorrowland Speedway
Okay, so it hit #4 on attractions that definitely need a change; but what about the first time you technically were able to experience driving a vehicle in real life? As a child, this ride is a childhood dream come true: driving around a beautiful park and smashing into other people that are driving much too slow. The sound of the engine blazing as you zoom past 5 miles an hour just enhances the experience. Then let’s add to the fact that you can see technically 3 different parts of the park while driving: Fantasyland, Toontown Fair, and Tomorrowland. Even if you do drive real cars, can’t miss the chance for some nice snapshots.
Fun Little Tidbit: For a challenge, try driving the entire darn thing without ever hitting the side rails. Good luck.
#13: Philharmagic
I am not a major fan of those 3-D movie things, but this one makes an exception. Blending beautiful music with some clever 3-D effects, Philharmagic is easily one of the best new attractions of this decade.
Complaint: 4 of the 6 movies featured did not have Walt Disney’s touch. On Philharmagic 2, let’s dwell into the past a bit longer, shall we?
#12: Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor
So it might be in the wrong section of the park (Personally, I think it should be in Fantasyland). So it might be absolutely silly. So it may be quite possibly the corniest comedy club in the history of the planet. Nonetheless, it’s fun, entertaining, and has an immense amount of guest interactivity that may pave the way for a new type of attraction invading theme parks for years to come. Unlike Turtle Talk, guests actually have a chance to hog the spotlight and be the star for just a few moments. Unlike almost all the attractions on this list, each visit to the Laugh Floor can post all sorts of different results. Especially if you wind up being “That Guy.” Perhaps when technology improves even more and Disney does actually start caring more about the Walt Disney World parks we’ll see a truly amazing experience out of this attraction. In the meantime, it’s the 12th best attraction you’ll find in Magic Kingdom.
#11: It’s a Small World
Disney and this attraction go hand in hand like Hispanic rice and chicken. The oh-so-happy tunes, the lovely music, the amazing details, and the overall sugar-coated cheerful theming makes this the best location to visit when feeling the least bit down. Just like what Horizons and Spaceship Earth tries/tried to do at Epcot, It’s a Small World hands Magic Kingdom its overall optimistic theme. The ride likes reminding you that underneath the tough exterior of the world, underneath the hatred and drama, there’s a world of people that care about each other and only want what’s best for their neighbor and the overall environment. This is indeed true, but the media loves drama, and we can never see the definite beauty of this world. Lake Buena Vista and Orlando is a representation of what the world should be; all sorts of different people from different backgrounds and different lands blending and living life together with little/no issues. Most of the violence you hear about the Orlando area actually occurs as you leave the realm of the Disney tourism area. Is that a coincidence? I think not.
Complaint: Disneyland got a recent revamp of this attraction. Where’s ours?
#10: Splash Mountain
Heh, one of the three major mountains of Magic Kingdom at only #10? Yea, this list is going in directions you won’t believe! However, considering that you’ll find no other Fantasyland attraction on this list, this is a tough list to be able to qualify for in the first place. Splash Mountain’s main draw is the huge drop towards the end; but my personal favorite moments in the attraction are how you are thrown into a totally different world, with a story unfolding right in front of your eyes. So while I haven’t seen Song of the South yet, I pretty much know one half of the tale. Don’t let that big drop fool you, there are plenty other drops in Splash Mountain; there’s just one that will allow for you to be soaked to the core. During the summer, this is definitely the one place to visit.
Fun Little Tidbit: This remains the only Disney attraction based off of a work that Disney shuns on a daily basis
#9: Swiss Family Treehouse
Shut up, so the one area that has no wait whatsoever has a spot on the list. The Swiss Family Robinson tree is easily the least appreciated area in pretty much all of Disney World. Let’s just conjure out the details; the entire tree itself was built by Imagineers. Taking up a quarter of Adventureland, this is an area in which you can go at your own pace, you can choose which parts to see and which to skip altogether, you can find awesome views of the castle and other areas. You aren’t being driven around; you choose when to enter, when to leave. There is only one other attraction in Walt Disney World that does a better job at this, and you’ll see it a bit farther down in this list. In the meantime, deal with it; the Robinson Tree is ranked higher than Splash and it’s a Small World. Deal with it. I am a sucker for details.
#8: Jungle Cruise
Originally, this was going to not show up on my rankings at all, because its success depends on the skipper. If you have a horrible skipper, than there’s a good chance you are going to dread the entire ride. Nonetheless, I gave it a pass because of its ability to offer something different and new every time. And we can’t forget the details and ability to throw you into another world full of hilarity, unexpected surprises, and dangerous creatures. Having a hilarious skipper would be icing on the cake. Even if he/she is a total failure, you can’t help but marvel at the dozens of different plants in the ride, the dozens of animatronic creatures, and backside of water. Where else are you going to see the backside of water?
Fun Little Tidbit: Look around at the props; they contain heavy references to Pleasure Island.
#7: Carousel of Progress
One of the few locations with Disney’s actual touch, the Carousel of Progress is a slightly dated, yet incredible achievement in sound, puppet work, robotics, music, pacing, and mechanics. Guys, the entire stage literally moves. If you sit there and think about it, the Carousel represented what Disney wanted out of Tomorrowland, and represents what eventually became Epcot; Walt Disney’s dream of the future. If there is an example of how much Disney loved this country and what he wanted out of it for mankind, this attraction is it. Featuring a beautiful song and a timeless theme about progression in the human race; there’s a special place in Disney enthusiasts’ hearts reserved for this location.
Fun Little Tidbit: The main character is voiced by the writer of A Christmas Story.
#6: Tomorrowland Transit Authority
NOW APPROACHING SPACE MOUNTAIN. The Transit Authority may represent how badly the higher ups backed off the original theme of the “land,” it remains a great place for relaxation, beautiful sightseeing, and a nice overall glance of the busiest section of the park. The vehicles run at a smooth pace, keep you away from annoying crowds, and allows you to see which attractions are busy and which ones can warrant a visit in a short amount of time. Last but not least, you get a nice view of Space Mountain.
Fun Little Tidbit: There is another attraction that uses the ride technology of the T.T.A.: the rather quicker Rockin’ Roller Coaster.
#5: Pirates of the Caribbean
Unlike the bandwagon jumpers of today, I was a fan of the attraction way before the 2003 movie respawned interest in the attraction. There’s just something about the subtle blend of comedy, adventure, and horror that surrounds the 10 minutes of extravagant details, incredible audio-animatronics, and superb musical score. From the queue line (that features all sorts of lovely details and Easter eggs) to the timeless dog-holding-the-key gag, Pirates of the Caribbean is a very unique dark ride that captures the imagination and spirit of a rough-n’-tough time period. The newer version of the ride isn’t half-bad either, especially the clever bit with Davy Jones.
Complaint: More injustice; the Disneyland version contains one more drop and at least two extra scenes.
#4: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Usually on my visits to Magic Kingdom, my first stop in Frontierland is the fun, bumpy, clever, and wild Big Thunder. From the soundtrack, to the warning, to the sounds, to the little details, Big Thunder oozes the theme of the Wild West. Featuring crazy hops, fun little drops, and some of the best turns in any Disney roller coaster, the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is wild enough for the roller coaster fans, but not too wild so that the little tykes can enjoy it just as much. Like I have always said before, its one epic grand finale from perfection. Fix up the third act of the ride and you have yourself one of the Top 10 roller coasters of not just Disney, but of all of Florida.
Complaint: More Injustice Vol. 2: Disneyland’s version is faster.
#3: Tom Sawyer Island
Rumor has it this is the only attraction Disney ever personally actually designed from the blueprints to the final design. Combining the excellent details we expect from the Magic Kingdom with a heavy sense of exploration and curiosity; Tom Sawyer Island is a lovely gem of Disney magic that just begs for more respect, a bit more fixing, and an opportunity for more exposure. In Tom Sawyer Island we have a playground, 3 caves, a fort, multiple places to sit and relax, at least 4 bridges, two places to play checkers, multiple photo opportunities, and the only full, perfect view of the Haunted Mansion. Also coming in at #3 is the also-avoided Mark Twain Riverboat that creeps its way around Tom Sawyer Island and into many parts of Magic Kingdom most guests don’t even know exist. The next time you visit the Magic Kingdom, if you hadn’t visited Tom Sawyer Island, do yourself a favor and spend a couple hours there, get to know the environment better, and catch a whiff of some true exploration.
Fun Little Tidbit: We at least beat Disneyland on something—they no longer have this attraction, they have Pirate’s Lair instead.
#2: Haunted Mansion
Like previously stated, I am a sucker for details. However, it just doesn’t get any better than this attraction in terms of theme and details. Examples of its quality storytelling: the trees surrounding the mansion are all dead, most of the paintings in the ride have eyes that follow you wherever you go, the lights constantly flicker, the tombstones, the one tombstone that comes alive at random intervals, and of course the slew of Hidden Mickeys. The mix of horror, mystery, and comedy has made this a staple for all Disney parks, and the recent additions actually improved the ride even more. Even in the alternate entrance, the Haunted Mansion keeps its theme by using flickering lights, sets of keys, and other miscellaneous stuff.
Then there are the neat visual effects you can find everywhere, from the paintings that present two different images, to the endless hallway, to the clock that has only the number 13 and has a gigantic hand shadow creeping on top of it. That’s just a little sample of what you can find in this funhouse. While Walt Disney wanted the Haunted Mansion to be an area to walk around and explore (Like Tom Sawyer’s Island), there’s no way he can be disappointed in the result of this gem. Predating the cheap scares of Halloween Horror Nights is the creepy house in the corner of the Magic Kingdom that’s full of surprises.
#1: Space Mountain
Walt Disney was obsessed with the future of mankind and space, the final frontier. Examples of this can be found in classic/now extinct attractions like Mission to Mars, the entire section of Tomorrowland, his plans for Epcot, his television specials about space, and of course, this masterpiece. Space Mountain, originally an idea by Disney himself, expanded upon its simple idea and stormed to Magic Kingdom years after the park had opened. Lurking inside the mammoth structure is an intense dark ride that tests your imagination and delivers some of the best thrills in any Disney attraction out there.
The architecture alone is startling; it’s beautifully futuristic, there really isn’t another way I can describe it. The blend of pearl white with shades of blue from the outside makes it a sight to see, even from the miles-away Transportation and Ticket Center and Polynesian Resort. It always looks better than the castle, even at night (with the exception of Christmastime). Then there is the queue line, which blends melancholy images of deep, deep space with relaxing music known simply as Star Tunnel. Approaching closer to the ride you’ll see more images of space; ranging from space stations to the planet Mars. As you make it to the end of the queue, there are images of asteroids flying around, the T.T.A. trotting along behind you, and the rocket ships above you flying around in seemingly blistering speeds.
The ride itself is two minutes of bumpy fun. After a period of blue lights, you lift up, and then blast off in a series of twists, turns, drops, slowdowns, bursts of speed, and constant close calls with other rocket ships, the T.T.A., and the ride itself. Then during the post show, you get a small glimpse of what might be the plot/story of the entire attraction; which are astronauts collecting fossils to be sent back to a near-future Earth for study. In the meantime, there’s epic music blasting in the background, congratulating your survival and arrival to your destination.
Space Mountain is the best attraction in the Magic Kingdom because of its epic scale, old-school thrills, excellent music, and optimistic theme about the future of space travel. While the structure may seem simple and even a bit dated, there honestly isn’t another attraction in all of Florida quite like Space Mountain; as a matter of fact few have even tried.
In April of this year, the attraction finally gets its long-deserved update. So the best attraction of Magic Kingdom gets an upgrade. With the success and quality boosts of Haunted Mansion and Pirates, one can only ponder about what they will do to this technological, architectural, and engineering work of art.
Only time will tell.
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