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Thread: More Mouse: My Disney Top 5 - Walt Disney World Dark Rides

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    More Mouse: My Disney Top 5 - Walt Disney World Dark Rides

    My Disney Top 5 - Walt Disney World Dark Rides by Chris Barry

    Chris Barry is back with another Disney Top 5.

    Read it here!


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    Peter Pan's Flight has always been my favorite dark ride. Nothing since it opened in 1971 has ever superseded it in my heart. I'm not a big Pooh fan but I do enjoy the attraction. I wish the MK's Fantasyland had more dark rides. AT DL I'm in dark ride heaven with Peter Pan, Snow White, Pinocchio, Mr Toad and Alice in Wonderland all there a few feet apart waiting for me! I found the MK's Little Mermaid attraction to be so underwhelming. What a disappointment, imo. I haven't ridden DCA's Little Mermaid since the refurb...

    John

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    Quote Originally Posted by carolinakid View Post
    AT DL I'm in dark ride heaven with Peter Pan, Snow White, Pinocchio, Mr Toad and Alice in Wonderland all there a few feet apart waiting for me! .
    Beautifully said!

    Chris, I enjoyed your way of categorizing the dark rides. And it really has me thinking. My DH and I love dark rides. But I have to say that Radiator Springs Racer in DCA is an amazing dark ride. It's not the thrill of the fast outdoor race, but it's the amazing feeling of really being in Radiator Springs with the real talking cars that I look forward to. Your view of the Cars is at their eye level, you're not looking down thru the windows like you would on an ordinary car. And that gives you the feeling of actually talking with them, even though the town is right outside and you've been walking there all day.
    I completely agree that a dark ride should make you feel that you are somewhere else doing magical things. It's not about the best AA's, etc. It's that feeling that you are transported somewhere else.

    GnP

  5. #4

    Excuse me for saying it, but I don't think any top five Disney World dark ride list is complete without Pirates of the Caribbean. I like all of the rides on your list, but I do not see all of them as top five. Especially not Dinosaur. I like it, but I can't help but compare it to it's sister ride, Indiana Jones in Disneyland and it comes up far short by comparison. How did POTC not make your list? I am baffled. :-)


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    I guess my idea of a dark ride and your idea aren't quite the same. To me, a dark ride is one that stay primarily inside, tells a story with great detail, and is slow. The whole water thing doesn't bother me - that's just the track or mode of transport. For me, Dinosaur is in the dark, but it's a thrill ride and not a dark ride. Whereas Pirates is a dark ride because it's slow and tells a detailed story. I would even throw in Universe of Energy, although I would classify it as a "lame" ride rather than dark. Even Splash Mt, which is in the dark and mostly slow, classifies as a thrill ride because of a few great drops. That's why it, as well as Tower of Terror, are my favorites because it tells a story in the dark and moves slow for most parts, but has a roller coaster thrill. But I guess that's where the argument lies. The rides you picked on your parameters are right on, though.

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    In the four trips that I have made to AK I have ridden Dinosaur twice. IMHO it doesn't even deserve an honorable mention. Dinosaur has so much potential if they would just slow it down a tad. But it is so chaotic that your not even sure what the scene was that you just drove through.

    I read your criteria of what a dark ride means to you but I am curious why only tracked or wheeled vehicles, leaving out boat rides? I can only think of two boat rides that would fulfill the rest of your criteria at the moment, Pirates and Small World. So I do have to argue with you there and place Pirates on my list.

    Actually I would have to make Pirates and Haunted Mansion both share the number one spot for myself.

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    Never been to WDW (I'm a DLR girl)... but your description of Peter Pan's Flight and why it is in the #1 spot really resonates for me. The DL version is ALWAYS our very first ride... no exceptions. It is also our LAST ride (and yes, I start bawling even in the queue). To me, its simple perfection is how our family truly wants to begin and end our adventure! We are heading back in 18 short weeks and we will be joined by my SIL and her family. The last time they went, they skipped most (maybe all?) of the Fantasyland darkrides (my nephew was frightened, I think). But he and I have talked and I have told him about our tradition and that if he wants to, he can ride in the pirate ship with my son and I and experience pure magic. The shy smile he gave me makes me think that once again, Peter Pan's Flight will be the key to another amazing adventure!!

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    Quote Originally Posted by carolinakid View Post
    Peter Pan's Flight has always been my favorite dark ride. Nothing since it opened in 1971 has ever superseded it in my heart. I'm not a big Pooh fan but I do enjoy the attraction. I wish the MK's Fantasyland had more dark rides. AT DL I'm in dark ride heaven with Peter Pan, Snow White, Pinocchio, Mr Toad and Alice in Wonderland all there a few feet apart waiting for me! I found the MK's Little Mermaid attraction to be so underwhelming. What a disappointment, imo. I haven't ridden DCA's Little Mermaid since the refurb...
    Someday, when I finally make my pilgrimage to Disneyland I too will be in dark ride heaven!

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    Quote Originally Posted by Goodnplenty View Post
    Beautifully said!

    Chris, I enjoyed your way of categorizing the dark rides. And it really has me thinking. My DH and I love dark rides. But I have to say that Radiator Springs Racer in DCA is an amazing dark ride. It's not the thrill of the fast outdoor race, but it's the amazing feeling of really being in Radiator Springs with the real talking cars that I look forward to. Your view of the Cars is at their eye level, you're not looking down thru the windows like you would on an ordinary car. And that gives you the feeling of actually talking with them, even though the town is right outside and you've been walking there all day.
    I completely agree that a dark ride should make you feel that you are somewhere else doing magical things. It's not about the best AA's, etc. It's that feeling that you are transported somewhere else.

    GnP
    I wish they would build Carsland in Hollywood Studios. I'd like to be transported to Radiator Springs.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Riverdragon View Post
    Excuse me for saying it,d but I don't think any top five Disney World dark ride list is complete without Pirates of the Caribbean. I like all of the rides on your list, but I do not see all of them as top five. Especially not Dinosaur. I like it, but I can't help but compare it to it's sister ride, Indiana Jones in Disneyland and it comes up far short by comparison. How did POTC not make your list? I am baffled. :-)
    I just made a call...to leave the boat dark rides off of this list. I think they warrant their own list in their own category.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DisneyGator View Post
    I guess my idea of a dark ride and your idea aren't quite the same. To me, a dark ride is one that stay primarily inside, tells a story with great detail, and is slow. The whole water thing doesn't bother me - that's just the track or mode of transport. For me, Dinosaur is in the dark, but it's a thrill ride and not a dark ride. Whereas Pirates is a dark ride because it's slow and tells a detailed story. I would even throw in Universe of Energy, although I would classify it as a "lame" ride rather than dark. Even Splash Mt, which is in the dark and mostly slow, classifies as a thrill ride because of a few great drops. That's why it, as well as Tower of Terror, are my favorites because it tells a story in the dark and moves slow for most parts, but has a roller coaster thrill. But I guess that's where the argument lies. The rides you picked on your parameters are right on, though.
    Hey Gator,

    I think we agree on our definition of a dark ride. The water thing doesn't bother me at all. I think the boat rides qualify as their own kind of dark ride. It gives me another Top 5 article possibility. The boat rides are all big time favorites for me.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DwarfPlanet View Post
    In the four trips that I have made to AK I have ridden Dinosaur twice. IMHO it doesn't even deserve an honorable mention. Dinosaur has so much potential if they would just slow it down a tad. But it is so chaotic that your not even sure what the scene was that you just drove through.

    I read your criteria of what a dark ride means to you but I am curious why only tracked or wheeled vehicles, leaving out boat rides? I can only think of two boat rides that would fulfill the rest of your criteria at the moment, Pirates and Small World. So I do have to argue with you there and place Pirates on my list.

    Actually I would have to make Pirates and Haunted Mansion both share the number one spot for myself.
    I don't ride Dinosaur on every trip. I'm really the only one in my family that enjoys it! But, when I do ride it...it's a total blast!

    Believe me, it was tough to leave Pirates off of this list, its one of my total favorites, but I wanted to draw a line in the sane and say that boat rides on this side and wheel/ track rides on the other. But, really I love both sides of that line.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tinker44 View Post
    Never been to WDW (I'm a DLR girl)... but your description of Peter Pan's Flight and why it is in the #1 spot really resonates for me. The DL version is ALWAYS our very first ride... no exceptions. It is also our LAST ride (and yes, I start bawling even in the queue). To me, its simple perfection is how our family truly wants to begin and end our adventure! We are heading back in 18 short weeks and we will be joined by my SIL and her family. The last time they went, they skipped most (maybe all?) of the Fantasyland darkrides (my nephew was frightened, I think). But he and I have talked and I have told him about our tradition and that if he wants to, he can ride in the pirate ship with my son and I and experience pure magic. The shy smile he gave me makes me think that once again, Peter Pan's Flight will be the key to another amazing adventure!!
    Simple perfection...nicely put Tink!

  15. #14

    Dinosaur takes the term "Dark Ride" a little too literally. It's so dark, I can't see any scenery, only dimly lit dinosaurs here and there. I suspect they didn't put in a lot of scenery for that reason. Too bad they couldn't combine the ride somehow with Primeval World at Universe of Energy.

    My #1 Dark Ride pick is World of Imagination. I know it no longer exists but I don't care!


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    In a sense, Tower of Terror is a dark ride (that doesn't involve a boat/water). IMHO, It is one of the most immersive attractions in any park; from the entrance/grounds around the Hotel, the hotel lobby, boiler room and finally the fantasy effects in hallways. Up until the time one reaches the drop towers, I imagine the ride could have had additional scenes (turning the elevator car to view into individual hotel rooms) and more twists and turns in the hallways. And talk about dark, at one point, it is one of a few dark rides that gets pitch black/can't-see-hand-in-front-of-face dark...

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    Has Pirates of the Caribbean gone down any notches in people's list of faves with the movie/Depp additions? It sure has in mine. Incredibly for me it's no longer a must-do every visit....

    John

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    Quote Originally Posted by DisDreams View Post
    In a sense, Tower of Terror is a dark ride (that doesn't involve a boat/water). IMHO, It is one of the most immersive attractions in any park; from the entrance/grounds around the Hotel, the hotel lobby, boiler room and finally the fantasy effects in hallways. Up until the time one reaches the drop towers, I imagine the ride could have had additional scenes (turning the elevator car to view into individual hotel rooms) and more twists and turns in the hallways. And talk about dark, at one point, it is one of a few dark rides that gets pitch black/can't-see-hand-in-front-of-face dark...
    I thought of the Tower when I was writing, but at its genesis is the free fall type of ride you can find in most amusement parks, so I left it out. Obviously the Imagineers went far and above any free fall ride, and yes I agree it is totally immersive.

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    Quote Originally Posted by carolinakid View Post
    Has Pirates of the Caribbean gone down any notches in people's list of faves with the movie/Depp additions? It sure has in mine. Incredibly for me it's no longer a must-do every visit....
    Not for me. It's still way high on my list.

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