At Disney, the total experience or theming is everything! When you go from land to land, the sights, sounds, smells and stimulation all reflect the specific land you are visiting. It’s what separates Disney from other amusement parks and why others have tried to adapt and make their own rides overall experiences. Just like our previous lists though, some attractions and shows are better themed than others.
Welcome to Believe Vacation’s countdown to the GREATEST DISNEY ATTRACTION OF ALL TIME as today, we reveal our agent polling results by revealing the Top Themed Non-Magic Kingdom Attractions. For this list, we take the entire attraction or show experience including queue area, pre-shows, actual attraction design and post-attraction de-boarding and consider all those for our rankings. And now, based on the results, we present them in the following tiers:
The Bare Necessities
TriceraTop Spin – The spinning dinosaurs fit in at Chester and Hester’s Din-O-Rama but that’s about it.
Spaceship Earth – Yes, the “golf ball” is iconic but I’m still not sure what it has to do with the history of communication.
Journey into Imagination with Figment – The attraction happens in a fun and zany science lab. Simple enough.
Primeval Whirl – Outside of the dinosaur cutouts that line the track, it’s simply a tame but sharp-turning roller coaster.
Living with the Land – The boats we ride in are cute and it does a fine job portraying a field trip through a greenhouse.
Something There
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Muppet*Vision 3D – I always wanted to visit the Muppet Theater when I was a kid. To see the backstage prop area as well is an extra special treat!
Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World
The American Adventure – The Colonial architecture is stunning alone, but add in the pre-show Voices of Liberty and this really does take you back 250 years!
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Star Tours: The Adventure Continues – Fans of the movie franchise may be slightly disappointed by the lack of imagination when it comes to boarding your ship but you do get to see C-3P0 in person and that’s a thrill!
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Mission: Space – The preparation for boarding your space shuttle is fine enough. The real thrill comes from sitting in the crammed cockpit like a true astronaut!
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Turtle Talk with Crush – I mean, it’s like we really are inside a tank overlooking the ocean and this talking turtle just happens to talk to the crowd in front of him. Still amazes me everytime!
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Soarin’ Over the World – I do like the terminal feel of boarding an aircraft and while the seating system is not too ornate, the sights, sounds, and yes, smells, overwhelm you and linger with you for years to come.
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Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros – The Mexican Fiesta atmosphere is spot on! Travelling past the indoor restaurant and down the river makes this an enjoyable boat ride.
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Test Track – Everything about this attraction screams “auto-simulation.” The ability to create your own vehicle, combined with the actual testing of the vehicles and of course, the pedal-to-the-metal high-speed run down the track makes for an overall satisfying experience.
Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World
Fantasmic! – Admittedly, the amphitheater is not the most elaborate. Simply bleachers. But when the show starts, and the fire and water and lasers and stunts and characters and songs and scenes happen in front of you, there’s only one word for it: Fantastic!
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Kali River Rapids – A well-designed water ride, this attraction’s theme ranking comes from the queue area where you wander through ornate Asian temples and shops. Eventually, you find the rafting offices where you learn about how to not threaten the environment. Of course, while the ride is amusing and wet, you do see the results of not treating nature with the respect it deserves.
A Whole New World
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Frozen Ever After – Let’s start with the fact that it is housed in the Norway section of Epcot. Now, imagine being outside the castle walls in the village of Arendelle, coming face-to-face with tourist stops like Oaken’s Tokens. Eventually, we get inside the walls and see our favorite ice princess, sister, ice maker, reindeer and snowman in their happy home. All while being magically whisked away in a fun, light-hearted snow storm. Simply amazing!
Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World
It’s Tough to be a Bug 4D – Bugs may not be the most desirable creatures in the world, but shrinking to the size of one can be a hoot! Imagine being a bug and entering the theater where you watch your friends show their talents and make you laugh. Even the larger than life Flick and Hopper characters are intimidating. You’re just a bug!
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Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain – We’re not the only team to think this attraction has some of the best theming of all Disney attractions. It would take at least half a day to see all the details, trinkets and design work and that’s just in the queue area alone. When an attraction costs $100 million to create, Disney will not spare no expense. You truly feel like you are taking a train ride up the mountain to meet the monster Yeti. And while the thrills will ultimately rule the day, take a moment to appreciate the intricate detail throughout your trip and give yourself a deeper appreciation for this attraction.
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Toy Story Midway Mania! – I mean, how cool is it to be a living, breathing toy that plays games with the other toys in Andy’s room? Everything about this attraction has a fun carnival feel to it. From the games where you win prizes, to the fun carts that you ride in, and don’t forget the nostalgic toys that make up the decorations inside the attraction. Everything about this attraction screams LITTLE KID ROOM and you are thankful he did not pick up his toys!
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Rock N Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith – You have to know that if Aerosmith put their name attached to it, it would be amped up rock and roll all the way through. And boy are we not disappointed! Ever want to ride a limo? You got it! Want to have some of the greatest rock songs of all time blaring in your ears as you fly down the streets to make the show? It’s all yours! The total experience of this crazy limo ride will have you wanting to get Back in the Saddle again…and again…and again.
Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World
Dinosaur – We’ve never been in a time travel vehicle and we really do not know what it looked like in the times when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. But this attraction is exactly what I would think both would look and feel like. Chaotic, hectic, space-filled, scary, overwhelming and in a race against time, Dinosaur is a winner in both AD and BC times!
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The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror – Simply incredible! The entire show of this attraction is 100% glorious! The exterior of the hotel that has seen better days, the dusty lobby complete with cobwebs, the gloomy feeling as you board the service elevator and the final look of your elevator operator as the doors close are enough to make you quit. But then, you actually enter the Twilight Zone. A completely different dimension has welcomed us and now we don’t even know what time continuum we are in. But in all honesty, do you know what little theming element makes this one over-the-top great? The screams!
Photo Courtesy of Walt Disney World
Kilimanjaro Safaris – So then why is the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction the top themed Non-Magic Kindgom attraction? I had troubles thinking of why myself. But then it dawned on me; you’re actually on an African Savannah, seeing animals you may never see even in a zoo in your local big city. And all this is in Central Florida! For Disney to completely transform acres of swamp into a Savannah with trek vehicles and safari guides is truly remarkable. You don’t have to have elaborate sets to be the best themed attraction: just the dream to actually do it!
Did we miss anything? Which attraction would you say has more theming than our team rated it? Leave your answer in the comment section below and as always, there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!
