The wait is over. You’ve made it through the queue and you have just placed your back side in the doom buggy, stepped into the final room to board your favorite attraction or heard those magical words that starts your ride. Whatever the case is, it’s the last thing you’ll remember before the adventure begins!
Welcome to Believe Vacation’s Top Ten where today, we’ll look at the Top 10 Best Pre-Attraction Moments. For this list, we will only consider little moments, sayings, or actions that happen right before the start of a particular attraction. We are not talking about the queue areas but that may make for a great list one day.
10) “All Aboard!” – The Walt Disney Railroad
Disney fans know about Walt’s love for trains. So it’s no surprise that the Walt Disney Railroad encircles the entire Magic Kingdom. While many look at it as just a simple train ride, there is something magical about this particular train ride. And when the conductor gets you going with a big “All Aboard,” well that’s a perfect way to start this particular Top Ten list.
9) Revealing the Rebel Spy – Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
Star Wars is arguably the biggest movie franchise ever. And complimenting that franchise is a motion-simulator ride in Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Given the nature of the movies, you know the theming and the pre-show alone would be amazing and the ride will leave you with a lot of smiles and thrills. But it’s the moment the enemy finds a Rebel Spy inside the ship with you that draws the biggest laugh. No spoilers here but do not be surprised if you recognize the person the Empire points out as the cause for the chase to follow.
8) Boarding your pirate ship – Peter Pan’s Flight
Even with a severely outdated ride, Peter Pan’s Flight still maintains long wait times throughout the day every day at the Magic Kingdom. Families simply enjoy riding in a pirate ship that soars over London and Neverland. But how does the ship fly? All it takes is faith and trust. And thankfully, a cast member who sends you off will sprinkle the safety bar with that final ingredient needed for flight – Pixie Dust!
7) Entering the Castle – Enchanted Tales with Belle
Heralded as the most elaborate character meet-and-greet at Disney, Enchanted Tales with Belle is a wonderful journey through various scenes of Beauty and the Beast preparing guests to reenact the famous story by assigning roles and acting with Belle herself. But to get to the castle where Belle is living happily ever after, the group has to travel together. While it’s a little odd that we start in Maurice’s cottage, the magic and mysterious wonder that transforms in front of our eyes to get to the wardrobe room of the Beast’s Castle is still one of the most amazing moments in any Disney attraction.
6) Waving at the Operator – “it’s a Small World”
You either love the ride or you despise it. There is no middle ground. And it’s been that way since it debuted at Disneyland in 1966. But before all the singing and all the children animatronics with their beautiful, colorful outfits, there is everyone’s favorite character on the ride – the Operator. Located in the tower at the onboarding docks, the lone operator hits the magic button to make your boat start. And if you’re a true Disney fan, you know to give him/her a little wave as you pass under.
5) The Closing of the Elevator – Tower of Terror
Ominously towering over Sunset Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Hollywood Tower of Terror Hotel building is the perfect combination of beauty and terror. Once inside the lobby, the ornate decorations have been disguised by cobwebs and dust. And as you descend to catch the next service elevator, your are surrounded by impending doom. Sure, the cast members fit into the theming with their 1940s hotel bellhop garb but that all changes the second that elevator door shuts and the screams begin.
4) “I’ll lower the safety bar” – The Haunted Mansion
Just like Peter Pan’s Flight, guests board their vehicles on a moving track and a safety bar must fall into place to keep everyone safe. But, whereas the cast member for Peter Pan is friendly and spreads pixie dust, those who roam the Haunted Mansion are less friendly. In fact, guests expect to encounter ghosts at some point during the ride. So isn’t it lovely that our ghost host lowers the bar for us? It’s as if the ride truly is….haunted?!
3) “This here’s the wildest ride in the wilderness!” – Big Thunder Mountain
My family’s favorite roller coaster is full of twists and turns on a runaway mine train. Full of stops and starts and close misses to the track and walls, it’s no wonder why this ride continues to pack in the tight crowds throughout the entire day. While there may not be one specific moment during the ride you’ll always remember, there is no denying that the classic warning about hanging on to your hats and glasses is one of the most iconic send-offs riders can get before they take off into the wilderness!
2) Handing off the red card to mark the wait time – All attractions
Service to one’s country is an admirable trait that should be respected and honored forever; service to fellow riders should be self-fulfilling and self-congratulating to the highest degree. In order to ensure the accuracy of the wait times, a cast member at the front of the line for your attraction may hand you a plain looking red badge on a lanyard and ask you to give it to the cast member at the front of the ride. These badges update the wait times outside the ride, the wait times on the My Disney Experience App, and wait times through all Disney Wait Time Communication Technology. And that alone is reason enough to make it one of the top pre-attraction moments for all rides with wait times.
Honorable Mention
Stadler and Waldorf (Muppet Vision * 3D) – These two, classic Muppets provide a handful of laughs just before the main show. “Oops. Sorry lady!”
Sitting in the Alley Way (Rock N’ Roller Coaster starring Aerosmith) – Don’t you hate trying to get backstage at the Aerosmith concert but you can’t go anywhere because you’re sitting at a red light?
The Light Tunnel (Space Mountain) – Slowly making your assent into space and ready to blast off, the intense multi-colored, changing lights set the tone for the intensity once inside the mountain!
1) “Por favor?” – Monorail
I’m on the side that says the Monorail is a ride. I’m also on the side that says that the monorail announcement to “please stand clear of the doors” may be the most played warning every day. And to be honest, if that was the entire announcement, it would not be memorable. But when the phrase is repeated in Spanish, this goes from being a safety announcement to one of the highlights of the day at the parks. And I know you totally said the Spanish version at least once reading this entry!
Did we miss anything? What is the one thing that could ruin your Disney trip? Leave your comments below and as always, there’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow!
