Movie theme parks have the power to turn beloved on-screen stories into tangible creations. Whether it be a ride, location, or restaurant,these attractions give life to fictional characters and their worlds.Disneyhas proved to be the pioneer of the film-based theme park concept. In 1955, Disneyland was first opened in Anaheim, California, which was the first public attraction of its kind. This effectively kicked off a chain reaction of park releases that have grown into the massive industry that exists in 2024.
Disney is undoubtedly one of the heaviest hitters in the realm of modern cinema. Given the size and popularity of their franchises, it’s no surprise thatDisney has upcoming movies planned from 2024 to 2029.The company has similarly big goals in the world of tourist attractions, considering the recent reveal ofDisneyland’s newAvatarCalifornia adventure plans.It would seem reasonable to expect a popular Disney release to feature a corresponding theme park presence, but this isn’t always the case.
Meet the Robinsons
Cast
Meet The Robinsons follows Lewis, a young inventor determined to find his birth mother. His journey takes a turn when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks him away to the future. Together, they face adventures and challenges that ultimately lead Lewis to uncover the significance of family and his place in the world. This animated film explores themes of innovation, belonging, and the importance of moving forward.
Given the masterful story, eccentric characters, and creative setting,it’s frankly a shame thatMeet the Robinsonsdoesn’t have any substantial presentation in Disney’s theme parks.Even though it’s a fan favorite today, the movie’s initial reception might have limited its potential for tourist attractions. After the film’s release in 2007, it didn’t witness a strong performance in theaters. With a significant budget of $150 million, it only brought in $170 million worldwide.
From bubble transportation to futuristic buildings, there are virtually endless possibilities for rides and fun activities.
Meet the Robinsonsis a mostly forgotten Disney movie, but it’s one of the best to date. There is so much potential for distinctive portrayals of the story in a theme park setting.The utopia of Todayland could be a standing location by itself.From bubble transportation to futuristic buildings, there are virtually endless possibilities for rides and fun activities. The Robinson house, filled with intriguing contraptions and rooms, could be similarly exciting. The time machine car would additionally make the perfect roller coaster cart.
9The Sign Of Zorro (1958)
Spanish Pueblo
While most might be familiar with the modern Antonio Banderas franchise that kicked off in 1998 withThe Mask of Zorro,Diego de La Vega’s journey didn’t begin there. The first movie to feature the character arrived in 1920, in an epic silent picture dubbedThe Mark of Zorro.Disney’s affiliation with the beloved masked hero came in the famous 1957 TV series,which was ultimately compiled into the filmThe Sign of Zorroa year later.
10 Actors Who Played Zorro, Ranked Worst To Best
From the athletic Douglas Fairbanks to the charming Antonio Banderas, which Zorro actor offered the best portrayal of the beloved masked hero?
Although Guy William’s Zorro briefly appeared in Disneyland from 1958 to 1960, there aren’t any modern inclusions. The franchise’s Spanish pueblo setting of Los Angeles could provide a unique ambiance that wouldn’t be too difficult to create.Attractions could imagine Zorro’s epic fight scenes as he daringly moves throughout the town, taking down enemies in his way.Given the recent release of the2024Zorrotelevision series, there is still enough love for the character to merit a representation in Disney’s parks.
Up
Pixar’s Up follows widower Carl (Ed Asner) who travels to South America with young wilderness explorer Russell (Jordan Nagai) by attaching thousands of balloons to his home after the bank threatens to foreclose on it. Discovering the legendary Paradise Falls, Carl meets his childhood hero, explorer Charles Muntz. However, Muntz isn’t the kind-hearted man Carl hoped he would be, and the grieving widower finds himself pitted against his former idol.
Upis truly a staple of Disney’s animation catalog. Although the film was released over 15 years ago, it remains one of the all-time greats, and for good reason. Given the movie’s massive popularity and widespread presence,it’s surprising thatUpdoesn’t have more physical portrayals in theme parks.While there have been a few attractions over the years, Disney could explore more possibilities. Carl (Edward Asner) and Russel (Jordan Nagai) are just far too lovable.
Carl and Russel’s character shapes are meant to model a circle and a square, representing their personality’s nature.
The main appearance ofUpwas found in Disney’s Animal Kingdom park. The stage show “Up!A Great Bird Adventure,” included a 30-minute performance in the Caravan Theater that followed wilderness explorer Russell as he uncovered new species of birds. Although it’s a cool concept,Up’s story could be utilized in many new ways.From the jungles of Paradise Falls to the spectacle ofCarl’s house with floating balloons, several avenues would make great attractions.
Disney’s 1997 musical adaptation of Hercules' tale has never gotten the attention that it deserves. The film presented Greek mythology in a lovable, lighthearted way that included outstanding character designs and memorable song sequences. AlthoughHerculeshas made appearances within the Disney Parks, mainly in the form of character meet-and-greets,it doesn’t have a dedicated attraction to match the quality of the story.
The setting of Greece would offer unlimited possibilities. This would particularly play well into Disney’s Epcot, considering the presentation of food and culture. There are additionally several characters that could have stylized worlds based on the nature of the specific God.Hades (James Woods), for example, would make a great attraction with an Underworld setting.Disney’s live-action version ofHerculesis expected to hit screens in the next few years, which will undoubtedly reignite interest in the animated classic.
The Emperor’s New Groove
The Emperor’s New Groove is an animated comedy film released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Mark Dindal, it follows the story of Emperor Kuzco, who is transformed into a llama by his power-hungry advisor Yzma. Journeying with a humble villager named Pacha, Kuzco must reclaim his throne while navigating humorous and unexpected challenges. The film features voice work by David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, and Patrick Warburton.
Although it’s a short movie, the 2000 animated comedyThe Emperor’s New Grooveis one of the best projects that Disney has ever created. The film has so much heart, an original story, and hilarious characters. Patrick Warburton’s Kronk was so popular that it inspired a spin-off,Kronk’s New Groove, which followed the henchman’s journey into the culinary arts.
Given the iconic nature of theEmperor’s New Groove, its presence in the parks is surprisingly rare. Over the years, there have been small-scale inclusions in things like character appearances and merchandise, but the film has yet to receive a dedicated attraction.The setting of the Peruvian highlands could be carried out in several interesting ways. A coaster or ride that covered the mountainous royal palace would be sure to amaze, especially if Kuzco (David Spade) or Kronk is involved.
WALL-E
Pixar’s WALL-E tells the story of the titular lone robot left alone on an uninhabitable Earth in the distant future. Tasked with cleaning away the endless mountains of the varied waste discarded by humanity before they left the planet, WALL-E spends his days collecting salvageable parts and items of interest. When he finds a plant, another robot arrives to collect the sample, taking WALL-E to the remnants of humanity, who have all grown morbidly obese through consistent inactivity while living in luxury on a space cruiser.
Disney’s beloved science-fiction robot taleWALL-Edid so much with the space it was provided. The film gave an impressive amount of character depth to a robot with minimal communication, and managed to present an even more touching story.In consideration of whyWALL-Ehas never had a substantial appearance within theme parks,it might be related to the overarching message of the plot.
While the film has many metaphors, the main idea surrounds humanity’s over-consumption of material things, and how this tendency ultimately hurts the Earth. Consequently, a traditional attraction might not work as well considering the giventhemes. With that being said,it would be nice for Disney to show some love to the story in a way that aligns with the movie’s environmentally conscious message.Given the fact thatWALL-E 2never happened, it’s been too long since the beloved robot had time in the spotlight.
Tarzan
Tarzan is an animated film by Walt Disney Pictures that tells the story of a man raised by gorillas in the African jungle. Starring the voices of Tony Goldwyn, Minnie Driver, and Glenn Close, the film follows Tarzan’s journey of self-discovery as he encounters humans for the first time and grapples with his identity. The film features a soundtrack by Phil Collins and was directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck.
Tarzanpresents an interesting example in the realm of theme park representation.The film already had a small amount of content at different locations, but it slowly got removed over time. For example, Disneyland featured a Tarzan’s Treehouse attraction that unfortunately closed in 2021. Although the film witnessed alive-action rendition in 2016 with David Yates’The Legend of Tarzan,the beloved character hasn’t gotten much attention since then.
Tarzan’s Treehouse re-opened in 2023 as the Adventureland Treehouse.
The setting and sequences of the film offer numerous creative outlets in a theme park setting. The most obvious choice would be a rollercoaster or ride that makes use of the jungle scenery and Tarzan’s (Tony Goldwyn) movements.It would be amazing to mimic the experience of swinging through vines or sliding down tree branches at amazing speeds.Disney’s Animal Kingdom could also be the perfect spot to include some references to the inhabitants of the story’s environment.
The Fox and the Hound
Dodo is an orphaned fox who was adopted by a lady after her mother was killed by a hunter. She grows up alongside Toby, a hound puppy, and the two become great friends. The problem is their different natures: one is a hunter and the other is supposed to be the prey.
In a truly moving story about friendship in uncommon spaces,The Fox and the Houndfeatures a tale of natural enemies defying all odds. Although the film doesn’t get as much recognition as it deserves,it’s a fan favorite and is considered to be one of Disney’s deepest and most touching works.Despite the beauty of the classic animation, it’s had virtually no presence in any theme parks since its 1981 release.
Disney’s 8 Best Animated Foxes, Ranked
Disney has introduced a number of animated animal characters across its movies, including quite a few foxes. But which of these foxes is the best?
However, this certainly needs to change, andDisney could benefit in their portrayal of the movie by focusing on the meaning of the plot.Since there isn’t necessarily a spectacle or wacky characters to depict, it makes the most sense to embody the movie using a performance or more subtle attraction while making use of the enchanted forest. That way, the addition would show love to the heartfelt tale without straying too far outside the film’s message.
Treasure Planet
Treasure Planet is a 2002 animated adventure and Fantasy film from Walt Disney studios. Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the story follows a young boy named Jim Hawkins as he attempts to find a fabled treasure and mend ways with his father who abandoned him.
From a box office perspective,Treasure Planetis one of Disney’s most expensive failures, but it doesn’t take away from the magic of the story by any means. The adventure movie loosely imagines Robert Louis Stevenson’s bookTreasure Island,only in an outer space environment.The sci-fi animation didn’t receive much notoriety during its time, but it still holds up as a Disney classic.
Given the epic story, galactic setting, and space pirate action, it seems unbelievable that it’s never had any form of theme park presence. However, considering the film witnessed a $109 million worldwide profit against its $140 million budget, it makes sense that firm attraction plans were never put in place. With that being said,there are numerous routes that Disney could take to bring the world ofTreasure Planetto life,which would give some much-needed love to the forgotten gem.
Oliver and Company
Oliver and Company is an animated musical comedy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Inspired by Charles Dickens’s novel “Oliver Twist,” the film follows Oliver, a homeless kitten who is adoptiedinto a gang of dogs to survive on the streets of New York.
Oliver and Companyis a largelyforgotten animated Disney movie, which is unfortunate given how special the story is. The film is a rendition of Charles Dicken’s classicOliver Twistnovel but imagined through the life of an orphaned kitten.Oliver and Companyhas an aesthetic very similar toLady and the Tramp, a Disney classic that also lacks substantial theme park representation.
Even though the movie is pretty dark in its big picture concept, it would be nice to see a stronger presence of Oliver’s (Joey Lawrence) story within the many parks around the world.An attraction focused onOliver and Companywould benefit from a thoughtful depiction of the nighttime streets of New York Cityand the animated animals that appear on-screen. Even though the musical numbers are regrettably underappreciated, theDisneyfilm includes several great songs that would additionally add significant substance to any potential theme park presence.
