The Definitive (kind of, not really) DLR Fantasyland Dark Ride Rankings

[mickEblu]

As we all know DLR is the king of dark rides at Disney parks worldwide. I have been wanting to rank all of the Fantasyland style dark rides at DLR for a while but thought it would be impossible to do it without nostalgia glasses on. In addition, so many of them were made in different eras so it's kind of hard to compare. Before I explain the system I used to rank the attractions, Below are the results. I do not like some of the way this ended up.

1. Alice in Wonderland
2. Peter Pans Flight
3. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
4. Mr. Toads Wild Ride
5. Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin
6. The Little Mermaid
7. Snow Whites Scary Adventures
8. Monsters Inc.
9. Pinocchios Daring Journey

So I assigned a point value of 1, 3, or 5 for the following categories. Ride Duration, Queue, Fun Factor, Charm, Music/ Songs, Pace and Immersion. For tiebreakers, which their were two, I let nostalgia break the tie.

For those of you wondering , yes I am bored. (Home fighting a cold)

Anyway, I would like to see some of your rankings if you happen to have some free time on this fine Saturday evening.


EDIT: Meant to say Fantasyland Style*** Dark rides in the thread title.

 

[RMichael21]

As we all know DLR is the king of dark rides at Disney parks worldwide. I have been wanting to rank all of the Fantasyland style dark rides at DLR for a while but thought it would be impossible to do it without nostalgia glasses on. In addition, so many of them were made in different eras so it's kind of hard to compare. Before I explain the system I used to rank the attractions, Below are the results. I did not like some of em.

1. Alice in Wonderland
2. Peter Pans Flight
3. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
4. Mr. Toads Wild Ride
5. Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin
6. The Little Mermaid
7. Snow Whites Scary Adventures
8. Monsters Inc.
9. Pinocchios Daring Journey

So I assigned a point value of 1, 3, or 5 for the following categories. Ride Duration, Queue, Fun Factor, Charm, Music/ Songs, Pace and Immersion. For tiebreakers, which their were two, I let nostalgia break the tie.

For those of you wondering , yes I am bored. (Home fighting a cold)

Anyway, I would like to see some of your rankings if you happen to have some free time on this fine Saturday evening.


EDIT: Meant to say Fantasyland Style*** Dark rides in the thread title.

1. Alice
2. Peter Pan
3. Mr. Toad
4. Roger Rabbit
5. Monsters Inc.
6. Snow White
7. Pinocchio
8. Pooh
9. Little Mermaid

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Snow White is my favorite. The rest are all equally great.

 

[mickEblu]

Snow White is my favorite. The rest are all equally great.

One day, I would like to ride them all in the same day. Months / years usually go by in between rides of the various FL rides and it makes it hard to compare.

 

[indianajack]

1. Pinocchio's Daring Journey (when you wish upon a star you return home to pure love... Disney wish fulfillment at its most magical)
<big gap>
2. Peter Pan's Flight
<gap>
3. Alice in Wonderland
4. Mr. Toads Wild Ride
5. Snow White's Scary Adventures
<gap>
6. Monsters Inc.
7. Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin
<gap>
8. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
9. The Little Mermaid

Even though I rated Mermaid last, it's still a nice ride. I just love dark rides. For Mermaid, I wish they had concentrated on a thematic narrative rather than trying to tell the whole film's story. Yes, Pan does the same thing but the flying pirate ship vehicle and the opening scenes are so magical that it beats its storytelling deficit.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

imo,

Monsters Inc. and Pinocchio are both underrated.

Pan and Snow White are both overrated.

 

[mickEblu]

imo,

Monsters Inc. and Pinocchio are both underrated.

Pan and Snow White are both overrated.

I agree with Pan, there is a big drop after the first 3 scenes but what it does well, it does very well. I think Pan is probably the favorite of the most causal guests and Alice is the favorite of most of us super fans.

I think with Alice there is also a sense of pride that it is unique and the only one in the world. Kind of like with Matterhorn and now Toad.

 

[mickEblu]

1. Pinocchio's Daring Journey (when you wish upon a star you return home to pure love... Disney wish fulfillment at its most magical)
<big gap>
2. Peter Pan's Flight
<gap>
3. Alice in Wonderland
4. Mr. Toads Wild Ride
5. Snow White's Scary Adventures
<gap>
6. Monsters Inc.
7. Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin
<gap>
8. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
9. The Little Mermaid

Even though I rated Mermaid last, it's still a nice ride. I just love dark rides. For Mermaid, I wish they had concentrated on a thematic narrative rather than trying to tell the whole film's story. Yes, Pan does the same thing but the flying pirate ship vehicle and the opening scenes are so magical that it beats its storytelling deficit.

I like the addition of the gaps, creates a bit more perspective. But Big gap between Pinocchio and Pan / the rest of the rides?

 

[BrianLo]

It's hard to group them in totally together as some of what I like consists of the exterior theming or areas they occupy.

In terms of the actual fantasyland rides Alice, Pan, Toad, Pinocchio, Snow White.

Pan I essentially always skip, but the Shanghai version slightly bests Alice IMO.

Pooh is cute, has exterior loading and is always a walk on. I think realistically it's ahead of Pinocchio.

Roger Rabbit... I hate toontown but its frantic pace is reminiscent of Toad. I'd probably swap it back and forth either right ahead or behind Pooh depending on what merit I'm evaluating. Slightly better ride, but uglier land and longer wait.

I start to struggle with feeling like Monster's Inc or Mermaid are true FL dark rides. I controversially might put Mermaid right behind Pan and then Monsters Inc after that.

Yes Mermaid is a mess of a ride, but the scale is kind of in excess of the FL style rides. They are more C tickets generally and Mermaid is a messy D. I do like that mermaid is always a walk on and probably one of the 'meatiest' walk ons that exist at the whole resort. Really, if it just had a proper impressive Ursula finale I think most would change their general tune. It's definitely gotten a bit better with all the refurbs. It's a true travesty at WDW where there was zero reason to be show building restricted.

 

[mickEblu]

Yes Mermaid is a mess of a ride, but the scale is kind of in excess of the FL style rides. They are more C tickets generally and Mermaid is a messy D. I do like that mermaid is always a walk on and probably one of the 'meatiest' walk ons that exist at the whole resort. Really, if it just had a proper impressive Ursula finale I think most would change their general tune. It's definitely gotten a bit better with all the refurbs. It's a true travesty at WDW where there was zero reason to be show building restricted.

I agree with most of this but I think it would need more than a proper finale for most folks to change their tune. I think the biggest problem with the ride, Moreso then even the usual "book report" complaint, is the fact that on every scene you are going around it and not through it. You re not in the scene, you re watching the scene. For example, not sure why in the "under the sea scene" they couldn't have you going through it instead of around it.

As far as the finale they should of switched their approach. The Ursula battle should have been the main focus and then add some glittery wall with the wedding scene and rainbows right before the exit.

 

[indianajack]

I like the addition of the gaps, creates a bit more perspective. But Big gap between Pinocchio and Pan / the rest of the rides?

For Pinocchio, it's a pure sentimental thing. Going through Gepetto's village with the music in the background leading to the blue fairy effect as Pinocchio is reunited with his father, it brings a tear to my eye. I don't think any other ride brings out that level of emotion in me, hence the big gap.

I would agree that Pan is overrated, but I still love it. Maybe one reason it's rated so highly is we so rarely get to ride it due to the consistently long line. Scarcity makes the heart grow fonder.

Also agree that Monsters Inc. is underrated, especially considering the budget and building restraints the Imagineers had to deal with.
After going on Hunny Hunt in Tokyo, it's hard not to be disappointed with our Pooh.

 

[Antaundra]

1. Snow Whites Scary Adventure
I expected more people to list this as their favorite ride.

2. Peter Pans Flight
The lines too long and the rides too short but the first three scenes are just so charming it makes up for its deficiencies.

3. Alice in Wonderland

4. The Little Mermaid
When I engage critical thinking this ride should be further down on this list. There is a lot I don't like about this ride but I enjoy it. Someday I'll write a thread explaining why I think it's a bad ride and how I still enjoy it.

5.Roger Rabbit Cartoon Spin
6. Mr Toads Wild Ride
7. Pinocchios Daring Journy
8. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
9. Monsters Inc.

 

[mickEblu]

For Pinocchio, it's a pure sentimental thing. Going through Gepetto's village with the music in the background leading to the blue fairy effect as Pinocchio is reunited with his father, it brings a tear to my eye. I don't think any other ride brings out that level of emotion in me, hence the big gap.

I would agree that Pan is overrated, but I still love it. Maybe one reason it's rated so highly is we so rarely get to ride it due to the consistently long line. Scarcity makes the heart grow fonder.

Also agree that Monsters Inc. is underrated, especially considering the budget and building restraints the Imagineers had to deal with.
After going on Hunny Hunt in Tokyo, it's hard not to be disappointed with our Pooh.

I didn't like putting Pinocchio last especially when the blue fairy / gepettos work shop scene is arguably the best scene in any of the dark rides. As a whole it's just kind of Lacking for me. It has a very sad tone.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

It's funny to me how much hype Pan gets. The ride as almost over the minute it starts. I prefer Pinocchio, Toad and Alice any day over Pan. I get a kick out of Roger Rabbit, and I give props to The Little Mermaid even though it's at DCA.

 

[mickEblu]

It's funny to me how much hype Pan gets.

It's mostly because of the ride system and first 3 scenes. Eventhough London isn't as great as it used to be.

 

[yookeroo]

1. Alice
2. Peter Pan
3. Roger Rabbit
4. Mermaid
5. Monsters
6. Poor
7. Pinocchio
8. Toad
9. Snow White

I guess. Alice is definitely #1. After that I'm flexible.

 

[180º]

Snow White is my favorite. The rest are all equally great.

Mine too! I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

[Schneewittchen]

I've got to agree, Alice in Wonderland is the best. So trippy, man. It's like 5 minutes of heffalumps and woozles with some pink elephants on parade tossed in for fun.

2nd - Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Because we don't have it at WDW anymore and it kills me.

3rd - Snow White's Scary Adventures. See #2.

 

[Curious Constance]

1. Alice/Peter Pan
2. Pinocchio
3. Mermaid/Pooh/Toad
4. Monsters
5. Snow White
6. Roger Rabbit

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I have been championing Snow White for years. It's the only spookhouse ride when Haunted Mansion is turned into a cartoon, which is ironic since Snow White is based on a cartoon. I might go as far as to say that Snow White is the scariest ride at Disneyland.