It's not the same if you haven't seen the movie!

[polarboi]

Hi everyone! I'm new here, but not new to WDW.

I'm planning a visit later in the year, and this time I'm bringing a friend who's never been to any Disney park before. Sadly, he's also seen very few Disney movies. (This guy is deprived!)

Obviously, a place like WDW is more fun the more you know about all things Disney. But some attractions just seem so much more dependent on knowing the movie tie-ins than others. Also, some movies are better represented at the parks than others. (You can get along fine without having seen The Black Cauldron, for instance, though I still miss Gurgi's Munchies & Crunchies!)

So my question to you is this: I'm going to try to tie my friend down and get him to watch a few Disney flicks between now and our trip. If it were you, which ones do you think would be most important for ultimate enjoyment of the parks?

He's already seen all the Pixar films, so that's a non-issue.

I look forward to your thoughts!

-p.b.

 

[TheDisneyQueen]

he has to see Peter Pan if he hasn't..... please don't say he is THAT deprived that he has never seen it....

he won't feel much if he goes on mickeys philarmagic probably because he hasn't seen any of those movies,.... wow and mickeys philarmagic was MY FAVORITE!!!

 

[BigNorm]

See These:
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Honey I Blew Up the Kid, Swiss Family Robinson (1960), Peter Pan, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp (especially if you plan to dine at Tony's), Lilo and Stitch (get used to him, he's everywhere), Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Little Mermaid and the Lion King.

Avoid These:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, The Haunted Mansion and The Country Bears. The first two are good and no one should ever watch the last, but I don't think any of them are very good primers for the actual attractions if you've never visited.

I also recommend Tarzan and Treasure Planet not because you'll necessarily need to see these to enjoy WDW, I just really like those two. I'm sure I've missed something somewhere so someone else will have to fill in the gaps.

 

[thirty-seven]

If you plan on going to Epcot, have him see at least one Monty Python movie...

 

[DisJosh]

Avoid These:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

I'd say avoid it (if he hasn't seen it) only because I'm sure some people go on to the attraction thinking it was built because of the movie. To me that kind of alters the experience.

Otherwise WATCH it. Out of the three you listed there POTC blew the other two out of the water!!! (no pun intended ) I think it was an excellent modern interpretation of a classic attraction. The other two...I don't even like to think about the other two lol. Although I did enjoy Jennifer Tilly in the HM.

Sorry for the slight thread drift.

 

[BigNorm]

I'd say avoid it (if he hasn't seen it) only because I'm sure some people go on to the attraction thinking it was built because of the movie. To me that kind of alters the experience.

Otherwise WATCH it. Out of the three you listed there POTC blew the other two out of the water!!! (no pun intended ) I think it was an excellent modern interpretation of a classic attraction. The other two...I don't even like to think about the other two lol. Although I did enjoy Jennifer Tilly in the HM.

Sorry for the slight thread drift.

I'm not saying PotC is a bad movie, I'm just saying it won't prep you for the experience you'll have in the park. I loved that movie (I also really like Haunted Mansion, just didn't care for the lead actor) and thought Depp deserved that Oscar. He was robbed man! :lol:

 

[Pixiedust1393]

Hmm..BigNorm pretty much listed most of mine.. But left out Snow White, Cinderella, Adventures of Tom & Huck..Umm, if I think of more I'll post later

 

[mrtoad]

The only ones you really need to see are probably dark rides that are based on movies. They go so fast and there is no real story telling durring the ride so they might not be as fun without the movie knowledge.

Other attractions based on movies that are not like what I described above are not really nessasary to see the movie. The Aladdin Magic Carpets for instance or Dumbo, though having been themed around the movie have nothing really to do with the movie.

 

[Tom]

Well, I'd say watch "20k Leagues Under the Sea" but sadly that won't prep him for anything anymore

As for movies that would really prepare him for the parks:
MK:
Peter Pan
Snow White
Anything Pooh
Song of the South (good luck in this country! stupid PC!)
Cinderella
Not PotC, Country Bears or HM
Maybe Swiss Family Robinson
Aladdin
A tape of a recent Indy 500 Race :lol: (I can hook ya up there, lol)

EPCOT:
Nothing really

MGM:
A Muppet refresher (movies, Muppet Show DVD, etc)
Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Twilight Zone
Little Mermaid

AK:
A Bugs Life
Um, that's all I can think of since we never stay there longer than a few hours!

 

[DisJosh]

I'm not saying PotC is a bad movie, I'm just saying it won't prep you for the experience you'll have in the park. I loved that movie (I also really like Haunted Mansion, just didn't care for the lead actor) and thought Depp deserved that Oscar. He was robbed man! :lol:

Got your PM.

I was agreeing with you on the first part. The quote was more so for the second part of my statement. I can see now how it looks like I was just repeating what you said lol.

 

[pluto77]

AK:
A Bugs Life

Um, that's all I can think of since we never stay there longer than a few hours!

Also The Lion King

 

[MKBurn15]

The Lion King, Aladdin, and Kill Bill.
But the Lion King is the best, even though not many attractions are centered around that.
Maybe your friend should watch Who Wants to Be a millionaire also.

 

[MKCustodial]

I don't think you HAVE watch a movie to visit WDW. The only attraction that asks for a prior movie experience is PhilharMagic, I think. If anything, riding Peter Pan, visiting Cinderella Castle, passing in front of Tony's or Pecos Bill's, etc. may trigger his interest in watching the movies.

 

[wdwmagic]

I agree with MKCustodial, to me it is not at all neccessary to view any movies before the parks. They are all stand alone attractions. You dont want him to feel like he has to study for his vacation!

 

[raven]

Avoid These:...The Haunted Mansion...

(GASP!) The Haunted Mansion Movie may have not been a good promer movie for WDW in your mind but it still contains all of the essensial HM gags and scenes. I showed my friend the movie then went to WDW. He was delighted to see all of those elements from the movie and even remembered the story of the Mansion (which the movie does). I think it was a great primer. :wave:

 

[lebeau]

I agree with those who say the movies are not essential to a pleasant WDW experience, however, some movies may enhance the trip.

If you intend to visit any of the dark rides, I'd watch those movies.

Also, a number of movies are very highly represented in the parks - especially as relates to music. We heard music from the Lion King non-stop. And there are a lot of LK characters running around. There are good stage shows based on Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid that are more enjoyable if you've seen the movies they're based on. You'll see characters and hear music from Aladdin sometimes when you may not necessarily expect it. And hey, these are 4 of the best Disney films in the modern era.

As mentioned Stitch is everywhere. And it's a pretty good film. Classics like Jungle Book (if you're going to DAK especially) Lady and the Tramp (if you go to Tonys), 101 Dalmations, Cinerella (it's her castle), Pinochio, etc would be extra pixie dust on the cake or something like that.

 

[RedBaron]

I honestly think that watching the movies will not really enhance the visit to WDW. And you know your friend better than anyone. If he is a big kid, maybe he will enjoy seeing some of the films, but if he is not, watching Peter Pan might turn him off thinking everything there is for little kids? My parents had taken me to WDW when I was about 6 and I did not return again till I was 18. Granted I had probably seen most of the films when I was a child but did not really remember them at 18. I did not get into the films until after that visit. Then my mom and I went out and bought every film we can get our hands on. After that I went back to WDW with my mom every year for 10 years. So just going to the parks got us into Disney, not the other way around. (Dont get me wrong, I love Peter Pan and it is one of my favorite attractions at WDW, but every time I hear "Following the Leader" I feel like suddenly the movie is for 3 year olds). Have a great tip. :wave:

 

[Disneyfan1981]

My Suggestion....

Watch a Disney planning video, despite the changing of format and hosts over the year its been enough to get me pumped up!

 

[BG Rugger]

All of the movies I would have recommended are already listed, but here is something I would take into consideration that has in some way been touched on previously: The rides based on movies should be fair game, but I would avoid watching any movies in which they were based off of the rides, as in POTC anf the Haunted Mansion. This is simply due to the fact that doing that might take away from the enjoyment of the ride. POTC and Haunted Mansion are not the most modern of rides and aren't E-ticket attractions. What makes everybody love them is the nostalgia of knowing their history and knowing they were "Walt originals", and simply because they are just plainf fun! Watching the newer, high-tech flashy movies might make you expect these fantastic rides we all love to death to be something they're not......or maybe none of this is relevant, just my two cent Anyway, hope it helps.

 

[Since1976]

I agree with skipping the POTC and The Haunted Mansion movies. They are good movies, but in some ways they may give a false expectation for the rides they are based on. It's better to view those movies as riffs on the rides rather than the other way around...