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

[Deleted member 107043]

I guess everyone is just comparing to Hunny Hunt.

I've never been on Hunny Hunt. Actually, DL's ride is only Pooh attraction I've ever experienced.

 

[Practical Pig]

I guess everyone is just comparing to Hunny Hunt.

I also have no experience with Hunny Hunt. My only point of reference are other rides at DLR. YouTube videos show some shaky visuals of someone else's experience behind a camera, but are no kind of substitute for experiencing a ride in person.

 

[mickEblu]

Mermaid is not only my least favorite dark ride in the entire resort, but it's one of my least favorite rides ever. In saying that, I must give props to its excellent air conditioning. Also I really do love the queue.

Lol @props to the air conditioning. If only the whole ride was on the level of Ursulas lair.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It's an almost total misfire. It has its proponents, but like DCA's other dark ride, it's clear something went very wrong. There's an ingredient missing or a wrong ingredient. Whatever happened, it's just not very good. When they built Roger Rabbit all those years after the FL dark rides, they knew what they had to do. Make it dark, zany and exciting. Even Pooh has that about it.

 

[mickEblu]

It's an almost total misfire. It has its proponents, but like DCA's other dark ride, it's clear something went very wrong. There's an ingredient missing or a wrong ingredient. Whatever happened, it's just not very good. When they built Roger Rabbit all those years after the FL dark rides, they knew what they had to do. Make it dark, zany and exciting. Even Pooh has that about it.

I know they wanted it to be a people eater so they went with the Omnimover. That kind of limits how zany it can be. What I can't understand however is why the vehicles have to go around every scene instead of through them? Especially during the under the sea scene , we should be part of the party, instead we go all the way around it like some stalker watching from afar. Same goes for the kiss the girl scene. Having things to look at on both sides of the vehicle would of went a long way. Think more like the graveyard scene in Mansion. My guess is space was the biggest issue but I think they could have been a little more clever with the real estate they had.

 

[Practical Pig]

I know they wanted it to be a people eater so they went with the Omnimover. That kind of limits how zany it can be.

It certainly used to limit the potential "zaniness," but I don't know that that's necessarily true anymore. Shanghai Disneyland's Pirates certainly redefined what a flume boat ride could be, and I imagine an omnimover could be enhanced the same way.

Edited to add that I totally get your point about the sort of "removed" perspective that separates the audience from being involved the story. It adds to the "meh" factor.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

OmniMover is a good idea for capacity, but it wasn't implemented well at all for the actual ride experience.

The one scene that shows potential is Ursula's lair. I mean, you kinda/sorta (well, not really) rotate around her and the crystal ball like Madame Leota, then there's that short segment with the creepy eyes in the wall. The ride should have been more like that. The rest is just awkwardly illuminated ugly tackiness with a bunch of static plastic junk clearly visible and creepy slightly anime-looking uncanny valley Ariels that need to be smashed to pieces. I don't know. It could be that Mermaid doesn't lend itself well to that sort of ride. It never feels like you're underwater. And who wants to ride in a clam shell anyway? It really is quite tasteless. It feels like it was made by some sort of b team while the other Imagineers were on vacation.

 

[mickEblu]

It certainly used to limit the potential "zaniness," but I don't know that that's necessarily true anymore. Shanghai Disneyland's Pirates certainly redefined what a flume boat ride could be, and I imagine an omnimover could be enhanced the same way.

Yes! I was going to mention plussing the onnimover but forgot. I imagine that this wasn't the attraction they wanted to throw that sort of budget at.

 

[mickEblu]

OmniMover is a good idea for capacity, but it wasn't implemented well at all for the actual ride experience.

The one scene that shows potential is Ursula's lair. I mean, you kinda/sorta (well, not really) rotate around her and the crystal ball like Madame Leota, then there's that short segment with the creepy eyes in the wall. The ride should have been more like that. The rest is just awkwardly illuminated ugly tackiness with a bunch of static plastic junk clearly visible and creepy slightly anime-looking uncanny valley Ariels that need to be smashed to pieces. I don't know. It could be that Mermaid doesn't lend itself well to that sort of ride. It never feels like you're underwater. And who wants to ride in a clam shell anyway? It really is quite tasteless. It feels like it was made by some sort of b team while the other Imagineers were on vacation.

Hahah ya pretty spot on. Besides Ursula, the other saving grace for me is the soundtrack. But ya I'm not sure how they could tackle the water issue. If you re really underwater like Nemo and have to watch through a port hole I feel like you are kind of disconnected from the experience. A boat ride would be tough to pull off because of how weird that would be for under water scenes.

I have seen the Baxter ride though version but that seems like it would have been a little tough to execute. Besides I don't think they had nearly enough room for that judging by how big the scale looks in the ride thru.

 

[Practical Pig]

Yes! I was going to mention plussing the omnimover but forgot. I imagine that this wasn't the attraction they wanted to throw that sort of budget at.

Yeah, no doubt not. But the result is they have a lackluster ride with a high-volume ride system, and little interest in using it. The enhanced-motion vehicle tech has been available in some form for a couple of decades now.

 

[Curious Constance]

I'm surprised how often people rank Pooh fairly high. The ride has Disney store figures with no animation. It's also very short and doesn't compare at all with the Tokyo version or even the MK version. When it was built people hated it and wished the CBJ was back.

But it's WINNIE THE POOH.

 

[britain]

One thing that Pinocchio does particularly (and weirdly) well is the "slow dissolve" from interior to exterior at the end.

I mean, after Monstro, we go to a surprisingly empty area (obviously a set of fluorescent painted flat walls) depicting the dim, star-lit village. Then we head into Geppetto's. With the Blue Fairy effect, the ride isn't quite over, but all the set dressing has quadrupled in detail and realism! It's not even lit like a dark ride anymore. We round the corner admiring all the clocks, Cleo, Figaro, and Jiminy with his badge and (if you're riding during the day) daylight shines in that area! And then you're at disembark, mere steps away from the Geppeto scene you just observed, but also mere steps away from the Geppetto store near the exit (now, sadly, a dress shop).

It's as if the Blue Fairy made it all real...

 

[Phroobar]

But it's WINNIE THE POOH.

Pooh drives you though some doors where you get wind blown on you as statues spin in the Blustery Day. It then suddenly is raining and flooding as we see more statues slightly rocking. For some reason you car starts rocking. I would assume you are floating down the river with the rest of the gang. Then you follow bouncing Tigger but you don't bounce with him. You are still rocking/floating. next you are in Pooh's house for a dark scene projection while still rocking. The nightmare Heffalumps and Woozels is short not interactive. No smoke ring effect but you are still rocking/floating. Now you see Pooh eating honey. Still rocking. Finally it's Pooh's birthday with bouncing statues but you continue to rock/float as you leave the building.

The ride is like's Pooh's greatest hits and your motion sick at the end from the rocking/floating effect. They could have at least made the car bounce with Tigger like every other version does or stop the motion after the flood scene. It's just a poor version of ride where they spent more money on the gift shop and outside queue than on the ride itself.

 

[Rich T]

First time I have ever heard of the hate for Pooh. I don't really see what the problem is with it. The Heffalump scene seems kind of outdated I guess but aside from that I think it's fine. I guess everyone is just comparing to Hunny Hunt.

For me, the problem is that *this* is what killed The Country Bears. Pressler and Co. demolished an enormous show building containing one of the most amazing AA productions on Earth (and its capacity-doubling clone) and replaced it with the cheapest-imaginable version of a B-Ticket Pooh ride which *also* wrecked the Backwoods America theme of Critter Country. And all to sell Pooh plush and junk food.

I loved the bears. I know not everyone was a fan, but they could have used those amazing theaters for another AA spectacular. DL used to have the Bears, America Sings, and the Tiki Room all running at once. Huge AA shows were one of the things that defined the park. Now we just have the Tiki Room (and, of the three, that's certainly the one I would have made sure stayed).

If Pooh's cheap-o, clunky dark ride had gone, say, where the Fantasyland theater is, there'd have been no complaints (aside from it still being a mediocre attraction). At least we can be thankful DL didn't lose Toad over it.

 

[Stevek]

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

The bottom 3 are all pretty much equal in my book...and I enjoy all of them.

 

[Stevek]

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.

I think some of Pan's love comes from the ride mechanism. So different than any other dark ride...how many have you flying above the show scenes? Beyond that, I just think it's very well done but I still pick Alice over it.

 

[Phroobar]

I would have gladly given up Toad if Pooh could have one upped the Tokyo version. I know the ride area is smaller in Toad so that probably wouldn't have been possible. At least Pooh should have been trackless with lighter cars but these things overly engineered and heavy with no benefit to the ride experience.

 

[Rich T]

I think some of Pan's love comes from the ride mechanism. So different than any other dark ride...how many have you flying above the show scenes? Beyond that, I just think it's very well done but I still pick Alice over it.

There's one big moment--Flying out the window into the night--that's possibly the most emotion-grabbing couple of seconds ever created on a theme park attraction, especially, if you grew up loving the movie. Even Ray Bradbury thanked Walt Disney for creating that specific ride moment. Those few seconds are potent enough to bring people back, even when the queue's outrageous. The first view of Neverland ranks pretty high up there, too.

I agree, though, Alice in Wonderland is the best DL dark ride. In fact, I'd pick that one over any other animation-based dark attraction on the planet, including Hunny Hunt and the new Pan in Shanghai.

 

[SuddenStorm]

This is from Dracula's Castle at Lagoon in Utah. Don't get me wrong I love a great cheesy dark ride but its not Disney. Terror Ride is also great in a cheesy fashion. I love the part were they steal dialog from Curse of the Black Perl for the headless horseman scene.

I moved to Utah recently, is Lagoon worth checking out? It seemed kind of small for what they charge for tickets.

 

[Rich T]

the ride area is smaller in Toad so that probably wouldn't have been possible.

I'm certain the tiny space Toad occupies (and having the Alice ride cross above it) is what saved it from Pooh-nihilation at DL.