Top 5 Rides Based on Movies: Animal Kingdom Edition
Disney is famous for basing rides on blockbuster movies. Let's Break them down!
BY: V. RHODES
TOP 5 ANIMAL KINGDOM RIDES + Attractions BASED ON MOVIES
Compared to other Disney Parks, Animal Kingdom has the most original attractions. Popular rides like Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safari, are famous amongst Disney fans, but are based on original narratives developed for the park, not movies. Before ‘Pandora - World of Avatar’ opened in 2017, there was only one ride based on a movie (Dinosaur: Countdown to Extinction), and three shows (It’s Tough to be a Bug!, Finding Nemo: The Musical and Festival of the Lion King). Let’s take a look at our favourite movie based attractions!
#5
IT’s Tough to Be A Bug!
FAST FACTS
PARK: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
PLACE: ORLANDO, FL
OTHER LOCATIONS: California Adventure (Closed)
OPENING DATE: April 22, 1998
Based on: Pixar’s A Bug’s Life (1998)
RIDE TYPE: 4D Show
DURATION: 9 MIN
It’s Tough to be a Bug! is an eight minute 4D show based on the 1998 Pixar movie A Bug's Life. The audience is invited in as an ‘honorary bug’ to watch a show that Flik and his bug friends put on. In typical 4D fashion, hijinks ensue resulting in smells, water bursts, and even chair tricks.
The theatre is actually positioned underneath the Animal Kingdom icon: The Tree of Life. The queue allows guests the best views of the tree and the hundreds of animals carved into it. You can also find the dedication to primatologist, Jane Goodall, in this line.
This is easily one of my all-time favourite Disney attractions, but I realize it isn't for everyone. As a theatre kid, I loved the theming! Posters like “Beauty and the Bees” and “Web Side Story” hang in the theatre lobby. So at age eight, this insect play-on-words was peak humour for me. The show itself is great for anyone who grew up loving A Bug’s Life. But be warned, it's scarier than you think it will be! The combo of Hopper, the spiders, the flashing lights, the seat that pokes you in the back, they all contribute to at least one kid crying per show.
#4
DINOSAUR
FAST FACTS
PARK: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
PLACE: ORLANDO, FL
OTHER LOCATIONS: None
OPENING DATE: April 22, 1998
Based on: dinosaur (2000)
RIDE TYPE: combination track ride and motion simulator
DURATION: 4 MIN
DINOSAUR: Countdown to Extinction is a combination track ride and motion simulator loosely based on the 2000 movie Dinosaur. Guests are on a journey back in time to collect an iguanodon before a meteor shower hits. The movie and the ride were actually simultaneously in development, which is why so little of the movie characters are featured on the ride. The ride was finished before the movie had even come out! Also, to save on costs, the track is almost an exact replica of the Indiana Jones Adventure ride in Disneyland.
Be honest, has anyone actually seen this movie? As a kid, my sister and I were obsessed with Jurassic Park (1993) and all things dinosaurs. I can admit that Disney’s Dinosaur (2000) is not a very good movie, but I adored the computer game which is probably where my nostalgia comes in. I hadn't been to Disneyland until I was a teenager, so DINOSAUR was my first time experiencing this type of ride system and I was blown away! Since my first visit, DINOSAUR has been a must-do attraction when we go to AK.
#3
Finding Nemo: The Musical
FAST FACTS
PARK: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
PLACE: ORLANDO, FL
OTHER LOCATIONS: None
OPENING DATE: January 24, 2007
Based on: Finding nemo (2003)
RIDE TYPE: Show
DURATION: 35 MIN
Finding Nemo: The Musical is a puppet-musical of Pixar’s Finding Nemo (2003). There are hundreds of puppets and performers on wires that really makes the audience feel like you’re underwater. This 40 minute show is a pretty large time commitment, especially when you factor the queue wait times. But if you can, I highly recommend going to see this performance. And of course, the biggest upside to any Disney World show: air conditioning.
We wouldn't have Frozen (2013) without Finding Nemo: The Musical. Let me explain. Musical theatre powerhouse couple Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez wrote the music for Finding Nemo: The Musical. For them both, this was their first of a long list of Disney music writing credits. They went on to write the music for Frozen (2013) and Coco (2017), winning an Oscar for both, and also won an Emmy for writing the WandaVision (2021) song “Agatha All Along”. In addition to his Disney success, Robert Lopez had previously won two Tony awards for his work on the musicals The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q. This makes him the only person to have an EGOT twice over.
It was recently announced that Finding Nemo: The Musical would be getting an update in 2022.
#2
Avatar Flight of Passage
FAST FACTS
PARK: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
PLACE: ORLANDO, FL
OTHER LOCATIONS: None
OPENING DATE: May 27, 2017
Based on: avatar (2009)
RIDE TYPE: flight simulator
DURATION: 6 MIN
In 2017, Pandora - The World of Avatar opened in Animal Kingdom marking this park’s largest expansion. This new land was based off of James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar (2009). Instead of retelling the movie, this land immerses guests in Pandora though the theming, plants and of course the Hallelujah Mountains.
There are two rides in Pandora, both amazing, both immersive. But Flight of Passage has one slight edge: the ride system. This flight simulator is one of the most technologically advanced across all theme parks. Guests hop on the back of a banshee and fly though Pandora. Picture Soarin’ Around the World but on a motorcycle type seat.
If you plan on doing this ride, make sure you get a Fast Pass (or I guess, Lighting Lane is the new terminology). I’ve seen wait times going up to 3 hours. Although the line is really well themed, 3 hours takes a big chunk out of your Disney day.
#1
A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King
FAST FACTS
PARK: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
PLACE: ORLANDO, FL
OTHER LOCATIONS: Hong Kong Disneyland
OPENING DATE: April 22, 1998
Based on: The LionKing (1994)
RIDE TYPE: Show
DURATION: 30 MIN
Obviously, my number one spot is The Festival of the Lion King! The Festival of the Lion King is a musical and acrobatic show based on the 1994 animated classic: The Lion King. The performers are always so incredible and the larger than life character floats bring the story to life. The Lion King has always been one of my favourite Disney animated movies and that is partly because of the music. So being able to see a live Broadway style performance without paying Broadway prices is incredible.
This show has always been a must do for me when going to Animal Kingdom. Not only is it one of my favourite shows at AK, but it might be my favourite show across all of Walt Disney World. On our last trip to Florida, we brought my 80 year-old grandmother who LOVED this show. So much so that we saw it a second time for her.
RUNNER UP
Na’vi River Journey
FAST FACTS
PARK: Disney’s Animal Kingdom
PLACE: ORLANDO, FL
OTHER LOCATIONS: None
OPENING DATE: May 27, 2017
Based on: avatar (2009)
RIDE TYPE: Boat Ride
DURATION: 5 MIN
Na’vi River Journey is the second ride in Pandora - World of Avatar based on the movie: Avatar (2009). Unlike Avatar Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey is a slow boat ride (similar to ‘it’s a small world') which is perfect for the whole family. Guests go on a night-time journey through the Pandora jungle where they see luminescent plants, exotic animals and the Shaman of Songs.
There is a lot of chatter about this ride. Some guests think it’s not worth the hype, whereas some people appreciate this serene boat ride. My opinions kind of fall in the middle. If you have small kids that aren't tall enough for Flight of Passage, then absolutely do it. But with average wait times of 1.5 - 2 hours, look at your other ‘wants’ for the day, and decide based on that.
I personally find this ride incredibly peaceful, and a great way to decompress during a busy park day. The music, much like ‘It’s a Small World’, is very catchy but calming, and I always find myself humming this song. My favourite part is the final ride scene featuring the Shaman of Song, an eight-foot animatronic. At the time of building, this was the most advanced animatronic that Disney had created and you can clearly tell. The motions are so fluid!
Which Ride is YOUR FAVOURITE? Let us know in the comments!
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REFERENCES
Disney Blog: Disney’s Tree of Life
Schwartz, Dana. “Oscars 2018: Robert Lopez Becomes the first person in history to double EGOT.” Entertainment Weekly, 5 March, 2018.
Stephens, Britta. “Five Things you Might Not Know About DINOSAUR.” WDW Blog, 7 February, 2020.