The Walt Disney World Resort is home to countless attractions. Across the four theme parks, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests can find many types of attractions that fit their vacation needs.
Looking for thrills? Guests can find a roller coaster at each of the four parks, with several of them having multiple options for different thrill seekers. Those looking for more immersive dark rides can also find exactly what they are looking for with a mix of classic staples like Pirates of the Caribbean and more modern spins like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
In addition, there are many massive projects underway across the four theme parks. In 2027, Animal Kingdom will open the doors to the Tropical Americas, which will host three attractions, including the first-ever Encanto attraction. Over at Hollywood Studios, the long-awaited Monsters, Inc. door-vault coaster is under construction, and the Magic Kingdom will soon be home to the first-ever land inspired by the Disney villains. As time evolves, guests can experience immersive attractions that continue to raise the bar for theme park standards.
However, not all attractions are created equal. In this piece, we will shed some light on newer attractions that may be a bit “overrated” and see how they compare to an “older” attraction that fits a similar mold.
While these newer attractions may have cutting-edge technology, they often lack the heart and creativity of an attraction that came before. Do these newer attractions outshine what came before? Let’s dive in!
TRON/Lightcycle Run vs. Space Mountain
Let’s begin our journey at the Magic Kingdom. The Magic Kingdom is home to a wide variety of attractions, more than any of the other three theme parks. When looking at its lineup, the Magic Kingdom offers the perfect blend of attraction types, along with a great balance of new and old.
Thrill seekers can find many of the resort’s most popular roller coasters, while those seeking classic dark rides like Peter Pan’s Flight and theater experiences can enjoy Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room and the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. However, for the sake of this piece, we will take a look at one of the most popular e-tickets across the four parks.
TRON/Lightcycle Run had a disastrous opening. This addition to Tomorrowland was supposed to be one of the headliners as part of Walt Disney World’s 50th anniversary selection in 2021. However, due to delays during the COVID-19 pandemic, this attraction would not open its doors until 2023, nearly two years after the promised date.
Since opening, TRON/Lightcycle Run has been among the most popular attractions in the resort. Per information provided by Thrill Data, TRON/Lightcycle Run has an average wait time of 77 minutes, which is the most among the attractions at the Magic Kingdom by a wide margin.
But does this state-of-the-art roller coaster live up to the hype?
TRON/Lightcycle Run actually first debuted at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort in 2016 as their “version” of Space Mountain. From opening, the most unique aspects of the attraction were the ride vehicles and the launch section. Guests board a screen-accurate lightcycle that allows them to feel as though they are entering the grid on their Magic Kingdom adventure.
Shortly after the guests leave the loading platform, they are launched from 0 mph to nearly 60 mph in a matter of seconds as they blast outside before entering the ride’s show building.
While the indoor portion is not the most memorable section of the attraction, the initial launch and outdoor section are the true highlight. The overall experience lasts under 60 seconds (of ride time) but offers the greatest thrill at the Magic Kingdom.
For this exercise, we will compare TRON/Lightcycle Run to its neighbor, Space Mountain. Space Mountain was an initial dream of Walt Disney (and eventually put into creation by John Hench) and debuted at the Magic Kingdom in 1975, just a few years after the park’s opening. While Disneyland Park typically has the original version of those classic Disney attractions, the Magic Kingdom can proudly call itself the first home of Space Mountain.
While both rides are “roller coasters in the dark,” when looking deeper, one truly stands out as the premier choice. Despite its age, Space Mountain takes the edge in this competition.
The first reason is the design of the show buildings. While the TRON/Lightcycle Run canopy is quite impressive (and has excellent night-lighting packages), it does not do the best job of “hiding” the gravity box that holds the indoor portion of the ride.
However, Space Mountain perfects this design. The Space Mountain structure is one of the most iconic structures across the Disney parks and blends in very well across Tomorrowland.
The other component that gives Space Mountain the edge in this head-to-head duel is the queue. Despite the attraction’s age, the Space Mountain queue can transport guests to another world, unlike TRON/Lightcycle Run. While the reveal of the launch room in the TRON/Lightcycle Run queue is quite impressive, the other aspects of the Space Mountain queue are far more impressive.
The iconic “star tunnel” music is some of the most easily recognizable theme park music, and the scenes along the exit of Space Mountain, advertising the different planets travelers can visit, offer the perfect “book-end” to your experience.
Verdict – While the ride experience on TRON/Lightcycle Run is more thrilling and is far more “smooth” given Space Mountain’s age, every other aspect of the experience leans in favor of the original. Space Mountain has stood the test of time due to its iconic queue and storytelling. A rumored update to Space Mountain may make this matchup even more lopsided.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure vs. Frozen Ever After
Let’s jump on the monorail and head over to EPCOT. For this exercise, we will look at two of the most recent additions to the World Showcase in terms of attractions. Even though there may not be as large of an “age” gap like we saw over at the Magic Kingdom, one of these attractions stands out against the other.
While Frozen Ever After has not been around for that long, it is five years older than the attraction it will be compared to.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure opened at EPCOT in 2021 and is the most recent addition to the World Showcase. In fact, this attraction opened on October 1, 2021, the same day Magic Kingdom celebrated its 50th birthday. This was a direct clone of the original version of the attraction (Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy), which debuted back in 2014 over in the Disneyland Paris Resort at the then-Walt Disney Studios Park.
Built on an expansion pad behind the “original” France pavilion, guests board a trackless ride vehicle and “shrink” to the size of the rat. On their journey, they maneuver through Gusteau’s kitchen and encounter many of the film’s characters along the way.
While this attraction does feature some impressive tech, especially through the use of a trackless vehicle, it does not hold up in relation to the older attraction on the other side of World Showcase. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is heavily reliant on screen technology to immerse you within the kitchen.
The lone memorable scene is, in fact, the only one that features full-scale set design. After falling into the kitchen, guests eventually find themselves within a refrigerator, which uses set design and propping to make you feel as if you truly did shrink to the size of a rat. However, outside of that one scene, the attraction quickly transitions back to a heavy use of screen technology.
This is the complete opposite when looking at Frozen Ever After. Even though this attraction was initially a quick retheme of Malestrom, it has stood the test of time and become one of the most popular attractions at the park.
Unlike Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After not only features far more elaborate set design but also audio-animatronics. Audio-animatronics are what make a Disney attraction a “Disney attraction.” Dating back to classics like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion, guests can reach another level of immersion when they see moving characters in an attraction.
In fact, Frozen Ever After recently upgraded all of its animatronics to have modern “faces” to further enhance the immersion. Being able to come face-to-face with the film’s iconic characters is what separates this 2010s attraction from the addition that came in the 2020s.
Verdict – Even though Frozen Ever After was a quick addition to EPCOT, the Imagineers of the past constructed a far more immersive attraction than the recent generation. During the late 2010s and early 2020s, Imagineering was heavily reliant on screen technology (see Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway), and this technique was used primarily in Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. If Imagineering could update this attraction to add far more set design and even a handful of physical figures, it could put it into the “e-ticket” status it is advertised as.
There is potential for more attractions within the World Showcase. Next time, Disney should look back to the formula used for Frozen Ever After rather than Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
Slinky Dog Dash vs. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
After looking at two matchups of attractions that shared the same home theme park, let’s take a look at two of the most popular “family roller coasters” on Walt Disney World property.
While the age gap is also not overly large here, similar to the two EPCOT attractions we looked at, the difference cannot be more apparent. Slinky Dog Dash debuted with the opening of Toy Story Land back in June of 2018, while Seven Dwarfs Mine Train opened in 2014 as part of the New Fantasyland area.
Both roller coasters are considered “family coasters,” as they are designed to accommodate guests of all ages. However, in terms of design and theming, the addition to the Magic Kingdom was a home run, while the Hollywood Studios coaster leaves much to be desired.
Slinky Dog Dash is one of the hardest Lightning Lanes to acquire and sits with an average wait of a hefty 74 minutes, per Thrill Data. On this attraction, guests will board a full-size Slinky Dog ride vehicle and race around Toy Story Land. Along the ride, guests encounter two launches and even an animatronic of Wheezy the Penguin in the brake run.
However, no less than five years prior, the Imagineers nearly perfected the “family coaster,” which makes Slinky Dog Dash one of the more underwhelming attractions in recent Disney parks history.
Unlike the previously noted Space Mountain or neighboring Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, guests can walk around all of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and spot waterfalls, rockwork, and other environmental details that not only add to the ride but also to the surrounding Fantasyland.
While Slinky Dog Dash does feature a unique animatronic, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train features an elaborate indoor section where guests see the seven dwarfs as they work in the mine. At the end of the attraction on the brake run, guests will pass the Dwarfs’ cottage from the film and even spot the Evil Queen lurking at the door.
Additionally, this attraction features a unique ride system that makes it stand out among the other Walt Disney World roller coasters. The mine car vehicles actually swing side-to-side as they take turns along the track, providing another source of immersion.
Verdict – While Slinky Dog Dash does feature many intricate aspects such as two launches, it does not hold up against the older family coaster on Walt Disney World property. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train features many audio-animatronics with intricate rockwork, while Slinky Dog Dash leans heavily on decals and minimal design within the queue and ride path.
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run vs. Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
Let’s round this out with another intra-park matchup. Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to two simulators, and both happen to be themed to Star Wars.
Star Tours opened at then-Disney’s MGM Studios in December of 1989 after being a smash hit on the West Coast at Disneyland Park, while Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (Smugglers Run) opened as part of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in August of 2019.
Star Tours – The Adventure Continues (Star Tours) is a more “traditional” simulator, as guests sit in the vehicle that moves in correspondence with the screen. However, within the ship, the pilot (now C-3PO) directly communicates with the guest in audio-animatronic form, which provides another layer of immersion and makes you feel as if you truly entered the Star Wars world.
Smugglers Run, however, mixes an interactive video game with a simulator. Guests are assigned to different roles on the ship (pilot, gunner, and engineer) and can directly change the outcome of the attraction given their performance. For example, if the pilot continues to crash into tunnels or surrounding buildings on the journey, the simulator will shake and move in response, which makes it one of the most technologically advanced attractions Walt Disney Imagineering has ever constructed.
Despite the far more advanced ride system, does the new Star Wars simulator truly outpace the original? This is one of the more contentious debates in this piece. Those looking for not only a simulator but also an interactive experience will likely side with Smugglers Run. However, Star Tours not only puts you in the Star Wars universe but also has the flexibility to put you within the action of many iconic Star Wars moments.
While Smugglers Run is a bit more rigid given the attraction’s placement in the Star Wars timeline (even with the update to The Mandalorian & Grogu), Star Tours can take guests to any of the locations seen across the Skywalker Saga in randomized fashion, making each experience feel truly unique.
For example, on Star Tours, guests can visit a location from the Prequel Trilogy and the Sequel Trilogy in one ride-through. However, on Smugglers Run, guests can visit only three planets (it was initially only one prior to the recent update), which does limit the storytelling and lore that the ride can reference.
Verdict – While Smugglers Run is far more advanced in terms of technology, the original simulator, Star Tours, takes the crown in this matchup. Star Tours immerses guests throughout all eras of the saga and offers far better re-rideability. Smugglers Run offers varying experiences across the three roles. Those selected as pilots have a far greater impact on the experience than those positioned as gunners and engineers, despite the recent enhancements. Star Tours is designed for a wider audience and does not require “direct participation” to get the most out of it.
While many of the newer attractions mentioned may rely on more advanced ride systems (like dual-launch roller coasters or trackless vehicles), they do not offer the same immersive storytelling and theming as comparable experiences constructed earlier.
