Being a Disney fanatic, it is easy to obsess over the main rides that Disney World offers. Rides such as The Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror, all of the "Mountain" coasters and Soarin' offer big thrills and also massive wait times, often into the two- to three-hour range.
While some of these rides are my absolute favorites to do when I visit my second home, in my opinion, there are a small handful of rides that I can always count on to never disappoint.
Now, these rides are not the most glamorous or produce a "thrill" like the bigger rides do. But, in my mind, these rides are just as important and influential as the big guys are. So, today I am here to talk about, in my mind, the six most underrated rides at Disney World.
1. The Carousel of Progress
To me, this is the most underrated ride at Disney World. This attraction is not only one my favorites, but it also captures the essence of Walt and the legacy he left behind: keep moving forward, and the idea of progress.
This attraction has been said to have been Walt's favorite ride, and it also has the unique privilege of being one of the only rides at Walt Disney World to have been touched by Walt himself. Here is a little background on this ride in case you do not already know.
This ride was featured at the New York World's Fair in 1964. The ride was then moved to Disneyland in 1967 and lasted there until 1973, when it was eventually moved to its forever home at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in 1975, where it still plays to this day.
Boasting as the longest-running Stage Show in America, the ride begins at the turn of the 20th century. However, the production is not performed by actual people. Instead, Disney used the technology of Audio-Animatronics to use as "actors" in the show.
As the audience member sits in their seat, they are transported back in time to see how a family and society reacts to the technological advances that are taking place. As the scene shifts, the room literally moves like a slow carousel into the next room in order to see the next scene.
The audience gets a glimpse of what life was like in 1900, the 1920s, the 1940s and eventually what "the future" will look like. The ride has had some upgrades over the years, especially the the future portion of the show, but this ride never fails to disappoint as well as provide some much-needed relaxation from the Florida heat and sun!
2. Spaceship Earth
When people think of Disney World symbols, they usually think of either one of two images: Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom or the giant sphere at Epcot.
Now, what newcomers to Disney World may not know is that there is actually a ride housed in this orb that is called Spaceship Earth. Similar to the Carousel of Progress, this ride shows how mankind has advanced. However, this ride scopes out not only the 20th century, but also the whole of humanity since the caveman days.
As you sit in your Omnimover, the never-stopping, slow-moving buggie that transports you around, you are taken back in time to witness how man first started to communicate with one another. From cave drawings, to Leonardo Da Vinci in the Sistine Chapel, to the Apollo 11 moon landing, guests truly are able to see how communication has vastly improved from man's humble beginnings.
I personally love this ride for the fact that you ride backwards from the top of the ball all the way down to the bottom near the end of the ride.
3. The Great Movie Ride
No, this is not the facade to the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. This is the outside of what I think is one of the most under-appreciated rides in all of Disney, including Disneyland. Currently in Hollywood Studios, there are bigger rides such as The Tower of Terror and Rockin' Rollercoaster that overshadow this ride.
Also currently being built in Hollywood Studios right now are the Toy Story additions as well as the much-anticipated Star Wars Land. However, this attraction is such a thrill to ride. This ride again is similar to the previous two because it transports the riders back in time.
Animatronic robots are used to depict classic scenes from movies such as Singin' in the Rain, Alien, The Wizard of Oz, Indiana Jones and so many more. However, this ride is set apart from the other two because a live person is with you as your guide throughout these classic movie scenes.
There is action and adventure all throughout, and there is even a fight scene! Sometimes, there is a little bit of a wait for the ride, but don't you worry! While you wait, you are standing in a movie theater-type room that is showing trailers and scenes from the movies you are about to see.
Even though the movies that are shown in the different scenes are outdated, this ride a nice, relaxing and slow-moving tour that shows perfectly the history of movies!
4. Living With The Land
I absolutely love this ride. It might be because I have a very strong affinity for plants! As with the other rides on this list, this is a slow-moving ride where you are actually on a boat traveling through different environments that are present here on Earth.
After the different scenes featuring some Animatronic animals, the rider glides into several different kinds of greenhouses that feature new technology in the future of agriculture. This ride fits into the themes Epcot showcases, and this ride is informational and soothing at the same time as you glide past different plants, fruits and veggies growing in all different kinds of environments!
Living With The Land is actually housed in the same building as Soarin', one of the main attractions that Epcot and Disney World has to offer. Because of this fact, this ride gets overlooked because of the other rides at this park as well as people thinking that this ride is too informational.
However, I feel that this ride deserves more love because of how it showcases how Imaginers can have a diverse role within Disney World, including being a scientist.
5. Mickey's PhilharMagic
Even though this is not technically a "ride," this attraction is one that tends to be overlooked while at the Magic Kingdom. This attraction is a 3D movie set in a concert hall, centered around Donald Duck losing the infamous Sorcerer Hat that belongs to Mickey Mouse.
The short film then follows Donald as he travels through many different classic Disney films such as "The Little Mermaid," "The Lion King," "Peter Pan" and many more! This ride also uses wind, water and scents to immerse the audience in the different scenes that are played throughout the movie as Donald tries to find the Hat. Does he find it? Find out and watch the movie the next time you are in the Magic Kingdom.
6. The Haunted Mansion
In the whole of Disney World, this is my favorite ride of all time. I cannot even say the number of times I have ridden this ride because it honestly is an embarrassingly large number. However, most people overlook this ride because of how dark it is for a Disney ride compared to the other rides offered here, such as Peter Pan's Flight or The Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh.
As with many of the rides on this list, this ride uses the Omnimovers called "Doom Buggies" that carry the riders through the interior and the ground of The Mansion. With the help of your ghost host, you travel through the main dining room, the graveyard where there are singing ghosts aplenty, the attic where the Black Widow Bride looms and the room where the infamous Madam Leota does her chanting from her crystal ball.
There are 999 ghosts as part of this attraction. Will you be number 1,000? Bring your death certificate the next time you ride this ride to find out!
