The Magic Kingdom is filled with wonderful attractions all across the seven themed lands of the park, so I would be remiss if I didn't include some honorable mentions to this list of the attractions that just missed my top five. I'll start over in Adventureland and mention Jungle Cruise. From the history behind the attraction as it is related to Walt himself to the hilarious skippers and the beautiful sights and sounds, Jungle Cruise has always been a personal highlight of any trip to the Magic Kingdom. The trip is never quite complete without experiencing the eighth wonder of the world: the backside of water!
Next, I'll head over to Frontierland and nominate Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Towering high above Frontierland, Big Thunder Mountain has been entertaining guests for years, and the entertainment level for the attraction is just as high now for me as it was the very first time I experienced it. Riding Big Thunder at night is also a completely different experience and I cannot recommend that high enough. The sharp turns at high speeds with the echoing screams of your fellow train companions make this truly the wildest ride in the wilderness.
Fantasyland is the pinnacle of everything that makes Disney so magical, and Peter Pan's Flight is the perfect example of that Disney magic at its finest. It would have been enough if we were simply allowed to once again visit Neverland and witness the story of Peter Pan, but as is the case most of the time with Disney, they step it up a notch. In Peter Pan's Flight, we can now experience what it really feels like to fly with Peter Pan aboard our very own pirate ship. Think of all the joy you'll find when you leave the world behind and ride Peter Pan's Flight.
My final honorable mention at the Magic Kingdom is located in New Fantasyland: Enchanted Tales with Belle. On last week's list, I revealed that Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney animated film of all-time, so naturally, this attraction is something I absolutely cannot get enough of. The retelling of the tale is old as time never gets old, and when you see children (and sometimes adults, as I have been the Suits of Armor on two different occasions now) having the time of their life as Lumiere narrates the story while Belle herself makes an appearance to soak it all in. It's truly an experience unlike anything else.
Without further ado, onward to my top five attractions at the Magic Kingdom!
5. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
When this attraction was first announced, I quite literally could not wait to experience it for myself. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs has always been a favorite of mine (you can check out last week's list for proof) and the dwarfs themselves are just too great. My expectations were sky high for this new roller coaster in New Fantasyland, and when I first rode it, those expectations were vastly exceeded. The queue in and of itself is worth the wait as we can play interactive games with the dwarfs while being surrounded by the landscape of Snow White's Cottage and the mine itself. Then, once on the ride, the swinging sensation produced by the ride vehicle provides just an extra level of thrill that was totally unexpected at first and so awesome once finally experienced. The highlight of this ride, for me, is when we are ascending the final hill and we can all look to our right and to our left and see silhouettes of the dwarfs as they serenade us with "Heigh-Ho." This attraction is pure fun and pure Disney magic.
4. Splash Mountain
Chick-A-Pin Hill (also known as "the drop") gets the deserved hype and praise for what makes Splash Mountain so fantastic, and while that final climatic drop is certainly thrilling, it is only a small reason why Splash Mountain makes my list. Of course, we all go on Splash Mountain to get soaked going down the hill, but an equal reason to why I always thoroughly look forward to riding Splash Mountain is what takes place before and after the steep drop. The story of Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear is unfortunately unfamiliar to a ton of folks today, and it is truly a story that needs to be told, and that's exactly what Splash Mountain does. Accomplishing great storytelling through an attraction is a Disney staple, and in my opinion, Splash Mountain is the best in the entire resort at doing just that. We ride originally for the drop, but we keep coming back for the story. And who could forget the celebration going on at the end of the ride with the entire crew singing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah"? Classical.
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
Whether we're talking about the original version of this attraction or the updated one with Captain Jack Sparrow, one element remains consistent: Pirates of the Caribbean is phenomenal. With, in my opinion, the best song ever written for a Disney attraction, I am pretty positive that nobody exits POTC without a smile on their face. It is just sheer entertainment from start to finish. From even the queue to the final iconic scene with the prisoners imploring the dog to give them the keys to the gate, classic Disney storytelling is being experienced and enjoyed by generations upon generations. Drink up me 'earties, yo ho!
2. Haunted Mansion
It does not matter if you experience this classic Disney attraction in peak Halloween season or in the middle of spring; the Haunted Mansion will make anyone scream while also enjoying their stay amongst the 999 happy haunts. Although created in the early 1970s, the special effects and audio animatronic work done in Haunted Mansion continues to impress the life out of me and perplex even the most critical of thinkers on how did Disney do it. On top of that, Haunted Mansion is a scary fun time from the time we meet the master in his library to the time we are told to hurry baaaaack and make sure we bring our death certificates. These grim-grinning ghosts come out to socialize and to leave me continually wanting more.
1. Space Mountain
An idea so simple and yet so innovative: a roller coaster set exclusively in the dark. That's Space Mountain, and that's why it occupies the number one spot on my list. I have had the distinct honor of riding both sides of the Space Mountain on many, many occasions, and every time I think I have finally correctly anticipated where the ride is going to take us next, Space Mountain proves me wrong. Its unpredictability is what makes this an attraction that must be experienced by anybody travelling to the Magic Kingdom. The long walk to the track just builds the anticipation to astronomical heights and once you finally sit down in your rocket and go down the famous tunnel of flashing blue lights to start the ride, there is literally no place you would rather want to be.
Walt's brother, Roy Disney, said this on October 1, 1971, as on the opening day of the park, he dedicated this little piece of heaven: "May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspiration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place." Every time I step foot onto Main Street USA with Cinderella Castle awaiting me at the end of the street, it all becomes surreal all over again. That's something only Disney can conjure up even in the strongest of hearts, and that's why the Magic Kingdom will always be the place where dreams come true.
-Cody Fleenor
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