Back by popular demand, here is the second installment of Disney movies which have never received theme park adaptions (at least not in any major way), even though we at Theme Park Tourist think they’re more than deserving of them. Disney has a vast library of films (and television shows, which is a whole other topic) to choose from, so it makes sense that the Mouse hasn’t completely mined its vaults yet. However, we believe that the movies listed below are due for their major theme park debuts at some point, hopefully a point not too far into the future.
1. The Incredibles
An attraction based on The Incredibles is one of the most auspicious absences from the Disney theme parks, considering how beloved the movie is and the current widespread popularity of superheroes. There are so many directions the Imagineers could go with an Incredibles attraction. A ride that simulated the super powers of the heroic family could be loads of fun, for one, but the possibilities are near-endless.
2. Spirited Away
This film was produced originally for Japan by Studio Ghibli, but Pixar director John Lassetter supervised the English-language adaption of Spirited Away and Disney distributed it in the United States so I think this should count as a Disney movie. Writer/director Hayao Miyazaki is an absolutely brilliant, innovative creator of animated movies who inspires imagination in adults and children alike in a way that only the best Disney movies are able to achieve. It would be pretty incredible to see the surreal, magical world of Spirited Away brought to life at a Disney Park, maybe at Tokyo Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai Disneyland. It would be a must-see for fans of Miyazaki in this country and abroad.
3. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
The first science fiction animated movie from Disney has a giant world inspired by Jules Vernes’ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea classic novel that can be explored within a theme park to great effect. If the California version of DisneySea materialized, I’m sure we would have seen an attraction based on Atlantis: The Lost Empire by now. Sadly that never came to pass, but I bet Disney could still find room for an Atlantis attraction if the interest was there.
4. Tarzan
The 1999 animated Tarzan movie from Disney has its share of fans, and adapting a jungle like the one in the movie in a theme park would be really fun. Animatronics of the talking animals would be even better. Sadly, though, the former would likely take up too much space in the prime real estate of Disney’s theme parks, and the latter would probably be a tad too expensive.
5. Herbie
The anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle that first appeared in The Love Bug has continued to pop up in Disney movies, and would be an excellent addition to any of the Disney parks. Even just a talking car that drives down Main Street, U.S.A. on occasion would be something classic fans would appreciate and new Disney fans would love to experience for the first time.
6. Zorro
The Zorro property has a history that’s intertwined with the history of the Disney parks, since the Walt Disney Company acquired the rights from buying Jack Wrather’s company after he died when it was mainly after the Disneyland Hotel and the ability to make Disney-themed hotels in California. A stage show would be a nice fit for Zorro. Individuals with more classic tastes might enjoy an epic sword fight starring the character whose legacy inspired heroes like Batman, among others.
7. The Santa Clause
This is a bit of a weird choice, I admit, but The Santa Clause and (to some extent) its sequels are fondly remembered by some, and could make nice additions to the winter holiday celebrations at the Disney parks. Perhaps Santa’s factory could be home to Christmas-themed attractions and a host of Christmas elves to pal around with. Stranger things have happened.
8. Wreck-It Ralph
Wreck-It Ralph needs to get its due with a huge theme park attraction to celebrate the very imaginative, incredibly fun animated film about a villain from a classic arcade video game traveling to the worlds of newer, more modern games. There is no shortage of settings for Imagineers to pick from here. They could stick to Ralph’s home base and adapt the Mario-like Fix-It Felix, Jr. game. They could recreate the candy themed racing karts game Sugar Rush where Ralph finds Vanellope von Schweetz. The Disney Imagineers could adapt the gritty world of Hero’s Duty if they wanted to give an attraction a slightly darker edge. They could even create the terminal through which all the video game characters travel and interact with the rest of the arcade. A whole land could easily be devoted to the world of Wreck-It Ralph, even before the sequel hits. We at least deserve one measly attraction.
9. The Princess and the Frog
The other Disney princesses have had some kind of theme park adaption, so it only makes sense for the first African-American Disney princess to get her own attraction at some point. Shanghai Disneyland’s castle is going to be honoring all of the Disney princesses, yes, but that’s still not quite enough. An attraction that utilizes the 1920s New Orleans setting of The Princess and the Frog, a film which some say sparked the “new Disney Renaissance,” could really be something special. Make it so, Disney.
What do you think? Are you clamoring for any of these movie properties to be turned into theme park attractions? Is there a film we still haven’t covered that’s past due for a bigger presence at the Disney parks? Let us know about that and more in the comments and on Theme Park Tourist’s Facebook page.
