Did you know that theme parks around the world operate more than 130 attractions based on movies? Over 100 of these attractions are rides, which naturally leads to a question. Which ones are the best? Also, how would a person even determine those rankings?
For example, The Simpsons Ride is somewhat based on a movie, but The Simpsons entertained us a television show for many years before its cinematic debut. DINOSAUR is technically based on a film, but nobody remembers that fact. Also, the attraction bears no similarity to the film. Should that count? I’m going to muddle through these murky waters to determine one thing. Here’s my list of the best 15 movie-based rides on the planet.
Criteria
Image: DisneyI’ve made a few arbitrary rulings here. For starters, no film receives representation more than once, which seems to hurt Toy Story, Star Wars, and Harry Potter more than anything else. Next, I’ve decided that any ride that’s largely independent of a movie shouldn’t count.
So, I’ve taken options like DINOSAUR, Iron Man Experience, and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! off the board. I’ve made an allowance for rides that have captured the essence of their movies, though.
Finally, and most importantly, the movie had to come first. So, Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion aren’t possibilities here. I don’t want to dilute the results by allowing huge exceptions like those iconic attractions.
Avatar Flight of Passage
Image: DisneyThe ride of Pandora – The World of Avatar isn’t based on the movie per se. Somehow, it encapsulates that magical alien realm so well that nobody cares, though. The airborne journey through the skies is so immersive that you suspend disbelief and temporarily forget that you’re on a stationary bike staring at a digital monitor.
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
Image: UniversalUniversal Studios and Disney rides comprise the entirety of this list. I shortlisted some other options like the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory attraction at Alton Towers, but it’s closer to the tone of the book than either film.
Conversely, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem lacks a direct connection to the films, but it somehow feels authentic. Gru and his adopted daughters prepare for a surprise birthday party, which the Minions have worked on all day. The special effects feel on-brand for the franchise, but it’s the storytelling that tethers Minion Mayhem to the franchise. It’s a ride that makes everyone smile.
E.T. Adventure
Image: UniversalI will fight you on this! Anyone who rolls their eyes dismissively at the inclusion of E.T. Adventure simply doesn’t appreciate what Universal has accomplished here. All the way back in 1990, they constructed a themed ride that retells the beloved story of Elliott and E.T. in a timeless manner. Every time I get on the bike, I feel like a child again. As Amanda Kondolojy always says, if Universal ever tries to shut this ride down, we riot!
Frozen Ever After
Image: DisneyWhat are the best parts of Frozen? My answer is the music, the visuals, and the loving connections between the characters. Frozen Ever After somehow took the space of Maelstrom and repurposed it into a colorful representation of Arendelle. In my opinion, the audio-animatronics (AAs) on this attraction are the most lifelike of any Disney dark ride, but they’re not even the best part.
Everyone who has watched Frozen knows that the seminal moment in the film is the performance of Let It Go. Frozen Ever After effectively builds to Elsa’s song, the centerpiece of the attraction. I think it’s the best musical moment on any Disney attraction.
Hogwarts Express
Image: UniversalI could have easily chosen Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts here. I’ve gone a different way despite my adoration for the combination dark ride and steel roller coaster. I simply feel that Hogwarts Express better interprets the Harry Potter stories told in the movie franchise.
To some, Hogwarts Express is merely a means to go from Point A to Point B at Universal Orlando Resort. The train ride is much more than a method of transportation to me. It’s an organic, immersive experience that allows me to believe that I’m living out a Potterverse adventure on the train. Whether I watch centaurs frolic or I shirk away from Dementors, I’m a part of that world for a time, the best sign of a successful theme park attraction.
Incredicoaster
Image: DisneyWhile the Incredicoaster touches on some of the ideas from The Incredibles 2, it’s not directly related to the movie. As such, I debated its inclusion, but it absolutely belongs here. This rebuilt version of California Screamin’ keeps the thrills but adds something that the original roller coaster lacked.
The Incredicoaster comes with set-pieces cleverly placed inside the tunnels. Imagineers constructed these to block direct sunlight and control visual perspective for the rider. With the new coaster, the tunnels became a place to show off superpower skills as a family chases down its wandering baby. The simple changes tie together the ride experience in a profound way. I think it’s in the discussion for the best superhero ride on the planet.
Indiana Jones Adventure
Image: DisneyI had the most challenging time with Indiana Jones Adventure. It’s in no way based on the film franchise, yet Indiana Jones appears during the action sequences. And the ride undeniably captures the vibe of Raiders of the Lost Ark. Everything feels unsettled, and the hero fails much more often than he succeeds.
Also, several Theme Park Tourist authors have stated that this ride is their favorite at Disneyland. So, I feel that’s reason enough to include it.
Jurassic Park: The Ride
Image: UniversalScenic backdrop? Check. Playful dinosaurs interacting with human tourists? Check. A capsized boat that hints of impending danger? Check. Terrifying velociraptors chewing on human clothing? Check. A descent into darkness that comes complete with screams of horror? That’s a big check.
Jurassic Park: The Ride honors the movies better than Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom did.
The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
Image: DisneyThis one might seem misplaced, but I stand behind it. No other Omnimover ride has done a better job of retelling the movie’s story better than Ariel’s Undersea Adventure. It’s certainly not a complex attraction or even one that demonstrates Imagineering greatness. But it certainly makes you root for Ariel and Eric while fearing Ursula. That’s all it needs since the story stands on its own.
Peter Pan’s Flight
Image: DisneyWalt Disney watched a play as a child, and it impacted him profoundly. He loved the characters from Peter Pan from that point forward, and they became the basis for the 1953 movie. Around the same time, Uncle Walt purchased the land for the Happiest Place on Earth. Peter Pan, the ride, became the first project to coincide with the feature film. Only 29 months separated the two. Perhaps that explains why the experiences feel so similar.
Radiator Springs Racers
Image: DisneyThis ride allows you to visit Radiator Springs for a while. It’s a heady turn of events since the place from the Pixar film is theoretically fictional. Disney has somehow built a real-world version of it that seems like the real thing. Whenever I’m in Radiator Springs, I don’t want to leave.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Image: DisneyEpcot fans will know soon how great this ride is. Until then, Disneyland Paris is the only place in the world to get shrunk down to the size of a rat and then chased through a restaurant kitchen. If that sounds familiar, it should. It’s the plot of Ratatouille. Well, it’s an essential pair of scenes from the film, and it’s a blast to experience as the basis of a ride.
Revenge of the Mummy
Image: UniversalThis roller coaster somehow shares the same vibe as Indiana Jones Adventure. On the surface, that may seem weird since one is Universal, while the other is Disney. Plus, they’re entirely different film franchises. Then again, critics once assailed The Mummy for being an Indy Jones knockoff. I actually think that Revenge of the Mummy is better than Indiana Jones Adventure, though. It’s been the best indoor roller coaster in the world for a decade now.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Image: DisneyUnlike some of the other attractions here, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train reverently recreates a couple of scenes from its film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Between those sequences, it also delivers a thrilling roller coaster experience thanks to its unprecedented rocking cart design. The mine carts seem wobbly in just the right way, enhancing the belief that you’re miles beneath the surface, watching the Seven Dwarfs mine for gems.
Star Tours
Image: DisneyThe final entry walks a fine line in its exploration of the Star Wars universe. Technically, nothing that happens on the ride is canon, as it’s a series of random situations involving actual Star Wars characters and locations. However, many of these events recreate famous moments from the trilogy of Star Wars trilogies.
The pod race, the speeder bike chase, and the At-At battle on the ice planet of Hoth are but three of the possibilities. Even though Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run seems like the new hotness right now, Star Tours better honors the Star Wars film franchise.
