Hello, and welcome to my first Special Top Ten!
Special Top Tens are a new mini-series of mine that give a top ten list of things veering away from my normal subject of entertainment or a list of ten things that are not in a ranked order. The mini bit before the series bit earlier is why I'm not giving this a full New Series treatment.
And what is our first entry about?
The universally beloved, magical world of wonder that is...Walt Disney World! Wait, wrong one. Disneyland Paris! Wait, no. Hong Kong Disneyland! No, beloved's in the picture. It's uh...um...ahh, that's it. Disneyland!
The original of the Disney parks, Disneyland was formed in 1959 as a signal of Disney's immense popularity, and it recieved the warm reaction that was customary to anything under good 'ol Walt's name. Many of its attractions, such as the Sleeping Beauty Castle, are about as well known as any around the planet, and the Anaheim location has since expanded to include more and more classics, including the now refurbished and now quite good fellow park opposite it, Disney's California Adventure.
And I love everything about it. Everything from the major E-Ticket rides, to the Corn Dog stands, to the hotels, to the little bus you ride to get to it from the airport. I'm a fairly big fan. And I'm going there in a couple of weeks! To help try and quel the excite, I've decided to do a Special Top Ten! And what else could it be on but the rides?
Today we journey into a world of wonder, magic, and Monté Cristo sandwiches. A world of excite beyond excitement. Are you ready? 5...4...3...2...1...SCREAM!
10) Radiator Springs Racers
Special Top Tens are a new mini-series of mine that give a top ten list of things veering away from my normal subject of entertainment or a list of ten things that are not in a ranked order. The mini bit before the series bit earlier is why I'm not giving this a full New Series treatment.
And what is our first entry about?
The universally beloved, magical world of wonder that is...Walt Disney World! Wait, wrong one. Disneyland Paris! Wait, no. Hong Kong Disneyland! No, beloved's in the picture. It's uh...um...ahh, that's it. Disneyland!
The original of the Disney parks, Disneyland was formed in 1959 as a signal of Disney's immense popularity, and it recieved the warm reaction that was customary to anything under good 'ol Walt's name. Many of its attractions, such as the Sleeping Beauty Castle, are about as well known as any around the planet, and the Anaheim location has since expanded to include more and more classics, including the now refurbished and now quite good fellow park opposite it, Disney's California Adventure.
And I love everything about it. Everything from the major E-Ticket rides, to the Corn Dog stands, to the hotels, to the little bus you ride to get to it from the airport. I'm a fairly big fan. And I'm going there in a couple of weeks! To help try and quel the excite, I've decided to do a Special Top Ten! And what else could it be on but the rides?
Today we journey into a world of wonder, magic, and Monté Cristo sandwiches. A world of excite beyond excitement. Are you ready? 5...4...3...2...1...SCREAM!
10) Radiator Springs Racers
Land: Cars Land (Disney's California Adventure)
Ride type: Thrill ride/animatronic showcase
Disney property of origin: Cars franchise
And Because?: While I find that this ride is a tad overrated, I still think it is quite amazing and quite easily the best thing the franchise it's based on has done since the original Cars. As I am a thrill-ride fanatic, my favorite thing is the "race" at the end that brings the speed that Lightning McQueen always dreams of, but I can't deny the magic of the rest of the ride too. The animatronics are absolutely spectacular, and while the pirates are more nostalgiac and lovable, the Cars characters feel as if they've been truly brought to life.
9) The Enchanted Tiki Room
Land: Adventureland (Disneyland)
Ride type: Show
Disney property of origin: None
And Because?: Sooo unbelievably classic, from the personality-filled birds to the excellent songs, there shouldn't be a single part of The Enchanted Tiki Room you shouldn't recognize/love. While other people love the excitement of Fantasmic!, and other enjoy the spectacle of World of Color, my favorite Disneyland show is definitely this one. Not a single bit falters, especially considering when it was built. The rain effects are superb. The show gets even better if you buy a pineapple Dole Whip on the way in.
8) Star Tours — The Adventure Continues
Land: Tomorrowland (Disneyland)
Ride type: Simulation/thrill ride
Disney property of origin: Star Wars franchise
And Because?: I am far from a fan of the Star Wars franchise. To me, too many of the alien races and planets are annoying and gimmicky. I actually cringe when people refer to Star Wars as the best science-fiction film of all time. Meh. That makes it extra impressive that Disney managed to have it's ride based on the series land in the eighth spot on my top ten list.
7) Toy Story Midway Mania!
Land: Paradise Pier (Disney's California Adventure)
Ride type: Simulation ride
Disney property of origin: Toy Story franchise
And Because?: Following The Incredibles and Finding Nemo, the Toy Story series is easily Pixar's finest creation. And Toy Story Midway Mania! is about as good a ride as you can get with the basis of toys coming to life, without doing the obvious and cliche you "become the size of the toys" (Curse you, bug's land). It's a fantastic shooting game with wonderful theming, one which is capped off nicely with a slice of competition and the addition of the voice actors from the film reprising their roles. If you visit California and ride this attraction, look out for the Woody themed suction-cup shooter. It's my personal favorite mini-game.
6) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Land: Frontierland (Disneyland)
Ride type: Thrill ride
Disney property of origin: None
And Because?: The first of a multitude of rollercoasters that make up most of the rest of this list. Big Thunder is one I haven't ridden in a while, considering it's been closed the last few times I've went, but its grandness has still managed to bleed through. The attraction's atmosphere, like so many Disney fellows, is perfect for the ride itself, and the coaster manages to still provide some cheers and whoops while also being accessible to young ones.
5) California Screamin'
Land: Paradise Pier (Disney's California Adventure)
Ride type: Thrill ride
Disney property of origin: None
And Because?: The most absolutely basic ride in the entire resort. And that's not a bad thing. I love the Disneyland theming in the parks. They're often fantastic and make the best use they can of the ride or land's main idea. That's why this one is in-fact correctly and expertly themed. It's in Paradise Pier, one of California Adventure's larger lands, which is a loving representation of classic beach boardwalks. And what's a boardwalk without a roller coaster? This is this boardwalk's roller coaster, and it's a great one. Fast-paced, not too short, not too long. Also, one million bonus points for Neil Patrick Harris counting from five downwards before takeoff.
4) Space Mountain
Land: Tomorrowland (Disneyland)
Ride type: Thrill ride
Disney property of origin: None
And Because?: The highlight of an overall very quality land. Located conviently in the corner of Tomorrowland, every living being on the planet should know what Space Mountain is. A classic if there ever was one, the ride is the epitomy of space trips. It's a thrilling ride without any unecessary loop-de-loops or corkscrew, with an atmosphere that's simple but fun. I don't know if there's much more to say about this one. Definitely recommended.
3) Soarin' Over California
Land: Condor Flats (Disney's California Adventure)
Ride type: Simulation ride
Disney property of origin: None
And Because?: A virtual simulation ride like no other. What use is spending thousands upon thousands of dollars travelling around California, when you can just spend a few thousand travelling to Soarin'? Extremely impressive in its effects and its realism, Soarin' Over California remains this park's best ride, especially when you're in the front-row and the somewhat fantasy-shattering ankles hanging in front of your face are not present. Plus, similarly to Neil Patrick Harris' voice over before California Screamin', Patrick Warburton provides an introduction here. It's indeed superior though, having visuals, being far longer, and also giving far more chance for comedy.
2) Pirates of the Carribean
Land: New Orleans Square (Disneyland)
Ride type: Water ride/animatronic showcase
Disney property of origin: None (inspired the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise)
And Because?: Any theme park ride that's had an entire franchise created because of it is bound to be spectacular. But this is no ordinary theme park ride. This is Pirates of the Carribean. The sets and the audio-animatronics are designed with love and delicacy. The voices, smells, and sounds fit the design perfectly. And the music is the best music to ever grace theme park music. Arrrrgh, a pirate's life for me indeed.
Top 5 Honorable Mentions:
1) Jungle Cruise
Venture into a dangerous jungle full of animals of all shapes and sizes. (Adventureland)
2) Peter Pan's Flight
Zoom across bright landscapes as you journey your way to Neverland. (Fantasyland)
3) The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Tower above all of California Adventure as your sceams echo through the park. (Hollywoodland)
4) Grizzly River Run
Rock through roaring rapids as you scale the Grizzly Peak. Prepare to get soaked. (Grizzly Peak)
5) Disneyland Railroad
An undeniable classic that takes you not only through Disneyland but time as well. (Assorted)
Land: Adventureland (Disneyland)
Ride type: Thrill ride
Disney property of origin: Indiana Jones franchise
And Because?: The cream of the crop. The tip of the top. It is indeed wonderful and now I will stop. Just kidding. Indiana Jones Adventure is my favorite ride of all time. 'Tis more than a roller coaster. 'Tis a journey. A journey that will throw you against poisonous darts. Rockety caves. Lava. A boulder. Snakes....why'd there have to be snakes? The ride never lets loose of its wonder. Every scene is elegantly designed. They even got John Rhys Davies to reprise his role as Sallah in the, you guessed it, opening intro that gives you background on the story. There are no flaws. I've promised myself that someday I will spot that skeleton wearing a Mickey hat. Some day.
And there you have it!
Thanks for reading, folks. Disneyland is one of my favorite places on Earth, and if you're against it, I respect your opinion, even if it's wrong. If you've never been, then what're you doing? Soar on over to California and check it out! If you're unsure of what rides to try, then you've got fifteen recommendations right here!
See you soon, Dimensionals.
Shameless advertisement:
If you haven't, make sure to check out my review of the recently released The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water feature film. It's a ride of its own without even leaving your state.
And there you have it!
Thanks for reading, folks. Disneyland is one of my favorite places on Earth, and if you're against it, I respect your opinion, even if it's wrong. If you've never been, then what're you doing? Soar on over to California and check it out! If you're unsure of what rides to try, then you've got fifteen recommendations right here!
See you soon, Dimensionals.
Shameless advertisement:
If you haven't, make sure to check out my review of the recently released The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water feature film. It's a ride of its own without even leaving your state.
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