The 2014 Theme Park Insider Tournament Best Dark Ride Final: Mystic Manor vs. Journey to the Center of the Earth

March 20, 2014, 2:37 PM · Okay, we probably could have saved everyone a bit of time by skipping directly to this final in the Best Dark Ride bracket of the 2014 Theme Park Insider Tournament. After all, these finalists are Theme Park Insider readers' clear favorites as the best two rides in the world, never mind the best rides outside the United States, which was the theme for this year's tournament.

But the journey to the destination is much of the fun, right? Right? Help me out here and try to enjoy this recap before we get to the vote:

Round One

Mystic Manor defeated Pooh's Hunny Hunt, 77%-23%

Droomvlucht defeated Fata Morgana, 57%-43%

Journey to the Center of the Earth defeated 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, 85%-15%

Sindbad's Storybook Voyage defeated Sesame Street: Spaghetti Space Chase, 59%-41%

Round Two

Mystic Manor defeated Droomvlucht, 86%-14%

Journey to the Center of the Earth defeated Sindbad's Storybook Voyage, 93%-7%

So that leaves us Hong Kong Disneyland's Mystic Manor...

Albert

...versus Tokyo DisneySea's Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Journey

Time to vote!


Voting is open for 48 hours, and please spread the word via Facebook and Twitter to get out the vote for your favorite!

Replies (8)

March 20, 2014 at 4:02 PM · Since I have not ridden either I will equate them to "similar" rides I have experienced. Mystic Manor is like Haunted Mansion. Sort of. Journey is like Indiana Jones. Sort of.

Between Haunted Mansion and Indiana Jones, I choose Indy.

Go JttCotE!

March 20, 2014 at 5:32 PM · Ok, here's where I make my campaign. Vote Mystic Manor. Journey probably won't come to the states while Test Track and Radiator Springs are here, but Mystic Manor is a one of a kind. The only trackless ride in America is Antarctica and that can only be found at Seaworld. Give the Manor some love and you'll see more trackless rides come this way.
March 20, 2014 at 6:55 PM · Being lucky enough to ride both attractions. Journey to the Centre of the Earth is amazing and so well themed. But the attraction that I rode last December that had me smiling as I got off the ride and the only thing I wanted to do was ride again was Mystic Manor. My Vote was for Mystic Manor. If this attraction was at any other Disney park it would have 240 min lines every day it is that good.
March 20, 2014 at 7:01 PM · Journey is the most impressive disney mountain. I like both themes. One thing that i like from mistic is the duration and for all the family. Great attractions.
March 21, 2014 at 9:43 AM · I would kill to have both these rides in Orlando! I love the Volcano that makes a bold statment for the parks sight lines, but I have to go with Mystic Manor since it uses new ride technology.
March 21, 2014 at 12:02 PM · One the front page of TPI today, I can read about....

- construction on what looks to be a superb land at Shanghai Disneyland,

- the soft opening of a new ride and associated area at Universal Studios Hollywood, and

- a popularity vote on 2 Disney E-ticket attractions (one of which I have had the pleasure of experiencing) which have no clones in the entire US.

From this, I take...

- if you want the latest and greatest of Disney - break out the passport, and

- if you want the best new, high-tech rides in the US - go to a Universal park.

"Dance with the one who brung you." was popularized by former University of Texas football coach Darrell Royal even though it was commonly used throughout the Lone Star State since the 1920s, and it refers to using the players and plays that got you to the big dance in the first place. Disney may be an international corporation now, but perhaps they might want to remember who brung them to the dance in the first place.

March 21, 2014 at 12:38 PM · Wow, this a a close race!...I was just watching the Behind the Thrills.com You Tube video of Despicable Me (Hollywood), and standing in line waiting for the first pre-show was none other than our TPI leader Robert Niles.
March 21, 2014 at 6:23 PM · GO LAVA MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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