The standard-bearers for theme park greatness, Disney and Universal, have been fortunate to bank on IPs that have proven remarkably durable. Many of Walt Disney Studios' animated features remain rites of passage for youngsters. Snow White and Peter Pan remain relevant even thought their movies might have been released before the kids' grandparents were born. Universal can't claim that sort of longevity yet, although they've made smart moves by banking on Jurassic Park, The Simpsons and, of course, Potter, which still loom large on the pop culture landscape. Meanwhile, Disney's continued to stay current with Lucasfilm, Marvel, and Pixar.
But sometimes an attraction outperforms the source on which it was based. There's been talk of this lately, with Disney and Universal releasing details for park installations based on Avatar and King Kong, respectively. Despite forthcoming films in each franchise, will guests still care about Pandora and the giant ape when they come to the parks? They'll probably care enough... if the attractions are worthwhile.
That's because quality rides have sometimes outlived the relevance of their IPs, becoming more famous than the original inspirations. Sometimes brilliant attraction interpretations outmatch the corresponding IPs from the get-go. And sometimes, the world's best log flume comes from a movie that remains an un-releaseable embarrassment to its parent company.
Here are 10 attractions that are more fun to experience than their IPs.
10. Journey to the Center of the Earth
Tokyo DisneySea
The marquee attraction of DisneySea's Jules Verne-inspired port of call, Mysterious Island, is based loosely on the French author's adventure story (it keeps the giant mushrooms and underground sea but trades Professor Lidenbrock for Captain Nemo and dinosaurs for a lava monster). The 1864 novel remains a classic, but it can't quite compete with the glorious theming of this attraction, or the sensation of being spat out of Mount Prometheus.
9. Men in Black: Alien Attack
Universal Studios Florida
The zany action/comedy blockbuster is bettered by this creatively executed shoot-'em-up, the largest Universal dark ride when it debuted in 2000. Between 120-plus animatronic figures (not just computer animation on screens), great Easter eggs (an alien Spielberg!) and a variety of endings (depending on your skills at being a galaxy defender), Men in Black is more fun than the movie... maybe all three of them.
8. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Disneyland
How much more famous is this Fantasyland classic than the animated film from which it was derived? Type "Mr. Toad" into Google and it will assume you want to search for "Mr. Toad's Wild Ride." Although the attraction remains at only one Disney park, multiple generations have grown up with a better reference for this prototypical dark ride than the 1949 source material, much less the 1908 "The Wind in the Willows" novel.
7. Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges
Universal's Islands of Adventure
For a sailor introduced the same year as the Great Stock Market Crash, Popeye has shown an amazing amount of staying power (must be all that spinach). Yet, most of the kiddos ready to board a Bilge Rat Barge are less excited about the greens-gulping hero than the idea of getting totally soaked in the Orlando heat. And that's exactly what happens on this top-notch river rafting adventure.
6. Pooh's Hunny Hunt
Tokyo Disneyland
You might be surprised that an IP as continually beloved as Winnie the Pooh would make this list. Consider this: when Tokyo Disneyland first deployed game-changing trackless ride technology, they did it on what could have been a pretty straight-forward dark ride. Instead, Pooh's Hunny Hunt is one of the most enchanting, unpredictable and thoroughly immersive ride experiences ever stuffed with fluff.
5. Revenge of the Mummy
Universal Studios Florida, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Singapore
Stephen Sommers breathed new life into the Universal monster with the 1999 film, but that special effects bonanza hasn't aged gracefully – certainly not in comparison to the ride it spawned. The hybrid of spooky dark ride and killer coaster is a thrilling combo, made even more impressive by the gargantuan theming in the Singapore edition.
4. Dinosaur
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Here's an instance in which an attraction predated the release of its IP. Dinosaur, then named Countdown to Extinction, debuted a full two years before Disney put out the computer-animated Dinosaur. But this movie tie-in never really needed its movie. While the EMV attraction is a scary, swerving thrill ride (and, arguably, Disney's most frightening attraction), the film is a forgettable Land Before Time retread with computer graphics that look prehistoric 15 years later.
3. Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular
Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Singapore
Waterworld's reputation as a disaster of Hollywood excess has softened a bit in the past 20 years, but back in 1995, the idea of a Universal Studios attraction based on the Kevin Costner epic was borderline ridiculous. Yet this fantastic stunt show was able to take everything that's worthwhile about the film (amazing sets, action on land, sea, and air) and distill it into 16 minutes. That's 119 less than the movie, and the stunt show is a lot more fun.
2. Transformers: The Ride
Universal Studios Singapore, Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Florida
The Waterworld math gets even better when applied to the Transformers film franchise and its accompanying ride. Instead of sitting through four (soon to be five) bloated movies festooned with soulless CGI, we get a perfect four and a half minutes of rock-'em, sock-'em robots. Plus, no Shia LaBeouf.
1. Splash Mountain
Disneyland, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland
Finally, the best example of turning a lump of IP coal into a theme park diamond. Disney Imagineering legend Tony Baxter shepherded a project that rescued the only redeemable aspects (the animated sequences, the songs) from 1946's stereotype-laden Song of the South, which hasn't been re-released by Disney in the U.S. since the Mountain had its first splash. The log flume/dark ride creates such a robust cartoon world, Splash Mountain renders its controversial IP superfluous.
Coming Next Week: The flip side.
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I ride this attraction every time I visit Animal Kingdom, but on the last few trips I have been a bit disappointed with it. The ride has always had maintenance issues, but in the last few years it seems like they have just given up on maintaining it. For example, the Pterodactyl seen used to be very effective when it swooped down on you, but now it just hangs there. Its been many years since I last saw it move.
Also, it seems like half the ride takes place in total darkness now. Maybe its just my eyes getting older, but I swear that entire scenes from the ride have had all lighting removed, leaving nothing but pitch blackness.
I was fortunate to ride the original version of this attraction soon after it opened. The ride was MUCH wilder and scarier. I understand they had to dump it down due to complaints, but, in my opinion, it was a much better ride in its original incarnation.
Can't agree with MIB, as above commentators have noted the first film is a classic.
It's a shame that a movie with such a classic soundtrack and great animation/live-action innovation on display has to be hidden away.
Take a look at Birth of a Nation - there's a movie that was far more, mean spiritedly, racist. However, in terms of the history of film, it was a breakthrough picture. I can locate a copy of that movie to appreciate it's cinematic historical value. You can't do the same with Song of the South.
Of course, I realize it's a children's movie, and such poorly thought out imagery and social messages are best kept away from the most vulnerable minds - Disney is just being responsible. But, like I stated, I wonder if it could ever be edited and salvaged for public viewing again.
Also, I was never crazy about Peter Pan the movie, but the ride is far more charming and fun.
EDIT: Yes, I agree with the comment above, in reference to Cars Land. In particular, RSR surpasses the movies.
I am a huge fan of G1 Transformers (the original show from the 80's), and while the first transformers film is okay, the next three are some of the biggest pieces of trash hollywood has ever released. Michael Bay is public enemy number 1 in my book.
Also, Radiator Springs Racers should be on this list.
Ichabod and Mr. Toad is a wonderful movie that is greatly underrated. As for the ride, they should bring it back to Disney World, at Hollywood Studios
Randy, while another studio might be able to get away with releasing Song of the South with a warning, Disney is different. While stereotypes & racism may be different, there's a fine line between the 2. It's such a hot button issue, that the bottom line would be audiences finding it offensive.
Releasing it, with that "family friendly Walt Disney moniker" is just too huge of a risk. Honestly, they have nothing to gain by doing so.
After all these decades, they haven't suffered any repercussions for "NOT" releasing it. No loss of money, no public demand (outside of a small number of cinephiles). In fact, I'd argue they've probably gained some brownie points for keeping it locked away. Why put all that on the line & release the film?
They'd lose alot more than they'd gain by releasing it.
Back to the the article. A movie should be judged for it's artistic qualities, and for that reason the movie doesn't deserve to b on this list. What should be on the list instead? Back to the Future the Ride. While the first movie is a classic, the ride takes place after the events of its inferior sequels. They have their moments, but the ride was funner as a whole than either parts 2 or 3. I thin Mr Toads Wild Ride belongs on this list because the movie is a forgotten gem, so the ride is far more beloved than the movie. Song of the South however, is unknown to people today solely because it's been collecting dust.
For Tower of Terror, the ride came first. The original IP is Twilight Zone.
The made for for TV movie was a part of the Wonderful World of Disney, but it still came a few years after the attraction opened.
I think that dudley do right ripsaw falls should be added
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The Original MIB and Original transformers movies were\are better than the Rides…
(Of course all of this is subjective)