By David Young · November 3, 2023
Disney has always been known for creating magical experiences that leave fans enchanted and hungry for more. So, it’s no wonder why the company has turned some of their most well-known rides into big-budget films. From spooky haunted mansions to swashbuckling voyages with pirates, buckle up as we take you on an adventure through Disney’s cinematic adaptations of its most magical (and terrifying) theme park attractions.
One installment destined for your go-to kids’ cable channel, Tower of Terror was primarily inspired by the iconic theme park ride of the same name, whose atmosphere was riddled with that 1960s blend of terrifying fascination and mystery that made The Twilight Zone a cultural phenomenon. Though the California version of this Disney park ride has been replaced by one inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy, it offers the thrill of the unknown with the Hollywood Tower Hotel in its spooky glory, and the movie inspired by it features a story of the same variety, investigating supernatural, mysterious circumstances surrounding the famous locale. In 2021, it was announced that Scarlett Johansson would produce and star in a new Tower of Terror but details about the plot and production are still unclear.
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In Mission to Mars, a Brian De Palma sci-fi flick featuring a space expedition, the Red Planet turns out to be the source of contention, failure, and many large questions. In fact, the largest question that winds up getting answered is whether Mars has life — something that has intrigued us for decades. Mission: SPACE (previously known as Mission to Mars) is one Disney theme park ride that capitalized on that popular intrigue by simulating a voyage to Mars to make guests feel like astronauts themselves. The desire to uncover the secrets of space makes both the ride and the movie clear winners in the hearts of those who ask questions. And that, on its own, is enough to prove why Mission: SPACE belongs in the Magical Kingdom.
Only some attractions within Disney parks will emphasize thrills and exciting exploration. In fact, others just exist to bring people joy in other settings. Amusement like this, including the famous (or infamous) animatronic shows at the Happiest Place on Earth, make it clear how creative the Imagineers of the park became when deciding what kind of ways they could keep the attention of the bustling crowds. With Country Bear Jamboree, they did exactly that, creating a country-flavored musical show that required no live performers — and with it came a story about what those Bears got up to when their fame died: the 2002 made-for-TV film, The Country Bears.
This swashbuckling adventure is only loosely based on the ride of the same name, known as Pirates of the Caribbean. The movie draws inspiration from several thematic elements of the ride, including pirates, treasure, and supernatural curses. It features the iconic Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), whose personality shone brightly as a calling card for the series of pirate flicks to come. While the ride came first, it’s easy to see from the immense success of the movies how some people still believe that the Black Pearl came before the Disney installation.
This Eddie Murphy title is a much-beloved film that, much like Pirates of the Caribbean, has a ride now assumed by many to be a later addition to the Disney ecosystem. However, it’s the other way around: The slow-moving and spooky (but friendly) Haunted Mansion ride first inspired the 2003 movie that we know and love, which also encapsulates that feeling of ghosts being not as scary as they first seem.
Many of the areas within Disneyland are divided into themes, with specific ideas driving each one. Some of these boroughs are aptly named for their theme, such as Frontierland, Fantasyland, Adventureland, and of course, Tomorrowland. It’s this last one that has inspired a movie loosely based on the conceptual world through which park guests make their way as they explore. Focusing on the space age, Tomorrowland’s presentation of the future inspired Tomorrowland in 2015, a cross-dimensional reality where the advancement of technology has spurred well beyond what our own world possesses. With several ideas borrowed from the namesake, including the Animatronics as characters, this film really turned the thematic world of this amusement park into a story entirely on its own.
Of course, there has been a whole slew of films to meet the beckoning call of the box office. After the blockbuster Black Pearl, Jack Sparrow and company wormed their way into not one, not two, but several stories fashioned into a franchise. In fact, some sequels have been promised and are still yet to come out yet! Although it looks like the Pirates Ride is seeing a possible discontinuation due to its age, it’s a staple that has brought more than one movie to life.
Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt promises an easy-to-enjoy adventure story, drawing inspiration from another classic Disney attraction, previously known as Jungle River Cruise. This ride is another with animatronic scenes, taking guests on a guided boat tour that features exotic wildlife displays and jokes abound. The movie follows this theme of danger plus humor, capturing the essence of the ride and working to (much like its namesake) feel suitable for every age.
Yet another film based on this supernaturally themed park installment, 2023’s Haunted Mansion delivers a story much in the same spirit and themes of the ride and the previous film. That said, this movie takes the 20-year gap seriously, introducing different characters and a different story from the previous film — making it less of a remake and more of a spiritual successor, pun intended.
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The world of Disney IPs has expanded exponentially over the years, and nowhere is this clearer than with the media that they create. That said, some of their ideas have lasted a lifetime at the park before becoming a part of a movie — making it clear that inspiration can come from everywhere and anywhere, even for the largest entertainment juggernaut of the 20th and 21st centuries!
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