Welcome back everyone, and Happy New Year! It’s so exciting to be able to continue to share my Disney experience and knowledge with you all for another semester, and I cannot wait to see what topics we can dive into in the next couple of months.
To start the year off strong, I decided to focus on the most underrated parts and activities of Disney World. While the majority of my blog posts in the past have focused on the most central, popular, and new parts of the parks, there is so much more to do that is just as amazing- or even better- than the main attractions!
So without further ado, here are my most favorite underrated Disney World attractions (in no particular order):
1. Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover – Magic Kingdom
Lovingly nicknamed the PeopleMover, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover is the perfect ride to catch the sun setting across Magic Kingdom, give your feet a break from the miles upon miles of walking, or just to get a more aerial view of the park. The PeopleMover essentially is an omnimover attraction (a Disney term!), meaning that the ride never stops- except for emergencies, maintenance, etc.- so guests board the moving vehicle. The PeopleMover is located in Tomorrowland, as the name suggests, and actually brings guests into the buildings of the Buzz Lightyear Space-Ranger Spin attraction, the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor attraction, and actually lets guests view Space Mountain from the inside. Apart from being able to glimpse into these Tomorrowland attractions, the PeopleMover also showcases Walt Disney’s original prototype for what would later become Epcot; at the time he called his town the “City of Progress”.
Although the PeopleMover is not the most exciting ride, it is a Disney World Classic. It is always a must-do attraction whenever I visit, as it is always a good way to rest my tired legs and experience a beautiful view of the Magic Kingdom Park. If you want to get a glimpse into the ride itself, click here to watch a video of it straight from Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!
2. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress – Magic Kingdom
This 20-minute show is revolutionary, for a couple of key reasons. Firstly, the theater itself revolves, meaning that the seating area rotates around the stage as the show progresses, so that the audience can view each scene; however, the stage stays put. Secondly, the show is performed entirely by animatronics: a family that lives through the progress of the 19th century- all the way from ice boxes to video games on a flatscreen TV. Thirdly, this show was designed by Walt Disney himself for the 1964/65 World’s Fair to show a new and unique style of show that illustrated progress through the years (one of Walt Disney’s favorite things). What makes it even more interesting is that the final “present day” scene of the show is actually updated every once and awhile: the clothes and dialogue change slightly, and sometimes even the appliances are updated. This all helps viewers reflect on how much things have changed over the years, and helps the ride to stay true to its original theme: progress.
It is very disappointing that many park-goers decide to skip the Carousel of Progress when visiting the parks. Personally, I believe this is because the ride is not as themed as the rest of the park: it almost blends in to the rest of Tomorrowland, so some guests might not even realize that it is a ride, or that it is there at all. Secondly, it is also tucked away into the back of Tomorrowland, out of the more popular and foot-trafficked areas of the Magic Kingdom park. Lastly, most parties turn away from the fact that the show is 20 minutes long; even though it is a great opportunity for a break from walking and to enjoy the AC, most families with children are worried about being able to control their children in such a show, while older guests might avoid it to spend time waiting for the thrill rides instead. Whatever the reason, park-goers are certainly missing out when deciding to skip this attraction. The impressive animatronics and rotating seats, captivating scenes and themes, as well as catchy soundtrack, are certain to ensure that you and your party have a “great big beautiful tomorrow”. (To watch the amazing-tech in action, click here!)
3. Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room – Magic Kingdom
Honestly, I’m not sure how underrated the Enchanted Tiki Room is, however, I know that many people skip the show in order to wait for the more mainstream, thrilling attractions. This attraction is actually one of the “Opening Day Attractions,” meaning that it was one of the only attractions that still stands in Magic Kingdom today that opened with the park in 1971. It is also one of the few attractions in Walt Disney World to have been designed by Walt Disney himself, though his original idea was to have a themed restaurant with live birds. Once that idea was vetoed, however, it was decided that instead there would be a musical show where the entire room comes alive to entertain the guests. Now, the Enchanted Tiki Room sports over 225 animatronics: ranging from the birds, to the plans, and even the tiki faces in the building’s columns.
This 15-minute show flies by (literally) before you know it, and it is always a hit with a younger and older crowd alike. Personally, I love the history behind this ride, and always enjoy seeing the whole room come to life with song. The songs are extremely catchy as well, which makes the Tiki Room and even more memorable experience.
4. Living With the Land – Epcot
Living with the Land is an incredibly underrated attraction, and it is hidden away inside the same Epcot pavilion where Soarin’ resides. This is another relaxing attraction, and is actually a boat ride that takes guests through the Disney World greenhouses- letting guests get a sneak peak into all of the fruits and vegetables that are grown right on Disney property. A fun fact about this attraction is that the restaurant above the attraction (Garden Grill) gets all of their fruits, vegetables, and other produce from these gardens, and uses them in a variety of the dishes throughout the restaurants menu.
This attraction is always a great way to take a break during a busy day at Epcot, and I always enjoy getting the behind-the-scenes tour of all of the amazing produce that is grown in Epcot everyday.
5. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros – Epcot
The Gran Fiesta Tour is honestly one of my all-time favorite attractions throughout Walt Disney World. Though it is a mellow boat-ride attraction, it gives guests a small glimpse into Mexico and Mexican culture, while introducing guests to a special performance by the Caballeros themselves (including Donald Duck of course) at the end for “the big finale”. Like most other attractions on this list, this ride has an upbeat, catchy song that will be sure to stick in your head for the rest of the day. It is fun, easy to follow, and is another great way to take a break from walking all day.
Whenever I visit Epcot, I make sure to visit this attraction at least once (along with Spaceship Earth, of course) so I can enjoy the vivid and detailed scenery, and sing along with the Caballeros at the end. Be careful: this ride almost never shows up on the “My Disney Experience” app since there is almost never a wait time- another reason why this ride is a definite must-do!
6. Sea Base – Epcot
While not an official “ride,” the Sea Base in Epcot is a great way to take a break in the cool AC while experiencing something new and engaging. The Sea Base is actually a large aquarium in Epcot that also includes the “Turtle Talk with Crush” attraction and “The Seas with Nemo and Friends” attraction. There are many fun ocean animals to be spotted here, such as: sea turtles, reef fish, rays, sharks, dolphins, and more! The larger marine animals are on level two of the Sea Base to view, and there are many marine biologist Cast Members who are more than happy to introduce you to the animals, as well as answer any questions that you may have about the animals, or the Sea Base itself.
Epcot’s Sea Base is always fun to explore, especially when the weather is hot, the wait times are high, and you need something else to keep you and your group cool and engaged for a bit. It is fun to be able to see all of the animals that Epcot takes care of, and if you happen to be there around 10 am or 3:30 pm, you can see the Cast Members feed the fish!
7. Star Tours: The Adventures Continue – Hollywood Studios
Last, but certainly not least on the list, is the Star Tours attraction over at Hollywood Studios. The reason why I added this attraction to the list was because since the creation of Galaxy’s Edge in Hollywood Studios- the entire land themed to Star Wars- this ride has become almost obsolete. Star Tours is often ignored nowadays simply because people chose to visit Galaxy’s Edge to experience the shopping, rides, characters, and food there instead (and I can’t blame them, Galaxy’s Edge is fantastic). As cool and new as Galaxy’s Edge is, however, I still completely believe that visiting Star Tours is a must-do when visiting Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World. This is because the storyline in the ride is always different: the ride system contains all sorts of different storylines- which continue to update as more Star Wars movies and series are released- and are randomized to put together a story for each ride. This simply means that you most likely will never experience the same storyline twice; you could fight Darth Vader the first time, accompany the Mandalorian the second, train with Luke Skywalker the third, fight with Rey and Finn the fourth, so forth and so on- the opportunities are endless!
I particularly enjoy this ride for that reason- the fact that each ride will be different- and also the fact that it is always possible to be the rebel spy (something that doesn’t change with the randomization). Since it is less popular nowadays in the park, the wait time is usually shorter than many of the other rides in Hollywood Studios, making it even more appealing to give it a try!
In conclusion… don’t be afraid to try some of the more underrated attractions across the Disney World theme parks! They usually have a shorter wait time compared to other attractions, are engaging and impressive, and will leave you with some new catchy songs! In my opinion, these rides are always worth riding, especially during the down time when your party is tired and needs a nice, cool break.
Thanks for reading, and see you all in the next blog post!
I really enjoyed this blog for so many reasons. The main reason being that you wrote about several attractions, and each one was really detailed and well explained. As someone who went to Florida every year as a kid and never had the desire to go to Disney, this definitely made me think about what I missed, and that I might have to go in the coming years.
I’ve only been to Disney World once, but I have family that goes every year. I’d be curious to ask them and see if they’ve tried out these attractions. As an animal lover, the Sea Base sounds like something I would really enjoy. Plus the AC would be an awesome bonus!
I LOVE Disney World! I haven’t been since the 6th grade, but the magic is still there. My best friend comes from a big Disney family, so they go three to four times a year.
I love that you are talking about something that you are passionate about. You can tell that you really love Disney World through your writing.
When I go back to Disney this summer, I will for sure visit these attractions!
I have only been to Disney World once, and I was around 9 or 10 when I went so, I remember very little from the trip. But from what I remember and the many pictures we have saved, it was very exciting for me– especially at that age. It is so interesting how experienced you are with Disney! It seems like you’re an expert! I am glad you talked about more underrated rides rather than the ones that everyone talks about all the time. It is cool to learn about these hidden treasures. How many times have you been to Disney? I loved reading about your experience! Can’t wait to read more!
Thanks for the comment!! I honestly am not sure how many times I’ve been – until I was four years old I lived in California and visited the parks there often, but probably only visited Disney World once or twice before high school. Since then, I’ve been lucky to go about once a year (so maybe 4-5 times throughout high school?). I’m not sure when I’ll be back to visit, but I’m grateful for how much I’ve been able to go already!
I love that you know all of these little spots, so thanks for giving me the rundown! I feel like I’ve just been given a Veteran’s Tour of Disneyland. The ones I find most magical are the Enchanted Tiki experience, and, as a classic, the People Mover. Something about the simple silliness of the name, added to the fact that both experiences are “Opening Day” old-timers, is quite appealing to me. I don’t know– the fact that kids in the 70s and the 2020s are still experiencing the same order of wonder, even with all of the renovations, is something of a marvel. I love it, Christina! See you next week 🙂