10 Disney Movies

3. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin in Mickey’s Toontown is another dark ride that draws heavily from the movie. Who Framed Roger Rabbit is an excellent film most of us haven’t seen in a while, so be sure to check that one out.

4. A bug's life

A bug’s life is a must if you have small children. They’ll love the kiddie rides in Disney California Adventure’s “a bug’s land,” and it’ll mean much more to them if they’ve seen the movie.

5. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Disney's California Adventure--Cars Land--Radiator Springs Racers sign

Radiator Springs Racers is a hugely popular, high-speed ride.

7. Alice in Wonderland
Re-watching Alice in Wonderland—the original 1951 version—gives more context to riding Mad Tea Party and, of course, Alice in Wonderland. Children who missed the movie won’t get the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, or Tweedledee and Tweedledum, much less the magnificent Cheshire Cat.

8. Sleeping Beauty
Watching Sleeping Beauty, from 1959, will give you a new appreciation for her castle, the centerpiece of Disneyland Park, and the castle’s walkthrough, which features dioramas with scenes from the movie.

9. Frozen
If you liked Frozen, you’ve probably seen it fairly recently, but you might want to watch it again before your trip. Anna and Elsa, and sometimes Olaf, are available with much shorter lines than they garner at Walt Disney World, and Frozen—Live at the Hyperion is a lavish stage show that fans of the movie won’t want to miss.

10. Classic Fab Four Shorts
Mickey fans should make it a point to see some of the old classic Fab Four shorts, and head straight for Mickey’s Toontown when you get there! This land is totally different from the old Mickey’s Toontown Fair at Walt Disney World, and is a whole “town” filled with sight gags and puns. Mickey’s Toontown has only two rides (Gadget’s Go Coaster and Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin), neither of which really seems to belong, but it’s still a blast, and small children will enjoy playing in one of three play areas: Chip ‘n Dale Treehouse, Goofy’s Playhouse, and Donald’s Boat. Larger children (like me) will enjoy meeting Mickey Mouse and seeing his and Minnie’s houses. Other characters sometimes make appearances here, too.

These are my top Disney movie recommendations but, of course, several other rides draw directly from the movies for which they’re named: Snow White’s Scary Adventures (really scary for small ones), Peter Pan’s Flight, The Little Mermaid—Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Star Tours, Indiana Jones Adventure, and Toy Story Midway Mania, but this list will get you started. And if you don’t have any current plans to visit Disneyland, maybe watching the movies will inspire to start planning a visit. Happy watching!