Disney Movie Suggestions before going to DL

[AmberStar]

Okay... so I want to be sure to prep my kids. I think it will be more fun if the kiddos are familiar with the characters they might come in contact with. So I'm trying to get a list going and figure out what films we still need to watch.

So far I have:
Pirates of the Caribbean
Peter Pan
Little Mermaid
Cars
Monsters Inc
Nightmare Before Christmas (maybe if its holiday season)
3 Mouseketeers (free on netflix and has the fab 5 in it)
watch some classic disney cartoons on you tube


what else should I add? (note we have 6 months to plan so plenty of time to watch things without being on TV overload!)

 

[hootey]

Toy Story
Haunted Mansion(depending on age of children)
Mary Poppins
Finding Nemo
These come to mind first after looking at your list

 

[GenGen22]

Aladdin, Frozen, Cinderella, Lion King.

 

[DznyPrnces]

Tangled, Beauty and the Beast (the 2 shows they do in the new princess fair area).

Snow White, Pinocchio, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, Tarzan (treehouse).

Not sure on ages, but any of the shows in the Disney Junior show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins.

And a side note, The 3 Musketeers is one of my 5 year olds favorite movies, we have the DVD.

I did this with my kids last year before we went to Disney World last year, and it was a lot of fun. I included all the classic princess movies because I knew we would be meeting the princesses and she only knew Cinderella at the time.

 

[SMD]

I think it's more fun to ride POTC, then see the movie and spot the references. Of course, Jack and Barbossa are on the ride now, but I think I'd still do it the other way. Also, instead of watching all the movies, what about buying books that tell some of the stories? I don't know how much a kid needs to watch Dumbo to appreciate the ride, but a short story book would at least introduce the character.

Movies referenced in rides:

Toontown:
Roger Rabbit

Tomorrowland:
Star Wars
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo

Adventureland:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (not sure I would show this to kids)
Tarzan (treehouse, not a ride)

Frontierland:
N/A

New Orleans Sq:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (technically the movie is based on the ride)
The Haunted Mansion (ride is based on the movie, plus the movie is bad, skip it)

Critter Country:
Song of the South (good luck finding a copy)
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

Fantasyland:
Dumbo (two rides)
Peter Pan
Snow White
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Wind in the Willows section)
Sleeping Beauty (carousel and castle walkthrough)
Alice in Wonderland (two rides)
Third Man on the Mountain

Storybook Land references:
Pinocchio
Peter Pan
Mr. Toad
Cinderella
Aladdin
Little Mermaid
Three Little Pigs

DCA movie references:
Monsters Inc.
Tower of Terror
Aladdin
Bug's Life
Cars
Little Mermaid (two rides)
Toy Story

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (not a ride) has loose references to Up and Brother Bear.

Look for Disney Animation Collection on Netflix, they have old shorts, including Three Little Pigs, Mickey and Goofy shorts and Wind in the Willows.

 

[Georgieut]

Okay... so I want to be sure to prep my kids. I think it will be more fun if the kiddos are familiar with the characters they might come in contact with. So I'm trying to get a list going and figure out what films we still need to watch. So far I have: Pirates of the Caribbean Peter Pan Little Mermaid Cars Monsters Inc Nightmare Before Christmas (maybe if its holiday season) 3 Mouseketeers (free on netflix and has the fab 5 in it) watch some classic disney cartoons on you tube what else should I add? (note we have 6 months to plan so plenty of time to watch things without being on TV overload!)

We watched the princess frog one - to get a New Orleans feel.

We also did Tinker Bell. Repunzel (not spelled right sorry)

You can do any of the princess movies, beauty and the beast, Cinderella.

Have fun! We had fun once a week watching one as a family.

 

[SultanPprShkr]

I think it's more fun to ride POTC, then see the movie and spot the references. Of course, Jack and Barbossa are on the ride now, but I think I'd still do it the other way. Also, instead of watching all the movies, what about buying books that tell some of the stories? I don't know how much a kid needs to watch Dumbo to appreciate the ride, but a short story book would at least introduce the character.

Movies referenced in rides:

Toontown:
Roger Rabbit

Tomorrowland:
Star Wars
Toy Story 2
Finding Nemo

Adventureland:
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (not sure I would show this to kids)
Tarzan (treehouse, not a ride)

Frontierland:
N/A

New Orleans Sq:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (technically the movie is based on the ride)
The Haunted Mansion (ride is based on the movie, plus the movie is bad, skip it)

Critter Country:
Song of the South (good luck finding a copy)
Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day

Fantasyland:
Dumbo (two rides)
Peter Pan
Snow White
Pinocchio
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (Wind in the Willows section)
Sleeping Beauty (carousel and castle walkthrough)
Alice in Wonderland (two rides)
Third Man on the Mountain

Storybook Land references:
Pinocchio
Peter Pan
Mr. Toad
Cinderella
Aladdin
Little Mermaid
Three Little Pigs

DCA movie references:
Monsters Inc.
Tower of Terror
Aladdin
Bug's Life
Cars
Little Mermaid (two rides)
Toy Story

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (not a ride) has loose references to Up and Brother Bear.

Look for Disney Animation Collection on Netflix, they have old shorts, including Three Little Pigs, Mickey and Goofy shorts and Wind in the Willows.

Also, Princess and the Frog in New Orleans Square! I'm not a fan of that movie, but Tiana and Naveen are out and about in the daytime!

Other things to look for:
Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, Jungle Book, Pocahontas, (along with Tangled and Princess & The Frog) are featured in Mickey & The Magical Map (a live stage show in the Fantasyland Theater.

 

[Midnightred]

You can watch "Song of the South" scenes on YouTube. It is a really fun movie, kinda strange.
My kids really aren't too crazy about Mary Poppins, but do do see Mary and Bert in the park, plus the Mary Poppins music is always playing. You also have Holly Jolly Bakery and the fireworks summer show which features Mary. I hope my kids like it someday.
What about Wall-E? Wall-E is featured in WOC. There is a great scene in WOC featuring "Up" too.

Midnightred

 

[GatorChris]

If you can get your hands on it, get the Song of the South on DVD. Tough to get, but my kids liked it and they like the tie in to Splash Mt.

Also, you HAVE to watch A Bug's Life. There's a whole land in DCA devoted to it, so it makes the land a lot more fun when you watch the movie. A Lot!

 

[MICKEYFIL]

Also, you HAVE to watch A Bug's Life. There's a whole land in DCA devoted to it, so it makes the land a lot more fun when you watch the movie. A Lot!

This was going to be my suggestion as well. It is a land really dedicated to little kids, but if they are of the age, like mine are, I would recommend it.

 

[Sorsha]

Toontown:
Roger Rabbit

OP how old are your kids?

I wouldn't watch Roger Rabbit with anyone under 12 (at least with out parents previewing it first). IMHO it is way too dark and violent, not to mention Jessica Rabbit is WAY over-sexualized.

I never could understand why Disney thought that movie was appropriate for development into a dark ride in the same area of the park as Mickey and Minnie's houses.

 

[SultanPprShkr]

You can watch "Song of the South" scenes on YouTube. It is a really fun movie, kinda strange.
My kids really aren't too crazy about Mary Poppins, but do do see Mary and Bert in the park, plus the Mary Poppins music is always playing. You also have Holly Jolly Bakery and the fireworks summer show which features Mary. I hope my kids like it someday.
What about Wall-E? Wall-E is featured in WOC. There is a great scene in WOC featuring "Up" too.

Midnightred

Jolly Holiday Bakery. Just so no one goes looking for a Holly Jolly Bakery... and the song goes by the actual name. "It's a jolly holiday with mary... mary makes the sun shine bright" "oh it's a jolly holiday with you, bert.."

 

[AmberStar]

Jolly Holiday Bakery. Just so no one goes looking for a Holly Jolly Bakery... and the song goes by the actual name. "It's a jolly holiday with mary... mary makes the sun shine bright" "oh it's a jolly holiday with you, bert.."

I had not realized that at all but when I read that I sang it in my head and it clicked. Ahhh... that is so fun. Must go there now!

My kiddos are boys 4, 5 and girl 8. My 8 and 5 year old have seen some of these so I'm just making a list of whats left to watch that I don't want to forget. We will defiantly skip Roger Rabbit (movie not ride). I tried to watch that with them when it was on netflix and I was shocked b/c it was nothing like I remembered from being a kid. We ended up turning it off.

I'm skipping bugs life land but watching the movie would still be fun. My 4 year old could care less about watching movies but the old mickey mouse cartoons he loves. I really want the kiddos at least familiar with some of the classic characters b/c well, Mickey is easier to see than Elsa and Anna!

Thanks for so many fab suggestions. I'm thinking we will skip some rides in fantasyland too... I'm not a fan of the pinocchio or the snow white ride. Mr Toad is good and you can't ever skip the carousel and peter pan. And dumbo I'd like to skip (I hate the que length for what it is) but that will be decided upon the kids I am sure.

 

[VicMom]

What about a little bit of some Muppets? Need to know who you're watching in the 3D show.

 

[BriannaRuth]

In my effort to watch every movie referenced in Disneyland before we go, I found this website that's really great. It lists 51 movies and then tells you where in the park those movies are referenced, by frequency.

http://www.listal.com/list/disneyland-the-movie

Only thing is it's from 2008, so is missing a few things, most notably everything in Carsland. Wish someone would update it.

 

[Sorsha]

In my effort to watch every movie referenced in Disneyland before we go, I found this website that's really great. It lists 51 movies and then tells you where in the park those movies are referenced, by frequency.

http://www.listal.com/list/disneyland-the-movie

Only thing is it's from 2008, so is missing a few things, most notably everything in Carsland. Wish someone would update it.

That's a wonderful list!

The other thing it is missing is the re-make of the Star Wars ride, when we no longer stay in the original trilogy, but move into the prequels with the pod-racer scene. I am trying to get my DD10 up to date by watching the Star Wars movies with her (space movies aren't her thing, she's still more a classic animation kind of kid) but I am NOT going to try to explain the prequels and how they fit in. She has a hard enough time with the originals.

 

[AmberStar]

We will need to rewatch the entire series before we go. They are my husbands fave movies so I'm certain he will encourage we rewatch them. We have watched them out of order so many times that I think my kids mix them all up.

I've not rode the new star wars so I look forward to that.