What attraction has the most Disney "Magic"?

[GaryDis]

Peter Pan or Dumbo.

They are "only Disney" rides...as in no other place could make these rides. Splash can be replicated (lots of log rides) Tower of Terror can be replicated.

But you can't replicate Dumbo or Peter Pan. The nostalgia is like 99% of the awesomeness and that can't be copied.

Note that "nostalgia" wasn't included in that list of criteria given by the OP. Nothing wrong with that, but this just illustrates how subjective this question can be.

 

[AllieBoo]

Peter Pan
Splash Mountain
Haunted Mansion
Pirates

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

Tower of Terror may be the best ride at Disney, but I didn't think it was really Disney "magic" even though I love it. And props to those who chose Peter Pan - completely slipped my mind

 

[karen1987]

Carousel of Progress feels very 'disney magic' to us. I know it's dated, but there's something about the song and the fact it was created by Walt and is one of the oldest attractions at WDW

 

[britterbell]

I see lots of classic rides so I'm going to chime in with a new one--Seven Dwarf's Mine Train! I thought they absolutely NAILED it with the coaster: from going up the lift hill with the dwarves singing beside you to the show scene at the end!

 

[dachsie]

The Tea cups. Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to go to Disney to ride the tea cups. I finally got to go as an adult and I ride them every time.

 

[larryz]

Peter Pan. You can fly, you can fly, you can fly!

 

[Jazzybell]

Another vote for Carousel of Progress. I ride it every time we go to WDW. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day! Love it!!

 

[redsbe]

walking down Main Street towards the Castle

 

[Disneymom1126]

Rides: Splash Mountain, It's a Small World, Spaceship Earth, Pirates, Dumbo!
Shows: It doesn't matter how many times I see Celebrate the Magic, I always get a little teary/get the goosebumps...it has a lot to do with the music, but the show on the castle is just awesome as well!

 

[katienanna]

The Indiana Jones ride at DL, and Haunted Mansion.

 

[JimmyV]

I think of it more as the "Disney Difference" than "Magic". The term "magic" is overused and leads us down an illogical path. This is especially true when there are so many threads about cost cutting, price increases and the (correct) evaluation of these changes as Disney being a business, just like every other major corporation. Disney doesn't dispense "magic", and I don't want it to. "Magic" is an illusion. It is fraud. It is deception. I don't want that. Instead, Disney dispenses real, high-quality entertainment that hopefully brings out the best in all of us. And not because it takes "magic" to extract that level of kindness and joy, because those reside innately in all of us. We just don't let them surface as much as we should. But when we are at WDW, these emotions do rise to the surface because Disney takes the time and spends the effort to set itself apart, and we appreciate the fact that there are still companies that, while striving for profit, understand that small details and quality still matter. And when Disney treats us with respect by going the extra mile in terms of details and quality, we feel respected. We feel elated. We are thankful. We are happy. And all of these feelings gushing forth simultaneously bring us a level of joy that we rarely find in our daily lives. It's not "magic". It is simply a rare combination of positive human emotion being elicited by a company that is entertaining us while charging a fee for the service. Plenty of other companies could elicit that type of response if they set their minds to it. But they don't, and that makes Disney "different".

So where do I find the Disney Difference? On Main Street. (And this was even better before Main Street became one big souvenir mall.) I find it in high tech animatronic figures that no one else wants to spend the money to create. Pirates. Haunted Mansion. And believe it or not, the Country Bear Jamboree. I find it in mind bending holograms at places like the Haunted Mansion (again), and Tower of Terror. While we all love to post about the random drops on that ride, the real marvel of that attraction is actually the part before you enter the drop chamber. There is where you will find the Disney Difference. I can find "drop rides" everywhere. But the part of that attraction that takes place before the drops is where Disney really sets itself apart. Those are the types of things that make me smile and appreciate that Disney "gets it" and that they are offering me something that no one else seems to want to.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Lots of great rides mentioned on here, but I think best theme goes to Tower of Terror. It is my favorite ride and I love everything about it!!

 

[JPKnapp]

Thank you so much for everyone's replies. I just got back from our yearly trip last week and was thinking about this constantly. For me, the answer is Haunted Mansion. I've ridden it a ton and never noticed until this week that the opening path with the unseen ghost playing the piano has a moving shadow on the floor.

However, Splash Mountain is very quickly rising on my list. My first Splash ride was 2 years ago, and it shocked me. The fact that you go uphill in the dark on a log flume ride? That's crazy! And that the big drop isnt the end of the ride. It's like Steve Jobs announcing Apple products back in the day "But wait... there's one more thing".

 

[elaine amj]

Carousel of Progress is a fave And the fact that "boring" rides like Tomorrowland Transit Authority is a blast when you add the "Disney magic". For us, it's not really the rides though - it's the fireworks, the smiles, the happy laughter, just the magic in the air. We love being there.

We got Universal APs last year and are now going for our 3rd trip. I thought my teen son would prefer it. But while we all had a fantastic time (obviously - since we kept going back), our whole family said there was just something different at Disney that appeals. Also, we like the warmer, happier theming at Disney. None of us are fans of the darker elements (we don't even ride Haunted Mansion - my DS tried it once and didn't like it) and Universal is filled with that.

 

[larryz]

(And this was even better before Main Street became one big souvenir mall.)

...

 

[Virtucomp]

There are too many attractions and shows where Disney has added the little extras that make the attraction a step above an amusement park. I found the Enchanted Tales with Belle demonstrates the Disney difference. You walk into Belle's father's house, travel through a magic door, Interact with the wardrobe, meet Belle and play a part in her story telling. This includes technology with a meet and greet and guest interaction. Much more memorable than standing in line to meet a character and get a quick photo or autograph.

 

[dlavender]

Definitely Splash and Space.

 

[2PrincessesRmine]

Philharmagic fills me with the warm Disney Magic like nothing else can. The first two times we saw Wishes with my girls totally amazed me and brought me to tears. But, it has become so crowded I have trouble enjoying it as much anymore.

 

[bbjunkie]

Disney "Magic"... the "Wow" factor that no one else seems to have. It's details, the technology, innovation, decoration, or that you can experience something 100 times and still find something new.

What attraction to you has the most Disney "Magic"?

I'm not sure if you count it as an attraction, but Celebrate the Magic and Wishes are what do it for me. Part of it is the atmosphere, having Cinderella Castle as the center of it all, part of it is the details, from Timkerbell's flight to Jiminy Cricket's narration. They aren't the best fireworks I've seen, but it is the detail, the music, etc, that makes them perfect.

I love many rides for different reasons, and I have to agree with a previous poster that mentioned 7DMT as being beautifully themed right down to the queue. Splash is amazing in the theming as well.

But the thing that really does it for me, every single time, is emerging from under the train station, turning right, and looking down Main Street at the Castle. For me, that's all it takes. The music, the atmosphere, the feeling all of the details create; it is transformative. And no one does it like Disney.