Movies for Rides

[disneychrista]

Before my upcoming trip I plan to watch the movies that rides are based on. A lot of them are fairly easy but a couple have me stumped. What movies would you watch for the following

Indiana Jones - my first though was Temple of Doom but now I am second guessing myself and wondering if it should be Raiders of the Lost Ark

Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run - I'd say the Mandalorian but we are going before the update

Rise of the Resistance - Would it be Episode VII ?

Star Tours - I am thinking any of them would work for this but I am open to suggestions

Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - I am guessing the Animated Series would be the best fit

I can't think of any that would fit Tiki Room, small world, Autopia, Space Mnt, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway

 

[M&M2017]

For Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railroad, try watching the retro cartoons that Disney+ released in 2017 or so. My kids love those and it ties in well.

 

[brightlined]

Most of the rides are loosely based on the entire franchise - in the broader sense, you can kinda take your pick.

Indy - tough call. I'd probably lean Raiders if you've never seen it.

Rise of the Resistance - officially, it takes place after The Last Jedi, but I'd probably vote for Force Awakens.

MF:SR - Again, it technically takes place after The Last Jedi, but I'd probably vote Force Awakens here, too.

Star Tours - this one is almost impossible because of the randomized locations that span all nine of the Skywalker movies. Over the last year, I've mostly gotten the last scene from Rise of Skywalker as the last location on rides (which is by far my least-favorite location on the ride - it's so absurdly dark compared to the more-broadly humorous tone of the ride), but I did get the Galaxy's Edge / Batuu ending recently, so they're hopefully randomizing again. I've rarely seen the OT locations in recent years, so if you're already watching The Force Awakens, you could maybe watch The Phantom Menace for some prequel exposure.

Buzz Lightyear - it depends on how much time you want to spend. While I believe there are elements of the animated series included, a lot of what's on the ride echoes Toy Story 2. (I believe Disney cites that movie as the inspiration.)

A lot of the older rides aren't based on movies - Space Mountain, Big Thunder, Autopia, etc.

For Small World, Tiki Room, and more of the classic rides - rather than movies, I might suggest watching the "Disneyland 10th Anniversary" episode of Wonderful World of Color (1965). Walt previews those attractions himself.

 

[BrianL]

You might could watch the movie Tomorrowland to encompass that as a whole. If you look, you can briefly see Space Mountain in it. The original World's Fair version of It's a Small World also features prominently in the back story.

For Smugglers Run, it's really any episode of Clone Wars or Rebels featuring Hondo Ohnaka, since he is a primary character in the ride.