What Disney movies should we watch before we go?

[Danestress]

DH and I are taking our 8 year old twin boys to Disney in December (for their 9th birthdays!). We aren't really huge Disney people. My boys were never THAT into watching videos and we probably haven't seen most of the Disney movies. I guess we haven't really been into the Disney culture.

I kind of want to get everyone into the "spirit" of things before we go. I know a lot of the rides and music and images are more familiar to those who are more familiar with the movies, so help me out. It's never too late

What are the absolute "must see" movies? Obviously with two 8 year old boys, we are going to steer away from the "princess themed" movies a bit.

 

[tink1978]

Finding Nemo
Peter Pan
Herbie?
POTC if you will allow them to see it.
The Incredibles

My 8 year old loves these movies....he also loves Aladdin, but Jasmine is in it, it depends on your boys.

 

[MouseyMin]

Also Lilo and Stitch.

 

[rstamm]

I'd add Pinnochio, too. Gideon and Foulfellow are generally all over the parks and they won't have any idea who they are without seeing the movie.

Check your local library for movies--even in a small library like mine, they have quite a few of the classic Disney movies you can borrow for a week. You won't break the bank and will be able to see lots of great movies. We usually end up watching at least two or three Disney movies a week in the month or so preceding a trip.

 

[HSMndLKfan92]

Okay, my advice may not help. Anyway

1. I obsessed over the Lion King right before I went in August. So, I' say Lion King.
2. Finding Nemo. I just love it.
3. Toy Story
4. POTC, if you'd let them watch it.

 

[woodlandsparty]

I'd add Pinnochio, too. Gideon and Foulfellow are generally all over the parks and they won't have any idea who they are without seeing the movie.

It does seem that those characters are everywhere! At first, I thought that one of them was one of the dwarfs!!! I had to be told who they were! They never have a line, so I always end up with a photo or several with them!

 

[Plantlady]

Before our trip, we got a Netflix membership. We then got every disney movie we could get ahold of in four months time.

Look at the rides that you want to do, or shows you want to attend, and get the movie the show is based on. There are also some classic movies, that are all about Donald, or all about Mickey, or Chip and Dale, ect... we got several of those, so they would know the personallity of the different characters.

Others I would recommend:

Dumbo, Peter Pan, the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, the Muppets movie (I forget what it's called).

 

[hniki234]

I'll second the Toy Story movies. Especially for little boys. That's one of my DBF's absolute favorite movies!

 

[jisom12]

My vote is for:

The Lion King
Peter Pan
Toy Story

 

[epfootballcutie04]

how about "cars"... is that out yet? or... the incredibles???

 

[millerjudi]

What is POTC?

 

[autumnbaby9]

What is POTC?

Pirates of the Caribbean

 

[Danestress]

You are all great and so quick!

 

[Mickey1122]

The Three Musketeers-the Mickey version

 

[DisneyFan06]

I have exactly two weeks to prepare myself for my EPCOT visit. I am anticipating the opening of NEMO at EPCOT; therefore, I will be watching Finding Nemo every day until my trip.

 

[ajcolorado]

Has anyone mentioned "Mary Poppins" - she appears at a character meal and in the Stars & Motor Cars parade. We realized that our daughter (then age 6) had never seen the movie - now it is a favorite.

Lion King is featured everywhere.

Raiders of the Lost Ark came out about 24 or 25 years ago so have your kids see it, if they haven't. The Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular is still good but better if you've seen the movie.

Check out Swiss Family Robinson, if you plan to go through the treehouse at Magic Kingdom.

I always, always, always recommend "Disney's Sing-Along Songs - Disneyland Fun" for anyone taking little ones to Disney World. Disneyland is enough like Magic Kingdom that the video really helps them know what to expect.

 

[BFIrrera]

Okay...deep breath:

Aladdin (MGM - Fantasmic!, MK - Tiki Birds, MK - Magic Carpets of Aladdin, MK - Mickey's Philharmagic)
Alice in Wonderland (MK - Mad Tea Party)
Beauty and the Beast (MGM - Beauty and the Beast, MK - Mickey's Philharmagic)
Bug's Life (Animal Kingdom - It's Tough To Be A Bug)
Dinosaur (Animal Kingdom - Dinosaur!)
Dumbo (MK - Dumbo)
Finding Nemo (Animal Kingdom - Finding Nemo: The Musical opening in late Nov/early Dec, Epcot - The Seas with Nemo)
Honey I Shrunk the Kids (Epcot - Honey, I Shrunk the Audience)
Lilo and Stitch (MK - Stitch's Great Escape)
Lion King (Animal Kingdom - Festival of the Lion King, Epcot - Circle of Life (Land), MK - Tiki Birds, MK - Mickey's Philharmagic)
Little Mermaid (MGM - Voyage of Little Mermaid, MK - Mickey's Philharmagic)
Mary Poppins (MGM - Great Movie Ride)
Peter Pan (MK - Peter Pan's Flight, MK - Mickey's Philharmagic)
Pirates of the Caribbean (MK - Pirates of the Caribbean)
Pocahontas (Animal Kingdom - Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends, MGM - Fantasmic!)
Sleeping Beauty (MGM - Fantasmic!)
Snow White (MK - Snow White's Scary Adventures)
Swiss Family Robinson (MK - Swiss Family Treehouse)
Tom Sawyer/Huckleberry Finn (not necessarily a Disney title - MK - Tom Sawyer Island)
Toy Story (MK - Buzz Lightyear)
Winnie the Pooh (MK - Winnie the Pooh)


Non Disney:
Alien (MGM - Great Movie Ride - RATED R)
Casablanca (MGM - Great Movie Ride)
Muppet Movie (any Muppet Movie but the first is the best) (MGM - Muppetvision 3D)
Raiders of the Lost Ark (MGM - Great Movie Ride, MGM - Indiana Jones Stunt Show)
Singing in the Rain (MGM - Great Movie Ride)
Star Wars: New Hope/Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi (MGM - Star Tours)
Tarzan (with Johnny Weismuller) (MGM - Great Movie Ride)
Wizard of Oz (MGM - Great Movie Ride)


Of course, many of these attractions TELL the story of the movie in question (the Beauty and the Beast, Lion King and Little Mermaid shows for example) or are only tangentially connected (the tea cups ride does not require having seen Alice, for instance). It's not required to watch really any of these things.

I would say watch the ones that multiple attractions are based on: Nemo, Lion King, Aladdin, B&B, Mermaid.

While I wouldn't worry if I didn't recognize a character from a movie (you'll get more done in the parks that way ), but movies not on the above list that I've seen multiple characters from:

Jungle Book (Baloo and King Louie)
Pinocchio (Gepetto, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket (rare, but he is there), Gideon, Longfellow, Stromboli)
Robin Hood (Robin, Little John, Sheriff, Friar Tuck and Prince John)

all in all, enjoy your trip and maybe bring a little memo pad and if your child especially enjoys an attraction (or you realize that there is a character you know that they don't) you can jot down the movie and watch before your NEXT trip!

 

[smnornes]

don't forget the Disney Planning Video!!!!! My kids LOVE watching it, especially before our trips!