If there's one thing the Walt Disney Company knows how to do better than any other corporation on the planet, it's tell an incredible story. This isn't just proven time and again in their movies and TV shows, but also their theme park rides and attractions as well.
As unusual as it might sound, it is entirely possible to tell the complete narrative from start to finish by using environmental elements and other forms of visual storytelling to bring guests into the world Disney has created. From haunted mansions to pirate-infested coves, Disney has more than their fair share of attraction-based tales.
The Nightmare Experiment
'Halloween Horror Nights' at Universal Studios is definitely the best-known of the Disney haunted attractions. However, Hong Kong Disneyland had its own form of haunted attractions, complete with scare actors. And one of their most famous was a twisted Disney maze called 'The Nightmare Experiment'.
Inspired by various Disney villains, 'The Nightmare Experiment' took guests through various scenes involving scarier versions of famous characters, including a deranged Mad Hatter locked in the Wonderland Asylum. It was definitely one of Disney's darkest projects.
Sinbad’s Storybook Voyage
On the other end of the spectrum, 'Sinbad's Storybook Voyage' is to Tokyo DisneySea what 'It's a Small World' is to the American parks. This enchanted boat ride depicts the tale of a young Sinbad the Sailor and his tiger sidekick and the various adventures they encounter.
Guests will see Sinbad battle pirates, rescue a jolly giant, and rescue a roc egg all with an Alan-Menken-inspired soundtrack. Not exactly Aladdin, but it's an Arabian Night with a little extra magical flavor.
Mickey and the Magician
This Disneyland Paris stage show checks a lot of boxes for others of its type, but it deserves a mention for its unique twists. 'Mickey and the Magician' is a magic show inspired by famous illusionists like George Méliès, but with Disney character encounters sprinkled in throughout the show.
When Mickey is cleaning up a magician's caravan, he gets swept away on a magical adventure told through stage magic, musical numbers, and appearances from beloved animated characters. The effects are impressive and the illusions are positively spellbinding.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye
Easily one of the best dark rides in Disneyland, Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye Shrek's nearly every box one would want from an adventure with the famous Spielberg character. Guests board ride vehicles that take them into the bowels of an ancient temple under the protection of a vengeful one-eyed deity
Inspired by Temple of Doom, this attraction featured poison darts, venomous snakes, and a crumbling ancient ruin threatening to crush guests in its wake. The premise alone sounds more like a movie rather than a ride
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Tokyo DisneySEA's Mysterious Island plays host to many attractions inspired by Jules Verne, and one of the most notable is 'Journey to the Center of the Earth'. It's a thrilling dark ride inspired by the book of the same name, and it's loaded with a trove of environmental storytelling.
The environments do all the talking, as there is no on-ride narration or the like to interpret the story for the audience. The attention to detail in the underground caverns, subterranean forests, and lava vents, is worthy of a novel by Verne himself.
Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
'Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway' replaces the 'Great Movie Ride' with an attraction that throws guests into the zaniness of their cartoon world. Labeled as a 2.5-D experience, the omnimover attraction already has a bit of a fan following.
The world does the storytelling while the characters interact with the guests from the comfort of their train cars. After the riders get separated from Goofy's engine, Mickey and Minnie go above and beyond the cartoon call of duty to rescue their guests. It's one of the most visually impressive experiences in Hollywood Studios.
Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour
Although the attraction is no longer available, it deserves recognition because of how intense it could become. Tokyo Disneyland's 'Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour' invited guests to explore the inner chambers of the castle, but instead of a royal reception, they were issued a challenge by the Magic Mirror to take on some of Disney's evilest villains.
In the dungeons, guests had encounters with the Evil Queen, Chernabog, and even a horrific animatronic of the Horned King. No wonder it's known as the darkest attraction in Disney history.
Mystic Manor
While most Disney Parks have an attraction inspired by 'The Haunted Mansion', Shanghai Disney offers something completely different. As ghosts and spirits have a different meaning in certain Asian cultures, 'Mystic Manor' exchanges the happy haunts with magical artifacts that get out of hand.
Complete with a score by Danny Elfman, this ride is like a Tim Burton movie come to life as guests follow a mischievous monkey who unwittingly unleashes the magical power inside an ancient music box, bringing the house to life and unleashing chaos.
The Haunted Mansion
It's impossible to go wrong with Disney's classic and most treasured dark ride, 'The Haunted Mansion'. Why go for one story when you can have dozens? Whether fans know it or not, nearly every ghost, every specter, every Happy Haunt that floats through the halls of Gracey Manor has some form of backstory.
Constance Hatchaway has her collection of headless portraits, the hatbox ghost has his little nook in the attic, and so many other little ghostly tales are told through the house's environmental details. Pretty impressive for an omnimover ride.
Phantom Manor
'Phantom Manor' is what would happen if the 'Haunted Mansion' went further with its ideas. With a tragic tale of romance, death, and murder most foul, the ride offers just a little more bang than its American counterpart.
The main plotline features a ghostly bride searching for her lover and a fiendish phantom looking to torment those who visit the mansion with ghoulish delight. Throw in a haunted town, a murder mystery, and a cave full of overly-friendly zombies and it's a recipe for success.