Greg Maletic
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4. The Enchanted Tiki Room
The Tiki Room rates as influential for at least two reasons: 1) it's the first
public use of Audio-Animatronics, which of course became pervasive throughout many of
Disney's biggest attractions, and 2) the Disney "musical revue"-style show,
although clearly on the decline now, made possible classics like Country Bear Jamboree
as well as less memorable renditions like Kitchen Kabaret and Food Rocks!
5. Monsanto's House of the Future
Walt Disney was fascinated with how we'd live in the future, and Monsanto's House of
the Future--located where the King Triton fountain is now, in front of Disneyland's
Tomorrowland--is the predecessor to all of Disney's futuristic visions: the Carousel of
Progress and Progressland, Space Mountain's Home of Future Living,
Horizons, and even Epcot (Disney's utopian city, not the theme park that exists
today.)
(c) Disney
6. Star Tours
Star Tours begat Body Wars, which begat Indiana Jones, which begat Dinosaur.
They all began with this George Lucas-inspired attraction. Not only was it cloned at every
Disney location, it was evolved to produce Stormrider at DisneySea and Soarin'
Over California at California Adventure.
7. Magic Journeys
The Magic Journeys 3-D film that debuted at Epcot's Journey Into Imagination
pavilion proved two things: 1) that 3-D movie technology had advanced quite a ways from
its 1950s origins, and 2) people loved the effect. Its success paved the way for an
incredible number of Disney attractions that built on its foundation: Captain EO, Honey,
I Shrunk The Audience, MuppetVision 3-D, and It's Tough To Be A Bug.
8. The Matterhorn
If the public hadn't warmed up to this one, it's unlikely we'd have seen Space Mountain,
Big Thunder Mountain, or any other Disney thrill rides in the timeframe we did.
9. Dumbo
Dumbo's great, but part of me wishes this attraction weren't so influential. Do we
need so many clones of it floating around the parks?