Poll Time! Best Ride at WDW? FINAL ROUND

[Jeff_AZ]

To help people decide, I’m going to resurrect my summary of why Splash Mountain is so amazing :

1 - LOTS of animatronics. It’s on par with Pirates and Haunted Mansion with sheer volume of animated characters, all relatable and adorable.
2 - Story. The entire ride not only has a theme but a cohesive story with a beginning, climax, and denouement. In that way it is even better than Pirates or Haunted Mansion. You are Brer Rabbit and you live his journey.
3 - Thrill. There are only a few quick drops but for some people (like me) a drop is the most satisfying type of thrill. The butterflies, etc. My favorite drop is actually the one with the bees cause it’s in the dark and it has a little air time coming out of it.
4 - The suspense. The final hill before the big drop is textbook suspension. Foreboding music; darkness; a long, slow ride to the top; a moment’s hesitation just before breaching the apex; emerging into the blinding light before plummeting into the briar patch.
5 - The music. There are at least four main song sections and each one brings a distinct mood. The songs are catchy and most people know at least one of them going into it, even though the related film has never gotten an official home video release in the US. Even if you didn’t know Zip-a-dee-doo-dah going in, you’ll be humming it coming out.
6 - The finale. This alone is worth a mention because there’s nothing else like it. Just like in a movie, you need that extra moment of celebration after getting through the climax to make it more fulfilling.
7 - The photo. Also a minor thing but makes the ride more fun when repeated when people try to do different poses.
8 - The length.
9 - It cools you down. Just what you need on a hot afternoon in Florida / California.
10 - Adds kinetic energy to the park. This was touched on in The Imagineering Story. All the best theme parks have motion out in the common areas to make the park feel alive. Nothing like Chickapin Hill to meet this criteria.