Movies to Watch Before Your Disney Vacation
Your trip is booked, your days are planned, now it’s time to get you and your family in the mood for some Disney Magic! I’ve put together a list of must-watch movies to get everyone in the Disney spirit. I highly recommend signing up for a subscription to Disney+, even if it’s just for the month, as I’ve chosen movies that are all available (as of the time of this posting) on their platform. Many of these also have an animated and live action option for you to choose from.
Did you know that the movies were actually made after the Disney ride? Adventureland is host to this ride, as well as meet and greets with the one and only Jack Sparrow.
Another classic Disney ride that was so popular, they made a movie out of it.
There is a life size replica of the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse in Adventureland.
Haunted Mansion (2023)
We’ve seen all of the Haunted Mansion movies based on the ride, and this is by far our favorite. It’s a little scary, so maybe not for the littles (see the next one on our list for them!), but not so scary that it crosses into the horror genre. It’s interspersed with a lot of light moments and really ties the story of the ride together!
This version is really fun and light-hearted and much better for the younger crowd. There is also a movie version with Eddie Murphy, but we like the new muppet one better because it’s a little more whimsical and has a lot closer references to the ride.
There is a slow moving storybook ride based on the beloved Winnie the Pooh in Fantasyland.
Besides getting to see Jasmine and Aladdin various places throughout the parks, there is also a small ride based on this movie in Adventureland.
The Adventures of Huck Finn and Tom and Huck
There is a whole island in the middle of Magic Kingdom based on Tom Sawyer and his friends. Bonus: getting to relive your school-girl crush on JTT.
There is a ride in Fantasyland based on Dumbo, where you can fly on the elephant.
There is a very popular slow moving ride in Fantasyland based on Peter Pan’s adventures.
Disney World is home to Cinderella’s castle. You can walk through it and view mosaics based on the film, meet Cinderella and her step sisters, dine at Cinderella’s Royal Table, get a makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, and ride Prince Charming’s Regal carousel.
There is a fun slow moving ride through this movie in Fantasyland.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
There is a VERY popular roller coaster in Fantasyland based on this movie.
The Beast’s castle can be seen from a distance, or you can dine there if you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation. There is also a very cute interactive experience called Enchanted Tales with Belle, based on this movie. There is also a live show at Hollywood Studios.
There is a ride at Epcot Norway featuring the princesses of Arendelle.
In Epcot France, there is a great ride featuring Remy.
There is a ride in Epcot, an aquarium, and a show at Animal Kingdom (coming 2022) featuring Nemo and friends.
You can enjoy the land of Pandora at Animal Kingdom without having seen Avatar, but it’ll be a lot cooler if you have.
There are numerous references to the Lion King at Animal Kingdom, including a show.
There is one ride at Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom, and a whole land at Hollywood Studios featuring characters from Toy Story.
You’ll also want to watch all of the princess movies. You can meet characters from all of the movies in the parks, and there are references everywhere.
Bonus: There is a show called Behind the Attraction on Disney+ that highlights a different ride and its history each episode. It’s a great way to get some behind the scenes knowledge before you go! If you’re going over the holidays, you might want to view The Nightmare Before Christmas as well.
Here is my handy checklist, if you’d like to print it off and mark off movies as you go!