Starting right of the bat with a ride that plowed over a legend. This countdown is supposed to be positive, though, so we're going to focus there.
Winnie the Pooh is here completely separate from what he replaced, and is exclusively on the list for what he is: a damn fine classic dark ride with some fun elements.
When I think of Disney attractions, one of the first things that comes to mind is hissing brakes at stations, zipping along curves that feel hazardous through detailed environments, iconic sounds and songs, and light t-shirts glowing in the black light. The classic dark ride has evolved over the years, and that's a great thing, but it still has a place in this world for being simple, attractive fun. They're a foundational aspect of the theme park environment, which Walt and his early Imagineers took to a new level, serving as an important staple of the Fantasyland experience from opening day of Disneyland and on into the Magic Kingdom. With all the advancements and changes that have come over the years, there's still something enjoyable about sitting down and watching a story unfold in the dark. With air conditioning.
In the art of the classic dark ride, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a (relatively) modern masterclass of the design. It was the first of the traditional style since the Magic Kingdom's opening, and remains the last. It added some neat tricks to the genre, though, with a ride vehicle that changes movement from scene to scene, bouncing with Tigger or floating along with a flood.
Every attraction on this list is a great attraction, let's be clear. There are a few sitting in my draft list at 51+ that someone reading this is going to be sad about, but there have been a lot of great attractions at WDW, and there are several that just miss this list I love(d) dearly and want to write about. Winnie the Pooh managed to just slide in under that cut largely because of one show scene:
The black lit heffalumps and woozles fever dream is one of the most absurdist, hilarious, memorable, and trippy things you will ever find in a theme park attraction. With strange angles and great use of colors and mirrors, it's disorienting, while also being full of clever and amusing sight gags. All set to an iconic theme song. It's sort of like if Spencer's Gifts bought a Build-a-Bear station, then had you drive a little electric car through it. It perfectly captures the exact tone the original pink elephants scene that inspire the heffalumps was going for: a dream born of stress and intoxication. But also colorful!
It should also be noted the attractions on this will be noted not just for load-to-unload, but what you experience from the moment you approach the marquee to the moment you exit the building. Winnie the Pooh gets points here for having a great example of what an interactive queue can be, which was also an excellent example of plussing in its day. With elements that are fun to fidget with, without stopping movement or overstaying their welcome, and a design that fits the forest setting that would eventually grow up around it, the ride managed to get a queue that didn't feel larger than the attraction it leads to, but did make the wait just a bit more enjoyable.
The video game community often uses the term "comfy" to describe games where you just kind of vibe. Where the interaction with the game world is never painfully challenging, and more about enjoying the atmosphere, colors, sounds, or interactive elements. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is like the ride version of "comfy." It may not be the best attraction in its park, or land, or even in the history of its building, but it manages to be a cozy ride through a nice landscape, interrupted by the absolute surreal.
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