Yay, you’re going to Disney World!!! Booking a Disney vacation is SO EXCITING! I love the whole planning process—from booking park passes to dining reservations. Another thing we like to do while counting down the days is watch ALL the Disney movies! It gets us excited for our trip and helps us pass the time! Here’s our list of the top 10 movies you should watch before your Disney vacation.
These are the main movies I wished we had watched (or re-watched) before our first trip. There were a lot of attractions that I think would have been more fun for Liam if he’d seen the movie beforehand. It was HARD to narrow this down to 10, but I tried to go with movies that get you the most “bang for your buck,” so to speak (ones that relate to more than one attraction or are a MUST watch for an entire land). And, of course, all of these are available on Disney+.
Cinderella
Cinderella had to make the list of movies to watch before Disney. Not too many attractions are themed to this movie, but the centerpiece of Magic Kingdom is Cinderella’s castle. It’s magical to see it in person whether you’ve recently watched the movie or not, but especially if you plan to meet princesses, eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table, or ride the carousel, you should definitely give this movie a watch or re-watch before your trip! And any Cinderella will do! My favorite version of Cinderella just hit Disney+ on February 12, and I’ve already watched it at least once—so much nostalgia for this Rogers and Hammerstein version! ❤️
Snow White
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is one of the most popular rides at Magic Kingdom, and you’re definitely going to want to ride it. It a super fun rollercoaster and great for even young kiddos (as long as they’re tall enough!). There are a couple of story scenes throughout the coaster that will definitely make more sense if you’ve seen the movie.
Toy Story
This is a MUST. Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios is absolutely amazing, and it’ll be so much more fun if Toy Story is fresh in your mind! Any Toy Story movie will do—though Jessie is a pretty central part of TSL so because of that you might want to choose 2, 3, or 4. Or just watch them all!
Star Wars
I’d recommend watching at least one Star Wars movie, especially if you plan on visiting Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios. I consulted my boys on this, who are huge Star Wars fans, and if you’ve never seen a Star Wars movie before (and don’t have time to watch them all) they recommend Empire Strikes Back or The Force Awakens. Either of these will give you enough information to enjoy Galaxy’s Edge and arguably Disney’s most popular attraction, Rise of the Resistance.
Avatar
Another must. Pandora in Animal Kingdom is absolutely beautiful and, like Galaxy’s Edge, can absolutely be enjoyed without seeing the movie. But it is so much more immersive when you have watched the film. The detail the Imagineers put into this land and the attractions are incredible, and it’s worth watching the movie just to appreciate them fully. 😁
Beauty and the Beast
This 90s classic pops up all over the parks at WDW! Be Our Guest is a super popular dining reservation to get at Magic Kingdom (and eating inside Beast’s castle is absolutely amazing!), but there’s also Gaston’s Tavern, a little quick-service spot where you can get gigantic cinnamon rolls and even the grey stuff! Neither Enchanted Tales with Belle nor Beauty and the Beast Live On Stage are open currently, but hopefully both will be back sooner rather than later!
Frozen
Another super popular attraction is Frozen Ever After, which in the Norway Pavilion in Epcot. Frozen isn’t my favorite, but I absolutely love this ride! It’s breathtaking! You can also meet Elsa and Anna here. Especially if you’ll be traveling with any princess fans, this is a must-watch.
Tangled
We hadn’t seen this one before our first trip, but after seeing how pretty the Tangled bathrooms were at Magic Kingdom, I knew I wanted to watch it ASAP! I know it’s not a ride, but it’s really more than just bathrooms, too! Plus this is such a cute movie—it’s definitely worth watching before your trip!
Dumbo
Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom has an entire section called “Storybook Circus” that is Dumbo themed! This is where the Dumbo ride is along with Goofy’s Barnstormer. Plus there’s a circus-themed splash pad and Pete’s Silly Sideshow, where you can meet Donald and Goofy dressed as circus performers. Liam had never seen this movie until recently, and he kind of went Oh, this is where the Dumbo ride comes from!
Finding Nemo
A sleeper hit! You really don’t realize how many Finding Nemo related attractions are in WDW until you go! Epcot has a whole Seas section, which includes The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Turtle Talk with Crush, and a huge indoor aquarium. (Side note: this is one of our favorite places to get out of the sun for a little bit!) AND there’s also Finding Nemo the Musical, which is a show in Animal Kingdom.
Bonus: The Imagineering Story and the new Mickey Mouse shorts
If you are looking for more to watch before Disney, you MUST check out The Imagineering Story. I was absolutely entranced by this show the first time I watched it, and I want to do a rewatch before our next trip. It takes you behind the scenes in Disney Imagineering and shows how they built Disneyland and Disney World. It is fascinating and made me love the Disney parks even more than I already did! Definitely check it out if you haven’t yet!
Another good one, especially if you have kids, is the new Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts. This animation style is what they used for the new Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway ride in Hollywood Studios. And these are also incorporated into the parks-specific short “Vacation Fun” also in Hollywood Studios. Liam absolutely loves these and giggles like a maniac anytime we put them on! They’re really fun and cute and definitely worth watching at least a few episodes to get in the Disney mood for your trip!
Over the next few years, this list will probably change and grow with the addition of new attractions at Disney World like the re-imagining of Splash Mountain to a Princess and the Frog theme, the Guardians of the Galaxy ride at Epcot, the Tron rollercoaster, and the new Moana attraction. But for now, these are our top 10 picks!
Click the link below for your free PDF checklist!
I hope you enjoyed this list of movies to watch before Disney! And if you’re getting ready for a Disney vacation, check out my other tips and tricks here!
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