Official Walt Disney World countdown Disney+ watchlist (and what we’d add)
Walt Disney World now emails future guests a countdown watchlist of Disney+ movies and shows. What does Disney recommend, and what would we add?
Before an upcoming stay at a Disney World resort hotel, my family received an email from Disney, recommending 26 movies and television series to watch as a vacation countdown. These productions are listed below, along with a few opinionated omissions, that I would have added.
Magic Kingdom Park
Disney recommends:
- “Cinderella” (1950)
- “Alice in Wonderland” (1951)
- “Peter Pan” (1953)
- “Lady and the Tramp” (1955)
- “Aladdin” (1992)
- “The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
- “Tangled” (2010)
“Cinderella” is perhaps the most fitting choice among the films Disney recommends watching before visiting Magic Kingdom Park. After all, the 189-foot-tall Cinderella Castle is in guests’ view continually throughout their day in the park.
“Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” are also appropriate, given the popularity of Mad Tea Party and Peter Pan’s Flight, respectively.
“The Princess and the Frog,” already consistently present within Magic Kingdom entertainment, will become even more essential viewing once Tiana’s Bayou Adventure opens this summer.
The remaining three recommendations still make sense for Magic Kingdom, but are featured less prominently in the park: “Lady and the Tramp” is seemingly here because of Tony’s Town Square Restaurant on Main Street, U.S.A., “Aladdin” nods to The Magic Carpets of Aladdin in Adventureland, and “Tangled” represents … a bathroom in Fantasyland (ok, and also various live entertainment).
I’d replace some of those with films that Fantasyland spotlights more prominently: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937), “The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” (1977), “The Little Mermaid” (1989), and “Beauty and the Beast” (1991). Additionally, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003) is an excellent prerequisite to its ride counterpart.
Epcot
Disney recommends:
- “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)
- “Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
- “Ratatouille” (2007)
- “Frozen” (2013)
- “Finding Dory” (2016)
- “The Imagineering Story” (2019)
“Ratatouille” and “Frozen” prime future Epcot guests well for the park’s headlining new-ish attractions Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After.
“Finding Dory” is a fitting selection to represent The Seas with Nemo & Friends, an entire pavilion devoted to leveraging that story world into Epcot’s signature edutainment.
The six-part docuseries “The Imagineering Story” provides an illuminating history of not only Epcot, but all Disney theme parks.
Stretching viability is “Beauty and the Beast,” technically represented at Epcot in its sing-along film. But a true grasp at straws is “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” only present at Epcot in the form of Snow White’s character greeting in the Germany Pavilion (plus topiaries during Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival).
Noticeably absent is “Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014) or any of its sequels, perfect hype machines for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Disney recommends:
- The “Star Wars” Skywalker Saga (1977-2019)
- “Toy Story” (1995)
- “Cars” (2006)
- “Vampirina” (2017-2021)
- “Muppets Now” (2020)
- “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse” (2020-2021)
- “Behind the Attraction” (2021-2023)
Preparing for a visit to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios by watching all nine movies in Lucasfilm’s self-dubbed Skywalker Saga (aka “Episodes” I-IX) is … quite a commitment. Episode VII, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (2015) is the one entry among the series that connects with the story material of Galaxy’s Edge best.
“Toy Story” naturally preps for Toy Story Land, while the docuseries “Behind the Attraction” spotlights several signatures of Hollywood Studios (and other WDW parks) across its two seasons.
Any given episode “The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse” (or the “Mickey Mouse” series that preceded it for five seasons) will familiarize guests, if they haven’t yet been acquainted, with the animation style and tone of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway.
“Cars,” “Vampirina,” and “Muppets Now” represent some of Hollywood Studios’ smaller-scale shows: “Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy,” “Disney Junior Dance Party,” and “Muppet*Vision 3D.”
In lieu of the pandemic-era “Muppets Now” series, I’d instead recommend “The Muppets” (the 2011 film) or any episode of “The Muppet Show,” the classic series. Both capture the showmanship spirit of “Muppet*Vision 3D.” Specifically, check out “The Muppet Show” season 4, episode 17. Mark Hamill guest stars in some fun Muppets/”Star Wars” crossover sequences that culminate with everyone singing “When You Wish Upon a Star.” It’s Hollywood Studios wrapped up into one episode of television!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Disney recommends:
- “The Jungle Book” (1967)
- “The Lion King” (1994)
- “A Bug’s Life” (1998)
- “Tarzan” (1999)
- “Up” (2009)
- “Avatar” (2009)
- “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” (2020-2023)
“Avatar” will be on the brain a lot if you plan on visiting Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and familiarizing (or refreshing) yourself with James Cameron’s 2009 epic leads to a much deeper appreciation for Pandora – The World of Avatar.
“The Lion King” is likewise embedded into the essence of Animal Kingdom. Yes, the film is represented by Festival of the Lion King. Beyond that, though, the release of “The Lion King” and the opening of Animal Kingdom were a mere four years apart. Disney didn’t build the park because of the film’s success, but the phenomenon status of “The Lion King” was ever-present at the time of Animal Kingdom’s development all the same. Whether by design or coincidence, the tone of the movie and the park complement one another nicely.
“Up” influences nearly every corner of Animal Kingdom by way of the Wilderness Explorers program. The free, educational experience set up at nearly every animal habitat in the park is inspired by Russell’s extracurricular troupe in the film.
“A Bug’s Life” fits with “It’s Tough to be a Bug,” though that 3D show will close sometime in the future to make way for a “Zootopia” attraction.
“Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” is a thorough look backstage at the animal care and conservation efforts of not only Animal Kingdom, but of The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot. Watching a few episodes before visiting either park is perhaps the most rewarding payoff of any recommendation on this list. After watching, you might even recognize some of the animals by name throughout Animal Kingdom, or recognize some of the veterinarians or keepers at Rafiki’s Planet Watch.
“The Jungle Book” and “Tarzan” are more here for the jungle vibes, but to be fair they did each previously command their own defunct Animal Kingdom attraction.
More Parks on Disney+
Disney+ also hosts a Disney Parks Collection within the platform. From the Disney+ homepage, click “Search” and you’ll see it listed as one of the featured collections. Particularly noteworthy is “The Most Magical Story on Earth: 50 Years of Walt Disney World,” a 90-minute television special equally informative and entertaining.
The collection also features several sitcom episodes that took place at Disney theme parks.
Another fun countdown recommendation? If possible, watch a movie that directly connects to your resort, since you’ll be spending so much time there. Some resorts lend themselves naturally to a movie night selection (like watching “Lilo & Stitch” or “Moana” if you’re staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, for example), while others may be more of a creative exercise.
