Top 5 WDW Attraction Pre-Show Experiences

Welcome back Mousekefriends! This week, we’ll be discussing one of the most underrated Disney experiences- the attraction pre-show! Pre-shows are all about telling the story of the ride, to make an incredibly immersive experience. While there’s many we may know and love, we’ll be giving you our Top 5 pre-shows for Walt Disney World.

But First- Our Mousekecocktail

5. The Haunted Mansion

Haunted Mansion

This is the first real pre-show ride that existed- Walt Disney had his hand in the creation of the Haunted Mansion. This pre-show is such a great example of Walt’s vision. Starting in the queue, you feel as if you’re really walking into this incredible mansion. Once you enter the stretching room, they help to put you in the mood to prepare for the ride, starting with the lights going out, and the scream, followed by the iconic speech from our Ghost-Host (and sometimes hardcore Haunted Mansion lovers who know the speech by heart). This is an iconic example of a pre-show! 

4. Flight of Passage

Flight of Passage Avatar

Located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, this pre-show is incredibly intricate. From the moment you enter, you get into the labs and learn all about how you have to be matched with your Banshee, to getting scanned in and matched with an Avatar to be able to ride your Banshee. If you don’t know anything about Avatar, the pre-show helps you fill in the blanks and appreciate the ride to the fullest extent.

3. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway

Mickey and Minnie Runaway Railway
Credit: WDW

Located at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in the Chinese Theater, this pre-show is so much fun! The queue features these cute moving movie posters, but you end up ushered into a room with a large screen. On this screen, they play the pre-show, which is essentially a Mickey Mouse Short, which explains how you’ll be transported into the cartoon. When the screen explodes at the end, you walk through the hole left by the explosion. When walk through, you’re suddenly in the cartoon, as you get ready to board the ride car. This is a great example of being able to tell a story that adds to the ride experience. 

2. Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Located in EPCOT, this new addition to the park has blown us away. The pre-show is a hilarious, dramatic, informational show. This pre-show truly makes you feel like part of the ride. The story-line shows us what our mission will be to save the galaxy, and how you become an honorary Guardian of the Galaxy. They brought in all the original actors for this pre-show, and we just love it! 

1. Rise of the Resistance

Rise of the Resistance Stormtroopers
Credit: WDW

This should NOT be a surprise that it’s at the top of the list. Located in Holly wood Studios in Galaxy’s Edge, this pre-show is truly immersive. This pre-show is longer than the ride itself, and is truly indescribable. It takes you through familiar places, you’re not looking up at screens the entire time. You really are on the planet, and a part of the Resistance on this ride. It is so unlike anything else that exists in any other theme park, anywhere. It is very fluid and seamless as you go through. 

Honorable Mentions

A lot of our honorable mentions don’t technically have a pre-show, but we love the queues, and think they need some appreciation! 

  • Smugglers Run: The amount of details that goes into this queue is incredible. You’re able to feel like you’re truly on the Millennium Falcon, and they did this so well.
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: The queue is so cool, beginning with the adorable wallpaper when you enter, each room is a different theme as you move through Paris. We don’t quite understand the painting room, it seems out of place to us, but who knows. But as you exit, pay attention to the tiles on the floor- the tiles go from rat-sized, back to human size as you exit! Super cool detail.
  • Test Track: Not a pre-show, but very cool. You get to create your own car, which is a fun detail, and truly a fan favorite. 

Mousekemom Tip

Don’t be the guy who rushes through and ignores the pre-show. This Disney-exclusive notion really helps you feel like you’re part of the story and is part of the Disney experience you’re paying for! 

Thanks for joining us! Did we list your favorite pre-show?
Let us know in the comments below!

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