10. Cars

Image: Disney / Pixar

Debut: Radiator Springs Racers (2012)
Location: Disney California Adventure (exclusive)
Video: "Get out there and do us proud!"

It's race day in Radiator Springs! And you know what that means - time to put the pedal to the metal. The incredible Modern Marvel: Radiator Springs Racers – opened as part of the incomparable Cars Land at the new Disney California Adventure in 2012 – returns Disney to its roots: an incredible E-ticket that's chocked full of impossible settings, breathless wonder, and a cast of Audio Animatronics that defy logic in their lifelike expression and movement. Only this time, it's not a cast of humans or even animals. Lightning McQueen, Mater, and the rest of Radiator Springs' residents are cars. Full-sized ones, with all the trimmings! And these cars, bounce, drive, blink, and talk through some of the most sophisticated and fluid motions Disney's ever concieved of. You won't believe the realism of the animatronic wonders until you see it in person, but the video above helps.

With more than a dozen of the Cars characters populating the attraction, it's nearly impossible to choose a favorite. That said, there's something very striking about seeing Doc Hudson hoisted up on an auto repair lift. As he turns to the car, he offers some of his usual sage wisdom: "It takes more than new tires to win a race. Now get out there and do us proud." The ride has been compared (rightfully) to Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland next door as the Resort's top attraction. While the big race finale may be the selling point, it's the no-expense-spared animatronics that have really fueled up Disney fans and reminded them just how innovative Imagineering can be.

9. C-3PO

Image: Disney / Lucasfilm

Debut: Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (2011)
Location: Disneyland, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris
Video: "I am not programmed to fly these things!" 

In our in-depth Lost Legends: STAR TOURS feature, we call the original 1986 attraction "the ride that changed Disney Parks forever." One of the first major collaborations between Disney and George Lucas, the ride managed to kick off the Age of the Simulator, begin the "Ride the Movies" era, and irrevocably brought non-Disney films into Disney Parks – all part of new-CEO Michael Eisner's decree that Disney Parks needed to feature the stories and characters people cared about in modern times, even if they weren't Disney stories and characters! And Star Tours was a hit, with guests on a domestic flight to Endor being dragged into a fight between the Empire and the Rebellion thanks to unforgettable first-time pilot RX-24 (or "Rex"). 

In 2011, the ride became its own prequel. In a new preshow, C-3PO steps aboard the StarSpeeder 1000 to conduct his pre-flight maintenance, only to be accidentally closed up in the captain's cabin. Once we step aboard and are cleared for auto-take-off sequence, C-3PO appears on screen. "Why, we can't take off," he rebuts, "the Captain's not on board!" It's too late. As the cabin shield lowers, we see C-3PO himself, mere feet away from us. Sure, the Droid doesn't have a mouth or eyes, but being this close the "real" C-3PO – seeing the gold glint off of his shell – leaves Star Wars fans gobsmacked.

What's more, C-3PO is literally long for the ride, adjusting controls, turning to speak to us, and even holding on tight when the StarSpeeder jumps to lightspeed, subjecting riders – and the Audio-Animatronic – to some serious forces. It's astounding that the C-3PO figure is with us throughout our entire adventure (and to consider that he's in each StarSpeeder, meaning that – counting his appearances in the queue – that are 12 C-3PO figures between the U.S. parks alone...)

8. Davy Jones 

Image: Disney

Debut: Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Sunken Treasure (2016)
Location: Shanghai Disneyland (exclusive)
Video: An Undersea Encounter 

Pirates have been a part of Disney Parks for fifty years, all based on Disneyland's original Pirates of the Caribbean dark ride. You know the drill: lost caverns, a waterfall, a cannon battle between a sailing ship and a fortress town, the pirates' raid on the village, jailed vandals coaxing a dog with a key... The formula works, and for fifty years, it changed only by incorporating the key characters from 2003's film adaptation and the ensuing Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.

Shanghai Disneyland changed everything with Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Sunken Treasure. A gripping re-invention of the classic, this indescribable dark ride is easily on par with Escape from Gringotts, the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, or Indiana Jones Adventure as one of the world's best modern dark rides. Battle for Sunken Treasure tossed out the Pirates rulebook and started from scratch. The whole ride is packed with unfathomable wow-moments, but one key encounter is with Davy Jones himself. The shocking figure is so realistic, it would easily be mistaken for a live actor in costume as he challenges guests to just try to steal his treasure. It's an awesome and arresting moment and, trust us, the same figure created digitially on a screen would not carry the imposing strength and intimidation of this animatronic.

7. Lightning McQueen

Image: Disney

Debut: Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy (2019)
Location: Disney's Hollywood Studios
Video: "Put your wheels together..."

Ever since Disney announced that Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge was due to join the relatively small Disney's Hollywood Studios, Imagineers raced been in an all-out sprint to add capacity to the park. (After all, Galaxy's Edge's two rides are two of 38 in Disneyland, but two of only 9 rides at Hollywood Studios...!) As if the construction of the "Sunset Showcase" flex space at the end of Sunset Blvd. didn't seem odd enough, its subsequent filling with mere dance parties and meet-and-greets felt like a strange waste of the large theater. Is that really what they built it for?

In spring 2019, we found out its more permanent purpose in the lead up to Galaxy's Edge: Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy. The attraction (while still impermanent) finally feels like a real use of the space, with wraparound screens giving guests an idea of the "training" McQueen goes through to prep for a race. While spectacularly colorful, fun, and high-energy, the real star is McQueen himself. And while his appearances on Radiator Springs Racers are impressive as you drive by, this Lightning is under the spotlight for the duration of the show, meaning he needs to hold up to intense scrutiny... and boy does he!

More than ever before, the figure appears truly alive, moving forward, backward, and side-to-side, tipping forward and back, and revving with fluidity you'd only ever expect on the screen. With lifelike eyes and mouth, and cleverly-animated wheels (appearing to fully rotate in perfect sync with his movements), this Lightning McQueen earns a sincere 'Ka-chow!'

6. Kong

Image: Universal

Debut: Skull Island: Reign of Kong (2016)
Location: Universal's Islands of Adventure
Video: "This cannot be good..."

For decades, King Kong terrorized guests at both Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida, albeit in different ways. In Hollywood, the towering great ape was merely a small (but starring) part of the hour-long, world-famous behind-the-scenes Studio Tram Tour, ravaging a New York set and rattling the passing tram. The wild animatronic – 30 feet tall and full of fury – was easily one of the most stunning figures on Earth when he debuted in 1986. When Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, the creature encounters of Hollywood's Studio Tour were split into standalone attraction, yielding the Lost Legend: Kongfrontation. After barely a decade in action, Kongfrontation folded to Universal's rapid growth, and Revenge of the Mummy took its spot.

In a sort of mea culpa, Universal heralded the return of the king with 2016's Skull Island: Reign of Kong. Whereas Kongfrontation set the ape lose in our world, Reign of Kong flipped the script, trapping us among the unearthly horrors of Skull Island – much more fitting for the fantasy and literature-inspired Islands of Adventure park it inhabits. 

After far too long dabbling in entirely screen-based rides, Reign of Kong turned out to be... well... only mostly screens. After a 360-degree projection tunnel experience wherein Kong turns out to be our savior from Skull Island's horrors, the ride's grand finale is a much-needed face-to-face encounter with the ape – albeit, as an exhausted, heaving protector that lacks the gravitas of Kongfrontation's meeting with the raging, wild, angry ape. Still, the Kong figure is technically brilliant and absolutely mesmerizing. It just also happens to be undeniable evidence that the red-eyed, maddened beast of old is simply the preferred way to see him. 

Ready for the top 5? Read on...