Fantasyland

Image: DisneyWelcome to Thunderdome! Out of all the themed lands at Disneyland, Fantasyland has the strongest batch of contenders. Several iconic attractions comprise the deepest roster of any themed land in North America. In the conversation for the best rides are (*deep breath*):

• It’s a Small World
• King Arthur Carrousel
• Mad Tea Party
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Snow White’s Scary Adventures
• Storybook Land Canal Boats

All of these attractions have some combination of greatness and/or historical significance. Five of them have roots that trace back to the opening day of Disneyland...and King Arthur Carrousel goes back even longer! Even if we take out that attraction for being just a carousel and the canal boats for their simplistic nature, that still leaves six seminal Disney attractions.

Personally, I would remove Mad Tea Party from the conversation since it makes me nauseous, and I’ve never been a huge fan of Snow White’s Scary Adventures. As for Peter Pan’s Flight, it’s wonderful but also basic. Disney’s done better with Soarin’ and Avatar Flight of passage, so I can’t justify picking the inferior iteration of the “feels like flying” concept.

Image: DisneyMy short list becomes It’s a Small World, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, and Matterhorn Bobsleds. Now, it’s like picking your favorite child or pet. I’m a diehard fan of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, an imaginative attraction that’s pure joy. And I respect and admire the historical significance of It’s a Small World, even if the song is the audio equivalent of rancid meat.

My pick – and I know it’s a controversial one due to the other tremendous options – is Matterhorn Bobsleds. It’s the attraction that triggered the modern roller coaster craze. That’s reason enough to rank it here, but it’s also still such a joyous ride experience. Matterhorn Bobsleds is the sled ride you loved on snow days taken to the extreme. Even against a deep roster of strong contenders, I still view it as the best part of Fantasyland. 

Frontierland

Image: DisneyI have a soft place in my heart for Frontierland, the place that paid for most of Disney’s early expansions. The Davy Crockett tie-ins here guaranteed a slew of traffic during the 1950s, back when Disneyland’s fate was far from settled. Still, the pickings are slim at this particular location.

The ride choices come down to Mark Twain’s Riverboat, an opening day attraction, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I’m sure that Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island also has strong support in some circles, but let’s all get real. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is night and day better than anything else at Frontierland. I would like to see Disney make more of a commitment to restore the themed land that was so critical to the early success of the Happiest Place on Earth.