Culling the list

Image: DisneyI had to eliminate several of these selections, a few of which I admit didn’t get serious top-four consideration anyway. For example, I showed deference to Mad Tea Party by shortlisting it since it’s one of the best-known ride concepts of all-time. The public awareness of the design elevates it over Peter Pan’s Flight. Let’s be honest, though. It never had a shot of being one of the most important four attractions at Walt Disney World.

Similarly, I love and admire Kilimanjaro Safaris, the attraction that exemplifies the stunning triumph of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Walt Disney famously wanted real animals for Jungle Cruise, but Imagineers needed 40 more years before the idea was plausible. Everything about it is impressive, but how many people know the attraction by name compared to Jungle Cruise? Between the two rides, the one with cheesy fake animals somehow seems more significant in stature, at least in Disney lore.

Image: DisneyAnother core Disney attribute is the architecture, and Matterhorn Bobsleds started that particular arms race. Walt Disney loved giant, attention-grabbing structures. He felt strongly that they drove ticket sales. The Matterhorn led to all of the man-made mountains that you know and love, and it was also the first steel roller coaster of its kind in the world. Is that enough to earn a spot on Disney’s Mount Rushmore? I decided that being the first isn’t the same as being the best.

My next cuts happened at the round of eight. Out of the remaining titles, I just couldn’t justify Twilight Zone Tower of Terror being one of the four most iconic Disney attractions, even though it’s one of my favorites. The same is true of Jungle Cruise, the most convivial of all Disney attractions. The cheesy nature of the ride somehow elevates it AND holds back its candidacy for inclusion.

Image: DisneyWith six remaining selections, I faced the two most brutal cuts. It’s a Small World is undeniably world-famous. It also has ties to Walt Disney’s proudest moment, his dominant performance against the world’s elite at the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Ultimately, my bias won out here. I simply find the attraction too repetitive and occasionally annoying to place it on Disney’s Mount Rushmore.

Ultimately, I found myself with five worthy selections for four spaces on the mountain. Something had to give, and I made a call that I suspect won’t prove popular. My final and most dramatic cut is Splash Mountain, quite possibly the greatest Disney attraction. I’ve previously praised many elements of the ride experience, and the Flash Mountain/viral images aspect gives it a respectable amount of renown. In a vacuum, however, I view it as clearly inferior to three of my selections. The final spot is more of a judgment call, but I’ll explain my thought process in a moment.