Pirates of the Caribbean

Image: DisneyAll of the other franchises discussed here started outside the parks before earning a themed presence. Pirates of the Caribbean worked in reverse. Along with the later-arriving Haunted Mansion, it anchored the first major expansion at Disneyland, New Orleans Square.

The appeal of Pirates of the Caribbean was so strong that when Walt Disney World opened without it, Floridians flipped out. Disney had understandably believed that the locals wouldn’t feel as excited about the stories that had happened in their area, but they underestimated the perception of Pirates of the Caribbean. Park officials had to cancel/delay other projects to correct their mistake quickly.

Over the years, the appeal of the franchise has endured. The film division sagely reinvigorated the brand with a series of entertaining movies starring Johnny Depp. The drawing power of those films became so strong that Depp’s character, Captain Jack Sparrow, earned placement on the attraction.

As you can see, Pirates of the Caribbean clearly has the most unique trajectory among the Disney franchises discussed here.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Image: DisneyNo Disney movie franchise has greater significance than Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The first feature-length animated film ever, its failure would have set back Disney for years to come. Instead, the movie became a massive blockbuster with a lasting cultural impact on society.

Walt Disney certainly wasn’t going to build a theme park without Snow White represented. Snow White’s Scary Adventures became the first of multiple attractions starring the character. It’s still open at Disneyland today.

At Walt Disney World, a similar version of the attraction closed in 2012 to make way for the most popular attraction at Magic Kingdom. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train doesn’t just celebrate Snow White’s companions. It also repurposes audio-animatronics from the prior attraction. As a way of showing reverence to Uncle Walt, Imagineers want the first Disney Princess to have a constant presence at its American parks.

Star Wars

Image: DisneyMore than 25 years before Disney bought Star Wars, the franchise had already hugely impacted its theme parks. Star Tours drew huge crowds from the start and has maintained its popularity through a full reboot and several noteworthy plussings over the years.

Star Wars Weekends were once one of the biggest draws, too. In fact, they did so well that Disney comfortably eased into the idea of entire themed lands based on Star Wars, an idea that had circulated before the company bought Lucasfilm in 2012.

To date, Star Wars has hugely influenced theme parks, yet it’s only scratched the surface. The arrival of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in 2019 signifies a turning point for Disney parks, one that emphasizes historically unprecedented levels of immersion. And it’s only possible because of the fully realized detail of the Star Wars universe.

Toy Story

Image: DisneySomething that should be clear from this list is the impact that Pixar has had on Disney theme parks. Three of the entries are from the Pixar library, while the classic Disney collection is only responsible for two. Everything else is either modern or started somewhere else.

Toy Story’s status here is unmistakable on multiple fronts. On different occasions, the franchise has held the title of best opening weekend and best overall performance for an animated movie. In terms of park presence, it’s absolutely dominant.

Toy Story Land is currently open in four different parks. You can visit Andy’s bedroom on three different continents! Depending on how we count the copycat rides, Toy Story has spawned somewhere between eight and 20+ attractions. Oh, and there’s even a Toy Story Hotel at Shanghai Disneyland.