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9. If I Ran the Zoo

Image: Universal

Location: Universal's Islands of Adventure
Open: 1999 - Present

When Universal set out to build a second theme park in Orlando, their "Islands of Adventure" concept promised to prove that they, too, could build Disney-style lands... not just studio soundstages. In acquiring the rights to Marvel and Jay Ward's "Sunday funnies" as well as the original Lost Continent and Jurassic Park, they had almost everything they needed. But for the park's Fantasyland equivalent, they went big. No one had yet acquired the rights to build attractions based on the beloved stories of Dr. Seuss. That's thanks to the (rightfully) protective requirements of Seuss's widow, Audrey Geisel. Her insistance on the textures, colors, details, and quality of any "Seuss" product created Seuss Landing – a nautical port of Seuss stories.

"If I Ran the Zoo" is – like so many attractions on this list – a mere aside that many guests probably walk right past. What is it? Well, it's a playground, walkthrough, and splash park in one. Guests can climb and slide through the attraction where whimsical Seussian creatures abound, activating Toontown-style gags and reading Seussian rhymes at each stop. One of the most fun, for example, positions water sprayers around a creature submerged in a bath tub. Spray it, and it will rise up from the water... and begin to spin, showering guests in water! It's exactly the sort of out-of-the-way walkthrough that adds life and energy to a park.

10. La Tanière du Dragon

Image: Disney

Location: Disneyland Paris
Open: 1992 - Present

Yet another spectacular walkthrough at Disneyland Paris is one of the park's most talked-about hidden gems. Guests who happen to wander into the caverns carved into the hillside beneath the park's Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant will encounter a misty, cool dungeon of stalactites and steam. And there, sleeping in the water, is a dragon – one of the rare opportunities to see an Animatronic OUTSIDE of a ride. Like a sleeping cat, the dragon's massive claw twitches and expands, resting in a pool of water as it occasionally shuffles and settles.

Every few minutes, the dragon awakes, lifting its massive head and blinking as it recognizes the guests staring at it. Its nose may smoke as it growls and shuffles, the chains holding it to the floor rattling. As if remembering that it's hopelessly trapped, the dragon eventually relents and goes back to sleep. Still, the face-to-face encounter is so fascinating and so spectacular, it's become one of Disneyland Paris' most beloved features... in fact, the dragon made it to our list of the 25 Best Audio-Animatronics on Earth. Imagineering fans could spend an hour just watching the dragon's subtle yet complex routine.

11. Alice’s Curious Labyrinth

Image: Disney

Location: Disneyland Paris
Open: 1992 - Present

Free-exploration attractions are rare at Disney Parks (where things like capacity and throughput matter a great deal), but Alice's Curious Labyrinth at Disneyland Paris is a spectacular exception. Divided into a simpler "Tugley Wood" first half and a more complex "Queen of Hearts' Maze" second half, the attraction includes whimsical touches like leaping fountains, mis-matched directional signs, oversized props, and character encounters. In expected Disney fashion, every path leads somewhere – even if it's to a dead-end with props and interactives. Guests who make it to maze's center may climb the Queen's castle, providing a lookout opportunity over Fantasyland.

A similar attraction debuted at Shanghai Disneyland in 2016, albeit themed to the live action Alice in Wonderland film series from the 2010s rather than the 1951 animated original. 

12. Knockturn Alley

Location: Universal Studios Florida
Open: 2014 - Present

The dark-and-sinister counterpart to the jolly and whimsical Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley at Universal Studios Florida is a bit of a hidden aside tucked away down a nondescript side street branching from the main avenue. But guests who do wander down the darkened side street with little more than a small wooden sign pointing the way find themselves in the surprisingly expansive Alley under cloudy night skies... 

Eerie effects abound along the street, including chances to see the moving "Wanted" posters of some of the film's more legendary Death Eaters, encounters with windows overcome by spiders, and the unique opportunity to encounter another animatronic outside an attraction – in this case, speaking Parseltongue with a snake in a shop window who follows you as you move. Knockturn Alley also has the Borgin & Burkes shop (the de facto suppliers of "dark magic" and pro-pure-blood memorobilia). As with the rest of Diagon Alley, though, the highlight must be opportunities (tucked away from crushing crowds) to use interactive wands to light a candle that has an effect on a caged bird, to animate a skeleton that mirrors your movements, and to make a window of shrunken heads sing.

 
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