Eight Disney Attractions That Need To Be Movies

It's not really a secret that I'm a bit of a Disney fan. It's something that almost treads into the nerd status when it comes to the House of Mouse. But at least I'm not shy about it! As we know, the world of Disney likes to weave their tales into their parks like no other company can; taking some of their most iconic characters and stories from film and creating rides and attractions that completely immerse you into those worlds. In more recent years, they've also taken ideas and concepts from their parks and expanded them into film and movies. Even before the massively successful Pirates of the Caribbean franchise sailed into theaters, Disney was using their properties and creating films like Tower of Terror and the more well known Haunted Mansion movie that we'll discuss later.

After the Pirates film took off like a train on the Incredicoaster, Disney began looking to other properties to adapt to film, such as the not-so-stellar Tomorrowland and several other projects that never took off, which we'll also discuss below. Since then, with the exception of the upcoming Jungle Cruise, Disney has pulled the reins in on adapting attractions into film and has moved on to creating live-action versions of their most popular animated film. But for the sake of some level of originality, I think the studio needs to go back to the rides, as there's quite a bit of untapped potential in these properties. In fact, here are eight attractions that I think would make awesome films, even if they don't take the same route that I'm thinking, but I won't be mad if they did!

Maelstrom

Disneyland fans are probably wondering what this is. Disney World fans are probably wishing this attraction had never gone away and replaced with a Frozen ride. Maelstrom was a log flume dark ride located in the Norway Pavilion of Epcot that took riders on a ride through various scenes and landscapes featuring audio-animatronics that Disney Parks are known for. It's a rather short, but straightforward attraction that captures Norway's past of Vikings and exploration as well as a more modern (for the time it was created) look as well. Think of it as a much shorter version of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride that's just a bit less thrilling.

With the popularity of the Viking culture making a comeback, with films like How to Train Your Dragon and the hit series Vikings, not to mention another franchise you may have heard of called Thor, this would be a great time to create a film centered on Maelstrom. Since the ride takes a journey from modern times to the past and back again, taking a "person out of time" approach to the tale could be fun. An adventure film that takes a character and drops them into the world of the Vikings; a cut-throat, dog-eat-dog environment where most days are a struggle to even survive. Sweeping Norwegian landscapes, high-seas adventures, and intense action sequences would make for an incredible film.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

A version of this mine train roller coaster can be found in several Disney Parks around the globe and while the main story and look of the attractions are all pretty similar, the backstories for each one are quite different. Outside of them being a runaway mine train, most folks don't know the full tale behind this popular ride. During the late 19th Century, gold was discovered on Big Thunder Mountain, located in the American Southwest (hence the red-rock hoodoo styling of Bryce Canyon National Park and plateaus of the surrounding areas). Nearly overnight, a mining town was established, the name of which varies depending on the location - Rainbow Ridge in Disneyland, Tumbleweed in Disney World, and Thunder Mesa in Disneyland Paris. Tokyo's version doesn't really use a town but is similar to the attraction in Florida. Unbeknownst to the miners in the town who set up the mine trains to haul the ore, the mountain was sacred to the local Native Americans who cursed the town. Before long, the desecration of the mountain took its toll and tragedy strikes, which differs from park to park. In Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, it's an earthquake that levels the town. In Tokyo, we see a tsunami strike and in Florida, it's a flash flood.  Sometime later, these mine trains were seen traveling the rails on their own. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was founded in the old mining camp to allow wanderers to take rides on the possessed trains.

Several years back, a television series was ordered by ABC, but it was scrapped for an unknown reason. I'm always on the lookout for a good Western-themed movie and feel like we need more! As you can tell, there's a rather extensive back story on this attraction and it could make for a pretty entertaining film, especially if you expand on the Native American lore.

I think you could stick to the original back story on this one. Spend some time building the story of the curse and make this almost like a disaster movie that takes place during the late 1800s. Have younger actors fill the role of your protagonists and make it a family adventure in the vein of Race to Witch Mountain, with a lot of big action scenes featuring destruction and chaos, mixed with some supernatural elements.

Expedition Everest

Many Disney fans are familiar with the various "mountains" in the various parks -- Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, among others, but in 2006, a new mountain joined the ranks of man-made mountains and many argue Expedition Everest could be the grandest of them all. Centered on a small village in the Himalayan mountains, riders board a train that is to take them to the base of Mountain Everest, but the journey is soon interrupted by a mythical and angry Yeti, who has destroyed the tracks. This ride is filled with unexpected twists and turns, many of which are experienced while going backward. Many fans will also tell you the ride features a queue that is quite possibly the best and most immersive in any Disney Park.

This is a film that could border on a horror adventure film, which could focus on a family or group of trekkers seeking to tackle the iconic hike or Everest, only to discover that the harsh conditions of the region aren't the only concern they'll encounter. The Mummy films from several years back are a fine example of how you can take a tale that is steeped in horror and spin it into an adventure film for the entire family. Take a route where members of the expedition are slowly taken, one-by-one, along the journey and, aside from small hints and nods, the creature remains hidden until the end, or if at all, keeping the myth shrouded in mystery.

Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I was heartbroken to hear that the Hollywood Tower of Terror in Disney's California Adventure would be transformed into the Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout. As a horror fan, and a fan of the Twilight Zone series, the attraction was right up my alley. Not to mention the queue and "preshow" setting up the ride were/are top-notch. Luckily, the ride still exists in Florida, Paris, and Tokyo. All the rides, except for the Tokyo version are based on the popular anthology television series The Twilight Zone, and essentially place guests in the middle of a tragedy that befalls several guests in the Hollywood Tower Hotel during the Golden Age of Hollywood. The ride features several dramatic drops and rises on what is described as the cargo elevator of the hotel.

Back in the late '90s, ABC produced a made-for-television movie based on the ride, which followed the story fairly closely, but it was quite watered-down in regards to the horror aspect of the ride, which is understandable considering the target audience of the time. Like the recent hit movie, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark showed, you can make a horror film and not have it be a complete gore-fest, making it so that a younger audience can still enjoy the finished product. That is what I would like to see with this adaptation; a ghost story that brings the scares but in a way, horror fans of all ages can enjoy it. As we know, Jordan Peele recently brought the Twilight Zone back to television, and to pretty decent reviews. Maybe he should take a stab at getting behind the camera for a feature film for Disney?

Haunted Mansion

Of all the rides that Disneyland and California Adventure include (I haven't been to Disney World...yet!), the Haunted Mansion is easily my favorite in either park. Not only because of the haunted aspect of it, but the story behind how it was built, along with the numerous changes and designs it went through, it's a spectacular attraction. As many know, a film starring Eddie Murphy was released back in 2003 and while it wasn't a complete flop, it performed decently at the box office. However, the film took an interesting approach in regards to the story and incorporating the elements of the attraction, but they also went in a horror/comedy direction. So when it was revealed that none other than Guillermo Del Toro would be writing and directing a new film based on the attraction, I was ecstatic! But, sadly, that project has slowly faded into nothing.

There's a variety of directions you could with a Haunted Mansion film, whether you focus on the Bride, the Hatbox Ghost, or even the three hitchhikers. There's even the Pirate Captain Gore. What I think should be avoided is trying to cram every aspect of the attraction into a film. That's one of the problems with the original film: it took all the little pieces of the ride and created a story around all of them, which makes for a jumbled mess.

Much like the Tower of Terror above, this is the perfect opportunity to create a film that would essentially be a gateway horror film for kids. The blood and gore can be set aside for superior storytelling and incredible creatures and scares.

Space Mountain: Ghost Galaxy

If you haven't ridden Space Mountain in Disneyland when they have the Ghost Galaxy overlay in place, I'd highly suggest it. The ride itself doesn't change, but the addition of the ghost projections on the ride adds a whole new element of fun and excitement. So why do another space fantasy when you can do a space fantasy with a ghost!? One of my favorite films to come out of the 1990s is the space horror Event Horizon, which is about a spaceship that essentially goes to hell and back. Now, I'm not suggesting we take a Disney film and send it on a one-way trip across the river Styx, by any means, but setting a horror film in space just takes things to a new level, mainly because your characters literally have nowhere to go and according to Hollywood, "In space, no one can hear you scream."

Now, there's also the approach of an action thriller, with some supernatural elements that can be fun. Take a look at the most recent Jumanji film and its upcoming sequel. They are filled with fun and excitement, as well as some humor and for the most part, entire families were able to enjoy it.

Grizzly Peak 

I know, right? A movie about a mountain that looks like a bear? Actually, my idea behind this one would actually encompass all of the attractions that surround Grizzly Peak in Disney's California Adventure. If you're not familiar with the area, it includes a white-water rafting ride called Grizzly River Run, the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and the always entertaining Soarin' Around the World (formerly Soarin' Over California). The design of the area is meant to replicate the classic national parks and it's all about adventure in the hills. However, there's also a back story to the peak itself that many don't know about.

According to the legend, a coyote once met a grizzly bear at the top of the mountain and because this bear was such a powerful force, he charged the bear with protecting and watching over the land. Eventually, humans made their way onto the mountain and despite their efforts, could not move the bear from the top of the mountain. When the coyote saw this, he turned the bear to stone to forever stand as a guard of the lands.

This one could head into cliche territory pretty quickly, but imagine, if you will, a family is on an excursion visiting one of many national parks and camping near the Grizzly Peak area (fictional, of course) in California. In order to escape the (insert plot device here), the family must venture out on treacherous trails, raft down terrifying rapids and soar over the breathtaking landscapes. There's always the legend to fall back on as well.

Entire Park

A few years back, Iron Man director and star Jon Favreau signed on with Disney to direct a film called Magic Kingdom. The film, however, has been stuck in development ever since. What was this film about? Jon Favreau, at the Jungle Book press event, said the film is "about Disneyland coming to life, and all of the different lands and attractions all overlapping one another and creating a big adventure that a family gets caught up in." It's also been described as Night at the Museum set in Disneyland. At the time, Favreau was still hoping to get the film made and felt quite passionate about it, but that was 3 years ago and a lot has changed.

I'm not really sure what else to say about this one, but how amazing the film could be. Think of seeing so many of Disney's iconic characters and properties coming to life in one film. The ultimate good vs. bad movie! It'd be an absolute blast!

There are just a few of the ideas I had, but there are so many more to explore - Matterhorn, traditional Space Mountain, or even It's A Small World! There's no doubt that Disney has a gold mine they're literally sitting on. Hopefully, they'll look for more original ideas like these in the future. What rides would you like to see a film based on? Sound off below!