Some Disney Parks attractions feel so classic – so essential – it’s almost difficult to imagine the park without them… That’s exactly how fans feel about Space Mountain, a perennial favorite whose mid-century, Space Age silhouette is literally an icon of Disney. But believe it or not, there was a time when Tomorrowland existed without Space Mountain as its anchor; a time when Disney’s designers were hard at work figuring out what, where, and how an interstellar race through space should exist…
Dateline: 1926. Deep within the timeless sands of ancient Egypt, a most peculiar discovery has been unearthed… long believed to be only a legend, the burial place of the high priest Imhotep is indeed real… and its sole inhabitant isn’t content staying dead for another three thousand years…
Here at Park Lore, we’ve taken our globetrotting to the extreme with our new series, Modern Marvels, where we uncover the details behind some of the world’s must-see masterpieces of themed entertainment, thrills, and technology.
And today, we’ll unearth the in-depth experience of another spectacular hit ride: Revenge of the Mummy at Universal Studios Florida. We’ll dust away the sands of time and reveal the story behind this “psychological thrill ride,” get a first-person idea of what awaits inside the mummy’s tomb, and even see where this unexpected E-Ticket has been adapted around the globe. Ready to dive in?
The rat is out of the bag, and the characters have arrived. In 2020, Disney continued its multi-year transformation of Epcot with yet another anchor attraction: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. In this frantic new family ride, Disney promised that “guests will be able to shrink to Remy’s size and scurry to safety in a dazzling chase across a kitchen with the sights, sounds and smells of Gusteau’s legendary Parisian restaurant.”
But of course, as Imagineering fans know, this controversial Epcot adventure isn’t exactly an Orlando exclusive… In fact, the newest headlining attraction in Epcot’s France pavilion at World Showcase has been thrilling riders in the real France for years, where Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy literally helped save Disney’s most pathetic theme park…
Stuffing a suitcase with swim trunks and sunscreen, packing the family up in the sedan, unfolding a creased map from the glove compartment, topping off the tank, and hitting the open road… road trips are as American as apple pie and baseball. For the better part of a century, the family road trip has been a mainstay of mainstream life in the U.S.A. In fact, the mid-century era of car culture and cross-country family vacation literally created Disneyland.
That’s particularly appropriate today since Disney and Pixar’s ode to Route 66 and the wonders of the open road singlehandedly re-created Disney’s California Adventure.
Modern Marvels: signature, epic, anchor attractions that define eras of Imagineering; rides that mix technology, storytelling, scale, and heart in unprecedented new ways. It seems that each Disney Resort across the globe has an anchor attraction that defines it; a ride that acts as the resort’s exclusive, must-see masterpiece; a ride that may be imitated, but hasn’t been duplicated…
Escape. That’s the point, isn’t it? It’s why Walt Disney built a protective berm around Disneyland over sixty years ago, and why we flock to the parks today. We want to escape our ordinary lives, become heroes, and be carried away into cinematic worlds designed (very intentionally) by filmmakers. The best theme parks bring us to unthinkable places and unimaginable times, presenting unbelievable sights that change us, spark us, and inspire us to learn more.
From the cursed corridors of Revenge of the Mummy, to the unthinkable wonders within Mystic Manor and into the streets of our favorite comic book with The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Park Lore’s Modern Marvels series is all about tackling the greatest adventures you’ll find at theme parks around the globe. And today, we induct another unimaginable wonder into our Modern Marvels series… a ride that many argue is one of the greatest modern E-Ticketsever; the absolute pinnacle of what Disney Imagineering can create; a “bucket list” thrill ride located at a far-flung, must-visit Mecca for all Disney Parks fans.
The crème-de-la-crème of the international smart set are wearing khaki this season, and the new vacation hotspot is Temple of the Forbidden Eye! Everyone’s simply agog over this new discovery by famed archaeologist Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones… They say the ancient god who presides over this miraculous temple rewards its visitors with one of three gifts: eternal youth, earthly riches, or the vision of the gods! But could there be more than meets the eye with this double-dealing deity…?”
Modern Marvels are all about diving deep into the complete stories of some of the world’s greatest living attractions. We’ve explored the design of Universal’s Islands of Adventure and its crowning Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, embarked on a Journey to the Center of the Earth, raced through the Grid to Magic Kingdom’s future aboard TRON Light Cycle Power Run, and more. From Everest to Egypt; Tokyo’s Tower of Terror to “a great, big, beautiful tomorrow,” our growing collection is filled with must-read explorations into Imagineering masterpieces.
And yet, when it comes to exploration, there’s one Disney Parks attraction that reigns supreme…
Image: Disney / Lucasfilm
Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye remains one of the most celebrated, beloved, sensational, and daring modern dark rides on Earth nearly twenty-five years after its opening. Why? What awaits within the ancient and untouched temple of the lost god Mara? What’s so special about this one-of-a-kind Disneyland exclusive? How did it change Disney Parks forever? Might a version of this E-Ticket adventure be on the way to Walt Disney World? Like Dr. Jones himself, any discovery requires we first set off for the unknown and look back into history…
And for even longer than that, the minds behind Disney have been trying to bring one particular fairy tale to life. Over decades, Disney animators, designers, storytellers, and Imagineers had been cracking away at the icy case of The Snow Queen, trying to incorporate this ethereal character into their movies, cartoons, and theme park attractions. The evolution of this chilling wintertime tale is a plot line in and of itself, and today, we’ll trace the snowy story of Disney’s frosty relationship with The Snow Queen and how it gradually evolved into one of the most spectacular rides at Walt Disney World today – a verifiable21st century wonder joining our Modern Marvels collection.
From “Once Upon a Time” to Frozen Ever After, you may be surprised by the many threads that came together to create the ride that just may change Epcot forever… Settle in.
There’s something unusual about the jagged, snow-capped peak that lords over Anandapur… As train after train of travelers ascend into the heights of the Himalayas, a distant roar echoes among the windchimes. It must be the wind… and yet, signs throughout the village warn of something spectacular said to be hidden away in the snow… an ancient guardian fiercely protecting the sacred summit… Are you brave enough to tackle one of Disney’s most thrilling rides ever?
Our Modern Marvels series is growing, with each entry dedicated to telling the complete behind-the-scenes story of some of the industry’s most spectacular attractions. We’ve watched a monkey, music, and magic come to life on the unbelievable Mystic Manor, faced the fury of an ancient curse on Revenge of the Mummy, gotten the “scoop” on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, toured the halls of Disneyland Paris’ one-of-a-kind Phantom Manor, trekked through one of Disney’s best rides ever, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and so many more.
Image: Disney
Brought to life through astounding storytelling, unbelievable sets, innovative technologies, and one (record-)breaking Audio-Animatronics figure, Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain joins our Modern Marvels library, and today we’ll ascend into the mysteries of Everest, look back on the making of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and its promise of “imagined” creatures, go for a wild ride through the legend of the Forbidden Mountain, and take a peek behind the legendary mists… And today, our story begins with a little evidence…
“Aawwahhhh! My siestas are getting ‘chorter and ‘chorter!”
…But if we at Park Lore are going to keep up with our ongoing dream to tell the in-depth and complete histories behind the best (and worst) attractions on the planet, there’s no time to waste. And today, our Modern Marvels series gains a new tropical tale: the story of a genuine Walt Disney original and fan-favorite for more than five decades, the venerated and beloved Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room.
