26 Movies to Watch Before Going to Disney World

Are you looking for a fun way to countdown to your upcoming Disney trip? In this post I am sharing our favorite movies to watch before going to Disney World and what parks you can find these movie themed rides and attractions.

A great way to countdown to your Disney vacation is by planning family movie nights featuring some of the must-see movies from the Disney film collection.

This list of movies to watch before going to Disney World will get you and your family excited and familiar with the rides and attractions.

When visiting Disney World it is nice to have some familiarity with the characters and attractions. We usually countdown to our Disney World vacation with Disney themed movie nights to get us excited for the trip.

I put this list together based on some of our favorite Disney movies, and where you can find attractions, shows, or characters in the Disney World parks. Most of these movies can also be found on Disney+.

Best Movies to Watch Before Going to Disney World

The four Disney theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom all have places to meet characters and have attractions based on movies.

Whether this is your first time visiting Disney World or you’re a return visitor, watching the movies that inspired the rides helps everyone get excited for the trip.

Even though we are familiar with most of the characters we each pick a favorite or catch up on ones we missed before we take our Disney trip.

Quick List of Disney Movies to Watch Before You Go on Your Disney Trip

• Aladdin
• Alice in Wonderland
• Avatar
• Beauty and the Beast
• Buzz Lightyear
• Cars
• Finding Nemo/Finding Dory
• Frozen
• The Lion King
• Monsters Inc.
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Peter Pan
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Star Wars
• The Little Mermaid
• Toy Story
• The Many Adventure of Winnie the Pooh
• Tower of Terror
• UP!
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Ratatouille
• Moana
• Tower of Terror
• The Princess and the Frog
• Zootopia
• Encanto

Below I have organized this list based on park to help you find the specific characters and rides for the park you are visiting during your Disney World vacation.

Magic Kingdom

• Aladdin– guests can fly on the Magic Carpet, a ride similar to Dumbo, and also meet Aladdin and Jasmine. Aladdin has a live action movie or the animated classic as a choice for a family movie night.
• Alice in Wonderland– Ride the Mad Tea Party Tea Cups as well as character meet and greets from Alice and the Mad Hatter. Sometimes you will see the Queen of Hearts meeting guests as well. Across from the Mad Tea Party is a bakery called the Cheshire Cafe. Here you can pick up a coffee and pastry.
• Beauty and the Beast-Guests can dine in Beast Castle, reservations required. Beast is at dinner to meet. Enchanted Tales with Belle is an interactive show that includes a meet and greet with Belle. Gaston’s Tavern is a coffee/pastry shop that also has meet and greets with Gaston.
• Cars- Piston Peak National Park an all new Cars land will be opening at Magic Kingdom. No official opening date set. This will include new attractions and walking trails. For now guests can stay at a Cars themed suite at the Art of Animation Resort.
• Classic Fab 5 (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Daisy and Donald)– The Barnstormer kiddie roller coaster and Mickey’s PhilharMagic (3D Show). Also meet and greets at Pete’s Silly Sideshow.
• Dumbo- Dumbo the Flying Elephant is a classic ride. Guests can play in the waiting area playground, soar up in the sky on Dumbo, and there is even a photo-op between the attraction. We prefer the live action to the cartoon.
• Monsters Inc.- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is an interactive comedy show. Guests can submit jokes to be read during the show and often get asked to participate.
• Pirates of the Caribbean- The Pirates of the Caribbean ride existed long before the movies but they have incorporated parts of the story into the attraction. One notable addition is Jack Sparrow can be found throughout the attraction. Guests can also meet Jack Sparrow outside the ride.
• Peter Pan- Peter Pan’s Flight is one of the most popular attractions at the Magic Kingdom. The lines get very long and this should be at the top of your list when visiting the park. Peter Pan can also be found walking around Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom to meet guests. This movie has not aged well but the attraction has been modified to be more culturally appropriate.
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a family fun roller coaster themed to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
• The Little Mermaid- Under the Sea-Journey of The Little Mermaid is a dark ride attraction that takes guests through the Little Mermaid story. You can also meet Ariel as a mermaid next door to the attraction.
• Buzz Lightyear- In Tomorrowland you can meet Buzz and ride Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
• Winnie the Pooh- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a family fun attraction. It is a dark ride that goes through the story from the animated movie The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977).
• The Princess and the Frog- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaced Splash Mountain when it opened in summer of 2024. It is a family fun log flume ride with a catchy soundtrack.

Epcot

• Aladdin– in the Morocco pavilion in the World Showcase and guests can meet Princess Jasmine at the Lamps of Wonder location.
• Alice in Wonderland– In the United Kingdom pavilion guests can meet Alice at The Tea Caddy Gardens
• Beauty and the Beast- Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along in the France pavilion and you can also meet Belle in this area.
• Finding Nemo/Finding Dory-The Seas with Nemo and Friends ride and Turtle Talk with Crush interactive attraction. You can also explore the aquarium areas at Bruce’s Shark World.
• Frozen- You can meet Anna & Elsa and also ride the Frozen attraction. If you have a Frozen fan in your family Epcot is the place to go.
• Guardians of the Galaxy- Guardian’s of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is an indoor coaster that is the latest thrill ride at Epcot. It is very popular. Guests should secure an lightning lane pass or plan on riding it at park opening.
• Ratatouille- Ratatouille is located in the France pavilion in the World Showcase at Epcot. This family friendly dark ride originated in Disneyland Paris and has become a family favorite in the states.
• Moana- Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana is a walk through attraction that features water elements. It is a fun place to explore day or night at Epcot.

Hollywood Studios

• Classic Fab 5 – Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway is the first Mickey themed attraction at a Disney park. It is so much fun for all ages.
• Beauty and the Beast-Live on Stage–
• Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After
• Frozen- For the First Time in Forever- Frozen Sing Along. I actually didn’t think we would like this but it was so much fun. The actors were funny and the entire show is very engaging. You can also meet Olaf at Hollywood Studios in the Echo Lake Celebrity Spotlight area.
• Monsters Inc.– Monstropolis will be an all new land coming to Hollywood Studios. Featuring a vertical lift roller coaster, dining, characters, and shopping this will be an exciting addition to the park. Opening is expected in 2026.
• Star Wars- Meet Kylo Ren and Chewbecca as well as enter Batuu, a fully immersive Star Wars land. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has two attractions Rise of the Resistance and Millennium Falcon. Star Tours is a third Star Wars themed attraction at the park but it is not located in the land.
• The Little Mermaid- The Little Mermaid-A Musical Adventure is a puppet stage show.
• Toy Story- Guests will shrink to the size of a toy and explore Andy’s backyard in Toy Story Land. Toy Story Land has 3 attractions: Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucer, and Toy Story Mania, quick service dining, and Roundup Rodeo BBQ, (a table service restaurant) as well as character meet and greets.
• Tower of Terror- The movie was made after the attraction, even though The Twilight Zone existed long before. This ride is a bit scary and you don’t really need to know the story before you arrive. I can’t find the movie anywhere, you may have luck at your local library.

Animal Kingdom

• Avatar- Located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Pandora-The World of Avatar is an incredible land with two great attractions and a great quick service dining option. The movie is more geared toward older kids, and is an option if you are visiting the parks with teens.
• Finding Nemo- Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond! is a 20 minute stage show that is worth checking out. It is also a great break from the heat!
• The Lion King- The Festival of the Lion King show celebrates the music of the movie. You can also meet Rafiki and Timon at Animal Kingdom.
• UP!– Participate in The Wilderness Explorer Scavenger Hunt. This is free to guests at the park.
• Zootopia- Zootopia is replacing It’s Tough to Be a Bug at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This will be a 3D show located inside the Tree of Life. Zootopia: Better Zoogether! is set to open in winter 2025.
• Encanto- Encanto will be receiving its first ride in 2027 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This Tropical Americas Land will be an amazing addition to the park. I can’t wait to experience a ride through the Casita.

Almost every character, attraction, and ride is inspired by a Disney movie, making this list always evolving. It is best to always check the My Disney Experience app for the days you are visiting to see if anyone has been added or removed.

A few more characters from movies that don’t have rides are Wreck It Ralph, Inside Out, Lilo & Stitch, Mulan, Ariel (Live Action), The Incredibles, Disney Jr. Characters, Asha, Rapunzel, Kevin (UP!) and Pocahontas.

A fun way to use this list of movies is to each pick 1 or 2 and plan nights to watch them. If there are rides and attractions you want to experience and have never seen, consider starting with those.

Overall it is a great idea to be familiar with this list of movies before going to Disney World.