For several weeks, Nathan Trent collected data from DISDads on the message boards about what came to mind when they thought about each of the Walt Disney World theme parks. He took that data and created a 64-experience seeded bracket that we are using at the basis for a special series of “My Walt Disney World” podcasts that we’ll be releasing on a weekly basis this summer. The first of those podcasts will come out this coming Sunday, and features a panel declaring the winners of the first round matchups in tournament’s Mickey Group. The goal here is to identify those experiences that make Walt Disney World what it is for DISDads and our families. It’s a little more complicated than just choosing our favorite ride or restaurant. You’ll hear how the panel decided on Sunday, but here’s your chance to cast your vote (which you can compare to the panel’s choices after the podcast is released). Which of these matchups made it hardest for you to choose a winner? How did you pick your winners? Tell us about it in the comments. (Please ignore the extra check-boxes – that was the only way to put a space between each matchup. You can cast one vote for each matchup).
Which are your picks for the first round of the My Walt Disney World bracket?
- [1] Pirates of the Caribbean (13%, 49 Votes)
- [3] Star Tours (13%, 49 Votes)
- [2] Expedition Everest (12%, 46 Votes)
- [4] Illuminations (9%, 37 Votes)
- [12] The Seas (Nemo, Turtle Talk & Aquarium) (8%, 31 Votes)
- [7] Maelstrom (8%, 31 Votes)
- [11] Cinderella's Castle (Sight only) (8%, 31 Votes)
- [8] Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular (6%, 24 Votes)
- [9] Beauty and the Beast Show at DHS (6%, 23 Votes)
- [6] Main Street USA (Sights, Sounds, etc.) (5%, 18 Votes)
- [10] Grande Fiesta Tour (5%, 18 Votes)
- [5] Kali River Rapids (4%, 17 Votes)
- [13] Carousel of Progress (3%, 13 Votes)
- [15] Fountain of Nations (1%, 2 Votes)
- [16] Hall of Presidents (0%, 1 Votes)
- [14] Sunshine Seasons (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
- (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 51
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The Seas is this year’s Bracket Buster. I don’t know how Kali River Rapids was seeded so high. Must have won some mid-major conference.
To me, Cinderella’s castle should have been the number 1 seed. Who doesn’t think of that when they think of WDW?
I could ride Kali over and over again… The Seas is more of an experience when you take the aquarium and turtle talk into consideration… but it’s still not something I would go back to if I found myself with time on my hands and I had already seen it.
The tough matchups for me to pick were the battle of the DHS shows, and the battle of the EPCOT water rides.
After seeing Sleeping Beauty’s castle in Disneyland recently – Cinderella’s Castle is so much more majestic (and larger) and definitely stands out once you walk into Magic Kingdom and turn down Main Street U.S.A. But – between Main Street and Cinderella’s Castle – there is so much that you can see and do – I still chose Cinderella’s Castle. Go Cindy!
For me the toughest was Illuminations vs Carousel of Progress. I don’t know, for some reason that CoP holds a special place for me. Sure, a nightime spectacular is cool and all but if forced to choose I went with the World’s Fair exhibit.
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow…
I agree with a lot of the comments…
I had to go with the castle. Love the sights and sounds of Main Street, but in the end, Main Street is all about leading you to that castle. That castle IS Disney World.
EPCOT water rides was a coin flip… both are fun, neither one is absolutely great.
I’m sure CoP will be a first round loss, but I picked it. Love Illuminations, but CoP is just special to me from the nostalgic “Walt’s fingerprints” standpoint.
Dave, love the comment about Kali…
Love CoP. Had to pick this as its a “must do” everytime we go. Toughest pick for me was the DHS shows. Beauty & The Beast won out with the “more Disney content” factor.
Also, I was torn on the Main Street / Castle choice but picked Main Street as there is so much more to the experience versus the castle.
Let me just start off with this quote.”The goal here is to identify those experiences that make Walt Disney World what it is for DISDads” while I will say the Castle may be the icon for Disney.Main street is the experience!!!! If you heard my rumblings from the hot seat when on podcast.You know how I voted
Let me also add that the poll said site only for castle…..and Main Street USA (Sights, Sounds, etc.) Well the site of the castle is part of the main street experience. So these two should not be matched up against each other.but since they are there could only be one way to vote..MAIN STREET BABY!!!
oh ps thats sight lol
I’m thinking Illuminations may come from the 4th seed and win it all in the end.
(though, in full disclosure, I don’t know what / where sunshine seasons is.)
Only upset I had was Cinderella’s Castle over Main Street. And that was a tough one, because I love everything about Main Street. But come on, what’s the ONE picture EVERYONE wants to get? Yep, that shot in front of the castle.
I voted Beauty and the Beast over Indiana Jones, but I don’t see a 9 beating an 8 as an upset. I like both shows, but I think Beauty and the Beast is more Disney than Indy.
Really the only other tough vote was the Illuminations/Carousel matchup. This past trip was the first time I saw Carousel and I fell in love with the show. And hearing my 5-year old son sing “There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow” at the top of his lungs in the attraction is worth the price of admission for me. That being said, there’s one attraction that makes me tear up every time without fail and that’s Illuminations. It’s the first nighttime show my wife and I watched together and the first we watched as a family with our boys.
Seeding… This was a difficult task. Aaron and I tossed around some ideas. First I was going to have the 4 Regions being the 4 parks…but quickly realized… that would not work. So then I had to come up with a method to mix up the results and mix the parks in a distribution that would be “fair”.
So Each region has a Park #1 – #4 Mickey has the #1 from MK… #2 from AK… #3 from HS… #4 from EP. After the top 4 or 5 in the parks the numbers are pretty much “close” as a #8 vs #9.
I also had to work with the fact that I had allot more data with MK and EP than I did with AK and HS…due to the fact not everyone participated in all threads.
It is by no means perfect… but was the best I could come-up with the input I had. It is also more statistically sound than any other Brackets I’ve seen/heard on other podcasts.
Some match-ups for example the Main St vs Cindy’s Castle is not as far apart as a #6 vs. #11 as you would think a basketball match would be. Very few “votes” separate these. Like I wrote earlier…after about the Top 5… the numbers get really close.
Hope that clears up some of the seeding and match-ups. Hope everyone enjoys this series…
I think we will all be amazed by who the Champ wil be.
As with everyone else the Castle atop the hill is the pinnacle (Pun intended) for me. If Sleeping Beauty’s castle in California was built atop Utilidors like Cinderellas caslte was i am sure it would garner better respect. There is something magical about the MK icon as you come up Main Street.
Pirates was a given. My daughter doesn’t get into the Presidents and lets face it, its about family and fun and memories.
Now I drive her crazy with the CoP song as we walk away through the park. LOL
B&B is a show related to movies I watch with my daughter over and over again. Indy.. not so much.
Expedition is the new hotness when it comes to coasters in the parks. A tough matchup would have been that against R&R. Two great coasters.
And again the Seas as this is natural enhabitants of the earth. KaliRR is nice, but reminds me of Six Flags here in TX.
Great job putting these together. Can’t wait to hear the Podcast on this one.
I’m really interested to hear the podcasts about this. I think the discussion of fun/favorite rides vs. what makes DisneyWorld DisneyWorld. Things like COP or Hall of Presidents probably wouldn’t rate super high on a lot of the typical guests touring plans but I think a lot f those features are really key to Disney’s identity. Disneyworld still has a lot of legacy attractions like that which are educational/inspirational that probably wouldn’t be built in a theme park today.