The Ultimate Disney Parks Attraction Bracket -- Round Five, Day Two

Welcome, foolish mortals.

Hello, friends! Can you believe what two attractions got sent to the Elite Eight of the Ultimate Disney Parks Attraction bracket yesterday? I’m so shocked! I’m amazed! I’m typing these words four days before this post goes up, so I have no idea what attractions went forward!

So with that in mind, let’s dive into today’s matchups. Any surprises forthcoming will truly catch me off guard.

(1) Fantasmic (DL) vs. (4) Kilimanjaro Safaris: I am surprised that Fantasmic didn’t thoroughly stomp the Rock’n’Roller Coaster in the last round. Yes, it won. And yes, the victory was certainly decisive. But it was a 2-to-1 rout, not, like, an 8-2-style rout. I was expecting the decisiveness to be even more so.

I say that because if you were asking me, I would vote here for Fantasmic. I love the Kilimanjaro Safaris experience, but it’s always a crapshoot which animals you’ll see, based on the weather, the time of day, and how the animals are feeling. I know exactly what I’m getting with Fantasmic, which can sometimes be a boon.

But that’s me. How do you vote?

Fantasmic (DL)

Kilimanjaro Safaris

(10) The Haunted Mansion (WDW) vs. (6) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (DL): Well, this one’s a toughie. It’s tough for a few reasons. First, there is the potential (as I type these words) that multiple versions of each of these attractions are in the Sweet Sixteen. Now, it is technically possible that the Orlando mansion and Anaheim roller coaster are the only versions of the Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder in this round, but…OK, that would shock me. I expect to have dual versions of each of these attractions in this round of 16.

So if that is the case, I am partially thinking, “Which of these attractions is likelier to win?” I absolutely think that the Haunted Mansion and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad are among the finest theme-park attractions ever made. Each of them deserves to the Elite Eight. (And notably, the Disneyland version of Haunted Mansion and Magic Kingdom version of Big Thunder would not be facing off against each other later in this overall round.)

But I’m getting in my head. Because even if these were the only remaining iterations of these two attractions in the bracket, it’s tough. The Haunted Mansion calls to me ever so slightly, because it’s a fuller, more rounded atmospheric experience. Let’s be honest, though, each of these could make a case for winning the match.

Good thing I don’t have to formally vote! Just you. What do you say?

The Haunted Mansion (WDW)

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (DL)