The Ultimate Disney Parks Attraction Bracket -- Round One, Day Twenty-Five

Let us dare to fulfill our destiny.

It’s not that the Disney theme parks are not, at their core, about nostalgia. But as I look at the various rides and shows that you’re voting on today in the first round of the Ultimate Disney Parks Attraction bracket…well, I cannot get the word “nostalgia” out of my head. There’s a lot of nostalgia in these here parts today.

Ready to vote? Let’s go!

(1) Spaceship Earth vs. (64) Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition: I won’t get so granular in the matchups as to tell you which version of Spaceship Earth you ought to vote on — the big golf ball has been at Epcot since Opening Day, but there are a number of different takes on the premise of celebrating and discussing the past of this planet with different narrators and scripts. But part of the reason I won’t get so granular is that we all know Spaceship Earth is winning this matchup, right?

…right?

Spaceship Earth

Frontierland Shootin’ Exposition

(32) Primeval Whirl vs. (33) Star Tours 1.0: That “1.0” is key here — please note that in this matchup, unlike the one above, I am asking you to vote for either the Primeval Whirl roller coaster that is no more at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or the original, pre-sequel trilogy version of Star Tours. And with that in mind, the choice is clear: I vote for the goofy and charming Captain Rex and the original Star Tours.

How about you?

Primeval Whirl

Star Tours 1.0

(16) Red Car Newsboys vs. (49) JAMMitors: It’s a funny thing: I am not the type of elder Millennial who will tell you that, actually, Newsies is a good movie. (Sidebar: my wife and I were fortunate enough to see the legendary Alan Menken in person a few months ago, and he did a brief section on Newsies, thanks to its Broadway revival. I will admit that I detected…oh, the teeniest bit of vexation on Menken’s part that the film is so derided. Bad movie, Alan!)

But while I don’t love Newsies, I do enjoy the Red Car Newsboys live show, which is partially inspired by the film (or sure feels like it). I very much enjoy the atmosphere of Buena Vista Street, and the Red Car Newsboys are part of that atmosphere. They get my vote here.

Red Car Newsboys

JAMMitors

(17) WDW Monorail vs. (48) Wildlife Express Train: Two not-terribly-fast-moving vehicles in Orlando going into the thunderdome, and…I mean, it’s gotta be the monorail, right, folks? Do the right thing.

WDW Monorail

Wildlife Express Train