The “dark rides” of the Disneyland Resort have a distinct method of storytelling. These attractions are 100% about storytelling, guiding riders through intricate scenes and plots. The dark rides based on classic fairy tales have an added storytelling device: murals.
The dark ride murals aren’t just there to decorate blank walls. These works of art actually serve a few purposes – all to help tell their respective stories.
First, the murals begin world building. While riders wait in the loading area for their vehicles, they already begin immersion into their new environments. Some murals, like that of Mr. Toad, serve as full maps, highlighting all the scenes they are about to witness. Others, like Peter Pan, tease the atmosphere of the attraction – in Peter’s case, the cloudy night skies of London.
In addition to world building, the murals act as a real-life “page” for the characters and stories to jump off of. The characters begin as we’ve always known them: 2D figures on a page/screen. When the ride begins, the characters magically become “real”. And at the end of your journey, the characters once again return to the page. For just a few minutes, riders have the chance to figuratively go inside their favorite fairy tale books.
There are two dark rides that don’t follow this practice: Snow White and Alice in Wonderland. Alice instead opts to keep waiting riders in a garden, with the nearby teacups swirling around them. And Snow White’s entryway is not so much a mural as it is the exterior of the dwarfs’ cottage, where the attraction begins its story. In both cases, the environments do offer minor world building, just with practical sets instead of murals.
The dark ride murals obviously aren’t necessary for these attractions to successfully tell their stories and transport guests into fairy tale worlds. But they’re an excellent example of how Imagineers use subtle tricks to enhance our experiences and create that Disney magic.
