The Five Best Moments in Adventureland

Just a few paces from Main Street U.S.A, you can find yourself suddenly surrounded by unfamiliar gods, skulls on posts and snakes in barrels. Welcome to Adventureland, home of a fearless archeologist, a man raised by gorillas, an infamous jungle tour company, and one very enchanted roomful of tikis.

If you count the Jungle and all of the Indiana Jones attraction, Adventureland is enormous -- but you'd never guess from the one small, crowded avenue that handles all the foot traffic.

It'd be easy to make a short list of the best attractions in Adventureland, but I'd like to focus on the best moments the land has to offer. Here's a quick list of my five favorite Adventureland moments, starting with #5:

Here they come...

5) The Jungle Cruise piranha attack. I love the whole Jungle Cruise, but the piranha attack near the end is very clever and actually makes people scream...in a good way.

Strange Things 8: Thurl Ravenscroft Holiday Special

Welcome back to Strange Things, a roundup of offbeat Disney tunes that are obscure or performed in an unusual manner. All are available on iTunes and Amazon MP3. In honor of the Holidays, we're starting off with a Disney Legend often associated with Dr. Seuss and Christmas: the great Thurl Ravenscroft.

TRACK:  DO YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS
ALBUM: Thurl Ravenscroft - Christmas Cocktails Part Three

In addition to making the famous Grinch song his own,  the amazing bass singer is beloved for his performances in the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree, and many, many more Disney attractions, films and records.

In light of his Disney legacy, I don't think anyone will mind that today's first pick is not a Disney song, but a wonderful, light-hearted Christmas tune sung by Mr. Ravenscroft as Santa Claus. It's another fantasy classic from one of the most memorable voices in entertainment history.

All right, regarding our next pick...I really didn't plan to start a lounge theme here...