Ariel's Air-Conditioned Omnimover (with Fish Heads & Crumbs)

Disney's Omnimover ride system remains one of the most efficient and ingenious ways to carry large numbers of guests through an attraction. In DCA, it turns The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure into a great way to the quickly escape the afternoon heat for a few relaxing minutes of musical, air-conditioned entertainment. The wait to board is rarely more than a few minutes, and it's often a walk-on.

I must be honest; I wish the ride was more thrilling. The designers decided to leave out the battle with the Sea Witch, resulting in a ride with very little drama in its adventure. Still, it's pleasant, pretty, and a great way to get off your feet. Perhaps that final battle can be added to the ride at a future date; Many rides get "plussed" or reworked during their lifespan. Just don't ask a walrus for advice on this one...

WDW 1993: World of Motion

In this installment of WDW 1993, we're back in Epcot for a look at World of Motion, one of four grand, high-capacity omnimover-style attractions operating in Future World back then -- and that's not even counting the Living Seas' seacabs!

Our group loved World of Motion's humorous approach to edutainment. In the tradition of classic Disney cartoon shorts, a mock-serious narrator (Gary Owens this time) gave a calm, jovial tour through the history of transportation, completely unaware of the chaos breaking out in the scenes he was describing.

World of Motion was a shutterbug tourist's dream, and so there are many photos on the internet of this attraction's inhabitants. My paltry collection can't compare to the amazing wealth of shots found in Disney Tourist Blog's tribute, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already. The above scene is certainly well-documented, but the world can't have enough chickens, so here's my shot of the ruckus.

Another view reveals one of my favorite gags: Manhole Guy With Vegetable on Head.

World of Motion was an incredibly good-natured adventure the whole family truly could experience together. It also had the catchy theme song, "It's Fun to be Free." Long before our trip, I'd memorized that song via the great original Music of Disneyland, Walt Disney World and Epcot Center CD (odd title, considering Epcot is part of WDW). Based on the song alone, World of Motion was a "Must-See" on that first trip, and it did not disappoint.

More WDW 1993 coming soon.