Disney World & Disneyland Board & Video Games

Once you become a rabid Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme park fan, you start finding different ways to extend the magic between trips to satiate you while you’re away from the parks. This post looks at one such way: board and video games that feature the parks.

This is just one of several ways we “bring home the magic.” Other ways include social media, podcasts, reading Disney books, editing photos, and more. All are fun ways to learn more about Walt Disney World or Disneyland, and to bridge the gap between trips.

Board and video games are especially good for a couple of reasons. First, they’re actually engaging and immersive–much like some theme park attractions themselves. Second, they are a way to connect and interact with family and friends, also much in the same way that theme parks offer…

I should preface this with a bit of a disclaimer. Despite boasting an impressive collection of systems (Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3, Xbox 360 with Kinect, and Nintendo Switch), we are far from hardcore gamers. Sarah uses the game systems to work out, I use them for the latest sports games and zombie-invasion preparedness. Oh, and we both use them for Disney gaming. In addition to the aforementioned high-tech game systems, we frequently go low-tech, and play Disney board games.

On that note, here’s a glimpse into our Disney theme parks game collection…

Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour (Playstation, 2000) – This is where it all started for us. I bought this game for the Dreamcast way back in 2001, and immediately loved it. The premise, that Chip & Dale broke a fireworks machine and now you need to collect its parts and reassemble it, of the story mode isn’t the greatest, but the game is reasonably challenging for adults. The detail in this game is incredible, especially when compared to other Disney games that have rested on the Disney license. It even got a surprisingly positive review from IGN!

We love the multiplayer mode, and have spent hours upon hours trying to best one another on various tracks. The game controls surprisingly well, too, and the music is great. Speaking of the music, we’ve been shocked to hear some of it (yes, I realize the music is essentially pulled from the attractions, but there are some differences) on the Disney buses. Why they used the game’s music instead of actual attraction music is beyond me, but it’s pretty cool!

Walt Disney World Quest: Magical Racing Tour is by far the top game in our collection. I even prefer it to Epic Mickey, which is somewhat frustrating due to a poor camera and clunky controls. I linked to the Playstation version above since I imagine more of you have a PSX or PS2 than a Dreamcast, but you can find the (better) Dreamcast version here.

Disney Epic Mickey – I had really high expectations for this title, as did most of the rest of the gaming community, but I have to admit that I was a little underwhelmed by it. To be sure, the details and concept are great. If you are a fan of Diseny in general (not just parks), it’s a fun title.

However, the controls and camera are frustrating, and redundant back-and-forth tasks drag down the revolutionary concept. It’s really fun to play, but I wish the creators spent a few more months tightening up the game engine rather than trying to make it’s holiday release. I still haven’t finished Epic Mickey, as I can only play in about half-hour increments before becoming frustrated. It’s still a must-own title, but it’s not the greatest Disney game ever, like some have proclaimed.

Toy Story Mania! – There is a difference of opinion on this game in our household. Sarah really, really enjoys it. It’s probably her favorite game on this list. I think the controls aren’t completely accurate, and it’s almost the Wii-equivalent of a button-masher.

One of my favorite aspects of Toy Story Mania in the parks is that by co-operating a bit, you can unlock high-point targets. Perhaps we just haven’t done things correctly, but that strategy doesn’t seem effective with this game. It’s still fun, and good practice for TSM in the parks, but it’s not perfect. Luckily it’s relatively cheap compared to some games, so it’s worth picking up.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures– What’s not to love about Disneyland Kinect?! Disneyland looks great. There is some painstaking attention to detail here, and it’s not a mere mash-up of Disneyland and Walt Disney World like some previous releases (I’m looking at you, Walt Disney World Magical Racing Tour!). This IS Disneyland. Well, minus some attractions they, presumably, couldn’t license. I’ve never been too keen on taking virtual tours of the parks with Google Earth, but this is so different. Really, seriously cool.

As for actual (mini) games, they are entertaining and fun, but most have only the most tenuous of connections to the actual attractions. This was disappointing, but the games are fun and well-crafted, which is better than an authentic, yet crumby, game.

Clue: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Edition – We love the game, but don’t play much since it’s just the two of us. Most of our real-world friends who live near us think our obsession with Disney is just a “bit” odd, so they aren’t too keen on playing a Disney themed game.

Someday, maybe we’ll have become cool and acquire some Disney-friends, but until then, all we can do is stare at the box and think of how fun it would be to play again. It’s just your basic “re-skinning” of a classic game like all of the other Clue or Monopoly editions, but it’s really cool! A good alternative is *probably* Disney Haunted Mansion Clue, but we don’t own it yet (probably never will because of that darn 3 player requirement). It’s a bit cheaper!

Disney Magic Kingdom Game – This game is fairly fun, and we play it a decent amount, but I can’t help but think that it would be more fun with more people. The object here is to visit five attractions (no FASTPASS!) in the Magic Kingdom. There are obstacles along the way and a bit of strategy must be employed. The first player to visit each of their five attractions and return to the park’s entrance wins. I wish the strategical elements were emphasized a bit more, but that’s what I think would improve if you had more players than 2. This game is definitely worth picking up, especially while prices are as low as they are at present.

Disney Monopoly Game 3rd Edition – Similar to the Clue game reviewed above, this is Monopoly with a Disney theme parks skin. I love Monopoly and we own several editions of it (Seinfeld, Rudolph, etc.), but the price here ($50) just doesn’t seem worth it to me.

Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!

Your Thoughts

Do you own any Walt Disney World or Disneyland board or video games? Which ones are your favorites? Any that you dislike? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!

41 Responses to “Disney World & Disneyland Board & Video Games”
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