How Disney+'s Behind The Attraction Picked Which Rides To Showcase--Including One Bizarre Choice

The newest arrival to the Disney+ streaming service, Behind the Attraction, looks at the complicated and long history of creating Disney's most iconic rides and experiences at its theme parks around the world. From creator Brian Volk-Weiss (The Toys That Made Us), the series strikes a familiarly snarky tone as it tackles some of the most beloved rides Disney has ever come up with. Still, there are some episodes that may have you scratching your head--and there's a reason for that.

While the first batch of episodes from Season 1 of Behind the Attraction dig into the past of rides like Jungle Cruise, the Haunted Mansion, and Star Tours, there are some curious choices made along the way, including the Disneyland hotel and--perhaps most puzzling of all--an episode titled "Trains, Trams, and Monorails," which is all about the history of transportation around Disney's parks.

Speaking to GameSpot, Volk-Weiss admitted that particular episode was his personal passion project on the series. "There were three pots," he explained. "The first pot was there's got to be attractions that are like, 'Why wouldn't that be in Season 1? How could they do this without a Space Mountain episode?' Then there was another group that was things that you may not [have expected]. I think a lot of people wouldn't have done Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Season 1... And then the third one, which was only one episode, is what a British guy called my joker [card]. And that is basically me saying, 'Please let me make this episode. Please let me make this episode.' And that was 'Trains, Trams and Monorails.'"

Given how important trans, trains, and even monorails are to navigating Disney's parks around the world--and even Walt Disney's own fascination with trains--dedicating an episode to the systems of transportation seems like a worthwhile endeavor and, when that episode debuts, it should be interesting to see what he uncovers. After all, if it's anything like the Darth Vader Ballet covered in Behind the Attraction's Star Tours episode, there's probably some pretty hilarious history to be revealed.

While gaining permission to include the footage of the Star Wars-themed dance performance was, according to Volk-Weiss, "definitely a longer conversation" with Disney. There's something else he's a bit more surprised about that made the final cuts of the episode: his unending adoration of Disney's failed attempt at a Star Wars movie of its own, 1979's The Black Hole.

"I love The Black Hole. It's the first movie I watched when I got Disney+," he said. "I know there are a couple things that might not allow it to be considered the best movie ever made. There [were] a lot of jokes in the [Star Tours] episode about The Black Hole. And basically, that was also the first episode we ever turned in. What it really worked down to was in the first cut, there was like nine jokes about The Black Hole, we got it down to two jokes about The Black Hole. But the thing that's funny is the two Black Hole jokes that are still in there. A lot of Disney people that did not work on the show were shocked we were allowed to keep those in."

So when you watch the Star Tours episode, know that while there were originally many more jokes about The Black Hole, the fact that it includes any at all is surprising.

The first five episodes of Behind the Attraction are streaming on Disney+ now. The next five, which will tackle experiences like It's a Small World, castles in the parks, the Hall of Presidents, and the tribute to trains, trams, and monorails, will debut on a later date.