Ranked: Fortnite's Disneyland Game Rush Brings a Touch of the Happiest Place on Earth to Disney Gamers
The Happiest Place in Fortnite? Well, yes! Disneyland Game Rush is officially out on the popular video game, and I’m here to tell you all about it.
After their announced partnership back in February 2024, Disney and Epic Games have released a ton of amazing new collaborations, mostly in the form of cosmetics. But over the past year, new creative modes with ESPN have hinted at some of the Disney-branded gameplay headed to the ever popular video game Fortnite. And now, it’s time to grab your gliders and hop aboard the Battle Bus, because Fortnite has just dropped a brand-new Creative island bringing fans into the magic of the Disneyland Resort.
Disneyland Game Rush, which launched earlier today (November 6th), is a limited-time event celebrating the 70th anniversary of Disneyland Resort. Now, parents wondering whether this is an appropriate game for their younger games, don’t worry. You will not find any of your favorite Disney characters wielding Fortnite’s arsenal of battle royale weapons. Disneyland Game Rush is a family-friendly, mini-game focused experience inspired by the first ever Disney Park. While there are a few mini-games that require shooting, like the Star Wars and Spider-Man inspired games, it isn’t anything past what you would find during a Disneyland vacation.
Jumping into the game, players begin in a stunning 70th anniversary-themed hub, featuring an abstract version of Sleeping Beauty Castle surrounded by the sights and sounds of Disneyland. While I originally anticipated that you would be able to choose your mini-game, the hub is more of a lobby on a “day” cycle. When you enter the game, you will quickly be thrown into a random mini-game with little time to explore. This keeps all players in the same game, rather than giving them the ability to pick and choose what they want to do. Each “match” cycles through every game randomly, ending with a small firework celebration once all have been played. It was a very interesting choice, but makes sense for keeping the mini-games active and fun. It was a very different experience compared to the ESPN Football and Basketball Islands.
There are seven mini-games total, each themed to one of the popular attractions at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. During the mini-games, you compete against other players while collecting special currency for in-game cosmetics and special keys.
Let’s take a look at the attraction mini-games in order of my personal ranking.
7. Star Wars: Stormtrooper Showdown (Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance)
Step aboard a Star Destroyer as you face off against Stormtroopers and Kylo Ren. This one could’ve been higher, but it was just kind of lackluster in comparison to many of the other Star Wars experiences that have been a part of Fortnite. It is difficult to earn points, with other players stealing kills, and struggles with a large map for a very short gameplay experience.
6. Matterhorn: Slip-and-Climb
Inspired by the icy slopes of the Matterhorn, players will need to try and climb the iconic mountain using a Grappler. While that sounds easy enough, players will be slipping around like they were just hit with a Chiller Grenade. It is a chaotic and directionless game that is still quite a bit of fun, if not a tad frustrating.
5. Haunted Mansion: Scavenger Haunt
Equipped with a flashlight, players are sent out on a free for all to find secrets hidden within the mansion. While that sounds straightforward enough, there is quite a bit to explore. Unfortunately, with such short time allotments per game, I found myself aimlessly wondering instead of actually being able to enjoy the gorgeous setting the game had. It was really fun seeing and hearing Haunted Mansion and Fortnite come together. I would LOVE to see a full game mode of this, similar to the one found in the 2000s Virtual Magic Kingdom (VMK).
4. Space Mountain: Rocket Race
This one is just mindless fun, jumping between rails as you ride around in space to Michael Giacchino’s unforgettable on-ride score. While not particularly action packed, it was a lot of fun. It definitely captured the essence of the attraction, and was a nice, mindless break from the more involved mini-games.
3. Indiana Jones: Tomb Runner
Did someone say Temple Run? Constantly running forward, players will need to navigate a temple as they approach lava, broken walls, and other obstacles to make it through. I really enjoyed this one, it felt more like a solo game than the others, and dodging the obstacles was actually a pleasant challenge. It felt like a really solid mobile game.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Sneakout!
Explore the Collector’s Fortress, as you dodge guards and collect coins. Players will be able to travel between levels aboard high speed gantry lifts, collecting coins, throwing Boogie Bombs, and registering their hand scans. This game felt like it had the highest stakes, as the guards could eliminate you while you are traversing through the fortress. It was a lot of fun working your way up to the lobby and getting through to the more exclusive sections of the museum, all while being serendaded by Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back.”
1. WEB Slingers: Spider-Bot Blasters
Standing in a safe room away from the Spider-Bots, players were given a weapon to take out as many of the adorable and ever-replicating robots.Similar to the ride, they came in waves, with a few special, high-point-value Spider-Bots appearing occasionally. This one captured both the spirit and experience of the ride and enjoyable gameplay so perfectly. It’s not as “adventurous” as the others, but it felt the most intuitive and fun.
After earning coins and keys, players can shop and unlock their rewards in the hub. Coins can be used at the stand near the center of the hub, where players can purchase hats inspired by their favorite characters, including Stitch, R2-D2, Goofy, Winne the Pooh, and more! Keys, when traded in at a key point similar to the one at Disneyland for the 70th anniversary pin experience, unlock coins or special gold-varient cosmetics.
Once all the mini-games are done, a brief nighttime spectacular takes over the game, which includes dancing, fireworks, and music. Afterwards, the game resets to daytime and begins its random cycle of mini-games.
Overall, Disneyland Game Rush is a ton of fun if you are looking for a little mindless entertainment. The variety of different skins players wore within the map added a hilarious reminder that you are still playing Fortnite. I, personally, never thought the sentence “I went to Disneyland with Sabrina Carpenter” would apply to me.
I wish there was more of an exploration factor to the game, as it is very rigid with timing and experiencing what Disney created for fans. It is a great start to seeing the Disney Parks represented in the popular video game, and I really hope Disney continues to explore creating Disney Parks experiences for those who don’t have regular access to the magic.
Laughing Place streamed the new gameplay earlier today, which you can check out below:
Fortnite is free-to-play and available on PC, mobile, and major gaming consoles.
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