Background music is one of the little things we love about Walt Disney World. We’ve been big fans of it for years, having procured a collection for the last 18 years. If you want a way to mentally transport yourself back to the parks or focus while working or studying, this list of our favorite area loops is for you.
Also known as area loops, background music (BGMs) is the music that plays–as the name suggests–in the background of different areas in the parks. Some of these loops are played in the entirety of large lands or pavilions, whereas others are only found in queues, post shows, or even restrooms. Others are completely extinct. Some were once thought lost, but recently recovered.
Background adds atmosphere to each land in the parks, yet is often overlooked. Disney’s best background music does a great job of setting the mood, but it’s not something ordinary guests actively give much attention. Very few people find themselves asking, “what’s this catchy tune? I’d love to rock out to this at home!” And that’s sort of the point–it exists in the background, being one of a veritable symphony of details all working in concert to make the Walt Disney World experience memorable.
While most guests don’t actively notice background music or want to rush home to download it, the converse is also true: average guests do notice if it were not there. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is Exhibit A here, as common complaints about the land are that it’s lacking in personality and doesn’t have the cinematic quality that it could with a soaring score.
Another example of this kind of approach is Mysterious Island at Tokyo DisneySea, which also doesn’t have a proper music loop, but does have a background soundscape. It’s eerie and ominous, perfectly befitting of the area, and its approach to BGM stands in sharp contrast with other nearby ports of call. You can feel the difference when going from Cape Cod or Mediterranean Harbor to Mysterious Island, and that makes guests appreciate the divergent approaches to background music in each even more.
Suffice to say, we’re big background music enthusiasts. We’ve been collecting Disney background music since 2007, first getting hooked on the official CD releases sold at Walt Disney World (like the Impressions de France score), then more obscure tracks (like the Star Tunnel music in Space Mountain), and then the actual area loops, starting with Tomorrowland and old school EPCOT Center.
We play this music regularly while working or trying to unwind. Its transportive, uplifting, and one of the best ways to experience Disney at home. It is also great for focusing, reducing distractions and working or studying. We’ve covered background music in a few different past posts here, but it’s been a while.
Back when we first started our background music collection, there were two sites that offered go-to resources for content that isn’t available via official releases: Mousebits.com and MagicMusic.net. These both still exist and are great tools. Two more are Passport2Dreams and E82: The EPCOT Legacy, both of which are run by passionate old school Walt Disney World fans who have gone to great lengths to research and resurrect long-lost elements of the parks.
However, a lot has changed since I got started down the BGM rabbit hole. Barriers to entry have been reduced, and music is available via Spotify playlists or on YouTube. I’ve included the link to anything that is not commercially available for purchase, and you can click on the name of each loop to open its full audio in a new tab.
Universe of Energy – Much of original EPCOT Center was destroyed—lost forever–or so we thought! It turns out there were copies of some of these loops in music libraries being watched over by old school Walt Disney World fans. The BGMs were saved, and with them our dreams of the future.
The restoration of the original Universe of Energy area music that played prior to the Ellen’s Energy Adventure reimagining was what prompted us to revisit this topic. I remember there being an exhaustive search for this, with some intrepid fans trying to piece together what was played from brief snippets of old home videos.
I don’t know how E82 did it, but this is a massive discovery. Listening to this transports me back in time–to my early days in the fandom searching for this to complete my collection, to those childhood visits to EPCOT Center, and to the days of the dinosaurs. It’s a great area loop, and was well worth the wait.
Innoventions — More than any other background music loop at Walt Disney World, this reminds me of the way EPCOT used to be with its 1990s synthesizer goodness that establishes an upbeat tone for your adventures in Future World.
Created by background music extraordinaire Russell Brower using the David Arkenstone piece “Papillon Day — On the Wings of a Butterfly” there are actually a few cuts of this loop. Losing this was one of the biggest blows of the EPCOT overhaul for me, and it’s under-discussed how the old BGM added so much charm and personality to the area.
Original Journey Into Imagination Area Music and Ride Audio – This one is different from the rest of the list because it features attraction dialogue and more than just atmospheric music. I’m able to put this on “in the background” and still focus on whatever I’m doing, but your mileage my vary. The bigger issue for me is that hearing this is more bittersweet than relaxing and uplifting.
EPCOT Center Main Entrance (1982) – I remember a decent amount from my visits to the “original” EPCOT Center (basically, the park up until around 1998) as a child. This background music is not one of those things. I would’ve heard it, but I wasn’t sufficiently perceptive of a kid to pick up on scores and themed music. Dinosaurs and dragons were more my jam.
However, the orchestral attraction themes of this original loop are imbued with the optimism of EPCOT Center, making this nonetheless like a trip down memory lane. Likewise, I think both the 2000 and 2006 updates have been in keeping with the spirit of EPCOT. I actually don’t dislike the current main entrance loop–it’s grown on me a lot. But admittedly, I also don’t feel the same sentimentality towards it (yet?).
The Land Area Music – Put this on and imagine sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of the farmhouse in Living with the Land. For some reason, it reminds me of being back at home in Michigan, sitting outside on an early fall day.
Full Soarin’ Queue Loop – This soaring score is beautiful, uplifting, and truly embodies the spirit of Soarin. Even in normal times, that would be enough to earn it a spot on the list. Now, there’s something especially serene about the idea of hang-gliding over Malibu, Los Angeles, Yosemite, etc., feeling the wind on your face, and smelling those delightful scents!
The Living Seas Music Loop – Venture back in time to SeaBase Alpha with this loop, which is both soothing and inspiring. Want to vicariously live out your dream to become a marine biologist through your kid? Put this on while they learn to nudge them in the right direction!
Reflections of Earth Pre/Post-Show — Our #1 most-played Disney music by a wide margin is the pre and post-show score for IllumiNations. In the park, this created a convivial ‘festival’ atmosphere that actively commands the attention of guests, rather than fading into the background.
There were actually two versions of this; one for normal nights when the park closes, and other evenings when Extra Magic Hours began after IllumiNations. I love both, and use the regular track as high-energy motivation music. This is right up there for me with Fountain of Nations (also one of my most-played holiday loops) and the aforementioned Innoventions loop as the biggest losses of the EPCOT overhaul.
Japan (EPCOT) – They say that classical music has a positive impact on brain power, concentration, and memory. I certainly hope that extends to classical background music used in Walt Disney World, and listened to while reading essays on theme parks.
The loop consists primarily of traditional Japanese folk music, with a lot of pieces featuring the koto (a stringed instrument). This is actually one of several World Showcase loops I really like, with Norway and France being two other big favorites.
Tomorrowland (1989) – This is one of two versions of the Tomorrowland loop that make the list, and a third (1983-1989) comes pretty close. (Despite the labeling, this loop is likely from 1990–see The New Age Music of Tomorrowland, and Others on Passport2Dreams.)
This is features a variety of soothing and upbeat New Age music, and I most often put this on (no joke) when I need help falling asleep.
Tomorrowland (2003/Current) – This loop reminds me of nights spent riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover while gazing at the neon marquees. I also love its self-referential, atmospheric quality.
This background music contains music from Carousel of Progress, Adventures through Inner Space, Alien Encounter, and other attractions. Rather than presenting these as a generic medley like is done at the park entrance, these versions have a billowy sound evoking a sci fi vibe.
Space Mountain Queue (Walt Disney World) – One of my most strongly-held “unpopular opinions” is that Magic Kingdom has the best version of Space Mountain. The Star Tunnel music is one huge reason why. (Plus the queue, load area, and post show.)
Main Street Background Music (WDW, DLR & DLP) – The most recent version of the Main Street BGM, which was updated in 2012 to add “Married Life” from Pixar’s Up, plus over a dozen new tunes, arranged and recorded specifically for Main Street, U.S.A., will join many of the existing songs.
We spend more time on Main Street than any other land, this evokes powerful and scattered bits of nostalgia as it plays in the background. Some days, I’ll remember a recent rope drop run; other times, Extra Magic Hours from a decade ago. Then there are all those late nights we’ve spent closing out the parks since 2006.
Walt Disney Studios Park Nighttime Entrance – I’ve joked that the best thing about Walt Disney Studios Park/Disney Adventure World, or whatever you want to call the second gate at Disneyland Paris, is this background loop. Perhaps that’s not strictly true, but it’s easily top 10. Probably top 5. This background music features soaring, cinematic scores and themes from some of the most iconic films of all-time. The transitions are brilliant, and this hour-plus loop is at once relaxing and uplifting.
Pandora: World of Avatar Atmospheric Music (Animal Kingdom) – Like the land itself, this orchestral atmospheric music is cinematic and soaring, and feels like something out of a blockbuster film. At the same time, it’s incredibly relaxing and reminds me of late nights spent soaking up the ambiance in Pandora. If I close my eyes, I can almost see the bioluminescence…which I guess is good, since the actual paint has faded over the years.
Sunshine Plaza Playlist (Disney’s California Adventure) – While Sunshine Plaza was a pretty poor representation of California, this background music was its high point. This curated list of the songs that best exemplify CA is great for cruisin’ down PCH, hiking in Griffith Park, watching sunset at Santa Monica Pier…or sitting at home.
Buena Vista Street Background Music (Disney California Adventure) – The music that replaced the Sunshine Plaza playlist is also pretty good–just decidedly different.
New Orleans Square/Rivers of America (Disneyland) – This is the music played along the Rivers of America waterfront (basically, the Fantasmic seating area) in New Orleans Square. It’s a great mix of Dixieland Jazz.
Disneyland Esplanade Area Music – The ultimate curated playlist of movie and attraction music that embodies a day at Disneyland. From the Fantasmic exit music to Winnie the Pooh, this background music has some incredible range and is one of our absolute favorites.
Grizzly Peak Airfield (Disney California Adventure) – Also known as the Grand Californian Hotel California Adventure Entrance Loop, this music plays in Grizzly Peak and its Airfield (formerly Condor Flats) at DCA. Similar to the WDSP Nighttime Loop, this has a cinematic quality to it due to the film scores used.
It also has an “epic outdoors” and soaring vibe. We’ve used this for road trips through Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite National Parks, so I associate it with those places as much as Disney California Adventure at this point.
Cape Cod (Tokyo DisneySea & Beyond) – Soothing seaside sounds from Duffy’s hometown at Tokyo DisneySea. You should also recognize this music if you spend a lot of time upstairs at Columbia Harbour House in Walt Disney World. (I love the Christmas BGM even more, but that’s sadly not available online, at least not to my knowledge.)
Port Discovery (Tokyo DisneySea & Beyond) – More soothing seaside sounds, but with imbued with more futurism and optimism…which shouldn’t be surprising since a lot of this loop is ported over from EPCOT Center.
Mediterranean Harbor Porto Paradiso Music (Tokyo DisneySea) – We’ve only stayed at Hotel MiraCosta once, but when we did, we left our room’s windows cracked all night so this delightful background music would wake us up in the morning. This reminds me of that and rope dropping Tokyo DisneySea, my favorite theme park in the world.
Aquasphere Plaza ~ Night (Tokyo DisneySea) – At the end of my very first night in Tokyo DisneySea, I made a recording of this music on my phone. I wanted to have something to “take me back” to that evening whenever I listened to it. Little did I realize that an entire CD is sold of Aquasphere Plaza music, which not-so-coincidentally became one of my very first purchases at Tokyo Disney Resort a day later.
Even years later, I’m instantly transported back to the end of that first night in Tokyo DisneySea every single time I listen to this. It was such a little thing at the time, but it was the culmination of one of my best days ever in a Disney theme park, and this music is my most distinct memory from that first visit to Tokyo DisneySea.
Arabian Coast (Tokyo DisneySea) – In this one port of call at Tokyo DisneySea, there are at least 3 background loops in Arabian Coast: this one covering the majority of the land, plus separate loops for inside Casbah Food Court and one for the queue of Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage. They all have similar arrangements, and are each pretty strong.
For this main loop, someone finally found a use for the direct-to-video Aladdin and the King of Thieves, as most of the music is pulled from that. My favorite of these loops is actually the Sindbad’s Storybook Voyage queue loop, but this makes the cut over that because I found the Arabian Coast loop first. All of them get me hyped to sail around the world with my trusty tiger sidekick to party with monkeys, surf a whale, jam with a genie, or engage in various other adventures. Or, sit at my computer and type posts like this, as one does.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Are you a fan of background music from Walt Disney World or beyond? Which BGMs are your favorites? Any area loops that are particularly effective at helping you focus on work or studying? Any of these that you love or hate? Newer BGMs from the last few years that you love (or hate)? Do you agree or disagree with our list of favorites? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
