Orlando’s theme parks and attractions excel at getting our attention with bombastic additions, intriguing intellectual properties and heavy-hitting hinting.

But subtle little things — developments unlikely to make headlines – can also be big winners.

We’re looking back at 2024 with a grin and have made a list of 10 smile-worthy occasions at our attractions. But since the year has been a mixed bag, we’ll throw in five frowny-face factors, some of which won’t be contained within ‘24.

When you’re smiling

• The single-rider line for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Yeah, you miss some theming and holograms and the transport trip trick. And part of the journey is so backstage (a hallway with black walls) that you might think you’re being sent to Lucasfilm HR. But single riders still experience the mass stormtrooper hangar bay, and the time savings make Lightning Lane seem far, far away.

• The end of the virtual queue for Tron: Lightcycle / Run at Magic Kingdom. We’ll take our chances with standby status; thanks. And we’ve got our eye on you, Tiana Bayou queue.

• “Try Everything” at Country Bear Musical Jamboree at Magic Kingdom. While “The Bear Necessities” might be a bit on the nose for the updated Frontierland animatronic show, we’re happy to see the “Zootopia” song get some love, as well as Big Al’s interpretation of “Remember Me” from “Coco.”

• “Celebracion Encanto” at Epcot. The show’s sing-along element, which reveals that kids know all the lyrics, is top-notch and especially evident when weather conditions force everyone into CommuniCore Hall.

• SeaWorld Orlando’s happy hour/free beer promotions. These come and go, so here’s some sobering advice: Google before you guzzle.

• The skunk ape petting zoo photo op at Gatorland. This is so cute, so Florida, during the attraction’s Halloween weekends. But later, once you get the joke (no spoilers), it’s downright clever.

• The E.T. Adventure entrance and restroom paint job at Universal Studios. Even in the early days of the DreamWorks Land project, folks were assured that the E.T. ride wasn’t going away with other KidZone attractions. Universal has taken its awkward location and amped up the entrance — we get a national park vibe – for a statement piece with theming that extends over the restroom area.

• The E.T. float in Universal’s Mega Movie Parade. Doubling down on E.T. like it was Reese’s Pieces, but this is a formidable unit, tall and fanciful. Other film floats are built to impress, too, but we like the on-the-ground humans representing “Jaws” and “Ghostbusters.”

• The augmented reality on the model at Epic Universe preview, Universal CityWalk. Download the app and watch the special effects inside some attractions as well as some hovering

• Just the very (made-up) word Trollercoaster. The Universal ride name is the most fun to say since VelociCoaster. And it’s nice and succinct, as opposed to, say, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure … although Hagride is fun to say, too.

Frown town

To be fair, these are practically perennial, dipping into pet peeve territory. But maybe saying them out loud will put solutions into the universe. But let’s not dwell. It’s a short and sweet time.

• International Drive traffic. Or traffic in the Championsgate stretch. Really, traffic anywhere.

• Walking into traffic like a lost animal. How can theme park visitors leave their cars and immediately walk into the flow of motorized traffic? How has our species survived? (We see this at the grocery, too. Look alive, y’all.)

• Post-pandemic empty storefronts. They’re reminders of a darker time and maybe a sign that we have enough stores already.

• Nonspecific announcements. Oh, the teases. Usually, we get what, but not always where and the vaguest of when. Why? Who knows?

• Theme park reservations required. Although the parameters have improved, we’ll be over in the corner stewing with Walt Disney World passholders.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. BlueSky: @themeparksdb. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. Subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.