9 Attractions We Miss the Most at Disney Theme Parks
At Disney theme parks, change is inevitable. The demand comes straight from the top, as Walt Disney explicitly stated that the parks should evolve over time. Sadly, these improvements mean that some attractions fall by the wayside over time. Here are the nine attractions we miss the most at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
9. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
Before we get started, we should establish some rules. Anything is eligible as long as it’s gone from one of the parks. However, if Disney has modified an attraction from its original design, the ride experience must vary.
This rule means that the original versions of Soarin’ Over California, California Screamin’, and the first Journey into Imagination aren’t options. I had to make one judgment call that I’ll discuss in a bit.
At Disney California Adventure (DCA), Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has left forever. Park officials decided to replace it with a Marvel attraction, as superheroes and Pixar intellectual properties have become the focus at DCA.
Everyone loves Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!, but West Coast Disney fans are still bummed out. The only way to hear Rod Serling’s voice just before an elevator drop is at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
8. Rocket Rods
I have to hand it to Imagineers. They’re masters at repurposing space. Sometimes, their optimism leads to overreaching, though.
For example, park officials knew that they wanted to shut down the PeopleMover. Still, everyone involved with the process understood the appeal of the ride. It showed off some of the best parts of Tomorrowland, only slowly.
Someone got the bright idea to enhance the same ride concept by turning it into an adrenaline rush. At that moment, Rocket Rods was born. It was like a high-speed railway system on the PeopleMover tracks. Sadly, it came with a fatal flaw, though.
Disney officials hadn’t adequately anticipated the sheer weight of the Rocket Rods. These devices placed much more pressure on the foundation of the PeopleMover system. And the ride carts also weren’t entirely reliable. So, this unique attraction spent a lot of time on the shelf.
Rocket Rods closed after two and a half years, but it suffered a significant amount of downtime during that timeframe. People loved it when it worked, but…
7. The Sum of All Thrills
Who wouldn’t want to build their own roller coaster? At Innoventions in Epcot, guests got to do this! The system worked similarly to the Test Track design phase, as the user selected the type of coaster cart, the level of excitement (from Mild to Wild), and the height and speed of the experience.
Once the planning stage ended, guests entered a small ride cart attached to the end of a robotic arm. This automated appendage did all of the work in making your designer roller coaster experience authentic. Also, your ride changed each time due to your stylistic decisions.
The Sum of All Thrills proved popular enough with children that Disney hosted one at DisneyQuest in Orlando, too. Since Innoventions and DisneyQuest suffered through various cost-cutting moves, we lost both a few years ago.
6. Ellen’s Energy Adventure
The appeal of Ellen DeGeneres is that she always seems like your kindest friend. That everywoman vibe made her the perfect choice as the host for Ellen’s Energy Adventure, a trip back to the age of the dinosaurs.
In the story, Ellen struggled mightily during a round of Jeopardy, losing badly to her rival, Jamie Lee Curtis, while Alex Trebek watched in horror.
To give Ellen a fighting chance, Bill Nye “The Science Guy” appeared and gave her a quick history lesson. Well, I say quick, but the ride experience took a half-hour. It was a comfortable way to relax at Epcot while learning more about fossil fuels. This is the second ride on this list to fall by the wayside in favor of a Guardians of the Galaxy thrill ride!
5. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
Disneyland still features the original version of Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, the one that’s remained in operation since the park’s 1955 opening. Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World wasn’t so lucky. Michael Eisner, then-CEO of Disney, tried to shut the ride down quietly. He preferred a more modern attraction based on Winnie the Pooh.
Orlando residents and Walt Disney World fanatics recoiled at the thought. Several “Save the Toad!” campaigns began, all of which proved unsuccessful. Eisner had made up his mind, and so Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride closed forever in 1998.
More than 20 years later, Floridians still resent this decision. Virtually everyone loves The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Still, people loudly wonder why park officials couldn’t find room for both.
4. Horizons
Horizons embodied the best and most optimistic ideas for Epcot. It was an infotainment attraction that functioned as a spiritual sequel to Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. It evaluated a better world of tomorrow, the kind that Uncle Walt would have loved.
During Horizons, guests watched 21st-century society in all of its possible forms. In this optimistic vision of the future, humanity has constructed underwater and outer space societies. The mantra of Horizons is, “If we can dream, we can do it.” That sort of positive message never goes out of style.
Horizons closed in 1999 to make way for Mission: SPACE. To this day, fans of old school Epcot attractions lament its loss. Who knows? Maybe Disney will bring it back someday in a modified form.
3. Maelstrom
Here’s the attraction that comes with an asterisk. The replacement for Maelstrom shares many ride similarities. However, Disney has changed the track layout, and I don’t think anyone would argue that Frozen Ever After reminds them of Maelstrom in any way. So, I think it’s okay to mention one of the World Showcase’s hidden gems of yore.
Maelstrom at the Norway Pavilion wasn’t quite as good as Walt Disney World’s favorite log flume ride, Splash Mountain, but it was closer than many people realized.
On Maelstrom, guests could travel through a world of Norse mythology, one with mystical trolls but also Vikings and villages. The theming and charm of Maelstrom never failed to entertain. I also loved the pitch-black nature of the sets. It really enhanced the vibe of a dark world filled with monsters and danger.
2. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
Does Disney want or need a pure horror attraction? This debate isn’t new, but the issue is, sadly, settled. In December of 1994, Disney teased its latest, greatest attraction, an alien encounter that still needed a bit of recalibration. Park officials would test it for several months before the attraction officially opened during the summer of 1995.
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter trapped guests in a room at the Tomorrowland Interplanetary Convention Center. There, they sat nervously in the darkness as a story unfolded about an alien among them. Park officials marketed the show as a “sensory thriller” that George Lucas (!) produced.
The attraction experience for Alien Encounter is tactile. Guests look at a central pod, a digital display, and a few Audio-Animatronics. During the story, a scientist preps a cuddly creature to get transported. It…doesn’t go great.
Later, the plan involves shipping one guest to meet Clench, a terrifying alien. Alas, Clench has a better idea and ports into the room. Then, it breaks out of its encasing, and…well, you can guess the rest.
This attraction was so unsettling that a vast number of park guests wouldn’t even try it. Eventually, Disney modified it into Stitch’s Great Escape! It eliminated a lot of what was great about the original version, and I say that as a Lilo & Stitch fan.
Sadly, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter was at least a generation ahead of its time. Those of us who don’t mind getting scared out of our minds really miss it, though.
1. The Great Movie Ride
From the very beginning of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, The Great Movie Ride functioned as the backbone of the park. The line-of-sight at the entrance drew guests toward the Chinese Theatre, the place where people would get in line for the attraction.
The Great Movie Ride married form and function brilliantly. It featured massive throughput, satisfying hundreds of guests with every fleet of theater-seating ride carts. And it also delivered reminders of the golden age of Hollywood through its loving tributes to movie classics.
On this ride, guests listened to a cast member as they narrated about popular films of yesteryear. Then, something surprising happened, as the Disney employee became a part of the proceedings, interacting with live performers placed at crucial scenes on the ride. For a time, the narrator would disappear as if they’d died, only to reappear in time for the big finish.
A ride about movies told a story worthy of the big screen. And it fittingly ended in front of a big screen, where a montage played some of the most famous lines of dialogue from beloved movies.
The Great Movie Ride was a film lover’s dream come true at Disney. I’m heartbroken that park officials killed it in 2017 to make room for Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. As with Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, it feels like Disney could have found a way to do both.
Instead, we’re left with memories of the ride plus YouTube videos reminding us of its grandeur. I regret that all of the rides listed here are gone forever, but The Great Movie Ride is the one that stings the most.
Feature Image Source: Scott Miller/Disney Parks Blog