It’s easy for Disney fans to look back at the great attractions that no longer exist in the parks. I can still remember boarding a mission to Mars and joining Mr. Toad for a journey to nowhere in particular. These memories of extinct rides and shows stick with us, and part of me doesn’t want the parks to change. This is especially true when the replacements don’t elicit the same reactions. I’m thankful that I was able to experience so much before they departed.
Instead of pleading with Disney to bring back past greats, I’m just thankful for them on this Thanksgiving Day. Many fans never got the chance to see these attractions, and I was fortunate to experience them. YouTube videos can’t do them justice either.
I’m thankful to remember riding through the world’s first traffic jam and feeling trapped by a vicious alien. There are definitely more than 10 worthy picks, and this isn’t a personal ranking of favorites. I’ve presented the choices alphabetically with attention on the resonance for me today.
Diamond Horseshoe Revue
When I think back on my favorite attractions, the Diamond Horseshoe wouldn’t make the list. As a kid, it was one of those shows that I tolerated because my parents loved it. I still feel like something’s missing in Frontierland since its departure, however. The large theater deserves more than selling a few sandwiches during peak season.
I still remember my brother getting picked as the volunteer by the magician, and that happened more than 30 years ago. Memories like that one helped to build a strong connection to Walt Disney World for so many adults today. The fact that I can still recall this show so clearly says a lot about its impact.
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
Created in the middle of Michael Eisner’s “Disney Decade”, Alien Encounter was something different for Walt Disney World. The theatrical presentation introduced some real menace into the parks. Even the ghosts in The Haunted Mansion weren’t truly sinister; there was always a wink at the audience. The binaural audio and extended darkness created a believable feeling that an alien was wreaking carnage.
Along with The Timekeeper, Alien Encounter signaled a new era for Tomorrowland that connected with me as a teenager. These were still fun Disney attractions but felt more energetic. I’m hoping for another renaissance for Tomorrowland down the road, and adding thrills wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Horizons
I could write thousands of words about why Horizons was such an incredible attraction. In fact, I already have. For this list, I’d like to spotlight why it’s stuck with me for so long. Horizons presented an amazing future of discovery and new uses for technology. Humanity was shown living in space and floating cities, and anything was possible.
The future also was fun and didn’t resemble the serious, cold atmosphere of so many sci-fi films. It represented what worked so well at the original EPCOT Center and why it resonated so strongly with me. I’m thankful that I was able to experience it.
If You Had Wings
In a similar vein but on a smaller scale, If You Had Wings was a charming little jaunt around the world. It showed what the Imagineers could do with a limited budget and confined space. Our family rode it countless times in the ‘80s because it never had a line, and I’m thankful for it.
The Omnimover system has a huge capacity and still works today. Despite its technological limitations, If You Had Wings was designed to let your imagination soar. When you add that feeling to the classic theme song, you have the makings of one of Walt Disney World’s greatest attractions.
Journey into Imagination
My appreciation for the original Journey into Imagination pavilion has only increased in recent years. There was so much creativity on display in the ride and the upstairs Image Works. It also stood out alongside the most serious Future World pavilions like The Land and The Living Seas nearby.
Figment and Dreamfinder were characters unique to EPCOT Center and not a way to shoehorn products into the parks. While a version of this attraction still exists today, it only reminds me of the clever first version. No matter what happens in that pavilion (it’s overdue for an upgrade), I’m thrilled to have memories of the stunning original.
Kitchen Kabaret
There’s something so odd about vegetables singing about healthy eating (“Veggie veggie fruit fruit”). I’d love to see Bob Iger up on stage proclaiming a new “immersive” show of this type. I expect that it would draw a lot of head-scratching from even the most devoted fans. Kitchen Kabaret was such great fun and came from a very different era for Disney. Acts like the Cereal Sisters, Hamm & Eggz, and Colander Combo and the Fiesta Fruit were goofy but also charming. I have no doubt that I’d enjoy this show (and its follow-up Food Rocks) even more today.
Maelstrom
Something feels amiss today when you see the blocked entrance to Maelstrom in Norway. One of only two rides in World Showcase, it combined light thrills with a strange mix of Scandinavian culture. There’s something refreshing about having such a mishmash attraction in EPCOT. The Willard Scott special even made it seem frightening, which feels laughable today. I’m a big fan of any boat ride, and Maelstrom embodied Disney in the late ‘80s.
Skyway
Tomorrowland always represented a world on the move, and the Skyway was a perfect example. It gave you a very different perspective of the parks and was a nice break from the masses. We always made a point to ride the Skyway, which was quite thrilling to a kid. It didn’t feel very safe and brought a real energy to the park. We still feel movement with the People Mover and Astro Orbiter, but there’s still a missing link. Like the Railroad, it was more than a transportation system and expanded the idea of the Magic Kingdom as more than an amusement park.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
I’m thankful to see that New Fantasyland is using the back end of the park effectively. For too long, that area just reminded me of the absence of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. To an easily fooled kid, it felt like you really took an undersea adventure. Despite long lines and extremely limited capacity, we still made this ride a must-see on each trip. This is a case where I can totally understand why Disney made a change. Regardless, I’m thankful to have the chance to ride the subs at just the right age.
World of Motion
It’s fitting to close with the attraction that embodied the age of Audio-Animatronics at Walt Disney World. This was a long attraction! It packed so much into the building that now houses Test Track. The tongue-in-cheek scenes and soundtrack captured just the right feeling of the early ‘80s. The outdoor ramp also was the perfect spot for so many pictures of Spaceship Earth during my childhood. When you combine that with the speed rooms, city of the future, and TransCenter post-show area, it delivered one of my favorite EPCOT Center pavilions.
There were plenty of strong candidates from extinct attractions in Disney World’s 44-year history. I could have easily picked Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, the original Living Seas, and a full crop of EPCOT Center attractions. That’s both the thrilling and unfortunate side of such great parks. There’s such good depth of choices at The Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, but some left way too soon. I’m okay with changes as long as new attractions deserve attention. That’s the challenge when Disney decides a ride or show has reached its end. I’m hopeful we’re in for more classic experiences down the road.
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Man, Alien Encounter was intense – REALLY intense. Looking back, I can’t believe they got away with making this, as it seemed like it would’ve been WAY too much for the younger Disney Tomorrowland demographic. It was impressive no doubt, but seemed much more of a Uni attraction.
And I can still vividly remember riding those Skyway buckets – slightly scary, but so incredible, leaving and arriving in different lands. And of course, 20k and Horizons, etc. – still amazing. Thankful that they all still exist in my memory.
I agree about Alien Encounter, and it’s interesting to me that Eisner made them make it scarier after it first opened. I think his vision for Tomorrowland at first was very different than what’s there now. Both the Timekeeper and Alien Encounter (especially) are more set up for a slightly older crowd. Even Buzz Lightyear’s shooting aspect makes it fun for adults too.
I really feel the lack of the Skyway at the park these days. Being able to ride from Space Mountain all the way the other side of Peter Pan (now the Tangled toilets) would be such a cool bonus. It also was a fun ride on its own, and there was a different feel in Fantasyland. I understand why they removed them, but it still seems like a missed opportunity.
The only one I experienced (that I can remember at least) is Maelstrom. I wish I could have experienced some of the others!
It would be interesting to see what modern fans would think of some of the older attractions. A lot (like Maelstrom) aren’t as technologically advanced, but I miss just how quirky they were. It was definitely a different era for the company, and the stakes weren’t so high.