In my previous article, I discussed ten attractions I hope will never be replaced at the Walt Disney World Resort. That list was easy.
But this list was hard.
It was hard because I could fight just as hard for each attraction to stay, if for only sentimental reasons. But Walt Disney himself said it better than I ever could: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
In order to move forward onto new things, we have to let go of some things and leave them in the past. So, it’s with that sentiment in mind that I present you this list.
10. Finding Nemo- The Musical
It’s been ten years since Nemo and company swam onto the stage. And just like Nemo and his school friends, I’m ready for them to go. With so many Disney movies that naturally incorporate songs, I feel like the space could be better utilized to promote a new musical production. Just not Frozen. Anything but another Frozen attraction.
9. Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular!
Although the show is a great way to see the behind the scenes workings of the popular Harrison Ford-led franchise, I believe it’s time for the nearly thirty-year old attraction to bid farewell to Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make way for the next generation of Hollywood Magic. Just as Lights, Motors, Action! was removed to make way for Star Wars Land, removing Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! opens up a whole part of the park that could be expanded to accommodate more guests in the least visited Walt Disney World theme park. And with the construction of the new, expanded parking lot at DHS, I wouldn’t be surprised if the show was already on the chopping block as a new entrance to the park has been rumored for years.
8. Dinoland/Dinosaur
This area is basically just the walk through for me to get to Restaurantosaurus from Expedition Everest. There is so much space there that could offer even more potential at the youngest Walt Disney World theme park. And the nearly twenty-year-old Dinosaur attraction is in need of an overhaul. The 2000 animated film of the same name was never a huge hit and yet it still managed to gain its own themed attraction - even if it is indirectly themed. After the success of Pandora - The World of Avatar and Rivers of Light, it’s clear that Animal Kingdom has stepped up its theme park game, and it’s time for Dinoland to become extinct to make way for something fresh and new.
7.Tom Sawyer Island
I struggled putting this one on the list for two reasons: Walt Disney and Mark Twain. But at the end of the day, land around the Magic Kingdom is hard to come by, and having a random island in the middle of Rivers of America could serve a bigger purpose than a place where few seem to visit. I’m not an Imagineer, so I’m not sure what exactly could be built on the island, but even a themed restaurant would be a better use of the space that’s really only seen by the majority of people from the Riverboat anyway.
6. Mission: Space
This attraction has entered its teenage years, and its age is starting to show. The effects of the space voyage attraction are not comparable to the newer ones used elsewhere in Walt Disney World, such as on Flight of Passage. Technology has vastly changed and improved over the last decade and a half, and Mission: Space needs to catch up. Epcot is also in need of some attention now that its three theme park siblings have seen vast improvements and expansions. And with Mission: Space sitting right next door to the former spot of the late Horizons Pavilion and the current Universe of Energy Pavilion, it’s prime real estate for a renovation.
5. Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Much like Muppet Vision 3D, Mickey’s PhilharMagic has fallen behind in the 4D interactive world. It is a must-do attraction but the effects need a major upgrade. I also wouldn’t be opposed to new scenes being featured in the wonderfully air-conditioned theatre (But again, no Frozen). So many movies have been released since 2003 when this attraction opened, and it’s time they get some screen time. Literally.
4. Imagination Pavilion
Let me start by saying I love Figment as much as the next person. But again, Epcot is in need of some attention and some updates. With the 2015 release of the hit Pixar film Inside Out, I feel like Disney has the perfect chance to redo the Imagination Pavilion to feature all of our favorite emotions. The framework for the attraction would be very much like the current Journey into Imagination with Figment, but with the guests now experiencing the inside of Riley’s brain, just like in the movie. There are so many possibilities here. And the current Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival would fit perfectly into the new primarily Pixar-themed pavilion. That is until another show can be created to fill the theater.
3. Universe of Energy
Like I said with Mission: Space, the Universe of Energy Pavilion is the perfect space for an Epcot revamp. And since construction permits have recently been filed, we can only hope that a renovation is on the horizon (See what I did there?). The only attraction at the pavilion, Ellen’s Energy Adventure, is so old that when it first premiered in 1996, Ellen was still in the closet. Times have changed and it’s time Future World steps out of the past and into...well...the Future.
2. Tomorrowland Speedway
This attraction takes up a huge amount of land at the Magic Kingdom and, as I’ve mentioned before, that’s a rare commodity to come by at the Kingdom. While the attraction could be removed entirely to make way for a newer attraction, a refurbishment would also been a great idea. Instead of gas powered cars, the Walt Disney Company could team up with a car company - Chevrolet, maybe? - to create a new car that runs on wind power. The wind turbines could be incorporated onto the existing land of the track, making the ride self sufficient. The attraction could also be themed to the Cars franchise as a way to update it, taking a cue from California Adventure's Radiator Springs Racers.
1. Stitch’s Great Escape
For apparently being such a great escape artist, it’s been thirteen years and Experiment 626 is still at the Magic Kingdom. Using much of the same technology as the previous attraction ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, Stitch’s Great Escape has always felt simply like a less intense version of the Alien attraction. Alien was suspenseful and appealed to both kids and adults. Stitch is...cute. And a little painful. Set the harness at the wrong height and your shoulders will be paying the price when the experiment gets lose. Much like Future World, it is time to bring Tomorrowland out of the past and into the future. Under the right direction, Tomorrowland could once again be just that: a land of tomorrow. As Walt Disney said at the dedication of Tomorrowland at Disneyland: “A vista into a world of wondrous ideas, signifying Man's achievements. A step into the future, with predictions of constructed things to come. Tomorrow offers new frontiers in science, adventure, and ideals. The Atomic Age, the challenge of Outer Space and the hope for a peaceful, unified world.”
Now it's time for you to tell us what attractions you think should be replaced or updated. Tweet us at @TMKBpodcast and let us know your thoughts! And don't forget to check out our weekly podcasts!
And if one of your favorites is on this list, I'm sorry you don't have a better favorite attraction.
Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else. When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters.
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