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Grim Forecast: Multiple Disney World Rides Predicted for Closure
Disney World is home to a wealth of iconic rides and attractions that have shaped the theme park industry and captured our imaginations for decades. However, nothing stands in the way of progress, and it might be time for some of these icons to retire.
Recent reports have shared that multiple Disney park attractions, some of them existing since opening day or experiencing more breakdowns, stalls, and even evacuations. Not only is this troubling for prospective guests, but it’s also bad for Disney’s image.
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There’s no denying that rides like Space Mountain, Journey Into Imagination, and the Carousel of Progress are stand-out favorites. But how many of these seemingly immortal rides can structurally and mechanically exist without intervention from Walt Disney Imagineering?
Fans are Done With These Disney World Rides
Disney’s undying legion of supporters are some of the most vocal and often persistent fan bases in pop culture, and they have no problem making themselves heard, especially when it comes to grievances. A recent post on r/WaltDisneyWorld brought up several complaints against outdated Disney rides that detract from the experience, particularly at the Magic Kingdom, and several repeat offenders are on that list.
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As much as Disney fans will froth at the mouth when anything with history is threatened, such as the Splash Mountain scandal, they are just as quick to call Disney out when something continuously ceases to function, or the novelty wears off. Even Jungle Cruise had shade thrown at it. The question is, which ones are most likely to get the axe?
Dumbo and His Brothers
It’s safe to say that although the Magic Kingdom is the poster child for the Walt Disney World Resort, it’s made with a particular audience in mind. Hardcore fans of the place “where memories begin” typically fall into two categories: the longtime Disney fan or the ocean of children that floods the parks each day.
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Although Magic Kingdom does have its thrills, most of its rides are made with kids in mind, but many complaints have arisen surrounding those simplistic features that continuously move in a circle. As iconic as they are, rides like Dumbo and Aladdin’s Flying Carpets might be losing altitude.
u/mrmaestro9420 shares,
“Dumbo. It goes in a circle. I understand it in 1955 when Disney had to take out a second mortgage to fund Disneyland, but they could do so much more with Dumbo these days.”
However, u/browning18 offers a different yet understandable alternative when they write,
“Keep dumbo but get rid of Triceratops and the carpets. We don’t need 3 of the same ride, 2 of which are in the same park.”
To which u/nunyabizness2469 adds,
“And Astro orbiter, which is just another variation of the same ride.”
While it’s true that these criticisms don’t come from the rides’ intended audience, Disney could and should do more, given the technology and techniques available to Imagineers today.
Peter Pan Gets Grounded
In theory, any ride based on a Disneyland original getting messed with would send most guests into a massive conniption. Still, many fans agree that despite Peter Pan’s mantra of “never grow up,” his ride truly shows its age. Peter Pan’s Flight certainly has its charms, but many would agree that it needs to be updated.
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In the thread, several users point out how the frequently long waits aren’t worth the time, that the technology needs to catch up, and that the ride primarily exists due to nostalgia fumes.
u/disney_nerd_mom simply points out the obvious by writing,
“…I have never understood the appeal, even when I was a kid. It’s boring, and I have never figured out why the line is always so long.”
but u/veetack adds a more practical observation.
“I rode it for the first time last year. Even with DAS, the wait was far too long for what it is. I know a lot of this ride is nostalgia, and I never went to WDW as a child, so I don’t have that. It’s time to retire this ride.”
So Long Speedway
If one Disney world attraction has earned the ire of the multitudes, it’s the Tomorrowland Speedway. Although many attractions can be identified by their smell and fragrances, the scent of motor oil mixed with the sound of outdated karts is hardly what visitors might consider magical.
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Several commenters in the thread point out that the attraction is out of date, doesn’t fit in with the current Tomorrowland aesthetic, and most would agree that it is decades overdue for an update or a replacement.
In the comments, u/NakDisNut directly states,
“This IS the correct answer. The smell of exhaust and the sound is so… ick. I hate it and it doesn’t fit where it is. Something phenomenal could go there, but instead we have fairground style slow track cars that smell like a lawnmower convention.”
But users like u/SunRev point out an even more prominent issue when they state,
“Tomorrowland Speedway. Please. Takes up too much room. Driving is no longer aspirational to teens. Put something better in that massive area.”
Redesigning Disney World
As is the case with many of Disney World’s attractions, whether that’s at the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or otherwise, audiences’ tastes are subject to change, and the parks will have to adapt. If Disney truly wants to honor Walt’s maxim of “Keep moving forward,” some of these outdated fixtures need more than just an update.
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The original intent and design for the Disney parks was that they would be in a state of constant evolution. In order for that to happen, some of our most beloved and iconic fixtures will have to pass the torch.
Do you think these rides should be updated or closed?
This post Grim Forecast: Multiple Disney World Rides Predicted for Closure appeared first on Inside the Magic.
Sounds like these people who want the “older” rides gone don’t have kids. Look at the lines for Dumbo, Peter Pan and Astro-Orbiter…they’re always long! Wasn’t Jungle Cruise just updated? And yes, Carousel of Progress needs needs mechanical work done on it, but it shows kids today something they’ll never see anywhere else…yesteryear! It can use some updating, but I’d hate to see it disappear. Magic Kingdom is aimed primarily at kids, not adults: adults need to stop complaining that everything needs to be changed to accommodate them. I do agree, however, that the addition of the Flying Carpets was not needed because it is exactly like Dumbo. but it’s such a small space. What else would fit there?