Each Walt Disney World fan has extinct sights that they miss, and would give something to see one final time. This put up takes a have a look at a few of our favourite long-gone choices from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios, however with a twist: all the pieces on this record really might return. (Up to date March 17, 2024.)
Whereas we spend a variety of time on this weblog waxing nostalgic about EPCOT Middle (our 10 Worst Walt Disney World Attraction Replacements could be very EPCOT-heavy), the truth is that extinct omnimover sights are by no means coming again. Sadly, it’s unlikely that any experience is coming again, irrespective of a lot we would need it–and the way good of an concept it could be. The most effective we are able to hope for on that entrance are sequels (of kinds), just like the elusive Journey into Creativeness reboot so many followers hope to see coming someday this decade.
Nonetheless, there are some issues gone from Walt Disney World that might come again, and that’s what we wish to concentrate on right here. Making this a “prime” 10 record and easily rehashing the EPCOT rides we miss essentially the most would’ve been the simple route. As a substitute, we’ll concentrate on 10 issues that we actually miss, however that might conceivably return in some kind, be it direct restorations or ‘non secular successors’ that embody the identical traits and high quality.
Not solely that, but it surely looks like the time is correct for daydreaming about what Walt Disney World would possibly do to recapture a number of the magic. For one factor, CEO Bob Iger and Parks Chairman Josh D’Amaro have been attempting to assuage Solid Members and followers that attempting attempting to proper the ship and undo harm achieved in the course of the Chapek period. To the chagrin of many followers, that won’t take the type of value decreases, however efforts have already been made to repair misplaced goodwill. Taking part in the nostalgia card is one other good solution to accomplish that, and lure again disillusioned followers.
A part of that is the present workforce wanting to enhance visitor goodwill, however one other is, admittedly, essential to entice again followers following the exhaustion of pent-up demand at Walt Disney World. When “revenge journey” was working sizzling, administration might get away with no matter and folks had been nonetheless visiting in droves. Even with the bounceback that we’ve dumbly dumbed re-revenge journey in 2024, it’s merely not the identical dynamic. Walt Disney World is barely seeing these numbers because of elevated discounting and making fan-favorable coverage modifications. Once more, the nostalgia card is one other “lever” that the corporate can pull to incentivize followers to return to Walt Disney World.
Lastly, there’s the easy actuality that Walt Disney World doesn’t have a lot on the horizon after Tiana’s Bayou Journey in Summer season 2024. There are minor issues like extra new eating places and Disney Trip Membership enlargement–however nothing round which advertising and marketing campaigns could be crafted or that’ll immediate folks to e book holidays. With regards to 2025, it’s trying rising like no new sights will debut–until Disney broadcasts a serious experience reimagining quickly and begins working ASAP. All regardless of Common’s Epic Universe opening then!
Walt Disney World’s turnaround time on new sights is painfully sluggish. Even when Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom began tomorrow (and it gained’t), it wouldn’t debut till Summer season 2026 on the absolute earliest. Take a look at Monitor 3.0 and different potential experience reimaginings might conceivably debut in 2025, however with every passing month the place nothing occurs, that appears much less and fewer seemingly. Walt Disney World may need no new or redone rides in 2025.
Luckily, there are issues that the corporate can do expeditiously to incentivize journeys and win again weary former followers. Right here’s our record of what Walt Disney World ought to convey again within the subsequent few years…
10. 12 months of a Million Goals – We actually loved this celebration, and a giant a part of that was shock Magical Moments awarded by the Dream Squad. We gained a number of instances throughout that two-year celebration, the spotlight of which was attending to experience in Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade in the course of the occasion.
12 months of a Million Goals was a good way to make visitors really feel particular and valued. It would possibly’ve even satisfied us to take extra journeys, eager to win greater. (That’s us above in Summer season 2008, sporting child faces and Mickey Mouse ears we gained whereas lining up for Journey into Creativeness–one in every of a number of successes in the course of the 12 months of a Million Goals! If I might commerce all the pieces added to Walt Disney World since to revisit then, I’d do it immediately.)
I do have some skepticism about Walt Disney World’s capacity to drag off the 12 months of a Million Goals now. The world has modified, social media has exploded, and there are an increasing number of tales of visitor entitlement. Too many individuals would possibly really feel they’re owed a Magical Second and would complain after they didn’t obtain one. Or, somebody on TikTok would put up a solution to “hack” the 12 months of a Million Goals and win day-after-day.
No matter what it’s known as or the shape it takes, a worldwide occasion paying tribute to Walt Disney World and celebrating the legacy of the theme parks can be cool. Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary was an entire bust, so this might be a pleasant mulligan for that. The Happiest Celebration on Earth was actually the primary time we heard a lot concerning the worldwide parks, and it’d be enjoyable for every of the parks to pay tribute to at least one one other with a concentrate on Walt Disney World’s historical past and legacy.
9. Lights of Winter and Dreamlights – Truthful Warning: there’s a lot of Christmas on this record. A part of that’s as a result of it’s contemporary in our minds. This previous vacation season, Walt Disney World did simply not really feel almost as festive because it was once. There are a bunch of little issues which might be nonetheless lacking, even because the parks are principally again to regular.
Then there’s the one very massive factor: the Cinderella Fortress Dream Lights, which we concern could by no means return. Walt Disney World bringing that show again for Christmas 2024 is the naked minimal. That’s doubly true after reducing out just about each different main wow-inducing gentle show within the years previous to that.
To that time, the opposite “best” vacation gentle show to revive is in EPCOT, and will coincide with the brand new entrance of the park (hopefully) being completed by subsequent Christmas. We miss the Lights of Winter a lot that we made the trek to Kobe, Japan to see its Luminarie lighting, which bears an extremely sturdy resemblance to the Lights of Winter.
The Lights of Winter was not a huge-scale providing, however completely set the temper for Christmas in Epcot. These archways ran between Future World and World Showcase, and had been abruptly “retired” (to place it charitably) one yr attributable to technical points. For the subsequent few years, many followers hoped their infrastructure can be up to date they usually’d return, however I believe that hope has principally dissipated. With that stated, these might nonetheless be rebuilt and restored on quick discover, and would give Epcot a shot within the arm in the course of the Christmas season. Maybe not a foul concept because the park is a veritable unfinished building website.
8. Extinct Meals – My official vote right here is for Figaro Fries, the loaded fries that was once supplied in Fantasyland. There are additionally a number of desserts and a sandwich I miss at Sunshine Seasons, and a pair vacation cupcakes I actually miss. Bringing any of those again can be simple–if there was one factor Walt Disney World did properly in the course of the fiftieth, it was this. Menus like these can be the proper accompaniment to a 90s nostalgia (or one thing like that) summer-time celebration at Walt Disney World in 2025.
Unofficially, I’m all for BeaverTails returning to Canada. That is an unofficial one as a result of I don’t recall ever having them within the Canada pavilion at Epcot, however I’ve had BeaverTails in Canada (the true nation) a couple of instances, and they’re spectacular. After a fake-out final yr for the Meals & Wine Competition, it’s time to convey these again for actual.
7. Timekeeper or Alien Encounter – These are the one two sights on the record, each as a result of Tomorrowland ’94 was an enormous hit for me as a child and they might be pretty simple to convey again with retrofits to present venues that might be completed in beneath 6 months (lower than the time it took to create Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!)
Let’s begin with Alien Encounter. First, Sew’s Nice Escape reused a variety of the identical infrastructure, props, and results…simply with a far worse execution. Restoring Alien Encounter can be far simpler than creating one thing new from a clean slate. Second, Walt Disney World demographics skew extra grownup yearly, and Tomorrowland specifically will quickly be a land that caters in the direction of an older (or at the very least taller) viewers. Lastly, Alien Encounter was simply flat-out good.
As for Timekeeper, I cherished the time journey parts, historic figures, and the animated persona Robin Williams (most likely one of the recognizable actors to any baby of the 90s) gave to Timekeeper. What went over my head on the time–that I believe I’d respect at the moment–was the vary of filming areas past the Eiffel Tower. Bringing again this CircleVision 360 movie wouldn’t be that robust.
6. Adventurers Membership – One other one which’s by no means coming again–at the very least, not in its former dwelling or authentic kind. Nonetheless, I believe an idea much like the Adventurers Membership can be well-received and fashionable amongst Walt Disney World’s rising grownup viewers. It was quirky and distinctive–a greater and extra polished incarnation of an leisure model that’s highly regarded proper now.
The potential for Adventurers Membership to return is aided by the truth that its authentic Solid Members nonetheless reunite for personal occasions regularly–we’ve attended a number of (one held exterior at Seaside Membership is pictured above). With loads of unused venues at Walt Disney World, it’d be simple sufficient to convey Adventurers Membership again on a “restricted time magic” foundation.
In truth, we predict this might be among the best makes use of of the now-empty restaurant venue at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn and even the additionally vacant DisneyQuest area at Disney Springs. Adventurers Membership can be an enormous hit in both location.
5. Pirate & Princess Occasion – Trendy Walt Disney World could also be reluctant to supply free particular occasions when a hard-ticket occasion is a chance. Within the case of the Pirate & Princess Occasion, we’d be keen to pay. We’re guessing 99% of you studying this put up by no means skilled the Pirate & Princess Occasion; the occasion occurred at numerous instances for a few summers across the Nice Recession, however was so sparsely attended that it was canceled.
We attended solely as soon as, and cherished the Enchanted Adventures Parade, fireworks, and moody environment of the occasion. If Magic Kingdom would run this parade throughout Disney After Hours, that may be the nudge we have to purchase tickets to that occasion. In truth, “Disney Adventures After Hours” has a sure ring to it, and is a sufficiently open-ended idea that it might incorporate parts from Pirate & Princess Occasion and characters from the 90s, when Disney Adventures journal was an enormous hit with youngsters.
4. IllumiNations – It’s arduous to imagine that is really a practical suggestion, and but, it’s. Only some years in the past, we had been watching because the Harmonious infrastructure was put in in World Showcase Lagoon. Given the dimensions and price of that (rumored) $100 million manufacturing, it appeared like Harmonious can be round for the lengthy haul.
Quick-forward to 2024 and there’s one other new nighttime spectacular: Luminous The Symphony of Us. It is a large improve over Harmonious, regardless of being arguably much less ambition. Most notably, Luminous has extra versatile infrastructure that, itself, seems like a versatile canvas for future new nighttime spectaculars. It additionally affords quite a few nods to IllumiNations. Collectively, these two issues make us wonder if a modified model of IllumiNations might headline an EPCOT summertime occasion.
A seasonal reprisal of IllumiNations after an extended hiatus would undoubtedly draw locals and long-time followers again. To make sure, it might not be the unique present nor would it not be everlasting, but it surely’s one thing that most likely might be pulled off with the Luminous infrastructure with out a ton of bodily work. Frankly, that’s a compromise I’ll fortunately take if it means attending to see IllumiNations once more for a couple of months!
3. Nation Bear Christmas – Assuming the costumes and props are nonetheless backstage someplace (a daring assumption, to make sure), Nation Bear Christmas might run once more subsequent yr with solely a brief refurbishment to perform the changeover. Except for the previous few years (attributable to scaled again operations), Tokyo Disneyland sometimes does Jingle Bell Jamboree, and it’s superb. Some would possibly say jovial bears singing Christmas carols captures the true spirit of the season.
We’ve advised this prior to now, however suppose it’s really extra believable now with the reimagining of the present into Nation Bear Musical Jamboree. With a bit of little bit of foresight, Disney Dwell Leisure and Imagineering might additionally make the Nation Bears extra of a versatile providing that may accommodate seasonal exhibits.
Crucially, additionally they might’ve recorded a Christmas model similtaneously the brand new present–or rapidly head again to the studio if Nation Bear Musical Jamboree seems to be an enormous hit. Christmas music has common enchantment–similar to Disney tunes. With November and December attendance at Magic Kingdom surging for the reason that present final ran within the mid-aughts, Nation Bear Christmas can be a good way to absorb a few of these crowds.
2. SpectroMagic or Paint the Night time – I’ve come to phrases with the truth that SpectroMagic isn’t coming again. What I concern is that nighttime parade won’t ever return to Walt Disney World, interval. With every year that passes with out a night time parade, the potential for no long-term alternative grows.
I actually hope there’s a nighttime parade within the playing cards for Magic Kingdom, and I actually hope it’s within the spirit of SpectroMagic. There was one thing particular about that parade, from SpectroMickey’s lavish costume to the gorgeous soundtrack. A technically-advanced alternative that borrows notes from the parade–a lot in the identical approach Tokyo’s Dreamlights is an homage to Foremost Avenue Electrical Parade–can be an enormous hit, and one thing we’d watch on a near-nightly foundation.
Failing that, Paint the Night time has been sitting in a California warehouse, unused, for a number of years now. Disneyland appears happy bringing again Foremost Avenue Electrical Parade each couple of years, so maybe it’s time to unload their unused night time parade and ship it to Florida.
1. Osborne Household Spectacle of Dancing Lights – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is wonderful. Rise of the Resistance is mind-blowing–the #1 attraction at Walt Disney World. Nonetheless, in our Star Wars Land vs. Osborne Lights put up, there was no place at Walt Disney World we cherished being in greater than the Osborne Lights. It introduced smiles and awe to the faces of different visitors was actually a sight to behold—it was the embodiment of “vacation cheer.”
There have been nights we went to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for no different motive than the Osborne Lights, and we’d spend hours simply standing again on the Streets of America. Even when it was wall-to-wall folks, the Osborne Lights simply oozed happiness. Clearly, because of the closures Star Wars land necessitated, the Osborne Lights can by no means return of their earlier kind…however a big scale Christmas gentle show might be added elsewhere at Walt Disney World. There are a ton of Osborne Lights followers on the market like us. Bringing it again someplace even in a extra restricted kind would give a giant increase to attendance in November and December.
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Your Ideas
What issues–insignificant or main–do you miss at Walt Disney World? Are there seasonal occasions, leisure, or sights you’d prefer to see resurrected? Do you agree or disagree with our record? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
