Will anyone miss Ellen's Energy Adventure?

JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
It ceased being classic Disney when it was changed from Universe of Energy to Ellen's Energy Adventure. I realize that, technically, it never really changed. They just changed out the movies on either side of the dinosaurs. And put in a very lame pre-show that tied directly into the movies in the ride itself. Over time, Ellen in her 1990s clothes and hairstyle became more dated than the dinosaures.

Still, the ride system and dinosaurs are all original. I'll miss them nostalgically, of course. However, time to put it out of its misery and replace it with something new.
 
Megatronus

Megatronus

Member
I seem to be in a minority here, as most of you are voicing the opinion it will be missed. I for one, am glad to see it go. I never much cared for it and the whole Ellen/Bill Nye experience didn't do anything to enhance it for me. I will admit that dino scene was impressive, but it was never enough to make the attraction, as a whole, captivating for me. I also took exception to the experience being nearly 40 mins. Not to say I enjoy short length rides, but that always just seemed too long to me. Also, whenever I am at Epcot, there just doesn't seem to be many people going out of their way to this attraction. Heck, another poster in this thread admitted they have overlooked it this entire time!

Respect to all of you who will miss this ride, though. While I won't miss it, it sucks when an attraction has to close down permanently and be replaced. While I didn't enjoy it, I can see so many of you did. I would always rather see an attraction added than replace an existing one. Also, no Stupid Judy merch for the closing?
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
Unlike most of the people on these forums.... I am part of the generation that grew up with only the Ellen version. So I will speak to the very very few who are on these forums (And the even more fewer who aren't opinionated by the "I bet the original was better based on YouTube" groups)

I cannot even remember the first time I rode Ellen's Energy Adventure! I've ALWAYS loved this attraction! Every since I was really little. Sure, when I was like, up until 4th grade, I would always beg my parents to go on the "dinosaur ride." Towards middle school though, I changed it to go on "the Ellen ride" then in high school I finally started calling it Ellen's Energy Adventure! :p I know and I agree it is seriously dated... Because, like I said, I grew up with it since I was really little. And I'm currently 19. So... Yea. But I grew up watching Ellen and Bill Nye the Science Guy and Jeapordy... It all hits close to home for me.

I wish Disney came out with merchandise that specifically related to the Ellen theme. I want a shirt that says "Stupid Judy" and a pin that has Ellen fighting off the snake dino! Man... Totally different from UoE. EEA is MY ride!

I'm glad I got to experience it wont last time with my now fiance who had never been to Disney... Last July!
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
I liked it. It was a nice ride. Maybe a ride that long wouldn't have been fun with kids, but I never got that chance since it is closing. It sort of tied into the things that Epcot is, and that is that it's different. It is a different place completely from Magic Kingdom and maybe that is an acquired taste, but I still liked it that way. With all of the land in WDW, I really don't know why something needs to be gutted.
 
THEMEPARKPIONEER

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
I will miss universe of energy, not Ellen and billnye although I love how the beginning was formatted like a 90's sitcom. In all honesty with today's world all Epcot needs is Spaceship Earth with an ending that says it all, those dark rides are no longer comparable with the times. Where in that future Epcot once displayed, all we need are desert farms, underwater living and space colony's which can all be displayed on Spaceship Earth. For Spaceship Earh to survive they really need to base the ride on progress and not just communication.
 
Last edited:
SpaceMountain77

SpaceMountain77

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
Very sad to loose the concept and design, and the possibilities of a thorough overhaul of the existing facility.

In somewhere that apparently has the blessing of size, it's a travesty - like GMR - to be loosing as opposed to refurbishing and adding.
Click to expand...

Unless someone in an executive or management level position truly loathes the Universe of Energy, I cannot understand why a cavernous pavilion will be reduced to an elaborate queue and preshow. Would it have been so difficult to refresh Energy and have Guardians neighbor it?

Instead of net gains, we continue to see net zeros with attractions.
 
PineapplePrincess

PineapplePrincess

Well-Known Member
It was a family favorite for us. DD19 especially loves it for some reason. I'm glad we got to ride it one more time last week!
DSC00405.JPG
 
Cosmic Commando

Cosmic Commando

Well-Known Member
I unironically love it. My only real complaint is that sometimes, you spend a lot of time sitting at a "stop" scene, waiting for other cars to go or arrive, with little to see. The beginning of the dino scene springs to mind; the beginning of the scene is not interesting enough to hold your attention the whole time if you are the last car to head out into the diorama. I think it would have been a better experience if they cut down the number of cars, and adjusted the timing, so there was less waiting time.

BUT, I adore the music (it's my ringtone), I love Ellen, Bill Nye, Jeopardy!, dinosaurs, Stupid Judy, the majestic scale, the capacity... heck, the safety spiel voice! I understand why others might not like it, but I really did love it. I'm going to be really bummed when it's not there in November.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
PineapplePrincess said:
It was a family favorite for us. DD19 especially loves it for some reason. I'm glad we got to ride it one more time last week!
View attachment 222019
Click to expand...
Aww, that's cute!

Why would it be surprising though that especially a teenage girl loves Energy? I think it's always the others who say EPCOT is boring for teenagers, EPCOT is boring for women, EPCOT is outdated for a new generation. That is never my impression.

Although it is my impression TDO no longer wants the smart girl for a guest, they want the bimbo whose trip highlight is a contest between a selfie with some toon/pop culture celeb and spending $600 on a designer bag at Springs. It is precisely because the smart, interesting, educated girls love Energy that TDO wants it replaced by the fleeting pop culture thrill-a-minute.
 
Last edited:
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
SpaceMountain77 said:
Unless someone in an executive or management level position truly loathes the Universe of Energy, I cannot understand why a cavernous pavilion will be reduced to an elaborate queue and preshow. Would it have been so difficult to refresh Energy and have Guardians neighbor it?

Instead of net gains, we continue to see net zeros with attractions.
Click to expand...
I believe there are tax and handicapped regulation benefits to keeping previous structures. The ride won't count as a new build, but a refurbishment. But I'm no expert on the subject. I do think this is why the restaurant can be a new build, but the ride preferably an existing structure.

Also, Disney isn't in the business anymore of making your experience as good as they can. They are in the business of providing you with the minimum amount of rides that leave you satisfied and fulfilled (was nine the magic number?) while keeping ops as low and your spending time as high as possible.
 
PineapplePrincess

PineapplePrincess

Well-Known Member
The Empress Lilly said:
Why would it be surprising though that especially a teenage girl loves Energy? I think it's always the others who say EPCOT is boring for teenagers, EPCOT is boring for women, EPCOT is outdated for a new generation. That is never my impression.

Although it is my impression TDO no longer wants the smart girl for a guest, they want the bimbo whose trip highlight is a contest between a selfie with some toon/pop culture celeb and spending $600 on a designer bag at Springs. It is precisely because the smart, interesting, educated girls love Energy that TDO wants it replaced by the fleeting pop culture thrill-a-minute.
Click to expand...

You are so right! DD is a chemical engineering major. She hates shopping and selfies....EEA was right up her alley!
 
Johnny Three-hats

Johnny Three-hats

Active Member
The Empress Lilly said:
Why would it be surprising though that especially a teenage girl loves Energy? I think it's always the others who say EPCOT is boring for teenagers, EPCOT is boring for women, EPCOT is outdated for a new generation. That is never my impression.

Although it is my impression TDO no longer wants the smart girl for a guest, they want the bimbo whose trip highlight is a contest between a selfie with some toon/pop culture celeb and spending $600 on a designer bag at Springs. It is precisely because the smart, interesting, educated girls love Energy that TDO wants it replaced by the fleeting pop culture thrill-a-minute.
Click to expand...
Why wouldn't they want more girls like that? They're gonna spend more and expect less, and, unfortunately, are probably a lot more common in the demographic of female young adults who would consider spending time at a theme park in the first place. Heck, I wouldn't even say it's a gendered thing, I doubt Disney is particularly interested in catering to male prospective scientists or actual scientists either. It's easier to sell less for more to people who aren't gonna think too hard about it.

It really sucks, speaking as a biotechnology major myself. The whole park just isn't as inspirational or optimistic as it once was, for anyone, and some people really need that kind of push to go into these fields. Everyone especially needs the optimism these days.
 
M

Musical Mermaid

Well-Known Member
I think the exterior of the building looks awesome and I like the preshow music. The attraction is very dated though and they wasted too much of my time with the Ellen and Jeopardy story. It was too long for the content presented.
 
scheat

scheat

Active Member
Will really miss this ride-admittedly mostly nostalgia, but it was awesome in it's day. Will never forget how awed by EPCOT Center I was in 1993 at our first visit. It was my favorite place for years. I guess SE is about all that's left from that era in FW-just sorta bummed.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom