Appreciation of Closed Attractions in Hindsight?

[justintheharris]

Often times when a ride closes, people feel very upset about its closure. But sometimes, I feel people begin to act like they cared about a ride far more than they actually did. Two big examples of this that I have noticed are Maelstrom and Universe of Energy. I could also make a case for The Great Movie Ride but the other two are the best examples. When the closure of Maelstrom was announced for Frozen, people freaked out as if Maelstrom was one of their favorite rides despite the fact that the ride never had more than a 40 minute wait and if it DID have a 40 minute wait, the park was horrendously crowded. Similarly, when Universe of Energy's closure was announced, everyone freaked out about that as well despite the fact that the ride vehicles were near empty except for the most crowded summer days. I will also throw out there that this may be due to their replacements rather than the attraction itself? I personally think Frozen should not have replaced Maelstrom but I feel like I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said that I'm really upset that Maelstrom is gone.

I'm sure plenty of people will tell me that Universe of Energy or Maelstrom or any other closed ride was one of their favorites for one reason or another but I feel that some rides which truly weren't that great are simply loved because they got removed. I would have NEVER considered Universe of Energy or Maelstrom a beloved attraction until after their closures. Does anyone else feel this way about another ride? I'm only 19 so I haven't been around to see many attractions close but does anyone feel like an attraction that had a 5 minute wait every day is now suddenly a beloved attraction simply because it was removed?

 

[TwilightZone]

When reading about horizons, I realized this was the case with that ride. Don't get me wrong, horizons is great, but during it's last moments it wasn't as popular, and was seen as dated. After it closed however, it became one of the best epcot rides and dark rides in the public eye.
I also feel the same thing happened with tower of terror, people complained it wasn't as good as wdw's, but when it closed suddenly it was an offence to replace it with an experience that is closer to wdw's, even if the theming isn't that great. I think Tony Goldmark's assumption that part of the reason the ride closed because of these complaints may be valid.
So if you don't want a ride closed, don't complain and give it long lines. Otherwise, say bye bye to a ride you enjoyed.

 

[DarthVader]

I would have NEVER considered Universe of Energy or Maelstrom a beloved attraction until after their closures

I never would consider Universe of Energy beloved, it was just outdated, old, and lame. I've always enjoyed the Maelstrom and I was unhappy when it was announced it was going to be closed. I think making a Fozen themed ride was a mistake, and we lost something in an intangible sense.

I do think all in all, you're mixing up nostalgia for actual enjoyment. Yes at one time the Universe of Energy was an enjoyable ride,but that was in the 1990s. The ride (the Ellen version) is over 20 years old. It was long over-due to be put out of its misery.

The Great Movie ride was another slow place but enjoyable ride, and like the Maelstrom, it shouldn't have been closed. Both rides were popular, everytime we visited WDW, there was sizable lines. Maybe not crazy long lines like the Tower of Terror or Flights of Passage, but they were popular.

 

[graphite1326]

I never would consider Universe of Energy beloved, it was just outdated, old, and lame. I've always enjoyed the Maelstrom and I was unhappy when it was announced it was going to be closed. I think making a Fozen themed ride was a mistake, and we lost something in an intangible sense.

I do think all in all, you're mixing up nostalgia for actual enjoyment. Yes at one time the Universe of Energy was an enjoyable ride,but that was in the 1990s. The ride (the Ellen version) is over 20 years old. It was long over-due to be put out of its misery.

The Great Movie ride was another slow place but enjoyable ride, and like the Maelstrom, it shouldn't have been closed. Both rides were popular, everytime we visited WDW, there was sizable lines. Maybe not crazy long lines like the Tower of Terror or Flights of Passage, but they were popular.

I agree with everything you said here especially Maelstrom.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Yes to Maelstrom and Universe of Energy. I could see the nostalgia of what was once there and what will be missed versus what is there now or will be there later.

However, the Great Movie Ride was a favorite of mine and was a must do (sometimes twice) a trip. I loved that one since I was a little kid. I made a point to go to Disney for a day, drove 7 plus hours, on my own, on a Saturday morning starting at 4am just to get to ride it one last time before it closed.

What someone might see as worthless might mean the world to someone else.

To each their own.

 

[WDWFan2018]

I don't remember Maelstrom or Universe of Energy but I do remember Horizons. It was my favorite Epcot ride in 1988 lol. I feel like Disney prefers to replace rides rather than update them. The Great Movie ride was in desperate need of updating as is Spaceship Earth. I also liked 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and the Electric Parade when I was a kid.

 

[JIMINYCR]

The GMR was very popular and doesnt compare at all with Maelstrom. It was an attraction that contributed greatly to the theming of the park. It was the thing that drew the guests up Hollywood Boulevard. But I do think when something is removed whether it was very popular or only so-so popular it gets missed. Knowing that something will never be ridden again increases the desire to do it again and an affection to the good segments it contained. Its human nature to appreciate something more once its gone.

 

[ppete1975]

don't forget toad, snow white, and 20,000 leagues. I still say if they were in existence today people would be complaining.

I think speedway if its ever removed will be added to this nostalgia/hindsight view

I don't see stitch ever joining this conversation though.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Heck I still miss ToT in DCA even though it was the watered down version of the one in WDW. No overreaction from me because i'm disgusted at the site of M:B and truly believe it's awful. Point being, I don't think peoples opinions change, I just think they become more vocal when a change is announced (like I was).

 

[danheaton]

I also think it's a case of "don't know what you've got til' it's gone" in many situations. The Great Movie Ride had some parts that weren't my favorite, but going to the Studios without it feels weird. Horizons was showing its age, but I still loved it when I last rode in May 1998. I also think it's about what replaces each attraction too. Maelstrom was not my favorite, but I liked it more than Frozen Ever After despite the same ride system. Mission: Space has thrills, but it doesn't have the re-rideability for me like Horizons. I love Test Track, so while I also loved World of Motion, it feels different than Horizons.

 

[justintheharris]

With this in mind, do you think one day people will miss Stitch’s Great Escape?

 

[ScottKC]

I think part of the outcry is that the replacements are arguably not in the spirit of the attractions they replaced. Ellen's Energy Adventure/Energy Pavilion is being replaced by a sci-fi roller coaster, and Maelstrom is replaced by a Fantasyland Dark Ride. The objection is not so much due to the quality of the lost attraction but due to the fact the replacements can be interpreted as inconsistent with EPCOT's original theming. (Some people feel Frozen is at least tangentially related to Norway).

 

[ScottKC]

With this in mind, do you think one day people will miss Stitch’s Great Escape?

Yes, its Disney, someone, somewhere will lament every change no matter what.

There are attractions at Disneyland I did not particularly miss at the time they were removed until I got to Magic Kingdom and they still had them there and it made me very nostalgic. (Country Bears, Carousel Theater, Peoplemover, Swiss Family Treehouse, Surface Parking Lots!)

To people who lament Yesterland I say go to Magic Kingdom...some of it is still there! Ha ha ha.

 

[TwilightZone]

With this in mind, do you think one day people will miss Stitch’s Great Escape?

Some people who grew up with the ride already are.
In a few decades, I'm sure if disney closes one of their new rides for something else, people will miss that ride too.
Nostalgia is a strange thing.

 

[LUVofDIS]

People tend to remember the good things and forget the dull or bad part of most memories. That is the strange part of Nostalgia.

As stated many times, replacing UoE with GoG in EPCOT makes no sense at this time. Unless the new ride somehow has an educational ring to it, it will just plainly be out of place. I really enjoyed UoE and looked forward to riding it at least once every trip to EPCOT. It wasn't a must do ride but it was enjoyable.

Frozen has hints of Norway, the scenery, the buildings etc., but no actual historic ties to the country. Once again this ride belongs else where, Norway should be represented by something more historic. In a way it fits, but I feel, mostly it just does not.

The GMR symbolized Hollywood Studios and MGM before that. It needed to be updated not removed. It is the central focus of the park, visually, physically and psychologically. Being replaced with a ride I feel should be in the MK just doesn't feel right to me.

I may be in the minority when it comes to World of Motion over Test Track. Test track the ride just seems very static to me. Not that this makes my opinion better or more important, it does not, but my background is engineering and I have been involved in the automotive field for decades and Test Track just doesn't do anything for me. The design studio feels more like a game and the ride itself is too controlled. World of Motion seemed more dynamic only because it felt like I would see new things every time I rode it.

I am still disgusted by the Pooh ride replacing Mr. Toad's. I thought Mr. Toad's Wild Ride was much more enjoyable. My wife Strongly disagrees with me here and loves the Pooh ride.

 

[TwilightZone]

I may be in the minority when it comes to World of Motion over Test Track. Test track the ride just seems very static to me. Not that this makes my opinion better or more important, it does not, but my background is engineering and I have been involved in the automotive field for decades and Test Track just doesn't do anything for me. The design studio feels more like a game and the ride itself is too controlled. World of Motion seemed more dynamic only because it felt like I would see new things every time I rode it.

A lot of people like test track 1.0 over the modern version, which I assume is the version you're describing, because it had way more life in it. Test track 2.0 is so sterile.
Martin's vids has a good video of it. I will link both the full version and just the plain ride itself just in case.

Full video

Ride + preshow video

 

[FigmentForver96]

I hated Test Track 1.0. It was so unbelievably 90s it hurt. The new version is somewhat bland yet probably harkenes back to EPCOT Center then most things in the park.

There will never be words to express how wrong it was to replace the Great Movie Ride..none

 

[justintheharris]

I hated Test Track 1.0. It was so unbelievably 90s it hurt. The new version is somewhat bland yet probably harkenes back to EPCOT Center then most things in the park.

There will never be words to express how wrong it was to replace the Great Movie Ride..none

While I do prefer the old Test Track, I will concede that it was a touch dated and that the newer version was an overall improvement given the competitive element of the attraction with designing the cars and a more timeless vision of the future?

 

[TwilightZone]

While I do prefer the old Test Track, I will concede that it was a touch dated and that the newer version was an overall improvement given the competitive element of the attraction with designing the cars and a more timeless vision of the future?

Yeah 90's test track is dated, but it had soul. I feel modern test track, while doing a good job of showing the process, simply doesn't have the soul that I believe all dark rides should have (or at least disney ones).

 

[macefamily]

Before Stitch, I loved the Alien Encounter experience. I remember taking my 5 yr old daughter on it. That wasn't a good idea. It was a bit too much for young kids. I guess that's why they softened up the theme.