Attractions that haven't aged very well

Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Which attractions in WDW have not aged very well? Not so much which ones need an update but ones that have lost their popularity and become dated
 
K

Krack

Active Member
The problem with a question like this is that most of the time, the answer is going to be (as hard as this may be to believe) the newer attractions. The reasoning behind this is that Disney used to build timeless attractions, while recently, they tend to build (or rehab into) attractions with pop culture references that are dated 15 minutes after they are built.

For example, the Enchanted Tiki Room is a timeless classic. No matter when you visit it, it will feel like 1950s Polynesia. Under New Management? Dated, sarcastic pop culture crap.

Another example? The World of Motion would never and could never be dated - it was a history lesson on transportation. Test Track? It's about as futuristic and as a trip to a local car wash.

Journey Into Imagination? Timeless. Imagination Institute? Dated. Honey I Shrunk the Audience? Dated.

Superstar Television? Great concept. Want to freshen it up? Add some current TV shows to supplement the older classics (like Cheers and I Love Lucy); would have been relatively inexpensive. Redo the whole studio to American Idol? Within 5 years all you will hear in that studio is crickets chirping.

Sometimes WDI/TDO doesn't know how to leave well enough alone. And often times they don't aspire to "timeless" - they go right for "hip, trendy and dated in 5 years".

Pirates will never be dated. The Haunted Mansion will never be dated. Big Thunder Mountain will never be dated. Splash Mountain will never be dated. The American Adventure will never be dated. There's a reason why.
 
glee

glee

New Member
Great movie ride

I love it but what the hell are most of the movies???!!!!???

And Sounds dangerous. (Is it still seasonal or have they got rid of it?):cool::wave:
 
Pumbas Nakasak

Pumbas Nakasak

Heading for the great escape.
Peter Pan, IASW, Speedway, Jungle Cruise, WoE, France movie, GMR, LMA, Star Tours, every parade, Illuminations.

However my priority would always be to do something with the closed or seasonal attractions that litter the World first especially as it is a disease that appears contagious.
 
JimboJones123

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
Making a next gen version of Peter Pan would be awesome. The ride system is perfect, updating to new AAs and enhancing the sets would be greatness.

Because it already draws better than any other Dark Ride, it will never happen.
 
Atomicmickey

Atomicmickey

Well-Known Member
Krack said:
recently, they tend to build (or rehab into) attractions with pop culture references that are dated 15 minutes after they are built.

This is why the Pixar movies work--they keep the current references to a minimum, as opposed to Dreamworks, which is mostly animals making pop culture jokes. (tho I loved Kung Fu Panda and I've heard thet the new Dragon film is quite good).

I agree with you completely--attractions need to be designed in a timeless manner for the most part. They could confine their current pop culture building to things like 3D movies that can be changed out when the jokes and references get old, but E-tickets should be timeless. For the most part, they are, but they do get it wrong.

The new Fantasyland would seem to be (lack of attractions notwithstanding) a good example of investing in timelessness. So, bravo for that.
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Tigger#1

Tigger#1

Active Member
TubaGeek said:
Rule of thumb: anything built to model the future will be outdated by the time it's opened.
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While I do agree some of the coolness of future models is the way they thought things would be compared to how the did.
Kind of like in the 50s the cars of the future would look like space rockets
dream_cars_1.jpg

But they look more like an AMC Pacer
1pacer.jpg
 
Walt Disney1955

Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Krack said:
.
Sometimes WDI/TDO doesn't know how to leave well enough alone. And often times they don't aspire to "timeless" - they go right for "hip, trendy and dated in 5 years".

Pirates will never be dated. The Haunted Mansion will never be dated. Big Thunder Mountain will never be dated. Splash Mountain will never be dated. The American Adventure will never be dated. There's a reason why.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I think that's what separates Disney from the rest of the parks across the world. This is something they cannot drift away from yet they have at times. Going for the heat of the moment never works. Think about it, why is a ride like Pirates so popular today 37 years after it opened? I don't know, but it is and that model along with Haunted Mansion and the Mountains need to be copied. Plus the "oldies" in Fantasyland always withstand the test of time.

I agree with another poster about Snow White. Look, don't get rid of it, but make it better in the mold of Peter Pan. It arguably has a carnival like feel to it. Peter Pan is something that will stay great forever I think. My brother in law recently went to Universal Studios. He loved it. I told him he cannot miss E.T. He went on it, was okay with it, but still maintained Peter Pan was much better. What does that tell you? E.T. is about as timeless as you can get and he prefered a ride from a movie that was 30 years older than it.
 
C&D

C&D

Well-Known Member
I kind of disagree with UoE (as to being outdated). Most of what they present has basically been proven, is germaine to today (with alternative energy usages), and heck, Jeopardy is still on the air. :)
 
Pumbas Nakasak

Pumbas Nakasak

Heading for the great escape.
Big Phil said:
Agreed. I think that's what separates Disney from the rest of the parks across the world. This is something they cannot drift away from yet they have at times. Going for the heat of the moment never works. Think about it, why is a ride like Pirates so popular today 37 years after it opened? I don't know, but it is and that model along with Haunted Mansion and the Mountains need to be copied. Plus the "oldies" in Fantasyland always withstand the test of time.

I agree with another poster about Snow White. Look, don't get rid of it, but make it better in the mold of Peter Pan. It arguably has a carnival like feel to it. Peter Pan is something that will stay great forever I think. My brother in law recently went to Universal Studios. He loved it. I told him he cannot miss E.T. He went on it, was okay with it, but still maintained Peter Pan was much better. What does that tell you? E.T. is about as timeless as you can get and he prefered a ride from a movie that was 30 years older than it.
Click to expand...

It tells me he is a Disney fan, with a typical limited view of non Disney product. Nothing new or surprising in that. As Disney have proven over the years, simply sticking the Disney logo on something buys a load of acceptance, warranted or otherwise.
 

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