Biggest Attraction Downgrade

[wolf359]

I believe the absolute worst attraction downgrade was Journey Into Imagination to the horrid mess it is today. However, since it isn't an option, I voted for Alien Encounter to Stitch.

Both attraction downgrades share one important similarity. I've only experienced the new versions of each once since the change. Both Journey Into Your Imagination and Stitch's Great Escape are so awful I've never felt the urge to go back.

I can't say the same about any other option on the poll. Even the ones that I regret, like Horizons especially, were at least replaced with attractions I can still find some enjoyment in.

Some of the changes are harder to accept because the new attractions replaced sentimental favorites, but most of the newer versions at least have something new or different to offer (like Test Track, for example), or conversely didn't actually make very substantial changes at all, like Ellen's Energy Adventure.

 

[goodtimes5286]

I can honestly say that for the most part I disagree with nearly everyone

I mean I would agree that Stitch for AE is the worst on the list, but even that one I am not kicking myself over. AE, in my opinion, was out of place in Magic Kingdom and the number of complaints that attraction had cripples the amount of complaints people have over Stitch (trust me).

Obviously the Soarin' and Test Track changes were upgrades, most agree with that ... M:S for Horizons? I am not nor was I a Horizons fan, so maybe that's where the indifference lies.

The Nemo overlay in The Living Seas and the Mexico Pavillion overlay are the ones that make me chuckle ... The Living Seas was lamented for years for being "Disney's 'hasty pavillion response' to Sea World" and here they put effort into it and people still complain ... Mexico sees so much more foot traffic, but they somehow 'sold out.' But in comparison to the original plans for EPCOT, wasn't EPCOT '82 even a sell out :lookaroun?

And finally (to wrap up this entirely unnecessary rant), while I would be happy, thrilled even, to see that 20k spot being filled, I do not miss 20k, found it to be incredibly lame, even for its time, and no upgrade in the world could have justified such prime MK space. Now, I agree it's obviously a downgrade due to the "nothingness" that resides there now, but still, not a travesty.

So I guess I am one of the very few lucky ones who didn't have much of a connection with any attraction that has ever been replaced :shrug:

I agree with pretty much everything you said (esp horizons to MS, imo MS is amazing, but we're in the minority), except for 20K

I never really thought 20K 'fit' in FanL, but nemo or TLM does. In DL, nemo has a sub ride and it's overflowing with people (it is to DL what TSMM is to MGM, or atleast the lines were monster when i was there). So imo, they had options, they just have chosen not to roll with them.

But JII was completely changed. When the changed UOE to EEA all they really did was replace the movies, get rid of the radok screens, change the gold curtains, get rid of the mirrors and maps, and add an Ellen AA. But JIYI took everything from JII out. Not one part looked the same. And Figment was barely in it, and not the star at all. JIYI started in the middle of the opening where Dreamfinder introduces himself and creates Figment. That was replaced by a scene where you look at mirrors and Dr. Channing tells you that you have no imagination. JII then went to the dreamport where the room was filled with things like fog lights, hands clapping, and static electicity. That was replaced by darkness where we listen to a train effect. Then JII went into the white painting room with Dreamfinder painting and were surrounded with white flowers and an oragami carrousel. That was replaced by a magnifine glass "magnifying" (or is it your imagination?) An appearing butterfly and a fish out of water. Then JII went into the literature room where dreamfinder plays an organ with letters coming out of it, and there are different words surrounding us. That was replaced by a screen changing colors as we heard noises. Then JII continued into scary books which became a constelation room where we see stars form shapes. Then JII went to the acting room where figment and dreamfinder sing about acting and there are different posters and then dremfinder conducts and orchestra pof electricity. That was replaced by and upside down house. Then JII went into the science room where dreamfinder is in the center with different screens of molecules on the other side. This became the finale where our imaginations are measured again and then Dr Channing shows us what our imaginations have created and we get to see a little of Figment. JII then went to a room with Figment and Dreamfinder talking about how using imagination can help the world, then we enter a room with Figment in the center and a bunch of figments on a screen above. Then Dreamfinder takes our picture and encourages us to visit theImageworks upstairs. All of those scenes are where the current Imageworks resides. I really dont see how you can say that this wasnt an overhaul.

:lol:, what a contradiction. You told me that they changed all of the footage for EEA, and it's on the same track, but then you go into a rant describing a ride (i just watched yesterday btw), word for word what 'happens' saying thats why it's an overhaul. So audio and visual was changed for both, but yet JII is an overhaul and EEA isnt? Plus (once again) figment was in the origonal, they didn't make up some new creature named fuji or anything (although the professor was diff).

That block constitutes a referb (imo), if you want an overhaul, take a look at Horizons ---> MS. If you cant see the difference between the two then im sorry. Like ive said before, if you wanna start a worst referb poll, be my guest. And for the record, I did say i thought i made a mistake putting EEA up there. It's not the same thing as a new ride system, new characters, new story, new theming AND a new building.

 

[DDEPILLO]

How can you dislike a refurb that made HM the best ride on property?!

hello.. did you read? I love HM I just wish the musty smell was still there :shrug:

 

[SirGoofy]

:lol:, what a contradiction. You told me that they changed all of the footage for EEA, and it's on the same track, but then you go into a rant describing a ride (i just watched yesterday btw), word for word what 'happens' saying thats why it's an overhaul. So audio and visual was changed for both, but yet JII is an overhaul and EEA isnt? Plus (once again) figment was in the origonal, they didn't make up some new creature named fuji or anything (although the professor was diff).

No, the entire ride was changed. Much more than UoE. Figment wasn't even an integral part of the new one. Why you don't understand this I can't figure out.

 

[Chrononymous]

I absolutely adored JII.
What they did to it was...unforgivable!

as for the poll...I voted for World of Motion}Test Track

WoM was hilarious sarcastic fun. Test Track is a bore.

 

[EpcoTim]

IMO:

Positive turnarounds: (either due to enjoying the attraction more, or that I never enjoyed the former attraction enough to care)

World of Motion -------> Test Track
Timekeeper -------> Monster's Inc Laugh Floor
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride -------> Pooh
Tarzan -------> Finding Nemo the Musical
Food Rocks -------> Soarin'
WWtbaM -------> Toy Story Mania

Neutral (complete indifference if either attraction was there, I probably wouldn't ride either):

Horizons -------> Mission Space
Universe of Energy -------> Ellen's Energy Adventure
The Living Seas -------> Nemo and Friends

Negative:

Alien Encounter -------> Stitch's Great Escape
20K ----------> Essentially emptiness

I put 20K in negative for the sheer fact that nothing is essentially in its space ... but IMO 20k was the definition of lame - sinking 3 feet to watch plastic fish still makes me chuckle - and anything in its place would turn it into a positive.

I'm surprised to see the retro epcot logo in your avater.

 

[Little Green Men]

:lol:, what a contradiction. You told me that they changed all of the footage for EEA, and it's on the same track, but then you go into a rant describing a ride (i just watched yesterday btw), word for word what 'happens' saying thats why it's an overhaul. So audio and visual was changed for both, but yet JII is an overhaul and EEA isnt? Plus (once again) figment was in the origonal, they didn't make up some new creature named fuji or anything (although the professor was diff).

That block constitutes a referb (imo), if you want an overhaul, take a look at Horizons ---> MS. If you cant see the difference between the two then im sorry. Like ive said before, if you wanna start a worst referb poll, be my guest. And for the record, I did say i thought i made a mistake putting EEA up there. It's not the same thing as a new ride system, new characters, new story, new theming AND a new building.

:lol: I know, but im just saying that they both have changed pretty much completely. Just because Figment was on at the end doesnt mean it wasnt an overhaul. After all UOE only took 9 months to be completed and most of it was due to filming delays, and JII took 11 months. Again not much of a difference but still, it took longer. Besides they removed every scene in JII while Ellen does actually reuse some old clips seen on UOE. I know you said that, but im just saying that with your original thinking then JII should have been included too. And they also changed the ride system from an omnimover to a ride that stops at loading. And yes I can see how tearing apart an entire pavilion taking everything out of it with it, rebuilding a new pavilion, changing the theme and going from a slow 15 min omnimover to a 3 min space thrill ride with an exhibit after constitutes as an overhaul. :animwink:
However that was the only example of an overhaul to have a new building. Except for 20k which was filled in, pretty much everything else is in the same building.

 

[goodtimes5286]

:lol: I know, but im just saying that they both have changed pretty much completely. Just because Figment was on at the end doesnt mean it wasnt an overhaul. After all UOE only took 9 months to be completed and most of it was due to filming delays, and JII took 11 months. Again not much of a difference but still, it took longer. Besides they removed every scene in JII while Ellen does actually reuse some old clips seen on UOE. I know you said that, but im just saying that with your original thinking then JII should have been included too. And they also changed the ride system from an omnimover to a ride that stops at loading. And yes I can see how tearing apart an entire pavilion taking everything out of it with it, rebuilding a new pavilion, changing the theme and going from a slow 15 min omnimover to a 3 min space thrill ride with an exhibit after constitutes as an overhaul. :animwink:
However that was the only example of an overhaul to have a new building. Except for 20k which was filled in, pretty much everything else is in the same building.

is TT in the same building?

No, the entire ride was changed. Much more than UoE. Figment wasn't even an integral part of the new one. Why you don't understand this I can't figure out.

figment isnt an intrical part of the new one (stated before)?? IMO he makes the ride now. b/c he the trickster pulling all of the strings messing with the doctors stuff. Maybe thats why i dont get it, because i see figment as a HUGE part of the new one!

 

[Little Green Men]

is TT in the same building?


figment isnt an intrical part of the new one (stated before)?? IMO he makes the ride now. b/c he the trickster pulling all of the strings messing with the doctors stuff. Maybe thats why i dont get it, because i see figment as a HUGE part of the new one!

Yes TT is in the same building as WOM.

Noooooo, wait are you talking about the current ride? Because there was one before it where Figment was only in it at the end. This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9I3rSBoIY4

 

[goodtimes5286]

Yes TT is in the same building as WOM.

Noooooo, wait are you talking about the current ride? Because there was one before it where Figment was only in it at the end. This: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9I3rSBoIY4

wel he said new one before, n ive been on the newest one and figment is all over that beast. n i also looked at the origonal (what they're talking about comparing it too), once again riddled in figment. I've never ridden it before the newest version.

also pre GM crap (which i happen to love n it makes the queue not boring), what was all up in the queue?

 

[SirGoofy]

is TT in the same building?


figment isnt an intrical part of the new one (stated before)?? IMO he makes the ride now. b/c he the trickster pulling all of the strings messing with the doctors stuff. Maybe thats why i dont get it, because i see figment as a HUGE part of the new one!

I was talking about the second version. There were three versions. Do some research before you respond.

 

[HMF]

Why don't we have SSE 94-SSE 07?

 

[Omnimover]

Is anyone actually surprised that SGE is winning (losing?) by a landslide? There's so much anti-Stitch animosity going around, there's no way this poll was going any other way. Plus, once the ball gets rolling even people who don't hate the little blue alien are going to start piling on.

I'll have to agree with most other posters, though, and say that the true travesty was what they did to JII. Even in it's newest form, I'd say it doesn't even have close to a pinch of childish delight.

 

[goodtimes5286]

I was talking about the second version. There were three versions. Do some research before you respond.

I'd prefer to ask the knowledgable people on a disney fan site who could tel me more then just the blanket google info. I mean it is a forum after all, if you dont wanna answer my question you dont have to. I SWEAR i wont hold it against you.

Atleast I can admit when I'm ignorant to something....

On a side note can someone send this to Meg Crofton or something. Seriously with SSSP AND the alien still being around, it's VERY feasible that we could get AE back.......maybe. It would be pretty historical if a disney fan community could bring an attraction back from the past, and it would give hope to the adventurese club wink wink nudge nudge. 74 holy HELL! I wish i could get that total on the voteing for the best WDW attraction COMBINED with all the 8 semi final matchups!

 

[KCMO]

I have not ever done SGE but now I am really looking froward to seeing just how poor it really could be in a week. I never thought much of AE, so if this is that significant a downgrade from it, it must be truly terrible.

 

[look1angel]

I do miss Alien, my kids were too young to do this at the time & just when they were ready along came stitch. I also enjoyed the music to Food Rocks but wouldn't trade it for soarin. Wish they could keep the old & find another place for the new. I don't even remember Tarzan. I just realized last year there were Sky lifts at one time & I missed out on them too. I have some of the old maps dating back to 1992, our first trip, & then I think around 2000 they got rid of them. So now I go a few times a year & try to do EVERYTHING...although I've still not yet tried Mission Space...but I'm working on it. I swear the older I get the less tolerant I become of the wild rides, even Everest gave me a woozy feeling last time & I've done that 2 times before! :shrug:

 

[dave2822]

On a side note can someone send this to Meg Crofton or something. Seriously with SSSP AND the alien still being around, it's VERY feasible that we could get AE back.......maybe. It would be pretty historical if a disney fan community could bring an attraction back from the past, and it would give hope to the adventurese club wink wink nudge nudge. 74 holy HELL! I wish i could get that total on the voteing for the best WDW attraction COMBINED with all the 8 semi final matchups!

Sorry, you have as much of a chance Disney bringing Food Rocks back in place of Soarin' than you do getting AE back. Though this attraction certainly had a following, it received much more backlash than praise. Most agree that it is out of place in MK and could see it in the Studios, and this may be true, but no amount of petitioning will bring it back unfortunately.

The funny thing is that this attraction was one of Eisner's doing, and was generally included as on the list of Eisner's greatest mistakes after the Wells/Katzenburg losses, when his decisions went unchecked (i.e. 1995, ABC/Cap Cities, the Virginia theme park proposal). But then the internet and discussion boards have given AE this "cult" following and Eisner's baby is now lumped into "the days of great Disney attractions gone forever" ... funny how that works

 

[SirGoofy]

The funny thing is that this attraction was one of Eisner's doing, and was generally included as on the list of Eisner's greatest mistakes after the Wells/Katzenburg losses, when his decisions went unchecked (i.e. 1995, ABC/Cap Cities, the Virginia theme park proposal). But then the internet and discussion boards have given AE this "cult" following and Eisner's baby is now lumped into "the days of great Disney attractions gone forever" ... funny how that works

Except it was a great attraction. It had a terrific story, wonderful characters, it was funny, and incredibly well written. People were just too dense to read signs and dragged their children on it. Even after they were warned.

There's no reason the attraction "didn't fit" in MK. Why? Because it was scary? So now MK can't have anything remotely scary? Honestly people now-a-days are seriously the biggest babies.

 

[dave2822]

Except it was a great attraction. It had a terrific story, wonderful characters, it was funny, and incredibly well written. People were just too dense to read signs and dragged their children on it. Even after they were warned.

There's no reason the attraction "didn't fit" in MK. Why? Because it was scary? So now MK can't have anything remotely scary? Honestly people now-a-days are seriously the biggest babies.

Haha, hey, I agree, I'm just providing some context/the general public opinion. I never had an issue with AE, nor would have an issue with its return.

But people are stupid, that's just the way it is. When you visit the Magic Kingdom you expect the mountains to be "scary" from a thrill sense, and the "scariest" other attractions will be PoTC and HM, attractions that are tounge-in-cheek and truly aren't scary. Guests ignored the warnings because they didn't expect anything to be that scary in MK.

Tomorrowland's message is a great, glorious future - not alien-ridden and bleak, so I do tend to agree it should have been in the Studios.

 

[SirGoofy]

I understand. I just personally hate the argument. A great attraction is a great attraction. I don't care what it is or where it is. I just want quality.