I’m 100% with you there. Not a single change to the parks (in my lifetime) has ever affected me quite like this. I’ve felt devastated since I heard the news Monday morning. When Maelstrom was replaced, I was sad but ultimately didn’t mind the change. When they rethemed Splash, I was sad to see my favorite ride be gone forever, but I was excited for the first ever Princess and the Frog ride. When the Country Bears got a new show, I was sad to see the (butchered version of) the original go, but excited because this is the first seasonal overlay they’ve gotten in years and it opens the door to rotating the show out in the future. The bears have a chance to last another 50 years.
But with this? There’s no upside or equal compariosn. What’s replacing the Rivers and TSI isn’t similar in size and vibes like TBA and CBMJ were to their originals. It’s completely changing the look, feel, and atmosphere of both Liberty Square AND Frontierland. The Haunted Mansion is no longer an old New England estate overlooking water. The Columbia Harbor House is no longer a restaurant by the sea. Big Thunder Mountain won’t zoom by water anymore. The railroad won’t circle the vast waters and feel open and free. The main path of Frontierland will no longer feel open and free. You won’t be able to look out onto the water and catch your breath after so much running around and looking for good wait times on your phone. The relaxing nature of the calm water, nostalgic riverboat, and quaint island will be replaced with cartoony rock work and loud engine roars mixed with screams. Probably a lot more crying children, too, since Virtual Queues and Lightning Lane will make the attractions a hassle for parents to get their kids on. There won’t be a single calm area of MK left. And once the rivers are filled, there’s no getting them back.
When I go to Disney parks, or any theme park for that matter, the memories that stick with me aren’t how I felt on a ride. It’s how I felt being absorbed into the environment. If there’s ever a feeling of “I wish I got to do that”, it’s always something that you enjoy for the view, never a ride (my last visit I didn’t get to do the MK railroad or the Country Bears, which I regret). My last trip to WDW was in Dec 2022/Jan 2023, and while there was so much new to do for me (having last been in Jan 2018), the memory that sticks out to me the most is taking a slow morning in Hollywood Studios, walking around and exploring the area with my wife and brother as we waited for the rest of my family to arrive at the park. I took in the intricacies of the parks design, I looked out onto Echo Lake and enjoyed the view as I had a snack. We walked around Muppets Courtyard and looked for all the little details and quirks. We watched MuppetVision a few times and I took in all the small details of the theater and queue. Yeah, rides and shows are fun. The Country Bear Jamboree is probably my favorite thing ever. But what I truly remember the most from my trips are the moments of taking everything in and appreciating the beauty in front of me. That’s what makes Disney different- or at least, it used to be.
I should probably get to writing that letter to all the higher ups at Disney, this is good stuff lol.