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PhilharMagic Building

Captain Chaos

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Here is a question that my friend and I have been trying to figure out the answer to: What attraction replaced Mickey's Musical Revue??? Here is the timeline I came up with...

Mickey's Musical Revue opened in 1971 and closed in 1980
Magic Journeys replaced Mickey's Musical Revue in 1987 and closed in 1993
Legend of the Lion King opened in 1994 and closed in 2002
Mickey's PhilharMagic opened in 2003 and is still there...

Question, what was there from 1980 to 1987???
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Boo!

After The Mickey Mouse Revue - as it was called - closed, the space was used to show general Disney Cartoons during peak seasons. Outside of these times it was used for storage.
 

Captain Chaos

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks Martin and Rsox... That site was very helpful...

Now I am trying to figure out how this is any different than what goes on today, empty space not being utilized to its fullest potential...
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Thanks Martin and Rsox... That site was very helpful...

Now I am trying to figure out how this is any different than what goes on today, empty space not being utilized to its fullest potential...
It is no different. As time goes by we tend to forget the negative and remember or even exaggerate the positive. This is the reason for the "golden age". To quote Billy Joel "The good old days weren't always good and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."
 

Captain Chaos

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It is no different. As time goes by we tend to forget the negative and remember or even exaggerate the positive. This is the reason for the "golden age". To quote Billy Joel "The good old days weren't always good and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

Tis true... But at least the building was put back to full use in 1987, unlike other areas today that have been taken offstage for more than 7 years already and are only open during certain times... Or maybe it is just more prominent now than it was back then....
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
Tis true... But at least the building was put back to full use in 1987, unlike other areas today that have been taken offstage for more than 7 years already and are only open during certain times... Or maybe it is just more prominent now than it was back then....
It is a little of both. One thing to remember is that there is a big market and an operational need for rental/multi-use space in the parks. As a whole, the 4 parks seemed to be designed with very little of this. Over time, mothballed attraction and restaurant space has been re-purposed to fit this need. While we might see the re-purposing of a pavilion like WoL as a loss, the reality is that WoL was a ghost town in its final years and now serves to better things like F&W, F&G and provides a revenue stream in the form of convention/rental space.
 

fractal

Premium Member
It is no different. As time goes by we tend to forget the negative and remember or even exaggerate the positive. This is the reason for the "golden age". To quote Billy Joel "The good old days weren't always good and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

Amen.
 

Captain Chaos

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It is a little of both. One thing to remember is that there is a big market and an operational need for rental/multi-use space in the parks. As a whole, the 4 parks seemed to be designed with very little of this. Over time, mothballed attraction and restaurant space has been re-purposed to fit this need. While we might see the re-purposing of a pavilion like WoL as a loss, the reality is that WoL was a ghost town in its final years and now serves to better things like F&W, F&G and provides a revenue stream in the form of convention/rental space.

I know we all tend to forget what you posted here... WoL never sat well with me so to me it isn't a loss... I never liked Body Wars...

Honestly, I rather the buildings used for something than just sitting there collecting dust, even if it isn't a new pavilion or show or ride...
 

Horizonsfan

Well-Known Member
It is a little of both. One thing to remember is that there is a big market and an operational need for rental/multi-use space in the parks. As a whole, the 4 parks seemed to be designed with very little of this. Over time, mothballed attraction and restaurant space has been re-purposed to fit this need. While we might see the re-purposing of a pavilion like WoL as a loss, the reality is that WoL was a ghost town in its final years and now serves to better things like F&W, F&G and provides a revenue stream in the form of convention/rental space.

While all your points are fair and correct (WOL reeked of late 80s, and clearly most guests didn't need to relive them), it still seems cheesy that the parks would re-purpose what were once public spaces rather than create new event space elsewhere in the parks.

Even adding new event spaces into a replacement attraction/pavilion still makes more sense than just shuttering and converting. WDW just needs to be more strategic in its (re)development.

About the only one of these "rental"/event spaces that make sense is World Showplace.

If the local Cedar Fair park can create event spaces without shuttering attractions, there's no reason Disney can't do the same.
 

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