Things in "Classic" Disney that you thought were a bad idea

[ChrisFL]

Let's take Disney parks from before around 1995, since that is what a lot of people think was the time where the parks started going downhill.

Yes, we know that in general things were very well done, but there was still some mis-steps before.

Here's mine:

The Christmas star on the Matterhorn in Disneyland- Still surprised that Walt approved this one...it really messes up the scale of the Matterhorn, similar to what happened when Epcot had that wand years later.

The Barbie show at EPCOT Center (1994)- No explanation necessary.
http://waltdatedworld.bravepages.com/id134.htm


Making the Star Tours exterior at MGM Studios/DHS so small and cramped. I think they had a great opportunity to create a real mini-land back in the days when they built Star Tours, but they instead just put a few different planets of scenery in one place. Yes, it's "Studio" themed (aka, can be done cheaper and less themed), but I always thought it was a missed opportunity.

Giving up on building out the World Showcase- EPCOT Center went through lots of changes and updates over the years, but the World Showcase had only very few. Two extra pavilions in Norway and Morocco, but no other attractions or new countries and only some overlays or updated films in this decade.

Not building POTC at WDW when the park opened, then building an abbreviated version after.

 

[AndyS2992]

I know someone is going to put this so I'll save them the trouble:

I actually love the cake castle. People moan these days that Disney is too cheap and don't do big celebrations anymore but look at this, they went all out and I think it's great. I understand people on their once in a lifetime trip wanted to see the castle in its normal state but they should be happy they got to see this limited edition masterpiece instead which will never come back whereas the normal castle will always be there.

 

[ChrisFL]

that was in 1996 though

 

[AndyS2992]

that was in 1996 though

Close enough

 

[ProjectXBlog]

i've always thought that full-sized muppets were kind of grotesque:
and then there's this hot garbage:

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Ace Ventura in Disney*MGM...


This....

This....

Epcot's Daredevil Circus....

 

[disney4life2008]

That barbie show looks awful lol

 

[kap91]

Pretty much the entire design of the magic kingdom in Florida is pretty terrible - walkway pinch points, very spread out with large Unusable spaces, a layout that's difficult to expand without major adjustments.

 

[Flippin'Flounder]

Closing 20K

 

[copcarguyp71]

Sooo...if I read this right you want to know what was a bad idea in the parks BEFORE 1995?

 

[216bruce]

Sooo...if I read this right you want to know what was a bad idea in the parks BEFORE 1995?

Spot on, but folks gonna do what folks gonna do.
I'll just go with the whole idea of Tomorrowland being a place that showcases the future and tries to be visionary, same with Future World in Epcot. By 1995 it was pretty apparent that you just aren't going to keep up with the changes, so the retro "Future that never was" thing actually made the most sense. Epcot's FW still hasn't even begun to figure this out either aesthetically or in theme.
In 1955 it was very doable, maybe even in 1982 but at some point someone at WDI shoulda went "whoa nelly, time out here'.

 

[Brad Bishop]

After giving this some thought:

The Monorail at WDW and, in particular, the TTC.

First, and it's dumb that I have to say this, I like the Monorail, though I don't ride it any longer because of reliability issues.

The 2-beam layout around the lagoon is great, if that's all it was ever going to be. When they added the line to Epcot it felt, and still looks, weirdly tacked on.

The stations are utilitarian. The theming at each of the hotels is minimal and almost kind of "off". They each feel like a city bus stop. I know you can argue, "Well, that's effectively what they are," but it seems like they should be more majestic.

The MK has, perhaps, the best station in terms of looks (the Victorian look works well). It seems like they could have made that one more grand and, perhaps, enclosed it.

Epcot has a monstrocity of a a station. It's incredibly huge for what it is and not particularly appealing.

The worst: The TTC. After you park your car at the MK this is the first thing you see and it's extremely utilitarian. This, to me, should be a grand concourse, a transportation hub, not a large slab of concrete with ticket booths, two transportation options, some oddly placed bus stops around the corner, and restrooms. If it's your first visit to WDW/MK you should be in awe at this point and think, "Wow.. If this is what's here, I can't wait to see the actual park!"

 

[ScottKC]

The worst: The TTC. After you park your car at the MK this is the first thing you see and it's extremely utilitarian. This, to me, should be a grand concourse, a transportation hub, not a large slab of concrete with 2 ticket booths, two transportation options, some oddly placed bus stops around the corner, and restrooms. If it's your first visit to WDW/MK you should be in awe at this point and think, "Wow.. If this is what's here, I can't wait to see the actual park!"

The TTC looks awesome....from the air. Unfortunately at ground level it loses it's dynamic forms. I for one love that swanky mid-century modern look, but it has unsympathetic decorations that are trying to make it "more magical". It would be wonderful if they would restovate it and go with a retro-1960's Tomorrowland vibe, it is one of the few remnants of the original EPCOT city of the future infrastructure to survive this long and it be a shame to see it disappear to history. In my head I have this vision of a visitors center where the One Man's Dream exhibit could find a permanent home, and with classic resort posters on display, something that really gets you into the whole heroic 1960's futurism the project was meant to embody.

In a way the original philosophy was for it to act as a neutral gateway before you got to the heavily themed Magic Kingdom...the Contemporary and Polynesian may have had some theming but they were never meant to replicate a time & place like the Theme Parks did. So much of the concept was lost by the building boom of the 1980's & 1990's where new resort facilities were almost as themed as the park.

 

[The Mighty Tim]

that was in 1996 though

And February 1997, for that is when I saw it.

 

[ChrisFL]

The wand and the hat don't count as they were in 1999-ish. Like I said, we all know what's happened recently to criticize but I'm just talking about things before, in the "renaissance" era that we like to think of at WDW and DL

 

[Dead2009]

Ace Ventura in Disney*MGM...

This looks amazing...

 

[Brad Bishop]

The Christmas star on the Matterhorn in Disneyland- Still surprised that Walt approved this one...it really messes up the scale of the Matterhorn, similar to what happened when Epcot had that wand years later.

I remember hearing or reading about this somewhere but had never seen pictures. That star is horrible. Apparently, from what I remember reading, locals were quite fond of it at Christmas and when they stopped using it they were all a bit upset. The Matterhorn was bathed in green flood lights, I think, so that the whole thing looked like a giant Christmas tree.

 

[Brad Bishop]

The water bridge over World Drive near the Contemporary:

While it seems like a good idea and I remember thinking how neat it was, it hasn't aged well as I think World Drive could actually be four lanes all the way up to the bus terminal at the MK and the Contemporary. Now it's just a narrow bottleneck for World Drive which probably won't ever be widened.

 

[Brad Bishop]

The placement of DHS. Locked in by World Drive, Buena Vista Drive, the off ramp from World Drive, and a parking lot.

Another one:
Cast Member Parking. It seems odd for part of the public parking lot to be for cast members, not that I begrudge them parking.. It just seems like their parking should be "backstage" at each of these places where they have easy access to get into the park but through the back door. DHS and DAK come to mind. The resorts have similar problems with having them walk great distances. It's almost like they plan the resort/park and then someone says, after they've built it... "Oh, wait! We forgot cast member parking again!"