Worst Move in Parks History

[Horizon1]

Universe of Energy- This was a hard choice but I went with this as it really shows the company abandoning epcot as a concept. Space was a misfire but it was an epcot idea, guardians is just a ride put these because, it shows Disney no longer care about the theme in theme parks they are just dumps for whatever the company is pushing

I agree with this. I never experienced the Ellen version first hand but from what I saw it needed an update and a change. Keep the dinosaurs and update the films etc but removing it to be replaced with Guardians just did not fit the theme of original Epcot. Guardians would have been a better fit at Studios.

 

[Kamikaze]

In lieu of recent developments this morning, I think this is worth discussing, either to quantify our perceptions or simply to put it in to perspective.

Responses limited to WDW due to a limits in poll choices.

You can vote for three options.

There's a lot of people saying EuroDisney, which is pretty accurate, but the actual answer is the company's response to EuroDisney failing: stopping/limiting/cutting spending everywhere and scaling back projects after the initial greenlight. Its a mindset that still continues today, but didn't really happen before that point.

It is also the worst move in WDW history, even though it didn't 'happen' there. It directly affected all the projects in the company from basically 1993 onward.

 

[lifeguard1020]

It's not on the list, but I feel like this is one of the most TERRIBLE moves. Placing the MGM Studios in such a landlocked location is far one of the LEAST forward thinking things that has ever been done.

 

[fradz]

I voted for Horizons because I feel that’s what set the trend for what Epcot is today

 

[Miru]

I agree with this. I never experienced the Ellen version first hand but from what I saw it needed an update and a change. Keep the dinosaurs and update the films etc but removing it to be replaced with Guardians just did not fit the theme of original Epcot. Guardians would have been a better fit at Studios.

As a corollary I’m willing to defend the Moana area as at least it tries to be educational.

 

[Doberge]

While not all replacements are great at least at least there's something new. Losing capacity of Wonders of Life without any implemented plan and just letting it rot is, imo, worse. But if picking from the list I'll say Figment.

 

[Miru]

While not all replacements are great at least at least there's something new. Losing capacity of Wonders of Life without any implemented plan and just letting it rot is, imo, worse. But if picking from the list I'll say Figment.

Yeah, it’s probably the biggest thing they’ve just left empty bar possibly DisneyQuest and Discovery Island.

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

Lasseter isn’t a dreamer? Are you kidding me? I feel like perhaps it goes as far back as removing Discovery Island.

What exactly does Lasseter have to do with the parks

 

[Miru]

What exactly does Lasseter have to do with the parks

Nothing but I was just bringing up an example of a dreamer remaining at Disney post-Wells.

 

[DW Aficionado]

Ok, let's address the elephant in the room.... The Osbourne Christmas Light Spectacular !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Turtlekrawl]

All of these are bad.

I probably miss horizons, imagination, illuminations the most at this point.

But the most egregious move to me is replacing Splash - one of the greatest, most beloved attractions ever, still arguably the most popular in MK, for something widely regarded as inferior.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

s replacing Splash - one of the greatest, most beloved attractions ever,

I agree 100% with this. It was one of the most popular and beloved attractions in WDW, IMO.
They say the original movie was racist and I'm not going to get into that. Not to most people. It was a fun ride with great characters and wonderful songs. It was entertainment, not a statement about anything. To make it in to "something" was Disney's fault. No flaming - just my opinion.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I have 2 that come to mind and fit In the others section...

Cabanas In Tomorrowland
Express backstage shuttle vans to the parks (you had to pay extra for this)..

Are you talking about the bus service that took you park to park via backstage entrance? That was like $7/day and totally worth it. A terrible decision was removing that. I'd pay $50/day for it.

 

[joanna71985]

Which they could have kept and added the new ride which my kids love.....

That definitely should have been a thing. There was no reason why there couldn't have been both

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

All that stuff was peanuts compared to what’s happening now before our eyes.

 

[docryan8404]

This was hard because some of these things I did not know anything about. I never went on the original Figment. EPCOT was being built when I went my first trip. I liked Maelstrom but it wasn't that kid-focused (yes, it was a good ride to promote Norway but kids don't understand that). Never went on Horizons and won't go on Guardians. Also never went on the Great Movie ride. But replacing RoA with Cars? NO! Absolutely not! It doesn't fit the theme of the area AT ALL! How can DCA create a whole land for Cars with little land and yet Florida, who has more land that CA, not build fifth park? It would fit better at HS, like Indiana Jones and Monsters, Inc. I love going to the parks but they keep putting attractions in the parks that don't fit the theme of where they go. Encanto? I can see it fitting into AK but it's not AK just because of one character who talks to animals. Indiana Jones is NOT AK material either. But I don't get paid by Disney to make decisions like that.

 

[John park hopper]

I voted other DVC construction has ruined the whole feel of what WDW was

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I voted other DVC construction has ruined the whole feel of what WDW was

I agree. I remembered the view the Polynesian had before the DVC and how it was after. The Polynesian before the first of the 2 DVCS had an outstanding view for Fireworks and Electric Water Pageant.

Also the 2nd DVC for Polynesian to me hurt the Character of the hotel even more and getting a rid of the Luau for DVC was a big mistake.

 

[NickPytlinski]

i would choose other.

Fastpass +.

the planning experience and knowing you at least had some chances to ride the bigger rides with little wait was brilliant, hasn't been the same since.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Here's some that I haven't seen mentioned yet (mostly much older).

Replacing the Mickey Mouse Revue with... nothing until Magic Journeys was eventually tossed onto the same location years later.

Replacing Snow White's Adventure with a Meet-and-Greet.

Replacing the Skyway with... nothing.

Replacing Mr. Toad with Winnie the Pooh.

Replacing Davy Crockett's Canoes and Mike Fink's Keelboats with... nothing.

Replacing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with Ariel's Grotto.

Never really finishing World Showcase.

Replacing Mission to Mars with Alien Encounter, then Stitch's Great Escape then... nothing (I'm detecting a pattern here).

Replacing the Wonders of Life with... nothing.

Replacing Image Works with... nothing.

My controversial take- Horizons wasn't nearly as amazing as people seem to remember it