Five Lost Disney World Rides (VIDEO)

AOL Travel News:

Walt Disney World in Florida might not have the same lengthy history as its California counterpart Disneyland, but it has seen its fair share of attractions come and go. As new technologies are introduced and new movies are released, the Mouse certainly feels the pressure to update -- sometimes in spite of protests to the contrary. Here are five lost Disney World rides for a reminder of the good old days.

Read the whole story: AOL Travel News

Comments

[moonstruck10]

04:39 AM on 04/05/2011

I was just at Disney World two weekends ago and, upon passing The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, couldn't quite remember what ride it had replaced but rememberd I was disappointed when it was taken away. I loved Toad's Wild Ride, especially the part where you go down the long tunnel with the "oncoming train."

[MAragon]

11:42 PM on 04/04/2011

I know that the Disneyland park changed one of my all time favorites: the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House to the Tarzan tree house, which broke my heart.
And I loathe whenever they turn the Haunted Mansion into Nightmare Before Christmas.
Plus Main Street and the Emporium are a shadow of what they used to be.

[HighDesertBob]

07:06 PM on 04/04/2011

The first time we went on the Mission to the Moon (or Mars) my daughter jumped out of her seat on take off. The seat recessed into the seat frame in an attempt to simulate take off G-forces. This was 1975 and I still remember the look on her face as she jumped out of the seat and looked down at it. Priceless.

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

04:59 PM on 04/04/2011

I remember The House of Tomorrow. It was shaped like a flying saucer and you climbed up into it. It had all these "modern" (heck, it was something like 1963) appliances and work-saving devices. The whole thing was just so cool!!!

[MAragon]

11:37 PM on 04/04/2011

Me too!

[llisa]

02:53 PM on 04/04/2011

We did enjoy River Country with the kids years ago It was a beautiful natural setting and no chemicals in the water. But we were used to swimming in rivers and lakes, so this was like an enhanced (with water slides) normal swimming experience of rus.

But the 20,000 leagues under the sea was horrible, with no way to get off. I agree with Montcalms. It stank. And when we went, the water only came up half way on the viewing window and you could see the strings and rods holding up the fake plastic fish and turtles. That should have been scrapped long ago.

Now, how about getting rid of "It's a Small World"?

[Montcalms Revenge]

02:19 PM on 04/04/2011

I remember the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride... it smelled like urine inside the "sub"... :-(
It did get me ready for riding the NYC subway everyday though... ;-)

[stonewiki]

01:10 PM on 04/04/2011

How about the Carosel of Progeress I first went on it at the NY Worlds Fair in 1961 (yes I am that old) I also miss the overhead cable cars.

[BillinFla]

04:32 PM on 04/04/2011

The Carousel of Progress is still there, basically. It was retooled for the obvious reason that it's original vision of "the future" had already come and gone. The first ride was meant to cover America from the turn of the century to sometime in the 1980's (when it debuted in the 1960's.)

They also took out all the terribly dated "futuristic" stuff from the post-show of Space Mountain.

[BillinFla]

12:54 PM on 04/04/2011

I lived in Orlando for about 30 years. The reasons that I heard for the various attractions closing:

SWAN BOATS - Conceived as an inexpensive way to keep a large number of guests occupied during peak season, the ride was not needed as other high volume attractions (Splash Mountain, etc.) were added.

MR. TOAD'S WILD RIDE - Many of the younger guests were not familiar with the characters. To add an attraction with more contemporary appeal to kids, "Mr. Toad" was replaced by "Winnie the Pooh."

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA - Friends who worked there swear the real reason this ride was scrapped had to do with European visitors and their concepts of bathing.

Most Americans shower or bathe every day, not so with many Europeans. As Disney World attracts a high percentage of European guests and as their peak season is the brutal Florida summer, the close confines of those submarines took on a most unpleasant odor, which sparked numerous complaints.

THE MICKEY MOUSE REVIEW - My favorite of all the "lost" rides, this one didn't even make the list. The attraction featured an elaborate concert of Disney's greatest songs performed by a cast of audioanimatronic figures.

The ride was ultimately moved to Tokyo Disneyland. Disney's Japanese partners expressed a strong interest in the attraction. Disney quoted them a price they believed would be too high. To Disney's surprise, the investors said, "Yes" and the attraction was packed and shipped overseas. It is no longer operating there either.

[GraphicMatt]

11:49 AM on 04/04/2011

Have not set foot in Disney since my 1986 Grad Night there. Mr. Toads Wild Ride was the bomb. How very sad. : (

[JScott]

11:24 AM on 04/04/2011

Never heard of the swan boat ride, was that at the Orlando one?

[JScott]

11:25 AM on 04/04/2011

Oops is sez Disney World my bad.

[KIVPossum]

11:13 AM on 04/04/2011

No loss on 20,000 Leagues - it was a waste of space. I do miss Mr Toad