10 Attractions That Aged Poorly at Disney World
Many masterpieces of Imagineering age like fine wines, getting better and becoming even more iconic over time. However, there are a lot of rides at Walt Disney World that have not fared so well, instead becoming increasingly outdated or even obsolete. This list covers the attractions–both big and small–that are in need of overhauls or outright replacements.
There are a range of reasons that some attractions at Walt Disney World age better than others. A trio of Magic Kingdom classics–Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Jungle Cruise–all exemplify rides improving with each passing year, becoming beloved by a whole new generation of fans.
It would be easy to attribute that to one commonality, that all have received movie adaptations to keep interest high. While that’s certainly true of the Johnny Depp and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson helmed franchises, it’s not fair to say the same applies to Haunted Mansion. It didn’t enter the cultural zeitgeist thanks to a movie adaptation no one saw that scored 14% on Rotten Tomatoes. But who knows, maybe the upcoming adaptation featuring *checks notes* Jared Leto will be what finally puts Haunted Mansion on the map!
Aging poorly is not necessarily indicative of an attraction’s quality. To the contrary, many rides on this list once were great, and still are in spite of that datedness. The commonality isn’t that they’re bad, but rather, that time has passed them by. This usually means technology has made them obsolete. There are plenty of examples of older attractions receiving redos that inject then-current technology, and incongruity appears between the original and updated components over time.
In other cases, attractions take a very contemporary approach to technology that simply does not hold up years later. We might call this “The Mummy Returns Effect.” That 2001 film leaned very much into bleeding edge (at the time) CGI, and the result is Dwayne Johnson’s Scorpion King now looking like it was rendered by a Sega Dreamcast. Meanwhile, older films like Jaws, E.T., Indiana Jones, Star Wars, and other old films still hold up because they didn’t get carried away.
It’s a similar story with some of the attractions on this list. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Instead, we’ll dig into the list of 10 attractions at Walt Disney World that have aged poorly and are urgently overdue for an overhaul or at least some updates…
Spaceship Earth — This slow-moving dark ride through Audio Animatronics-heavy scenes showcasing the advancement of communication feels like it’s stuck in the past. Spaceship Earth was scheduled for a reimagining a few years ago, which was desperately needed. The track is in rough shape and the descent gives off abandoned mall vibes, with random black light triangles (rad!) and a sea of curtains cordoning off unused areas.
For an attraction highlighting how human communications have evolved, the way in which the ride communicates to guests–especially in the finale–likewise feels antiquated. One might argue that aspects of the attraction, ironically enough, fail to connect with guests with storytelling that’s clunky and a conclusion that fails to inspire. Humanity’s shared story is a compelling one and the ride’s location inside Epcot’s iconic geodesic sphere is really cool, but Spaceship Earth squanders so much of its potential.
Purists might cringe at these criticisms, themselves (understandably) not wanting to rock the boat and lose the last of Epcot’s Audio Animatronics-heavy attractions. However, the current state of the second-half of the attraction is embarrassing, the script is tired, and the cheesy screen-based ending is atrocious. Spaceship Earth deserves better, and diehard fans shouldn’t have to fear a refurbishment because the end result might, somehow, be even worse.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin – We probably could save a decent amount of time and keystrokes with one entry for all of Tomorrowland. I want to love Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. I love the idea of it as a shooter ride that actually uses physical show scenes to make it engaging for guests who want to enjoy the attraction passively. Some of the staging, props, and Audio Animatronics are really cool. The interactivity is fun, and Walt Disney World could use more attractions like this.
With that said, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is essentially proof of concept…that did prove the concept. As other interactive shooters have followed in its footsteps, this tired dark ride hasn’t been modernized in over two decades. It’s still a reimagined ride of another reimagined ride (with some remnants of its predecessors, Delta Dreamflight and If You Had Wings, still in place). The parks in Anaheim, Tokyo, Paris, Hong Kong, and Shanghai have all since iterated upon and improved the Buzz Lightyear shooter ride, and it’s long past time for Magic Kingdom to follow suit.
Tomorrowland Speedway – Plenty of Walt Disney World fans will argue that Tomorrowland Speedway should be demolished and replaced, as it takes up too much prime real estate in Magic Kingdom. That perspective contends that the concept is outdated, and that the ride is noisy, stinky, and simplistic.
They’re right and wrong. Like Dumbo and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Tomorrowland Speedway is a rite of passage attraction that is deserving of its place in Magic Kingdom. For kids, sitting in the driver’s seat and steering through a car course is really cool. However, children do not author blogs like this one (despite what the writing quality, or lack thereof, might suggest) so that perspective isn’t often voiced.
Nevertheless, if Tomorrowland Speedway is deemed ‘culturally significant’ (or whatever) and worthy of so much space in Magic Kingdom, it needs to be differentiate itself from dime-a-dozen go-cart rides. Replacing the fleet with modern vehicles having striking design styles and show scenes with personality would be a start. Make the cars fun for all ages, and the scenery worthy of a Sunday drive.
Journey into Imagination with Figment — If you’re visiting EPCOT for the first time today, it’s impossible to understand how what appears to be a Spyro knock-off and his underwhelming attraction have such a fan following. You might just chalk it up to Disney Adult idiosyncrasies, much like I assume people like Dunkin’ Donuts because they’ve never had any other doughnuts or coffee. In both cases, there’s more to it than meets the eye.
Figment is popular not for the existing attraction in its current sorry state, but for the original Journey into Imagination. If anything, the fact that the ride and its star character still have a powerful hold on adults of a certain age decades after they disappeared speaks volumes about the indelible impression they left on the youth of the 1980s and 1990s.
The original Journey into Imagination was mesmerizing. Above all else, it was imaginative, as cliche as that might sound. As a young child, I was spellbound by the original, its characters, and the evocative scenes they inhabited. I remember it in vivid detail not because my family rode it over and over (although we did!), but because it was a timeless attraction that captivated guests, sparked their imaginations, and forged lifelong Walt Disney World fans.
The replacement, Journey into Imagination with Figment, seems like it strives to annoy rather than inspire. Ironically enough, it showcases the power of imagination…with the least imaginative and obnoxious attraction possible. What was once an okay band-aid between the Figment-less Journey into Your Imagination and a new attraction has now outlived the original, and is looking really worse for wear. Everything about it is outdated, the the first three-quarters of the ride-through feels like something is missing. What’s missing is imagination.
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh — I’m going to say what everyone is thinking: Winnie the Pooh is a baller. No, you weren’t thinking that? Well, only because the Walt Disney Company has absolutely squandered the potential of Winnie the Pooh, sidelining he and his posse’s potential for pranks and tomfoolery.
In a just world, it would be Winnie the Pooh and not Paddington who is beloved by generations. Think about it, what does Paddington possess that Winnie the Pooh does not? Preserved jam sandwiches? Give me a break. Winnie the Pooh is a straight-up honey fiend, risking life and limb for a taste of the sweet stuff. Pooh is just as laid back, chill, generous, and deferential as Paddington. On top of that, Pooh rolls deep, with a crew more pure of heart than AFC Richmond.
But I digress. The point is not to disparage Paddington, himself an international treasure, but to question why Winnie the Pooh does not receive more love among Americans? This ride, that is why. It is rudimentary and dated (despite not being that old), failing to showcase the heart and charm of these beloved characters. An attraction based on Winnie the Pooh should be timeless, filled with childlike wonder, and more popular than Peter Pan’s Flight. We know a Pooh-centric attraction can reach these heights because there is an older one that is exactly all of these things…but it’s at Tokyo Disneyland.
Peter Pan’s Flight – Speaking of which, this is bound to be a controversial pick. That’s especially true given the enduring popularity of Peter Pan’s Flight and the fact that it commands some of the longest wait times in all of Walt Disney World. It’s also bound to be controversial because Peter Pan hasn’t exactly aged well as judged against contemporary cultural and social standards. But that’s not why Peter Pan’s Flight makes this list–although I do think there’s one easily-updatable scene that’s overdue for replacement.
Rather, Peter Pan’s Flight makes the list despite its popularity. As good as the attraction premise is and as special as it is to fly over the streets of London and Neverland, it still has unrealized potential. Plussing the ride to integrate projection mapping or other lighting effects–as has been done in Anaheim, Paris, Shanghai, and Tokyo–could be a gamechanger. Overhauling the ride system so the flight is less jerky and more smooth would help with suspension of disbelief.
Imagineering got it right with Peter Pan’s Flight decades ago, and it is a truly timeless attraction that will be enjoyed by generations of guests to come. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t little ways to enhance the attraction to keep the icon fresh. Imagineering has done exactly that with Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean over the last several years. It’s about time Peter Pan’s Flight left its datedness in the dust and got a chance to soar higher.
Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage — This stage show retelling Beauty and the Beast in condensed form is literally as old as the animated movie itself. It’s enjoyable, doing an adequate job with choreography, performances, and dramatic styling. And in fairness, not every theatrical production needs to be edgy or envelope-pushing to grab guests’ attention. Sometimes simple-but-good is more than enough.
Those are fair points, but this just feels old. I can’t quite articulate why or how, but pretty much everything about it just gives off 1990s vibes. In isolation, it’s difficult to point to any specific element that gives the show away as being dated. It’s the totality of it all, and how it contrasts with newer adaptations of animated movies that gives it away. So many more modern productions have come and gone at Disneyland and Disney Cruise Line that could be plugged into DHS and would be a breath of fresh air, comparatively speaking.
Space Mountain — I’ve long defended Magic Kingdom’s Space Mountain, which remains my favorite even compared to the newer versions at Disneyland and beyond. Although it lacks audio…and a smooth ride…it makes up for that with more personality in the queue, post-show, and the ride itself. However, I’m very cognizant of the fact that this is the nostalgic in me speaking.
The datedness of this dark roller coaster is going to be thrown into even starker relief once TRON Lightcycle Run opens directly next door to it. I don’t know what the solution is, and I’d hate to lose Space Mountain and all of its history and iconic qualities, but having two in-the-dark roller coasters right next to one another was always going to result in side-by-side guest comparisons, and the circa-1975 Space Mountain is woefully outdated as compared to the circa-2016 TRON Lightcycle Run.
Dinosaur — Dinosaurs deserve better. Scientifically speaking, they are the awesomest animal of all-time (edging out hammerhead sharks, which are basically aquatic dinosaur reboots). It’s honestly hard to believe that creatures so cool ever roamed the earth. I can see why dinosaur deniers are a thing, because it’s easier to live in a world where they never existed than one where we never got to see their glory and grandeur IRL.
Imagineering had the opportunity to rectify that, bringing dinosaurs to life in a way that would inspire, educate, and possibly result in world peace. There are dozens of slam dunk ideas involving dinosaurs in theme parks, and pretty much anything that causes suspension of disbelief in guests would’ve been wondrous to behold.
Instead, they gave us a crappy carnival and a knock-off of Indiana Jones Adventure, but with 75% of the ride in darkness. What a joke. Technically, this hasn’t just aged poorly–it was always a matter of hugely squandered potential. (But the CGI from 2000’s Dinosaur definitely does not hold up!)
Soarin’ Around the World — Another pick that’ll undoubtedly be polarizing given the popularity of this hang-glider simulator ride. I’m not particularly averse to Soarin’ Around the World, but the CGI, cheesy animals, and distortion has worn on me over time. With each passing year, either it looks worse or I get grumpier. Probably both, but stick with me here.
You know how someone looks younger right after they’ve had a facelift (or whatever cosmetic surgery is in fashion these days), but over time, their skin starts looking fake and plastic-like? Meanwhile, the person who embraced their laugh lines and crow’s feet appears to age gracefully? It’s the same idea with Soarin.
I had the chance to catch both versions days apart earlier this year, and felt that Soarin’ Over California has aged far better. To be sure, it doesn’t look brand new and there are little clues that it was shot in the late 1990s. However, OG Soarin’ benefits from its footage being real film, whereas CGI Soarin’ already looks dated as compared to newer visual effects.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Do any attractions at Walt Disney World strike you as particularly outdated or obsolete? Think there are any newer rides that have aged poorly by virtue of leaning too heavily into evolving technologies? Anything you think our list “snubbed” that belongs among WDW’s outdated rides? Do you agree or disagree with our list? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Any idea what will happen to Lsplash mountain”?
Haunted Mansion as a cult following. Seriously. Look on Facebook and Etsy. I’m in some Facebook groups and people have whole rooms in their houses dedicated to HM. Tattoos, weddings. Dooney & Bourke have Haunted Mansion purses. People are obsessed with it. People get upset about little changes. It definitely has aged well.
And why does Peter Pan have some of the longest waiting in MK but it hasn’t aged well?
Peter Pan’s long lines are due to its extremely low hourly capacity. The long lines make LL disappear fast and LL makes the line even longer. The ride vehicles only have a single row and event though it’s usually moving, the dispatches are slow.
Generally I agree with this blog, but Dinosaur is my favorite ride. Granted some aspects could perhaps be updated, but it has some of the best animatronics of all the attractions and is one of the most thrilling. It also has a great premise. The ride *is* dark, but that’s the point. It isn’t 75% completely dark though. Most of the ride has things to see. I don’t get the hate this attraction receives. It was great when it opened and it still is. Any attraction could be picked apart if one tries hard enough.
Totally agree with Tom with every attraction on his list. Although, I’ll add Mexico’s Three Caballeros. What’s that all about?
Dinosaur is dark, loud and causes whiplash! They could do something immersive with technology like they did with Pandora at Animal Kingdom.
Spaceship Earth? For a flagship attraction at EPCOT, this is an embarrassment. Soooo much untapped potential!
Get rid of Tomorrow Land Speedway. Every time I’ve walked passed this, I’ve thought that this attraction is tacky, dated and not worthy of a prime spot in the Magic Kingdom. I agree with others that if they’re going to keep the cars, make them cool, electric, futuristic, fantastical. Make them Disney-ish! By all means, don’t let any third party auto makers “sponsor” a replacement ride.
For most of these attractions, I say keep the warmth and charm and nostalgia of these rides, but update them. Disney needs to keep the Disney Magic. It is something Universal has never been able touch IMHO.
I agree with your choices, not always for the same reasons, but I agree!
Soarin’ – The CGI video is uninspiring and obviously fake. I’ve ridden it twice in the last two years, and both times I wondered why I didn’t enjoy it as much. You may as well have the polar bears wave cans of Coca-Cola at you as you soar by. The original film was much more impactful and gave one such an amazing feeling of flying!
Tomorrowland Speedway – I was torn about this, until I thought about it. It takes up so much space in the Magic Kingdom, but is not so magical. I took myself back to 1972 when I first visited WDW. I remember the put-put of the engines was a thrill, but the cars being restricted by a rail in the middle and unable to pass another car made it a bit boring. I’d put something else there.
Journey Into Imagination with Figment – I still love this attraction. Figment is an EPCOT favorite! That said, the Imagineers should gut this attraction and find and new and novel way to make Figment a star!
Agree with all these. With the insane amount of money the parks are collecting, it’s a crime they aren’t re-investing more. Autopia is an embarrassment.
I prefer soarin over CA myself but to me the ride is still awesome. I have ridden it so many times. On my last trip I happen to be sitting next to a family that had never ridden it. They were having so much fun! They loved it so I wonder if it is because you (and I) have ridden it so many times.
I lament the passing of RCA’s Space Mountain. As a kid my family went to Disney World whenever we visited my grandparents in Florida between my father’s USAF assignments. Space Mountain used to have mission control dioramas as you went in, & RCA dioramas on the way out, and it had more light inside than it did when I last went to WDW in 2015. I didn’t go into the GE Carousel of Progress, my other favorite ride during that visit, but was happy to find that the Mission to Mars had been changed to a Stitch ride.
I agree with this entire list! Some of these are just downright embarrassing. If we could step out of the bubble for a moment and look at these attractions objectively, they are so dated! For a company that is supposed to be constantly reimagining, they need to take a hard look in the mirror. Even more baffling is the better versions of these attractions already exist! We are not exactly reinventing the wheel here! So maybe instead of a 5th gate, let’s actually do something with what we already have. Tomorrowland is a sad, sad place for sure and should be priority #1 for updates, especially with TRON opening soon.
The go-cart cars need to be electric as well as redesigned to look cooler. the exhaust is really bad now.
Are you insane? You only named most of the Best attractions they’ve ever had. Spaceship Earth and especially Space Mountain are iconic. Who cares what the props look like, there will always be people going on those rides and seeing those shows no matter how outdated you may think they are. Next time stay quiet you e kissed off a lot us Disney fans with that one.
I get that we need family rides but if they are not careful, they will hit issues as the “golden generation” no longer goes. The younger ones today won’t have that emotional attachment and won’t go. They’ll take their kids to Universal or Six Flags. PP, IASW, COP and all the “dialled in” OMNI Mover’s like Pooh or TLM just won’t cut it. Sure the odd makeover here and there will help but they need to get on it and a lot quicker. Disney’s arrogance will be its undoing. They will wake up one morning and wonder why their overpriced hotels are half empty. Disney World is a package a wonderful place when you include “The bubble, entertainment” and the likes but its the attractions most people pay for. They know this of course, hence the “this is what we are thinking for the Magic Kingdom” at D23 but they need to be brave and start commissioning these and a few updates. A 5th gate is just too expensive. Rant over!
I want to know what elements of “If You Had Wings” are in Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. I have ridden If You Had Wings, but don’t recall any element of it being in Space Ranger Spin.
The track is the same, that’s all. The layout hasn’t changed one but, including that long part that was like an airplane taking off (I think?) straight away which is kind of an always pause in Lightyear.
Okay so basically you just don’t like any of the original rides, get rid of them all.
I went on the Haunted Mansion recently and the amount of dust I inhaled was terrible. It was musty and it caused me to be aware that none of the components in the attraction had ever been updated or even cleaned.
Yep. Totally agree. There was visible mold inside of space ranger spin as well. We got stuck right at the beginning in the black room and I looked up at the ceiling to find mold growing from an air duct and pretty much had a panic attack sitting there.
Pirates of the Caribbean. Always been uncomfortable with it. What do you say to your 8 year old daughter when she asks “what is happening to those women?” It really is not acceptable in this day and age to have a fun ride show a man being water tortured and women being auctioned off by a drunken mob of men to a pretty obvious fate. Keep the ride by all means but clean it up and upgrade the clunky automation.
And here I am missing, “we want the redhead!” as a redheaded millennial woman. I still miss it and quote it even though it hasn’t been part of the ride in a long time. I don’t remember ever questioning it as a young child. They were pirates doing what pirates do. Being bad. Explanation enough. What I have always questioned is why parents allow children to dress up and esteem pirates when they are murderers, rapists, and looters. Not something to be esteemed in general.
Same here! It made me uncomfortable from the time I WAS that 8 year old through to when my kids were 8 and up to today. I’m so glad I’m not the only one. I was always told I was too sensitive so I never said anything but I recall distinctly as a kid being disturbed by the specific scenes you mention as well as the overall tone of violence and the theme of the ‘bad guys’ sort of being glorified. It seems like the wrong tone for a wholesome family day out and it always brings down my vibe when I go on with others who want to do the ride. I understand I’m the minority here. Just happy to know I’m not one of one 🙂
The auction of the woman has long been replaced. Next, I knew as a 8 year old I was in story I didn’t take anything as true. After I watched ”
War of the World”. I was crying, my mom and dad explained ” it was just make believe”. I loved Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, but I knew it was again
make believe. Good parenting is not make believe.
I had good parents. Doesn’t make me any less sensitive . As I said I’ve always realized I was I the minority. Some people can separate themselves from the emotions in a story and some have more trouble with that – regardless of whether we know it is fictional. The images and ideas remain. . Everyone experiences the world differently and it has nothing to do with their parents ! Good storytelling is meant to evoke emotion. My comment is that to me those emotions didn’t and still don’t line up with my objectives for a day at Disney. But it is good storytelling nonetheless. And most people obviously enjoy it so I’m sure it will remain :).
“The auction of the woman has long been replaced”. This is news to me and it certainly was still there when we went just before the pandemic. If it has then GOOD but perhaps somebody else could confirm this and tell me what has replaced it and when.
Dog Dad. the thing is War of the Worlds never happened, ever. It IS a story. Unfortunately pirate assaults on Caribbean ports DID take place and resulted in atrocities against the inhabitants, particularly the women. These atrocities happened to real people not story book characters.
The redhead auction scene was replaced in 2018. The scene now has the same redhead, but she is a pirate and in charge and people are being forced to bring belongings (like a grandfather clock) that she is auctioning off.
I realize this article is a couple of months old now, but I don’t understand why I would want to get on a ride to see a bunch of well-behaved audio-animatronic cosplayers. The idea of the pirates is supposed to be kinda scary and uncomfortable. Listen to the song, here’s all the lyrics that aren’t yo-ho, a pirate’s life for me, or drink up me hearties:
We pillage and plunder, we rifle and loot
We kidnap and ravage and don’t give a hoot
We extort and pilfer, we filch and sack
Maraud and embezzle and even hijack
We kindle and char, enflame and ignite
We burn up the city, we’re really a fright
We’re rascals and scoundrels, villains and knaves
We’re devils and black sheep, really bad eggs
We’re beggars and blighters and ne’er do-well cads
Aye, but we’re loved by our mommies and dads
None of those are redeeming qualities, but they’re interesting because they don’t exist like this anymore. what do you tell your daughter? They’re selling her as a bride, that’s awful, but pirates were awful and sometimes had tongue-in-cheek humor.
I do agree that the animatronics could use some WD-40.
I kept scrolling, waiting to see “It’s A Small World” here for being *ultra* past its prime, haha. Did they finally retire it? That ride seemed out of touch clear back in 2006 when we started going to DW, yet for some reason we kept going on that ride…every time we visited with our kids.
That, and the Carousel of Time, but honestly we all kind of loved that Carousel…air conditioning, no crowds. Great spot to chill for a bit and see time go by.
I’ve learned to appreciate It’s a Small World, due to its history, and that Walt Disney himself created it, as well as it’s focus on various world cultures and the connections that unite the world.
Beauty and the Beast is my favorite movie. I see the show every time. It’s the costumes and the pre-recorded parts that are dated. Let us see the actor behind Cogsworth and Mrs Potts. Give them a beautiful costume like the ones you see on broadway or the recently aired celebration. Show off the talent you have vocally. They’re half in the theatrical door and half out.
Dinosaur once WAS better! Remember “Countdown to Extinction” the pre-dumbed-down version? Technical ride quality and audio-animatronics aside CONTENT has been made stupid and this attraction is not alone. Universe of Energy was both smarter in content and more clever in presentation until the Ellen revision. The Life pavilion tried to teach us something and got shut down. Even the original Disneyland had an attraction dedicated to chain reactions and nuclear fission. Is anyone else tired of being treated as uneducated and illiterate? Dumb down the content and the audience will follow. The original Disney park concept treated its audience as thinking adults, took risks and was not afraid to give the guests an intellectual challenge. Steak has been replaced with mindless sizzle. End of rant.
It could well be the dumb-down theory carries the day. My six-year-old grandson loves almost all of these. What I wonder about is why they do not do the easy upgrade regularly. Surely it cannot be that expensive to just film a new version of Soarin. Rotate a few, whatever. Same with all of the other movies – the theatres are there, just update the movie. It cannot be that expensive to tour Canada or whatever with a special camera.
I agree 100% with this list. So much potential for these great rides, yet they turn their attention and millions towards Splash Mountain. I would add Mission To Mar’s on the list. We were at Epcot a few weeks ago and realized that we did not even bother with Soarin. The warped CGI has become more distracting to me over the years.
It’s not “Mission to Mar’s”, it’s “Mission to Mars”. There’s no apostrophe in “Mars”. And that ride closed in 1993. The current Mission: Space ride at Disney World was last refurbished in 2017.