What Rides Have Changed?

[drfsupercenter]

My family and I were watching the Carousel of Progress, and something caught my eye.

In the end portion, when they show "futuristic" technology, was a brand new LG HDTV. They used it to display that virtual reality they were playing.

Surely they wouldn't have had that in 1971 when the park opened? So I'm curious, did they change anything else in that attraction? I noticed a desktop computer and a laptop... I would be surprised if Walt predicted these back in the 60s

My mom claims the Carousel of Progress is the exact same as when she saw it in the 70s, so can someone help me prove her wrong? Surely they added that TV...

I also noticed that the Haunted Mansion revamped the line a bit and added interactive instruments you can play with.

Also... Pirates of the Caribbean was playing music from the movie and had pictures of Orlando Bloom and Johnny Depp. I was under the impression that the ride has been there for years and the movie series was (loosely?) based on the ride. So did they go and retro-actively movie-size the ride once the film came out?

I also like what they did with Spaceship Earth though now I'm curious what it was like before they added the interactive stuff. I was only about 8 years old the last time I was at Epcot prior to them changing it.

[PrincePhillipFan]

Wow, okay, this is a lot of questions, but here I go to try and answer all of them

First, about the history of the Carousel of Progress. The Carousel of Progress originally started as one of the shows Disney created for the 1964 New York World's Fair sponosored by General Electric. (My dad actually got to see this show in its original incarnation when him and my grandparents went to New York for the fair.) It starred the voices of Rex Allen as Father, Rhoda Williams as both Mother and Daughter Jane (Rhoda was also the voice of Drizella in Cinderella), Barbara Luddy as Grandma, and Mel Blanc. The Sherman Brothers wrote the theme song "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow especially for the show. At the end of the show, guests were invited to marvel as the Sky Dome Spectacular in the General Electric building as well as showcasing new products made by GE.

When the fair closed in 1965, Disney brought the Carousel of Progress to Disneyland as part of the New Tomorrowland in 1967. The show remained almost exactly the same, with a few minor changes and updates to the final "Future" scene. Also the end of the show was completely changed. At the very end, guests were invited to get out of their seats, walk up to the stage and step onto a moving ramp which would then take them up to the second floor. There, Father and Mother from the show would join them, as guests would marvel at a huge scale model of Progress City - a GE/Disney idea of a futuristic city of tomorrow. (Progress City would incidentally later serve as Walt's basic idea for his never realized plans of EPCOT. You can see part of the model today at Walt Disney World, aboard the People Mover.)

Unfortunately, I'm unable to find the full soundtrack to the 1964/1967 Carousel of Progress show on youtube - however, you can find it in the CD sets Walt Disney And The 1964 World's Fair and A Musical History of Disneyland. Here's the soundtrack version though of the 1964/1967 version of "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow":

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/94OgKuuEYh4" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Here's also a picture of the final "Future" scene of the 1967 Disneyland Carousel of Progress


In 1973, however, GE was unsatisified with Carousel being in Disneyland. Most of the guests who visited the park were California locals, and GE felt that the advertisement for their products weren't reaching a wide international audience, like those in the newly opened Walt Disney World. So, at GE's urging, Carousel closed that year and was moved to Walt Disney World, where it opened in 1975. Not without some major changes though. First of all, the show was completely rewritten and overhauled with a new voice cast, with actor Andrew Duggan now as the voice of Father. Further, GE wasn't satisified with the theme song. They wanted people not to wait for the future, but to buy GE products "now!" So they had the Sherman Brothers write a new theme song entitled "The Best Time of Life," which you can hear right here. (Even though the song isn't used in the ride anymore, you can still hear an instrumental version of it playing throughout Disney World's Tomorrowland.)

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BCMzjRVJQu4" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Of course, as a few years had past, the biggest major change was the final scene about the future, which you can see pictures of here from the 1975 Walt Disney World show. Just look at those lovely disgusting 70s plaid pants that son Jimmy now sported:



The show pretty much remained the same as that, until 1981, when the final "Future" scene was updated again to keep up with the times. Once again, the final scene reflected the times, with daughter Jane now swinging in a suspended chair, and son Jimmy now sporting a very 80s-rrific track suit.




Again, the show stayed the same after that until 1985, GE decided to drop their sponsorship of the attraction. Thus, any reference to GE products or any GE logos on the attraction were now removed.

The show remained the same then, until the biggest overhaul came finally in 1993. As it was time to be updated, the Imagineers decided to create a new show that was more in spirit of the original 1964 show. This included "A Christmas Story" narrator Jean Shephard now voicing Father, and voice actress BJ Ward as the voice of Mother. The biggest and most notable change however, was that after 18 years, "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" returned as the attraction's theme song. This 1993 version of the ride is pretty much the same now as it appears today. Here's the current version of "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow"

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CZq35oee0lI" frameborder="0"></iframe>

And that, good sir, is the long history of Carousel of Progress. Now on to the other notable changes - WDW's Pirates of the Carribean. Pirates is my second ride in the Magic Kingdom, and I am sad to say, that many unique things to WDW's Pirates is now longer there, post 2006.

A bit of history first though to refresh. Of course, Sparrow and Barbossa were never in the ride until 2006. It wasn't until the huge popularity of the movies, did Disney realize that many guests were going on Pirates and now complaining about not seeing Jack Sparrow on the attraction. So, both the Disneyland and Walt Disney World versions were overhauled. These are the most notable changes that they did at WDW's Pirates:

- replaced the steel drum music in Caribbean Plaza with the Pirates movie soundtrack
- add the broken mast with the skeleton in the crow's nest with the sail that says "Pirates of the Caribbean" outside the attraction
- add the waterfall effect in the Dead Man's Grotto (originally it was the face of Davy Jones, now it's the face of Blackbeard)
- a new ethereal sounding version of "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me)" now playing in Dead Man's Grotto
- replaced the Captain of the Wicked Wench with Barbossa
- new music sounding in the same style as the movie soundtrack was added to the battle scene
- changed the dialogue of the Pirate Captain dunking Mayor Carlos from asking where the treasure is, to where they're hiding Sparrow
- the new Sparrow animatronic between the Dunking the Mayor and the Wench Auction scenes
- Sparrow replacing the woman hiding in the barrel, and changing the "Pooped Pirate's" dialgoue to about Sparrow looking for the treasure map

Now, here's the part where they got rid of many of the things that were unique to WDW's Pirates, that really tick me off that they got rid of You can also read about them more at FoxxFur's wonderful blog "Passport to Dreams Old & New"

- the cannons atop the fort facade no longer fire
- the Barker Parrot outside the attraction that ushered guests into the attraction was removed
- the music they used to play at the turnstiles when you first entered the fort (you can hear it on the Pirates of the Caribbean theme park CD entitled as "Fortue Red" music) was removed
- In the fort queue, they used to have sound effects of the Spanish soldiers in the fort running around and preparing for an oncoming attack by the pirates. These sound effects are now no longer heard, and is replaced by an endlessly playing loop of the attraction's overture
- The "Pirate Digging Treasure" shadow effect no longer there. I'm not quite sure if it's entirely gone, but the last times I had gone there in the past years, it was no longer working. If you take the "Dungeons" side of the queue, as you're about to board your beateau, you'll notice a cave to your right by the loading area. There's the sounds of someone digging in the sand for treasure. The sound effect is still there, however, there also used to be a shadow effect of a pirate digging for treasure
- The removal of the skull and crossbones that used to be above the waterfall drop that warned "Avast! There be rough waters ahead!"
- And finally, what I think is sadly the largest removal of a WDW Pirates original. The original final scene was what was known as the Treasury. In this room, a band of drunken pirates finally discovered the town's treasure and were celebrating by wildly shooting off into the air - with the guards bound and gagged on a table behind them. This was a scene that Marc Davis had created specially for WDW's Pirates as he thought it would be a more fitting finale for the show. Unfortunately, the entire scene was completely overhauled, and is now replaced by Sparrow in the chair of the treasury room with a parrot. So about 6-7 full human animatronic figures and a grand finale scene, was replaced by a single human and parrot figures.

Whew, okay, that was long and involving. Now, let's get to Haunted Mansion! In 2007, the Mansion got a big overhaul to the attraction.The most notable changes included:
- new ethereal audio effects added to the Ghost Host's voice
- the creaking and slamming sound as the panel closes in the Stretch Room
- the sounds of creaking wood in the Stretch Room as the room stretches
- the sound of bats squeaking and fluttering as guests exit the Stretch Room, along with the sound of ghostly giggles and whispers, ushering guests to "Stay together!" and finally "Get out!"
- the Jack the Ripper, Villgaer, Mariner, Ghost Host, Vampire, Witch of Walpurgis, and Bearded Man portraits were moved from the "Staring Portrait Gallery" to the loading area
- the Widow December and the Couple portraits from the "Staring Portrait Gallery" were moved to the Stairwell scene
- The "Staring Portrait Gallery" was entirely overhauled. Originally in this area, there used to be what is known as the "Sinister 11" - a group of 11 different monstrous portraits that followed you with their eyes as you rode down the hall. During the rehab, they moved 10 of the 11 portraits to other areas of the ride, and changed the hallway. Now in the hallway, to the left are a series of windows with a violent storm flashing lightning outside. To the right, are the portraits of Medusa, the Black Prince, the Flying Dutchman, and the Tiger Lady that transform with each lightning flash. They also added a decaying mirror, a table stand, and a cobwebbed bird statue as decoration.
- In the Music Parlor, they added a cello and a violin as props to the room. Also they tweaked the lighting, and the Ghostly Pianist's shadow is seen more clearly on the floor
- Perhaps the biggest change is the Grand Staircase. Up until 2007, this space used to be just a black void, where you rode up past a series of large cobwebs with quivering spiders lurking in their webs. After the refurb, they overhauled this space to make the Endless Staircase you see now, with the dozens of different staircases all stretching around you every which way.
- The addition of the effect of eyes watching you in the dark fading into the wallpaper
- The floral design of the wallpaper in the Endless Hallway scene was changed to be an extension of the monster faced "Corridor of Doors" wallpaper
- The lighting in the Corridor of Doors was changed from a reddish hue to a more lighter color. They also added the family ghoul photographs from Disneyland here, as well as another portrait of the Ghost Host. The sound effects were also somewhat changed, some of the original effects being deleted and being replaced by an ominous pounding sound. Also, new "stereo" sound effects were added to this scene - many of the screams in the hallway now sound like the travel up and down the corridor.
- Madame Leota now floats above her seance table
- The Opera Glasses Woman portrait from the Sinister 11 was moved now to the dark space between the Ballroom and the Attic scenes
- The Attic scene was completely redone. Originally, this scene conainted a number of "pop up" ghost figures dressed in groom outfits that leapt up and screamed at you as you rode by. Also, the Attic bride was a more tragic looking figure, and floated silently in front of you, with her heart glowing through her dress. After the refurb, they brought the new Constance "Black Widow Bride" storyline from Disneyland. A broken harpsichord version of the Wedding March now plays; the pop up ghosts were replaced by the changing portraits of Constance's numerous husbands whose heads disappear in the portraits. And finally, the original Bride is now replaced by the projection figure Constance who wields the axe.
- In the graveyard the vocal tracks for the Duke and Duchess, the Tea Party Ghosts, the Opera Singers, and the Beheaded Knight, Exeuctioner, adn Prisoner were all replaced by new singers. I'm still baffled why they changed this, since the new singers sound like they're trying so hard to imitate the original vocalists anyway.

Those were the most notable changes that came about in the 2007 refurb. Since then they've added two other notable changes - the new interactive queue in the graveyard; and the new interactive Hitchhiking Ghosts mirror effects that replaced the old AAs.

Hope that all helps

[disneyprincess11]

Don't forget Journey into the Imagination. That's DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT now!

Before:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/NGe0psLTCdI" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Now:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/BCW59_8CpK4" frameborder="0"></iframe>

[David S.]

Wow, Tim, that was an excellent and thorough job of detailing all the changes to those attractions.

I prefer the original Pirates but I don't mind the Sparrow changes as much as a lot of fans do. What I miss the most is actually that lovable "Barker Bird" on the outside. I really don't get the point of why he had to go. I alse really miss the steel drum music loop, as that to me goes better with the Caribbean architecture and seems to be better "placemaking" as being more like the type of music you would actually hear in a real Caribbean plaza, rather than cinematic film score.

My family and I were watching the Carousel of Progress, and something caught my eye.

In the end portion, when they show "futuristic" technology, was a brand new LG HDTV. They used it to display that virtual reality they were playing.

Here's an interesting fact about that new TV. It was only added a few years ago, but the video game Jimmy and Grandma are playing is exactly the same one that the show has had since the 93 refurb - it kind of has to be because the scores fit with the dialogue of the oven overheating.

Up until recently, this game was displayed on a standard 4:3 television. But with the conversion to a 16:9 TV, the video game has been stretched from its native 4:3 to fill the screen. They are using the mode where the middle of the screen stays normal, but when the ships fly over to the side of the screen, they stretch and their shape gets distorted. This looks hideous IMO, as stretching video content to fill the screen is a pet peeve of mine.

I guess the imagineers figured few people would notice this, and they wanted the content to appear to be in widescreen rather than pillarboxed to appear more "futuristic". But the inadvertant message this sends is that in the future, content in the classic 4:3 ratio should be displayed stretched and distorted - some "progress"!

Other that that little nitpick, the current version of the attraction is actually my favorite so far.

I also like what they did with Spaceship Earth though now I'm curious what it was like before they added the interactive stuff. I was only about 8 years old the last time I was at Epcot prior to them changing it.

The current version is actually the fourth, which opened in 2008. The third version opened in 1994 and had Jeremy Irons as narrator intead of the current Judy Dench. The current version has newer AAs but most of the early scenes are similar to what was there before. The last few scenes before you reach the top are different, as is the descent. The current descent has no scenery other than what's on your video screens. The older descents had scenery inside of the ride instead of the video screens.

Here is a wikipedia article about the attraction's history:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceship_Earth_(Epcot)

(for some reason I can't create a direct link to the article as the forum software keeps putting the word "Epcot" in the address outside of the link. And when I used the url buttons, the entire post vanished! But luckilly, all the text was still there in edit mode. You can cut and paste the link to read the article)

Here is an excellent video site by Martin Smith that I highly reccomend, which focuses on historical videos showing how Disney attractions have changed over the years, and includes many defunct attractions: http://www.martinsvids.net

And here's Martin's tribute video to the history of Spaceship Earth:

http://www.martinsvids.net/?p=278


Other atractions that have recently changed besides the 3 Tim discussed, Spaceship Earth, and Imagination (I much prefer the original Figment version, but I still enjoy the current one because I love Figment and the One Little Spark song) include, but are not limited to:

Epcot

* El Rio del Tiempo at Epcot was modified to include The Three Caballeros and is now known as "Grand Fiesta Tour". This took some getting used to as El Rio was a favorite and I loved the catchy original theme song, but I actually prefer the new version as I find it more festive, lively, and humorous. And at least the Three Caballeros song is equally as catchy as the original!

* The Seas With Nemo and Friends ride replaced the original Living Seas "Sea Cab" ride. Again, I much prefer the current version as it's cuter and features characters and has a catchy song. The heart of the pavillion - being able to explore the aquarium at your own pace and learn about the fish, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, etc - is still intact.

* O Canada Circle Vision film was recut with some new footage added, some of the older footage replaced, and Martin Short added as a host.

* Food Rocks permanent closure around 2005-ish

* Live spiel from a guide on Living With the Land replaced with automated recorded spiel - no more ride-along guides (an unfortunate side effect of this is more idiots are tempted to get out of the moving boats and walk around, which causes a ride shutdown).

* Universe of Energy modified to become Ellen's Energy Adventure - although this change is not really a "recent" change anymore. I do prefer the current version as I find it more humorous and entertaining.

* Complete closure of the Wonders Of Life pavilion circa 2006

* Captain EO recently returned in place of Honey I Shrunk the Audience at the Imagination pavilion's Magic Eye Theatre (this didn't bother me as I really enjoy both shows, with a preference for EO, and I was happy for the chance to see EO again)

Disney's Hollywood Studios

* The excellent new Star Tours ride! This is IMO one of the best makeovers to a classic they've ever done. The random element of not knowing which of the 2 introductions, 3 opening planets, 3 transmissions, and 3 finales you will get make this VERY re-ridable, IMO. The 3-D is nice, as well.

* The Sounds Dangerous attraction went "seasonal" a few years ago (basically only open during the mobbed Christmas and Easter rush), and now appears to be permanantly closed.

* Walt Disney: One Man's Dream has had some things removed, and others added during a recent refurb. Some of the text that you could read throughout the exhibit has been removed - mostly stories about Walt's life by those who knew him.

* Playhouse Disney: Live On Stage has had 2 changes in the last few years. The first was a redo of the entire show with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse gang replacing Bear in the Big Blue House as hosts. More recently, the My Friends Tigger and Pooh scene was replaced with Jake and the Neverland Pirates.

* Lights Motors Action had a recent change in which the Herbie the Love Bug comedy segment between stunts was replaced by one featuring Cars characters

* The Pixar Countdown to Fun Parade replaced Block Party Bash, which replaced the Stars and Motor Cars Parade, which was my favorite of the 3.

Animal Kingdom

Not much has changed here since Everest was added in 2006, except:

* Pocahontas and Her Forest Friends show/attraction featuring live animals closed in 2008 and was replaced with - nothing!

* Tarzan Rocks closed in 2006 and was replaced by the Finding Nemo musical.

* Earlier this year, the Kilimanjaro Safari attraction storyline was modified to no longer mention poachers, and Warden Wilson Matua no longer communicates with the vehicles. The Little Red storyline has been removed, so the animatronic baby elephant is gone as well (would be a perfect fit for Jungle Cruise!) Instead of poachers/Little Red, the new finale will feature zebras, who are being reintoduced to the ride.

* Miss Kitty the Dexter Cow from Affection Section recently passed away from old age, as did the Malayan Tapir on the Maharajah Jungle Trek in Asia. Obviously, this is the kind of sad change that is not Disney's fault. The Tapir was replaced by geese, and there are three adorable new piglets at Affection Section.

Magic Kingdom

* The triumphant return of the ORIGINAL Enchanted Tiki Room show, as the Iago anamatronic from Under New Management LITERALLY caught fire. Although the current version of the original has been shortened a bit for my taste (with one song completely missing and a few others shortened), I am very happy to have it back.

* Country Bear Jamboree is currently closed for refurb, and when it reopens one (or more) of the original songs are expected to be removed to shorten the show.

* Tomorrowland Transit Authority's name changed back to Peoplemover and got a new audio spiel (by the same guy who does the Living With the Land spiel)

* Some recent changes to Space Mountain include some changes to the queue, less light bleeding into the ride, and music audio playing during the ride (not from onboard speakers but speakers throughout the building)

* Alien Encounter was replaced with Stitch's Great Escape. I am in the apparent minority of fans (at least online) who prefer the current lighter, humorous, and mischevious tone of Stitch over the darker, more menacing AE.

* Timekeeper closed and was replaced with Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. In this case, I don't care for this change, as I enjoyed Timekeeper, and Laugh Floor is my least favorite attraction in WDW, and the only one I can think of that I dislike enough to skip regularly

* My beloved Main Street Electrical parade made a triumphant return in summer 2010! (Spectromagic is expected to return next year).

* New interactive queue for the Pooh ride, which adds charm and story to the queue without detracting anything away from the ride experience itself. A good move!

* New Walt Disney World Railroad spiel (with new narrator who sticks to the humorous tone of the old one) due to the loss of Toontown and new Fantasyland. Aside from the new script, the musical interludes were removed.

* At Main Street Exhibition Hall, the classic Disney shorts that were screened there, and the displays about Walt's animation milestones, were removed to become the new Mickey Meet and Greet

* In a baffling and bizarre move, Cinderella's Golden Carousel had it's name changed to Prince Charming Regal Carousel. Even more annoying is the little mice figures of Gus and Jaq were removed from the sign during this name change and never put back. (I know the missing mice might not seem like much, but it's the little details like this that add layers of charm to the Disney parks and distinguish them from the competition!)



(photo from Jack Spence's excellent blog at allears.net)


* Dumbo moved to the old Toontown site and got more placemaking and story elements from the film, a new music loop that includes new recordings of much of the film music, and a second spinner to double the capacity. Since Dumbo is my favorite film, I enjoy these enhancements, but I do miss the old location during the firework show, as Dumbo was once positioned perfectly during the fireworks to feel completely surrounded by them if you rode during the show

* Complete demolition of Toontown, and loss of Mickey's House, Minnie's House, Donald's Boat, and the wonderful music loop that featured instrumental recordings of classic songs from the "Fab 5" and Silly Symphony shorts from the 20's, 30's, and 40's. Goofy's Barnstormer stayed but the new theming is less elaborate than the original, and you no longer crash through a barn, there are no more animatronic chickens, and there is less greenery along the ride. It feels more plopped out in the open now, with more minimal theming.
As someone who loved Toontown and all of it's little underapreciated details, props, and references, I do not support its closure

* Complete closure of the Snow White's (Scary) Adventures classic darkride to make way for.... a princess meet and greet they could have put ANYWHERE. This saddens me so much, I could write a novella-length essay about it!

And the Snow White and Toontown closures were the worst for me personally since the mid to late 90's "dark ages" of WDW closures which claimed Journey Into Imagination (original version), Kitchen Kabaret, Horizons, World of Motion, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the original Tiki Room show, and the Walt Disney Story, all within just a few short years!

At least the original Tiki Room show is now (mostly) back, and the Walt Disney Story essentially found a new home at the Studios as Walt Disney: One Man's Dream.

[drfsupercenter]

Here's an interesting fact about that new TV. It was only added a few years ago, but the video game Jimmy and Grandma are playing is exactly the same one that the show has had since the 93 refurb - it kind of has to be because the scores fit with the dialogue of the oven overheating.

Up until recently, this game was displayed on a standard 4:3 television. But with the conversion to a 16:9 TV, the video game has been stretched from its native 4:3 to fill the screen. They are using the mode where the middle of the screen stays normal, but when the ships fly over to the side of the screen, they stretch and their shape gets distorted. This looks hideous IMO, as stretching video content to fill the screen is a pet peeve of mine.

I guess the imagineers figured few people would notice this, and they wanted the content to appear to be in widescreen rather than pillarboxed to appear more "futuristic". But the inadvertant message this sends is that in the future, content in the classic 4:3 ratio should be displayed stretched and distorted - some "progress"! Wink

Other that that little nitpick, the current version of the attraction is actually my favorite so far.

Ah, yeah I figured as much. I was staring at that TV for quite a while trying to figure out how they were filling the screen, and actually couldn't tell that it was being stretched. And I'm usually really keen on those sorts of things. Perhaps if I had seen the show more recently on the older TV I would have recognized what it SHOULD have looked like.

But it seems like Disney doesn't respect aspect ratios much anymore anyway - they were showing Disney classic movies such as Lady and the Tramp in some of their "kid friendly" areas, using widescreen TVs and having the picture stretched. All the TVs in our hotel room (we stayed at a Disney resort) were forcibly stretched to widescreen with no way to change it.

But thanks for all the info guys, it made for an interesting read. I figured that they had re-vamped the Carousel of Progress, but this was only my second or third time seeing it in my life so I couldn't tell what.

As for the Pirates of the Caribbean, as I pointed out in my other thread, the ride broke down while we were on it so I never actually got to see the end. We got stuck at the room where they were singing "yo ho yo ho a pirate's life for me" over and over, and they finally shut the repetitive music off after about 45 minutes

If I go back to Magic Kingdom in the future, hopefully the ride won't be having issues. And I still don't understand how these water rides break down, isn't it just a track that the boats move on?

[jpanimation]

I also noticed that the Haunted Mansion revamped the line a bit and added interactive instruments you can play with.

I dislike what they did with the line. It used to be scary, with the wolf howling and the creepy graveyard. Now all I hear is goofy cartoon sound effects. You were also not supposed to see anything supernatural until you entered the house, where the portraits clue you in that there is more going on here then it seems. I just feel like their need to add a kiddie playground in the queue has hurt the atmosphere and story. Other then that, I LOVE the actually refurb to the ride. The new scene and special effects are awesome.

I also like what they did with Spaceship Earth though now I'm curious what it was like before they added the interactive stuff. I was only about 8 years old the last time I was at Epcot prior to them changing it.

I REALLY dislike what they did with Spaceship Earth. I feel like the updated animatronics is the only thing they did right. The new narration by Judi Dench has the delivery of a school teacher, it's just terrible. The writing is really what kills it, especially when stacked up against Jeremy Irons grandiose narration. The new Bruce Broughton ride score is good (not nearly as good as his Timekeeper and Ellen's Energy Adventure scores) but simply can't match the Edo Guidotti score (which I have on my iPod). Guidotti's score felt majestic and never failed to give me goosebumps, especially on the decent. There are also unnecessary changes like turning the newspaper kid backwards, removing a ship from the Phoneticians scene, removing the Egyptian chiseling hieroglyphics on the wall or editing the exposed breast on the sculpture during the Renaissance section. The worst of all has to be the decent. They took what once would move me to tears utilizing the combination of set pieces and music to portray an positive outlook of the future to just some crapy flash video playing during a long dark hall that seems like it'd be a free game on DisneyChannel.com. I'm not the only person who feels this way, as most people agree that the 1994 version is the best.

Don't forget Journey into the Imagination. That's DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT now!

How can anyone forget. It used to be my favorite ride, and now I can't get anyone to ride it with me. I'm literally the only person on the ride when I do go. It represents everything that's wrong with Epcot nowadays. At least it's inspiring fans to recreate the old rides, like Journey Back into Imagination:

http://journeybackintoimagination.blogspot.com/

I prefer the original Pirates but I don't mind the Sparrow changes as much as a lot of fans do. What I miss the most is actually that lovable "Barker Bird" on the outside. I really don't get the point of why he had to go. I alse really miss the steel drum music loop, as that to me goes better with the Caribbean architecture and seems to be better "placemaking" as being more like the type of music you would actually hear in a real Caribbean plaza, rather than cinematic film score.

I dislike the movie franchise additions (they destroyed the finale, which used to have multiple animatronics and a much larger set), I dislike them making the ride PC (it ruins the jokes) and I too miss the barker bird. My hope is that years from now when the additions are merely dating the ride that they'll revert it back to how it used to be (like they did with Tiki Room).

Here's an interesting fact about that new TV. It was only added a few years ago, but the video game Jimmy and Grandma are playing is exactly the same one that the show has had since the 93 refurb - it kind of has to be because the scores fit with the dialogue of the oven overheating.

Not entirely the same. I believe the graphics displayed on the television used to look like TRON. Sometime in the 2000's they finally "updated" the graphics to what they look like now (trust me, they were outdated even then). The flatscreen replacing the rear projection was just the latest adjustment to an extremely dated scene in need of more then just an adjustment. I'd really love them to update this ride to have next-gen animatronics and an entirely updated ending.

This looks hideous IMO, as stretching video content to fill the screen is a pet peeve of mine.

Agreed. It looks incredibly incompetent on Disney's part when they're stretchin the image on the television...in the FUTURE scene. That's what we call a bad show. They'd be better off just ditching the television, since you wouldn't need one if you're wearing a visor, which may come to the public's eye if the Oculus Rift takes off. If they ever update this scene, they should use that glass projection technique that Universal is using on Disaster and Harry Potter to give the illusion of holograms.

* El Rio del Tiempo at Epcot was modified to include The Three Caballeros and is now known as "Grand Fiesta Tour". This took some getting used to as El Rio was a favorite and I loved the catchy original theme song, but I actually prefer the new version as I find it more festive, lively, and humorous. And at least the Three Caballeros song is equally as catchy as the original!

I don't really care for either version but at least the old version matched the areas they were in. It literally looks like what's being projected on the screens has nothing to do with the surrounding set piece. If they would've matched the projections with the set pieces and used the Mickey Mouse Revue animatronics during the finale as planned, I'd probably like this new version much more.

* The Seas With Nemo and Friends ride replaced the original Living Seas "Sea Cab" ride. Again, I much prefer the current version as it's cuter and features characters and has a catchy song. The heart of the pavillion - being able to explore the aquarium at your own pace and learn about the fish, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, etc - is still intact.

I dislike the new version. Let me be clear, I never cared for The Living Seas to begin with but the new version just seems like the movie tie-ins that aquariums occasionally do to attract kids. I guess that's the theme, movie tie-in, since it's no longer underwater sea base (which was about the only thing I liked about The Living Seas was it's theme, which tied into the Future World theme). Also, the new ride that replaced the sea cabs is terrible. The projections don't work very well and the new songs they wrote are god awful. They also covered up a lot of the aquarium with cheap tarps during the ride. Just an all around poorly executed dark ride that nobody really rides.

* O Canada Circle Vision film was recut with some new footage added, some of the older footage replaced, and Martin Short added as a host.

I enjoy the old version of the theme song more, it just works better as a duet. The new version is apparently sung by a Canadian Idol winner. Either way, it's still enjoyable.

* Food Rocks permanent closure around 2005-ish

Soarin' is terrible (not that Food Rocks was great or anything). Not only should it have never been put inside The Land building, since it has major traffic issues, but it also ruins the atmosphere of the building. It used to have warm colors, wood railings and a fountain in the center, with no one in a rush and it was the perfect place for us to eat. You know, earthy colors, earthy feel, makes sense...right? Now everything is sterile white, with metal railings, no fountain and everyone is in a rush and overcrowding the place to where you can't even enjoy your meal. The GIGANTIC rid building can also bee seen from World Showcase, which ruins the atmosphere there too. Oh yeah, the ride is also incredibly mediocre. Outside of Jerry Goldsmith's outstanding score, you're basically just watching a montage of California flyovers on a hanging bench. Terrible ride that I believe everyone rides simply to listen to Jerry Goldsmith's score.

* Universe of Energy modified to become Ellen's Energy Adventure - although this change is not really a "recent" change anymore. I do prefer the current version as I find it more humorous and entertaining.

I also prefer this version. The old one...and excuse the pun...lacked any kind of energy. This one has a wonderfully energetic score by Bruce Broughton and a much more entertaining show. It really balances the comedy and educational aspects perfectly and I really wish they would've used this ride as a model when approaching future refurbishments.

* Complete closure of the Wonders Of Life pavilion circa 2006

This is just tragic. Their newest pavilion is also the first to go and it's now just a wine tasting area. It really leaves a gap in the rides department. I miss you Buzzy. We had fun times. I also miss you syntho-music that played in the building, I will forever be transported back there every time I listen to you on my iPod.

* Captain EO recently returned in place of Honey I Shrunk the Audience at the Imagination pavilion's Magic Eye Theatre (this didn't bother me as I really enjoy both shows, with a preference for EO, and I was happy for the chance to see EO again)

Captain EO is terrible. I never saw it during it's original run but it's astonishing how Coppola can go from The Godfather to this garbage. Nobody in my family liked it. Honey I Shrunk the Audience was more enjoyable to say the least. Less corn ball.

* The excellent new Star Tours ride! This is IMO one of the best makeovers to a classic they've ever done. The random element of not knowing which of the 2 introductions, 3 opening planets, 3 transmissions, and 3 finales you will get make this VERY re-ridable, IMO. The 3-D is nice, as well.

This is honestly the best refurb Disney has ever done. I was super impressed by how they kept the integrity of the old ride intact while plussing it in every other way. They only thing that could've topped it is if they recreated the old show in 3D and had it randomly play from time to time as a hidden easter egg along with the new stuff. Either way, I love it.

* Lights Motors Action had a recent change in which the Herbie the Love Bug comedy segment between stunts was replaced by one featuring Cars characters

LMA is a terrible show that took a decent ride - Backlot Tour - and made it virtually unridable. The damn thing is gigantic, just take a look at a satellite view and you can see that it's almost more then twice the size of Indiana Jones. It takes up too much space and just isn't very entertaining. I just never understood why anyone would want to watch a generic car stunt show when in the same park to can go see an Indiana Jones stunt show. They should remove it and add some soundstages to The Backlot Tour. One soundstage you enter could be on the Muppet Studios, where you see them filming their movies (basically recycling the old Great Muppet Movie Ride concept) and another soundstage could recreate a scene from a famous movie (Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit) utilizing all kinds of special effects that could surpass even Catastrophe Canyon. As it is, LMA is taking up way to much valuable space.

* The triumphant return of the ORIGINAL Enchanted Tiki Room show, as the Iago anamatronic from Under New Management LITERALLY caught fire. Although the current version of the original has been shortened a bit for my taste (with one song completely missing and a few others shortened), I am very happy to have it back.

Me too. I also welcome the orange bird back. That whole corner is now just a bundle of nostalgia, isn't it lol

* Alien Encounter was replaced with Stitch's Great Escape. I am in the apparent minority of fans (at least online) who prefer the current lighter, humorous, and mischevious tone of Stitch over the darker, more menacing AE.

Alien Encounter was just SOO much better. I'll admit it though, I always enjoyed the pre-show more then the ride. That said, their was nothing really enjoyable about the Stitch ride and I'm one of the biggest Lilo & Stitch fans out there. It's too scary for kids and too immature for adults. It doesn't really have a target audience.

* Timekeeper closed and was replaced with Monsters Inc Laugh Floor. In this case, I don't care for this change, as I enjoyed Timekeeper, and Laugh Floor is my least favorite attraction in WDW, and the only one I can think of that I dislike enough to skip regularly

Agreed. I feel like instead of getting rid of Timekeeper, with it's wonderful characters and music, they should've just redone it. This time, they could've used the same 360 3D technology as TurtleTrek. Would've been quite popular I think.

* New interactive queue for the Pooh ride, which adds charm and story to the queue without detracting anything away from the ride experience itself. A good move!

Agreed. I'm not a fan of the Pooh ride but I have no problem with them plussing it. Saw the queue the last time I was there and it looked great.

* Dumbo moved to the old Toontown site and got more placemaking and story elements from the film, a new music loop that includes new recordings of much of the film music, and a second spinner to double the capacity. Since Dumbo is my favorite film, I enjoy these enhancements, but I do miss the old location during the firework show, as Dumbo was once positioned perfectly during the fireworks to feel completely surrounded by them if you rode during the show

Dumbo always felt like it was in the way but I guess that was part of the attraction, was it's location right in the middle of it all. Now it feels shoved to the side. I guess my biggest beef with this whole thing is that they added a fourth Dumbo ride to this park. Seriously, how many of the same ride do they need in one park?

* Complete demolition of Toontown, and loss of Mickey's House, Minnie's House, Donald's Boat, and the wonderful music loop that featured instrumental recordings of classic songs from the "Fab 5" and Silly Symphony shorts from the 20's, 30's, and 40's. Goofy's Barnstormer stayed but the new theming is less elaborate than the original, and you no longer crash through a barn, there are no more animatronic chickens, and there is less greenery along the ride. It feels more plopped out in the open now, with more minimal theming.
As someone who loved Toontown and all of it's little underapreciated details, props, and references, I do not support its closure

I agree. Barnstormer was surprisingly well themed for a children's coaster and the only theming on the new one is a billboard. I was honestly hoping we would get the full Toontown makeover like Disneyland has but instead we got more circus theming.

* Complete closure of the Snow White's (Scary) Adventures classic darkride to make way for.... a princess meet and greet they could have put ANYWHERE. This saddens me so much, I could write a novella-length essay about it!

Can this really warrant anything else outside a facepalm when hearing a ride is closing for a meet-n-greet?

And the Snow White and Toontown closures were the worst for me personally since the mid to late 90's "dark ages" of WDW closures which claimed Journey Into Imagination (original version), Kitchen Kabaret, Horizons, World of Motion, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, the original Tiki Room show, and the Walt Disney Story, all within just a few short years!

Indeed those were the dark ages.

[David S.]

Nice post, jpanimation.

I REALLY dislike what they did with Spaceship Earth. I feel like the updated animatronics is the only thing they did right. The new narration by Judi Dench has the delivery of a school teacher, it's just terrible. The writing is really what kills it, especially when stacked up against Jeremy Irons grandiose narration. The new Bruce Broughton ride score is good (not nearly as good as his Timekeeper and Ellen's Energy Adventure scores) but simply can't match the Edo Guidotti score (which I have on my iPod). Guidotti's score felt majestic and never failed to give me goosebumps, especially on the decent. There are also unnecessary changes like turning the newspaper kid backwards, removing a ship from the Phoneticians scene, removing the Egyptian chiseling hieroglyphics on the wall or editing the exposed breast on the sculpture during the Renaissance section. The worst of all has to be the decent. They took what once would move me to tears utilizing the combination of set pieces and music to portray an positive outlook of the future to just some crapy flash video playing during a long dark hall that seems like it'd be a free game on DisneyChannel.com. I'm not the only person who feels this way, as most people agree that the 1994 version is the best.

I would have to agree with the love for the Irons version. I also liked the one before that. Another thing about the Dench narration is the synchronization of the lines saying "our Spaceship Earth" is out of sync with the actual reveal of Spaceship Earth, which makes the moment less awe-inspiring. And the former English/liberal arts major in me can't help but notice that the Greek scene was changed from theatre to mathematics!

Also, an effect from the chariot scene seems to be gone, and yes, I don't get the backwards newsboy, and preferred the older descents.

I do have to say I really enjoy the racing game in the new post-show area. I guess that's the classic Atari Pole Position fan in me talking

Thanks for the name of the composer of the old score. Learn something new every day

Here's an interesting fact about that new TV. It was only added a few years ago, but the video game Jimmy and Grandma are playing is exactly the same one that the show has had since the 93 refurb - it kind of has to be because the scores fit with the dialogue of the oven overheating.

Not entirely the same. I believe the graphics displayed on the television used to look like TRON. Sometime in the 2000's they finally "updated" the graphics to what they look like now (trust me, they were outdated even then). The flatscreen replacing the rear projection was just the latest adjustment to an extremely dated scene in need of more then just an adjustment. I'd really love them to update this ride to have next-gen animatronics and an entirely updated ending.

My bad. I didn't get to visit regularly in the early years of post-93 CoP and I guess I didn't recall the earlier version of that video content. I did remember, however, that the scene always had a 4:3 TV and that the content it is showing now was the same content it had for several years before the 16:9 display was added, and that they are now stretching it!

If they would've matched the projections with the set pieces and used the Mickey Mouse Revue animatronics during the finale as planned, I'd probably like this new version much more.

Yes, it would have been nice to see those Mickey Mouse Revue AA's again, especially since the attraction was sadly closed in Tokyo and the 3-Cab figures were reportly even shipped to Orlando for just that purpose.

* Food Rocks permanent closure around 2005-ish

Soarin' is terrible (not that Food Rocks was great or anything). Not only should it have never been put inside The Land building, since it has major traffic issues, but it also ruins the atmosphere of the building. It used to have warm colors, wood railings and a fountain in the center, with no one in a rush and it was the perfect place for us to eat. You know, earthy colors, earthy feel, makes sense...right? Now everything is sterile white, with metal railings, no fountain and everyone is in a rush and overcrowding the place to where you can't even enjoy your meal. The GIGANTIC rid building can also bee seen from World Showcase, which ruins the atmosphere there too. Oh yeah, the ride is also incredibly mediocre. Outside of Jerry Goldsmith's outstanding score, you're basically just watching a montage of California flyovers on a hanging bench. Terrible ride that I believe everyone rides simply to listen to Jerry Goldsmith's score.

Regarding Food Rocks, I preffered Kitchen Kabaret and was really sad when Kabaret closed. I'll have to respectfully disagree with some of what you say about Soarin'. I've been to 56 theme parks and I'd say it's the most breathtaking of all the attractions I've ridden that would be classified in the "motion simulator" genre. Especially if you request Row B1 (the top row of the middle section). The combination of the height, dangling feet, cool breeze in your face, swooping motion, and enormous screen make it quite breathtaking and fairly convincing. I consider the ride thrilling but in a very relaxing way - not too intense for seniors so it's something the whole family can enjoy. And yes, the music's great.

I will say that some of the cuts are a bit quick and it would have been nice to have some longer, sustained shots. And yes, it messes up some Showcase sightlines (though not as bad as Swan and Dolphin).

And yes, it's turned a once relaxing pavilion into a chaotic zoo. And that is where I have to agree with you. While I like the attraction quite a bit, I don't get the way the public acts like its 10 times better than everything else in the park (as in, it can have a 90 minute wait when everything else in the park is a total walk-on except Test Track)

One thing I like about the current Land foodcourt area is that this track is on the music loop (although with the crowds, it won't always be easy to hear): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c116w4HGTGk

* Universe of Energy modified to become Ellen's Energy Adventure - although this change is not really a "recent" change anymore. I do prefer the current version as I find it more humorous and entertaining.

I also prefer this version. The old one...and excuse the pun...lacked any kind of energy. This one has a wonderfully energetic score by Bruce Broughton and a much more entertaining show. It really balances the comedy and educational aspects perfectly and I really wish they would've used this ride as a model when approaching future refurbishments.

Agreed, I found the original on the dry and corporate side. I enjoyed it for what it was, but the current one is just more fun without losing the educational aspects of what Epcot is about.

* The Seas With Nemo and Friends ride replaced the original Living Seas "Sea Cab" ride. Again, I much prefer the current version as it's cuter and features characters and has a catchy song. The heart of the pavillion - being able to explore the aquarium at your own pace and learn about the fish, manatees, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, etc - is still intact.

I dislike the new version. Let me be clear, I never cared for The Living Seas to begin with but the new version just seems like the movie tie-ins that aquariums occasionally do to attract kids. I guess that's the theme, movie tie-in, since it's no longer underwater sea base (which was about the only thing I liked about The Living Seas was it's theme, which tied into the Future World theme). Also, the new ride that replaced the sea cabs is terrible. The projections don't work very well and the new songs they wrote are god awful. They also covered up a lot of the aquarium with cheap tarps during the ride. Just an all around poorly executed dark ride that nobody really rides.

Now, please don't speak for everyone because I really like it, and ride it regularly whenever I'm in O-Town and visiting Epcot

I know there is a tremendous backlash amongst a lot of the fans about characters being added outside Fantasyland and MK, but the funny thing is, everything you said about Ellen being added to Energy is how I feel about Nemo being added to The Seas. Where Ellen and Bill Nye "host" Energy, the Nemo gang now "host" the Seas.

I find the new ride more fun and entertaining than the old, but I find the pavlion just as educational as before. One just has to walk around after exiting the ride, watch the dolphin, fish-feed, and manatee presentations, read the signs, etc. Other than the old preshow film, I don't think much educational value of the old ride itself has been lost. Granted, you could see into the tank better from the old ride, but it wasn't to my recollection any better of a view than you get now by walking down the second story corridor towards the main tank overlook.

And another thing - people bash the current Nemo ride for being "short", but the original Sea Cab ride was significantly shorter. I couldn't believe how short it was the first time I rode it! And the hydrolators weren't very convincing, either, IMO. It was more obvious to me than on the Mansion that you weren't really descending.

Also, the pavilion seems to get a lot more traffic than it did before Nemo was added, so I guess somebody besides me likes it compared to what was there before. I think we'll have to "agree to disagree" on this one.

* Complete closure of the Wonders Of Life pavilion circa 2006

This is just tragic. Their newest pavilion is also the first to go and it's now just a wine tasting area. It really leaves a gap in the rides department. I miss you Buzzy. We had fun times. I also miss you syntho-music that played in the building, I will forever be transported back there every time I listen to you on my iPod.

Complete agreement. While I do enjoy going in there now during Flower and Garden fest to ask the unsuspecting CMs "Excuse me, what time will Body Wars be opening today" (in a playful, humorous way), I'd much rather have the pavilion back as an open, functioning pavilion with actual attractions!

* Captain EO recently returned in place of Honey I Shrunk the Audience at the Imagination pavilion's Magic Eye Theatre (this didn't bother me as I really enjoy both shows, with a preference for EO, and I was happy for the chance to see EO again)

Captain EO is terrible. I never saw it during it's original run but it's astonishing how Coppola can go from The Godfather to this garbage. Nobody in my family liked it. Honey I Shrunk the Audience was more enjoyable to say the least. Less corn ball.

I guess I LIKE "corn ball" . I also really like the music and the Muppet-like characters. Don't get me wrong, I loved HISTA too (especially the scene where the mice get loose and ANY scene with the dog! )

As for Coppola, to be fair, this film is for an entirely different audience, and I'm sure the Imagineers, Lucas, and MJ also had significant input in how the attraction turned out. Agree to disagree

* The excellent new Star Tours ride! This is IMO one of the best makeovers to a classic they've ever done. The random element of not knowing which of the 2 introductions, 3 opening planets, 3 transmissions, and 3 finales you will get make this VERY re-ridable, IMO. The 3-D is nice, as well.

This is honestly the best refurb Disney has ever done. I was super impressed by how they kept the integrity of the old ride intact while plussing it in every other way. They only thing that could've topped it is if they recreated the old show in 3D and had it randomly play from time to time as a hidden easter egg along with the new stuff. Either way, I love it.

That would be a GREAT idea. I'd also like to finally make it to Endor itself! (although the Wookie planet sequence seems somewhat similar, with the trees and hover-bike chase.)

* Lights Motors Action had a recent change in which the Herbie the Love Bug comedy segment between stunts was replaced by one featuring Cars characters

LMA is a terrible show that took a decent ride - Backlot Tour - and made it virtually unridable. The damn thing is gigantic, just take a look at a satellite view and you can see that it's almost more then twice the size of Indiana Jones. It takes up too much space and just isn't very entertaining. I just never understood why anyone would want to watch a generic car stunt show when in the same park to can go see an Indiana Jones stunt show. They should remove it and add some soundstages to The Backlot Tour. One soundstage you enter could be on the Muppet Studios, where you see them filming their movies (basically recycling the old Great Muppet Movie Ride concept) and another soundstage could recreate a scene from a famous movie (Lord of the Rings / The Hobbit) utilizing all kinds of special effects that could surpass even Catastrophe Canyon. As it is, LMA is taking up way to much valuable space.

To be fair, the car stunts involve more speed, car jumps, and such than Indy, which has different types of stunts.

But you may get your wish to see it gone, as the word from the insiders on the WDWMagic boards is it's going VERY soon, for an East Coast Carsland.

* The triumphant return of the ORIGINAL Enchanted Tiki Room show, as the Iago anamatronic from Under New Management LITERALLY caught fire. Although the current version of the original has been shortened a bit for my taste (with one song completely missing and a few others shortened), I am very happy to have it back.

Me too. I also welcome the orange bird back. That whole corner is now just a bundle of nostalgia, isn't it lol

Yes, good for the Orange Bird! Is he back as a walk-around character yet or just on merch and stuff?

* Alien Encounter was replaced with Stitch's Great Escape. I am in the apparent minority of fans (at least online) who prefer the current lighter, humorous, and mischevious tone of Stitch over the darker, more menacing AE.

Alien Encounter was just SOO much better. I'll admit it though, I always enjoyed the pre-show more then the ride. That said, their was nothing really enjoyable about the Stitch ride and I'm one of the biggest Lilo & Stitch fans out there. It's too scary for kids and too immature for adults. It doesn't really have a target audience.

Another one where we should "agree to disagree", although I realize I'm in the apparant minority of the fandom. I guess I just found AE too dark for my taste and for the MK in general. I enjoy the mischeivous spirit of the Stitch attraction, as I really like the character and film. I like the musical score, too.

I'm not saying it's one of my faves in the park, but at the same time it's my fave of the 3 attractions I've seen in that spot, and I don't really get the venomous hate directed at the Stitch attraction by many of the regulars on WDWMagic. I mean, people are constantly starting threads just to bash Stitch, followed by the same people piling on...

Dumbo always felt like it was in the way but I guess that was part of the attraction, was it's location right in the middle of it all. Now it feels shoved to the side.

Yes, not only is the breathtaking view of the fireworks gone, but so is the iconic view of making the turn and seeing the Carousel and Castle, which was especially pretty at night. The view from the ride is not as nice now, although I do like the colorful water feature at night.

* Complete demolition of Toontown, and loss of Mickey's House, Minnie's House, Donald's Boat, and the wonderful music loop that featured instrumental recordings of classic songs from the "Fab 5" and Silly Symphony shorts from the 20's, 30's, and 40's. Goofy's Barnstormer stayed but the new theming is less elaborate than the original, and you no longer crash through a barn, there are no more animatronic chickens, and there is less greenery along the ride. It feels more plopped out in the open now, with more minimal theming.
As someone who loved Toontown and all of it's little underapreciated details, props, and references, I do not support its closure

I agree. Barnstormer was surprisingly well themed for a children's coaster and the only theming on the new one is a billboard. I was honestly hoping we would get the full Toontown makeover like Disneyland has but instead we got more circus theming.

I agree. I would have LOVED the expanded Toontown like at DL, with the downtown and Roger Rabbit darkride. Sadly, TDO doesn't seem to have much repect for those small-medium sized classic Fantasyland-style darkrides based on animation, since Disneyland (despite being about 30 acres smaller than MK) has so many more than MK (Toad, Pinocchio, Alice, Roger, and now Snow White) and MK keeps losing theirs (Toad and now Snow White).

* Complete closure of the Snow White's (Scary) Adventures classic darkride to make way for.... a princess meet and greet they could have put ANYWHERE. This saddens me so much, I could write a novella-length essay about it!

Can this really warrant anything else outside a facepalm when hearing a ride is closing for a meet-n-greet?

Yes, I am not against meet and greets, but don't tear down a RIDE for one when they can put it somewhere else! If it is so terrible in their eyes to have 2 attractions from the Snow White film (due to the upcoming mine coaster), IMO the Snow White space should have been used for a new darkride, such as Pinocchio, Alice, a reborn, smaller Toad, or something never done before, like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, or Mary Poppins.

[jpanimation]

I do have to say I really enjoy the racing game in the new post-show area. I guess that's the classic Atari Pole Position fan in me talking

You know, I don't think I've ever bothered with the post show area. Not as Global Neighborhood or Project Tomorrow. As it is, I completely forgot they had interactive games afterwords. This begs the question, why can't the interactive video played during the decent be added to the post show instead? As it is, it feels like they cut off the ride early only to start the post show while you're still trapped in a ride vehicle.

Especially if you request Row B1 (the top row of the middle section). The combination of the height, dangling feet, cool breeze in your face, swooping motion, and enormous screen make it quite breathtaking and fairly convincing.

Maybe it's just me but I don't feel any ride should require a certain spot to be enjoyed. I certainly didn't appreciate waiting inline for 2 hours only to be shoved in the bottom corner where all I saw was the edge of the screen and people's feet dangling in my face. Like I said, the content on the screen just wasn't appealing to me, a bunch of poorly transitioned flyover shots. I'd rather have a story and something that flows together. Something I can't see on Nation Geographic (and in 3D now, thanks to DirecTV). We'll just agree to disagree.

And yes, it's turned a once relaxing pavilion into a chaotic zoo. And that is where I have to agree with you. While I like the attraction quite a bit, I don't get the way the public acts like its 10 times better than everything else in the park (as in, it can have a 90 minute wait when everything else in the park is a total walk-on except Test Track)

My cousin acts like it's the only thing worth riding in the park. Last time I was there, it had double the wait time as Test Track and it sold out the fast passes twice as fast. It's like Toy Story Mania. These are both attractions that you can experience at home and yet they're more popular then the attractions you could never replicate at home. I just don't get it. Is the future really screen attractions?

Also, the pavilion seems to get a lot more traffic than it did before Nemo was added, so I guess somebody besides me likes it compared to what was there before. I think we'll have to "agree to disagree" on this one.

IDK, I waited in the queue for my family (BTW, the queue is WAY bigger then it needs to be) and it was almost as dead as the new Imagination ride. It went nearly 8 minutes without a single rider. Granted, I was only there [the aquarium portion] for a few minutes but the only place I really noticed any traffic was the Nemo store.

I'm not mad that Nemo took over - although I really did love the under water sea base theme - but I feel like it seems tacked on. Like instead of just painting the walls and throwing up Nemo signs (like an aquarium doing a movie tie-in) they should've re-themed the entire inside. We should feel like we're in a coral reef or whatever (like Mermaid Lagoon at Tokyo Disney Sea). I feel like our version of the Nemo ride was just a last minute thrown together version of the Nemo Subs at Disneyland. It's not Nemo that bothers me as much as how budgeted everything feels.

While I do enjoy going in there now during Flower and Garden fest to ask the unsuspecting CMs "Excuse me, what time will Body Wars be opening today" (in a playful, humorous way), I'd much rather have the pavilion back as an open, functioning pavilion with actual attractions!

Now that sounds like fun.

To be fair, the car stunts involve more speed, car jumps, and such than Indy, which has different types of stunts.

I understand that they're different kinds of stunts but I feel that having two stunt shows is overkill and given the choice, who wouldn't go with Indy? LMA was popular in Paris because it was the only stunt show in the park. I don't think many people realize just how much space LMA takes up and if they did, they'd probably be calling for it's removal. If you look at the satellite map, you can see that Star Tours, MuppetVision 3D, the Muppets store, Pizza Planet and Mama Melrose - that whole area - can fit where LMA is.

[Super Aurora]

Being person who love the Living Sea, i do hate what they did with the nemo attraction in it. I'm not fan of injecting everything with DAC/pixar theme into it. Stuff like Living Sea or Alien Encounter don't need rethemeing nor should any rides should be replace with crap either. To me it feels like theme parks becoming more of a big advertisement rather than a park with many unique rides.


Also JPanimation hating on Captain EO?! Not cool, man. Not cool.

[PrincePhillipFan]

Wow, Tim, that was an excellent and thorough job of detailing all the changes to those attractions.

I prefer the original Pirates but I don't mind the Sparrow changes as much as a lot of fans do. What I miss the most is actually that lovable "Barker Bird" on the outside. I really don't get the point of why he had to go. I alse really miss the steel drum music loop, as that to me goes better with the Caribbean architecture and seems to be better "placemaking" as being more like the type of music you would actually hear in a real Caribbean plaza, rather than cinematic film score.

Thanks, David! You did an excellent job yourself covering all those different changes XD

I don't really mind much of the Sparrow changes to the ride, it's mostly the fact that during the overhaul, WDW's Pirates lost a number of details that made it made unique from the other Pirates: the steel drum music, the Barker Bird, the cannons on the facade blasting, the "Fortune Red" music playing at the turnstiles, the sounds of the Spanish soliders in the fort queue, the skull and crossbones, the treasury finale. I'm still baffled why they had to remove all of those, as they seemed like unecessary changes.

For Jack Sparrow being in the ride, I don't mind it so much - the only exception I really have is the new dialogue for the "Dunking the Mayor" scene. Why would the town's magistrate and his wife risk their lives to hide a thieving pirate who's planning to steal their town's treasure? Makes no sense