While most of the rides and shows at Walt Disney World offer detailed, immersive experiences and magical memories, not all Disney attractions are created equal. This is especially true of the park attractions which haven’t really changed after a decade or so of operation.
Now in Disney’s defense, there are a lot of rides and shows to keep up with; and Disney often refurbishes and updates when they can, but there are a few that seem to slip through the cracks which I think Disney could really do a lot with.
5. Ellen’s Universe of Energy-This Epcot Future World attraction has been outdated and a bit of snooze for quite sometime. I think that when Disney guests begin to consider this ride as a prime napping spot when visiting the parks, it’s time for a change. Epcot’s Future World is in need of TLC and renewed creativity; and I say the Universe of Energy would be a great place to start. Maybe they could incorporate some of Walt’s original vision of Epcot into an attraction? What do you think?
4. Muppetvision 3D-Who doesn’t love the Muppets, right? Lately, the Muppets have been making a comeback and I think it’s the perfect time to give the dated Muppet 3D show at Hollywood Studios a renovation! There’s so much to work with when it comes to the Muppets, especially with a new Muppet film in the works. I know I would enjoy seeing something fresh and new in the Muppet’s corner of Hollywodo Studios.
3. Backlot Tour-Another Hollywood Studios that could benefit from an update would be the Backlot Tour. This attraction is one of the park’s original opening day rides and I think it has really been lacking as of late. For one, the opening show is still themed around the film Pearl Harbor, which hasn’t been considered new in nearly a decade. Secondly, the boneyard of old movie props is really not that entertaining and definitely below Disney standards; and Catastrophe Canyon, while still pretty cool, has been offering the same effects since 1989. There is so much that Disney could do with this ride and space!
2. Tomorrowland Indy Speedway-To be honest, this Indy inspired speedway, tucked between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland, has never made much sense to me. It really doesn’t belong in either land and could really benefit from a stronger Disney theme or storyline. Ever since I heard about Cars Land at Disneyland’s California Adventure, I’ve been wanting our own version at WDW; and I think this could be the perfect spot.
1. The Great Movie Ride-Another Hollywood Studios original, The Great Movie Ride showcases audio-animatronic scenes from classic films ranging from the vintage Hollywood classics like Footlight Parade to sci-fi thriller Alien. Most people visiting the parks, especially kids and teens, haven’t seen most of these movies, except for Mary Poppins, Indiana Jones, and the Wizard of Oz, of course. While I know Hollywood Studios is all about the golden era of filmmaking, I don’t think inserting some relatable movies and new special effects would be much of an effort; and would really breathe some fresh air into this great Hollywood Studios space!
Which Disney rides and shows are on your refurbishment wish list?
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I agree that most all of these need to be updated, and I would even add a few others. I think a few MK rides could use a splash of something oter than just new paint. For instance, Peter Pan’s Flight. I know it was refurbed in 2008, but the small city can be hard to see for some little ones. And the plain black wals are terrible. Malestrom over at EPCOT is another one that could use a content update.
I would love to see updates to these, since they sound the same as the last (and only) time I’ve gone so far. I’ve been to Disneyland more (it’s much closer) and there seems to be something new almost every time.
Unfortunately, these days, even the new things sometimes need updating–the new Under the Sea ride uses animatronics that look like Peter Pan’s Flight to me–very fake. We only go because my DD (4) adores Ariel, and that’s a brand new ride. Real updates should include new technology, like all the updates they’ve done over at Pirates of the Caribbean! Captain Jack’s character is amazingly realistic. Now, my updates list would have to include the entire Wonders of Life pavilion–or any of the other dead buildings Disney has scattered around, especially at Epcot. SO much wasted space!
I agree with the speedway at magic, its gotta go and cars land would be a perfect fit. Hollywood & Epcot need a few tweeks.
Please do NOT redo Ellen’s Energy Ride it’s my go to ride when I need a NAP! 😉
I agree with the suggestions above. I have never been a fan of Indy Speedway. Long line tough gas smell. Cars update would be great. Long lines for not a really fin ride. Backlot Tour was more attractive when they had the old houses. There has been a lot of improvements overall on Hollywood stunts and more they should be able to improve here. More rides at Hollywood Studios would make it more attractive. Muppets could definitely use a new story line. People will always be there for their first time but those of us who have been numerous times would love some changes 🙂
The only one above I agree with is Tomorrowland Speedway. Won’t our real world of tomorrow include something other than gas-powered vehicles? It’s also a very noisy ride and the air seems to boil around it on hot days. What I would add to this list is to completely replace the Stitch ride.
At first I was skeptical about the authors suggestion that changes should be made to these attractions. However, after reading this article and thinking about past trips, I could not agree more. Since three of the attractions reside at Hollywood Studios, the suggested updates would be a huge boost to this park as a hole….especially while the rumored construction of Cars Land occurs.
There is still fire in the cowboy scene. Ask for that car and you will see it.
There’s things that used to be better in The Great Movie Ride. There used to be fire in the buildings during the robbery scene and more aliens would pop out. I’ve always wondered if they broke and Disney just decided not to fix them, or what. Other than that, I think this one is still a classic and I wouldn’t change it. The rest could be updated. My kids love the Indy Speedway, but it would be a great idea to put some Cars characters in there.