Abandoned Attractions

[nytimez]

I can't get enough of this thread, thanks to everyone who contributed pics and youtube links.

 

[ChristaDeVil]

I'm obsessed with this thread!
Robo, does the Croc Eating Ogre just eat Crocodiles? Or does he now eat Crocs footwear?

 

[Robo]

I'm obsessed with this thread!
Robo, does the Croc Eating Ogre just eat Crocodiles? Or does he now eat Crocs footwear?

Fortunately, he can't read...

So, he doesn't recognize the name "Crocs," but only only sees them as very ugly shoes.

He won't try to snack on them.

 

[If U Had Wings]

Hey "IUH Wings", great photos, brings back some great memories of how things used to look.

Glad you enjoyed them. I love pics of things not around anymore. I think what I miss most is the Imagination play area. I used to love those pin tables. I don't understand what would make those "dated". The new area had practically nothing. Most of the time when I'm there half the computer terminals aren't working, and really with what you can do with home computers these days I find those a bit more dated than the pin tables.

 

[Yoshi]

Didn't there used to be big "pin tables" in the Imagination building? They were huge tables where you run your hands under it and push the pins up to get the imprint of you hand or whatnot. Whatever happened to those?

According to an earlier post on the thread and some YouTube videos I saw a while ago, almost everything is still up there on the 2nd floor not being used. I wish they would open it back up again. The new Image Works is horrible and so many of the camera stations were not working on my last trip.

 

[NY Disney fan]

I don't think these pictures are creepy at all. I think they are facinating and wonderful! But I'm a history buff and I like decay! If anything, the American economy is creepy and these pictures are a symbol of what was once great. I will keep praying for our country and hope we thrive again.

 

[BamaTigger]

http://shaneperez.blogspot.com/2009/12/discovery-island.html

Some might have already seen this....but this is really really cool, albeit...wrong and possibly illegal!

CHECK IT OUT! Its about Discovery Island!

And I found this on that blog....

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2344523

about RIVER COUNTRY

 

[Nermel9]

Might be a stupid question...but do you go by Discovery Island or River Country when you take a boat from WL to FW then to the Contemporary? I remember going by some abandoned looking islands last year and I didn't know what they were...it was creepy though.

I didn't know the play area in the Imagination building was closed!!! For some reason, my fiance and I never went in there our last 2 visits, and I told him we are definitely going in there in May, specifically to play up there! That's disappointing. I at least remember what it was like, because I went there a few times as a kid, but my fiance's first time in WDW was with me in 2008 so I guess he will never know. Oh well.

This thread is fantastic, it's depressing but fascinating at the same time.

 

[Robo]

Might be a stupid question...but

1- do you go by Discovery Island or River Country when you take a boat from WL to FW then to the Contemporary?

2- I remember going by some abandoned looking islands last year and I didn't know what they were...it was creepy though.

3- I didn't know the play area in the Imagination building was closed!!!

4- For some reason, my fiance and I never went in there our last 2 visits, and I told him we are definitely going in there in May, specifically to play up there!

1- Yes.

2- The large island very near the Ft.W dock is the former "Discovery Island."

3- The one UPSTAIRS was closed over a decade ago.
The one on the main level of the ride (the ride "empties" into it) is still going strong.

4- Just ride "Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment" and you'll walk right into the "play area" when you step off of the ride.

 

[OldsDr]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Planogirl View Post
Didn't WDW also have two person swan boats? .....[/QUOTE]

I have an old souvinere book from the early 70s, I think I saw pictures of 2 person swan boats. I will try to dig it up and see. But since Robo does not remember them I am not going to make any hard statements either way untill I dig the book up.

 

[doconeill]

Lake Eola I believe had two-person swan pedal boats.

 

[djh597]

Didn't there used to be big "pin tables" in the Imagination building? They were huge tables where you run your hands under it and push the pins up to get the imprint of you hand or whatnot. Whatever happened to those?

My wife and I got married in Disney in 2006. We looked at the upstairs as a place for our reception. The pin tables were indeed still there.

 

[Robo]

Lake Eola I believe had two-person swan pedal boats.

Lake Eola Park (Orlando, FL) Swan Boats-

 

[pipermae]

Circled in Yellow.

Swan Boat Landing is now used for Disney Weddings:
http://disneyweddings.disney.go.com/weddings/florida/wishes/ceremony/magical/magic-kingdom/detail

 

[alwaysmom]

Here's a few pictures I had in my photobucket account of maybe not rotting ex-attractions, but things that aren't around any longer or that look really different. I still suffer from disappointment that I never got to go to River Country because my brother refused to learn to swim.

At the Magic Kingdom:

2,000 Leagues - I hate that they got rid of this!

Not really an old attraction, but a sign of a different time. Behind my family to the left is the old tobbacoist sign. I can't even imagine a tobacco store in the middle of the MK anymore. Also if you look at the castle there's a straight view through. No stage.

At the old MGM Studios:

The original pre-hat view of Graumans

The old entrance to the Backlot tour, back when it was a real tour.

The making of the bee scene from the backlot tour -

At Epcot -

The World of Motion -

The upper level of the Imagination Pavillion -

The color tunnel at the Imagination Pavillion -

And a tombstoneless entry plaza at Epcot -

I have some of these very same photo's from years past. So different. Remember the days when you didn't even consider going left our right before the castle. You walked straight through, the murals never ceased to amaze me and I always had to touch them. They never had character meet & greets, they were just all over the part wondering around. 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was my favorite. I wish it was still there. As a child I truly believed we were diving . Swimming in the lakes was allowed, swam in it daily when we were camping at FW. Loved taking the skyway, it was so cool. The parade had no outstanding floats. The characters paraded around on foot, stopping along the way to greet a child or adult in awe.

Such memories

 

[Nermel9]

1- Yes.

2- The large island very near the Ft.W dock is the former "Discovery Island."

3- The one UPSTAIRS was closed over a decade ago.
The one on the main level of the ride (the ride "empties" into it) is still going strong.

4- Just ride "Journey Into Your Imagination with Figment" and you'll walk right into the "play area" when you step off of the ride.

Wow I had no idea that River Country was right there! Then I guess we definitely went by it on the boat to FW! I remember seeing docks over there and wondering what they were for. The island I definitely remember wondering what it was, I think I assumed it was Discovery Island, but I wasn't 100% sure at the time. It's creepy going by there on a boat.

 

[book_junkie]

You can actually get pretty close to the "Legendary Years" at Pop- hubby and I had a car last time, and grabbed food at Pop before heading to AK. We got turned around trying to figure out where we needed to go, and ended up right close to the guest buildings, just across the lake... If I remember right, the buildings are sealed in (walled up with windows and walls), and the outsides look sound. What the insides look like, who knows. There are cargo containers that are rusted sitting around the building...

I miss the Tarzan show that they used to do in AK; it was all on roller blades... I miss the older Innoventions- in the 80's it was more a science/technology hands on for all ages rather than aiming for a younger audience. I miss the old Figment ride. I miss the old Animation Studio at MGM when you could actually see an animator working on the next Disney film on the board- we got to see them working on Mulan and Lilo & Stitch...

And I hope that with the addition of WWoHP, Disney might finally move and after it's done with the Princess invasion of ToonTown (am I the only one thinking Roger Rabbit and the Dip?!?!?) that they'll expand AK and add the Beastly Kingdom back in...

 

[anjalee6]

Does anyone remember the Horizon ride at Epcot? I used to love going in there as a child. I couldn't wait for that smell of oranges as you walked into the building and being able to pick how you returned from your journey at the end. It so strange to think of all the things that you remember as a child that aren't there anymore. The first time I went back after being so many times as a child, I remember 20,000 leagues was gone and I just couldn't picture Disney without it. I know things change with that times, but some old favorites...you just can't replace that feeling you got as a child.

 

[princessallegra]

Just read this whole thread, and all the links, and all I can say is WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOLY COW!! I can't believe the abandoned POP buildings and River Country and Discovery Island. I also am amazed by the bloggers who swam over to DI and took all those pics. Crazy!!!

 

[Melpuff]

A picture taken right from my window just this past week. My brother tried to insist to me they just began building a "2000s" sections.

I explained to him that it was abandoned. It was very strange seeing it every morning because at that view it really does just look like it's waiting for a coat of paint.