Abandoned Attractions

[nytimez]

Speaking of the Timekeeper, this week's WDW Radio show is doing a piece on it...

I hated Timekeeper so much.

 

[PamNC]

Remember Discovery Island? What a nice little day trip/retreat. River Country, another one I miss. The Diamond Horseshoe Revue - is that still going on? I don't think so.

I miss Wonders of Life too because I loved Cranium Command.

Loved timekeeper !!

PamNC

 

[Robo]

Timekeeper was such a beautiful attraction!

It had intelligence, humor, breath-taking photography, and a story with Disney HEART.

I wish that they had moved it to Epcot.
It would make a great "transitional attraction" between Future World and World Showcase.

 

[scrapbookworm]

Does anyone remember a gigantic telephone (which was a booth) somewhere in Epcot? I remember calling home on it in 1994. I'm thinking it was when AT&T sponsored Spaceship Earth.

 

[Robo]

Does anyone remember a gigantic telephone (which was a booth) somewhere in Epcot? I remember calling home on it in 1994. I'm thinking it was when AT&T sponsored Spaceship Earth.

Yup.
In the room that serves as the attraction exit.

 

[pkondz]

I'm a fan of the Indy Racing League of which the Indianapolis 500 is the marquee event. From 1996 - 2000 I watched on TV as the IRL raced at the Walt Disney World Speedway (currently home to the Richard Petty Driving Experience). I had hoped to someday be able to experience two of my favorite things at once (an IRL race combined with a trip to WDW), but... So while the track itself isn't abandoned, the reason it was built is no more. See more here:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World_Speedway

 

[44sun]

I remember those orange and grape plastic "cups"! What a great memory- I had forgotten all about those. I came home with an orange one and my brother had the grapes- on our first trip to DW in 1978. This has been a great thread and has really reminded me to be better about taking pictures on our next trip. You never know what you will capture in a picture and then 20 or 30 years later, be reminiscing about!

Me too! I looked for the "cups" when I brought my kiddos here a few years ago but no joy. We lived in Canada in 1978 and I was all excited to be going to Disney World and NO ONE there had ever heard of it...so much for being cool. We stayed at Grandma & Grandpa's in Sebring and Grandma gave me her E-tickets! Ah, memories. Loved 1000 Leagues Under the Sea.

 

[shafke]

There were flamingos at EPCOT. I have pictures of them. I'll have to see if I can dig them up.

No need... if you back to page 11 of this thread I posted a picture I have from 1986.
Here it is if you don't want to search...

 

[Markstudy]

I'm a fan of the Indy Racing League of which the Indianapolis 500 is the marquee event. From 1996 - 2000 I watched on TV as the IRL raced at the Walt Disney World Speedway

I was never a NASCAR fan, but when I heard they were doing a Driving Experience with Indy cars too... I'm thinking about doing that for my next trip. Disney's track may not have a race any more, but driving sounds like more fun anyway

 

[Bork]

A couple things I didn't see mentioned.

The Adventureland Veranda restaurant. I believe it is used for the Pirates League now. But what a waste, at a time when the dining plan is making dining harder to come by, they've got that closed, Pirate and Parrot, Tommorland Noodle Station, and Aunt Poly's all seasonal.

And what about when the double-decker buses were used for transporation at Epcot? Do the characters even use them any more?

 

[tinkerbelle8878]

I know that the Epcot Flamingos used to hang out by the Oddessy on the way to the Mexico Pavillion. There was a small piece of land by the water that they were at. You had to look down from the walkway to see them.

It was always strange how oblivious they were to the tourists.

 

[WDWMarathonManiac]

I have spent all day reading this thread. Wow. I remember and have experienced every reference made here. What an amazing place WDW is for it to have made such a strong and deep impression on all of us.

I worked for WDW during the time that AK was being built. I almost never talk about that time. I'm sure I don't need to say that working for Disney and being a guest at Disney are two very different experiences. I was somewhat involved in the transfer of animals from DI to AK (including those flamingos). I was privileged to visit DI at night while it was still in use (horrible spiders !), to tour AK during the day and at night during its construction.

It has taken me years to let go of some of my cast member experiences.

Man, I really miss those plastic oranges and grapes!

And the upstairs of Journey Into Imagination? Let me tell you, my sister wanted to LIVE there . . . it drove me CRAZY because I wanted to ride all of the rides and I was stuck waiting for her for what seemed like an eternity.

Anyone remember the fruit smoothies at Wonders of Life? Pure and Simple, right? A bit ahead of its time. How about the improv troop, the Anacomical Players! I can't believe I actually remember this stuff!!

One of my very favorite EPCOT memories was running between Spaceship Earth, World of Motion and Horizons at night, riding the rides over and over again right up until the park closed. Remember how the beginning of WOM was on the outside of the building and would spiral up? Those were the days!

One thing I don't miss was when they turned the castle into a giant pink cake. Yuck!

You guys are really the best! Thanks so much for the trip down memory lane. Its so much better with friends!

 

[MonkersMama]

I know that the Epcot Flamingos used to hang out by the Oddessy on the way to the Mexico Pavillion. There was a small piece of land by the water that they were at. You had to look down from the walkway to see them.

It was always strange how oblivious they were to the tourists.

Where did they go? I loved watching them, they were such vibrant coral/pink.

 

[DisneyGirl2023]

i wouldnt say that this is old or really abandone but a charcater that you rarely ever see except in the new magic kingdom parade but you cant meet this little charcater the little monkey from aladdin

 

[DisneyGirl2023]

i would not consider this to be old or abandone but this is a character that is rarely to never seen except in the new magic kindom parade celebrate today and that is the little monkey from aladdin. so my question is why can you not meet him when you meet genuine(sorry i cant spell worth a flip)

 

[mom2rtk]

i wouldnt say that this is old or really abandone but a charcater that you rarely ever see except in the new magic kingdom parade but you cant meet this little charcater the little monkey from aladdin

That would be Abu. And he's actually fairly meetable. All you have to do is buy a ticket to MNSSHP or MVMCP!

 

[Robo]

Where did they go? I loved watching them, they were such vibrant coral/pink.

They were moved to DAK after it opened.

 

[JerseyJanice]

One attraction I remember from the 70s/early 80s is the "Monsanto Building." They had a 360 degree movie in there about the United States--America the Beautiful it may have been called.

You "flew" on a tour of the U.S.'s greatest sights, starting in New York City with the Statute of Liberty and Empire State Building going west to sights like Niagara Falls, the St. Louis Arch and the Grand Canyon. The movie ended in San Francisco with the film flying through the Golden Gate Bridge and up/down the big hills, as if you were riding in a trolley car.

It was a beautiful movie and shot in a true circle. When you looked at the screens behind, you saw the same things you just saw in front of you.

 

[shafke]

One attraction I remember from the 70s/early 80s is the "Monsanto Building." They had a 360 degree movie in there about the United States--America the Beautiful it may have been called.

You "flew" on a tour of the U.S.'s greatest sights, starting in New York City with the Statute of Liberty and Empire State Building going west to sights like Niagara Falls, the St. Louis Arch and the Grand Canyon. The movie ended in San Francisco with the film flying through the Golden Gate Bridge and up/down the big hills, as if you were riding in a trolley car.

It was a beautiful movie and shot in a true circle. When you looked at the screens behind, you saw the same things you just saw in front of you.

This was turned in to Timekeeper which I never saw and is now the home to Monster's Inc Laugh Floor.

 

[AlyJoy716]

i wouldnt say that this is old or really abandone but a charcater that you rarely ever see except in the new magic kingdom parade but you cant meet this little charcater the little monkey from aladdin

His name is Abu~