That's my situation also. I watched the progress of MK on those shows and dreamt about a time when I would be able to see it in person. That time came in 1975. 34 years later, I'm still excited about planning and going to WDW.
I agree that walking through an attraction would greatly diminish the effect. By getting into a vechicle, you are 'giving up control' and being transported into a story. You miss some things and want to ride again.
It's a sensory experience. Take away the music is it still the same. Look at Peter Pan the sound track says" Let's go" or something like that and your ship goes up. Pooh ride bounces up and down at points. It's all a piece of the sensory experience.
For a lot of adults such as myself these experiences take us back to riding as children.