Why the Heck Did They Get Rid of ___?!

[RemainSeatedPlease]

There have been a few mediocre attractions/restaurants/shows to come and go from Disneyland over the years, things that seemed like a great idea at the time but which turned out to be less than loved.

However, there have also been some great ideas that were indeed loved, yet were taken from us anyway. Often times these choices seem inexplicable to us. What are some examples that you have? A favorite that is gone for reasons you can't fathom?

For me, the first thing I think of is the Main Street Electrical Parade. I know, I know, they had it for years and it was time for an upgrade. But it was popular, it was beloved. It felt like a change just for the sake of change. I honestly don't even remember the parades that have come after, because they haven't had the radiating charm (and catchy as heck tune) that the Electrical Parade did. I barely remember the parade I saw last December, it had floats with Disney characters, that's what I can tell you. A truly unifying and original theme? I think not.

Hopefully, the new Paint the Night parade will bring back some of this magic.

What makes you say "Why the heck did they get rid of that?!"

 

[NannyBeBe]

The Skyway...loved that ride.

 

[adSimba]

I loved Casa Mexicana, It was my families first must do restaurant! Rancho Del Zocalo is just ok imo, the decor is better but the food is only so-so by comparison

 

[Bubblegum1286]

Aw.... The light parade. I have the music from the parade on my phone just for kicks.

 

[SMD]

I admit though, when the electrical parade moved to DCA, it made you realize how awful the logistics of having a nighttime parade on Main St really were. Clear the street for the parade, flood the street for fireworks. Plus everyone has to leave and enter down that street. It will be interesting to see how they work out the logistics of the new parade.

The skyway was another one that it seemed unbelievable that they would get rid of something so iconic. But then when your realized how much easier it was to navigate, especially Fantasyland without the support poles everywhere, it wasn't so bad. Plus once I read the logistics of stopping those gondolas and all of the employee injuries I understood why it couldn't be saved.

I miss some of the elements of the submarines. I wish they would have left the mermaids and the sea serpent and just added the Nemo characters interacting with the ride. The way it is, it basically recreates the movie, like Nemo gets lost again and Marlin and Dory go after him again. I'd rather they preserved more of the old narration and added the characters.

 

[figment_jii]

Mine would be the Peoplemover! I know they wanted to try to put in a thrill ride, but I liked the slow moving original ride. Seeing the abandoned track in Tomorrowland always seems a little sad.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

I also vote for the Electrical Parade! I am not a fireworks fan, never have been and thought the idea of that parade was awesome. I honestly don't remember the last time I saw it! I wish the People Mover would come back! I have often thought there should be a Mary Poppins type ride at Disneyland. A new Peoplemover could take people inside chalk drawings or to lunch with a penguin. The Skyway, I did love as a kid and also the Sea World version. I went to Sea World about 6 years ago went on their skyway and did not care for it at all. I felt super unsafe, not fun. I am not a big Finding Nemo fan and actually think the subamarine ride was better the old way. It seemed like after waiting for so long to get on it when I went last December, the ride did not interest me much. :/ I know this isn't a ride but I still miss fresh spun in the cart (that I could see being made) cotton candy!

Editing to add The Bear Country Jamboree! I am a huge Winnie the Pooh fan so definitely enjoy that ride and am excited to see in May the updates to it. As a kid I thought the bears were a lot of fun.

 

[GrandBob]

Yep, the Electrical Parade, Skyway, and Peoplemover. All 3 a travesty. To that I would add Country Bears! America Sings! And of course the removal of the original Matterhorn Bobsleds for the current bone-rattling ones that I (and many people) refuse to ride any more.

 

[Chiomaca]

Yep, the Electrical Parade, Skyway, and Peoplemover. All 3 a travesty.

Those are the three that I miss. I got a little sad this year riding the Peoplemover at WDW.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Country Bear Jamboree is another good one I thought of listing. I know it was a bit outdated and needed some updates, but I wish they could have done that instead of getting rid of it completely. Everyone I know loved that attraction!

For me, it doesn't help that it was replaced by Winnie the Pooh, what I consider to be the worst ride in DLR. Not that I hate Pooh (I am indifferent), but it just doesn't feel like a high quality dark ride.

 

[Meriweather]

Mine would be the Peoplemover! I know they wanted to try to put in a thrill ride, but I liked the slow moving original ride. Seeing the abandoned track in Tomorrowland always seems a little sad.

Mine too....I love the Peoplemover. We ride it a lot when we go to WDW

 

[Davey Jones II]

The Toy Story Zoetrope, in the Animation Building at DCA. It's an amazing illusion, and demonstrates the art of animation like nothing else can. It got booted out for yet another meet and greet, yet more Frozen! Bring back the Zoetrope!

 

[SMD]

Country Bear Jamboree is another good one I thought of listing. I know it was a bit outdated and needed some updates, but I wish they could have done that instead of getting rid of it completely. Everyone I know loved that attraction!

For me, it doesn't help that it was replaced by Winnie the Pooh, what I consider to be the worst ride in DLR. Not that I hate Pooh (I am indifferent), but it just doesn't feel like a high quality dark ride.

Because Snow White, Pinocchio and Mr Toad are high quality dark rides? I think there are 2 things that could fix Pooh. They should add the video screens like they've added to Alice to the dream scene leading up to the Heffalumps and Woozles. The Heffalumps and Woozles scene should be smaller and the birthday scene after it should be expanded.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

The Toy Story Zoetrope, in the Animation Building at DCA. It's an amazing illusion, and demonstrates the art of animation like nothing else can. It got booted out for yet another meet and greet, yet more Frozen! Bring back the Zoetrope!

I was just thinking of that one too! I loved the zoetrope, and was excited to show it to my boyfriend on our next trip, but now it's gone.

As for Winnie the Pooh, I think to me it just feels "cheap," especially when compared to another newer dark ride like The Little Mermaid. It's one of the few rides in DLR where I actually feel like I'm on a little kids ride, instead of being for kids and adults like everything else is so good at.

 

[ddwlms]

The festival of fools. Everytime we went to see the show it was packed and it didn't seem like it had high production costs. WHY?

 

[debdreamsofdis]

The Court of Angels. I will never get over that.

 

[ehrawn]

Mine would be the Peoplemover! I know they wanted to try to put in a thrill ride, but I liked the slow moving original ride. Seeing the abandoned track in Tomorrowland always seems a little sad.

Mine too, but for a slightly different reason. I read an article today on another site that discussed "capacity sponges," referencing the number of guest an attraction could suck up in seats per hour. Replacing one attraction for another yields a positive or negative change, but replacing one for an empty track aggravates the crowding on the ground dramatically. No Peoplemover equates to about 3000 extra guests wandering the park.

Although my biggest gripe isn't what they took away but what they added: FP, which draws guests from artfully designed queues (Indie) out on the sidewalks.

 

[Congo Queen]

I agree wholeheartedly w sadness for loss of Peoplemover. I also miss having the rocket ships up on top of the Peoplemover platform. It was a thrilling ride up there - high in the sky - especially at night. Now it is strictly a kiddy ride that encroaches on the gestalt of the hub too much for my taste. I miss the old Mary Blair mural that used to be in Tomorrowland. Heck I even miss the Motorboats as just another great layer of fun movement and activity in and around Tomorrowland. And as a kid I really really loved Carousel of Progress too. Man, don't get me started on all the ways they messed up Tomorrowland. I only go in now for strategic FP pulling for Space and ST now (and maybe a little Buzz if line is short). But I do not hang out in Tomorrowland - it harshes my mellow.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Electric Light Parade and Peoplemover are mine. I have the parade song as my ringtone. Peoplemover was awesome. I still don't get why it was shut down. I see the tracks just sitting there now and it makes me sad.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

The loss of PeopleMover really was terrible. Riding it when I visited Disney World several years ago was strange, like I was seeing a ghost or something. But it was so pretty at night.