Listen, I’m just as excited as anyone else is about the announcements at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.
Villains Land? Sign me UP. Monsters Inc.? I’m so here for it. And don’t even get me STARTED on the Cars attractions (I know that’s a little controversial, but I’m excited, okay?). However, I couldn’t help but notice that there were many things LACKING from Disney’s announcements, and I truthfully can’t believe we’ve gotten NO news on these projects for so long.
Stitch’s Great Escape
Oh Stitch’s Great Escape, you terrifying ride, you. This ride was originally Alien Encounter in Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland, but THAT was too scary, so it changed to Stitch’s Great Escape, which also didn’t last long.
The thing is, this building has been sitting empty in Tomorrowland for OVER 5 YEARS. The attraction officially closed in 2018, and nothing has been done with it since. There have been rumors that it’s used for storage and a Cast Member break area for Disney, and that’s great, but there are SO many options for what could go in this area!
Another attraction would be huge (but I’d prefer maybe less terrifying?), and I think Tomorrowland could use a new exciting attraction. Or a meet and greet could be put in here! Just SOMETHING, Disney, please!
PLAY! Pavilion
DON’T GET ME STARTED. Y’all, I’m too young to have been able to experience EPCOT in its prime, so I never got to experience the Wonders of Life Pavilion, which I know was iconic. I have an unhealthy obsession with Buzzy from Cranium Command and his fate, but is it really possible I’ll never be able to step into the BUILDING?!
At this point, that’s what it feels like. The PLAY! Pavilion was supposed to open YEARS ago, and then we thought it would open with EPCOT’s transformation, but nope. That transformation is now complete and the PLAY! Pavilion is still sitting empty.
And what makes me EXTRA upset is that the concept for this area looks SO cool! I know, we got let down a little bit with Communicore Hall and Plaza when compared with the concept art, but I still think this would be such a cool area. But for now, it’ll just sit, all those old attractions rotting away inside — maybe someday we’ll be able to step inside again (which would be a Disney dream come true for me!).
Star Wars Hotel
*sigh* This one also makes me mad, but it’s mostly because I come from a family of Star Wars fans, and I wanted to experience this in person SO. BAD. Being an actor, the improv and role play aspect of this experience was fascinating, and while I understand why it closed, it PAINS me to no end that it’s just sitting there!
It’s designed so beautifully! It’s SO immersive — you’re telling me we’re not even going to open it up as a museum-type thing to allow fans to see inside? I wouldn’t even mind if it was a bit of an extra charge!
Disney, I’m telling you, make it an experience similar to how the NBA Experience was (getting to that in a second), charge something extra for the day, but allow fans to go inside and see everything for themselves! Throw in some lightsaber training and you’ve got yourself an idea that, as the kids say, will make BANK. Letting it just sit here after so many people put so much hard work into it is just devastating.
NBA Experience
Told you I’d talk about it in a second — what the HECK is going on with the NBA Experience in Disney Springs? This thing has been closed since the park closures in 2020, but never reopened. In 2021, it was announced the experience was officially closed and would not come back.
The funny thing is, a permit was filed for demolition, and while we’ve seen a tiny bit of that happening…it’s mostly crickets over here. Yep, we’ve got no idea what’s going on over here, and again, that makes me beyond sad! I’m not a sports person AT ALL, but the fact that there’s a giant empty space where a beloved experience used to be that there seem to be no plans for just feels a little wasteful to me.
But you know what’s more heartbreaking? That this used to be DisneyQuest, that closed in 2017, so the NBA Experience was only around for about 3ish years before going away forever. My vote? Bring back DisneyQuest! I never got to experience it, but it sounds really cool and nostalgic, so say it with me: DISNEYQUEST! DISNEYQUEST! DISNEYQUEST! (Or turn it into something with Disney Lorcana — I guess that would be pretty cool too!)
Tomorrowland Terrace
Oh, Tomorrowland Terrace, what will become of you? This restaurant has been closed for many, many years, and we’ve heard nothing about it.
Well, it is used for fireworks dessert parties, meetings, and special events every now and then, but it hasn’t operated as a restaurant in 4 years. It’s a great place to bring your laptop and work for a while (if you don’t mind having no air conditioning), but I’d really love to see something actually become of this spot!
It IS a great spot for the fireworks dessert parties, but then maybe it should be officially just changed to being for that? Maybe we’ll hear something about it someday, but until then, I’ll be very impatiently waiting and 100% using it as a working spot during the fall and winter months when I’m in town!
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Which of these would you love to see come back or be reinvented first? Tell us in the comments!
So sorry you didn’t get to ride Cranium Command and Body Wars. Great rides! I miss the Wonders of Life Pavilion!
Chris, I genuinely am SO SAD I never got to experience them! They sounded amazing!
I believe the Alien Encounter building is essentially unusable for anything other than a “round theater teleporting an alien” show due to asbestos. The building is old and would need abatement, which wouldn’t be such a big deal except the attraction shares the same building with Cosmic Ray’s, PeopleMover, Auntie Gravity’s, and Star Traders. All would have to be shut down and the ENTIRE building remediated.
Totally agree with you on bringing back DisneyQuest though, one of the coolest attractions WDW ever had. I remember they actually broke ground in Philly to build one at 8th and Market, but the one they built in Chicago tanked and they canceled the project. They filled it in and now its a parking lot. NBA experience lasted a whole 5 mins before it closed up lol
That’s so interesting, thank you so much for sharing! In that case, I totally see why nothing would be possible for that building. And YES! I want to experience DisneyQuest so badly, it sounded incredible!
Disney lies. A lot!
The original Alien Encounter scared the crap out of me. I still remember it though it was a very long time ago.
It sounds TERRIFYING. That’s one I’m actually thankful I never got to experience, haha!