Some rides in Disney World are not created equal.
And that is totally okay. In order to have a good balance, you need the rides that are more popular and have a longer wait. You need the rides that are always a walk-on. And, of course, you need the classic rides that every Disney fan loves. But what about the rides that just need to go?
Disney World is about to change and quite a few rides are closing to be transformed into new experiences. For example DinoLand U.S.A. is closing to make way for three brand new attractions. Also in Animal Kingdom, It’s Tough to be a Bug! will soon close to make way for Zootopia: Better Zoogether which will open in winter of 2025. Magic Kingdom will soon lose the Rivers of America, including the Liberty Square Riverboat along with Tom Sawyer Island.
While these areas of the parks are confirmed to change, what about the rides that people dislike but are still there? We reached out to Disney fans, our awesome readers, to see what rides you all felt were past their prime and needed to go.
Tomorrowland Speedway
Without a doubt, Tomorrowland Speedway was brought up the most, which is not surprising as there have been calls for years for this attraction to be made into something else. The same calls have also been made at Disneyland’s Autopia.
One reader said that it “doesn’t even make sense to still have it. There’s nothing about it that fits in Tomorrowland.” Another reader agreed and said that it is a “waste of perfectly good space and breathable oxygen.” Also talking about the smell the ride emits, a reader said that you can really smell the fumes.
Others shared that they never go on the ride and they will always skip it every trip. We think this one reader’s feelings sums up the majority of the way that people felt when answering this question, they said, “If your answer ISN’T Tomorrowland Speedway than you’re wrong!”
If Disney is listening, the fans have spoken and want something new in place of the Tomorrowland Speedway, although we will say that it is cute how it gets Christmas theming during the holiday season at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Mission: Space
Mission: Space is a ride in EPCOT that people either love or hate. There are two versions of the attraction, Mission: Space Green is a smoother and mild version of the attraction that takes you orbiting around Earth. Mission: Space Orange on the other hand is much more intense and takes you to Mars.
Your Guide to Selecting the Orange or Green Version of Epcot’s Mission: SPACE
Before Mission: Space, this area was home to Horizons which was loved by park goers, and our readers let us know how much they miss it. One reader said that they skip it every trip now. Other readers said that Mission: Space has to go to make way for a Horizons 2.0.
Maybe Disney will be able to bring back something like Horizons, next door at the abandoned Wonders of Life Pavilion, but for now Mission: Space will continue taking visitors to Mars and around Earth.
Frozen Ever After
We can tell fans want the original EPCOT back as Frozen Ever After was mentioned quite a few times. Before Frozen joined the World Showcase, the Norway Pavilion was home to Maelstrom. Frozen Ever After uses the same exact ride track and boats, it is just themed to Frozen.
Many readers commented that they would like to see Frozen leave to make way for another version of its predecessor, Maelstrom.
Astro Orbiter
Finishing where we started in Tomorrowland, the Astro Orbiter is a landmark of Tomorrowland and looks especially cool if you enter Tomorrowland from the hub and go underneath the Tomorrowland sign.
As cool as it may look, readers have agreed that they would be okay if the attraction closed. In order to ride you need to wait in a line near the PeopleMover and then take an elevator up.
One reader shared that they think it looks cool, but it needs to go. Another reader shared that when they ride they fear they are going to be launched out of the attraction.
We will have to wait and see if any of these attractions end up closing and being re-themed, but for the time being it seems that Disney has their hands full as eight new attractions will be making their way to Disney World in the coming years.
These Disney World Rides Are Seriously UNDERRATED — But They Shouldn’t Be
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At Magic Kingdom, 80-90% of Tomorrowland should be bulldozed. The rides there, with a couple of exceptions, are just awful (and dated).
Disney World and Disneyland rides that need to be rethemed or updated.
To the Allears staff members. I have been to Disneyland many times in the past. And while I do like Buzz Lightyears Astro Blaster, Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean rides.
There are rides I feel need to go and get rethemed. One of them is Jungle Cruise because it’s so slow and boring and there’s not much to look at. I would prefer it be more like the Jungle Cruise 2021 movie wild ride or The Lion King Tour ride which I think would be more fun to ride. Also I would retheme Autopia to a Sugar Rush Candy themed ride like in Wreck it Ralph movie.
Also I would update Pinocchio’s Daring Journey 1983 outdated ride because it’s very problematic with the Asian doll stereotype, also in the Pleasure Island section there are Native American stereotype statues as tobacco smokers in Tobacco Row and the Rough House man is seen depicted as a smoker. I want Disneyland to retheme Pinocchio’s Daring Journey ride to remove the Native American stereotypes and all beer and tobacco references and make it more like the Pinocchio 2022 movie including Tobacco Row being replaced with Sugar Mountain and the Rough House getting removed with Contempt Corner and Clock Stoppers added to Pleasure Island ride.
Also I want the It’s a Small World ride to get rethemed and that annoying song loop get replaced with Disney songs like A Whole New World, or other Disney Princess songs. The Matterhorn ride while I do like the fun rollercoaster ride, I feel it should be rethemed to Frozen Elsa’s Ice Palace ride instead.
Also I’m disappointed with Tiana’s Bayou Adventure which I feel should’ve had Dr. Facilier and the shadow spirits, masks, dolls, and should’ve had Spoonbill birds dancing around Mama Odie 3 Hillbilly men Reggie, Darnell, Two Fingers, more critters like crocodiles, Buta the dog, Marcel the cat and the songs “When We’re Human”, “Friends on the Other Side”, “Ma Belle Evangeline” which isn’t on the ride and I feel was a big letdown for me. I hope the Disneyland and Disney World staff decides to either update Tiana’s Bayou Adventure with more critters and other songs like Almost There last verse at the drop off and to fill in empty spaces or else move Tiana’s Bayou Adventure down to replace Storybook Land which would be perfect for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and then retheme the former Splash Mountain to Pocahontas Around the riverbend, or Brother Bears wild river ride, or Moana’s Island or The Emperor’s New Groove Waterfall splash.
Also I would like to see that awful Mad Hatter’s Spinning Teacups ride be replaced with Beauty and the Beast Be our Guest dark ride.
Someday I would like to see a Treasure Planet hoverboard ride, Meet the Robinsons flying car time travel ride, Heroes Duty ride, Wall E ride, Hercules ride, Mulan ride, Aladdin ride and a Donald Duck airplane ride which would be fun to ride on at my ideal future Disneyland ride.
Wow! Why do you even go to Disneyland? It sounds like you want a totally different park.
In Animal Kingdom Kilamanjaro Safaris need a big time update. It is boring to say the least.
I am a native Floridian and 77 year old resident. As far as I am concerned the whole works can go back to California. No longer do you see the old faves like Donald Duck, Jiminy Cricket and Davy Crockett. Walt Disney promoted patriotism and love of country. Not this current bunch.
If they were going to build a new cars attraction why couldn’t they use the track and put it in at the speedway. Lots of little kids especially boys ( Disney really needs more boy geared rides) love the speedway cars so wouldn’t it make more sense to go there where an upgrade is needed instead of the Rivers or America?
The CHILDREN Love,Love, Love the Speedway!! It would be a HUUUUUGE mistake to remove it! What child doesn’t want to independently DRIVE or Race their parents” car? I mean think about it they seriously spend a majority of their life in the backseat passively waiting. Parents pass it by only because we don’t recall the JOY kids get from driving a car like a grownup. For them, it’s exhilarating. Maybe not so much for us, but hey, that’s who the parks were originally for. Next will it be My ckey and Minnie for something more grown-up, thrilling, and using oxygen better? I truly believe we are losing touch with our inner child and today’s children when we rob them of this simple joy. Very few kids have the opportunity to race around in a go car in the REAL WORLD, only virtual experiences. Don’t take this last vestige of childhood away from them ..
And sadly I just discovered thru your article Tom Sawyers Island will be gone. What a travesty, really and truly. A run around island of make believe, with caves to explore, swinging bridges, and a huge real fort! The things imaginations are made of! Now families will have to go on a vacation – somewhere else – to experience something so genuinely real as this! How backwards of Disney. In wanting to keep up with the times, they are choosing to turn it’s back on what made them special to begin with – the magic of children.
I will begin with Magic Kingdom and agree wholeheartedly with completely replacing the Tomorrowland Speedway and ASTRO Orbitors. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin needs a complete refurbishment and more updated technology. Rapunzel needs more respect than just a bathroom in her name. This may be heracy for some, but if they are going to destroy the Rivers of America, they could take The Hall of Presidents with it, and add the Haunted Mansion to Villains Land. Jasmine and Aladdin deserve better than a Dumbo ripoff ride. The only thing that was nice was the spitting camels. While we are on the subject of Flying, bring back Tink, both Flying and in person for meet and greets!
Next up.. my take on Epcot
My wife wanted to go to Disneyland in Florida for our Honeymoon so I took her TOTALLY BORING the whole 7 days that I was there even went to Epcot TOTALLY BORING
I wanted to go to Italy for our Honeymoon so I can see my Family. But my Parents grew me up to treat your wife with the utmost respect. I am 100@ Italian and speak fluent Italian and English Born in Almifa Italy coming to America for College. I graduated Yale University top of my class with a Engineering Degree.
Gary: It sounds like your reaction to Disneyworld has more to do with your wanting to do what YOU wanted to do on your honeymoon. I wish you both the best in your marriage and hope that you aren’t bored.
I think that most of the comments regarding which attractions should close are coming mainly from folks without children. My wife and I have brought our son to Disney on several occasions (8 visits so far) and Astro Orbiter is one of his FAVORITE rides. Right up there with The Speedway and Frozen Ever After. Many people forget that Walt Disney created his parks for families to enjoy, although you do not need to have children to visit. Removing the “child rides” to make way for more “adult rides” will ultimately change Walt’s vision for the parks and without the “child rides or attractions” what would be the purpose of families, like mine, to go to Walt Disney World. There needs to be a good blend of both types of rides which this reader thinks Disney is lacking.
Tomorrowland Speedway always a must do i think to bring it up to spec they should move to an electric vehicle system
I would love it if Disneyland brought back the people mover. The teack is still there, they just need to cars and I bet they are stored away somewhere. The people mover is still running in Disney World. I grew up with Dusneyland and we were both born in 1955.
Im surprised the tiki birds has not been removed
Don’t ever tell fans of Disney that some of their favorites have to go. A small vocal minority on social media, who as a group will always be slightly more critical and mean spirited because they have that freedom of not having to identify or support their claims, are not representative of fans as a whole. As an adult I don’t do the Speedway anymore but I’ll be damned if kids still don’t enjoy it. People still line up for Astro Orbiter and the others. Frozen is many children’s favorite Disney film, no need to disappoint.
Because even though Disney is turning into nothing more than an expensive thrill ride amusement park, it’s still should be for kids and it is where they want to go. Adults lose their sense of imagination and think that everything should be for them. That’s the sad part, not the rides.
I don’t care what Disney does as long as it doesn’t limit the opportunities for a particular rider : Tomorrow Land Speedway and Astronauts Orbiter seem to be for young children (and their parents) so make sure that is not forgotten. It’s Maelstrom or Frozen Ever After? Pretty much the same. Mission Space? Was a mistake from the beginning. But please, please, please make sure the guests with motion sickness problems have the same number of opportunities. I would stop going to Disney if they had motion sickness bags at every seat in every ride like airplanes do.
I agree with autopia, it literally STINKS!! And mission space is boring. The other 2 are ok, just always have very long lines.
This list is crazy. Autopia is made for children, not adults! I can tell you that as a child it was one of THE favorite rides among my friend group. When you are a kid and not allowed to really drive, this ride is the bomb. But they should replace with electric vehicles.
And Mission Space? Where else do you get to experience simulated g force so realistically like your really blasting into space? There are so many other rides that deserve to go before this one!
What other park has a steamship so of course they’re taking it away. Only generic IP Yay!!
I agree with Astro-orbitor and Mission Space. The children like the Tomorrowland Speedway.
How can Figment NOT be on this list?
Winnie the Pooh needs to go and Mr Toads Wild Ride restored
It’s ironic that most of these come from old crusty fans saying “I miss the old version,” but anyone saying the same thing about splash mountain or CA adventures tower of terror is immediately brushed off as being racist or behind-the-times respectively.
A lot of these read as “I don’t ride it, so it needs to close,” which is silly.
Mission Space is a miss. It always has a short queue, is nice and cool, and is a unique, Epcot-suited experience.
Astro orbiter is a little-kid-friendly staple in both parks and isn’t in anyone’s or anything’s way. It closing would add nothing for anyone.
I think Tomorrowland speedway should go and be replaced by the new Cars ride. I think the Rivers of America should stay because that is the most beautiful part of the park. But I guess we have to get used to the Haunted Mansion no longer being perched above the Hudson River. Now it is going to overlooking some weird “Frontierland” that has Cars racing around it.
I love Mission Space and would really miss it.
The Swiss Family tree house needs to go. It is not ADA accessible. Also it is meaningless to anyone younger than 50.