"I Don’t Like Change... Especially When It’s Not for the Better": Disney Fans are Still Angry Over this Ride Closure

There are few things that rile up Disney Adults more than the closure of an iconic Disney attraction.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

From the shuttering of Disneyland’s Adventure Thru Inner Space in 1985 (by most accounts, the first Disney ride closure to generate a strong response from fans) through the Toad-Ins of the 1990s to the anger over the loss of Muppet*Vision 3D and the Rivers of America today, Disney Adults have long been protective over their favorite attractions.

Recently, we asked our readers which Disney World ride closures STILL bother them. As you can probably imagine, we got a litany of responses. Two of the most popular answers were unsurprising, as many lamented the loss of the “thesis statement” rides of EPCOT and the original Disney-MGM Studios….

…Horizons…

©Disney

…and The Great Movie Ride, respectively.

The boarding area for The Great Movie Ride, which opened with the rest of the Disney/MGM Studios in 1989. [The Walt Disney Company]

Other responses we saw several times included the aforementioned Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, the original version of Journey into Imagination, Maelstrom, The Backlot Studio Tour, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Maelstrom

Some readers responded with experiences that weren’t rides, including the Magic Kingdom’s Wishes fireworks show, Illuminations: Reflections of Earth at EPCOT, and previous nighttime parades, including the Main Street Electrical Parade, SpectroMagic, the Osborne Family Festival of Lights seasonal display at the Studios, DisneyQuest, the Sorcerer’s Hat at Hollywood Studios, and the “INCREDIBLE pork shank at Gaston’s Tavern.”

Osborne Dancing Lights

Some fans preemptively began mourning experiences that just recently closed – Muppet*Vision 3D, which shut its doors in June – and some that technically haven’t closed yet, including the Liberty Belle Riverboat on the Rivers of America, DINOSAUR, and the Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster, all of which will close between July 2025 and early 2026.

Dinosaur

Walt Disney World ride closures tend to stick with Disney Adults for years or even decades. As reader Lisa put it, “I don’t like change either, especially when it’s not for the better….” Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney World’s evolution.