2 Disney World Rides We’re Getting Worried About

Walt Disney World is currently in a state of transition, with construction projects and refurbishments across the property. However, even with so many rides being refreshed, there are a couple that Disney seems to be ignoring.

In my 30+ years visiting Walt Disney World, I’ve seen many rides change greatly, while others remained the same for seemingly ages, which was usually a sign that their days were numbered. While we don’t think any of these Walt Disney World attractions are going away anytime soon, it’s curious that Disney has left them sitting essentially untouched for as long as they have.

Toy Story Mania

When Toy Story Mania first opened back in the late 2000s, Disney made a point of stressing that the attraction’s technology allowed new games and levels to be easily swapped in. That actually did happen in 2010, when Bo-Peep’s Baaa-loon Pop was replaced with Rex and Trixie’s Dino Darts to tie into the release of Toy Story 3.

However, in the 15 years since, the ride’s actual experience has remained stagnant. That’s not to say nothing has changed operationally — the ride’s entrance was moved to the opposite side of its show building to firmly place it in Toy Story Land, and a third track was added to increase capacity — but no new games were added. Even the release of Toy Story 4 came and went without fanfare.

Now, Toy Story Mania is often one of Hollywood Studios’ busiest rides, so chances are low Disney is going to get rid of it anytime soon, which makes it all the more mystifying why there haven’t been new or seasonal updates. Perhaps the upcoming release of Toy Story 5 will change that.

Journey into Imagination

Now onto perhaps Disney World’s most infamous recently untouched attraction: Journey Into Imagination.

A quick history lesson: The original Journey Into Imagination opened at EPCOT Center in 1983 and became an immediate smash. The inventive dark ride – which starred the mercurial Dreamfinder and his purple dragon sidekick Figment – was a standout at the park thanks to its unique turntable sequence, catchy music, and uplifting theme. In fact, Figment and the Sherman Brothers-penned “One Little Spark” both came to define the park for a generation of guests.

Despite its exalted status, the ride was drastically transformed in the late 1990s thanks to a new deal with sponsor Kodak. The Dreamfinder, Figment, and even the turntable sequence were removed, replaced by a new — somewhat confusing — storyline starring Eric Idle’s Dr. Nigel Channing, which tied into the Honey, I Shrunk the Audience attraction next door. The new version — Journey into YOUR Imagination was such a flop that Disney closed it within 2 years.

The ride was then quickly refurbished, with Figment shoehorned into as many scenes as possible, and reopened in 2001. This new version, while an improvement over the “… Your Imagination” debacle, still left a lot to be desired for many fans. Yet it has remained, essentially untouched, for almost 25 years.

While the character of Figment has arguably become more popular than ever – being a festival mascot, popular meet & greet, and even a viral popcorn bucket – Journey Into Imagination hasn’t been refurbished or updated in any significant way, even during EPCOT’s massive “reimagining.” Could it be that, because Figment is so popular without the ride being “fixed,” Disney feels it’s unnecessary? Perhaps.

Even with Disney making changes and improvements across Walt Disney World, Toy Story Mania and Journey into Imagination have been seemingly ignored. Stay tuned to AllEars for more thoughts on Disney World’s ongoing changes.

Does This Mean Disney World Is Bringing Hollywood Studios Back From The Dead?

What would you like to see changed at Toy Story Mania or Journey into Imagination? Let us know in the comments below.

Post a Comment