Top 10 Defunct Disney Rides...

I wish I rode.
On
June 10, 2009
Hey everyone. After a while of not doing some, here's another theme park related article. A lot of us have been on or missed out on riding the defunct rides of Disney parks. Here are 10 former Disney rides I wish I got a chance to ride. Photos courtesy of Yesterland, Walt Dated World, and Widen Your World.

10. PeopleMover (Disneyland)
Opened: July 2, 1967
Closed: August 21, 1995
Replaced by: Rocket Rods (1998)



Description: Travel through Tomorrrowland (and a portion of Fantasyland) in a potential form of future transportation, as well as getting a sneak peak of Tommorowland's many attractions.

My thoughts: I've been on Magic Kingdom's PeopleMover, which was a relaxing yet short ride. Disneyland's version was slower, yet longer than Walt Disney World's version. They really need to bring this ride back and give it the same "Tomorrowland Transportation Authority" theming MK's version has.

9. Mission to Mars (Disneyland/Magic Kingdom)
Opened: March 21, 1975 (Disneyland)
June 7, 1975 (Magic Kingdom)
Closed: November 2, 1992 (Disneyland)
October 4, 1993 (Magic Kingdom)
Replaced by: Redd Rockett's Pizza Port (Disneyland) (1998)
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (Magic Kingdom) (1995)



Description: Guests take part in a space mission to the mysterious red planet.

My thoughts: The modern version of this ride is Epcot's Mission: SPACE. This ride is mostly like Mission: SPACE, only this doesn't have the turbulent centrifuge simulators and nobody has died on this ride. Though the technology is primitive, this ride must have been just as exciting as Mission: SPACE.

8. Body Wars (EPCOT)
Opened: October 19, 1989
Closed January 1, 2007




Description: Riders are "shrunk" and carry out a mission inside a human body. What follows is Epcot's first simulator ride.

My thoughts: I've always heard that this ride was rougher than Star Tours at Disney MGM Studios. Hearing this, I'm guessing that this would be superior than Star Tours in terms of thrills (my definition of a rough ride is The Great American Scream Machine at Great Adventure). Also, since the ride film is directed by Lenord "Mr. Spock" Nimoy, this ride must have been great.

7. World of Motion (EPCOT)
Opened: October 1, 1982
Closed: January 2, 1996
Replaced by: Test Track








Description: Riders go learn about the history of transportation, in a humorous way. After riding, guests could learn more about transportation at the post show area, the Transcenter.

My thoughts: Though I love Test Track, this ride looks great because of the humor. The song, It's Fun to Be Free, is also very catchy.

6. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (Magic Kingdom)
Opened: December 16, 1994 (soft opening)/June 20, 1995 (grand opening)
Closed: October 12, 2003
Replaced: Mission to Mars
Replaced by: Stitch's Great Escape (2004)




Description: Guests are about to take part in XS Technologies' demonstration of their new teleporter. In true Disney style, something goes horribly wrong.

My thoughts: Based on my parent's experience in this ride in 1997, this ride must have been really cool and scary. It sucks that this ride was replaced by Stitch's Great Mistake, possibly the worst ride Disney ever made!
5. Rocket Rods (Disneyland)
Opened: May 22, 1998
Closed: September 25, 2000
Replaced: Circle Vision 360/PeopleMover
Replaced by: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters







Description: A three minute high speed thrill ride through Tomorrowland.

My thoughts: Though it had more than it's fair share of technical difficulties, this ride looks like a fun and fast ride, though not as fun as Test Track.

4. The Walt Disney Story (Magic Kingdom/Disneyland)
Opened: April 15, 1973 (Magic Kingdom)
April 17, 1973 (DIsneyland)
Closed: October 5, 1992 (Magic Kingdom)
February 20, 2005 (Disneyland)
Replaced by: Disneyland Story, featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln (Disneyland) (2009)
(NOTE: These are pictures of the Magic Kingdom version)









Description: After seeing loads of memorabilia, guests are ushered into a theater where they are shown a film about Walt Disney's life, narrated by Walt himself

My thoughts: Though I've been to Walt Disney: One Man's Dream at Disney MGM Studios, I think this version was superior to OMD because probably they had more memorabilia about Walt instead of Disney parks.

3. Journey into Imagination (EPCOT)
Opened: March 1, 1983
Closed: October 10, 1998
Replaced by: Journey Into Your Imagination (1999)








Description: Discover the wonders of imagination with Dreamfinder and Figment.

My thoughts: Though I didn't ride the modern incarnation of Journey into Imagination, this version looks really superior than Journey into Imagination with Figment and the ending song sounds better than the one in JIIF.

2. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage (Magic Kingdom)
Opened: October 14, 1971
Closed: September 5, 1994
Replaced by: Pooh's Playful Spot (2004)






Description: Travel with Captain Nemo in the Nautilus submarine

My thoughts: Though I have yet to see Disney's film adaptation of Jules Verne's classic, this ride looks more imaginative than Disneyland's original Submarine Voyage.

1. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride (Magic Kingdom)
Opened: October 1, 1971
Closed: September 7, 1998
Replaced by: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1999)
(NOTE: These are pictures of the pre-1993 version of the ride)











Description: Riders choose one of two tracks. Though each track goes through different scenes, one thing is similar about both, they'll take riders on a madcap motorcar ride through London.

My thoughts: I love Disney's adaptation of Wind in the Willows (I'm one the only '90s kids who've actually seen and heard of it). Though the backrounds (which were made through a combination of plywood and metal) looked more primitive than Disneyland's Toad ride, they look like a crazy cartoon, keeping with the theme of a madcap car ride. The rendition of "Nowhere in Particular" they play in the Town Square scene is also very catchy. Many older visitors to Disney World consider the closing of Toad to be the start of the decline of quality at Disney World.

Hope you enjoy my first "non-Great Adventure" theme park article
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