I haven’t been to WDW since 2000. And I’ve found myself wondering which rides that are now there used to be something else that I do remember. For example, I know that what used to be Maelstrom is now FEA, but that’s only because FEA got a lot of press in the past two years (since I started researching a trip to WDW with our family).
So which rides are gone and what are they now? There used to be a Snow White ride and 20,000 Leagues ride in MK. What are those now? What used to be where Stitch is? Some Alien something, maybe? I remember a Star Wars ride from 20 years ago…maybe in HS? Is that Star Tours? Or has that changed? I also seem to recall some ride (or simulator) about going through the human body? Another one that had dinosaurs in it (but not DINOSAUR). Just wondering what’s still there that’s the same (that’s not Dumbo or Splash or Spaceship Earth) and what the new(er) rides used to be long ago.
The one with dinosaurs was Universe of Energy at Epcot.
There used to be a motion simulator “Body Wars” at Epcot, similar in concept to Star Tours.
The Star Wars ride has always been Star Tours. It has been updated over time, but was pretty much the same.
After 20,000 Leagues closed at MK, it was just an empty pond until it was bulldozed for the Frontierland remodel (and I believe 7DMT sits mostly in the same spot). Snow White closed, yes, as did Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride (which I believe is now the Many Adventures of Winney the Pooh).
The Extraterrorestial Alien Encounter is what was later transformed into the silly Stitch Ride. Similar in concept, but not nearly as well done. (Although the Alien Encounter was SO well done that it was scaring guests, adult and children alike.) Prior to that, it was the Mission to Mars ride.
Buzz Lightyear used to be a ride about flight. I forget the name off hand. Similar ride, because I believe for Buzz, they kept the ride track, including the big theater rooms toward the end, but it used to feel a bit more like Soarin’.
I’m not expecting YOU to answer all of these. Just thought it’d be a fun discussion for those of us who went as kids but haven’t been back as adults yet.
So what did Universe of Energy become? That’s not there anymore, right? What about Body Wars? What is is now? Is there anything left in Epcot that was there 20 years ago other than Spaceship Earth?
What was where Monster’s Inc. is? PhilHarMagic? What was where the POC is? Didn’t Mickey have a house? And Honey I Shrunk the Kids? What’s now where Snow White was? What did Nemo replace?
I remember rides (I’d forgotten about Mr. Toad!) but don’t remember what they were called. So when I hear that such-and-such is/has closed it means nothing to me unless it’s one of the few that I remember well. And I think it’d be fun to be riding such-and-such ride this year and know that what it used to be. For memories’ sake, you know.
Our second trip was in 2000. Universe of Energy shut last year and the new GotG ride will be there instead. Body Wars was in one of the Innoventions buildings I’m pretty sure, there’s not much in them now - an experiment with colour I think. Mickey did have a house, I met him there in 1992. By 2000 I don’t know if the house was still there but I have a photo of my DS5 with him dressed in a farmers outfit in a barn. I don’t think PotC has ever moved. PhilHarmagic is in Fantasyland and Monsters Inc is in Tomorrowland - I don’t remember what was there before either of them. I only have vague memories of Honey I Shrunk the Kids.
I think you meant to say Fantasyland… After it was filled in, the first thing that went there was “Mickey’s Birthdayland” which later became “Mickey’s Toontown Fair” The lagoon is roughly where 7DMT now sits, and the show building was roughly where LM now sits.
The original ride that was where Buzz now sits was “If You Had Wings”. It was there when the park opened and was sponsored by Eastern Airlines (remember them?). It was unique because it did not require any tickets to ride. When Eastern went bankrupt a different sponsor took it over and made numerous branding changes. Eventually Buzz went in, retaining the same ride system, including the vehicles.
The Snow White ride was closed when they announced 7DMT. It is now a Princess meet and greet space. Mr. Toad was converted to Winnie the Pooh.
It was the Wonders of Life pavilion, which also housed Cranium Command and The Making of Me (I quite enjoyed both). The pavilion is now the Festival Center.
Also was not trying to be rude. Just didn’t want you to feel like I expected you and you only to answer all of my questions (which I know I could probably find on the internet if I was so inclined.
@missoverexcited so PotC has always been there, huh? They must have changed it up after the movies…Johnny Depp is in there somewhere now, right? We met a British family at either TL or BB in 2000 who had a little boy with them. Maybe it was you, ha!
@bswan26 so is Mickey’s Birthdayland the house that we’re remembering? The Toontown Fair thing is there now, right?
@lecras I forgot about Cranium Command! I remember that. Kind of. All that body stuff was in the same area, I guess?
A slight correction to my earlier post (my brain is so full of Disney trivia that I sometimes get confused)… Mickey’s Birthdayland/Fair was built on a small piece of land between 20K Leagues and Tomorrowland.
Birthdayland was built to celebrate Mickey’s 60th birthday (1988) and was supposed to just be temporary. It became so popular that it was upgraded and rebranded as Mickey’s Toontown Fair; the backstory was that this was where Mickey and friends had their “vacation homes”, there permanent residences being in the DL Toontown. It closed in 2011 and was completely raised, except for the Barnstormer coaster. Dumbo’s Storybook Circus now occupies that parcel of land.
20K Leagues stayed open until the mid 90s when one day, with no announcement, it was “temporarily closed for maintenance”. Most of 2 years later Disney announced that it was permanently closed. The lagoon remained as a “water feature” until the mid 2000s when it was filled and a Pooh-themed kiddie playground was built; it was closed in 2011 to make way for the Fantasyland expansion.
Technically, not “always”. The MK opened in 1971 and PoC was not added until 1973. The original concept was that Frontierland was going to get a “pirates-style” boat ride showing humorous scenes of the “Old West”, but due to “public outcry” they decided to build a PoC instead.
Also in EPCOT: depending on how many times you had been before your last visit in 2000, you may remember World of Motion (now Test Track) and Horizons, which was demolished to may way for Mission:Space.
I never got to ride Horizons (except via YouTube) because…I’m not sure why. Originally, I thought it had been closed before I first visited Epcot, but it turns out we actually visited Epcot BEFORE it opened originally. It turns out I had been to Epcot two more times before Horizons closed, yet somehow I missed it.
Oh. Of course. The Sky ride at MK. In fact, even though it closed down a LONG time ago, the last vestiges of it existed up until the Fantasy Land refurb. On of the old stations was still around, although just used for storage or something.
