In my last post I added a Snow White joke in memory of Snow White’s Scary Adventure, a dark ride whose last day at the Magic Kingdom was May 31. Disney is expanding Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom so there has to be changes. If everything works out there will be a seven dwarfs mine ride in the future so Snow White will still be represented.
The Disney parks have changed a lot in their lifetime. Many attractions have opened and closed over the years and more will do so in the future. Sometimes the Guests don’t care if an attraction ends and sometimes they make a huge fuss. I used to get upset, but then I realized that if some attractions did not end there would be no room for new rides. So, bring on the change. I can’t wait to see what the new Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom looks like when it is done.
In honor of Snow White’s Scary Adventure I present 5 attractions at Disneyland that I loved, but are no longer around. There are lots more I could talk about, but I focused on the ones that are not found in any other parks today. These rides are truly gone…but not forgotten.
Jennifer’s 5 much-loved, long-gone Disneyland attractions:
1) Adventures Thru Inner Space (closed in 1985) This is the first ride I remember being in love with. You got into a cart (called an atomobile) and went into a microscope. You became teeny tiny and learned about chemistry, biology, and astronomy. I think I can attribute my love of science to this ride. I was devastated when it closed.
2) America Sings (closed in 1988) I never missed this attraction. It was built in the round building that had held the Carousel of Progress. When the Carousel of Progress moved to Walt Disney World America Sings replaced it. I loved the singing audio-animatronic birds and the patriotic music. It was toe-taping fun. The animals got a second life when America Sings ended. They moved over to Splash Mountain and are still singing today. Hooray!
3) Mike Fink Keel Boats (closed in 1997) The best Davy Crockett ever was played by Fess Parker. Disney made several Davy Crockett movies starring Fess Parker and my favorite is Davy Crockett and the River Pirates
4) Mission to Mars (closed in 1992) If you have been on Mission: SPACE at EPCOT than you might think that Mission to Mars was hokey, and by today’s standards it was. But when I visited Disneyland in the 80s I never missed this attraction. They added and removed air from the seats to simmulate take off and landing, (yes, hokey) but it was a fun ride and at the time I felt like I was going into space. I would love to see a new Mission to Mars at Disneyland. Not a simulator like Mission: Space, but something educational and entertaining. Perhaps it could incorporate the Mars rovers.
5) Skyway (closed 1994) Okay, this is the one that gets my goat. This ride should never have closed. It was a gondola that went between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. From the bucket you could see a view of the park that you couldn’t get on any other attraction. I rode this ride everytime I visited Disneyland and sometimes I rode it more than once. It closed because Guests were starting to spit and yell at other Guests below them. What a shame that they had to ruin it for the rest of us. I don’t know how to change certain Guest’s un-Disney-like behavior, but I would love for the Skyway to return to Disneyland.
There you have it – five rides that live on only in people’s memories. I hope you enjoyed this bit of nostalgia. It made me realize that I need to ride my favorite rides more often. One never knows when Disney will make more changes. Happiness squared.
Do you have a favorite ride that no longer exists at the Disney parks? Comment here.
Goofy Book: If you want to know more about all the attractions, stores, and restaurants – past and present – at Disneyland then I recommend reading The Disneyland Encyclopedia: The Unofficial, Unauthorized, and Unprecedented History of Every Land, Attraction, Restaurant, Shop, and Event in the Original Magic Kingdom