Although Walt Disney once said of his Florida property, “There’s enough land here to hold all the ideas and plans we can possibly imagine,” he passed away before the dream became a reality. The quote is often invoked by fans as part of an impassioned plea to save their favorite attractions but, in fact, Walt was a tinkerer. Many attractions came and went at Disneyland during his lifetime, though it is true that the California property has much less room for expansion than is available in Florida.
No one can really say what Walt would have done with Walt Disney World. What we do know, however, is what current and past management has done. Attractions, shops, and restaurants often close to make room for something new.
While some fans eagerly await the next incarnation of a particular location, others are disappointed by the loss of something beloved. Either way, many want to know why. I am not privy to attendance numbers or other pieces of proprietary data, but I believe that most closures fall into one of five basic categories.
1. A sponsorship changes or comes to an end
Arguably one of the most common reasons for things to change has to do with corporate sponsorship. Sometimes Disney continues to run an attraction that has lost its sponsorship. Sometimes a new sponsor agrees to take over the space but wants to put in a brand-new attraction. Sometimes a location fails to find a new sponsor and closes altogether.
An excellent example of a sponsorship-related sequence of changes is If You Had Wings, located where Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin is today. The original attraction, sponsored by Eastern Airlines, opened in June 1972. It was notable as one of the few “free” attractions that did not require a ride ticket.
Eastern’s sponsorship ended on June 1, 1987. Disney took over the attraction, reopening it less than a week later, with all references to Eastern removed, under the new name If You Could Fly. That version operated until January 1989, when it closed for new sponsor Delta to build another attraction.
Delta Dreamflight opened in June 1989, reusing the same track layout for an all-new attraction. After Delta’s sponsorship ended in 1995, the ride operated for the first half of 1996 as Dreamflight. In June of that year, Disney removed all references to the former sponsor and reopened the ride as Disney’s Take Flight. It lasted until 1998, when it closed to make room for the unsponsored Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.
2. Public moods and sensitivities evolve
When Disneyland opened in 1955, America was a much different place than it is today. Although the country had undergone major growing pains by the time Walt Disney World opened in 1971, particularly during the turbulent ‘60s, the mood of the public is fickle. Some things that made perfect sense in a theme park of the 1970s simply wouldn’t be well-received today.
One of the biggest examples of this effect was the Tobacconist, a much-loved tobacco shop on Main Street USA. The shop was well-known for its wide selection of domestic and international cigarettes, cigars, and pipes. Logo matchbooks were, of course, available by the dozens.
By the mid-1980s, smoking was falling out of public favor, and Walt Disney World’s Tobacconist closed. Disneyland’s version hung on until 1991. Today, smoking in the parks is completely banned except in designated outdoor smoking areas, and it is tough to believe that smoking was once not only accepted but even encouraged. Nonetheless, for many people of a certain age, the Tobacconist conjures up emotional memories of fabulous family vacations.
3. Synergy
During Michael Eisner’s reign as CEO, one of the buzzwords was synergy. The idea was that a single concept could spawn a feature film, hundreds of merchandise opportunities, direct-to-video sequels, ice shows, musicals, and yes, theme park attractions. Beloved rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion were turned into films, while the Enchanted Tiki Room went Under New Management with the addition of Aladdin’s Iago and The Lion King’s Zazu.
That was the era of streamlined merchandise, shoehorned Disney characters in existing rides, and numerous attraction replacements. While synergy can be an effective strategy, some Disney fans felt that the company prioritized streamlining over the creation of unique experiences.
4. Emerging technology
Technology evolves rapidly, and even the biggest technological marvel can appear dated quickly. Trying to keep pace with the changes can be daunting. Depending on the nature of the experience, it is sometimes possible to update technology without fundamentally changing an attraction.
A great example of this actually comes out of Universal Orlando. The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man was considered one of the most technologically advanced theme park attractions in the world upon its 1999 debut, but by the second decade of the 21st century it was starting to feel somewhat less impressive. Rather than close the hugely popular attraction, Universal gave it a refresh, re-mastering the film in high definition and updating both the projectors and the ride system.
Sometimes, however, it just isn’t possible to keep up, or the costs of doing so would be prohibitive. Many people believe that this is what happened to Tomorrowland, not only at the Magic Kingdom but at Disneyland as well. Long before Epcot was conceived, Tomorrowland was supposed to highlight the best, most cutting-edge, technology of today and tomorrow. But time doesn’t stand still, and Tomorrowland needed constant attention to remain fresh. Opened in 1982, Epcot’s Future World compounded the problem, as it was another area designed to remain on the cutting edge.
By the mid-1990s, Tomorrowland’s sleek white architecture looked more retro than futuristic and its attractions seemed confused. In 1994, it became the New Tomorrowland, drawing heavily from Disneyland Paris’ steampunk/sci-fi inspired Discoveryland. It now celebrates “The Future That Never Was and Always Will Be,” inspiring nostalgia for the future as predicted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
5. Changing Management Whims
It is only human nature for a new manager to want to put his or her stamp on a project. As Disney has undergone changes in management regimes, each has had a different focus and set of priorities. Some changes make little or no sense to us as fans, such as closing the beloved Journey Into Imagination to make room for the poorly-received Journey Into YOUR Imagination and, later, Journey Into Imagination With Figment. Nonetheless, those and other changes were part of the grand scheme imagined by park management at the time.
History shows that nothing is certain but change. Do you have a favorite now-shuttered Walt Disney World attraction? Are you eager to see what Disney brings out next, or would you prefer that things remain the same? Share your opinions with us in the comments!
