[Fun] Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

[monster heck]

Many of us long for the old, extinct rides at Disneyland. Who wouldn't want to get on the PeopleMover now or ride Nature's Wonderland this afternoon? But are we romanticizing these old rides a little too much?

Quite honestly, I think if some of these rides were still around, a lot of us would be griping about how lame or tired they are. Some more than others. On the other hand, maybe some rides would still work to this day, much like how POTC and HM have.

So let's have some fun and debate some old Yesterland rides. (I'm only going to hit a few just to start it off) Feel free to comment and add to the list.

Adventure Thru Inner Space
In 2012, this ride would never have a line. It would be so outdated and hokey. People would be calling for replacing this ride all the time. Who wants to sit in a ride full of fake styrafoam snowflakes?

Mission to Mars
This ride would need major upgrades for it to last in the modern day. It is a very unique attraction - part show, part ride. I think people would rip on how anti-climactic this ride would be nowadays. Unless you redesign this ride, this attraction, which was a fav of mine growing up, would not be popular.

Nature's Wonderland
I actually think this ride would still hold up to this day.

CircleVision
A unique attraction back in the day. Now, it would have to be 3D. But then you'd have issues with people standing and wearing glasses, which could lead to people falling or getting dizzy.

PeopleMover
This is the King of All attractions that would/could/should be working in 2012!

Skyway
Again, nothing against this ride at all in my book. However, I know a few people don't like looking at Fantasyland rooftops. But for me, the trade off with the views is totally worth it.

America Sings
All Time great attraction. However, it would be ripped to shreds because it couldn't keep up with modern music. This ride was an American music history lesson for yours truly growing up. For it to work, they'd have to add in music from the last 30 years and I don't know how you could do that without taking away some of the other songs in the old attraction.

Old Subs
Well, Nemo isn't popular with a lot of hardcores. However, people would probably be laughing at the old fake fish ride these days.

Motor Boats
People would be bored to death with this ride. It would need a total revamp for it to survive.

Country Bear Jamboree
This would totally work in 2012. Never should have been taken away.

[PiecesOfEight]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

Adventure Thru Inner Space
In 2012, this ride would never have a line. It would be so outdated and hokey. People would be calling for replacing this ride all the time. Who wants to sit in a ride full of fake styrafoam snowflakes?

You hit the nail on the head. I think most people that think this ride would work (as it was) today are looking through glasses of the rose tint and/or never actually went on the ride. It was so corny, even in the '70s when I went on it.

Now, if they updated it with today's technology, it could be awesome.

[mratigan]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

they really need some of these back
i get Disneyland is not a museum,but these are rides that will be great for many years to come.Like the peoplemover, circle vision 360-3D, country bears 2.0,and ATIS 2.0

[Chuuster]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I agree that the carbon copies of old attractions wouldn't hold up well with today's crowd. There are fans today asking for these rides to return, but If these rides never left, I think a lot of people would be asking for it to be replaced. Not that I believe in it, but in a parallel universe, there could be a MiceChat forums asking for BLAB and Innoventions, haha! )


I agree with PiecesOfEight though, that some of these rides would probably do very well if revamped with new technology and perhaps story rewrite.

[TCadillac]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I can only vouch for the attractions I've experienced (exclude Adventures TIS, Nature's Wonderland) and the only rides I feel that would not hold up to this day are the motor boat ride and CircleVision. The boats bored me to tears as a kid and CircleVision is where grandma would go when she was tired and wanted to sit down. I'm partial to AAs in attractions so I'm a bit biased towards Country Bears and America Sings. Mission to Mars would need a technological overhaul of some type to enhance the simulation of space travel. I'll be honest I was never a fan of the old subs and I am definitely not a fan of Nemo but if they upgrade the animatronics of the original and other show elements such, as props, background etc. I feel like it would be a big draw.

[DrFink]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I'm sick of the PeopleMover argument. It does absolutely nothing and I believe a majority of those who call for it to be brought back want it purely for nostalgia.

[Pinrar]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

This is all assuming the attractions wouldn't be updated. Inner space would need to be updated to hold up today. Same for mission to mars and the motor boats. PM wouldn't really need much because it was more about seeing everything in TL rather than the PM itself.

I say good riddance to the skyway being gone. Those sort of rides are eyesores, especially in beautiful DL. It might have been unique when it was built but today you can find those at local county fairs and they haven't aged well. The rest would all be fine today if left untouched.

[Steveman]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

This is all assuming the attractions wouldn't be updated. Inner space would need to be updated to hold up today. Same for mission to mars and the motor boats....

Agreed on Inner Space and Mission to Mars. I would surmise that most who complain about the state of Tommorrowland were not suggesting that having the original versions of both of these rides, untouched and exactly as they were many years ago would be ideal. I, for one, think having updated versions of these, using the latest technology, would be much better than many of the existing attractions. Imagine somehow integrating all of the high resolution pictures we now have of the surface of Mars from the various rover missions into Mission to Mars. Even the subs could have been updated without making it the atrocity it is today.

I hope eventually they have at least some kind of equivalent to Mission at Tomorrowland again one day. Whether it's Mission to Mars or Titan or Europa or Tau Ceti or whatever, some kind of attraction in that vein is really needed there, imho.

[biggsworth]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

the only ones on the list IMO that would still be good today are the PM,CBJ, and Natures wonderland. BTMRR would still exist though too somehow in my world is NW was around!

[Wren]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

Yea I dont think any Tomorrowland ones would hold up today, but Country Bears, Nature's Wonderland; upgrade the effects they'd be amazing today.

[monster heck]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I'm sick of the PeopleMover argument. It does absolutely nothing and I believe a majority of those who call for it to be brought back want it purely for nostalgia.

No.

[Mr Wiggins]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I'm sick of the PeopleMover argument. It does absolutely nothing and I believe a majority of those who call for it to be brought back want it purely for nostalgia.

If you read the countless posts on this topic, you'll see that the overwhelming majority of people aren't calling for the old PeopleMover or any old Disneyland ride to be cloned, but to be updated to the same level of quality for today that the ride had when it was built.

Posts like this:

We don't want an exact recreation of the Disneyland of the past. We want a Disneyland that reflects the levels of style, imagination, creativity, story, artistry, character, sophistication, and immersiveness of the past.

[calsig31]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I'm sick of the PeopleMover argument. It does absolutely nothing and I believe a majority of those who call for it to be brought back want it purely for nostalgia.

It isn't pure nostalgia when you can still ride the one at Disney World and realize how nice it is to be able to ride even their inferior version. To see what a sense of motion it brings to the land. It was a great way for newcomers to get a preview of the area and for all visitors to get off their feet for a few minutes and see Tomorrowland from a different perspective.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

Adventure Thru Inner Space
Entertaining and educational concept, stunning pre-show set piece, evocative soundtrack. There was nothing “hokey” or “corny” about it. Anyone who says that must have never been on it. All that would be needed today would be up-to-date visual effects and you’d have a popular attraction today. And add an optional thrill ride section at the end.


Mission to Mars
Should have been converted into a pizza restaurant where you order your pizza at Mission Control and then eat it in the rocket ship while watching the movies on the floor and ceiling.


Mine Train thru Nature's Wonderland
As-is except updating the animal animatronics to more realistic forms.


CircleVision
As-is except new films. Not my favorite, but a crowd-eater.


PeopleMover
Should be restored but the track extended to include a station in DCA.


Skyway
Was NOT an eyesore. One connecting the 2 parks would be nice.


America Sings
I preferred the Carousel of Progress.


Old Subs
Fine but new scenes should be added which change so that the ride-thru varies each time.


Motor Boat Cruise
Boring and would not work today. The steering wheel did nothing; the gas pedal only made a sound; even if you just sat there you went through the course anyway.


Country Bear Jamboree
Would work if updated with new characters and new songs.

[PiecesOfEight]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

Adventure Thru Inner Space
Entertaining and educational concept, stunning pre-show set piece, evocative soundtrack. There was nothing “hokey” or “corny” about it. Anyone who says that must have never been on it.

I went on it numerous times from about '75 to '85 (I think that was the last year). I'll stand by my statement that it was corny.

[bayouguy]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

I believe CBJ would work very well in the future, if it were not allowed to become stale or boring. There ought to be several seasonal shows and occasional brand new shows so that guest could look forward to fresh shows.

[CASurfer65]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

You hit the nail on the head. I think most people that think this ride would work (as it was) today are looking through glasses of the rose tint and/or never actually went on the ride. It was so corny, even in the '70s when I went on it.

Now, if they updated it with today's technology, it could be awesome.

And I think that's what we're all assuming would have to happen if they were to hold up in 2012.

Almost all of those attractions would have to be updated to live up to today's standards.

As for ATIS though, as an attractions host for ten years through the 80s and into the 90s, guests came up to me all the time and asked where that attraction was after it was closed.

So I would have to say that for every person such as yourself who considered it hokey, even back in the 70s, there was at least one person who liked it. They sure seemed to want to ride it again, and were disappointed when they heard it was closed.

I think I saw the creators of the attraction interviewed one time about it, and even they admitted it was a pretty simple ride, even for the time it was built.

So I agree that it would need to be updated.

And if it was, it would be of way more interest to me than Star Tours is. ST is a passive ride with nothing educational about it...located in a land that was intended to have something educational going on.

ATIS with an upgrade would be futuristic and didactic. Something Tomorrowland needs more of.

Flight to the Moon>>Mission to Mars were flight simulator wannabes (of their time), but IMO were pretty darned interesting for the time in which they were built.

I have to say though that even though they didn't live up to the modern day technology that Star Tours does, I found them more interesting. Again....ST, passive....Moon>>Mars, educational.

[PiecesOfEight]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

So I would have to say that for every person such as yourself who considered it hokey, even back in the 70s, there was at least one person who liked it. They sure seemed to want to ride it again, and were disappointed when they heard it was closed.

Hey, I liked ATIS when I was 5!

Also, nostalgia tends to blind people.

[Bob Weaver]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

Adventure thru Inner Space was a fine example of Imagineering at its best. Nothing corny about it, and Walt approved it.

[indianajack]

Re: Old attractions - Would they hold up in 2012 and beyond?

Can't say I'd want CBJ to come back, it's so corny and the music/jokes are unappealing (to me). It's beyond salvation and is just fine with me being in Yesterland.

People Mover is a no-brainer to come back and would be great to tie Tomorrowland together.
An updated ATIS could be really cool.
A Skyway faux-balloon ride connecting the two parks is an interesting idea except too much of backstage would probably be exposed.