Let’s open the first mailbag of Spring and see what’s inside. This week staff writer Steve Russo responds to readers in response to his article, “Old or New” (January 29, 2010), that looked at a few changes to attractions at Walt Disney World and whether they were for better or worse.
Brian K. writes:
I must say I enjoyed reading your article about the changes that have come to Walt Disney World. With regards to the Tiki Room, i must disagree. It is a travesty. I was shocked when they changed it circa 1997, and I’m horrified to see it is still around. But I digress.
I really want to discuss Alien Encounter versus Stitch’s Escape. I cannot believe how awful the difference is. Stitch is a great character, but this experience is what Stitch was originally called, an abomination! I really wish they would change it back. With Alien Encounter I found it fun and exciting, but with Stitch, I am very bored and uninterested.
I love the switch from Timekeeper to Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. Good move, fun and comedic.
My second disappointment was the Polynesian Luau. I attended this feast / show in 1998 and it was a grand time with great food! I could get a fruity rum drink included and food that was authentic to the luau. Now you get a beer or wine selection, no fruity drink, alcohol or not, and rice. A huge pile of rice. No poi, no salted beef, just ribs, rice, broccoli, and pineapple. So disappointing! Furthermore the show is perfomed in such a way it feels canned.
Despite all this I remain hopeful of all changes with the Disney parks. My biggest hope is that the Peoplemover returns to Disneyland, Alien Encounter returns to the Magic Kingdom and the Skyway returns to both parks!
I’m certain I’m in the minority about the new version of the Tiki Room, and I certainly understand that. I don’t disagree with any of your other points. In particular, I’m with you 100% on the Alien Encounter versus Stitch debate.
Bob B. writes:
I have to get my $0.02 (they don’t put cents signs on keyboards anymore either) in here. Coke “Classic” if I remember right isn’t even classic. I believe they went to a cheaper sweetener.
On to Disney stuff; I’m only going to comment on attractions I remember since my first trip that was in 1977, or was it 1978? Hmm.
I do like the new Haunted Mansion and Pirates. I and my entire family hate the Tiki Room Under New Management. During our trips we have only done it once; that was enough. While visiting Disneyland we always visit the original Tiki Room. I vaguely remember the Lion King but Mickey’s (Donald’s) Philharmagic is tops on our list. We will visit it more than once in a day usually. My whole family very much enjoyed Alien Encounter versus the lame Stitch’s Great Escape (now if they had him escaping a prison camp on a motorcycle that would be cool). I much preferred the Submarine Voyage over Pooh’s Playground (I think that’s what they named it). And we really do like Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show.
As always, thanks for the input. I knew I’d get counter-opinions on the Tiki Birds but I can’t disagree with anything else you’ve offered.
Andrew H. writes:
Great article, Steve! And I agree with almost all of your choices (I might differ on If You Had Wings, which was a much-appreciated sit-down ride with no queue ever).
Of course, the theater that now shows Mickey’s Philharmagic originally showed the Mickey Mouse Revue, which was torn out shortly before I made my first trip to Walt Disney World in 1982, but which was still tantalizingly shown in the souvenir brochure.
Other replacements: the execrable Food Rocks, for The Kitchen Kabaret Revue (guess which one I preferred?); the wonderful content that used to be in CommuniCore for the tradeshow tat of Innoventions; and the Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes for… nothing?
Thanks for the nice words… and thanks for reminding me of several more “replacements” I missed. What started as an article could almost become a book!
Kristin B. writes:
My first trip to Walt Disney World was at the tender age of four in 1988 (I’m 25 now and our next trip will be in May), so I do remember most of what you had listed in your “change” article. A couple of them are VERY sore spots with me!
– Whoever came up with the idea of changing Journey Into Imagination needs to be bludgeoned about the head with a piece of Dreamfinder’s ship. Hard. We usually go to Walt Disney World in the off season (January) since I finished school, but when we took my teenaged niece during her *spring break* in 2008 the line was STILL only 10 minutes long. You’d think that would give the Imagineers just a TINY hint there. Out of every single attraction which has changed in our 25+ trips out there since 1988, Journey Into Imagination is the one I miss passionately and am more than a little bitter about losing. Figment and Dreamfinder were the embodiment of my childhood. (And I think it’s ‘Imagination!’ now, not ‘Journey Into Imagination with Figment’.
– Whoever came up with the idea of changing El Rio de Tiempo needs to be bludgeoned with something as well. That used to be such a relaxing ride to cool off and rest your feet on but now it’s so obnoxious (and in my opinion stereotypical and insulting to a beautiful culture) that we avoid it at all costs.
– What’s the difference between Illuminations 2000 and Reflections of Earth besides the intro and ending dialogue? My mother and I have seen that show so many times (we try to come back to Epcot every DAY to finish off our day with it) that we have every last little spark memorized. Nothing has changed as far as I can remember when it comes to the pyrotechnics.
– My Disney freak and Cast Member friends all refer to Alien Encounter’s replacement as “Stitch’s Great Mistake,” if that tells you anything.
– I haven’t tried the Laugh Floor out of sheer stubbornness for Walt Disney World taking away my Timekeeper.
– I’m an illustrator for a living now, but when I was younger I desperately wanted to be a 2D Disney animator. I am utterly disgusted with the current state of “Magic of Disney Animation with gutted former studio area character meet-and-greet.” The last time I went there was October of last year and I literally almost cried when I saw what they had done to the former sunken studio spaces. THAT studio was where I dreamed of working from the time I was 12 years old until they closed it down my freshman year of college. The whole attraction is utterly USELESS now. (The animation desks from that attraction now reside in the Computer Animation department of my alma mater, Ringling College of Art and Design. I got to sit at one of them while I was a student there because my roommate was a Computer Animation major. They’re kept in a room with a keypad-locked security door.)
Please do another article with some of the attractions listed at the bottom of today’s! It was a really enjoyable read.
Thanks for the feedback. I believe you’re right on the Illuminations 2000 and Reflections of Earth. The changes really occurred over the earlier versions ((Illuminations, Illuminations 25 and Illuminations 98). I’ll give your suggestion for another article some thought.
Mary H. writes:
Living with the Land is one of the most relaxing, dear, and educational rides in EPCOT. It is warm and fuzzy, but also teaches. What horrible changes have they made? Will I still want to climb on my boat, or will my stomach turn the way it did when I saw the new Journey into Imagination so many years ago?
I rode Living With the Land a couple of months ago and can allay your fears. At least in my opinion, it’s essentially the same ride it has been throughout its operation. The only real difference is the replacement of the human narrator with a recorded voice. It’s still as relaxing and educational as always so rest easy.
Amy writes:
I enjoyed reading your “Old or New?” article. However when I got to the bit about Fantasyland Theatre, I noticed you missed a piece of information.
The original inhabitant of Fantasyland Theatre was the Mickey Mouse Revue animatronic show, which ran from park opening in 1971 until the early 80’s, then it was shipped to Tokyo Disneyland (the show closed there last year and is being replaced with Mickey’s Philharmagic). I know according to your article, you didn’t visit Walt Disney World until 1984, so you never had a chance to experience Mickey Mouse Revue. My first visit was in 1978 and it was instantly one of my favorites (though the Three Caballaros part scared me due to Panchero firing his pistols… I was only 3 during that first visit).
I would give ANYTHING to be able to see that show again (in person… I’ve seen lots of videos on YouTube of the Japanese version) as it’s been 30 years since that first trip to Walt Disney World. Philarmagic is a nice kind of homage to the original occupant of the theatre, but I’m really tired of movie-based attractions (I’ve always been fascinated with animatronics).
Well, that’s just my opinion.
Thanks for sharing that bit of Disney history. I was certainly aware of the Mickey Mouse Revue but, as you said, I didn’t visit until after it had gone. Thanks for writing and keeping me honest.
Elizabeth writes:
I loved reading your article about changes at Walt Disney World, and I had to answer your question. We pretty much agree, although I somehow never got to see Horizons. I sort of remember World of Motion, and I miss it. I have to admit, I HATED The Legend of the Lion King (thought it was way cheesy) so Mickey’s PhilharMagic was a BIG improvement. I love it! How about Kitchen Cabaret vs. Food Rocks vs. what’s there now? And was there anything before Turtle Talk? How about Timekeeper vs. the Laugh Floor (or is that even where that is now?
I can’t really vote on Kitchen Cabaret vs. Food Rocks so much, because I really only know Kitchen Cabaret by the “Veggie-Veggie-Fruit-Fruit” song, but Timekeeper was FANTASTIC. I was always mad at Walt Disney World for not playing that attraction up more so it was more popular. Oh, and about Alien Encounter vs. Stitch? Alien Encounter scared the pants off me, and I wouldn’t go back, but Stitch is much better–I mean, blood spatters from a slaughtered worker? Eww. SO not Disney. Okay, that’s enough of my 2-cents’ worth. Hope it helps!
Great choices all but… I actually liked Alien Encounter. You asked “How about Kitchen Cabaret vs. Food Rocks vs. what’s there now?”. Well, what’s there now is Soarin’ and I think I’ll keep it.
Thanks for the feedback – there’s another column here for sure.
A Reader writes:
Wow, great article. The list is endless:
- Disney Village Resort vs. Disney Institute vs. Saratoga
- Old (pre-1995) Downtown Disney vs. New Downtown Disney
- Empress Lilly vs. Fulton’s Crab House
- Original Chef Mickey’s vs. Rainforest Cafe
- Original Gourmet Pantry vs. Earl of Sandwich
- Character Shop vs. World of Disney
- Top of the World vs. California Grill
Those are just a few off the top of my head. And now I’m really nostaglic for the original version of Downtown Disney/Disney Village Marketplace.
