Many Disney fans are extremely passionate about their favorite attractions, so when it’s announced that a beloved ride is closing to make way for something new, the backlash can be intense. From nostalgic classics to fan-favorite experiences, several replacements have sparked plenty of controversy over the years.
However, a change that initially feels like a downgrade can end up becoming a fan favorite in its own right. From more immersive storylines and technology to experiences that better capture the Disney spirit, these eight controversial ride replacements prove that sometimes, saying goodbye to a good thing can lead to something even better. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disneyland’s fanciest restaurant becoming more accessible and Disney World’s Christmas Special filming schedule.
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Snow White’s Scary Adventures to Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Although Seven Dwarfs Mine Train isn’t an exact one-to-one replacement for Snow White’s Scary Adventures (as in, it was not built in the same spot or ride building), its creation was the reason the original attraction was removed from Fantasyland in Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. When the land went through an expansion upgrade in the early 2010s, Imagineers decided it didn’t make sense to have two rides that focused on the same story (albeit from different perspectives), effectively rendering Snow White’s Scary Adventures obsolete.
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However, this change seems to have been for the best. Snow White’s Scary Adventures was a ride that felt too scary to many guests, with the main storyline focusing on Snow White being hunted by the Evil Queen/Witch. While there were a few less intense scenes throughout the attraction, it felt a bit too dark overall to be kept with the rest of the more lighthearted Fantasyland.
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, on the other hand, is a joyful, family-friendly rollercoaster ride through the mines that the dwarfs work in, which works better with the theming of the rest of the land. When riding the Mine Train, guests still have the opportunity to see some of the animatronics from Snow White’s Scary Adventures, which is a nice homage to the original attraction.
Maelstrom to Frozen Ever After
After Frozen premiered in 2013 and was an enormous success, many were not surprised when it started taking over the Disney theme parks. There were so many guests clamoring to revisit the story and see the characters in real life, Disney Imagineers seemingly didn’t have much of a choice but to start adding it in wherever they could.
The most obvious place for a Frozen-themed attraction was the Norway World Showcase Pavilion in Epcot, since that’s where the film takes place. However, that unfortunately meant that the ride currently housed there, Maelstrom, would have to be removed.
While Maelstrom was cherished by a lot of guests, it didn’t feature any Disney characters or theming, so it ultimately made sense to the Disney team to replace it. Over the years, Frozen Ever After has become far more popular than Maelstrom ever was, often seeing hours-long wait times, so in the end, it seems to have been a smart decision.
Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Another Fantasyland attraction that felt a bit too dark to fit in with the rest of the rides there was Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, which follows one of the main characters from The Wind and the Willows. Riders would be in the driver’s seat as Mr. Toad, driving a car recklessly through London, crashing, and ultimately ending up in “Hell,” which many parents found inappropriate for their young children.
After the Winnie the Pooh franchise grew massively for Disney in the 1980s and 1990s, it was decided that Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride would be replaced by The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh so the attraction would be more appealing to the young families visiting the park. Plus, by that point, most people were not familiar with Mr. Toad or The Wind and the Willows, so it made sense to build a ride with more popular and beloved characters.
Many guests were not happy with the decision, and fans even gathered outside the attraction to protest. However, Disney moved forward with the change, and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh has remained in that area since. Riders can still catch a glimpse of Mr. Toad when traveling through Owl’s house, where a hanging picture shows Mr. Toad handing the deed of the attraction over to Owl.
El Rio del Tiempo to Gran Fiesta Tour
El Rio del Tiempo opened with the rest of Epcot in 1982 as the feature attraction of the Mexico Pavilion in World Showcase. It was originally designed as a slow-moving boat ride that taught guests about Mexican culture and tradition, but after a few decades with this premise, Disney Imagineers realized it wasn’t getting much attention from visitors and decided to revamp it. The best way to do that? Adding in familiar Disney characters, of course!
The ride reopened in 2007 as Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, including Donald Duck, Panchito the Rooster, and Jose Carioca the Parrot in the main storyline. With the revised theming, Panchito and Jose are preparing for their evening concert and go on a hunt for Donald through scenic locations around Mexico.
The updates to the ride made it more humorous, upbeat, and enjoyable for younger children than the original attraction had been. Plus, it was a relatively easy replacement process, as it required only adding in new projection screens and character animations rather than building an entirely new set from scratch.
Ellen’s Energy Adventure to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Throughout the last couple of decades, Epcot has gone through a large shift in theming, moving from the original “edutainment” style of attractions to more high-energy rides that feature popular characters and stories. We saw this with the updates to El Rio del Tiempo and Maelstrom, and in 2017, the change affected another attraction, Ellen’s Energy Adventure.
With its 45-minute ride time and slow-moving pace, Ellen’s Energy Adventure had been waning in popularity for some time. In its heyday, the story featuring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye was quite charming and funny. However, the attraction lost its sponsor in 2004, and Disney was unable to make any major updates after, so its humor and pop-culture references felt outdated and obsolete.
The popularity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, along with the desire for Epcot to feature a more intense thrill ride, gave Imagineers the idea to completely redesign the building and bring in the Guardians of the Galaxy characters. Thus, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind was created, and since its opening, the coaster has seen much better guest numbers than Ellen’s Energy Adventure ever did.
California Screamin’ to Incredicoaster
In 2018, Disney decided that Paradise Pier in Disney California Adventure would receive an overhaul to feature fan-favorite Pixar movies and characters. With that update came the inevitable replacement of California Screamin’, the massive rollercoaster that looms over that area of the park.
To many fans’ relief, the actual track itself was left mostly untouched, with the main theming of the ride transformed based on The Incredibles 2, which was released in the summer of that year. The storyline, which follows the Parr family as they chase after and try to catch baby Jack-Jack, really helped add to the atmosphere of the attraction, giving it a more interesting feel than just simply being a rollercoaster ride.
With the addition of the story came effects like “scream tunnels” that feature lighting effects and character figures and a new musical score. The reimagining of California Screamin’ into Incredicoaster ultimately ended up breathing life into the ride and making it a more enjoyable experience for guests.
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
When it was announced that The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Disney California Adventure was going to be entirely rethemed into a Marvel attraction, many guests were not happy. There are some attractions on this list that may have had small fan followings that were disappointed in the replacement, but Tower of Terror is such a beloved ride that the change to Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! caused quite an uproar.
Unfortunately, Disney California Adventure had been dealing with low guest numbers for quite a long time, and the Disney team felt that creating a section centered around the Marvel Cinematic Universe would vastly increase the number of visitors. While many people voiced the opinion that Disney Imagineers could have simply built a new Marvel ride from scratch instead of gutting and reimagining a classic, it just didn’t make sense financially.
In the end, the replacement has gone over very well, and lots of guests enjoy the upbeat, more lighthearted nature of the Guardians of the Galaxy retheming.
Food Rocks to Soarin’
Back in 1994, Epcot’s the Land Pavilion opened a musical stage show called Food Rocks (which replaced another production, Kitchen Kabaret). By 2004, guests started to feel that the show was outdated and audiences began to dwindle. Disney was looking to add a new thrill ride to the theme park, and it was determined that Soarin’ Over California, which had been extremely successful in Disneyland, would be brought in.
As a high-capacity attraction that took guests dozens of feet up into the air, Soarin’ required a massive show building, which was constructed behind The Land Pavilion. Unfortunately, the Food Rocks theater was situated directly where the Soarin’ entrance, queue, and pre-show space needed to be to connect to the new building, and thus the attraction was shut down and gutted.
While Soarin’ has been through several different iterations since its opening in 2005, it has remained one of Epcot’s most popular attractions. Although Food Rocks was an entertaining little production, it seems that Disney Imagineers definitely made the right call when they decided it was time to say goodbye.
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