Every Walt Disney World fan has extinct points of interest that they miss, and would give something to see one final time. This publish takes a have a look at a few of our favourite long-gone choices from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios, however with a twist: all the things on this listing really may come again. 

While we spend loads of time on this weblog waxing nostalgic about EPCOT Center (our 10 Worst Walt Disney World Attraction Replacements may be very EPCOT-heavy), the fact is that extinct omnimover points of interest are by no means coming again. Sadly, it’s unlikely that any experience is coming again, regardless of a lot we would need it–and the way good of an concept it is likely to be. The finest we are able to hope for on that entrance are sequels (of kinds), just like the elusive Journey into Imagination reboot so many followers hope to see coming someday this decade.

However, there are some issues gone from Walt Disney World that may come again, and that’s what we need to give attention to right here. Making this a “top” 10 listing and easily rehashing the EPCOT rides we miss probably the most would’ve been the straightforward route. Instead, we’ll give attention to 10 issues that we actually miss, however that might conceivably return in some type, be it direct restorations or ‘spiritual successors’ that embody the identical traits and high quality.

Not solely that, however it looks like the time is correct for daydreaming about what Walt Disney World would possibly do to recapture a few of the magic. For one factor, returning CEO Bob Iger has already tried to assuage Cast Members and followers that he’s making an attempt to proper the ship and undo a few of the injury executed by his successor/predecessor, Bob Chapek. That virtually definitely won’t take the type of value decreases, however efforts might be taken to revive goodwill and restore model injury. Playing the nostalgia card is an efficient approach to accomplish that, and lure again disillusioned followers.

Additionally, there’s the exhaustion of pent-up demand at Walt Disney World and Disneyland coupled with broader macroeconomic components. Data means that family financial savings is dwindling, client debt is on the rise, and equities markets are trending downward. An financial downturn in 2023 or 2024 is sort of sure, with a recession attainable. (See What Does Walt Disney World Do During a Recession? for extra on that.)

Finally, there’s the straightforward actuality that Walt Disney World doesn’t have a lot on the horizon after TRON Lightcycle Run opens in Spring 2023. There are minor issues like Moana’s Journey of Water, extra new eating places, and Disney Vacation Club growth–however nothing round which advertising and marketing campaigns might be crafted or that’ll immediate individuals to e book holidays. The subsequent considerably main factor is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which gained’t open till Late 2024 or 2025. After that, who is aware of–nothing has been introduced regardless of Universal’s Epic Universe opening then.

Walt Disney World’s turnaround time on new points of interest is painfully gradual. Even if lands based mostly on Moana and Zootopia are formally introduced in early 2023 to broaden Animal Kingdom, they gained’t debut till Summer 2026 on the absolute earliest. So followers is likely to be in for a dry spell till then, or maybe 2027.

Fortunately, there are issues that the corporate can do expeditiously to incentivize journeys and win again weary former followers. Here’s our listing of what Walt Disney World ought to convey again within the subsequent few years…

10. Year of a Million Dreams – We actually loved this celebration, and an enormous a part of that was shock Magical Moments awarded by the Dream Squad. We gained a number of instances throughout that two-year celebration, the spotlight of which was attending to experience in Mickey’s Jammin’ Jungle Parade in the course of the occasion.

Year of a Million Dreams was a good way to make company really feel particular and valued. It would possibly’ve even satisfied us to take extra journeys, eager to win greater. (That’s us above in Summer 2008, sporting child faces and Mickey Mouse ears we gained whereas lining up for Journey into Imagination–certainly one of a number of successes in the course of the Year of a Million Dreams! If I may commerce all the things added to Walt Disney World since to revisit then, I’d do it instantly.)

I do have some skepticism about Walt Disney World’s capacity to drag off the Year of a Million Dreams now. The world has modified, social media has exploded, and there are an increasing number of tales of visitor entitlement. Too many individuals would possibly really feel they’re owed a Magical Moment and would complain once they didn’t obtain one. Or, somebody on TikTookay would publish a approach to “hack” the Year of a Million Dreams and win daily.

Regardless of what it’s referred to as or the shape it takes, a worldwide occasion paying tribute to Walt Disney World and celebrating the legacy of the theme parks can be cool. Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary was an entire bust, so this might be a pleasant mulligan for that. The Happiest Celebration on Earth was actually the primary time we heard a lot in regards to the worldwide parks, and it’d be enjoyable for every of the parks to pay tribute to 1 one other with a give attention to Walt Disney World’s historical past and legacy.

9. Lights of Winter and Dreamlights – Fair Warning: there’s a lot of Christmas on this listing. Part of that’s as a result of it’s contemporary in our minds. Another half is that we left Walt Disney World this vacation season not feeling that it was almost as festive because it was. There are a bunch of little issues which are nonetheless lacking, even because the parks are largely again to regular.

Then there’s the one very massive factor: the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights, which we concern might by no means return. Walt Disney World bringing that show again for Christmas 2023 is the naked minimal. That’s doubly true after reducing out nearly each different main wow-inducing gentle show within the years previous to that.

To that time, the opposite “easiest” vacation gentle show to revive is in EPCOT, and will coincide with the brand new entrance of the park (hopefully) being completed by subsequent Christmas. We miss the Lights of Winter a lot that we made the trek to Kobe, Japan to see its Luminarie lighting, which bears an extremely sturdy resemblance to the Lights of Winter.

The Lights of Winter was not a huge-scale providing, however completely set the temper for Christmas in Epcot. These archways ran between Future World and World Showcase, and have been abruptly “retired” (to place it charitably) one yr because of technical points. For the following few years, many followers hoped their infrastructure can be up to date and so they’d return, however I feel that hope has largely dissipated. With that mentioned, these may nonetheless be rebuilt and restored on quick discover, and would give Epcot a shot within the arm in the course of the Christmas season. Perhaps not a foul concept because the park is a veritable unfinished building web site.

8. Extinct Foods – My official vote right here is for Figaro Fries, the loaded fries that was provided in Fantasyland. There are additionally a number of desserts and a sandwich I miss at Sunshine Seasons, and a pair vacation cupcakes I actually miss. Bringing any of those again can be simple–if there was one factor Walt Disney World did properly in the course of the fiftieth, it was this. Let’s maintain the momentum going throughout Disney’s one hundredth Anniversary and past.

Unofficially, I’m all for BeaverTails returning to Canada. This is an unofficial one as a result of I don’t recall ever having them within the Canada pavilion at Epcot, however I’ve had BeaverTails in Canada (the true nation) a number of instances, and they’re spectacular.

7. Timekeeper or Alien Encounter – These are the one two points of interest on the listing, each as a result of Tomorrowland ’94 was an enormous hit for me as a child and they’d be pretty simple to convey again with retrofits to current venues that might be completed in underneath 6 months (lower than the time it took to create Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout!)

Let’s begin with Alien Encounter. First, Stitch’s Great Escape reused loads of the identical infrastructure, props, and results…simply with a far worse execution. Restoring Alien Encounter can be far simpler than creating one thing new from a clean slate. Second, Walt Disney World demographics skew extra grownup yearly, and Tomorrowland particularly will quickly be a land that caters in direction of an older (or at the least taller) viewers. Finally, Alien Encounter was simply flat-out good.

As for Timekeeper, I beloved the time journey elements, historic figures, and the animated character Robin Williams (in all probability one of the vital recognizable actors to any baby of the 90s) gave to Timekeeper. What went over my head on the time–that I feel I’d admire at this time–was the vary of filming places past the Eiffel Tower. Bringing again this CircleVision 360 movie wouldn’t be that powerful.

6. Adventurers Club – Another one which’s by no means coming again–at the least, not in its former house or authentic type. Nevertheless, I feel an idea much like the Adventurers Club can be well-received and in style amongst Walt Disney World’s rising grownup viewers. It was quirky and distinctive–a greater and extra polished incarnation of an leisure model that’s very talked-about proper now.

The potential for Adventurers Club to return is aided by the truth that its authentic Cast Members nonetheless reunite for personal occasions regularly–we’ve attended a number of (one held outdoors at Beach Club is pictured above). With loads of unused venues at Walt Disney World, it’d be simple sufficient to convey Adventurers Club again on a “limited time magic” foundation for the fiftieth Anniversary.

5. Pirate & Princess Party – Modern Walt Disney World could also be reluctant to supply free particular occasions when a hard-ticket occasion is a risk. In the case of the Pirate & Princess Party, we’d be prepared to pay. We are guessing 99% of you studying this publish by no means skilled the Pirate & Princess Party; the occasion occurred at varied instances for a few summers across the Great Recession, however was so sparsely attended that it was canceled.

We attended solely as soon as, and beloved the Enchanted Adventures Parade, fireworks, and moody ambiance of the occasion. If Magic Kingdom would run this parade throughout Disney After Hours, that may be the nudge we have to purchase tickets to that occasion. In reality, “Disney Adventures After Hours” has a sure ring to it, and is a sufficiently open-ended idea that it may incorporate components from Pirate & Princess Party and characters from the 90s, when Disney Adventures journal was an enormous hit with children.

4. IllumiNations – It’s exhausting to imagine that is really a practical suggestion, and but, it’s. Two years in the past presently, we have been watching because the Harmonious infrastructure was put in in World Showcase Lagoon. Given the dimensions and price of that (rumored) $100 million manufacturing, it appeared like Harmonious can be round for the lengthy haul.

Fast-forward two years, and it’s extremely possible that Harmonious will finish not in one other decade, however on March 31, 2022. There isn’t going to be a protracted farewell or send-off season. As of proper now, there’s only a small be aware on the fiftieth Anniversary web page itemizing it as one of many restricted time choices that ends with the celebration. Talk a few shocking flip of occasions!

Bringing again IllumiNations after a 5-year hiatus would undoubtedly draw locals and long-time followers again. If that’s the route Walt Disney World opts to go, we’d prefer to see enhancements to the present, however we aren’t choosy. A bigger globe (however one which isn’t out all day!) and higher pacing appear possible, as does some Disney music. Frankly, that’s a compromise I’ll fortunately take at that time if it means getting a religious successor to IllumiNations. Bringing it again together with Happily Ever After can be the secure guess after the beautiful failures of Harmonious and Disney Enchantment.

3. Country Bear Christmas – Assuming the costumes and props are nonetheless backstage someplace (a daring assumption, to make sure), Country Bear Christmas may run once more subsequent yr with solely a brief refurbishment to perform the changeover. Aside from the previous 3 years (because of scaled again operations), Tokyo Disneyland sometimes does Jingle Bell Jamboree, and it’s superb. Some would possibly say jovial bears singing Christmas carols captures the true spirit of the season.

Despite blogs like this one extolling the virtues of Country Bear Jamboree, the present is just not all that in style, and it’s debatable that the funding wouldn’t be value it to do the Christmas model. Setting apart the truth that recognition is a horrible barometer of high quality, I’d argue that Christmas music has extra common attraction. With November and December attendance at Magic Kingdom surging for the reason that present final ran within the mid-aughts, Country Bear Christmas can be a good way to take in a few of these crowds.

2. SpectroMagic or Paint the Night – I’ve come to phrases with the truth that SpectroMagic is rarely coming again. What I concern is that nighttime parade won’t ever return to Walt Disney World, interval. With every year that passes and not using a night time parade, the opportunity of no long-term substitute grows.

I actually hope there’s a nighttime parade within the playing cards for Magic Kingdom, and I actually hope it’s within the spirit of SpectroMagic. There was one thing particular about that parade, from SpectroMickey’s lavish costume to the attractive soundtrack. A technically-advanced substitute that borrows notes from the parade–a lot in the identical means Tokyo’s Dreamlights is an homage to Main Street Electrical Parade–can be an enormous hit, and one thing we’d watch on a near-nightly foundation.

Failing that, Paint the Night has been sitting in a California warehouse, unused, for a number of years now. Disneyland appears glad bringing again Main Street Electrical Parade each couple of years, so maybe it’s time to unload their unused night time parade and ship it to Florida.

1. Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights – Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is wonderful. Rise of the Resistance is mind-blowing–the #1 attraction out of 88 at Walt Disney World. However, in our Star Wars Land v. Osborne Lights publish, there was no place at Walt Disney World we beloved being in greater than the Osborne Lights. It introduced smiles and awe to the faces of different company was actually a sight to behold—it was the embodiment of “holiday cheer.”

There have been nights we went to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for no different cause than the Osborne Lights, and we’d spend hours simply standing again on the Streets of America. Even when it was wall-to-wall individuals, the Osborne Lights simply oozed happiness. Obviously, as a result of closures Star Wars land necessitated, the Osborne Lights can by no means return of their earlier type…however a big scale Christmas gentle show might be added elsewhere at Walt Disney World. There are a ton of Osborne Lights followers on the market like us. Bringing it again someplace even in a extra restricted type would give an enormous increase to attendance in November and December 2023.

Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To lower your expenses on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips publish takes a novel have a look at intelligent gadgets to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for all the things you might want to know!

Your Thoughts

What issues–insignificant or main–do you miss at Walt Disney World? Are there seasonal occasions, leisure, or points of interest you’d prefer to see resurrected? Do you agree or disagree with our listing? Any questions we may also help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!