We all love Disneyland, of course. But theme parks around the world have changed a lot over the years. And that includes the king of them all. Few things are sadder than the closing of classic Disney attractions. From rides to waterparks to beloved bars, these attractions took a little piece of park visitors' hearts when they closed down.
Disneyland Skyway
The Disneyland Skyway opened in 1953 and gave passengers an aerial tour of the park in suspended carriages. The ride was modified several times over the next few decades, and finally closed in 1994 due to worrying metal fatigue. But a revamped version of this transportation system recently opened to transport guests around Disney World.
The Great Movie Ride
The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios opened in 1989 and gave guests a look at recreations of scenes from famous movies. It closed very recently in 2017 and a new ride, Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway, is due to open in its stead in 2019.
Flying Saucers
The Flying Saucers were open very briefly between 1961 and 1966 in Disneyland, California. It essentially worked like a giant air hockey table, but was deemed to be too expensive to operate and too difficult to keep in working order.
The Original Country Bear Jamboree
The original version of Country Bear Jamboree opened at Disney World in 1971 and was so popular that not one, but two copies of the animatronic show were constructed at Disneyland California. The Disneyland versions ultimately closed in 2001 to make room for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, while the Disney World version was refurbished and reworked in 2012, after which the show was five minutes shorter.
Maelstrom
The Maelstrom was a log flume ride built at Disney World which was operational from 1988 to 2014. The ride's track is still operational, but it has been rebranded entirely as Frozen Ever After, which opened in 2016.
Honey, I Shrunk the Audience
"Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" was a 4D movie that was shown at various Disney theme parks around the world. It was first shown in 1988, and was ultimately retired a few decades later. This 3-D show in Epcot, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland (called MicroAdventure) closed in 2010 after 16 years. It was a 4-D spinoff of the movie. Over time, it felt dated, but it was still loved by families and fans, and the mice running under riders' feet were unforgettable.
Aladdin's Oasis
The Aladdin's Oasis dinner show replaced the Tahitian Terrace in 1993, and ran until 1995. It was then resurrected from 1997 to 2008, when it was finally permanently retired.
Adventure Thru Inner Space
The Adventure Thru Inner Space ride opened in 1967. Riders were "shrunk" in size to view the world through a microscopic lens. This ride was closed in 1985 to make room for the original Star Tours. Speaking of which...
The Original Star Tours
The original Star Tours opened in 1987, and was built out of a flight simulator. The ride showed off a then state of the art "Star Wars" special effects video. Star Tours closed in 2010, and was replaced by Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, a wholly reworked ride with all new 3D CGI video footage.
Astro Jets
Astro Jets was originally part of Tomorrowland at Disneyland California, where it operated from 1956 to 1964. While the ride was dismantled, a version of the core orbital concept has been in existence ever since. The modern incarnation, the Astro Orbitor, debuted at Disneyland in 1998.
Rainbow Mountain Stagecoach Ride
The Rainbow Mountain Stagecoach Ride was an actual stagecoach, drawn by real horses, which took passengers on a tour of Frontierland's genuine wilderness area. It first commenced in 1955, and was retired in 1959 as the ride's area was used to construct new attractions.
The Original Journey Into Imagination
The original Journey Into Imagination opened in 1983 and was a dark ride in which passengers enjoyed a variety of strange sci-fi contraptions. It closed in 1998, and the ride was reworked into Journey Into YOUR Imagination, which was an updated take on the concept. This in turn was replaced with Journey Into Imagination with Figment, which opened in 2002, continuing the legacy of the original ride.
Universe of Energy
The Universe of Energy pavilion at Epcot featured a solar-powered ride that taught passengers about energy. It originally opened in 1982, before being replaced by Ellen's Energy Adventure in 1996— this version featured Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye. The ride closed in 2017 to make room for a new "Guardians of the Galaxy" attraction, and its fate was sealed when, on its last day of operation, it broke down, and passengers had to be evacuated.
Snow White and Her Adventures
The original Snow White and Her Adventures opened in 1955 at Disneyland California. Park guests were confused because the titular Snow White doesn't appear in the ride, and it was reportedly so terrifying that many children cried constantly throughout the entire experience. It was renamed Snow White's Scary Adventure and dramatically overhauled in 1983. Then, in 1994, it received another update, this time finally adding Snow White herself into the ride.
Rocket To The Moon
Rocket To The Moon opened in 1955 and was operational until 1966, and hypothesized what travel to the moon might be like. It was updated in 1967, but ultimately became obsolete when the U.S. actually travelled to the moon during this era. In 1975 the attraction was rebranded as Mission to Mars, before closing in 1992. It is now the site of Pizza Planet.
Midget Autopia
Autopia has been a favorite Disneyland ride for decades, but the House of Mouse did once dabble with a miniature version of the ride that was just for kids. Awkwardly named Midget Autopia, this ride opened in 1957 and closed in 1966.
Captain Hook's Galley
Originally called the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, this nautical restaurant was operational from 1955 to 1982. The plan had been to move the ship to another part of the park to make room for a new Fantasyland expansion, but water damage and wood rot made this impossible. The ship was scrapped, and props were moved to the Peter Pan Flight ride.
Pack Mules Through Nature's Wonderland
Pack mule rides were offered at Disneyland from 1955 to 1973. This involved children saddling up on real mules for a trek through the countryside. These ceased when Disney paved paradise to build the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Studio Backlot Tour
The Studio Backlot Tour, offered at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, gave guests an opportunity to see genuine props and sets from famous movies up close. It was available from 1989 to 2014, when it was closed to make room for Toy Story Land.
PeopleMover
Disneyland California's Tomorrowland used to boast the PeopleMover, and slow, scenic sky ride that gave passengers a good look at the entire park. It operated from 1967 to 1995, although a similar ride is still in operation at Tomorrowland in Disney World.
Rocket Rods
Built atop the PeopleMover infrastructure, Rocket Rods was intended as a high-speed ride that simulated public transport of the future. It didn't work all that well. The ride opened in 1998, but required constant maintenance and was ultimately closed for extensive repairs in 2000. The next year, the ride was scrapped entirely, and it has since been replaced by Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters.
Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland
Originally opened in 1956 as Rainbow Caverns Mine Train, the ride that eventually became known as Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was a slow-moving train ride through picturesque countryside. It was ultimately retired in 1977 to make room for the far faster Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
Phantom Boats
The Phantom Boats (also called Tomorrowland Boats) were operational from 1955 to 1956. This was the first major failure for the fledgling Disneyland—the boats' engines constantly overheated, leaving passengers stranded on the lake. This space was eventually used for another ride that ultimately closed...
Submarine Voyage
Submarine Voyage took the place of the Phantom Boats, and was operational in its original form from 1959 to 1998. It involved closed-top boats with glass panels on their undersides that give the illusion of being underwater. A reworked version of this ride opened in 2007, with the new name Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.
Delta Dreamflight
Delta Dreamflight was operational from 1989 to 1998, and gave park guests a condensed, storybook version of the history of human air travel. It replaced a similar ride named If You Had Wings which opened in 1972 and closed in 1989.
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Epcot's Universe of Energy, starring Ellen Degeneres, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Jamie Lee Curtis and Alex Trebek in Ellen's Energy Adventure, closed the same day as the Great Movie Ride. It closed to make room for a "Guardians of the Galaxy"-themed ride.
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Still open in Disneyland, Mr. Toad closed in the Magic Kingdom in 1998. The ride was beloved. There were even protests in the park when it closed. It was replaced with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but look for Toad's portrait in Pooh's house and his statue in the pet cemetery at Haunted Mansion.
ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter
Located in WDW's Tomorrowland, this ride had seating around a plastic tube in which a giant alien appeared and terrorized the audience, breathing into their ears and shaking their seats, all in total darkness. The ride closed in 2003 because it was too scary for young audiences and was replaced by Stitch's Great Escape.
Main Street Electrical Parade
Main Street Electrical Parade originally began in Disneyland in the '70s and ran in Disney World from 2010 to October 2016. The parade moved to Disneyland briefly and is rumored to come back to Orlando before being replaced by a Paint the Night parade, inspired by Disneyland. There is no current nighttime parade in WDW other than the Boo To You Parade.
Wishes
Magic Kingdom's beloved fireworks show closed May 11, 2017. It started in 2003 and was known for its sweet message and super-catchy music. It even had holiday versions, HalloWishes and Holiday Wishes. The current Magic Kingdom fireworks show is Happily Ever After, which began on May 12, 2019.
Captain EO
When a show is classified as a "space opera," you know it's gonna be lit. Eo was bizarre. It had Muppets, Michael Jackson and Anjelica Houston threatening to turn everyone into trashcans. Francis Ford Coppola directed it and George Lucas was the executive producer.
Mickey's Toontown Fair
Toontown still exists at Disneyland and Tokyo, but it closed in WDW's Magic Kingdom in 2011. It was an adorably themed area of the park with the houses of Mickey and his friends, inspired by "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?" It was replaced by the Storybook Circus section of New Fantasyland.
Snow White's Scary Adventures
This dark ride is still running at Disneyland, Paris and Tokyo (reportedly the scariest one). The first version in WDW's Magic Kingdom was very scary, featuring the witch trying to kill riders via by pushing jewels onto their heads. It was updated in 1994 with a happy ending. It sadly closed in 2012.
Pleasure Island
Downtown Disney (which is now known as Disney Springs) was once home to Pleasure Island, which was full of clubs, but it closed in 2008, possibly due to behavior that was not very Disney-esque happening on property. Disney said guests wanted more shopping and dining options. More likely, the clubs weren't making enough money.
Adventurers Club
One club in particular is still very missed. Set in 1937, Adventurers Club was a complete experience with actors, improvised dialogue and props galore. It was so beloved that a petition and website were started to save it from closing, and campaigns were set up to write letters to Disney executives.
River Country
Built in 1976, this was WDW's first waterpark. Its water came from Bay Lake. Brain-eating amoeba in the waters infected an 11-year-old boy in the '80s, and the park closed in 2001 after low post-9/11 attendance, but it was never demolished and trespassers post videos of the overgrown, alligator-populated property online from time to time.
Horizons
This Epcot dark ride was a sort of sequel to the Carousel of Progress, taking riders through scenes of the future. It included the memorable Robot Butler and an interactive choose-your-own ending. It closed in 1999 to make way for Mission: Space, but fans can't smell citrus without remembering it fondly.
Mike Fink Keel Boats
These rode around the Rivers of America in Disneyland, Paris and Magic Kingdom. In 1997, a boat in Disneyland capsized, injuring a few riders. The boats closed soon after, but Magic Kingdom's continued until 2001. Paris' boats were running as of 2007, but are not currently listed on the park's website.
Talking Trash Cans
PUSH was a robot-controlled trashcan that rode around Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom interacting with guests. He was retired from WDW in 2014 when Disney's contract with the company that owned the trashcan expired. Fans can still see him in Disneyland, Tokyo, Paris and Hong Kong.
The Making of Me
From 1989 to 2007, visitors could watch this Epcot film starring Martin Short and learn about where babies come from. This included a segment of a sperm fertilizing an egg, but park-goers overall agreed that the film was tasteful, child-friendly, and a creative way to touch on eduction.
Minnie Moo
Visit the Tri-Circle-D ranch at WDW's Fort Wilderness and look out for a plaque dedicated to Minnie Moo. She was a white cow with a black spot on her side shaped like Mickey – a living Hidden Mickey! She came to Disney in 1990, where she was loved by visitors until she died in 2001 at age 15.
Disney Quest
The virtual reality and gaming experience located in Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs) was set to close in 2016, but ended up staying open until July 2017. The NBA Experience is set to open in place of Disney Quest, though no concrete plans are currently in place.
Shark Reef at Typhoon Lagoon
This cool attraction at Typhoon Lagoon just closed in October 2016. The shark reef offered Typhoon Lagoon visitors the chance to snorkel through a coral reef in a saltwater pool filled with fish, stingrays and sharks.
Body Wars
Body Wars opened in Epcot in 1989 and closed in 2007. Riders were "shrunken down" and went on a ride through the human body to carry out a mission. It was a motion simulator that used the same technology as Star Tours. Oh, and the ride's film was directed by Leonard Nimoy.
Discovery Island
Discovery Island is an island in Bay Lake that is currently abandoned after closing in 1999. Before that, guests could stroll through the island, looking at birds and wildlife. The animals from the island were moved to Animal Kingdom (a section of which is now named Discovery Island) when it closed.
Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular
This show was performed in Disneyland's Hyperion Theater from 2003 to 2016. It was a huge hit with guests, who especially loved the Genie. The show was scripted, but the Genie would improvise to reflect current events. The show was replaced in January 2016 by Frozen: Live At The Hyperion.
The Tower of Terror
Luckily, this favorite still exists in its original Rod Serling form at Hollywood Studios in Florida but it closed at Disneyland in January of 2016 to be re-themed as Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: Breakout! Disney apparently has no plans to re-theme the Florida attraction.
The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights
With the 2016 closure of Hollywood Studios' Streets of America came the end of the very loved Osborne Lights show. This giant Christmas light (literally millions of lights) display was originally designed by a man in Arkansas for his daughter. The lights went dark on Jan. 6, 2016.