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Walt Disney famously declared that Disneyland would never be "finished". Unlike his movies, which would remain the same once they were in the can, Disney could keep tweaking his theme park, adding new attractions and replacing old ones.

He was true to his word. During Disney's lifetime, he added a host of rides and shows to the Disneyland line-up, and he wasn't afraid to throw out the old ones, either. His successors at the company stayed true to that spirit, and Disneyland has evolved significantly since its opening day in 1955.

Some attractions are missed more than others. In this article, we'll pick out 10 noteworthy Disneyland attractions that are no more..

10. Flying Saucers

Flying Saucers

The futuristic Flying Saucers ride was installed in Tomorrowland in 1961, having been manufactured by longtime Disney partner Arrow Development and National Research Associates. Like a large-scale version of air hockey, it saw guests boarding personal flying saucers that sat on a cushion of air, and then bouncing into each, bumper cars-style. There was no steering wheel, instead guests simply leaned from side to side to try and guide their saucer.

Unfortunately, the Flying Saucers proved to be troublesome and expensive to maintain. This, coupled with the ride's low capacity, meant that they were scrapped in 1966 as Tomorrowland was converted into New Tomorrowland. A similar attraction, Luigi's Flying Tires, opened at Disney California Adventure in 2012.

9. Monsanto House of the Future

Monsanto House of the Future

Image © Corbis

One of Tomorrowland's first walkthrough attractions, the Monsanto House of the Future operated from 1957 to 1967. The attraction was sponsored by the Monsanto Chemical Company's Plastics Division, and focused on plastic as the building material of the future. The setting was meant to be 1986, although many of the proposed innovations didn't catch on.

The house itself looked like a 1,280 square foot futuristic white penthouse, not terribly different than many modern contemporary homes in urban cities today. It was perched on a pedestal which provided an area below for an oasis-like garden, complete with a serene waterfall. It had four wings of equal size that created eight rooms: a family room and dining room, two kids bedrooms (one for a boy, one for a girl) with a shared bathroom, a master bedroom and main bathroom, and of course a living room.

Within these rooms, guests were given an all-access pass to peruse modern day home appliances that weren’t all that commonplace back in the 50s and 60s. They were able to get up close and personal with a compact microwave oven and ultrasonic dishwasher, an intercom system and a huge wall-mounted television as well as polyester clothing – all of which are in great use today.

8. Carousel of Progress

Carousel of Progress

Image: A. T. Service, Wikipedia

Devised for the General Electric Pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair, the Carousel of progress was moved to Disneyland in 1967. Located in a theater that literally revolves around an inner core of six stages, the progressive audio-animatronic show followed one family through five time periods (from 1900 to present day) as technology improved and life changed.

General Electric continued to sponsor the show, and by 1973 it wasn't happy - believing that most Californians had already seen it. It asked for the Carousel of Progress to be packed off to the Magic Kingdom in Florida, and it was - reopening in 1975, and remaining in place to this day.

7. Adventure Thru Inner Space

Adventures Thru Inner Space (4)

Source: ATIS547, Flickr

When Disneyland first opened in 1955, Tomorrowland was in something of an unfinished state. Although Walt Disney worked hard to add new attractions to the area, by 1967 it was time for a major overhaul. New Tomorrowland debuted that year, with a new type of dark ride as its headline attraction: Adventure Thru Inner Space. For the first time, the attraction offered guests the chance to be shrunk down to a size smaller than an atom. The queue line was a major part of the experience, with waiting riders watching as others entered the Monsanto Mighty Microscope - only to emerge at the other end in miniature form!

Adventure Thru Inner Space was the first Disney attraction to use the company's revolutionary Omnimover ride system - the same system that is employed by the likes of the Haunted Mansion today. The "Atommobile" vehicles carried guests pass giant snowflakes, Mickey Mouse-shaped molecules and the inside of an oxygen atom. Gradually, riders would start to return to normal size, witnessing swirling water molecules as the "snow" seen earlier melted.

The attraction closed in 1985 to make room for the Star Tours simulator. In turn, that was replaced by Star Tours: The Adventures Continue. Look out for a tribute to Adventure Thru Inner Space in the modern-day attraction - the Mighty Microscope is visible when escaping the Death Star above Geonosis.

6. Rainbow Caverns Mine Train / Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland

Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland

These days, Big Thunder Mountain railroad races through Frontierland. Its precursor, though, was a much more gentle mine train ride. Opened in 1956, it ran through the "Living Desert" area, which also housed a stagecoach ride and the infamous Pack Mules. The caverns that lent the ride its name boasted pools and waterfalls of glowing water.

In 1960, the ride was updated, becoming the Mine Train through Nature's Wonderland. As well as wilderness environments, it now featured animatronic animals. It was closed in 1979 to make room for Big Thunder Mountain, but the colorful caverns at the start of the roller coaster are a nod to Disneyland's original mine train.

 
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