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Closing of Snow White was a sin!!
I have vague memories of Adventure thru inner space. I'm 38, so I must have been around 4 or 5 when I rode it. I honestly don't remember the ride itself so much as waiting to get into an omnimover and the queue. Since I was 4 or 5 I totally bought the illusion that we were being shrunken down...after all we spent enough of the line watching it happen to others. Since it was usually the next ride over(too young for Space Mountain at the time) I also remember at that time also being totally convinced we actually went on a Mission to Mars.
I agree with the comment about not acknowledging "If You Had Wings" (sponsored by Eastern Airlines) as the precursor to Delta's "Dreamflight." I still sing the song for it in my head whenever I pass by "Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin." Also of note are the change in theme song for the "Carrousel of Progress" from "Now is the Time" to "It's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow. " I also miss the Wonders of Life pavilion from EPCOT. There are other things I can reminisce about but it would make this post too long.
I've been going to the parks down here in Florida since I was like 5 years old and whenever we went to Hollywood Studios, formerly known as MGM Studios, I would always go on the Back Lot Tour and I was sad when it closed last year.
I haven't been to Disney since the mid to late 90's. But am getting ready to go back dow (possibly for the very last time) later in 2015. I am saddened to see that most of what I remember about EPCOT is now gone, especially the World of Motion and Figment. What IS there to see at Epcot now anyway?
Its completely different from when you were there last but don't worry. There's new things that make it all worth while. You'll have a blast.
For me, the losses at EPCOT Center (especially Horizons!) are the most tragic. I've always hated the b.s. excuse that kids found Epcot too boring. I was 7 the first time I went to EPCOT Center and I thought it was God's gift to children. Somebody had finally made history and science really fun. And I LOVED World Showcase and meeting the men and ladies from all of those different countries and seeing the neat things in the gift shops! Horizons is a tragic loss to WDW. And what they did to Imagination was just pitiful!
I agree 100%, Rhea. I was 8 the first time my family visited WDW. I couldn't have cared less about most of Magic Kingdom and then-MGM was far too intense and scary, but I LOVED EPCOT. Horizons was my absolute favorite ride. Next was probably Figment and the interactive post-show area and then Universe of Energy. I was really interested in other cultures when I was a kid and I was always begging my mom to help me make some new ethnic food (usually cookies...haha!), so the World Showcase was the best thing ever as far as I was concerned. I loved the movie in France (which today I can't watch without getting nauseous).
Another EPCOT ride that I miss is Body Wars. I hate roller coasters, but I love motion simulators and spinning rides (except for Mission Space...too much claustrophobia!) I thought Body Wars was an awesome ride & storyline and I would love to see a similar concept come back as the centerpiece of the Wonders of Life Pavilion. It doesn't make sense to use that space as a festival center because it's always so far removed from the rest of the festival attractions.
I'm hugely excited to go to Disneyland in March and ride Snow White's Scary Adventures again and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride for the first time. I wish we could have given away the Bear show for Winnie the Pooh and kept Mr. Toad. DL definitely got the better end of that deal. I also can't wait to see Minnie and Mickey's houses again! I love Storybook Circus, but I miss our Toontown. Those houses were so full of great little details!
I went to epcot the first month that they had opened and a lot of the different countries where not yet open. I was young and I believe it was Monsanto that had the gardens growing in the air and at my age I enjoyed that greatly.
As a person who has visited the Magic Kingdom for 40 years, it hurts me to see "If You Had Wings" be ignored and the Delta ride that took its place get mentioned....at least mention both in the story!!
I totally agree! "If You Had Wings" captured an older walt-like era at the park, one where it was a rare freebie attraction (paid for by sponsorship) while all the others still used the old ride tickets.