5. Wonders of Life pavilion (Epcot)
Opened in: 1989 Closed in: 2007 Wonders of Life opened in 1989, and hosted a variety of interactive attractions such as a personal health quiz and bicycle simulators. The highlight, though, was Body Wars - a simulator ride through the human body. This was joined by Cranium Command, a humorous show about the importance of the human brain. Elements of the Wonders of Life Pavilion are still in place and it is used for seasonal events. However, Body Wars and Cranium Command have not operated for many years. Why we miss it:In today's health-focused world, it seems a strange decision to have shut down a pavilion dedicated to the human body.
4. The Living Seas (Epcot)
Opened in: 1986 Closed in: 2005 Replaced by: The Seas with Nemo & Friends When Michael Eisner took over as Disney CEO in 1984, he decided that the company's former policy of "playing nice" with its neighbors in Florida was no longer appropriate. Instead, he sought to take on the competition directly. In 1986, The Living Seas Pavilion opened at Epcot, taking clear aim at SeaWorld Orlando (it didn't work: SeaWorld registered record attendance that year). The Living Seas hosted the largest saltwater tank in the world, holding an incredible 5.7 million gallons of water. The attraction took guests under the ocean to "Sea Base Alpha" via a "hydrolator" (a mock elevator), where they viewed a short movie about the oceans dubbed The Sea. They then boarded "Seacabs", traveling along an underwater tunnel through the aquarium. Finally, they could take a look around a host of multimedia displays. The Seacabs closed in 2001, and in 2003 work began on a major overhaul of The Living Seas. Eventually, the Seacabs were replaced by "Clamobiles", and the entire attraction was converted into The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Why we miss it:Although The Seas with Nemo & Friends is still a great pavilion, it lacks the same sense of immersiveness that was a feature of the original Living Seas. The hydrolators and the Seacabs helped to "transport" guests to the undersea world, whereas the overall experience is now fragmented.
3. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage (Magic Kingdom)
Opened in: 1971 Closed in: 1994 Replaced by: Under the Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage was not Disney's first attempt at an underwater attraction. Disneyland's own Submarine Voyage ride first debuted in 1959, some 12 years before the Magic Kingdom opened its gates. Naturally, the Imagineers working on the Florida project wanted to create something bigger and better. They expanded the scale of the attraction so that it could accommodate 12 submarines, with the tank sprawling across a large area of Fantasyland. Crucially, they also opted to adopt the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea theme, providing a storyline instantly recognisable to fans of the book and Disney's 1954 movie adaptation. After more than two decades of entertaining Walt Disney World guests, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was closed on September 5, 1994. At the time, Disney claimed that the closure was temporary, but it finally conceded in 1996 that the ride would never reopen. The submarines were dismantled, with many of the parts being auctioned off to collectors. Why we miss it:It was one of the most unique rides at Walt Disney World, and celebrated a classic story.
2. Journey into Imagination (Epcot)
Opened in: 1982 Closed in: 1998 Replaced by: Journey into Your Imagination EPCOT Center was designed to offer a completely different type of experience to the Magic Kingdom. For that reason, Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck were initially banned from the park. While this decision made sense on many levels, it also left kids without a recognisable character to connect with. Faced with this problem, Disney's Imagineers created a new, original character - one in keeping with the park's theme. That character was Figment, the icon of the Imagination Pavilion. Together with Dreamfinder, Figment hosted the pavilion's headline attraction: Journey into Imagination, which eventually opened five months after the rest of the pavilion (which was subsequently renamed as the Journey into Imagination Pavilion). The original version of Journey into Imagination operated until 1998, when it was overhauled to become Journey into YOUR Imagination. This version of the ride came in for stinging criticism, and only survived for two years before it was itself replaced. It was themed around 3-D movie Honey, I Shrunk the Audience, which was also hosted in the same pavilion, and saw guests passing through numerous areas of the fictitious Imagination Institute. In the face of overwhelming demand from fans, Disney brought back Dreamfinder and Figment. Unfortunately, the resulting attraction - Journey into Imagination with Figment - remains very, very unpopular. Why we miss it:It was a unique and inventive dark ride populated with colorful characters, and one of the best things to do at Epcot with young children. The replacement is an embarrassment.
1. Disney's River Country
Back in 1976, Walt Disney World was short on attractions to keep guests on-site for more than a day or two. The only theme park at that stage was the Magic Kingdom, and EPCOT Center would not open until 1982. To add to its roster, the resort installed its first ever water park: Disney's River Country. 
Located near Discovery Island on the shore of Bay Lake, River Country boasted a rustic "wilderness" theme. The theming was heavy on rocks and boulders, and was designed to resemble an "old-fashioned swimming hole". 
The water that was used in River Country's slides and pools was drawn directly from Bay Lake, and passed through a unique filtering system. The natural feel of the park was enhanced by the sand that was abundant throughout. When Michael Eisner took over as Disney CEO in 1984, he took a more competitive approach than his predecessors. He decided to build a full water park, Typhoon Lagoon, to take on nearby Wet 'n' Wild. River Country's capacity was limited, and its days were numbered. It shut on November 2, 2001, but remains in place today - it was abandoned rather than demolished. You can see the current state of the park in this recent article. Wh we miss it:It's not on the same scale as Walt Disney World's current water parks, and nor did it offer the same level of thrills. But River Country still offered a fun experience, and its connection to Bay Lake made it relatively unique.
Discover more lost Walt Disney World attractions
Feeling nostalgic? Check out article covering the 56 lost Walt Disney World attractions.
Comments
I miss the "old" Crystal Palace when you could get in line for cafeteria style food. We loved the stuffed green peppers.
Remembering everything in this fun article really dates me!
#1 Journey Into Imagination, #2 Horizons, #3 The last version of Spaceship earth-- the ending is terrible now!! #4 The Living Seas, #5 World Of Motion. ~ Epcot has totally lost its identity, it's not the park it once was.
Our family misses River Country and Discovery Island. Both were great places to relax and unwind and offered great fun at a small additional price!! It makes me sad when we take the boat from Fort Wilderness to the MK and pass by these abandoned attractions.
I probably miss River Country most of all. With the slides ending up in the lagoon, it had some unique experiences that they never recreated at Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach.
The problem with Epcot is that they want sponsors for the attractions. Wonders of Life lost their sponsor and they could not find a new one. The attractions are still there. If you go to the Food and Wine festival, you can see the old phones behind screens. The Sponsor private lounge is still on the 2nd floor and used for special events. On one of the Behind the Scenes tours, the tour guide mentioned that one of the reasons the SkyWay was removed is they had a problem with people dropping things off of it and teenagers spitting off of it, neither of which is good. We need a list of things that we WANT to see removed, like the huge Mickey Hat in front of the Chinese Theater. It ruins the whole image of that street. You cannot even get a good photo of the theater!