5. Haunted Mansion

Haunted MansionThe Haunted Mansion's upgrades fill in previously underused space and take advantage of new technology.

Developed alongside the Disneyland version, which opened in 1969, the original incarnation of the Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion was extremely similar to that ride. The façade was completely different, to blend in with its Liberty Square location, and the larger show building allowed for some expanded scenes, but otherwise the differences were minimal.

Other than the addition of a Mr. Toad statue to the Pet Cemetery after that ride closed in 1998, the Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion changed little until 2007. That year, a massive rehab brought significant upgrades. The most obvious changes were the addition of an Escher-style staircase scene in an otherwise underutilized space, the replacement of the floating Madam Leota with a much more realistic-looking effect, and the addition of an animatronic Leota tombstone in the queue graveyard. In addition, improvements were made in virtually all aspects of the attraction including the sound system, Portrait Hallway and attic scenes.

Minor tweaks were made in 2008 and 2010, but the next big refurbishment came in 2011. A brand-new interactive queue now allows guests to touch and play with a variety of set pieces, including speaking into a microphone, playing touch-activated musical instruments and even solving a short murder mystery. In addition, the hitchhiking ghosts at the end of the ride became much more interactive than ever before.

6. Tomorrowland Speedway

Tomorrowland SpeedwayThe Tomorrowland Speedway was once the Grand Prix Raceway.

Then known as the Grand Prix Raceway, the Speedway was the only opening day attraction in Tomorrowland besides the Skyway to Fantasyland. Loosely modeled after the Autopia, a Disneyland opening day attraction for that park that celebrated the then-new concept of multilane limited-access highways, the Grand Prix Raceway traded Autopia’s futuristic theme for the exciting world of international racing.

The attraction uses Mark VII vehicles, originally designed for the Autopia in 1969. The ride track was lengthened in 1973, but shortened again in 1987 to make room for Mickey’s Birthdayland. At that time, the Grand Prix theme was dropped and the ride renamed the Tomorrowland Indy Speedway.

In 1994, Tomorrowland was radically reimagined as New Tomorrowland, inspired by retro science fiction and emphasizing metallic colors rather than the former whites and pastels. In 1998, the Speedway received a theming overlay to better fit the New Tomorrowland, although the ride vehicles and track did not change. In 1999, the Indianapolis Speedway partnered with Walt Disney World to add new props and set pieces that better reflect the Indy theme. Regardless, the ride name changed again in 2008, dropping the word Indy to simply become the Tomorrowland Speedway.

7. It’s a Small World

It's a Small WorldIt's a Small World has been extensively rehabbed, but so far has not fallen victim to the infusion of Disney characters at the Disneyland version.

It’s a Small World is one of those attractions about which everyone has a strong opinion. Many people love it for the whimsy and optimistic message of global peace, while others loathe it for the repetitive and highly catchy theme song. Love it or hate it, It’s a Small World is one of the attractions most closely connected to Walt Disney himself.

Debuted at the 1964 World’s Fair, It’s a Small World was dismantled and shipped to Disneyland, where it reopened in 1966. The Magic Kingdom version was a virtual copy of the original, with only a few minor tweaks. The ride remained nearly unchanged until 2004, when it closed for nearly a year for a massive upgrade. The new version has an all-new sound system and enhanced lighting effects. In addition, the queue was enclosed, rerouted and heavily redecorated. So far, the Magic Kingdom version has managed to escape the infusion of dozens of Disney characters, which were installed in Disneyland’s ride in 2008.