Willingness to alter ride experiences

Image: DisneyThe most notable recent change at an attraction involves Pirates of the Caribbean. This iconic boat ride is synonymous with Disney theme parks. Roughly forty years after its opening, it also became a major movie franchise. This aspect tightened the connection between fans and the attraction. They’re evangelists about its ride quality and individual elements.

Disney recently did something bold, though. They eliminated some uncomfortable aspects of the ride, the ones that came across as sexist. Imagineers removed the auction scene, the one played for laughs on the ride. Despite the jovial nature of the scene, it’s about slavery, which isn’t a very Disney topic.

Some devoted Disney fans bemoaned what they viewed as political correctness gone amok. From Disney’s perspective, however, pirates also earned the nickname of cutthroat for the obvious reason. It’s not like Pirates of the Caribbean would have scenes with that particular image. Tasteless is tasteless, and Disney’s adapted to evolving perspectives about historical events.

Image: DisneyAttraction changes are much more significant than simple modifications, though. In two different instances, park officials repurposed an existing ride at Disneyland Resort, turning it into something new. I'm speaking of The Incredicoaster and Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission – BREAKOUT! or, as they were formerly known, California Screamin’ and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.

In both situations, Disney could have maintained the status quo. The previous attractions were among the most popular at the parks. No one outside of Disney thought that they needed changing. To the credit of park strategists, they came up with a bold strategy to reinvigorate a part of the resort, one that bears special discussion…

Proud parenting

Image: DisneyDisneyland opened/was born in 1955. It didn't have any "children" until 2001 when Disney California Adventure (DCA) arrived. Since Disneyland was old enough to be a grandparent by then, it had a different perspective. Perhaps it was too soft on its child at the start. DCA was born with a silver spoon in its mouth, a can't-miss theme park that somehow did precisely that.

The child of Disneyland failed to meet even the least demanding of expectations. For its first decade, DCA was undeniably a slacker. Over time, parent and child found common ground, as so often happens. The former California adventure found a way to spread its wings and carve out its own identity.

The current version of DCA is a mere promise of the one that we will know in a few years. It’s like a talented teenager that everyone knows will go on to do great things one day. Currently, DCA is moving toward a half-Pixar/half-Marvel theme.

The rebooted rides from the previous section, along with the Radiator Springs expansion, are the first steps along this path. And they represent the first time that DCA has stood on its own as a worthy secondary theme park to Disneyland. The disappointing child is over 18 now, an adult that has the promise of a better tomorrow.

Plotting a future through a galaxy far away

Image: Disney

The final aspect of Disney’s graceful aging is its willingness to embrace the unknown. The Happiest Place on Earth is spectacular in every way. However, it hasn’t added a new themed land since 1993, and let’s be honest that Mickey’s Toontown won’t go on any Best of Disney lists. The park’s stubbornly stood behind its sameness for more than 25 years. At least it had until Star Wars Land opened in 2019.

Yes, Galaxy's Edge legitimately changes the course of the conversation about Disneyland. It's no longer a place where the same refrain plays out across the park. Now, a themed land has differentiated itself from the Disneyland that you've always known.

When you walk through Black Spire Outpost, you’ll struggle to see any other parts of Disneyland, and that’s a conscious choice by Imagineers. They could have left a skyline that connects the world of Batuu with the rest of the park. It would destroy the premise, though.

When you visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, you’ve abandoned civilization and headed to the Outer Rims. You’re a tourist on the last planet before Wild Space begins. A view of the Matterhorn wouldn’t make any sense. This level of immersion is unprecedented at any Disney theme park, even Pandora – The World of Avatar. It also exemplifies how Disneyland is facing its future.

Imagineers have built what feels like an entire world in 14 acres of space. The headlines trumpet that the Batuu expansion is the largest themed land in Disney history. Such comments miss the point that it's the first genuinely standalone themed land ever, one with its own language and culture.

Roughly a decade ago, Universal Studios upped the ante with the creation of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Since then, the only evolutionary bump in theme park design came with Pandora. Galaxy’s Edge is different. It’s a revolutionary jump that proves Disney will never be willing to stagnate.

Park planners have thrown out the old playbook and taken a daring approach to world building. It’s precisely the kind of bold move that Walt Disney would have loved. And Galaxy’s Edge proves that Disneyland isn’t just aging gracefully. It's got the best sort of Peter Pan syndrome, as it stubbornly refuses to grow old.