7. Gran Fiesta Tour – Where is the rest of Mexico?

Epcot’s Gran Fiesta Tour isn’t exactly a monument to realism. The attraction’s depiction of Mexico definitely lies on the lighthearted side, to the point of feeling like a mushroom trip at times. However, there is one teensy detail of the ride that drives some people from the US border and from northern Mexico CRAZY.

Where the heck is northern Mexico on the map at the end of the attraction?

Most guests would never notice it, but those familiar with the actual layout of Mexico might be left scratching their heads at Disney’s map of Mexico. In Disney’s map, it seems like everything north of Mexico city is depicted as a desert wasteland. The entire state of Chihuahua and Sonora is completely missing as well as major cities like Juarez and Tijuana. The country is even tilted on its side as if to hide these areas in shadow.

Perhaps the map is meant to depict Southern Mexico only, but the omission really does end up bugging people from these regions or with family from there. Many families of Hispanic and Mexican heritage visit Walt Disney World, and it just seems like a head scratcher to leave the northern half of Mexico out of Disney’s picture of this beautiful and eclectic country.

8. Avatar: Flight of Passage – Fix the pre-show

Image: Disney

Alfred Hitchcock once said that drama is life with the dull bits cut out. We already lauded Avatar: Flight of Passage as one of Disney’s most successful and immersive attractions to date. Even the queue for the ride is surprisingly engaging, and guests often comment that the time flies waiting for this ride thanks to its excellent queue. There is one part of Avatar: Flight of Passage, however, that just feels lackluster in comparison to both the queue and the actual ride.

The pre-show.

This is going to be controversial. Some guests love the pre-show, and that it fine. Particularly some people we know who work for the government or major corporations noted how realistic the pre-show felt. That might be the problem. Compared to everything else about the Flight of Passage, the pre-show feels like a stop at the DMV. Sure, it’s a DMV with cool effects and a clever parasite cleansing, but it still feels like the DMV. Maybe it’s the pre-show’s narrator who just feels like an intern Disney found on set and handed a script to. Maybe it’s the distinct “corporate orientation” feel to the experience. The whole sequence drags for too long without any necessary drama to keep audiences engaged.

Small improvements could make a big difference in the Flight of Passage pre-show. Maybe some sort of twist could be thrown in to leave audiences in suspense—like a malfunction with one of the Avatars that the orientation guy sheepishly plays down. Perhaps it could be shortened or the pre-show could be tweaked for the delivery to be more engaging. Either way, some adjustments to details could definitely help Flight of Passage’s pre-show catch up to the level of the rest of the attraction.

9. It’s a Small World – A quiet room

Image: Disney

THIS.

One of our dear Theme Park Tourist contributors, David Mumpower, suggested this one, and it was just too funny not to mention. If you don’t have to wait long, It’s a Small World is such a sweet-spirited attraction. It’s a charming look at what the world could look like if we all just stopped being such knuckleheads and could get along.

Unfortunately, it also includes the song… THAT song… on a loop… in all areas of the ride.

The repetition of the It’s a Small World song is the stuff of psychological warfare. In 2013, a man who got stuck on It’s a Small World sued Disney and actually won, citing psychological damage done by the blaring song (in fairness, the man was also disabled and suffered from panic attacks). Sometimes families visiting the ride have people in their party who just can’t handle the repeated song and the in-your-face sugary-flavor of the ride.

It actually would not be a terrible idea for It’s a Small World to include a quiet room—perhaps with a time limit—for families waiting for their loved ones to get off the ride. The room could still be themed to match the attraction but without the earworm of a song playing non-stop. Is it an off-the-wall suggestion? Yes. Would this little detail change be a good idea? OH YES.

What are some other little details you’ve noticed that could dramatically improve Walt Disney World attractions?