There are so many new and exciting projects coming to Disney World!
Magic Kingdom
At D23 this past August, we got a look into all the new attractions that will be making their way to Disney World. Magic Kingdom will see the addition of a Disney Villains land beyond Big Thunder Mountain. Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America will close to make way for two brand-new Cars attractions. Animal Kingdom will see a big re-vamp as It’s Tough to be a Bug! will close to make way for a brand new show called Zootopia: Better Zoogether. DinoLand U.S.A. will also close and be re-themed to Pueblo Esperanza, a Tropical Americas-themed land that will feature three brand new rides. That does not even scratch the surface as other projects are coming to EPCOT, such as Test Track 3.0 and Hollywood Studios, like the new Monsters, Inc. land. While we are pumped about all these new additions to Disney World, we are wondering why nothing has been said about these five abandoned attractions.
While Disney is replacing operating parts of the park with new offerings, it made us wonder why Disney has not shared details for replacing abandoned parts of the park as well. We know that land can play a huge deciding factor in what goes where, but you would think that they would want to utilize the abandoned space as well. There are five attractions at Disney World that we are wondering if Disney has any plans to do with.
The Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island are set to close
Tomorrowland Terrace
Starting off in Magic Kingdom, you may have passed by Tomorrowland Terrace as a shortcut or to use the bathroom. This quick-service location is usually closed, and there is no word on whether it will open again. It can operate VERY seasonally when there are really large crowds but other than that, it doesn’t open. The area is also used for dessert parties. We also know that a the kitchens that Disney uses for a lot of their other Quick Service locations are located here.
Tomorrowland Terrace
Maybe Disney is just planning on continuing to use this area for special-ticketed events. But it’s interesting that they haven’t made it a money driver somehow. Even if it was just a new quick service spot with an exciting menu, it would at least draw in guests. We will just have to wait and see!
Beautiful view from Tomorrowland Terrace
Stitch’s Great Escape
Also, Stitch’s Great Escape closed in Magic Kingdom in 2018, and the attraction has been abandoned since then!
Stitch’s Great Escape
Tomorrowland could totally use another attraction, and the building for Stitch’s Great Escape would be a prime location. As of right now, we are hearing rumors that the building is being used as a Cast Member break room and for storage.
Stitch’s Great Escape
We do think one of the biggest issues here is that there isn’t a lot of space for a full on ride. But it could also make for a good indoor meet and greet location!
NBA Experience
Moving on over to Disney Springs, you may have walked by a building with no signage next to City Works. This building used to be home to the NBA Experience.
NBA Experience
The building used to be home to Disney Quest, a five-floor interactive experience. Disney Quest closed in 2017 to make way for the NBA Experience, which opened in 2019. When the parks closed due to the pandemic, the experience never re-opened its doors, and in 2021, it was announced that it would close for good.
Disney Quest Closed
Oddly enough, a permit for demolition was filed for the building, and while we have seen some work being done, it is almost like Disney changed its mind and decided to keep the building.
Mural being removed from top of the previous NBA Experience
With nothing in the building, Disney could take the opportunity to build something new. May we suggest a Disney Quest 2.0? Disney themed escape rooms, maybe?! The options are almost limitless since the space is SO LARGE!
Construction on the abandoned NBA Experience
Galactic Starcruiser
The Galatic Starcruiser was a highly anticipated interactive two-night experience aboard the Halcyon. This Star Wars hotel opened in May of 2022 and closed just over a year later in September of 2023.
Galactic Starcruiser Cabin
As of right now, there are no plans to re-open the interactive hotel, which is shocking considering how much Disney invested into this new experience.
Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser
We have our fingers crossed that Disney may try a day experience or excursion from Batuu to the Halcyon to allow those who loved or did not get to experience the Starcruiser a chance to go on board.
Atrium of the Halcyon
Either way, we would love to hear what Disney has planned for this space!
PLAY! Pavilion
Have you ever noticed the golden dome at EPCOT? This used to be home to The Wonders of Life Pavilion, which closed permanently after operating seasonally on January 1st, 2007. Although the attractions were closed, you could still enter the building seasonally, as it was used as the headquarters of the EPCOT festivals from 2007 to 2018.
The Wonders of Life Pavilion
It was announced in 2019 at D23 that The Wonders of Life Pavilion, which had been sitting abandoned, would be re-vamped into the PLAY! Pavilion as part of the EPCOT Transformation.
PLAY! Pavilion
Well, we are sure you know how this story goes at the Golden Dome, which is still in EPCOT sitting abandoned today.
Wonders of Life Pavilion Construction
Talk about the PLAY! The pavilion slowly started to die down as it was removed from the EPCOT Experience, park maps, and even construction walls. This was set to be a “digital metropolis” that would feature interactive experiences, games, entertainment, and hands-on activities. It would also be home to plenty of Disney characters, both virtual and real.
©Disney || Play Pavilion Concept Art
This was not the only project that was once part of the now-completed EPCOT Transformation that never got to see the light of day. The Mary Poppins attraction in the United Kingdom Pavilion and the Spaceship Earth overhaul were all shelved.
Mary Poppins attraction concept art
We hope that Disney finds a way to re-open these five abandoned areas to bring new life into the park! We will continue to keep an eye out for any news about the fate of these areas. As always, keep following along with Disney Food Blog for more Disney news, tips, and tricks.
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I am sure there is a cost benefit analysis that WDW considers on what to do to empty facilities. Do we tear it down and go with new or do we try to “fit” something different into the same space? Also, WDW appears to be very celebrate in making a decision. I agree that all of these spaces shouldn’t be sitting vacant, but WDW loves to avoid throwing good money after bad.
I think Tomorrowland Terrace would be an excellent spot for a quick-service breakfast/lunch restaurant. It could close at 3pm, leaving plenty of time to clean and set up for fireworks dessert parties. There aren’t a lot of options for Breakfast in Magic Kingdom, and this is the perfect spot to fill that need.
What makes no sense to me is closing attractions like Stitch’s Great Escape, which had to be low maintenance for the crowds it could draw into the small space, and then doing nothing with the space that helps to spread out the guests. As noted, it could have been (and was) used for a very popular Stitch character meet and greet for a while. One theory I’ve heard is that the building needed asbestos remediation, and the portion of the building that the Stitch attraction was in either had to be extensively renovated or shut down. But what doesn’t make sense about that is, the demolition would have made the unremediated asbestos problem worse before it got better, and the space HAS been used for the M&G, and as a shop, and probably other things (CM break room, as noted), and other spaces in the same building are still open. Places like the Wonders of Life Pavillion and NBA/Disney Quest are huge and would require a lot of resources to reopen, especially as something completely different. SGE and Tomorowland Terrace could have just stayed operational – I love the dessert parties, but I’ve always wondered why TT couldn’t be open during the day. They could close at 3 or 4 and that would still offer HOURS of time to stage for the dessert parties.
The attraction that needs some love and attention in Disney World is Space Mountain. Can you imagine how much better this ride would be if the track were updated to the smooth style of Seven Dwarves Mine Train? No more brain giggle. The track system has not aged well. How do we start this petition?
Maybe Disney has to raise prices a few more times to fund those projects.
Disney seems to be moving toward a land of multiple lands. Maybe your future lies in a seperate ticket for each land you visit. Today I would like to visit Villans land and Cars Land and you buy just that tickets. Kindly like to old book of tickets, but just for that specific land.