Not all Walt Disney World rides are created equal.
EPCOT
There are many types of Walt Disney World riders. Some may prefer state of the art coasters and thrill attractions, while others like slow-moving, heavily-themed ride experiences. No matter what kind you prefer, Disney World likely has something for you. However, there are some rides across the resort that wouldn’t elicit any tears from us if they disappeared forever. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad rides is bad either – though they may be – but it could also simply be that they’re redundant, or taking up space that impedes on guest flow and park development.
Tomorrowland Speedway
Much like its Disneyland cousin Autopia, there was a time when the Tomorrowland Speedway – – which has also gone by the name Grand Prix Raceway – – made sense as a Disney attraction. The speedway gave kids the chance to feel like they were “driving” and providing a scene view of Tomorrowland. However that time has passed. The ride currently feels vastly out of date, the smells from the fumes are unpleasant, and the attraction’s footprint takes up a MASSIVE plot of land between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland that could be better served with new attractions for one or both of those lands.
Tomorrowland Speedway
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin make our list less for the ride itself – – it’s a fine spinner, and the Magic Carpet ride vehicles are really cute in a vacuum – -and more for reasons of redundancy and placement. While we’re not against repeated ride systems in theory, having essentially four identical spinners (2 Dumbos and Astro Orbiter in addition to Magic Carpets of Aladdin) seems like overkill. Plus, while the aforementioned Dumbos have their own perfectly themed area in Storybook Circus and Astro Orbiter sits high atop Tomorrowland, The Magic Carpets of Aladdin are carelessly plopped in the middle of Adventureland. This creates a massive chokepoint leading to crowds, and breaks the thematic setting of the area since the ride doesn’t really match any of the land’s architecture.
Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Dinosaur
Put down your pitchforks and torches and let us explain. Yes, we know that there are a lot of fans of this Animal Kingdom original attraction. However, when removing nostalgia goggles, the ride is past its prime, and simply not our dino (yeah, we went there). Some of its effects have never worked properly, and many of the ones that once did had fallen into disrepair over the years. Plus, fairly or not fairly, the fact that the ride is a direct track clone of Disneyland’s Indiana Jones Adventure means that Dinosaur will always be compared to that iconic attraction. Considering the fact that Dinosaur is all-but-confirmed to be replaced by Indiana Jones during the upcoming Tropical Americas expansion at Animal Kingdom, it seems we’re not the only ones to feel that the attraction needs to go extinct soon.
Dinosaur
While every Walt Disney World ride has its fans, including these three, we wouldn’t be sad to see any of them disappear. In a couple of cases, we even believe their removal would be overall beneficial to the resort as a whole. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World discussions like this!.
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I still miss 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, an original E ride! Aladdin Magic Carpet Ride is fun and at least is themed to a wonderful cartoon from the Eisner years (which Iger seems to want to erase). Dinosaur ride was way too dark for me to see and enjoy. I would love an Indy ride and hope they raise the lights just a bit! I had fun driving at the speedway but agree it’s like an amusement park ride and maybe time to say goodbye. If Walt was still alive, I’m sure we’d be seeing changes but it’s a shame to throw the baby out with the bath water and it seems that’s exactly what Iger is doing. The fantastic Muppet shows in Liberty Square are gone. Hollywood Studios is unrecognizable. Please don’t do away with everything that made us Baby Boomers and our children fall in love with Disney and Wdw just to attract the younger generations. Wdw can be refreshed without losing its innocent charm that we badly need in today’s crazy world!
Love those fumes!
I would not be in such a hurry to replace these attractions given the “Imagineers” and Disney Execs lack of imagination and tendency to push woke themes.
Regardless of things not working, Dinosaur is an amazing ride and you people are crazy for this on the list. There are so many worse rides. If you are telling me that you think the Navii river cruise and the frozen ride are better than the sheer terror and thrill of being in the cretaceous, your laughing! It is a blast, its fast and most certainly it is in the past!!
The first two I agree with I never did like those anyway but the dinosaur ride should stay put. I see no reason to remove it from what I understand it’s so popular and should be left alone..
Disney needs to close the rotating theatre in tomorrow land underneath people mover .
But when I was in there in September 23 I noticed in animal kingdom they were building Indiana jones stage show there ,with the signage in place for Indians Jones stunt spectacular before it was boarde over ,
I’ll be coming shortly the DW for my 70 birthday. I still love those rides! My body, brain and STOMACH can no longer handle the wild, spinning, racing, up and down rides. Thank goodness they have those rides yet for aging folks that still are coming for the MAGIC. They are also great for families with little ones.
P.S. I would never ever leave DW without ride on Dumbo! Tradition at its best.
I just need to say, we go on Aladdin every visit as it is the easiest spinner ride for us to transfer into and the only one with wheelchair accessible car. Astro Orbiter is a huge No and Dumbo we haven’t tried because of the lack of Wheelchair ride vehicle.
Being over 70, I haven’t done any of these for a long time. I have to say though that the Speedway is still the first experience ever for many young guests driving a motorized vehicle. The looks on their faces when they’ve finished are still magical. That’s Disney Magic at it’s best.
I would LOVE for them to get rid of Tomorrowland Speedway or at least make the cars electric. I get sick every time I go near that section of the park from the fumes. I have no real feeling about the Magic Carpets. Although I don’t think I’ve ever ridden it, it’s something for the Littles and doesn’t take up too much room. And Dinosaur is destined to be replaced by the new Indiana Jones ride, so then you can hate on that. What I’d love to be shuttered, though I know it’s not a popular opinion, is “It’s A Small World “. I can’t tell you how much that ride drives me nuts, with its monotonous earworm song. I hate to walk past it even.
As International visitors we are only able to visit every 2 years or so, but when we do visit, we stay for 2/3 weeks at a time and spend 90% of our time in the parks. Tomorrowland Speedway has been, and still is, a firm favourite with our family since our very first visit when you use to be given a paper driving licence (my adult children have proudly kept their very own speedway license from their 1st trip over 16 years ago!) During our visits we must ride Tomorrowland speedway between 15 – 20 each trip, usually 3/4 times a day and still do! From when my children were too small to drive themselves to now when they are adults driving themselves round and sometimes even their parents! I don’t know what it is about it but we just LOVE IT! the smell, the bumping, the everything! A trip to Disney World just wouldn’t be the same if it wasn’t there… We would be devastated if it closed, it may be a bit dated but a few good old-fashioned rides are so much fun especially if you cannot take spinning, fast, or intensive rides or your simply too short for them. Don’t dismiss rides simply because they are old.
I don’t think they need to get rid of Tomorrowland Speedway, but it’s long overdue for an upgrade. Electric cars that are easier to steer, make little to no noise and don’t pollute the air with diesel fumes would make a huge difference, especially if the cars had a sleek, futuristic design in keeping with the theme of Tomorrowland. This is a hugely popular ride and it doesn’t need to be removed, it just needs to be better.
They are older Disney rides but i believe the parents who bring their children remember riding these rides so many years ago. Don’t mess with nostalgia. Look at the Peter Pan ride….. How old and maybe campy today but the line it typically near 1 hour. Let those parents watch their children enjoy these rides with a huge smile on their face as they recall how much the ride thrilled them when they were young. It’s likely later in the evening when asking their children what rides they enjoyed,,, I’ll bet these rides are on their favorite list…..
I think they should get rid of the speedway and turn it into the cars ride that is in California that ride looks so cool
The Speedway needs to change one way or the other. At least electric cars. Preferably something more interesting with wider appeal. Multiple attractions could fit in that space. I think the Carpets are cute, I don’t like when the camel spits on me (happens sooner or later every trip, my family thinks it is hilarious), but they’re fine, they suit a lot of people. and the ride has a tiny footprint. I am one of the people who is somewhat lamenting the re-disappearance of the Dinosaur theme from AK, but it would be great to see Indy get his due, because you know the days are numbered for the show in HS.
The ride they really need to board up and never speak of again is Mission: Space. Bring back Horizons!
I like Magic carpets and Dinosaur
The best part of Magic Carpets of Aladdin are the sneaky camels that spit on you as you walk past the attraction. I’ve thought for years that Disney should convert the Speedway to EVs and even get a car industry sponsor to boot (anyone but Tesla!). That would resolve the smell and noise pollution. I understand Dinosaur has to go based on park plans, but I like it when there are attractions specific to individual parks. No one else has a Dinosaur attraction.
The spitting camels bring so much joy to my day!!! What screams adventure like a magic carpet ride?
How are there electric cars in the real world yet “tomorrow land” cars are still spewing noxious chemicals.
I’ll miss dinosaur in Disney but hate the midway theming in Dino USA and am excited about tropical Americas.