Top Ten Disney Attractions That Could've Been Made Better
Disney parks have some attractions that were planned to be great, but were poorly executed. Here's some attractions that could've been made better.It could have been a dark ride, with part of it being an indoor wild mouse-style roller coaster at only 11 mph max speed (much slower than Goofy's Sky School, which goes 27 mph max). It could have been surrounded by immersive Inside Out imagery and theming, with more storytelling and effort put into the ideas and making the attraction. It could have been named Wild Emotions. Instead, it's just a simple swing ride like Silly Symphony Swings, with Inside Out imagery, better suited to being called Mood Swings or Silly Symphony Jr. It's essentially the same attraction that once existed in the now-defunct Bug's Land, showing how cheap they've become instead of having the generosity and effort to build a completely new attraction from scratch.
It could have been more immersive with better setup and could have been longer, more durable, and stable. However, Disney didn't have the budget, even though this was from Intamin in Wollerau, Switzerland. The ride is short and not very durable as far as coasters go. Remember, it nearly fell apart six months after its opening, and it once had its tail removed due to unnecessary rattling and parts being easily chewed off by kids. This shows that Disney didn't execute the attraction well, and it has been showing wear and tear quickly. Compared to Rocket Rods at Disneyland (which wasn't a roller coaster but still a defective attraction), the quality is lacking, indicating how cheap Disney has become.
Another terrible aspect is the queue. It's shadeless, leaving guests vulnerable to sun damage, dehydration, and heat exhaustion. When it opened, the wait time was over seven hours in such conditions. While there are water fountains, Disney's water quality is poor due to sulfur and bromine, which can lead to health problems. This further proves that Disney disregards the true safety and health of guests, aside from the standard heart, back, neck, motion sickness, and pregnancy warnings.
They could have made it a truly awesome roller coaster (the one in Disneyland Paris is a real coaster), but it's just a double wild mouse ride that uses darkness, space effects, and fans to create the illusion of high speed. It's a trick by Disney, and the thrills are more psychological than physical. While the ride warns guests that it's thrilling, it's more about the theme than actual physical thrills.
The worst part is that it's rough, and Disney could have made it smoother, but they apparently don't have the budget to do so. It's popular and expensive (more than the rest of Magic Kingdom itself), and they chose not to improve it. Furthermore, they downgraded it by removing the moving walkway, changing the lighting in the post-show area, and removing the green screens, making the exit look like the Marriott hallways.
They could have made it more immersive, like a flying theater (like Soarin' or Flight of Passage), but instead, they made it a glorified Dumbo ride. The waits are fairly long, and many would rather wait for a quality ride than a rushed one like this. The rocket seats are also very small, making this ride not ideal for people with claustrophobia.
They could have made the ride longer and more detailed, but it's short and simple. The queue could have been shaded, but instead, it's shadeless, and many guests have passed out from dehydration and heat exhaustion. The waits were so long that guests were doomed before even riding.
They could have made it faster, with cars going at least 40 mph on a long track where drivers have full control without constant accidents. Instead, the cars only go 7 mph on a guided track, where guests bump constantly and get whiplash injuries (though Disney thankfully put warning signs up). The track is not very large but rather small. The ride is very short, and they could have made it more scenic and adventurous. Instead, it's a disappointment. They could also have used electric cars, but they're too cheap and rely on gas-powered cars, polluting what should be a clean park free of any dirt or toxins.
They could have made it at least as good as the original at Disneyland Park or even like the one in Shanghai. Instead, it's a simple and boring ride with only one small drop and almost no splash. It's just lazy, drunk pirates sitting in their chairs, and there's hardly even a battle. The Shanghai version put a lot of effort into storytelling and immersion, but this one is a disaster. Disney is too cheap to make it better. I know people say Pirates of the Caribbean is a classic, but this attraction is just too boring. I don't get why people praise this one when Disneyland's and Shanghai's are masterpieces.
They could've made it a flying theater attraction like Soarin' and used magic carpet-shaped seats to immerse guests, making them feel like they're really flying over Agrabah. Instead, they made it another simple spinner like Dumbo, with no originality beyond the theme.
They could have made the entire attraction longer and included more storytelling and a better layout. Instead, it's short and boring. They could have made it more thrilling, perhaps adding a part where there's a drop in the dark with the Evil Queen laughing and then screaming to her death. They could have also included a forest scene. I know Disney had to close Snow White's Scary Adventures because it was scary, especially when first made.
This attraction had the potential to be a great ride themed to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, but they failed miserably. It's just a few hills, the mine with the Seven Dwarfs, a drop, more hills, then you see the Seven Dwarfs dancing inside the cottage with the Evil Queen staring at you, and then it's done. It's NOT worth the long wait, no matter how tempted you are to ride this failed attraction. No offense to anyone who enjoys it.
Tiana's Bayou Adventure sends you into the Avery Island Salt Dome (the closest the New Orleans area has to any kind of "mountain". Let's just ignore that many slaves died there) to get salt for the restaurant she spent the entire movie fretting over. They've already turned French Market at Disneyland and are going to turn Pecos Bill's at Disney World into something related. Wow, I wish I could ride that right this very second... NOT!
They could have made it more fun, but instead, it's more about the lines. You wait to get on the bus, then they kick you off, and you have to wait again to get into the park. It's not a fun experience for people, and they want to enjoy an immersive and more educational experience as soon as possible.
It's known to be a classic attraction and nostalgic, but it could have been better if the music had a variety of elements like the other versions, where some parts are quiet and other parts, like near the end, are epic. The whole soundtrack on this ride is basically a snoozefest that could put anyone (even a little kid) to sleep. Plus, they need to hide the exit signs, which ruin the immersion as guests are supposed to feel like they're really flying over London at night with Peter Pan and Tinker Bell.
Overall, it's a fine ride that could have been better and could use major improvements, though it's still very popular and frequently has long lines as not many people can be loaded at once.