I feel like Disney is ditching my childhood:-(

[AllThingsMickey4]

I am a child of the 90's and I understand my "classics" might not be the same of those who have been going since opening day (my first visit was in 99), but to me the nostalgia is still there even with all the changes. Sure I get a little sad when I hear about the closing of an attraction that's been around since I've been going to Disney (Great Movie Ride ), but it's also really cool to look back at pictures and see all the progress Disney World has made. Just think about AK BEFORE Everest and Pandora.

For me, walking down Main Street USA brings back all of my childhood memories.. being apart of the old day time parade (the one with the Beauty and the Beast skit where the kids got to carry plates of "food"), being carried out of MK and sleeping on the bus ride "home," the SpectroMagic parade, watching the "snow" fall during the Christmas party. Through all the changes and new additions, Main Street has retained all my memories

Now I do think I will get a little emotional about all the changes coming to Tomorrowland. Yes it needs updating badly, but I have so many fond memories of running through an empty Tomorrowland with my dad during extra magic hours (when they used to run to 2:00 AM) and riding Space Mountain over and over without getting off. But I'm a still excited about the new Tomorrowland

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I have been going to WDW since the first year it opened. I have had a lot of practice at saying goodbye to things I've loved over the years. I try to remember what Walt said about the parks continuing to evolve and change, but it still makes me sad when I lose a favorite. I would give almost anything to have just one day in Epcot with Horizons, the original Imagination, Walter Cronkite in SSE and the World of Motion all running again. I miss the Skyway, If You Had Wings, and the original Main Street Electrical Parade at MK. There are resort restaurants I miss, shops I miss, and shows I miss. Even with all that, I can still enjoy and appreciate the newer attractions, shops and shows, and still have great Disney vacations.

Well said.

 

[ww52]

It's not just Disney. If you come from a reasonably large city, I'm willing to bet there are many nostalgia pages on the internet lamenting the passing of restaurants and stores.

In Chicago, we still mourn the passing of Riverview - a cheesy amusement park if there ever was one. But it was OUR cheesy amusement park, darn it!

Marshall Fields - a Chicago icon - gets bought by Macy's. The sears Tower is the Willis Tower (not that anyone actually calls it that).

And so it is with WDW. Now - if they ever decide to re-theme the castle...

 

[srwarden1928]

My first trip to WDW it had been opened four months. There are rides and shows that I miss a great deal. I'm not sure I will ever get over the closing of Mr. Toad, but I ride Winnie the Pooh every time. I will miss Great Movie Ride, but I am looking forward to the new Micky & Minnie ride. My favorite restaurant at home closed after 40 years. I celebrated many birthdays, including my 21st and 50th, and three of my college degrees there. I will find a new place to go. Life goes on and change happens. No one can take away my memories.

 

[MrJT]

I'm not particularly worried about the classics, but you never know.

Hello? Snow White called.

 

[mesaboy2]

Hello? Snow White called.

Hello? "You never know."

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I just read another crazy rumor for some reason people are more educated here then on Facebook someone said they got rid of the busses I nearly lost my breath because I don't drive my mom does but we don't stick together the entire time

 

[MermaidMommy]

I just read another crazy rumor for some reason people are more educated here then on Facebook someone said they got rid of the busses I nearly lost my breath because I don't drive my mom does but we don't stick together the entire time

They're getting rid of the Express Buses -- the ones you had to pay an extra fee to ride. The regular bus system is still the same as ever.

 

[leahlefler]

I grew up near Disneyland, so my nostalgic rides are Adventure through Inner Space (I was a little kid and was mystified by how they actually shrank people), Mission to Mars (was originally the moon, but that was before my time), etc. Even though those rides are gone, I couldn't imagine Disney without the rides that are there now. Star Tours is (was) SO cool when it opened - it literally blew my mind. I love some of the classics that are there, but I also love seeing new classics created that are relevant to the current generation. My kids LOVE Test Track at WDW. LOVE it. So I hope the best of the classics are retained to keep the character and nostalgia, but I don't ever want to see Disney stagnate, either.

 

[North of Mouse]

My biggest disappointment, and one that I'll never really get over is losing the Main Street Bakery (yes, I know, same name, but that's all). It was so special for so many years, and even though I still miss some of the rides from the 80's, nothing else hit me as hard.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

I just need to make the Disney channel big in my house again that way when the new stuff comes out it won't hurt so much so maybe Disney did not ditch my childhood I did everyone has to grow up eventually unless your name is Peter pan

 

[ww52]

I just need to make the Disney channel big in my house again that way when the new stuff comes out it won't hurt so much so maybe Disney did not ditch my childhood I did everyone has to grow up eventually unless your name is Peter pan

Don't EVER ditch your childhood! I'm 65 and next year at wdw I expect to be the oldest kid there.

I aim to make my granddaughters laugh and my son to say "Dad, you're embarrassing me" . That would be a good trip!

 

[epcotty]

That's how I felt when Horizons and Dream Flight left. I have fond memories. I am too claustrophobic for Mission Space, so won't ride Horizon's replacement. And I do love seeing all 9's on Buzz Lightyear.

Those were my 2 favorites too.

As to the initial question, There are still a lot of classic attractions/updates to classic attractions at the parks, but always sad when attractions that you like go

 

[FigmentKrazee]

Is anyone else noticing that Disney is slowly getting rid of the 80 and 90s I get how old I am but I would like one place to visit my childhood

Totally agree with you.

 

[mustinjourney]

And so it is with WDW. Now - if they ever decide to re-theme the castle...

Like this?

 

[Xennia]

If I'm not mistaken they have to fix that courtyard because when they did the new construction for toy story land things got broken and the ground shifted. It's Florida. That ground is not solid. There is a reason we do t homes with basements.

And you know Walt's famous quote
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

 

[Xennia]

Like this?

I was there for this. It was my most favorite time the castle was decorated. Plus it was my 25th birthday too. We're the same age same month same same sameeee ‍‍‍‍

 

[Nancyg56]

I agree with the OP. Our first trip with our kids was '83 and it seems a lot of the original rides are gone. Mr. Toad, Snow White's adventure, 20,000 League under the Sea, the Skyway....there are many, many more. Lots of attractions in Epcot are gone, The Great Movie Ride in DHS is now closed. I feel like every time another attraction from the originals closes, we lose a little bit of the old magic. And I miss the old Disney magic.

I agree that the attractions we "met" on early visits are the ones that hold those treasured memories. I know that the parks need to move forward to remain relevant for the next generation of visitors, but I think it is okay for thse of us who either grew up on the originals, or took our kids when those classic attractions were in full swing, to be sad. For some reason the GMR is hitting me harder than Mr. Toad or Snow White.

Don't EVER ditch your childhood! I'm 65 and next year at wdw I expect to be the oldest kid there.

I aim to make my granddaughters laugh and my son to say "Dad, you're embarrassing me" . That would be a good trip!

Well said! I am that Nana who is a child at heart when we visit WDW. One of the nicest things about getting older is that when my DH and I visit we both can look back on our own childhoods and immediately we are transported back in time to Sunday nights, freshly bathed and in PJ'in front of a black and white TV, watching one of the DIsney series. WE are in our 60's but when we are in WDW, we get to be kids again, no worries, no cares.

 

[lovethattink]

Like this?

While in the minority, I loved this castle!! First WDW trip for my mom.

 

[kathy884]

I still miss If You Had Wings (had wings, had wings, had wings)

// That was my brother and my favorite ride back in 1971 the first year we went (I think that might even be the year WDW opened. We were 8 and 10.). We went on that over and over. It went away when the corporate sponsor, Eastern Airlines went bankrupt. I miss Monsanto's America the Beautiful round theatre movie too that was there in 1971 also.

Fast forward to 2017, my son who is 21 is complaining that Disney is trying to be everything to everyone bringing in Avatar, Star Wars, etc. He'd prefer to see them stick to their wholesome roots for their brand. That's not keeping him from going to the parks though. He's doing a mini trip in September and will hit the Magic Kingdom one day. You won't be seeing him at the new AK Avatar attraction or doing anything Star Wars related though. The other park he is doing on his mini trip is SeaWorld.

For me too experiencing some of the classics as an adult: they were way more lame than I remember -- The Tiki Room, Haunted Mansion, etc. They did not match up with my childhood memories and high expectations. The technology seemed pretty outdated, and I noticed that and so did my son. All in all I actually enjoy the parks more in 2017 than I did in 1971.