20 Disney Rides That Had to Close (and Why)

When moving back to Florida I was DEVASTATED to hear Maelstrom closed and was even more upset about The Great Movie Ride.

Miss Mr Toads wild ride and 20,000 leagues under the seas...

I grew up 14 miles from Disneyland and was 4 years old when it opened in 1955. I remember so many of these great old rides ! You could actually just walk around the park and enjoy yourself. It was fun. I could see the closing fireworks from my backyard!

The Great Movie Ride was probably the hardest to lose of all of these 😭It closed just 1 week before I started working at WDW and had been one of my favorites. I worked at Rock n' Rollercoaster and a coworker of mine had been transferred from GMR where she had been one of the actors on the ride.

This makes me miss MGM so much 😢 It really was devoted to that movie magic, old Hollywood vibe, which made it so different from the other parks! I love the new innovations, but the old rides will live forever in my childhood memories 💕

For me the Backlot Studio tour closure was a real loss - entertaining, informative and inspiring for those who are interested in working in different aspects of film and tv production - the fire and flood section was so memorable for me

I went on alien encounters when I was 5 (solid choice by my parents however they didn’t know what the ride was) but I was so terrified that my dad ended up ripping the shoulder harness off and grabbing me. We obviously shut down the ride temporarily after that and I still remember the terror I felt over 20 years later

I am so glad that I got to experience Alien Encounter. it was a complete surprise and refreshing for a teenager. I will always remember hat experience and people can't believe Disney would have such a ride.

I’m still bitter about the loss of the OG Journey into Imagination.

“This attraction was constantly broken down, a lot like myself.” - same AJ same

In 2000 my family went to Disney, and I distinctly remember learning how babies were made from the making of me short film in the wonders of life pavilion in Epcot…. No one ever seems to remember this “attraction” but I will never forget!!!

Greatly miss Maelstrom and Great Movie Ride. Also, EPCOT went downhill when it strayed from its original concept of being a kind of permanent World's Fair, with a lot of inspiration coming from the 1964 and 1939 New York World's Fairs. Now, sadly, almost everything has to be promoting Disney IP.

I’ve been on six of the extinct attractions on this list, and the one I miss the most is Great Movie Ride! If Disney wanted to spruce things up and make it feel new, why not update it with some modern classics instead of getting rid of it entirely? 😭

AJ told the truth about Horizons. There was no sinkhole, it was just that they lost the sponsorship and didn’t want to pay for such an elaborate ride. I miss it every day of my life.

I had the awesome experience of riding the Alien Encounter on my honeymoon trip to WDW. I have to say it was an incredible experience I will never forget, but I can definitely see how it was too much for little kids. It sent chills down my spine and had me totally captivated. Loved it!

I just found this gem and had to comment. First: great video.Second: My hubby and I visited Disney World in 1985 and we rode the people mover. It was a ride that was laid back and showed you a LOT of the park. My Dad had retired from Eastern and they told us about it. Now let me say that we had no children(thank goodness because we got to enjoy the park ourselves, haha)but we were not all that old. But this ride was one we would go to every day we were there and plan what to go do each day. I still remember the ride even tho I am older and lost my hubby recently. Thank you for bringing back a beautiful memory for me.

The "Vomitron 3000" !!! LOL!!! Perfect name for Mission Space. :)

Some of these hit hard. It’s like visiting your childhood home and seeing all the trees cut down and new add-ons. Technically it’s the same place, but some of the Magic is gone.

Although not technically a ride, the attraction I miss the most was that 360 degree movie experience called America The Beautiful. That was my favorite.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was always my favorite. When Eisner closed it, I literally cried. I would still be riding it today if it were open. I would prefer it today over any ride there, but, I haven't ridden Rise of the Resistance yet. So we shall see.