13 Beloved Disney Attractions We Long to Experience Again

Disney has been unveiling innovative rides and attractions across all 12 of its theme parks around the world in recent years. With superfast roller coasters like Tron Lightcycle / Run, which opened at Disney World in April 2023, and technology like the Disney Genie+ app, which allows guests to bypass the lines at select attractions, there’s no doubt we’re in a new age of theme park design.

To make way for new attractions, Disney retired some beloved experiences. From the 1980s short film starring Michael Jackson, “Captain EO,” to the Great Movie Ride, this list of permanently closed rides and attractions from Walt Disney World and Disneyland is a blast from the past.

“Captain EO”: 1986-1998, 2010-2015

This 3-D science-fiction movie was unlike anything you’d currently find in the parks. “Captain EO” starred Michael Jackson and was written by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It used 3-D and multisensory effects, making it one of the first 4-D attractions. “Captain EO” first closed in 1998, but Disney brought it back in 2010 for another short run after Jackson’s death.

Body Wars: 1989-2007

Guests were shrunken down to the size of a blood cell and transported through the human body in this odd, but very educational, motion simulator ride. Even though this attraction would seem out of place at Epcot today, it was right at home in the Wonders of Life pavilion, which was devoted to health care and the human body.

If You Had Wings/If You Could Fly/Delta Dreamflight: 1972-1998

Delta Dreamflight, previously known as If You Had Wings and If You Could Fly, was the travel-inspired attraction many wished could return. Located in Tomorrowland in Magic Kingdom, the Delta Air Lines-sponsored ride taught guests all about the history of flight – until it was replaced by Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin in 1998.

Flying Saucers: 1961-1966

Even though this ride opened more than half a century ago, it still seems futuristic and advanced by today’s standards. Guests boarded individual flying saucers that hovered in the air, going in whatever direction the rider leaned — they could even ram into each other, using the saucers like bumper cars.

The Great Movie Ride: 1989-2017

Replaced in 2020 by Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway, The Great Movie Ride was a staple at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and inspired the movie and show business-themed park. The ride took guests through scenes from famous movies like “Mary Poppins,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and “The Wizard of Oz.”

Horizons: 1983-1994, 1995-1999

Guests traveled to advanced cities of the future in this Epcot ride, which was later replaced by Mission: Space. At the time, it was the only ride allowing different endings — returning to the “Futureport” via a space station, a desert farm, or an undersea research base, illustrating possibilities for future civilization.

Ellen’s Energy Adventure: 1996-2017

Starring Bill Nye and Ellen DeGeneres, this educational attraction taught guests about different forms of energy and their uses. The theater seats were “cars” that rode along a track while passing video and animatronics. The ride closed in 2017 to clear the way for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!: 1994-2010

Based on the 1989 film “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” this 4-D attraction shook and moved as a professor, played by Rick Moranis, shrunk guests down using a sci-fi gadget. The ride was located at Disneyland and Walt Disney World before its closure in 2010 for the “Captain EO” revival.

Maelstrom: 1988-2014

Before Epcot’s Norway pavilion underwent a Frozen-themed makeover, Maelstrom educated guests about Norwegian history. It featured a Viking-style boat that traveled through dark realms populated by polar bears and angry trolls. These animatronics have since been replaced by characters from Frozen, but the ride still retains the original layout and vehicle.

ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter: 1995-2003

This Magic Kingdom attraction was darker and scarier than other experiences in the park. Guests sat in a theater-in-the-round equipped with moving seats while an alien was “accidentally” released into the audience. It closed in 2003, replaced by a more kid-friendly option, Stitch’s Great Escape!.

Skyway: 1956-1994

Offering an efficient way to traverse Disneyland, this gondola ran between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. A highlight was passing through the Matterhorn Bobsleds ride, which opened in 1959, and viewing the Abominable Snowman character that later took residence inside.

Studio Backlot Tour: 1989-2014

This walking and tram tour at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida took guests behind the scenes to showcase movie-making. The backlot tour featured a special effects demonstration and fascinating props from beloved films, but it closed in 2014 to pave the way for Toy Story Land.

Superstar Limo: 2001-2002

No list of extinct Disney attractions is complete without mentioning this notorious ride, frequently criticized as the worst Disney attraction. This so-bad-it-was-good experience at Disney California Adventure Park took guests on a “limousine” drive through a cartoonish version of Hollywood, but it closed in less than a year due to poor reception.