Refurb current rides or add new ones?

[lonepalm]

Keeping with the theme (sort of) of the Which rides to renovate thread, I wanted to see everyone's opinions.

Would you rather WDW spend major money on updating/ revamping/ redoing/ refurbing CURRENT rides at each of the parks, or would you rather they spend that same money on adding NEW rides to the parks? I know this is kind of an open ended question, but I wanted to leave it that way. I'll be interested in reading your responses!

[horizons1]

I prefer new attractions, as long as they are not cheesy like the rides in Dinoland. In fact, gut Dinoland and build a single major attraction, that would be one request.

[Polynesian Princess]

Of course there has to be a balance because you don't want the old rides falling apart or becoming dated, but given the choice I think that adding new attractions is more important. The more attractions and rides they add, the more things there are for people to do which spreads them out more and helps shorten the lines overall. That's why I hate to see them get rid of an attraction to build a new one. I understand why it's been necessary from time to time (as well as additional costs of maintenance, building, cm's to run it, etc), but I don't think it should be the top choice - find a new place for the new attraction and keep the old one running too.

[horizons1]

Of course there has to be a balance because you don't want the old rides ... becoming dated

That is probably the most heavily debated topic for Disney fans. Is a ride "dated" and should be changed or "classic" and should be left alone?

I like to think of classic rides getting enhancements which compliment them (Haunted Mansion has done this in recent years). Adding Disney characters to the Mexico boat ride, not so much.

[fancyfeet]

As fun as the country bear jamboree theme is, I think it's in serious need of updating.
The bears seemed positively dusty last year and the theater was pretty empty, even though it was pouring rain outside.

[lonepalm]

To answer my own question, I find myself being more of a traditionalist (in the sense of wanting everything to be the way it was when I went there as a kid in the mid-late 90s). I would LOVE to see Epcot returned to the way it was in the mid 90s, would love to see The Backlot Tour at DHS returned to the way it was at that time, however, I am anxious to see the new MK with the Fantasyland expansion. I guess it sort of depends on how much of an "attachment" one has to either an attraction or park.

[momeja]

Neither? I'd like them to use the money to bring back Horizons!

[Amy]

Neither? I'd like them to use the money to bring back Horizons!

That might be a tricky one...but they could at least do something with the old Wonders of Life pavilion. At least that is still there. Poor Buzzy, he probably is covered in a really thick layer of dust by now

[Polynesian Princess]

Of course there has to be a balance because you don't want the old rides ... becoming dated

That is probably the most heavily debated topic for Disney fans. Is a ride "dated" and should be changed or "classic" and should be left alone?

I like to think of classic rides getting enhancements which compliment them (Haunted Mansion has done this in recent years). Adding Disney characters to the Mexico boat ride, not so much.

Yes, it makes for an interesting debate. In my opinion, not everything has to be top of the line. El Rio del Tiempo was perfectly fine - though not a big name attraction, it was still an enjoyable and informative ride. Enhancements are always nice and could have been used to improve that ride. What they did seemscheap with millions of video screens and endless "Where's Donald? Donde estas Donald? Where's Donald?" (And the ride is bad enough without having two of them in the same park "Where's Nemo? Where's Nemo?")

Epcot and Tomorrowland are probably the most susceptible to becoming dated. For example, the previous ending of Spaceship Earth where the girl and boy were video chatting across the globe used to be very innovative and futuristic. I remember as a child thinking it was cool and would be a lot of fun, but it seemed pretty unrealistic or so very far from happening. But now with online chatting, that wouldn't seem all that interesting or innovative as it's a technology we're all familiar with.

[mindflipper]

Well, they could have the boy in SSE at EPCOT speaking instead to a green thre-eyed alien girl from Proxima Centauri. It would take a much longer time for technology to catch up to that one!

[Polynesian Princess]

Well, they could have the boy in SSE at EPCOT speaking instead to a green thre-eyed alien girl from Proxima Centauri. It would take a much longer time for technology to catch up to that one!

Yeah that one would take a while.

[lonepalm]

HA! That would be weird! I miss the old SSE. I think the new one is kinda cheap at the end....there are no scenes or anything (obviously because they want you to focus on the screens), but after doing the ride a few times, who cares about the screens? I would rather have some scenes to look at like before.

[mindflipper]

HA! That would be weird! I miss the old SSE. I think the new one is kinda cheap at the end....there are no scenes or anything (obviously because they want you to focus on the screens), but after doing the ride a few times, who cares about the screens? I would rather have some scenes to look at like before.

They could have done like they did in the station area afterwards: have giant screens randomly showing the cartoons of some of the riders...

[lonepalm]

Yeah, that could have worked as well. It just seems like the ride is unfinished or something. Like the whole descent was forgotten...like they ran out of cash or something. I'm not a fan at all of the end of SSE.

Too bad they murdered The Living Seas (and of course The Wonders of Life Pavilion). Those were some of my favorites too.

[mindflipper]

Even if they didn't want to something they could have at least rigged up some small sparkling lights and make it look like the darkness is really a starscape.