Collector’s Edition Giveaway Part 2
During my conversation with Warren Spector, creator of the new Wii video game Disney Epic Mickey, he mentioned the theme park attractions featured in the alternative world of Wasteland were mostly from Disneyland prior to 1967. Now Walt Disney World will be celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2011, and many attractions have come and gone since its opening in 1971. Therefore, if there is an alternative world of Wasteland for Disneyland, then there certainly should also be a Wasteland “Florida Project” for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and his pals. Just for fun, let’s imagine there is a Wasteland “Florida Project” and begin to speculate on the attractions it might contain. With this post, the DIS Unplugged will give away 3 copies of the Disney Epic Mickey Collector’s Edition (all prizes provided by Disney Interactive Studios). Continue after the break to find out how to enter.
Image: Page from Disney Epic Mickey graphic novel courtesy of Disney Digicomics
Warren Spector mentioned one of the “lost attractions” currently found in Wasteland includes the Nautilus from the original Submarine Voyage at Disneyland. I loved the Submarine Voyage, and remember being transported to an undersea world when I rode it as a 6th grader in 1980. I knew I could peer out the porthole, look up, and see the top of the water, but I didn’t want to spoil the “magic.” I forced myself to look down, and totally immerse myself in this world of fish and giant clams. There was also a version of Submarine Voyage at Walt Disney World as Captain Nemo’s Nautilus prowled the Fantasyland lagoon in the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea attraction. I remember squeezing into one of these Jules Verne-esque submarines when traveling to the Magic Kingdom on a high school band trip in 1984, but, alas, the Nautilus now resides in the Wasteland: “Florida Project.”
Many other attractions have been replaced in all four Disney theme parks over the past 40 years including (in no particular order): the Skyway, Timekeeper, Plaza Swan Boats, Horizons, Discovery River Boats, and Who Wants to be a Millionaire – Play It! Many of these attractions were ones I never experienced, and are now a part of the Wasteland: “Florida Project.” There are also parades and shows no longer at Walt Disney World that now entertain Oswald the Lucky Rabbit when he vacations in Bizarro Florida.
Image: Tapestry of Dreams Parade final float
Epcot had an evening parade called “Tapestry of Dreams” that we saw when we took our daughters to Walt Disney World for the first time in 2002. Part of the show contained large puppets (similar to the Lion King Broadway show) that interacted with parade watchers, and our daughters were enthralled by the sight. Tapestry of Dreams also had a cool interactive element. Throughout the day children worked on craft projects related to their hopes and dreams. In the evening, when the parade went by, children tossed their “dreams” into the nets of the DreamSeekers to ensure they came true.
Image: Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade
We also enjoyed the Disney Stars and Motor Cars Parade at Disney-MGM Studios (as it was then called). This was a whimsical motorcade of stylized automobiles that included a Star Wars Landspeeder car, Andy’s bed from Toy Story, and many other fun car floats. I can definitely imagine a steampunk version of Stars and Motor Cars entertaining Oswald and the other characters in our Wasteland: “Florida Project.”
So here’s where you come in, we need some more “blue sky” development of our East Coast Wasteland. To win one of the 3 copies of Disney Epic Mickey Collector’s Edition you need to leave a comment at the bottom of this article. This time, we want you to reminsce about the closed Walt Disney World attractions that are now in Florida’s Vacation Wasteland Kingdom. Log in with your DISboards username and password, leave a comment on this article, and share some of your memories of favorite long gone attractions. Now if only we could *poof* send Stitch’s Great Escape! to Wasteland and bring The Timekeeper back to the Magic Kingdom. Bye, bye, Stitch… Bye, bye, chili dog burps… Hello Timekeeper… Hello 9-Eye.
Again, you need to leave a comment at the bottom of this article. Comments in other places such as Facebook or Twitter will not be official contest entries. Comments will close on Monday, Dec. 6th. Keep following the blog, there will be one more chance to win a copy of the Disney Epic Mickey Collector’s Edition plus a special Grand Prize. Good luck to everyone who enters.
Comments
227 responses to “Disney Epic Mickey: Wasteland “Florida Project””
My clearest memory of visiting WDW when I was very little was being terrified on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Even though it scared me to death I had to ride it two more times. I remember planning my first trip as an adult in 2006 and being terribly disappointed that it wasn’t around for me to ride it again.
My first time to Disney was in 2001 shortly after Sept. 11. Airfare on Southwest was $39 each way, from Connecticut to Florida. The parks were empty, can you imagine a first timer with walk-ons for EVERYTHING! Its when I fell in love with WDW. Been back some 14 times since then. I miss the Wonders of Life pavilion, it had so much to do! You could ride Body Wars, (be prepared to get nauseous, though) watch Martin Short in a sweet birds / bees movie called The Making of Me, and do a bunch of experiments in this section that was totally hands on. If you needed a rest, there was a small theater with bleacher style seating that featured Goofy in his quest to get healthy! Very funny, I think I watched it 50 times over the few years that the pavilion was open. You could even get a smoothie or some healthy snacks in a counter service area, then do some shopping for clothes or souveniers. It was really a neat place and I am sad that it has gone.
My son practically goes into excitement overload whenever he sees an advertisement for this game. It’s going to be hard for all of us to wait until Christmas!
Sadly, I’ve only been to WDW one time, 8 years ago, so I don’t have any long lost closed attractions to reminisce about.
looking forward to playing this game!
Can’t wait to try this game, my 13 year old was playing Kingdom Hearts today and I want to see how it compares.
I wish I had gotten to ride the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ride, but I never did. I do miss Toad, alot and River Country!
Discovery Island would seem to be a perfect addition to a video game like Epic Mickey!
Body wars was our most missed attraction, it is just sad walking past the building now, knowing it is really barely used and could still hold body wars. Timekeeper was great and tapestry of dreams is another thing my family misses.
Drew
I can’t wait to try this game. I think my children would love to see all the attractions that they never got to try. While at the same time reliving some they have.
Kids have been looking forward to this game. So have I! 🙂 I remember the first time I bought annual Disney passes was when I heard they were closing Mr. Toad’s Wild ride…we wanted to ride it as much as possible before it closed.
I’d have to say Mr. Toad and the Submarines…always my favorites as a child..and I was never able to do them in Florida. Did get a chance in Anaheim though.
–HA
Hi im only thirtenn but i have been to disney almmost twenty times and I dont live in Florida. I love disney and I am working to get good grades so I can go to a good college and become an imaganeer at Disney. My favorite attraction that closed was the tarzan show in Animal Kingdom. I was so sad when I heard tht I had my parent take me to Disney in the middle of the year to see it one last time. I alsomiss MGM studios. I know tha tit is now Disney Hollywood Studios because they lost the rights to MGM, but it does not feel right with the new name.
I also miss the original Pirates of the Carribean before it was changed to fit the movie
One more idea is a quest to find the meaning of disney. Not the rides or the cool stuff you can buy, but what Walt designed it to represent. Magic.
I loved the old version of IllumiNations with all the countries lighting up. I find the current version to be kind of boring in comparison. I also loved Horizons. Time Keeper was also a favorite of mine. And, of course, the original Journey Into Imagination. These are all attractions I’d love to see again, and I hope Oswald is enjoying them!!
Fun blog, Dave!
Bring back Lights of Winter…LOL! We could magically paint the lights back to life since the Imagineers can’t figure it out 😉 Go Kathy!
cheers,
I can’t wait to see the kid’s face when they get a good look at Epic Mickey! They are really going to love it!
The top of my list would include the original Journey into Imagination. Some of my earliest WDW memories include Dreamfinder and Figment.
I miss the Skyway at Magic Kingdom and Food Rocks at Epcot.
I just love the heroic look Mickey takes on in the new game. Very much in the vein of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice, where he’s ready to take on all comers. That said…
I know its old school, but I would love to see a 2011 spin on the old classic IF YOU HAD WINGS. I really think they could do a lot with the digital projection technology of today. Maybe even do it up in 3D !
I’m sure this has already been posted, BUT……..Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Enough said.
Love Pooh, but one of my first childhood memories of WDW was Mr. Toad’s Ride. Rode it in 1974 and again in 1981. A classic that should be in the Florida Wasteland ( and should be brought back to WDW!)
My husband and I are very excited for this game. We got the opportunity to play it in Downtown Disney a few weeks ago at a special kiosk they had set up.
As far as missed attractions, I think my number one is Alien Encounters. The first time I got a chance to do it was my senior year gradnight and let’s just say I was hoarse by the time I got out of there. I thought it was an awful lot of fun.
Game looks really cool! I downloaded the epic mickey app for the ipad and read the comics they had on there, they were very good.
I love this idea of bringing all the old classics back…although I have to say that after going to “Captain EO” last month maybe some things are just better in our memories- my kids couldn’t stop laughing at the leg warmers to actually enjoy the attraction! Although, I suppose that’s part of the fun!
I really miss, like others above me, the original Figment. The new attraction is really missing the magic…
The Mike Fink Keel Boats! They were a takeback to times past and as a 12 year old – were great fun!
I have been waiting so long for this game! I can’t wait to burn out my Wii playing it!
I cannot wait to play this game, Mickey looks awesome!I LOVE seeing old Disney attractions and characters. We saw Captain EO in Nov and we really enjoyed it, went twice. Since I had never seen it before it was nice seeing it. I miss Alein Encounter at the magic Kingdom the most, it was scary and fun ALL at the same time.