Is 2024 the year of goodbyes or good riddances for Walt Disney World fans? Every WDW diehard has extinct things they miss, this year has been a fairly big one for changes at Walt Disney World. (Although not nearly as big as 2025–that’s when a lot, including beloved lands and rides, will be lost).
This post takes a look at some of what has gone to the defunct Disney park in the sky this year, with a rundown of the lost offerings from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and the resorts. With this, we’ll determine whether each extinction event was really a goodbye or more like a “good riddance.”
As nostalgic as Walt Disney World fans can be, there’s a healthy mix of good and bad changes on this list. Everything that’s been around more than a few years has its diehard fans (even construction walls!), but there should be consensus on some of these things lost forever at Walt Disney World in 2024…
BONUS: Dino-Rama
Even as president of the International Dino-Rama Haters Club, it brings me no joy in seeing dinosaurs go extinct at Walt Disney World. They’re the most awesome animal of all-time, and deserved better. With that said, Dino-Rama was an abomination, and I’ll happily dance on this particular area’s grave. That does give me a little joy.
I know the higher road would be to offer a respectful tribute, or give space to those mourning the loss of a land where they made memories or whatever. Perhaps prepare a eulogy to Dino-Rama’s brilliant backstory. Nah, I’ll take the lower road. The land was just flat-out awful, with all the charm of a Walmart parking lot. Anything good about it was lipstick on a pig.
Dino-Rama will remain open through the first week of 2025, so consider this a bonus entry because I’ve already said my final “good riddance” to the area. It’s been dead to me for years…might as well start getting excited about Tropical Americas at Animal Kingdom, featuring the Encanto Magical Madrigal Casita Dark Ride and Indiana Jones Adventure!
Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit
I’ve made no secret of how much the unambitious plans for CommuniCore Hall bothered me (see RIP Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit, or pretty much any of our EPCOT construction updates from the last several years). Ditto the lengthy construction timeline that left the park in a maze of construction walls and that infamous Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit.
I’m sure that enormous EPCOT crater (dang, that would’ve been a good nickname for it) has some fans who wish it never went away. For my part, I would’ve been able to tolerate another year or more of the dirt and “progress walls” if it meant getting something that was…actual progress over the former Future World.
I still cannot believe how bad CommuniCore Hall and World Celebration are. Or how long they took to build. But at the same time, I can’t say that I’d rather have the dirt and walls. So congratulations, Disney, you wore me down and got me to “settle” for the least imaginative thing ever because it also means having a normal, walkable central spine of the park. Good riddance to the Giant EPCOT Dirt Pit.
Test Track 2.0
I loved Test Track 2.0 when it debuted, and thought it was a significant update and improvement to the original Test Track. But time did it no favors. Not only did it age poorly, but it also started drawing unfavorable comparisons to TRON Lightcycle Run once that debuted. On top of that, there’s absolutely nothing memorable about the attraction. Even I have to admit that the original Test Track had much more nostalgic appeal via quotable dialogue in the pre-show and eye-catching visuals.
From that perspective, the Test Track 3.0 reimagining has a high ceiling and low floor. Pretty much everything that anyone loves about Test Track (the thrills) will be staying, so there’s very little risk of this reimagining “messing up” what people like about the current ride. Visible work on the exterior has also been promising, getting rid of the hideous canopy and replacing it with something more appropriate.
Not only that, but Test Track gets an update inspired by World of Motion! That’s exciting news that is, once again, aimed squarely at longtime Walt Disney World fans. While it remains to be seen exactly what that means, it’s cause for optimism. Test Track 3.0 has tremendous potential and Test Track 2.0 had worn out its welcome. Plus, this reimagining is being paid for by someone else, so it’s not even coming at the expense of another (higher priority) Walt Disney World project! Win-win! Good riddance to Test Track 2.0.
One Virtual Queue
With the debut of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure over the summer, Walt Disney World had a record three simultaneous virtual queues. It didn’t help that two of those were in Magic Kingdom, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure was (is) incredibly unreliable. This made it impossible to know whether you’d be able to experience both via virtual queue. In turn, that pushed people towards paying for Lightning Lanes.
Whenever a virtual queue is introduced, some fans claim it’s to sell more Lightning Lanes. Whenever one is retired, some fans claim it’s to sell more Lightning Lanes. Hopefully not the same fans in both instances, but who really knows. I’m not normally someone who believes that Disney makes queueing decisions on the basis of Lightning Lane sales. Line-skipping sells itself, and there’s no evidence that changes really move the needle one way or another. (Inflated wait times, on the other hand…)
However, I absolutely believe guests were buying Lightning Lane access in Magic Kingdom due to the unpredictability with TBA and TRON Lightcycle Run both using virtual queues. Heck, I’m “very good” at virtual queues, and there were days when I got shut out of both due to TBA downtime.
Even without these issues, I’d be saying good riddance to any and all virtual queues at Walt Disney World. Although they usually benefit us (more knowledgeable and experienced visitors), they are convoluted, confusing and guest unfriendly as a result. Here’s hoping that 2025 is the year of zero VQs at Walt Disney World. It’s beyond time to retire Cosmic Rewind’s!
Big River Grille & Brewing Works
There’s been a ton of tumult and turnover along the BoardWalk, and after years of struggles, Big River Grille & Brewing Works finally closed last winter. The restaurant that opened in 1996 ended its nearly three-decade run with a whimper, unable to make it work even as BoardWalk was devoid of dining options.
There was a time when Big River was something special. It was the only only working brewpub at Walt Disney World, and one of the few places within walking distance of the parks to watch “the big game.” In our view, what’s truly unfortunate is that Big River didn’t close sooner. There’s a part of me that wonders whether Cake Bake Shop would’ve replaced it and ESPN Club would still be operating had Big River gone under back during the closure when Ample Hills did.
I have fond memories of Big River Grille & Brewing Works…from the 1990s. It was awesome when I was a kid. Ahead of its time, for a time. Since then, time has passed it by. Big River failed to evolve and stay fresh. Which is precisely why a lot of you reading this–even Walt Disney World fans–probably never even heard of Big River, much less dined there.
Nevertheless, it’s another restaurant vacancy along the BoardWalk with replacement prospects, much less a timetable for when a new restaurant will open. We’d love to be saying “good riddance” to Big River via an announcement of something new and exciting taking its place, but alas, almost a full year later, it’s still sitting empty. So goodbye it is.
Corn Dog & Cake Bake Construction
The comically-long construction for cakes and corn dogs is finally over. After a year of work on an outdoor kiosk, Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs debuted this fall. Another couple of months later, Cake Bake Shop followed suited after being delayed by around a full year.
It’s probably fair to say operational restaurants are better than construction walls. We all can agree on that much, right? Whether these dining venues are better than the restaurants they replaced is another story entirely, and I’m guessing reactions would be mixed.
We’ve now dined at both new locations, and each brings something unique to the table. One of those things they bring is hefty bills. Suffice to say, we won’t be regular patrons of Blue Ribbon Corn Dogs or Cake Bake Shop. But there’s no shortage of construction walls going up around Walt Disney World in 2025, including some likely on the other side of the BoardWalk. So it’s not like we’ll miss those, either.
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade
Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade has been on borrowed time for a while. I don’t think that’s really a provocative or contestable statement. Walt Disney World removed almost all ‘authentically-presenting’ guns from the parks back in December 2015. This included everything from the gun used by the Jungle Cruise skippers to toy guns being sold in the gift shops.
Still, the shooting gallery attraction hung on and even “improved” a few years ago with the switch to free play. It probably has hung around in part because it’s a 1971 original opening day attraction at Magic Kingdom, and because not much else can be done with its limited footprint. Well, the company finally figured out what else it could be–a Disney Vacation Club lounge.
Even as a DVC owner who will get way more use out of the McKim’s Mile House Member Lounge (there’s only so many times I can “impress” Sarah with my sharp shootin’ skills before she loses interest), this one still doesn’t sit right with me. More and more of Walt Disney World is becoming paywalled or subject to upcharges, and even when I’m part of the in-group that benefits, I still don’t like the general trend. The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade itself may not be a big loss, but what’s replacing it and what it represents does nevertheless leave a sour taste. Goodbye, Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade.
Country Bear Jamboree
Speaking of attractions on borrowed time, this was the year that the original Country Bear Jamboree–already truncated a decade ago–was finally put out of its misery. A lot of Country Bear Jamboree fans were very mad about this, and I can empathize to a degree.
At the same time, my view is that we already lost the “real” Country Bear Jamboree. Moreover, updating the attraction was the best outcome of the possible plans for CBJ that were actually under consideration by the company…and by a wide margin. That’s not to say what we got was on your or my wish list, but much better than the alternatives.
It’s more than a small miracle that the Country Bears have stuck around at all, and the new Country Bear Musical Jamboree–complete with upgraded Audio Animatronics and theater–gives the attraction a new lease on life. It pretty much guarantees the Bear Band will stick around for at least another decade. That may not be a win for everyone, but as someone with a Country Bears-loving toddler, this is a huge victory for me, personally. I still cannot bring myself to say “good riddance” to Country Bears under any circumstances (not even that weird movie), so this one becomes a neutral move.
Bad Menu at Pecos Bill
Do you believe in miracles?! After years of stagnation, Magic Kingdom’s most mediocre meal spot has a brand-new menu! As we wrote approximately one year ago, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe was dead to us. The menu had gotten so bad, the ingredients were incredibly low quality, and there was no toppings bar to redeem it (or mask said subpar entrees and ingredients).
Somehow, Pecos Bill was not the worst counter service restaurant in the park, which was really saying something (and not a good thing) about just how bad Magic Kingdom’s counter service scene has become. Rather, it was the one with the most squandered potential. A spot that could’ve been good and, at one time, was.
And now, is good again. A few months ago, Walt Disney World overhauled the menu yet again, tremendously improving the food at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe. It now has more range, is higher quality, and customizable–a bit like Chipotle (but not completely). I’ve eaten 5 full meals at Pecos Bill (for research!) since then and am once again a big fan. Good riddance to that old menu, with food barely fit for dogs!
Waffle Sandwiches at Sleepy Hollow
Since the universe must be in balance, every positive Magic Kingdom menu action has an equal and opposite negative reaction. That’s just science. In this case, the counterpart to Pecos Bill’s massive upgrade was the Scandal at Sleepy Hollow over the summer. In case you missed it, some brainiac at Walt Disney World decided to mess with the one (and probably only!) Magic Kingdom menu that didn’t need any changes, and made major mistakes.
Out went the waffle sandwiches, in came Mickey Mouse shaped waffles. But that wasn’t all. The Fresh Fruit Waffle Sandwich came with bananas, berries, and chocolate-hazelnut spread, whereas it was replaced by two separate Mickey Mouse waffles: one with the berries, and one with the don’t-call-it-Nutella and bananas. It was either-or, not both. And that was a real problem, because what’s even the point of eating fruit if it’s not slathered in Nutella?!
Thankfully, Walt Disney World eventually combined the options by popular demand (more like critical complaints). The resulting Mickey Waffle with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread, Bananas, Berries, and Whipped Cream is fine. Good but not great. The old waffle sandwich was a 10/10 masterpiece, and there’s something different about the new option. Here’s hoping that in 2025, Walt Disney World rolls back this change and we say good riddance to the Mickey waffles and hello again to the old, reliable waffle sandwiches.
Genie+
Perhaps more than anything else, Genie+ represents a dark chapter at Walt Disney World. It replaced free FastPass+ amidst a flurry of other poorly-received decisions, from the end of Disney’s Magical Express to replacing evening Extra Magic Hours with something only for Deluxe Resort guests.
The botched launch and scattershot changes over the following 18 months poisoned the well. Even though Genie+ was actually pretty good–at least for power users who read blogs like this one–by mid-2024, it was too little, too late. The Genie “brand” that was once associated with the beloved Robin Williams had somehow become as toxic as the name Bob Chapek. It needed a complete and total overhaul.
There is no consensus as to whether Genie+ or Lightning Lane Multi-Pass is better. Line-skipping is always going to create winners and losers in equal measure. That’s the nature of the beast because queueing is a zero-sum game. Attraction capacity is fixed and finite, and didn’t change between the two systems. There is no magical system where everyone gets to wait in shorter lines.
However, our perspective is that the move from Genie+ to Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, which was also made amidst other queueing changes, is better on balance. Which is to say that the policies and systems feel fairer to the majority of guests and don’t advantage or disadvantage anyone too much. Standby lines are flowing faster and it doesn’t feel like you’re constantly stopping and being skipped by everyone and their brother. We would’ve said good riddance to Genie+ regardless, but that really seals the deal for us on G+ vs. LLMP.
Serenity at Fort Wilderness
Another relic of the Chapek Era that some Walt Disney World fans probably wish would’ve stayed in the past is Reflections Lakeshore Lodge. Can I tell you a secret? I’m actually looking forward to Disney Lakeshore Lodge. That might sound like it’s coming out of left field considering I was an outspoken critic of the original announcement and Reflections. But before you grab the pitchforks, let me explain.
Disney already did site-prep, started work years ago and invested millions of dollars in developing this parcel–it’s inevitable that they’d build on this land at some point down the road. Walt Disney World only has so much prime parcels for resorts, and this is one of them. Not only that, but they’ve already bulldozed River Country and a ton of trees to clear the land. My perspective is that the damage is done, and a resort is going to happen here sooner or later regardless.
In which case, I’ll take sooner. We love both Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness, and now have a daughter who will be the perfect age for Walt Disney World–and enjoying these resorts–by the time Disney Lakeshore Lodge opens in 2027. I’m also really looking forward to getting the walking path connecting the resorts back. Who knows, maybe Lakeshore Lodge will have restaurants and amenities that we love (like Riviera!), even if the building is ugly and out-of-place amidst the frontier. A pool with a lazy river would certainly help sell me–and other skeptics–on it!
In the near term, there’s going to be pain. Obviously, I’m not going to say “good riddance” to serenity and seclusion at Fort Wilderness. That’s crazy. I’ll mourn what’s being lost there, but honestly, I already did that between 2018 and early 2020. At this point, I’ll take a hotel with value-added features over an ugly, abandoned construction site–I would say “good riddance” to that. So I guess it’s really a matter of phrasing on this one.
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Your Thoughts
What would be on your list of things lost forever at Walt Disney World this year? To which of these now extinct experiences or defunct offerings would you say goodbye, and which would earn good riddance from you? Do you agree or disagree with our choices? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
