10 Disney Attractions They Shut Down (That Need To Come Back)

Disney Parks are home to some of the most enchanting, exciting, and unforgettable attractions. From the top of space mountain to the cellar of the Haunted Mansion, there are several rides and inventions that have been giving thrills and chills to fans all across the globe. Some last a lifetime, but others are removed far too soon.

Let's face it, audience interests change over time, plain and simple. It's an inevitable factor that has to be faced and certain attractions will show their age after a time. We're here today to talk about famous Disney attractions that need to make a comeback.

10 Nature's Wonderland

Before we get into this one, we don't think Big Thunder Mountain should go anywhere, but we can see the merit for having a more serene train ride through the American southwest. Before the mine trains were running like demons through the mountain, we had a comfy ride through Nature's Wonderland.

The trains in this attraction would take guests through the painted desert, bear country, and the famous Rainbow Caverns. The ride was popular with guests and a popular Frontierland feature, but in 1979, Big Thunder opened, became an overnight sensation and the rest is history.

9 Main Street Cinema

Not exactly a ride or your typical attraction, but the Main Street Cinema used to be more than a store to purchase the art of Disney animation. It was essentially a small movie theatre that showed vintage Disney clips a la The Ink and Paint Club. That might not sound like much, but it served as a source of Disney animated history that modern audiences really need.

Disney has always lived by the words "keep moving forward," but it's always nice to look back now and then. Fans can agree that the classic Disney shorts definitely need more attention, what better way than showing them on a regular basis?

8 Snow White's Scary Adventures (Magic Kingdom Version)

If you've ever seen this ride, you know its reputation as one of Disney's darker additions. First imagined by one of the two masterminds behind the Haunted Mansion, this ride was a frightening fairytale.

Until its remodeling shortly before the '90s, Snow White's Scary Adventures put the dark in dark ride. Essentially recreating the Evil Queen's transformation and Snow White's escape into the haunted forest, the ride was more focused on the Queen and her elements than Snow White's happy ending. With the villains being so popular nowadays, perhaps this needs to make a comeback?

7 Captain EO

They were here to change the world... Here's a riddle for you Disney fans, what does one get when they cross Michael Jackson with George Lucas? They get this piece of '80s glam gold. A collaboration between the King of Pop, Industrial Light and Magic, and Disney Imagination brought us, Captain EO.

Can something be so dated it becomes classic? With all the love for the '80s and '90s nostalgia today, one would think that Captain EO would remain an Epcot mainstay like Figment. Unfortunately, the ride closed in 2016, but the film itself still lives on YouTube, minus the 4-D effects of course.

6 Malestrom

Now we're getting into some sensitive territory. Before the cultural explosion that is Frozen took over, the Norway Pavilion at Epcot was home to one of the most popular rides the park had ever known, the Malestrom.

Part dark ride, part Viking adventure, and part history lesson, the Malestrom was unique, entertaining, and magical. Still, it was snowed over by a certain ice queen. With Vikings, trolls, and informative facts about Norweigian culture, the ride was the perfect marriage of fact and fantasy. Too bad the Vikings and trolls couldn't be as marketable as Anna and Elsa.

5 Journey Into Imagination (Original)

Figment and the Dreamfinder were once Epcot's dynamic duo, but changes in Journey Into Imagination have thrown them for a loop since the first reinvention. Nowadays Figment wears the Epcot crown, but there is no Dreamfinder insight. At least outside of a comic book anyway.

The original version of this ride was absolutely enchanting. If you could stuff a ride full of whimsy and Disney magic to its absolute breaking point, Journey Into Imagination would be the result. With Dreamfinder's appearance at a recent D23 Expo, we may yet see the pair reunited in the future.

4 The Great Movie Ride

The definition of gone but not forgotten, Disney's Great Movie Ride was the icon of Disney Hollywood Studios for decades until it's closure in 2017. The ride took guests through great moments in movie history such as Singin' in the Rain, Fantasia, and even Alien. The addition of live cast members just made the ride even more memorable.

We know the wound is still pretty fresh, but there are hundreds of die-hard fans out there that were sad to see this one go. It's not that we don't think Mickey and Minnie deserve their own ride. We just miss the magic of the movies that was the park icon for so long.

3 Legend of the Lion King

Before the arrival of Mickey's Philharmagic, the theatre in Fantasyland was host to a Lion King display with full animatronic versions of our favorite characters from the film. Using puppetry, 360 projections, and an occasional live cast member, the story of Simba and his adventures was performed.

Mickey's Philharmagic is arguably a modern Disney classic, but we can't help but admire the storytelling element of this former attraction. It was an event that put us right in the middle of the film. Perhaps an addition to the Animal Kingdom might be on the table? Who knows, we can only dream.

2 The Timekeeper

Because why on earth wouldn't you want an attraction starring a robot Robin Williams? The Timekeeper was a ride through history worthy of an H.G. Wells novel, with appearances by the author himself, as well as Jules Verne. A love letter to the early days of science-fiction with some impressive tech for 1995 standards, we'd love to see this again.

Even with the passing of the Timekeeper himself, a remake or refurbished version of the ride would serve as a marvelous tribute to one of Disney's greatest stars. There's certainly space for it, just ask Stitch about his oversized queue area. It's definitely time for a comeback.

1 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

If you take the freaky mermaids out of the equation, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a pretty impressive ride. Inspired by the ambitious science-fiction film of the same name, guests would board their very own Nautilus, take a deep-sea journey, and even face an encounter with the giant squid. How cool does that sound?

Though the ride was closed long ago, Tokyo Disney Sea has a version with a slight steampunk edge with visuals inspired more by Verne's novel than the Disney film. The parks in the states could definitely use a ride like this, especially those fans of the more unusual Disney ride.

NEXT: Disney's California Adventure: The 10 Best Rides, Ranked