- Joined
- Aug 23, 1999
Seeing this re-created ride thru of the original Imagination attraction made me realized how much ( and why)I loved all those rides.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...top_uri=/watch?v=vp2kFOmGqmo&feature=youtu.be
The second time we went to WDW was kind of a low point in my life. Youngest DD had been diagnosed with CP not much before that and we had no idea what the future would bring.
We went first to Magic Kingdom and she did not like those rides that were aimed at children. In some of them, including Small World, she somehow draped one arm over to cover her ears while that hand was crossed over the top of her head to shade her eyes. She was sucking her thumb and twirling her hair.
All I could think about was how at not quite 2 yrs old, she was actively blocking out all the sensations she could from those rides that were meant for children.
We had no idea what would happen when we got to Epcot, where the rides were longer and aimed at older children and adults. If she didn't like the 'kids' rides, would she even tolerate the adult ones?
I knew that many people do not even bring their preschool aged children to Epcot because it was 'boring' for kids who wanted more 'action'.
As it turned out, she loved them. Every one of them, especially the original Imagination. Where the rides at Magic Kingdom were loud, boisterous and full of non-stop color, noise, motion and music, the attractions at Epcot used all those things more sparingly. They were dimly lit except for the part of the attraction that the narration was talking about. Your attention was directed where it belonged by the ride car turning to face the scene.
Instead of the total-in-your-face stimulation of Magic Kingdom, the Epcot attractions were more quiet and thoughtful. The music wasn't constant, it was used to tell part of the story.
We were pleasantly surprised that our tiny, almost 2 yr old, had the attention and intelligence to follow these more complex attractions. The amount of hope that gave me for the future was incredible.
Those 'attractions of hope' are almost all gone - World of Motion, Horizons, Kitchen Kaboret. The attractions that are left - Imagination, Spaceship Earth, Energy are changed so much as to be unrecognizable. We have the music from the parks (first a tape, then a CD) and even now, hearing the first few notes of "Energy, you make the World Go Round" brings me happy memories of my tiny, non-verbal girl signing along to the song.
Some of the replacements are things she really likes - Soarin' is amazing and the look of delight on her face while she is flying freely thru the air, with her legs dangling underneath her, is something my thrill seeking daughter loves and could never do in real life.
Similarly, she loves the wild ride of Test Track (although it gives her dad and me quite a work out to hold her in place). Again, thrills she can only experience thru the magic of WDW.
so, good things, but...
I wish there was a way to re-experience some of those magical, classic rides again.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...top_uri=/watch?v=vp2kFOmGqmo&feature=youtu.be
The second time we went to WDW was kind of a low point in my life. Youngest DD had been diagnosed with CP not much before that and we had no idea what the future would bring.
We went first to Magic Kingdom and she did not like those rides that were aimed at children. In some of them, including Small World, she somehow draped one arm over to cover her ears while that hand was crossed over the top of her head to shade her eyes. She was sucking her thumb and twirling her hair.
All I could think about was how at not quite 2 yrs old, she was actively blocking out all the sensations she could from those rides that were meant for children.
We had no idea what would happen when we got to Epcot, where the rides were longer and aimed at older children and adults. If she didn't like the 'kids' rides, would she even tolerate the adult ones?
I knew that many people do not even bring their preschool aged children to Epcot because it was 'boring' for kids who wanted more 'action'.
As it turned out, she loved them. Every one of them, especially the original Imagination. Where the rides at Magic Kingdom were loud, boisterous and full of non-stop color, noise, motion and music, the attractions at Epcot used all those things more sparingly. They were dimly lit except for the part of the attraction that the narration was talking about. Your attention was directed where it belonged by the ride car turning to face the scene.
Instead of the total-in-your-face stimulation of Magic Kingdom, the Epcot attractions were more quiet and thoughtful. The music wasn't constant, it was used to tell part of the story.
We were pleasantly surprised that our tiny, almost 2 yr old, had the attention and intelligence to follow these more complex attractions. The amount of hope that gave me for the future was incredible.
Those 'attractions of hope' are almost all gone - World of Motion, Horizons, Kitchen Kaboret. The attractions that are left - Imagination, Spaceship Earth, Energy are changed so much as to be unrecognizable. We have the music from the parks (first a tape, then a CD) and even now, hearing the first few notes of "Energy, you make the World Go Round" brings me happy memories of my tiny, non-verbal girl signing along to the song.
Some of the replacements are things she really likes - Soarin' is amazing and the look of delight on her face while she is flying freely thru the air, with her legs dangling underneath her, is something my thrill seeking daughter loves and could never do in real life.
Similarly, she loves the wild ride of Test Track (although it gives her dad and me quite a work out to hold her in place). Again, thrills she can only experience thru the magic of WDW.
so, good things, but...
I wish there was a way to re-experience some of those magical, classic rides again.
