What attraction was better/worse than you expected?

[Anne5555]

Better-Big Thunder Mountain, Tower of Terror, and Soarin.

Worse- Finding Nemo ride in Epcot... drove me bonkers! Peter Pan and Ariel ride were not that impressive.
Also, Tiki Room and Country Bears were not as good as I remembered from my childhood trips to Disney. Even my then 8 year old girl and my 10 year old son with autism, who normally loves musical things, were not impressed and had no desire to repeat them the following year. The Tiki Room had been one of my favorites. Now I feel a little bad for making my parents sit through the Tiki room multiple times, but my dad hates coasters (now, anyway) and was probably happy to just sit in air conditioning.

 

[lynch34]

Worse - Little Mermaid, Mine Train (considering the build-up, its too short)
Better - Test Track, Splash (love that its a long ride)

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Better: Living with the Land. We went into our first ride not knowing anything about it, and were pleasantly surprised with both the ride length and information. I still think the tomato "tree" and huge lemons are neat; and I really want to do the Behind the Seeds tour now.

Worse: Primeval Whirl is the only ride/attraction at WDW that I won't do again, but I wouldn't say it didn't meet expectations (I expected to not like it). I strongly dislike most carnival rides, and that's all it is. I love WDW because of the theming, but PW is a ride that can be ridden at most fairs and carnivals. There's nothing special about it. (I know it fits the theming of DinoLand USA and I can't stand it - hands down the worst area in all of WDW.)

There are a lot of posts about Peter Pan not meeting expectations, and I sort of agree. I definitely wouldn't wait more than about 15 minutes for it (and then just for the kids' sakes), and I think the usual long lines are insane. However, I was impressed with the new queue. I wish they'd clean up the actual ride, maybe make it like the version in Shanghai. It's a cute ride, it's just showing its age and as an adult, I find that incredibly distracting.

 

[biondagirl]

Better: 7 Dwarfs Mine Train. There was so much negativity about it that I didn't know what to expect. I loved it. I didn't ride Dinosaur until last year (after many trips) and I was surprised. I thought it would be rougher.

Worse: Primeval Whirl. I hated that ride. It was too rough. And I waited to go on there for years to ride with my daughter. My husband had taken my son on previous trips but I never got to go. I'll never go again!

 

[amy1115]

Better: Monster's Inc Laugh Floor. I don't know why but I adore this show. Maybe it's because it's a little different every time? I look forward to it sooooo much!

Finally someone else who adores this show! I swear I could watch it 4-5 times each day we're in MK and not get bored.

 

[markmcalear]

Better than expected- TT. I rode it for the first time last Nov. I thought, "how exciting can it be... just riding around in a car?" I ended up LOVING it. It is now my fav ride at
(2)- RnRC- I knew that the ride shot you out. I had never been a roller coaster like that. O.M.G. I was not prepared for that. I screamed until I couldn't scream anymore. Then, I thought I was going to puke. I think if we had traveled one more foot at that speed, I would have lost my lunch!

Try The Incredible Hulk at US. I did it for the first time last May and it left me feel a little "off" all day!!!!!

 

[mshanson3121]

I hated Tiki Room, which surprised me.

 

[OB1]

Fun to see how some folks list an attraction as best, and others list the same as worst. That is what makes Disney so fun, and makes giving ratings of attractions so difficult.

 

[Shauna1ee]

Fun to see how some folks list an attraction as best, and others list the same as worst. That is what makes Disney so fun, and makes giving ratings of attractions so difficult.

I agree! And a ride you did not like when you were younger can become a favorite when you are older Disney Magic!

 

[JRawkSteady]

Better Than Expected - The Haunted Mansion after the 2007 renovations. I honestly thought they were going to ruin the attraction. And when I rode it, the changes more than perfect. This is one of those instances when the Imagineers really did a PHONOMENAL job at plussing an attraction.

Worse Than Expected - 7 Dwarfs Mine Train...It was so hyped up by the company..and when it was BARELY even mediocre, I was very disappointed. Stitch also...because I LOVED Extra TERRORestrial Alien Encounter and when I heard they were putting Stitch into that ride, I was like "YES, I can be scared out of my mind by a character I love..." It wasn't scary..it wasn't even good. So that was even more disappointing. And also, Toy Story Mania. Everyone talked it up for years. When I finally got a chance to ride it, it was a mobile Wii game. Hooray? I don't see the appeal.

 

[wdw&sonny]

Better: Splash, Soarin, RnRC, ToT, Wishes, Fantasmic and most of all Celebrate the Magic!
Worse: CBJ, Tiki, Stitch, Figment, TTA, Ellen's, GMR, PP...and worst of all American Adventure and Hall of Presidents.

 

[OB1]

I agree! And a ride you did not like when you were younger can become a favorite when you are older Disney Magic!

Now that is a great point. I certainly have attractions that I did not care too much for on my early trips to WDW (as an adult), but really enjoy now. Haunted Mansion, Pirates, People Mover come to mind.

 

[ScottlovesDisney]

This is based on my last time there in 2011 (I NEED to get back!!! It's been tooooooo long!!)

MK-
Better: Mickey's Philharmagic (it's become one of my all time favorites, a Comfort Food for the Soul ride for me)
Worse: Of course Stitch, but that's too easy as almost everyone hates this attraction. SO...Big Thunder ridden during the DAY. I avoided it after the first day ride. Too slow and lame. HOWEVER, at night time, the ride is MUCH MUCH better!!

AK-
Better: Festival of the Lion King
Worse: Finding Nemo The Musical (Maybe it's because it was so hot that day, the theater was so crowded but this musical did nothing for me, so much so I have sworn never to watch it again. But I probably WILL give it another chance once I get back)

HS-
Better: Star Tours, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, One Man's Dream. I've never been a big SW fan but LOVE this ride! Plus I got to go on it over and over again because it was never crowded! I love ANYTHING Little Mermaid. And One Man's Dream just takes me back to a different time and era where anything you could dream was possible, especially if your name was Walt Disney. LOVE this attraction and the short film.
Worse: Great Movie Ride- Yeah, Mary Poppins and Oz are pretty cool but even though I'm a HUGE Ripley/Aliens fan, this ride is just so behind the times and needs a MAJOR rehab in the WORSE way!!

EPCOT-
Better: Three Caballeros, American Adventure, Living with the Land Maybe because I love the Mexico Pavilion and its atmosphere so much or maybe because this ride reminds me so much of the long gone If You Had Wings, but I ADORE the Three Caballeros!! Plus, there's just not enough Donald in the parks!! I LOVE history so I kinda swoon each time I watch AA, plus the song is awesome and it's a great escape from the heat! And Living is TRULY one of my FAVE attractions, period!!
Worse: Maelstrom, which of course is now gone. Didn't share a tear over that news. And Ellen's Energy? I took a friend's advice and used the ride as a 45 minute nap. Rejuvenated me!! So maybe I have it in the wrong category? lol

 

[thatnerdygirl]

Pirates of the Caribbean! I wasn't convinced I'd be amused or like it --and I loved it!!!

I've always been too chicken to ride Splash Mountain and Space Mountain, but I'm gonna do it next month! Hopefully they also wind up being ones I love!

 

[ktlm]

Better- Mission Space (green) I avoided this ride for years convinced I would get sick or claustrophobic. I can't do teacups. DD finally got me to ride it with her and DH and I loved it. For me, it felt like Star Tours. I still won't set foot on the orange side.


Worse- the new Test Track. The interior looks like cheap cardboard now. It is a disgrace compared to Radiator Springs Racers at DLR. we still enjoy the ride itself, but the new version is definitely a significant downgrade from the old version.

 

[dreiwhit]

Better: Mission Space; Test Track; Mickey's Philharmagic; The Three Cabellaros;

Worse: TSMM - it was fun, but I left thinking that if I had just waited an hour in line, I would be disappointed; A Bugs Life; Stitch; Finding Nemo the Musical (I fell asleep three times);

 

[gorkt]

I actually thought Mission Space Orange was way better than I anticipated. I had expected something more traumatic.

I always thought Soarin was underwhelming to be honest. It isn't bad, just a bit boring and not worth the long waits.

 

[angierae]

Better: Stitch. The way people here talk about it I thought it would be the worst thing I ever experienced. It was cute. I have no real urge to race to ride it again, but it wasn't awful or painful or terrible or full of screaming, terrified children.

Worse: Dinosaur. I hated it.

 

[grnflash]

Worse: Pirates. Yes, I had read here how much shorter and inferior it was to DL's version. I walked out shocked anyway.

Better: Philarmagic. Didn't know much about this beforehand. We loved it! It was a repeat attraction for us.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

worse than I expected: It's a small world. It seems to drive me crazier with each trip down the river. And now the creepy dolls know my name and tell me goodbye as I leave. It is so much worse than I predicted.