What I remember about ATIS is that it closed years before my first trip to Disneyland and so it just yet another piece of nostalgia that people wistfully wish would return even though that would eventually be the death of the park.

Even curmudgeons liked AtiS.

It was trippy and had great a/c.

I was fortunate to have three family members employed at the park when I was very young, so I got to go to Disneyland with regularity (probably at least every other month until I moved, then it was at least 3x every summer). So, I got to go on ATIS many, many times before it closed; it shared a Top 3 spot with Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. ATIS really, truly amazed me. My little mind was blown away.

While I was young enough (9-ish) to accept Star Tours and be excited for all the new-ness of it, I felt the disappointment of missing the old ATIS queue for a number of years, until my child-like memory of it began to fade.

Come to think of it, I don't Star Tours was ever on my "must-do" list for Disneyland visits, whereas SM and PotC were.

Zombie-ATIS.

Sometimes things just need to be left in the place where fond memories reside.

We were talking about Inner Space at Club 33 dinner on Disneyland Birthday, and meant to watch the DVD I'd brought along to the hotel of the computer recreation of ATIS when we got back to the Wrather Suite.

But, um, we forgot. And other shenanigans intervened. Too bad, that would have been fun.

I have a copy of that DVD. It's wrather good.....

:D

You give Jungle Cruise a pass, but say that Star Tours takes you into "real world outside the berm?!?"

If anything, Star Tours does a BETTER job of removing one from reality. You are taken to a place that we can (at this point) only dream about. If I wanted to go on an African safari, I could do that right now (the cost and desire to actually want to aside). While space travel is indeed in our futures, it is far less accessible than a trip down a river. And I am far less likely to see a 747 flying overhead or hear the whistle of a steam locomotive on Start Tours than I am on Jungle Cruise.

While the ride is certainly showing its age and could stand for some new technology, I feel much more removed from reality on Star Tours than I do on many of the other attractions discussed.

No, I think you miss my point. If there had been a space fantasy motion simulator ride with worlds created by the Imagineers, I'd have no problem with it. But when I ride Star Tours, I think of Star Wars. Star Wars that's a movie series in the real world outside the berm. It's a little too famous not to have that effect on me.


(No one thinks of Third Man on the Mountain when riding the Matterhorn - but in any event, that's a Disney film).

Don't get me started on how even the most inept robot animals with constant rim-shot jokes told by boat guides are ten thousand times more realistic than two-dimensional images on a movie screen - whether or not it's more possible for me to go on safari than into imaginary realms of outer space.



The point is that the Jungle Cruise does NOT make me think of The African Queen, and the Haunted Mansion does not remind me of a movie I've seen, and Big Thunder Mountain doesn't bring up thoughts of some movie I own, and the only movies I was reminded of inside Disneyland before Star Tours broke down that beautiful wall were Disney movies - and even those brought up equal memories of real fairytales and children's stories.


Of course, YMMV, but that's how it is for me. I wouldn't be sorry if Star Tours disappeared from the Park forever. And it comforts me to know that, if the new version is based on the prequels, it will ultimately shake out to be one of those rides that no one ever goes on.

I'm not debating, just continuing conversation...

It interests me that you, :iSm:, don't buy into the fantasy of Star Wars being enough to take out the reality of a movie franchise. I don't know if this is a generational thing or not, but for me, SW is a fantasy of mine, as palpable as any of Disneyland's other fantasies, and perhaps more so. I have been pretending to be Luke Skywalker for as long as I can remember pretending anything. Getting to ride Tours felt like a treat. It's a real shame that the repeat value was so low.

If it's the screen that takes you out of it, I admit it worked for me in that context. The Finding Nemo (Nemo? Nemo?) Subs shows just what a difference context makes. Now THERE'S a ride that takes you right out of the park and places you squarely in your living room watching a DVD for the hundredth time.

This conversation makes me think of the Star Trek Experience (RIP) that was in Vegas. I only got to ride it once - and only just before it closed - but it gave me the exact same stupid grin to be in the middle of the Trek universe (though I give it to the Experience for going a few clicks more immersive).