What is something that blew you away? (Good stuff!)

[azcavalier]

I was thinking about how they're changing a bunch of the nighttime shows/fireworks, all of the new attractions at DHS and Epcot, etc. and I was wondering something.

What is something that, the first time you experienced it at Walt Disney World, just blew you away? It was so different, new, amazing, etc, that you almost couldn't believe it, or had to do it again and again, etc.

For example, for me, it would have to be the first time I saw the nighttime show where they used projection mapping on Cinderella Castle. I was absolutely floored. It was done so well, so perfectly. It was incredible to see the castle change into various scenes from the movies and see it look like it was made of ice, then of bricks, different colors, etc.

And now to see how they have taken that technology and just keep finding new ways to incorporate it. Like in the Odyssey building in Epcot, there is a projection mapped display that shows all of the updates coming to that park. And then, of course, projection mapping is how they created Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway and the new Ratatouille ride. Seriously, amazing stuff.

[MrPeetrie]

I love these kind of posts.

-- Tapestry of Nations Parade. I loved the inventiveness of the puppetry. It was so interactive, so unusual, and the music was captivating. I loved it!!!! (Tapestry of Dreams did not impress me as much as I thought it was a rip-off attempt. LOL.)

-- Illuminations: Reflections of Earth. Moved me to tears. Still does, although it's gone now! I remember when we brought my in-laws down for their trip, my FIL said to me after seeing it, "Worth the whole trip just for this!"

-- Flight of Avatar. When it "connects" with the banshee, that first visual absolutely blew me away! Sadly, return rides have had some of the steepest dropoffs for effect. Other timeless rides maintain their enjoyment. After three times of riding FOA and seeing the exact same visuals, I was much less impressed.

-- Tower of Terror. Just the pre-ride detail was enough to have me hooked. Look at the signs on the wall. Letters have fallen off. "U R Doomed!" The cobwebs. The details. When the ride vehicle came out of the elevator shaft, I was floored.

-- Splash Mountain. To me, that was Disney flexing its muscles. At that time, flume rides were becoming the rage. Disney was at its Zenith in my mind, towering over the other theme parks. (Others have caught up, or rather Disney has fallen back to the pack.) In my mind, I imagined Disney execs saying, "You guys want a flume ride? We will show you how it's supposed to be."

-- Candlelight Processional. Music was amazing. "One Solitary Life" had me in tears.

back to age 15 at Disneyland
-- Haunted Mansion. I had NEVER ridden anything like that before. I thought Disney must have been wizards or something. I remember coming home and saying, "They made real ghosts on this ride. I'm not kidding. Real ghosts. You can see them, but you can see through them."

-- Pirates of the Caribbean. To me, the Disneyland original was the greatest attraction ever made!! There. I've said it.!

(Haven't ridden Rise of the Resistance yet.)

[John]

LOL - not to go old school on you but EPCOT.

As a kid, I remember picking up Birnbaums guide to Walt Disney World circa 1981-ish where they had an attraction by attraction guide with photos of the soon to be opened in 1982 EPCOT Center. I read that guide cover to cover - and was never more excited to visit something in my life.

I lived the future as a kid. I wanted to be a part of all the exciting changes ahead and finally, there was a place I could go that was targeted exactly at that! A permanent worlds fair looking at the power of human potential.

Then, when I visited in opening year, I was completely and totally blown away.

And later, when Horizons finally opened - it just got better. That ride was the pinnacle of my Disney experience - and it shaped forever how I viewed the world from that moment forward.

I still get chills today watching the video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr9IJzRvmwg

Literally, this was one of the last rides ever on Horizons. It was closed the next day and never reopened during regular operation to my knowledge - only a few days here and there to deal with capacity issues.

[azcavalier]

I gotta say, although I haven't yet seen it in person, the new lighted Spaceship Earth looks like it is going to blow me away. The videos that came out on social media last night look amazing!

And what's up with over 300 of you looking at this thread, but not adding to it? Seriously? The other 362 of you weren't blown away by anything at Walt Disney World, ever?

[Altair]

Millennium Celebration music. Wow!

[pjbs35a]

First trip down Main Street and Character Breakfast with my daughter in 1989.....Upcoming trip down Main Street and Character Breakfast with my granddaughter in January 2022.

Words can't describe the feelings!

[Inventor'sDaughter]

The first time I rode Kilimanjaro Safaris and chased down the poachers who had taken Little Red. That ride was amazing - it felt more real than almost any ride I'd done before at a theme park. I was very impressed.

The time my father-in-law dropped his drink and a cast member brought him a new one before he even had a chance to pick up the empty cup off the ground.

The backstage tour at Disney-MGM when it first opened - really educational and lots of cool props and demos.

[TheVBs]

SO many things to choose from! Disney repeatedly blows us away. I'll go with the most recent, the new Star Wars land. WOW! We spent most of our day there. We couldn't stop looking at all the details. A life size Millennium Falcon!!

[merciantinkerbell]

I agree with TheVBs, so many but standouts include walking into MK for the 1st time, seeing it on tv and pictures for so long as a kid and then adult and dreaming and then being there! Overwhelming in a good way., Also at MVMCP watching Elsa light the castle, I'm not a Frozen fan but I cried, it was so beautiful.

[Simba's Mom]

The first time I saw the Candlelight Processional, and especially when the entire audience stood for the final song (The Hallelujah, I'm pretty sure)

[Wayne]

My first visit during Christmas decorations approximately 1980. Other than that, it was the opening of EPCOT. I was there on 10/1/82.