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A surprising fanbase has come out of the woodwork after Disney confirmed the closure of a Hollywood Studios staple.
It’s unrealistic to expect every addition to a Disney theme park to be a world-class E-ticket attraction. However, sometimes the parks introduce features so unpopular that it makes you wonder how it was Walt Disney Imagineering’s best option.
Credit: kaleb tapp, Unsplash
Attractions falling into this category include the likes of Superstar Limo, the short-lived dark ride at Disney California Adventure that’s universally regarded as one of Disney’s biggest flops. Opening in 2001, this took guests through a satirical version of Hollywood, featuring exaggerated caricatures of celebrities like Whoopi Goldberg and Joan Rivers. The ride was widely criticized for its cheap aesthetic (think low-budget cardboard cutouts), unengaging storyline, and underwhelming execution, leading Disney to close it in less than a year.
Then there’s Stitch’s Great Escape. Located in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort, this was far less scary than its predecessor, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, but never managed to win the same cult audience. The ride’s plot – which saw guests “trapped” with a mischievous Stitch – was often seen as both chaotic and unpleasant, with the sensory effect of burps and smells not doing much to help matters. Disney eventually switched the ride to seasonal operation before axing it for good.
Credit: Disney
While Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy may not have been as widely denounced as the latter two attractions, we’d still argue that it was down there with some of the most lackluster attractions at Disney World. Opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2019, this saw guests welcomed into a state-of-the-art racing simulator, where Lightning McQueen himself offers a high-energy lesson in racing, complete with appearances from beloved characters such as Tow Mater and Cruz Ramirez.
The show itself was relatively unengaging (with the exception of its stellar Lightning McQueen animatronic). Ultimately, however, this was designed to keep young guests occupied in the AC for 10 minutes, and in that regard, it did the job.
Credit: Disney
That’s why we were so surprised to see the outcry to Disney’s latest announcement that Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy will soon close for good on October 7. This is to make way for the upcoming Disney Villains show, currently slated to open in summer 2025.
So they’re going to close Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy to put in the shitty attraction of boring villains???? nobody wants that 🤢
fuck you disney
So they’re going to close Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy to put in the shitty attraction of boring villains???? nobody wants that 🤢
fuck you disney https://t.co/r0P9ihK9Fv
— MFlamissile (@FinnmengoPAZ) September 3, 2024
As the aptly-named @mcqueenstan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “So Disney announced they’re closing Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy and replacing it with a Villains show. Yeah, you can tell I’m upset right now. They could [have] just put that Villains show in the new Villains Land.”
Meanwhile, @thekachowster wrote: “I’ve been so heartbroken all day that I will never be able to experience Lightning McQueen’s racing academy. that shit hurts.”
How do you feel about the closure of Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy?
