8 Awesome Disneyland Attractions That Were Never Built

Unfortunately these movie based rides never left the development stage, but I am still holding out hope that they will build an Atlantis: The Lost Empire attraction.

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas ride

Via wordpress.com

Ride Description: Guests seated in flying coffins and would have embarked on a journey to help Jack Skellington "save Christmas." The ride would have been constructed right next to It's a Small World at Disneyland

Why It Wasn't Built: Reportedly, Tim Burton (who owns 50% of the rights to the characters) nixed the idea. But, elements from the ride are incorporated into the Haunted Mansion's annual Nightmare Before Christmas overlay.

2. Dick Tracy's Crime Stoppers

Ride Description: An interactive shooter ride that would have featured a car chase through the streets of 1930s Chicago.

Why It Wasn't Built: Disney cancelled the ride after Dick Tracy failed to perform as expected at the box office.

3. Mary Poppins ride

Via Flickr: ssanders79

Ride Description: Originally planned for Fantasyland, the ride would have been built in a similar style to the Haunted Mansion.

Why It Wasn't Built: No reason has been given why it was canceled.

4. Baby Herman's Runaway Baby Buggy

Via 2719hyperion.blogspot.com

Ride Description: Based on the Roger Rabbit short “Tummy Trouble,” the ride would have had a similar feel to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

Why It Wasn't Built: The economic problems caused by the failure of Disneyland Paris in the early '90s cancelled the project. But elements of the ride were incorporated into Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin.

5. Nostromo

Via unleashthefanboy.s3.amazonaws.com

Ride Description: An interactive attraction based on the movie Alien, in which guests, riding inside heavily armored vehicles, would have been sent on a rescue mission to find the missing members of Nostromo's crew, all while being chased by the Alien.

Why It Wasn't Built: Reportedly the idea was too scary and was canceled, but the concept evolved into ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (which was also too scary).

6. Monstro the Whale

Via Flickr: 10202505@N05

Ride Description: The ride would have been a shoot the chutes style boat ride and would have been one of the original opening day attractions.

Why It Wasn't Built: The idea was cut (along with several other ideas) due to the limited budget.

7. Atlantis Expedition

Ride Description: The ride would have been a re-theming of the Submarine Voyage (which had closed in 1998), based on the movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire.

Why It Wasn't Built: Atlantis: The Lost Empire bombed at the box office and the idea was scrapped. Eventually the ride was reopened in 2007, as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage.

8. Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition

Via theneverlandfiles.com

Ride Description: A giant complex housing both an Indiana Jones Adventure ride (similar to what was a eventually built) and a mine cart roller coaster. Also, the Jungle Cruise and the Disneyland Railroad would have cut through portions of the ride.

Why It Wasn't Built: Indiana Jones and the Lost Expedition and Splash Mountain were both designed at the same time and were competing projects. Reportedly, then-CEO Michael Eisner picked Splash Mountain due to the low cost of building a log flume ride and that it reused animatronics from the recently closed America Sings attraction.

Source: The Neverland Files