Via Latimes.com:

As Disneyland engineers tinker on top-secret designs for the park’s new Star Wars Land, a mothballed attraction at nearby Disney California Adventure provides a stark reminder that even the most creative ride ideas can land with a thud, costing park operators lots of money and frustrating visitors.

Luigi’s Flying Tires was an ambitious effort that lofted visitors in tire-shaped bumper cars floating on a cushion of air — like an air-hockey game with humans. But the Cars Land feature was plagued by poor reviews and numerous injuries.

The ride, estimated to cost $400 million, is now hidden behind a wooden barrier little more than two years after opening. Walt Disney Co. executives plan to replace it early next year with another car-themed ride.

“It was a calculated risk,” said Todd Regan, founder and chief executive of MiceChat.com, a blog that follows Disney parks news. “With big risks come big rewards. But that was a huge failure.”

As Luigi’s Flying Tires demonstrates, there is no guarantee that new attractions will be as popular as instant classics like Pirates of the Caribbean or the Haunted Mansion.

Despite huge investments made by the nation’s $55-billion theme parks industry on focus groups, surveys and engineering studies, new attractions can still turn out to be flops, forcing park executives to spend even more for replacements.

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