Changes

The creation of The Magic Carpets of Aladdin began after Disney CEO Michael Eisner gave Imagineering a mandate to create an attraction based on the hit Disney film ''Aladdin'' <ref name="shull"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAL19XsW1bA </ref>. At the same, Magic Kingdom operations were looking for a way to soften the demand for [[Dumbo the Flying Elephant]], which continued to be one of the park's most popular attractions. To solve both problems, Imagineer Jim Shull suggested creating a new Aladdin-themed hub-and-spoke attraction for Adventureland <ref name= "shull"/>.

In order to increase the capacity of the new ride, Shull and his team decided to design the Aladdin attraction's ride vehicles to hold four guests each, as opposed to the two riders that the Dumbo elephants hold <ref name= "shull/>. As the ability to change the height of their elephant was one of the defining characteristics, Imagineers knew that they wanted to give Aladdin riders the same ability. Since The Magic Carpets of Aladdin would have guests seated in the back of the ride vehicles also, Imagineers added a second joystick, which tilted the carpet left and right <ref name= "shull"/>.

To create the ride's central mechanism, Imagineers contacted Zamperla, a manufacturer in Italy <ref name= "shull"/>. As Zamperla began to construct the ride itself, Imagineers began work on the ride's vehicles. Taking inspiration from the "A Whole New World" scene, Imagineers decided to design the vehicles to resemble the magic carpet from the film.

Inspired by a jar that he found in EPCOT's Morocco pavilion, Shull designed a wrap for the attraction's central pole featuring different versions of Genie <ref name= "shull"/>. Finally, a large Genie lamp was installed atop the ride's central pole. The golden lamp would serve as a weenie for the attraction, drawing guests further into Adventureland.