So clearly, Tim’s dad can’t see a whole lot in multiple scenarios (inside, in darker lighting, probably outside in bright sunlight too). They have gone on cruises with Tim’s dad and they have said he mostly enjoys sitting on the verandah for hours feeling the breeze, etc.. Well, you know he probably can’t see very well out there, and the main draws are the other senses—feeling the breeze and sun, hearing, smelling the air. He must enjoy that time or he wouldn’t sit out there all the time like they said.
So they go to MK with him for the first time in 20 years. And he specifically mentions Country Bears (music/sounds), Jungle Cruise, Small World, and Na’vi River Journey when they are at AK and says something about how he’ll like to feel the air as they ride the boat. He also says he loves (or may have said “a favorite”) the Kali River Rapids ride at AK (it opened in 1999, so that fits).
Ding ding ding! The man likes boat rides and feeling the air (especially the outside air) on his face, and using his other senses as well at the same time (getting sprayed with water on the rapids ride). Even though all rides have various sensory elements to them (Tim mentions the “smells” on Flight of Passage to his dad), it’s clear the man likes rides on boats.
Instead they go on several rides that have heavy visual effects, 3D glasses, shooting/targets, neon black light effects—they are so freaking ridiculous.