I just found this gem in WordPress forums, all props to A.Morita.
###Is there a way to disable the new Media Manager?
Summing up all the code published, this is it:
/**
* Old upload Thickbox
*/
add_action( 'admin_head', 'remove_media_buttons' );
function remove_media_buttons()
{
remove_action( 'media_buttons', 'media_buttons' );
add_action( 'media_buttons', 'old_media_buttons' );
}
function old_media_buttons( $editor_id = 'content' )
{
$context = apply_filters( 'media_buttons_context', __('Upload/Insert %s') );
$img = '<img src="'
. esc_url( admin_url( 'images/media-button.png?ver=20111005' ) )
. '" width="15" height="15" />';
echo '<a href="'
. esc_url( get_upload_iframe_src() )
. '" class="thickbox add_media" id="'
. esc_attr( $editor_id )
. '-add_media" title="'
. esc_attr__( 'Add Media' )
. '" onclick="return false;">'
. sprintf( $context, $img )
. '</a>';
}
/**
* Featured image
*/
add_action( 'wp_default_scripts', 'unset_media_views', 999, 1 );
add_action( 'admin_head', 'remove_wp_print_media_templates' );
function unset_media_views($scripts)
{
unset( $scripts->registered['media-views'] );
}
function remove_wp_print_media_templates()
{
remove_action( 'admin_footer', 'wp_print_media_templates' );
remove_action( 'wp_footer', 'wp_print_media_templates' );
}
/**
* Adjust Full Screen behavior
*/
add_action( 'after_wp_tiny_mce', 'fullscreen_media_button' );
function fullscreen_media_button()
{
?>
<script type="text/javascript">
fullscreen.medialib = function()
{
var href = jQuery('div#wp-content-media-buttons a.thickbox').attr('href') || '';
tb_show('', href);
}
</script>
<?php
}