Does it look and feel like a forest?

[WDWLover#1]

Ever been to Disneyland? INSIDE the park, the place is lush and green and inviting. Main Street's town square has this great feeling of being like a walled garden.

WDW's Main Street and hub feels quite the opposite. Lots of concrete and open space. Granted, the two parks work in different spacial capacities, and scales are very different, but MK's lack of greenery on MSUSA and the hub are really a downside.

Fantasyland has the same problem. DL FL has trees and shrubs and feels endless at some points. WDW? It's getting there with the new section, but a lot of it still feels quite bounded by concrete.

What I would also point out is the utilidoor system does make it difficult to plant trees with big roots to properly grow. If you look at a plan of the system, areas of the park with less trees correlate postively with the utilidoor system. Is this an excuse? No, as it's easy to plant flowerbeds and shrubs.

 

[Sage of Time]

What I would also point out is the utilidoor system does make it difficult to plant trees with big roots to properly grow. If you look at a plan of the system, areas of the park with less trees correlate postively with the utilidoor system. Is this an excuse? No, as it's easy to plant flowerbeds and shrubs.

I don't think that's much of an excuse when the MK has had tons of trees in the past AND FLE isn't bounded by much of the Utiladors.

But, yeah, easier to do small stuff.

 

[SnarkyMonkey]

I would love to see the forest theme built up a bit more, and hope that will happen over time, but I like what they got going on. It feels "foresty", although I'm sure no one would mistake it for a real forest. I actually do think they did an amazing job overall with this refurb and was quite taken by it when I first saw it.

 

[Fox&Hound]

Considering Tinker Bell got shoved next to Mickey and her friends are gone, I doubt Pixie Hollow is a priority. I'm actually OK with them not building it, even though the concept art was nice. I would of rather had Wonderland. Storybook Circus is alright but ehh. We all know it was just so they could keep those tents. At least the Train Station looks fantastic and Dumbo received some nice upgrades.

I was surprised when I recently went to WDW how much my daughter loooooooved the play area at Dumbo. The parks don't have a lot of places where little ones can run around and play without fear of being trampled in the parks (I'm talking 1-2 year old who aren't quite steady on their feet but are still on the move). Dumbo, because of my daughter, has actually become a new favorite of mine. At first I was unimpressed as well, but realizing how it serves the smallest of guests, I think it's kinda cool. Now the meet and greet circus tent-meh....

 

[Fox&Hound]

I guess I wish that there was another ride/attraction there. I don't even mind Casey's splash area, especially on hot days. I guess where that tent is in the back corner seems like there could have been another ride put there, even if just a B Ticket that was well-themed.

If nothing else, I wish they would consider changing the characters that meet over there. Love the fab five but they're not exactly missing from around the other parks. Maybe provide rare characters not often seen: Oswald, Robin Hood characters, 3 little Pigs, Big Bad Wolf, Huey, Dewie, Louie, Muppets, Emperor's New Groove, Clarabelle Cow, ummmmm Pete since his name is in the tent. Just saying- how much of a draw would it be for guests to know they can meet rare characters in storybook circus? The adults might be more excited than the kids. And it would fit the Pete Sillysideshow theme. "Step right up, folks. You'll never know what kind of crazy characters you'll see in here"....Keep it a mystery, keep it exciting. Rotate the character to keep people guessing.

Dream over now =)

 

[George]

We seem to keep focusing on the visual aspect of the forest when the OP also clearly wants our opinion on the tactile as well. I'd say the trees in this area (New Fantasy Land Faux Forest in the General Vicinity of the Salute to Snow White Section featuring a Mild Roller Coaster) feel similar to the trees in forests I have been in. I have spent hours touching trees over the last few months before I finally settled on this opinion and I encourage others to do the same.

 

[Figment2005]

We seem to keep focusing on the visual aspect of the forest when the OP also clearly wants our opinion on the tactile as well. I'd say the trees in this area (New Fantasy Land Faux Forest in the General Vicinity of the Salute to Snow White Section featuring a Mild Roller Coaster) feel similar to the trees in forests I have been in. I have spent hours touching trees over the last few months before I finally settled on this opinion and I encourage others to do the same.

Thank you for putting time in to research the topic. I now feel much better going into the forest knowing the trees are as real as they could be.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

We seem to keep focusing on the visual aspect of the forest when the OP also clearly wants our opinion on the tactile as well. I'd say the trees in this area (New Fantasy Land Faux Forest in the General Vicinity of the Salute to Snow White Section featuring a Mild Roller Coaster) feel similar to the trees in forests I have been in. I have spent hours touching trees over the last few months before I finally settled on this opinion and I encourage others to do the same.

Thank you, George! You crack me up!

 

[tirian]

That was the original plan.

If nothing else, I wish they would consider changing the characters that meet over there. Love the fab five but they're not exactly missing from around the other parks. Maybe provide rare characters not often seen: Oswald, Robin Hood characters, 3 little Pigs, Big Bad Wolf, Huey, Dewie, Louie, Muppets, Emperor's New Groove, Clarabelle Cow, ummmmm Pete since his name is in the tent. Just saying- how much of a draw would it be for guests to know they can meet rare characters in storybook circus? The adults might be more excited than the kids. And it would fit the Pete Sillysideshow theme. "Step right up, folks. You'll never know what kind of crazy characters you'll see in here"....Keep it a mystery, keep it exciting. Rotate the character to keep people guessing.

Dream over now =)

 

[tirian]

It doesn't feel exactly like a forest, but it does feel like a PLACE. For once in WDW's history, FL feels like a location instead of a drag strip of attractions. The placemaking is superior to every other FL except DLP. I'd rank it even to DLP. It's unfortunate that the forced perspective isn't quite right, and the two attractions don't fulfill the MK's need for another E-ticket. But VOTLM and SDMT are good, albeit short, kiddie attractions (Snow White's Scary Adventures should have stayed open to complement Mine Train). The area is quite wooded and—most importantly—feels like a true land.

 

[RSoxNo1]

It doesn't feel exactly like a forest, but it does feel like a PLACE. For once in WDW's history, FL feels like a location instead of a drag strip of attractions. The placemaking is superior to every other FL except DLP. I'd rank it even to DLP. It's unfortunate that the forced perspective isn't quite right, and the two attractions don't fulfill the MK's need for another E-ticket. But VOTLM and SDMT are good, albeit short, kiddie attractions (Snow White's Scary Adventures should have stayed open to complement Mine Train). The area is quite wooded and—most importantly—feels like a true land.

New Fantasyland feels like a place, but the Pan/small world corridor doesn't and PhilharMagic and Fairytale Hall don't either.

New Fantasyland is out of place in the greater Fantasyland area. It looks too good compared to everything else.

 

[tirian]

New Fantasyland feels like a place, but the Pan/small world corridor doesn't and PhilharMagic and Fairytale Hall don't either.

New Fantasyland is out of place in the greater Fantasyland area. It looks too good compared to everything else.

They're part of the 1971 courtyard!

 

[RSoxNo1]

They're part of the 1971 courtyard!

The Castle Courtyard area still needs to be better themed. Retheming a single roof doesn't fix it all. I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it. Move "it's a small world" to Epcot continue the mountain range from Be Our Guest and have it be the backdrop of a Frozen area:

That gives you a more logical castle courtyard and a transition into the architecture that can be used for a Tangled and Peter Pan facade.

 

[tirian]

Disney foamers like to quote Walt's "not a museum" statement every time the company makes a bad decision, but if the WDC really followed Walt's intention behind that statement, it would do something similar to your suggestion.

The Castle Courtyard area still needs to be better themed. Retheming a single roof doesn't fix it all. I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it. Move "it's a small world" to Epcot continue the mountain range from Be Our Guest and have it be the backdrop of a Frozen area:

That gives you a more logical castle courtyard and a transition into the architecture that can be used for a Tangled and Peter Pan facade.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Disney foamers like to quote Walt's "not a museum" statement every time the company makes a bad decision, but if the WDC really followed Walt's intention behind that statement, it would do something similar to your suggestion.

It is a very logical movement. "it's a small world" is a better fit in Epcot as a bridge between Future World and World Showcase. More importantly, it's a lower demand attraction in a high demand area in Fantasyland. It is the opposite of the Mine Train problem. Moving it opens up a huge area of real estate for Tangled, Frozen and possibly Tinkerbell/Pan.

 

[Mike S]

The Castle Courtyard area still needs to be better themed. Retheming a single roof doesn't fix it all. I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it. Move "it's a small world" to Epcot continue the mountain range from Be Our Guest and have it be the backdrop of a Frozen area:

That gives you a more logical castle courtyard and a transition into the architecture that can be used for a Tangled and Peter Pan facade.

Then from Arendelle you can go to the area behind Haunted Mansion to the small town of Sleepy Hollow. That could probably also give you access to land north of Big Thunder for a new Frontierland E Ticket. Western River Expedition maybe?

 

[jdmdisney99]

Then from Arendelle you can go to the area behind Haunted Mansion to the small town of Sleepy Hollow. That could probably also give you access to land north of Big Thunder for a new Frontierland E Ticket. Western River Expedition maybe?

This is how I always imagine it...

But that's for another subforum.

 

[RSoxNo1]

A Sleepy Hollow attraction was initially intended to be a transition attraction between Liberty Square and Fantasyland.

 

[Mike S]

A Sleepy Hollow attraction was initially intended to be a transition attraction between Liberty Square and Fantasyland.

Along with Mary Poppins and Sleeping Beauty. We weren't supposed to get clones of DL's dark rides but we did. I can only guess the decision was made for cost reasons. They were building a whole property after all.

 

[tirian]

Along with Mary Poppins and Sleeping Beauty. We weren't supposed to get clones of DL's dark rides but we did. I can only guess the decision was made for cost reasons. They were building a whole property after all.

It's important to note that everything was plussed from the DL original. Mr. Toad had two tracks and was a bit longer; Snow White was longer; Peter Pan is still 30 seconds longer in Florida (DL flies over, but not through, Neverland); Small World lost the façade but had better show scenes; 20K was a massive improvement over the old sub ride. HM was superior to DL's version. The only attraction that was inferior was POTC, which wasn't supposed to be built anyway. And WDW received a shorter version because Western River Expedition was still a long-term plan. (Tony Baxter's BTMRR accidentally killed WRR.)

Edit: the Sunshine Pavilion (Tiki Room) had a more impressive façade than DL's, and the Jungle Cruise was built with two extra show scenes. Wow, I miss the days when WDW was truly the "best of the best" and treated as such.