Walt Disney World: A Complete Renovation

[Brer Panther]

I love Walt Disney World. It is, by far, my favorite vacation destination on the planet. But even a perfect place isn't without flaws. Some are just the absence of a certain ride that looks really cool (when are we gonna get anIndiana Jonesride?) or a ride that needs to be gutted (Stitch's Great Escape, anyone?).

A few years ago, on the old Visions Fantastic sight, KingMickey opened a thread called A Renovation of Walt Disney World. The ideas he came up with were FANTASTIC. Then, DisneyManOne decided to start up his own version. And his ideas were great too! Thus, I have decided to do my own version of the thread. After all, as Walt Disney himself said, "Disneyland will never be complete as long as there is imagination left in the world". So, let's begin on our trip to…

 

[Brer Panther]

The flagship park of Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. It was designed to be a place where fantasy and reality collide, where you could soar over Neverland with Peter Pan, fight ghosts at a haunted mansion, get a rare up-close-and-personal-look at the Backside of Water, and maybe even have breakfast with Mickey Mouse!

The entrance to the park looks better than ever. Everything is nice and clean, the Mickey Mouse flowerbed just as colorful as ever. The railroad tunnel is still lined with posters advertising the park’s many attractions. A few would look like the ones pictured below:

After passing through the tunnel, we end up on the streets of Main Street U.S.A., based on Walt Disney’s childhood hometown. Much of this land remains unchanged, aside from maybe a good cleaning here and there. The only major change here is the addition of Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream, moved here from Disney’s Hollywood Studios. This walk-through exhibit pays tribute to the man that started it all: Walt Disney. Unlike the Hollywood Studios version, this new-and-improved exhibit features a large mural similar to the one that used to be found at The Walt Disney Story, featuring characters from many of Disney’s previous films, from Snow White and Pinocchio to Baymax and Wreck-It Ralph.

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Of course, this will mean that Mickey Mouse’s meet-and-greet station will have to get the old heave-ho. But it’s okay; as instead of meeting in a small theater, Mickey and Minnie Mouse will once again roam the streets of Main Street U.S.A., as do many of Mickey’s friends.

The shops and restaurants remain unchanged too. However, the Plaza Restaurant has now been remained Walt’s as another tribute to the man that started it all.

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Main Street U.S.A. isn’t exactly known for its attractions. But one new addition is the Plaza Swan Boats, the first of MANY past attractions brought back to the park.

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Main Street U.S.A.
Attractions
1. Walt Disney World Railroad
2. Main Street Vehicles
3. Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream
4. Plaza Swan Boats
5. Main Street Cinema
Shopping and Dining
A. Crystal Palace
B. Walt’s
C. Tony’s Town Square Restaurant
D. Casey’s Corner
E. Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
F. Main Street Confectionary
G. Main Street Bakery
H. The Chapeau
I. Crystal Arts
J. Main Street Gallery
K. Main Street Camera Center
L. Newsstand
M. Uptown Jewelers
N. Disney Clothiers
O. Main Street Athletic Club
P. The Emporium

Hey, do you hear that? They sound like the beating of drums… No, I think that’s the roar of a lion… I think it’s coming from Adventureland…

 

[Flippin'Flounder]

Oooh, I like it

 

[DisneyManOne]

Honestly, I prefer keeping the current style of the Mad Tea Party poster...

I just think this looks better than the picture in your post. Plus, I really think all the posters should be for rides themselves, so I'd replace the Tomorrowland poster with the Winnie the Pooh poster. I'd also replace the Sunshine Tree Terrace, Wishes and Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom posters as well, but I have no idea what I'd replace them with.

Also, I'm not sure how the Plaza Swan Boats would work out, due to the Hub expansion. Nonetheless, great ideas, though!

 

[Brer Panther]

The vegetation around the guests becomes thicker and more plentiful. A light mist slowly rains upon us. Roars of tigers and snorts of hippopotami ring out from the bushes. Welcome to Adventureland…

On our right is the Adventureland Veranda. This is currently in the process of becoming a restaurant again, so we’ll skip it for now.

The main section of Adventureland, where rides like the Jungle Cruise and Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, looks much different than it does now. The Magic Carpets of Aladdin have been removed, clearing up Adventureland and creating more walking room. Also gone is the Agrabah Bazaar, now a shop called Lee Keteeki’s Safari Supply, a shop for Disney’s jungle-themed movies like The Lion King and The Jungle Book, as well as merchandise related to other Adventureland attractions (a new merchandise line featuring characters and scenes from said attractions will be started up, too). As a tribute to the shop’s former theming, a magic lamp (that looks very similar to the Genie’s) can be spotted in the shop’s rafters.

Much of the land’s attractions have remained unchanged, though Pirates of the Caribbean has recently been given a refurbishment. This version of the ride has in general been regarded as little more than a cliff-noted version of the Disneyland original. Hopefully, this refurbishment will change that.

You might notice that the Barker Parrot that used to stand guard outside the attraction has returned, now placed on the mast, under the sail bearing the attraction’s name, outside. Heading in, you’ll find something controversial: the loading area has been moved closer to the ride’s entrance, specifically at the part where the queue splits into two directions. This will require the attraction’s waterways to be temporarily drained.

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Upon climbing inside the boat, the guests take off through a dark cavern, surrounded by jungle foliage. If you listen closely, you might be able to hear an oddly cheerful instrumental of “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life For Me” in the background. Flickering torches light the walls. The sound of a roaring waterfall can be heard before them. In front of us is a skeleton donning a pirate’s hat and a sword. Turning its head to us, the skeleton speaks (in the voice of James Arnold Taylor, who previously provided the voice of a similar character for Disney’s Hollywood Studios’ former Legend of Captain Jack Sparrow attraction):

“Avast there, mateys! It be too late to alter course. There be plunderin’ pirates lurkin’ in every cove, waitin’ to board a passin’ boat. Sit closer together and keep your hands in board. That be the best way to repel boarders. Ye come seekin’ adventure with salty old pirates, eh? You’ve come to the proper place. But keep a weather eye open, mateys, and hold on tight. With both hands, if you please. Thar be squalls ahead, and Davy Jones waiting for them what don’t obey! Ah, and be sure to find the treasure before Captain Jack Sparrow does! Heh heh!”

The boats take a small dip down into a small, dark grotto. Waterfalls surround us. Stalagmites hang above our heads. The sound of a pirate captain ordering his crewmembers to dig can be heard. After another quick drop, we exit the grotto and discover the remains of a pirate crew awashed on a forgotten beach. And by “remains”, I mean their skeletons. In fact, a seagull has perched on the skull of one and is currently pecking at its teeth. Go figure.

Thunder rumbles and lightning flashes as the boats enter the abandoned hull of a sunken pirate ship. Here, we see… Guess what? MORE skeletons. One, clearly the pilot of the ship, continues to steer it as a hurricane erupts outside. Through the use of the Pepper’s Ghost effect used at the Haunted Mansion, the pilot occasionally changes back into a human being with every flash of lightning. Inside the Captain’s Quarters, a pair of skeletal pirates are in the middle of a game of chess. “DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES” can be heard echoing throughout the room. From here, we enter back into the original beginning of the attraction, which for the most part remains unchanged, except for the fact that Davy Jones once again is the only one to appear on the waterfall instead of rotating with Blackbeard.

After a third drop, the Wicked Wench comes into view, being commanded by none other than Captain Barbossa. Any mentions of Captain Jack Sparrow have been removed from his dialogue. Meanwhile, the pirates dunking the mayor, Carlos, in the well have gone back to their old dialogue as well (“Speak up, ye bilge rat! Where be the treasure?!”). The idea here is that the pirates don’t know that Jack Sparrow is here, they’re only after the treasure, and Jack Sparrow just so HAPPENS to be there and is after the treasure himself.

The next scene, with the pirates chasing women and Jack spying on a pirate with a map, remains unchanged for the most part. Across from the bride auction are two pirates in a boat with a pig who take a page from Statler and Waldorf’s book and mock the women waiting to be auctioned. The fire effect on the buildings has been replaced with flames provided by the Pepper’s Ghost effect. Pirates all around us sing “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life For Me”. The rest of the attraction from there remains unchanged.

The gift shop at the ride’s exit has been renamed Buccaneer Bazaar, and no longer does it sell Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise. Seriously, what was the thought process behind THAT? “Hey, the main character of this movie is a skeleton, let’s put merchandise for it in the pirates-themed gift shop!”

A path in-between the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean leads to a new attraction in Adventureland, Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Fire Snake. With the new Star Wars expansion coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Indiana Jones has made the move to the Magic Kingdom for a new attraction similar, but not identical, to the one at Disneyland. Guests join Indiana Jones for a trip into the lair of the dreaded Fire Snake, where you’ll encounter skeletons, rats, and the Fire Snake himself, a large cobra with piercing red eyes, a blood-curdling cry, and the ability to breathe fire (of course!). You may get scorched!

Adventureland
Attractions
1. Jungle Cruise
2. Pirates of the Caribbean
3. Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room
4. Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Fire Snake
5. Swiss Family Treehouse
Shopping and Dining
A. Buccaneer Bazaar
B. Lee Keetiki’s Safari Supply
C. Island Supply
D. Adventureland Veranda
E. Aloha Isle
F. Sunshine Tree Terrace
G. Tortuga Tavern

Well, that just about does it for Adventureland. Saddle up, boys, ‘cause next time we’re headin’ for Frontierland! Yee-haw!

 

[Brer Panther]

Yippee-kay-ay! Y’all in the mood for a thrill? Is your stomach a-roarin’ like a big ol’ grizzly bear in need of a turkey leg? Saddle up and get ready for a zip-a-dee-doo-dah of a time, boys! Up ahead is Frontierland!

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The main problem with Frontierland is a lack of things to do. There are only four attractions! Well, this new expansion of the land will change that. For now, let’s have a bite to eat at Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Café, the first thing we see when entering Frontierland from Adventureland. This restaurant has gotten a bit of a menu change: instead of hamburgers and chicken fingers, it now serves the typical food that you can find in the frontier (ribs, steak, chili, root beer floats, ect.).

The first ATTRACTION we’ll see in Frontierland is its most popular, Splash Mountain.

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Of course, this attraction will be given a nice refurbishment to fix the broken audio-animatronics and effects that are always fixed for each refurbishment, but still end up breaking down. But that’s not all, there are several new effects and surprises, too, most notably before you go up the lift hill to the big drop. All around you, thunder rumbles and lighting flashes. Also here is a new character, Mister Wolf. This character wasn’t my idea, it was thought up by fellow “Armchair Imagineer” ManEatingWreath as sort of a Floridian counterpart to the California version of the attraction’s “Burrow’s Lament” sequence. This is how he described it…

"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDDLMLjCLuY

At around 6:31 you can see a craggy portion of the Laughing Place pretty much occupied only by stalactites and stalagmites with bits of darkness in between. Well now a creepy new character will occupy this area. Say hello to Mister Wolf, the swamp's creepy new grave digger. What does a grave-digging wolf have to do with the attraction's storyline you may ask? Well this is exactly what he has to do with the attraction.

Mister Wolf (Whom will pretty much resemble a grim Marc Davis fox with grey fur and yellow eyes, if you're still confused take a look at the foxes dancing on the riverboat on Disneyland's version of Splash Mountain or the finale of America Sings' Old South portion of the show) now sits on the front porch of his river/rock-side house rocking back in forth in his rocking chair with his rusted old shovel leaning against the wooden panels of his house behind him. The old wolf hums a melancholy version of "Everybody's Gotta Laughing Place" under his breathe as he sharpens a pair of rusted knives against each other. An old lantern flickers for light as a dim candle glows from within the window behind him. As nearby Brer Fox and Brer Rabbit finish their little bit of dialogue between each other Mister Wolf gives a slight evil chuckle from within his throat, sharpening the knives with one loud *SHING*. A sign appears bolted to the rock right next to the wolf's house, reading:

"MISTER W. W. WOLF GRAVE DIGGING SERVICES
ESTABLISHED 1872
Specializing in funerals, plot picking, coffin making,
body storing, cremations, burials, secret disposings,
illegal storage, and pretty much anything else you can
think of that is macabre and unsettling."

A list of names with check marks next to seldom numbers of them rests next to the wolf's rocking chair as he slowly rocks back in forth. He will appear to the far left of the rocks just before Brer Fox is seen in the video link posted above. Just picture him sitting there as the nervous guests go by him and his grim humming and chuckling...not to mention the whole knife-sharpening gag."

Nearby, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, the area’s second most popular attraction, has remained unchanged, as does Tom Sawyer Island.

Meanwhile, the Country Bear Jamboree has been refurbished, too. How so? Well, in the last refurbishment, much of the attraction’s non-song dialogue was removed to shorten the show. I would bring back these pieces of dialogue. Also, there are now two additional shows here: the Country Bear Vacation Hoedown, which runs from June 5th until August 22nd, and the Country Bear Christmas Special, which runs from November 29th until January 2nd. The regular show plays for the rest of the year.

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The long-empty Diamond Horseshoe restaurant has become a restaurant again. Breakfast includes character dining with Woody, Bullseye, and Jessie from the Toy Story movies and Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and Brer Bear.

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Shops, shops, shops. First off, the Briar Patch shop will get a complete overhaul. Once again, the store now focuses on Splash Mountain merchandise, though merchandise for Disney’s other forest-themed films, such as Bambi, can also be found here. Seriously, the last few times I as there I didn’t see ANYTHING Splash Mountain-related in the shops. The other shops will remain mainly unchanged.

And now, onto the new attractions, which will be placed in the areas marked “Western River Expedition” and “Restaurant/Restrooms” in the picture below (no, I did not make this):

Located in the area marked “Western River Expedition” is, well, the Western River Expedition. This is an old attraction designed as a replacement for Pirates of the Caribbean, but when the attraction was brought to Florida by popular demand, the idea fell through. Now, the attraction comes to life. Obviously, though, there will be some changes, as to make this less similar to Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. Below is a ride-through by another fellow “Armchair Imagineer” DisneyMan1. Read on!

the entrance to this ride is an old sawmill. Inside the sawmill, bits of abandoned machinery lie all about the place, covered in dust and cobwebs. It seems as if the old mill has been forgotten, much like the eerie Haunted Mansion on the other side of the river. The offices of old mill officials appear, barred-off, and locked, although the barred-windows do allow a glimpse inside. The office of one “Arthur T. Logger” is still-lit, and the old fellow is still there...even if he's a long-dead skeleton. The poor fellow appears slumped over on his desk, a feather pen at hand. One with a keen-eye may catch the fact that he's writing a letter to his wife; a nearby letter from her explains how angry she is at him for not cleaning the dishes before work. Perhaps her constant nagging did him in? Flickering gas lamps, a la Indiana Jones Adventure illuminate the dark corridors, providing an ominous setup to what will be a rip-roaring good time. In the Employees' Lounge, several of the skeletal workers still stick around, motionless but grinning. One skeleton appears dead over a card table, cards still spread out across the table, a rather suspicious assortment of cards before him. A broken bottle of moonshine sits on the floor behind him, an obvious reference to his murder. As it turns out, he had been quite the cheater in life, and whoever he was playing cards with didn't take too kindly to that. Another skeleton sits at a dusty, broken-down piano, leaning backwards - his arms have detached and become stuck to the keys. A couple of red-eyed rats explore the eye-sockets of one skeleton, while the very last skeleton finds himself sharpening a large knife, perpetually stuck staring at guests...more so of an atmospheric thing than a Marc Davis-style gag.

A flight of stairs leads us, well, upstairs and through a corridor lined with black and white photographs, circa 1848 - the California Gold Rush. In these unsettling, antique store-esque photos, images of Thunder Mesa in its heyday are shown, complete with the town at its best, Thunderbird Peak covered in forest, happy miners and railroad workers presenting Big Thunder Mountain, and most eerily of all, the Ravenswood Family, long before their "tragic" deaths. The occasional screeching of rat or crackling of a floorboard comes from overhead, perhaps hinting at more than rats inhabiting this old mill. Rather unsettled, we continue down the path, eventually finding a bright light at the end of the corridor, a bright light in which leads us to perhaps the most beautiful sight we've ever seen.

A choir of ghostly voices welcomes us to Rainbow Caverns, a luscious, almost heavenly grotto of natural magic. Stalactites and stalagmites line the ceiling and floor, whilst phosphorescent pools of beauty grace the floors, the distant screeching of a bat echoing from the endless shadows. Rock-work in the shape of cowboys, Native Americans, buffalo, and other western icons pop-up all over the place, thundering waterfalls providing a stunning backdrop. A fierce, bubbling, whitewater river thunders out from a waterfall and into parts unknown, sparking our hearts with mystery and wonder. If you’re lucky, you may see a Nature’s Wonderland train passing through the caverns. The former rot of the sawmill is gone. This is truly a wonderland of nature's own design. Despite this, the hand of man has still touched these caverns, as evident by a small cargo-shipping area nestled on either side of a gurgling underground river below. Intrigued, we continue down the path, past the...seriously, I can't even begin to describe the beauty of Rainbow Caverns in full-detail. You have to see it to believe it.

Much to our surprise, the loading dock is now home to an endless parade of the mode of transportation we shall be riding in: worn rowboats with the front section dedicated to seating and the back dedicated to smuggling, judging by the number of crates that sit near the back of the boat. The ride system is a rather simple one, utilizing a similar boat system to that of Pirates of the Caribbean. The boats are less long than Pirates’, but the flume channel is wider, thus compensating for the loss in length. The boats have four rows, each row seating two to three people. Handles are stuck to the back of each row and to each side of the seats (this one applies to only the front row). These handles are there for travelers to hang onto just in case the waters get a little rough. After all are aboard, we head off into the heart of the frontier.

As our log chugs along, natural beauty surrounds us on all sides, even more so beautiful than it appeared from the queue. The glistening water surrounds our log, the colors and lights of Rainbow Caverns reflecting off of them like a funhouse mirror. This is truly Disney magic. Sadly, our log starts to go up a tiny lift-hill and outdoors, greeted by the friendly voice of Hoot Gibson, a wise old owl who used to entertain at the post-show of the former Walt Disney Story. Anyways, as we go up the lift-hill, Hoot’s voice is heard:“Hooo! Hooo! Howdy, everybody! Heading for a cruise ‘round the riverbed, are we? Well then, for your safety, please stay seated and keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the rowboat, and please watch your young'uns. Oh, and be sure to stow your personal belongins’ away. There are bandits ‘round these parts. Enjoy the frontier now, ya hear?”

And with that, our boat dips out of Rainbow Caverns and outdoors, gently hugging the front of Thunder Mesa. The remnants of the before-mentioned stagecoaches and early settlers are now closer than ever, judging by the fact that we're looping around the front of the rocky-gorge. A skeleton crushed between two rocks reaches his motionless arm to us, a la the skeleton reaching for water inSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As it turns out, he's actually reaching for the crate of moonshine floating in the water. Drifting to the right, we enter the mouth of a cavern in the side of the peak, passing by the climactic waterfall in which other boats fall down, often times splashing us. Rather than finding the stereotypical cavern interior, we find ourselves immersed beneath a tube-shaped night-sky, glistening stars and distant planets everywhere, almost like an Imax screen mixed with a theatrical set. On the horizon is the dim-light of a setting sun, luscious desert foliage, rocks, and the occasional howl of a coyote strengthening the atmosphere. For the first time, we see ol’ Hoot Gibson as he sleeps on an overhead tree branch, pictured below, before waking and looking down with a hoot.

“Hooo! Hooo! Roamin’ the ol’ frontier, are ya? No better place for a good adventure if you ask me. Some of the best adventures happen right here in the west, and nights like these remind me of the good ol’ days of cowboys and pioneers.”

With that, a shooting star flies across the sky in a brilliant flash, suddenly changing the stars into constellations resembling countless western icons. As if by magic, many of the constellations even come to life, the animals making noise, Native American children running about, etc. Our boat departs from the top of the lift-hill, gently departing forwards, down a tiny, tiny drop and into a desert.

“Home on the Range” plays, a suiting backdrop to the sights ahead. It's a beautiful, "Johnny Appleseed-sky" at sunset, and a quartet of furry bison have gathered around a trio of prairie dogs poking in-and-out of the earth, barking the “words,” even if they're just inaudible chirps. The fourth buffalo has wandered down the path a bit, examining a quintet of mooing cattle on the opposite side of the river. There, a cowboy strums his guitar atop his horse, both singing, and unknowingly conducting the cattle quintet to sing with them via mooing. Distant coyotes, seen both as silhouettes and animatronics on the butte-filled horizon howl, mostly in time with the music. Passing beneath a natural archway, we pass by a small pioneer camp, complete with potential settlers and horses, dining on beans around a roaring campfire. Two sing, whilst the third plays a harmonica and guitar at the same time; a one-man band. Little do these musicians realize that the human-shaped cacti behind them are ALSO singing, gleefully done in the Marc Davis-style.

Little do the campers notice the trio of grizzly cubs that have wandered into their campsite. Two cubs cheer on a brave third cub from among the cacti that is stealthily snagging the fish hung from a nearby clothesline. On the other side of the river is another encampment built into a rocky alcove. One cowpoke plays the banjo, blissfully singing, completely unaware of his predicament - a huge grizzly, presumably the mama of the three cubs is ready to swipe him from behind, roaring fiercely to the point that we can see the drool dripping from her toothy-maw. The other cowboy sees the bear, speechless. Frightened, he waves his arms up and down pointing, attempting to garner his companion's attention to turn around and run. Oh well.

The music continues as we enter Panner's Banks. Hoot Gibson reappears, this time wearing a lit-prospector's hat.“Boy, this is back when the Tumbleweed Gold Mines were basically the gathering place of all the prospectors in the West. These desperate souls all wanted a piece of it, ya know? I guess greed always get the best of those human folks. Mines went bust due to it…”

The miners pan for gold, humming "Big Rock Candy Mountain." Lit by gas lamps, four miners are kneeling along the banks of the river, shuffling their pans in the water. One of them is startled to find a pair of polka-dotted underwear in his pan. His nearby mule clutches a pan in its mouth, dipping it in the water, also looking for gold. Upon finding none, he raises the pan back up and gives a frustrated“EEHAW!!!”before going back down. The fourth and final miner reclines on a flat-rock bed, boasting a gold tooth, dirty overalls, a hat ridden with bullet holes, and a single boot. Despite his tired face, he's singing "Big Rock Candy Mountain” as well, joyously plucking away at his banjo. His fishing pole, held still by a rock, is cast out into the water. Every so often, the line tugs, and, ironically a fish composed of golden scales leaps up from the water, having caught onto the hook. Sadly, the miner will never realize his fortune; he loves music far too much.
Unfortunately, our boat has sailed out of Panner's Banks and into the deadliest part of any frontier adventure: the Stagecoach Robbery. Up ahead, a quintet of banditos are holding-up a stagecoach crossing a wooden bridge, the frightened passengers raising their arms in terror. Each bandito wears a bandana; as do the full-on grizzly bears that they're using as horses. A couple of mules look on curiously, as virtually every barnyard animal does in Pirates of the Caribbean. The Head Bandito wears a top hat and rides a ****gy black bear much larger than the grizzlies, a bear in which has one glowing-eye, an eye patch, jagged-teeth unlike the others (so jagged that they're ripping through the bandana-mask), gallons of slobber, and a tiny bowler hat strapped to his head by miniature strings. Turning his dual guns to us, the Head Bandito gives a laugh.“If someone finds out 'bout us, it's your head, ya hear? You never saw us, got it? I can assure you that we will meet again, amigos.”Luckily, we escape, lips-sealed.

Distant music comes from the horizon, as does a glimpse of what appears to be a little town typical of the American prairie, muffled-gunshots and cheering coming from its direction. Hoot Gibson, now wearing a cowboy hat, pops-down from nowhere, upside down.“Hooo! Hooo! Stay away! No one has ever been able to enter Dry Gulch and come back out alive! Turn back! Turn back!”The waters begin to speed-up a bit, becoming more like whitewater rapids. Several cattle skulls line the riverbank, dead trees, tumbleweeds, thick briars, and a raven glaring at us. A nearby sign reads “DANGER! DEATHUWE FALLS! TURN BACK!” A pair of mean-eyed, grinning vultures appears on a nearby tree branch, bobbing their heads up and down, twiddling their "thumbs." And with that, we plunge down a well-sized waterfall and into a skull-shaped rock formation, zipping down, zipping back up, making a sharp turn, and coming back to the surface world, right before the city limits of Dry Gulch, the roughest town in the west. A sign reads DRY GULCH. POPULATION: WHOEVER SURVIVES. TOWN FOUNDER: WHO KNOWS? The cowardly sheriff hides behind a nearby barrel, gun at hand, but no courage to go back into town. He's shaking so wildly that he doesn't even seem to notice us, nor does his rather fierce-looking dog who is whimpering in fear. The town walls are littered with wanted posters for various criminals; all of the posters are ridden in bullet holes.

Fortunately, we make a quick turn away from the walls and head into the nearby town of Grizzly Gulch. Upon entering town, we find ourselves completely immersed in a true western setting, a remote prairie town on a busy Saturday night, complete with an orchestration of the "Farmer and the Cowman" as background music. It seems as if the cowboys have had a very successful cattle drive, and, with their newfound wealth, they simply must spend it on some pointless endeavor, so why not get drunk?

The festivities begin, appropriately enough, at the local saloon, where a drunk-out-of-his-mind cowboy sits atop his drunk-out-of-his-mind horse atop the general store. The cheerful cowpoke fires his guns in the air, hollering various terms considered offensive to prairie folk back in the day. His horse gives off a gleeful, hiccup-ridden neigh, followed by the occasional burp. The angry general store owner stands on one side of his shop's porch, waving his fist and screaming at his rooftop visitor while on the other side, a cowboy companion cheers on his friend, waving his hat in the air. A nearby horse tethered to the porch cheers on his horse counterpart as well. A mother attempts to cover her child's ears to spare him from the cowboy's profanity. Ironically, her elderly mother is screaming more profanity at the cowboy than he's screaming at them, waving her closed-umbrella furiously.

Shop Owner: Get down from there at once you no-good cowpoke!
Cowboy: Yeehaw! I've never felt this good! I'm a flying eagle!
Shop Owner: I'll call the cavalry on you in an instant! You piece of rat fodder.
Mother: Don't listen, Billy, these men are bad.
Grandmother: Hush, Sarah! Get down here you rascally, flea-bitten varmint! Curse you and your drunkard friends!
Cowboy: (Singing) The shop owner and the cowman should be friends! Oh the shop owner and the cowman should be...friends?
Shop Owner: I'm not your friend, you filthy son of a gun! A pox on your house!
Cowboy: I'm a cowpoke, I have no house!
Mother: Never become a cowboy, Billy, they're horrible men.
Grandmother: Shut up, Sarah! Your father was a cowboy and I was a cowgirl. I give-in. Stay up there you filthy cowboy! A pox on your house, Mr. Shop Owner.
Shop Owner: Mrs. The Kid? What happened to you?
Grandmother: I'm a cowgirl at heart, you sorry excuse for a human.
Mother: Mother!

On the opposite side of the river, the local saloon has been overwhelmed by wild customers, its windows plagued with shadows of countless people brawling. A couple of cancan-dancing showgirls have made their way to the rooftop, holding their skirts rather high as they kick and dance till the cows come home. The saloon, labeled The Golden Slipper, features a cancan dancer on the front porch, raising her leg very high, boasting a golden slipper. Two sheepish gentlemen, surprisingly in suits, touch the slipper giggling. A nearby horse attempts to bite a carrot on the ground, but the rope tying him to a post prevents him from doing so. A special entry to the saloon labeled SAIL-INS WELCOME appears, guarded by a grinning Native-American wearing a floppy-hat, Navajo blanket, and a huge keg of moonshine in his hands, its top sporting a dimly-lit flame. His eyes shift around suspiciously, almost as if they were following us. The house pianist has been wheeled outside, pounding away at the keys of the honky tonk piano wildly, respectively playing the “Farmer and the Cowman.” A showgirl holding a rose sits atop the piano, much to the pleasure of a blushing, almost Pecos Bill-like cowboy holding his hat to his chest. The showgirl's rather burly boyfriend appears behind the blushing-poke, cracking his knuckles, ready to fight. One cowboy has fallen face-first in the mud, his rear end facing up, now the home of a chicken and her nest. Before leaving this scene, we see a cowboy asleep on top of his horse, bottle still in hand, its contents swishing around (false teeth are floating inside the liquid). Even his horse is intoxicated; it continues to drink from an ongoing leakage from a stack of barrels labeled XXX. The lit-candle nearby might cause some damage...

An overhead bridge (which we naturally pass under) plays home to a loud-mouthed cowboy and a grouchy Native American. Whilst the cowboy fires off his guns and screams the song lyrics, the neighboring Native American plugs his ears and keeps a single eye-open, not amused by the unnecessary sound. Next, we find ourselves at an ongoing rodeo, where people of all ages have gathered for a good time. On the left-hand side, a bull chases a foolish farmhand in circles (much to the crowd's delight) while a small jug-band provides chase music happily. The running-farmhand looks like an absolute fool, due not only to his tiny body and screams, but also to the nearby poster which reads TODAY ONLY! BULL-FIGHTER HARRY THE STRONG! HE'LL NEVER RUN, a picture of said-farmhand boasting "muscles." On the right-hand side, a traveling-entrepreneur by the name of "Dr. Fix-It" presents his latest "miracle" from atop a stage produced from his wagon, the wagon in which reads DR. FIX-IT! HE CAN FIX ANYTHING! INGROWN HAIRS! SCURVY! HAIR TONICS! PASSION POTIONS! MIRACLE ELIXIRS! BROKEN BONES! BROKEN HEARTS! HEART ATTACKS! DEATH! THE PLAGUE! ANYTHING! 100% SATISFACTION! IT REALLY WORKS! NO REFUNDS! Today, he has garnered the attention of two children, a trio of pigs, a mama duck and her ducklings, a lazy bloodhound, and a very interested Native American woman (with a baby on her back). Onstage he is joined by a strong-man making ridiculous poses (behind a piece of wood painted to look like a strong-man) and a rather angry bear playing a fiddle (the bear in which is chained to his seat reluctantly, locked-in heavily). Dr. Fix-It is a plump, elderly man wearing red-and-white-striped pants, a red coat with long tails, huge red suspenders, a tall, silk top hat, a snowy-white handlebar mustache, long white hair, and a hooked-cane at hand. He holds a bottle of some miracle tonic.

Fix-It: Yes, Sir, yes, Ma'am, I, Dr. Fix-It have the answer to all your problems! I present the one and only Strong-Man Potion! It will solve all your problems guaranteed. Want to impress your spouse? Want to pass school? Want to skip out on chores? Drink one drop of this tonic and your life is saved! Don't be a pig. Be a man!
Girl: But I am a little girl. How can this help me?
Fix-It: Do you want that dolly in the toy shop window?
Girl: Yes!
Fix-It: Well, you can't have it unless you're a strong-man!
Girl: And how! I'll take twenty!
Fix-It: Easy, little lady. It'll cost you a sum of eighteen dollars - three payments - no refunds.
Girl: I'm sure daddy has that money. I'll write you a check!
Fix-It: That-a girl! How about that, ladies and gentlemen? Our first customer Who's next? Who wants a bottle?
Boy: I do! I do!
Fix-It: Son, you're a genius. What for?
Boy: I want to marry Mary Sue.
Fix-It: Mary Sue? Why, that's a horse's name! Why marry her when you can be a strong-man forever? You don't need love!
Boy: And how! I'll take fifty!
Fix-It: That'll only cost you one hundred dollars - five payments - no refunds!

Off to the side of Dr. Fix-It's wagon is another little stint to cheat customers out of money; “Take Your Picture with a Bear” A photographer takes a picture of a rather goofy-looking cowpoke with his arm around a huge stuffed bear. Suddenly, gunfire begins to ring out, the night-sky turning an orangish-red in color. This can't be good.

An edited-theme from The Magnificent Seven plays, providing a perfect backdrop for the sights and sounds ahead. Some of the town has caught on fire, and a bank robbery is well-underway, the result of too much alcohol and too little authority. For starters, various shady-looking outlaws duck in-and-out from behind misplaced safes, overturned furniture, and other objects, firing away at both us and the other criminals across the way. The Union Soldier-like Cavalry have joined in on the battle, returning fire, and attempting to keep what little peace the town has left. Their brave general sits atop his proud horse, raising a cutlass high in the air screaming "FIRE!" Only, instead of his men firing, a criminal fires at his hat, causing it to spin around a 360-degrees. The same effect happens to numerous other objects, including misplaced hats, bottles of moonshine, and just about anything else able to be pushed around by bullets. A very pretty cowgirl pokes her head out of a stable, stealthily firing at a nearby bandit's rear-end, hitting him, and making him holler (like Goofy). The local tonsorial parlor has lost some business as its current customer, still wearing a red-and-white-checkered-apron and a glob of shaving cream on his face steps outside to fire, unaware that the barber is leveling his shotgun at him from the second-floor window. On the left-hand side, more chaos ensues, starting with the Thunder Mesa Railway which has pulled into the station, still hissing. The frightened engineer still sits in the cab, peering outside. After a few seconds, he pulls down a shade that reads BACK AT FIVE. The various metallic panels of the steel engine open-and-close repeatedly, revealing a bandit popping-in-and-out to join in on the "fun." Occasionally, a cow pops-out of one of the panels with a delightful moo and dopey grin, before going back down. The bullets have created several tiny holes in the water tower, causing water to pour down by the buckets and onto the streets, and subsequently into the river. Filthy pigs and a filthy hobo bathe in the resulting waterfall, the hobo in which uses a pig to scrub his armpit, and a back-brush to scrub his feet, all the while muttering inaudible song lyrics to a song that probably doesn't even exist. The Mayor opens the doors of City Hall, angrily shouting “I will have order! As mayor of this city, I…” A gunshot is aimed towards him. “You’re on your own, pal.” And with that, he goes back inside. The sheriff's poor, frightened deputy (a la Don Knotts's Barney on The Andy Griffith Show) cuddles up to his horse a la Ichabod Crane, unaware of the clearly-visible tunnel being dug beneath him, leading out from beneath the jailhouse and into freedom. The sounds of the escaping prisoners can be heard digging away underground. The very last sight we see is a smiling, evil-eyed mortician anxiously watching the crossfire; a line of measuring-tape at hand, ready to measure someone for his proudly-displayed coffin on his porch. His window sign reads Mr. Death—Mortician Extraordinaire - 24 Hours! Cheap!

Native American drums and chanting are heard in the distance as we enter a dense pine forest on the outskirts of town. Smoke can be seen arising from among the trees. Hoot, now wearing the feather headdress, reappears, even having war paint on his cheeks, wings folded.“These natives are summoning the Thunderbird, the only bird capable to calm the greed of men. But be warned: a storm is coming…”Over to the western shore is a Plains Indians Village, where the natives are partaking in a ceremony of sorts, intended to summon the Thunderbird. These stunning animatronics chant and pound drums, some even dancing as the fire produces smoke-made images of the Thunderbird and the sins of mankind. An incoming storm can be heard, complete with rumbling thunder, a crackling in the underbrush, and a cold breeze. The friendly Chief attempts to warn us from proceeding:“No. It’s too dangerous. Please do not go further”.But it's too late. The water has become rapid, the storm has begun, and rain, thunder, and lightning surround us from all sides. Red-eyed wolves begin to appear among the foliage, snarling, howling, and growling hungrily. At one point, even a mountain lion appears, springing-out from absolutely nowhere, creating quite a scare. In a clearing among the treetops, the legendary Thunderbird comes into sight with a mighty screech, flapping its wings and creating a huge bolt of lightning. In a flash of light, the lightning strikes a tree, causing it to burst into flame. In a matter of seconds, the whole forest is on fire and we have begun chugging uphill, suspenseful music filling the air. To make matters worse, the banditos have returned with their bears, guns pointed. Right as we reach the top, the Head Bandito gives us a word of friendly farewell “End of the line, amigos. There is no turning back now. Adios!” And with that, we fall down Thunderbird Peak and into the gorge below.

We then make a small turn back into the mountain and find ourselves back in Rainbow Caverns, this time paying witness to a spectacular display of fountains. Hoot Gibson glides in on a little rowboat, dressed as a fisherman, complete with line cast in the water and pole in his wings." Ain't nothing like a western adventure, eh? Oh, but don't be sad. There'll always be a day for another adventure on the western frontier. And say, looks like those old banditos got was coming to 'em! Ol' Thunderbird sure agrees." Rounding a bend, we find the nest of the now-sleeping Thunderbird, an impressive creature, caught once again in her rumored-to-be eternal slumber. The notorious banditos on the other hand have gotten what was coming to them. On the opposite side of the nest (to the starboard side), the banditos have all been tied-up to a large post, surrounded by chirping baby Thunderbirds, all reaching their necks up hungrily. The squealing banditos raise their feet up perpetually, not wanting to be “baby's first breakfast.” A little ways down, the beast-of-burden-bears have removed their bandana-masks and fallen asleep in awkward positions, joyously enjoying hibernation in happiness.

And with that, our boat pulls back into the loading area; we disembark, head up a flight of stone stairs, and reenter Thunder Mesa, ready for a new adventure on the frontier, or maybe even a return trip on the Western River Expedition.

The attraction exits out into the Tumbleweed Traders gift shop.

Also here is an attraction called Nature’s Wonderland. This is a more tame attraction for those too afraid to go on the land’s other rides. Riders board small covered wagons and explore the Frontierland Woods, running into bobcats, bears, peccaries (those warthog-like creatures on Big Thunder Mountain Railroad), and even the legendary Thunderbird that is said to lurk in the caverns of Big Thunder Mountain!

​

Located nearby is the last new addition to Frontierland, the Wolf and Bear Explorer Canoes, a revival of the old Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes.

Frontierland
Attractions
1. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
2. Splash Mountain
3. Country Bear Jamboree
4. Tom Sawyer Island
5. Nature’s Wonderland
6. Western River Expedition
7. Wolf and Bear Explorer Canoes
Shopping and Dining
A. Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Café
B. The Diamond Horseshoe
C. Golden Oak Outpost
D. The Lucky Nugget
E. The Briar Patch
F. Big Al’s
G. Tumbleweed Traders
H. Prairie Outpost and Supply
I. Frontier Trading Post

Well, that should about do it. We’ll be skipping Liberty Square because I don’t think it needs any changes (maybe the Haunted Mansion could get a small refurbishment, but I don’t know). So join me next time when we’ll explore the area of the Magic Kingdom that, perhaps, gets the most changes of them all: Fantasyland!

 

[Brer Panther]

Sorry you all had to wait so long... Let's head to Fantasyland!

Fantasyland has since its 1971 opening been a magical kingdom where characters from some of Disney’s most popular animated films live. The recent expansion of this area has added a lot, but it doesn’t seem like enough: of the additions, only two were new rides (plus an old attraction given a refurbishment). Plus, the original section of Fantasyland was mainly unchanged. This new edition of the Fantasyland Expansion (Fantasyland Expansion 2.0, if you will) will fix that!

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Entering from Liberty Square, the first sub-land of Fantasyland we find is the Kingdom of Corona, themed to Disney’s 2010 release, Tangled. The one new addition here is a relocated Princess Fairytale Hall, located in the building pictured below:

I don’t oppose the idea of a meet-and-greet area for princesses. But the space used for it could have easily been used for a new dark ride.

Next, we enter the next sub-land of Fantasyland (and also the biggest), Merry Old England. The first attraction here is a Magic Kingdom favorite, “it’s a small world”. This attraction will be given a pretty big refurbishment, with a new exterior to boot. The idea below isn’t mine, it’s that of a fellow “Armchair Imagineer”, mharrington:

“Given its proximity to the Pinocchio Village Haus (which may or may not be removed and replaced), the facade will now echo some kind of fantasized-Bavarian structure with plenty of details. To match the theme of Small World, there will now be a window sign (or regular sign) labeling the building as "Sir Walter Traverse - Global Explorer Extraordinaire", hinting at some kind of Columbus-type explorer residing inside. The marquee with the children in the boat can be replaced and revised into a much more rustic model ship (complete with wood-carved children), somewhat complimenting the Pinocchio-theme next door. The marquee's lettering is painted in white lettering, the children and boat completely brown like the tree in which they were carved from.”

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The actual attraction now takes a cue from the versions at Disneyland and Hong Kong Disneyland: Dolls made to resemble Disney characters are featured all throughout the ride. Obviously, they’ll be much more hidden than their Californian and Chinese counterparts, some more so than others. For your convenience, I’ve made a list of the characters found on the ride:

• Alice and the White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland; in England)
• Peter Pan (in England)
• Cinderella, Jaq and Gus (in France)
• Mulan and Mushu (in China)
• Aladdin, Jasmine, the Magic Carpet, and Abu (in the Middle East)
• Simba, Timon and Pumbaa (from The Lion King; in Africa)
• Kuzco (The Emperor’s New Groove; in his llama form) and The Three Caballeros (in Mexico)
• Lilo and Stitch (in Hawaii)
• Mickey and Minnie Mouse (in the Finale)

And now, on to Peter Pan’s Flight! Like “it’s a small world”, this attraction has been given a huge refurbishment, new exterior and all (in this case, the new exterior resembles that of the Disneyland Paris version). Again, the ideas below are now mine, they’re mharrington’s:

"The ride itself will be largely the same, as there's not much room to do anything too fancy with it, so all of the updates will be in the ride as is. However, the track and pirate ships will be scrapped and replaced with more up to date mechanisms and lighter ships, like what happened at Disneyland. I'm not sure whether we can have four-passenger ships like in Disneyland Paris or not, but I will replace the ride mechanism and have lighter ships to support heavier guests.

At the same time, the load area mural will now have more designs something like the Disneyland mural. But in this case, rather than having Peter Pan and the Darling children on a cloud, they will now be flying above the city of London. It will look something like the artwork for the original home video release of the movie:

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The Neverland side of the mural will show the mermaids and Captain Hook's pirate ship, like in the Mary Blair piece of artwork below (just imagine it as a regular scene, instead of something stylized, as is Blair's style):

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Moving on with the Peter Pan ride, it will have its fair share of alterations. You board your larger, more expanded pirate ship as it moves slowly through the load area without ever stopping (except for when they may have to help a handicap person get in or out). As you board, you hear the standard recording that says not to lower the safety bar yourself; it will lower automatically, which it does. You then proceed forward above the newly-added rooftops of London and then through a window into the usual first scene of the Darlings' nursery. You go past the scene of Wendy sitting next John and Michael, who are in their beds. You see Peter Pan's shadow on the wall as it flies toward a nearby window as Peter himself is heard saying, "Come on, everybody, here we go!"

You go out the window to the usual "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" melody that is heard in this ride like usual. But this time, in addition to the scene of Nana in the yard down below (a new AA version as she can actually be heard barking), you also can look to your left to see a lit window and silhouettes of Mr. and Mrs. Darling disturbed by the racket outside. "What the dickens?" Mr. Darling can be heard wondering. You then go over the usual scene of London, which will have been relatively untouched by the overhaul, save for more convincing effects here, including improved car effects on the streets and even the effect of the Thames' river's water "shimmering" in the moonlight.

You then go past the usual scene of the moon and Peter and the Darlings' silhouettes on it. But this time, they're going in the opposite direction, a more appropriate direction as you head toward the usual scene of the Neverland fly-over. The cannon effect here from Captain Hook's ship is the same, but Hook and Smee's voices have been updated. Hook now says, "Here they come, Mr. Smee! Shoot 'em down!" To which Smee says, "Aye-aye, Cap'n!" and then fires. There is also an appearance by an orange-colored octopus in the water, a subtle reference for the Return To Never Land sequel, the only such reference made in the ride otherwise themed to the original movie. But aside from those, the scene is more or less identical as to how it has always been: same mermaids, same Indians and so on and on. However, the cawing noises made will also be updated to sound more like seagulls.

So anyway, you end this part of the ride by flying over Skull Rock and from there, flying by the usual scene of the ride with Wendy about to walk the plank of Hook's ship, John and Michael and the Lost Boys lashed to the ship mast, the pirates all looking on and Peter and Hook dueling up in the mainbrace. Here, the figures of Hook and Pan are improved and more convincing as their blades somehow connect. Also, so that Hook can duel with his sword instead of his hook (as is the case in the ride now, bizarrely), the positions of the two will be switched, so that now Peter Pan is on the left and Hook on the right. This is also to keep the hook on Hook's left arm as usual (in Disneyland, it's on his right arm, for some reason). Meanwhile, the crocodile waits nearby, ticking away as usual. Swinging around the ship, the pirates are all knocked out and the usual scene of a victorious Peter (now wearing Hook's hat and coat) and the Darling siblings poised at the ship's steering wheel as Peter tells Tinker Bell, "We're sailing for London." The ship now glows a bright shade of gold (in the form of fiber-optics which quickly covers the entire ship). You then see the usual scene of a defeated Hook standing precariously on the crocodile's jaws to avoid going into his mouth (the jaws actually try to scissor shut (with Hook's legs with it)). Hook calls out for help to Smee, who answers from a rowboat.

You then see one last scene before the ride ends: you go through a waterfall and instead of the visuals of the gold-colored ship, you now see a cloud version of it in the London sky, just before the unload area. You see Wendy, Mr. Darling and Nana looking at it as Mr. Darling saying, "You know, I have the strangest feeling I saw that ship once... a long time ago, when I was very young..." You then head to the unload area and get off to the right."

Mickey’s Philharmagic has moved to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, freeing up the space for a new dark ride: A Jolly Holiday With Mary Poppins, based on the much-beloved film with very little park presence. I don't have a ride-through at the moment, but when I come up with one, I'll post it.

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Also new to Fantasyland, standing where the Princess Fairytale Hall was originally set-up, is a new version of the much-beloved Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Like the original version, this attraction features two tracks, using the same ride system as the Monsters Inc. attraction planned for Shanghai Disneyland (a layout for it is pictured below). One difference here, however, is that unlike the original version, Mr. Toad actually appears in the flesh and joins us on our little adventure.

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Nearby is the attraction that replaced the original version of Mr. Toad, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. As with most of Fantasyland’s indoor attractions, this dark ride has been given a nice refurbishment. Let’s head inside!

Heading inside, you’ll notice that the current loading area mural (the green wall) has been replaced with a map of the Hundred Acre Wood, featuring many of the locations we’ll see on the ride, such as Owl’s House, Tigger’s Bouncy Forest, and the Floody Place. The large storybook pages remain. Also new is a pair of swinging doors located at the attraction’s exit (as pictured below).

​

As we board our honey pot, we are whisked into the world of Winnie the Pooh and pals. The Blustery Day sequence remains unchanged, aside from the fact that the Audio-Animatronics are all now appropriately fuzzy, like the ones seem on the Pooh’s Hunny Hunt attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. Also unchanged is the sequence where riders bounce with Tigger.

​

The changes REALLY become apparent once Pooh falls asleep and we end up in his nightmare about Heffalumps and Woozles. Many new effects and gags are scattered around the room. Heffalump Bees fly above our heads. A large transparent Heffalump is projected on a mirror as we pass by, sucking the honey out of our honey pot. Said mirror also projects an image of a nervous-looking Pooh in our honey pot, making it look as though the bear is with us. And a Heffalump and Woozle play one of those High-Striker games, causing Pooh sitting in a honey pot at the top to fly up and hit the bell. As we make a quick dash out of the scene, the painted raindrops on the wall have been replaced with a projected image of Pooh exiting his dream via an umbrella.

​

From there, we enter the Floody Place, which, again, remains unchanged aside from fuzzier characters. However, near the ride’s entrance is a new “gag”, featuring Pooh. He is sitting on a log with ten honey pots. As we pass by, he tells us that he needs our help to rescue his supper. Likewise, the image of Pooh’s rear end sticking out of the honey tree has been replaced with another Pooh audio-animatronic about to climb inside. He tells us that he smells honey.

From there, after we pass by the gang celebrating that the flood has gone away, we duck inside a tree and enter a gleaming paradise filled with honey. Pooh, of course, sits near the entrance, singing “Everything is Honey” from the 2011 movie. From there, we disembark in the unload area and climb out of our honey pot. And there you have it!

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Continuing the Winnie the Pooh theme, Storybook Treats has now become Rabbit’s Garden, a small bakery with vegetarian options fresh from Rabbit’s house. Pooh-themed snacks, such as Disneyland’s popular Tigger Tails, are found here.

Meanwhile, a new dark ride (yes, ANOTHER ONE) has taken the place of the nearby Tommorowland Speedway, based on Disney’s adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. This is similar, but not a direct clone of the Disneyland version. I’ll have to explain in more detail…

Much like Disneyland’s Alice in Wonderland attraction, the loading area is outdoors. However, since it gets pretty darn rainy in Florida, it is also canopied. The ride building, on the Fantasyland side at least, is designed to look like a normal English house, with no indication that there’s a world where nothing makes sense inside. On the Tommorowland side, it resembles a more futuristic-looking building, a la the old House of the Future attraction at Disneyland.

The ride vehicles here are the Cheshire Cat rather than the snobbish Caterpillar. The cat’s eyes and grin glow in the dark. He also provides the safety spiel as we head inside.

“My adventures in Wonderland began when I followed the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole… All of a sudden, I fell!” Alice’s voice rings out as we go through a swinging door and fall into the Rabbit Hole ourselves. Look up and you’ll see Alice falling above your head. Finally, we end (the cat jostles here to simulate a crash landing) as we see the Doorknob in front of us. “Looking for the White Rabbit?” he asks as the door opens. “Well, have a look around!”

​

From there, we find ourselves in the Seas of Wonderland as our cat begins to float. Here we encounter the Dodo, who stands atop a rock and leads other sea creatures in a Caucus Race. Nearby, the White Rabbit washes up on shore in a spinning umbrella. “Oh, my fur and whiskers! I’m late!” he groans. As we dart onto the beach, we pass the Walrus, who plays his cane like a flute and leads the Oysters away from the shore. The Carpenter skips along behind them.

Our next stop? The forest. First we encounter the Tweedles. “The White Rabbit? Oh, that’s easy! He went THAT WAY!” they say, pointing in opposite directions. Looks like they won’t be much help. Entering a clearing in the forest, we pass the White Rabbit’s house. Unfortunately, Alice is now gigantic and has gotten stuck in it. “Help! Monster!” he screams. Nearby, the Dodo reappears, keeping Bill the Lizard from running away from the “monster”.

​

From there, the grass around us begins to grow larger and larger, and soon we find ourselves surrounded by talking flowers. They, along with Alice, sing “All in the Golden Afternoon”, but the song is cut short when the snooty purple flower shout, “They’re not flowers! They’re nothing but WEEDS!” and an angry dandelion pops out and roars at us. A cloud of smoke envelopes us, and we soon find ourselves running into the hooka-smoking Caterpillar.

​

Next it’s time for a trip through the Tulgey Wood, as we pass by Alice reading a sign marked on a tree: “Tulgey Wood? What a curious place to find the White Rabbit…” Indeed, the Tulgey Wood is a curious place filled with very weird creatures, such as umbrella birds (who watch us like vultures), an accordion owl, and a birdcage bird. Near the end of the room, the crescent moon turns into the grin of the Cheshire Cat, who appears in front of us. “Lose something?” he asks. “You may have noticed that I’m not all there myself…” After passing by a few more birds, we see the Cheshire Cat again. “If you’re looking for the White Rabbit, you might want to ask the Queen. She’ll be mad about you, simply mad!” he tells us, pushing down a nearby tree branch and creating a secret passage to the Queen of Heart’s castle, which we of course go through.

Next we find ourselves in a hedge maze. Some card soldiers nearby paint roses red. More card soldiers form an arch above our heads as the White Rabbit’s trumpeting announces the arrival of the Queen of Hearts (accompanied by cheering) and the King (accompanied by a small “HOORAY!”). The Queen, as it turns out, is in the middle of a croquet game with Alice. Unbeknownst to her, the Cheshire Cat has appeared behind her. “You know,” he tells us, “We can make her really angry. Shall we try? It’s loads of fun!” We don’t see what he does next, but we can hear a loud CRASH, accompanied by the White Rabbit exclaiming, “Oh my goodness!”

Now we’re in the trial room. Alice is standing in front of the judge, who just so happens to be the Queen of Hearts. “OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!” she yells, and soon the Card Army is surrounding us. Fortunately, we’re able to escape and head back outside for a few minutes, passing above the loading area.

Then we head back inside and see the Cheshire Cat again. “Wasn’t that a lot of fun?” he asks. “Of course, if you’d like to find your way home, I’d ask the Mad Hatter…” This cues the Mad Tea Party sequence, where we find ourselves having tea with the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse. And what better way to end an attraction than with a BANG, courtesy of an exploding unbirthday cake?

The teacups at the Mad Tea Party have been repainted so that they resemble characters from the movie (for example, the Cheshire Cat is represented by a teacup with stripes and a grin).

Continuing the Wonderland theme, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café has become The Walrus and the Carpenter, a Wonderland-inspired eatery.

Storybook Circus for the most part remains unchanged, aside from the characters at Pete’s Silly Sideshow being changed out for more obscure characters, such as Horace Horsecollar, Clarabelle Cow, and Pete himself!

The last dark ride in Fantasyland, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, is refurbished as well. Nothing too major, except for the tiny cardboard cutout Ursula being replaced with a large screen showing an enormous Ursula trying to destroy the riders, but we’re fortunately saved by Prince Eric in time.

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Fantasyland
Attractions
1. Cinderella Castle
2. Peter Pan’s Flight
3. Dumbo the Flying Elephant
4. Prince Charming Regal Carousel
5. “it’s a small world”
6. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
7. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
8. The Barnstormer Featuring the Great Goofini
9. Mad Tea Party
10. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
11. A Jolly Holiday With Mary Poppins
12. Princess Fairytale Hall
13. Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid
14. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
15. Enchanted Tales With Belle
Shopping and Dining
A. Bibbity-Bobbity Boutique
B. Sir Mickey’s
C. Big Top Souvenieers
D. Tinker Bell’s Treasures
E. Fantasy Faire
F. Bonjour! Village Gifts
G. Hundred Acre Goods
H. Rabbit’s Garden
I. The Walrus and the Carpenter
J. Cheshire Café
K. Storybook Treats
L. Pinocchio Village Haus
M. Be Our Guest
N. Cinderella’s Royal Table
O. Prince Eric’s Village Market
P. Gaston’s Tavern

Well, that about does it for Fantasyland. Tune in next time, where we’ll finish up the Magic Kingdom with a trip to the future… Tommorowland, to be precise…

 

[Tip Top Club]

Some great stuff here, but I am almost never a fan of bringing old outdated attractions back from regions beyond, there are so many ideas in the world I would almost always rather something new!

 

[Brer Panther]

Some great stuff here, but I am almost never a fan of bringing old outdated attractions back from regions beyond, there are so many ideas in the world I would almost always rather something new!

Well, the new Mr. Toad to replace the Princess Fairytale Hall wouldn't be an EXACT clone of the original...

 

[DisneyManOne]

Why did you move Mickey's PhilharMagic to Disney's Hollywood Studios? Just curious...

 

[Flippin'Flounder]

Why did you move Mickey's PhilharMagic to Disney's Hollywood Studios? Just curious...

I think it will replace One Man's Dream. Considering thats on Mickey Avenue. Obviously, I am not @Brer Panther so I don't know

 

[Brer Panther]

Why did you move Mickey's PhilharMagic to Disney's Hollywood Studios? Just curious...

I've heard the idea suggested before, and I figured if I did it would free up space for a new dark ride in Fantasyland.

 

[Tip Top Club]

Swan boats as well though. There's a reason these things are left in the past, the Walt Disney company is not about repeating old successes, it's about innovation.

 

[DisneyManOne]

I've heard the idea suggested before, and I figured if I did it would free up space for a new dark ride in Fantasyland.

But where would you put it? Probably in Animation Courtyard, inside The Magic of Disney Animation or replacing Disney Junior, right?

 

[Brer Panther]

Yep.

 

[Prog]

I would rather see a "Tomorrow" update to the speedway than a replacement.
Also, I would like to see the Main Street Shops return to their former glory rather than being a continuous Disney Store outlet.
Otherwise, every idea here is brilliant! Do you have any ideas about getting to the park itself? The aging monorail and the ferry are becoming a bit inadequate for the record crowds.

 

[Brer Panther]

Not at the moment, no. Sorry...

 

[Tip Top Club]

Personally I think the speedway's time has come and gone, an Alice area is a perfect replacement.

What about a peoplemover addition for transportation?

 

[Brer Panther]

Well, it’s been fun, but we’ve unfortunately come to the last land of the Magic Kingdom… Welcome to Tommorowland!

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When one enters Tommorowland, they feel like they’ve stepped into a time machine. The palm trees are made of metal. At night the buildings glow with neon. Every building looks futuristic. The new, refurbished land also includes a few in-jokes and references to some of Disney’s more futuristic films, such as WALL*E, Meet the Robinsons, and Treasure Planet. But let’s focus mainly on the attractions for now.

First of all, standing once where the much-hated Stitch’s Great Escape once stood is a new attraction called The TRON Experience. Based on the 1982 movie, DisneyManOne described this attraction as:

"The attraction consists of guests being transported into the ENCOM Computer System, where the guests seat in a theater-in-the-round domed, rotating, levitating chamber, illuminated with projections and special effects. During the course of the attraction, the Master Control Program forces the guests onto the Game Grid inside of the computer system. An audio-animatronic Tron appears in the ride on numerous occasions. Unlike Stitch's Great Escape, this attraction features no black outs whatsoever, but does feature plenty of spinning and effects."

​

Nearby, the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor has moved to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’ve got two choices for a replacement…
1. A clone of the Hong Kong Disneyland show Stitch Encounter (to satisfy Stitch fans)
2. The return of The Timekeeper, in honor of Robin Williams
Which one would you guys prefer?

Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin now gains lighter vehicles with guns that aren’t mounted to their control panels.

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Gone is that giant red spaceship overflowing with green aliens. It’s pretty pointless considering that you can buy Toy Story merchandise over at the Store Command gift shop nearby.

In the space in between Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin and Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is a new dark ride called Mars Rover Races. This was an original idea I’ve come up with: the idea is that some scientists have built “new and improved” Mars Rovers, and they’re sending us to Mars to take them for a test drive. They don’t. The ride features goofy aliens, a crashed spaceship driven by three monkeys (remember, monkeys were once sent into space), and even a quick cameo appearance by Lilo and Stitch‘s Pleakley.

Speaking of Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress, that has been refurbished as well. Let’s face it, that finale is in desperate need of an update.

And that just about does it! I am kind of disappointed I couldn't do more with the land, but I couldn't think of much...

Tommorowland
Attractions
1. Space Mountain
2. Tommorowland Transit Authority Peoplemover
3. Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
4. The TRON Experience
5. Laugh Floor Replacement
6. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
7. Mars Rover Races
8. Astro Orbitor
Shopping and Dining
A. Lunching Pad
B. Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
C. Merchant of Venus
D. Mickey’s Star Traders
E. Store Command

Next time, we’ll be going over a few chances made to the Magic Kingdom’s parades…

 

[Prog]

I've always pondered what I'd do to Tomorrowland given the power. This is better than anything I've come up with.
This would be controversial, but I would move the Carousel to Epcot (fits the theme better, IMO, right down to Walt's original vision), restore the current scenes to their 1964 state, more or less, and add a scene or two to bridge the 50 year gap.
Anyways I hope I don't look like I'm hijacking the thread with my own ideas, and if I am I apologize. I love pretty much everything you've suggested.