Has an Adventureland height balloon test happened?

[TP2000]

Building high-capacity addition to MK was the original approach to capacity issues. I wish TDO felt the same as Card W. originally did.

I also think Richard Nunis gets the credit there. During Walt's Tencenial speech in a ballroom at the Disneyland Hotel in 1965, at a fancy dinner thanking all the Disneyland employees who had worked at the park for ten years, Walt makes specific mention of Richard Nunis constantly bugging him about adding ride capacity to the park. That statement was followed up by the now famous "We're just getting started!" Walt quote. And you could literally hear the ice cubes tinkling in Walt's glass of Scotch as he spoke.

Richard Nunis went on to become Parks Chairman and was instrumental in WDW's expansion in the 1980's. Nunis knew you had to stay ahead of the curve on ride capacity, or else you aren't being a good host.

That 1965 speech used to be available on YouTube, and it was hilariously classic, but it was pulled by Disney because Walt uses a few mild swear words while describing Disneyland as he tells PG rated stories of the park's creation. Of course today's humorless and clueless Disney company can't bear to make Walt human, they have to keep him Saint Walt whose image is only available on tacky t-shirts sold to neck-beard bloggers.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Little Mermaid has its faults, but the Magic Kingdom could use a couple more attractions like that. High capacity D-tickets that help spread out the crowds. Those types of attractions almost need to precede any gate busting E-tickets.

Yes. New Fantasyland should've had at least two more. I imagine a New Fantasyland with high-capacity dark rides for Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, along with Mermaid (can't make The Lion King work in my mind as a dark ride. Too bright, perhaps?). Aladdin was MADE for a dark ride and is under-utilized.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Yes. New Fantasyland should've had at least two more. I imagine a New Fantasyland with high-capacity dark rides for Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast, along with Mermaid (can't make The Lion King work in my mind as a dark ride. Too bright, perhaps?). Aladdin was MADE for a dark ride and is under-utilized.

Personally I'd love for the Aladdin stage show to replace Beauty and the Beast in a new purpose built facility. If you want to make that part of an Aladdin mini land in MK instead, I'll allow that.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Personally I'd love for the Aladdin stage show to replace Beauty and the Beast in a new purpose built facility. If you want to make that part of an Aladdin mini land in MK instead, I'll allow that.

How about an enclosed, permanent-twilight Aladdin land with show and ride? Sounds perfect for the Florida climate.

Who has $500,000,000?

I'd even allow Tomorrowland Speedway to leave for space.

Back on earth, there's no reason DHS couldn't have an Aladdin and BatB stage show. Somehow DAK of all places ended up with the two best shows on property.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Little Mermaid has its faults, but the Magic Kingdom could use a couple more attractions like that. High capacity D-tickets that help spread out the crowds. Those types of attractions almost need to precede any gate busting E-tickets.

There's no reason a Little Mermaid omnimover isn't as visually spectacular as a haunted mansion omnimover.

 

[Daveeeeed]

There's no reason a Little Mermaid omnimover isn't as visually spectacular as a haunted mansion omnimover.

Bottom line is it is just at a different scale. They cheaped out on it and gave us a C-ticket dark ride.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Bottom line is it is just at a different scale. They cheaped out on it and gave us a C-ticket dark ride.

Let's not give them too much credit. Cheap is a free out as you are blaming the bean-counters. This wasn't a cheap ride. It was a well-funded one. The concept, design, and execution are deeply flawed and extremely uneven. That's the fault of the Imagineers on this project.

 

[xdan0920]

Let's not give them too much credit. Cheap is a free out as you are blaming the bean-counters. This wasn't a cheap ride. It was a well-funded one. The concept, design, and execution are deeply flawed and extremely uneven. That's the fault of the Imagineers on this project.

As it too often seems to be. The budgets TDO and Burbank are approving are enormous, and instead of Hogwarts, we get Little Mermaid.

 

[Master Yoda]

Which is what standby still is. And more.

Fastpass's primary function was to get people off the rides, out of the queues and into the stores. Chocking the walkways is a by product in parks not designed to have so many people walking around.

Of course the counter argument is you also have enough appealing attractions to spread the load.

Correct. It addressed the number one complaint of all theme park guests...waiting in line at attractions....and helped put some more coin in the mouse's pocket at the same time. Still, I don't want to go back to the pre-fastpass days with the current attendance and lack of any discernible off season.

Also like you stated, you need the attractions to handle the load. I think we both agree that the FL expansion should have been half a dozen C ticket dark rides with huge hourly capacity vs what we got.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Correct. It addressed the number one complaint of all theme park guests...waiting in line at attractions....and helped put some more coin in the mouse's pocket at the same time. Still, I don't want to go back to the pre-fastpass days with the current attendance and lack of any discernible off season.

Also like you stated, you need the attractions to handle the load. I think we both agree that the FL expansion should have been half a dozen C ticket dark rides with huge hourly capacity vs what we got.

I happen to enjoy Mine Train, but it is the opposite of what the park needed. It's extremely popular and actually bringing more people to the park to discover its low hourly capacity. Be Our Guest has a similar effect for dining because it is too popular. The M&G is a waste of space. Only Mermaid is appropriate but poorly executed. At least the outside visuals are wonderful in most cases.

 

[Master Yoda]

I happen to enjoy Mine Train, but it is the opposite of what the park needed. It's extremely popular and actually bringing more people to the park to discover its low hourly capacity. Be Our Guest has a similar effect for dining because it is too popular. The M&G is a waste of space. Only Mermaid is appropriate but poorly executed. At least the outside visuals are wonderful in most cases.

Completely spot on.

I do not necessarily agree that the Meet n Greet is a complete waste. It is at least a step above the hug and shove of the other meet n greets and while I have no interest in them, the general public freaking love the things making them a necessary evil.

 

[larandtra]

FP works if used properly. Is there a downside? obviously because it filtered guests to other attractions, but, that was part of the point. Anyway, another discussion for another day/thread. For the purposes of this thread, I saw a comment that said maybe they are scrambling.....Noone is scrambling. Just because an attraction noone talked about pops up or a new rumor begins out of the blue, doesnt mean they are scrambling because noone knew about it. There are so many projects or variations of projects sitting on dusty shelves that you never know. But, it is silly to assume, wait a balloon went up and since noone has rumored anything there, they are scrambling. Far from it. It could just be nothing, or it could be something they have been planning all along or brought something back to life as they determine need, guest flow, and ROI. It is interesting to speculate, but, for the people making the decisions, it is not a "surprise"

 

[AKL2003]

I totally agree with the assessment that MK needs, at least, 3 to 4 new high capcity but not necessarily headlining attractions!! I would love a new E ticket as well but that would need to be rounded out with smaller scale attractions to effectively disperse crowds. I am under no delusion that that will happen...but the company certainly has the means and MK certainly has the space...one can dream!!

 

[Goob]

While I like the 7 dwarfs mine train, it's also kind of "meh." Whenever I get off of it I usually say, "man, I'm glad I didn't wait 2 hours for that." I hate to say that, but it's true. It's way too short. Weren't the original plans to have it be longer and better and they slashed the budget?

 

[ppete1975]

While I like the 7 dwarfs mine train, it's also kind of "meh." Whenever I get off of it I usually say, "man, I'm glad I didn't wait 2 hours for that." I hate to say that, but it's true. It's way too short. Weren't the original plans to have it be longer and better and they slashed the budget?

I was super excited to ride this, and I have to see the theming and visuals were great. But Id never stand in line again for it.... way tooo short and it wasn't a great story. I think EE got the whole roller coaster and story perfect. But 7dmt just seemed to miss the mark for me. Id rather have an omnimover or a boat ride for Disney magic, immersiveness story and theming, if this is what we will end up with. I got off and was like... that was it?

 

[marni1971]

. Weren't the original plans to have it be longer and better and they slashed the budget?

Yes. But it's a topic that's been discussed to death in other threads.

 

[Goob]

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm new here.

 

[dreamscometrue]

Correct. It addressed the number one complaint of all theme park guests...waiting in line at attractions....and helped put some more coin in the mouse's pocket at the same time. Still, I don't want to go back to the pre-fastpass days with the current attendance and lack of any discernible off season.

Also like you stated, you need the attractions to handle the load. I think we both agree that the FL expansion should have been half a dozen C ticket dark rides with huge hourly capacity vs what we got.

So, with everyone being so connected online, and all theme park attractions getting so much detailed attention long, long before they open, can theme parks build new attractions without an increase in attendance? It seems as though every new opening, whether a ride like Jimmy Fallon NY Race, or a land like Pandora, always increases attendance in a proportional manner. Can some rides act as people eaters without causing park attendance to swell? Attendance increases bode well for the bottom line of the theme park companies, but keep the crowd levels and wait time up there for us.

 

[Master Yoda]

So, with everyone being so connected online, and all theme park attractions getting so much detailed attention long, long before they open, can theme parks build new attractions without an increase in attendance? It seems as though every new opening, whether a ride like Jimmy Fallon NY Race, or a land like Pandora, always increases attendance in a proportional manner. Can some rides act as people eaters without causing park attendance to swell? Attendance increases bode well for the bottom line of the theme park companies, but keep the crowd levels and wait time up there for us.

Honestly, I do not think it is possible. They can't seem to erect a hot dog cart in MK without it causing an attendance spike.

What really needs to be done is already happening. They need to start making significant additions to the other parks in an attempt to pull guests away from MK.

 

[KrzyKtty]

The world is only getting more and more crowded. And with more 3rd and 2nd world countries encountering an emerging middle class, the crowds aren't going anywhere anytime soon. I think longer lines at the parks are a thing to stay, and will continue to get worse.