50 MAGICal Enhancements for the 50th ...

[brb1006]

Alternatively you could move "it's a small world" to Epcot.

Let's not

 

[doctornick]

How big do you think they'll go?

With UoE possibly closing soon, is it possible they could move a few sets over and we get our version of Primeval World? I grew up going to Disneyland (couldn't afford to stay in Cali though), so you can imagine when I went on MK's RR the first time, haha. That would a be a huge deal!

While Primeval World would not be my first choice for a show scene for the railroad, I do think that sounds like a fantastic use of the UoE dinosaurs and not let them go to waste.

The MK RR has it's more boring area in the gap between the Frontierland station and the Fantasyland one. I think ideally a show scene in that are tie into Frontierland and the journey westward so something like a (better) version of the Grand Canyon scene from DL or maybe Monument Valley or even an Alaskan Klondike/arctic nature scene would be my preference. But I wouldn't scoff at a Primeval World scene.

 

[lentesta]

@lentesta - Could Spain coming to WS be one of the fifty?

Jim says it might be before that. But Disney may still count it, so yeah.

 

[doctornick]

I'm so not happy about Guardians in Epcot. That said - if it happens the Dino's should become a walk through exhibit in DAKs Dinoland area. Set it up with AA on one side and a long corridor to walk through. Plaques, signs, voice overs can add to the museum feel.

If they were moving the dinos to DAK -- something that would make sense -- I'd just as soon replace Dinorama with a sedate dark ride where the Dino Institute shows off the animals they have brought back from the past and are caring for/studying. It would be a good compliment to the more thrilling aspect of Dinosaur for that land.

 

[DznyRktekt]

Love this news! I hope new facades for IASW and Peter Pan are part of this plussing. I think it would go a long way to add cohesion to Fantasyland =)

More of this:

Less of this:

But Tony Baxter has "retired"!

 

[donaldtoo]

Not sure if we've fully discussed this. And, if so, it's likely been on something like the 112th page of a thread where the only ones reading are bloggers looking for news to claim as their own.

So ... the current plan is to add/plus/enhance 50 attractions across WDW property in time for 10/1/21.

Now, before you get excited that these things will be major (like rebuilding a new Space Mountain), I'd step back a bit. But these will be marketed as part of the Disney push (assuming we're all still alive and WDW still exists!)

Things that have been suggested to me as either happening or likely happening are (just some examples here):

BTMRR getting the enhancements in the tunnel that DL and DLP did;
WDW RR getting a few little scenes along the tracks;
CoP getting a new ending and an overall freshening;
Small World getting the Disney characters;
ToT getting enhanced effects in the drop shafts;

Other attractions I've heard might see some extra love are Peter Pan, Mansion, SSE, AA, Nemo, etc.

Also, not sure if the new stuff opening over the next 4.5 years is going to count toward this or not.

Have heard this could spread to the water parks and resorts (but also heard the resorts might be handled a bit separately as WDW's hotel and timeshare business will look a lot different in four years).

Regarding the "new" ending for CoP (and, forgive me if this has already been asked, and answered), have you heard anything of it being retro new back to the original, or being set even further in the future, thus being even more chronologically detached from the previous scene...?

 

[sunsetblvd26]

Love this news! I hope new facades for IASW and Peter Pan are part of this plussing. I think it would go a long way to add cohesion to Fantasyland =)

More of this:

Less of this:

On the same note, can we also bid the pink concrete farewell? It's not so bad at Epcot as it is at MK, but still, it's just so ugly. Honestly I think that's even a part of the drastic comparison between the two pictures you posted above. And it makes it really hard to feel immersed in any of the lands, unlike at DAK or even New Fantasyland/the hub that don't have them. With the ground completely unthemed, it takes away so much.

 

[Nickels5]

Hopefully this includes replacing princess fairy tale hall with an actual dark ride.

 

[thehowiet]

Love this news! I hope new facades for IASW and Peter Pan are part of this plussing. I think it would go a long way to add cohesion to Fantasyland =)

More of this:

Less of this:

That would be great if the Fantasyland facades were a part of the plussing for the 50th. They stick out even worse now with NFL. The facades in DL are so well done that it's hard to believe they both were designed by the same company. Either way, I'm really excited to see what's to come with the 50th celebration.

 

[cdd89]

Track is so rough brakes have been added to the ride.....

Fair observation, and certainly a reason I don't ride it as much as I would otherwise.

But..... it's not rougher than Matterhorn (same ride system), or Space Mountain DLP for that matter.

 

[GoofGoof]

Love this news! I hope new facades for IASW and Peter Pan are part of this plussing. I think it would go a long way to add cohesion to Fantasyland =)

More of this:

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I'd actually put that ahead of fixing the Yeti on my personal priority list. Looks even worse with FLE next to it. Can they fix the ground too while they are at it?

 

[FigmentJedi]

an Alaskan Klondike/arctic nature scene would be my preference.

You could get a character tie-in that way too.

 

[ParentsOf4]

Although termed as for the 50th, the work would be done in the years leading up. Its quite a bit to do if they try to accomplish this. I agree it's all work that should be (and should have been) done consistently, but don't look a gift horse in the mouse. If this turns into reality, it's a time frame over months (years) like past anniversary celebrations, but bigger.

The amount of work underway or planned is tremendous, at a level WDW hasn't seen since the 1990s.

Disney fans have genuine reasons to be excited; WDW is getting much needed and long overdue TLC.

 

[JoeCamel]

The amount of work underway or planned is tremendous, at a level WDW hasn't seen since the 1990s.

Disney fans have genuine reasons to be excited; WDW is getting much needed and long overdue TLC.

The parks budget can now be applied to WDW and the other parks rather than the #Shanghai drain. Hope #Shanghai makes them some money and glad it won't be sucking every last dollar out of WDW for the next few years

 

[doctornick]

Love this news! I hope new facades for IASW and Peter Pan are part of this plussing. I think it would go a long way to add cohesion to Fantasyland =)

More of this:

Less of this:

While I love DL's look for Fantasyland, MK has gone heavy on a castle setting with the Forest "outside the walls" and I think that's actually a great thematic set up. So, while I'd love to see MK's old Fantasyland buildings updated to get rid of the cheap tent look, I don't think the Bavarian village look of DL works. I'd like to see MK use more of a castle wall look for those buildings. I think something properly done in that vein could look very sharp.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Not sure if we've fully discussed this. And, if so, it's likely been on something like the 112th page of a thread where the only ones reading are bloggers looking for news to claim as their own.

So ... the current plan is to add/plus/enhance 50 attractions across WDW property in time for 10/1/21.

Now, before you get excited that these things will be major (like rebuilding a new Space Mountain), I'd step back a bit. But these will be marketed as part of the Disney push (assuming we're all still alive and WDW still exists!)

Things that have been suggested to me as either happening or likely happening are (just some examples here):

BTMRR getting the enhancements in the tunnel that DL and DLP did;
WDW RR getting a few little scenes along the tracks;
CoP getting a new ending and an overall freshening;
Small World getting the Disney characters;
ToT getting enhanced effects in the drop shafts;

Other attractions I've heard might see some extra love are Peter Pan, Mansion, SSE, AA, Nemo, etc.

Also, not sure if the new stuff opening over the next 4.5 years is going to count toward this or not.

Have heard this could spread to the water parks and resorts (but also heard the resorts might be handled a bit separately as WDW's hotel and timeshare business will look a lot different in four years).

Nice to hear from you again!

I'm really excited by the idea of enhanced effects in the drop shafts for ToT. Right now we just get a vague flash of lightning and the video of the elevator's first victims beckoning to us. Something more dramatic and eerie would be awesome. Here's hoping!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Thanks for the update! Always love your posts!

No hope for love on Space Mountain? I miss riding it, but I pretty much refuse to in its current state. I will say that at least it's in the one park with plenty of other experiences, but it would certainly be nice.

I'm not riding it again either until its track is fixed. I got a heck of a crick in the neck the last time I rode it. Wasn't fun at all.

 

[HMF]

The amount of work underway or planned is tremendous, at a level WDW hasn't seen since the 1990s.

Disney fans have genuine reasons to be excited; WDW is getting much needed and long overdue TLC.

Maybe, but the last remnants of the greatest park ever will be destroyed.

 

[GrumpyFan]

Let's keep in mind this will likely be heavily marketing enfluenced. For reference I would point out their recent "17 reasons to visit Walt Disney World in 2017". That means we'll at least have some new Magic Band styles, some new foods, a new Run Disney event, and some changes to the festivals at Epcot.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2017/01/17-reasons-to-visit-walt-disney-world-resort-in-2017/

 

[aladdin2007]

Hopefully this includes replacing princess fairy tale hall with an actual dark ride.

this!!! absolutely asinine what they did there, but that's just my opinion....also nice to read that SE may be on the list, we all know why, and isn't Siemens sponsorship up this year?