Mickey's Fun House for MK's Storybook Circus (feedback and critiques welcome)

[mharrington]

I've been pretty much resigned to Toontown Fair being encroached by Storybook Circus. Then I came across this: another of the many, many abandoned concepts for Disneyland is this: Mickey's Mad House, which would have been part of the abandoned Dumbo's Circusland back in 1976. According to Davelandblog: "Dumbo's Circusland [was to feature] 'Mickey's Madhouse' — essentially a wild mouse roller coaster in a dark ride environment, set in the world of early black-and-white Mickey Mouse cartoons (think of the former Mulholland Madness at Disney California Adventure, but indoors, with no clear view of where the track ahead was going)." Wikipedia simply says, "A funhouse adventure featuring clowns and such." But of course, Dumbo's Circusland never came to be, thanks to it being part of Discovery Bay, based on "The Island At the Top of the World", a movie which just plain flopped at the box office.

But now, we have Storybook Circus which took over Toontown Fair, as I just said, Anyway, I think to compensate for the loss of Toontown Fair (and the loss of an opportunity to build Goofy's Motor Mania, a dark ride I thought of in the style of Mr. Toad/Roger Rabbit), I think we should add Mickey's Fun House to Storybook Circus. I renamed it "Mickey's Fun House" to tone down something that would probably not be something associated nowadays with Mickey. The ride would also be more of a general dark ride. This version will remove the coaster aspect, for two reasons: first, there is a wild mouse coaster at the Animal Kingdom (Primeval Whirl); and second, there will be several new coasters added to the Magic Kingdom already (okay, one new one will be added, but still...).

What are your thoughts so far?

 

[MA Screamin']

I dig it. Now, idea: maybe when something (I'm not sure) happens, the car spins around, sort of like when you get hit at MiB at US Orlando! You get what I mean? Maybe when you get hit with a pie, IDK :ROFLOL:

 

[mharrington]

I dig it. Now, idea: maybe when something (I'm not sure) happens, the car spins around, sort of like when you get hit at MiB at US Orlando! You get what I mean? Maybe when you get hit with a pie, IDK :ROFLOL:

No, I don't like that.

 

[goofy donald]

No, I don't like that.

hahaha exactly cause its not your idea. and just when i was going to give you a compliment.

 

[MA Screamin']

No, I don't like that.

Okay, I don't really understand what you're aiming at, do you mean something like a circus, or like your riding through shorts, or something else?

 

[mharrington]

Okay, I don't really understand what you're aiming at, do you mean something like a circus, or like your riding through shorts, or something else?

I really don't know, because I don't have very much information to go on. Besides, your idea for the Men In Black-style attack sounds too much like Toy Story Midway Mania.

 

[Turtle]

No, I don't like that.

Is that all you do? Because I've seen your other thread and you aren't open to anything else at all, we're trying to improve it and help you. You just turn everything down.

 

[mharrington]

Is that all you do? Because I've seen your other thread and you aren't open to anything else at all, we're trying to improve it and help you. You just turn everything down.

The reason why I turn everything down is because I fear they will take my ideas in a different direction than what I had intended. Also, as I said before, the ride is based on an abandoned attraction concept with very little information to go on that would be really helpful. Without a lot of information, I don't think this concept is going to get much anywhere. Here's some more information on the original Mickey's Mad House concept, courtesy of a calendar from D23:

Dumbo's Circusland, which was on the drawing boards at Imagineering before Toontown was conceived, featured "Mickey's Madhouse" - essentially a "wild mouse" roller coaster in a dark ride environment, set in the world of early black-and-white Mickey Mouse cartoons (think Mulholland Madness at Disney's California Adventure, but indoors, with no clear view of where the track ahead was going).

So that's what this attraction is based on, a new version of an abandoned attraction concept. Notice where it said "before Toontown was conceived"; with Toontown Fair gone, this attraction would help restore references to the classic Disney shorts in the Magic Kingdom. The only thing I would remove from my version of the attraction, besides the "Mad" being replaced with "Fun", is the roller coaster aspect; it will now be just a regular dark ride. But I have very little information to go on for this attraction, so can anyone help me (without taking the concept in an entirely different direction)? I don't even know whether it should be more like a set of sideshows with different Disney characters or a ride-thru of classic Mickey shorts. So can anyone help me?

 

[MA Screamin']

So, like Horace Horsecollar, the one-man rubberband and Oswald, the lucky rabbit, and Goofy, the wacky daredevil ( :ROFLOL: ) are like sideshows and it's like a museum-like attraction?

 

[mharrington]

So, like Horace Horsecollar, the one-man rubberband and Oswald, the lucky rabbit, and Goofy, the wacky daredevil ( :ROFLOL: ) are like sideshows and it's like a museum-like attraction?

Well, yes and no. Yes, it will be sideshows, but no, it will not be a museum-like attraction. Oh, and speaking of Goofy, I'm not sure about having him in there. On the one hand, he would definitely fit in. Maybe he could be used for the finale or something. On the other hand, however, he already has his own roller coaster, called The Great Goofini. So how should we handle Goofy being in Mickey's Fun House?

 

[MA Screamin']

Well, Goofy could act as another character, sort of like something involved "The Flying Goofys", something that was going to be in the Circus Disney attraction at Dumbo's Circusland at DL. And do you think it could be like the Jungle Cruise, but indoors, and Maestro Mickey is the skipper? :Or maybe Goofy could be a Skipper and something happens in your boat (or whatever it would be, a circus tent? :ROFLOL: ) for the finale? :shrug: Oh, and could I use this idea in my Imagineering projects?

 

[mharrington]

Well, Goofy could act as another character, sort of like something involved "The Flying Goofys", something that was going to be in the Circus Disney attraction at Dumbo's Circusland at DL. And do you think it could be like the Jungle Cruise, but indoors, and Maestro Mickey is the skipper? :Or maybe Goofy could be a Skipper and something happens in your boat (or whatever it would be, a circus tent? :ROFLOL: ) for the finale? :shrug: Oh, and could I use this idea in my Imagineering projects?

I'm not really sure about the skipper idea, but I guess you could use my idea as your Imagineering project. I really have no idea how to take the matter forward anyway.

 

[jt04]

I like the idea but it seems to me it would work better at DHS. Toontown could be made a 'neighborhood' at DHS and there is room to build all sorts of attractions on the BT footprint should they choose. And it is easily connected to the Animation Courtyard.


This seems as good as anyplace to reveal what I thought they had in mind for Circusland. Since it now appears I was wrong I can go ahead with this.

I thought, once seeing the model of the train station, that it could be set in 1920's New Orleans. There you would find a grand celebration of the opening of the storybook hero named Tiana. There is room for a restaurant/meet and greet and her character and story would fit nicely in this section of the FLE. The area is naturally swampy so very immersive theming and landscaping could be placed along the train rails to bring guests into this world.

Further though, a restaurant in this location is much easier too service from backstage unlike Cindy's castle location. It could also provide capacity so that the castle itself could function as a new attraction/show. Even grander than the one intended for the FLE originally.

So there is where I thought they were going with it. And they still could without much difficulty. Feel free to use this idea Disney. Or better yet please do this if it is already a plan.

 

[mharrington]

I like the idea but it seems to me it would work better at DHS. Toontown could be made a 'neighborhood' at DHS and there is room to build all sorts of attractions on the BT footprint should they choose. And it is easily connected to the Animation Courtyard.

I really don't think it can fit in the Studios. I don't think that the classic Disney shorts really fit the theme of the Studios (such as it is).

I thought, once seeing the model of the train station, that it could be set in 1920's New Orleans. There you would find a grand celebration of the opening of the storybook hero named Tiana. There is room for a restaurant/meet and greet and her character and story would fit nicely in this section of the FLE. The area is naturally swampy so very immersive theming and landscaping could be placed along the train rails to bring guests into this world.

Further though, a restaurant in this location is much easier too service from backstage unlike Cindy's castle location. It could also provide capacity so that the castle itself could function as a new attraction/show. Even grander than the one intended for the FLE originally.

So there is where I thought they were going with it. And they still could without much difficulty. Feel free to use this idea Disney. Or better yet please do this if it is already a plan.

How would "The Princess and the Frog" fit in Storybook Circus?

 

[jt04]

I really don't think it can fit in the Studios. I don't think that the classic Disney shorts really fit the theme of the Studios (such as it is).

Perhaps if they ever develop the park into 'lands' as many have suggested it would make sense. I think the movie Roger Rabbit would serve as a sort of inspiration for a Toontown village based at the studios. Works for me.

How would "The Princess and the Frog" fit in Storybook Circus?

PatF doesn't just work for Storybook Circus (as I described in the previous post) but it also fits the FLE and what the greater Fantasyland seems to be evolving to.

WtP exploits the theme in the most obvious way as you actually enter a physical storybook. Mermaid is based on a storybook, as is BatB, Dumbo, Pinnochio, Pan, Cinderella, Alice, Rapunzel, and Snow White. The entire concept of PatF is based on The Frog princess. Basically it is a storybook based on a storybook. That is how it works.

I look for IasW and Philharmagic to be tweaked or completely reimagined someday to bring in the storybook thread of this increasingly amazing land.

It is all about story.

 

[jt04]

^Edit

Actually The Frog Princess was inspired by The Frog Prince. So TPatF is a storybook based on a storybook inspired by a storybook. Yeah, that qualifies in my (pun alert) book.

 

[mharrington]

PatF doesn't just work for Storybook Circus (as I described in the previous post) but it also fits the FLE and what the greater Fantasyland seems to be evolving to.

WtP exploits the theme in the most obvious way as you actually enter a physical storybook. Mermaid is based on a storybook, as is BatB, Dumbo, Pinnochio, Pan, Cinderella, Alice, Rapunzel, and Snow White. The entire concept of PatF is based on The Frog princess. Basically it is a storybook based on a storybook. That is how it works.

I look for IasW and Philharmagic to be tweaked or completely reimagined someday to bring in the storybook thread of this increasingly amazing land.

It is all about story.

This thread is for one possible idea for a section of the New Fantasyland, not for Fantasyland as a whole. And how would "The Princess and the Frog" fit Storybook Circus? And how would classic Disney shorts fit in the Studios? I don't see them fitting in too well any place besides a castle park. And what does "WtP" mean?

 

[Hakunamatata]

This thread is for one possible idea for a section of the New Fantasyland, not for Fantasyland as a whole. And how would "The Princess and the Frog" fit Storybook Circus? And how would classic Disney shorts fit in the Studios? I don't see them fitting in too well any place besides a castle park. And what does "WtP" mean?

The Studios overall theme is Movies and TV Shows. TPatF was a movie.

 

[jt04]

This thread is for one possible idea for a section of the New Fantasyland, not for Fantasyland as a whole. And how would "The Princess and the Frog" fit Storybook Circus? And how would classic Disney shorts fit in the Studios? I don't see them fitting in too well any place besides a castle park. And what does "WtP" mean?

Pooh is on the edge of the FLE and is clearly themed to a storybook. I am not suggesting every ride be so overtly themed. The storybook theme can be very subtle essentially to the point that it works subconciously.

As I said it would be easy to establish the placesetting of Storybook Circus as being based in the 'real world' of New Orleans in the time period the PatF movie takes place. The train station, new bayou-esque landscaping on approach to the train sation, a restaurant, m&g, shop and an extra facade or two and bingo, you are in the movie. Very similar to the way Belle's section of the FLE works. The circus has already been revealed to have arrived by train according to Imagineers. Why couldn't it have arrived in New Orleans??? Perfect placesetting and backstory that fits the FLE and Fantasyland.


As for toon town at the studios, the theme of a "working studio" has long been lost and what is left of it needs to go. In this way something like a toontown works. The "Hollywood that never was and always will be" can be imagineered accordingly. The Animation Courtyard and attraction does not remotely suggest only full length features or Pixar movies. It is about animation. Pure and simple.

So if DHS becomes a park made up of 'lands' based on studios (Pixar Place) and or time periods (Sunset Blvd), then a toontown could fit perfectly. See the muppets section as an example. Perfectly suited with a bit of retheming and maybe an attraction to become MuppetLand. And if you can have a land for the muppets obviously another can be themed to Disney cartoon characters.

 

[MA Screamin']

I'm not really sure about the skipper idea, but I guess you could use my idea as your Imagineering project. I really have no idea how to take the matter forward anyway.

I can agree, it doesn't really make sense, but sort of like an announcer of ringmaster; something like that, oh, and effects on the "boat" could be cool, imagine sparks (followed by a lawsuit :ROFLOL:..... maybe) flying down (or aout) of of the "boat" during Goofy's act! Along with cartoon sounds aftera mishap with Horace"s act (maybe he gets tangled up or something?). :sohappy: