Rumor: Adventureland Volcano

[Creathir]

Is that where Veruckt was/is? Is it still standing?

As Andrew said, that was a different location, specifically their Kansas City park.

The New Braunfels one is the original, and actually is pretty amazing.

You'd be surprised, but if you've ridden some of the more interesting water rides in the last 15 years, this company likely had a hand making it.

They invented the uphill water coaster, and actually were the first to have a Flowrider (surfing simulator) which was not a technology demonstration. (Provided valuable R&D to the guy who came up with that tech, Lochtefeld)

Jeff Henry, the main R&D behind Schlitterbahn, actually has done a lot for the water park industry as a whole. From the water brake to stuff as general as waterpark composition/design concepts, what we have today, is in large part because of this guy.

 

[tl77]

A Volcano coaster seems like a better fit, and more needed attraction, at Animal Kingdom, maybe in that "not-so-awesome" Dinoland area?

 

[SpaceMountain77]

We are currently visiting the Walt Disney World Resort and were at Magic Kingdom yesterday. Interestingly, we overheard cast members, at Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, discussing a volcano attraction that would be based on Te Fiti and returning her heart. They were just talking amongst themselves and I happened to overhear their conversation. At the time, I did not think anything of it.

 

[jt04]

Marni, Feather, anyone - is there any truth to this rumor? I haven't seen anyone I'd call official confirm or deny this project's potential.

I think a "Disney Mountain" in AL is inevitable. They have the pad and the land seems to have been designed with such a structure in mind decades ago. No good idea ever dies.

However, I doubt it happens until they have a better balance of attendance at the other 3 parks. IMO.

 

[MisterPenguin]

We are currently visiting the Walt Disney World Resort and were at Magic Kingdom yesterday. Interestingly, we overheard cast members, at Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, discussing a volcano attraction that would be based on Te Fiti and returning her heart. They were just talking amongst themselves and I happened to overhear their conversation. At the time, I did not think anything of it.

CMs at that level would almost certainly have no inside information in this regard. They're most likely reading these forums.

 

[dennis-in-ct]

can anyone provide an aerial view of MK and indicate where the expansion pad is located? I would imagine a large volcano would look wonderful from the Poly.

Can someone also describe Fire Mountain? I think I remember reading it was similar to Tower of Terror - a drop ride. The Hong Kong Grizzly Creek (?) coaster looks very well done. THAT would be nice in adventure land. Or an Indy Ride like DL.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

CMs at that level would almost certainly have no inside information in this regard. They're most likely reading these forums.

Yesterday, I did not think anything about what was said. Coincidentally, this thread appeared within a day of what I overheard.

Although we may joke about bus drivers, I do believe that we may underestimate the knowledge of attraction cast members. Last year, while Disney professed no changes at the Disney California Adventure Tower of Terror, attraction cast members were regularly reporting activity and coming change.

This may very well be nothing. Alternatively, it could coincide with the recent height test balloon in Adventureland.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Yesterday, I did not think anything about what was said. Coincidentally, this thread appeared within a day of what I overheard.

Although we may joke about bus drivers, I do believe that we may underestimate the knowledge of attraction cast members. Last year, while Disney professed no changes at the Disney California Adventure Tower of Terror, attraction cast members were regularly reporting activity and coming change.

This may very well be nothing. Alternatively, it could coincide with the recent height test balloon in Adventureland.

A CM certainly knows stuff that is revealed to CMs: "We're shutting down the Ride X. CMs who work that ride should report to a supervisor for reassignment." They know pretty much nothing about what the higher ups are discussing. And the information they say they have is as often wrong as it is right. We knew La Nouba was shutting down because their cast was given pink slips and they talked about it online.

If CMs are talking about Fire Mountain, it's because the topic is blowing up (pun intentional) on social media. And the topic is blowing up because Jim Hill said there were height-balloon tests in Adventureland for this project.

In the height-balloon thread here, we can find no one who actually witnessed that height-balloon test. And none of the insiders are saying it's happening, in fact, Spirit is saying it ain't happening.

 

[HMF]

I agree. But eventually I think we will see Fire Mountain when they feel they have the right ip.

Or god forbid not tie it to an IP and do something original for a change.

 

[ToTBellHop]

A CM certainly knows stuff that is revealed to CMs: "We're shutting down the Ride X. CMs who work that ride should report to a supervisor for reassignment." They know pretty much nothing about what the higher ups are discussing. And the information they say they have is as often wrong as it is right. We knew La Nouba was shutting down because their cast was given pink slips and they talked about it online.

If CMs are talking about Fire Mountain, it's because the topic is blowing up (pun intentional) on social media. And the topic is blowing up because Jim Hill said there were height-balloon tests in Adventureland for this project.

In the height-balloon thread here, we can find no one who actually witnessed that height-balloon test. And none of the insiders are saying it's happening, in face, Spirit is saying it ain't happening.

I've heard of AL work and some of it is significant, but not THIS significant. I'd love to see a new E-ticket for the park like everyone else, though. A volcano would be quite impressive in AL.

 

[Capsin4]

Nobody knows or cares about anything at water parks.

Except for the one you can see from the freeway.

 

[HMF]

As it stands TL is not looking like it'll get any more attention grabbers than it really has now.

What do you mean by "Attention Grabbers", Has the refresh been cancelled? That would be a shame because it is literally the only thing in WDW's Future that I was looking forward to.

 

[Sundown]

Wait...what the $!#@#$ are they doing to Space Mountain?????

It's SPACE FRIKKIN MOUNTAIN. The marquee attraction for Tommorrowland, dammit!

 

[wdwgreek]

This thread frustrates me, why don't they recognize that MK is not a complete park and needs more people eating attractions! How much more money do they need to have to be able to actually carry through on these blue sky plans.

 

[jt04]

This thread frustrates me, why don't they recognize that MK is not a complete park and needs more people eating attractions! How much more money do they need to have to be able to actually carry through on these blue sky plans.

It is beyond clear that one of their highest priorities is to balance the crowds between the parks and until the newest 3 lands open that are currently under construction, they won't be doing major projects in the MK. Probably.

 

[wdwgreek]

It is beyond clear that one of their highest priorities is to balance the crowds between the parks and until the newest 3 lands open that are currently under construction, they won't be doing major projects in the MK. Probably.

I totally get that but when a park has an annual vistorship of 18 million with minor capacity changes in the last ten years, there is a problem. The other lands may draw people away but that vistor number isn't going to go down any time soon.

 

[jt04]

I totally get that but when a park has an annual vistorship of 18 million with minor capacity changes in the last ten years, there is a problem. The other lands may draw people away but that vistor number isn't going to go down any time soon.

Once Pandora opens they will have plenty of metrics to study before mapping the future. IMO.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Wait...what the $!#@#$ are they doing to Space Mountain?????

It's SPACE FRIKKIN MOUNTAIN. The marquee attraction for Tommorrowland, dammit!

Maybe 20 years ago.

 

[solidyne]

Wait...what the $!#@#$ are they doing to Space Mountain?????

It's SPACE FRIKKIN MOUNTAIN. The marquee attraction for Tommorrowland, dammit!

I think @creathir misunderstood @marni1971 .

 

[HMF]

Wait...what the $!#@#$ are they doing to Space Mountain?????

It's SPACE FRIKKIN MOUNTAIN. The marquee attraction for Tommorrowland, dammit!

WDW's Space Mountain if you don't know is dangerously close to the end of it's working life. There was a plan back in 2009 to re-build the track and bring the Attraction into the 21st Century as had been done at Disneyland. Phil Holmes MK Vice President at the time now overseeing the construction zone formerly known as Disney's Hollywood Studios, formerly known as Disney MGM Studios decided that the plans were too expensive and cut the budget significantly. The only things that actually happened in the 2009 refurb were
*All Signage painted from orange to lime green
*New Theming in queue
*The first of those obnoxious Interactive queues that have done so much damage to the park experience (with the exception of BTM)
*A roof over the loading track blocking views from the peoplemover
*Removal of glow strips making it even darker
*Post-show re-theming
At the same time we got the rather un-inspired Peoplemover Narration and a good chunk of the Peoplemover reduced to travelling through a dark tunnel because all views of inside Space Mountain have been blocked off.
and to add insult to injury the next year they added relatively un-inspired Off-board music score which rarely works.
In the last few years they have added a few quick fixes to reduce the strain on the 42 year old track structure but that just slows the ride down. It needs a refurb badly and I don't know how much longer they can just rely on quick fixes.

 

[PizzaPlanet]

Wait...what the $!#@#$ are they doing to Space Mountain?????

Nothing. That's the problem. Although at some point they will not be able to put it off any longer. To be honest, all of the talk about new E-Tickets in MK frustrates me because redoing Space should be their first priority.