MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[RSoxNo1]

Honestly that would work really well with this plan too

I'll preface this by saying that there are many singular focused IP based lands that work and that IP driven attractions themselves are not inherently bad. However, when you are taking a broad land concept and adding anything to that land, it's hard to avoid diluting the original themes. Even the best theme park in the world, Disney Sea suffers from this in some capacity.

When designing a theme park, the expansion options need to be considered and broader concepts are easier to work with.

It's why myself and many others strongly opposed a fixed timeline for Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. The stretch from Liberty Square to Frontierland also had a timeline component fused with a geographical component. That made it next to impossible to upgrade while maintaining thematic integrity.

The missed a perfectly good opportunity for the following...

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Mater made the joke at the D23 Expo.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I agree that nothing has changed. We could deduce pretty much all of this from the original artwork. I guess people just wanted it verbalized?

It would just be nice if folks weren’t such easy marks. In a lot of ways.

 

[Tha Realest]

Why are people assuming plans have meaningfully changed to emphasize water? There was always a thin, inconsequential stream in the concept art if I not mistaken. They used a cartoon to make it more prominent.

Yep. Propositions are exaggerated and way off. This looks like a map of Blizzard Beach!

 

[Raineman]

Why are people assuming plans have meaningfully changed to emphasize water? There was always a thin, inconsequential stream in the concept art if I not mistaken. They used a cartoon to make it more prominent.

It's a way of them saying to those of us that are against the change "See? You were all complaining about the river going away, and it's not. We told you there was gonna be a river and other water features in there."

 

[Sorcerer Mickey]

This is what gets me. It sounds better but it also shows that they’re aware this land is totally inconsistent with what’s around it, which is why they have to hide it. But rather than developing something that fits (or leaving it alone) they’re going to make sure you just can’t see or hear it. Why are they so committed to their bad ideas?

Devil's advocate - they had an idea, heard the feedback, and are adapting in response to the fans.

Cars might not fit thematically in Frontierland, but from a business pov, it doesn't make sense to keep that huge chunk of land sitting there for a glorified playground. I think it looks great but I haven't taken the ferry to TSI in literal decades, having gone to MK at least once per year (local). That said, I can see why WDI wants to bulldoze it. But at least they're making an effort to assuage fan concerns.

 

[JD80]

People shouldn't take concept art so literally.

I see water in the concept art and I assume there will be water in the land. I'll wait to see how much.

 

[ToTBellHop]

They’ve expanded the water features from the 2024 plan.

People shouldn't take concept art so literally.

I see water in the concept art and I assume there will be water in the land. I'll wait to see how much.

More in August than January is a safe bet in East Central Florida.

 

[doctornick]

Why are people assuming plans have meaningfully changed to emphasize water? There was always a thin, inconsequential stream in the concept art if I not mistaken. They used a cartoon to make it more prominent.

The previous concept art didn't seem to have a waterfront next to the CBJ area or Liberty Belle dock - it mainly looked like it existed only near BTMR and TBA. Granted that that artwork was intentionally vague so you could make arguments that it was intended to be what is now being shown, but I personally don't think they match up that well.

My main complaint with the initial concept art was the complete loss of a waterfront. There seems to be some water but with trees in between the current waterfront and the new "land" so at least for me it struck me as any water was just Cars area features, not a proper river. This new art addresses that - if that was always the plan to have a clear waterfront/river area next to existing space, then cool. But it seems more likely that there was a change for the better.

 

[Raineman]

Devil's advocate - they had an idea, heard the feedback, and are adapting in response to the fans.

Cars might not fit thematically in Frontierland, but from a business pov, it doesn't make sense to keep that huge chunk of land sitting there for a glorified playground. I think it looks great but I haven't taken the ferry to TSI in literal decades, having gone to MK at least once per year (local). That said, I can see why WDI wants to bulldoze it. But at least they're making an effort to assuage fan concerns.

The most important part of your statement is "business pov". With this project, Disney doesn't care about anything other than the fact that they can rake in more $$ with the LL, food, and merch from this Cars area that they aren't getting from TSI/ROA. And they don't really care if they have to destroy theming/atmosphere/ambiance/setting to do it. For every guest that doesn't want the change, there are 10 guests who are lapping it all up. It's all about the Benjamins.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

They can dress it up all they want, but they still fail to explain and justify the use of Cars as an IP for this area.

What exactly does Cars bring to this project besides name recognition and a chance to sell toys?

They're working backwards to try and justify the decision. If you didn't have ride vehicles with giant eyeballs on them, or had an alternate form of transportation to take you through the area, you wouldn't need to worry so much about sightlines or noise reduction. The ride's scenery would blend in and work as an extension of the existing Frontierland...like the RoA they're spending who knows how much to replace.

You could have similar scenery, a similar ride path, a similar kind of ride...and not worry about how to make it "fit"

It would just be another ride through a Frontier setting. One that doesn't have car shaped icons or buildings that are not designed for humans. A much more logical successor to the kinds of rides this is supposed to reference and build upon.

Cars is a handicap on the whole project, and you can tell WDI knows this by trying to make a Cars ride that doesn't look or sound like one and can be ignored when outside its perimeter...which is counter intuitive to a scenic wilderness trip.

 

[mickEblu]

Why are people assuming plans have meaningfully changed to emphasize water? There was always a thin, inconsequential stream in the concept art if I not mistaken. They used a cartoon to make it more prominent.

Do you have that piece of concept art handy by any chance? I went to the first post of this thread and didn’t see it there. I don’t remember very much water at all.

 

[ToTBellHop]

The most important part of your statement is "business pov". With this project, Disney doesn't care about anything other than the fact that they can rake in more $$ with the LL, food, and merch from this Cars area that they aren't getting from TSI/ROA. And they don't really care if they have to destroy theming/atmosphere/ambiance/setting to do it. For every guest that doesn't want the change, there is 10 guests who are lapping it all up. It's all about the Benjamins.

What is pictured looks better than the current dilapidated remains of a 1971 walkthrough…

TSI is dated

 

[Ayla]

This is what gets me. It sounds better but it also shows that they’re aware this land is totally inconsistent with what’s around it, which is why they have to hide it. But rather than developing something that fits (or leaving it alone) they’re going to make sure you just can’t see or hear it. Why are they so committed to their bad ideas?

"Committed to bad ideas."

Disney's slogan/theme for the last 5 years.

 

[LittleBuford]

Why are people assuming plans have meaningfully changed to emphasize water? There was always a thin, inconsequential stream in the concept art if I not mistaken. They used a cartoon to make it more prominent.

I agree that nothing has changed. We could deduce pretty much all of this from the original artwork. I guess people just wanted it verbalized?

The new concept art does show a greater stretch of water. In the earlier concept art, there appears to be a bit of water in front of the "main strip" of Frontierland (crossable by a footbridge) and then a waterfall in the new Cars area. These bodies of water now appear to join up, and the first of them has seemingly turned into a more substantial stream/river.

Now, this is just concept art, and cartoony concept art at that, so it can hardly be taken as reliable. But (unless I'm reading the old concept art incorrectly), it does seem that they have indeed given a bit more prominence to water in this latest version, if only by joining up what were previously discrete bodies of it.

 

[FettFan]

The new concept art does show a greater stretch of water. In the earlier concept art, there appears to be a bit of water in front of the "main strip" of Frontierland (crossable by a footbridge) and then a waterfall in the new Cars area. These bodies of water now appear to join up, and the first of them has seemingly turned into a more substantial stream/river.

Now, this is just concept art, and cartoony concept art at that, so it can hardly be taken as reliable. But (unless I'm reading the old concept art incorrectly), it does seem that they have indeed given a bit more prominence to water in this latest version, if only by joining up what were previously discrete bodies of it.

The new art also looks like a shortened track to make room for the water.

 

[JohnD]

They can dress it up all they want, but they still fail to explain and justify the use of Cars as an IP for this area.

What exactly does Cars bring to this project besides name recognition and a chance to sell toys?

They're working backwards to try and justify the decision. If you didn't have ride vehicles with giant eyeballs on them, or had an alternate form of transportation to take you through the area, you wouldn't need to worry so much about sightlines or noise reduction. The ride's scenery would blend in and work as an extension of the existing Frontierland...like the RoA they're spending who knows how much to replace.

You could have similar scenery, a similar ride path, a similar kind of ride...and not worry about how to make it "fit"

It would just be another ride through a Frontier setting. One that doesn't have car shaped icons or buildings that are not designed for humans. A much more logical successor to the kinds of rides this is supposed to reference and build upon.

Cars is a handicap on the whole project, and you can tell WDI knows this by trying to make a Cars ride that doesn't look or sound like one and can be ignored when outside its perimeter...which is counter intuitive to a scenic wilderness trip.

Walt's Frontierland is no more. It was already in a state of being eradicated.
1. Shootin' Arcade. Gone. Now a DVC Lounge
2. Country Bear Jamboree. Changed to Country Bear Musical Jamboree with twangy versions of Disney songs.
3. Rivers of America with its Native American Settlement. Erased July 6
4. Tom Sawyer's Island with its Fort and places to explore. Erased July 6.
5. Liberty Belle. Narration while riding it. Silenced July 6. The boat itself. ?????
I won't argue Splash/Tiana. Neither really fit Frontierland anyway.

 

[Raineman]

What is pictured looks better than the current dilapidated remains of a 1971 walkthrough…

TSI is dated

It didn't look that bad at all 6 years ago when I was last there, but if it has gotten worse since then, it's only because Disney didn't want to spend any $$ on upkeep. If Disney was making money from TSI like they most likely will with Cars, it would be well maintained. But every inch of every park has to be generating revenue now for Disney, or it will be replaced with something that will.

 

[doctornick]

I don’t really understand why people are obsessed with parking the boat in a puddle. It eliminates so much of what makes it interesting and believable.

Since they seem to be retaining an actual waterfront, I think there is thematic value for continuing to have the riverboat in the water, even if it is not being used for transportation. It will still add to the appearance of the area as a visual cue. Also, it will actually help - if kept at its current location for a dock - to block off the Cars area from being seen from Liberty Square.

 

[Casper Gutman]

The new concept art does show a greater stretch of water. In the earlier concept art, there appears to be a bit of water in front of the "main strip" of Frontierland (crossable by a footbridge) and then a waterfall in the new Cars area. These bodies of water now appear to join up, and the first of them has seemingly turned into a more substantial stream/river.

Now, this is just concept art, and cartoony concept art at that, so it can hardly be taken as reliable. But (unless I'm reading the old concept art incorrectly), it does seem that they have indeed given a bit more prominence to water in this latest version, if only by joining up what were previously discrete bodies of it.

They look very much like the exact same layout - the thin strip of water is hidden by the mountain and trees in the more “realistic” map.

 

[danlb_2000]

Not if it starts curving at that point. They could replace the Frontierland Station with a Villains one, though I'd love to hear how the kindly narrator would explain that.

Can't curve it at that point unless you remove Big Thunder.