MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[Purduevian]

This new concept art actually makes me excited. I haven't ridden the Riverboat or visited TSI in decades. I the main thing I will miss is the ambience, but it seems like there will be just as good ambience if different.

 

[montyz81]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, 26k acres affords you the flexibility to build new things without gutting the original things. This park is going to be a glorified six flags soon.

 

[Agent H]

So I have a question. How exactly is the train going to work? Is it going to go backwards? Or is the storybook circus stop going to eliminated? I’m having a hard time imagining how it’s going to work.

 

[Raineman]

You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous of which is, 'never get involved in a land war in Asia,' but only slightly less well known is this: 'Never post something positive about Disney on the WDWagic Forums and expecting agreement' (laughing maniacally)".

Are there people here that crap on everything Disney does? Yes. Are there people here that agree with and applaud everything Disney does? Also yes. But there are also those that are somewhere in between, and if this group mentions that they don't like a decision that Disney is making, and list their valid, personal reasons for it, then the "positive" crowd is all over them, with the dismissive, mocking attitude. The "positive" crowd can sure be negative when it fits their purposes. But, this has been the story for years on here-it was the same with the Splash/TBA thing, but at least this discussion does not have any sociopolitical elements that made that one very nasty at times.

 

[Disney Dead Head]

Point taken as far as that location being a bottleneck. Assuming keeping it in Liberty Square has been ruled out, maybe it can be where Bwana's Bobs is to make that area seem more like a tropical port-of-call with a dock and boat. Haven't been to MK in a while so forgetting what is going on right there.
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I'd much rather the LB be an operating boat but that battle is lost. Now the issue is whether it has value as a stationary landmark and thematic feature, and I think it does. It's "better than nothing."

Th stationary Jolly Roger at Disneyland, DLP, and Tokyo DisneySea are examples of a docked boat adding to ambience.
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Move the Liberty Bell to EPCOT - America and have it replace the Schooner that is behind the Theater

 

[DrStarlander]

The part I'm most concerned about is they don't reference the Haunted Mansion in these concept art. The Haunted Mansion is going to be sitting right next to this. They have to know how ridiculous it’ll look next to the entrance to a national park.

To me this is the last remaining "major concern." I do wonder if the theme (or an IP overlay) of Liberty Square (and replacement of Hall of Presidents) is a longer-term plan. Given Disney's interest in making the Castle parks more unique, I am not going to be shocked if in a future overhaul of Liberty Square that the Haunted Mansion gets a complete re-theme.

The spooky theme may be less valuable once there's an entire dark-vibe land. Not rooting for this, just speculating, partly based on how little they're saying/showing about HM and Liberty Square...the camera angle of both their concept sketches conveniently omit LS and HM, choosing to view it not from a typical and neutral south-looking-north (map-like) viewpoint but from a very specific angle where a view of LS and HM can be avoided.

 

[CoastalElite64]

The Cars Land area will look very unique in Florida. Something else I noticed is the water will be more bright/ clear and less murky. That will make tourists more comfortable at the park.

 

[J4546]

i dont hate this newer concept art.

 

[LittleBuford]

So I have a question. How exactly is the train going to work? Is it going to go backwards? Or is the storybook circus stop going to eliminated? I’m having a hard time imagining how it’s going to work.

It’s going to shuttle back and forth (travelling backwards half the time) without doing a complete loop.

 

[Gremlin Gus]

If Cars *opens* in 2028, when does Villains land?

I'm guessing 2029 or 2030 depending on if the 5-year plan presented at D23 2024 started on 2024 or 2025

 

[JohnD]

Walt doesn't approve.

 

[aladdin2007]

Looks like they finally dusted off those Wilderness Junction plans, too bad they got the location wrong.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Move the Liberty Bell to EPCOT - America and have it replace the Schooner that is behind the Theater

I'd be open to them moving it to Port Orleans Riverside and use it as a lounge, character meet area, etc

 

[Andrew C]

i dont hate this newer concept art.

It is an exaggerated cartoon map....I am struggling to even consider this concept art.

 

[doctornick]

Point taken as far as that location being a bottleneck. Assuming keeping it in Liberty Square has been ruled out, maybe it can be where Bwana's Bobs is to make that area seem more like a tropical port-of-call with a dock and boat. Haven't been to MK in a while so forgetting what is going on right there.

Has keeping it in Liberty Square been "ruled out"? With the new concept art actually having a waterfront next to the existing dock building, I feel like there's act least a chance that the Belle remains (albeit docked) at its currently location.

In fact, if there is any plans to keep the Belle at all, seems like docking it at its current location is the most logical and easiest.

 

[Ayla]

So I have a question. How exactly is the train going to work? Is it going to go backwards? Or is the storybook circus stop going to eliminated? I’m having a hard time imagining how it’s going to work.

It goes back and forth between Main Street and Storybook Circus, as outlined in @Charlie The Chatbox Ghost post with all the info.

 

[Smoky]

It's hilarious that Disney added what essentially amounts to a small creek running alongside this absolute monstrosity of an attraction and all of a sudden this is the best thing ever and all is saved.
>hurr durr something something TSI dated and bad hurr durr
This will be an unsightly abomination that will undoubtedly get budget cut to a ridiculous degree and will end up being a soulless and empty husk with horrible sightlines and just a pitiful excuse for a replacement. I will bet you anything that about 90% of the announcement today will be downright false/not happen/get budget cut. See: Tiana's or anything else unImagineering has cooked up in the last decade. Let's not forget Jeff Vahle is still in charge and the ONLY thing he cares about is revenue. He doesn't care about all of the intangibles that once made the parks great unless it can be directly monetized for short term gain. There's just no way this ends up being a quality attraction that is a worthy replacement of ROA. You are lying to yourself if you believe otherwise.

PS: for the record I want it to be good and hope they knock out of the park and I eat my words. That just simply will not happen.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Why are you convinced that the streams or rivers weren’t designed to be larger and that they only appear larger because of the new concept art style? Can’t it be both? Also why are you taking the original vague concept art as gospel?

I’m not taking any concept art as gospel. I’m arguing the two images depict pretty much the same plan.

They choose the new art style for a reason.

There’s two main possibilities here (there are others, but they’re related):

1) In response to fan outcry, Disney spent money significantly altering plans, including rerouting the central ride
2) in response to fan outcry, Disney had someone draw a new piece of art emphasizing different things.

Both are possible, but common sense and history point towards one as more possibility as more likely.

By the way, competent designers (and Disney has some) would know from day one of the design process that losing the water was a major issue. Fan outcry isn’t telling them anything they didn’t know. They made their plans anyway. Why change now?

 

[Ayla]

If Cars *opens* in 2028, when does Villains land?

*Hopefully, never.

 

[Kamikaze]

I'm more okay with this IF the amount of water on the new art is actually built and not just for the art.

I also visit DL more than WDW and DL's RoA has no chance of going anywhere, so I still get to have it, which helps.

*Hopefully, never.

I mean, this train ain't stopping now. (It's just going to run in shuttle mode)