MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[Marc Davis Fan]

Tron, 7DMT, HoP, PeopleMover, CoP, Bears - there are unique attractions at MK.

Of course there are non-clone attractions in MK, and I deeply appreciate all of those (except maybe Tron!), but I was referring to "unique" in a broader sense - an experience truly unlike what you would find elsewhere (discussion below).

If what you're looking for is wow factor, then I can understand why you think this way. But MK is still the flagship park at WDW, and it's appeal for decades now has never been the wow factor-it's appeal to most has been nostalgia, both in the subject matter (very few attractions/restaurants in MK are based on any IP introduced during and after the early 90s) and in the cherished memories of past visits.

By "wow factor," I mean things that are exceptional in one of many ways - particularly grand, particularly amazing, particularly beautiful, etc. Disneyland Paris is my favorite park globally, with its incomprehensible beauty being the biggest "wow" I've ever gotten from a theme park. And part of its magic is also precisely that it's not (yet) IP-heavy!

I would suggest that - while we may not recognize this consciously - the nostalgia that I and others have for MK is largely a result of the "wow factor" that it had when we fell in love with it, and which it has been slowly losing (due to its competition as well as poor design changes). MK's environments were both beautiful / "architecture of reassurance" and spectacular beyond what existed practically anywhere else (e.g., the grander Main Street, the towering Cinderella Castle), and it was filled with attractions that were amazing and cutting-edge for their time (from Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain in the early days to Splash Mountain a few decades in). In the same way that we wouldn't be likely to fall in love with something at the level of 1955's Disneyland in 2025, today's MK isn't as likely to give people an experience that they remember for the rest of their lives the way it did a few decades ago. A colleague of mine, for instance, recently went to WDW and UO, and came back saying MK was nice but WWoHP was amazing and magical - that's what she remembers and will become nostalgic for. I think the solution is to double down on what makes Disney stand out - the beauty and "architecture of reassurance," the grand environments (including peaceful ones like the river was, but hopefully some of the new lands can be also), and amazing, cutting-edge attractions.

Of course, this discussion really depends on what we care about. If it's about our own nostalgia / experience, then obviously it makes sense not to make any changes to MK and just put everything new in the other parks - then we get the best of both worlds. But if we're interested in how the public will perceive "Disney World" and whether new generations will fall in love with it, I think expanding MK is essential (though again, I'd rather do so without removing the river!).

 

[MisterPenguin]

I was talking about a central water feature, such as the ROA, fountain of nations, etc. Major pieces of an area that don't work without it. I have walked through Moana very briefly but it's hardly a main water feature as you have to walk through it to even see any water, it doesn't add to the kinetics or ambiance in appreciable way. Hasn't the water in Adventureland always been there as well? Pandora does have decent water elements I will give you that but it's hardly the focal point of the land. Also, that was almost a decade ago. Kind of sad we have to go back that far for any meaningful inclusions of water other than a tiny waterfall on Rise or the little fountain at Ratatouille. Eisner era Disney did water right.

No true water feature...

 

[Tha Realest]

This discussion brings up a huge question:

What "attractions" and/or "operational expenses" actually contribute to the financial success of the Magic Kingdom in 2025?

What "attractions" and/or "operational expenses" are "NOT" contributing to the Magic Kingdom's financial success?

We know that Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Tron and the castle are true "attractions" that draw people in. But what about:

The Rivers of America?

That’s going away

The railroad and train?

I think they’d get rid of it if they could.

The Carousel of Progress?

Probably borrowed time, kept around only because they’re incapable of repurposing that space (see Disneyland)

Landscaping, flowers and gardens?

Looked around lately?

Live entertainment?

GF orchestra, Citizens of Hollywood, Disneyland entertainment and DCA’s Avengers land have been decimated.

Tomorrowland Motor Speedway????

I think that’s gone soon after Cars comes online.

We can run down the entire list of elements and assign an "attraction strength" vs "operational cost" and start zapping and killing each thing one by one based entirely on each thing's "people magnet power".

But do we "really" want to do that?

No. I agree with your core thesis. I just don’t think those things above are long for the parks.

 

[Tha Realest]

There is also an opportunity cost going on. Getting rid of ROA also made it much easier and cheaper to utilize a large expansion plot for Villains. The only other ride/feature I can think of that is blocking an expansion pad is Pirates... but I'm pretty confident its pulling its own weight.

EDIT: I think speedway would be the next attraction taking up way too much space for it's "Value".

They won’t have to do anything with Pirates as I suspect they’ll get rid of JC to get to that expansion pad.

 

[aladdin2007]

They won’t have to do anything with Pirates as I suspect they’ll get rid of JC to get to that expansion pad.

I don't believe that's how its designed, that expansion pad can be used and accessed without ripping out JC. Sort of like how Jones was added into Disneyland,,,but back to Frontierland.

 

[britain]

more than anything, the most frustrating thing about this, besides the obvious, is that in a classic case of pretending to care about their obscure characters, instead of actually using Ranger Woodlore (or any other thematically appropriate classic Disney characters), they feel the "need" to make a Carsona out of him to match the direction they're going with...while the real Ranger Woodlore continues to linger in obscurity

why not restore and/or put out the rest of the Humphrey shorts someplace? In the Bag in particular is a top-tier cartoon and the most recent widely circulated master is unrestored, 4:3 letterboxed mush

No, I think they made the right call here. They never let any non-car character interact with the car characters. The worlds are entirely separate.

 

[flynnibus]

That’s what made MK and DL and other Disney castle parks to an extent so unique; they contain timeless concepts, touchstones, original theme park creations, and yes some IPs that transcend the generations and remain with us

Ok, but let's remember what we see as 'timeless' now are the attractions that actually made the cut and survived.. not all did.

Many required significant updates to stay fresh too.

Those cherrished Disney attractions we celebrate as timeless are the ones that have appealed to multiple generations and built around topics that have continued to be enjoyed by people over several social eras. While POTC may have met that citeria, there are plenty of Mule Trains, Rocket to the Moon, etc that didn't.

 

[flynnibus]

I would be curious to know, though, whether there is any evidence that teenagers in general think Universal Studios and Universal Orlando are better than Disneyland and Walt Disney World or whether that is just the demographic in which they are most competitive.

Why does UNI have great success with an intense Halloween program while Disney still focuses on trick or treating? You think that is just some odd stand out? or maybe something a bit more reflective of the demographics

 

[JohnD]

There is also an opportunity cost going on. Getting rid of ROA also made it much easier and cheaper to utilize a large expansion plot for Villains. The only other ride/feature I can think of that is blocking an expansion pad is Pirates... but I'm pretty confident its pulling its own weight.

EDIT: I think speedway would be the next attraction taking up way too much space for it's "Value".

Now that the Cars (TM) attraction is greenlit is there really a need for two car attractions in MK?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Why does UNI have great success with an intense Halloween program while Disney still focuses on trick or treating? You think that is just some odd stand out? or maybe something a bit more reflective of the demographics

Again, I don't doubt that they pitch to different demographics and Disney's pitch is certainly more wholesome and family friendly. This may also indeed be because Universal is preferred to Disney by teenagers.

According to the last TEA ranking, however, Magic Kingdom and Disneyland both received around 7-8 million more visitors than Universal's most-visited parks in Florida and California in 2023, which is a significant number. So, I would just suggest that it is possible that Universal does better against Disney with that demographic than in other demographics without it necessarily being true that teenagers as a whole prefer Universal.

 

[Casper Gutman]

That's certainly how they pitch themselves and they do offer less attractions for younger children.

I would be curious to know, though, whether there is any evidence that teenagers in general think Universal Studios and Universal Orlando are better than Disneyland and Walt Disney World or whether that is just the demographic in which they are most competitive.

It certainly appears that Disney has started (foolishly) chasing Universal by building lots of restrictive thrill rides. WDW is still the bigger draw by far, but in their behavior, Universal clearly looks like the leader in Orlando and WDW the follower.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Ok, but let's remember what we see as 'timeless' now are the attractions that actually made the cut and survived.. not all did.

Many required significant updates to stay fresh too.

Those cherrished Disney attractions we celebrate as timeless are the ones that have appealed to multiple generations and built around topics that have continued to be enjoyed by people over several social eras. While POTC may have met that citeria, there are plenty of Mule Trains, Rocket to the Moon, etc that didn't.

Great point. Here are some selects from Disneyland's past, some of which stood for a very long time.

• Main Street Shooting Gallery (1955–1962)
• Big Game Safari Shooting Gallery (1962–1982)
• Pack Mules (1955–1956)
• Rainbow Ridge Pack Mules (1956–1959)
• Pack Mules Through Nature's Wonderland (1960–1973)
• Stage Coach (1955–1956)
• Conestoga Wagons (1955–1960)
• Rainbow Caverns Mine Train (1956–1959):
• Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland (1960–1977)
• Mike Fink Keel Boats (1956–1994, 1996–1997)
• Skyway to Tomorrowland (1956–1994)
• Skull Rock and Pirate's Cove (1961–1982)
• Motor Boat Cruise (1957–1991)
• Circarama, U.S.A. (1955–1997)
• Space Station X-1 (1955–1960)
• Rocket to the Moon (1955–1966
• Flight to the Moon (1967–1975)
• Mission to Mars (1975–1992)
• Tomorrowland Boats (1955–1956)
• Monsanto House of the Future (1957–1967)
• Submarine Voyage (1959–1998)
• Flying Saucers (1961–1966)
• General Electric Carousel of Progress (1967–1973)
• PeopleMover (1967–1995)
• Adventure Thru Inner Space (1967–1985)
• America Sings (1974–1988)
• Rocket Rods (1998–2000)

 

[Sir_Cliff]

It certainly appears that Disney has started (foolishly) chasing Universal by building lots of restrictive thrill rides. WDW is still the bigger draw by far, but in their behavior, Universal clearly looks like the leader in Orlando and WDW the follower.

I completely agree they have gone too far in this direction and seem to have forgotten how they built their appeal. It seems in part the same issues that are driving the E-ticket bias: the spiralling cost of new attractions and ease of marketing big, splashy thrill rides.

 

[Cliff]

I do wonder if part of the analysis for the removal of ROA at Magic Kingdom is since it will be maintained at Disneyland, this can help better differentiate the parks?

If you want the nostalgia hit, got to Disneyland. If you want a different castle experience, with a different style, go to Magic Kingdom.

Perhaps they think they can push business to both from the same markets? The more differentiated, the better for both parks.

It's my suspicion that modern Burbank does not love Disneyland's Rivers of America any more than they love Orlando's. I'd guess these people would LOVE to tear that out too if they could. However, "Fantasmic!" Is blocking that dream from happening.....for now.

"Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. It's the only way that you can be what you were meant to be" - Kylo Ren

 

[JohnD]

It's my suspicion that modern Burbank does not love Disneyland's Rivers of America any more than they love Orlando's. I'd guess these people would LOVE to tear that out too if they could. However, "Fantasmic!" Is blocking that dream from happening.....for now.

"Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. It's the only way that you can be what you were meant to be" - Kylo Ren

Don't forget the VIP dinner packages to see it. $$$$

 

[Disney Analyst]

It's my suspicion that modern Burbank does not love Disneyland's Rivers of America any more than they love Orlando's. I'd guess these people would LOVE to tear that out too if they could. However, "Fantasmic!" Is blocking that dream from happening.....for now.

"Let the past die. Kill it if you have to. It's the only way that you can be what you were meant to be" - Kylo Ren

I mean, they spent a good chunk of money redoing the river, and it's pretty gorgeous now.

But they are definitely leaving TSI to rot. Would love for them to figure out a better plan for the island.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

It's my suspicion that modern Burbank does not love Disneyland's Rivers of America any more than they love Orlando's.

I’m not sure who is guiding the ship anymore - it seems to get tossed by the waves but I’m not sure who is causing those waves.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I completely agree they have gone too far in this direction and seem to have forgotten how they built their appeal. It seems in part the same issues that are driving the E-ticket bias: the spiralling cost of new attractions and ease of marketing big, splashy thrill rides.

Disney needs to return to a focus on family dark rides AND up there game. EU has clear problems, but as a whole it leaves Disney’s recent efforts in the dust. The lands are so much more detailed, full, alive, and better laid out then recent Disney lands like TSL, SWL, and even Avatar. Ministry, which features a mood and story very similar to Resistsance, really makes the Disney ride look empty and unexciting.

If Disney wants to compete directly, it needs to COMPETE. The new AK land and Villains (in however many years) seem to be Disney’s only chance to make a statement to counter Uni in the near future, and Uni hopefully won’t be sleeping on their laurels in the meantime.

 

[Fox&Hound]

The problem with this they may find themselves in the “generation IP” spiral that Universal found itself in during the late aughts / early teens. With each new generation, different IPs may cross the gap, and others may just be yesterday’s fad. Is Disney willing to refurb, reskin and replace every 15 years? Or even less in some instances? That’s what made MK and DL and other Disney castle parks to an extent so unique; they contain timeless concepts, touchstones, original theme park creations, and yes some IPs that transcend the generations and remain with us. To me, Cars is a big risk in MK as who knows if in fifteen years it will be timeless and a touchstone like say Snow White or Peter Pan, or will be “mom and dads lame movie they liked as kids”.

But let’s say that is true. Couldn’t they keep everything but remove the Cars characters? And then it is just a car ride around the national park environment. Would that be so bad? It’s not like we are discussing them betting it all on Avatar and floating mountains.

 

[Bocabear]

I am hoping Epic continues to add and enhance what they have built there. It looks like a beautiful park... Meanwhile we will get a new ride, a spinner replacement and an attraction overlay in the Animal Kingdom and in 3-5 years a Cars land attraction with rumors of a spinner as it's second attraction.