MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

flynnibus

Premium Member
Only Fantasyland had IP and even then, The lead characters did not appear in their own rides because the Imagineers figured that people could figure out that the guest acted as the main character in the story.
Snow white obviously is the lead example of where they tried to make the guests be in her role.. but that wasn't any broad design for all of FL. Peter Pan, Alice, Pinnochico, Mr Toad, all have the leads. The premise used in Snow White was more the exception, not the norm.

And the rest of the park was not devoid of IP. Main Street was full of sponsor products selling their own stuff. Main Street Cinema was showing Disney cartoons
The riverboat was named Mark Twain to link to his era and tales.. not an imaginary person.
We all know the focus on the westerns, frontier, and jungle was not independent of the popularity of the entertainment of the period.. including from Disney. Disney just created new unique experiences from pop culture topics and stories of the time.

The biggest difference is WDP of 1955 had a much narrower scope than TWDC of the 21st century. Yes, Walt at times created stuff completely out of his own interests.. but he also did it predicting the guests would also like it. He bucked trends, to pushed what he thought would be successful entertainment.. not just building his own playground.
 

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
The respective themes you juxtaposed HM vs Inside Out IPs possible retheme.
Isn't there a reference to the Haunted Mansion in the first Inside Out? Maybe that'll be their justification.
Tropical Americas has Encanto, which has a character tied to animals
A minor character who's important for about two scenes and is not the main character of the movie. If the Encanto ride is actually about animals outside of the one scene in Antonio's room, I'd be surprised.
EPCOT is still about science, the world, innovation, and connectivity.
Nothing says "science", "innovation", and "connectivity" like Frozen and Guardians of the Galaxy!
Peter Pan, Alice, Pinnochico, Mr Toad, all have the leads.
Wasn't Peter Pan originally absent from the Disneyland version of Peter Pan's Flight until the 1980s refurbishment? The pre-1984 Alice in Wonderland did have Alice narrating at least... does Mr. Toad appear in person (as in, outside of a statue or a portrait in Toad Hall) at any point during Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?
 

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
Only Fantasyland had IP and even then, The lead characters did not appear in their own rides because the Imagineers figured that people could figure out that the guest acted as the main character in the story.
I can think of a couple. Swiss Family Robinson tree house, Tom Sawyer Island, Mike Fink keel boats. Disney made non-animated versions of these stories - sometimes for movies, sometimes for Wonderful World of Disney.
 

Raineman

Well-Known Member
Taken from the Haunted Mansion queue on a rainy evening last month. What a view. What a vibe.
View attachment 863963
Disney exec: "That is nice, but wouldn't it be nicer with a bit of "kachow" and "git 'er done"?"
I’m of the mind that there is very little at Magic Kingdom that should be considered untouchable. Disneyland is the park where I think there’s numerous things that are untouchable and it would be beyond the pale for them to do so.

In Magic Kingdom to me, the only things that I view as untouchable would be the railroad, Haunted Mansion, Jungke Cruise, and Cinderella Castle. Those things represent either the best iteration of a certain attraction (at least in this country) or something that I think is integral to the parks identity.

I don’t think that the Rivets of America or Tom Sawyer Island is integral Magic Kingdom’s identity. I think it is to Disneyland’s and I would be very against them removing it there.

there are attractions at other parks at Walt Disney World that I consider to be untouchable because I consider them critical to that parks identity. But the other three parks don’t struggle with their identity as much as Magic Kingdom does. Magic Kingdom was built with an identity crisis.
Can I ask why you think TSI/ROA is integral to DL's identity, other than it being the location of Fantasmic?
 

Jedi14

Well-Known Member
Taking a second look at Tokyo, it seems as though they’ve done it right. They’ve managed to greatly expand their parks while destroying very little and preserving all of the classic attractions. Also, they didn’t cave on Splash.

Kudos to OLC for being more Disney than Disney.
Isn’t Tokyo considering to get rid of their Jungle Cruse, Treehouse, Tiki Room, and Railroad?
 

TheMaxRebo

Well-Known Member
Isn’t Tokyo considering to get rid of their Jungle Cruse, Treehouse, Tiki Room, and Railroad?

Correct - though not sure how committed to it or just a first cut/bluesky but was presented as part of their 2035 strategy and would include Up, Incredibles and other elements

1000005369.jpg
 

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
I can think of a couple. Swiss Family Robinson tree house, Tom Sawyer Island, Mike Fink keel boats. Disney made non-animated versions of these stories - sometimes for movies, sometimes for Wonderful World of Disney.

As much as Walt wanted to, he did not produce any adaptation of Tom Sawyer in his lifetime

Disney's versions of those stories wouldn't be made until after the Islands opened in the parks.
 

HMF

Well-Known Member
I can think of a couple. Swiss Family Robinson tree house, Tom Sawyer Island, Mike Fink keel boats. Disney made non-animated versions of these stories - sometimes for movies, sometimes for Wonderful World of Disney.
First one, I will grant you. second one was based on a novel, not a film
 

The Mom

Moderator
Premium Member
First one, I will grant you. second one was based on a novel, not a film
I was mistaken, as I misremembered seeing it on the Disneyland TV show, which preceded Wonderful World of color.
So even though Tom Sawyer's Island, The Mark Twain, and the keel boats were present at the 1955 opening of Disneyland, they had not been previously used in a Disney film.
 

Raineman

Well-Known Member
Thinking a Disney exec knows what "kachow" refers to? I don't care who you are that's funny right there.
Yeah, true. Might have to change that to someone alot lower on the Disney corporate ladder.
You know who designed it, right?
Yes, but what does that have to do with it? Why does the person behind the attraction have any bearing on it's importance in any park it is in, unless we're talking about the whole "Disneyland is sacred ground because Walt built it and walked the grounds, so his creations should never be removed." ROA/TSI has been very integral to the theming, ambiance, atmosphere and setting of that area of MK, just like it has at DL. Just because WDW is seen as the redheaded stepchild cash cow by Disney as compared to the "hallowed ground" at DL, it doesn't change that.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
I can think of a couple. Swiss Family Robinson tree house, Tom Sawyer Island, Mike Fink keel boats. Disney made non-animated versions of these stories - sometimes for movies, sometimes for Wonderful World of Disney.
I was mistaken, as I misremembered seeing it on the Disneyland TV show, which preceded Wonderful World of color.
So even though Tom Sawyer's Island, The Mark Twain, and the keel boats were present at the 1955 opening of Disneyland, they had not been previously used in a Disney film.
Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, Tom Sawyer Island and the Mike Fink Keel Boats were not opening day attractions at Disneyland.

The Davy Crockett content was made for the Disneyland TV show to show material related to the park. The decision to build Frontierland came first and the Davy Crockett episodes were made in support of that decision, not the other way around as would be done today.
 

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