MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[Architectural Guinea Pig]

would argue that Disney parks “matter” as much or more than the most respected museum or revered historic sites

There is only one Disney park that fits the bill, that is Disneyland Park. Magic Kingdom, while it has its history and its culture, is more so a bucket list destination for the ever evolving mass consumerist American middle-class economy. The company does not hold much of the park to be sacred in any way that deems keeping.

 

[Agent H]

Oh, come on. You can't be serious. I know you are reading the same threads I am.

In every single thread, and it is almost always prefaced by the word "negativity".

Maybe this is a sign we put too much emphasis on whether someone is on the “positive side” or the “negative side “?

 

[Casper Gutman]

There is only one Disney park that fits the bill, that is Disneyland Park. Magic Kingdom, while it has its history and its culture, is more so a bucket list destination for the ever evolving mass consumerist American middle-class economy.

Your description of one element of Disney Worlds importance is accurate (if limited) but in no way means that the resort is not historically or culturally vital. Indeed, it means that it is intimately tied to one of the primary drivers of post-war American (and global) social change and is an incredibly rich subject for study. Frankly, Disneyland is tied to and profoundly illustrative of the very same forces - the emergence, growth, and changing nature and consciousness of the American middle class.

The company does not hold much of the park to be sacred in any way that deems keeping.

Yes. The company is largely run by fools. And make no mistake, they don’t actually respect Disneyland in the slightest either.

 

[donaldtoo]

The Disney owned and branded website is full of breathless excitement over everything... perhaps they would rather look on that site rather than actually discuss the good the bad and the ugly on these discussion forums...

Hahaa…!!!
I hadn’t gotten to your post yet before I posted similar…!!!!!

 

[mergatroid]

It's a tough one and I understand those who aren't happy about it. I initially hated the idea as I've been visiting for about 50 years and ROA is part of my 'assumed will never change' part of Disney. Having seen the more detailed plans and ideas however it feels a lot less negative and there's hope that it will work out well.

There's extremes on the positive and negative side of opinions on this site and that will probably never change. There's a minority that will say they like anything Disney does and a minority that hate everything Disney does. Seemingly that seems to be their default setting and is almost worn as a badge of honour, it's unlikely they'll ever change.

I don't post as much as the big hitters on here (not a criticism) but I in many cases try to look at the positive side of things and some may think that I'm too positive. I've been negative about a number of things but I always try to wait until I know all about a new attraction or have experienced it myself before I'm negative about it, it's just the way I am.

Likewise there are several posters who may be known for their negative views who I respect greatly as they at least try to be fair about their criticisms in many cases, but they probably stand out for being solely negative to some when in fact they're not.

For instance when Guardians opened there were one or two who had decided to make how awful it would be their hill to die on and were seemingly upset by the positive responses. I get some hated the gravity building with blue paint, I get some hated the placement of it into Epcot. However when it opened they were a tiny few actually arguing with folks who enjoyed it for completely new reasons beyond those. When people say "Take away the music and people won't like it" became a favourite for some. The same thing could be said about nearly every attraction, take an element of it away and it would lose something. Turn all the lights on forever in the Haunted Mansion and it would feel an awful attraction, that's not to say that the darkness is the only thing making it good but rather that it's a sum of its parts.

People saying it was great were asked "Yeah but did you really love it or do you think you just thought you did because it's new" by an individual on here. Another poster was asking "Were the screens clear or blurry" and to those in the majority who said they weren't the was no further discussion however the one or two who said they weren't great were quoted and changed the narrative to "People are saying that the screens are no good".

Back to ROA and we have some who will hate it regardless and that's their right. I can respect those who wish it wasn't happening just as I can those who are warming to it or seemed excited about it from the off (which there weren't many of). To me it now looks like they could pull it off and to some it doesn't. We'll have to wait and see I suppose but there's some on both sides that will never change their minds as it's more about pride than whether something is actually any good or not.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

But, for now anyway, it still is.
The other side of that is, by the time this abomination is complete, all vestiges of Frontierland may have been erased by then…?
We were there in Oct. of ‘23 and June/July of ‘24, and, fortunately, that whole stretch all the way to BTMR (sans TBA, of course) still looks like Frontierland.
Modern off-road racing doesn’t tie in with either old west frontier OR 1920’s TBA.
Where are they going with all this…?!?!?!

It's not supposed to be any specific time period at all - it is supposed to represent many aspect of the exploration and nature side of north America which can be enjoyed and has been explored throughout the years.

 

[Bocabear]

It's not supposed to be any specific time period at all - it is supposed to represent many aspect of the exploration and nature side of north America which can be enjoyed and has been explored throughout the years.

So this is the Nature Side Of North America Road Rally Automobile shaped topography land? Ohhh I see how that fits perfectly!

 

[JackCH]

I think the complaint over replacement rather than expansion is very valid, and is a frustration I have as well.

I think some of the valuation of RoA and Muppets is a little over-the-top and projecting onto people who disagree that they somehow lack critical thinking is condescending and straw-manny.

I think everyone could use a snickers.

I love Disney of the past, and I still love the Disney of today.

 

[donaldtoo]

That’s another odd thing - cars COULD have hosted a vintage ride through the American frontier - that would at least put it in the same time as bears and Tiana.

I don’t know what era the Country Bears are in anymore, based on their current musical repertoire…?!?!?!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I don’t know what era the Country Bears are in anymore, based on their current musical repertoire…?!?!?!

Disney songs are not really bound by time, but rather by style. Ragtime piano players, Dapper Dans, Voices of Liberty, all sing Disney songs in the era that fits.

The biggest issue time wise is the modern fender style guitar for friend in me.

 

[HMF]

people won't realize what beauty we have lost until it is too late.

That seems to be a theme with Disney these days.

 

[CAlexander]

Just another note - I view the parks not only as places to have fun but as vitally important cultural and historical sites and as works of art. This perspective means that ripping out chunks of them IS a big deal and that “people having fun,” while certainly important, in no way compensates for thoughtless, short-sighted changes.

I would argue that Disney parks “matter” as much or more than the most respected museum or revered historic sites.

That's nice and all, but your perspective is not shared by the large majority of people.

 

[Fox&Hound]

It would be great if Disney remembered that WDW is supposed to be fun. Guests are not the ones responsible for making it fun.

Right now, Disney is ripping out the RIVERS OF AMERICA. If a poster told you 15 years ago that Disney was going to do this, you would have dismissed them as an absurd doomer. And you would have been right to do that.

Do you think so? I feel like rumors of the rivers going away has been discussed for a long time. Now Muppets going away? I will give you that, for sure!

 

[HMF]

One good thing about this is that people will hopefully stop comparing Disneyland to WDW. It will give the Magic Kingdom its own identity once this, and Villains open hopefully around 2029.

There is no comparison between the two, one is an international Resort twice the size of Manhattan. The other is a local-driven Theme Park resort. Disneyland will probably always be better than Magic Kingdom because of the Walt Factor. DHS and DCA are the IP dumping ground parks with little thematic consistency. EPCOT was a great park that had it's themes slowly eroded over time due to bad management and Animal Kingdom is now threatening to follow the same path.

 

[HMF]

But discussions have to progress. You've been saying the same things since this projects was announced, and even when we get new information its just the same discussion of "I like RoA so I won't like its replacement". We've had confirmation that there will be a significant water pressence with the Cars attraction, plus sections of the national park to explore on foot, and their designing the new attraction so it won't impact on the natural vibes of Frontierland and Liberty Square, particularly with noise. Yet, I keep seeing the same "discussion" that this is a mistake because their getting rid of all the water in the area and it will impact the views and sounds from Frontierland and Liberty Square.

A bad idea is a bad idea, no matter how you slice it.

 

[Incomudro]

For someone who whines about Disney constantly, the fact you pay for an AP is hilarious to me.

Probably tied by [thUSER=101836]@Incomudro[/USER] wanting RoA to stay but has never ridden it.

Thanks for the insult.
I didn't need to ride the boat to enjoy the ambiance of the scenery.

 

[Fox&Hound]

Its not that people complain on this site. Fine, everyone has their opinions. But some people post all day long. Just every other post is the SAME person saying the SAME thing. I love the discussions, but they are mostly populated by a few posters just arguing their same point again and again ad nauseam. Maybe there should be a limit. Like after ten posts in a day you get a notification that tells you to go outside and play in the sunshine. Or a note that says “thank you; your opinion has been noted. Now it is time to give others the chance to express their opinion”…..

 

[HMF]

No one knows for certain but I don’t see WDW ever going back to the way it was in the past. If people don’t find it enjoyable now and there’s no indication it will get better, doesn’t the sadness just get exhausting?

Yes, I have been away from WDW for 7 years now because of how exhausting it was to watch Disney casually destroy things that I loved and found life affirming I still post here because there are many of us here who remember the way things were supposed to be. I am sure The Walt Disney Company would love to see me just throw in the towel completely and just make any dumb decision they want. But if I don't speak up and defend them I am sure they would be happy to continue to destroy classic Attractions and Shows to the point where they are no longer recognizable. I want to see as much of it preserved as possible. There is a possibility, however unlikely that the Company may regain leadership that actually cares about the legacy it's been entrusted with. I hopefully look forward to that day.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don’t know what era the Country Bears are in anymore, based on their current musical repertoire…?!?!?!

Last set was mostly from the 1950's.

Certainly was the heyday of folks driving out and visiting national parks.

 

[HMF]

But, for now anyway, it still is.
The other side of that is, by the time this abomination is complete, all vestiges of Frontierland may have been erased by then…?
We were there in Oct. of ‘23 and June/July of ‘24, and, fortunately, that whole stretch all the way to BTMR (sans TBA, of course) still looks like Frontierland.
Modern off-road racing doesn’t tie in with either old west frontier OR 1920’s TBA.
Where are they going with all this…?!?!?!

What, You actually expect a theme park to have an actual master plan in regard to it's theming? The Parks are clearly just glorified billboards that promote whatever Disney's latest acquisition or franchise is. That's the way Iger sees them and will remain at least while he is CEO and likely continue if the company picks the next CEO in-house.