MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[TheRealSkull]

I will say that I can appreciate that the newest concept art places a heavier emphasis on water features and exploratory areas that were seemingly absent or minimized in earlier reveals. I also appreciate that they took the time to mention that sightlines will be a factor that they are taking seriously with this change.

Since the project is inevitable, my main concern now is how they will handle the execution of the Cars attraction being next door to Haunted Mansion. The originally revealed art seems to indicate they considered this sightline with a walkway and series of trees between Mansion's queue and the new Cars area, but the most recently shared work is a bit more stylized and vague, foregoing the trees in this area for the "Welcome to Piston Peak" banner.

Probably overthinking the stylized nature of the second piece of art. I have to believe sightlines from (and of) the Mansion would be among those given special attention on this project. It would be a travesty to have to endure anything Cars-related while in line for one of Disney's finest attractions.

I'm not worried about sightlines. It looks to be like a decent barrier of rockwork and trees which will buffer the two attractions. I'm more concerned about the noise.

 

[Disstevefan1]

This is going to be a long 3 to 5 years until it opens for previews,,,,,,

 

[mickEblu]

So what year was peak Magic Kingdom? Over on the DL side the consensus seems to be 1995 for Disneyland.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I’ll just say…it’s pretty bold of you to say Walt Disney himself made a mistake putting Country Bears in Frontierland. That’s the kind of unfounded purism Disney (the company today) will never be able to satisfy

Rather than adjust your definition of Frontierland to accommodate its creator's choices, you're saying the creator himself was wrong

Walt was dead when the Magic Kingdom was designed. He had nothing to do with the attraction mix or placement. Some things came from projects that were already being developed, but that’s it.

 

[FettFan]

So what year was peak Magic Kingdom? Over on the DL side the consensus seems to be 1995 for Disneyland.

You should probably set this question as a poll to get a consensus.

Personally, I would say the Magic Kingdom’s peak was 1994-1997…. But but seeing as I was the target audience aged 10-13, my opinion may be more than a little skewed.

I will say this though…having actually gone to WDW four times in the past six years (June ‘19, February ‘20, February ‘23, and February ‘24) there definitely has been a noticeable downgrade in the park’s overall quality.

But at least the popcorn refills are still $2.50.

 

[donaldtoo]

I’ll just say…it’s pretty bold of you to say Walt Disney himself made a mistake putting Country Bears in Frontierland. That’s the kind of unfounded purism Disney (the company today) will never be able to satisfy

Rather than adjust your definition of Frontierland to accommodate its creator's choices, you're saying the creator himself was wrong

Did you not read my post…?!?!?!
I clearly said they announced Mineral King in 1966, the same year Walt died. The resort wasn’t officially cancelled until 1978, because of environmental concerns.
CBJ was originally intended for that resort.
CBJ was an opening day attraction on WDWs opening day, on Oct. 1st, 1971, but Walt was long gone before the decision to put CBJ in Frontierland was made. Also, unlike EPCOT, the “east coast Disneyland” was barely a glint in Walt’s eye. Walt had absolutely nothing to do with putting CBJ in Frontierland.
I guess maybe the word “they” confused you about what I was trying to say…? They, as in Disney, not they as in Marc and Walt together.
Either way, I figured all would have picked up on the timeline.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

You should probably set this question as a poll to get a consensus.

Personally, I would say the Magic Kingdom’s peak was 1994-1997…. But but seeing as I was the target audience aged 10-13, my opinion may be more than a little skewed.

I will say this though…having actually gone to WDW four times in the past six years (June ‘19, February ‘20, February ‘23, and February ‘24) there definitely has been a noticeable downgrade.

But at least the popcorn refills are still $2.50.

My opinion is definitely skewed but I think MK has gotten better in recent years but since some rides are closed I'm gonna go with right before BTMRR closed. Park has a lot of nice hitters at this point and while they still need to figure out the food situation, I love it as a park.

 

[TheRealSkull]

My opinion is definitely skewed but I think MK has gotten better in recent years but since some rides are closed I'm gonna go with right before BTMRR closed. Park has a lot of nice hitters at this point and while they still need to figure out the food situation, I love it as a park.

Magic Kingdom is still a world-class theme park, but it needs help. Disney thinks the answer is responding to Universal with expansions, but it's the overall quality of the guest experience that needs to return, like keeping things freshly painted, stricter cast member training, better maintenance on attractions, less reliance on technology for planning, etc...

 

[FettFan]

My opinion is definitely skewed but I think MK has gotten better in recent years but since some rides are closed I'm gonna go with right before BTMRR closed. Park has a lot of nice hitters at this point and while they still need to figure out the food situation, I love it as a park.

Strong disagree.


Perhaps THIS could be the reason I hate post-Covid WDW? Quite a coincidence…

 

[Disstevefan1]

Magic Kingdom is still a world-class theme park, but it needs help. Disney thinks the answer is responding to Universal with expansions, but it's the overall quality of the guest experience that needs to return, like keeping things freshly painted, stricter cast member training, better maintenance on attractions, less reliance on technology for planning, etc...

Iger said Disney has already responded to EPIC.

 

[donaldtoo]

Pretty sure it's why people are estimating a 2029 opening, right? In a perfect world, this could be open sometime in 2028.

Knowing the way Disney rolls these days, it may be 2031…?

 

[Centauri Space Station]

So what year was peak Magic Kingdom? Over on the DL side the consensus seems to be 1995 for Disneyland.

1994 is when they closed counter service restaurants like Adventureland veranda and 20k closed for a refurb and never reopened.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I will say that I can appreciate that the newest concept art places a heavier emphasis on water features and exploratory areas that were seemingly absent or minimized in earlier reveals. I also appreciate that they took the time to mention that sightlines will be a factor that they are taking seriously with this change.

Since the project is inevitable, my main concern now is how they will handle the execution of the Cars attraction being next door to Haunted Mansion. The originally revealed art seems to indicate they considered this sightline with a walkway and series of trees between Mansion's queue and the new Cars area, but the most recently shared work is a bit more stylized and vague, foregoing the trees in this area for the "Welcome to Piston Peak" banner.

Probably overthinking the stylized nature of the second piece of art. I have to believe sightlines from (and of) the Mansion would be among those given special attention on this project. It would be a travesty to have to endure anything Cars-related while in line for one of Disney's finest attractions.

Some of the commentary when they released the latest concept art talked about sightlines - specifically when coming in from Liberty Square - and sound bleed - specifically in relation to being near the Haunted Mansion.

I really do think they know they can't have anthropomorphic cars just zipping past the HM saying Kachow - it will be more subtle and the attraction specifically separate from when you are near the HM and other area. If anything I think this can be a positive and make for a better queue area for Mansion

 

[donaldtoo]

That’s really the root of my hesitation with this whole closure. The Liberty Belle and Tom Sawyer Island used to be these detours you could stumble into on a whim. There were no long lines, no Individual Lightning Lanes to purchase, no strategy at all. But these days, nearly every moment feels like it comes with a price tag or a countdown timer.

Yep, we, at least, rode the Liberty Belle or visited TSI on all our trips, usually both.
Two no-hassle great ways to just chill and enjoy the scenery.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Yep, we, at least, rode the Liberty Belle or visited TSI on all our trips, usually both.
Two no-hassle great ways to just chill and enjoy the scenery.

I am glad they highlighted the walking path around the geysers for Piston Peak. Obviously will be a very different vibe but hope there truly are ways to explore and escape and chill in the new area as well

 

[mickEblu]

1994 is when they closed counter service restaurants like Adventureland veranda and 20k closed for a refurb and never reopened.

Interesting. So is the mid to late 90's when things started go South at the domestic parks or is 30 years just enough time for us old people to get nostalgic?

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Interesting. So is the mid to late 90's when things started go South at the domestic parks or is 30 years just enough time for us old people to get nostalgic?

I was too young myself but the first loss i can remember at wdw that i was sad about was when Toad closed.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

So what year was peak Magic Kingdom? Over on the DL side the consensus seems to be 1995 for Disneyland.

My vote is 1992

Still had a lot of the original stores and restaurants, along with OG versions of attractions.

It was during WDW's 20th anniversary celebration, SpectroMagic started the previous Fall, Splash Mountain would open before year's end. You had newer stuff like Dreamflight, Mickey's Starland, but the original Snow White, for example.

Tomorrowland's peak was 1995-1997, but the park as a whole I would say earlier.

 

[HMF]

Interesting. So is the mid to late 90's when things started go South at the domestic parks or is 30 years just enough time for us old people to get nostalgic?

Probably both, I first went in 99 but the experience today is well below that bar.

 

[Casper Gutman]

August 1994. That was WDW’s height. Tower of Terror was open and 20000 Leagues, Toad, and the EPCOT attractions still existed. Wilderness Lodge had just opened and, with the exception of AKL, the great WDW hotels were operating and relatively reasonably priced.