MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[Disstevefan1]

It's important to remember that not everyone has Disney Plus.

I doubt any of the new characters from Lightning Racers will appear in the Cars ride anyhow. Maybe they'll do an episode where the characters go to Piston Peak?

Disney wanted to destroy RoA, TSI and the riverboat because someone in finance convinced Iger how much money they could save in maintenance and how much money they could make selling LLs to whatever replaced them.

Then somebody had to decide on what IP (because we know all attractions will eventually be IP based attractions) .

Somebody in some meeting presented their idea in a slide show (created by an intern) and here we are.

I must admit, whatever we end up with after all the scope cuts are made, 3 to 5 years from now when it opens, will sell LLs just like Slinky Dog does.

I am going to miss non IP based attractions like Mission space, living with the land, CoP and others when they are destroyed and replaced.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

It's important to remember that not everyone has Disney Plus.

I doubt any of the new characters from Lightning Racers will appear in the Cars ride anyhow. Maybe they'll do an episode where the characters go to Piston Peak?

That's what I hope, that they visit it to show it off as an area/national park and just bring it into the world of Cars proper (I know it was from Planes)

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Disney wanted to destroy RoA, TSI and the riverboat because someone in finance convinced Iger how much money they could save in maintenance and how much money they could make selling LLs to whatever replaced them.

Then somebody had to decide on what IP (because we know all attractions will eventually be IP based attractions) .

Somebody in some meeting presented their idea in a slide show (created by an intern) and here we are.

I must admit, whatever we end up with after all the scope cuts are made, 3 to 5 years from now when it opens, will sell LLs just like Slinky Dog does.

I am going to miss non IP based attractions like Mission space, living with the land, CoP and others when they are destroyed and replaced.

This might be the first person to say they would miss Mission Space

 

[Tha Realest]

I'm more just saying they've promoted the parks on shows for decades. Synergy with the parks as you wrote.

I wrote “Parks synergy with a D+ series.”

You asked why the Parks shouldn’t sync with D+ content (essentially, D+ -> Parks) and that this had been going on for decades.

I then asked what other rides have been built from Disney Channel series (the best antecedent to D+).

You’ve now shifted to “promoting the Parks on shows.” That’s an entirely different affair. First, there’s no indication this D+ series will take place in Piston Peak; all we know so far is it contains homages to Mad Max and The Shining and Ray Harryhausen films.

But I’m not taking about Uncle Jesse performing in the Magic Kingdom on TGIF. I am asking about attractions built from a Disney series. In the latter category, that gets us (loosely) “Superstar Limo” or “Sounds Dangerous” or “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - Play It!” Or, most recently, “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.”

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

She made a comment about how what Walt loved about Disneyland vs the films was that he could keep changing it

I might start a fun little project on seeing what actually got replaced during Walt’s time.
Would be interesting to note the types of changes and replacements that happened.

Disney wanted to destroy RoA, TSI and the riverboat because someone in finance convinced Iger how much money they could save in maintenance and how much money they could make selling LLs to whatever replaced them.

I mean…. It’s not quite as simple as that. There was a legit crowd flow issue - but there were ways to fix it without completely destroying the rivers (like the Disneyland method)

 

[TheMaxRebo]

This might be the first person to say they would miss Mission Space

my son loves it ... but I still think it's time has come and gone. I appreciate what they went for with it

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

my son loves it ... but I still think it's time has come and gone. I appreciate what they went for with it

It is the ONLY ride in all of Disney that I actively choose to skip given the chance with a walk on wait or fast pass

 

[MisterPenguin]

Apparently, the receding waters uncovered cars and trucks that had sunk in the river...

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Apparently, the receding waters uncovered cars and trucks that had sunk in the river...

View attachment 877988

It’s like it was destined to be… Ka Chow?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I might start a fun little project on seeing what actually got replaced during Walt’s time.
Would be interesting to note the types of changes and replacements that happened.

Looking through the list, I didn't see a ton from 1966 and prior that was total replacements - a lot of updates but similar rides

Biggest thing is probably the biggest one, just as far as ride system, though not a thematic change, was the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train becoming the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland

There were some closures like the Holidayland area, and of course Hollywood-Maxwell's Intimate Apparel Shop featuring the "Wizard of Bras"

Of course Disneyland was only only a bit over 11 years before his passing - no way of knowing what would have happened if he lived longer and things were 20, 30, etc years old

 

[MisterPenguin]

A day ago via @bioreconstruct...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Biggest thing is probably the biggest one, just as far as ride system, though not a thematic change, was the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train becoming the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland

The train of tomorrow to the monorail was a big one too. But again… it was replacing and improving. Very different than any modern day examples I can think of.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Looking through the list, I didn't see a ton from 1966 and prior that was total replacements - a lot of updates but similar rides

Biggest thing is probably the biggest one, just as far as ride system, though not a thematic change, was the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train becoming the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland

There were some closures like the Holidayland area, and of course Hollywood-Maxwell's Intimate Apparel Shop featuring the "Wizard of Bras"

Of course Disneyland was only only a bit over 11 years before his passing - no way of knowing what would have happened if he lived longer and things were 20, 30, etc years old

It is interesting to see how little was replaced wholesale and, in fairness, Walt may have been referring more to being able to plus and change attractions rather than ripping them out wholesale.

That said, your last point is a salient one and highlights how unfortunately brief his time was running the parks. To put it in perspective, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train would be the equivalent today in age of the oldest attraction in the park at the time Walt died. Not much, even today, gets replaced in that timeframe unless it is a colossal failure.

Would also just say the overall point still stands that I think there can be a case for replacing attractions beyond running out of space.

 

[Gusey]

I might start a fun little project on seeing what actually got replaced during Walt’s time.
Would be interesting to note the types of changes and replacements that happened.

I would also count New Tomorrowland in 1967 as, whilst it opened after Walt's death, Walt still approved it and oversaw the closures of things like the Astro Jets (1964), 20,000 Leagues Exhibit (1966), Flying Saucers (1966) and House of the Future, replaced by Rocket Jets, Adventures Thru Inner Space, Carousel of Progress and Alpine Gardens

 

[Animaniac93-98]

It is interesting to see how little was replaced wholesale and, in fairness, Walt may have been referring more to being able to plus and change attractions rather than ripping them out wholesale.

That said, your last point is a salient one and highlights how unfortunately brief his time was running the parks. To put it in perspective, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train would be the equivalent today in age of the oldest attraction in the park at the time Walt died. Not much, even today, gets replaced in that timeframe unless it is a colossal failure.

Would also just say the overall point still stands that I think there can be a case for replacing attractions beyond running out of space.

Keep in mind that for Disneyland specifically, it was the only park there for 45 years. Eventually, they would run out of serious room for expansion, even after alerting the RR many times (even in Walt's life) to make space.

The Magic Kingdom does not, and was built to not, have such constraints. Since 1980 however, the park has only had occasional changes to its footprint or real expansions (Splash, Birthdayland, New Fantasyland and TRON). Significant replacements and changes in MK did not begin until the 90s, and a lot of that was fueled by the same business philosophy that at the same time closed all the unique stores. Sure the are reasons why something may be replaced vs real expansion, but for 45 years, Disney has been reluctant to use any space in its most popular park that wasn't previously occupied before. Cars and Villains continues this trend.

Remember, 20,000 Leagues sat idle for a decade before it was demolished for possible (not immediate) replacement

 

[JohnD]

To be clear, I don't know what's happening to the Liberty Belle. I quoted Bio's post specifically because of the rumor that it had already been destroyed, when in reality, it's sitting backstage at the marina. Part of me thinks that it would've already been demo'd if they were going to demo it, so I'm remaining hopeful for now.

Right. But as of today, it's still moored at the marina, not "destroyed". Thanks.

 

[jah4955]

Keep in mind that for Disneyland specifically, it was the only park there for 45 years. Eventually, they would run out of serious room for expansion, even after alerting the RR many times (even in Walt's life) to make space.

The Magic Kingdom does not, and was built to not, have such constraints. Since 1980 however, the park has only had occasional changes to its footprint or real expansions (Splash, New Fantasyland and TRON). Significant replacements and changes in MK did not begin until the 90s, and a lot of that was fueled by the same business philosophy that at the same time closed all the unique stores. Sure the are reasons why something may be replaced vs real expansion, but for 45 years, Disney has been reluctant to use any space in its most popular park that wasn't previously occupied before. Cars and Villains continues this trend.

Remember, 20,000 Leagues sat idle for a decade before it was demolished for possible (not immediate) replacement

Great points. By the time they announced "New Fantasyland" they were able to spin the long-vacant 20K land as, "the largest expansion in MK history," instead of what it essentially was: a replacement of (by 1971 standards at least) 1 E-ticket attraction that closed almost-exactly 20 years earlier (when you consider its last piece, 7DMT, opened 2014). Didn't they make the same claim, again, with Cars/Vilians ("largest expansion in history")? I'm curious if the final result is going to be more than the outline of RofA? Yes, I'm still stewing that they previously said, "beyond" BTM when nothing actually seems like it will be "beyond." But, there's time.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I mean…. It’s not quite as simple as that. There was a legit crowd flow issue - but there were ways to fix it without completely destroying the rivers (like the Disneyland method)

Disney did not want to deal with the expense a difficulty with trying to save RoA plus (just my speculation) they want to erase these old themes and replace them with newer IP.. This is not Walt’s company for a long time now, it’s Iger’s company now.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Great points. By the time they announced "New Fantasyland" they were able to spin the long-vacant 20K land as, "the largest expansion in MK history," instead of what it essentially was: a replacement of (by 1971 standards at least) 1 E-ticket attraction that closed almost-exactly 20 years earlier (when you consider its last piece, 7DMT, opened 2014). Didn't they make the same claim, again, with Cars/Vilians ("largest expansion in history")? I'm curious if the final result is going to be more than the outline of RofA? Yes, I'm still stewing that they previously said, "beyond" BTM when nothing actually seems like it will be "beyond." But, there's time.

Not expecting it to go beyond the berm but I would be surprised if Villains Land doesn't stretch into the open area to the east of the top of the River

So I guess more "Beyond the Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World Show Buildings" than "Beyond Big Thunder" - but guess we shall see

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

I can be your source. I was at a party and I spoke to one of the imagineers working on the project. After I asked about his Tiana jacket, he gleefully explained to myself and two others how excited they were to shred the costumes and/or skins for the old animatronics (can’t remember specifically) and that the company as a whole was eager to “move past that ugly part of their history” referring to Splash Mountain.

That anecdotal experience along with a few other stories I’ve been told about how Disney leadership and decision makers treated the closure of Splash tell me all I need to know about how things go at current Disney.

They have contempt for their own history and the people who love it.

I feel like this can easily be misconstrued. While I don’t love to keep bringing up the corpse of Splash Mountain, I do think that SotS’s theme was truly an ugly part of the history. People do gloss over that it was always somewhat controversial to some people and I feel like it’s a bit of a revisionist history to pretend like every one has to be sad by its closure. I will say upfront that as a Black man myself, I loved the design and overall ride of Splash Mountain but it’s root in story do make me feel uncomfortable. I would not blame anyone for feeling similar, no matter their position in the company.