Walt Disney World: New Horizons

[Pi on my Cake]

And last, but certainly not least, here's Part 3.

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SCENE SEVEN: THE BELL TOWER

(QUASIMODO and the GARGOYLES run on. CLOPIN and members of the ENSEMBLE find places among the platforms to watch the following scene.)

QUASIMODO: I'm worried about Esmeralda.

LAVERNE: Oh, it doesn't look good.

VICTOR: It's hopeless.

HUGO: (ever the optimist) Ah, if I know Esmeralda, she's three steps ahead of Frollo, and well out of harm's way.

QUASIMODO: Do you really think so?

HUGO: Hey, when things cool off, she'll be back. You'll see.

QUASIMODO: What makes you so sure?

LAVERNE: Because she likes you. We always said you were the cute one.

HUGO: I thought I was the cute one!

LAVERNE: No, you're the fat, stupid one with the big mouth!

HUGO: What are you saying, exactly?

LAVERNE: Take it from us, Quasi. You've got nothing to worry about.

HUGO: Yeah, you're irresistible.

VICTOR: Knights in shining armor certainly aren't her type.

HUGO: And those guys are a dime a dozen. But you? Well ... you're aces, kid! (He produces an Ace of Hearts out of nowhere. As the following song progresses, CLOPIN and the ENSEMBLE start to sway along with the beat.)
A guy like you
she's never known, kid.
A guy like you
a girl does not meet everyday.
You've got a look
that's all your own, kid!
Could there be two...

GARGOYLE:S ...like you?
No way!

LAVERNE: We all have gaped
at some Adonis...

VICTOR: ...but then we crave a meal
more nourishing to chew.

HUGO: And since you're shaped
like a crossaint is...

GARGOYLES: No question of,
she's gotta love,
a guy like you.

(A fake piano is held up for VICTOR to "play", whilst the cloaks of three GYPSIES serve as a make-shift stage for LAVERNE.)

LAVERNE: Call me a hopeless romantic,
but Quasi, I feel it.

VICTOR: She wants you, so any moment
she'll walk through the door...

GARGOYLES AND ENSEMBLE: For...

(The ENSEMBLE dances with flower arrangements in the shape of hearts.)

ENSEMBLE: A guy so swell,
a guy like you.
With all you bring her,
A fool could tell
it's why she fell
for you-know-who!
You ring the bell...

GARGOYLES: (in counterpoint with above) A guy like you,
I tell you, Quasi,
there never was another,
was he?
From king to serf
to the bourgeoisie,
they're all second-stringer!

ALL: You're the bell-ringer!
When she wants ooh-la-la,
then she wants you-la-la.
She will discover, guy,
you're one heck of a guy!
Who wouldn't love a guy like you?
(You got a lot the rest have not,
so she's gotta love a guy like you!)

(The ENSEMBLE disperses as ESMERALDA runs on.)

ESMERALDA: Quasimodo!

QUASIMODO: Esmeralda, you're all right! I knew you'd come back!

ESMERALDA: My dear friend, I must ask for your help one more time.

QUASIMODO: Yes, anything.

(Two MONKS bring in an unconscious PHOEBUS.)

ESMERALDA: This is Phoebus. He's wounded, and a fugitive like me. Please, can you hide him?

QUASIMODO: Yes, this way.

(PHOEBUS is laid on the stage floor, as ESMERALDA tends to him, laying a blanket down on top of him.)

PHOEBUS: Esmeralda?

ESMERALDA: You're either the single bravest soldier I've ever seen, or the craziest. You're lucky -- that arrow almost pierced your heart.

PHOEBUS: I'm not so sure it didn't.

(They kiss.)

QUASIMODO: I knew I'd never know
that warm and loving glow,
though I might wish with all my might.
No face as hideous as my face
was ever meant for Heaven's light...

(Despondent, he tears the Ace of Hearts in half. Suddenly, DJALI bleats.)

Frollo's coming! You must leave!

ESMERALDA: Be careful, my brave friend. Thank you. (She runs off.)

LAVERNE: Quick! We've gotta stash the stiff.

(CLOPIN narrates the following action, as it is pantomimed by other performers.)

CLOPIN: The evil Frollo had a plan. He informed Quasimodo that at dawn, he would attack the secret underground gypsy camp with a thousand of his men. You see, the necklace Esmeralda gave to Quasimodo had a map to this most secret place -- the Court of Miracles. So, Phoebus and Quasimodo set foot to find it, to warn Esmeralda and help save her people. But, my little friend, Frollo and his guards followed them, arrested them and ... well, let me show you.

SCENE EIGHT: THE BATTLE

(The doors are pushed on-stage again as the rose window once again descends. CLOPIN and PHOEBUS are shoved into cages at the left side of the stage. QUASIMODO goes to the highest platform and chains himself to two poles. ESMERALDA is tied to a stake at the right side of the stage. The ARCHDEACON and SOLDIERS enter.)

FROLLO: (reading from a scroll) The prisoner, Esmeralda, has been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft. The sentence -- death.

HUGO: Come on, Quasi! You gotta snap out of it!

VICTOR: Your friends are down there!

LAVERNE: You've gotta break those chains!

QUASIMODO: I can't. I tried.

VICTOR: You can't let Frollo win!

QUASIMODO: He already has.

HUGO: So, that's it? You're giving up?

LAVERNE: Those chains aren't what's holding you back, Quasimodo.

QUASIMODO: Leave me alone!

HUGO: All right, Quasimodo. We'll leave you alone.

VICTOR: After all, we're only made of stone.

LAVERNE: We just thought that you were made of something stronger.

(FROLLO advances towards ESMERALDA with the torch. Fog begins to swell around the stake.)

FROLLO: Therefore, it is my sacred duty to send this unholy demon back to Hell where she belongs!

QUASIMODO: No!!!

(QUASIMODO breaks the chains, grabs a rope and swings down to the platform where ESMERALDA is. He grabs a torch from a SOLDIER and wards the others off.)

Back! Back!

(He unties ESMERALDA and they rush up the stairs.)

Hurry, Esmeralda, hurry!

FROLLO: Quasimodo!!!

(QUASIMODO doesn't listen. He ushers ESMERALDA towards an opening near the highest platform.)

QUASIMODO: You'll be safe in here. (running to the highest platform) Sanctuary!!! Sanctuary!!!

FROLLO: Captain! Seize the cathedral!

(QUASIMODO lobs a huge beam down at the SOLDIERS. PHOEBUS and CLOPIN break free of the cages and rally the GYPSIES.)

Come back, you cowards! Pick up that beam! Break down the door!

(As a squadron of SOLDIERS tries to break down the door, the GYPSIES and CLOPIN proceed to fight off some of the SOLDIERS. PHOEBUS rushes onto the runway and addresses the audience.)

PHOEBUS: Citizens of Paris! Frollo has persecuted our people, ransacked our city, and now he has declared war on Notre Dame herself! Will we allow it?!

GYPSIES AND AUDIENCE: No!!!

HUGO: I think the calvary's here!

FROLLO: Again! Put your backs into it!

(HUGO and QUASIMODO push over a large cauldron. Its molten contents pour out in front of the doors, sending embers crashing to the stage below. The SOLDIERS flee. Regardless, FROLLO pushes forward towards the doors. The ARCHDEACON runs up to him.)

ARCHDEACON: Frollo, have you gone mad? I will not tolerate this assault on the house of God!

FROLLO: Silence, you old fool! The hunchback and I have unfinished business to attend to, and this time, you will not interfere.

(PHOEBUS brings ESMERALDA's unconscious body down to the stage below, as a jubilant QUASIMODO rushes down the platforms to her.)

QUASIMODO: Esmeralda! Esmeralda, we've done it! We've beaten them back! (noticing her still body) Wake up, Esmeralda. You're safe now. (No response) Esmeralda? Oh, no... (to an approaching FROLLO) You've killed her!

FROLLO: It was my duty, horrible as it was. Now, listen to me, Quasimodo...

QUASIMODO: No, you listen! All my life, you've told me the world is a dark, cruel place! But now, I see that the only thing dark and cruel about it is people like you!

FROLLO: There, there, Quasimodo. I know it hurts. But now, the time has come to end your suffering ... forever.

(FROLLO attempts to stab QUASIMODO with a knife, but QUASIMODO is able to struggle with him, and pushes him back. During this, ESMERALDA has risen.)

ESMERALDA: Quasimodo?

QUASIMODO: Esmeralda!

FROLLO: She lives!

(He goes to the chest with the gargoyle atop it, and brandishes a sword!)

I should've known you'd risk your life to save that gypsy witch, just as your own mother died trying to save you.

QUASIMODO: What?!

FROLLO: And now, I'm going to do something I should've done twenty years ago!

(FROLLO proceeds to chase QUASIMODO and ESMERALDA across the platforms. The ARCHDEACON enters with the ENSEMBLE.)

ARCHDEACON AND CHOIR: You can lie to yourself and your minions.
You can claim that you haven't a qualm.
But you never can run from,
nor hide what you've done from the eyes!
The very eyes of Notre Dame!

(By this point, FROLLO has QUASIMODO and ESMERALDA cornered on the second-highest platform to the right of the stage. During the battle, the barrier has been moved aside to allow for the following to happen. FROLLO raises his sword high over QUASIMODO and ESMERALDA.)

FROLLO: And He shall smite the wicked and plunge them into the fiery pit!

(But before he can strike, QUASIMODO rushes forward and tries to wrestle the sword out of his hands. During this, FROLLO loses his footing. He drops the sword. He tries to recover balance, but with a scream, he falls into the arms of the ENSEMBLE below, who carry him off-stage. As FROLLO lands in their arms, two GYPSIES unveil an orange-and-yellow cloth, symbolizing that FROLLO has, himself, been plunged into the "fiery pit", which follows the ENSEMBLE off.)

EPILOGUE

(QUASIMODO has been laid over the edge of the platform, tired. PHOEBUS comes rushing on and helps QUASIMODO to his feet. The three back down onto the stage. PHOEBUS hugs QUASIMODO. QUASIMODO hugs ESMERALDA. Then, QUASIMODO places the hands of ESMERALDA and PHOEBUS together, giving his blessing to their love. Two GYPSIES open the doors, and the three rush through them. CLOPIN enters to deliver the moral.)

CLOPIN: So, here is a riddle to guess if you can,
sing the bells of Notre Dame.
What makes a monster and what makes a man?

(In a staging similar to the opening puppet-show, we see puppets of QUASIMODO, ESMERALDA and PHOEBUS enter through the small doors we saw in the beginning. The Paris countryside drop is brought on again. A puppet of a little girl appears, who walks up to the puppet QUASIMODO with no fear, and hugs him.)

CHOIR: Sing the bells, bells, bells, bells,
bells, bells, bells, bells,
bells, bells, bells, bells...

CLOPIN: (under this) Whatever their pitch, you can feel them bewitch you,
the rich and the ritual knells
of the...

ALL: Bells of Notre Dame!

(The puppet show and drop disappear to reveal our characters celebrating victory. All the bells in the theater swing and sway triumphantly. QUASIMODO is practically leaping towards Heaven as he triumphantly rings the bells. PHOEBUS swings ESMERALDA around. The GARGOYLES jump for joy. LAVERNE doesn't even seem to mind the birds for once! DJALI trots around. The GYPSIES twirl their cloaks in jubilation. CLOPIN and the ARCHDEACON looks on with pride.)

CHOIR: Ah-ah-ah,
ah-ah-ah,
ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah!
Ah-ah-ah,
ah-ah-ah,
ah-ah-ah ah-ah-ah!

(Big finale. All the performers pose dramatically. Applause. Then, to the strains of "Out There", the cast takes their bows. As the GYPSIES, save for two, run off-stage, the PRINCIPAL ROLES -- QUASIMODO, ESMERALDA, PHOEBUS, FROLLO, CLOPIN, the ARCHDEACON, DJALI, VICTOR, HUGO, LAVERNE, and even the birds -- make their way down the runway, greeting those sitting nearby.

They turn to leave, as well, QUASIMODO giving one last bow before heading off. After he leaves, CLOPIN takes one last bow. As he does, the GYPSIES use their cloaks to cover him up. When they part, he has vanished. The only thing left on-stage is QUASIMODO's model of Paris, standing proudly.)

CAST MEMBER: On behalf of the Magic Kingdom, we thank you for joining us this afternoon, and we certainly hope you have enjoyed this presentation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame: A Musical Adventure. Please gather all your personal belongings, take small children by the hand, and exit through the doors on your right. Once again, we hope you enjoyed the show, and we hope you enjoy the rest of your time here at the Magic Kingdom.

(As the crowd disperses, "Someday" by All-4-One plays as exit music.)

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And there we have it! What do you guys think? It took me quite a long time to transcribe the show, so I hope you enjoyed it! Now, for our next post, since we are in Fantasyland, I thought it would be nice to take you on a few dark rides. I have a few ideas for an updated Peter Pan's Flight, plus, there's those two new dark rides I told you about. So, what say we see what those look like? Expect to see them coming by soon, and until then, if you have any feedback, be sure to post it here!

This show seems amazing! I'll admit, i mostly skimmed it for now. But I'm definitely gonna come back and read it all. Great work!

 

[DisneyManOne]

This show seems amazing! I'll admit, i mostly skimmed it for now. But I'm definitely gonna come back and read it all. Great work!

Thank you kindly! I tried to recapture the spirit of the original show, hence why most of it comes straight from the original version, but I also wanted to retain a bit more of the film's darker moments.

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Peter Pan's Flight

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Heading further into Storybook Village, we approach a Tudor-style mansion topped with blue patchwork roofs and lovely wooden decor. Our entryway into this building is through an old tower. Perched atop the tower is an old weathervane, with arrows pointing towards the different directions of the compass and the Jolly Roger, the ship of one Captain James Hook, atop it. Nearby is a similar weathervane, but minus the arrows and with a silhouette of the Crocodile atop it. Perched on the panelings of the tower's balcony is a sign bearing the ride's title, the same sign used in the ride's current entrance.

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The sign is giant cloud bearing the name and Peter Pan, the Darling children and Tinker Bell soaring past Big Ben. However, there's been an added bonus. The words have been embedded with LED lights, so when night falls, it will look as if the words are glowing with pixie dust. Hanging from the tower are two signs, one to the left boasting the FastPass+ return time, and the one to the right boasting the current wait time. Stepping through the tower, we pass through ornate wooden switchbacks, much like California’s queue, before heading towards an interactive queue made to look like the Darlings' home. Once through the interactive queue, exiting it via a stone-and-wood passageway, like at Disneyland, we come to the loading area. Upon reaching the loading area, the first thing that catches your eye is an ornate mural. 80s and 90s kids may recognize the mural as taking inspiration from two notable Peter Pan VHS covers. On the left-hand side, we see the island of Neverland, the moon shining high above it. In the forefront, however, we see the Jolly Roger, and Captain Hook in a rowboat, menaced by the Crocodile. This part comes from the 1998 VHS cover...

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Clouds separate Neverland from the next part of the mural, featuring Peter Pan and the Darling children flying above London town. This, of course, comes from the 1990 VHS cover:

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The town of London, in turn, transitions into the quiet streets of Bloomsbury, leading up to a full-scale building made to look like the top floor of the Darlings' house, where the nursery is located. A large window sits in the middle of the building, allowing a bevy of flying pirate ships to pass through and begin their journey.

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Speaking of which, let's discuss those ships. The ride will be largely the same, as there's not much room to do anything too fancy with it. However, the track and pirate ships will be scrapped and replaced. First, the fleet of ships will be replaced, allowing for more polished and new ships to fly to Neverland and back. But these new ships will feature two rows of two (similar to the Disneyland Paris version), allowing for a doubled capacity and parties of two, three and four to ride together. The track will be completely replaced, allowing for a smoother ride and a more believable experience. With the current tracks and vehicles, the ships squeak along the track, taking away some authenticity. However, the crown jewel of the new ride system is the additional Kuka arm disguised into the mast and sails of the ship. This new Kuka arm will allow the vehicle to be programmed with many new movements that the current system cannot do. Throughout the refurbished attraction, the vehicles will now tilt slightly forward, backwards or side to side. In addition, the Kuka arm allows the ship to rise or fall along the track.

Now, let's move on to the ride itself. All of the scenes in the right have received a full work over and enhancement to bring the classic ride into the 21st century while still having the nostalgic charm of the original 1971 attraction. All of the audio animatronics in the attraction will be replaced with new, enhanced animatronics with full range of motion. In addition, all-new set pieces will be created, and state of the art LED effects will fill our field of vision. Once all guests are aboard (the Omnimover loading system will be discontinued), LED lights sparkle around us to simulate the feeling that our ship is being covered in "pixie dust". We fly over the chimneys, up a brief incline, and into the Darlings' nursery.

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Given that the Omnimover system is no longer used, the track that brings guests up the incline in the nursery is no longer part of the ride. Instead, we are immersed in an ornate nursery setting. Michael and John are in bed, Wendy seated nearby. Suddenly, the animated shadow of Peter Pan flies past and out the window. We hear Peter's voice calling: "Come on, everybody! Here we go...! Off to Neverland!" As if enticed by his words, our ship follows suit, flying out the window and towards the quiet Bloomsbury streets. An instrumental of "You Can Fly!" starts up. Nana floats nearby (as we can see, some of the pixie dust must have gotten on her), waving good-bye with her paw. We sail past some of the neighboring houses on the Bloomsbury street the Darlings call home. The ships really come alive here bobbing, tilting and weaving through the scene to replicate the feeling of flight. Then the ships pass through a cloud (simulated by a fog effect) to unveil a glittering London beneath them

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The entire set has been revamped to make it glitter in the night while projections and LED’s add to the magic, including improved car effects on the streets and even the effect of the Thames' river's water "shimmering" in the moonlight. The entire room is surrounded by a large projection screen depicting the night sky. As we exit, we can see Peter and the Darlings flying past the moon (as they pass the moon, their silhouettes are seen). Peter is heard saying "There it is, Wendy. Second star to the right and straight on till morning." The ships then turn to face a giant mist screen, projecting the "second star to the right", which reveals itself to be the island of Neverland. Tinker Bell appears via projection and motions for them to follow her. The ships pass through the mist screen and suddenly they are flying right over Neverland.

Unlike other versions of the ride, we do not merely just fly over the island itself, but rather soar over the hills and mountains, getting up close and personal with the people that call Neverland home. We begin with a rather un-warm welcome from the pirates on the Jolly Roger. As we fly over, we hear Hook shout "Here they come, Mr. Smee! Shoot 'em down!" To which Smee responds, "Aye-aye, Cap'n!" and then fires. The ship quickly swerves to dodge the cannonball but guest can feel the wind rush by them. From there, we descend further into the jungles of Neverland, and pass by more friendlier faces. irst, we pass by Hangman's Tree, the hideout of the Lost Boys. The Lost Boys themselves are huddled around a campfire. Next stop: Mermaid Lagoon, where mermaids are seen preening themselves. Y'know, one of those mermaids looks suspiciously like Ariel... Finally, we pass by an elevated plateau where Tiger Lily and her tribe sit around a campfire, playing their drums. Their teepees sit behind them. From there, things take a more ominous turn.

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Sailing past Skull Rock, we come across the ride's big climax: Wendy's about to walk the plank; Michael, John and the Lost Boys are tied to the mast; the pirates are just standing there, menacingly and Captain Hook and Peter Pan are in sword-based combat on the mainbrace.

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Here, the figures of Hook and Peter are improved and more convincing as their blades somehow connect. Also, so that Hook can duel with his sword instead of his hook (as is the case in the ride now, bizarrely), the positions of the two will be switched, so that now Peter is on the left and Hook on the right. This is also to keep the hook on Hook's left arm as usual (in Disneyland, it's on his right arm, for some reason). All the figures have been updated to fully animated animatronics giving real life to the scene. Meanwhile, the crocodile waits nearby, ticking away as usual.

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Swinging around the ship, the pirates are all knocked out and the usual scene of a victorious Peter and the Darling siblings poised at the ship's steering wheel as Peter tells Tinker Bell, "Cast off for London! Pixie dust!" Upon Peter’s command, the ship turns a bright shade of gold (in the form of fiber-optics which quickly covers the entire ship). You then see the usual scene of a defeated Hook standing precariously on the crocodile's jaws to avoid going into his mouth. Unlike previous versions, the jaws actually try to scissor shut (with Hook's legs with it). Hook calls out for help to Smee, who answers from a rowboat. The projected water effect will also be showcased in this scene. Once past Hook, we pass through the foliage and past a mural depicting the golden pirate ship sailing off into the night sky, illuminated by the moon. From there, we return back to the loading area, and exit to the right.

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What do you think, guys? For the next post, I figured we knock two birds with one stone. We'll be taking a look at the two newest dark rides in Storybook Village -- Tangled: A Royal Celebration and Pinocchio's Daring Journey. Until then, keep the feedback coming!

 

[DisneyManOne]

And now, a look at the two new Fantasyland dark rides.

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Tangled: A Royal Celebration

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In the tradition of Frozen Ever After, Tangled: A Royal Celebration builds upon the world we've seen in the film, and invites us along for a rollicking new adventure. This is a concept that I helped develop for the "Pines of Paris" challenge in The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Homecoming Edition. I thought it was too good not to use, so this will be an updated version of the concept.

The experience starts outside of the attraction, where guests are immersed in the wonderful architectural stylings of a small village. However, an unassuming corner of this charming town is being overtook by trees, rocks, and roots. Guests enter the queue and wind around trees and rocks (an extended queue used for busier days) before entering a cavern. Throughout this queue, there are signs that we are not alone here. Half-eaten apples and boot-prints in the pavement nearby prove that Flynn Rider and Maximus are somewhere nearby. Posted on the tree closest to the cavern entrance is a note from Flynn himself, telling us to meet him, Maximus and Pascal inside the cavern. This final stretch of queue brings riders to the loading area, a deep, underground cavern underneath the tavern. Here, guests board small vehicles, similar to those at Snow White's Scary Adventures (three rows of two). Note, however, that these vehicles have been given notable technological upgrades. In this modern day, the vehicles can change speed (or stop/start) and rotate on a rotating base.

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As the ride begins, the vehicle rounds the corner and emerges from the cave into the forest. As riders continue along, they soon encounter an animatronic Flynn Ryder, Maximus and Pascal. They quickly explain to guests that Rapunzel's birthday celebration is beginning soon and they have to hurry to make it in time! Flynn points in the direction of a hidden tunnel in a large rock face and tells guests to use it as a shortcut. The vehicles, as a result, speed up and enter the next scene through the outcropping.

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Next, with a large swell in music, the oasis in which Rapunzel's tower sits is revealed. Flynn, having "followed" guests into this scene, explains that the tower now sits abandoned after Rapunzel's ordeals. He then checks his watch and realizes that they must hurry to catch the release of the lanterns, as it's getting dark.

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In the next scene, Flynn leads riders through a eerie area of the woods, which Imagineers purposely placed at this point. The stark contrast between the previous scene builds tension and suspense as the vehicles crawl at a slower pace. But, when a swarm of bats takes flight, the vehicles spin, as if taken by surprise, and speed off. In the next scene, guests arrive at a river bed. Flynn, already on the other side, calls to the riders to cross. But, as the vehicles enter the river (created using projections and creative lighting effects), they are swept away. The rotating base of the ride vehicle helps this effect, as the vehicles gently turn to simulate the chaos of an ebbing river. We can see that land is getting further and further away. We will surely be lost to sea...

...but then, a giant tree falls before our eyes, blocking our path. A triumphant whinny sounds. We turn around to reveal Maximus, standing at the base of the fallen tree. Flynn congratulates Maximus and encourages us to travel further. The kingdom is not too far away! Indeed, we pass through a small bit of forest and emerge before the Kingdom of Corona itself! Now, in the village, guests approach the castle gates. Citizens of the kingdom wave at the vehicle as it passes. At the gate, an animatronic Rapunzel greets the vehicle and thanks them for coming. Now the celebration can begin!

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In the final and largest scene, we "float" on the water away (backwards) from the kingdom as hundreds of lanterns float into the air in the distance. "I See the Light" plays. We rotate to see Rapunzel and Flynn sitting in their boat, singing. Pascal can be seen nearby, his skin turning a blushing red. Guests turn away from the kingdom and back into the forest. Maximus is seen as we head back to land, nodding his head in farewell. A wooden docking area serves as our unload point, themed to look like a building inside the village. When we begin the ride, we are in the cavern; and when we leave, we are in the village. Even as we exit the ride and head back onto the streets of Fantasyland, we notice that the ride building has taken on the appearance of the same buildings we saw back in the restroom area.

But now, let us head across the street. There's another adventure just waiting to be had...

Pinocchio's Daring Journey

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Across the way from Rapunzel's royal celebration, we find the entrance to Pinocchio's Daring Journey. Now, the Magic Kingdom's version of this classic dark ride will be a bit more, shall we say, extravagant compared to the other versions of the ride. The rather rushed story will be fleshed out a bit, and a few new scenes will be sprinkled in here and there. But don't take my word for it. Let's hop right to it!

The ride's exterior is modeled after the beautiful exterior of Disneyland’s ride. Passing underneath the theater entrance, we find that although the exterior may look Californian, the queue takes inspiration from Tokyo Disneyland’s version of the ride. After passing through those wooden switchbacks, we arrive at the loading area, which also looks like the Tokyo version. Passing through the loading area is a never-ending parade of woodcarver’s carts, ready to take guests through the world of Pinocchio. As we wait to board, we hear Jiminy Cricket provide the safety spiel. "Hello, friends. Cricket's the name. Jiminy Cricket. And you're about to embark on a journey with my pal, Pinocchio. But before you do, here's a few words of advice: For a safe ride, remain seated with your hands, arms, feet and legs inside and parents, be sure to watch your kids. And please, no food, drink or smoking, either. Well, I'll see you under the wishing star. And remember, always let your conscience be your guide."

Once inside our cart, we set off. Passing by a few village facades, a la Tokyo, we pass under an arch and towards Geppetto's workshop at night. The Wishing Star shines high above as we stop outside his workshop. Through the window, we see a workbench where a lifeless puppet--namely, Pinocchio--is seated. Suddenly, a holographic Blue Fairy appears, taps the puppet with her wand, and brings him to life. In doing so, she says: "Little puppet made of pine... wake!" The puppet moves around and says, "I can move! I can talk!" The Blue Fairy adds, "Prove yourself brave, truthful and unselfish, and someday you'll be a real boy." She turns to Jiminy Cricket standing nearby and says, "Mr. Cricket, I dub thee Pinocchio's conscience." Then she disappears.

As we pick up motion, we hear Geppetto exclaim, "It's my wish come true! Pinocchio's alive! But now you've got to go to school." The projected night turns to day as we head out onto the cobblestone streets. The instrumental strains of “Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee” fill the air. We see Pinocchio, with books in one hand, and an apple in the other, being enticed by Foulfellow and Gideon. "My dear Pinocchio", Foulfellow says, "you should take the easy road to success...to the theater!" As the two rogues escort Pinocchio toward the theater, Jiminy appears again and calls out in protest, "Wait, Pinoke! You can't go with those ill winds in cheap clothing! You can't be an actor! You've got to go to school!" But this has no effect as you approach the entrance to Stromboli’s puppet theater…

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Entering the puppet theater, we see Pinocchio performing "I’ve Got No Strings" alongside a Dutch puppet and a French puppet. But as we leave, we hear Stromboli laughing sadistically as he bellows, "You will never get away from Stromboli now!"

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You then enter the backstage of the theater, similar to other versions out there. Here, other puppets are imprisoned in cages, Pinocchio especially, in a bird cage, as Stromboli leers at him menacingly, .while saying, "This will be your new home, my little wooden gold mine!" You go past the both of them, past Jiminy Cricket pointing the way out. You go through the giant cage and out into the cobblestone street. Heading back out onto the streets, we come across a fork-in-the-road. Foulfellow and Gideon are standing beside it. It looks they've been messing with the directional signs. One points the way to Geppetto's Workshop and the other points the way to Pleasure Island. From the way the signs are pointing, you (and by extension, Pinocchio) seem headed in the right direction, but then the fox laughs uproariously while the cat hiccups. Jiminy calls out, "Wait! You're going the wrong way!" Too late, it seems you are now crossing a stone bridge over some water, towards Pleasure Island…

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Our trip through Pleasure Island should be both warm and inviting, yet strange and disorienting altogether. There are various sights to be seen, such as a candy cane Ferris wheel and a lollipop-themed merry-go-round. To the right, you see a literal soda fountain; that is, a fountain that spouts soda. And rising in the background is an ice cream mountain down which lemonade cascades. In the foreground, roller coaster tracks crisscross. In the sky, fireworks explode. One car travels through a gingerbread house, and below a tree adorned with donuts. We pass by a giant box of popcorn, and a giant candy apple with a green worm popping its head out.

We go past Foulfellow and Gideon playing a hi-striker game, and enter the Rough House, in front of which a figure of a tough guy wearing a derby and wielding a club entices boys to come in and pick a fight, only to split up one more time. We then go along Tobacco Row, where wooden Indians stand at the ready to toss out cigars. On the ground, the road is paved as a giant strip of chewing tobacco; and then for a brief jaunt through the Model Home, open for destruction. A giant stained glass window had been shattered completely and inside, furniture is wrecked, mud tracks crisscross everywhere and the Mona Lisa is hanging at a cockeyed angle and is wearing a mustache besides.

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Finally, we approach the Pool Hall, shaped like a giant 8-ball. ere, the truth about Pleasure Island hits, as Lampwick starts turning into a donkey before the terrified eyes of Pinocchio. Meanwhile, the Coachman stands menacingly off to the side and says, "So, you blokes choose the easy life, do ya?" Leaving the Pool Hall, you see donkeys in crates, some wearing boys' clothing and either braying a melancholy bray or crying, "Mama!" and "I wanna go home!" while the Coachman says, "You boys have had your fun!" Meanwhile, Jiminy point the way out of Pleasure Island as he cries, "We gotta get outta here, before it's too late!" Just then, you come face-to-face with the Coachman again as he tries to pull open the door to a giant crate labeled "To the salt mines", while saying, "Don't leave yet!"

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Somehow, you manage to slip by, and you come across a stormy sea, which is occasionally illuminated by flashes of lightning. Here, Jiminy stands on a sign reading, "Beware of Monstro, the Terror of the Deep!", while the cricket himself warns, "Watch out for Monstro! Nothing escapes from him!" You head forward into darkness, where you hear an unearthly roar. One last flash of lightning reveals that you're approaching the huge gaping maw of a whale… That’s right! In this version of Pinocchio’s Daring Journey, we actually get to go inside Monstro!

The innards of the beast are littered with various shipwrecks. In the center of it all are Pinocchio and Geppetto on their ramshackle boat, contemplating their predicament. Pinocchio proposes a way to escape from Monstro by building a fire so the great whale sneezes. You pass by an effect of Pinocchio building a fire (it's a shadow effect, backlit by the fire). The room then rumbles and shakes, simulating an upcoming sneeze. Suddenly, the cars turn backwards, as if to go back the way you came, and then exit out of the whale's mouth. It is similar to Expedition Everest, with two hallways next to each other. To enhance the effect, you see a projection of Pinocchio and Geppetto on the raft blasting out with you.

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You blast out onto a sandy shore. Turning back around, we find ourselves once again on the streets of cobblestone. To the instrumental strains of "When You Wish Upon a Star", we cruise past the serene streets of the village. A smiling Jiminy floats down on his umbrella as he says "Well, looks like we made it! Home at last!"

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At last, we return to Geppetto’s workshop, the Wishing Star shining high above it. As we head inside, we find ourselves in pitch darkness. The only light comes from the ethereal light of the Blue Fairy, who waves her wand. And as she disappears, the lights come back on to reveal Pinocchio, sitting on the bed...finally a real boy. A beaming Geppetto stands beside him, Figaro and Cleo nearby. "It’s my dream come true!" Geppetto exclaims. "You are a real boy, Pinocchio!" "Gee, Father!" says Pinocchio. "I’m so glad to be home!" Finally, you see Jiminy standing by with a huge "Official Conscience" medal on his shirt while he says,"Gee, thanks, Miss Fairy..." With that, the doors to the workshop open and we head back out to the loading area.

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Well, we've just taken a look at two new dark rides. What do you think? But, this isn't the only new dark ride we have here in Fantasyland. There's also a new tale to be told in the Enchanted Forest. And we shall experience this tale in person in the next post. Until then, keep the feedback coming if you have any! Any and all feedback is very much appreciated!

Oh, and by the way, I must give a shout-out to the teammates I had when Tangled: A Royal Celebration was developed -- @ctxak98, @DinoInstitute, @Magic Feather, @RMichael21, @Skipper2 and @TheOriginalTiki. I hope you guys don't mind me using this concept for my ideal Magic Kingdom.

 

[Miru]

I like Fantasyland so far! I would add some cameos from the TV series for Tangled, though. And maybe Peter Pan’s Flight could have a different ending showing Jane from the sequel?

 

[DisneyManOne]

I like Fantasyland so far! I would add some cameos from the TV series for Tangled, though. And maybe Peter Pan’s Flight could have a different ending showing Jane from the sequel?

I'm sure that the characters from the TV series would make cameo appearances among the villagers; but given that most Disney fans view the direct-to-video sequels as non-canon, I'm not keen on the idea of having Jane in there. And yes, I'm aware that Return to Neverland got a theatrical release, but it was still produced by DisneyToon Studios, the studio responsible for all the other DTV sequels.

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The Story of Sleeping Beauty

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At last, we visitors to the Magic Kingdom can step into the story of Walt Disney's 16th animated masterpiece like never before in this innovative new dark ride. At once, a classic ride in the style of all other Fantasyland dark rides found around the world, and yet outfitted with special new technology to help make the story come alive, this is truly a worthy addition to the Disney dark ride pantheon. But, don't take my word for it. Let's experience the magic for ourselves!

Once again, credit for this art goes to @D Hindley!
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The exterior for this ride, blending in with the Enchanted Forest area of Fantasyland, is themed around the expansive forests in which the tale is set. Every last inch of the exterior is modeled after the forests, right down to new walls depicting a rockwork rear facade, so that it actually looks like the forest, not just the castle walls with a tree in front of it. In the dead center of the exterior, a forced perspective model of King Stefan’s castle dominates the sightlines. Higher into the distant dark mountains is Maleficent’s castle. More trees will be planted behind the ride building to prevent guests seeing it from the other side. Nearby, the Three Fairies’ cottage sits at the edge of meandering forest trails. Guests eventually move indoors through an enchanted root passageway. They enter King Stefan’s castle by a secret side entrance built in the hillside. Inside the regal halls, stylized medieval tapestries tell the tale of Princess Aurora thus far. They tell of her birth, of her enchantment by the Three Fairies, of how Maleficent cursed her, of how Merryweather altered the curse, and how the Fairies whisked Aurora away and raised her until she turned sixteen.

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The loading area mural will be in the style of the 1994 Snow White's Scary Adventures mural. At the left-most edge of the mural is Prince Phillip with Samson (like Prince Florian with his horse), who is watching Aurora dance with her "dream prince" (the owl with the cape and the rabbits in the shoes) as the fairies watch over her. Over nearby the King's castle, a bonfire (made of spinning wheels) is raging as Maleficent watches from a dark, jagged bridge (the one the vehicles exit out of). The ride vehicles come in three different colors: red, green and blue, representing the three good fairies. Each vehicle looks like it was made out of a crystal diamond, and shines brilliantly. Once we board our ride vehicle, we set off for the world of Sleeping Beauty. Rounding the corner from this banquet hall, we approach a large book: the same book from the opening of the film. As we inch closer, the book magically opens. Guests fly through the pages of the book and into a bright, colorful forest.

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As guests pass the beautiful woods, they notice Aurora dancing with her "prince" (a.k.a her animal friends dressed up in Prince Phillip's clothing). From behind a tree, Phillip and his horse look onward at the scene. As you continue through the scene, three glowing orbs appear; one red, one green, and the last, blue. They are, of course, the three good fairies -- Flora, Fauna and Merryweather -- who point the way to their cottage. Guests enter the cottage and find the three fairies hurrying to finish their chores. Flora and Merryweather are fighting over the color of Aurora's dress. The dress magically changes from pink to blue with use of LED lighting. Fauna is too busy to know what's going on, as she's struggling to keep her eighteen layered cake loaded with candles standing. An enchanted broom and water bucket dance around the room, cleaning the room.

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Guests exit the cottage at the opposite side and re-enter the forest. The three good fairies appear again to guide you. The castle is scene in the distance. Prince Philip and his horse hear a beautiful voice singing a hypnotic medley in the forest and go to investigate. As guests move through the forest, Maleficent's raven flies overhead. You approach the castle and enter the gates. You arrive into the grand chamber, to find it's completely dark and abandoned. The only light comes from the fire in the fireplace. As we creep through this dark place, the fire billows out, via projection. In its place, a glowing green orb stands.

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The vehicle seems to follow the orb into the next room. Maleficent stands, urging Aurora to "Touch the spindle." As you exit the room, you see a silhouette on the wall of Aurora pricking her finger and hear Aurora's body fall to the floor.

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You arrive into the courtyard of the castle, which is filled with castle citizens and guards. The three good fairies, in the form of floating orbs, majestically float above the room, casting an array of glittery dust onto the onlookers below. The citizens and guards slowly slump down, falling asleep. Flora exclaims "Quickly! To Maleficent's castle!" You pass out of the castle gates and enter into a dead forest and approach a rickety draw-bridge. The vehicle enters a large chamber, where Maleficent sits upon her throne, as her goons dance around a blazing green fire. The vehicles enter a small room of to the side, a small dungeon, where the three good fairies free Phillip from his chains.

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As the vehicles leave the dungeon, you hear Maleficent's voice enchant a cursed spell. The vehicles enter a thorn forest, in which the fairires and Prince Phillip, help guide you through. You approach a clearing, where Maleficent's voice echoes through the room -- "Now, shall you deal with me, and all the powers of evil!" -- and a huge AA dragon appears overhead, surrounded by flames. We then enter a room very similar to the "Fight on the Ledge" seen in Snow White's Scary Adventures as we see Prince Phillip battle Maleficent. Flora chants "Now sword of Truth, fly swift and sure, that evil die and good endure!" Passing underneath, we hear the sword strike Maleficent, who lets out a dying scream.

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With the evil Maleficent defeated, we enter Aurora's bedchamber and see Phillip kiss her. From there, we enter into the banquet hall and see the newly-awakened Aurora and Phillip waltz as a chorus sings "Once Upon a Dream". Kings Stefan and Hubert and Queen Leah look on with pride. We also see Flora and Merryweather repeatedly change the color of Aurora's dress. Before we leave, we see Fauna standing on a separate balcony, much like Dopey at the end of Snow White's Scary Adventures, who tells us "Oh, I just love happy endings." Passing underneath her, we head back into the loading area and exit our car.

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What do you think, guys? Now, what's left to do for Fantasyland? I intend to save the introductory song from Storytellers' Nook for the end of the Fantasyland ride-throughs, so is there anything left? Well, Pooh's Hunny Hunt is a carbon copy of the Tokyo Disneyland ride, and Alice in Wonderland is a carbon copy of the Disneyland ride, so to go over them would be redundant. The attractions of New Fantasyland are all still fairly recent, and don't warrant any changes. So, I guess that just leaves a certain re-located attraction found just beyond Storybook Circus. So, until the next post, keep the feedback coming, my friends!

 

[Miru]

Maybe some details on the restaurants?

 

[DisneyManOne]

Maybe some details on the restaurants?

Describing restaurants hasn't really been my forte. Even so, I did go over Walt's -- An American Restaurant back in the initial post on Page 1. But as for the future, I don't really plan to go into restaurants in full detail. I'll go over the basics, but not really so much into every last detail.

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"it's a small world"

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Standing proudly at the easternmost tip of Fantasyland is an in-depth musical cruise around the world accompanied by seemingly thousands of children, toys, and animals from and representing nearly every nation. This cruise is naturally the one and only "it's a small world", Walt Disney's cherished and beloved classic from the 1964 to 1965 World's Fair, relocated and reimagined for a new audience here at the Magic Kingdom.

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Having found ourselves in the colorful esplanade of Small World Plaza -- a plaza filled with animal-shaped topiaries, wavy-hedges, jumping fountains and colorful flowerbeds -- our attention is first pulled towards that of a large fountain in the shape of the globe, topped by a boat filled with laughing children. On board, each child represents a different nation: Saudi Arabia, China, England, Australia, etc., whilst Renaissance-era flags bearing the title of the attraction and its slogan protrude from among their two-dimensional shoulders. "Join the happiest cruise that ever sailed!" Forming a semi-circle around the fountain are additional flags, bearing the ride's name in a language other than English. (ex. "que le monde est petit", "es is eine kleine welt", etc.), not to mention speaker-towers covered in abstract paneling pointing the way towards Small World Palace, the not-so-humble abode of our impending adventure. Quirky instrumentals straight from the 1964-1965 World's Fair fill the air.

The magnificent pastel spires -- the exact same color scheme Disneyland's ride employed when it was sponsored by Mattel -- of Small World Palace stand tall above the surrounding plaza, a lasting tribute to the universal concept of peace on earth and goodwill towards men (especially when the palace is decorated for Christmas). From within the palace walls, the triumphant sounds of that all-too-familiar song ring out, majestic fountains spewing on either side of the crystal-clear lagoon in the forefront. Topiaries crafted into the shape of various animals serve as a perfect compliment to the various landmarks and familiar icons crafted into the palace walls; the Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sydney Opera House, the Temple of Zeus, Big Ben, the Temple of Heaven, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Windmills of La Mancha, etc. Front and center is the smiling purple face of the iconic Clock Tower, the Rolly Crump-designed landmark.

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As with other takes on the venerable tower, every fifteen minutes, the constantly churning cogs and gizmos on the facade begin to protrude and sound off like a cuckoo clock, halting the ongoing music. With a dramatic drumroll, a sextet of musical tin soldiers emerge from the tower's walls, signaling a parade of dolls to emerge from the tower's base and circumnavigate the smiley-faced structure to the tune of the titular song. Each doll represents one of twenty-four countries, dressed in garbs respective to their country. At the conclusion of the parade, the Clock Tower concludes with a series of gongs and chimes in beat with the current time (like a grandfather clock), the time itself displayed from an opened-panel beneath the tower's "face."

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Stepping inside Small World Palace, we find ourselves amid a vivid, pastel-colored depiction of a fanciful boating dock; a near-exact replica of the update Tokyo's loading area got. All around us are hints of what awaits us on our world tour and murals in the classic Mary Blair style. The only major difference here is the fact that only one loading dock is used. Much like with the current ride, only one dock serves for loading and unloading. Heading further into the queue, we meander through the switchbacks and come across a small lagoon, where brightly-colored boats gently pull in and out of the densely-populated harbor. Being gestured to the first row by a friendly dockhand in a straw hat and polo shirt, we patiently wait our turn to set sail with the happiest crew to ever sail around the world. Finally, our own boat floats into position, allowing us to board. As our boat departs from the dock, an unseen woman states,"Welcome to "it's a small world!" For your safety, please remain seated throughout your voyage, keeping your hands, arms, feet and legs inside the boat. And please, watch your children. Thank you." This same safety spiel is played several more times and in multiple languages, including but not limited to Japanese, German, French, Mandarin, Maori, Cantonese, and so on. As our boat draws closer to the palace, John Debney's sweeping instrumental of the Sherman Brothers classic begins to draw closer and closer, gradually overpowering the quirky instrumentals of the World's Fair.

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In a mere matter of seconds, we gently drift further into the palace walls for our tour of the world as seen through the eyes of a child, starting with the Hello Room. Like the Paris and Tokyo versions of the attraction, the Hello Room is a simple straightaway into the main show building beyond. Fanciful waterways containing a sea serpent, a whale and various watercraft piloted by adorable animals lead up to a colorful beach. A lighthouse stands proudly as Mary Blair-styled flowers found on both sides of the canal bear greetings in various languages. At the end of the Hello Room is a stylized banner reading "Welcome", held up by four birds.

The titular song, having been heard in instrumental form for the past few seconds gives way to its first sung incarnation: Scandinavian. Passing under the banner, we drift into the expansive continent of Europe, where the song is sung not just in a British-accented English, but also in Scandinavian, French, Italian, German, Spanish, etc. From the "heavens" above, clowns in hot-air balloons, acrobats on tightropes, and children attached to balloons soar about in hectic directions, a visual compliment to the scenes below.

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Immediately facing us is Scandinavia, represented not through ice and snow, but through colorful mountains, giant flowers and hills given the markings of abstract Swedish art, also done in the Mary Blair-style. A large clock-like sun overlooks the area (actually telling the time), whilst Scandinavian children sing the titular song from opened-songbooks, swaying in perfect unison. Shimmering waterfalls pour down from an overhead ice-skating rink where a boy and girl in warm, winter clothing go for a perpetual skate. More children do a traditional Scandinavian folk dance, accompanied by a three-piece band. Norway finds its representation in the form of a Viking ship swaying back and forth upon the high seas, a trio of Viking children singing from on deck. Non-Frozen trolls, a la Maelstrom, happily pick flowers and relax under the clock-like sun. Nearby, a musical band of toy soldiers guard the gates to Copenhagen's Tivoli Gardens.

On the other side of the canal, we are treated to a glimpse of the United Kingdom, starting with the Emerald Isle of Ireland, represented through a multitude of massive shamrocks, a glistening rainbow, clogging Irish children, and several leprechauns, one leprechaun poking in and out of a large pot of gold. Closely following Ireland is Scotland, represented by a bagpipe-player atop an old tower. In the background, a Highland cow munches on a kilt from a plaid-colored hillside ridden with ancient castles. In time with the music, the goat and the hillside change colors. Nearby, the massive serpentine neck and head of the Loch Ness Monster protrudes from the waters, slowly rocking from side to side. From atop the beast's nose, a child sits a boat, his telescope pointing directly towards the monster's eye. London Bridge appears up ahead, topped by a double-decker bus filled with children, a pair of flag-waving boys sporting the colors of their favorite football team, and guarded by two beefeaters, who stand in front of the towers. Just to the right of the bridge is a checkerboard-colored Big Ben with a rapidly-spinning clock. A large checkerboard laid out before the skyline plays home to several large chess pieces, including a stylized-king and queen whom spin around wildly. Directly above London Bridge hangs a smiling crescent moon, stood upon by three carolers, almost hidden among the aforementioned tightrope-walkers and hot-air balloons.

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Passing beneath London Bridge, we stumble upon France to our right and Germany to our left. Germany finds its representation through a Bavarian-style house with a clock tower, and three singing children below the clock face. In the foreground, an Oktoberfest-type polka-band provides accompaniment for dancing German children whilst a train filled with toys chugs by along the vast mountain range. A large dachshund-inspired slinky toy stands on top of the train, wagging its tail and panting. Nearby, the Netherlands is marked by a series of colorful windmills, giant flowers, and wooden shoe-wearing children clicking their heels from within giant flower buds. A girl with a shepherd's crook conducts a trio of ducks quacking in time with the music. The windmills of the Netherlands make a seamless transition into the Windmills of La Mancha, situated upon the grassy hills of Spain. And who should we find but Don Quixote on wooden-horseback, tilting at one of those windmills. After all, he believes windmills are ferocious giants! Quixote's faithful squire, Sancho Panza, also on a wooden horse, looks on in alarm. Under a gazebo, a girl in an elaborate dress clicks castanets as she twirls, a Spanish boy on the guitar nearby. Our views of Spain soon change to Italy, where the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Colosseum, and seaside homes of Venice appear. Naturally, a large gondola appears right nearby us in the canal, rocking back and forth with its pilot on board. Several Italian girls sing the song from opened songbooks, swaying with the music. A bridge spans across both sides of the river, upon which three more singers appear.

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Back on the right-hand side, France is marked by the Eiffel Tower, decked out in shades of red, white and blue. In the forefront, a slew of cancan dancers "weeing" and "ooh la-la-ing" in time with their kicks perform a routine. A ballerina spins around in circles with her dance partner, much to the enjoyment of a nearby French poodle. As a nice nod to history, under the Eiffel Tower is a doll representation of Mary Blair, the woman who served as the inspiration for "it's a small world".

Passing under the aforementioned Italian bridge, The Alps of Switzerland welcome us with the mighty Matterhorn, not to mention a yodeling boy and several cuckoo clocks marked by bell-ringing dolls in lederhosen and mountain goats rocking their heads from side to side. Back on the left-hand side, Greece is seen, marked by flying pegasus horses overhead, the Parthenon, Mount Olympus, and a pair of sheep listening to the pan flute-stylings of their master. As we prepare to depart Europe, we pass through a cave beneath Russia's Saint Basil's Cathedral where a trio of Cossack dancers twirl in circles to the musical accompaniment of a fez-wearing bear playing a street organ. On the right-hand side of Saint Basil's, the nearby mountains serve as a backdrop for the Red Square, where a group of girls dance. Nearby, Russian musicians provide an eerie musical transition between Europe and the next scene: exotic Asia.

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Asia will be the same as the current scene, but with a few changes. First of all, with Russia and Greece moved to Europe, we have Nepal making its Small World debut, with Mt. Everest and a cartoonish Yeti. In addition, China’s presence is expanded with a view of Shanghai’s skyline on the coast, a boat passing along in front of it. Nearby, the Philippines are represented via two umbrella-twirling girls singing from a gazebo. On a platform in the background, behind the Chinese acrobats and the panda, are two kids performing with a traditional Chinese dragon. Nearby the hanbok children, Korea gets further representation via a boy and a girl singing from atop a boat. The song itself alternates between Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Indian, Korean, Thai, and Tagalog, depending on what country you float past. Passing beneath through a Tori gate, we enter the next major show scene...the Middle East.

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We are transported into a bazaar straight from the pages of 1,001 Arabian Nights...well, sort of. Much of the Middle Eastern segment is enclosed within a close-knit passageway covered by overhead tarps and tapestries. Israel finds its representation in the form of a boy and girl dancing beneath a wedding canopy, the boy wearing a Hebrew prayer shawl and the girl wearing a wedding dress. On the adjacent side, a boy clutching a magic lamp sings in Arabic with a child-like genie who also sings in Arabic. A trio of boys in desert-protective clothing stand with their arms folded, swaying and singing in Arabic. A belly dancer and several sheep point the way to the not-so-distant figure of the Ras el-Tin Palace of Alexandria on the right-hand side, fronted by a fruit-filled marketplace. On the left-hand side, the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphynx (rocking its head back and forth) appear alongside a boy playing drums atop a pink camel, naturally representing Egypt. A mysterious throne room of sorts entangled by a googly-eyed snake sits on the right-hand side following the market, the residence of a Cleopatra-lookalike reclining on a sofa and giving us a wink.

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Tribal drums fill the air as the desert setting subdues into that of the colorful jungles of Africa, where technicolor animals and children alike jam out to the titular song on both sides of the canal. However, there is a stark contrast between both sides. To the left, we have a tropical rain-forest being absolutely pelted by an ongoing thunderstorm, and to the right we have a jungle jamboree that has thus far stayed in the sunshine. Starting with the left, we find umbrella-shaped trees amid the falling "rains," several exotic birds chirping and crying out every time thunder strikes. Many of these tropical birds spin their heads in complete circles, roll around in their eggshells, or perform other weird feats, all surrounding a beady-eyed crocodile clutching an umbrella that is far-too-small for its body. The crocodile (who appears to shake his head "no") is neighbored by a flower-spotted leopard with a much larger umbrella (who shakes his head "yes") as well as several frogs residing in a lily pad-filled pond, two flower-spotted giraffes swaying in the background foliage, and a series of huts painted with tribal mask-type markings and fronted by a trio of tribal musicians in ceremonial masks. An African elephant (who appears to be pink)perpetually sprays "water" from its trunk, unintentionally creating a heart-shaped fountain as it frolics in the rain. Multicolored chimpanzees connect the two sides of the canal via overhead vines, leading our attention to the right-hand side.

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First and foremost, a pair of hyenas wildly laugh at the rainy misfortune of the animals across the way, closely neighbored by a black and green-striped zebra, a flower-spotted rhino, and a green chimpanzee pounding away at their own individual bongos. Additional frogs and a secondary crocodile float amid the swampy waters in the foreground, whilst several African children sing the song in English from an island, joined by a red and yellow lion hosting a flute-playing boy atop his head. A sheltered-dance floor features several African girls dancing in a circle, also singing in English. A droopy-eyed hippo covered in flowers rests near the exit of the scene, gleefully being pecked by a couple of "peck-peck birds" on its back. Two more flower-spotted giraffes also appear in the dense foliage. Before departing from the scene, we pass beneath the head of a pink African elephant swaying its head back and forth, several children sitting on its tusks and playing instruments. In fact, those four giraffes actually flank the elephant.

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Our next stop takes us to the Islands, starting with Australia's Great Barrier Reef tastefully mixed with the other regions of the Pacific Ocean. Greeting us first are several mermaids singing the song in gurgled English, joined by several other underwater creatures donning sunglasses, straw hats, and leis. An arch made of water leads the way toward the left-hand side of the canal: Australia. Starting with the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, we see a collection of Easter Island-type heads surrounded by a line of platypuses shaking their eggs like maracas, a kangaroo and her baby rocking back and forth, a Crocodile Dundee-type boy waving a boomerang at a puppy-like dingo, and several koalas munching on eucalyptus trees protruding from the water. An Aboriginal boy sails the high seas in his canoe, while several other Aboriginal children perform the song on instruments, including that famous didgeridoo. Uluru, the major butte seen in nearly all images of the Outback, makes an appearance here, as does the skyline of Melbourne. On the right-hand side, Hawai'i and Polynesia find representation in the form of rapidly-shaking hula dancers, a boy on a teetering surfboard, and Polynesian boys spinning around in the flames of twirling volcanoes. Tiki heads and tribal masks line the water's edge, leading the canal path into the mouth of a Tiki Room-like structure, our entrance into Latin America & South America.

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Latin America & South America is an exact replica of the Latin/South American scene in the current version of the ride, save for the addition of an Incan temple with children in Incan garbs placed in between the spinning penguins and the Andes, as well as a new adobe-built archway dividing Latin America from the next scene: North America. Children in the garbs of a Mariachi band sing in Spanish from atop the archway, but are quickly drowned out by the sounds of the song being sung in American-accented English. To our right, coyotes yip and yowl from atop red-rock buttes and clifftops, welcoming us to the Old West.

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A Plains Indian Chief pounds a drum from a nearby butte, joined by several Native American girls dancing and a trio of large kachina dolls opening and closing their mouths. A Conestoga wagon appears nearby, shortly thereafter backed by a small western diorama featuring a saloon, hotel, and bank. Several cacti wearing bandito clothing rock back and forth among the desert rocks, while saloon showgirls perform a kickline on the saloon's rooftop, a cowboy tipping his hat to us from in front of the hotel. A horse and mustachioed cowboy roast weenies over a crackling campfire, subduing the right-hand side of the scene into the Midwest where rolling green hills, twirling sunflowers, and a colorful barn house appear. A smiling horse takes several children on a hayride, while a trio of scarecrows move their heads back and forth in time with the music.

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Back on the left-hand side we are treated to the sights and sounds of Canada, where a child dressed as a Mountie waves at us, a smiling moose standing nearby. A pair of Kwakiutl totem poles move their "wings" up and down, standing in the foreground of a tree-capped mountain range. An ice-skating rink painted with Kwakiutl symbols also resides in the foreground, two hockey-playing children engaging in a match. In an alcove above the mountain range, an Eskimo and a polar bear are seen sitting upon blocks of ice, each with a fishing pole in their hand. Behind them, an igloo sits atop another mountain, with a red-and-white barbershop pole emerging from it. I guess you could say that makes this little alcove the North Pole. Nearby, a large ship stands tall, its sails billowing in the breeze. Children dressed as sailors sing proudly from aboard the ship. One kid sits up in the crow’s nest, waving to us.

At the end of the room is the Golden Gate Bridge, which spans from the end of the Canadian scene to the end of the Midwestern scene. Flanking the bridge on both sides are buildings from two different cities. On the left-hand side, San Francisco. On the right-hand side, New York City, complete with the Statue of Liberty. Passing under the bridge, we come face to face with the Hollywood Hills, which serves as the exit of this scene, backed by searchlights. On a platform in front of the iconic Hollywood sign, a couple dressed to the nines waltz about, while four chorus girls (two on either side of the couple) sway in time to the music, as the canal passes through a replica of the Hollywood Bowl built into the mountain and into the next scene. The ride's only hidden Mickey is created by the searchlights when cast upon the ceiling. The Hollywood Bowl serves as our entrance into the Finale.

​

Almost all the children of the world have gathered together in this room, tinted with blue, purple, gold and white, singing the song in English unison. All the children wear white to symbolize peace and unity in a world that can at some times be so divided. Again, no real changes apart from the new color scheme, but before we leave, we pass beneath a large sun taken straight from the World's Fair version, a bird-carried banner beneath it reading "Come Again". Our boat then drifts through the Goodbye Room, a passage similar to the Hello Room, filled with flowers emblazoned with various farewells in various languages. We then drift back into the loading dock, and depart from the palace to continue our day at the Magic Kingdom.

~ ~ ~​

As stated in the last post, I would also go over the introductory song to be featured in the Storyteller's Nook shows; which, as a reminder, is merely a re-worded version of the song that opened Disneyland's former Royal Coronation Ceremony at the old Princess Fantasy Faire.

​

BOTH: Welcome, you're welcome!
Come hear the proclamation!

STORYTELLER #1: A royal invitation
is sent out to all --
come to the ball!

BOTH: Welcome, you're welcome!
With grand anticipation,

STORYTELLER #2: All the kingdom waits to greet you,
maidens and lads, fun will be had!

BOTH: Time for dancing and romancing;
time to hear the Kingdom's stories.
Do not tarry, let's be merry
in this place of grace and glories!
Welcome, you're welcome!
Begin the jubilation!
We cannot wait to celebrate
your royal dreams come true!

STORYTELLER #1: Welcome to the Storyteller's Nook, my friends. It is hear in this special place that we storytellers gather to share the many tales of this Magic Kingdom. I am _____ ...

STORYTELLER #2: ... and I am _______ . Say, what shall we storytellers tell today?

(At this point, what would come forth would depend upon the story being told. The variants for each follow.)

TANGLED
STORYTELLER #1: Well today, we shall render upon these boards an adventure that is most "hair-raising."

STORYTELLER #2: Nicely said! Today, we shall tell the timeless tale of...

BOTH: "Tangled!"

FROZEN
STORYTELLER #1: I say we commence with an "ice-breaker."

STORYTELLER #2: Ah, our voices shall flutter in a fantastic flurry...

STORYTELLER #1: As we feature the famous fable of...

BOTH: "Frozen!"

CINDERELLA
STORYTELLER #1: Ah, to tell this tale will require faith, love and a little bit of time.

STORYTELLER #2: We've got that in spades! Lords and ladies, today we shall cajole you with the captivating chronicle of...

BOTH: "Cinderella!"

ALADDIN (since this will involve only one storyteller, the entire introduction will be modified)
"Welcome to the Storyteller's Nook, my friends. It is hear in this special place that we storytellers gather to share the many tales of this Magic Kingdom. I am _____ , and today, I shall be telling you a tale that has gone down in history as a "diamond in the rough." Yes, my friends, today I shall astound you all with the amazing anecdote of... 'Aladdin!'"

HERCULES
STORYTELLER #1: To tell this tale will take all of our strength, because this is a tale fit for the gods!

STORYTELLER #2: I see. Brave friends of the Magic Kingdom, today, we happily and honestly regale you with the high-powered history of...

BOTH: "Hercules!"

Welcome, you're welcome!
Let's start the transformation!
This fairy-tale oration
is waiting for you,
noble and true!
Welcome, you're welcome!
Our tale's an inspiration!
Whether princess or a knight,
right from your heart
the magic will start.
Cheerful singing,
bells are ringing
in this land of love and laughter.
With a sweet song,
feeling headstrong,
we'll be happy ever-after!
Welcome, you're welcome!
Begin the demonstration!
By our decree,
you soon shall see
your royal dreams come true!
By our decree,
you soon shall see
your royal dreams come true!

~ ~ ~
​

So, that's everything I wanted to talk about in Fantasyland. We're almost done with our ride-through tour, so in the next post, we'll take a look at a few new rides in Tomorrowland, beginning with a trip into ... The Mysterious Galaxy. See you then!

Oh, and by the way, I should tell you guys that some of the new ideas for "it's a small world" -- particularly the excellent idea to put the rainforest scene in the Africa scene -- came from @MANEATINGWREATH; particularly from the version he drafted for his "dream resort" back in 2016.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Let's take a look at some of Tomorrowland's new offerings!

~ ~ ~

The Mysterious Galaxy

​

Considered to be a spiritual successor to Mission to Mars, The Mysterious Galaxy takes Magic Kingdom guests farther than their imaginations could ever hope. We'll go farther than Mars, exploring every last aspect of our mighty solar system. Utilizing Dynamic Attractions' revolutionary Motion Theater, The Mysterious Galaxy offers a less-thrilling, but certainly more exciting, addition to Tomorrowland. Basically, think of this almost like an intergalactic version of Soarin'.

The experience begins in the hallowed halls of the Trimaxion Space Facility. Named after the legendary craft featured in Flight of the Navigator, the Trimaxion offers us normal, average civilians to take own our rides up into the far reaches of outer space. After a brief pre-show film detailing the flight we are about to take, narrated by none other than old Mr. Johnson from the days of Mission to Mars, we are led into the theater ... um, I mean "spacecraft." A large window covers the screen of the theater, the screen itself being a combination of the Circle-Vision 360 theater of yore, as well as the seamless projection screen used in Mickey's PhilharMagic, altogether making for a one-of-a-kind experience. As all take their seats, we hear the voice of our captain, Tom Morrow, speaking:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard the DW-75 spacecraft, bound for The Mysterious Galaxy. I'm Captain Tom Morrow, and I'll be serving as your tour guide for this flight. But before we go any further, I want to remind you all to please remain seated at all times, and that there is no eating, drinking, smoking or flash photography allowed in the spacecraft. Thank you."

Slowly, the screen comes to life. The launcher comes into view. The sweeping score of Gustav Holst's "The Planets" fades in.

"All right, Mission Control. This is DL-77 flight two-oh-niner, ready for departure."

"Two-oh-niner, Countdown is go in T-minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."

As Mission Control counts down, the seats lean back. Additional panels slide in front of the doors, allowing for a more immersive experience.

"Ignition!"

To the triumphant theme of "Jupiter", our "rocket" roars to life, and lifts off! Our seats sink back, simulating the g-factor. The blue skies of Earth soon give way to the inky blackness of night in the Solar System.

"Attention, two-oh-niner; auto-control is terminated. You are cleared for hyperspace penetration. Good luck!"

"Roger, Mission Control."

​

Our seats begin to sway and undulate, as if they are affected by zero gravity. Complimenting this peacefulness, "Venus" begins to play. Tom Morrow begins to lead us through the Solar System, stopping by the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars.

​

To the strains of "Mars", the mood becomes much more intense. In order to get to the other planets, we must get through the dreaded asteroid belt. "This is going to be a bumpy ride", Tom Morrow tells us, "so hold on tight!" This is where the Motion Theater aspect really kicks in. Our seats rock back and forth violently, as if reacting to the spacecraft bumping into the asteroids. The theater even spins around in a daze. The screens in the back of the theater contain the images of even more asteroids, creating a fog of confusion and disarray. But nonetheless, we emerge relatively unscathed.

​

To the strains of "Saturn", we explore the Gas Giants: Jupiter, Saturn (sliding and swirling along its rings), Uranus ("tilting" to see how it spins on its side) and Neptune. Of course, we pay our respects to the demoted planet, Pluto, whilst we are so far out.

"But before we head back to Earth, I wanna show you something really special. Hold on tight--we're going into hyperspace!"

​

Our seats are thrust back as we go into hyperspace! When we get out of hyperspace, we'll find ourselves staring before the mighty Milky Way Galaxy. The theater rotates as we take in the vastness of space. "Neptune" plays as Tom Morrow pontificates on the Milky Way and how we're really not that alone in the universe. But alas, those explorations will have to wait till another day. It's time to head back to Earth.

"Jupiter" strikes up one last time, as we make one last hyperspace jump and return towards Earth. Our seats lean forward as we approach Earth. The screens show us passing through layers and layers of clouds back towards the ground. The additional panels slide back into position. The music reaches its conclusion. We are back on Earth.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the outer locks are now open and you may leave the spacecraft. Thank you for exploring The Mysterious Galaxy today, and we hope to see you again soon."

~ ~ ~​

What did you guys think of that? Wasn't that something? Now, the next post will be coming along soon, and in that post, we'll be taking another thrilling adventure into the unknown. But it's not about the where ... it's about the when. See you then.

 

[DisneyManOne]

~ ~ ~

The Time Machine

​

In this epic new adventure here in the Magic Kingdom, we'll take off on a rollicking voyage through time. Time machines have always played a huge role in science fiction and in futuristic stories, so it made sense to bring such an idea into Tomorrowland. Once again, this will basically be a re-planted Star Tours, having moved here ever since Galaxy's Edge opened at Disney's Hollywood Studios, so the same basic outline for the queue, loading bay and ride system will be applied here.

(By the way, all credit for this idea goes to the good people who created it for Stanza I of The Sorcerer's Apprentice: ENDGAME -- @Disneylover152, @FireMountain, @James G., @MonorailRed, @NateD1226, @Outbound and @Voxel.)​

The ride begins in the headquarters and laboratories of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. They're responsible for all the methods of transport here in Tomorrowland, including the famous PeopleMover. It's a pretty swanky place, filled with all sorts of models and blueprints. The screens display commercials and travelogues for Tomorrowland and its various modes of transport. But near the end of this first stretch of queue is a statue of a man named Justin Time. Below the statue, a plaque reads "Justin Time -- Pioneer of Time-Travel." As part of the Galaxy's Fair, the Tomorrowland Transit Authority is taking us back in time to that momentous occasion when Justin Time took his time machine prototype out for a whirl for the very first time! Like with Dreamflight, a "time tunnel" is open. When we step through it, we're in 1955, the same year Disneyland opened. The TVs are smaller and have antenna, and display black-and-white footage of famous 50s commercials and TV shows. This is Tomorrowland in the 50s, and thus, the models turn into visions of things that people in the 50s thought the future would be like. However, warnings soon appear, warning us not to go in the back of the place. However, the queue leads us straight out back towards some junky old garage. The buzz of electrical wires and whirring of tools tells us that someone is working on something. A screen lights up over our heads, letting us in on what we're about to experience. A young, if not eccentric, scientist appears from underneath some contraption.

"Oh, hello! So glad you could make it! My name is Justin Time, and I am a professor and amateur inventor here in Tomorrowland. I'm in the process of making something quite special -- a time machine! Yes, sir, this will take you anyplace in the world at any time in a matter of seconds. In fact, why don't I show you what this is capable of? You'll be the first to ever take flight aboard my patented Time Machine! Except, there are two eensy-teensy little things to say. One, I just built this. If anything, this is going to be a test run, and you shall be my laboratory mice, so to speak. And two, I'm not licensed by the Tomorrowland Transit Authority to do this. I'm kinda notorious around these parts. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they started to horn in on my work..."

Suddenly, we hear a banging on the garage doors!

"Professor Time, open up in there! We know what you're working on, and we demand you cease at once!"

"Uh-oh. Looks like we'll have to skip the chit-chat and escape those nosy neighbors of ours. We'll at least get one good test out of it today! Oh, but I want to make sure none of you guys get hurt or anything. That'll only make my place in the hot seat hotter! Listen carefully, now: When the automatic doors to the time machine open, go directly across the rows and sit at the farthest end. Don't stop in the middle, just go straight across until every seat in your row is filled. And if you got something on your body, stow it below your seat. Oh, and this baby is equipped with seatbelts. Time traveling might get a little rocky, so I put them in just in case. To fasten them good and tight, pull on the yellow strap, and that will get it out from the right of your seat. Then, just stretch it over your waist and into the buckle on the left side. And if you want to be extra-safe, remain seated throughout the entire testing process, and don't eat, drink or smoke. And if you got any kids with you, make sure you keep an eye on them. You wouldn't want them to be stuck in another time, would ya?"

Another bang!

"Professor Time!"

"All right, this is it! Quickly, everyone! Into the Time Machine!"

Soon, the doors open and we tentatively step foot onto the Time Machine. Professor Time's frantic voice is hurrying us along as we board.

"Come, everyone, come on! Keep moving until you reach the end, don’t take seats in the middle! Get a move on!"

Once all are seated, one of the Professor's assistants makes sure we're all secure. A panel in the time machine opens to reveal an animatronic of Professor Time, seated at the control panel.

"All right, Machine, let's get going!"

But just as we're about to leave, the doors bust open revealing two TTA robots!

TTA SECURITY: Halt! This is the Tomorrowland Transit Authority. You are not clear for boarding. I repeat you are not clear for boarding.

PROFESSOR: Yeah, I really can't let you take my machine away from me. We're going prove time travel is possible whether you want it or not, so why don't you just run back to Space Mountain?

The Machine takes off, blowing the TTA away. The Professor turns to us.

PROFESSOR: Sorry about this mess. I think I forgot to mention at the pre-show that time machine here didn't pass the safety inspection. But it's perfectly fine!

Introduction: '50s America

​

We fly outside. Overhead is a newly constructed highway bustling with traffic. Alas, a bunch of drones have appeared! Yet strangely, no one below seems to notice.

DRONE: In the name of the Tomorrowland Transit Authority, stop that vehicle!

PROFESSOR: They've followed us! And they're shooting at us! Why are they shooting at us?

TIME MACHINE: We broke the rules.

PROFESSOR: Oh... good point.

The Time Machine narrowly avoids the chasing drones, entering New York City. It cuts a couple close corners, getting everyone off their tail expect one.

PROFESSOR: Now! The moment of truth. Enter warp!

The Machine attempts warp... and fails. The Drone closes in.

PROFESSOR: Uh... now! The real moment of Truth. Go!

The Machine tries again, and at the last second succeeds, traveling to the first time period.

Ride Film "A" -- 4 Possibilities
A1: The Age of the Dinosaurs (Earth, 65,000,000 BC)

The time machine warps to a tropical Jurassic oasis. We fly overhead in awe, (this is the machine's first successful time jump, after all) watching herds of herbivores rush past through open fields and witness the giant Brachiosaurus. Suddenly a volcano erupts. Pterodactyls fly away as we head towards
the crater, but are suddenly taken down by a fearsome Spinosaurus. As it is about to finish the kill, the Spinosaurus is eaten by a T-Rex from behind. The machine escapes the T-Rex and avoids raptors, but it is low on battery and falls to the ground once more. This time there is nothing stopping the T-Rex. At the last second, the machine triggers the emergency power and warps away under the T-Rex's legs.

A2: The Antiquity (Greece, 1200 BC)

​

The machine drops out over the beautiful Aegean Sea, where it begins to fly over the city in awe (this is the machine's first successful time jump, after all). After witnessing the everyday citizens of Greece, the professor spots the Trojan Horse accompanied by a Greek Army. Further down, a fleet of warships is headed our direction. They suddenly open fire, sending the time machine into the ocean. Now underwater and unable to fly due to damage, the machine dives through what appears to be the ruins of Atlantis. Large sea creatures are the underwater, and one begins to attack the machine. Just as it is about the destroy the time machine, a bigger fish arrives and kills the creature, allowing the Machine to escape. It is pursued by this bigger creature, but Machine fixes itself just in time and escapes.

A3: Ancient India (Indus, 3300 BC)

​

The machine warps to Ancient India, where we witness a cradle of civilization. The Professor eagerly announces the jump was not only successful, but accurate- they are now at a birthplace of our society. After flying a little while, the machine heads down to further explore this settlement. It at this point when the humans decide to attack -- they must believe the machine is some sort of demon! War elephants charge at the time machine, leading to a chase sequence concluding at a waterfall and voyage down the river. As the time machine approaches the waterfall, the Machine nearly falters but is able to escape in time.

A4: Ice Age (Germany, 1200 BC)

​

The machine jumps out into the cold, arctic abyss. It is the Ice Age. After the tense chase, things get calmer as we take in the scenery. The Professor decides to take a close up look at the Wooly Mammoths, so the time machine heads in. What we don’t realize is a saber tooth tiger is lurking right behind! With the Professor scared out of their mind, the Time Machine takes drive and begins sledding down the hill to escape the predator. At it skates on the ice from the herd of tigers, the Professor gets his bearing and realizes something, taking control he swerves away just as a mighty Orca bursts out of the ice and consumes a tiger for breakfast. With this, the Professor decides it is time to leave but notices a fire just in the horizon- early humans.

Ride Film "B" -- Four Possibilities
B1: Feudal Japan (Edo, 1400)

​

The time machine jumps out to the medieval Tokyo, but is halted by a team of Samurai serving the Emperor. They inform us God in the form of a flying orb told them beforehand to look out for a time machine. The professor is nervous- this must be the works of the TTA (they used the
warping energy to follow them)! The Samurai each begin to attack the machine, but we are suddenly aided by a Ninja! The machine moves away, but the Ninja and Samurai are seen fighting from rooftop to rooftop. Eventually, the Ninja bests the Samurai by throwing a dragon float towards the time machine. The Machine continues to look for an escape, heading into the forest overlooking Mount Fuji. After a crash through the Emperor’s gardens it reaches a cliff face, and lingers there before falling. Boasters are initialized at the last second and the machine warps away to safety.

B2: The Enlightenment (London, 1750)

​

The time machine warps into London at its prime. The Professor informs us we have entered The Enlightenment, a time where the values that make up our world today were created. As we head through the streets we are halted by an armada of Redcoats. They inform us a "flying orb" -- a gift from God- or nature, because the Enlightenment is questioning the logistics of God -- has told them beforehand to look out for a time machine. The professor is nervous -- this must be the works of TTA! The time machine flies through the armada leading to high speed chase through the streets of London. It smashes through an Enlightenment Salon, scaring the nobility, and then a prison, unleashing a group of pirates. The Professor nervously informs us this was also the Golden Age of Piracy. The Pirates begin to wreak havoc, as we continue the escape, now on the Thames River. The machine -- much to the protest of the professor -- races straight between a Pirate / Redcoat ship battle before warping away.

B3: Manifest Destiny (Oregon Country, 1880)

​

The time machine jumps out and finds itself in the magnificent Rocky Mountains. We follow the trail but are halted by a party of lawmen. They inform us a "flying orb" -- the spirit of America -- has told them beforehand to look out for a time machine. The professor is nervous -- this must be the works of the TTA! The time machine quickly runs away, following the pathway of a train through the irregular terrain. As it passes numerous sights, the Time Machine informs us at the current rate they cannot gain more fuel and must use acceleration to get into the air. As the lawmen close in, Native Americans arrive and begin fighting the lawmen for trespassing their land. The machine now has significant progress and can rest easy. The Professor tells it to make the jump, but when all seems well, we are halted again. This time it's by bandits, wanting to rob us. As the lawmen close in, the time machine jumps off the cliff and lets the bandits and lawmen meet up and face each other. We warp away in triumph.

B4: Roaring '20s (Chicago, 1929)

​

The machine warps into 1929 Chicago, months before the Depression crashes the world. As it heads to explore surroundings, the road is blocked by gangsters. They inform us a "flying orb" -- sent down by aliens -- told them beforehand to look out for a time machine. The professor is nervous -- this
must be the works of the TTA! What follows is exactly what one expects from gangsters in the 1920's. A chase through the city as the police do nothing about it. As it passes numerous sights, the Time Machine informs us at the current rate they cannot gain more fuel and must use acceleration to get into the air. Eventually the Machine uses a construction ramp to get into the air and speed away, passing a baseball field and just missing a home run hit.

Ride Film "C" -- 2 Possibilities
C1: Dystopian Future

​

Having just witnessed two life-threatening time jumps, the Professor tells us it can't get any worse. He proves wrong. It’s the future, but everything is bleak. The city is destroyed, and giant tall alien robots patrol. Silence befalls upon the time machine- unlike before, when there was initially great wonder, now there is only great fear. Drones like the TTA, only black / red and evil, attack leading to jerky chase through a massive garbage dump. As it appears home free, the Machine is attacked by one of these alien robots, but proves unable to fight back. It uses all of its energy to escape, severely damaging itself in the process. The Professor decides to warp back to Tomorrowland, turning himself in to keep the Time Machine alive.

C2: The Great War

​

Having just witnessed two life-threatening time jumps, the Professor tells us it can't get any worse. He proves wrong. It's World War I, and we are in no man’s land. The war has ravaged nature; all is bleak. Silence befalls upon the time machine- unlike before, when there was initially great wonder, now there is only great fear. Suddenly the Machine is attacked by fighter planes. What side? No one knows. The machine heads into an aerial dogfight, after shooting the planes down it is attacked by a Zeppelin. The Machine proves unable to fight back the many attacks. It uses all of its energy to escape, severely damaging itself in the process. The Professor decides to warp to Tomorrowland, turning himself in to keep the Time Machine alive.

Finale: Utopian Future

​

The Time Machine jumps again, only this time it finds something quite different. It is a Utopian future, and it looks oddly familiar. That's because we've landed back in Tomorrowland III, which, as you may recall, is the re-themed Tomorrowland that this new ride is aprt of. There is not a single problem we have not solved. As we head towards the city center, TTA Drones arrive.

PROFESSOR: I think this was long overdue. We surrender!

TTA SECURITY: Negative. Although your flight was uncalled for and a safety hazard, it was nonetheless a success. We can clearly see bravery in the challenges you faced. Therefore, we have decided to admit Time Travel into our exhibit.

This news is a shock to the Professor, which comes with triumphant music. The Time Travel speeds us and travels around the city before coming in for a landing.

TTA SECURITY: And remember, if you can dream it, you can do it.

The shutters close and the ride ends. As guests exit, the Professor addresses us.

"Sorry again for that mess, though I suppose it all ended well. Come again, soon! I promise next time will be different! Y'know, I kinda like it here. Maybe I'll settle down here once I perfect time-travel..."

We now exit the ride, free to explore the rest of Tomorrowland III by ourselves. And who knows? Maybe we'll see Justin Time in the flesh wandering around outside. I guess he did settle down here, after all...

~ ~ ~​

Well, that was fun! Once again, all credit goes to the original owners. I just used their concept and spruced things up a bit. It was too good not to utilize! Anyways, there's still one more attraction left to talk about here in Tomorrowland, and then we'll take in a special bit of entertainment and then, we'll finally move on to the next park in Walt Disney World! So, until the next post, if you have any feedback at all, I highly encourage you to post it here! Any and all feedback is welcomed and appreciated!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Last attraction in the Magic Kingdom!

~ ~ ~

Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress

One of the most beloved attractions in all the Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress has finally been given a 21st-century update. This may be the most audacious re-do the Carousel has ever seen, but one I think will make it stand out for the better. Instead of making 20-year jumps; we'll make 50-year jumps. We'll begin, as always, with the turn-of-the-century, then jump to the 50s, then to the 2000s, and then to the distant future of the 2050s. First and foremost, with the new look of Tomorrowland III, the Carousel will be given a make-over. It will now look quite similar to the original 1964 New York World's Fair theater, which, I think, blends in quite well with the glass canopies of Tomorrowland III. As we approach the theater, we catch it in the middle of a rotation. Once the rotating stops, a door opens within the wall, almost inviting us to come in. Intrigued, we step in.

​

Inside, a bevy of chairs sit facing a wide, green curtain, parted in the middle to reveal the show's logo. Once the semi-circular theater is filled, the lights dim and a voice welcomes us.

"Hello, folks, and welcome to Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. You're in for a real treat today. You see, most carousels just go around and around without getting anywhere. But on this one, at every turn, we'll be making progress. And progress is not just moving ahead. Progress is dreaming and working and building a better way of life. Progress is a commitment to people. A commitment of making today and tomorrow the best time of your life. It wasn't always easy. At every turn in our history there was always someone saying "Turn back. Turn back." But there is no turning back. Not for us. Not for our carousel. The challenge always lies ahead. Although our show changes, we still revolve around the same theme: namely, progress. And as long as man dreams and works and builds together, every day will always bring a great big beautiful tomorrow. May the century begin."

With that, we hear a very familiar voice start to sing...

​

"There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow is just a dream away.
Man has a dream, and that's the start.
He follows his dream with mind and heart.
And when it becomes a reality,
It's a dream come true for you and me.
So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away!"

As a chorus picks up the catchy little ditty, our theater starts...moving! So this is why we saw the spacecraft walls rotate! As the stage turns to the left, we turn to the right, beginning a trip through time that's become a beloved part of Disney.

ACT ONE: THE 1900s

​

(Our first stop is an average home of the 1900s. The family patriarch, John (whose voice we heard welcoming us to the show), is sitting in a rocker, wearing a smoking jacket and holding a pipe and newspaper. The dog, Rover, lies faithfully by his side. John joins in on the singing as the chorus fades out. The song ends, but plays on as background music in quiet violin form. Through the windows the audience see that it's a bright sunny day outside. Birds are chirping in the springtime air. John notices the sound of the birds and begins to address the crowd.)

JOHN: Ah, just listen to that sound. When you hear the chirp of a robin, you know spring is in the air. What year is it? Oh, just around the turn of the century. And no doubt about it, things couldn't be any better than they are today. Yes, sir, buildings in the city are towering twenty stories or more and moving pictures are flickering up on a screen. We call them picture shows. Also, we have about some 8,000 automobiles in this country and we can travel from coast to coast by train in no less than a week. I even heard tell of two brothers named Wright who are working on some newfangled flying machine. (He chuckles to himself) It'll never work. Meanwhile, around the home, we have the latest and greatest: gas lamps, a telephone and the latest design in cast iron stoves. Also, that reservoir keeps five gallons of water hot all day on just three buckets of coal. Yep, sure beats chopping wood. And isn't our new icebox a beauty? Get a load of that. Holds 50 pounds of ice. (The icebox opens, revealing ice, bread and milk) Milk doesn't sour as quick as it used to. Also, our dog Rover here keeps the water in the drip pan from overflowing. It wasn't too long ago we had to carry water from a well. But now, thanks to progress, we have a pump right here in the kitchen. (The pump handle on the sink magically moves and water starts to flow) Of course, we keep a bucket of water handy to prime it with. Yes, sir, we have everything to make life easier. (John looks over to his right, the audience's left, where the first of the rotating dioramas appears. A woman dressed in an apron is ironing a shirt, while her young daughter works beside her. This is Sarah, the mother. As for the daughter, let's call her...Louise. In the background is a large pantry with bags of food.) Say, Mother!

SARAH: What is it?

JOHN: I was reading about a fellow named Tom Edison, who's working on an idea for some kind of snap-on electric light.

SARAH: Electric lights, huh? Sounds like quite the breakthrough. Imagine--no more having to deal with kerosene and gas.

JOHN: This is my wife, Sarah. (chuckles) She sure can get to the core of the apple.

SARAH: But now that we have this new washday marvel, it takes only five hours to do the wash. Imagine! Used to take two days at least.

JOHN: That's right, folks. Now Mother has time to do other things, like...

SARAH: Like canning and freshening up the oven and the stove?

JOHN: (chuckles) Yes, Mother.

SARAH: Ovens don't clean themselves, you know.

JOHN: I know. (chuckles) And they probably never will. But no one can improve on nature for drying clothes.

SARAH: Excuse me, please, while I go get the wash off the line. It looks like it's about to rain cats and dogs.

(Rover barks at the comment and the diorama disappears.)

JOHN: Oh, don't worry, Rover, she didn't mean real cats and dogs. Besides, it's not going to rain today. How can it rain if my lumbago isn't acting up?

(Lightning flashes and the audience hears thunder while the lights dim for a few seconds. Rain starts to fall outside.)

SARAH: (sing-song; offstage) I told you so!

(Lights come back on.)

JOHN: My, my, just listen to it come down out there. Oh, well, the cistern was low on rainwater anyway. Now, around our home, entertainment is improving as well. For example, with the advent of the stereoscope, my son, James, and I can now see and learn all about the latest events in the world. But he'll have to ask permission first if he wants to look at it alone.

(The diorama on the audience's right lights up to display a young boy, John's aforementioned son, James, using a stereoscope beside an oil lamp.)

JAMES: Wowee! Look at that!

JOHN: Now look here, young man, if I told you once, I told you a thousand times, ask my permission to look at my expensive stereoscope. That's not a toy, you know!

JAMES: Ooh! Is that Little Egypt doing the hoochie-koochie, Dad?

JOHN: Oh, yeah, that's one thing I forgot to mention. She's the main attraction at the World's Fair out in St. Louis. (clears throat) Now, James, please put that away this minute before your mother finds it and get back to your homework, okay?

JAMES: But Dad...

JOHN: This minute! (The diorama disappears) Now, where was I? Oh, yes. We don't have an opera house in town, but we do have the next best thing: one of those new talking machines. What a beauty! It plays music right here in our home.

(The left diorama opens again, this time displaying Grandma sitting in a rocker, listening to music on a phonograph machine. A parrot is sitting on a perch beside her. The record plays "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" in an operatic style.)

PARROT: (squawks) She keeps that thing going all day. That tenor's driving me nuts. (Squawks again) Progress!

(The diorama disappears.)

JOHN: Of course, there are times when the younger people have their own ideas of fun and entertainment, too. (The right diorama reopens, revealing John's daughter, Patricia -- or Patty for short. She's sitting at a vanity, fixing her hair. She's only wearing her undergarments, but in the 1900s, the undergarments were more modest than today's outer garments, so the scene isn't--nor should it be--offensive. Flowery, feminine music comes on for the daughter.) Take my teenage daughter, Patricia, for instance. She's getting ready to go to a dance at the other end of town on one of those new electric trolleys.

PATRICIA: Oh, Papa.

JOHN: What is it, Patty?

PATRICIA: All these people! I'm indecent!

JOHN: Don't worry, they're friends!

PATRICIA: Well, thanks for letting me go, Papa.

JOHN: Okay. But you be home by 9:00 sharp, daughter. Understand?

(The flowery music dies for obvious reasons.)

PATRICIA: (dejectedly) Yes, Papa.

(The diorama disappears.)

JOHN: You know, all this talk about progress has made me work up quite a thirst. I think I'll take a trolley across town myself and meet the boys at the drug store soda fountain for a cold sarsaparilla. Oops, sorry, I forgot. We're drinking root beer now. Same drink, different name. Well, I guess that's progress for you. Which reminds me...

(The song starts up again and we rotate to...)

ACT TWO: THE 1950s

(Now, we're in a more modern kitchen. John is sitting a booth set up against the kitchen wall, holding a Niagara Falls fan. Rover is on the floor in front of him. The overall decor is now very 50s-like. Basically, this is the 40s set, re-used. I've heard there wasn't much different in house design between the 40s and 50s. Can anyone correct me if I'm wrong? There are fewer exposed electric wires, due to the fact that they are well hidden.)

JOHN: Whew, boy! Hottest summer we've had in years! Well, we sure have come a long way since the turn of the century some fifty-plus years ago. Yep, we're at the halfway point of this century, and life couldn't be any more easier. Thanks to progress, we have a lot more luxury in our home and our daily lives. Television came into our lives around the time the 40s ended, and it's quite fun. In fact, we're one of the few people in town to have a color television. That means when we watch, it's not all in black-and-white. TV has become such a fad now a days, they've even invented something called a TV diner. Fast, ready to go meals that we put into this new device called, a microwave oven. (A microwave oven, with a TV dinner inside it, lights up and spins around.) Oh, yeah, you know something else that's new? A new term on the radio. Fellow says, we've got something now called the "rat race". Did you ever hear that one? It sure describes my life. I'm involved with something now called commuting. I drive into the city for work all day, and then turn right around and drive all the way back. And the highway is crowded with other rats doing the same thing.

SARAH: (from off-stage; condescending) That's why it's called progress, dear.

JOHN: (to Sarah) Yeah, I guess you're right. (back to us) Oh, and have you heard these rumors? The Russians may be sending a satellite up into space; and I've heard our country may try to one-up them by walking on the moon. (Chuckles) That's never gonna happen. And if it does, well, I'd much rather be here on solid ground. Say, Jimmy?

(James appears behind left scrim, watching a television broadcast of the New York Yankees.)

JAMES: Yeah, Pop? What is it? Dang, the Yanks are taking it to the Cardinals. Mickey Mantle is just unstoppable.

JOHN: Son, have you helped your mother with the picnic basket?

SARAH: No, he hasn't.

(Sarah appears behind the right scrim, packing the bags. Louise is also there, picking up James' slack.)

JOHN: Oh, I nearly forgot. It's such a beautiful day out, that Sarah's decided to take the family out for a picnic in the park.

SARAH: It's going to be a real nice time...that is, if someone helps me out here.

LOUISE: Come on, James! Don't you even want to go on this picnic?

JAMES: Course I do, Louise. Just give a minute, the game's almost over...

SARAH: Well, you'd better hurry along, or else I may just forget to pack those Jell-O packs you like so much.

LOUISE: Yeah, and I may slip a No-Cal in there, too.

JAMES: Ugh, I'm coming! Gosh, why can't Patty help?

JOHN: (to James) James, now don't bother your sister. (to us) She's preparing for her date to the drive-in theater, I guess she's too good for us now....

(Rover barks. Patricia appears behind the left scrim, talking on the phone)

PATRICIA: Oh, that Dan, he's such a show-off. Leave it to the hot-rodders, am I right? Are you going to the movies with him tonight? Yeah, ain't that a bite? I'd be peeved to be seen in public with him, too.

JOHN: Sounds like Patricia's having boyfriend troubles in the fabulous 50s. With all these hot rod cars these kids drive around these days, it's easy to be impressed, but it's hard to find the right one. Something wrong, Patty?

PATRICIA: It's nothing, Dad. Steve just he thinks he's Elvis and he doesn't want to chip in the 50 cents for the movies.

JOHN: (Chuckles) Well, darling, the best advice I can give you is look for the quiet and humble ones. After all, that's what your mother looked for.

SARAH: (from off-stage) Now, John, you weren't so quiet yourself...you always had to be right.

(Rover barks.)

JOHN: Rover, don't interrupt while Sarah's interrupting. I guess I don't remember that part of our courtship.

(Lights up on James, watching "Dateline Disneyland" on the TV.)

JAMES: Hey, look at this!

WALT DISNEY: To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land.

JOHN: How about that? Ol' Walt's opening up a theme park. Let me tell you folks, that fella Walt has some good pictures out as of late in the theaters. And he's constantly pushing the limits of progress, and heading into tomorrow. Well, I guess that's something we both have in common: a bright outlook for the future ahead. After all...

(The song starts again and we rotate to...)

ACT THREE: THE 2000s​

(We are in a home found in the early 2000s. It's a beautiful fall day.)

JOHN: Welcome to Autumn here in the new millennium! I never thought I'd live to see the day when our planet celebrates being here for 2,000 years, but yet, here we are. And let me tell you: the world has changed a lot. Heck, just in the last few decades alone, progress has reshaped basically every part of our life. Everything is automated these days. Even....

(From off-stage, we hear a toilet flush, followed by a very familiar voice.)

ORVILLE: No privacy at all around this place!

JOHN: (to Orville) Sorry, Orville. (to us) Yeah, that's our perennial houseguest, old Uncle Orville. Drifts in here from time to time. Takes our hospitality for granted. (whispering) Too bad he's not looking at the "Help Wanted" ads. (normal voice) And speaking of taking things for granted, it's amazing to see how much we do just that. There's lots of things in life to celebrate. The Red Sox finally broke the Curse of the Bambino and beat my old Cardinals in the World Series. Now if only the Cubs can win. (Chuckles) But that'll never happen. We have these new movie screens called "IMAX". The screen is so big and real that it almost feels like you're in the movie! And with the 3D glasses, it makes it even more amazing! And that's not even touching all the ways that our home has seen progress since this century began. The World Wide Web has brought so much innovation into our home. Heck there's even these search engines, where you can look up anything in the world, and in just seconds you get information on it. I doubt if they can sustain it. Yeah, we're living on easy street these days. And the world is growing in population each and every day. We may even hit 7 billion people on this planet, and now, we can communicate from anywhere in the world. Here, just watch. Say, Sarah...

SARAH: Yes, John?

JOHN: How about we check in and see how Patty's doing in college?

SARAH: She's doing fine. In fact, I was just about to talk with her.

(Lights up to reveal Patricia in her dorm on the left side of the stage. Her computer is equipped with a real camera, making her appear on Sarah's computer.)

PATRICIA: (annoyed) Honestly, dad, why can't you just text me, instead of calling all the time?

JOHN: (chuckles) Calm down, Patty. I'm just showing our friends here the power of the inter-webs.

PATRICIA: Dad, it's called the internet. I thought you were supposed to be up-to-date on progress?

JOHN: I am, but it's moving faster than ever nowadays, and I'm having trouble catching up!

PATRICIA: (chuckles) Looks like when I go on winter break, I'm gonna have to show you how to use e-mail...for the third time, might I add.

SARAH: (chuckling as well) Your father and your e-mail...

JOHN: (defending himself) Hey now, who's the guy who set up that automatic voice-mail contraption, huh?

SARAH: John, for the last time, the voice comes with the answering machine. I asked you to record your voice, remember? You certainly like to talk a lot...

JOHN: You're not helping my case, Sarah. (to us) You know, it's not just communications that have been improved with progress. The games we play are also improving, as Jimmy and Louise could probably tell you...

(Jimmy and Louise are revealed stage right, playing his video games on an old PlayStation.)

JOHN: Say Jimmy, how are you liking your video games?

JAMES: Oh, they're awesome, Dad. They're certainly better than that old dinosaur "Pong".

LOUISE: How did people back then think Pong was entertaining?

JOHN: Hey now, Pong is better than the junk currently sold on the shelves. And besides, all you do is sit inside playing those games. Whatever happened to going outside?

JAMES: Aw, Dad, I still get outside. I can still beat you in basketball, you know.

LOUISE: And I led my softball team to victory in the state championships!

JOHN: You got me there. (to us) Oh, and I almost forgot: these days, it's much easier to keep in touch with your friends and family, thanks to something called "social media".

SARAH: I just love that Facebook site. It's how I was able to find my night job, remember?

JOHN: Yes, dear. I remember. How come nobody likes my posts, anyway?

GRANDMA: (from off-stage) Because you post about progress by the time everyone already knows about it! What really sells are these funny cats videos that I post.

JOHN: Gosh, I guess I never keep up with the times. Well as we head on into the 21st century, in this technological age, progress is moving faster than ever. We're going to have a lot of visionaries in the 21st century, that's for sure, and everything and anything we could imagine, is just a dream away. Come on, you know the words. Let's sing further into the 21st century!

(The song starts. We rotate.)

ACT FOUR: THE FUTURE (2050s)

​

(We find ourselves in a "house of the future", with the distant silhouette of Progress City behind it. The entire family: John, Sarah, Patricia, James, Louise, Rover, Grandma and Grandpa are here. It's Christmastime; and snow is falling in the background. For the most part, this should look like the current scene (pictured above), only more "futuristic.")

JOHN: "If we can dream it, we can do it." That's the motto that I've stuck to as we head towards the future, and by golly, it still rings true. We're approaching a bold new era of new innovations and discoveries that'll make our lives even easier than before; but until then, we're just enjoying a nice family Christmas.

JAMES: Hey, I've got an idea for the future: a way to make Grandma give me back my virtual reality headset.

SARAH: Now James, don't you start up again.

JAMES: She's had it for hours, Mom!

JOHN: Your mother's right, Jimmy. Let your grandma have fun with it.

JAMES: I wonder what she's doing with it?

SARAH: Well, plug it into the TV and we'll find out.

(The TV reveals a space simulator.)

GRANDMA: I've always wanted to know what space looks like. When I was a little girl, I used to dream of being an astronaut. Did I ever tell you about the time I got to go on the International Space Station?

LOUISE: You sure did, Grandma, and it keeps getting better every time!

PATRICIA: (sitting with a guitar (as in the early days of the WDW Carousel), plunking out the melody of "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow") Is it any wonder why I plan to become an astronaut like you?

GRANDPA: You know something, you kids sure do got it easy these days. Not only do we have these wireless communications, but transportation is getting so much better. That PeopleMover sure is something else. (chuckles)

(Rover barks.)

JOHN: Easy, Rover. (to us) He's complaining because electric vehicles are so quiet. He misses being able to bark at passing cars.

GRANDPA: Say John, remember when we used to be part of the "rat race"?

JOHN: (chuckles) Like it was yesterday, Pop. In fact, that's a relic we still have to this day. Not even progress can stop traffic jams!

GRANDPA: Y'know, while we're sitting here, warm and cozy, I can't help but feel mighty sorry for all those people out there that bucking traffic and those crowds; trying to get home for the holidays. Y'know, every city should have a PeopleMover in it. Who knows? If enough come by, traffic jams could be a thing of the past.

JAMES: I hope so. I couldn't bear the thought of postponing another golf session with you, Grandpa.

GRANDPA: So do I, champ. Ah, I just love to slice the old five-iron. I'm in the 80s, myself...my golf score, that is.

PATRICIA: Say Dad, when's your specialty gonna get done cooking?

JOHN: Calm down, everyone. It takes a lot of time for me to patent my omelettes superb avec jambon.

LOUISE: Known in other circles as "ham and eggs".

(The kids laugh. Rover barks.)

JOHN: Watch your mouth, Rover. And as for you three, whatever happened to respect for your elders?

GRANDMA: (to John) I was thinking the same thing when you were growing up.

(The kids laugh at Grandma's comeback.)

LOUISE: Say, Mom, would you mind turning the TV back to satellite? I want to see the New Years celebrations.

JAMES: Is it that time already?

PATRICIA: Well of course! Matter of fact, it's past that time in half the world.

JAMES: Wow, the things they teach these children nowadays.

PATRICIA: Very funny, James.

(Various news channels play in succession.)

VARIOUS NEWSCASTERS: Celebrating the New Year here in London, a large crowd has gathered. (Channel changes.) Tremendous pace as happy Parisians welcome the New Year- (Channel changes.) A happy holiday spirit fills the evening. We still have several hours before midnight here in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World but already people from all over the world are celebrating-

GRANDMA: Oh my goodness! Look at that.

EVERYONE: (Ad lib reactions) Wow! Sensational! That's great!

LOUISE: I've always wanted to see the world. Maybe in the future, air travel will be so quick, we can travel from one end of the world to another in just minutes.

GRANDMA: I always did love world traveling.

JAMES: No kidding, Grandma. In one year, you managed to travel around the world, take up tennis, and even organize your high school reunion. Incredible!

GRANDPA: Who knows, champ? Maybe we'll all take a flight ourselves.

(Rover barks.)

JOHN: You know, I feel like sending up some fireworks myself.

SARAH: We really do have a lot to celebrate, and not just things, either.

JOHN: It's the whole quality of our lives.

JAMES: Hey, it's great you two feel that way.

SARAH: Why shouldn't we?

JAMES: The world is getting more complex.

PATRICIA: Really?

GRANDPA: Well, today is always more complex than yesterday. Always has been.

JOHN: But it's more exciting too. We have so many more choices.

SARAH: I think that's the best part.

JAMES: In fact, I just heard that that colony on Mars is almost complete! Who knows? Maybe we'll find a new planet to settle on someday.

JOHN: And that's the really exciting part. You never know what's on the horizon. And it goes to show you that progress only happens when we dream big, inspire others, and dedicate ourselves to our goals. The future is bright and it's just a dream away.

(The timer dings.)

SARAH: Oh, speaking of good things, sounds like it's time for our omelette superb avec jambon.

(Rover barks.)

JOHN: See, even Rover's enthusiastic about the future! Alright fella, I get the message. And yes dear, you're right. Progress is always there; ready to guide us to new horizons. (to us) Say, how about we show you what may be in store? Just give us a few minutes; and we'll give you a guided tour of our hometown: Progress City.

(As the song starts up again; we rotate towards what used to be the Unloading theater. Now, as in the old days of the World's Fair; what was once a blank stage has turned into a staircase leading up towards...)

EPILOGUE: PROGRESS CITY

​

(For the first time in years, the full, uncut Progress City model is here for us to view. We head up the staircase and head inside the dome at the top of the Carousel building. In fact, the blueprint above should give you an idea for what I'm looking for here. From above a railing, we see it: Progress City; a world inviting, wonderful, and full of hope for the future. Our Carousel family is not here with us physically, but we hear their voices narrating this epilogue. An instrumental of "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" plays underneath this epilogue.)

JOHN: As you can see, folks, every time it seems that we've gone as far as we can, progress always finds new ways to surprise us. Now, our whole community comes to life at the click of a switch. Honestly, it seems like that "great big beautiful tomorrow" we keep singing about is here and now!

SARAH: Everything you see in Progress City is possible today in any city, even where you live. We have all the latest ideas to help cities look better, and to make them better places to live and work in.

JOHN: Remember when we talked about transportation? Well, in addition to our PeopleMover, we also have own transporters. Flying cars have become the norm here; and they're quite a wild ride. And we have other sorts of vehicles, too. In fact the heart of Progress City's transportation is our rapid transit system that's controlled by computers. I get to work in half the time on a high-speed monorail. Sure beats traffic jams.

(Rover barks.)

JOHN: Easy, Rover. He's complaining because electric vehicles are so quiet. He misses being able to bark at passing cars.

LOUISE: And going out for a day on the town is also more convenient. And getting there is only half the fun. Today, our whole downtown is completely enclosed. Whatever the weather is outside, it's always dry and comfortable inside.

JAMES: Yeah, they call it a climate controlled environment.

SARAH: Say, do you see that building far off to your right? That's our power plant. Here in Progress City, we're always trying to find new and efficient ways to use energy. We're using all sorts of energy: solar, wind, hydroelectric, you name it. It sure beats burning fossil fuels.

GRANDMA: And next door, is Industrial Park which really looks more like an attractive city park, thanks to beautiful lighting and landscaping.

GRANDPA: And speaking of parks, outdoor lighting has added hours to our recreation time. We have night lighted stadiums, ball fields, and golf courses. Ah, I just love to slice the old five-iron. I'm in the 80s, myself...my golf score, that is.

JOHN: And on top of all that, we even have our own amusement park! It's not exactly Disneyland or anything, but it is clean and bright and lots of fun.

JAMES: Look! A plane's about to leave the airport!

JOHN: Just look at it go! And imagine how convenient air travel will be in the future.

PATRICIA: I've always wanted to see the world. Maybe in the future, air travel will be so quick, we can travel from one end of the world to another in just minutes.

GRANDMA: I always did love world traveling.

LOUISE: No kidding, Grandma. In one year, you managed to travel around the world, take up tennis, and even organize your high school reunion. Incredible!

GRANDPA: Who knows, champ? Maybe we'll all take a flight ourselves.

(Rover barks.)

JOHN: Now calm down, Rover. We'll always come back to Progress City. And we hope you folks will come back too. But right now, it's time to go.

SARAH: But remember, everything you've seen here in Progress City is possible today. So if you know any cities looking for a fresh new look, tell them about ours.

JOHN: Well, folks, we certainly hope you've enjoyed your time here on Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. Please gather all your personal belongings and exit through the doors located to the left. Have a great big beautiful day, and remember, tomorrow is just a dream away.

("There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" plays as we exit through the doors, and walk down a ramp leading down the side of the theater, similar to the blueprint seen above.)

~ ~ ~​

And there we have an all-new take on Carousel of Progress! For this, I was mainly inspired by the version created by @spacemt354 and @MonorailRed for their 50 for the 50th project, so all credit goes to them.

And yes, I just realized this: we never do see the girl helping Mother out in the opening scene again, do we? Well, with this version of the show, I decided to expand her part and officially make her one of the family!

Well, with all the attractions out of the way, there's still one more thing I want to see in the Magic Kingdom: a crucial piece of entertainment. Later tonight, we'll hit the streets of the Magic Kingdom to take in the glory of a returning masterpiece. Until then, keep the feedback coming!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Last overall thing in the Magic Kingdom!

~ ~ ~

SpectroMagic

​

SpectroMagic was probably one of the best forms of nighttime entertainment in Disney park history; taking the basic concept of the beloved Main Street Electrical Parade and making it more elegant; more grandeur. What other parade do you know of has its soundtrack done in 3/4 time, instead of 4/4? I will admit, for the most part, SpectroMagic will remain mostly the same, but there will be some new additions. As such, this won't be a complete run-through of the parade, we'll just be going over the new additions and briefly noticing the old ones.

The parade's Opening Unit and Music Unit will be largely the same, but once we get past that, it's a whole new ball-game. The former Sleeping Beauty garden has turned into the wacky world of Alice in Wonderland. Since the Sleeping Beauty characters will be appearing elsewhere in the parade, I thought I'd give their floats over to a new set of characters. Tulgey Wood makes up the front of this float - Alice is flanked by a few trees, with animatronic creatures sitting on their branches. The Cheshire Cat makes mysterious remarks about the event. The butterflies from the former garden unit walk behind this float, alongside the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter and the Queen of Hearts. The next float in the unit involves Queen of Hearts' rose bushes, whose roses are all continually changing color as the playing cards paint them. Yet more cards surround the float, and they can use their brushes to paint any "Made With Magic" accessories the guests are wearing.

Following this comes another new addition, a unit themed around the "Heffalumps and Woozles" segment of Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day. First up, like the Giant Swimming Fish unit that introduces the Little Mermaid unit, four giant Woozle-in-the-Boxes make their way down the parade route. A mysterious, dream-like version of "On This Magic Night" plays alongside an equally mysterious rendition of "Heffalumps and Woozles". Following them is a giant mobile of Heffalump balloons. Multicolored Heffalump balloons spin above the crowds. There are five balloons, each holding a certain Pooh character: Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit and Christopher Robin. Behind the mobile is a giant Heffalump balloon, with Pooh himself inside. After this float is a float where two giant watering cans sprinkle "water" down onto the parade route. This serves as a segue into the Little Mermaid unit, which goes unchanged.

​

After the Little Mermaid unit is the "Fantasy River" unit. This unit begins when a set of lily pads, with twinkling fireflies make their way down the parade route. Water ripples spread from the base of the pads. Parade performers simulate twinkling butterflies. Louie, the Alligator and Ray make their way through the pads. Followed by the small additional section, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen make their way down the parade route, sitting in a large lily flower. The petals surround the two of them, while the leaves light up in bright, green lights. The petals of the flowers also illuminate with lights, seeming to spread a magic off of them. It appears that the entire flower is being upheld by a watery spout.

Following this is a sub-segment themed around Tangled, which consists of three units. The first unit consists of a large overhang supported by cornering bars, all made black so that they are dark to see, upholding numerous lanterns suspended from the overhang, glimmering in the darkness. The lanterns hang from all different heights, making them seem as if they are beginning to rise into the sky. At the base of the float, watery waves are simulated through the darkness, by blue wavy lights and a low-setting fog. The following float features Rapunzel and Flynn in a small boat, just above the blue wavy lights and low fog. The score of "I See the Light" plays. On both side of the float, floating lanterns are located to the sides and above the boat, almost engulfing the scene. This float is followed by an identical float to the first unit of the Tangled section: a float completely consisting of floating lanterns, suspended from an overhang at all different heights. From the looks of the scene coming down the parade route, the entire Tangled unit looks like a stream of floating lanterns descending down upon Main Street, glimmering in the darkness.

Following this is the Fantasia unit, which goes unchanged, but after this comes a whole new Finale unit. The first thing we see in the finale is an audio-animatronic Dumbo, who hovers about in special blue-and-magenta garb. Behind him is Casey Jr. (For this float, I'd re-use the Casey Jr. float from Disneyland Paris' Wonderful World of Disney Parade, albeit without Dumbo atop him, because in this parade, he's in front of him...)

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Onboard the passenger cars of the train are some of the characters who appeared in the original SpectroMagic: Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, Brer Bear, Fifer Pig, Fiddler Pig, Practical Pig and the Big Bad Wolf.

Following behind Casey Jr. is a princess-based float. Heralded by couples waltzing romantically to the music. For these dancers, I'd have their costumes basically be those used for the Main Street Electrical Parade; albeit with the female dancers' gowns altered so that they can pick up their skirts with ease. Since I want the dancers' clothes to change colors; I'd like some of the choreography to be them spinning around or showing off the designs; and I know how sometimes, the skirt of a dress is picked up so that the details can be shown more clearly.

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Anyways, the float itself is a castle balcony on which Snow White and Prince Florian, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Phillip and Belle and the Beast waltz. The float should look something like this...

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Joining the fun are the Seven Dwarfs. Some of the Dwarfs will march about on the ground, and the others will be on the float. Naturally, the Dwarfs have decorated the towers with sparkling jewels. On occasion, the Dwarfs on the float will even use their mining tools to pop one of them right off the wall for further inspection! Some of the smaller characters take turns popping in and out of the towers' windows - Jaq and Gus, Tinker Bell, even Duchess' kittens. The Three Fairies float towards the back, and Flora and Merryweather consistently fuss over whether to paint the guests' Made with Magic accessories pink or blue.

Inspired by, but not identical to, the boat from Steamboat Willie, a black-and-white vessel comes sailing in on a rainbow sea of paint, parting it into waves. Donald Duck is at the controls, which include a whistle whose tone harmonizes with the parade music. Minnie, Daisy and Pluto are also on the boat, dancing happily. The boat's wheel and smokestacks move in time with the music as well.

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Following behind the boat is a float from the original SpectroMagic: the carousel float. Surrounding the carousel are Mary Poppins, Pinocchio, Gepetto, Aladdin, Jasmine, Peter Pan, Baloo, Timon, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the like.

Behind this is one last float. This final float features a larger-than-life storybook, whose page opens to reveal the words "Let the dream live on!" Jiminy Cricket, our host, waves goodbye to us from atop this float, surrounded by a few SpectroMen.

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When the day ends, and the last boom of the fireworks has long since sounded, keep an eye out--you may see Mickey and Minnie, waving goodbye from atop the train station! Of course, the shops of Main Street, U.S.A. stay open a half-hour after the rest of the park closes, offering guests a getaway from the stampede, or to just walk around, enjoying the beauty of the night. Stick around long enough, and you'll get one last treat.

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And just like that--our journey through the Magic Kingdom is complete. But don't think our journey through the resort is over. We've still got a lot to see! And we'll continue our tour of Walt Disney World with a visit to the resort's famous second gate...

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Well, with that, we have officially completed our time here in the Magic Kingdom. What did you guys think of my ideas for this park as a whole?

Next post will be coming along soon, and in that post, we'll begin our time at Walt Disney World's second park, EPCOT! See ya then!

 

[DisneyManOne]

I'm really excited to dive into this particular park. EPCOT may be my personal favorite park in all of Walt Disney World, possibly tied with the Magic Kingdom. With all the changes scheduled to come over the years, EPCOT may be shaping up as a happy medium for purists of the old-school "Center", as well as those who welcome the Disney characters in over the years. I'm eager to see what the reimagined EPCOT will be like, but until then, here's my ideal vision of what EPCOT should be like.

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Isn't it fascinating -- the lives we live? Ours is a world full of discovery and innovation. As history has gone on, we've made so many new things that have helped our lives, and we have learned so much about the people who live the world over. The rich tapestry of the human race -- its inventions, its cultures, its food -- combined with the wonders of the natural world is something worth celebrating. And that is exactly what we shall do when we step inside Walt Disney World's glorious second gate...

EPCOT

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EPCOT opened to the world exactly eleven years after the Magic Kingdom opened, on October 1st, 1982. Essentially, EPCOT is a celebration of what it means to be a member of the human race, with one side of the park celebrating man's scientific and futuristic achievements, and the other celebrating our world's diverse culture. Through this park, we are able to see humanity at its best, and we are given new hope for the future. And given that the good people at Walt Disney Imagineering are currently planning a re-imagining of the park, intended to be a happy medium for EPCOT purists and character-lovers, I have a feeling that the park is in capable hands. As such, my ideas for EPCOT reflect this medium. Hopefully, we'll be able to restore this place to something similar to its original glory; combining the best of the early days with the best of the current days. We'll see a few old friends make re-appearances here in the park, but we'll also see a few familiar Disney faces here and there. We'll have edutainment and Disney IPs stand together in perfect harmony.

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The sun rises high over the Floridian skies. The monorail pulls into the station, unloading the day's first group of guests, ready to explore EPCOT, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Upon entering the park, you'll find yourself in a natural oasis. As in the old days, the Entrance Plaza is full of beautiful trees and gardens. As for the former Leave a Legacy monoliths, the pictures have been moved outside the turnstiles so that all those who have "left a legacy" can still have a place here in this park. The large, geometrical sphere of Spaceship Earth, the symbol of all EPCOT, rises high over the numerous trees. Guests walk through and around the several mazes of trees and flowers, before arriving at a fountain, just at the entrance of Spaceship Earth. Atop the fountain is a tall, three-pronged sculpture, adorned with the old EPCOT logo. Likewise, flags surrounding the gardens bear the EPCOT logo as well. To the left of the Spaceship Earth plaza is the Wheelchair and Stroller Rental shop. Built into the sides of this imposing sphere are two other shops. To the left is the Gateway Gifts store, which features a series of EPCOT and Spaceship Earth-based merchandise. Continuing to wrap in-front of Spaceship Earth and on the opposite side of the plaza is the Camera Center, which features specialty camera and picture products. And of course, right in the middle of it all, is an inclined ramp that takes guests inside the giant geometric sphere for a ride that sets the mood for our time here at EPCOT.

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Spaceship Earth takes you through the historical and cultural progression of the world, showing how the world has evolved through communication. The attraction begins at the earliest periods of the cavemen, who used cave drawings to communicate, and proceeds through many different eras and civilizations -- from the invention of papyrus paper and the creation of the alphabet, to the fall of Alexandria and the rise of the Renaissance, and to the early-century telephones to the later-century computer, before arriving in the current one in which we live today. Set to a powerful score by Edo Guidotti and featuring detailed animatronics, the excitement and majesty of Spaceship Earth is an excellent way to begin a day here at EPCOT.

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What do you think, guys? Are you excited to see what I have up my sleeve for EPCOT? Bear in mind, of the four parks of Walt Disney World, this is the one that's going to be subject to the most re-edits. Since D23 will soon be with us, I'm sure they'll give us lots of information of what the future will hold for EPCOT. And I fully intend to edit these following posts based upon what they talk about. Plus, I do have a feeling that @MANEATINGWREATH's WestCOT may inspire a few more ideas out of me, even though I am fully confident with the ideas I intend to bring here.

Also, you may be asking "Why am I calling it EPCOT instead of EPCOT Center?" Well, it was initially called "Center" because, according to Tony Goldmark's retrospective of the park, the people at Disney had hopes of actually building Walt's EPCOT city around the park, thus making it the "Center" of the city. Since those plans fell through, the name is kind of pointless. Hence, I went with an all-capitalized EPCOT instead.

So, until the next post, feel free to leave any feedback! Any and all feedback is appreciated!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Here's a rather quick post, because I'm sure this is one that will take massive amounts of re-editing once D23 comes out.

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Future World

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Heading beyond Spaceship Earth, we enter the first distinct area of EPCOT: Future World. Future World is devoted to the wonders of our world, man-made and natural, and what we can do to ensure that such wonderful things can last. Any adventure in Future World begins in Stargate Plaza, the center of Future World and a hub for all activities in EPCOT. Various buildings dot the landscape of Stargate Plaza, all surrounding the glorious Fountain of Nations, a beautiful fountain that comes to life every ten minutes, sending its water jets soaring to the skies to a powerful orchestral score. Likewise, most of these buildings help to showcase a type of building style that could help humanity -- and the world -- in the long-run: green architecture.

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With our world's population exponentially growing, and the shifting of that population towards urban areas, not to mention the needed focus on climate change, I feel that we will start to see more nature integrated into city spaces. It benefits the environment as well as the lives of the individuals that live in those areas. Research is showing the benefits that nature have on the human psyche. As more and more people crowd into urban areas, we will need to find ways to continue to have nature present in these cityscapes. If EPCOT is to get people excited to shape the future, then why not showcase ideas that will benefit humanity in the long run? In fact, the picture above is of a prime example of green architecture: the Acros Building in Fukuoka, Japan. If Stargate Plaza featured buildings like the Acros, we may inspire cities the world over to follow suit. Besides, the original concept for the city of EPCOT featured plenty of greenery. Not only is green, renewable energy the way of the future, but a more pleasant aesthetic to have futuristic plants and shrubbery, than staring at more of a chromatic concrete jungle.

In addition to these green buildings, Stargate Plaza is surrounded by ponds and canals, like the ones that surrounded the plaza back in the early days of the park. In addition, you'll also find new flowing streams and small rocky waterfalls adding motion beneath the swaying of the tall trees, which also provide much needed shade to the area. Vibrant flowers along the grassy banks of the water add color to the area, while the reflections of Spaceship Earth and the surrounding buildings add even more life and visual interest to the plaza. New paths lead directly from Spaceship Earth both east and west, allowing easy navigation and traffic flow to the Guardians of the Galaxy roller-coaster and The Living Seas.

Now, with this revitalization of Stargate Plaza, if the concept art is anything to go by, Innoventions will -- at last -- be closing. But, with this new Plaza gives us the chance to do what Innoventions, as well as CommuniCore, originally intended to do: provide an outlook for a future way of life. The problem with Innoventions is that the "future" technology they showcased could easily be found today. With this new Stargate Plaza, we can use the space as a wide open green belt of smaller pavilions and locations that serve a greater purpose to the theme of Future World. And, as an added bonus, the center spine of Epcot would feel much more like a park within a park! With at least ten times more benches and shady areas than the current configuration of the center spine, as well as small quick service venues throughout that allow guests to either eat indoors or underneath the canopies.

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For example, if the concept art is any indication, the Electric Umbrella restaurant will be staying. Although it is iconic, I would turn that restaurant into a new experience: The Green Thumb. This concept would predominantly feature another "green" aspect for the modern city: urban rooftop gardening. Just imagine how much money Disney could make off a meal package, where guests could watch the nightly fireworks from the rooftop. The bistro should have indoor and outdoor seating options, and provide an upscale bistro style menu, and should also focus on using ingredients gardened in Epcot, from both this rooftop garden and the greenhouses at The Land. However, I still want Garden Grill to be the real shining star of the Farm-To-Table movement, so the main focus of this bistro should not be this, but it should strive to show that it is possible to use small spaces to grow high-quality food. I know that not all of the food for a restaurant can be grown on the roof of one pavilion, so it should be about highlighting a few options or ingredients grown there, not an entire menu. The Green Thumb building also plays host to the park's Guest Relations center.

A few steps north from The Green Thumb is the Centorium, the largest shop in EPCOT. There's no way that Disney would let the largest shop in the park be closed down, so it's safe to say it will be staying. In fact, in order to sell more, I'd restore the upstairs level the store had before it turned into Mouse Gear. The first floor of the Centorium features a large assortment of EPCOT and Disney character merchandise. Items include books, slider puzzles featuring the Future World pavilion logos, stuffed animals, buttons, patches, jewelry, DVDs, CDs, posters, t-shirts, and hats. The second floor of the Centorium can be accessed by a glassed-in elevator. From here, you can look down at the first floor. Items include various electronic gadgets, such as watches, model vehicles, and iPod/iPhone/iPad accessories.

Built on the western side of Future World, nearby Journey Into Imagination, is the all-new EPCOT Festival Center. Given that the old Wonders of Life building is turning into the Play Pavilion, a new custom-built circular structure has been added to Stargate Plaza to fill the void. This is a place for various events that are part of the now four annual events hosted at the park -- the Festival of the Arts, the International Flower & Garden Festival, the International Food & Wine Festival and the Holidays Around the World Celebration. It's got enough space to allow for the usual features of such festivals -- panels, stages, lots of seating and merchandise options.

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Of course, with the removal of Innoventions West will come a new location for Starbucks. I'd prefer to have this new Starbucks be built into a hillside in the Plaza, featuring lots of greenery and timber. Other notable aspects of Stargate Plaza include innovative fountains and water features, including a water maze leading up to The Living Seas, a new meet-and-greet location for Mickey and his pals, and all sorts of unique, kinetic materials. Oh, and speaking of Mickey and pals, Stargate Plaza also contains a unique roving character experience. Rolling around through Stargate Plaza is an old CommuniCore favorite, SMRT-1. SMRT-1 is a purple and chrome robot set on a rotating pedestal surrounded by telephones, and he invites guests to play along in trivia and guessing games. When your turn comes up, SMRT-1 asks you (in its synthesized voice) to speak your answer loud and clear through the phone. It also spends some time ad-libbing and singing between games: "If I keep this up I might graduate from Solid State."

In addition, the Plaza would also make use of real-life urban technologies, like capturing and using rainwater for irrigating the landscape. The lighting will also be something of note, as when the sun goes down, the flora of Stargate Plaza will transform into a neon spectacle that will be some serious competition for the nighttime effects of Pandora: The World of Avatar. Dark lights and other neon stimuli will light up around Future World, creating a colorful array of designs they truly bring it to life. Even the monorail track that goes around Future World will be affected by these lights, and glow similar to this image at the Disneyland Hotel pool.

But with all these wonderful new things aside, there's one thing in particular about the new Stargate Plaza that really excites me. I would take the opportunity that leveling most of Innoventions brings about to restore what may as well be considered the mission statement of EPCOT...

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Horizons is the rock in which Future World casts its very foundation. Within its walls, Horizons brings the entirety of Future World together, uniting all prevalent themes into one spectacular attraction. Technology, transportation, food, health, history, space, imagination, and more connect the dots of creativity into a fantastic glimpse at our future from a scientific, nonsensical, or realistic viewpoint. Just about everyone is fascinated with the future and what it might hold for us. And Horizons provided us with an inspiring and exciting look at how life may change for humanity in the years to come. I figured, since Horizons is essentially a combination of all Future World has to present, why not place it right in the center of Future World? Fiddling around in Paint, I noticed that the show building is large enough to fit within the Plaza without disrupting the monorail line. I think there could be no better sight than to see this mighty building with the Fountain of Nations jumping gleefully in front of it.

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Furthermore, Horizons has indeed become a true Disney classic, being to EPCOT what something like Pirates of the Caribbean or The Haunted Mansion is to the Magic Kingdom. If I may quote from S.W. Wilson of Ideal Buildout: "If an attraction attains a certain level of excellence and Classic status, you can make some enhancements and technology upgrades, but you never mess with it too much - particularly when there are so many better options to create new audience attractors. You need to keep what makes a great attraction, great." The return of Horizons would be great for this reimagined EPCOT as it bring back a lot of the old, inspirational themes from the original EPCOT Center, as well as bringing the return of an old dark ride into the park. Horizons was the most Disney thing in Future World, so this is another pavilion that Disney could build and market as their own. Among the Disney faithful, the return of Horizons would be one of the biggest Disney marketing and public relations success stories of the decade, and truly send the message that Disney was committing to EPCOT again

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We board our transport from the iconic terminal of the FuturePort, readied to "take the journey we've always dreamed of." Brilliant dioramas populated with Audio-Animatronic figures and three-dimensional sets portray our world from on and under the sea, and well into outer space, a decided glimpse at life in the distant future. Our journey begins with a look at what past visionaries dreamed the future would be like from Jules Verne to sci-fi 1920s and 30s comic books to a futuristic 1950s. Then, two giant OmniSphere screens show what scientists and explorers are discovering now, which will be the basis for the future. Next, guests enter the 21st century and view four distinct areas: Nova Cite, a typical city apartment; Mesa Verde, a desert farm complete with the scent of fresh oranges; Sea Castle, an underwater city and Brava Centauri, a space colony. We are treated to an even bigger and better adventure into the future with an ongoing message of coexisting with our fellow humans in a peaceful and unified world. Better yet, we are also given the opportunity to glance at our own future through the ride's spectacular finale: a simulated, "choose-your-own" journey back to the FuturePort. Via flight (or submarine), we can choose one of three methods: land, sea, or space...

Often considered to be this park's masterpiece, Horizons is the promise of a bigger and better future with an ongoing message of global unification and peace. If I may quote from our ride's narrator, "If we can dream it, we really can do it. And that's the most exciting part."

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What do you think, guys? Is anyone excited to see Horizons return in my ideas? I figured I might as well, because it's a beautiful ride and it would be perfect in this reimagined EPCOT. Now, the next post will be very brief, given that the eastern side of Future World contains two new additions that we know little about. But I will try to talk about them to the best of my ability -- plus, I have quite a few ideas up my sleeve for the other two pavilions on this side of Future World. I think I might be able to get the next post out later tonight, so until then, keep the feedback coming! I'd really love to hear what you guys have to say about Future World thus far!

 

[khlaylav]

Question for you: I know you've changed the narrator of Spaceship Earth in the past. Who'd be your narrator for this rendition, or will there be a ride-through with that info later?

 

[DisneyManOne]

Question for you: I know you've changed the narrator of Spaceship Earth in the past. Who'd be your narrator for this rendition, or will there be a ride-through with that info later?

I may hold off on a Spaceship Earth ride-through this time around. One of the biggest rumors spreading around regarding EPCOT is that Spaceship Earth will be getting an overhaul as part of the re-imagining. As such, I'd rather wait till D23 comes around before I do anything with that ride. Once we know if something will happen to the ride, and what it will be, then I'll likely go back and do a ride-through. As for who I'd like to be narrator, I wouldn't mind having James Earl Jones or Morgan Freeman narrate.

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Passing in-between The Green Thumb and the Centorium, we find ourselves on the eastern side of Future World. After passing through the archway, guests can spot a small water play area just ahead. The eastern side of Future World features elevated plateaus of grass and trees, offering shade from the hot Florida weather. We can see the four distinct pavilions of Future World East just ahead. We will head to the left and travel through the eight remaining Future World pavilions in a counter-clockwise motion.

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Continuing down to the left, guests will arrive at the first pavilion of Future World East: the Guardians of the Galaxy roller-coaster. The very first Walt Disney World attraction based upon a Marvel property (because Guardians was relatively unknown when the contract between Disney and Universal was made), Guardians of the Galaxy is one of the world's longest enclosed roller-coaster rides, sending guests on a rollicking adventure with Star-Lord, Gamora, Draxx, Rocket and Groot. However, this ride is fairly new, so we'll leave it be for the time being.

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Continuing around Future World, the guests walk through several tucked away seating areas and shaded tree areas. They come across a ramp, which leads the way upwards to the next pavilion: the Play Pavilion. Replacing the former Wonders of Life pavilion, the Play Pavilion is set around a futuristic city and will give guests the chance to explore, create and interact. If we want to shape our future, we're going to need plenty of bright-minded folk, and this pavilion gives the young and young-at-heart a chance to let their creativity flow. Interactive exhibits, brain games, animation classes and meet-and-greets with beloved Disney characters make up the various offerings found here at the pavilion. Like with Guardians next door, this is a new addition, so there's nothing I'd change about it.

NOTE: This is why I said this was a short post. Once D23 comes around, I fully intend to come back to this and update it, because I'm sure they'll be talking about these two experiences as part of the Parks Panel.​

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In the center of Future World East, you’ll find one of the park's most exciting thrill rides, Mission: SPACE. Although it remains ever-popular, Mission: SPACE has become rather...outdated. 2036 will soon be here, and the ride will be an artifact. In order to update it and keep it fresh, while we won't dismantle everything the attraction has to offer, we will open the pavilion up to more awe inspired scenery of space. Today's space program needs people to be inspired by space. We need people passionate about exploring the universe, we need them to help drive commercial spaceflight, we need them to vote for politicians who put importance on a strong space program. We need kids to want to look up from their phones and look at the sky in wonder. We need to have people dreaming of exploring the endless depths of the universe. And that’s what I hope this new Mission: SPACE does.

Once you step inside, you'll find yourself in the headquarters of the Cosmos Space Center; an organization devoted to all studies in astronomy: space colonization, planet observation, you name it. In this attraction's timeframe, manned flight to Mars is now a common thing; and pretty much anyone can get in a spaceship to observe the beauty of space. This means that when you get into your simulator, it won't be for training. It'll be for real. The pre-show and briefings will be updated to reflect this fact. Now, there are two flights you could go on: the Green Flight, which offers stunning views of Earth, or the Orange Flight, offering a daring mission to the Cosmos base camp on Mars. The new Orange Flight offers a dramatic change in pace from the old. This Flight will be more of a dark ride than a thrill ride, although there will still be thrills to spare. A similar queue format to what is there now will be included -- the main changes will be to the narration of the attraction - in which you will pilot your enclosed vehicles through the terrain of Mars - making the attraction more interactive and unpredictable than what it is now. When the time comes to do ride-throughs, you can bet that a ride-through of the new Orange Flight will be featured here.

No matter which Flight you take, when you step out of your spacecraft, you're invited to take a space-pod (similar to the Hydrolators at The Living Seas) to go up to the Cosmos space station, just above Earth. And of course, you can get there even if you don't take a Flight. The Cosmos Space Station is quite large. A huge window at the far end looks out into space. The stars move as we turn through our orbit. The center of the hub features a large round window in the floor surrounded by metal railing that allows us to look down on earth. The area around the window hosts Mission: EARTH --a series of interactive stations (think Wonders of Life) that teach us about how space exploration helps us learn about earth. Just off the hub is a theater (two auditoriums, alternating the same show) that feature a 3D experience that deals with the physics of the universe. We go on a virtual voyage through the universe, experiencing both its beauty and its severity, concluding with a close-up look at a supernova. The American Space Experience is a 2,500-square-foot exhibit is more like visiting a corner of the Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, New Mexico, than visiting the world’s greatest theme park. But if you take the time to examine the exhibits, they really are interesting. Unlike the exhibits in many science museums, these NASA exhibits are up-to-date.

And then there is the Spacewalk. Utilizing Kuka-arm technology, we take off for a wild ride on an EVA unit. At the pre-show, we learn how to operate our EVA units. Each unit is suspended from an overhead track on a continuously moving belt. It has a seat and a four-point safety harness. Our feet dangle free. A joystick allows us to control yaw and roll. We can turn completely around or roll completely upside-down. If we want, we can ride backwards facing a friend to share the experience. A moving walk allows us to board and secure ourselves while the units keep moving. The ride circles us around the exterior of the space station. We have views into space (occasionally obstructed by appendages on the exterior of the space station) and into the interior of the space station. We can see some of the public spaces filled with our fellow visitors, and we see other "off limits" spaces we wouldn't otherwise see (i;e crew quarters, lab, etc.). These give us a better picture of life on the station. All the attractions return us to the hub. There are also a few shops and a sit-down restaurant offering amazing views of the "space sky." Yes, I'd even bring the restaurant concept over to this side, this time built into the space station, not built to the side of the pavilion. When we are ready to leave, a second set of space pods returns us to Future World.

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Outside the pavilion, bordering Stargate Plaza, is a copy of Shanghai Disneyland's Jet Packs attraction, copied here to add some kineticism to this side of the park.

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At the farthest edge of Future World's eastern end, heading over towards World Showcase, we find a circular building made of stainless steel. The gleaming, glass-covered outer surfaces of the circular building constitutes the near-whole of the exterior, a stretch of track going around it like the rings of Saturn. If you're curious as to what this building is, then hop aboard a "SimCar" and take a journey unlike any other on Test Track! Test Track is an exhibition of forward-thinking technology and innovation in transportation. A tour of the facilities allows us a first-hand account of how vehicles are tested and designed for use on the road. Better yet, these are no ordinary cars of today - these are self-driving cars that we can design ourselves! Our prototype "SimCar" whisks us onto a digital circuit, in which we experience for ourselves the difficult tests and trials that all prototype vehicles must undergo. Narrow switchbacks, hairpin turns, harsh elements, inclement weather, and barely-missed collisions are all on the checklist for today’s run, ending in a climactic mile-long race at 65 mph! Afterward, we are invited to explore an exhibit in regards to the history and future of transportation: World of Motion. Named for the extinct attraction from the early days of EPCOT Center, World of Motion features original cars and machinery from various decades in our storied history, as well as diagrams, photographs, documentaries, and hands-on games and exhibits. World of Motion also acts as the resident "exit thru the gift shop." Speaking of which, World of Motion shares floor space with the Green Light gift shop, selling merchandise themed around Test Track.

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Nearby Test Track is a space formerly held by the Odyssey. The space where the former restaurant once stood will turn into Flamingo Cove, a natural arboretum tying in with the lush green sights of Stargate Plaza. One of the many nice little touches of the original EPCOT Center was the flock of flamingos that used to hang out nearby the Odyssey. Well, with this new arboretum, the flamingos will once again find a home here at EPCOT. Leading off past the arboretum, the path splinters off in two directions. The left path leads to World Showcase, while the right path connects back to Stargate Plaza. We take a brisk walk past nearby World Showcase and head off to explore the western side of Future World, where the final four pavilions of Future World are located.

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Well, we have one side of Future World down. What do you think, guys? The next post will be coming along within the next few days. But, since I have a lot more to say about the pavilions of Future World West, I will divide that section into two parts -- one talking about the first two, and the other talking about the next two. So, until the journey resumes, keep the feedback coming and I'll see you all in the next post!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Here are the first two pavilions of Future World West.

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The western side of Future World mainly consists of several walkway bridges connecting from one pavilion to another. The bridges are suspended over beautiful, glistening reflecting pools, lined with stones. The walkways are offered covered by tall trees suspended from circular stone holders, which often make for good resting locations as well. Whereas Future World East is more industrial (featuring an enclosed roller-coaster and pavilions based on city-based interactivity, astronomy and transportation), Future World West is more natural, featuring pavilions based on natural subjects, as we will soon see. As guests are walking towards the western side of Future World, they will immediately be taken away by the most visually stunning Future World pavilion yet: the Journey Into Imagination pavilion.

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The Journey Into Imagination pavilion is marked by two large glass pyramids that can turn into rainbow prisms (thanks to new projected lights). Unique fountains provide fun, enticing kinetic energy. At night, LED lights and fiber optics will brilliantly illuminate the area. Walking up towards the pavilion, you'll find that it looks more fanciful than ever. Outside, the building looks almost unchanged, aside from the new color scheme that reintroduces the light purples and blues that adorned the pavilion back in the day. And, thanks to a recent cleaning, the two glass pyramids atop the pavilion shine so bright that even on a cloudy day it becomes necessary to wear sunglasses to observe the structure. As guests enter the pavilion, they will first see that the building has been gutted, and the original lobby has been restored to its former glory, as in the days of the original Journey. The Walt Peregoy murals on both the ceiling and the walls have been lovingly recreated with updated color schemes and iridescent painting effects. A central spiral staircase leads upstairs to ImageWorks. Wrapping around this staircase is a circular queue that leads towards a strange purple-colored vehicle, our chariot that will take us through the adventure this pavilion is named after: Journey Into Imagination!

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That's right -- this iconic EPCOT Center attraction has returned to delight a new generation. On-board this adventure, guests meet Dreamfinder and his newest creation: a little purple dragon named Figment. After visiting the DreamPort, where the twosome store all their ideas, guests then proceed through several rooms representing four different areas influenced by the imagination: art, literature, the performing arts and science; all to discover how much can be accomplished with just "one little spark of inspiration." The only change I'd make to the ride would be to utilize modern technology to improve the turntable's reliability, and to prevent the turntable from drilling itself into the floor.

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Upon exiting the ride, you can go up inside one of the pyramids and explore the ImageWorks, where you can let your imagination run wild through several different exhibits. Much like with the ride downstairs, the ImageWorks has been restored to its former glory. Though some exhibits have been given 21st-century updates, some of the experiences remain the same as they used to. There are two ways to get here -- you can come here after taking the Journey for yourselves, or you can head up a spiral staircase found right in the middle of the ride's queue. In fact, if I may borrow a floor-plan from the excellent EPCOT Discovery Gateway site, here's what you'll be able to find here.

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1. Figment's Coloring Book: Use projected light to add color to giant pictures of Dreamfinder and Figment.​

The Sensor -- "It Knows You're There!"​

2. Rainbow Corridor: A tunnel of neon tubes light up as you walk past. As you enter, a particular color is assigned to you and follows you all the way through. When the next person enters, a new color lights up.​

3. The Mirage Room: The use of mirrors makes it seem like you can grab onto a three dimensional image of Figment, but when you try to, you can't because it's a mirage.​

4. Stepping Tones: Hexagonal colored spots on the floor play sounds when stepped upon.​

5. Optical Illusion: A painted scene showing hot air balloons (including a Mickey balloon and the Dreamcatcher -- that would be Dreamfinder's iconic dirigible) rotate around a cylandrical mirror. The balloons are drawn flat and elongated, but when they are reflected onto the mirror, they appear in perfect proportions.​

6. Dreamfinder's School of Drama: Step onto the stage and follow Dreamfinder's instructions. Through the use of Chroma-Key video technology, a background is added into the picture and other guests can see the finished product. You can act out one of three unique tales: a western called Daring Deputies and the Return of Sagebrush Sam, a sci-fi epic called Acrobatic Astronauts in Galactic Getaway and even a fairytale called Enchanted Travelers: Wily Wizard and the Cranky King.​

7. Making Faces: Your picture is taken and then you get to alter your face with different hairstyles, noses, ears, and accessories.​

8. Magic Palette: Paint pictures of Dreamfinder, Figment, or the Journey Into Imagination pavilion using a touch screen and computer controls.​

9. Kaleidoscope: Large versions of traditional kaleidoscopes. Rotate the image to create fascinating designs.​

10. Pin Screens: Giant tables with thousands of pins allow you to run your hands underneath creating swirls of color. ​

11. Electric Philharmonic: Conduct an orchestra by raising or lowering your hands above sensors that will raise or lower the volume of individual sections of the orchestra. If you go back and forth fast enough, you can get all of the sections playing together.​

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A: Elevator​

B: Stairs​

C: Escalator Up​

D: Escalator Down​

Just outside of the attraction is the pavilion's beautiful outdoor courtyard, known as the Magic Garden. Guests are greeted by an array of colorful, "jumping" fountains. The outside of the pavilion even features a recreation of the glass pyramids, as fountain jets shoot upwards towards it, almost creating a rising waterfall. A Figment topiary spins around and around. This garden is a nice place to meet up with Dreamfinder and Figment themselves.

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Located within this garden is the Sparks of Inspiration shop,selling Figment and Dreamfinder merchandise, creative supplies such as pencils and sketchbooks, and novelty science items such as bubble mixture or laser pens. This will be in the same place as the original Kodak Camera & Film shop was years ago.

Now, let's address something that's really becoming dated in the world of theme parks: 3D. 3D movies in theme parks are quickly becoming extinct; especially given that most every new release is in 3D these days. Plus, in recent years, Disney basically used most of their 3D theaters just to show movie trailers. Even EPCOT's own Magic Eye Theater has been reduced to showing 3D Disney cartoons! So, with that said, in my ideas, the Magic Eye Theater will be no more.

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Taking up the theater's former residence is Food for Thought, a new table service restaurant with a twist. This restaurant is guaranteed to mesmerize guests, and makes full use of the MyMagic+ system. As guests enter the dining room, they place an order on a digital touch screen kiosk, and then scan their MagicBand or park ticket. An attendant will seat the guests, and they will scan their MagicBand or park ticket again at their seat. This will allow their order to be delivered straight to them, but not in a conventional manner. When the order is ready, it is placed on an elevator and sent up to the center peak of the restaurant. From here, the order slides down a coaster-type track, stopping right in front of the guest who ordered it. This adds a great amount of kinetics to the restaurant which, when combined with the spectacular views of the nearby gardens, are sure to make this a guest favorite. The concept of the "rollercoaster restaurant" is one that I have borrowed from Food Loop at Europa Park in Germany, which is, to my knowledge, the only application of this system in the world.

But what will the place serve, you may ask? Well, taking full advantage of being located in an imagination-centric pavilion, this restaurant practically runs on "create-your-own." Inspired by the "create-your-own-pasta" bars at Port Orleans Riverside and Art of Animation, this restaurant allows guests to create their own breakfast platters, yogurt parfaits, salads, pasta, pizza, burgers, sandwiches, ice-cream sundaes and more, thus allowing for a truly unique and imaginative experience!

Menu
Create-Your-Own Breakfast Platter - $7.99 (4 Items Per Platter)
- Eggs, made how you like them (Scrambled, sunny-side up, over easy, over hard, or over medium) or Omelette
- Toast (1 or 2 slices)
- Bacon (American or Canadian)
- Sausage
- Biscuit or English Muffin
- Pancakes (2, 3, or 4 pancakes, with butter, syrup and 1 optional mix-in: blueberries or chocolate chips or 1 optional topping: strawberry topping, bananas or whipped topping)
- Waffles (2 or 3, with butter and syrup)
- French Toast (2 or 3 slices, with butter and syrup and optional fruit garnish and whipped topping)
- Potatoes (Home Fries or Hash Browns)
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt
- Fresh Fruit Bowl
- Kellogg's Cereal

Create-Your-Own Yogurt Parfait - $5.99
Start With...
Greek Yogurt
Vanilla Yogurt

Pick Your Fresh Fruit (1 or 2)
Raspberries
Strawberries
Blueberries

Pick Your Toppings (3)
Walnuts
Raisins
Granola
Bananas
Cranberries
Pecans
Kiwis

Create-Your-Own Salad - $8.99
- Romaine Crisp Mix
- Baby Spinach
- Spring Lettuce Blend
- Purple Onion
- Red Bell Peppers
- Sweet Grape Tomatoes
- Cucumber Slices
- Carrot Shreds
- Green Peas
- Sliced Cremini Mushrooms
- Diced Hard-Boiled Eggs
- Shredded Cheese Mix
- Broccoli Florets
- Preserved Beets
- Garbanzo Beans
- Cauliflower Florets
- Banana Peppers
- Artichoke Hearts
- Olive Mix
- Diced Ham
- Scratch-Made Hummus
- Homemade Corn Salsa
- Cottage Cheese
- Fresh Seasonal Fruit
- Pineapple
·- Feta Cheese

A La Carte Salad Options (all $8.99)
- Homemade Potato Salad
- Homemade Spring Pasta Salad
- Homemade Macaroni Salad
- Fresh Basil & Tomato Penne Salad
· Homemade Broccoli Crunch Salad
- Homemade Cole Slaw
- Homemade Three Bean Salad
- Fresh Apple Waldorf
- Fresh Fruit Salad

Create-Your-Own Pasta - $10.99
Pick Your Noodle
Spaghetti
Penne
Linguini
Rotini (Regular or Tricolor)

Pick Your Sauce
Marinara
Alfredo
Pesto

Pick Your Meat
Meatballs
Grilled Chicken
Shrimp
Prosciutto
Bacon
No Meat

Pick Your Veggies
Artichoke Hearts
Roasted Red Peppers
Kalamata Olives
Green Peas
Sun-Dried Tomatoes
Spinach
Onions
Broccoli
Shredded Carrot

All pasta dishes come with free breadstick and dusting of Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Additional breadsticks cost $1.30.

Create-Your-Own Pizza - $8.99
All pizzas begin with basic crust and tomato sauce.

Pick Your Cheeses
Mozzarella (shredded or blocked)
Parmesan
Romano
Ricotta
Goat Cheese
Vegan Cheese

Pick Your Meat
Pepperoni
Meatballs
Sausage
Bacon
Grilled Chicken
Smoked Ham

Pick Your Veggies
Green Peppers
Red Peppers
Onions
Cherry Tomatoes
Basil
Mushrooms
Spinach
Olives
Pineapple
Jalapenos

Create-Your-Own Burger - $10.99
Pick Your Burger
100% Angus Beef
Chicken
Grilled Chicken
Tofu Burger
Veggie Burger

Pick Your Toppings
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise
Cheese
Bacon
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Pickles
Onions

A La Carte Sides (Optional)
French Fries - $1.30
Onion Rings - $1.30
Baked Beans - $1.30

Create-Your-Own Sandwich - $9.99
Pick Your Bread
Italian
Flatbread
Whole Wheat
Gluten-Free

Pick Your Meat
Sliced Ham
Salami
Pastrami
Prosciutto
No Meat

Pick Your Cheese
American
Cheddar
Provolone
Pepper Jack
Swiss

Pick Your Veggies
Green Peppers
Red Peppers
Onions
Tomatoes
Pickles
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Spinach
Olives
Jalapenos
Avocado
Carrots

Pick Your Sauce
Ranch Dressing
Italian Dressing
Guacamole
Mayonnaise
Ketchup
Mustard
Vinagrette
Honey Mustard
Sriracha

A La Carte Sides
French Fries - $1.30
Onion Rings - $1.30
Rice - $1.30
Vegetable Dippers - $1.30
Baked Beans - $1.30
Mashed Potatoes (with or without gravy) - $1.30
Macaroni and Cheese - $1.30
Corn Muffin - $1.30

Create-Your-Own Ice Cream Sundae - $7.99
Pick Your Base
Apple Cobbler
Chocolate Cake
Seasonal Pie: Grape (winter), Berry (spring/summer), Pumpkin (fall), Peppermint Eggnog (Christmas)
Warm Fudge Brownie
2 Fresh Buttermilk Waffles

Pick Your Flavors (3 Scoops of Ice Cream Per Sundae)
Vanilla
Chocolate
Strawberry
Mint Chocolate Chip
Coffee
Cookies & Cream
Rocky Road
Cake Batter
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Butter Pecan

Pick Your Sauce
Hot Fudge
Caramel
Butterscotch
Strawberry
Marshmallow

Pick Your Unlimited Toppings
Sprinkles
Chocolate Chips
Cherries
Bananas
Shredded Coconut
Chocolate-Covered Peanuts
Marshmallows
Seasonal Fruits
Crushed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crushed Oreos
M&M's
Sliced Almonds
Assorted Crushed Candy Bars
Whipped Cream

Drinks
Fountain Drinks ~ $8.00
Water ~ $5.00
Juice ~ $5.00
Milk ~ $5.00
Coffee ~ $12.00

But that's not all! The Magic Garden will also be expanded in order to make room for a new experience: Figment's Dreamcatchers. This is a flat ride concept that @DinoInstitute thought up for the 1984 Competition a few years ago. A flat ride is perfect for this area, as it is a simple concept, but with some creativity, it can be something really fun, exciting, and amazing, much like imagination itself. Built along the pathway leading from the pavilion towards World Showcase, the ride would be the same size as the Magic Carpets. Heck, with Carpets gone from the Magic Kingdom, maybe this could be a re-skinned version of that ride.

Figment's Dreamcatchers would also serve as a draw to the pavilion; with the ride's spinning mechanisms spinning in perfect harmony with the jumping fountains and the lighted pyramids; all providing a sense of fun, kinetic energy. It's even more beautiful at night: with fiber optics and LED lights flashing about. It also serves as a counterpart to the Jet Packs back at Mission: SPACE, or even something that we shall see later on... The backstory of this ride is that Dreamfinder has made a collection of all of the unique and interesting things he discovered whilst on his travels, "searching for anything that sparks the imagination". Figment, being the curious and excited fellow he is, has gathered up all of the fun gizmos together to make miniature versions of Dreamfinder's prime choice for transporation, the Dreamcatcher. This way, guests can get their own chance to explore imagination. The vehicles are modeled after a smaller version of the Dreamcatcher, hence the name. Vehicles hold two rows of two, partially for capacity reasons, but also to help keep larger parties together. In row one, guess can control the height of the vehicle, and in row two, guests can control three different special effects, including a silly horn, a bubble pipe, and colorful lights. The vehicles, like most spinners, are attached the a pole connected to a center control area which it rotates around.

With all these elements in store to return, the Journey Into Imagination Pavilion is sure to return to its' former glory, instilling its way back into our hearts, with Dreamfinder and Figment at the helm.

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Guests walk along the large pathways meandering throughout Future World West. The pathway is lined with beautiful rose gardens, flower beds and grass fields. The pathways stretch over large vasts of reflective pools of glistening water beds. Continuing along the rim of the area, the guests walk up a ramp along the flower mural, arriving at the next pavilion of Future World: The Land. The Land focuses on agriculture and conservation, and how man is learning how to live in harmony with our environment. However, in today's state, the theme doesn't really resound, despite this being one of the few Future World pavilions to fully commit to its original theme. Hopefully, with this refurbishment, The Land will once again shine bright with its original message.

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Much of the guest-facing areas of The Land actually are quite well done and probably do not need to change much. Guests take a walk up a ramp, going past abstract murals representing the layers of the Earth's core, leading into the indoor atrium, as a complete balcony surrounding the rim of the building looks down onto the lower floor of the pavilion. I'd like to have the pavilion's interior represent what a landscape would look like. The ceiling of the atrium is decorated with a mural designed by Walt Peregoy. The mural represents the sky and the clouds. Fittingly, hot-air balloons hang from overhead, adding some atmosphere to the "sky", designed to represent the Earth and the four seasons. The walls of the atrium are painted with murals depicting mountains, cliffs, trees and other things. Against the vertical beams that go from the ceiling to the ground floor are giant trees, adding some greenery to the area. The floor is decorated with tiling to represent the ground, the dirt and the sand. But however, as the designs edge towards Living with the Land, the tiling will represent water (since Living with the Land is a boat ride).

Located to the right of the atrium is the Harvest Theater, which has just re-opened with an all-new film: Awesome Planet. The film not only focuses on the ideals of conservation and man’s harmony with nature, but also take guests on a journey across the world past some of the most iconic natural landmarks known to man. Continuing along the rim of the overhead balcony surrounding the pavilion, guests will comes across the Garden Grill, a rotating, circular restaurant, which also offers a look into the dioramas featured in the Living with the Land attraction. Of course, the murals on the walls surrounding the restaurant will represent farming and harvesting. The restaurant consists of a menu that has many healthy, natural food products that are grown right here at The Land, as well as character dining with Mickey, Pluto, Chip and Dale. Right beyond the Garden Grill is an escalator, staircase and elevator, leading down to the lower floor of the pavilion.

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The escalator descends down into the sitting courtyard for the Farmer's Market. Given the new atmosphere of the pavilion, the current seating area has been replaced by a variety of picnic tables, given that you are now dining on the "grass", if you will. A common complaint back in the day was that the seating in this food court was just too small. These picnic tables will certainly help. Each one is topped with a uniquely-designed umbrella. Also tying in with the new atmosphere, there are different stations in the food court, each offering a different type of food, combining the tastes of its three former incarnations--Farmer's Market, Sunshine Seasons Food Fair and Sunshine Seasons. Each station is themed around a small farm-based market stand, not unlike what you'd find at an actual farmer's market. There are ten stations: "Soups & Salads", "Barbecue", "Sandwiches", "International Cuisine", "Pasta & Potato", as well as a cheese stand, a produce stand (try the fruit and cheese platter--it's a hit!), a bakery (offering all kinds of sweet treats, as well as breakfast foods from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.), an ice cream stand and a drink stand.

Anyways, after such a good meal, you can find out how the fruits and vegetables at the Farmer's Market and Garden Grill were grown on-board Living with the Land. The attraction takes guests through the many agricultural procedures done throughout many different climates, before taking guests into the heart of the attraction, the agricultural plant domes, where guests pass by real growing methods incorporated by The Land, spotting several fruits and vegetables along the way, while also spotting new and innovative ways to advance the growing process of these crops. The only change the ride will get is this: In the final room of the ride (just before the boats head out into the unload), the music that plays will be replaced with a newly revamped version of the ride's original theme song, "Listen to the Land", albeit with the lyrics changed from "Let's listen to the land we all love" to "We're living with the land we all love."

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On the opposite side of the Farmer's Market, guests will find The Land's major E-Ticket: Soarin'. Soarin' is one of the major highlights of a day at EPCOT and a must-see for anyone visiting Walt Disney World. This attraction, which utilizes three different theaters, takes guests aboard hang-gliders and lifts them up in front of a large IMAX projection screen, where the simulating experience of flight overwhelms them with the sights and smells of some of the world's most famous landmarks: the Matterhorn, Isfjord, Sydney Harbor, Neuschwanstein Castle, Mt. Kilimanjaro, the Great Wall of China, the Great Pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, Monument Valley, the Lau Islands, Iguazu Falls and the Eiffel Tower, culminating with a flight over EPCOT itself. Soarin' is, essentially, an experience that celebrates the thrill of travel and the wonders of both the natural and the man-made world.

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And there we have the first two pavilions of Future World West. Is everyone enjoying the ride so far? I'm particularly proud of the Food for Thought restaurant concept, myself. It's just so cool to create your own meal! However, the concept of the "rollercoaster restaurant" is the brainchild of @MCParradox, which he developed for the Creator Games back in 2015.

Well, we've got two more pavilions to see in Future World, so the next post will be coming by soon. Until then, if you have feedback, feel free to post it! Any and all feedback is appreciated!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Let's finish up our tour of Future World!

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You know, when you take the time to look back on old-school EPCOT, the original Wonders of Life pavilion did not hold up once time marched on. The midway/fairground theme of the pavilion quickly became dated, and likewise, attractions like Cranium Command, which predominantly featured popular stars of the late 80s (for example, Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon essentially doing Hans and Franz as the arteries of the heart; or George Wendt basically doing Norm for the stomach), did not really seem like headliners come the 21st century. Yet, despite this, I still think that a health-based pavilion is of prime importance, especially in today's day and age. We’re in the middle of an obesity epidemic, long dead diseases are returning due to (well-meaning ignorance), and the anti-vaccination movement is really taking off! But on the bright side, we've sequenced the human genome, patented vaccines for ebola and malaria, found the gene responsible for ALS, and we're using 3D printing technology in medical techniques that would have been something we wouldn't believe if they would have shown it in Horizons! Medical technology, health, fitness are as important now as ever, and inspiring the future generations to go into medical related fields, or to live healthier lives seems like a topic of outrageous importance. This is a topic that is in dire need to be represented in the modern EPCOT. So, with that said, let's take a look inside this updated health pavilion, a little something I call...World of the Body.

The pathways leading up to the World of the Body pavilion maintain Future World West's organic, flowing allure. Quite fitting for a pavilion about the human body, which does seem to blend in with the more naturalistic vibes of imagination, agriculture and the ocean. Bizarre topiaries lead up towards the pathway, looking like cells within the body. Heading closer towards the building, we pass underneath a brand-new DNA sculpture. Instead of just having one DNA strand, there will be two DNA strands going through what is called "semiconservative replication." Essentially, this new sculpture will be symbolic of the ever-changing nature of human life, and how we grow and evolve over time. After all, life is not stationary. It's something that constantly changes.

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Much like with the Play Pavilion's golden shades, the colors of the World of the Body pavilion are deliberately designed to almost clash with the calm blue color schemes of Future World West. World of the Body's color is a beautiful shade of dark red. Much like how The Land's iconic structure is made to represent an abstract mountain or volcano, the visage of this new pavilion is made to look like an abstract human brain, made of glass panels and held together by circles that can glow, like in the picture above. Like The Land next door, World of the Body is made up of two floors to help include more attractions in such a small space. We proceed up a ramp into this abstract brain and find ourselves in a cool-lit place. Deep shades of crimson and magenta fill our field of vision. We are inside the UAG Labs, a genetic research lab, holding a convention promoting health and the inner workings of the body ((UAG is a stop codon for DNA replication, so its name is in reference to genetics.). Long strands and cords criss-cross across the place -- simulating the path neurons and cells take to get from one part of the body to the other. Glowing recessed light and organic shapes help create a setting that is simultaneously subatomic and a scientific research lab. In the center of the pavilion is a statue representing the Central Nervous System, planted into the ceiling. Every so often, balls of light make their way down and up the CNS, like sensors going to tell a part of the body how to react. The CNS also serves as an elevator down into the lower level of the pavilion.

Given that this pavilion is inspired by the inner workings of the human body, it seems only fitting that the top floor of the pavilion be themed around the human brain. As such, there are two experiences worth talking about here. First, there's The Psychology Department, which is an interactive area where you can give your brain a run for its money in a series of interactive games. Although there are many cool games to play here, there are two I'd like to point out. First, there's The Memory Test, a game where you test your memory of certain images that flash onto a computer screen - such as a cat, bird, dog, goat, etc -- and they flash up quick. Your job is to remember the order in which they are presented. Most people will have a 7+/- 2 capability with memory - and statistically the first and last images will be most remembered. the 7 +/- 2 is why phone numbers are 7 digits - most people can remember in that range - but test your memory to see what you can get! There's also Brain Drain, a maze in the shape of the human brain, complete with visual cues and images representing the various parts of the brain; and Brain Games -- test your skills and see if you can figure out mind tricks designed to fool your brains! Optical illusions, sensory deceptions, and more are included .

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Also here on the second floor of the pavilion is Inside Out: Driven by Emotion, a show in a similar vein to Cranium Command at the old Wonders of Life, but themed around the 2015 Pixar film. In this show, which takes place after the events of the film, we'll join the five emotions that run Riley's life -- Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear -- as they guide Riley through a typical day at school -- learning, daydreaming, crushes, peer pressure, etc. Since all five emotions work together at the large control panel installed at the end of the film, we'll see how these different emotions control our actions. I can see in my mind a physical set of the control room, memories rolling around, the emotions playing off each other, but still describing how the brain is processing the world around it. We can learn why kids of this age tend to react to the world around them -- how a good teacher sparks interest and leads to learning, and how a teacher that just throws on an outdated filmstrip sparks boredom and daydreaming, and how emotions play off each other in social situations. It all seems like, if given the keys, Pete Docter could write a simple yet impactful "sequel" to Inside Out, but in attraction format. I'd like motion to be incorporated, I don't want it to just be a show like Cranium Command, so likely there would be some aspects of the story that would help turn it into more of a screen-assisted dark-ride. Of course, you can meet Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust themselves inside a special meet-and-greet nearby the show.

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Heading downstairs, we look into more aspects of health and the body. A large cell marks our entrance to the pavilion's major E-ticket: Intracellular. In this epic new roller-coaster, we'll leave this "body" behind and enter into the research center of UAG for a rather unique experience. You see, UAG is the spiritual successor to the former M.E.T., the group who sent daring guests into the human body to help retrieve a scientist before the white blood cells came a-callin'. A plaque within the ride's queue claims that MET became extraordinarily famous for their expeditions into the human body - even for a simple splinter, and moved on to a bigger lab and a bright future. Nevertheless, the triumph of MET gave other science communities the knowledge and fortitude to use the miniaturization technology to more easily study and cure diseases on a microscopic level. However, the process is just beginning. The UAG Labs have taken the technology to such levels, that not only can they shrink down to the size of a cell, they can shrink down even further ... to the intracellular level. At the intracellular level, a wide window of opportunity lies in front of us. Hundreds of diseases lie intracellularly - and to be able to shrink down to that size would be a marvel of human engineering and a marvelous expedition for the science community.

On Intracellular, your task is to dive down deep within the human body and help repair a mitochondria within three ruptured cardiac muscle cells before it triggers apoptosis, otherwise known as "programmed cell death." Alas, the trip has a few bumps along the way, most notably, an all-out war between a virus and the body's immune system, and hitting plaque in the arteries of the heart. It all culminates in a wild chase through the bloodstream as we race to find the heart and fix the mitochondria before it's too late!

Other attractions here on the first floor include two returning, albeit modernized, favorites from the old days of Wonders of Life: Frontiers in Medicine and Sensory Funhouse. The other exhibits here would be entirely new. I think that a mix of the science-museum style hands on exhibits and some sections that allow for easily updatable information would round out the pavilion. There are so many interesting things that could be covered, a ton of which I barely know the tiniest bit about. 3D printing of human tissue, prosthetic advances, cancer treatments via immunotherapy, a section on how vaccination works (oh yes, we are going there). I’d love a little area with a large screen that was constantly updated with new advances in science and medicine. Something you could stop in for a few minutes each time, and learn something you never knew existed. Something like this would play really well with the inspirational message that old EPCOT Center used to have, inspiring the next generation of scientific researchers and doctors. I’d also like an exhibit, maybe a film like The Making of Me, about positive body image. Something that investigates and explores the idea of what it means to be healthy and how being "skinny" isn’t always the same thing. Something that helps educate people in health topics, while encouraging people to be comfortable in their own skin. Promoting healthy lifestyle choices while also promoting loving the shape that they are in. There's also the
Health and Wellness Zone, focusing on physical fitness, and healthy eating habits. It's a place you can come for tips and healthy eating habits to stay in shape. In addition to this, stationary bikes with visuals of biking through EPCOT, will be available for guests to use and track their caloric burn in the process. Several other physical fitness endeavors will be available to guests here. But, if you want a more realistic approach to modern health innovations, then just drop by the Life Research Center. This is a fully-staffed research lab associated with the University of Central Florida College of Medicine in Orlando, FL specializing in the research of autoimmune diseases and how to protect the body against itself. Separate special tours are given on select days much like the Behind the Seeds tours.

Speaking of proper health, why not use this place to talk about proper nutrition? And I know the perfect reason how...

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At the rear of the pavilion, a door leads out into the "back alleys" of the "city", home to a theater decked out in the style of the Art-Deco/vaudeville era of the early 20th century. It is here that we can take in the corny, yet endearing, Kitchen Kabaret. The Kitchen Kabaret is, essentially, an Audio-Animatronic revue promoting the ideals of good nutrition...through a bunch of singing food. Our hostess, Bonnie Appetite, has quite a few tips up her sleeve to help make the "mealtime blues" go away. Accompanied by the kitchen's house-band, the Kitchen Krackpots, Bonnie introduces four distinct acts, representing the four major food groups: the sweet dulcet tones of Mr. Dairy Goods and his Stars of the Milky Way, the Andrews Sisters-esque Cereal Sisters, alongside the bugle-blowing Toast of the Town, that wacky vaudeville duo Hamm & Eggz, and perhaps the revue's most famous foodies, the Colander Combo and Fiesta Fruit.

Yes, it does sound ridiculous, but it is a testament to the show's creators that such a bright, cheerful and professionally-executed production could result from such a nonsensical genesis. Only true creative genius could have pulled that off, and in this case everything converged magically. The Kitchen Kabaret was a triumph of art direction, character design and songwriting (by the team of Scott Hennessy and legendary Disney composer Buddy Baker) that left guests humming "Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit" long after they left the theater. Its bright colors, screwball humor, upbeat songs and Audio-Animatronic figures seemed altogether familiar to anyone who's ever seen shows like the Country Bear Jamboree or the Enchanted Tiki Room. The greatest difference was that the Kitchen Kabaret was, in its own way, trying to teach a useful lesson. And it pulled it off quite well, in my opinion.

Speaking of nutrition, we can practice healthy eating habits at Pure & Simple. This is a simple cafe boasting a menu that's entirely GMO-free, has no preservatives, and features tons of gluten-free and dairy-free options. For instance the appetizers of salads and soups will offer a wide array of different culinary palates to choose from - such as a Mediterranean salad or authentic whole grain tomato soup. On the dinner menu, there will be a variety of pasta, chicken, and fish samplings, as well as whole grain pizzas and breads to go along with it in your choice selections. For desert, there is frozen yogurt and fruit melodies to choose from. Pure & Simple will be a unique offering in Walt Disney World as a whole. With the focus on healthy eating and less turkey legs, it will be original in the sense that it stands out from the rest of the dining options in Disney. Sometimes you want a break from all the fast food, and Pure & Simple will give families the opportunity to indulge in more healthy options while still tasting delicious in the process.

We should also update the pavilion annually. We could partner with the U.S. Department of Health if we have to and get some good old-fashioned gov'ment money. I think that this could still be a solid pavilion today if done correctly, and I think it is something that Epcot needs to have. Use World of the Body to bring Wonders of Life to the 21st century, be forward thinking in how bits and pieces can be easily swapped out and upgraded if new information or techniques come into use.

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And now, at last, we come to the final pavilion of Future World: The Living Seas. In current-day Epcot, this pavilion, which has been given more of a Finding Nemo theme, is a major rallying point of people against the "toonification" of Epcot. So, in my plans, I'd outright remove it, because I have plans to utilize Finding Nemo elsewhere in the resort. Where that is, exactly, is a question for another time (But if you know me, I'm sure you know exactly where it will be located). But for now, here at EPCOT, almost every trace of the Seas with Nemo and Friends has been removed. Seabase Alpha has returned and shined up to its former glory.

The Living Seas experience begins right when you walk in, past the rockwork with the waves crashing upon it, past the beautiful "Sunrise" mural, the sounds and sights setting up a quiet trip to a rocky seaside. The story starts here. As you walk through the entrance queue, you walk past historical pictures and examples of humankind's exploration under the water. Graphics showing the design of early snorkels, diving bells, actual early dive suits. This pavilion is not about the ocean, it is about oceanic exploration; our quest to understand the mysteries of the seas. The queue brings you to a section that serves as a waiting area for a pre-show film. You are then taken into one of two small theaters to watch it. The film, aptly titled The Sea, in just eight minutes, covers the creation of Earth, the creation of the oceans, the importance of the oceans to life, and the fact that we know next to nothing about them and that we are still discovering new things in them. Once the film concludes, you're ushered into yet another room to board the Hydrolator. This Hydrolator, although it basically amounts to just a wall that vibrates, is going to "take you down to Seabase Alpha". The floor shakes, bubbles burst up, and an effect made to look like we're going past rocks on our way down deep under the sea, and a minute later, the other door opened up and voila!--there you are, under the ocean. The effect was simple, and it works like gangbusters. In fact, to show how well it works, just look the elevators used on Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts at Universal. That elevator is just a spruced up Hydrolator! From there, you board a SeaCab vehicle which took you on a quick ride into the Seabase itself.

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Before I continue, I must ask if you're able to see how the story of the pavilion works out We arrive at the seaside. We are talked to about oceanic exploration. We get a sense of the importance and mystery of the ocean. We then go to a “seabase” that is being used for undersea exploration and scientific study. The huge aquariums of Seabase Alpha are not just aquariums. They're part of the show. These are windows from the seabase out into the ocean. This is a point I cannot make strongly enough. The entire idea of the aquarium was that it was the ocean, the scientists (and us by our luck in being able to visit a working scientific research station) used these windows out into the ocean for their research. Again, this is not something that had to be beat over our heads. It was not overly explained. It just was.

A lot of the rest of the pavilion is very similar to what exists now. There are things to see, learn and do. Touchscreen computers, a section about undersea exploration robots and suits where kids can get in a suit and try and manipulate the pincer hands. The main room has the big water tube, and divers are constantly coming and going from there into the main aquarium space, oftentimes to assist in live demonstrations of scuba-diving. In fact, here's a comprehensive list, also courtesy of the EPCOT Discovery Center, detailing all the Seabase has to offer.

Level 1

• Diver Lock-out Chamber: Every half hour, divers either enter or exit the main tank through this chamber. Divers demonstrate the latest in wetsuit and air tank technology. An assistant explains the process to us and allows us to ask any questions we may have.
• Module 1A - Ocean Ecosystems:
  • Pacific Coast Kelp Forest
  • Pacific Coral Lagoon - 3,000 gallons of water containing starfish, sea anemone, small fish, and hermit crabs
  • Predator Tank - grouper, barracuda, connet head sharks, and green moray eels
  • Web of Life - phytoplankton, zooplankton, and filter feeders
  • Other free-standing tanks explain camouflage, symbiotic relationships, and bioluminescence
• Module 1B - Marine Mammal Research Center:
  • This module allows underwater viewing of the West Indian manatees.
• Module 1C - Undersea Technology Testing Center:
  • Turtle Talk - The only remnant of The Seas with Nemo and Friends to remain here. The storyline of the show is slightly tweaked to fit into the Seabase Alpha theme. The introduction to the show would explain to guests that they are there to witness the first major test of a new piece of underwater technology that will revolutionize our study of the oceans: the hydrophone! This technology will actually allow us to speak with underwater creatures. After this introduction, Crush swims by and begins his conversation with the audience. This is actually very similar to how the show progresses at Tokyo DisneySea.
• Module 1D - Earth Systems & Undersea Exploration (According to MickeyWiki, this is where Bruce's Shark House is now. With the return of the original Living Seas, these exhibits will return):
  • Jason - An Audio-Animatronics version of the real Jason (created by Bob Ballard) explains how robots can explore the depths of the ocean.
  • JIM suit - One complete suit is on display and two are cutaway so that we can try to turn an arrow, push a lever, turn a wheel, and shift a gear using the counterbalanced (for weightless effect) manipulator hands.
  • What on Earth - a map that marks undersea volcanoes, faults, the Ring of Fire, etc. with lights that illuminate when the corresponding button is pressed.
  • "An Animated Atlas of the World" - a 6.5 minute animated video.
  • Clues to an Age-Old Mystery - display shows a sample of the earth's core.
  • Anatomy of the Sea - this large tube shows what the ocean is composed of.

Level 2

• Observation Deck: Allows viewing of the main tank.
• Module 2A - Ocean Resources Sea Lab:
  • Pacific Coast Kelp Forest - same as in Module 1A. This tank spans the height of both modules.
  • Mariculture Lab - displays techniques for underwater farming of plants and animals. A marine biologist is often available for questions/discussions.
• Module 2B - Marine Mammals:
  • This is a view of the manatees (of 1B) from above. Marine-mammal specialists working with the manatees often talk about the animals and answer questions.

If that's not enough, there's also DiveQuest, an amazing experience where guests suit up in scuba gear and take a closer look at the deep, underwater sea life. A separate experience also allows guests to be able to swim with dolphins. The research station with the manatees all lived within the seabase theme.

But, believe it or not, that's still not all we can do here at The Living Seas. An extension has been built at the Seabase, allowing us to take a whirl on an all-new experience here at EPCOT...

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StormRider, an attraction that used to thrill visitors to Tokyo DisneySea, has found a new home here at EPCOT. Although the ride technology will remain the same, the storyline will be slightly different compared to its original Japanese equivalent. As we all know, one of the biggest and most prevalent forms of dangerous weather comes from the ocean. I am, of course, referring to hurricanes and the harsh rainstorms that come with them. Well, Seabase Alpha has been researching these behemoths for years, and they've just discovered a way to dissipate hurricanes before they can cause serious damage: a missile-shaped device called a "FUSE." And the researchers at the Seabase are sending you aboard an aircraft to get the FUSE into the eye of the storm, saving the nearby Florida coast from certain destruction. The mission does not go smoothly however. Due to the extreme winds and heavy rainfall, the FUSE veers off-course and collides with the StormRider craft. What ensues is a wild ride and some special-effects surprises. At its core, StormRider is a full-motion-flight-simulator-based attraction, similar to Mission: SPACE over on the other side of the park. StormRider goes a step beyond your average simulator, however, by introducing additional special effects including the FUSE missile crashing through the "roof" of the ride vehicle and "rain" entering the aircraft's cracked hull, spraying the riders with a light mist of water. No denying--StormRider will definitely earn its place as one of EPCOT's biggest draws.

NOTE: I've heard of a contract between Disney and the OLC that says that Disney can't copy attractions from Tokyo DisneySea over here in America. I don't know if that's still in play, especially seeing how the Magic Kingdom got a variant of "Once Upon a Time", Tokyo Disneyland's nighttime show, but since the Tokyo StormRider has closed to make way for, coincidentally, a Finding Nemo ride, this technically means Disney could clone the ride here. Yay, loopholes!

Whenever you decide to leave the Seabase, just hop aboard another Hydrolator, and you'll be back up "on the surface" in no time. Wrapping around the side of the building, guests will find the pleasant Coral Reef restaurant, where guests can dine among the beautiful scenery of an underwater setting. It is like dinner under the sea. All together, the experience adds up to one pavilion, one purpose. You are arriving at a seabase, which is being used to explore the world under the ocean. It teaches and entertains.

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And with that, our tour of Future World is complete! Ten pavilions on proud display, and now, it's time to move on. EPCOT has another distinct area, this one celebrating the vast cultures of the planet. In the next post, we'll begin our journey through World Showcase. Until then, keep the feedback coming!

I've actually got a few questions for you regarding World of the Body. First, do you guys like the name "World of the Body", or would you prefer I just go by the old "Wonders of Life" name? Second, do you guys think that Kitchen Kabaret works for the health pavilion, or should I scrap it? Please let me know what you think. The help is very much appreciated. See you in the next post!

 

[DisneyManOne]

Put on your walking shoes, my friends. Our worldwide trek is about to begin!

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You know, our time in Future World seems to tell a story. The ten pavilions of Future World tell the story of where we're going and what we need to do in order to keep going strong. The journey begins with Spaceship Earth, where you learn how humanity has used communication to advance society and improve the standard of living throughout history. It's emphasized how important communication is for our future (and not just communication technology, but the messages involved, hence why the final message is so important, and ties together Future World with World Showcase, which you get to later in the day). From there, you go towards Future World East, themed around the hard sciences.

Guardians of the Galaxy invokes a sense of courage and teamwork, two very strong ethics we'll need in order to shape the future. It may seem impossible to get along with people from time to time, but the intrepid Guardians remind us all to work together and steer our Spaceship Earth towards a strong future. The Play Pavilion helps to give young children a taste of creating the future, what they will do once they come of age. Mission: SPACE encourages us to reach for the stars and helps us realize that our Spaceship Earth is merely one of many of amazing things out there in the cosmos. Test Track showcases another important element of life: transportation, much like how Spaceship Earth is about the importance of communication. After all this, it's likely lunch-time, so after a quick munch, we head off to Future World West.

So, you make your way over to the West, which is about life sciences. The Living Seas introduces you to the wonders of 3/4 of our earth, and how, like space, it's just as much a new frontier for us to expand, responsibly, into and harness for the betterment of humanity and our SSE (seeing a trend here?) The Land does the same with the remaining 1/4 of our earth. It's supposed to be a celebration of ecological farming techniques and environmentally-friendly ways to live life. World of the Body showcases the natural simplicity of the human body, and what we can do to make sure our kind lives long enough to bring about the bright future EPCOT shows us can happen. So, so far we've explored all aspects of our SSE. We've seen how communication is what separates man from beast (I use that loosely), we've seen how we are able to harness astronomy, teamwork and transit to improve our world. We've been informed how important taking care of the two main parts of our earth. "Our Land and our Sea" can be properly harnessed, but must also be cared for; and we must also make sure we take care of ourselves. So, how do we get to that "great big beautiful tomorrow?"

Imagination. That was the role it played in the story. You have to think outside the box. And remember: no question is stupid unless it is one not asked. And, it did this in a whimsical way that reached out to dreamers and doers (and future ones) alike. But, that leaves the opus. Once we've applied all we learned through these pavilions, once we consider their message, what does our future look like? And that's where Horizons comes in. If we can dream it, we can do it. History has shown it, and our future is bright if we choose to make it bright. From this point, it's time to transition and celebrate who we are embarking on this grand journey with. And that's the message of EPCOT's second half...

World Showcase

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World Showcase is reminiscent of a permanent World's Fair, featuring various pavilions representing different countries of the world. The pavilions surround the World Showcase Lagoon, a large manmade lake located in the center of it all. World Showcase can take guests from country to country in just a quick walk, where they can experience the sights, the food, the cultures, the experience of being able to explore the world, assisted by Cast Members who actually come from their country of origin. My vision for World Showcase is to finally fill most of the expansion plots that are found throughout World Showcase. Here is a basic picture showcasing what I'd like to do here, as well as give you a brief preview of what's to come...

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What I want to do here is give a feng-shui aspect to both areas of EPCOT. In Future World, I have four pavilions each on both sides of Stargate Plaza, with Spaceship Earth and Horizons marking the middle. Here, as you can see, I have seventeen countries around the World Showcase Lagoon. I deliberately made it so that there are seven countries on each side, with The American Adventure -- the host pavilion of World Showcase -- right in the middle. Let us begin our world tour.

Just continuing north from Future World and arriving at Showcase Plaza, directly ahead is the World Showcase Lagoon. Located to the left and right of Showcase Plaza are landings for the Friendship Cruise Boats. The Friendship Cruise Boats are a quicker way to travel from country to country, while enjoying a leisurely boat cruise across the World Showcase Lagoon. The boat cruise takes you from the entrance of World Showcase, to Germany and to Morocco.

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Another form of transportation are the World Showcase Buses, a series of double-decker buses that take guests around the World Showcase. Ever wonder why the walkways in World Showcase are so wide? Well, that's because the buses used to travel along the walkways. Right in the middle of the plaza is a viewing area for the nightly fireworks show, IllumiNations: An International Songbook. On both sides of the viewing plaza are two cubical, indoor gift shops -- Port of Entry and Disney Traders -- which host several country-related items, as well as EPCOT merchandise. Mere steps nearby is Refreshment Port, the place to go if all the world-trekking is making you hungry. They sell chicken nuggets, fries, croissant-doughnuts and ice cream.

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The Showcase Plaza is also a place where you can meet up with various Disney characters throughout the day. In fact, at certain points, one of the World Showcase Buses transports many different characters to the Showcase Plaza for a meet & greet session.

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Right in the middle of Showcase Plaza, separating the two shops, is a large planter. Looking from above, you'll notice it's basically the two current planters combined into one. The reason for the combining is because I'd fill this enlarged planter with seventeen flagpoles, representing the seventeen countries that surround the World Showcase Lagoon. When World Showcase opens for the day at 11:00, I'd have it be marked by a Flag-Raising Ceremony. This is, perhaps, one of my favorite ideas I've ever devised for EPCOT. After a brief announcement, detailing World Showcase's meaning: a tribute to the cultures and peoples of our world; one by one, the flags of all seventeen countries, from Mexico to Canada, are raised on the flagpoles to the sounds of their respective country's national anthem. Each anthem would be preceded by the voiceover declaring: "Ladies and gentlemen, the raising of the flag of _____"; followed by a repetition of that phrase in the country's language, if necessary. For the anthems, I would use Philip Sheppard's absolutely beautiful arrangements, composed for the 2012 Summer Olympics, as performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In fact, here are the links to each and every one: Mexico, Norway, China, South Africa, Greece, Germany, Brazil, Italy, United States, Japan, India, Morocco, Jamaica, France, United Kingdom, Egypt and Canada.

Soarin' has given us a little taste of what to expect here, so let’s begin our world tour. We'll explore the seventeen countries of World Showcase in a clockwise motion.

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Heading immediately to the left from Showcase Plaza, we'll arrive at the first country of World Showcase: Mexico. Rising around the bend, curbing the corner of World Showcase Lagoon, guests can see a rising, multi-tiered Aztec temple, surrounded by dense forests. The temple rises high into the sky, dominating over the rest of the Mexico pavilion. Just across from the temple is a building that plays host to two restaurants, both serving excellent Mexican cuisine. The location features La Hacienda de San Angel, an indoor sit-down restaurant, as well as La Cantina de San Angel, a quick-service location. The restaurants feature a complete tequila bar and are located right alongside the waters of World Showcase, making it an excellent viewing location for the nighttime fireworks. Attached to the side of the restaurant is El Ranchito del Norte, which specializes in Mexican knick-knacks and what not. Performing in the courtyard of the pavilion, either right in front of the temple, or nearby El Ranchito del Norte, is the world-renowned Mariachi Cobre band. These festive performers have been an EPCOT favorite for years. Come gather round to hear the authentic sounds of Mexico surround you in a veritable fiesta of music! The colored stone steps leading up to the temple reveal a small seating area, camouflaged in lush foliage. Entrances lead into the temple on both the left and right side of the temple, re-connecting back into the center of the temple, where posters and artifacts align the walls, showcasing the many different facts and activities of Mexico. Inside the center temple room is the Mexican Folk Art Gallery, currently playing host to "Animalés Fantásticos: Spirits in Wood". This is an exhibit honoring Oaxacan wood carvers who believe that when they carve a figure, they are unleashing the spirit of each being from each piece of wood. Every figure is handmade from the soft wood of the copal tree, found in the hills surrounding the Oaxacan Valley of Southern Mexico, and blends the modern and traditional, the mundane and the mythical—but always with humor, movement, fantasy and color.

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Continuing into the next room, guests find themselves entering into a Mexican courtyard at nighttime. From the stone balcony overlooking the pavilion, guests see a streaming fountain just below, surrounded by bustling merchandise carts and stores, which is then preceded by a courtyard of tables adorned with flickering candles. Strings of lanterns are draped over the courtyard, as the sky is awash in blue lights. The farthest end of the courtyard reveals a small temple. From the balcony, descending ramps to the left and the right lead down into the center, courtyard, Plaza de Los Amigos. The Plaza is filled with all sorts of merchandise, from over-sized sombreros, piñatas, baskets, leather goods, Latin foods, Mexican wines and liquors, ceramic and glass sculptures, blankets and decorations. To the right of the courtyard, another tequila bar, La Cava de Tequila, is located, tucked away in one of the Mexican building facades. Just past the bustling carts and stores, guests will find the San Angel Inn, a restaurant which serves fantastic Mexican food by candle-light. The restaurant is located right on the waters outside of a Mexican temple, surrounded by lush foliage. The entire restaurant is quite romantic and simulates being outside in a nighttime courtyard.

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To the left of the restaurant is Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, a slow boat ride down the rivers of Mexico, where the guests are taken on a whirlwind tour, experiencing glimpses of Mexican culture. But it's not all fun and games -- Jose and Panchito are off searching Mexico for Donald so that they can get their concert started. Continuing back outside the stone steps of the Mexican temple, outside of the pavilion, guests will comes across a stone wall with inscribed details. This is often where Donald, Jose and Panchito host meet-and-greets.

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From the sunny streets of Mexico, we arrive in the tundras of Northern Europe. This is Norway. Norway was the second pavilion to be added to World Showcase after EPCOT had opened in 1982 and this country remains to keep its' original sentiment. Guests walk along the quaint village of a Norwegian town, taking in the quaint cottage-like buildings and architecture. Of course, given that Norway (and Scandinavia in general) inspired one of Disney's biggest hits to date, one might expect to see the likes of Anna, Elsa, Olaf or Kristoff here. If you wish to meet them, you can find them at the Royal Sommerhus. The Royal Sommerhus -- inspired by the Detli House featured at the Trondelag Folk Museum in Trondheim -- is the summer home of Anna and Elsa, chock full of memories (and memorabilia) from the sisters' travels with their parents when they were younger. Now that Elsa is queen, the house has reopened so the sisters, and their friends, can relive their fond memories and make new ones with guests. The Wandering Reindeer takes up residence in an old barn next door, offering authentic Norwegian children's toys, including stuffed reindeer. Nearby, a replica of the famous Stave Church offers quiet solitude to take in a small museum of Norwegian history and culture.

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Just outside of the Stave Church Gallery, we come across a quaint Norwegian village. The first sight we come across is Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, a small bakery offering baked specialties from Norway, including fruit pastries, desserts and even ham and apple sandwiches. Neighboring the bakery is The Puffin's Roost, a complete gift shop for everything Norway-related. The gift shop features Norwegian clothes, custom-made in Norway, including heavy winter clothes, to fine wines, perfumes and colognes, leading to a room of princess dolls and merchandise. The inside of the shop almost looks like a quaint skiing lodge. Just outside of the bakery, in-between the building and the Stave Church Gallery, an area of tables is located, under one of the roofed buildings. The roofs of these buildings above the sitting area is topped with grass running up along the sides of the roof, with planted flowers aligning the roof, creating quite a quaint, almost fairytale appearance. Across from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, a complete sit-down dining experience, where guests are welcomed into a beautiful Norwegian hall, where the delicious food and customs of Norway are shared with the guests. The character dining aspect has been removed. Given that the princesses featured there hail from other regions of the world, it doesn't seem to make much sense to have them featured here.

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At the furthest end of the pavilion is a mountain, with a small waterfall cascading down the side of it, and a cavern from which the water runs down from. The waterfall spills into a small lake, surrounded by beautiful planted flowers and trees. A bridge cross over the lake and in front of the waterfall, leading to the entrance to Norway's major attraction. Although Anna and Elsa continue to greet guests here in the pavilion, the Frozen Ever After attraction is no longer featured here. In my plans, it has moved elsewhere in the resort...but we'll get there later. However, the ride's stone-faced facade would remain, but this time, it would serve as the entrance to the Museum av Norrøn Mytologi (or in plain English, "Museum of Norse Mythology"). After passing through the museum for a while, going past various displays and murals about the Vikings and Norse lore, we hop aboard Viking ships of our very own to sail through the Legend of Valhalla.

Sailing across the rainbow bridge, we find ourselves in the mighty halls of Asgard, home of the Gods. Once there, we encounter many of the famed Norse Gods: Odin, father of the Gods; Thor, the god of thunder; Baldur, the god of peace; Aegir, the god of the sea; Tyr, the god of war, and many others. Things go awry when Loki, the notorious trickster god, fools us into trying to take one of the Golden Apples, the source of the Gods' immortality and perpetual youth. Guest then find themselves in a race to escape Valhalla, fleeing from Idun, the guardian of the Golden Apples, and the Valkyries, warrior maidens on flying horses. This ride would be a true E-ticket attraction with state-of-the-art audio animatronic figures and multiple drops. In fact, the ride's show building would be expanded to fill the rest of the expansion pad the Royal Sommerhus takes over, thus allowing for a longer and more elaborate experience.

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Speaking of Vikings, don't be surprised if you run into a few while you're here in Norway! In fact, right along the water's edge is a gigantic replica of a Viking ship, where guests can climb aboard and explore how the Vikings of old sailed the seas. It’s essentially a bigger and better version of the old Viking ship that used to be in the pavilion from 1998 to 2008.

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Along the banks of World Showcase, the sounds of Norwegian waterfalls dissipate into the background, as the guests come across the next pavilion in World Showcase: China. Guests arrive at the many beautifully-adorned and decorated temples of China. The Chinese architecture depicts the beautiful scenery of a typical Chinese city. The entrance to the China pavilion is highlighted by a tall Chinese red arch, leading the way into a small Chinese water garden, filled with waterfalls and lily pads. Mulan, Shang and Mushu often meet guests in this garden. The garden is also where you'll find the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats, a group that showcases China's unique and beautiful gymnastic styles.

Straight ahead of the entrance arch, leading down a narrow path over the water garden, steps lead up to a very detailed replica of the Temple of Heaven. Inside of the grand temple, guests will come across Reflections of China. In this experience, guests are welcomed inside of the grand temple. The lobby of the temple is adorned with Chinese artifacts, beautiful sculpting, banners and images depicting the origins of China. Guests are then brought into a Circle-Vision theater -- notably, the very first Circle-Vision theater to utilize seamless technology -- where guests are then enveloped in the history, the art, the cultures and the life of what the country of China is. The grand Circle-Vision experience offers a wonderful portrayal of the country of China, teaching the guests more about the country through the colorful portrayal.

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Attached to the temple, just inside of the lobby, to the left, guests will comes across the House of the Whispering Willows. The small room is tucked away in the corner of the Chinese temple and serves as the exhibit area for the pavilion, featuring "Tomb Warriors: Guardian Spirits of Ancient China." The terracotta soldiers in this exhibit are replicas of the soldiers found in the famous tomb excavation in Xi'an, China, the single largest excavation in the world. The original figures, dating from 210 BC, were discovered in 1974 by some local farmers. And they were indeed an army! Current estimates are that in the three pits containing the Terracotta Army there were more than 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots with 520 horses, and 150 cavalry horses. Legend has it that members of the royal dynasty carried miniature terracotta or stone carved warriors with them in their tombs to protect them from supernatural threats.

Just outside of the temple, an alleyway leads to the back end of the pavilion, running in tangent to the Yong Feng Shangdian store. The store is an extensive shopping plaza, running through the facades of several different Chinese buildings. Reflections of China also exits through the shop's plaza. The shop features everything from expensive Chinese jewelry and sculptures, to Chinese garments, lanterns and incenses and stuffed animals. Continuing back up north to the entrance of the pavilion, on the right, is the Lotus Blossom Cafe, a small cafe area, serving delicious Chinese cuisine.

Located further down the ramp, just after the entrance archway is the Nine Dragons Restaurant, which offers an extensive selection of Chinese dishes in a beautiful, relaxing setting. Now, among the restaurants of World Showcase, Nine Dragons is always one that never really receives particularly glowing praise. Given how common Chinese restaurants are, it really does feel as though Nine Dragons is just another one of them. Therefore, I'd say it's time to give Nine Dragons a renovation so that it can finally stand out among the other restaurants of World Showcase. For this, I'd turn this into a buffet-hybrid type restaurant comprised of different stations. Each station would highlight one of the eight culinary traditions of China including the bold and spicy flavors of Szechuan cuisine, the predominantly seafood Shandong cuisine, and the hearty Cantonese cuisine. At each station, in addition of a selection of pre-prepared items, diners would also have the option of selecting various raw ingredients to be prepared by a chef stir-frying on a wok right in front of them. This would not only help provide a greater and more varied selection of Chinese cuisine, but also help make the restaurant a more unique dining experience.

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At the edge of China is a bridge going over a river leading into the lagoon. On the other side of the river, we find ourselves trekking into the fourth country -- and first new addition -- of World Showcase: South Africa. Bringing Africa to life in the World Showcase is quite a daunting task. Africa is already well-represented at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Their Africa section is basically a more elaborate version of the Equatorial Africa pavilion scheduled to open here at EPCOT. Likewise, World Showcase is very much urban-based, and it would be a bit jarring to see a non-urban based pavilion here. Therefore, South Africa will feature two distinct areas: a Dutch-inspired area representing the colonization of South Africa; and a traditional African area honoring the rest of the continent. Much like with the nation's anthem -- a combination of two different songs, sung in five different languages -- we are honoring the unity between Africans and Afrikaners.

On the edge of the water, built among the existing sandy rockwork, is a replica of Umhlanga Lighthouse. The front half of the pavilion is modeled on the Groot Constantia Manor House, a historic museum and winery that architecturally has Dutch influence. The main building and its adjacent garden hold the table service restaurant, Kos vir die Siel (that's Afrikaans for "Food for the Soul"), which features a host of famous South African dishes, including boerewors, Cape Malay curry, chakalaka and pap, authentic braai, and the national dish of South Africa, bobotie. Kos vir die Siel is surrounded by smaller winery buildings housing retail, as well as a counter-service cafe, Indlu Yokuvumelana (that's Zulu for "House of Harmony"), which features famous South African comfort food and baked goods, including Malva pudding and the famous melktert. However, it should be noted that this pavilion does not contain an actual winery because of its next-door neighbor: Greece. Greece, as we all know, is one of the wine capitals of the world, so a wine-based attraction would make more sense there.

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Beyond this Dutch colony, we come across the vast African wilderness. This area is marked by large, rolling hills and cave entrances. Early African structures modeled on the village of uMgungundlovu mark the entrance to the Caves of Man, an explorable cave system modeled on the Cradle of Mankind, the real cave system where the earliest human remains have been found. As part of their extensive research and building process, Disney has teamed up with the true-life Cradle of Mankind to help make sure the Caves of Man closely resemble its South African counterpart.

Also found here in the jungle is Tales from Africa, a hyper-realistic take on African fables, told with puppetry--specifically, puppetry like the Handspring Puppet Company, creator of the puppets used in War Horse. The stone cave tunnel from the main area of the pavilion leads to waiting tunnel area, built rustically, with light streaming in between a wood and thatch roof. The theater seats 900 in a rough semi-circle around a round thrust stage. The theater and stage are very plain so that the focus can be on the show. Limited set pieces, stylized like the puppets, appear for each fable. I envision this show to be different every time. With such a vast wealth of African folktales about the various animals that inhabit the continent, the show certainly would have a vast wealth of tales to tell. No show would be the same as the other one. Rotating stories would allow for increased re-watches.

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What do you guys think so far? By the way, I must tell you that the opening text regarding the overarching story of Future World was inspired by a post by @englanddg made in response to one of my biggest inspirations for my EPCOT plans, @sshindel's EPCOT Manifesto. I updated it to fit the new pavilions, and because I believe there is a way to tie the themes of the two new pavilions in with the story of Future World. Likewise, I took most of my inspiration for South Africa from the two concepts presented by @Imagineerland over the years. so all credit on that count goes to him.

 

[DisneyManOne]

Be prepared, guys. Here's another short post. You see, one of the pavilions that will be covered here is merely a rumor, and such a rumor is spearheaded by a site notorious for spreading outlandish rumors. If the rumor does indeed turn out to be true, I'm sure Disney will announce it at D23. Therefore, we'll merely bypass that pavilion for now, but if the rumor is true, I'll come back and edit it after D23.

With that said, let's continue the tour.

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With South Africa explored, we come across the fifth country -- and second new addition -- to World Showcase: Greece. Greece has one of the most unique histories and one of the most famous collections of architecture in all the world, and the atmosphere would lend an air of peacefulness to the World Showcase experience. The architecture of the Greece pavilion is inspired by the glorious architecture that borders the Mediterranean -- the architecture of Santorini, Ios, and Naxos. But as you head towards the rear, you'll find yourself taken back in time to the days of Ancient Greece. A gorgeous blend of Mediterranean buildings and ancient Greek architecture. And with traditional Greek music playing in the background, it would be absolutely beautiful!

The surroundings of the Greece pavilion are lush and green, taking inspiration from the cliffs and greenery of Santorini. Even the borders along the World Showcase Lagoon would be outfitted in a similar fashion. Proceeding further into Greece, we find a bustling Mediterranean community living under the shadow of Mount Olympus. Η Αγορά, which means "The Marketplace", is the pavilion's major shop, selling Greek dolls, Greek Orthodox Iconography, leather goods, and evil eye charms, just to name a few. Smaller stores come in the form of Θησαυροί της Ελλάδας ("Treasures of Greece"), which sells Greek masks, carvings, statuettes, paintings, pottery, miniature mosaics and stories on scrolls, and Νέκταρ των Θεών ("Nectar of the Gods"), which sells food items, like Kalamata olives, olive oil, and traditional Greek spices. The smells of such wares carry throughout the pavilion!

Η Ελιά, which means "The Olive Tree", is an authentic Mediterranean and Greek restaurant set around a giant olive tree. According to Greek mythology, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, gave such a tree to the Greeks as a blessing. And the food for sale at The Olive Tree is a blessing unto itself! Spanakopita, tzatziki, gyros, baklava, mousaka, and souvlaki every day. Not to mention ouzo, raki, and other traditional Greek drinks. Of course, the wine would flow like rainfall here. Greece is home to some of the world's most famous wines, so it seems only fitting that the pavilion honor such a legacy. Η παραγωγή του κρασιού ("The Making of Wine") is connected to the The Olive Tree, showing us how authentic Greek wine is made. The Making of Wine features wine tasting (at a cost), wine-flavored ice cream, wine-flavored candy, and wine-flavored...well, I'm gonna stop whining about it and just let you put the rest together for yourself.

The center of this Mediterranean town is a prime source for entertainment. A large circle in the center of town marks the performance space of a team of Greek dancers. To the lively sounds of the bouzouki, a team of Greek dancers take to the streets to perform a series of traditional Greek dances, and even invite fellow guests to come and try their hand at a dance or two! But, if you're the kind of guy who likes to rub shoulders with Disney characters, Greece is the place to go if you want to meet Hercules and Megara. The characters from the 1997 cult classic have only appeared sporadically throughout Walt Disney World over the years. A Greece pavilion would be the perfect place for them to meet with guests on a regular basis.

Standing proudly beyond this Mediterranean town is the imposing visage of Mt. Olympus, home of the gods of Greek mythology. The mountain itself is towering, creating an impressive backdrop when you view the pavilion from across the lagoon at Showcase Plaza. Surrounding the mountain are the ancient remains of Greek temples, with an impressive replica of the Parthenon found within the forecourt. Inside the mountain, we'll set forth on an adventure of epic proportions: Mythica. Mythica is another roller-coaster coming to the park, themed after the perils of Greek mythology. Beautifully blending a dark ride with a classic Disney roller-coaster, Mythica promises itself to be another shining jewel in EPCOT's crown.

The ride's queue is themed to what looks like the ruined remains of an old Greek temple, taking guests past marble columns and beautiful frescos. Finally, guests walk into the pre-show, where the largest animatronic Disney has ever created will make its appearance. In dedication of the original designs for The Living Seas, Poseidon will make his appearance in this hall. He will stand still as guest enter in this hall in groups. But, as soon as the hall is filled, Poseidon will come to life in a jovial way. He will greet the guests and offer guest the chance to help Helios on his quest to take the sun on its daily journey. Guests will make their way through a side tunnel that will lead them into the station. From here they will board their ride vehicle that is shaped similarly to a Greek chariot. This ride vehicle will leave the station and with a flash of lightning, guest will find themselves flying through mist and clouds until they reach Olympus, where an animatronic of Helios tells guests that he needs their help to get the sun delivered to the sky. The coaster dives left into a heat room, simulating proximity to the sun. With the sun "following" us, our journey is stopped by a Hades animatronic (an original design created specifically for Mythica), who steals the sun in the hopes of using it for his own nefarious purposes. In Hades' wake, the track rolls backwards through a backwards section as if they are falling and losing control of the chariot. Finally the coaster will come to a stop again as Zeus (likewise, another original design) tells guests that they must retrieve the sun. With that, Zeus gives guests the power of lightning and the coaster launches off again on a new track. With strong use of special effects and projections, quest will rush through a battle between Zeus and Hades. Of course, all ends well -- Hades is defeated, Zeus and Helios retrieve the sun, and as we return to earth, Zeus gives us a blessing of a prosperous and fulfilling life.

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Moving on from Greece, guests will arrive at the entrance to Germany. Germany consists mainly of many different shops, with some restaurants tucked in here and there. Just on the outskirts of the pavilion is a beautiful wishing well, where Snow White often meets guests. Upon entering the pavilion, to the right is the Das Kaufhaus store, which specifically sells crystal and glass figures, artwork and other types of merchandise. Surrounding the front of the pavilion is a nice relaxing area of trees and benches, which also make a great location to view the nighttime fireworks. Along the edges of the lagoon, the iconic miniature train display has been moved here because of the new pavilion moving in next door. Guests find themselves in a quaint village of Germany, just at the base of a clock tower. Every hour, on the hour, the clock comes to life, as a series of gizmos and figures appear from within the clock's frame, creating in the midst of the town. The clock comes to life in a wonderfully animated scene, including several different moving gadgets and figures. The German village surrounds a beautiful fountain, atop of which sits a statue of.

On the left corner of the town is Karamell-Küche, a wonderful bakery, offering all sorts of treats. The bakery specializes in caramel sweets, from everything to caramel and vanilla cupcakes, chocolate cookies with caramel frosting, brownies, cupcakes and wonderful other snacks. Passing through the sweet shop, guests will come across Die Weihnachts Ecke, a store completely devoted to Christmas items, featuring many different ornaments and Christmas merchandise. Through this store, guests will then be able to come across Weinkeller, a location that features a variety of different German wines and alcohols, where guests can purchase and even partake in their own wine tasting. Through the wine room, guests will then be able to reach the Kunstarbeit in Kristall store, which features more art work pieces and figures made completely out of glass.

All of these stores appear on the left hand side of the Germany pavilion. On the right side of the pavilion, the Volkskunst store can be located, offering many different Germany-based merchandise, from clothes, to yodeling attire, to sports equipment and working clocks. The store is also attached to the Der Teddybar store, which sells Disney Princess and teddy bear merchandise. On the farthest back end of the Germany pavilion, guests will find the sit-down Biergarten restaurant in the clocktower structure. Biergarten is a place where it's pretty much Oktoberfest every day. As guests dine on a German buffet, they are entertained by a German band, who perform on instruments native to Germany, as well as a lively troupe of German dancers, who often invite diners to join them in a polka or two. Nearby, Sommerfest has great German dishes, where guests can dine while being entertained by a quartet of yodelers. The location also features a quick-service location, consisting of mainly hot dogs and pretzels.

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In my ideas for Germany, my biggest priority would be to restore something that's been a long time coming for this pavilion: the Rhine River Cruise. According to the Walt Disney Company's 1976 annual report, the Rhine River Cruise was to be "... a cruise down Germany's most famous rivers -- the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks will also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral." While a majority of the show building was never actually constructed, the load and unload area of the ride would have been located next to the entrance to the Biergarten restaurant. Today, this area is hidden behind a giant mural depicting the German countryside. My version of the ride would be based upon what was originally planned, and similar in style to the boat ride in Mexico. The ride would feature a dramatic score comprised of music from some of Germany’s greatest composers including Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, and Wagner. Guests would sail past scenes of some of Germany’s most enduring landmarks such as the Neuschwanstein castle, the Brandenburg Gate, the Cathedral of Cologne, and the Schwarzwald (Black Forest). As in the original plans, when we reach the unload dock, the exit walkway has small seating areas so that we can stop and view the shows at Biergarten from above.

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Brazil is one of those pavilions that's consistently rumored to be joining the World Showcase family, and recently, those rumors started circling around again. However, these rumors are spearheaded by a site notorious for spreading rumors that never come to fruition. With D23 on the horizon, it seems we'll get confirmation then. So, we'll just leave Brazil here for now, and if it's confirmed to be coming by, this post will be edited to include what Disney says is coming, as well as a few things I'd like to see.

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Strolling along, we find ourselves in the pastoral settings of Italy. Guests arrive in the quaint city square of a city reminiscent of Venice. It looks quite majestic and beautiful. In the forefront of the pavilion, there are two landings jutting out onto the World Showcase Lagoon, the two, connected by a pair of twin bridges. The landings display a set of fountains. In-between the bridge landings and tunnelways, several canal boats can be seen on a nearby dock, making it seem as though the landings really are floating over the canals of Venice. Back up north, guests will arrive in the Italian courtyard. To the left, guests will come across Enoteca Castallo, an Italian shop, which specializes in clothes, perfumes and ceramic art pieces. Just across the courtyard, guests will come across Il Bel Cristallo and La Bottega Italiana, one being a wine location, offering a variety of wines to the guests and the other a chocolate store, offering some of the finest chocolate sweets and candies from Italy. Outside of the two stores, a small seating area is located, which also happens to be a perfect location for guests to have a wine tasting. The courtyard often becomes host to a series of performances from two different sources: Sergio the mime and the World Showcase Players. That's right--they're back! This troupe of players go around World Showcase to tell their butchered versions of classic tales from the countries they perform in. In the UK, they perform King Arthur & the Holy Grail, as well as A Christmas Carol during the holidays; they perform Cyrano de Bergerac in France, and here in Italy, they perform a very unique take on Romeo and Juliet.

Tucked away in the corner behind one of the shops is a stairway leading up to one of the upper levels of the buildings. This location is often used as a meet & greet location for Pinocchio and Geppetto. Speaking of Disney characters, the Lady and the Tramp topiary located here will be removed. They are not Italian characters. The back end of the Italian pavilion is reserved exclusively for some of the best restaurants in EPCOT. Guests come across a beautiful fountain area. Just past the fountain, to the left, is the Tutto Italia restaurant, which offers some of the best pasta, salad and Italian dishes. At the farthest back end of the Italy pavilion, guests will come across the Via Napoli pavilion. This restaurant is a great pizzeria, utilizing three different oven burners to create some of the finest dishes, transporting the flavors of Italy to their guests. The restaurant features a large sitting area, as well as a quaint outdoor seating location, offering wonderful views of the fireworks at nighttime. An extension to Via Napoli would give the pavilion its own counter-service restaurant. It would serve the same pizzas as its table-service counterpart, but give guests the opportunity to buy pizza by the slice.

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Beyond all that, this pavilion will be expanded upon. I know it’s already a sufficient sized pavilion, but it has always seemed to be missing some of the grandeur of some of the other pavilions. I hope to fix that with this expansion. My ideas for an expansion are similar to the original Phase II proposal, beginning with -- at last -- a ride for the pavilion. what would Italy be without the iconic sounds of the gondolier? Now, at last, EPCOT's Italy gets that iconic sound in the form of Gondolas di Italia. Even though World Showcase is already heavy on boat rides, I think this idea is too good to pass up and there is something about gondolas themselves that would add extra allure to the attraction and make it somewhat unique. Based upon the original concepts for an Italian expansion, the ride begins with that yellow building we passed by earlier, which was meant to be the starting point for our cruise. It is here where we board our gondola. As we journey down along the rivers of Italy, a live gondolier will sing to us and tell us the history and stories of Italy as we glide along. We'll travel through scenes from some of Italy’s best-known cities, including Venice, Milan, Florence, Pisa, Rome, and Naples, and encounter some of the country’s most enduring landmarks. The ride will use miniatures and audio-animatronics to help bring Italy to life. It won't be an e-ticket, but it will certainly be educative, relaxing and entertaining.

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After the ride, we're invited to explore ancient Roman ruins along the lines of what one would see today if walking through the Forum in Rome, built at the northern end of the pavilion. Paths would lead back to the main concourse of the pavilion. In addition to this new ride and ruins area, I'd build a little something called the Gelataria, a bakery that offers a wide assortment of sweet Italian gelato, as well as numerous pastries, such as biscotti, cannoli, and zeppole. This would be found near the ride's docking port and would help disguise the ride building.

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As you can see, this picture was made before Via Napoli was built, but it still should help give you an idea of what I want to do here. Of course, the ride's path would have to be altered, and the location and set-up of the ruins would have to be adjusted as well, but I still believe that if this Phase II was to finally come to be, I think we'd have a real beautiful pavilion on our hands.

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Another four pavilions down! What do you think, guys? It should be noted that my Greece pavilion was a combination of four distinct concepts -- @MANEATINGWREATH's Beastly Kingdom from his 2016 Dream Resort thread, the Greece pavilion concepts of @MonorailRed and @ScorpionX, as well as the Helios' Journey ride created for a tournament back in 2013 by @Voxel and @jdmdisney99. Their version was created for a potential Italy pavilion expansion, but I thought it would work better in Greece. Besides, the Greek gods and Roman gods are basically the same people with mostly different names.

Now, in our next post, we'll cover five more pavilions, and after that, we'll cover the final four pavilions of World Showcase, as well as the International Gateway. See you all then! Until then, if you have any feedback or comments, please feel free to share them. I really would like to hear what you guys think!

 

[Suchomimus]

To the left, we have a tropical rain-forest being absolutely pelted by an ongoing thunderstorm, and to the right we have a jungle jamboree that has thus far stayed in the sunshine. Starting with the left, we find umbrella-shaped trees amid the falling "rains," several exotic birds chirping and crying out every time thunder strikes. Many of these tropical birds spin their heads in complete circles, roll around in their eggshells, or perform other weird feats, all surrounding a beady-eyed crocodile clutching an umbrella that is far-too-small for its body. The crocodile (who appears to shake his head "no") is neighbored by a flower-spotted leopard with a much larger umbrella (who shakes his head "yes")

I have to get this question off my chest; why did you move the rainforest from the South America room to Africa?