Who Wants A Legend Of Sleepy Hollow Dark Ride?!

ElvisMickey

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In my opinion, The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow portion of The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad is some of the best animation and storytelling work that Disney has ever done. And I mean, like, EVER. How many know that a dark ride based on this animation sequence was originally intended for the Magic Kingdom when it was being built until Roy decided that Walt Disney World should include the same rides that were found in Disneyland and scrapped that idea? Who thinks that this amazing animation sequence deserves more than a funnel cake stand in Liberty Square? I think with the popularity of Halloween in general, this ride would be huge. Who’s seen it? Did you enjoy it? And would you love a dark ride representation 🎃?
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has always been in one of my top 5 Disney films. From the time I was a young kid it was the Disney feature I looked forward to watching every year at Halloween time. When Ive attended MNSSHP I arrange for a prime spot to watch the Headless Horseman make his ride... it never ceases to thrill me to watch.
I would enjoy a dark ride themed to the film but the chances of it happening sadly is less than slim. Disneys moved on from anything featuring the old classics. What we have is what we get. We are lucky we have the food area in Liberty square and this sign exists.
1-img_4455_large31.jpg


And the window dressing that gives a nod to the film in the Sleepy Hollow window in the back.
 

ElvisMickey

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has always been in one of my top 5 Disney films. From the time I was a young kid it was the Disney feature I looked forward to watching every year at Halloween time. When Ive attended MNSSHP I arrange for a prime spot to watch the Headless Horseman make his ride... it never ceases to thrill me to watch.
I would enjoy a dark ride themed to the film but the chances of it happening sadly is less than slim. Disneys moved on from anything featuring the old classics. What we have is what we get. We are lucky we have the food area in Liberty square and this sign exists.View attachment 495431

And the window dressing that gives a nod to the film in the Sleepy Hollow window in the back.

I totally agree. One, Disney has no money these days unless they’re trying to appease the social justice warriors (Aka Splash). However, even if they did have the money, it would never happen. Which is strange because people LOVE scary, Halloween, etc. This would have the potential to be an amazing dark ride. And, can you imagine, if they brought Mr. Toad back and combined them both into one ride...just like how the movie flows?
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Bring Me A Shrubbery
Premium Member
In my opinion, The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow portion of The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad is some of the best animation and storytelling work that Disney has ever done. And I mean, like, EVER. How many know that a dark ride based on this animation sequence was originally intended for the Magic Kingdom when it was being built until Roy decided that Walt Disney World should include the same rides that were found in Disneyland and scrapped that idea? Who thinks that this amazing animation sequence deserves more than a funnel cake stand in Liberty Square? I think with the popularity of Halloween in general, this ride would be huge. Who’s seen it? Did you enjoy it? And would you love a dark ride representation 🎃?

Torn about this. IF (Big IF) they could locate this near HM. Meaning on the island with a walkway (which would negate Rivers). Let's say that it could be done and there was a survey about a dark ride. And the question was Sleepy Hollow vs Jack Skellington. And I had to chose. WOW. I think I'm going Jack. (But it'd be close)
 

ElvisMickey

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Torn about this. IF (Big IF) they could locate this near HM. Meaning on the island with a walkway (which would negate Rivers). Let's say that it could be done and there was a survey about a dark ride. And the question was Sleepy Hollow vs Jack Skellington. And I had to chose. WOW. I think I'm going Jack. (But it'd be close)

I believe the original plan when WDW was being built WAS to have the Sleepy Hollow ride in Liberty Square.

Obviously this is totally wishful thinking at this point and just makes for fun conversation.
 

"El Gran Magnifico"

Bring Me A Shrubbery
Premium Member
I believe the original plan when WDW was being built WAS to have the Sleepy Hollow ride in Liberty Square.

Obviously this is totally wishful thinking at this point and just makes for fun conversation.

Wishful thinking is good. I just hope there is a "haunted" steakhouse smack dab in the middle. Let's get the ride first. Er strike that. The Haunted Steakhouse first. Then we can worry about the other.
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
I believe the original plan when WDW was being built WAS to have the Sleepy Hollow ride in Liberty Square.

Obviously this is totally wishful thinking at this point and just makes for fun conversation.

You are correct.

Imagineer Legend Tony Baxter talked about this when I saw him give a presentation regarding this last year.
He showed concept artwork and told the tale of what the planned dark ride was to be like.
Sounded terrific...and listening to him describe it in detail really made you want to see it built!

:)

-
 

ElvisMickey

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
You are correct.

Imagineer Legend Tony Baxter talked about this when I saw him give a presentation regarding this last year.
He showed concept artwork and told the tale of what the planned dark ride was to be like.
Sounded terrific...and listening to him describe it in detail really made you want to see it built!

:)

-

Very cool! That last scene in the movie with the Horseman chasing Ichabod through the woods, etc., is fantastic. I can only imagine how great that would be experiencing it in a dark ride.
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
Very cool! That last scene in the movie with the Horseman chasing Ichabod through the woods, etc., is fantastic. I can only imagine how great that would be experiencing it in a dark ride.

Tony's explanation of the ride experience was fantastic.
Wish I could remember it in more detail, but he was sharing a lot of insights that day.

I recall there was a special effect or 'trick' in the Attraction that related to that famous chase through the woods...but I can't remember what it involved.
All I know is for sure is that his descriptions really made me wish it had actually been built!

Would have been neat, but today's Guests may equate it with the 'scariness' of the ol' infamous 'Snow White's Adventures'.

-
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I believe the original plan when WDW was being built WAS to have the Sleepy Hollow ride in Liberty Square..
It was not. It may have been amongst a ton of proposals, but when WDW was being built the roster was decided upon. Outside of Tomorrowland. Which was still a mess in 1970.

A search will reveal more discussion

 
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ElvisMickey

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
It was not. It may have been amongst a ton of proposals, but when WDW was being built the roster was decided upon. Outside of Tomorrowland. Which was still a mess in 1970.

A search will reveal more discussion


It’s unfortunate that they never went through with some different dark rides on the East coast. In regards to Tomorrowland, it’s crazy how bare that was when the MK first opened! Your vids capture it really well.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
It’s unfortunate that they never went through with some different dark rides on the East coast. In regards to Tomorrowland, it’s crazy how bare that was when the MK first opened! Your vids capture it really well.
I guess they thought a double Toad and 20K were sufficiently different - yet the same - for Orlando. In 1980 they even proposed adding Pinocchio and Alice to Orlando. The mentality back then seemed to be pretty much the same but East.
 

John park hopper

Well-Known Member
Yes yes yes to a Sleepy Hollow dark ride-with todays advances in electronics/animatronics Disney could do something really scary and great. Not everyone likes rollercoasters but that seems to be Disney's answer build a rollercoaster and slap a name on it. come on Disney be original and creative again
 

Heppenheimer

Well-Known Member
As much fun as it sounds, it would only fit thematically in Liberty Square. And it doesn't seem that Liberty Square has any excess space without losing either the Haunted Mansion or the Hall of Presidents, neither of which seems likely or desirable.

Maybe if you completely demolished the south side of Liberty Square, it could fit. But no way would Bob Chapek ever allow the loss of merchandising space and a restaurant.
 

Heppenheimer

Well-Known Member
Ok, maybe, just maybe, there's room for a small dark ride just to the west of Haunted Mansion, but since the Mansion queue occupies the only space to access that piece of land, I suspect it will never be developed.
 

mf1972

Well-Known Member
i suggested adding this on other threads here, so i’m in favor of it. only way i see it happening is some of the shops & maybe a restaurant in liberty square has to go.
only other way i can see this happening is wiping out tom sawyers island & draining out the water around it like they did with 20,000 leagues.
that’ll create a lot of space to even add a shop & maybe a HM restaurant since HM is right there.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
i suggested adding this on other threads here, so i’m in favor of it. only way i see it happening is some of the shops & maybe a restaurant in liberty square has to go.
only other way i can see this happening is wiping out tom sawyers island & draining out the water around it like they did with 20,000 leagues.
that’ll create a lot of space to even add a shop & maybe a HM restaurant since HM is right there.
Thankfully thats off the table. For now at least.
 

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