Timon

The Mine Ride remains a mystery right now. I've seen no art on this. A tough site, too, since you'll be able to walk all the way around it. Assuming an indoor coaster design and beaucoup landscaping on 3 sides and a cool entrance. I was wondering which way it will face? Maybe towards the carousel to avoid clashing with the Pooh or the Mermaid crowds.

I like the main entrance to TLand and the circle area/WEDWAY/Astro obriter. Lots of trees around the Lunching Pad. Sadly you can see the budget ended right there. Some people hate the Stitch Stage but I think it fits nicely between the WEDWAY. It just needs finishing, shade fabric, raked seating, planters - perfect. Saving a discussion about new attractions for later would really help TLand.

I would like to see a re-themed pair of fountain towers added back to the Tland entrance without the side falls.

Indy at Disneyland doesn't have any real weenie to draw guests in...just a little sign, but look how popular that is. I love the architecture of that part of Fantasyland, and it seems to fit the Snow White theme. To be honest, I fell in love with the Snow White mine coaster idea the moment I heard of it on a podcast several years ago. I really hope WDI makes a quality attraction with this.

Some more shade would definitely be good...especially in Tomorrowland. I'd love to see a more natural, aquatic, tree-filled Tomorrowland. That said, I love the neon lights at night, but in the day all I'm thinking is "this place could definitely use some water features..."

I really like the Snow White mine coaster idea. Using the alley between HM and IASW would have to be 2 levels as the lower level would have to be big enough for trucks to access the park and service HM/IASW. As for length no problem just look at Indy at DL totally themed and interactive, oh and a mile long! Just think of a queue without switch backs. The best part would be a small themed entrance to a HUGE ride. Where did that come from!

Partners Statue fountain - brilliant! Maybe some small leap frog fountains for fun. I think better seating niches around the outer sides of the hub could let people enjoy the area under some shade trees.

My idea was to have the Skyway station as the queue entrance to a Snow White mine train coaster, with a speedramp or something like that running between the IASW/HM showbuildings to a Snow White show building on the other side. Guests would then exit via speedramp to approximately the area from where they entered. It'd be a logistical nightmare (considering the congestion that beautifully-designed area is already under) but hey, it's armchair Imagineering.

Definitely...or for something completely different...how about a Partners Statue fountain? It'd cool the area and make the hub a bit more welcoming. In the Walt Disney World - The First Decade book, they have two entire pages dedicated to the hub. Obviously something like that needs to get some TLC, especially since it's one of the first things people see when they walk in.

I did read that thread...it really is a great idea. Unique food+re-purposing of an existing space=Business genius. Let's hope some executives get around to reading that post.

I saw a video of the Skyway station taken a few years ago...there's hay (?!) and cables running around everywhere (I don't know what the cables are for, but you can see one snaking up the stairs). I think it's at the point where you give the place some TLC or just raze it. There's not enough space for an attraction of an appreciable scale, but your m&g idea sounds great.

I know the hub was trimmed for viewing the castle and fireworks. I think adding trees around the outside of the hub could cool the outer sidewalk.

Did you read my thread about bringing DL's Bengal BBQ to the Veranda? Photoshop of BBQ! Pretty cool.

Unfortunately I've heard the Skyway is unsafe - rot and termites. I think a 2nd cut thru, on the surface this seems like a horrible waste of valuable attraction space. BUT, they could have fantastic plans we don't know about.

I'd like to see a three level flexible theme M&G/show. 1. Scary cave down into a Villian's lair. 2. Forest cottage w/water wheel feature. 3. Small castle like Tower keep very "princess". All 3 M&G's would share support areas, dressing rooms wardrobe, break area. Lots of landscaping and water features. The areas would not be specific to on character for flexibility reasons and easy changes.

Things do seem to grow fast, but once they stop checking vegetative growth after a few years, they dig themselves a nice hole. (EPCOT recently did some trimming on their vegetation...I noticed it by Japan but apparently the project is continuing.)

The Hub is very hot...they seemed to throw out the baby with the bathwater on that one. It becomes unbearable just to be around so much concrete and so little trees.

Now that would be cool. The smell and the fire pit would draw people in. Plus we'd get some decent, unique food.

Oh wow, that's going to be a big path. I hope they retain at least some of the FL Skyway station. It's a beautiful piece of architecture.

In fairness to the horticulture staff, things grow really fast in Florida - lots of rain and sunshine it's' hard to keep up. Sometimes you just have to go into an area and really hack it back.

The hub is a sad story. I wish they at least moved the trees to the outside edge of the hub so the outer sidewalk would be cool. Right now it's just brutal April thru Oct.

A blacksmith, woodworker, leather worker etc could even work on custom orders while demo, of course they would be $$$$ but provide a show at the same time.

A Fire pit would really good, maybe like this at DL's Bengal BBQ

I've also heard complaints about maintenance not checking back vegetative growth...Big Thunder Mountain and the Rivers of America seem to be the greatest offenders, along with that part of Adventureland you mentioned. I can't say I agree or disagree with the removal of the trees in the hub, but it looked a lot nicer with the trees.

Nice idea on the Liberty Square...they should really take advantage of the colonial theming and add something to pluss it up. Unique merchandise would be great, or a blacksmith demonstration.

By the way, you may want to check this post out. I just found it today: http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2010/09/pecos_bill_tall_tale_inn_and_c.html

I could go for a show kitchen...people seem to enjoy those kinds of things. Maybe some sort of fire pit? Now that'd be cool.

Second floor of Columbia Harbor House is great. I never ate there, but I went upstairs to just see what was there, and it seemed like an awfully pleasant place (with refurbished bathrooms). Word is that the area below that may get modified to help ease foot traffic congestion.

Liberty Square - In 1971 there was pretty much nothing back there, then shortly after opening they cut paths in there and added "The fife and drum" a soft serve ice cream and snack stand. The snack stand is no longer used. In the 90's a bridge to Adventureland was added. The Gazebo was added to promote the movie and plusses up the area. This is one of the other areas which could be enhanced with NOS like streets and courtyards. A lower level dock area on the moat would really add some theming. I'd love to see woodcarver or furniture maker besides some food and shops.

The PotC exit courtyard is the same place just no merchandise. The Photo/makeup shop was the PotC store. Merchandising was much more subtle back then.

I thought a "show" kitchen grill on the POTC side of the register counter would look and smell really good. The smell would bring in people.

I haven't explored that stair case. Most stairs in the area go up to AC rooms. Not too exciting. I really like second floor dining rooms like at Columbia Harbor House. 2nd floor views from Pecos would be awesome of Splash Mountain.


Veranda views - some chain saws would trim up 20 years of unchecked growth. It was amazing. Turing on my Hawaiian music.......

El Pirata needs some sort of weenie (perhaps a fountain feature) or at least something to indicate that there's a quick service restaurant there. The menu could probably use an upgrade, too.

That pineapple hamburger sounds great...more missing variety offered at the Magic Kingdom. So much potential to offer new things but it all goes wasted, unfortunately.

The Pecos Bill Fountain really looks nice, I would've loved to see it working. Where did those stairs go up to? The El Pirata seating area?

By the way, on one of the bridges to Liberty Square there's a white gazebo where one could meet Tiana...what was there before? I never noticed that area before and it looked very nice and quaint. There were a few alleyways back there.

I never visited WDW pre-2000, so bear with me...where exactly was the PotC exit courtyard? I'm remembering exiting out of the ride and into the store...and there's a courtyard there (with another missing fountain). I'm captivated enough with Caribbean Plaza as it is, and none of the fountains are working. If they gave the area some nice TLC, I'd probably spend all of my time there. A lot of the lighting fixtures are burnt out and full of cobwebs...the area reeks of poor maintenance.

What happend to the view out to the Castle? I remember pictures of the Veranda being right out on the waterway, but I can't imagine it now with all of the vegetation there.

The Veranda used to be my favorite restaurant. I especially liked the two balconies back when they had clear views of the Castle and Hub.

They used to have some Asian dishes but they also had a weird Pineapple Hamburger. Simply a sweet sauce and pineapple slice but it worked. If you go to any Back Yard Burgers, in O-Town, they will make one with either hamburger or chicken. The one near me has outdoor seating, plus a little Hawaiian music on the iPod helps recreate the Veranda mood.

FYI: Here is the El Pirata fountain and the Pecos Bill fountain

The shops at El Pirata were, a Spanish colonial shop - things from Spain and a Crystal shop. Once upon a time all the stores at the MK were unique. If you wanted Mickey stuff you went to the Emporium or Mickey's Mart in Tland - ONLY.

El Pirata just doesn't look like a restaurant or have anything unique to draw people.

Liberty Square would still have the big wide walkways from the Hub and Haunted Mansion/Fantasyland. The small streets would be like at Sleepy Hollow/HoP exit. I think these shops/streets would suck up some of the crowd with something to do vs joining a huge walking crowd.


The PotC exit courtyard used to be just for sitting not an open air promo for PotC movies.

Many of these areas need a minor enhancement to go from oh-hum to really special.

Good idea for the Max/Melvin Buff. It's a place with enough traffic that people would appreciate it, and there's certainly enough room for it. I've always wondered why El Pirata hardly gets any business. The Magic Kingdom seems to be short on eateries and yet El Pirata is only open seasonally. Were the shops anything special?


By the way, apparently they've been doing some work inside the Adventureland Veranda. It may just be for that Ariel meet and greet, but one would hope that they soon have the common sense to re-open the place.

I think the lack of courtyards had to do with crowd control more than budget cuts. If I remember correctly, they were expecting huge crowds for WDW, and the alleyways/intimate streets wouldn't cut it, which is why the paths at WDW seem more like thoroughfares, but I could be wrong. Thank goodness for Caribbean Plaza!

Come to think of it, that's a good idea. Same with merchandising. You should be able to find something different at every place you go to, not just the generic fries or Mickey pins.

You know, I was wondering why that area seemed so dead. I forgot that the Pirates makeup place closed off that area. On the plus side, apparently when the Imagineers were working on the Pirates place they touched up some elements in Caribbean Plaza...but yet the fountains remain untouched.

I think Liberty Square was intended to be the New Orleans Square of WDW but budgets cut the blocks out which would have created those intimate streets and courtyards.

Golden Oak beats the pants off the old McDonald's wagon although I miss those fries. I have always felt each food location should have a signature food item cooked from scratch and unique to that location besides the common items they serve.

Your favorite fountain in the courtyard used to open into the shop currently used for Pirate Make up/photos. There was more traffic through the area.

After BTM and Splash were added the demand for fast food was crazy so they annexed the Mile Long Bar and doubled the indoor seating area including the two El Pirate dining rooms which originally were shops. The large Pecos dining room with the dead fountain would be perfect for Max Buff and Melvin. Nice high wall((on left), dark room but with a big audience and good viewing angles.

I've heard a lot about the Mile Long Bar (I never personally saw them), but if I'm not mistaken they were removed when the whole of Pecos Bill underwent refurbishment in '98, though I could be wrong. That'd be great to add them back, though. It was one of those things that made Disney, well...Disney. People and kids would get a kick out of it, maybe they'd include it as part of the Next Gen initiative.

By the way, have you looked at the Golden Oak food stand they have on the Caribbean Plaza/Frontierland border? I checked it out for myself and the theming is fantastic!