HMF
Well-Known Member
Designing a special space for them along the WDW railroad like at DL was too complicated an idea, I guess.
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MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
HMF
Well-Known Member
I actually have not been there since 2019 and likely won't be returning any time soon. The main draw for me ended 6 years ago.
JD80
Well-Known Member
Not to ignore the rest of your post but there are a good amount of attractions with lower wait times across property.
FerretAfros
Well-Known Member
Disney did intentionally plan it that way, dating all the way back to the initial launch of FastPass in the 90s under Paul Pressler. FP was intended to free people from those pesky attraction queues, so they could have more time for the thing they really came to the parks for: shopping.
It was envisioned similar to people grabbing a drink at the bar, while they waited for the restaurant pager to tell them their table was ready. When people instead used that time to visit other attractions (the real reason most people come to the parks), management was caught flat footed.
It’s been said many times that Disney’s upper management fundamentally doesn’t understand why people visit their parks. This is a problem, but it’s also nothing new.
WDW had actually excelled at quietly giving people more opportunities to spend money in the parks, and guests have generally been receptive to it. In addition to paying for the queue-skipping service, recent decades have seen a proliferation of outdoor vending kiosks throughout the parks (most notably in World Showcase, which was once capable of hosting parades, but no longer has the crowdflow capability) and the rise of trendy snack culture (cupcakes are a running joke here, but there are countless examples, from MK’s egg rolls to DHS’s whoopie pies) that make spending easier. It’s not a coincidence that this has occurred during the era of line-skipping services.
Charlie The Chatbox Ghost
Well-Known Member
I love TouringPlans, but they do also give the new show a negative description unlike other places or even other attractions on TP having neutral/unbiased descriptions.
The CBMJ is popular, much more with the average guest than the original was in recent years. It’s not 1971 levels of popular, but the theater is more packed than it has been in a long time. I just wish they’d capitalize on it with merch…
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
There in lies the evil that is/was Fastpass. Without it the average was about 30 minutes for the entire ride experience. Wasting 20 minutes waiting for your reserved time would have left you only ten more minutes to actually ride it pre-fastpass. You didn't have to wait it out doing nothing. If you walked into the park you decided to go to the left at the castle or right. The right-hand turn took you directly to Space mountain, which at the time was the most popular ride. It had long, long waits which basically was what increased the average wait time.
My family took the left turn and went directly from one attraction to the next as we went around the hub. I'd say that 20 minutes was the norm for in queue waiting, but always moving. If there were to many in line, you simple walked by it and did the next one. Returning later in the day to the one you passed. There was no wasted time sitting twiddling your thumbs, waiting for your window to open up. You were always actively engaged in a queue or on the ride. It was the Type A personality traits that made the Fastpass seem like a time saving thing, but instead of slowing down and enjoying the entire experience, running from reservation to reservation was the new experience. Currently you have to plan every single minute of your day and paying extra for the privilege, sometimes on the fly because of unexpected problems, and working harder on vacation than you did at work. Except now you pay someone to let you do all the work instead of getting paid to do it.
It's not stressful at all. I am also one that hasn't been since 2019 and have no plans for ever going back again. For me they killed the Magic. Personal decision! However, I started going to WDW in 1983. My children were young and over the next 34 years I was obsessed with the Disney Parks. I went to WDW 48 times in those 30 years, once to Disneyland and once to Disneyland Paris. I lived it in my head constantly, that was how much I loved the experiences and I was 35 years old before I ever stepped foot in the Parks. It wasn't childish observations to start.
Over those years the discussion boards were very primitive. Dial up AOL was about the only access and that was always shaky. During those times I had those discussions with many people and a lot of them went to sites like this one. We got to know each other in an impersonal, personal way. We became friends with similar interest (Disney, mostly) In some cases, mine in particular some were in high school when they became part of the family and are now successful adults working hard and are still active in both the parks and locations like WDWmagic. I enjoy communicating with them even though I no longer have the Disney obsession, I now have a curiosity not only about what is currently happening in the parks, but how they are doing as people with or without Disney as a common activity.
So we stay on this site and occasionally comment on some part of what is happening in the parks. Things that we see as partially what has made us stop supporting something that we once cherished. That is part of why we still spend time on the boards. We don't always intend to influence anyone. I, for one, only tell my story about how things were back then and how that compares with what is happening now. We express our opinions just like you express yours. You don't have to change your mind, you just really could find it useful to know history to enjoy the present.
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TheMaxRebo
Well-Known Member
Disney has never come out and said that but there were reports (and it certainly makes sense) that park operations were opposed to putting something in the back part of the river/behind the HM show building that could only be accessed via one path going past Big Thunder and having it be a dead end.
So *something* had to be done to enable more ways to get to that area - this is the option they took based on all the information they had and to meet the various goals they have
rd805
Well-Known Member
On the topic of TSI and why it doesn't necessarily work today: I think so much of it also has to do with a slow river raft back and forth. If we could just walk between the mainland and the little island....more people would have explored / still would be exploring. My same thought process with the Train to Rafiki's -- it's just too far off the main area of the park.
The idea of exploring, running around, caving, rivers, etc is wonderful and something that does hurt we are losing; but, something like this could and should be built around a major IP. I know - that will trigger many; but something like exploring the forests of Endor for Star Wars fans; or even if you wanted to take a new spin on a Biome for Zootopia --- would give such life. The Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area was wonderful, massive; and connected right to the main park so people went in and had fun!
With this all said, and as I've previously mentioned -> I'm happy it is being replaced with an attraction that will be new offering / system in WDW, have a sense of thrill, and keep evening out crowds in the MK. They will have a ton of new attractions so lines should be pretty spread throughout between Tron, SM, 7DMT, Villains, etc!
The idea of exploring, running around, caving, rivers, etc is wonderful and something that does hurt we are losing; but, something like this could and should be built around a major IP. I know - that will trigger many; but something like exploring the forests of Endor for Star Wars fans; or even if you wanted to take a new spin on a Biome for Zootopia --- would give such life. The Honey I Shrunk the Kids play area was wonderful, massive; and connected right to the main park so people went in and had fun!
With this all said, and as I've previously mentioned -> I'm happy it is being replaced with an attraction that will be new offering / system in WDW, have a sense of thrill, and keep evening out crowds in the MK. They will have a ton of new attractions so lines should be pretty spread throughout between Tron, SM, 7DMT, Villains, etc!
JD80
Well-Known Member
Regarding "running from reservation to reservation", that's a you problem (generic you). You don't have to do the park this way. Even without FP/LL or any other skip the line feature many people just go from ride to ride. There is a certain element to these systems that enable that behavior for sure. I've actively had to change my mindset to not fall in to those traps.
So I understand that. But you can have just a good time not doing that either. I've done so recently.
Regarding the "why are you here" comment - you personally still go it seems, but mostly at the resorts? So that makes sense why you're in these forums.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
LOL, true. There are islands and rivers and yes, dirt tracks near where we live.I can definitely find a river with an "island" in it in less than maybe half an hour where I'm from.
I cannot ride or see talking animated cars in real life
RoA, TSI, the fort and the riverboat allowed us step back in time and explore, someplace we couldn't do otherwise.
As for the talking ATV's you got me. This change is welcomed by a lot of folks even outside TWDC.
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flynnibus
Premium Member
Because Disney is more than just a theme park?
The same reason you and thousands of others are here daily even if not planning for a trip?
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
JD80
Well-Known Member
This is a Walt Disney World website and we're in a WDW Parks News, Rumors and Current Events subforum. Thousands of people are here for WDW Park News, Rumors and Current Events.
The vast majority of people here are either planning for a trip or keeping up on Current Events to know when to plan a trip.
flynnibus
Premium Member
That sounds like critics painting it as ignorance vs probably what was more real.. the difference between theory and operational reality when implementation differed from the original streamlined pitch.
Meaning.. if you give someone a return time 30mins from now.. the pitch makes sense. But if you change the model operationally, and start giving out FP return times that are hours later.. and add FP to nearly everything.. obviously no one expects guests to sit on their hands for 2-3hrs.
I doubt it was a 'we didn't predict guests right' thing - it's more a 'reality isn't as clean and tidy as the sales pitch'. Giving out return times that are much later caused the cascade of changes that had to happen. Then the whole web of inter related policies lead to the gaming of it all.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Yes, anyone can simply not participate in reservations - but it also means being at a disadvantage vs those who do.
Disney doesn't insulate you from those who do reservations so it's not some 'ignore it if you don't like it' situation.
flynnibus
Premium Member
No, the reason the vast majority of people are here is because they have an interest in the Disney product that exceeds their vacation needs.
And why they are on a WDW fansite for years, and why they don't do the same for Six Flags, the cruise ship they were on, or the mexican resort they were last at.
JD80
Well-Known Member
I'm not disagreeing with the premise. Disney promotes that behavior and it get worse every time the cost of the park goes up above the level of inflation because people want to get the most done in their short time there.
I am saying is that you don't need to participate but that's more for those who go regularly and not for those once in a life time travellers.