MK Piston Peak and Villains Land Construction Thread

D

DrStarlander

Well-Known Member
Really curious to see how this project will play out. I wonder if they'll be pouring a concrete retaining wall to hold up the dirt fill along where the new less-wide river will be. The wall in this image is essentially right on top of where the riverboat track is.
RoA-PistonPeak.png
 
D

DrStarlander

Well-Known Member
And then the next question is whether the new river will be still water (which would be similar to the Rivers of America) or be a running river that would help mask sounds of the Cars attraction? It's questionable if they have enough height difference for running water, say, if it started at the Liberty Square waterfalls and ran to Tiana's. The consistent amount of exposed boardwalk pier-height in the Piston Peak fun map suggests still water (no height delta). Though it's a cartoon map so I'm not putting too much weight in it.
Screenshot 2025-09-05 at 9.15.59 AM.png
Screenshot 2025-09-05 at 9.14.49 AM.png

Screenshot 2025-09-05 at 9.17.38 AM.png

But I do think the long stretch of level boardwalk makes having much of a height delta and a running river difficult. Instead, sound masking could come from moderately high (say 10 to 20 feet) waterfalls all along the rock berm hiding the attraction, though that's not at all what's shown alongside the Cars path. Something like this, which would be very scenic as you walk through Frontierland would really help satisfy guests who will miss the river. Having some new boardwalks or suspended bridges ducking behind these waterfalls would be amazing.

In fact, it would be fun to go back behind a waterfall near the Country Bears and discover that the bears live back there, maybe we see the (projection) silhouette of one of the bears singing in the (waterfall) shower.
Screenshot 2025-09-05 at 9.24.59 AM.png
Screenshot 2025-09-05 at 9.24.32 AM.png
 
jah4955

jah4955

Well-Known Member
DrStarlander said:
And then the next question is whether the new river will be still water (which would be similar to the Rivers of America) or be a running river that would help mask sounds of the Cars attraction? It's questionable if they have enough height difference for running water, say, if it started at the Liberty Square waterfalls and ran to Tiana's. The consistent amount of exposed boardwalk pier-height in the Piston Peak fun map suggests still water (no height delta). Though it's a cartoon map so I'm not putting too much weight in it.
View attachment 881455View attachment 881456
View attachment 881457
But I do think the long stretch of level boardwalk makes having much of a height delta and a running river difficult. Instead, sound masking could come from moderately high (say 10 to 20 feet) waterfalls all along the rock berm hiding the attraction, though that's not at all what's shown alongside the Cars path. Something like this, which would be very scenic as you walk through Frontierland would really help satisfy guests who will miss the river. Having some new boardwalks or suspended bridges ducking behind these waterfalls would be amazing.

In fact, it would be fun to go back behind a waterfall near the Country Bears and discover that the bears live back there, maybe we see the (projection) silhouette of one of the bears singing in the (waterfall) shower.
View attachment 881459View attachment 881460
Click to expand...
Huge potential here!
 
WDWYankee15

WDWYankee15

Well-Known Member
DrStarlander said:
And then the next question is whether the new river will be still water (which would be similar to the Rivers of America) or be a running river that would help mask sounds of the Cars attraction? It's questionable if they have enough height difference for running water, say, if it started at the Liberty Square waterfalls and ran to Tiana's. The consistent amount of exposed boardwalk pier-height in the Piston Peak fun map suggests still water (no height delta). Though it's a cartoon map so I'm not putting too much weight in it.
View attachment 881455View attachment 881456
View attachment 881457
But I do think the long stretch of level boardwalk makes having much of a height delta and a running river difficult. Instead, sound masking could come from moderately high (say 10 to 20 feet) waterfalls all along the rock berm hiding the attraction, though that's not at all what's shown alongside the Cars path. Something like this, which would be very scenic as you walk through Frontierland would really help satisfy guests who will miss the river. Having some new boardwalks or suspended bridges ducking behind these waterfalls would be amazing.

In fact, it would be fun to go back behind a waterfall near the Country Bears and discover that the bears live back there, maybe we see the (projection) silhouette of one of the bears singing in the (waterfall) shower.
View attachment 881459View attachment 881460
Click to expand...
I was thinking about the potential for a running river the other day and I think it would be so much better to be running. It would give more kinetic energy to the area, provide natural sound cover (as you suggested) and could be more "interesting" than still water. Remember that Rivers of America was stagnant water, but it got kinetic energy to its look and feel from the canoes, Mike Fink Keel Boats, Tom Sawyer Island rafts, and the Liberty Belle. Of course, many of those things went away over the years, but that was the original vision.
 
Last edited:
Incomudro

Incomudro

Well-Known Member
WDWYankee15 said:
I was thinking about the potential for a running river the other day and I think it would be so much better to be running. It would give more kinetic energy to the area, provide natural sound cover (as you suggested) and could be more "interesting" than still water. Remember that Rivers of America was stagnant water, but it got kinetic energy to its look in feel from the canoes, Mike Fink Keel Boats, and the Liberty Belle. Of course, many of those things went away of the years, but that was the original vision.
Click to expand...
Agreed.
I get the impression that the intention is for this water to be moving.
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
jah4955 said:
I don't understand why the scaffolding is so thick if it's just to block the view? I think blocking the view during demolition is smart for obvious reasons but maybe unblocking for construction would also be smart b/c it could build anticipation (if they do this right...which I'm still skeptical of). One of Disneyland's very first updates was a place in the fence one could peak through to see planned construction behind Main Street (of projects that never came to be in that location lol)
Click to expand...

Walls keep people from wandering into an active construction site. (cf guests climbing the Mexico pavilion or wading in LWtL or IaSW waters)

Walls also keep errant pieces of construction from hitting guests. Laterally. From above... not so much.

Walls also hide surprise elements of the attraction... before certain nabobs of negativity can start a social media campaign of how *cringe* it is.
 
Last edited:
SteveAZee

SteveAZee

Premium Member
DrStarlander said:
And then the next question is whether the new river will be still water (which would be similar to the Rivers of America) or be a running river that would help mask sounds of the Cars attraction? It's questionable if they have enough height difference for running water, say, if it started at the Liberty Square waterfalls and ran to Tiana's. The consistent amount of exposed boardwalk pier-height in the Piston Peak fun map suggests still water (no height delta). Though it's a cartoon map so I'm not putting too much weight in it.
View attachment 881455View attachment 881456
View attachment 881457
But I do think the long stretch of level boardwalk makes having much of a height delta and a running river difficult. Instead, sound masking could come from moderately high (say 10 to 20 feet) waterfalls all along the rock berm hiding the attraction, though that's not at all what's shown alongside the Cars path. Something like this, which would be very scenic as you walk through Frontierland would really help satisfy guests who will miss the river. Having some new boardwalks or suspended bridges ducking behind these waterfalls would be amazing.

In fact, it would be fun to go back behind a waterfall near the Country Bears and discover that the bears live back there, maybe we see the (projection) silhouette of one of the bears singing in the (waterfall) shower.
View attachment 881459View attachment 881460
Click to expand...
I suppose they could push the water along the way they do in Castaway Creek in TL and other places.
 
ChewbaccaYourMum

ChewbaccaYourMum

Well-Known Member
I was in Epcot on Saturday roaming around Canada and something came to me!

I think if we want *kind of* a representation of what the new walk along Frontierland might look like, with the new water and "national park features", just walk through Canada in Epcot!
Obviously not being surrounded by fake rockwork on both sides, but the water flowing by will probably be bigger than this at Frontierland. More trees along the Frontierland one, hiding the Cars ride.

Just a little something that struck me and wanted to share with you all!
 

Attachments

  • tempImageHVM1S0.jpg
    tempImageHVM1S0.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 71
  • tempImagexe0HPe.jpg
    tempImagexe0HPe.jpg
    1.8 MB · Views: 72
  • tempImageSnzDdN.jpg
    tempImageSnzDdN.jpg
    1.7 MB · Views: 71
Incomudro

Incomudro

Well-Known Member
ChewbaccaYourMum said:
I was in Epcot on Saturday roaming around Canada and something came to me!

I think if we want *kind of* a representation of what the new walk along Frontierland might look like, with the new water and "national park features", just walk through Canada in Epcot!
Obviously not being surrounded by fake rockwork on both sides, but the water flowing by will probably be bigger than this at Frontierland. More trees along the Frontierland one, hiding the Cars ride.

Just a little something that struck me and wanted to share with you all!
Click to expand...
Canada is very much what I have been thinking this will look like.
 
solidyne

solidyne

Well-Known Member
BlindChow said:
Just another example of Disney's hatred for Americana!!! :mad:

Just kidding!
Click to expand...
Ha, no, their hatred is for the United States of America. Canada is part of the Americas, of course.

Seriously, though, I am glad this reference to the Canada pavilion was made. I love going there and just standing around! I get photos there every trip. Would love to see this blown up 10x in MK's "American-Points-of-Interest-Land."
 
jah4955

jah4955

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Disneydad1012 said:
They better fill this in soon or it's just gonna keep filling back up...lol

blogmickey.com

Rivers Refilled: Rivers of America Draining Faces Continued Setbacks Following Heavy Rain

Following heavy rain, the Rivers of America has refilled in Magic Kingdom as Walt Disney World attempts to make progress on demolition
blogmickey.com blogmickey.com
Click to expand...
jah4955 said:
Makes me wonder if they really thought through this.
Click to expand...
It’s Florida. It rains in the summer. What don’t want to think about is all of the concrete block construction that fills with water.

MisterPenguin said:
They should just punch a hole in the ground and let it drain into the Utilidors.
Click to expand...
We were told it’s already Swiss cheese. Crazy how it’s working so well.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom