MK Piston Peak and Villains Land Construction Thread

[JMcMahonEsq]

Sure but why go to all the trouble to describe a very complex and unique track ride system when you’re only planning on using it for a simple spinner, it sure seems to me like what is described in the entire patent would be a unique ride system for this attraction that would allow for the off-road style that is being advertised.

I wasn’t even sure if the second attraction was still happening I can’t remember when the last time it was mentioned? But of course, at one time it was mentioned and there’s been no confirmation that it’s been canceled.

Its a patent application. There are only 2 broad reasons to have a patent.

1) to own something you want to use.
2) to own something so no one else can use it, at least without your approval/licensing.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

Sure but why go to all the trouble to describe a very complex and unique track ride system when you’re only planning on using it for a simple spinner, it sure seems to me like what is described in the entire patent would be a unique ride system for this attraction that would allow for the off-road style that is being advertised.

I wasn’t even sure if the second attraction was still happening I can’t remember when the last time it was mentioned? But of course, at one time it was mentioned and there’s been no confirmation that it’s been canceled.

Practically, while cool it makes even less sense for the described E-ticket ride.
This appears to be an 6-8 person car and one person just controls the whole ride? They can do jumps etc or just choose not to do anything exciting. Do you know how many people and families will choose to just "wait for the next car" if only 1 single spot can actually drive. Not to mention how a system like this would work in the already practical confirmed dark ride portions, are you just able to wildly swerve back and forth while people are trying to pay attention or is it locked? Is the whole ride path also super wide and how do you hide it?

I think this would be a super cool ride system for the main ride but its highly impractical. I think Disney is just doing a really cool thing and making a new version of a flat ride with ability to control. Instead of an up/down like the usual spinners, you get a left and right stick to choose if you want to go up the ramps or not etc.

 

[mattpeto]

Practically, while cool it makes even less sense for the described E-ticket ride.
This appears to be an 6-8 person car and one person just controls the whole ride? They can do jumps etc or just choose not to do anything exciting. Do you know how many people and families will choose to just "wait for the next car" if only 1 single spot can actually drive. Not to mention how a system like this would work in the already practical confirmed dark ride portions, are you just able to wildly swerve back and forth while people are trying to pay attention or is it locked? Is the whole ride path also super wide and how do you hide it?

I think this would be a super cool ride system for the main ride but it’s highly impractical. I think Disney is just doing a really cool thing and making a new version of a flat ride with ability to control. Instead of an up/down like the usual spinners, you get a left and right stick to choose if you want to go up the ramps or not etc.

I don’t think we lean towards it being the spinner is our point. Nobody is steering it, it’s on a track but climbs or declines with the terrain.

Remember the (goofy!) off road rally video? I think the ride system in this patent simulates what’s happening here:



Best guess is track is in “Green”. Arms below the cars to climb/descend.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

I don’t think we lean towards it being the spinner is our point. Nobody is steering it, it’s on a track but climbs or declines with the terrain.

Remember the (goofy!) off road rally video? I think the ride system in this patent simulates what’s happening here:



Best guess is track is in “Green”. Arms below the cars to climb/descend.

View attachment 907681

It was my understanding that the secondary purpose of the arm is to push the ride vehicle in and out away from the track.

 

[BrianLo]

I don’t see the patent talking about steering at all, but stuff like inclines and declines on the track clearly fits what it’s covering. And that’s really the point — it’s not about guests driving the ride, it’s about the track and vehicle being able to change and react dynamically, which is a different level of complexity.

New Disney Patent Could Be the First Clue About Magic Kingdom's Mystery Cars Family Ride

New Disney Patent Could Be the First Clue About Magic Kingdom's Mystery Cars Family Ride

www.wdwmagic.com

Just to relink the patent summary. It absolutely discusses guests steering between two lanes and that’s the point of the vertical extension of the boom arm.

I have a host of concerns. A golf cart and a guide rail achieves the desired effect more fluently.

I think it would be incredibly ugly on such a large scale. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to fake the terrain and have the vehicles pseudo floating above supported by a side track. That’s the DK solution and it has proven to be inelegant.

The picture you just posted would require guide track on the both sides of the ride to have boom arms on both sides of competing ride vehicles.

I think this is a great idea for a family attraction and a terrible idea for the E ticket.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I think this is a great idea for a family attraction and a terrible idea for the E ticket.

What’s a good idea for a ride system for the e ticket then?

 

[BrianLo]

What’s a good idea for a ride system for the e ticket then?

A golf cart following a guide rail. To be over simplistic.

Essentially, what they demo’d. I don’t understand why they’d build all this terrain to have the vehicle simulate it by running on a parallel hidden track.

 

[mattpeto]

A golf cart following a guide rail. To be over simplistic.

Essentially, what they demo’d. I don’t understand why they’d build all this terrain to have the vehicle simulate it by running on a parallel hidden track.

I want to know what Risk Management says about that. I'm intrigued though.

 

[BrianLo]

I want to know what Risk Management says about that. I'm intrigued though.

Autotopia?

 

[_caleb]

New Disney Patent Could Be the First Clue About Magic Kingdom's Mystery Cars Family Ride

New Disney Patent Could Be the First Clue About Magic Kingdom's Mystery Cars Family Ride

www.wdwmagic.com

Just to relink the patent summary. It absolutely discusses guests steering between two lanes and that’s the point of the vertical extension of the boom arm.

I have a host of concerns. A golf cart and a guide rail achieves the desired effect more fluently.

I think it would be incredibly ugly on such a large scale. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to fake the terrain and have the vehicles pseudo floating above supported by a side track. That’s the DK solution and it has proven to be inelegant.

The picture you just posted would require guide track on the both sides of the ride to have boom arms on both sides of competing ride vehicles.

I think this is a great idea for a family attraction and a terrible idea for the E ticket.

I can see it being more elegant than that. As others have mentioned, it's very similar to kuka-arm coasters like HP Forbidden Journey at UIoA. But instead of the ride vehicle always "floating in air" (being suspended from the kuka arm), Disney's patent might make it possible for the vehicle to be in contact with the surface of the race track.

In the image below, imagine the arm is attached to the back bumper area of the ride vehicle. In this position, it would work a lot like Radiator Springs Racers- the vehiclerides on the "dirt" road, but it's propelled by the arm, which is connected to a track below the surface.

Then, as the vehicle runs alongside a wall/cliff, the under-road coaster track routes to beside the car (Figs 6 in the patent), with the arm protruding from a slot in the wall. In this position, the car is still "on the road," but now it can be lifted/shifted by the arm for a jump or obstacle avoidance (Fig 9).

Because it's attached to the back of the vehicle (Figs 7 & 8 ), it would mostly be out of view for the rider.

I have no idea what I'm talking about. Just having fun imagining applications of the patent for the Piston Peak ride.

 

[dmc493]

I can see it being more elegant than that. As others have mentioned, it's very similar to kuka-arm coasters like HP Forbidden Journey at UIoA. But instead of the ride vehicle always "floating in air" (being suspended from the kuka arm), Disney's patent might make it possible for the vehicle to be in contact with the surface of the race track.

In the image below, imagine the arm is attached to the back bumper area of the ride vehicle. In this position, it would work a lot like Radiator Springs Racers- the vehiclerides on the "dirt" road, but it's propelled by the arm, which is connected to a track below the surface.
View attachment 907700

Then, as the vehicle runs alongside a wall/cliff, the under-road coaster track routes to beside the car (Figs 6 in the patent), with the arm protruding from a slot in the wall. In this position, the car is still "on the road," but now it can be lifted/shifted by the arm for a jump or obstacle avoidance (Fig 9).

Because it's attached to the back of the vehicle (Figs 7 & 8 ), it would mostly be out of view for the rider.

I have no idea what I'm talking about. Just having fun imagining applications of the patent for the Piston Peak ride.

I'm on this train. I too have no idea what I'm talking about. But it looks like to me a practical solution to a lot of the ideas they wanted to achieve in the early concepts

 

[JD80]

Arms on a track like that would be a maintenance nightmare I would think.

 

[dmc493]

Arms on a track like that would be a maintenance nightmare I would think.

Why, it's just an arm that rides on a rail? steer or tug the vehicle/arm to maintenance bay to service it in a more accessible setting I would assume

 

[Squishy]

They demo'd the entertainment building next to the parade storage and are clearing out that plot of land.

 

[DCBaker]

They demo'd the entertainment building next to the parade storage and are clearing out that plot of land.

Work started on that area a few months ago - see this post from October '25:

Not sure if it is related to the Piston Peak and Villains Land construction or not but the timing seems to be. But in @bioreconstructs recent images it appears that a backstage building has been demolished. Do we know what building this was? Any thoughts on what is maybe moving there or why they would want this area now?
View attachment 888463

 

[Squishy]

Work started on that area a few months ago - see this post from October '25:

Ah, seems a long time to be still moving dirt around for that size lot.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Good view of the presumable foundation for the new river / stream.

 

[JD80]

The scope is pretty crazy from a few of those shots.

 

[dmc493]

So they did save some trees, there's ~6 there smack near the railroad route that are still sitting in their root boxes. Not sure if these are existing that are ready to be removed from site, or if they were placed there recently from a nursery or somewhere else

 

[UNCgolf]

Arms on a track like that would be a maintenance nightmare I would think.

On an outdoor attraction, too. I think the ride would be down constantly with so many potential failure points.

Everything about it sounds more feasible as a higher tech version of the Kangaroo attraction posted above than for a long E ticket attraction.

Plus, as others have said, just because they filed this patent doesn't mean they are actually going to use it. They filed a patent for something people thought would be the Moana attraction too. But we'll find out in a couple of years.