DisneyFan18
Well-Known Member
2021
Walt Disney World Railroad Enhancement
Winter 2021
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The Walt Disney World Railroad is the first attraction guests see as they step through the gates of the Magic Kingdom and gaze up at the ornate Main Street Station and the recognizable bells of the steam engine roaring into pick up the next group of passengers on a grand circle tour of the park. Nevertheless, with the Tomorrowland 2022 project going on, and the Tron construction over the railroad line, the Walt Disney World Railroad will most likely have to close sometime around 2019 or 2020 to accomodate for the construction. Nevertheless, it will open soon enough...and now it has, and with an enhancement not only for the 50th anniversary, but to give guests a much better send off than the railroad has currently.
After the Fantasyland Station stop, you chug back up a small hill towards Main Street U.S.A. - passing in-between Space Mountain and the Speedway, before a wondrous view of...the expanded bus drop off point through thinly veiled shrubbery.
While the Contemporary Resort in the distance does evoke the Tomorrowland aesthetic, the buses and visible parking areas always bothered me. So in 2021, when the Walt Disney World Railroad reopens, it will feature a tunnel scene similar to that of the Disneyland Railroad from Tomorrowland to Main Street U.S.A.
In this project - we will take a ride through the Walt Disney World Railroad with full on-board narration, arriving at our new scene in the finale of the attraction - a look back (and forward) at the visions of Tomorrow - with an instrumental version of 'There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow' playing in the background, as projection screens of Tomorrowland whiz by the railroad through the futuristic portal, in both a celebration of Tomorrowland's 50th anniversary, as well as a showcase of all that Tomorrowland has been and will become.
Narration in italics
Walt Disney World Railroad - Ride-Through
Main Street Station
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Welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad! We’re about to take a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom, with stops along the way at Frontierland and Fantasyland. Just sit tight and keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs well inside the train. We’re leaving Main Street Station right now, so wave goodbye — but if you stay on board long enough, why, sooner or later, you’ll be back.
(Spanish safety spiel.)
For an old conductor like me, there’s no better place to ride the rails than the Magic Kingdom. By the way, we’re traveling on pure steam power. This old locomotive is descended from the mighty trains that powered the golden age of steam. And just like me, it’s a little old-fashioned. Now, where else can you travel from the charm of Main Street, U.S.A. to the untamed jungles of Africa, Asia, and South America? At the Magic Kingdom, anything is possible, and we’re headed straight to the heart of Adventureland. It can get pretty wild in these parts — especially if you run into Captain Jack Sparrow. He’s hidin’ out among those scurrilous Pirates of the Caribbean. But whether you’re boardin’ a boat for the Jungle Cruise or flyin’ on Aladdin’s magic carpets, when you visit Adventureland, bring an extra dose of bravery. As for me, I’ll stay safe and sound right here aboard my train, if ya don’t mind.
We’ve reached the wild west of the Magic Kingdom: Frontierland. Well, this outpost is home to the covered wagons, cowpokes, and Country Bears. And we’ve got our own mountain range of excitin’ adventures. You might catch a runaway mine train at Big Thunder Mountain, or hop on over to Splash Mountain and join Br’er Rabbit for a 50-foot drop straight down into the briar patch. We’ve reached Frontierland Station, everyone, so sit tight until we’ve come to a complete stop. If you’re disembarking here, please carry your strollers all the way off the platform before you unfold ’em. That’ll help make room for the new passengers joinin’ us. Watch your step now — this is Frontierland Station.
(Train stops at Frontierland Station. Train leaves the station.)
Frontierland Station
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Howdy, folks! If you’re just joinin’ us, welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad. We’re headed for Fantasyland and to Main Street, U.S.A. Everybody stay seated, and keep your hands and arms, feet, and legs safely inside the train. And as always, keep an eye on your little ones.
(Spanish safety spiel.)
As we head into the American wilderness, we’ll pass by the dusty desert town of Tumbleweed. Keep your eyes peeled for the runaway mine trains of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Runaway trains… now I ask you — is that any way to run a railroad? I feel right at home here in the prairies and forests of the American wilderness. These woods haven’t changed much since the days when settlers started headin’ west! Nowadays, the rails can carry us safely through the wild, and a trip that used to take months can now be made in just a few weeks. There’s plenty of deer, antelope, and elk that feed along the banks of the river. And naturally, plenty of early settlers decided to put down stakes and live here too. Of course, those early settlers weren’t the first to make their home in this wild frontier. These native tribes of Plains Indians were living, hunting, and trading for centuries before we ever came along. They were the first to tame the wild horses of the American plains — long before our big ol’ iron horses started chuggin’ through these parts.
We’re almost out of the woods, folks. We’re comin’ up on the most magical of lands: Fantasyland — a place where any dream can come true! Fly over London with Peter Pan. Set sail on “it’s a small world.” Take a trip under the sea with The Little Mermaid. Be our guest at an enchanted feast in the Beast’s Castle. Or journey into the Seven Dwarfs’ mine, where a million diamonds shine. Whether you’re a pixie, a princess, or just an everyday dreamer, there’s always something special about Fantasyland.
If you’ve been riding trains as long as this old-timer, you may remember the days when the circus would come to town on the local railway. Well, the circus is here, and it’s set up permanent headquarters as the Fantasyland Storybook Circus. This is the place to fly high with Dumbo, or join Goofy on the Barnstormer — a frolicking ride of circus acrobatics and coaster thrills. This station is also your gateway to the rest of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Now, please wait until the train has come to a complete stop, gather your belongings, and carry your strollers away from the platform before you start unfoldin’ ’em. That way, we can start loadin’ up for the next leg of our trip. For those of your disembarking, please watch your step, and thanks for traveling with us on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Join us again real soon. If you’re stayin’ aboard, our next stop is Main Street Station.
(Train stops at Fantasyland Station. Train leaves the station.)
Fantasyland Station
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Looks like we’re ready to embark on the next leg of our journey! Our destination is Main Street, U.S.A. Now, everyone stay seated, and keep your hands and arms, feet, and legs inside the train at all times. And please, keep an eye on your children.
(Spanish safety spiel.)
There are some who say that this steam train is a little old-fashioned — but for me, it’s the only way to travel. Of course, there are those who prefer to hit the highway, and on the right, you just might spot some pint-sized drivers taking their first spin behind the wheel of a lightcycle. Gettin’ from place to place is a big deal in Tomorrowland, where you might board a PeopleMover, zip around on the Astro Orbiter, book a flight across the galaxy at our busy Starport in Space Mountain, or even zip through the technological grid of Tron. Tomorrowland is truly a world on the move!
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*Train passes under the Tron dome, seeing the coaster sail to the sky on the left and right side of the train*
Tunnel Sequence Begins
Well folks, my good friend Walt always told me he had beautiful dreams of the future. Far beyond an old conductor like myself could ever imagine. He pictured a future filled with possibility. Of wonder and excitement, an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. A Tomorrowland, that would continue to grow and evolve with each generation, as long as we keep moving forward.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away
*Tunnel showcases concept renderings and digital projections 270 degrees around the train putting you in each world of Tomorrow as visualized by the time periods.*
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We’ve made a complete trip around the Magic Kingdom. For those of you who’ve been on board for the whole journey, thanks for puttin’ up with me these last few days. If you’re stayin’ with us, we’ll be headed for Frontierland next. Right now, please stay seated until our train comes to a complete stop. Then pick up your belongings, and carefully step off the train. If you have strollers to unfold, please take ’em all the way beyond the platform so we can safely board passengers for the next leg of our journey. This is Main Street Station — Main Street, U.S.A.
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Thanks for reading everyone! Kicking off 2021 with a classic attraction and one of my favorites, with a subtle addition to whet our appetites for an extremely busy 2021 and 2022 as we near closer to the Golden Dreams celebration.
It looks great, I hope it does end up being something like this, if you want I can write the Spanish Safety Spiel.