After Pixie Hollow?...Just an Idea....

[steve2wdw]

While everyone laments the lack of "meat" (real attractions) to the Fantasyland Expansion, I looked at the amount of land between MK Drive and the WDWRR tracks and thought that if something like this were added, we might ALL be happy!

To get to this FL addition, we would need to do a little infrastructure work (as MK Drive would need to stay), mainly blowing out the Pinocchio bathrooms and adding a tunnel over the back service entrance to the utilidors. The tunnel would serve as a transition to a real Toontown. Toontown buildings could be...

1 Roger Rabbits Cartoon Spin
2 Toontown City Hall, Restaurant Row, Shops and bathrooms
3 Minnie's House and backstage M&G
4 Mickey's House and backstage M&G
5 Chip and Dales Treehouse
6 Goofy's Bounce House
7 Toontown Train Station (as far west as possible, for fourth station on RR line)
8 Donald's boat and playground
9 Possible Toontown Trolley

(The broken lines depicted atop buildings 1 thru 4 are the hilltop facades hiding the IASW show building and MK Drive. The L shaped building connected to Mickey's M&G building is train and boat storage for Storyland attractions.)

Moving on would be a Storybookland addition, featuring both the Canal Boats (#10)featuring an awning over the boats similar to the old Swan Boats to protect guests from those pesky t-storms and the Casey Jr Train (#11). Fake mountains would hide MK Drive on the backside of the whole Storybookland addition. I also threw in the Old Mill Ferris Wheel (#12) from DLP locating it along side the WDWRR. A path through Storybookland would proceed through a themed tunnel (under MK Dr) to join current FLE behind and along side Pixie Hollow.

The whole Toontown/Storybookland addition would really provide some nice kinetics and scenery along the WDWRR in a spot that currently is just woods on one side and a canal along the other. It would up the attraction count for the MK, spread out the MK crowds even more and give the Fab Five a real land to live in. I did a rather crude drawing of my ideas. I hope you enjoy the daydreaming.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Fun ideas. Your tunnel to Toontown looks a bit lengthy, but that might be an opportunity to really ratchet up the anticipation. In Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Toontown is at the end of a long tunnel with a red curtain at the end, which I thought was kind of exciting as a kid. A theme park probably couldn't pull off the same effect, but something like that might be cool. Maybe the tunnel itself could have whispers in the characters' voices or a recording of a distant character commotion that gets louder as you go. Eh, I'm just free associating here.

 

[Rob562]

Nice ideas, but as has been discussed on here in a few places, for the most part they cannot expand beyond the backstage access road, mainly because it is a fireworks fallout zone. The backstage road marks the boundary of that fallout zone. (Your Old Mill Ferris Wheel would be located about 100 yards away from the launch site)

If something *is* built, it would have to either be a) able/willing to be closed and evacuated every night like Disneyland's Toontown is, or b) entirely indoors, either as a single attraction's showbuilding, or as an entire indoor land, like Mermaid Lagoon in Tokyo DisneySea.

One of my ideas was to build an indoor Mermain Lagoon north of the Expansion, with a bridge of some sort spanning the access road between Gaston's Tavern and the Little Mermaid attraction.

-Rob

 

[ABigBrassBand]

This would be cool, but like Rob said, they can't expand past the backstage access road.

 

[jt04]

This would be cool, but like Rob said, they can't expand past the backstage access road.

The road could be relocated rather easily. Someone created a drawing overlay of a google map. Never tell an engineer what they "can't" do.:lol:

That said, I don't believe a phase 3 will happen before the 50th anniversary. I think you would see something happen in Adventureland first.

I agree with Rob that any additions behind phase 2 would be indoor facilities.

 

[Exprcoofto]

Nice ideas, but as has been discussed on here in a few places, for the most part they cannot expand beyond the backstage access road, mainly because it is a fireworks fallout zone. The backstage road marks the boundary of that fallout zone. (Your Old Mill Ferris Wheel would be located about 100 yards away from the launch site)

If something *is* built, it would have to either be a) able/willing to be closed and evacuated every night like Disneyland's Toontown is, or b) entirely indoors, either as a single attraction's showbuilding, or as an entire indoor land, like Mermaid Lagoon in Tokyo DisneySea.

One of my ideas was to build an indoor Mermain Lagoon north of the Expansion, with a bridge of some sort spanning the access road between Gaston's Tavern and the Little Mermaid attraction.

-Rob

Like you said, it would have to be evacted like DL's. So it is possible, but might not work as smoothly in WDW.

As for the actual location of this, what about the expansion area beyond the tracks to the east? This area could be used for a future FL expansion or even a Tomorrowland expansion. If this plot was used for a TT, it could be very similar to Disneyland in which the "entrance gate" to actually by going underneath the train tracks. Here is the area I'm talking about:

This might be a good alternative if the fireworks fallout ever become a concern. Granted, thats if they ever even plan to expand it even more.


Also, someone brought up the point that they thought the birds in Florida would be too destructive for a Storybookland area, as well as it being a completely outdoor attraction. I forgot who posted that, but I remember reading it somewhere.

 

[Rob562]

As for the actual location of this, what about the expansion area beyond the tracks to the east? This area could be used for a future FL expansion or even a Tomorrowland expansion. If this plot was used for a TT, it could be very similar to Disneyland in which the "entrance gate" to actually by going underneath the train tracks.

That's one of the possible expansion areas that's been mentioned, but the link would have to be a ground-level link. The park level is too close to real ground level to be able to tunnel under the tracks there. You can see the park boundary canal just beyond the tracks. The link would have to be an at-grade tracks crossing.

-Rob

 

[Wilt Dasney]

This would be cool, but like Rob said, they can't expand past the backstage access road.

The road could be relocated rather easily. Someone created a drawing overlay of a google map. Never tell an engineer what they "can't" do.:lol:

The location of the road isn't the issue, based on Rob's post. Whether you move the road or not, that area is still going to be a fireworks fallout zone and would still need to be enclosed or evacuated at night.

 

[jt04]

The location of the road isn't the issue, based on Rob's post. Whether you move the road or not, that area is still going to be a fireworks fallout zone and would still need to be enclosed or evacuated at night.

Agreed. That is why a BatB darkride, a Tokyo-esque Mermaid Lagoon addition and/or a Tink dark ride would all work well as they are all indoors. I also think they could create an indoor facility on the scale and scope of Mermaid Lagoon but based on Tink and friends rather that a full fledged dark ride. Very many possibilities for future expansion. And it seems to me that is by design.

The more I think about it also, Alice would make a much better addition than Dumbo. Especially because the tea cups and barnstormer could so easily be rethemed to Alice. Just add a maze and a M&G and it would be great. And a transition between Alice-Land and Pixie-Land could be rather seemless and even practical.

 

[Bork Bork]

Just add a maze and a M&G and it would be great. And a transition between Alice-Land and Pixie-Land could be rather seemless and even practical.

Another one!?!

 

[jt04]

Another one!?!

Yes, they are anticipating heavy demand. They may need more. I'd like to see them add an Alice and a Rapunzel. Then they would be better able to handle to multitudes.

 

[Fractal514]

This is a good idea, but it belongs in the Imagineering forum. Mod should move it.

 

[Wilt Dasney]

The more I think about it also, Alice would make a much better addition than Dumbo. Especially because the tea cups and barnstormer could so easily be rethemed to Alice. Just add a maze and a M&G and it would be great. And a transition between Alice-Land and Pixie-Land could be rather seemless and even practical.

:lookaroun

 

[jt04]

This is a good idea, but it belongs in the Imagineering forum. Mod should move it.

Perhaps you need to read the thread title again. This is a thread about the possibilities of a third phase for FLE. We are only speculating of possibile concepts. "Imagineering" would be discussing what our adds would look like and how they would function. That would then belong in the Imagineering forum. :wave:

 

[jt04]

:lookaroun

Sorry :lol:

 

[TP2000]

This would be cool, but like Rob said, they can't expand past the backstage access road.

Yes, they can. They did it at Disneyland 20 years ago, and they knew they were building in a fireworks fallout zone back when fireworks were cheesy little 7 minute Fantasy In The Sky shows, instead of the 20 minute megashows with multiple launch zones like we have today. :lol:

Toontown at Disneyland closes 1 hour before fireworks time. They have the ability to reopen it after the fireworks on nights Disneyland stays open late.

Fireworks at Disneyland are launched a few feet behind these Toontown buildings, behind the faux painted flats above the rooftops here

 

[Fractal514]

Perhaps you need to read the thread title again. This is a thread about the possibilities of a third phase for FLE. We are only speculating of possibile concepts. "Imagineering" would be discussing what our adds would look like and how they would function. That would then belong in the Imagineering forum. :wave:

Nice try Justification Man... I'm not the board police and I totally get what you're saying, but this is totally Imagineering stuff. You just tell yourself whatever you need to.

 

[imagineer boy]

I say wait till no one cares about Pixie Hollow anymore, then tear it down and replace it with an awesome toon town.

 

[Rob562]

Yes, they can. They did it at Disneyland 20 years ago, and they knew they were building in a fireworks fallout zone back when fireworks were cheesy little 7 minute Fantasy In The Sky shows, instead of the 20 minute megashows with multiple launch zones like we have today. :lol:

Toontown at Disneyland closes 1 hour before fireworks time. They have the ability to reopen it after the fireworks on nights Disneyland stays open late.

Quite true. But at Disneyland they're very cramped for space, and have to make use of what they have in the best way possible. Thus, they didn't have many options.
In Florida, there are a number of expansion plots that would be more readily-used and not have to close every evening for fireworks.

Over at the Studios, it almost guaranteed that a show like Sorcery in the Sky would never, ever be shown at the park again. They put their newest attraction, Midway Mania, smack in the middle of the original fallout zone. The SitS launchers were on the rooftops along Mickey Avenue, stretching from the top of One Man's Dream all the way to the back corner of Great Movie Ride's show building (not to mention the centered launching platform behind the Chinese Theater that was removed during the Pixar Place construction)
When the park first opened, this area was not a public area, so it wasn't a big deal. And even after they opened up those parts of the park, it was a simple matter to close off those non-major areas. (I remember seeing along the soundstage viewing catwalks all of the emergency exit doors were clearly marked as exiting into a fireworks fallout zone).
Now, they plunked Midway Mania right there, and they won't close their newest D/E ticket on a nightly basis. (I don't know where they fire their New Years Eve and private event pyro from, but it's almost assuredly not the original SitS launchers. Probably farther back in the park, over Catastrophe Canyon or the large parking lot on your left at the start of the Backlot Tour)

-Rob

 

[TP2000]

Quite true. But at Disneyland they're very cramped for space, and have to make use of what they have in the best way possible. Thus, they didn't have many options.
In Florida, there are a number of expansion plots that would be more readily-used and not have to close every evening for fireworks.

And yet we've got maps here in this thread trying to expand Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland and Toontown, but we keep coming up against the fireworks fallout zone. Where could you put a full size Mickey's Toontown off of Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom and not get into the fallout issue? Or is Toontown being moved next to Adventureland?

Over at the Studios, it almost guaranteed that a show like Sorcery in the Sky would never, ever be shown at the park again. They put their newest attraction, Midway Mania, smack in the middle of the original fallout zone...
Now, they plunked Midway Mania right there, and they won't close their newest D/E ticket on a nightly basis.

Why not close it for fireworks? They're going to close Midway Mania in DCA at least an hour early for World of Color. What's so special about DHS's Midway Mania? Although DHS has much fewer attractions than DCA, which probably creates the huge lines to begin with.

It appears to me that WDW management doesn't like to think outside the box when it comes to managing nightly spectaculars, or anything not on some mythical 1985 Reedy Creek Improvement District Master Plan, in existing theme parks. It's like the blessing of size has made the TDO executive's brains flabby over the decades, and when confronted with a scenario that isn't easy they just refuse to do anything instead of buckling down on the issue and working something out logistically.

Lots of the nice folks who primarily visit WDW also seem to fall into that trap. I read those types of excuses constantly on WDW boards, excuses you just don't see from Disneyland fans who see TDA pull rabbits out of their hat constantly.... "Oh, that's in a fallout zone/access road/parade crossing/Utilidor entrance/CM break room/etc./etc. and they can't do it." Move the parade route, change the operating hours of the attraction, staff some crowd control CM's, and just make it happen TDO!

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