News Announced: Mary Poppins Attraction in UK Pavilion

[TrainsOfDisney]

gimme that tony baxter MP darkride please

Tony’s Mary Poppins themed backyard looks more charming than most of what WDI has put out recently.

 

[owlsandcoffee]

Tony’s Mary Poppins themed backyard looks more charming than most of what WDI has put out recently.

Because Tony is really good at designing rides and was not held back by corporate meddling as much. Obviously the killing of Discoveryland speaks to that being a reality ever since Walt died.

He was part of the 2nd generation of WED and sort of the proto-WDI for guys like Joe Rohde etc. The newest generation has been effectively neutered as far as doing anything interesting. The directive seems to be a) IP, b) low-budget, c) IP, d) able to sell tie-in merch a la Spiderman, e) IP.

 

[James Alucobond]

b) low-budget

Doesn't seem that way to me. Seems to be startlingly high budgets where the funds aren't allocated correctly.

 

[UNCgolf]

Doesn't seem that way to me. Seems to be startlingly high budgets where the funds aren't allocated correctly.

Yeah, I don't think they can be accused of not spending large sums of money. They can be accused of spending it quite poorly, though.

 

[WDW Pro]

Double decker carousel with a "show building" that would have had changing screens. It's not completely gone... just shelved. The original author's estate approved the plan, so they're not going to throw it away permanently given the difficulty in that process.

 

[James Alucobond]

That honestly doesn't sound that bad. I mean, EPCOT could for sure use more large, traditional attractions in World Showcase, but it could use some of that scale as well.

 

[UNCgolf]

That honestly doesn't sound that bad. I mean, EPCOT could for sure use more large, traditional attractions in World Showcase, but it could use some of that scale as well.

I would be very disappointed, but I know that's because of Tony Baxter's design for a wonderful dark ride. It's hard to accept something less.

Considering there's essentially no chance that's ever built, a double decker carousel with changing scenes isn't too bad.

 

[mightynine]

Screens full
Will surely make
The budgeting go down

 

[MisterPenguin]

WDW doesn't have a ferris wheel. So, a Poppins ferris wheel with pods that are shaped like kites and balloons!!

 

[owlsandcoffee]

Doesn't seem that way to me. Seems to be startlingly high budgets where the funds aren't allocated correctly.

I'll give you that, fair

 

[nickys]

The new plan is a balloon seller and a kiosk where you can buy packets of bird seed. The main hold-up is deciding whether the balloons should be the same price as the MK ones or whether they can get away with jacking up the price.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Double decker carousel with a "show building" that would have had changing screens. It's not completely gone... just shelved. The original author's estate approved the plan, so they're not going to throw it away permanently given the difficulty in that process.

I seem to remember hearing that it was going to feature some of the Runaway Railway-style screens that make the characters appear to be floating within space, like Goofy in the Train or Donald in the Hotdog Hut . . . which, honestly, would probably be a really good way to bring Mary Poppins' animated characters to life in this kind of setting.

I have to assume that their every intention was to lean into the Emily Blunt Mary Poppins, with no real hint of the Julie Andrews original, right?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I have to assume that their every intention was to lean into the Emily Blunt Mary Poppins, with no real hint of the Julie Andrews original, right?

Personally, I have 0 interest in a ride that's based on the requel and not the original.

I'm not really keen on it going into EPCOT either, but that's a lost cause at this point.

 

[WDW Pro]

I seem to remember hearing that it was going to feature some of the Runaway Railway-style screens that make the characters appear to be floating within space, like Goofy in the Train or Donald in the Hotdog Hut . . . which, honestly, would probably be a really good way to bring Mary Poppins' animated characters to life in this kind of setting.

I have to assume that their every intention was to lean into the Emily Blunt Mary Poppins, with no real hint of the Julie Andrews original, right?

I'm not sure it made it far enough into development to determine the screen content. The idea was to have half the Carousel open-air and then half (or perhaps a third, don't remember) in the building with the screens. Content would be different over time, and it was pitched this would reflect positively on Mary Poppins' live action - animation hybrid style in ride form. There was another concept that had the horses leaving the carousel (which would have been faux) via multi-lane tracks to go into a show building hidden by residential home facades, but I think that was dismissed for costs.

 

[No Name]

There was another concept that had the horses leaving the carousel (which would have been faux) via multi-lane tracks to go into a show building hidden by residential home facades, but I think that was dismissed for costs.

I’ve always absolutely loved this idea, I’m thrilled to hear it was actually discussed in the company.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

There was another concept that had the horses leaving the carousel (which would have been faux) via multi-lane tracks to go into a show building hidden by residential home facades, but I think that was dismissed for costs.

I’ve always absolutely loved this idea, I’m thrilled to hear it was actually discussed in the company.

This should be the replacement for the Tomorrowland Speedway.

 

[nickys]

I’ve always absolutely loved this idea, I’m thrilled to hear it was actually discussed in the company.

I’m not sure if we know that they did discuss it. Both those concepts have been discussed here, from before @wdwpro even joined the forums. I don’t think anyone else has said these were serious ideas on the table at any point.

 

[James Alucobond]

As charming as the horses going off the rails sounds, I don’t know that it’s terribly practical as a ride vehicle. Not sure you’d want something that kids could easily dismount, and strapping people in slows things down and really breaks the illusion. The Baxter solution seemed to be making each ride vehicle its own merry-go-round, but I feel like you’d have to space them out a ton for visibility if they had the canopies pictured, limiting capacity. I suppose another option might be to only allow guests to board the “bench” seating common on merry-go-rounds.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

As charming as the horses going off the rails sounds, I don’t know that it’s terribly practical as a ride vehicle. Not sure you’d want something that kids could easily dismount, and strapping people in slows things down and really breaks the illusion. The Baxter solution seemed to be making each ride vehicle its own merry-go-round, but I feel like you’d have to space them out a ton for visibility if they had the canopies pictured, limiting capacity. I suppose another option might be to only allow guests to board the “bench” seating common on merry-go-rounds.

I think the best solution would be to have 4 person cars with seating like Knott's Pony Express coaster.

You still ride horses, but are secured in place and stationary for loading/unloading.

And if you wanted too, you could have the whole vehicle go up and down instead of individual horses like the Tigger scene in TMAWTP.

 

[TikibirdLand]

I would've loved to see Cherry Tree Lane as a physical set in WS. A carousel would have been wonderful. Guess I'll have to keep on dreaming...