Arendelle, Motorboats, and Monorails

[britain]

In a recent Dis after Dark podcast, good ol' Jim Hill said that IF Frozen 2 does well, not only will the Motorboat Cruise area become Arendale, but the side of the Matterhorn facing it will get Elsa's Ice Castle added to it. The side facing the hub would stay as is. He didn't say if that will actually change the Matterhorn ride itself, but I gotta believe it would. He did say it would finally be time to simplify the monorail track to get it out of the motorboat area. He pegged this as something to be finished by DL's 70th (!?)

Now whether or not this happens, I felt the monorail shortening discussion would be a good one. If Arendale doesn't happen, we all know that the Motorboat Cruise lagoon is prime real estate for something, and if they ever deem the subs as expendable, then there's even more good real estate.

So I've made some mockups for consideration. The challenge here is that the monorail station points right at the bend around the Matterhorn, and right before that is the area we're trying to avoid - the lagoon.

First is probably the simplest solution:

To avoid the motorboat lagoon the monorail could pretty easily wrap around the Matterhorn right after the trip over the sub lagoon.

 

[britain]

Now let's say they did put Elsa's Ice Castle on the north face of the Matterhorn. Or even if they didn't, let's say they didn't want to disrupt this new Arendale area with any monorail intrusions. Another possibility is this:

Instead of wrapping around the Matterhorn, have the monorail wrap around the sub lagoon. In order to make that turn, it would probably require the monorail to no longer bend out over the water, but instead stay at the lagoon periphery.

 

[mickEblu]

In a recent Dis after Dark podcast, good ol' Jim Hill said that IF Frozen 2 does well, not only will the Motorboat Cruise area become Arendale, but the side of the Matterhorn facing it will get Elsa's Ice Castle added to it. The side facing the hub would stay as is. He didn't say if that will actually change the Matterhorn ride itself, but I gotta believe it would. He did say it would finally be time to simplify the monorail track to get it out of the motorboat area. He pegged this as something to be finished by DL's 70th (!?)

Now whether or not this happens, I felt the monorail shortening discussion would be a good one. If Arendale doesn't happen, we all know that the Motorboat Cruise lagoon is prime real estate for something, and if they ever deem the subs as expendable, then there's even more good real estate.

So I've made some mockups for consideration. The challenge here is that the monorail station points right at the bend around the Matterhorn, and right before that is the area we're trying to avoid - the lagoon.

First is probably the simplest solution:

View attachment 278169

To avoid the motorboat lagoon the monorail could pretty easily wrap around the Matterhorn right after the trip over the sub lagoon.

Elsa’s Ice castle on the Matterhorn? Eventhough this is a long shot rumor, I want to puke.

 

[TROR]

Sounds like bull. I said the same about Tower of Terror being replaced.

 

[SuddenStorm]

That rumor sounds like a joke.

 

[britain]

Considering how much space it takes for the monorail to make a full turn, there aren't a lot of options if the monorail station stays where it is. Plus, what if we really wanted to free up the sub area too?

One fun idea I had that might be far fetched but has a lot of potential would be the creation of a new monorail station where the Space Mountain queue currently starts. If the SM queue is moved over to the Starcade side, then this area that used to have a people mover travelling through it above the Pizza Port outdoor seating could really easily be made into a new monorail station.

Plus, seeing the monorail come out of the Space Mountain complex would be cool to see - like a little nod to the Contemporary Resort.

Thoughts?

 

[mickEblu]

That rumor sounds like a joke.

That’s what I thought about GOTG:MB

 

[The Mur]

Well the motor boat area is ripe for use but I doubt that they take out the monorail track but rather work around it. I can see Elsa's ice castle near the matterhorn as they would be complementary but on/in the mountain? I am going to say no. Jim Hill is great on disney history but his track record on rumors is pretty low so we have that going for us.

 

[mickEblu]

Considering how much space it takes for the monorail to make a full turn, there aren't a lot of options if the monorail station stays where it is. Plus, what if we really wanted to free up the sub area too?

View attachment 278172

One fun idea I had that might be far fetched but has a lot of potential would be the creation of a new monorail station where the Space Mountain queue currently starts. If the SM queue is moved over to the Starcade side, then this area that used to have a people mover travelling through it above the Pizza Port outdoor seating could really easily be made into a new monorail station.

Plus, seeing the monorail come out of the Space Mountain complex would be cool to see - like a little nod to the Contemporary Resort.

Thoughts?

I like the idea of the monorail freeing up space for an expansion. It’s the expansion they choose that I would most likely have a problem with.

 

[TROR]

Biggest problems I see with this rumor is that, as of recent, Disney doesn't wait and see if the movie is going to be a success or not (at least with franchises) to ruin things in the parks. Mission Breakout, PotC in Fantasmic, and Pixar Pier/Incredicoaster have all been put out at the same time as their respective movies are in theaters. They act as a giant billboard to get butts in seats. It would make more sense to just start construction now and have it finished by November 2019 if that's a real plan they have.

Besides, with SWL opening next year and Marvel land coming to DCA the following year, I don't expect any major construction for a few years in Disneyland. I also think taking out Toon Town would be a bigger priority for Disney and that a Fantasyland expansion is more likely to go there.

 

[The_Mesh_Hatter]

I've been thinking about that for a while. I think something to keep in mind is what requires the least change... And I think they won't want to have to adjust the complex track spur. Along with that, I believe Autopia needs to be shortened in conjunction with whatever happens. It simply takes up too much space. So I've shortened that. Ideally, the entire circuit should be ripped out and replaced with a new one (only 3 tracks, possibly?) that better manages less space. Here's how I believe would be a good way to handle it.

White is Arendale facades. They should be adjusted for Disneyland's Fantasyland style and not just a ripped from the movie. So the facades are bunched together and elements are juxtaposed nearby, much like Peter Pan's Flight facade. The queue mostly takes place in the castle, the village facades serve as gift shops/extended queue.

I shudder at the idea of them putting Elsa's castle on the Matterhorn. I have considered the idea of building up the rockwork above the sub's and putting Elsa's Ice Castle (a TSR) on top of the part of the subs where the *former* monorail track would be.... [see: blue]

 

[mickEblu]

Biggest problems I see with this rumor is that, as of recent, Disney doesn't wait and see if the movie is going to be a success or not (at least with franchises) to ruin things in the parks. Mission Breakout, PotC in Fantasmic, and Pixar Pier/Incredicoaster have all been put out at the same time as their respective movies are in theaters. They act as a giant billboard to get butts in seats. It would make more sense to just start construction now and have it finished by November 2019 if that's a real plan they have.

Besides, with SWL opening next year and Marvel land coming to DCA the following year, I don't expect any major construction for a few years in Disneyland. I also think taking out Toon Town would be a bigger priority for Disney and that a Fantasyland expansion is more likely to go there.

Unless they already decided on the Mickey ride going in Toontown.

 

[TROR]

Unless they already decided on the Mickey ride going in Toontown.

If that's the case they should probably stop letting the land rot. It looks like "a bug's land" before it was announced to be demo'd.

 

[mickEblu]

If that's the case they should probably stop letting the land rot. It looks like "a bug's land" before it was announced to be demo'd.

I think that could be why they re letting the land “rot.” I’d like to think they could find a way to keep Toontown as is and fit the Mickey ride somewhere backstage but that’s probably not realistic.

 

[DanielBB8]

What about the other rumor Frozen will go where the Fantasyland theater is? That’s a more elaborate rumor.

 

[britain]

Another 'crazy' option that might be more likely than my last is this:

Put the rockets back in the center of Tomorrowland, tear down the rocket rods track, but use the monorail track as the 'gateways' for entering the land. Then end back up at the current station.

 

[D.Silentu]

Having just read this, these thoughts come to mind. I like the idea of Arendale going into that area, it is a great way for Disneyland to use its space to the fullest and it would spare Roger Rabbit. Obviously there should be some sort of Frozen attraction in the land, but the Matterhorn should not be involved. Perhaps a night time projection show or some sort of augmented reality setup could bring the ice palace to the Matterhorn. However, that's as far as it should go.

 

[TP2000]

I've been on the Internet for decades now, since I started with a 28K dial-up modem. And in that time I've learned that more often than not Jim Hill talks out of his backside.

 

[mikenatcity1]

Putting Frozen on the Matterhorn and shortening the Monorail just sound like bad ideas. The uproar over Mission Breakout was crazy...but to take 2 truly iconic attractions from Walt and turn them into this sounds like there would be "riots on the streets". I'm all for change, but not like this...leave those alone...please!

 

[Disney Irish]

Not that I would ever bet on any Jim Hill rumors as future projects, but it would depend on what was done to the Matterhorn.

For example if just a small tiny force perspective "ice castle" was put up on the mountain with more snow added. And then rest was done at ground level, then this might be ok. But otherwise I would suggest they put up a smaller mountain in the back of the motorboat lagoon and build off of that.