News 'Beyond Big Thunder Mountain' Blue Sky concept revealed for Magic Kingdom

[SpectreJordan]

I'm still fully convinced that they blew most of the budget on the animatronics and facade, then ran out of money by the time they were doing the penultimate scenes. The plywood cutout Ursula in the climax just screams that.

Really? There's not a single impressive animatronic on that ride. The 'Under the Sea' scene is incredibly basic too. But they must've blown their budget somewhere.

That's such an odd ride. If it didn't cost so much, it would've been a fine addition just as a smaller ride. But it cost a ton & it's not very good.

Both Mermaid and SDMT were lifted attractions from other parks plans (DCA and SDL).

It's the classic problem that often things aren't conceived originally for WDW (often in recent history), which is odd, considering its prominence in the portfolio.

Heck, if we even go for a reverse situation like Frozen Ever After in HKDL, they expanded the track, the run time, the animatronics and the spacing of the show scenes. WDW just takes DCA's Little Mermaid that was shoehorned into an existing building. Even MMRR got reconfigured for DLR. But it seems since WDW has 'the space', they often don't through the effort of reconfiguring things for it.

Not that I think Tron or Ratatouille were horrible choices, but they are again puzzle pieces from other parks shoved into wherever they happen to fit. Tron ironically I think suffers way less sight line intrusions in MK, simply because it is tucked away.

I'm gonna assume they think people are coming to WDW no matter what & it's the other parks that need unique rides to attract guests. That's a frustrating way of thinking but I guess I can see the logic there.

Atleast these Beyond BTM & South America ideas seem to be original additions, if the rumor of Indy not being a port is true.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Really? There's not a single impressive animatronic on that ride. The 'Under the Sea' sign is incredibly basic too. But they must've blown their budget somewhere.

I think the Ursula’s pretty impressive but u guess that’s just me

 

[JohnD]

I think the Ursula’s pretty impressive but u guess that’s just me

I think that is where the budget was blown on that ride. Reminds me of NRJ. One main AA is fantastic. The rest of the ride is blah.

 

[UNCgolf]

I think that is where the budget was blown on that ride. Reminds me of NRJ. One main AA is fantastic. The rest of the ride is blah.

The difference between NRJ and Little Mermaid is that everything else about NRJ is lushly detailed and immersive, despite the lack of other AAs. There's really nothing else about the design of NRJ that should change; Little Mermaid, on the other hand, would basically need to be gutted and redesigned from scratch. It has plastic fish glued on walls.

 

[JohnD]

The difference between NRJ and Little Mermaid is that everything else about NRJ is lushly detailed and immersive, despite the lack of other AAs. There's really nothing else about the design of NRJ that should change; Little Mermaid, on the other hand, would basically need to be gutted and redesigned from scratch. It has plastic fish glued on walls.

Might as well move the disco ball to where it is really needed -- above the yeti in Everest.

 

[Kev1982]

In terms of attractions, a few pages back I read an idea about an attraction where all the Villians “recruit” us to be their henchmen and try and compete for us.

This line of thinking is not good in my opinion. Seems too childish for the kinda land I have in my head. I’m thinking for a villains land we could have the following type of attractions:

1. Maleficent Dragon Encounter (we can workshop the name) - The queue snakes though Maleficent’s castle very detailed and moody. The idea of the ride is that you are assisting Prince Philip trying to rescue Aurora from her sleeping curse. You board “enchanted motorized carriages” (some kind of fast thrill ride I haven’t worked out of I want it to be a coaster or a journey to the center of the earth kinda thing). The ride takes you though the landscape with square trees and finally when reaching Aurora's castle you watch Philip fight a full realized gigantic AA of Maleficent in her dragon form.

2. A night on bald mountain - A coaster though the night on bald mountain scene from fantasia. Admittedly this may freak kids out but I think has potential. Literally expedition Everest with chernabog.

3. Elephant Graveyard - Maybe this doesn’t need to be a ride, maybe a walkable area but the environment is so visually appealing I feel it’s begging to be put into here in some way.

4. Dr Facilier’s Shop - Take the sanctum show in DCA and make it more edgy and entertaining.

5. Hades’s River Stynx - A boat ride through the river stynx.

6. Cave of Wonders - Magic Carpet ride though the cave of wonders (Aladdin finally gets a ride of
some sort)

The land itself would be a moody village not unlike the one from fantasia. Lots of thorns and spikes.

I understand these ideas may seem scatterbrained. The point is to show how much limitless potential they have.

Anyone else think that might be the reason Facilier is not in TBA? Might be the first encounter on a path next to it to villains land and would make the transition?

 

[seabreezept813]

I haven't been to BOG since they changed it to a prefix menu. Lunch always had the cafeteria feel, but dinner was a lot better.

I would say the opposite, we stopped going after doing the dinner. When it was QS breakfast and lunch it was a must do for every trip.

 

[JD80]

I would say the opposite, we stopped going after doing the dinner. When it was QS breakfast and lunch it was a must do for every trip.

I made those same decisions but it was based on cost and not the atmosphere difference.

 

[James Alucobond]

It has a cafeteria feel no matter the time, honestly. If they're going to forevermore do away with the other meal times, they should really refurbish the interior to make it better suited to a table service experience. Rip out the previous self-service drink stations clumsily hidden behind curtains and introduce some different levels and more permanent-looking seating to the ballroom. I was also kind of appalled during my last visit to find that they'd stripped the salon where you used to place your quick service order of all furnishings, leaving it as a barren room for kids to run circles in while waiting for seating. No idea if that was intended or if I just caught things at a bad time, but it looked terrible. The restaurant really needs a rethink if this is the new normal.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

It has a cafeteria feel no matter the time, honestly. If they're going to forevermore do away with the other meal times, they should really refurbish the interior to make it better suited to a table service experience. Rip out the previous self-service drink stations clumsily hidden behind curtains and introduce some different levels and more permanent-looking seating to the ballroom. I was also kind of appalled during my last visit to find that they'd stripped the salon where you used to place your quick service order of all furnishings, leaving it as a barren room for kids to run circles in while waiting for seating. It needs a rethink if this is the new normal.

It should never have been built the way it was. It shouldve been built as an elaborate Table Service.

 

[James Alucobond]

It should never have been built the way it was. It shouldve been built as an elaborate Table Service.

I assume they wanted something a bit more versatile than Cinderella's Royal Table since they're within striking distance, but they don't really seem to be trying on that front anymore.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I assume they wanted something a bit more versatile than Cinderella's Royal Table since they're within striking distance, but they don't really seem to be trying on that front anymore.

I get what they were going for. They could’ve built Gaston’s a little larger with a larger menu. And then Be Our Guest should’ve been much more elaborate and detailed. They could fix this, but it’s unlikely. I think it’s telling that Disney hasn’t tried to built something else like this since

 

[UNCgolf]

I thought the breakfast at BOG was pretty bad. The food was mediocre with very small portions; it wasn't remotely worth the price. I'd rather do Cinderella's Royal Table (which is obviously very overpriced too) -- you're paying for the setting more than anything else at both (and the characters at CRT, although I'm personally not interested in that part of it) and CRT's setting feels much nicer than BOG.

 

[seabreezept813]

As far as the full meals, we preferred CRTs. But we did not like the menu or food for BOG dinner. The lunch was fantastic--croque monsieur, the grey stuff--it was one of our favorite meals on property. The drink stations even had lemon for iced tea. Dinner is overpriced, but also not great food.

 

[Touchdown]

The French onion soup/fillet/dessert trio is very solid. I don’t get the hate for BOG. Is it overpriced? Yes, but you’re getting a solid B+ meal for it. There are far worse places, and I eat here regularly (but not every trip.)

 

[JD80]

It has a cafeteria feel no matter the time, honestly. If they're going to forevermore do away with the other meal times, they should really refurbish the interior to make it better suited to a table service experience. Rip out the previous self-service drink stations clumsily hidden behind curtains and introduce some different levels and more permanent-looking seating to the ballroom. I was also kind of appalled during my last visit to find that they'd stripped the salon where you used to place your quick service order of all furnishings, leaving it as a barren room for kids to run circles in while waiting for seating. No idea if that was intended or if I just caught things at a bad time, but it looked terrible. The restaurant really needs a rethink if this is the new normal.

I haven't been in a while, and I certainly have no interest in a $70 per person meal in there.

 

[Surferboy567]

Anyone else think that might be the reason Facilier is not in TBA? Might be the first encounter on a path next to it to villains land and would make the transition?

I think it’s because they are scared that anything that has “voodoo” in it may be viewed as offensive. He’s probably the best part of the film, a real shame. Maybe they downplay the “voodoo” part and just call it “shadow magic” they have no problem playing his song at the Halloween parties.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I think it’s because they are scared that anything that has “voodoo” in it may be viewed as offensive. He’s probably the best part of the film, a real shame. Maybe they downplay the “voodoo” part and just call it “shadow magic” they have no problem playing his song at the Halloween parties.

I personally don’t feel there’s any “conspiracy” as to why Facilier wasn’t featured. I think it was just a choice that they made with the story. That’s just my personal opinion.

He’s featured in the Hocus Pocus show and at Oogie Boogie Bash. If Disney didn’t want to use him, they wouldn’t at all

 

[Surferboy567]

I personally don’t feel there’s any “conspiracy” as to why Facilier wasn’t featured. I think it was just a choice that they made with the story. That’s just my personal opinion.

He’s featured in the Hocus Pocus show and at Oogie Boogie Bash. If Disney didn’t want to use him, they wouldn’t at all

It just seems like an odd decision. Especially with the lift practically gift wrapped for you. Let’s see what they come up with though could still be cool.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I personally don’t feel there’s any “conspiracy” as to why Facilier wasn’t featured. I think it was just a choice that they made with the story. That’s just my personal opinion.

He’s featured in the Hocus Pocus show and at Oogie Boogie Bash. If Disney didn’t want to use him, they wouldn’t at all

I think he was indeed excluded for the suspected reasons. He was definitely one of the elements of the film that has been criticized by some as "problematic". And he has been making fewer and fewer appearances in the parks from what I hear. It wouldn't surprise me if he's phased out eventually. He's not quite as much of a concern as Splash itself, but the fact that the best and most universally popular thing about the film is absent from the ride is very telling.

How Mama Odie managed to escape this same criticism is beyond me. I really love her and she's an endearing and entertaining character (I even know people IRL like her), but she's the embodiment of a racial stereotype. Also surprised Big Daddy and Charlotte haven't gotten a similar thrashing from people and an exclusion from the ride. Again very fun characters, but they're wealthy sugar barons. I probably don't need to elaborate on the morals and dark history of that profession especially from that time period.

Another factor in Facilier's exclusion is likely related to Disney's softening of "scary" elements of kid friendly attractions. Particularly the reduced presence of villains in new and redone rides. Gaston being relegated to a shadow projection in the background of Tokyo's BATB ride is one example. Or the further softening of Snow White's Enchanted Wish. Not including Facilier seems to also reinforce that trend.

Including Facilier in TBA would have fixed some of the more glaring issues with the ride. Make the third drop function as a portal into the "Other Side", and have Facilier appear in spirit form in his skeleton makeup. This would have been an incredible opportunity to use a lot of contrasty black lighting. Could have been a very visually striking room. Ray could even be included as a friendly spirit trying to guide us back up the lift to safety, ample opportunity to include some really nice looking fiber optics for the firefly effects. Mama Odie still serving as a means to pull us back into the living world via the big drop. The final lift and big drop itself would also retain the dark tension it had in Splash.