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

[Marc Davis Fan]

Perhaps the best thing about the prospect of their using the Adventureland expansion plot is that crowd flow considerations would encourage them to consider removing the Aladdin spinner.

It’s insane that that vestige of the Pressler era still stands in the middle of an otherwise-transportive environment, visually screaming “nope, you’re just in a theme park.”

 

[DisneyDodo]

Hey everyone! I apologize if this is a dumb question, but I just wanted to catch myself up on the current beyond big thunder rumors. I’ve heard that villains is still on the table, which if so, would be a dream come true for me. Any other recent rumors that I should know about?

BBT will be built in at least 2 phases, starting immediately next to BTMR and then moving around RoA towards HM. The first half of those plans was originally suggested to be Encanto and Coco, at least one (if not both) of which are now slated for DAK. There have been some unsubstantiated rumors thrown out in regards to what will replace it (Zootopia, Cars, etc.), but it’s not clear right now. However, work on this project does seem likely to commence in the near future.

The second half was originally earmarked for villains, and there have been no indications that anything has changed on that front. However, building a land there would almost certainly require changes to RoA and the WDWRR, meaning that this phase is both less likely to happen and would take considerably longer to complete if it does. IOW I wouldn’t get my hopes up for villains anytime in the next decade.

 

[ToTBellHop]

BBT will be built in at least 2 phases, starting immediately next to BTMR and then moving around RoA towards HM. The first half of those plans was originally suggested to be Encanto and Coco, at least one (if not both) of which are now slated for DAK. There have been some unsubstantiated rumors thrown out in regards to what will replace it (Zootopia, Cars, etc.), but it’s not clear right now. However, work on this project does seem likely to commence in the near future.

The second half was originally earmarked for villains, and there have been no indications that anything has changed on that front. However, building a land there would almost certainly require changes to RoA and the WDWRR, meaning that this phase is both less likely to happen and would take considerably longer to complete if it does. IOW I wouldn’t get my hopes up for villains anytime in the next decade.

Next DECADE is feasible. I’d imagine any full build-out of Beyond Big Thunder would stretch into the 2030s though.

 

[Dcgc28]

I’m personally convinced Encanto got pushed to AK because the plan is going to be to shove Arendelle into the back of MK including possibly rethemeing/tearing out Big Thunder. No rumors around it or anything like that and not saying I WANT that to happen. But I could see it with the massive IP push Disney is on.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I’m personally convinced Encanto got pushed to AK because the plan is going to be to shove Arendelle into the back of MK including possibly rethemeing/tearing out Big Thunder. No rumors around it or anything like that and not saying I WANT that to happen. But I could see it with the massive IP push Disney is on.

Let me stop you right there.

No.

 

[aladdin2007]

Perhaps the best thing about the prospect of their using the Adventureland expansion plot is that crowd flow considerations would encourage them to consider removing the Aladdin spinner.

It’s insane that that vestige of the Pressler era still stands in the middle of an otherwise-transportive environment, visually screaming “nope, you’re just in a theme park.”

That was also Phil Holme's doings, which he was so praised for, never understood why.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I’m personally convinced Encanto got pushed to AK because the plan is going to be to shove Arendelle into the back of MK including possibly rethemeing/tearing out Big Thunder. No rumors around it or anything like that and not saying I WANT that to happen. But I could see it with the massive IP push Disney is on.

This is 100% not happening.

 

[bmr1591]

I’m personally convinced Encanto got pushed to AK because the plan is going to be to shove Arendelle into the back of MK including possibly rethemeing/tearing out Big Thunder. No rumors around it or anything like that and not saying I WANT that to happen. But I could see it with the massive IP push Disney is on.

They are not getting rid of or changing BTMRR.

 

[GhostHost1000]

They are not getting rid of or changing BTMRR.

I wish they'd plus it honestly... needs more effects

 

[Incomudro]

Villains are decidedly out of vogue in their recent films. Unless the “villain” is society itself.

Unfortunately, this is true.
Understanding the root causes of villianhood is in vogue in films now.

 

[Andrew25]

Honestly, the removal of Aladdin's Flying Carpets will do more for capacity improvements than having it operating lol with how much of a bottleneck it causes.

Just move it to DHS somewhere.

 

[Dcgc28]

They are not getting rid of or changing BTMRR.

I’m just saying 5 years ago you would’ve said the same with splash.

 

[Bill Cipher]

Again, boo to villains land. Villains are what make hero attractions great.

I get where you're coming from with this take; a villain without a hero or anti-hero as their foil does not make for a particularly compelling linear narrative, especially if said villain is not meant to grow or develop into a hero throughout the course of their story. But theme park attractions don't have to be traditional linear narratives. I think the appeal of a villains land lies solely in the atmosphere instead of narrative beats, much like the Haunted Mansion. That atmosphere doesn't even have to necessarily be spooky. An attraction based on Yzma and Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove could take place in Yzma's lab with a range of zany mad-scientist hijinks with an atmosphere that can be moody and wacky at the same time, all without being too scary for the littles. And just because a villains land exists does not mean villains would be retroactively removed from attractions where a hero faces a villain.

 

[Teddybearre]

I get where you're coming from with this take; a villain without a hero or anti-hero as their foil does not make for a particularly compelling linear narrative, especially if said villain is not meant to grow or develop into a hero throughout the course of their story. But theme park attractions don't have to be traditional linear narratives. I think the appeal of a villains land lies solely in the atmosphere instead of narrative beats, much like the Haunted Mansion. That atmosphere doesn't even have to necessarily be spooky. An attraction based on Yzma and Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove could take place in Yzma's lab with a range of zany mad-scientist hijinks with an atmosphere that can be moody and wacky at the same time, all without being too scary for the littles. And just because a villains land exists does not mean villains would be retroactively removed from attractions where a hero faces a villain.

Depending on how big they would want the Villains land to be, I could see Yzma getting an indoor c-ticket coaster themed to her lab, maybe something like a higher quality version of the Scooby Doo coaster at WB Australia. I’m seriously hoping Disney wouldn’t skimp out on the sheer amount of attractions they could do for this land, there’s way too much potential

 

[bmr1591]

Honestly, the removal of Aladdin's Flying Carpets will do more for capacity improvements than having it operating lol with how much of a bottleneck it causes.

Just move it to DHS somewhere.

Morocco Pavillion.

I’m just saying 5 years ago you would’ve said the same with splash.

Splash was tied to SotS. BTM is not.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Ear to the ground, it seems like this unified project may have now been split - both literally and figuratively - in a somewhat less ambitious arrangement. And it's still early.

 

[Bocabear]

I’m just saying 5 years ago you would’ve said the same with splash.

But they didn't tear out Splash...they re-skinned it...but the ride is still there... Rather than any of the other suggestions, it would be great if the area behind Big Thunder just became the new and improved Frontierland... Immersive with new attractions...like Frontierland felt back in the 1970s... Make the current Frontierland be a New Orleans Riverfront setting... It would add a better narrative to the park as you travel around the Rivers Of America loop...

 

[DisneyDodo]

Next DECADE is feasible. I’d imagine any full build-out of Beyond Big Thunder would stretch into the 2030s though.

Oh it’s certainly feasible. I just don’t think it’s the direction Disney will ultimately choose to go, given that they have so many other places they can expand to (and, more to their liking, so many existing attractions they can replace) that would require much less investment. I think it’s more likely we see a Moana E-ticket in the Adventureland expansion plot, something (Incredibles?) in the SGE building, something in the MK theater plot, and/or something new where the speedway currently sits before they build a new land all the way behind RoA.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Oh it’s certainly feasible. I just don’t think it’s the direction Disney will ultimately choose to go, given that they have so many other places they can expand to (and, more to their liking, so many existing attractions they can replace) that would require much less investment. I think it’s more likely we see a Moana E-ticket in the Adventureland expansion plot, something (Incredibles?) in the SGE building, something in the MK theater plot, and/or something new where the speedway currently sits before they build a new land all the way behind RoA.

Those options are certainly easier. Who knows. I expect more on DAK first, anyway.

 

[DisneyDodo]

I’m personally convinced Encanto got pushed to AK because the plan is going to be to shove Arendelle into the back of MK including possibly rethemeing/tearing out Big Thunder. No rumors around it or anything like that and not saying I WANT that to happen. But I could see it with the massive IP push Disney is on.

If Disney decides to build a Frozen-themed land at MK, I expect it would be set in the Enchanted Forest from Frozen 2 rather than Arendelle, considering that we essentially already have Arendelle in Epcot. It would be like the approach Universal took with Potter. First they built a land around the most iconic setting from the franchise (Hogwarts), and then they built a land set in a different location in order to differentiate it from the first.

Also, I don’t know why it would involve tearing out BTMR when they have an empty plot next door.