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

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That’s what I’m thinking. I think it was also discussed that Epcot was considering getting a third entrance near Germany but it was determined that the labor costs long term wasn’t worth it. The new entrance would require security, turnstile greeters, guest relations, vacation planners etc. They’ve done a lot to fix the MK arrival area, the issue now is there’s less nighttime entertainment to spread out the mass exodus at night that slams the transportation systems. If they would go back to the night parade/fireworks/parade/projection show model it would almost certainly alleviate the transportation issue.

Oh…one of my favorites

The “canal plan” from Caribbean past the new Brazil pavilion

 

[GhostHost1000]

Well there I agree

My apologies…people have taken the board vote last week and decided that they’re gonna go nuts and build all over the place

…but that is not what it means

Bummer. I was hoping to plan a trip next year for the 5th gate and all the new things

 

[Tha Realest]

Some on here keep emphasizing Disney has a stated plan of spending $17bn exclusively on new WDW attractions.

I have a stated plan of being back to my early 20’s weight by the time our neighborhood pool opens.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I mean, talk about problematic. It’ll take the peanut gallery about five minutes to realize the Disney characters of color are being associated with Frontierland and Adventureland. Which makes Fantasyland a de facto white Eurocentric land. Modern Disney’s okay with that but not the connotations of “the frontier”?

Frontierland's biggest sin is not having any current IP or franchise associated with it.

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Lone Ranger been a hit series that was pushed in the parks...and how much of that movie would be seen as too problematic not even 10 years later.

 

[James Alucobond]

My apologies…people have taken the board vote last week and decided that they’re gonna go nuts and build all over the place

People have taken subsequent meetings where they’ve reaffirmed their intent to build all over the place to mean that maybe they’ll build all over the place. Also recent permit filings and the statement that the CFTOD issue was a blocker that has now been removed. It has little to do with the board vote.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Alright please forgive me, but the tin-foil hat is on.

In the recent video from WDI about the Tiana's Bayou Adventure animatronics, there are a number of b-roll shots throughout the video containing aspects from a variety of different projects. Most of these include projects we've already seen come to fruition like Journey of Water and Shanghai Pirates, but there was one incredibly specific clip that caught my eye. At the 7:25 mark of the video we see two imagineers, one of them wearing a virtual reality headset, reviewing some kind of test footage.



The shot only lasts for 26 frames but from what I can tell here, whatever they're testing seems entirely unfamiliar to me and appears to be a VR preliminary ride-through POV. The test footage has a silhouette of a ride vehicle in the bottom of the frame which stops in front of two pillars looking into a hallway with purple/dark blue walls. A light shines on a small figure in the center of view, who then promptly does a backflip as the light turns off and the ride vehicle pans away from the scene. In the room surrounding the imagineers, the walls are covered by large project boards covered in a wide variety of images. Most are too out of focus to discern, but on the right wall you can barely make out an image of Sorcerer Mickey, a silhouette of the Genie, and a character who resembles Ariel. Upon reviewing the footage, Sorcerer Mickey appears to be the backflipping character in the test footage.

View attachment 777635
View attachment 777636 Sorcerer Mickey
View attachment 777637 The Genie
View attachment 777638 Ariel?
View attachment 777639 Sorcerer Mickey in the test footage?
View attachment 777640 Closer

With that said, the first thing that comes to my mind when discussing an attraction with Sorcerer Mickey is Villains Land and the fan concept of "Fantasmic but it's a ride." Do you think this could be a very early draft of the Villains E-ticket? Or is this some other project I can't recall/something else entirely? Would love if any insiders could chime in.

INSANE catch. That is a DEEP dive. It's very possible, but of course, whatever ended up in the video was on purpose, so they had to know someone would notice... very interesting.
Edit - went to the next page, never mind

 

[TalkingHead]

Frontierland's biggest sin is not having any current IP or franchise associated with it.

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Lone Ranger been a hit series that was pushed in the parks...and how much of that movie would be seen as too problematic not even 10 years later.

Maybe the most surprising decision at MK over the past two decades is the fact that Toy Story or Woody never got a permanent chunk of Frontierland. Is he also on a list now? Okay for future sequels but not park additions?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Maybe the most surprising decision at MK over the past two decades is the fact that Toy Story or Woody never got a permanent chunk of Frontierland.

That was the rumored replacement for Country Bears, one that Disney insisted was not true.

 

[TalkingHead]

That was the rumored replacement for Country Bears, one that Disney insisted was not true.

WRE remixed with Toy Story woulda been a killer addition around 2010 or so.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

Maybe the most surprising decision at MK over the past two decades is the fact that Toy Story or Woody never got a permanent chunk of Frontierland. Is he also on a list now? Okay for future sequels but not park additions?

I think Toy Story Land is what ultimately stopped that from happening. I feel like there’s a world where TSL never gets built and we’re all debating whether Sheriff Woody’s Yeehaw Falls is going to live up to Splash Mountain.

 

[TalkingHead]

I think Toy Story Land is what ultimately stopped that from happening. I feel like there’s a world where TSL never gets built and we’re all debating whether Sheriff Woody’s Yeehaw Falls is going to live up to Splash Mountain.

A Pixar riff on Knott’s log flume made too much sense.

Wonder why a modified Carsland or at least the ride wasn’t considered for the Frontierland expansion. Because of the Lassiter associations? Seems like an obvious fit otherwise.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Some on here keep emphasizing Disney has a stated plan of spending $17bn exclusively on new WDW attractions.

I have a stated plan of being back to my early 20’s weight by the time our neighborhood pool opens.

It’s funny what the imagination can do? See I never had to dream that the sweater said “$17 billion on rides at wdw”…

Frontierland's biggest sin is not having any current IP or franchise associated with it.

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Lone Ranger been a hit series that was pushed in the parks...and how much of that movie would be seen as too problematic not even 10 years later.

Right…more ip…

I forgot Disney fans are apparently the DUMBEST fanbase in history.

It’s amazing we’ve learned the skills to both wield fire and tie our shoelaces

 

[GhostHost1000]

Frontierland's biggest sin is not having any current IP or franchise associated with it.

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Lone Ranger been a hit series that was pushed in the parks...and how much of that movie would be seen as too problematic not even 10 years later.

Can’t do Lone Ranger, ya know, it had guns

 

[MisterPenguin]

Can’t do Lone Ranger, ya know, it had guns

Space Ranger Spin, you're now in the crosshairs!!!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

People have taken subsequent meetings where they’ve reaffirmed their intent to build all over the place to mean that maybe they’ll build all over the place. Also recent permit filings and the statement that the CFTOD issue was a blocker that has now been removed. It has little to do with the board vote.

The amount of exaggerated expectations in the last 5 days alone is worthy of screamscape at this point.

There is really no basis to believe they won’t piecemeal this as they have since 2010

So far you have a reskinned land and “something” resembling NFL in the magic kingdom…we should just call it “NFRL” and get it over with

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Can’t do Lone Ranger, ya know, it had guns

And it flopped

And had a star that liked to show his junk on the internet…or something?

And I’m not even talking about Johnny depp (for once)

 

[GhostHost1000]

Space Ranger Spin, you're now in the crosshairs!!!

Laser lights shooting at targets though, not bullets killing humans

Still have guns in pirates and haunted mansion though

 

[GhostHost1000]

And it flopped

And had a star that liked to show his junk on the internet…or something?

And I’m not even talking about Johnny depp (for once)

They should put that on D+

and I’m not even talking about the movie

 

[UNCgolf]

I think Toy Story Land is what ultimately stopped that from happening. I feel like there’s a world where TSL never gets built and we’re all debating whether Sheriff Woody’s Yeehaw Falls is going to live up to Splash Mountain.

That might be a better timeline.

I do think Tiana looks like it could be really good, but TSL is just awful. A Toy Story ride in Splash Mountain with something much better -- not necessarily in quality (although I think the quality is poor too) but in efficient land use -- in the TSL space at DHS would probably be better overall for the parks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They should put that on D+

and I’m not even talking about the movie

It would get more view than Wish, the Marvels and Little Mermaid combined