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

[doctornick]

DHS was thought to be "done" with expansion by leadership as recently as last year. Their attention for expansion has now focused to the NW corner.

I'm glad they have come to their senses on this. I can imagine that guest satisfaction surveys have shown that there needs to be more to do in DHS as when one or two rides go down (or need to be renovated), it rapidly becomes miserable.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I'm glad they have come to their senses on this. I can imagine that guest satisfaction surveys have shown that there needs to be more to do in DHS as when one or two rides go down (or need to be renovated), it rapidly becomes miserable.

Not that I have pity, as they're in a mess of their own making, but....

They have a *tight* needle to thread here. They need to add capacity in all four parks, but they need the added capacity to outpace the attendance upticks the expansions are sure to bring. They need ancillary attractions and entertainment to pull people away from the headliners. These are the same things they've been cutting for years now.

Think of how much better EPCOT would be with Cherry Tree Lane and the PLAY pavilion taking a chunk out of the crowd? DHS with its streetmosphere, an additional attraction or two in SWGE plus dining and a show or two? MK with something in the Stitch space, more Main Street entertainment, a fully-functioning day parade and a headlining night parade?

Frustrating.

 

[FigmentFan82]

Villians in MK phase 2 should NOT be avoided. Also all this talk that it would be scary for little kids, why is this an assumption? I would never expect Disney to build a villians land that would be truly dark and scary, but that fun version of the villains we see like in the Hocus Pus show during Halloween.

 

[aladdin2007]

I know I am in the minority but I was hoping for RSR behind Thunder,,,just from a theming standpoint etc I guess. If they plop coco back there,,,,then what,,,would it just be a coco land or what would be ancillary around it.....I know many here are saying no to RSR, I just think it would be a better fit as a better extension from Frontierland from great placemaking. Whatever they do has to be done right, its a one chance deal.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Not that I have pity, as they're in a mess of their own making, but....

They have a *tight* needle to thread here. They need to add capacity in all four parks, but they need the added capacity to outpace the attendance upticks the expansions are sure to bring. They need ancillary attractions and entertainment to pull people away from the headliners. These are the same things they've been cutting for years now.

Think of how much better EPCOT would be with Cherry Tree Lane and the PLAY pavilion taking a chunk out of the crowd? DHS with its streetmosphere, an additional attraction or two in SWGE plus dining and a show or two? MK with something in the Stitch space, more Main Street entertainment, a fully-functioning day parade and a headlining night parade?

Frustrating.

And if they expanded capacity with just C and D attractions and no big E ride, they'd be crucified on these boards.

Not that Disney should pay attention to the wailing that would ensue if it were the right thing to do for the parks.

 

[James Alucobond]

I know I am in the minority but I was hoping for RSR behind Thunder,,,just from a theming standpoint etc I guess. If they plop coco back there,,,,then what,,,would it just be a coco land or what would be ancillary around it.....I know many here are saying no to RSR, I just think it would be a better fit as a better extension from Frontierland from great placemaking. Whatever they do has to be done right, its a one chance deal.

Some Spanish mission-style facades along a dusty road seem a better transition away from 1890s Thunder Mountain than a canyon with a bunch of modern cars zooming around.

 

[SailorMercury]

Villians in MK phase 2 should NOT be avoided. Also all this talk that it would be scary for little kids, why is this an assumption? I would never expect Disney to build a villians land that would be truly dark and scary, but that fun version of the villains we see like in the Hocus Pus show during Halloween.

Literally just need a land themed around how fun it is being a villain instead of a “we’re terrible people and we’re gonna kill you!” land.

Also gonna need a full version of the song from the villains float in Boo-To-You released with this land.

 

[marni1971]

But that's the rub... the removing and relocating the backstage infrastructure behind Animation courtyard is exactly what would benefit the park the most by expanding the footprint of guest areas and helping to connect Animation with RNR (fixing the deadend for Sunset Blvd). If it were DLR and they had to squeeze in something, they would have no problem with moving heaven and earth to make use of every possible square inch. DHS deserves the same consideration even if it is costly.

I recall from when the big DHS revisions with TSL and GE were first being planned, there was also another "phase" of expansion - I think it was conceptually an Indiana Jones area - that @marni1971 had talked about for the Animation Courtyard area. So, doing something in that area has been thought about for a while and I'm sure they have plans in place for how they could address the backstage stuff there to make it work.

They do have usable land on the other side of World Dr. It wouldn't be the odd to just put backstage stuff there with an elevated walkway over the street for CMs to get to the park.

Between Anim courtyard and RnRc is an original expansion pad. It was looked at twice over the last 10-15 years IIRC.

Also worth remembering (again) using west of World Drive has also been considered at least twice.

 

[aladdin2007]

Some Spanish mission-style facades along a dusty road seem a better transition away from 1890s Thunder Mountain than a canyon with a bunch of modern cars zooming around.

that's fine but we are basically already getting that at AK with tropical americas

 

[James Alucobond]

that's fine but we are basically already getting that at AK with tropical americas

If the attraction is similar to what was originally proposed, the facade will include a mausoleum and churchyard, which is already fundamentally different. The setting of Coco is also more arid than tropical, and Spanish mission elements are already present steps away within and in the lead-up to Adventureland.

 

[ChewbaccaYourMum]

Indy still scores incredibly high, and takes a huge amount of people out of park circulation every couple of hours.

DHS was thought to be "done" with expansion by leadership as recently as last year. Their attention for expansion has now focused to the NW corner.

When you're saying the "NW corner" are you referencing this unused land circled in red? Or the Animation courtyard and area behind it circled in yellow?

 

[PREMiERdrum]

When you're saying the "NW corner" are you referencing this unused land circled in red? Or the Animation courtyard and area behind it circled in yellow?

Yellow. For now.

 

[Surferboy567]

Alicia Stella has said she believes Moana is going in Adventureland as a boat ride think mini Splash Mountain.

She also believes Coco is what lies beyond big thunder mountain using that more intense Soarin’ ride system.

 

[Coaster Lover]

Also worth remembering (again) using west of World Drive has also been considered at least twice.

Out of curiosity, how would that have worked logistically? Was the plans to remove/relocate World Dr, or would they have built a themed tunnel/bridge under/over World Drive?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Alicia Stella has said she believes Moana is going in Adventureland as a boat ride think mini Splash Mountain.

She also believes Coco is what lies beyond big thunder mountain using that more intense Soarin’ ride system.

Oh, wow, she believes what our insiders have been telling us for over a week!

 

[marni1971]

Out of curiosity, how would that have worked logistically? Was the plans to remove/relocate World Dr, or would they have built a themed tunnel/bridge under/over World Drive?

Bridge(s). There was an early proposal to bridge the drive to extend the park (with a wide walkway themed so not to see below). A very early proposal of what became RnRC had a coaster going over World Drive.

There was also a proposal to move guest parking over there with a new tram bridge routing around Fant and the lake and connecting to the main entrance.

 

[Surferboy567]

Oh, wow, she believes what our insiders have been telling us for over a week!

Can’t argue with you there

 

[doctornick]

When you're saying the "NW corner" are you referencing this unused land circled in red? Or the Animation courtyard and area behind it circled in yellow?

Yellow, as mentioned. The red area is preserved land given the types of trees in the area and isn't supposed to be touched (I want to say cypress trees, but I could be completely wrong)

 

[MisterPenguin]

Yellow, as mentioned. The red area is preserved land given the types of trees in the area and isn't supposed to be touched (I want to say cypress trees, but I could be completely wrong)

Cypress is correct.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Oh, wow, she believes what our insiders have been telling us for over a week!

It's not the destination, honey. It's the ride.