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

[Bocabear]

I wonder if they could take that whole backstage corridor on the right side of the pavilion and create a Mexican village street with a couple shops and flip the entrance to Cava De Tequila to the outside with an exit into the main pavilion...then the queue and expanded show building for the Coco attraction could be back there, and tie part of the original flume into into the newer building...which would then give them that portion of the old ride to develop into more exhibit/shopping space inside the main pavilion... Or leave to make the ride a longer experience...

 

[threvester]

I wonder if they could take that whole backstage corridor on the right side of the pavilion and create a Mexican village street with a couple shops and flip the entrance to Cava De Tequila to the outside with an exit into the main pavilion...then the queue and expanded show building for the Coco attraction could be back there, and tie part of the original flume into into the newer building...which would then give them that portion of the old ride to develop into more exhibit/shopping space inside the main pavilion... Or leave to make the ride a longer experience...View attachment 801822

Didnt realize this was the "beyond Mexico pavilion " thread...I gotta go find the Magic Kingdom one

 

[neo999955]

I am not a fan of doing all this work to Mexico to try and force Coco in with a ride it deserves when it also seems like a great fit to Magic Kingdom. It’s not an issue for other properties, why does this one need to be in EPCOT?

 

[Erdago]

I feel like my issue with putting Coco in Mexico is that in order for it to work logistically, you have to do a lot of reconstruction and redesign to both the pavilion and the surrounding areas well as a potential ride expansion… all in service of a likely haphazard retrofit. I really don’t see how any aspect of a Mexico expansion will make a better experience for anyone or anywhere (be it Disney, fans/audiences, Beyond Big Thunder expansion, Mexico pavilion, etc).

 

[Streetway]

Also, do we think Simpsons EVER comes to wdw? Ik it’s already been at universal for many many years, and the contract ending is still a few years away, snd is somewhat far from its best days, but high steaming numbers and high merchandisablity talk to modern Disney, and they def see the franchise as a top property imo. I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Maybe more on the unlikelier side but definitely not IMPOSSIBLE. Not a full land tho.

 

[Rosso11]

I really don’t see how any aspect of a Mexico expansion will make a better experience for anyone or anywhere (be it Disney, fans/audiences, Beyond Big Thunder expansion, Mexico pavilion, etc).

I think it comes down to the fact that many of us are very passionate about Epcot and have not liked the direction it has gone. There is now an IP mandate and Coco just fits so beautifully into Epcot, unlike brands such as Frozen and Guardians, that we see it as a huge missed opportunity to not figure out how to make it work there over MK. I’m sure the easier route is MK but personally for me I would much rather see it built next to the existing Mexico pavilion as an expansion of that pavilion. It would be a win win in my eyes.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

Also, do we think Simpsons EVER comes to wdw? Ik it’s already been at universal for many many years, and the contract ending is still a few years away, snd is somewhat far from its best days, but high steaming numbers and high merchandisablity talk to modern Disney, and they def see the franchise as a top property imo. I wouldn’t be surprised either way. Maybe more on the unlikelier side but definitely not IMPOSSIBLE. Not a full land tho.

I think Simpsons would be great for a fifth gate or a Disney Springs experience.
I don’t think it has any real place in the 4 existing WDW parks.

 

[Streetway]

I think Simpsons would be great for a fifth gate or a Disney Springs experience.
I don’t think it has any real place in the 4 existing WDW parks.

I think maybe some smaller thing could happen at DHS. Idk, star tours retheme (funny how time works) or a singular attraction at most. Not a full land. I think something at Disney springs will happen at one pint.

 

[Erdago]

I think it comes down to the fact that many of us are very passionate about Epcot and have not liked the direction it has gone. There is now an IP mandate and Coco just fits so beautifully into Epcot, unlike brands such as Frozen and Guardians, that we see it as a huge missed opportunity to not figure out how to make it work there over MK. I’m sure the easier route is MK but personally for me I would much rather see it built next to the existing Mexico pavilion as an expansion of that pavilion. It would be a win win in my eyes.

That would make sense to me if we were looking into a new Coco ride and expansion between Mexico and Norway (ala France with Ratatouille). However, I don’t think squeezing Coco into Grand Fiesta Tour would provide much net benefit to the pavilion, and the potential overcrowding and high chance of a messy conversion would lead to a reasonable chance of a next loss in quality of the pavilion.

 

[Rosso11]

That would make sense to me if we were looking into a new Coco ride and expansion between Mexico and Norway (ala France with Ratatouille). However, I don’t think squeezing Coco into Grand Fiesta Tour would provide much net benefit to the pavilion, and the potential overcrowding and high chance of a messy conversion would lead to a reasonable chance of a next loss in quality of the pavilion.

Yes and that’s exactly what they should do. Not convert but a new ride and area next door.

 

[Bocabear]

That would make sense to me if we were looking into a new Coco ride and expansion between Mexico and Norway (ala France with Ratatouille). However, I don’t think squeezing Coco into Grand Fiesta Tour would provide much net benefit to the pavilion, and the potential overcrowding and high chance of a messy conversion would lead to a reasonable chance of a next loss in quality of the pavilion.

with the creation of the village street and outside entrance to the ride along with the chance for some additional retail and QS expansion, it would be very similar to what they did with Ratatouille...The addition of a flume Expansion would give them some more space to do a really good attraction....and let's face it... El Rio De Tiempo and Where's Donald were never great rides... It was just a little something to do. If IP is the only way we can get better attractions, then put COCO in the Mexico pavilion where it makes sense and will fit seamlessly...Having more space for QS and an expanded Cava De Tequila would be great plusses for the Pavilion.

 

[Erdago]

with the creation of the village street and outside entrance to the ride along with the chance for some additional retail and QS expansion, it would be very similar to what they did with Ratatouille...The addition of a flume Expansion would give them some more space to do a really good attraction....and let's face it... El Rio De Tiempo and Where's Donald were never great rides... It was just a little something to do. If IP is the only way we can get better attractions, then put COCO in the Mexico pavilion where it makes sense and will fit seamlessly...Having more space for QS and an expanded Cava De Tequila would be great plusses for the Pavilion.

I think the primary difference in our viewpoints on the reimagining is that I have significantly less faith that whatever Coco refit would be added would be a better experience. Personally, I think that whatever replacement would be made would end up feeling cheap and shoehorned, and would not make a notably higher quality replacement. Also, even if it provided a slightly less flawed attraction than Grand Fiesta Tour, would it be the best for Coco compared to an actual expansion? Would Mexico really end up making the best use of the small expansion? I really don’t see it making it notably better at all.

 

[Bocabear]

The IP feels like a natural fit...not a shoehorn at all...Assuming they will do a terrible job with it is another thing altogether.... if done correctly it could be a beautiful new addition to the park....and the current ride is not a great one...never has been... So, assuming they have the talent to do a decent attraction, this could add a lot of plusses...or it could be lousy ... All of the pavilions could use at least one attraction....and recent IP, that is about the only one that fits perfectly in EPCOT.

 

[doctornick]

That would make sense to me if we were looking into a new Coco ride and expansion between Mexico and Norway (ala France with Ratatouille). However, I don’t think squeezing Coco into Grand Fiesta Tour would provide much net benefit to the pavilion, and the potential overcrowding and high chance of a messy conversion would lead to a reasonable chance of a next loss in quality of the pavilion.

Exactly. Adding Coco to Mexico would be fine as an addition. Queue on the side of the building where the Donald M&G is and then ride building in the back behind the Frozen M&G. Leave the pyramid and 3 Caballeros as is.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Add is fine. But, I do enjoy a lazy river ride in the AC...and the San Angel is such a great setting.

 

[BrianLo]

Are the armchair imagineers done? Coco was passed over for Epcot logistically and has grown to become a lot more popular in the intervening years. It isn’t coming to Epcot.

There are plenty of other things to use around showcase. Luca being a low hanging fruit. There are far more damaging and worrying things they could do to MK. Coco fortunately is one of the few that isn’t one of them.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

A Coco ride for Epcot should be a natural fit- and the park needs new attractions. So, add it to the right side of the pavilion and use a different ride system than a boat. Double win.

 

[aladdin2007]

I wonder if they could take that whole backstage corridor on the right side of the pavilion and create a Mexican village street with a couple shops and flip the entrance to Cava De Tequila to the outside with an exit into the main pavilion...then the queue and expanded show building for the Coco attraction could be back there, and tie part of the original flume into into the newer building...which would then give them that portion of the old ride to develop into more exhibit/shopping space inside the main pavilion... Or leave to make the ride a longer experience...View attachment 801822

neat and all but your blocking building on top of emergency access roads

 

[The Leader of the Club]

I think EPCOT needs to focus on adding rides to countries that don’t already have them before double-dipping in Mexico. Bring a Poppins dark ride to the UK, Luca in Italy, Germany can get a Rhine River Cruise, etc.

Let MK have Coco. That park needs solid quick service offerings and a live show, both of which are natural fits for that IP.

 

[aladdin2007]

I think EPCOT needs to focus on adding rides to countries that don’t already have them before double-dipping in Mexico. Bring a Poppins dark ride to the UK, Luca in Italy, Germany can get a Rhine River Cruise, etc.

Let MK have Coco. That park needs solid quick service offerings and a live show, both of which are natural fits for that IP.

Tangled would happen before that ever got considered again, unfortunately.