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

[Andrew25]

On one of the Disney Dish podcasts, Len and Jim seemed to indicate that a new hotel "in the park" could be built back here as well.

If I was Disney with the current overcrowding at Mainstreet for fireworks and exiting I would build the following as part of this expansion:

• New "in the park" hotel with a back entrance to MK straight into the expansion ($$$)
• New large projection Icon that can run a different show in conjunction with the same fireworks (hopefully spread some Mainstreet crowds out like DLR does with F!, small world, and GE)
• AP/DVC dedicated parking lot next to hotel with access to same back entrance (APs no longer need to crowd the monorail/boat to get to and from their car, also less people leaving and entering on main street). 100% optional, these guests can still use main entrance if desired.
• A bus route that just runs to the TTC and back

Agree partially with some stuff... I think all they really need to do is build a Skyliner from TTC to MK.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

Agree partially with some stuff... I think all they really need to do is build a Skyliner from TTC to MK.

I say connect the skyliner to all 4 parks. Would be such a nice time-saver, and admit it - the Skyliner over the Seven Seas would be absolutely stunning visually. That interweaving with the monorail, boats, etc, would create such insane ambiance

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

I say connect the skyliner to all 4 parks. Would be such a nice time-saver, and admit it - the Skyliner over the Seven Seas would be absolutely stunning visually. That interweaving with the monorail, boats, etc, would create such insane ambiance

No, I disagree. The Skyliner towers are ugly and the Seven Seas Lagoon has always been so free of obstruction. As much as they may need to offer more options to clear out the crowds, this is not the answer. Imagine the view from the Contemporary of the awful Poly Tower with Skyliner metal beams in the foreground. Yikes!

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

No, I disagree. The Skyliner towers are ugly and the Seven Seas Lagoon has always been so free of obstruction. As much as they may need to offer more options to clear out the crowds, this is not the answer. Imagine the view from the Contemporary of the awful Poly Tower with Skyliner metal beams in the foreground. Yikes!

It could be off to the side. Or even better, make a Contemporary style resort but instead of a monorail going through its in the same style as the skyline itself and has a stop right in the lobby. But it could be off to the side, with trees disguising the beams

 

[doctornick]

It will never happen, but my dream for a BBTM would be an expansion of Frontierland with a version of Western River Expedition. I think they would get an incredible amount of positive press and street cred with "Disney fans" by bringing some version of Marc Davis' idea to life.

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

It will never happen, but my dream for a BBTM would be an expansion of Frontierland with a version of Western River Expedition. I think they would get an incredible amount of positive press and street cred with "Disney fans" by bringing some version of Marc Davis' idea to life.

Western River Expedition...with Woody and Jesse!

 

[Purduevian]

Agree partially with some stuff... I think all they really need to do is build a Skyliner from TTC to MK.

That alone doesn't solve the issue of actually getting out of MK funneled through Mainstreet (the bypass helps, but there is still a choke point under the railroad). I think a back entrance with a hotel, AP/DVC parking lot, and a direct bus route to the TTC could at least relieve some of the pressure. The big issue is you can't force people to use this alternative entrance/exit as so many people want to enter through Main Street, however if it was known that after fireworks you could wait 10 mins for a bus at the back of the park or 45 mins for a monorail/ferry to take you back to the TTC, I think many people will take the shorter wait.

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

I think what would help a lot is adding a Monorail stop in Tomorrowland. It works so well at Disneyland, and the Monorail aesthetic would fit, and with the extensive transportation network already, I think its a perfect idea. Just have tapstiles at the exit, and you can't get off the monorail at that stop unless you have a ticket

 

[Andrew25]

That alone doesn't solve the issue of actually getting out of MK funneled through Mainstreet (the bypass helps, but there is still a choke point under the railroad). I think a back entrance with a hotel, AP/DVC parking lot, and a direct bus route to the TTC could at least relieve some of the pressure. The big issue is you can't force people to use this alternative entrance/exit as so many people want to enter through Main Street, however if it was known that after fireworks you could wait 10 mins for a bus at the back of the park or 45 mins for a monorail/ferry to take you back to the TTC, I think many people will take the shorter wait.

That bottleneck is never going away, no way Disney doesn't make you pass by the Emporium/Confectionary/etc.

A lot of the congestion is mostly due to the lack of queuing space for the ferry/monorail, causing things to backup. I think they need to figure out a way to add some sort of extended queue off to the northern side of the monorail platform along with an improved loading area to increase capacity and make loading more efficient for wheelchairs/strollers.

 

[𝕴𝖒𝖆𝖌𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖗97]

I think what would help a lot is adding a Monorail stop in Tomorrowland. It works so well at Disneyland, and the Monorail aesthetic would fit, and with the extensive transportation network already, I think its a perfect idea. Just have tapstiles at the exit, and you can't get off the monorail at that stop unless you have a ticket

IF they were to ever extend the Monorail (which is less than a 0.001% of ever happening), I don't think they would go that route (no pun intended). This would require modification of the current track, as opposed to an entirely new build, say, to Animal Kingdom.

But again, Monorail expansion is not happening, as much as we have begged for years and years.

 

[aladdin2007]

No, I disagree. The Skyliner towers are ugly and the Seven Seas Lagoon has always been so free of obstruction. As much as they may need to offer more options to clear out the crowds, this is not the answer. Imagine the view from the Contemporary of the awful Poly Tower with Skyliner metal beams in the foreground. Yikes!

while I agree 100%, its pretty much ruined now with that downtown office building monstrosity aka poly towers. thanks Disney. so adding the skyliner will just add to the mess, might as well at this point, nothing matters anymore to them.

 

[Bocabear]

Also the Skyliner has to shut down during any thunderstorm...which makes for a huge problem in a tropical region... I like the Skyliner, but it is not as dependable than something like the Monorail they really just need to put in an elevated transport train like many airports and cities have... get rid of the busses completely and just buckle down and do it right from the start. Leave the original Monorail system in place and supplement with a new system....and one that will not be hampered by weather conditions...

 

[Clyde Birdbrain]

I really like the idea of an AP/DVC parking lot. What about adding more ferries? They have 2 docks on each side. There could be 4 ferries going back and forth instead of 2.

 

[UNCgolf]

I say connect the skyliner to all 4 parks. Would be such a nice time-saver, and admit it - the Skyliner over the Seven Seas would be absolutely stunning visually. That interweaving with the monorail, boats, etc, would create such insane ambiance

That really wouldn't work well. It would cost way too much money for a system that's inefficient over long distances (it's slow even over straight line distances, but when factoring in the necessity of turn stations it slows down even more) and has to shut down regularly in the summer.

Some of those potential Skyliner trips would be at least 30 minutes long, and some could take 45+ minutes.

It would be fantastic if they had some kind of mass transit system that connected all four parks (and resorts, and Disney Springs) -- it's just that the Skyliner specifically isn't a very good option for that.

 

[Purduevian]

I really like the idea of an AP/DVC parking lot. What about adding more ferries? They have 2 docks on each side. There could be 4 ferries going back and forth instead of 2.

Yeah I got the idea from watching some bloggers that often complain about how long it takes them to get to MK vs the other parks. I think many APs that are so regular at WDW would love to cut out the Ferry/Monorail. Regarding the Ferries, I think they actually run 3 quite often Richard F. Irvine, Admiral Joe Fowler, and General Joe Potter. I guess it would be possible to add a 4th, but it's already a bit of a dance when all 3 are on the water.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Yeah I got the idea from watching some bloggers that often complain about how long it takes them to get to MK vs the other parks. I think many APs that are so regular at WDW would love to cut out the Ferry/Monorail. Regarding the Ferries, I think they actually run 3 quite often Richard F. Irvine, Admiral Joe Fowler, and General Joe Potter. I guess it would be possible to add a 4th, but it's already a bit of a dance when all 3 are on the water.

I love the creative / thematic choice to build MK the way they did, but it’s just not really feasible anymore. It is such a pain to get in / out of the park, for that reason MK has become one of my least visited.

 

[Bocabear]

I love the creative / thematic choice to build MK the way they did, but it’s just not really feasible anymore. It is such a pain to get in / out of the park, for that reason MK has become one of my least visited.

There is transportation right to the entrance.... I know at the other parks you can park in the parking lot and hike to the gate, but taking a monorail or ferry is not bad... actually pretty pleasant

 

[Purduevian]

I love the creative / thematic choice to build MK the way they did, but it’s just not really feasible anymore. It is such a pain to get in / out of the park, for that reason MK has become one of my least visited.

I am assuming you are an AP or DVC owner. Would you go more often if there was a parking lot in the back of MK with a back entrance you could just walk into the park from?

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I am assuming you are an AP or DVC owner. Would you go more often if there was a parking lot in the back of MK with a back entrance you could just walk into the park from?

Yes. I think they either need to find an effective way to manage crowds and offer an option to enter/exit the park another way

 

[ToTBellHop]

Yes. I think they either need to find an effective way to manage crowds and offer an option to enter/exit the park another way

Hmmm…another way in…hmmm…