Bridging MK's Frontierland and Liberty Square though Disney's love of IP

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

IP. Whether we love it or hate it - it is here to stay. It can be used to make an attraction more popular (as is the intent behind Disney's rumored decision to replace Country Bear Jamboree with Toy Story, Ugh!) or to create a land (as is the case with Star Wars or Pandora) However, during the ongoing thread of how best to save Country Bear Jamboree (and perhaps Frontierland) it occurred to me that IP can be used as a sort of glue or filler to fix problem areas. For this armchair discussion, I'll attempt to better connect lands in Magic Kingdom using IP. Here's the idea.

First, let me preface this by saying Country Bears Jamboree is a solid attraction. It's a classic. Much beloved. It's closure (rumored) would certainly disappoint many parkgoers. Toy Story integration, probably more so! Why must this IP be featured EVERYWHERE! What if, instead of more Toy Story IP Disney decided to close CBJ and relocate the show to Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge or Disney Springs?

There! Now that the Band-Aid has been properly ripped off with as little sting as possible let's resolve the CBJ vacancy and the larger expansion of Frontierland. Let's replace Country Bears! How you ask? Well, Disney could theme the area between Liberty Square and Frontierland to a new mini-land; a Bayou-themed district.

The land:
Cajun Country - a swampy Bayou-inspired New Orleans Square.

The visual land transitions would be:
Frontierland > Mossy Frontierland > Swampy Cajun Country> New Orleans Square > Liberty Square
The IP to make this all work, Disney's Princess and the Frog!

The attractions:
Ray's Bayou Band Jamboree: Featuring Louis - a musical revue of New Orleans' famous Zydeco and Blues music.
Tiana's Place - formerly Diamond Horseshoe
Mama Odie's Voodoo Gifts - formerly Trading Post
Shadowman's Arcana Arcade - formerly Shooting Gallery
Tiana and Prince Naveen M&G - created in a mock New Orleans Square/French Quarter area.

Disney gets their IP mandate and in the process we gain a new mini-land that seamlessly transitions into Liberty Square.

Now on to other side of Frontierland:

This side could see expansion near Big Thunder/Splash Mountain with focus on Myths and American Folklore.

The land:
Tall Tales Trail (working title)

New attractions could feature stories about John Henry, Paul Bunyan, etc. Fronterland's Myth and American Folklore expansion area could then trail into Tom Sawyer Island (rethemed to the story of Rip Van Winkle) including a leisure play area, some Yard Bowling, a game of Horseshoes, etc. That IP could then transition into another Washington Irving story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow IP, complete with attractions, covered bridge and all. That covered bridge would then takes us back to Liberty Square. A full circle, complete footpath expansion. No more dead ends at Frontierland and Liberty Square.

Oh at that Riverboat... well that works perfectly with the New Orleans Square - Bayou - Princess and the Frog IP too!

Everyone wins!? Toy Story stays in TSL. CBJ lives on at Fort Wildernes/Wilderness Lodge or Disney Springs. Disney's mandated IP-integration comes in the form of Princess and Frog (and others including the cult-classic Sleepy Hollow) New mini land expansions = Cajun Country and a Tall Tales section that cleans up the disharmonious themes of Splash and Big Thunder. IP is the glue that holds it all together.

Putting Toy Story in the Country Bear Jamboree building is, IMO a poor use of IP. Very limiting. This idea however at least tries to fix a larger issue and add MORE to the parks.
Thoughts?

 

[Miru]

This definitely works. Maybe also use IP to create a dark and gothic bridge between Fantasyland and Liberty Square? Your use of IP is fascinating.

 

[jt04]

IP. Whether we love it or hate it - it is here to stay. It can be used to make an attraction more popular (as is the intent behind Disney's rumored decision to replace Country Bear Jamboree with Toy Story, Ugh!) or to create a land (as is the case with Star Wars or Pandora) However, during the ongoing thread of how best to save Country Bear Jamboree (and perhaps Frontierland) it occurred to me that IP can be used as a sort of glue or filler to fix problem areas. For this armchair discussion, I'll attempt to better connect lands in Magic Kingdom using IP. Here's the idea.

First, let me preface this by saying Country Bears Jamboree is a solid attraction. It's a classic. Much beloved. It's closure (rumored) would certainly disappoint many parkgoers. Toy Story integration, probably more so! Why must this IP be featured EVERYWHERE! What if, instead of more Toy Story IP Disney decided to close CBJ and relocate the show to Fort Wilderness, Wilderness Lodge or Disney Springs?

There! Now that the Band-Aid has been properly ripped off with as little sting as possible let's resolve the CBJ vacancy and the larger expansion of Frontierland. Let's replace Country Bears! How you ask? Well, Disney could theme the area between Liberty Square and Frontierland to a new mini-land; a Bayou-themed district.

The land:
Cajun Country - a swampy Bayou-inspired New Orleans Square.

The visual land transitions would be:
Frontierland > Mossy Frontierland > Swampy Cajun Country> New Orleans Square > Liberty Square
The IP to make this all work, Disney's Princess and the Frog!

The attractions:
Ray's Bayou Band Jamboree: Featuring Louis - a musical revue of New Orleans' famous Zydeco and Blues music.
Tiana's Place - formerly Diamond Horseshoe
Mama Odie's Voodoo Gifts - formerly Trading Post
Shadowman's Arcana Arcade - formerly Shooting Gallery
Tiana and Prince Naveen M&G - created in a mock New Orleans Square/French Quarter area.

Disney gets their IP mandate and in the process we gain a new mini-land that seamlessly transitions into Liberty Square.

Now on to other side of Frontierland:

This side could see expansion near Big Thunder/Splash Mountain with focus on Myths and American Folklore.

The land:
Tall Tales Trail (working title)

New attractions could feature stories about John Henry, Paul Bunyan, etc. Fronterland's Myth and American Folklore expansion area could then trail into Tom Sawyer Island (rethemed to the story of Rip Van Winkle) including a leisure play area, some Yard Bowling, a game of Horseshoes, etc. That IP could then transition into another Washington Irving story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow IP, complete with attractions, covered bridge and all. That covered bridge would then takes us back to Liberty Square. A full circle, complete footpath expansion. No more dead ends at Frontierland and Liberty Square.

Oh at that Riverboat... well that works perfectly with the New Orleans Square - Bayou - Princess and the Frog IP too!

Everyone wins!? Toy Story stays in TSL. CBJ lives on at Fort Wildernes/Wilderness Lodge or Disney Springs. Disney's mandated IP-integration comes in the form of Princess and Frog (and others including the cult-classic Sleepy Hollow) New mini land expansions = Cajun Country and a Tall Tales section that cleans up the disharmonious themes of Splash and Big Thunder. IP is the glue that holds it all together.

Putting Toy Story in the Country Bear Jamboree building is, IMO a poor use of IP. Very limiting. This idea however at least tries to fix a larger issue and add MORE to the parks.
Thoughts?

Somone suggested opening up the CBJ space as dining. Something like Sonny Eclipse but using the band and music from PatF could work. I can smell the beinets and gumbo.

 

[jt04]

Strong rumblings that CBJ and Tiki are going. Something big is afoot. I think Moana is back in the mix. Just a guess.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ✨ ᗩζᗩᗰ]

Somone suggested opening up the CBJ space as dining. Something like Sonny Eclipse but using the band and music from PatF could work. I can smell the beinets and gumbo.

That'd work!

Strong rumblings that CBJ and Tiki are going. Something big is afoot. I think Moana is back in the mix. Just a guess.

Could be. Though I was under the impression that Moana was going to be a coaster. Sad to theorize but I wouldn't put it past them to make it a M&G. Would they do that to Tiki Birds?

 

[jt04]

Could be. Though I was under the impression that Moana was going to be a coaster. Sad to theorize but I wouldn't put it past them to make it a M&G. Would they do that to Tiki Birds?

Two theories. Yes, they would do that and it doesn't mean they wouldn't also build the coaster.

My other theory is that a New Orleans Square could be put across from Pecos Bills. Behind that quick serve stand. Kind of towards where the volcano was rumored.

I personally think Tron got the volcano budget. Very expensive.

BTW an immersive Moana M&G could be awesome. Plenty of ways to pay homage to the Tiki room and have it be as interactive as the Belle attraction. Would be very popular.
.

 

[Ghost93]

With the planned retheme of Splash Mountain to Princess and the Frog, your ideas could help made the new version of the attraction fit within the land. A Princess and the Frog Splash Moutain set in the Bayou is out of place in Frontierland as is. But if we change the entire street leading up to Splash to be New Orleans/PatF themed, then suddenly it fits right in!

I love the idea of a Sleepy Hollow Ride, as well as the idea of exploring American legends like John Henry and Paul Bunyan. (I believe there was a package movie hosted by James Earle Jones like 20 years ago that featured a John Henry short).

 

[oogie boogie man]

I'd love to see a "Sleepy Hollow" dark ride. You could even be on a horse like in the classic cartoon.

 

[itsy bitsy spider]

Kids are such wimps nowadays though that you couldn't really do Sleepy Hollow justice. Disney had to change Snow White because a few of them peed themselves.

 

[Brer Panther]

Does this involve the Splash Mountain retheme at all?

 

[Ghost93]

Kids are such wimps nowadays though that you couldn't really do Sleepy Hollow justice. Disney had to change Snow White because a few of them peed themselves.

I think part of the problem with the original Snow White ride is that it did not promote itself as a scary ride. It just said "Snow White's Adventures." So people were expecting to see Snow White and fun songs with the dwarfs and were caught off guard when the entire ride consisted of a (very scary) witch chasing you. THey later toned down the ride and gave people a warning by changing the name to "Snow White's scary adventures."

I think if the Sleepy Hollow ride is called "Escape from the Headless Horseman" or something to that effect people should have a pretty good idea going in that it's going to be a more intense ride.

Also, I don't think the problem is that kids are too sensitive nowadays. The problem is the parents are too sensitive nowadays and think their children can't handle anything. Many kids actually like to get scared as long as it doesn't traumatize them. Kids — like teenagers and adults – often see it as a fun challenge to get through something scary.

 

[itsy bitsy spider]

I think part of the problem with the original Snow White ride is that it did not promote itself as a scary ride. It just said "Snow White's Adventures." So people were expecting to see Snow White and fun songs with the dwarfs and were caught off guard when the entire ride consisted of a (very scary) witch chasing you. THey later toned down the ride and gave people a warning by changing the name to "Snow White's scary adventures."

I think if the Sleepy Hollow ride is called "Escape from the Headless Horseman" or something to that effect people should have a pretty good idea going in that it's going to be a more intense ride.

Also, I don't think the problem is that kids are too sensitive nowadays. The problem is the parents are too sensitive nowadays and think their children can't handle anything. Many kids actually like to get scared as long as it doesn't traumatize them. Kids — like teenagers and adults – often see it as a fun challenge to get through something scary.

It's not even scary though, I was watching Jaws and Halloween when I was 5 years old. And I'm completely normal, except for never going in the water or near strangers with masks.