News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[ToTBellHop]

So basically we lost the ROA because they hate us?

It’s more complicated than that. We all knew access to the new expansion around RoA would be very challenging to hook up, and it was becoming cost-prohibitive to build everything there at this point. So, instead, they will replace the area that makes access to the expansion so challenging, set up much of the expansion to hold construction materials, and then have it set aside for further expansion in the decades ahead instead of basically using all of their expansion space for a few rides. I actually think they are planning for the future pretty well even if I do wish we could keep the RoA.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Again, this is not accurate.

Florida Building Code, Accessibility:

• 201.1.1 requires vertical access to all levels
• 202.3 requires updates to spaces being altered
• 221.1.1 reiterates the requirement for vertical access in assembly spaces (restaurants are assembly per Florida Building Code, Building 303.3)
• 226.2 requires dispersion of accessible dining surfaces

And again, trying to have even employees carry a bunch of food up and down narrow stairs is a recipe for disaster.

 

[osian]

Thank you! Was 12:50 AM my time. But my first BBC Radio interview! So excited.

And wow, that's a great show. Very smart people.

What station and programme was it? I guess Radio 4?

 

[Starship824]

It’s more complicated than that. We all knew access to the new expansion around RoA would be very challenging to hook up, and it was becoming cost-prohibitive to build everything there at this point. So, instead, they will replace the area that makes access to the expansion so challenging, set up much of the expansion to hold construction materials, and then have it set aside for further expansion in the decades ahead instead of basically using all of their expansion space for a few rides.

I guess so. But what was stopping them from at least keeping the water front and docking the river boat and just doing bridges to get the new area. Why do have to remove the entire area. Why can't we have a compromise?

 

[spresso81]

The fact they killed off ROA and are spending more money to do so shows the true make-up of Disney corporate.

I hope all the people cheering this or mocking the people who do not like the decision enjoy riding the Moana boat ride which should have gone to Adventure land in their dreams (as it has been rumored to have been cut for this ROA kill vs Beyond BTM).

We could have had Moana, Cars, Villains and kept ROA. As TD2000 said in another thread, if they really cared about guest experience throw some of the lost ROA experiences back (2nd riverboat and keel boats).

 

[ToTBellHop]

I guess so. But what was stopping them from at least keeping the water front and docking the river boat and just doing bridges to get the new area. Why do have to remove the entire area. Why can't we have a comprise?

They need it all for the four rides they’ll build. If they kept some river, we’d claim the Cars E-ticket was too short.

 

[Raineman]

They need it all for the four rides they’ll build. If they kept some river, we’d claim the Cars E-ticket was too short.

Four rides? Where was this confirmed?

 

[Horizons '83]

Four rides? Where was this confirmed?

Assuming they are talking about Cars + Villains

 

[jason976]

Which is part of the problem. They’re fuzzy because they probably know when budget cuts hit they’ll be the first to go. Just like the fountain in World Celebration (which for what it’s worth, I actually think overall is an improvement over what was there before. Which should tell people something about how willing I am to defend Disney) This just feels like a massive miss. RoA is a feature of every castle park around the world, it is part of what makes the parks special. And they’re just going to pave over it. And for Cars. I’ll admit the area looks nice, if it actually ends up looking like the concept art (which it won’t because it never does). But put it literally *anywhere else.

People can do whatever mental gymnastics they want to justify putting cars in between Liberty square, Frontierland, and HM but to me it makes no sense.

And what hurts the most is they knew this would be unpopular. They knew it’d be controversial which is why they didn’t announce it at d23. They knew it’d be unpopular and they don’t care. They’re going to plow ahead anyway.

I have no actual hope of this happening but it’s the first time I’ve actually wished for a project to get scaled back from the concept art. Scale it back to keep the front of the river and LB and build behind.

Here again - you are assuming the people who are excited are doing “mental gymnastics” to justify this instead of just admitting that we just disagree. I was immediately excited for this and I still am. I’m not forcing myself or doing mental gymnastics. See

I appreciate your comment and do not take it as combative. I think there are things to look forward to here with this. I am not lamenting the loss, necessarily, of TSI. I think dropping Cars land - which I think will be BEAUTIFUL; I adore Carsland DCA - against the backdrop of what’s there already just feels very incongruent. Then the solution becomes, what do we now need to do to change LS and HM and all those areas to mesh well with Cars land.

I don’t begrudge anyone for being excited and hopeful. In my mind, it’s not worth getting worked up over because some of us seem to care about certain aspects of this stuff more than the designers themselves.

Really appreciate the response. Sometimes everyone respecting others people’s stances and values is all this board needs. (And this country for that matter) . Now let’s all hold hands and sing a round of “I’d like to buy the world a coke….”

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Universal is keeping their lagoons tho

There making more lagoons and water features, moping up what Disney has abandoned and I think it’s a great move.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

To me the problem isn't specifically IPs, it's the way they are being used. It feels like Imagineering is being given the hotest IPs, being told which parts of the park are underperforming and being told to just make it work. Look at the descriptions of Encanto and Indy for AK. It's clear that they are forcing an animal element into them to make them "fit" into the park instead of doing something that is a more natural fit for the park, even using other IPs. These sorts of decision seem to tie the hands of the Imagineering and it makes it difficult to do the very careful, well thought out design work that made Disney what it is today.

I really don't see that honestly. A mythical creature in a temple? That definitely fits. That's like saying Disney wanted to "Do a generic mountain coaster in WDW and forced the Yeti in to fit in the park instead of just putting it in MK where it would belong"

 

[DCLcruiser]

You said “it’s not going to be seen by a lot of guests”.

Not in comparison to the "center;" Castle or Main St. I will also argue that the vast majority of guests are focused on Fantasyland, Tomorrowland and Adventureland. Then if you want to venture wayyyyy to the back, you get the LS and FL. I could be very wrong, but I think the demographic of MK skews towards Fantasyland above all else.

 

[the_rich]

Four rides? Where was this confirmed?

2 in cars and 2 for villains

 

[Brian]

Just so we're al clear: if the leadership at Disney is willing to do this, they are willing to do much, much more.

At risk of sounding ultra-dramatic, it truly is over. And I don't mean that these parks can't be enjoyed by families (they will be). Nor do I mean that every historic aspect of these parks will be gone overnight.

What I mean is that today's dopamine addicted society has convinced Disney that the historic values and ideas that were the bedrock of these parks are no longer important or valuable. I don't know how long it will be but one day, every last facet of these ideas will be gone and Walt Disney World will be indistinguishable from Universal Orlando. My guess is about 20 years left before it's all gone.

Well said. Sadly, the pixie dusters and other apologists will simply wave away our concerns with the usual "Walt said we keep moving forward" or other such nonsense, as if Walt would be in favor of the dumbing down of his vision.

 

[danlb_2000]

I really don't see that honestly. A mythical creature in a temple? That definitely fits. That's like saying Disney wanted to "Do a generic mountain coaster in WDW and forced the Yeti in to fit in the park instead of just putting it in MK where it would belong"

My point is, they had to add the mythical creature part to make it fit, whereas something like Lion King or Jungle Book would naturally fit the theme without have to add anything.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

There making more lagoons and water features, moping up what Disney has abandoned and I think it’s a great move.

I HATE Universals lagoons. Makes it a pain to walk around Universal/get to where you're going since its so ride heavy. I WISH they would fill in the main parks one because that park could use it ngl

 

[lazyboy97o]

My understanding was the other option was Cars goes where Beyond Big Thunder will eventually be. So we'd keep Rivers of America, get Villains, and get Cars. And that would be it for MK under the current land development paperwork. (I could be wrong.)

This seems to ignore other previously identified sites such as the Fire Mountain site.

 

[AidenRodriguez731]

My point is, they had to add the mythical creature part to make it fit, whereas something like Lion King or Jungle Book would naturally fit the theme without have to add anything.

Would Expedition Everest fit with a generic mountain coaster?

 

[DCLcruiser]

As a Brit, I find this a very strange sentiment. You guys realise that many of our theme parks over in Northern Europe already have log flumes, right?

You have other theme parks besides Disney?

 

[danlb_2000]

Would Expedition Everest fit with a generic mountain coaster?

I think that works because it's part of the natural world of Asia. The Imagineers had the freedom to come up with something that complimented that part of the park without have to be tied to an existing IP.