News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[Gusey]

The more I think about this project and compare to monsters, I don’t really think it’s a true cars land. Monsters to me is more of a true mini land while this seems more to me like cars attractions in whatever the new Frontierland is. Only thing that gets me is piston mountain top. I really hope they go more natural look. Hopefully that’s one of the concept art to final product changes.

It's not being marketed as a Cars Land though, it's marketed as 2 new attractions for Frontierland. Currently, Frontierland will still exist between Big Thunder and the Froniterland Trading Post/New DVC Lounge, it's just expanding the walkable area by turning Tom Sawyer Island and the Rivers of America into 2 Cars attractions

 

[MisterPenguin]

There's an Epic Universe thread.

This isn't it.

 

[MrPromey]

Disney often overlaps design and construction. Design work does not have to be very far along to start demolition and site prep.

I probably didn't articulate it well but what I meant was how far along they are in taking an abstract idea with concept art and putting that into functional designs.

Like with Pandora, it's pretty evident, they really didn't have much figured out when they rushed that announcement.

Everyone's making assumptions about actual track layout, water features, and ride systems based on that concept art which doesn't seem to be to real scale and wasn't designed featuring aspects of the park it's going in so beyond tearing down what's there, I'm just curious how early stage they actually are with things at this point.

Obviously, they could start throwing up walls and tearing up Frontierland tomorrow but have they mapped out a real ride layout? Are they ready to start creating show elements that will be installed because they know what space, environment and other elements will be available to build to?

Is there an actually paced out ride or is it just a ride system, approximate length, and IP?

That sort of stuff.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Its surprises me that so many wdw fans dont really seem to be in it for the attractions. Isnt attractions the main point?

its sad that the river is going. But the river aint a ride. they are adding new net attractions to the park. not getting rid of old attractions to do this expansion which is great.

No, theme and ambience are the hallmarks of Disney parks. Otherwise it's just a glorified Six Flags.

 

[celluloid]

Nintendo:

Yoshi will close
Donkey will close

Monsters:

Coaster will close

Dragon:

Coaster will close
Boat ride will close
Flat ride will close

Celestial Park:

Coaster will close

The only land that will not be impacted is Harry Potter. All other lands will be impacted. Probably the worst of which is Dragon.

All lands having outdoor things impacted does not mean majority of the park. Your claim of majority of park will close was false.

We can do the same thing to other parks, becuase every major theme park has outdoor attractions. There is a balance.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

We need to ban Six Flags mentions LOL. As someone who has been to every Six Flags in the chain, Dinorama (and maybe Cars Road Trip) is the only Six Flags-adjacent thing Disney has ever done and you could still argue it’s better than the parks not named Fiesta Texas.

Building a mismatched IP project is not “Six Flags”.

 

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

Also I think it should be known that IP for the sake of IP is not going away. However there is still a way to take popular IPs and integrate them into a properly themed ride. Check out this ChatGPT blurb with a prompt of a Cars Frontierland attraction, that fits the time era and checks the IP box:

“Get ready for an adrenaline-pumping ride with "Wagon Wheels to Turbo Thrills," where Disney’s Cars characters take you on an unforgettable journey through Frontierland! Join Lightning McQueen, Mater, and their friends as they drive you back in time to the 19th century to learn about their wagon ancestors. Your modern car transforms into a classic horse-drawn wagon, and you’ll race alongside the Cars gang through rugged mountain trails and across rickety wooden bridges. Feel the thrill of frontier adventure as you navigate treacherous terrain with a blend of high-speed excitement and old-time charm. Experience the fusion of Disney’s beloved Cars characters and the raw excitement of historic wagon races in this thrilling fusion of past and present!”

It boggles my mind that Imagineering is this creatively bankrupt, and MK may be altered beyond repair. You can’t unring the bell.

But AI and I can come up with a better, cohesive fit in 5 minutes.

The AI's proposal is even more of an "IP for the sake of IP" attraction, it's just "ride in a wagon with cartoon eyes while Lightning McQueen is there", it's like they took a western ride and slapped Lightning in it. Heck, it just sounds like exactly what we're getting but you're riding in a wagon instead of a car. AI is just taking random ideas and mashing them together, anyway. It's the antithesis of creativity.

You can claim Imagineering is "creatively bankrupt" but the reality is that Imagineering isn't in charge of what goes into the parks anymore. It's up to corporate to decide what gets added based on what they think will drive ticket, merch, and food sales. Imagineering gets told "do this for us" and they try the best they can to make it work. Iger gives them lemons, and they try their best to make lemonade.

 

[Gusey]

Everyone's making assumptions about actual track layout, water features, and ride systems based on that concept art which doesn't seem to be to real scale and wasn't designed featuring aspects of the park it's going in so beyond tearing down what's there, I'm just curious how early stage they actually are with things at this point.

Obviously, they could start throwing up walls and tearing up Frontierland tomorrow but have they mapped out a real ride layout? Are they ready to start creating show elements that will be installed because they know what space, environment and other elements will be available to build to?

Is there an actually paced out ride or is it just a ride system, approximate length, and IP?

That sort of stuff.

They have announced that construction is beginning in 2025, so we know they are further ahead than their plans for Villains land, Avatar at Disneyland and Coco at DCA, which are beginning construction 2026 and after. I think that the plans for this attraction are pretty likely at the moment

 

[tissandtully]

I'm in a group chat with Mike Carlson from Podcast: The Ride, who pointed out that the 5 Alvin and The Chipmunks films have out-earned all 10 Muppets movies. I made a spreadsheet and adjusted for inflation:

View attachment 809381

So box office means quality as some are arguing? Clearly the bastion of award winning animation, Alvin and the Chipmunks. The minions movies are pretty bad story-wise and still make bank.

 

[Raineman]

Its surprises me that so many wdw fans dont really seem to be in it for the attractions. Isnt attractions the main point?

its sad that the river is going. But the river aint a ride. they are adding new net attractions to the park. not getting rid of old attractions to do this expansion which is great.

I'm not sure what you think an attraction consists of, but both the Liberty Belle and TSI are attractions, which will be replaced by two Cars attractions, resulting in 0 net attraction gain for MK. Even if you just focus on rides specifically and not attractions in general, it's only a net increase of one (add 2 Cars rides, subtract the Liberty Belle ride). Now, if they kept ROA and TSI intact, and added the Cars attractions on an expansion pad, it would be a net gain of 2. Attractions are a big part of the WDW experience, but so is theming, atmosphere and setting, which is what TSI and ROA provide to that whole quarter of the park. If we start removing that for more rides, then MK will become more of an amusement park and less of a theme park.

 

[Nevermore525]

I'm not sure what you think an attraction consists of, but both the Liberty Belle and TSI are attractions, which will be replaced by two Cars attractions, resulting in 0 net attraction gain for MK. Even if you just focus on rides specifically and not attractions in general, it's only a net increase of one (add 2 Cars rides, subtract the Liberty Belle ride). Now, if they kept ROA and TSI intact, and added the Cars attractions on an expansion pad, it would be a net gain of 2. Attractions are a big part of the WDW experience, but so is theming, atmosphere and setting, which is what TSI and ROA provide to that whole quarter of the park. If we start removing that for more rides, then MK will become more of an amusement park and less of a theme park.

Won’t it eventually be 4 attractions? The front 4ish acres of ROA/TSI is cars and the back 9ish acres is Villains.

 

[Incomudro]

I'm not sure what you think an attraction consists of, but both the Liberty Belle and TSI are attractions, which will be replaced by two Cars attractions, resulting in 0 net attraction gain for MK. Even if you just focus on rides specifically and not attractions in general, it's only a net increase of one (add 2 Cars rides, subtract the Liberty Belle ride). Now, if they kept ROA and TSI intact, and added the Cars attractions on an expansion pad, it would be a net gain of 2. Attractions are a big part of the WDW experience, but so is theming, atmosphere and setting, which is what TSI and ROA provide to that whole quarter of the park. If we start removing that for more rides, then MK will become more of an amusement park and less of a theme park.

Disney does not know how to giveth without taketh awaying.

 

[Raineman]

Won’t it eventually be 4 attractions? The front 4ish acres of ROA/TSI is cars and the back 9ish acres is Villains.

Yeah, I was just referencing the Cars attractions in relation to removing ROA/TSI. Villains should be built without removing anything, so that is definitely a net addition to the park.

 

[wannabeBelle]

Yeah, I was just referencing the Cars attractions in relation to removing ROA/TSI. Villains should be built without removing anything, so that is definitely a net addition to the park.

I was curious so I looked it up. This link on Wikipedia lists all of the attractions in MK Current and Former. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic_Kingdom_attractions
I quickly looked them over and came up with over 10 attractions that have been lost and NOT replaced ( new name/ new theme/ etc) 5 of them alone in the Liberty Square/Frontierland area. There appears to be many more in Tomorrowland but still this highlights the need to build new and not simply replace the attractions in place currently. Marie

 

[John park hopper]

Said this before and I'll say it again for those of us who have been to WDW many times old rides become nostalgia. For first timers the old rides are new. There is no reason not to have both new and old. Space is not a factor at WDW they have 25,000 acres

 

[ThePhoenicians]

I've always wondered if there was a limit to the availability of employees to staff whole new expansion lands, etc. Perhaps Disney has experienced staff shortages and hiring slowdowns and knows that they don't have an unlimited supply of cast members, thus they opt for shifting them around (i.e., replacing attractions).

People always mention a fifth gate, but there's only so many people that can afford to live in the Orlando area while working on a Disney salary.

 

[Nickm2022]

Do we know if Car's is a new ride system by any chance?

I'd also like to say I agree and am upset that Car's is replacing ROA but it's clear Disney is dead set on this. What they are not dead set on is the location of Monsters at Hollywood Studios and think if we are going to campaign about keeping something safe, then let's campaign for Muppets to stay given that it's something Disney is still debating instead of campaigning for something they have already decided.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Won’t it eventually be 4 attractions? The front 4ish acres of ROA/TSI is cars and the back 9ish acres is Villains.

We don’t know that villains won’t remove / replace attractions.

Villians doesn’t require filling in the entire river.

 

[Nickm2022]

We don’t know that villains won’t remove / replace attractions.

Villians doesn’t require filling in the entire river.

I don't disagree but I do wonder if they shorten River's the amount they would need too to build Villains, then what's the point of keeping it. The Riverboat would be only 3-4 minutes. There's already no canoes. And the island would be smaller and be more dead than it already is. I'm not saying I want River's to go away but am saying I get if we're losing a majority of it why bother keeping a small reminder of what once was.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The Riverboat would be only 3-4 minutes.

More like 7-12 minutes - which is fine. It actually increases capacity and more guests might want to ride it if it’s a shorter time commitment.