MK Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[DisDude33]

Let’s just say we have no plans to return anytime in the near future. Instead, we have two cruises and a trip to Europe coming up over the next coupla’ years.
Our first of the two cruises (week-long, non-Disney) starts on the 28th of this month.
And, crap like that is a large part of the reason.

I have been a big advocate of alternating vaccinations between Disney and actually seeing the world and new things.

I’m actually moving to Florida in a few days and will live like half an hour away from MK so WDW will become a place to go on the weekends for my family which opens us up for more non-Disney vacations.

 

[SamusAranX]

If they follow what we saw in the concept art, walking around Liberty Square/Frontierland will have a beautified view of natural wonder and waterfront compared to the current swamp and trees.

And if you don't like the Cars integration, just stick to the perimeter of frontierland and pretend the attraction in the middle doesn't exist like the vast majority of people do now

Acting like this is the decision that downgrades the Magic Kingdom to a Six Flags or Mish Mash of the Universal parks is a little dramatic.

Not dramatic at all. It’s not just the RoA, and it’s not just MK. It’s a collective amount of decisions across MK, HS, and Epcot that are making the parks interchangeable and less and less thematically unique. That doesn’t make them six flags level (that is to me, dramatic) but yes, makes it closer to the Universal model pre-Epic; just the IP flavor of the month and wherever they can throw it. Don’t get me wrong, IoA is still a good to great theme park, and USF has been a good park as well in times past. But Disney can, and used to do better.

 

[SamusAranX]

So, are you going to stop going then?

No, but this is a Disney fan forum where people can and should express their opinions and yes, that includes frustration.

 

[DisDude33]

No, but this is a Disney fan forum where people can and should express their opinions and yes, that includes frustration.

I have nothing against expressing frustrations or criticisms of Disney. The post was just so passionate that I was legitimately curious if it was a final straw moment.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I have nothing against expressing frustrations or criticisms of Disney. The post was just so passionate that I was legitimately curious if it was a final straw moment.

I know you didn’t ask me - but I’m not sure when my final straw is - over all Disney still provides a great experience for me. But they are taking away quite a few things I like and replacing them with things I feel are comparable to other theme parks and not as unique.

Meanwhile…. I’m on my way to use my magic key tonight! Haha

 

[MJL92]

Not dramatic at all. It’s not just the RoA, and it’s not just MK. It’s a collective amount of decisions across MK, HS, and Epcot that are making the parks interchangeable and less and less thematically unique. That doesn’t make them six flags level (that is to me, dramatic) but yes, makes it closer to the Universal model pre-Epic; just the IP flavor of the month and wherever they can throw it. Don’t get me wrong, IoA is still a good to great theme park, and USF has been a good park as well in times past. But Disney can, and used to do better.

You say "better" so objectively.

I like a lot of the changes they've made and wish they would do more. I love what Tokyo is doing right now. I hope they bulldoze their Adventureland, it would give a reason to go there.

Magic Kingdom is still strong thematically. Epcot too, they just changed what the front of the park stands for and some people haven't caught on to that yet. HS is the only park that's stuck in between.

 

[Dreamer19]

You say "better" so objectively.

I like a lot of the changes they've made and wish they would do more. I love what Tokyo is doing right now. I hope they bulldoze their Adventureland, it would give a reason to go there.

Magic Kingdom is still strong thematically. Epcot too, they just changed what the front of the park stands for and some people haven't caught on to that yet. HS is the only park that's stuck in between.

I agree on Tokyo. I love that they’ve refused to budge on Splash Mountain and that they have maintained the best Tomorrowland set up in all of the parks.

 

[HMF]

So, are you going to stop going then?

Many of us have.

 

[HMF]

You took some really nice pictures. If only the area had this same type of enthusiasm we're seeing today for all the many years it was open, rather than the "It's Closing so it's popular again!" last minute trending hype, maybe it could have stuck around for years longer.

That would require people to look up and around rather than staring at their cell phones booking their next Lightning Lane.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Disney's need to IPee all over everything they can

Thank you for this phrase! This is gold.

 

[Agent H]

Thank you for this phrase! This is gold.

I’m pretty sure he’s posted something like that before.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

I’m pretty sure he’s posted something like that before.

I'm pretty sure you've posted similar things in the past, too! When you post something I particularly enjoy, I'll be sure to highlight it as well!

 

[Casper Gutman]

It can’t be overstated how much Disney is setting themselves up for failure. They are building “non-clone” attractions based on IPs that already have some of the BEST rides in the world based on them in other Disney parks - Monsters, Cars, and Indy.

I don’t even know that it’s possible to create a better Cars ride than the one at DCA. Disney World is trying to do it in a constrained space and entirely outdoors. Cars in DCA was a passion project by Lassiter, who, for all his very real faults, loved the IP and was in a position powerful enough to influence the money guys. The MK project is inspired by merch sales - are any of the Imagineers the least bit passionate about the IP? Is anyone over 16 besides Lassiter passionate about the IP?

All of this is one of the problems you run into when you base every new attraction off a very small and slowly expanding pool of franchises.

This isn’t even taking into account what each attraction is replacing. From opening day, the MK Cars ride will be compared to the DCA version and RoA. Given the constraints on the project, even the most skilled creatives would likely fail to meet either benchmark.

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

It can’t be overstated how much Disney is setting themselves up for failure. They are building “non-clone” attractions based on IPs that already have some of the BEST rides in the world based on them in other Disney parks - Monsters, Cars, and Indy.

I don’t even know that it’s possible to create a better Cars ride than the one at DCA. Disney World is trying to do it in a constrained space and entirely outdoors. Cars in DCA was a passion project by Lassiter, who, for all his very real faults, loved the IP and was in a position powerful enough to influence the money guys. The MK project is inspired by merch sales - are any of the Imagineers the least bit passionate about the IP? Is anyone over 16 besides Lassiter passionate about the IP?

All of this is one of the problems you run into when you base every new attraction off a very small and slowly expanding pool of franchises.

This isn’t even taking into account what each attraction is replacing. From opening day, the MK Cars ride will be compared to the DCA version and RoA. Given the constraints on the project, even the most skilled creatives would likely fail to meet either benchmark.

It’s going to be very interesting to see people on here tie themselves in knots to say it’s better than DCA and RoA. And it may be a great attraction, but it’s in the wrong place. And that will absolutely affect its overall quality.

 

[BrianLo]

It can’t be overstated how much Disney is setting themselves up for failure. They are building “non-clone” attractions based on IPs that already have some of the BEST rides in the world based on them in other Disney parks - Monsters, Cars, and Indy.

I don’t even know that it’s possible to create a better Cars ride than the one at DCA.

Interesting. What you frame as a bad thing is largely what I like about the project. I absolutely hated the concept of a half-baked Radiator Springs Racers. The only thing I like about this is that is a completely different attraction.

Most assuredly it’s not as good as Radiator Springs Racers; but it’s not remotely pretending like it is. I think we have the capability to appreciate two separate attractions of varying levels from the same IP when they are different attractions entirely.

Monsters is entirely a different kettle of fish. (Almost) no one is going to be comparing it to a dark ride.

 

[ohioguy]

It's a shame they couldn't have just docked the Riverboat and made it a permanent restaurant/dining experience, near Liberty Square. It looks like there will be a river on the south side of the Cars attraction.

 

[CoastalElite64]

I agree to an extent (hence why I think there should be at least 1 signature thing unique to each park), but at the same time I consider myself a superfan, but I'm not sure if I'lll ever get to DL again (I went once as a kid)... I want to (very badly), but budget-wise as a teacher it is very hard to do and even harder to justify when WDW is an hour and a half away. And it seems like it is better if you are developing an incredible attraction or land to allow a much wider net of your audience get to experience it, rather than limit it to the relatively small percentage who will go to both.

That being said it seems they are moving away from cloning anyway.

Yeah for locals its a different equation to justify the added cost of travel for visiting another park. It would be nice if Disney offered special deals for WDW APs to visit DL for a very reduced cost, and vice versa.

 

[JackCH]

It can’t be overstated how much Disney is setting themselves up for failure.

I think it can be overstated. Although I guess that depends on what you mean by “failure.”

 

[JackCH]

It’s going to be very interesting to see people on here tie themselves in knots to say it’s better than DCA and RoA. And it may be a great attraction, but it’s in the wrong place. And that will absolutely affect its overall quality.

I don’t think comparing DCA to this is particularly relevant. I don’t view “same IP” as making two different projects parallels. The two projects have different scopes and purposes. Now comparing the net impact on the park with RoA is very relevant, but I also don’t think that is the impossible case you think it is (obviously pending execution).

 

[FigmentFan82]

It can’t be overstated how much Disney is setting themselves up for failure. They are building “non-clone” attractions based on IPs that already have some of the BEST rides in the world based on them in other Disney parks - Monsters, Cars, and Indy.

I don’t even know that it’s possible to create a better Cars ride than the one at DCA. Disney World is trying to do it in a constrained space and entirely outdoors. Cars in DCA was a passion project by Lassiter, who, for all his very real faults, loved the IP and was in a position powerful enough to influence the money guys. The MK project is inspired by merch sales - are any of the Imagineers the least bit passionate about the IP? Is anyone over 16 besides Lassiter passionate about the IP?

All of this is one of the problems you run into when you base every new attraction off a very small and slowly expanding pool of franchises.

This isn’t even taking into account what each attraction is replacing. From opening day, the MK Cars ride will be compared to the DCA version and RoA. Given the constraints on the project, even the most skilled creatives would likely fail to meet either benchmark.

What else did you see in your crystal ball?