News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

This would hold more weight if people actually went to that island and chilled. They don’t. That place is a ghost town even during the most hectic peak seasons.

So Disney should create more spaces that people don’t go to for the extremes minority of folks who do visit those areas.

Another potential solution: Turn the island into a peninsula, which would allow guests to walk onto it any time they wanted. Dock the Liberty Belle permanently either at its loading station or by Tiana's. Preserve the beautiful views of main TSI and the rivers.

 

[UNCgolf]

It'll look hideous after it's complete as well...

I mean, maybe?

It's possible it will look good when it's complete, although it's hard for me to imagine how it's going to fit well into the area even if it looks good in a vacuum. And the loss of the waterway is just a tremendous mistake from a park planning/aesthetics perspective.

It's going to be truly awful while it's under construction, though. Emptied waterways, cleared trees... I assume they will try to put up some construction walls, but there will still be a lot that's visible, and it will be visible (and directly in guests' faces) from a significant percentage of the park.

 

[KDM31091]

I just can’t get behind more stressful, hot, hectic, crowded spaces, more VQ and LL stress and drama, more rushing around, faster pace. Fewer areas to just relax and recharge and maybe take a slow boat ride. These things are just as important. They’re eliminating all of that in favor of constant new E tickets which, yes, E tickets are great but it needs to be balanced with less “exciting” things that don’t contribute to extreme crowds.

 

[BaconPancakes]

This decision has me absolutely gobsmacked. How could they get this so wrong?

 

[SteamboatJoe]

We all thought that maybe the upper half would get cut off. Instead its the lower half. It appears the upper half is still there, unless this is thrown together artwork and they didn't think about that. Could they still retain the riverboat in the upper half with the launch just on the other side of HM?

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The real kicker is the landscaping in this plan has the potential to be beautiful, ROA loss and Cars theme notwithstanding. If this was a brand new park and it was something other than Cars, I think we all would've nodded our heads in approval.

I had long thought the area north of ROA should have been a WDW version of Critter Country borrowing design aesthetics from DCA's Grizzly Peak and Redwood Creek.

 

[RobbinsDad]

I mean, maybe?

It's possible it will look good when it's complete, although it's hard for me to imagine how it's going to fit well into the area even if it looks good in a vacuum. And the loss of the waterway it just a tremendous mistake from a park planning/aesthetics perspective.

It's going to be truly awful while it's under construction, though. Emptied out waterways, cleared trees... I assume they will try to put up some construction walls, but there will still be a lot that's visible, and it will be visible (and directly in guests' faces) from a significant percentage of the park.

Big Thunder should give us some beautiful views of the construction zone.

 

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

This decision has be absolutely gobsmacked. How could they get this so wrong?

The mindset of maximizing all spaces to the fullest possible guest throughput and having IP that pushes merchandise. They could easily have Cars on the scale they're planning AND Tom Sawyer Island, but they're choosing not to.

 

[UNCgolf]

Big Thunder should give us some beautiful views of the construction zone.

It's unavoidable to an extent -- if they're going to build something new in the middle of a park, there's only so much you can do to hide construction -- except for the fact that they didn't need to build something right in that spot at all.

 

[basas]

I mean, maybe?

It's possible it will look good when it's complete, although it's hard for me to imagine how it's going to fit well into the area even if it looks good in a vacuum. And the loss of the waterway is just a tremendous mistake from a park planning/aesthetics perspective.

It's going to be truly awful while it's under construction, though. Emptied out waterways, cleared trees... I assume they will try to put up some construction walls, but there will still be a lot that's visible, and it will be visible (and directly in guests' faces) from a significant percentage of the park.

Of course it will look good. All of the new lands *look pretty*. Still doesn’t keep this from being a massive mistake IMO.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Eddie, I think everyone’s “last straw” might be different.

For example, I have no great affinity for the Muppets. That probably puts me in the minority around here, but it is what it is.

The company is breaking so many ‘last straws’ the last few years you have to wonder about the decision making…

I think it’s inevitable — a bandaid Disney has no choice but to peel.

These parks have built so much nostalgia and goodwill (pay attention to how often people invoke their memories or their kids) that you’ll p off all arrangements of people with any change short of building a 5th gate. People wonder why Disney is unwilling to build a non-IP land or attraction, the opportunity cost is too high when you’re not drawing on a blank canvas.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

I will say that it at least looks like they're trying to seal off views of the cars with a bunch of alpine trees. It also seems the main entrance is tucked away in the back, and I don't totally hate the transition from a snow-capped Piston Peak to geysers to Big Thunder. However, it seems crazy that they couldn't preserve any of the Rivers of America at all.

It looks to me that you'll now have a big mountain shaped like a piston as your first view as you walk over from the hub. My mind is blown that people are describing this as looking "beautiful", but I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Who on earth is working at Imagineering these days?

The one thing that has brought me some joy in all of this is the line from the announcement that "Ahead of work revving into high gear next year, guests will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia of Frontierland as it is today." Which basically suggests "guests will have plenty of time to experience the charm and nostalgia before we destroy it"!

 

[kevlightyear]

Well have several things to do on the WDW bucket list (Not mine but the parks') on my trip in October:

• Liberty Belle Riverboat
• TSI
• DINOSAUR
• It's Tough to Be A Bug
• Muppets (not yet verified but this could go away if the Monster, Inc coaster is put in the former Muppets Courtyard. I'm already seeing more likely Animation Courtyard)

Add to that already replaced

• Splash > Tiana
• CBJ > CBMJ

Quite a list.

Disney's new idea to increase attendance: getting people to come before they tear down the things they love.

 

[UNCgolf]

Of course it will look good. All of the new lands *look pretty*. Still doesn’t keep this from being a massive mistake IMO.

Well, Toy Story Land doesn't.

Galaxy's Edge... meh. It's not awful, but it could have been more interesting visually.

 

[danlb_2000]

Could you please calm down and catch your breath.

This decision is not the end of the world.

No reason to put down someone who is more passionate about something then you are.

 

[jason976]

Eddie, I think everyone’s “last straw” might be different.

For example, I have no great affinity for the Muppets. That probably puts me in the minority around here, but it is what it is.

The company is breaking so many ‘last straws’ the last few years you have to wonder about the decision making…

Because the last straw for a small population will likely be offset by massive interest with new crowds. If that doesn’t happen then the calculated decisions by Disney will prove to be failures. But we won’t know that for years. I happen to believe they will prove to be good decision financially. I’m exited for the change but I also empathize with those on the board who are feeling great disappointment this morning.

 

[basas]

Disney's new idea to increase attendance: getting people to come before they tear down the things they love.

That is a good one.

 

[BrianLo]

If this were a new build attraction somewhere else, I would appreciate that, but I really don't see it working in this location.

The more I’m staring at the concept, the more separated it appears. I am spotting some water features abutting Country Bears and then the Liberty section certainly seems to have more of a lookout. Big Thunder has Grizzly Gulch vibes.

I mean, if it were up to me, I would have kept the river buffer and a parked boat. It’s a choice…. I do think it’s probably going to be prettier than what people think still. Sitting watching RSR is pretty, serene and unusually calming.

I also think the reaction that this is definitely an inferior RSR is perhaps unfair. It actually appears surprisingly long.

 

[the_rich]

Eventually EVERY attraction should be replaced. The parks aren't museums. They have to continuously evolve.

 

[danlb_2000]

Big Thunder should give us some beautiful views of the construction zone.

I assume they are going to need to build some sort of access road into this area.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

Honestly I’m surprised Tom Sawyer Island lasted as long as it did. Maybe Liberty Belle to Grand Floridian, Epcot area or something.

It's not feasible at all but imagine how cool it would've been for Liberty Belle to operate as the Sassagoula River Taxi between POFQ/POR and Disney Springs?