News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[DisneyDreamerxyz]

Also RIP cast member canoe races. They’ve been doing that since the 70s. Maybe they can find somewhere else to do it. We still have Mickeys Retreat at Little Lake Bryan.

 

[basas]

I would also not favor expanding EPCOT, if that option were even available. The ring setup of World Showcase works pretty solidly though.

The point is the footprint of Epcot is already way larger than Magic Kingdom. I think there are a number of issues at Magic Kingdom, but the park being too big isn’t one of them.

IMO

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

How? TSI is better than Splash?

Splash still exists - other than the tiara there is no major change in the overall design that changes the landscape / feel of the area.

if they destroyed Cinderella castle it would be a silly argument to say “very few guests actually ate there”

It’s not about TSI as an attraction - it’s about the island and riverboat creating the land.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

If the MK is oversized, how do you feel about Epcot? Maybe we should chop off half the park?

If anything Epcot is going to need to do is redo the central hub within 5 years from now and Epcot has room to fill empty abandoned pavilions or pavilion space in between or behind other pavilions.

 

[tissandtully]

It’s not that deep
View attachment 808866

THERE'S A TRACK?? /sarcasm

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I would also not favor expanding EPCOT, if that option were even available. The ring setup of World Showcase works pretty solidly though.

The expansions for Epcot are the unused spaces in between the existing countries (there were originally designated expansion pads behind some of these, but that wouldn't have been until much later in the park's life after all the other spaces were used up). About half a dozen or so. There would be no need to extend past the existing "boundary" of the park to use these, and it wouldn't increase the amount of distance a person would be walking (assuming a full lap around the lagoon perimeter).

Not to mention a couple of the existing pavilions have unused expansion space (Japan and Germany being two examples AFAIK). And an empty Future World pavilion.

 

[hopemax]

These people have no common sense. But I don't think thats the driver here. I think it's a factor but I think the driver is underutilized space and missed revenue opportunities. Too much space not turning over a profit. But thats where they are misguided. The ROA is the kind of thing that created the brand and separated Disney from other parks. You may not be able to show that people are spending money on TSI but it's what's bringing them to the park in the first place. Whether they know it or not.

Exactly. I don't fault guests for not understanding the relationship between their enjoyment of a space, and intentional design of that space by professionals. Whether it be a shopping experience, a restaurant, a workspace, a community space, etc., a lot of work goes into choices like colors, materials, lighting, flora to either energize or calm people through visual cues. Tomorrowland and Fantasyland seemed to have been more energetic, kinetic places which were balanced by slower paced, calmer areas on the western side of the park. It seems like the current trend, not just Disney, is just make everything an assault on all your senses so people pay extra to be given access to a more calming environment or to get through as fast as possible, to move onto the next thing.

Nor will guests understand when the decompression zones are eliminated, why a day feels more exhausting and more stressful, even though they like the new attraction. There are comments that people aren't utilizing these spaces, so why does it matter? Because even just walking through a space for 5 minutes, can provide your brain relief. If you don't feel like you have time to sit for a half an hour, because the pressures of seeing everything, and making your next timed activity. Just standing by the River while making your next LL, or to take a drink of water from your water bottle has an impact. The effect won't be noticeable, until it's gone. Like the benches and the trees. And cue Joni Mitchell again.

 

[Fox&Hound]

Honestly, for me, if they just came out and said that they'd keep the portion of RoA next to Liberty Sq and the CBJ part of Frontierland and had the boat permanently docked, I would be fine. That's it, I just want there to be a water feature where there is supposed to be a riverside.

That's my main concern. I mean, I wouldn't like losing TSI and the actual riverboat ride, but I'd be okay with it much like I'm okay with losing Maelstrom or losing the subs or any number of decisions that I have disagreed with over the years. But removing the water entirely is just IMHO idiotic and indefensible. Mostly because it doesn't even make any sense.

And I guess my thing about it is that is is so shortsighted. Keeping a proper riverside is simple for the area and even would help enhance the visual for Cars by providing some distance.

I agree, 100%. I never thought, in my wildest dream, even when TSI removal was brought up years ago, that removing ALL the water was even on the table. I love the water front by Frontierland and the walkways that extend over the water. Why remove that???

 

[Ice Gator]

Splash still exists - other than the tiara there is no major change in the overall design that changes the landscape / feel of the area.

if they destroyed Cinderella castle it would be a silly argument to say “very few guests actually ate there”

It’s not about TSI as an attraction - it’s about the island and riverboat creating the land.

I’m sorry you lost me at comparing TSI to Cinderella Castle. I love the feel of ROA don’t get me wrong, but I’m fine sacrificing it for something new.

 

[brettf22]

Magic Kingdom doesn't need to get any bigger.

That’s an … interesting take.

 

[RoysCabin]

It was a tough day going to the mall and finding the "cool" stores no longer selling styles I was interested in
That day I remember thinking sadly about what that meant about myself and my tastes
I certainly didn't blame the store for moving on without me, make a big show of never shopping there again, or try to blame the lack of items I was interested in on some political nonsense

Eh, I don't agree with this framing; it's one thing for tastes and fashions to evolve and for a company to respond to such trends, it's another for a company to decide "we're going to dictate what works and what doesn't", and it's yet another thing when the execution of their plan to do so is often of questionable quality relative to what was there before.

Like, yes, 39 year old me fully acknowledges that I'm not likely to see some of the Disney TV/movie characters I knew when I was a kid being prominently featured compared with hotter properties from today; also, if there's a clear demand for things like greater numbers/varieties of, say, thrill rides, then it makes sense that Disney would build more of them, which they did when such a demand began really bubbled up around the late 1980s into the 90s.

But 39 year old me can also have a relevant opinion about things like whether theming, place setting, or the artistic merit of a given area is being handled well when the changes are implemented, and can dislike it when the company is saying "no, for realsies, we totally ARE maintaining the theme, we swear!"

 

[billy023]

I get your apprehension, and when it's all over the area could look like a horrible, Cars version of TSL. But the renderings, again as shown, appear to focus more on the mountain/forest aesthetic of the Rocky Mountain West and not the Cars themselves, except the Piston mountain of course.

Yes, I hope it comes across more Rocky Mountain than cars! I think it’s this for me: The river denotes the Mississippi, the break from the east to the west. Saloons, jamborees, Thunder Mountain then speak to that Frontier. Without the river, I can’t picture how we "get to" Rocky Mountains. Plus that waterway is just so darn pleasing to the soul. Again, it’s how they work Rocky Mountain with jamborees and saloons and the other mountain ranges. I just can’t see it nor trust if they do. Let’s see!

 

[MrPromey]

Another thing I don't understand is why people are falling for that 'reveal' of villains land at the end of the panel. That is such a vague piece of concept art with no location nor time frame announced that was obviously dropped out there to give fans something to hang onto. We'll see.

It's basically like saying "We're re-announcing the blue sky concept from a few years ago as something we actually plan to do now, for-reals. It'll be open before your children entering kindergarten graduate from high school... no further details at this time. Here's some new non-committal concept art for everyone to blog and vlog about!"

 

[AdventureHasAName]

How? TSI is better than Splash?

The river creates more atmosphere and themeing for Frontierland and Liberty Square than Splash Mountain does.

 

[davis_unoxx]

I need @TP2000 analysis on this change, can’t even imagine what’d he say.

 

[larryz]

I very much wish I could say more.

 

[el_super]

Except you don't.

It's also a set piece for all of Frontier Land and Liberty Square.

And? Why does it have to be water?

 

[ToTBellHop]

How is this the “largest expansion in Magic Kingdom Park history” if it just repurposes existing guest space?

 

[wdwmagic]

Something to be aware of. Plans to replace TSI and Rivers of America have been on the cards for years. What to put here has only recently been finalized.

 

[AdventureHasAName]

I’m sorry you lost me at comparing TSI to Cinderella Castle. I love the feel of ROA don’t get me wrong, but I’m fine sacrificing it for something new.

The point that has been made ad nauseum is that we could have both ... we didn't need to sacrifice something. The park is surrounded by woods on 75% of its exterior boundry. The impediment is their unwillingness to spend.