News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[TrainsOfDisney]

Sorry for the crude graphic.

Here's a chart showing the average ratings and 95% confidence interval, by age group, for the attractions we're discussing, from the Unofficial Guide/TouringPlans.com reader surveys.

This is a strange post from you - but so was your political post justifying this decision. Not sure if you’re trying to please the company or what but it’s odd.

If I was given a survey and asked to rate the attractions at Disneyland - of course I’m rating Radiator Springs a 5 and things like the riverboat a 3-4. That in no way means I want them to tear out the riverboat and put in more cars at Disneyland.

That’s like asking people what did you like most, the salad, entree or dessert and then taking salads off the menu cause everyone rated the dessert higher - it’s supposed to be a balanced meal! Haha

 

[Captain Barbossa]

There is no reason to keep the dry dock back there for the river boat.

The dock you’re referring to in the canal for the Liberty Belle isn’t the dry dock. That’s located at the maintenance facility in the northwest corner of Bay Lake .

 

[Creathir]

I knew this was being considered since 2016. I didn’t think they’d be daft enough to approve it.

It’s not over yet either.

You know what is dated and takes up a lot of space?

That stinking castle.
If only they could level it and put in a new character meet and greet plus a DVC booth.

 

[Quietmouse]

Poll question, the cars theme ride seems interchangeable to where if cars ip becomes super stale they can just change it to whichever “Disney character racing”…because it seems like this is a racing trackless ride - so the cars theme idea could very well be interchangeable to whatever.


That being said if they knock the theming out of the park, and this wasn’t attached to a cars ip
Would you be happier ?

 

[WDWhopper]

People on this site are just very, very against change.

I have no problem with change, I just don’t see any reason to remove iconic Disney attractions when there is enough land in Disney World to build three or four more theme parks. Wasn’t that the whole purpose Walt bought all the land? And another thing, Disneyland is much more landlocked and they have never removed their Rivers of America or Riverboat. Even with their land issues, they realize how iconic they are. It really irks me that Disney World, with 44 square miles of space will be the first to remove these iconic attractions and areas. WDW requires big thinking. This is small thinking.

 

[MrPromey]

Many people already have explained why
* They add a scenic and quiet retreat
* They add a play area for small children, something MK has been losing more and more of
* The riverboat is a relaxing scenic ride for people of all ages and sizes
* They add beautiful scenic views from the mainland park and give it a sense of natural beauty- since, you know, it’s a PARK
* They work as a thematic transition from LS to Frontierland
* They make the areas adjacent to them feel more open/have breathing room- without them the Frontierland street will feel more claustrophobic and cramped
* Having TSI, the Riverboat, AND Cars adds more capacity than having only Cars

Sure, they’re not the most popular attractions. But they provide so much for the park that people don’t realize. Even if you don’t do them, you’re still getting something out of them.

What I find funny is some of the people saying this should be ripped out are the same who were gushing over the announcement of the new Epcot spine and all the nature and greenery that was going to bring in and how it would create so much nice ambiance in that area of the park and be such a welcome relaxing thing even if it took that park being messed up for half a decade to get there and provided no actual new attraction or activity for guests in the process.

I guess Kate was right with what she suggested the Queen say.

 

[lentesta]

You keep trying to silo this and I don’t understand why. A new Cars attraction isn’t going to be rated worse if the Riverboat or Hall of Presidents still exists.

People’s overall assessment of the day may be worse though as a result of poor design.

I prefer to replace Liberty Square with Cars and leave the area north of Big Thunder for another future expansion.

Those moves give us 3 new things (Cars, Villains, and the future land).

The other option seemed to be keeping LS and putting Cars in the area north of Big Thunder. That would give us 2 new things (Cars and Villains).

I think those are really the only two choices we get right now. I mean, sure, we could add more land for more things, but given what we know right now, those are the two choices.

So I value the future of that undeveloped land higher than I value what's in Liberty Square right now. Keeping in mind that the originals of these attractions still exist in Disneyland, I'm super comfortable saying that.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

That being said if they knock the theming out of the park, and this wasn’t attached to a cars ip
Would you be happier ?

The cars ip isn’t the problem as the cars themselves are too modern.

If they could have done a vintage car ride through the frontier / west - place it in the 1920’s to go with Tiana - and then that naturally interacts with the bears and the riverboat - a similar attraction could work well.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Especially when Walt never said that! (I’m happy to be corrected but I don’t believe the quote exists).

What’s funny about the museum claim is that it only makes sense if you’re unfamiliar with museums and Disneyland.

 

[Quietmouse]

I have no problem with change, I just don’t see any reason to remove iconic Disney attractions when there is enough land in Disney World to build three or four more theme parks. Wasn’t that the whole purpose Walt bought all the land? And another thing, Disneyland is much more landlocked and they have never removed their Rivers of America or Riverboat. Even with their land issues, they realize how iconic they are. It really irks me that Disney World, with 44 square miles of space will be the first to remove these iconic attractions and areas. WDW requires big thinking. This is small thinking.

My guess is that Disney world will be the first but wont be the last.

Disney land is very crunch on space, and logically it makes sense for them to do the same thing in order to create new land for attractions.

Again, I just have to imagine the operation expenses of the boat attraction and the island have to be a loss leader for Disney.

 

[Quietmouse]

The cars ip isn’t the problem as the cars themselves are too modern.

If they could have done a vintage car ride through the frontier / west - place it in the 1920’s to go with Tiana - and then that naturally interacts with the bears and the riverboat - a similar attraction could work well.

Isn’t that very interchangeable though?

Again, say frontier land isn’t going to go thru a whole reimagining of the land…this ride itself is very interchangeable to whatever theme you want to apply in the future. Cars is the ip, but the land itself looks western which is the saving Grace in my opinion.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I prefer to replace Liberty Square with Cars and leave the area north of Big Thunder for another future expansion.

Those moves give us 3 new things (Cars, Villains, and the future land).

The other option seemed to be keeping LS and putting Cars in the area north of Big Thunder. That would give us 2 new things (Cars and Villains).

I think those are really the only two choices we get right now. I mean, sure, we could add more land for more things, but given what we know right now, those are the two choices.

So I value the future of that undeveloped land higher than I value what's in Liberty Square right now. Keeping in mind that the originals of these attractions still exist in Disneyland, I'm super comfortable saying that.

These are only the two choices if you accept that the parks have to continue to be poorly designed. That there is simply no way to be more efficient, layer Magic Kingdom with experiences to better utilize its existing (including abandoned) space.

 

[lentesta]

If every attraction achieved perfect score, your grading wouldn’t work. Not every attraction can be the most popular ride in the park. Not every attraction can be a headliner. As mentioned, this particular decision didn’t need to be an either/or.

Disney's doing what it thinks will maximize the money it makes for shareholders over the next 5-ish years.

To your point, there are other ways of approaching these kinds of decisions. And as I said upthread, those discussions are really about what flavor of capitalism you prefer.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Again, I just have to imagine the operation expenses of the boat attraction and the island have to be a loss leader for Disney.

The upkeep of the island is for Fantasmic which is a money maker - as are all night time spectaculars. The most expensive attractions are those with individual guides like Jungle Cruise, Kilimanjaro Safaris, and Storybook Canals - riverboat is not particularly expensive. It’s also usually packed at Disneyland - it’s very popular there.

Isn’t that very interchangeable though?

Sure - I long for the day guardians are ripped out of cosmic rewind and the soundtrack is “universe of energy” - if you can dream it you can do it! Haha

 

[lentesta]

These are only the two choices if you accept that the parks have to continue to be poorly designed. That there is simply no way to be more efficient, layer Magic Kingdom with experiences to better utilize its existing (including abandoned) space.

You know how executives make decisions, man. Present two or three clear choices and give a recommendation. Show the business case in dollars and cents. A well-defined timeline. Have data to back it all up.

I'm 100% with you that the parks could be better designed and better used. I think it's rare to get a quorum of leadership to agree to that kind of approach in a publicly traded company these days.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Disney's doing what it thinks will maximize the money it makes for shareholders over the next 5-ish years.

To your point, there are other ways of approaching these kinds of decisions. And as I said upthread, those discussions are really about what flavor of capitalism you prefer.

They’d make more money with the cheaper project that can be done more quickly.

Disney isn’t run by Vulcans and it is very bizarre that your suddenly pushing a version of the “Disney only makes the best decisions because they have to serve the shareholders” narrative that you’ve previously blown holes in. Disney isn’t above vanity projects and they have had few blow up in their face recently.

 

[MrPromey]

It's not just you. My wife and sister complain about that all the time. Personally I think it's the lack of indoor stuff, so you end up with not enough ac time. Lol

I recall when the park first opened, them having tables with giant sports Thermos dispensers giving out paper cups of cold water just inside the entrance area of Dinoland, in particular.

Foliage hadn't completely grown in everywhere and that area in particular was punishing.

 

[MoonRakerSCM]

Playin' around with free tools...

 

[lentesta]

They’d make more money with the cheaper project that can be done more quickly.

Disney isn’t run by Vulcans and it is very bizarre that your suddenly pushing a version of the “Disney only makes the best decisions because they have to serve the shareholders” narrative that you’ve previously blown holes in. Disney isn’t above vanity projects and they have had few blow up in their face recently.

I didn't say it's the best decision. I said of the two choices we have, this is the better one.

ETA: I stayed up late for a BBC morning interview, and then I'm off to bed. Have a good night!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

They’d make more money with the cheaper project that can be done more quickly.

Also with more relevant / recent IP’s. Moana, Encanto, and Coco.

If the #1 goal is to make money and quickly - retheme Tomorrowland speedway to cars with six flags quality.