M&Gs aren't LLs anymore!
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News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
The Chatbox Ghost
Well-Known Member
I’m 100% with you there. Not a single change to the parks (in my lifetime) has ever affected me quite like this. I’ve felt devastated since I heard the news Monday morning. When Maelstrom was replaced, I was sad but ultimately didn’t mind the change. When they rethemed Splash, I was sad to see my favorite ride be gone forever, but I was excited for the first ever Princess and the Frog ride. When the Country Bears got a new show, I was sad to see the (butchered version of) the original go, but excited because this is the first seasonal overlay they’ve gotten in years and it opens the door to rotating the show out in the future. The bears have a chance to last another 50 years.
But with this? There’s no upside or equal compariosn. What’s replacing the Rivers and TSI isn’t similar in size and vibes like TBA and CBMJ were to their originals. It’s completely changing the look, feel, and atmosphere of both Liberty Square AND Frontierland. The Haunted Mansion is no longer an old New England estate overlooking water. The Columbia Harbor House is no longer a restaurant by the sea. Big Thunder Mountain won’t zoom by water anymore. The railroad won’t circle the vast waters and feel open and free. The main path of Frontierland will no longer feel open and free. You won’t be able to look out onto the water and catch your breath after so much running around and looking for good wait times on your phone. The relaxing nature of the calm water, nostalgic riverboat, and quaint island will be replaced with cartoony rock work and loud engine roars mixed with screams. Probably a lot more crying children, too, since Virtual Queues and Lightning Lane will make the attractions a hassle for parents to get their kids on. There won’t be a single calm area of MK left. And once the rivers are filled, there’s no getting them back.
When I go to Disney parks, or any theme park for that matter, the memories that stick with me aren’t how I felt on a ride. It’s how I felt being absorbed into the environment. If there’s ever a feeling of “I wish I got to do that”, it’s always something that you enjoy for the view, never a ride (my last visit I didn’t get to do the MK railroad or the Country Bears, which I regret). My last trip to WDW was in Dec 2022/Jan 2023, and while there was so much new to do for me (having last been in Jan 2018), the memory that sticks out to me the most is taking a slow morning in Hollywood Studios, walking around and exploring the area with my wife and brother as we waited for the rest of my family to arrive at the park. I took in the intricacies of the parks design, I looked out onto Echo Lake and enjoyed the view as I had a snack. We walked around Muppets Courtyard and looked for all the little details and quirks. We watched MuppetVision a few times and I took in all the small details of the theater and queue. Yeah, rides and shows are fun. The Country Bear Jamboree is probably my favorite thing ever. But what I truly remember the most from my trips are the moments of taking everything in and appreciating the beauty in front of me. That’s what makes Disney different- or at least, it used to be.
I should probably get to writing that letter to all the higher ups at Disney, this is good stuff lol.
Raidermatt
Active Member
While I am not quite as positive on some of the other changes mentioned, you have hit the nail on the head when it comes to the real loss here.
Yes, I enjoy riding on the riverboat. But I enjoy seeing it go by, or come around the corner, even more sometimes.
And water features in general are just awesome. The are inherently relaxing, even if it's on a subconscious level for many. As long as the racers are visible from outside of the attraction, it can replace some of the kinetic energy the river, boat and rafts provided. But it won't replace the water, and that is going to have a negative impact on many, even if they don't understand why.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
I actually wish they would eliminate the Jungle Cruise -- it takes up a massive amount of space for a mediocre attraction that's redundant with the real animals at Animal Kingdom. They could build another E ticket plus a table service restaurant and maybe even a smaller attraction too on that plot.
I realize I am in a small minority with that opinion, though!
I wonder if SSE could be on the chopping block. That would be as bad as removing COP for me, if not worse -- I think it's the best ride at EPCOT even in its current diminished form and one of the best at WDW -- but considering the work it needs, I think it's possible Disney could decide to gut it while replacing the track and create a new ride in its place with an IP like Wall-E.
bwr827
Well-Known Member
The humour of Jungle Cruise is an important part of Magic Kingdom. I’d like to see the attraction redone with modern tech and a touch of adventure thrill, while retaining the funny.
dreamfinding
Well-Known Member
Moana has a nice expansion pad (originally intended for Fire Mountain).
Yes, it requires Disney to have the land inspected and determine if it is suitable to build on. Yes, they would probably have to adjust a road or two.
Jungle Cruise merch would sell, but that would require Disney to make JC merch (that isn’t just a MB+).
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I don't find it funny at all, which is probably why it doesn't work for me. It's just eyerolling narration looking at fake animals.
Bocabear
Well-Known Member
That's an interesting idea... What if it were done with the ROTR format... Starting as the usual yuck-it-up dad jokes when our boat is apprehended by gorillas that force everyone out of the boat, down a jungle trail where they are rescued by a band of rogue cast members that put everyone in a jeep to get them out of there....The Jeep is chased through a series of vignettes with animals on the attack....We barely escape and end up at another dock where we reboard boats that finish the short journey around the bend and back to the dock.....lol
Paddlefish is just a restaurant built out over the water designed to resemble a steamboat. It could no longer float on water than could a boxy restaurant built on a pier.
The steamboats of the castle parks, as mentioned above, have no navigational abilities. It follows a track. It has no room for a restaurant.
You could perhaps park it next to a restaurant. Or use it as a stationary lobby to a restaurant. Or you can let it loose on an upstate farm so it can play with all the other steamboats.
Mr. Sullivan
Well-Known Member
I want to preface this by saying that I really love the Hall of Presidents. Go every time we’re on a trip.
But the near universal thing I hear from those who don’t enjoy it is that they just simply feel strange about some of these men (a lot of these men really) being represented in a family theme park in a very celebratory context when they’re not really a figure worth celebrating.
You gotta remember we’re well, well past the era of universal respect for the office and the person who holds it (honestly, we were out of it shortly after the hall opened). The teaching of history is now much more honest about the things some of these men did. HOP, like all of Disney’s forays into history, can’t (and shouldn’t mind you) present a real discussion of that history and provide all of the necessary context needed to have that discussion. Disney Parks’ integrations of American history present a very idealized version of it, and that is on purpose. It wasn’t meant to be true history, it was meant to be a pretty view of the past. And that was perfect for awhile.
In the modern world though, I think most people are a little more thoroughly educated on the reality behind the dream and as such are a little uncomfortable with that idealization. I don’t completely agree with it because, as I said, I don’t think their intention is to really try and teach history and they don’t pretend it is, but I can understand why the way Disney approaches the subject of the presidents or just old America in general can make a modern audience a little uncomfortable.
Disney does well with "family coasters" which don't have big drops or go crazy with inversions.
It's doing very well with the newer family coasters (SDD, TRON, GotG:CR) that are 'smooth' in that there's no jerking around. Kids love it. And seniors don't break a hip or get whiplash.
All of WDW's 'family coasters' have significant queues. Back in the old days of Genie+, SDD was the first LL attraction to fill each day.
Now that DHS is getting a third coaster, EP and DAK could each use a second.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I have cracked the code - Mint Julep Bar. That actually is a real possibility haha.
Mr. Sullivan
Well-Known Member
That’s very fair! BTMRR definitely will come down to preference. I like Florida’s a lot…until the anticlimactic ending. DL’s having more after the final lift hill (and the effects on said lift) make it feel a little more complete to me whereas Florida’s almost feels like it’s missing the last quarter of the ride.
And yes, Columbia and the canoes add so so much when they’re both running. Hopefully you get to see them sometime!
Half of the insiders are saying MV and the other half, AC.
It changes daily.
Wouldn't be surprised if WDW doesn't have a firm decision yet.
Or, they're floating 'leaks' to gauge response....
OMG, I've become a conspiracy theorist!!!
They can. But they'd have to tear out the RnRC tracks and fit the new hanging RV coaster in that space.
Or, tear down the whole building.
Also, you're just trading one coaster for another, and that's not 'more capacity.'
hopemax
Well-Known Member
It should absolutely be considered on the list, although I don’t think it’s next up, simply from the labor requirements alone. Guests can’t get themselves in and out of the boat to maintain capacity targets. As mentioned, they don’t sell a lot of merchandise, and the movie underperformed. While Moana is waiting in the wings for sometime in the 2030s, after all of this stuff.
Disney *could* totally refurbish RoA. But the cost would be tantamount to just putting in a new attraction.
So, for the same amount of money, they can keep things the same: pretty, but low capacity, and blocking access to expansion pads.
OR... put in a new attraction that has more capacity and opens up access to expansion pads.
This was the same calculus that turned TGMR into MMRR.
rct247
Well-Known Member
Admittedly, this does look pretty beautiful. It's still just such a drastic shift from what I imagine Frontierland being. I think that's exactly what Disney is trying to get at. I picture as more of a historical setting and Disney wants to paint as more of a locational setting.
I like the idea of this attraction. I just still hate its placement.
Quietmouse
Member
I saw a YouTube video of Disneyland and the canoe experience. The main cast member was cracking jokes about how once you do this you will never do it again. This kind of sums up tsi and the boat in a nutshell. You will ride the boat once. You will visit tsi once. You will paddle the canoes once. But realistically, will you do it again on a repeat visit?