News Cars-Themed Attractions at Magic Kingdom

[phillip9698]

Growing up the Disney Parks were built on nostalgia. All of that was pushed to way side for flashy IP. It's really sad how Iger and friends view the parks.

At least the Japanese parks understand that still.

The thing about nostalgia is that it changes as generations go by. Inside Out 2 rode the nostalgia wave of people who saw the original when they were in their teens. Soon there won’t be people left who are nostalgic for properties like Tom Sawyer, Muppets, etc….. I’m well into my 40s and the frontier was way beyond my time when I was a kid, I have no warm fuzzy feelings about any of that stuff. I’m planning a trip to a Nick resort so we can get slimed and see the Ninja Turtles, that’s nostalgic for me!

Cars, Lion King, Monsters Inc, Nintendo, Harry Potter, etc…… that’s how you real in the families pining for a sniff of their childhood now. Hell I’m still waiting on a proper Aladdin ride!!!!

 

[erasure fan1]

But that’s just my family. I’m sure other families and folks have different perspectives. I’m glad MK is getting an expansion that will hopefully make it a more worthwhile park for my family to visit.

Oh I'm glad too. I'm just worried the other parks aren't expanding enough and we're going to be in the same issue we've been in for the last couple decades. But I guess that's the bigger issue. They've neglected all 4 parks SOOOOOOOO much, they now need a 5th gate worth of attractions added to the parks on top of what is already there. And we all know that's not happening anytime soon.

 

[JoeCamel]

Good news! Disneyland already represents the Great Pacific Northwest, and has for many decades.

The Sailing Ship Columbia, one of the "hard facts that created America" from Walt's opening day speech made its fame from the multiple daring exploration and trading trips to the Pacific Northwest, en route from Boston to the Orient and then on to Europe and back to Boston. It was on its second exploration of what is now coastal Oregon in 1792 that Captain Gray sailed the Columbia over a sandbar and discovered a mighty river that travelled hundreds of miles inland. That river now bears the name of his ship, and the Disneyland attraction; the Columbia River.

The Columbia flagship, with its two smaller companion ships, was the first vessel to circle the globe flying the American flag in 1787-1790, long before our nation had a Navy, and that's why Admiral Fowler suggested it to Walt when Walt and Dick Nunis were wanting a second big boat for Disneyland's river in 1957. The Columbia was added to Disneyland in 1958.

During the big 2016-17 rehab the Rivers of America received, they plussed up the pre-existing "four rivers" show concept that Tony Baxter created earlier in the 2000's. As part of that work, a segment of the Rivers of America now uses the extremely unique hexagonal basalt rock formations found only along the Columbia River, a geographic marvel created by the massive floods that swept across the Pacific Northwest at the end of the last Ice Age.

The hexagon rocks beneath the Indian Chief were created by WDI to mimick the same rocks along the Columbia River basin; one of those things you can only find in the Pacific Northwest, or at Disneyland! There's a few other Pacific Northwest callouts in Disneyland, but those are the two off the top of my head without going to Google, and just before the Friday Cocktail Hour begins. I'll see if I can remember some more.

But it's almost 6pm here in San Diego, so in about half an hour I will raise my Friday martini to you and the other Disneyland fans from the Great Pacific Northwest! Don't worry, Walt and WDI didn't forget about us!

Who do we think did hexagonal basalt from the Columbia basin best? WDI as seen above, or Mother Nature as seen below?

These

Or if you expand the world then here

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

You just can’t skip it.

You can. My husband and I skip it regularly. But Epcot is a must every trip, and sometimes it's the only park we do. MK is too crowded and it's a pain of a park to deal with. And that's without the stuff they're planning to add.
Now...I know we're the outliers and I do totally get your point. For most regular folks MK *is* Disney. But you absolutely can skip it and there are people who do.

 

[lazyboy97o]

MK, being the most visited theme park on the planet, has to expand its capacity in order to ensure a decent guest experience for future generations. It has to make sacrifices that other parks don’t have to make.

A smaller Disneyland crams in more capacity. It hasn’t properly expanded or been managed and even has abandoned space within its borders. This isn’t about some strenuous unique challenges, it’s a statement piece that’s been kicked around forever.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Mmm…I think expansions at other WDW parks probably strain MK more at this point than an MK capacity expansion.

Nobody skips MK. So if they book a trip to go see Encanto at DAK, they’re gonna go to MK too, but unlike DAK, MK hasn’t expanded its capacity thereby making it feel more crowded.

All the more reason to have readily available capacity expanded and not induce even more demand. The Magic Kingdom needs A - C tickets.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

A smaller Disneyland crams in more capacity. It hasn’t properly expanded or been managed and even has abandoned space within its borders. This isn’t about some strenuous unique challenges, it’s a statement piece that’s been kicked around forever.

Once went to Disneyland on an at-capacity day in 2019 and it was one of my worst theme park experiences ever.

Project Stardust only made marginal improvements but it did make improvements

 

[BuzzedPotatoHead89]

So because it’s “not as aesthetically pleasing” as Disneyland’s, that means it has to go? If Disney wanted to save the river, they could. Aren’t the imagineers supposed to be the best in the business? Are we really supposed to believe they couldn’t come up with some sort of solution, even to preserve the front part of the river along the walkway?

In fairness I really don’t think this is on the Imagineers. They’re being dealt a hand from execs that is a corporate mandate that says ROA is a proverbial money suck that needs to go. If Jeff Vahle, Josh D’Amaro and TDO leadership views WDW guests as walking semi-sentient ATM machines, ROA is the virus in his mind that freezes the money flow for 1-2 hours everyday and needlessly diverts the constant flow of cash.

So the imagineers trying to make the best of it. And make something that’s still true to the area while also producing “revenue positive” impact. That’s the mandate

 

[TrojanUSC]

While I think TSI had long outlived its usefulness, the river itself is incredibly pretty and an indispensable part of the Magic Kingdom landscape. They could have easily found a way to keep part of it, while making the island itself - even if it was somehow attached to the mainland - far more useful.

My other big issue with this the sign out front of MK says "Here You Leave Today And Enter The World Of Yesterday, Tomorrow And Fantasy" and no lands in the park are of today, really. Cartoon cars in essentially present day Pacific Northwest isn't really transportive to a different time or a fantastical location. This is just indicative of a larger problem - they've really lost sight of theme parks being themed.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Disney world does not have that much history.

There are plenty of users on here that are older than Disney world.

Walt had his every ounce and being dedicated to the creation and planning of Disney land. Unfortunately he could never really see out that vision with Disney world to its fullest extent.

That’s why I somewhat roll my eyes at the purists. Disney land has every right to have purist thoughts attached? Disney world, meh.

To be honest, this announcement has been clarifying to me in the way you are suggesting. It’s time to stop suggesting (and buying their marketing hype) that Walt Disney World is any more ‘special’ than any other resort or theme park complex. They do some things better than other places, some things worse. However, we should really not be blinded by nostalgia or BS like Josh D’Amaro’s story about his father saying it’s “like you’re really flying” when he was a kid going on Peter Pan to imagine they’re doing anything other than running numbers. Sometimes they’ll get it right and sometimes they’ll get it wrong, but I do think we need to be more clear eyed at approaching things such as all the nods to Epcot’s ‘heritage’ in the recent redevelopment with all the insincerity that lies behind them.

This doesn’t come from a place of saying TSI needs to be preserved at all costs. It comes from the complete disregard they have shown to even trying to maintain the atmosphere and theming of one of the classic MK lands by sticking Cars of all things right in the middle of it. If Cars is now considered worthy as the main theme of a land at the Magic Kingdom, that is clarifying in terms of what the Magic Kingdom now is.

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

So does anyone think they'll attempt to explain why there are modern all-terrain vehicles next to a bayou from the 1920's sitting next to a town from the 19th century? Or is it just a given that Disney has given up on making things make sense?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

So does anyone think they'll attempt to explain why there are modern all-terrain vehicles next to a bayou from the 1920's sitting next to a town from the 19th century? Or is it just a given that Disney has given up on making things make sense?

It's a redifinition of what the Frontier means!

We can only wait with bated breath to see how they redefine Main Street, Adventure, Fantasy, and Tomorrow.

 

[Cliff]

Nice rant

Thank you, I try my best.

It's only just my humble opinion,..of course. ;-)

 

[MisterPenguin]

There's no rule that says if a water feature is replaced by some other attraction, then that other attraction must have a certain amount of new water features that would make up for the loss of the original. So, there's no need to defend this mini-CarsLand by saying "it has enough water features to satisfy you." It's not necessary. And I would guess there's no amount of new water features that would be deemed enough.

There's no rule that says concept art must show the exact amount of new water features.

 

[Cliff]

I'm hoping that CFTOD and/or the county or state will demand a full and complete, comprehensive and exhaustive environmental impact study on this project "before" and destruction permits are granted on this crazy thing.

There might be some endangered frog that lives in the Rivers of America. I think it's important to verify the validity of that before this catastrophe begins.

 

[Starship824]

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble when it comes to thematic consistency in the Magic Kingdom, but need I remind you that there's a fantasy medieval castle at the end of a turn of the century Main Street. Is it really that big of a deal that there's anthropomorphic cars next to a haunted house and singing bears? I don't really like that cars is replacing the rivers of America either, but the idea that cars is just too big of a stretch and suspension of disbelief is kind of laughable.

 

[Starship824]

I'm hoping that CFTOD and/or the county or state will demand a full and complete, comprehensive and exhaustive environmental impact study on this project "before" and destruction permits are granted on this crazy thing.

There might be some endangered frog that lives in the Rivers of America. I think it's important to verify the validity of that before this catastrophe begins.

I believe the recent permits they just submitted already cover all this if I'm not mistaken but I see what you mean. I really want the rivers of America to stay to but that's not what's going to save it lol.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Sorry to burst everyone's bubble when it comes to thematic consistency in the Magic Kingdom, but need I remind you that there's a fantasy medieval castle at the end of a turn of the century Main Street. Is it really that big of a deal that there's anthropomorphic cars next to a haunted house and singing bears? I don't really like that cars is replacing the rivers of America either, but the idea that cars is just too big of a stretch and suspension of disbelief is kind of laughable.

Indeed, would a rocket ship in Adventureland really be that thematically inconsistent when you have Polynesian tiki birds next to a Caribbean Plaza featuring pirates? Bring it on... I guess.

 

[Starship824]

Indeed, would a rocket ship in Adventureland really be that thematically inconsistent when you have Polynesian tiki birds next to a Caribbean Plaza featuring pirates? Bring it on... I guess.

I mean there's already magic carpets from the middle east right next to it sooooo.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Is it really that big of a deal that there's anthropomorphic cars next to a haunted house and singing bears?

I’ve got BINGO - goodness it took long enough for someone to bring up the singing bears reason! Been waiting.

need I remind you that there's a fantasy medieval castle at the end of a turn of the century Main Street.

Well it’s supposed to be in a park not at the end of the street but that’s a topic for the great tree massacare - Central Park in NYC has had a castle since 1872.