Did Disney miss something in New Fantasyland

[TyrantBoss]

Right now, as it stands, New Fantasyland is pretty, but kind of dull.
We have on ride (Under the Sea)
One ride coming (Dwarves Mine Cart)
One show (Storytime with Belle)
and THREE places to eat (Be Our Guest Restaurant, Gaston's Tavern, and the New Prince Eric's)

And I don't count the Circus because you basically leave New Fantasyland when you go there.

So did Disney miss something? I think so.
There is a GIANT ravine off of Gaston's village. Wouldn't it have been great if that ravine could have been something?
Would a darker, semi-spooky woods be neat? Imagine Big trees, Big black thorn vines, a spooky path, and a heavy tree canopy. And as you walk into that area you pass by dark flashing eyes in the shadows of the woods, some talking trees, and maybe an illusion where it becomes perpetual night in the woods and as you peer through the canopy you see the moon shrouded in eerie clouds. Then you happen upon maybe the wicked witch's hut, or Maleficent, or some other villains who lurk down there amidst boiling cauldrons like Dr. Facilier from Princess and the Frog at his voodoo camp site with frogs croaking and fake gators, magic.....and you can even add The Witch from "Brave". And the characters could rotate out.

Sure the little ones may get a little spooked, but that's the point, just to make it fun and add a little bit of the villains. And if the kids don't want to go into the dark, scary woods....then they don't have to....
but it would be awesome.What do you all think......and I appreciate it if you don't flame me because I am just having some fun making a suggestion.

 

[luv]

I think the Little Mermaid ride is great. The rest of it is pretty enough as you walk past it, except the circus part, which is kind of...well, not really ugly, but just not pleasant.

They could have done so much more with the money they spent on that.

 

[TyrantBoss]

I agree with you luv. I was expecting more from the Circus area. I am just not feeling it when I go there.

And Little Mermaid......it is great...but they were missing one really great thing.....
I would have LOVED a GIANT Ursula like she became in the movie....you know the "Big Reveal" in the ride and then have her beaten and show her turned into one of those little weed things like in the movie.

The ride just ends and is a big missed opportunity.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Would you have liked the 3 other princess meet & greets where The Dwarfs coaster stands? I sure as Heck wouldn't..

 

[cynic710]

I say this as a huge Disney fan who has yet to see the new fantasyland in person...from the looks of it, I would say that Disney really banked on their ability to win the hearts of its customers through detail rather than substance, but its more prevalent here than any other part of the park. What I mean is it sure looks like the area is "themed" well, but the substance doesn't grab you. sure, you can eat in the grand ballroom of beauty and the beast, or ride the mermaid story, and even enjoy a kiddie roller coaster soon, but what substance is really there? universal created substance to back up great detail with potteropolis over there, and when I heard that fantasyland was the retaliation I was excited, but even with the very first sketch, I asked "what exactly is there besides an extension of what already is? This wasn't as big as we all had hoped.

don't mix me in with the group that "hate" the expansion, but rather label me one of the many who just wished for a little more. meet and greets and fantastic bathrooms just aren't cutting it, no matter how great they look

 

[Tom Morrow]

Well, by its very concept, it could never be as detailed as WWoHP or Radiator Springs, because it isn't portraying one specific fictional world.

But yeah, it doesn't have a single thing that would make anyone suddenly want to book a vacation to see it.

 

[Turtle]

They missed another elaborate dark ride. It would've been a GREAT land with let's say: Alice in Wonderland, Seven Dwarves Mine Train, and Under The Sea.

 

[Susan Savia]

On our last visit in January, we visited the New Fantasyland area and thought a lot more could of been done with it. We did enjoy the huge gift shop. The mermaid ride seemed very similar to the Finding Nemo ride in Epcot. We probably won't stop there every trip.

 

[Megalodumb]

Right now, as it stands, New Fantasyland is pretty, but kind of dull.
We have on ride
One ride coming
One show
and THREE places to eat

Welcome to America!

 

[FettFan]

Welcome to America!

Home of megaherds of Brazilians.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Guests over 8 and not a soccer mum.

 

[Florida_is_hot]

I always thought Fantasyland was the one place for young children,
they should not have anything in this area with any type of age or height restriction

 

[TyrantBoss]

I always thought Fantasyland was the one place for young children,
they should not have anything in this area with any type of age or height restriction

I find it funny that you say that. The entire park is for children.
There are only a small handful of rides with she/height restrictions.
But the real problem is that kids will be bored the rather quickly. There is nothing to do but eat, see Belle tell a story and ride one dark ride.

New Fantasyland could have....should have....been a LOT better

 

[TyrantBoss]

On our last visit in January, we visited the New Fantasyland area and thought a lot more could of been done with it. We did enjoy the huge gift shop. The mermaid ride seemed very similar to the Finding Nemo ride in Epcot. We probably won't stop there every trip.

The only difference is that the Finding Nemo ride sucked and Little Mermaid did not.
That being said.....Little Mermaid, while pretty, is lacking something.

 

[tare]

I think it is pretty but I don't think think it lived up to all the hype

 

[Nemo14]

or the expense.

 

[SJN1279]

I agree with you luv. I was expecting more from the Circus area. I am just not feeling it when I go there.

And Little Mermaid......it is great...but they were missing one really great thing.....
I would have LOVED a GIANT Ursula like she became in the movie....you know the "Big Reveal" in the ride and then have her beaten and show her turned into one of those little weed things like in the movie.

The ride just ends and is a big missed opportunity.

I originally thought the same thing, but a Giant Ursula may have been too scary for certain children. I know some children are fearful of the one time Ursula appears in the attraction already, to add another giant version of her in the attraction may have made the ride too scary for its target audience.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I suppose a great deal depends on how you look at it and what it's original intentions were. We, adults, seem to think that everything in WDW has to conform to what we see as exciting or thrilling. Fantasyland is now and always has been for kids. We just decided that kids are just going to be happy that we brought them along on the trip and not necessarily have anything there that in their vision might excite them. As an adult that has seen many sunrises now, I can't help but wonder how we think about things. When I first went to WDW, at 35 years old, my brain automatically switched into kid mode. I didn't look for things that made my heart stop beating or caused my blood pressure to rise, I just looked for the fun and creativity in it.

We have become jaded over the years by stuff that places like Disney and Universal have brought us that excited our imaginations. We are a tougher group now. Much harder to satisfy, we want more, more and more. We are unable to understand that our personal, experienced thoughts do not extend to everyone. As for NFL, I honestly do not know how anyone can pass judgment at this point anyway. Revisit this discussion when it is all done and we see what it is meant to be in its entirety. When complete it will no longer be "new fantasyland" it will be a part of a bigger picture that is known as Fantasyland.

From what I see, it is exactly like the old Disney was. Simple, everyday, family stuff with awesome themeing and catering to kids that are really kids as well as those of us that still have the ability to leave our pesky grownup self home and only bring the inner child with us.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I originally thought the same thing, but a Giant Ursula may have been too scary for certain children. I know some children are fearful of the one time Ursula appears in the attraction already, to add another giant version of her in the attraction may have made the ride too scary for its target audience.

Oh, for heavens sake, give the kids a little room to experience new things. Life itself isn't just happy, happy things. We all, at least us geriatric set people, grew up seeing scary things and also with the help of people like Walt Disney, we found that those things can be overcome and have a happy ending. Over-protection ends up amounting to no protection at all in some cases.

 

[Nemo14]

Oh, for heavens sake, give the kids a little room to experience new things. Life itself isn't just happy, happy things. We all, at least us geriatric set people, grew up seeing scary things and also with the help of people like Walt Disney, we found that those things can be overcome and have a happy ending. Over-protection ends up amounting to no protection at all in some cases.

^
*loves*