Disneylands Frontierland vs WDW Frontierland

Hattieboxghost110

Hattieboxghost110

Well-Known Member
"I've never been to WDW, but DL Splash is my all time favorite ride. It really is amazing how organic the whole thing looks, like it's just part of the environment. I also love that it uses classic animatronics from America Sings, and the entire soundtrack is top notch."

Yup. You described it perfectly. It does look organic to its surroundings. That was my point #4. The mountain/Chicapin Hill is much more beautiful at Disneyland for the natural color scheme and realistic dimensions.

Look at how pretty this is at DL.

smhdlp123456.jpg


And this...

IMG_0291_2.JPG


Compare it to the mountain at Disney World. It looks so fake and tacky.

splash-mountain-gallery09.jpg
 
George Lucas on a Bench

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
I just don't agree that the WDW version looks fake and tacky. It looks more like a cartoon, which the ride is based on. In fact, the way it clashes with the "realistic" setting in Frontierland reminds me a lot of the scenes in the movie where Uncle Remus is seen in an animated setting, now viewable in HD on YouTube:



They didn't care about the logic of a live action human suddenly in a cartoon. So while people have been trying to argue that WDW Splash looks out of place in Frontierland, I think the Imagineers wanted to make it look more like the cartoon. Bright and colorful. DL's is more drab and sort of blends in with the natural vegetation, but doesn't exactly feel accurate to the movie. The thing that bugs me about DL's is that the hole where the logs drop out of looks like a weird face screaming.
 
No Name

No Name

Well-Known Member
The problem is, these Michigan-hating imagineers decided that you can't have two parts of Fronteirland seperated by a body of water. So Bear/Critter Country is the South, while Fronteirland is the West. And in my opinion, that takes the word "frontier" far too literally. "Frontier" is as embodying as "tomorrow" or "fantasy," it's more a thought than a place. Splash Mountain and Country Bear Jamboree fit as well in Frontierland as Star Tours fits in Tomorrowland (doncha know, it's actually set "a long time ago in a galaxy far far away"). But alas, they're building Star Wars Land.

So I'm actually not answering the question of the thread, I'm just griping about the way the castle parks have grown. There's no reason Critter Country couldn't or shouldn't be brought under the Frontierland banner. That would help drive the theme.

mandstaft said:
By far the best Frontierland is at DL Paris.
Click to expand...

I like that Frontierland is all one land. No Critter Country, no New Orleans Square / Liberty Square / Mystic Point, no Grizzly Gultch, no Star Wars Land, etc. But it's sorely missing Splash Mountain.
 
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mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
egg said:
The problem is, these Michigan-hating imagineers decided that you can't have two parts of Fronteirland seperated by a body of water. So Bear/Critter Country is the South, while Fronteirland is the West. And in my opinion, that takes the word "frontier" far too literally. "Frontier" is as embodying as "tomorrow" or "fantasy," it's more a thought than a place. Splash Mountain and Country Bear Jamboree fit as well in Frontierland as Star Tours fits in Tomorrowland (doncha know, it's actually set "a long time ago in a galaxy far far away"). But alas, they're building Star Wars Land.

So I'm actually not answering the question of the thread, I'm just griping about the way the castle parks have grown. There's no reason Critter Country couldn't or shouldn't be brought under the Frontierland banner. That would help drive the theme.



I like that Frontierland is all one land. No Critter Country, no New Orleans Square / Liberty Square / Mystic Point, no Grizzly Gultch, no Star Wars Land, etc. But it's sorely missing Splash Mountain.
Click to expand...

Maybe if there had been a way to circumnavigate the park and walk to Critter Country from Frontierland then it would make more sense. But the only way to get Critter Country is by walking though NOS and that is definitely a land deserving of having its own name and not being lumped into Frontierland because it vaguely fits the theme. Besides, what would Disney had to have gained by announcing Frontierland expansions in the 60s and 70s as opposed to new lands they could market with NOS and Bear/Critter Country?

Curious though - wasnt the Indian village still in current day Critter Country even after NOS opened? So on the map, would you walk through NOS and then be in Frontierland again?
 
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Disneysea05

Disneysea05

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
It's been that way for so long that it's barely a thought for most anymore.

Rapunzels tower right next to MKs Haunted Mansion bug me much more.
 
Hattieboxghost110

Hattieboxghost110

Well-Known Member
"I just don't agree that the WDW version looks fake and tacky. It looks more like a cartoon, which the ride is based on. In fact, the way it clashes with the "realistic" setting in Frontierland reminds me a lot of the scenes in the movie where Uncle Remus is seen in an animated setting, now viewable in HD on YouTube"

Dude, why can't you just admit that Frontierland is an awful choice for the setting of Splash Mountain? The movie it is based on is called, Song of the SOUTH, it is not called, Song of the WEST!
 
Hattieboxghost110

Hattieboxghost110

Well-Known Member
And in my opinion, that takes the word "frontier" far too literally. "Frontier" is as embodying as "tomorrow" or "fantasy," it's more a thought than a place.
Click to expand...

Not really. Walt Disney was in love with the tales, landscape and legends of the Old West. Cowboys and Indians. Davy Crockett, etc. It is an exciting part of our American history. You can't take the geography, history, and geology out of Froniterland. You would essentially gut its heart and soul.
 
Professortango1

Professortango1

Well-Known Member
Kira Nerys said:
I just don't agree that the WDW version looks fake and tacky. It looks more like a cartoon, which the ride is based on. In fact, the way it clashes with the "realistic" setting in Frontierland reminds me a lot of the scenes in the movie where Uncle Remus is seen in an animated setting, now viewable in HD on YouTube:



They didn't care about the logic of a live action human suddenly in a cartoon. So while people have been trying to argue that WDW Splash looks out of place in Frontierland, I think the Imagineers wanted to make it look more like the cartoon. Bright and colorful. DL's is more drab and sort of blends in with the natural vegetation, but doesn't exactly feel accurate to the movie. The thing that bugs me about DL's is that the hole where the logs drop out of looks like a weird face screaming.
Click to expand...


The queue and exterior are more realistic as they exist in the land. The logs drop into the cartoon world.

Just like the film had a realistic setting, with going into a cartoon world, with a finale of mixed elements. The DL version captures that perfectly.
 
Daveeeeed

Daveeeeed

Well-Known Member
Splash feels out of place in Frontierland, but WDW's Frontierland basically includes Critter Country as it contains Splash and The Country Bears.

To me, it comes to Splash as Disneyland's food options are fantastic. Splash at WDW is really the only ride IMO that is far superior at MK vs. DL. So I'd give the edge to WDW, but it is very close and Disneyland is still a park that is waaay stronger as a whole. Also not being able to include Critter Country kind of hurts it too.

That being said, DLP's Frontierland makes DL & WDW look like a 4/10. :D That's how you do a western land.
 
Jones14

Jones14

Well-Known Member
I’ve not made it out to DL yet, but I’ve never felt that Splash was out of place in Frontierland. Something to remember for everybody talking about how it’s too brightly colored; it’s sitting next to Big Thunder Mountain, which is much brighter and vibrant looking in WDW than in DL.

In fact, I’d argue that the courtyard between Splash and Big Thunder is the heart of Frontierland. You have kinetic energy on all sides, between the riverboat, rafts, railroad, coaster, and flume, and action goes on above, around, and below you. It’s a great area, and probably my favorite in all of Magic Kingdom. It’s grand AND charming.
 
Disneysea05

Disneysea05

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
That makes sense. Since Magic Kingdom is the only Frontierland you've ever known/seen, there would be no reason for you to think Splash Mountain is out of place in the first place. That's just we're it's always been.
 
B

BD-Anaheim

Well-Known Member
Hattieboxghost110 said:
"I've never been to WDW, but DL Splash is my all time favorite ride. It really is amazing how organic the whole thing looks, like it's just part of the environment. I also love that it uses classic animatronics from America Sings, and the entire soundtrack is top notch."

Yup. You described it perfectly. It does look organic to its surroundings. That was my point #4. The mountain/Chicapin Hill is much more beautiful at Disneyland for the natural color scheme and realistic dimensions.

Look at how pretty this is at DL.

smhdlp123456.jpg


And this...

IMG_0291_2.JPG


Compare it to the mountain at Disney World. It looks so fake and tacky.

splash-mountain-gallery09.jpg
Click to expand...

That's the ugliest picture of MKs Splash Mountain I've ever seen. It doesn't look like that at all - very overexposed.
Here:
 

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