Fantasyland expansion a go - CONFIRMED

_Scar

Active Member
No offense, but I take it you have never been to Disneyland or Tokyo Disneyland? If you are basing your Disney park experience solely on the Florida property, and solely on the last 10 or 15 years, then I would strongly encourage you to get out and visit the Disney properties in California and Japan.

That said, my criticism earlier of Magic Kingdom was not aimed at the front line CM's working the attractions, shops and restaurants. There are great CM's in Florida, and some grumpy or unpolished ones too. There are great CM's in California, and some bored OC teens who simply don't have the service gene. Japanese CM's however are darn near perfect.

My criticism that Magic Kingdom lacked a sense of style and showmanship and elegance is rooted primarily in their physical facilities, their choice of operational decisions, and their aim at certain demographics without thought to showmanship. There's a hundred examples both huge and tiny, but some of the easiest off the top of my head are:

The Rivers of America. At Disneyland they've got the classic Riverboat, the rafts to a refreshed and snazzy Tom Sawyer Island, plus the fabulous Sailing Ship Columbia and a fleet of Davy Crockett Canoes traveling around the river. At Magic Kingdom every time I've been there it's just a lone riverboat and a single raft going back and forth. At Disneyland the Rivers of America are alive with activity and excitement every time you glance at it, but at Magic Kingdom the Rivers of America just sort of sits there empty for long stretches of time like a stagnant flood control channel.

Magic Kingdom would be wise to get in on this kind of river action;

P9300060-a.jpg


Then there's Main Street USA. Disneyland has worked hard to keep the street fresh and entertaining, yet kept it from becoming one giant Disney Store. The Main Street Cinema still plays Mickey Mouse cartoons, the Penny Arcade still has period games of skill and fun for a penny or a nickel, and the Fire Station still has real firefighting equipment and displays just for fun without a cash register in sight. All of those things in Magic Kingdom have become shop after shop selling the same t-shirts, pins, and stuffed animals. When Disneyland's Bank of Main Street became the new Disney Gallery (partly because no one needs a real bank anymore in the debit card age), they did an amazing job refreshing and reinventing the space into a gorgeous bank-themed art gallery that's twice as pretty as the old bank it replaced.

Or silly little things like the Big Thunder Ranch petting farm. Goats you can pet, cows and donkeys and cookie decorating. The farm gets totally decorated for Halloween, and they dress the animals up in silly costumes for HalloweenTime. And at Christmas, Disneyland ships in the pardoned Presidential Turkey and a fleet of real, live Reindeer from Alaska. Just for fun, just because it's cool. There's no cash register at the ranch, just animals.
reindeer_roundup_michael.jpg


But more and more Magic Kingdom just seems to be operated based on a spreadsheet aimed at middle-class DVC members who have 9 year old girls, without thought to what might be simply fun or cool or unique. Let's hope this New Fantasyland for 2013 can be a springboard for Magic Kingdom management to get some Disneyland-style spring in their step and showmanship that isn't tied to a spreadsheet.

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But a petting zoo can be found at any faire. Not what Walt wanted. I hate it in DAK, I hate it in DL. I don't see how that can be something positive for a theme park built not to be like a faire. The Disney Galery, from what I've read, has not gotten very good reviews. Parts of the bank remain like the bank vault door, which seem awkwardy placed. Tom Sawyer Island should of never changed over to the Pirate's theme IMO. Another original inhabitant of Disneyland sadly evicted for Jack Sparrow? That stinks. Also the canoes in the hot Florida sun would be such a pain in the-. I do get our Main Street offers a lot of merch, but you have to look past that. Tony's Restaurant, Casey's Corner, The Crystal Palace, the Main Street Confectionary, and the Main Street Cinema are ALL great parts of our Main Street. I don't see how you can just overlook these.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
But a petting zoo can be found at any faire. Not what Walt wanted. I hate it in DAK, I hate it in DL. I don't see how that can be something positive for a theme park built not to be like a faire. The Disney Galery, from what I've read, has not gotten very good reviews. Parts of the bank remain like the bank vault door, which seem awkwardy placed. Tom Sawyer Island should of never changed over to the Pirate's theme IMO. Another original inhabitant of Disneyland sadly evicted for Jack Sparrow? That stinks. Also the canoes in the hot Florida sun would be such a pain in the-. I do get our Main Street offers a lot of merch, but you have to look past that. Tony's Restaurant, Casey's Corner, The Crystal Palace, the Main Street Confectionary, and the Main Street Cinema are ALL great parts of our Main Street. I don't see how you can just overlook these.

Big Thunder Ranch is quite lavishly themed and wildly popular, especially with city kids and their parents. And yet not a cash register in sight.

What "reviews" are you reading of the new Gallery? It's gorgeous. Visit and you'll see for yourself. http://images.google.com/imgres?img...treet&hl=en&sa=N&um=1&ei=lgjdSoqwL4LUsQPq1cUn

Tom Sawyer Island, and its original layout from 1956 is all still there, with a Tom and Huck as River Pirates overlay. Mark Twain wrote quite a bit about Tom and the river pirates, and Walt incorporated those elements in the original 1956 island, like; Pirate's Den, Smuggler's Cove, the buried pirate treasure in the caves, etc. Check out the new pre-show on the dock, and you'll get the pirate plot. It's not just Jack Sparrow, you have to see it to get it.

As for Canoes, the Magic Kingdom opened with that attraction in 1971, and they continued to operate in Florida into the 1980's. Not sure when they were cut from the Magic Kingdom, but it's been quite a while. They still have the Canoes in Tokyo, and Tokyo summers can be just as brutal as Florida. Here's proof of their Magic Kingdom existence from the early 1980's;
2751970634_7e973f5c5f.jpg


At Magic Kingdom the Main Street Cinema is now a shop selling souvenirs;

reminders_cinemainterior2008ww.jpg


Same with the WDW's Main Street Fire Station, which is now called Engine Co. 71 Firehouse Gift Shop.

WDW's Magic Kingdom Main Street USA still does have that great Harmony Barber Shop, which I think is exclusive to Florida. Disneyland never had a barber shop, ever. But I would think that with all the AP's coming every week that they could add one and have a huge clientele of parents bringing their boys to get their hair cut at Disneyland. Bravo to Magic Kingdom for not turning the Barber Shop into another shop selling direct-to-DVD Princess movies! :sohappy:
 

sponono88

Well-Known Member
But a petting zoo can be found at any faire. Not what Walt wanted.

I'm not sure about that.. Besides.. there's pictures of him riding a mule with his granddaughter in Frontierland. DL has had live animals pretty much since it opened

The Disney Galery, from what I've read, has not gotten very good reviews.

The new Gallery is beautiful. Not sure what reviews you're referring to.. some are still upset over the loss of the original Gallery (Walt's apartment) but overall it was well-received. The few negative reviews that came in were from a small minority...
 

EPCOT Explorer

New Member
Big Thunder Ranch is quite lavishly themed and wildly popular, especially with city kids and their parents. And yet not a cash register in sight.

What "reviews" are you reading of the new Gallery? It's gorgeous. Visit and you'll see for yourself. http://images.google.com/imgres?img...treet&hl=en&sa=N&um=1&ei=lgjdSoqwL4LUsQPq1cUn

Tom Sawyer Island, and its original layout from 1956 is all still there, with a Tom and Huck as River Pirates overlay. Mark Twain wrote quite a bit about Tom and the river pirates, and Walt incorporated those elements in the original 1956 island, like; Pirate's Den, Smuggler's Cove, the buried pirate treasure in the caves, etc. Check out the new pre-show on the dock, and you'll get the pirate plot. It's not just Jack Sparrow, you have to see it to get it.

As for Canoes, the Magic Kingdom opened with that attraction in 1971, and they continued to operate in Florida into the 1980's. Not sure when they were cut from the Magic Kingdom, but it's been quite a while. They still have the Canoes in Tokyo, and Tokyo summers can be just as brutal as Florida. Here's proof of their Magic Kingdom existence from the early 1980's;
2751970634_7e973f5c5f.jpg


At Magic Kingdom the Main Street Cinema is now a shop selling souvenirs;

reminders_cinemainterior2008ww.jpg


Same with the WDW's Main Street Fire Station, which is now called Engine Co. 71 Firehouse Gift Shop.

WDW's Magic Kingdom Main Street USA still does have that great Harmony Barber Shop, which I think is exclusive to Florida. Disneyland never had a barber shop, ever. But I would think that with all the AP's coming every week that they could add one and have a huge clientele of parents bringing their boys to get their hair cut at Disneyland. Bravo to Magic Kingdom for not turning the Barber Shop into another shop selling direct-to-DVD Princess movies! :sohappy:
Stop. I have to wait till 2012 for DL.:brick::ROFLOL:
 

_Scar

Active Member
Sorry, I didn't realize Walt started the BTM Ranch.

I'm not sure about that.. Besides.. there's pictures of him riding a mule with his granddaughter in Frontierland. DL has had live animals pretty much since it opened



The new Gallery is beautiful. Not sure what reviews you're referring to.. some are still upset over the loss of the original Gallery (Walt's apartment) but overall it was well-received. The few negative reviews that came in were from a small minority...

There was a mule attraction in DL's early years I know for sure. I think that evolved into the ranch, but I'm not 100%.

I've read many reviews from Miceage to gather that. Don't you read Miceage? I know a majority didn't like the Gallery as much as they had, not a minority. IDK about other sites, but Miceage seems to be the biggest DL site.
 

sponono88

Well-Known Member
What "reviews" are you reading of the new Gallery? It's gorgeous. Visit and you'll see for yourself. http://images.google.com/imgres?img...treet&hl=en&sa=N&um=1&ei=lgjdSoqwL4LUsQPq1cUn

I love this picture from Dateline Disneyland
IMG_3799.jpg


Sorry, I didn't realize Walt started the BTM Ranch.

There was a mule attraction in DL's early years I know for sure. I think that evolved into the ranch, but I'm not 100%.

I've read many reviews from Miceage to gather that. Don't you read Miceage? I know a majority didn't like the Gallery as much as they had, not a minority. IDK about other sites, but Miceage seems to be the biggest DL site.

Yes, I do read MiceAge. And I still stand by my original statement, the negative reviews came in from the usual crowd, fanboys if that's what you want to call them ("DL is ruined - Main Street Mall - Boycott Starbucks on Main Street" - etc. etc.) Most people liked the gallery, but lamented the loss of the original.

and a video of DL's Main Street Cinema - nice way to escape the crowds and catch a classic Mickey cartoon :)

[youtube]X9xbtJ4Abxg[/youtube]
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
WDW's Magic Kingdom Main Street USA still does have that great Harmony Barber Shop, which I think is exclusive to Florida. Disneyland never had a barber shop, ever.
The barber shop is not unique to the Magic Kingdom. Dapper Dan's Hair Cuts has been serving guests at Disneyland Paris since opening day. I believe Dapper Dan's also offers shaves and they allow one to book an appointment.
 

jakeman

Well-Known Member
At Magic Kingdom the Main Street Cinema is now a shop selling souvenirs;

reminders_cinemainterior2008ww.jpg


Same with the WDW's Main Street Fire Station, which is now called Engine Co. 71 Firehouse Gift Shop.
In all fairness, it is at least the Art of Disney shop...

Oh Disney, if you only know how you could empty my pockets if all your shops had the same quality, varitey, and interesting merchandise as Art of Disney themed to the land they were in...
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
I love this picture from Dateline Disneyland
IMG_3799.jpg

Yeah, if that new art gallery (opened up in a space never before used by Disneyland guests) is getting "bad reviews", then I don't think I trust the judgement of the reviewer. :lol:

I have read grumbling about the new location of the Disney Gallery from the usual gaggle of 19 year old Annual Passholder fanbois who think they still have some birthright to hang out on the balcony of Walt's personal apartment nursing Diet Cokes and nerding out in front of each other. :rolleyes:

But other than that, the new Disney Gallery created in the space once used by the Bank of Main Street is gorgeous and a fabulous addition to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.
 

tirian

Well-Known Member
Yeah, if that new art gallery (opened up in a space never before used by Disneyland guests) is getting "bad reviews", then I don't think I trust the judgement of the reviewer. :lol:

I have read grumbling about the new location of the Disney Gallery from the usual gaggle of 19 year old Annual Passholder fanbois who think they still have some birthright to hang out on the balcony of Walt's personal apartment nursing Diet Cokes and nerding out in front of each other. :rolleyes:

But other than that, the new Disney Gallery created in the space once used by the Bank of Main Street is gorgeous and a fabulous addition to Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom.

Hence why I can't stand MiceChat.

:lookaroun

So, about the Fantasyland expansion...
 

plaz10

Well-Known Member
I have a question which may have been answered and i apologize if it has been but i don't have the time to read through over 1,000 posts and search is going very slow for me for some reason.

But will there be any villain meet and greets in the new fantasyland?

Like Gaston in Gaston's Tavern?
Or Malificent outside Auroras Cottage?
Or (and most hopefully!) Ursula at the new Ariel Adventure!?

I know WDW never gives the villains any loving...but they are my favorites by far and i can't WAIT to see Ursula in the Ariel Adventure attraction! :sohappy:
 

EPCOT Explorer

New Member
I have a question which may have been answered and i apologize if it has been but i don't have the time to read through over 1,000 posts and search is going very slow for me for some reason.

But will there be any villain meet and greets in the new fantasyland?

Like Gaston in Gaston's Tavern?
Or Malificent outside Auroras Cottage?
Or (and most hopefully!) Ursula at the new Ariel Adventure!?

I know WDW never gives the villains any loving...but they are my favorites by far and i can't WAIT to see Ursula in the Ariel Adventure attraction! :sohappy:
I would hope, but I don't think so. It would look out of place for a villain to be walking around a cheery and magical setting.
 

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