Fresh FLE News for March 2010

[jt04]

Stitch Kingdom (dot com) has a new story from an Imagineering presentation from a couple days ago. Definitely some interesting information! Some of which isn't good IMO. Plenty to sift through and discuss including barnstormer news.

PS-Do a search as I'm not sure a link is permitted to that site.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I'm pretty sure we are able to link to SK.


And yeah, we had a whole discussion as the news broke, seeing that the D23 Anniversary information was twittered by those in attendance.

I found the lack on information released disappointing....seems like everything, including the barnstormer, is undecided on.

http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney...23-expo-upcoming-events-wdi-drops-bombshells/

 

[WDW Vacationer]

Imagineering seems to know less about the later stages of the expansion and more about the princess area,the main body of the expansion.

 

[jt04]

I missed the discussion. Sorry.

I find the possibility of any of Toontown remaining bad news. It just doesn't fit the backstory of Fantasyland Forest. I think the author may be reading too much into what the Imagineer said. I can't imagine they are considering keeping the M&M houses. The only place I could see them is behind the Goofy's building on the small path to TL. Perhaps designed as a mini cartoon version of MSUSA. But there definitely is not room for M&M M&G's. I think it would be a terrible mistake to scrap PH for a toontown featuring the fab five. A fully realized toontown is a much better fit for DHS.

I also found it very interesting they haven't decided on a theme for the barnstormer. I wonder if Alice or a SW runaway mine are still on the table?

Finally, I'm encouraged they are putting a lot of thought into landscaping design even to the point of rendering a virtual FLE to verify sightlines etc. This is the most important aspect of the expansion IMO. That and how to handle all those strollers when the millions show up. Because they will because this is a brilliant concept.

 

[WDW Vacationer]

I missed the discussion. Sorry.

I find the possibility of any of Toontown remaining bad news. It just doesn't fit the backstory of Fantasyland Forest. I think the author may be reading too much into what the Imagineer said. I can't imagine they are considering keeping the M&M houses. The only place I could see them is behind the Goofy's building on the small path to TL. Perhaps designed as a mini cartoon version of MSUSA. But there definitely is not room for M&M M&G's. I think it would be a terrible mistake to scrap PH for a toontown featuring the fab five. A fully realized toontown is a much better fit for DHS. The houses will not be staying in MK. They are going somewhere,but I have no idea where. DHS is my best guess.

I also found it very interesting they haven't decided on a theme for the barnstormer. I wonder if Alice or a SW runaway mine are still on the table? That would make no sense. its too close to the Dumbo area.

Finally, I'm encouraged they are putting a lot of thought into landscaping design even to the point of rendering a virtual FLE to verify sightlines etc. This is the most important aspect of the expansion IMO. That and how to handle all those strollers when the millions show up. Because they will because this is a brilliant concept. Yes. They are certaintly putting in an extreme amount of effort. Good sign.

Responses in bold.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I missed the discussion. Sorry.

I find the possibility of any of Toontown remaining bad news. It just doesn't fit the backstory of Fantasyland Forest. I think the author may be reading too much into what the Imagineer said. I can't imagine they are considering keeping the M&M houses. The only place I could see them is behind the Goofy's building on the small path to TL. Perhaps designed as a mini cartoon version of MSUSA. But there definitely is not room for M&M M&G's. I think it would be a terrible mistake to scrap PH for a toontown featuring the fab five. A fully realized toontown is a much better fit for DHS.

I also found it very interesting they haven't decided on a theme for the barnstormer. I wonder if Alice or a SW runaway mine are still on the table?

Finally, I'm encouraged they are putting a lot of thought into landscaping design even to the point of rendering a virtual FLE to verify sightlines etc. This is the most important aspect of the expansion IMO. That and how to handle all those strollers when the millions show up. Because they will because this is a brilliant concept.

I think that he's talking about retaining a place in the MK to meet the Mice. As Vacationer said, they might go to DHS, which I find to be great news.

I don't know if they even know what's up with Barnstormer. :lol:

And I agree on the FLE "look". Hope they have hidden areas for those....strollers.:fork:

 

[WDW Vacationer]

I hope they have an out of the way area for strollers.

 

[jt04]

Responses in bold.

I think that he's talking about retaining a place in the MK to meet the Mice. As Vacationer said, they might go to DHS, which I find to be great news.

I don't know if they even know what's up with Barnstormer. :lol:

And I agree on the FLE "look". Hope they have hidden areas for those....strollers.:fork:

Sorry I missed all this in the D23 thread. I thought that thread was about whether there would be a D23 convention this year. Guess you shouldn't judge a thread by it's title. Wow! Just read the thread and . I honestly don't get the anger and frustration. Way over the top.


Anyway, bottom line is (and I hope) that M&M will have a house on Main Street. Not just a standard m&g but a fully realized home. There is space in the area they are now working to really do something classy, unique and special. And it can open everyday before the rope drop for early arrivers.

I think another MSUSA possibility for one of the fab 5 is the firehouse. That would be perfect for Goofy and an homage to the Firehouse Five plus two......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firehouse_Five_Plus_Two

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

Or, you know, they could leave Mickey and Minnies houses unique to Disneyland in California, and just build simple meet-and-greets for them here? You know, actually further incentive to visit both coasts instead of homogenizing them into generic Disney Parks?

 

[imagineer boy]

Or, you know, they could leave Mickey and Minnies houses unique to Disneyland in California, and just build simple meet-and-greets for them here? You know, actually further incentive to visit both coasts instead of homogenizing them into generic Disney Parks?

Eh, I doubt people would be encouraged to go to DL just because they have Mickey and Minnie's houses and WDW doesn't.

 

[Mr.EPCOT]

Eh, I doubt people would be encouraged to go to DL just because they have Mickey and Minnie's houses and WDW doesn't.

Not necessarily just that, but the idea is to give people as many reasons as possible to go to both.

 

[jt04]

Not necessarily just that, but the idea is to give people as many reasons as possible to go to both.

That is a good point. They have toontown and we have Epcot. Seems fair. :lolsarcasm)

But you do have a valid argument.

 

[wm49rs]

It sounds like from the article that the fate of the Barnstormer is tied to the fate of ToonTown. That is, if/when Mickey and Minnie's homes finally make their exit, then Barnstormer will be rethemed. But if they happen to stay, then there wouldn't be a drastic need to change anything...

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

I know this would displace a lot of the back of house locations at the Magic Kingdom, but I would love to see the backstage area between Main Street and Tomorrowland used as a new Toontown-themed area rather than extending the berm further.

 

[marni1971]

This gets more boring with each official snippet. Desperation is starting to filter through. It is good news for the park, but should be seen as a minor expansion for one small dermographic which has been needed for a decade or more and accompanied by real news of real family attractions being added. Mermaid is great. It should be the first of another 2 or 3 E tickets.

That would be news worthy.

 

[headhoncho34]

This gets more boring with each official snippet. Desperation is starting to filter through. It is good news for the park, but should be seen as a minor expansion for one small dermographic which has been needed for a decade or more and accompanied by real news of real family attractions being added. Mermaid is great. It should be the first of another 2 or 3 E tickets.

That would be news worthy.

Exactly, they should cut all the Princess Meet and Greets out of the plans and replace them with 2 attractions.

 

[Lee]

Exactly, they should cut all the Princess Meet and Greets out of the plans and replace them with 2 attractions.

Kinda what I've been saying.
Keep Mermaid. Keep the BatB restaurant complex.
Maybe one central princess M&G.
Dump everything else.

Put the rest of the money into an attraction that will drive attendance, profit, and the profile of the park. Like maybe Indy in Adventureland.
That's what MK needs. A major, signature E ticket.

 

[Exprcoofto]

Kinda what I've been saying.
Keep Mermaid. Keep the BatB restaurant complex.
Maybe one central princess M&G.
Dump everything else.

Put the rest of the money into an attraction that will drive attendance, profit, and the profile of the park. Like maybe Indy in Adventureland.
That's what MK needs. A major, signature E ticket.

Indy :sohappy: Seriously, is it too much to ask for this attraction? Maybe someone should start an entire campaign to get this attraction in Adventureland, where it belongs. (if that was to happen, they'll probably make an extremely watered down cheap version )

 

[Oddysey]

I may be looking at the expansion from a selfish point of view, but after reading the article I am beginning to lose the excitment that I originally had. All the elaborate princess M&G's seem a bit redundant. I admit that my wife and I dont have any children at this point; which skews my perspective, but it just does not seem like the expansion has much to offer.

Outside of the Little Mermaid there is nothing here that my wife and I will visit with any frequency. We wont be spending our day at MK interacting with multiple princesses, and I cant get excited about the relocation of an exsisting attraction (Dumbo) with a new interactive queue.

In my opinion, this expansion is short sighted and does not give guest a reason to repeat the experiences within the expansion. Especially if you are not a little girl who aspires to be a princess. I hate to be negative, but I am not excited and wish this money was being allocated to more ride based attractions and lasting experiences. The last thing that I truly was excited about in MK was an experience built in 1989 by the name of Splash Mountain. Sadly, and 20 years later there is still nothing new and exciting.

 

[tirian]

Or, you know, they could leave Mickey and Minnies houses unique to Disneyland in California, and just build simple meet-and-greets for them here? You know, actually further incentive to visit both coasts instead of homogenizing them into generic Disney Parks?

No.

WDW needs more detail, not "just enough" so that DL remains the crown jewel. That sort of fanboy drivel is ridiculous.