MK Frontierland Shootin' arcade to close and replaced with DVC Member lounge

[Ayla]

It was advertised as an attraction by Disney & had a steady stream of people at it for decades. What more do you need?

It’s fine to not care that it’s leaving, but that doesn’t necessitate pretending nobody used the thing.

Very few people used it. Every time we walked past it in the last decade, it's been empty or being used by 1 or 2 people.

 

[Bocabear]

I wish they would bring back the Diamond Horseshoe Review...I remember having to make reservations for it when I was a kid.... Or maybe some other Western Saloon themed live entertainment.... Oh, but there is no current Disney IP set in the Wild West.....darnit.... Placemaking no longer matters, just IP integration...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I wish they would bring back the Diamond Horseshoe Review...I remember having to make reservations for it when I was a kid.... Or maybe some other Western Saloon themed live entertainment.... Oh, but there is no current Disney IP set in the Wild West.....darnit.... Placemaking no longer matters, just IP integration...

Like 10 years ago… whenever they did the “limited time magic” promo they did a Halloween show in the saloon for a week or so. It was excellent!!! The Magician from Hollywood studios (“Jack Diamond”), piano player, Dapper Dans (as ghost cowboys) and a saloon girl singer.

It was so good!!!! But across the country at Disneyland they just cut the piano players at the saloon….

 

[Tuvalu]

I was not aware of that. It's nice to see that it is being used. Was it not closed for quite a while at some point in the last 2 decades? I thought it was, which is why I thought it wasn't open. Every time I've bee to WDW in the last 10 years (2014, 2016, 2017, 2019) there was no one walking in or out every time we walked by.

It reopened during 2020 when social distancing necessitated another dining room for LTT. When restrictions ended, the popularity of the the food had increased and The Diamond Horseshoe became a separate bookable ADR.

The restaurant was also open for a short time prior to the pandemic and served family-style bbq. My family ate there and the food was ok.

 

[aladdin2007]

I wish they would bring back the Diamond Horseshoe Review...I remember having to make reservations for it when I was a kid.... Or maybe some other Western Saloon themed live entertainment.... Oh, but there is no current Disney IP set in the Wild West.....darnit.... Placemaking no longer matters, just IP integration...

Agree, but the only thing you would get there now if they ever did anything is some preschool woodys roundup show or something..so its a plus they haven't gone that route. Does the diamond do well for meal seatings? I mean is it ever full or fairly busy? I haven't looked in there in awhile.

 

[Tuvalu]

Does the diamond do well for meal seatings? I mean is it ever full or fairly busy? I haven't looked in there in awhile.

It has been full each time I have dined there (most recently late January.)

 

[aladdin2007]

It has been full each time I have dined there (most recently late January.)

well thats good, I guess I should try it just never seem to remember or think of that location.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I wish they would bring back the Diamond Horseshoe Review...I remember having to make reservations for it when I was a kid.... Or maybe some other Western Saloon themed live entertainment.... Oh, but there is no current Disney IP set in the Wild West.....darnit.... Placemaking no longer matters, just IP integration...

I also remember it being very good, but that was back in 1987 I believe (it would have been right after the rescue of baby jessica from the well. I remember seeing the rescue on news before heading out for our trip.)

However I don't really see western type themes having all that much broad appeal currently. Nor for that matter review type shows in general. It isn't just about placing IP, its about bringing in entertainment that has broad mass market appeal, either its original parks create Disney IP, or movie/other Disney owned IP. The wild west/frontier is just not as mainstream appealable theming as it once was. Kids today aren't playing cowboys and Indians, aren't building many forts in the woods, ect.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Marginally more people, and a minority of WDW guests. There's always been a class system at WDW with DVC members, and they just keep giving them more and more spaces. So how does this change benefit the average guest?


Like the Diamond Horseshoe that is 100 feet away from where they are ripping out an attraction for a DVC lounge? The Diamond Horseshoe that probably has 6 inches of dust on every surface inside from non-use? That would make too much sense for Disney.

What other areas in MK, or any of the parks for that matter are "classed off" and only accessible to DVC remembers? Your post makes it seem like half or more of the new builds in MK are totally dedicated to DVC members or Golden Oak residents

 

[Jrb1979]

I also remember it being very good, but that was back in 1987 I believe (it would have been right after the rescue of baby jessica from the well. I remember seeing the rescue on news before heading out for our trip.)

However I don't really see western type themes having all that much broad appeal currently. Nor for that matter review type shows in general. It isn't just about placing IP, its about bringing in entertainment that has broad mass market appeal, either its original parks create Disney IP, or movie/other Disney owned IP. The wild west/frontier is just not as mainstream appealable theming as it once was. Kids today aren't playing cowboys and Indians, aren't building many forts in the woods, ect.

Again it may not be mainstream anymore but many other regional parks still have western themed areas. Silver Dollar City is all western themed, Cedar Point has the whole back of the park Western themed. We were just at a park yesterday that had a cowboy shootout for a show. I don't buy the broad appeal at all.

IMO it's mostly to do with Disney not having an relevant IP that fits Frontier land.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

However I don't really see western type themes having all that much broad appeal currently. Nor for that matter review type shows in general. It isn't just about placing IP, its about bringing in entertainment that has broad mass market appeal,

Hoop-dee-doo is constantly sold out - so there is proof that WDW visitors want and enjoy western themed revue type shows.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Again it may not be mainstream anymore but many other regional parks still have western themed areas. Silver Dollar City is all western themed, Cedar Point has the whole back of the park Western themed. We were just at a park yesterday that had a cowboy shootout for a show. I don't buy the broad appeal at all.

IMO it's mostly to do with Disney not having an relevant IP that fits Frontier land.

IMO comparing WDW to regional parks is an irrelevant exercise. They are completely different animals, with different customer bases, different markets, and different financial needs. Smaller regional parks can get by, or even do well with niche entertainment type offerings, given their geographic location and demographics. WDW is not one of them. WDW attendance and OH/OP costs requires nations/international marketing and attendance. You think your going to drive national/international attendance and popularity with cowboys and shoot out shows.....serious? Because the national trend today is favor of romanticizing the wild west and guns as a form of entertainment? And this is coming from someone who actually enjoys shooting and hunting with his kids, but your deluded if you think that is a successful broad spectrum marketing type strategy. WDW needs mainstream.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Smaller regional parks can get by, or even do well with niche entertainment type offerings, given their geographic location and demographics.

Calling silver dollar city, Knotts, and Cedar Point “smaller regional parks” just shows your lack of knowledge of theme parks.

Not that knowing a lot about theme parks is something to brag about but here I am lol.

 

[Bocabear]

I think Frontierland had a cowboy show on the streets back in the 70s... They could easily do walkaround character entertainment like the Citizens of Hollywood... A Sherriff, Cowboy, Cowgirl, a villain plotting to rob the bank....bring the piano player over from Main Street for some atmospheric music when the entertainers are walking around...
But I think they should go ahead at this pointand retheme most of it to New Orleans turn of the century and then create a new, more immersive Frontier, beyond Thunder Mountain... (with street entertainment)

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Hoop-dee-doo is constantly sold out - so there is proof that WDW visitors want and enjoy western themed revue type shows

Calling silver dollar city, Knotts, and Cedar Point “smaller regional parks” just shows your lack of knowledge of theme parks.

Not that knowing a lot about theme parks is something to brag about but here I am lol.

Compared to WDW that's exactly what they are. They aren't a roadside carnival to be sure, but trying to compare them in scope/scale to WDW is laughable.

 

[Expensive]

This info seems to be out there now, so just to confirm that there are plans to replace the Frontierland Shootin' Arcade with a new DVC Member Lounge. Closure likely around the end of May. Disney has yet to announce anything beyond the previously news of a new DVC lounge in an unnamed location.

Just another little reason that verifies it's all about the money and not the family. They are putting up DVC's everywhere they can. I will not be staying at Fort Wilderness any longer because of the conversion to DVC. I simple cannot afford it any longer. I had taken my family to Disney World 4 or 5 times staying at a cabins at Fort Wilderness. No longer. I am a senior, retired, and a veteran. We were looking forward to a trip.

 

[nickys]

Just another little reason that verifies it's all about the money and not the family. They are putting up DVC's everywhere they can. I will not be staying at Fort Wilderness any longer because of the conversion to DVC. I simple cannot afford it any longer. I had taken my family to Disney World 4 or 5 times staying at a cabins at Fort Wilderness. No longer. I am a senior, retired, and a veteran. We were looking forward to a trip.

I don’t think the cash prices for the FW Cabins have increased much for this Fall. It’s slightly more for one of the new ones - but not by much.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

At Disneyland, most of the arcade games left are free - the fortune tellers are free with the play app. there are a few that still take coins, Aladdin’s lamp and Shrunken Head in Adventureland, the band organ in the Frontierland gift shop…. Maybe some others I’m forgetting.

Up through 2019, MK had a change machine that actually gave out money. If you put in a dollar bill, you'd get back 4 quarters and a penny- for the pressed penny machines nearby.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I also remember it being very good, but that was back in 1987 I believe (it would have been right after the rescue of baby jessica from the well. I remember seeing the rescue on news before heading out for our trip.)

However I don't really see western type themes having all that much broad appeal currently. Nor for that matter review type shows in general. It isn't just about placing IP, its about bringing in entertainment that has broad mass market appeal, either its original parks create Disney IP, or movie/other Disney owned IP. The wild west/frontier is just not as mainstream appealable theming as it once was. Kids today aren't playing cowboys and Indians, aren't building many forts in the woods, ect.

I just read (elsewhere) that the Hoop-Dee-Doo Show remains very popular. (Though I can't say this from any personal knowledge.) and someone else beat me to it in this thread.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I think the arcade was important as atmosphere as much as an “attraction”

The grist mill on Tom Sawyer island isn’t an overly popular attraction - but it is enjoyed by a few guests each day and provides atmosphere for the entire land.