Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary Plans

[Walt d]

I tend to lurk more than not (due to being a CM), but this was a piece of news that came my way that I wanted to share. You're welcome to believe it or not.

We (the CMs in the part of MK where I work) had a meeting with two of our leaders who were talking about various internal things (high guest satisfaction ratings, great job, here's where we can improve, etc etc). Our leaders also mentioned that, while there won't be a huge celebration for the 45th anniversary coming up next year, Disney is already planning for the 50th anniversary. They said that the current plans are to completely overhaul both Frontierland and Tomorrowland both in the facades and adding new attractions. They said to expect some big, big changes in those two lands, although they admitted they didn't have any specifics as to what "New" Frontierland and "New" Tomorrowland would look like, nor what attractions would be added.

I suppose they could of been lying, but I've never known our leaders to deliberately do that - they've always been on the up-and-up, even to the point of saying, "Yes I know something, but I'm not allowed to say anything yet about it." So, like I said, take that news for what it is. We all know Disney, they could completely change their mind six months later and cheap-out on the whole thing. Just wanted to let you guys know.

I hope they would keep tom sawer island i like going out there, dont no why i always think of the band rush when im there. And the cave is fun, and cool in side. Im sure bobby igor will kill it. He loves to do that..

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Speaking of Disneyland's Castle decorations... That was very tacky and cheap-looking in person. This board would have ripped TDO to shreds had it happened to Cinderella Castle.

And "tacky" is different from literally any of Disney's other celebration decorations how? If I'm being honest, though, the 60th decorations are amongst the least tacky in the grand scheme of things. If you really thought they were the worst, then you must forget how beautiful it looked at night.

 

[Tay]

Tron is great for MK’s 50th but I at least hope they would give Space Mountain a massive refurb for the 50th but I doubt it.

Tron, a nighttime parade, Space Mountain overhaul, and an E ticket in Frontierland or Adventureland should’ve been the minimum for the 50th. Especially when TL completely needs to be redone, and multiple other MK lands could use a ride or two. There’s still over 3 years left for Disney to shock us though. I don’t have much hope but I’m optimistic. 50th+SWL crowds will be brutal. At least we’re getting Tron and a nighttime parade though.

 

[Indy_UK]

I'm thinking January 2022 will be our 3 week trip for the 50th. Crowds may be slightly better. Hopefully the Star Wars hotel will be done and I may stick our first cruise on th trip too

 

[John park hopper]

We were there for the 25th thinking of going May 2022 for the 50th; hopefully the crowds will be bearable and all the new construction will be completed.

 

[mikejs78]

I'm thinking January 2022 will be our 3 week trip for the 50th. Crowds may be slightly better. Hopefully the Star Wars hotel will be done and I may stick our first cruise on th trip too

January has been brutal recently... Best bet is April/May, starting at least a week after Easter, or late August/early September.

 

[RSoxNo1]

The day Tron opens would be a great day to close and re-track Space Mountain to have it open in time for October 2021. Too bad that out of all of the things we know won't happen, that won't happen the most.

EDIT: especially since I think TRON originally was supposed to open before 2021, and now definitely won't.

Or move it and Carousel of Progress to Future World. I’d wait until after the 50th though.

 

[aladdin2007]

A new classic "mountain" range such as in Adventureland would have been a great 50th gift instead of tron, but they took the cheaper route.

 

[peter11435]

but they took the cheaper route.

Not exactly...

 

[cheezbat]

A new classic "mountain" range such as in Adventureland would have been a great 50th gift instead of tron, but they took the cheaper route.

Yeah...I really hoped that we would get a UNIQUE one of a kind new E-ticket in the MK for the 50th, but instead we’re getting another cloned attraction in Tron(which is cool, but I’d rather have something original). I guess Pandora Guardians and Mickey’s Runaway Railway will have to suffice...even though NONE of those are in the Magic Kingdom:the actual park turning 50.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Not exactly...

Actually, yes, exactly. Taking an already designed ride from another park is much cheaper than creating something original.

 

[peter11435]

Actually, yes, exactly. Taking an already designed ride from another park is much cheaper than creating something original.

Actually, No, not exactly.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

A new classic "mountain" range such as in Adventureland would have been a great 50th gift instead of tron, but they took the cheaper route.

I remember hearing rumors it was between a mountain in Adventureland and Tron, so seeing you mention that depresses me a bit.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Actually, No, not exactly.

You seem to be missing the point. Since the ride was already designed for another resort, WDW is only paying for the construction costs, which wouldn't be the case if they designed a new attraction specifically for MK.

 

[peter11435]

You seem to be missing the point. Since the ride was already designed for another resort, WDW is only paying for the construction costs, which wouldn't be the case if they designed a new attraction specifically for MK.

No. I understand your point. It’s just incorrect.

Cloning the attraction does not really save on design costs. The design and engineering still needs to be entirely redone to suit its location. You can’t just take blueprints from China and build the same thing here. The only thing cloning saves is on the concept design phase and also reduces risk since the popularity of the concept is already known.

 

[Pi on my Cake]

No. I understand your point. It’s just incorrect.

Cloning the attraction does not really save on design costs. The design and engineering still needs to be entirely redone to suit its location. You can’t just take blueprints from China and build the same thing here. The only thing cloning saves is on the concept design phase and also reduces risk since the popularity of the concept is already known.

Nearly done with my engineering degree from a Florida University. Pretty much every professor I've had reminded us to never use blueprints or anything designed outside of Florida for Florida. Between frequent a severe storms with HEAVY wind, very unstable ground, a high water level, high heat, HIGH humidity, etc.

I can confirm that Disney isn't saving more than, at most, 10-20 million doing this over a similar scale attraction in Adventureland. The big benefit is that this is an attraction people already like and want to ride.

I agree that unique rides in every park is awesome, but we already have, I'm assuming, the most unique rides of any resort (everything in Epcot and Animal Kingdom for example). And I'll probably never make it to Shanghai more than at absolute most once in my life. I don't mind an occasional clone here and there of rides I've dreamt of riding.

Especially when between Pandora, Toy Story Land, Mickey and Minnie, Mary Poppins, and GotG, Lightning McQueen show, etc. we will have gotten at least EIGHT new rides/attractions unique to Florida of varying ticket levels between the 45th and 50th anniversaries. Plus, presumably, a new show in one of the theaters in Hollywood Studios, a retheme of Launch Bay, a new Night Parade, and 2-3 new or updated night shows in different parks.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

No. I understand your point. It’s just incorrect.

Cloning the attraction does not really save on design costs. The design and engineering still needs to be entirely redone to suit its location. You can’t just take blueprints from China and build the same thing here. The only thing cloning saves is on the concept design phase and also reduces risk since the popularity of the concept is already known.

I get how some design cost will be spent on configuring the attraction so it can work where it is behind the train tracks. But from what we know, this is going to be an exact clone, so why would the show building, track, and show elements cost anything in design costs of its all going to be identical?

 

[mikejs78]

I get how some design cost will be spent on configuring the attraction so it can work where it is behind the train tracks. But from what we know, this is going to be an exact clone, so why would the show building, track, and show elements cost anything in design costs of its all going to be identical?

Because the requirements/building codes/etc of a building in Florida are differerent than Shanghai. So the building, track, etc, have to be redesigned to match the location. And you can't just "tweak" it. Change one measurement, it may affect many other measurements that then have to be adjusted,.which then affect others... So a redesign is necessary.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I can confirm that Disney isn't saving more than, at most, 10-20 million doing this over a similar scale attraction in Adventureland. The big benefit is that this is an attraction people already like and want to ride.

That may not be a lot in the grad scheme of a ride budget, but it's still enough money being saved for Disney to pick one ride over another solely on that basis. The ride may have worked in Shanghai, but it's not going to make much of a difference in Florida since other attractions there already fulfill its purposes.

 

[peter11435]

I get how some design cost will be spent on configuring the attraction so it can work where it is behind the train tracks. But from what we know, this is going to be an exact clone, so why would the show building, track, and show elements cost anything in design costs of its all going to be identical?

There’s no such thing as an exact clone even if it appears to be. Building codes, ada requirements and a number of other regulations and requirements will ensure that very little will be an exact clone from a design and engineering standpoint.