Magic Kingdom 50th Anniversary Plans

[1023]

And unlike the Speedway, Tom Sawyer Island doesn't smell horrible, provides some relaxation during a busy day, is thematically appropriate and doesn't truly block off expansion. Big Thunder/Splash is what blocks the expansion pad.

They could even have rafts/boats transport guests to the Frontierland expansion pad if they really wanted to. Or build a bridge over RoA to the new area.

Canning a classic for an expansion (really a replacement at that point) isn't what MK needs.

Well...Many times in parts of Tom Sawyer's Island there are smells of impatience. Occasionally there are smells reminiscent of a Dead concert. From time to time it smells like a recess in the De Wallen RED district of Amsterdam.

*1023*

 

[Goofywilliam]

Realistically this is what I see happening by the 50th anniversary...

In Tomorrowland
1. Major refurb for Space Mountain because lets face it, Its basically falling apart in the condition its in.
2. Updated Carousel of progress.
3. The removal and replacement of Monsters inc laugh floor and Stitchs great escape.
4. Updated autopia like what is found in Disneyland or Hong Kong.
5. Extension of theming found in the main entrance to the back of the land.

In Frontierland
1. Updates to Big Thunder Mountain.
2. Maybe an extension of the land (although I find this hard to believe) around the rivers of America.

In Fantasyland
1. Updated dark rides similar to what Disneyland has gotten over the years.

And lastly, new entertainment across the board. I expect the Electrical parade and Wishes to be replaced prior to the 50th and a new daytime parade to debut for the 50th celebration.

 

[mahnamahna101]

To be honest the expansion north of the island would be tricky. Putting a bridge in stops the Liberty Belle.

Using more rafts or watercraft would work but it then involves keeping the island open at night.

A path on HM side would be difficult as the show building for HM and to a lesser extent IASW are currently behind a large artificial bank which is fairly steep but also quite a narrow strip of land. They almost need pontoon type walkways around the river edge. Access is difficult to the rear of BTM because you have the work sheds for the trains. There's a lot back there to disguise.

The space to the North of Space Mountain is far easier to get to.

I think they would be wise to consider access for future expansion when they next develop, much as I love Splash Mountain it's placement was not well considered in lots of ways. They've painted themselves into a corner on the Western side of the park.

It's probably easier to rework JC and expand Adventureland

Well, if they made the rafts/boats the only way of reaching the new area, they would increase usage of the RoA attractions (thereby decreasing lines for other atractions) - getting less popular attractions filled up seems to be TDO's game plan these days with FP+.

It would take some reworking of backstage infrastructure, but it's doable without closing anything.

Maybe a new path not by HM, but closer to the Riverboat station? I just want the Big Thunder/Splash bottleneck to go away. MK should never have a dead end.

They really should with any Frontierland expansion, leave space for 1-2 more attractions in case they get future ideas.

Tomorrowland is definitely easiest to expand - with that huge chunk of land behind the Speedway, a second level for CoP, and the space between Space/CoP. I'd save most of the Speedway footprint for something in Fantasyland.

 

[doctornick]

Maybe a new path not by HM, but closer to the Riverboat station? I just want the Big Thunder/Splash bottleneck to go away. MK should never have a dead end.

Agree with this. The bottleneck is terrible and just shows poor planning IMHO. If you could walk beside/beyond BTMRR to the north, they could put a drawbridge over the canal (so boats could still go in and out of the RoA as needed for repairs) and have access to the northern land -- and could build all around to connect to Liberty Square.

 

[RayTheFirefly]

Well...Many times in parts of Tom Sawyer's Island there are smells of impatience. Occasionally there are smells reminiscent of a Dead concert. From time to time it smells like a recess in the De Wallen RED district of Amsterdam.

*1023*

Actually, Amsterdam's canals no longer smell and are actually very clean. The water is pumped out three times a week and clean water is pumped in from Lake IJsselmeer.

 

[1023]

Actually, Amsterdam's canals no longer smell and are actually very clean. The water is pumped out three times a week and clean water is pumped in from Lake IJsselmeer.

Not the source I was referring to...

*1023*

 

[robonakabob]

Realistically this is what I see happening by the 50th anniversary...

In Tomorrowland
1. Major refurb for Space Mountain because lets face it, Its basically falling apart in the condition its in.
2. Updated Carousel of progress.
3. The removal and replacement of Monsters inc laugh floor and Stitchs great escape.
4. Updated autopia like what is found in Disneyland or Hong Kong.
5. Extension of theming found in the main entrance to the back of the land.

In Frontierland
1. Updates to Big Thunder Mountain.
2. Maybe an extension of the land (although I find this hard to believe) around the rivers of America.

In Fantasyland
1. Updated dark rides similar to what Disneyland has gotten over the years.

And lastly, new entertainment across the board. I expect the Electrical parade and Wishes to be replaced prior to the 50th and a new daytime parade to debut for the 50th celebration.

I don't foresee a new daytime parade anytime soon. Festival of Fantasy will be around for a lonnnnnnnggg time

 

[RayTheFirefly]

Not the source I was referring to...

*1023*

I figured that might be a possibility .

 

[Goofywilliam]

I don't foresee a new daytime parade anytime soon. Festival of Fantasy will be around for a lonnnnnnnggg time

By the time the 50th rolls around Festival of Fantasy will be around 7 years old and ready for a replacement. The electrical parade is falling apart in its current condition so I expect that to either be replaced, refurbed or completely shuttered in the next few years and Wishes will soon be getting the boot for a new nighttime spectacular. If the electrical parade is replaced I wouldn't see disney investing in a new nighttime parade just a few years later in 2021 so it makes the most sense for a new daytime parade to debut for this celebration. Of course they could put the nighttime parade on hiatus until the 50th and debut something new then, but lets hope that doesn't happen.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Agree with this. The bottleneck is terrible and just shows poor planning IMHO. If you could walk beside/beyond BTMRR to the north, they could put a drawbridge over the canal (so boats could still go in and out of the RoA as needed for repairs) and have access to the northern land -- and could build all around to connect to Liberty Square.

With some reworking of backstage, it's definitely possible. TDO just has to be willing to put some money into infrastructure.

Not to mention the rafts could take guests to the new area, also. Both of those options would clear up Frontierland's congestion considerably.

A nice 2,500-3,000/hr E-ticket would also help

 

[IMFearless]

Or they could build a new night parade in the next few years, but bring back a refurbished MSEP for the celebration.

 

[WDWVolFan]

No. He's getting some kind of flying ride in Florida where Twister is.

What? Now that is ridiculous.

 

[doctornick]

New thought: Why muck around with TSI and the RoA at all?

I think -- and this is the critical question because I'm not certain -- that there is some space between Splash and BTMRR around where the railroad station is. Is it possible to build a pathway between Splash/BTMRR that goes north behind BTRMM outside the railroad berm? You can then put a drawbridge over the canal north of BTMRR (not over the Rivers of America) to get access to the northern area without disrupting the RoA or riverboat at all. Then the WRE could be build outside the berm on that northern plot.

Add some dining and merch in that area, maybe a stage for shows. Then continue the path around the northern peak of RoA to Liberty Square where you can do an expansion there (say, a Sleepy Hallow attraction north of Haunted Mansion).

I don't know if that is even feasible, but it would be a nice way to leave the RoA intact while trying to fix the dead end at BTMRR and opening up a lot more land to ease congestion in the park.

 

[skinde]

I remember reading once that someone suggested moving CoP to Epcot. It could certainly fit with the theme in Future World, and could easily find a home in some of the unused buildings or the new space from Innoventions. I know it seems odd outside of Tomorrowland, but it's a pretty good fit and could allow for more space there. Disneyland's Buzz ride is great too, I wouldn't mind some of those updates in this one...

Side note: Sonny Eclipse needs to stay and I'd love some of the old PeopleMover audio back...

 

[mahnamahna101]

Ive always been fine with the river boat being stationary if it meant adding a bridge and finishing the expansion pad north. I've also been a big believer that extending liberty square for a Tiana restaurant & princess & the frog big band show on the now stationary river boat- and have that pathway extend to the new pad of frontierland.



Absolutely. Fantasyland is the ticket at MK. Wouldn't it be great to see a nice Frozen mini-land w/ Arendale there? Oh wait... they're putting that in the part of epcot that showcases the world's countries.

Since Arendale isn't happening, I'd prefer they relocate the Barnstormer to DHS, bulldoze the tents/Casey and do NFL Phase 2 (Speedway + space behind BoG + tents area)

B&TB trackless dark ride
Casey Jr. Circus Train (full-scale show scenes, drop, mini-mountain, tunnels, etc)
Bald Mountain
Wonderland mini-land (Alice dark ride, relocated Tea Cups, Curious Labyrinth, Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall)
Pooh flat ride and QS where the old Tea Cups and Cheshire Cafe were
Upgrades for old FL rides (Peter Pan, IASW, Pooh)
New dark ride where PFH is

Then use the space behind the Speedway for a space port sub-section of Tomorrowland. They could even have the entrance on the left side of Space Mountain. Fully enclosed, contains 3 attractions.

After relocating CoP, they could put a new show and dark ride in the large space (between Space Mt and the MS cast parking). Maybe even do 2 stories to allow a station for some sort of TRON attraction?

 

[robonakabob]

By the time the 50th rolls around Festival of Fantasy will be around 7 years old and ready for a replacement. The electrical parade is falling apart in its current condition so I expect that to either be replaced, refurbed or completely shuttered in the next few years and Wishes will soon be getting the boot for a new nighttime spectacular. If the electrical parade is replaced I wouldn't see disney investing in a new nighttime parade just a few years later in 2021 so it makes the most sense for a new daytime parade to debut for this celebration. Of course they could put the nighttime parade on hiatus until the 50th and debut something new then, but lets hope that doesn't happen.

That's true, but how long was Share A Dream Come True and it's many "revamps" around for?

 

[1023]

I remember reading once that someone suggested moving CoP to Epcot. It could certainly fit with the theme in Future World, and could easily find a home in some of the unused buildings or the new space from Innoventions. I know it seems odd outside of Tomorrowland, but it's a pretty good fit and could allow for more space there. Disneyland's Buzz ride is great too, I wouldn't mind some of those updates in this one...

Side note: Sonny Eclipse needs to stay and I'd love some of the old PeopleMover audio back...

Moving the World's Fair Exhibits to EPCOT would make sense. It would free up space for expansion in Tomorrowland and adjacent to Fantasyland. They would fit thematically in EPCOT and there is certainly space for them in FutureWorld. This has been discussed here before on other threads...

Disneyland's CoP became American Sings and then Innoventions when the characters from America Sings went to Splash... CoP doesn't really fit the theme of Tomrrowland. Of Course, neither does Monster's, Buzz, or Stitch... Lots of things need to hit the reset button in Florida's parks...

*1023*

 

[doctornick]

Since Arendale isn't happening, I'd prefer they relocate the Barnstormer to DHS, bulldoze the tents/Casey and do NFL Phase 2 (Speedway + space behind BoG + tents area)

Eh. I don't think the circus is a bad idea, just the execution. Instead of a M&G tent, they needed to make that second tent into an actual attraction that fits the circus theme -- Pinocchio, Mickey's Madhouse, whatever. There's plenty of space behind the tents for a showbuilding.

 

[doctornick]

Moving the World's Fair Exhibits to EPCOT would make sense. It would free up space for expansion in Tomorrowland and adjacent to Fantasyland.

While I am fully supportive of the idea of moving IASW to Epcot, I don't see the point of moving CoP. I think the CoP isn't a bad fit for TL and moving it doesn't really free up space. There's already expansion pads both north and south of Space Mountain that can be accessed without removing anything and the land south of Buzz/Laugh Floor can be accessed between Buzz and CoP (that's where the TL theater used to be).

Removing IASW OTOH creates access to a massive amount of space for a FL expansion, relieves a bottleneck walkway and even creates the possibility of another connection to Liberty Square to improve guest flow.

 

[Goofywilliam]

That's true, but how long was Share A Dream Come True and it's many "revamps" around for?

Far too long. Share a Dream Come true began in 2001 and its final incarnation didn't end till 2013!