MK: Fantasyland and Toontown Face a Facelift

[mharrington]

I keep hearing about how Fantasyland will be overhauled in the future at WDW's Magic Kingdom. But I have my own ideas for an overhaul, which will be the same kind as what Disneyland's Fantasyland got in 1983. And Toontown will be overhauled at the same time, as well. Here's a sort of teaser for that. I will use DL's FYL overhaul as a sort of guide...

FANTASYLAND AND TOONTOWN FACE A FACELIFT: PREVIEW/TEASER

Perhaps Alice from "Alice In Wonderland" put it best when she first arrived in Wonderland and said, "Curiouser and curiouser..." That may very well be the reaction of guests when they come to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. For until the following summer, things at Fantasyland and Mickey's Toontown Fair are sure to be topsy-turvy and some things known and loved at this area of Walt Disney World's first theme park will be absent. This is due to the fact that the Magic Kingdom is preparing for both lands several brand-new adventures to further enhance these most fantastic and unreal lands.

Like DL's Fantasyland and Toontown, all architectural exteriors of the two lands at WDW will be restyled to create the respective atmospheres of a European village and a wild cartoon city, coupled with landscaping, animation and improved development of the themed looks the likes of which made Disney famous The attractions will be revamped to more closely echo the movies from whence they came.

One of the few untouched areas of the new Fantasyland will be Cinderella's Golden Carrousel and the immediate vicinity thereof, which may very well be the only thing left untouched by the remodel (along with Cinderella Castle). As a result, this will be the only attraction left open for the duration. Yet even it will be slightly affected by the remodel, though not so much as a part of a rehab as its music tracks to be revised for reasons soon to be stated.

More on the big Fantasyland/Toontown overhaul later. All that I can say right now is that the old Fantasyland and Toontown will be on their respective ways to Walt Dated World.

Care to weigh in here, people?

 

[MaterA113]

I too definately agree that Fantasyland needs a big update, whether just a giant refurbishment, and or a new attraction(s).. Maybe a Little Mermaid ride or a Beauty and the Beast AA show or a SleepingBeauty attraction or even a Cinderella attraction since her castle is right there... What do you think?

Cant wait to read more... Once again i totally agree...

 

[mharrington]

I will start first over on the extreme western side of Fantasyland and work my way over there, one or two attractions at a time, until I reach Toontown Fair, after which it too will be overhauled.

So, over on the extreme westernmost side of Fantasyland is the Skyway area, the Peter Pan ride and Small World.

The Skyway station (and the hill leading up to it) will be completely demolished. This will make room for a brand-new Pixie Hollow area, where you can meet and greet Tinker Bell and her pixie friends. It will look more or less like the area at Disneyland. This is not only to make use of underused property, but also to tie in with the Peter Pan ride nearby. And speaking of which...

Next, we have the Peter Pan ride, which will receive a makeover on a par with the one at Disneyland. First and foremost, the ride will be renamed to Peter Pan's Flight To Neverland. Also, and even more importantly, the old medieval tent is GONE! What's there now? A new ride exterior that will look something like this: Disneyland Railroad on Flickr - Photo Sharing!. The Fastpass area will also be relocated to allow for a new store, which is where riders go after getting off the ride (this is also where people exiting the Philharmagic show will be deposited, too). It's a much bigger Tinker Bell's Treasures store (the old one will be renamed and rethemed). Also, a statue of Peter Pan, referencing the statue in Kensington Gardens. This was originally intended for inclusion at DL's ride's entrance as part of the 1983 FYL overhaul, but never was. But now, it has been built!

Inside, the queue area winds around like usual. But once you get to the load area, you'll see even more changes. First of all, while the flying ships will continue to load and unload with the Omnimover system, the chassis for them will be replaced to allow for lighter ships, which now have not one, but two rows to seat four (all versions of the ride will get this). Also, the back of the load area now replaces the different bits of scenery with a big mural. It will be identical in design to the Anaheim version, but with more of an overhead view of Neverland on the one side and another of London on the other. Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Darling siblings in particular will be posed something like this: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HENRJSWNL._SL500_.jpg. Just imagine this picture here used for part of the mural at WDW's version and you have an idea of what it will look like. And the mermaids portion of the mural (over on the Neverland side) will look something like this in the link here: http://i42.tinypic.com/2uf7vhs.png. Again, just imagine the design of the image below designed normally rather than by Mary Blair and you have an idea of what it looks like.

Now, the ride itself, while largely identical to what you see now, will nevertheless have its fair share of alterations.

So, anyway, you board your larger, more expanded pirate ship as it moves slowly through the load area without ever stopping (except for when they may have to help a handicap person get in or out). The ships have all been replaced to allow for more weighty people to ride and they're more comfortable. As you board, you hear the standard recording that says not to lower the safety bar yourself; it will lower automatically, which it does. You then proceed forward above the newly-added rooftops of London and then through a window into the usual first scene of the Darlings' nursery. You go past the scene of Wendy sitting next John and Michael, who are in their beds. You see Peter Pan's shadow on the wall as it flies toward a nearby window as Peter himself is heard saying, "Come on, everybody, here we go!"

You go out the window to the usual "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" melody that is heard in this ride like usual. But this time, in addition to the scene of Nana in the yard down below (a new AA version as she can actually be heard barking), you also can look to your left to see a lit window and silhouettes of Mr. and Mrs. Darling disturbed by the racket outside. "What the dickens?" Mr. Darling can be heard wondering. You then go over the usual scene of London, which will have been relatively untouched by the overhaul, save for more convincing effects here, including improved car effects on the streets and even the effect of the Thames' river's water "shimmering" in the moonlight.

You then go past the usual scene of the moon and Peter and the Darlings' silhouettes on it. But this time, they're going in the opposite direction, a more appropriate direction as you head toward the usual scene of the Neverland fly-over. The cannon effect here from Captain Hook's ship is the same, but Hook and Smee's voices have been updated. Hook now says, "Here they come, Mr. Smee! Shoot 'em down!" To which Smee says, "Aye-aye, Cap'n!" and then fires. But aside from that, the scene is more or less identical as to how it has always been: same mermaids, same Indians and so on and on. However, the cawing noises made will also be updated to sound more like seagulls.

So anyway, you end this part of the ride by flying over Skull Rock and from there, flying by the usual scene of the ride with Wendy about to walk the plank of Hook's ship, John and Michael and the Lost Boys lashed to the ship mast, the pirates all looking on and Peter and Hook dueling up in the mainbrace. The crocodile waits nearby, ticking away. Swinging around the ship, the pirates are all knocked out and the usual scene of a victorious Peter (now wearing Hook's hat) and the Darling siblings poised at the ship's steering wheel as Peter tells Tinker Bell, "We're sailing for London." The ship now glows a bright shade of gold (in the form of fiber-optics which quickly covers the entire ship). You then see the usual scene of a defeated Hook standing precariously on the crocodile's jaws to avoid going into his mouth (the jaws actually try to scissor shut (with Hook's legs with it)). Hook calls out for help to Smee, who answers from a rowboat.

You then see one last scene before the ride ends: you go through a waterfall and instead of the visuals of the gold-colored ship, you now see a cloud version of it in the London sky, just before the unload area. Across from it is the Darling house and you see Mr. Darling looking at it and saying, "You know, I have the strangest feeling I saw that ship once... a long time ago, when I was very young..." You then head to the unload area and get off to the right. The exit path leads into a new Tinker Bell's Treasures store, which is also where Mickey's PhilharMagic exits into.

And there you have it, the new and improved Peter Pan ride at WDW's Magic Kingdom.

Oh, and as part of the remodel, the voices behind the characters also will be updated. It will now be the following:

Blayne Weaver (Peter Pan)
Kathryn Beaumont (Wendy Darling)
Corey Burton (Captain Hook; Mr. Darling)
Jeff Bennett (Mr. Smee)

One question, though: should I keep the old "You Can Fly" music (heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIfPIoo14kE or should I update it? I want to avoid the music as heard in Disneyland and Disneyland Paris (too repetitive)).

And that's the first part of the Fantasyland overhaul at WDW's MK! So what are your thoughts on this so far?

 

[drossjr]

I agree both lands need to be updated, renovated and attractions added.

Toontown---they need to add some attractions other than visiting the characters houses and the Barnstormer. A Roger Rabbitt ride would be fun. The overall look of the area I am fine with but it needs more rides

Fantasyland--very disapointed that 20k was removed and not updated and renovated. Pooh Bear wiped out two of my favs in that land. :hammer:

I miss the skyway, seeing the station used as a stroller station is torture to me. I agree if they are going to just use it for this purpose tear it down and give us something new to enjoy :brick:

 

[mharrington]

Here's the next attraction to be revised: It's a Small World. This ride will definitely be needing a great overhaul, much bigger than the one received in 2004 and '05! First, all of the dolls and props and such will be taken out and put backstage for the duration, so as to remain intact when the ride reemerges from the remodel.

Meanwhile, the entire ride building will be completely gutted both inside and out, and rebuilt from the ground up. When reopened, the brand-new exterior will resemble the classic exterior of the ride found at all other parks. It will be the same design as elsewhere, except with a new color scheme. No whites, multicolors or pastels here. The color scheme will now feature "cool" colors, especially blues, greens and purples. The classic clock face will have a purple color. The exterior will look something like this: http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq52/gurugriff100/IASWMunichFacade.jpg. However, the ride will still load and unload indoors, looking now something like this: Hong Kong - 03 septembre 2008 - IMG_0660 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!.

The ride itself, too, will be altered somewhat to include Disney characters in certain areas, as well as feature new underwater and America scenes near the end of the ride. The rest of the ride's scenes should be in the same order as always, albeit freshened up. The track through the ride will be completely altered and rerouted slightly and the scenes will be appropriately altered to allow for this.

The America scene will be featured thus. On the left side, you first go by a backwoods area, similar to Splash Mountain. You see bullfrogs and an alligator, plus an appearance by Brer Rabbit and Brer Bear. The children here are seen fishing and playing a banjo and a fiddle. You then go through more woods, with snowcapped mountains, fronted by a totem pole and a Mountie, meant to represent Canada. Pocahontas and Meeko are seen here, as are a gray wolf and a grizzly bear. On the right side, you see a desert scene, with two coyotes howling and a covered wagon. The area is covered in goofy-looking cacti. You also see a few Native American children here, as well as cowboy children, two of whom bear a striking resemblance to Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue, respectively. Some of the Native Americans are pounding out a tom-tom rendition of the song, while one of the cowboys plays on his guitar a country-western rendition of the song. You can also see Woody and Jessie (Woody is astride his horse, Bullseye). They are NOT the same design as in HKDL, however. At the end of the scene, you go through a city skyline featuring a mishmash of city landmarks such as the Space Needle and the Empire State Building, backed by the HOLLYWOODLAND sign and fronted by the Golden Gate Bridge, which you pass under (it features several cars traveling back and forth across it). You also see a small part of Broadway, with a big theater whose marquee shows off this ride's name in big letters. Among the dolls you see here are a pair of Broadway dancers, some sport players, and a big band. The song is heard in the style of a big swing band.

And for the finale, for some reason, there will also be Mickey and Minnie Mouse at the very end, waving goodbye. The finale, too, will feature brand-new special effects such as fireworks going off, similar to the fireworks in the Pinocchio ride at Pleasure Island.

And for the characters to be featured, here is the full list (for a total of 42 characters):

• Bambi and Thumper (from "Bambi") in Scandinavia
• Alice and the White Rabbit (from "Alice In Wonderland") on the chessboard
• Mary Poppins in England
• Peter Pan and Tinker Bell (from "Peter Pan") also in England, near Big Ben
• Princess Aurora and Prince Philip (from "Sleeping Beauty") in France by the cancan dancers
• Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket (from "Pinocchio") in Italy, above the gondola
• Pegasus, two fauns and Bacchus (from "Fantasia") in Greece
• Mowgli and Baloo (from "The Jungle Book") in Southeast Asia
• Mulan and Mushu (from "Mulan") in China
• Simba, Timon and Pumbaa (from "The Lion King") in Africa
• Donald Duck, Jose Carioca and Panchito (from "The Three Caballeros") carefully placed between Brazil and Mexico
• Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian (from "The Little Mermaid") in ocean scene
• Nemo, Dory, Squirt and Peach (from "Finding Nemo") in ocean scene
• Lilo and Stitch in Hawaii
• Pecos Bill and Slue Foot Sue (from "Melody Time") in desert area in America
• Woody, Jessie and Bullseye (from "Toy Story") in desert area in America
• Brer Rabbit and Brer Bear (from "Song of the South") in the backwoods area in America
• Pocahontas and Meeko (from "Pocahontas") in forest area in America
• Mickey and Minnie Mouse in finale

So, what do you think so far?

 

[JEANYLASER]

awesome idea!