More Fantasyland dark rides

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
An Aladdin dark ride would be fun. I'm picturing the ride starting with us boarding magic carpets and entering the Cave of Wonders through the mouth of the tiger guardian. The "Friend Like Me" scene could be represented by the Genie inviting riders to visit the inside of his lamp. A giant snake Jafar animatronic would be really cool.

An idea that I've had for a while is to build a dark ride based on The Princess and the Frog in Fantasyland, allowing Splash Mountain to remain as is and solving the whole "how does The Princess and the Frog fit in Frontierland?" problem. It could follow the same "going to Mardi Gras" plot, with Louis taking us through the bayou and inviting various swamp critters to Mardi Gras. Along the way, we run afoul of hungry gators, hunters, and eventually Dr. Facilier, who drags us and Louis into the "other side" where we're menaced by his "friends". Fortunately, Mama Odie shows up and fights Facilier, allowing us to escape. We end with a big celebration at Mardi Gras.

Trying to think of what else that hasn't already been suggested yet... Robin Hood? I've always liked that one.
 

Heppenheimer

Well-Known Member
I'd love to see something that isn't a "book report" dark ride, but expands on a known character or theme, or a particularly exciting scene. Mr. Toad was always one of my favorites, but he's such an unknown to today's kids that I don't see Disney World ever bringing him back. I love @JIMINYCR's idea of a Headless Horseman dark ride. A Coco-inspired journey through the Land of the Dead would be cool, too, or a graceful Magic Carpet ride through and above Agrabah at night, which would be a far better tribute to Aladdin than the theme-killing spinner in the middle of Adventureland.
If Disneyland ever decided to retheme Big Thunder Mountain, this would actually fit rather well, since that version of the ride already sits right next to a well-themed Mexican restaurant.

Although now that I think about it, a Land of the Dead ride really wouldn't work on the framework that's predominantly outside. To do the theme justice, it would really need the controlled lighting that only a dark ride could facilitate.
 

Roger_the_pianist

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Princess and the Frog takes place in New Orleans, Song of the South takes place in rural Georgia. Neither is the old west. At least Princess and the Frog is getting closer geography wise.

For Critter Country, Splash and Country Bears made more sense together. Tiana and Pooh make more sense together.
 

aliceismad

Well-Known Member
Yes theres nothing like a few good dark rides to pick up a theme park. Unfortunately Disney has moved away from them because of the scare factor. I'd like a good Ichabod Crane/ Headless Horseman dark ride. Situated by Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square to keep with the time period theming of the buildings and surroundings. The HM nearby would also add to the atmosphere and it would be extremely popular for the Halloween festivities.
That would be fun.

I'd like a full-time Nightmare before Christmas ride rather than the HM overlay that DL gets. But obviously not in Fantasyland.

I'd like to see Raya and Moana get rides somewhere, not necessarily Fantasyland. But it seems more likely that Disney might be willing to clone BatB.

I agree with @Weather_Lady though that it'd be nice to see some expansions rather than re-tellings.
 

ppete1975

Well-Known Member
fox and the hound.......
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Walt Disney1955

Well-Known Member
For whatever reason, Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland does not utilize their space very well, while Disneyland's version does, and has more dark rides. I have never understood this. Snow White should have never been taken out. Winnie the Pooh could easily have been put in without taking Mr. Toad out. I always thought a Bambi ride would have been fun to do. Definitely a lost chance when Animal Kingdom first opened. Sleeping Beauty should definitely have a dark ride in there somewhere.
 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
I have one I have mentioned before, over the years, that could have even replaced the Great Movie Ride.
Why not a Great Disney Movie Ride in the Magic Kingdom. You would go from scene to scene in the classic
movies, with a scene using animatronics and music from the movies. We could even show some love to movies
like the Fox & Hound, Robin Hood and Oliver.
 

Roger_the_pianist

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
What would a Bambi ride look like? Maybe just a cute frolic through the forest? Surely not featuring the gunshot scene. I remember an in bad taste joke about a Bambi overlay to the Frontierland shooting gallery 😐

I remember watching Bambi at home as a kid. The shot happened, me and my brother became hysterical, and my mom yanked it out of the VCR and said we weren't watching that one again. I've heard of that kind of hysterical reaction from kids in theaters throughout it's premiere and releases.

I didn't see the whole movie until a few years ago as an adult when I was interested in the original book, which has been viewed as a holocaust allegory.

But anyway, I could see a ride through the cute aspects of the forest, like the April Showers scene, the ice skating, and such. But I think Bambi making a cameo somewhere would be more likely. It would be fun if Bambi, Thumper, Flower, Fox and the Hound made cameos in New Splash Mountain.
 

tl77

Well-Known Member
Given how long the lines are for Peter Pan and Pooh at WDW, I think every land should have those type of dark rides... Stitch should have some kind of dark ride in Tomorrowland, The Jungle Book should have one in Adventureland, Pocahontas in Frontierland, and Some version of DL's Alice and Pinocchio rides should be at WDW Fantasyland
 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
Given how long the lines are for Peter Pan and Pooh at WDW, I think every land should have those type of dark rides... Stitch should have some kind of dark ride in Tomorrowland, The Jungle Book should have one in Adventureland, Pocahontas in Frontierland, and Some version of DL's Alice and Pinocchio rides should be at WDW Fantasyland

The ride I was describing could cover all of these, without a separate one in each land.
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Similar more interactive/immersive Casey Jr train/Storybook boats ride like in DLR?

they also have the Crystal Grotto one in the castle in Shanghai which I think is kind of similar.

Had about something for variation: a version of Storybook Land Canal Boats in DAK where you go from scene to scene of different animal themed movies (Bambi, Fox and the Hound, 101 Dalmatians, the animals of Pocohontos, Jungle Book, etc.)? The park could use something like that and it would be a distinct variation on the ride.
 

OG Runner

Well-Known Member
they also have the Crystal Grotto one in the castle in Shanghai which I think is kind of similar.

Had about something for variation: a version of Storybook Land Canal Boats in DAK where you go from scene to scene of different animal themed movies (Bambi, Fox and the Hound, 101 Dalmatians, the animals of Pocohontos, Jungle Book, etc.)? The park could use something like that and it would be a distinct variation on the ride.

Have you never ridden "It's a Small World"? Dark ride, in boats, that go from scene to scene.
 

tl77

Well-Known Member
Nobody for Tangled?? That lantern-release scene is just begging to be converted into the grand finale of a dark ride.
There's a Tangeled ride coming to one of the overseas park, Tokyo Disney Sea? Disney Studio in Paris? maybe both... I think The Germany pavilion at Epcot for that boat ride
 

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