Neverland Adventure Park (Concept/Open Brainstorming)

[Evilgidgit]

All children must grow up, all except one.

The wonderful characters of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan play and novel have enchanted generations through theatre, film, and television, and now, the world of Neverland comes to life as a hypothetical theme park. Based on an unfulfilled concept by Michael Jackson, Prince Al Waleed, and the Goddard Group, Neverland Adventure Park is a small-sized resort but , mixing elements from the original book, as well as numerous other concepts taken from other versions of the classic story. The Disney film is perhaps the most famous adaptation of the book, so this could easily be imagined as a full-scale imagining of that specific movie.

I want to first post my ideas for Neverland, and then open the floor to open brainstorming for alternate ideas for this park.

Like the novel, guests would begin in Edwardian London, entering to park through a replication of the beautiful Kensington Gardens, complete with the Peter Pan statue seen in the actual gardens. The park has a singular hotel, the Grand Kensington Hotel, which has 1500 rooms, and wonderful grounds and facilities. Kensington Square is the opening land, captures the feel of the great city of London at the turn-of-the-century, with iconic landmarks of Big Ben and the Tower Bridge present. Guests can then travel to Neverland, by flying there, or on foot, to explore the island.

Upon entering Neverland, guests will see the mythical island’s mountain range and Skull Rock before them. Guests can travel either way around the island’s numerous lands. These include Crossbones Cove, the port town of the pirates led by Captain Hook; Pixie Hollow, a forest-themed land home to the fairies, where everything huge as seen from the perspective of a pixie; The Lost Woods, the large, dense, but fun woodland home of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys; Raven Canyon, the rocky river chasm ruled by the local Native American tribe; Marooner’s Mount, a murky location marked by the ruins of Blackbriar Hall, a crumbling seaside fort; and Mermaid Lagoon, an aquatic location, home to the island’s merfolk.

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Kensington Gardens

The park opens with beautiful gardens, centred around a replica of the Peter Pan statue located in Hyde Park. The Grand Kensington Hotel is situated to the right of the park’s entrance across the small Lake Llewellyn, an impressive 1500 room hotel taking architectural inspiration from the Imperial College London. Guests can enter Neverland through the hotel’s vast garden paths, which features a miniature golf course and play area.

Anyway, Kensington Square is the opening land of the park. Essentially a British version of Disneyland’s Main Street, it is set in early 20th century London, the heart of the Edwardian era. The exact year is kept obscure to savour the timelessness, but there are certain hints like newspapers reporting conflict in Europe, and the opening of a certain theatre play by one Mr. J.M. Barrie. Electrical lightning remains pretty new, antique horse and carts travel back and forth down the streets, and a band stand offers traditional English music from the park’s resident marching band. Guests services are accessible here.

Guests enter the land via the Kensington Gardens, and venture into London, which is condensed geographically. Shops and vendors line the streets, including a large emporium, an ice cream parlour, a bakery, a bookshop, and a photography studio. The Palace of Westminster dominates the imaginary skyline, complete with Big Ben (or Elizabeth Tower if you want to be picky). The building would not be to scale, and forced perspective is used. Beyond that is the Tower Bridge, which guests travel over to reach the second section of the land, with the environment suited to make it look like guests are crossing the River Thames.

The major attraction of this area is the Jubilee Boat Cruise, based on an unused ride from Epcot. The Palace of Westminster serving as the entrance, hiding the show building from view. Guests board golden barges (resembling the Gloriana) and go on a quaint ride past many of London’s iconic landmarks like Trafalgar Square and the Tower of London, with a little bit of history along the way. The finale circles Buckingham Palace, which has impressive water fountains and animal topiaries that move when no one is around, adding a little extra magic to the ride.

Also in the land is a music hall and restaurant, which plays host to the 30-minute show “Ode to J.M. Barrie”, a musical tribute to the author of Peter Pan, exploring his history with theatre and imagination.

Crossing the Tower Bridge takes guests to a quieter part of London, namely Bloomsbury, where the Darlings live. More shops and services continue here. But, the park’s main E-ticket attraction is situated here, with the Darlings house as the entrance to the show building. At this point, guests can enter Neverland, leaving London behind. But, there are two ways to get there. Guests can simply walk past the Darling house, and through an archway inspired by Admiralty Arch. The marble and stone slowly give way to wild vines, flowers, and jungle flora, the very fabric of London crumbling away as the guests are magically transported to Neverland. The second method is a little more exciting.

Flights of Neverland is the most magical experience of the park. Guests enter the Darlings’ house, touring the ground floor, before entering the loading area. It is here that guests board a platform which then turns 50 degree, looking down at a simulated projection dome hidden beneath. This creates the illusion that guests are actually flying, get sprinkled in pixie dust, fly out the nursery window, across the rooftops of London, through the clouds and past stars on the way to Neverland. So, it’s kinda like Soarin’ but from a different angle, meets Peter Pan’s Flight. This attraction might need some rejigging.

When guests “land”, they exit the building and find themselves in Neverland. It is here that our journey continues…

 

[Evilgidgit]

Never Point

Upon entering Neverland, guests will round a corner and find themselves facing the impressive mountain range of the island. Forced perspective is enforced again, the Never Point acting as the weenie of the park. Skull Rock stands to the far left of Never Point.

While guests cannot travel to the weenie from the front, by travelling to the back in the Lost Woods, they will discover an imaginative adventure trail within. A series of caves each hold different wonders and secrets – a variety of ancient cave paintings which magically illuminate and even come to life, an ominous pipe organ built into the stone itself, a fairy treasure, an abandoned prison of long dead pirates, etc. If guests find their way through the caves, they will enter Skull Rock, capable of seeing through it to view Crossbones Cove across the bay.

Never Point also plays host to the park’s night time lagoon show, the Fairy Lights Spectacular, a mix of coloured lights, music, and fireworks, as the fairies of Neverland come together for a nightly dance. The show lasts half an hour.

Crossbones Cove

To the west of Never Point is the first major land of the island. Crossbones Cove is the domain of Captain Hook and his many buccaneers, cut-throats, and fellow pirates. To distinguish it from Shanghai Disneyland’s Treasure Cove, Crossbones Cove would not be a captured fort lost in time, but a small town built by the pirates themselves, made from the timber and parts of their own fleet of ships. It would also take inspiration from New Providence, a pirate utopia in the Caribbean. In the centre of the town is a crude water fountain, marked with a statue of Hook, standing triumphantly over the body of the crocodile.

There are a number of shops and dining facilities in Crossbones Cove, including a major dinner theatre, The Sloppy Sailor, which hosts the Swashbuckling Stunt Show, where a group of enthusiastic pirates show off daring feats, only for Peter Pan and the Lost Boys to crash the proceedings, leading to length swordfights and stunt scenes, with pirates literally swinging from the rafters. The show would last 25 minutes.

The major attraction in Crossbones Cove is The Legend of Captain Hook, a humourous, wacky dark ride through Hook’s private quarters. Guests venture into Hook’s home made from parts of a galleon, board on-rail chariots (invented by Mr. Starkey), and go on a Mystic Manor-esque journey through the pirate’s various rooms, each based around parts of sailing and Hook’s own sense of grandeur. These include the navigational room where the walls are covered in sea charts and compasses, the “Handy Room”, filled with various other appendages to replace Hook’s signature hook, a trophy room (with a spot reserved for Pan), and a messy parlour.

Docked in the bay is the Jolly Roger, which is actually a three-story tall play and exploratory area. Other attractions include Flight of the Neverbirds, a Dumbo-esque ride where guests board gigantic, multicoloured birds and go for a high-flying spin; and a customary squirt ‘em water gun game, Galleon Guzzle, to add in a little carnivalesque feel to the land. Each of the shops are based around the idea that the pirates run them, and there is a sense of fun and theatricals to them (i.e. the clerks will ask for doubloons). Theming and the atmosphere will be similar in tone to Galaxy’s Edge. Entertainment includes the Jolly Jamboree musical group, and meets and greets with Hook, Mr. Smee, and other famous pirates.

 

[Evilgidgit]

Pixie Hollow

Heading north, guests leave Crossbones Cove via an entrance way made from two ship hulls balanced against each other to create an archway and fort walls. Beyond that, guests enter a vast, lush forest. But everything from the flowers, toadstools, and logs are all the size of buildings. Welcome to the secretive, but enchanting Pixie Hollow, home to Tinker Bell and Neverland’s fairies.

Everything here is meant to invoke that the pixies have built their kingdom on the forest floor using whatever was available, including manmade tools left behind or lost in the woods. At the heart of the land is the Faerie Castle, a tall structure made from stone, sticks, and flowers, and decorated with fine jewels. Within the castle are a meet and greet area with Tinker Bell and her friends, a major table service restaurant set in the castle’s ballroom, and a large clothes boutique.

Within the castle’s depths is a serene, indoor boat ride: The Enchanted Fairy River. Guests travel down a river in giant leaf-boats, experiencing the beautiful, night-time forest floor of Pixie Hollow. The flowers are bioluminescent, opening to reveal their beautiful petals. Tall reeds of grass hide buzzing insects and animals watching the passersby. Frogs croak, dragonflies buzz, and birds chirp high in the trees. We pass by an enormous animatronic squirrel and even larger bear cubs. The boats glide into a grove, discovering the sights and sounds of the fairy kingdom. Fairies work and play, dance and sing, or explore their own pursuits. There is a darker moment, where we enter a grotto where a sinister-looking fairy practices dark magic, the room illuminated with purple lights, but the boats flee before the fairy notices. The big finale is an outdoor party, hosted by the benevolent, beautiful fairy queen, with Tinker Bell and friends present.

Another attraction is Dragonfly Dash, a kid friendly rollercoaster/steeplechase thrill ride. Guests ride dragonflies and race each other around a track, though the controls are balanced between automated and manual. The other attractions are more traditional funfair rides like Cricket Carousel, Tinker Bell’s Big Wheel, and the Ladybird Bumpers, but stylised to blend in with the environment and would be built around giant toadstools. All of the dining and shops are also set in likeminded architecture.

 

[Evilgidgit]

The Lost Woods

The home of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. Most of this land is given to the forest and jungle flora, with many interweaving paths to explore. All of the attractions cross paths and are connected together, acting as extensions of the Lost Boys’ domain and playground. In the centre of the land is the Hangman’s Tree, an enormous 80-fit tall artificial tree, which houses two attractions. A walkthrough attraction through the branches, across bridges, and into the depths of the Lost Boys’ home. The tree also serves as the entrance to a lengthy treetops obstacle course called Way of the Brave.

Next to the Hangman’s Tree sits the rocky Lost Lookout, which houses the loading bay for the land’s most exciting attraction, a wooden rollercoaster, Bangarang Blast, named and inspired by the sail cart track seen in 1991’s Hook. Guests whizz around the forests in old mine carts at high speed on tracks built around the trees, venturing through tunnels behind Never Point and in Raven Canyon. This would probably be the second major E-ticket attraction after Flight to Neverland.

A small settlement, Wendytown, has been built in a corner of the land, a small cluster of shops and dining facilities. The Wendy Amphitheatre features the “Dance of the Lost Boys”, which the titular boys mistake for some sort of duel. Located in the south-eastern section of the land is the Never Bird Sanctuary, an indoor-outdoor area, marked with a large glass greenhouse which serves as the aviary for a variety of rare birds. It also contain a small walkthrough containing a large, colourful animatronic Never Bird.

 

[Evilgidgit]

Marooner's Mount

The back section of the park, Marooner’s Mount is based on Marooner’s Rock, a location within the book where Hook maroons Tiger Lily (while Skull Rock is used in the Disney film). A bleak, oceanic area once used for smuggling, Marooner’s Mount is dominated by high rock walls and mountains, mostly to hide the show buildings from view. The remains of an 18th century lighthouse stand at one end of the land, and at the other are the ruins of Blackbriar Manor, once owned by notorious pirate Captain Cuthbert Blackbriar, who lived on Neverland long before anyone had heard the name Captain James Hook. The secrets of his life and death are sprinkled throughout the land.

Four attractions are situated in Marooner’s Mount. An old, but inventively advanced mining rig covers parts of the land, once used to mine for gems and pixie dust, and now serves as two separate attractions. One is Geyser Mountain, based on an unused attraction at Disneyland Paris, though re-themed for Neverland. It is a drop tower dark ride, which starts off using an experimental, giant mining drill, only to be launched into the air out of the top of Geyser Mountain by tremours.

The most unusual sight in Marooner’s Mount is presence of an eerie-looking labyrinth. The Maze of Regrets was created from the lost dreams, hopes, and, well, regrets of the Lost Boys and other occupants of the island. They say Neverland is a place where imagination runs wild. This maze houses the dark side of childhood imagination. It is dark, gloomy, creepy, and dares guests to traverse its spooky passages. This would be an interactive experience, with dead ends, illusions, and eerie scenes inside to unnerve guests. Skeletons would lie in forgotten corners, unable to find a way out. Collections of abandoned toys lie in some sections. More disturbing or unusual objects can be found like parts of a giant ship in a bottle, a skeleton of a giant fish, and other such things, becoming creepier and creepier as guests travel further into and through the labyrinth.

Blackbriar Manor is similar to Mystic Point, based around an exotic but crumbling old house, once home to the pirate Captain Blackbriar. We explore his story throughout the haunted dark ride that mixes The Haunted Mansion with Pirates of the Caribbean. Ghostly pirates, cursed treasure, and a dark past of murder and debauchery are included in the tour of his nautical, waterlogged home.

The major attraction is Sea Serpent, a large indoor rollercoaster based around a mythological leviathan who comes to collect the souls of dead sailors. Guests ride on the “tail-coats” of the beast through storms and the aquatic afterlife in a ride that is as fast and thrilling as Space Mountain.

 

[Evilgidgit]

Raven Canyon

The home of Neverland’s resident tribe of Native Americans. Getting the nitty-gritty out of the way, this land would aim to portray the culture of Native Americans in a favourable light, but also maintain that sense of adventure and spirituality often associated with the characters in Peter Pan. Raven Canyon is cleverly designed to look larger via sloping, rocky walls and structures, and forced perspective. Entering the canyon, guests pass by a totem pole themed around the various peoples of Neverland, before entering the expansive village of the Raven tribe. It contains some small retail areas, and the large indoor table service restaurant, The Longhouse, simple in design and catering.

A collection of wigwams represent various regions and cultures of the indigenous Americans. The village area features numerous attractions, small in scale, but enjoyable nevertheless. Artisans and carpenters would encourage guests to try their own hand at traditional craftsmanship. An amphitheatre would house several traditional pow-wows, dances, and celebrations on a daily basis.

Walkthrough attractions are a big part of Neverland Adventure Park, and Raven Canyon features the long, winding Journey of the Spirits, circling around the canyon and giving many views of the land’s major E-ticket ride: The Raven Rapids, a traditional river rapids, where guests play the role of Lost Boys in another game against the Ravens’ finest warriors. However, the bumpy, watery ride takes a trip into the spirit world, encountering the terrifying Wendigo along the way. Guests are bound to get splashed on this exciting thrill ride.

The highest point of the canyon is Starpoint Lookout. Here, there is a large cave where guests can sit down with a local medicine man or guide, and engage in an interactive experience where they are told tales from across the various American peoples, complete with cave paintings that come to life and animal spirits that appear to surprise and enthral the visitors. Guests may also hop into the Tiger Lily Canoes for a tour of the area.

 

[Evilgidgit]

Mermaid Lagoon

And finally, our last port of call, is the Mermaid Lagoon, home to Neverland’s beautiful but vicious merfolk. This is a relatively small land, built entirely indoors. It would take inspiration from the Mermaid Lagoon in Tokyo DisneySea. The exterior would resemble an impressive, colourful mountain of coral, covered in starfish, algae, and the remains of pirate ships. Another concept is to house the land in gigantic bubbles like concept art of DisneySea.

Venturing inside takes guests into the kingdom of the mermaids, a colourful, exuberant, underwater world. Most of the attractions here are basic funfair rides, but themed to be aquatic in nature. For example, there is the Coral Carousel, the teacup-esque Dance of the Oysters, the paratower Jellyfish Drop, the exploratory Wicked Wench sunken shipwreck walkthrough, and a major rollercoaster called Ray Dash, a hanging coaster where guests race through the upper echelons of the land as part of a manta ray school.

A final attraction is the Songs of the Deep Concert, an 30-minute theatre performance where the merfolk get together to perform for their guests. There is a virtual screen above the guests, giving the illusion of the ocean’s surface, and various silhouetted creatures swim overhead. The event is hosted by the talented soprano Madame Foamia Oceania, the “shell-ebrity” of the lagoon. There will be a variety of weird and wonderful performers at the musical. However, the ceremonies are crashed by the ghostly crew of Captain Blackbriar invade, Foamia calling upon the voices of the sea to chase them away. This is inspired by King Triton’s Court at Tokyo DisneySea.