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PHOTOS - Latest Fantasyland construction site update (August 17 2012)
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Am I the only one who doesn't "get" the castle walls? I mean, I understand that they're intended to designate inside the castle and out side the castle, but are they really necessary? Wouldn't it be much more breathtaking to walk through the castle and see all of this beautiful new expansion, rather than seeing walls?
Of course, all this comes without seeing the finished product, but I was just curious what everyone else thought...
Of course, all this comes without seeing the finished product, but I was just curious what everyone else thought...
Magic Lamp
Member
The point is that everything past the castle is within the castle courtyard, so transitioning directly into a forest would make for bad theming.
So One Hundred Acre Woods was within the castle courtyard before?
I understand the "point" but are they really necessary? Would ANYONE really care or notice the whole 'inside the castle grounds/outside the castle grounds' thing if they weren't making such a big deal about it by adding the walls? They don't have the walls at Disneyland and somehow the Fantasyland there seems to function just fine.
It just seems to me to make the area look more like a prison and block what could be a really breathtaking view when you walk through the castle (and a way to spend a few million bucks that could have been used elsewhere).
phi2134
Well-Known Member
I think once you see the whole picture come together you might think differently, I was too confused as to why they needed them there, but I think it makes an amazing transition now and gives you a little more seperation between the different areas/rides.
sshindel
The Epcot Manifesto
The way I think about it is part of it is to help with the "story" (courtyard and what is outside of the courtyard), a lot of it is to help with the forced perspective (so you only see things from the angles they want you to), and part of it is to have a little separation of the "lands".
The construction photos show some of the views from different angles in the walls, and they really seem to afford nice separation from the fair tents to the more detailed theming. I also think it will give a bit of a grand entrance. It looks like from the walk in through Cinderella Castle, you'll basically only see bits of SDMT (or for the next few years, construction), and only when you go through the walls will the rest of the scope of the project open up to you, like in this photo:
danlb_2000
Premium Member
The "Would anyone care" argument could be made about any one of a thousand different details in Disney parks. No, people might not consciously notice it but it adds to the overall theme of the park. I also disagree that it will make it feel like a prison. You can see that most of the wall sections have arches in them, so the wall should feel fairly open and still provide the thematic diving line they are looking for.
The most obvious way to build the MK's front entrance would have been to bring people through the center of the train station, so the castle is front and center as they walk in.
But Disney was brilliant to make the entrances off-center, so the castle is not revealed until you make that breathtaking turn off Town Square.
I assume and hope the wall will provide a similar type of "reveal".
But Disney was brilliant to make the entrances off-center, so the castle is not revealed until you make that breathtaking turn off Town Square.
I assume and hope the wall will provide a similar type of "reveal".
Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
I totally agree! I didn't "get" the walls until I started being able to see, through the construction process, how carefully the sight lines were planned. From "inside" the walls, you literally "won't be able to see the [Enchanted] Forest for the trees" -- as soon as you step out of the courtyard, and depending on which direction you go, it will be one "big reveal" after another -- from Maurice's Cottage and the Beast's Castle, around the corner and -- voila! The Village! A little further on -- woah, now I'm in the Little Mermaid! Round the corner and now you're at the train station with the circus coming to town!
The same is true of the new restrooms they're constructing at the other end of Fantasyland. From construction photos, a view down the walkway from the carousel direction will show only the facades of the buildings -- it's only when you round the corner that the rest of the area will be visible, and you won't be able to look straight through it into Liberty Square -- you'll have to walk through and turn another corner for that "reveal."
Hoop Raeb
Formerly known as...
Is anyone else getting weird magnifying glasses where the thumbnails should be on the page Steve posted?
Since we're lame at work, we still use Internet Explorer and it needs this supposedly: http://excanvas.sourceforge.net/
Since we're lame at work, we still use Internet Explorer and it needs this supposedly: http://excanvas.sourceforge.net/
Could you tell me what operating system and browser you are using? Thanks
danlb_2000
Premium Member
I am seeing this problem also with IE8 on WinXP.
tl77
Well-Known Member
Yeah I felt the same way at first, that I would rather see the attractions than the castle walls, but looking at the new CG rendering of the expansion I don't think you'll be able to see much of the new Fantasyland from old Fantasyland.
It looks like when it's all finished there will be so many tress and the big Mine Mountain in the middle I don't think you'll be able to see much of the BatB/LM stuff unless you're standing right in front of it
I could see that and that is what I assumed. I would only argue though that coming through the castle does that exact same thing. To walk through the castle and then see that area would be a great "reveal" in itself.
My thought is that they were afraid the left side (old Fantasyland) and right side (FLE) would look way too different next to each other.
The castle walls may also be to disassociate Pino's Village Haus and Belle's Cottage (which would probably blend in with each other otherwise).
That should now be fixed for IE8.
lexgoodsir
New Member
I think that's exactly what they are trying to avoid and add more reveals. Walk through the castle and see the castle courtyard - then see the walls - then see through to SDMT - then walk through and see the rest of the forest.
I think the fact you take in the courtyard first and then take in the forest as a separate thing works much better than seeing it all at once, also from walking through the castle you have to go a fair way in to then see the whole of the forest if the walls aren't there anyway.
Rescue Ranger
Well-Known Member
I'm very happy to see this. More and more I'm thinking by the end of September you should be able to at least walk through some more parts of the new area, aside from Dumbo/Casey Jr. I won't get my hopes up, buy hopefully.