Possible Frontierland expansion

[Bocabear]

Buzz I can accept because of the space theme... with Space Mountain and the TTA kind of themed towards space travel...it works, but Monsters Laff Floor never made any sense at all...and I think it is a charming attraction...always enjoy it...it just should have been placed in DHS from the start...
There was talk about a flying saucer ride for that location at one point...but now after Luigi's Flying Tires, I think that idea is permanently dead...Even if it were an indoor ride like the teacups but done with flying saucers twirling around planets and shooting stars in a night time sky... ...that would be visually amazing...and at least would be a better fit thematically to Tomorrowland.

 

[Mickey_777]

I love FL so any expansion is welcome. As long is it's a quality people-eater, I'll be happy. I'm not sure if it's been mentioned but a new restaurant would be great as well though Diamond Horseshoe rarely opens.

 

[ChrisM]

I'd prefer WDI surprise me and wow me with something I've never heard of before.

How about directly injecting the brain eating amoebas up your nose? That's an E-PLUS ticket right there.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I'd prefer WDI surprise me and wow me with something I've never heard of before.

WDI doesn't go around inventing new ride systems.

 

[PhotoDave219]

WDI doesn't go around inventing new ride systems.

You know what I mean.... Give me a new concept. Not another raft ride, not another mine train, not another ToT, not Cars, not WRE.... Just something frontierland and fun.

 

[habuma]

I dont think MK needs any more dark rides. I view Universal as highly repititive because of the overreliance on simulators. I don't think MK would be any better if it was dark-ride mania.

By my count, the Magic Kingdom has 8 dark rides (Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh, iasw, Peter Pan's Flight, HM, PotC, Space Ranger Spin, and a half point each to Splash Mtn and 7DMT). Compare that to the smaller Disneyland Park which has 13.5 dark rides, 6 of which are in Fantasyland alone (Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Snow White's Scary Adventures, iasw, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Alice in Wonderland, Astroblasters, Winnie the Pooh, HM, PotC, Indiana Jones, Roger Rabbit, Finding Nemo Subs, and a half point to Splash Mtn).

I don't think the Magic Kingdom is in danger of becoming overrun with dark rides any more than I think that Disneyland is overrun with dark rides.

If done well, employing some unique elements, new technology, and maybe even a *mild* element of thrill, I think a dark ride or two is exactly what the Magic Kingdom needs. Family friendly, high capacity, relaxing, and often cool compared to the outside Florida heat. I'd especially enjoy something that doesn't lean too heavily on movie IP, but instead tells a compelling and unique story.

Mystic Manor would be so awesome if we could all just accept that it's really not the same thing as Haunted Mansion. (It's in a mansion...that's about the extent of the similarities.) But even if not Mystic Manor, something along those lines in terms of creativity and storytelling would be awesome.

 

[ToTBellHop]

You know what I mean.... Give me a new concept. Not another raft ride, not another mine train, not another ToT, not Cars, not WRE.... Just something frontierland and fun.

I was actually being facetious (it didn't come across). WDI most certainly DOES invent new ride systems and I would love to see one. It's been awhile. People obsess over Indy in DHS, but that's an old ride system. The EMV was ground-breaking--in the 1990s. Something novel would be wonderful and lord knows we see the trademark applications for new ride systems from WDI. Build one for us! This is the company that invented the steel rollercoaster and the LIM ride system. The addition of gentle (barely noticeable) swaying to a coaster train just isn't that impressive.

And we certainly don't need a clone! Mystic Manor is wonderful--for Hong Kong. What if they built a ride in our Frontierland that (gasp) doesn't exist anywhere else?

 

[Zac Skellington]

Not to be passive aggressive and all (because I soooo hate that!), but I'd guess old lightbulb dropped his information in my thread because he felt that was the best place for it, where the serious discussion on these type of things take place.

So, I have some things to attend to today, but when I decide to chime in it will be where the information was dropped.

Thanks for reading.

Somebody get this diva a Snickers bar...

 

[wdwfan757]

By my count, the Magic Kingdom has 8 dark rides (Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh, iasw, Peter Pan's Flight, HM, PotC, Space Ranger Spin, and a half point each to Splash Mtn and 7DMT). Compare that to the smaller Disneyland Park which has 13.5 dark rides, 6 of which are in Fantasyland alone (Peter Pan's Flight, Pinocchio's Daring Journey, Snow White's Scary Adventures, iasw, Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, Alice in Wonderland, Astroblasters, Winnie the Pooh, HM, PotC, Indiana Jones, Roger Rabbit, Finding Nemo Subs, and a half point to Splash Mtn).

I don't think anyone would call Indiana Jones a dark ride. It's in the dark, but it's closer to a thrill ride than it is to pirates or any other slow moving trip through scenes. Mathematically, you're correct. But how many non-dark rides are there at Magic Kingdom? How many non-dark rides are there at Disneyland. Now add in the fact that DCA is a hop and a skip away. How many non-dark rides can you get to from Disneyland on foot? A ton. A whole lot more than you can at Magic Kingdom. If you're not a dark ride fan, there's more for you to do at Disneyland than there is at Magic Kingdom, even if it does have more dark rides. Part of DL's abundance of dark rides also stem from the fact that they haven't closed the originals. We lost Snow White and Mr. Toad to add 7DMT (which has a much higher dark ride to thrill ride ratio than the Matterhorn does) whereas they kept them all (but cut Country Bear, which is the greatest attraction in any disney park).

The key is something for everyone. If you don't like simulators, you don't have much to do at Universal. If you don't like dark rides and they cut out TSI and Liberty Belle for a dark ride, Magic Kingdom may lose some of its luster. I've said for years, that if you really like to sit down and watch shows, DHS is absolutely a full day park, but the people who don't like shows/go to the parks very often will tell you that there's only 3 things to do at DHS.. ignoring Indy, LMA, Muppetvision, VotLM, BatB, and previously American Idol/Millionaire. The same way people who don't like animals will say that AK is a half day park because they skip or speedwalk through the animal trails, dont check out the exhibits, etc. The same way people who look at maps for locations with numbers ignore all the side shows at World Showcase. It's all about balance. MK, as the flagship park, needs to find a better balance. Disneyland has it because it has a ridiculous amount of attractions. MK has to find a different way to stimulate that. Things like Speedway, Stitch, Laugh Floor, TSI, Liberty Belle, Carousel of Progress all contribute to that balance, but they're always first up on everyone's chopping block.

 

[Jon81uk]

WDI doesn't go around inventing new ride systems.

Test Track, Mission Space and Tower of Terror are all unique ride systems. They might use existing tech but a lot of it was new to thrill ride use.

 

[Sage of Time]

I'd prefer WDI surprise me and wow me with something I've never heard of before.

Fair enough. I'm definitely for that, too.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Test Track, Mission Space and Tower of Terror are all unique ride systems. They might use existing tech but a lot of it was new to thrill ride use.

I'd say that Test Track is simply a large scale slot car race set....

 

[ToTBellHop]

Test Track, Mission Space and Tower of Terror are all unique ride systems. They might use existing tech but a lot of it was new to thrill ride use.

I know--read my second post on the subject.

 

[Master Yoda]

I'd say that Test Track is simply a large scale slot car race set....

Maybe in the same way that the SLS under development by NASA is just a big bottle rocket.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Maybe in the same way that the SLS under development by NASA is just a big bottle rocket.

Exactly, but with German Heritage! Really big V2.

 

[asianway]

If a TSI replacement that docks the Riverboat got announced at D22, what are the odds Chapek gets booed off the stage?

 

[MichWolv]

Really? I feel like this forum is actually on the skeptical side of things. They don't believe a thing until they've ridden it.

And then they point out how much better it could have been!

 

[habuma]

The key is something for everyone.

Agreed. In fact, I agree with most everything you said (I stand by my claim that Indy is a dark ride, however...just a fast-moving, bumpy dark ride). I just don't think that adding a dark ride to MK is going to throw that balance off that much when MK is already relatively low on dark rides.

I'm not suggesting that they add another Winnie the Pooh dark ride, either. I think MK could benefit from a very well-done, modern, mildly thrilling dark ride. Something that would appeal to ages 8+. Something akin to (but not necessarily a clone of) Mystic Manor, or maybe even something slightly more thrilling like DL's Indy. Ideally it wouldn't be based on existing IP, but instead be unique and epic in the same way that PotC and HM were epic. (In my mind, I keep going back to Mystic Manor, since it is the best modern example of what I'm looking for. But again, not necessarily a clone...just something on that level.)

 

[jt04]

Pointing out that sometimes an IP inspires an attraction such as Cars and Carsland. Other times attractions inspire franchises such as PotC and the highly successful movies.

I think anything could happen with Frontierland. Blue skies the limit.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Assuming a significant budget is going to Frontierland for an E-ticket, my preference would be not tied to an intellectual property, not a rapids ride, and 2000+ guests per hour. Other than that, have at it.