Project Z

[huntzilla]

This potential project came up in yesterday's press conference thread. Amid specualtion before the event, Lee had mentioned something else may or may not be announced. As we all know, nothing "extra" was announced. I feel though this potential attraction deserves its own thread. Lee alluded that this may be a fanboy earth shatterer, not sure it if it would be positive or negative one though. There are a couple things we can presume from Lee's statement though. Project Z would be in MK and it would not be in Tomorrowland or Fantasyland. This really leaves Frontierland or Adventureland. I would personally think Frontierland for one because there was was smoke over the summer on a rumored expansion. Two, Lee hinted this would be a bombshell, and SeaCastle predicted WRE. I doubt we would see the true WRE but maybe a newly developed version? Another thing I am not too sure about is Raven's comments. She had mentioned changes changes to an attraction near the Tiki Room, not sure if her and Lee's project's are the same. Juan had also said that he saw many things when he had his viewing FLE 2.0 months ago; perhaps this is one of those things? With yesterday's, finally worthy, FLE 2.0, perhaps we have some more, even bigger and better, things happening the Magic Kingdom. Thoughts on Project Z?

Ps. Let's not turn this thread into a begging Lee for info thread. He had always been good on his info and he was most assuredly tell when he knows something concrete.

 

[NYwdwfan]

Kind off topic but Raven's profile lists him as male.

 

[djkidkaz]

Glad you started this thread.

Lee also said it wasn't Indiana jones from Disneyland, so scratch that off the list. Didn't WRE basically turn into big thunder mountain?

 

[Ignohippo]

WRE? Meh. It would have to be something better and more current than that to capture today's audience.

 

[sniggle74]

WRE = Western River Expedition - Think of Frontierland, just BIGGER

 

[Master Yoda]

I thought Lee had mentioned that it was not for MK.

 

[Atomicmickey]

My thoughts on Project Z:

--Indy Forbidden Eye clone, or all new Indiana Jones ride/area/land--this would be the fanboy dream that I think Lee was talking about.

--A sit down dining/show experience. This could be either,

a) a Pirates restaurant
b) an Adventurer's club inspired restaurant

I'm leaning towards dining/entertainment experience. Why?

I think that interactive dining is going to be a new wave of entertainment at WDW, starting with Beauty and the Beast. Like them or not, the Rainforest Cafe/T. Rex Cafe model is HUGELY profitable. I think Disney is going to co-opt some of that style of dining for it's new experiences.
Think solidly themed environment--that has changing, interactive elements, and perhaps character shows--either face characters, costumes, or Animatronics.

We are seeing these experiences happening on the new cruise ship as well.

So--you combine dining with entertainment--and add merchandise that goes with it, and you have a one, two, three punch.

Why do I say "Adventurer's club inspired?" For a couple reasons. Timeless theme that can go with whatever they add to Adventureland, BUT, and this is a big BUT . . . no Alcohol in the Magic Kingdom.

Either way--you can bet they're trying to come up with a response to ButterBeer, be it Pirate Punch or an alcohol free Kungaloosh-something.

I'm just musing here! Just getting the ball rolling.

 

[NYwdwfan]

From Wikipedia (condensed):

The attraction was to have been located both inside, outside, and around an architectural feature in Frontierland known as Thunder Mesa mountain. After boarding a wooden launch, riders would have glided up a waterfall. The ride's narrator, Hoot Gibson (an audio-animatronic owl) would explain the ride's safety instructions. Potential scenes included:

• bank robbery
• an Indian (Native American) rain dance that causes it to rain
• Banditos
• prairie dogs, buffaloes
• Dry Gulch
• a cowboy on horseback on the roof of the town's saloon - 10+ characters, including a bartender (who is trying to shoot the cowboy and his mount off the roof), three saloon girls, and other cowboys hooting and hollering
• waterfall-drop finale

If built, it would have been one of the most complex and expensive Disney attractions of its time, housed in one of the largest show buildings (a large warehouse that stores the interior of the attraction) ever created by the Disney company. Its projected expense is one reason it was never built. The attraction, would have also shared the show building with a "runaway" mine train themed roller coaster. Other features of the pavilion-style WRE would have included hiking trails atop the mesa, a Pueblo Indian village, and a pack mule attraction.
The Western River Expedition was to have been Walt Disney World's answer to Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean. When plans were being made for the Magic Kingdom, Imagineers had no plans to replicate "Pirates" for the Magic Kingdom. It was believed by many Imagineers at the time that Florida residents were too accustomed to pirates, as pirates are a part Florida's local legend and lore. Disney management thought that cowboys and Indians would be more surprising and exciting to Florida residents. This led to many "Where are the Pirates?" complaints being filed during the early days of the resort's operation.

 

[DocMcHulk]

b) an Adventurer's club inspired restaurant

THat had crossed my mind

 

[huntzilla]

THat had crossed my mind

I believe Lee also said it wouldn't be AC related.

 

[njDizFan]

Thanks for this thread. As we all knew about the upcoming projects, months ago, thanks to our insiders, the newest speculation is the veiled comments by Lee and Raven.

As far as I can remember from past posts, this would be in the MK. A huge e-ticket thrill ride. Not Indy, but near the Tiki. Now do we know if this is a project that was talked about before, or a brand new concept? Does it have a movie/character tie-in?



P.S. I dont want to see AC come to a "dry" MK.

 

[WDW FTW]

I just think that something has to be added to Adventureland... it has pirates it has alladin (not much of an attraction seeing as there are 3 of them in MK and dumbo is upgraded and astro orbiter is way up high) and then they have the..... tiki room... but of course i cant forget the jungle cruise, which is decent as well. But Pirates is the only big ride that stands out to me and i think they need something else to go in there.

 

[CrescentLake]

If it is to be near the Tiki room in AL, and a fanboy dream, what about Fire Mountain?

Or maybe Raven and Lee's posts weren't regarding the same ride, but meerly a hint towards an overhaul of the land? In this case Adventureland, but I'd much prefer a Tomorrowland overhaul.

 

[juan]

Which Project Z are you referring to?
:lookaroun:lookaroun

 

[CrescentLake]

Which Project Z are you referring to?
:lookaroun:lookaroun

I like the sound of this, but I can't help but feel pessimistic that, with all thats going on in WDW, that we'll be getting anything else new anytime soon.

 

[njDizFan]

Give us something Juan....if you know anything. Yesterday's announcements came as quite a letdown since we all knew about them months in advance.

 

[juan]

I like the sound of this, but I can't help but feel pessimistic that, with all thats going on in WDW, that we'll be getting anything else new anytime soon.

Well the issue is that I saw a LOT, but the timelines aren't there. So something I saw maybe a year, 5, or 10 years aways. (Heck it could even be scrapped by then).
Now that the new FLE is announced, there's only a couple more things happening at WDW that I know about, but I know more at other Disney parks around the globe.

Give us something Juan....if you know anything. Yesterday's announcements came as quite a letdown since we all knew about them months in advance.

I'm really hoping for the Shanghai announcement. There should be greater light shed onto everything once that happens.

 

[CrescentLake]

Well the issue is that I saw a LOT, but the timelines aren't there. So something I saw maybe a year, 5, or 10 years aways. (Heck it could even be scrapped by then).
Now that the new FLE is announced, there's only a couple more things happening at WDW that I know about, but I know more at other Disney parks around the globe.

Oh yes, forgive me, I wasn't doubting your knowledge. So you know of some projects (I know you aren't allowed to say) that will definitely be happening at WDW?

And I take it once Shanghai is announced, we'll reap some of the benefit. Sounds good to me. :]

 

[Atomicmickey]

Give us something Juan....if you know anything. Yesterday's announcements came as quite a letdown since we all knew about them months in advance.

Remember, we are in a bunch of, dozens, maybe hundreds, tops, that knew about that--or cared to obsess over it.

OK, so even if it's thousands. It's a small number, compared to the mainstream media and visitors to WDW.

So--it's not Disney's fault that we managed to find out about this before they said it! Hey--what they announced was great, not a letdown!

I'm just sayin'. Yeah, Juan and Raven and Lee got me all het up with their talk of something else. But when it didn't happen I can't say I'm disappointed--just that I'm looking forward to more hints, and more announcements in the future.

 

[WDW FTW]

Even when Disney does announce things its not usually until a while that we see them go into action, i have to learn not to get hyped about things with small leads until i know official dates haha