MK Stitch's Great Escape Replacement— Don’t Hold Your Breath

[WoundedDreamer]

This erosion is not exclusively the result of a lack of care or understanding, even if it sometimes is. In Magic Kingdom in particular, some of the missions were offloaded to other parks that executed the concept far better. EPCOT is/was a better World’s Fair than Tomorrowland, and World Showcase is a better vehicle for presenting the history of not just the United States but many other countries as well. Animal Kingdom is a better zoo. It makes sense for them to shift more toward a “fantasy tomorrow” or a “fantastical adventure” than to stick with something that now looks diminished and redundant.

The fact that this is happening at Disneylands around the world indicates that they really don't know what they're doing, or just don't care. There's no Epcot next to Disneyland, and the same process has occurred there. And I think even if that was the justification, it's not a good one. Could Tomorrowland exist alongside Epcot? Absolutely. They did for many years, so we know it's not an impossibility or that there is a dearth of content. Moreover, the parks that might have replaced those lands themselves are being eroded. Epcot has become meaningless and Disney's Animal Kingdom is becoming meaningless.

I think today's Imagineers would struggle to explain Disneyland and Magic Kingdom's purpose and role. Imagineers really don't get it. The situation is becoming worse. The rumored plan to ruin one of the best parts of the park with a cheap New Orleans Square knockoff (that completely misses the point as to why New Orleans Square has become so beloved) is case in point.

It's sad. Tomorrowland could actually be a cool place to explore the dangers and potential of technology through science fiction like you suggested. I've thought of that myself. Attractions could demonstrate the risks and rewards of things like AI and robotics. Lessons could be taught through these stories.

But Tomorrowland today has nothing to do with tomorrow. It doesn't make sense on any level. What does Buzz Lightyear (Andy's toy) have to do with Monster's Inc Laugh Floor? Why are they associated with "tomorrow?" Space Mountain remains the one iconic attraction in the land that still retains a connection to the wonderment of space exploration.

Besides that, Tomorrowland can be defined as the place where IPs are put when they don't fit in a desert, a jungle, or a European village because there's no where else to put them. The same goes for Star Tours in Disneyland. It makes no sense. Nothing says "tomorrow" like something that occurred "a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away..."

 

[Brer Panther]

He did. It was during an interview on site rather than at a podium or anything like that. He said that they were no longer going to be making attractions not tied to their current film library. That Disney had done quite a lot to build up its library and that other theme parks would kill for access to these beloved stories and characters so it would be foolish to not capitalize on that.

Don't forget his claim that Expedition Everest was just "some nondescript coaster" because it wasn't based on an IP.

 

[Professortango1]

And when we say quality, we mean cartoon starbursts.

Nothing wrong with that. The cartoon starbursts in Riger Rabbit and Mr Toad work well..

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I would love to see a version of Mr Toad and Peter Pan redone with 21st century tech... The Shanghai Peter Pan is worlds better than WDWs version... Heck, the Disneyland version is worlds better than ours...

DL’s is not better. The Neverland scene looks like it was squeezed onto a 4x8 sheet of plywood. WDW’s is more detailed and much larger. A few SFX that don’t work half the time don’t overcome the smaller sets.

 

[Bocabear]

DL’s is not better. The Neverland scene looks like it was squeezed onto a 4x8 sheet of plywood. WDW’s is more detailed and much larger. A few SFX that don’t work half the time don’t overcome the smaller sets.

I guess the times I was there, the effects were all working. Yes our neverland island is bigger...
With the popularity of PPF it would make sense to do a longer better version and add an expanded Neverland section. Maybe even a new, double-tracked version kind of like the old MK Mr Toad did... As long as it is better than what it is replacing and has double the capacity it would be a win/win... an added M&G space for Peter, Wendy and Tink would be the icing on the cake...Walk-through Pirate ship....

 

[Brer Panther]

Somebody on Reddit claimed that they might be putting an Edna Mode show in the Stitch building. Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

 

[EagleScout610]

Somebody on Reddit claimed that they might be putting an Edna Mode show in the Stitch building. Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

Not the worst idea for the space. Do you have a link to the post?

 

[brb1006]

I would love to see a version of Mr Toad and Peter Pan redone with 21st century tech... The Shanghai Peter Pan is worlds better than WDWs version... Heck, the Disneyland version is worlds better than ours...

I remember between 2008 and 2013, Eric Sale (character designer and illustrator) created a proposal for a modern version of Mr Toad's Wild Ride titled "Mr Toad's Motor Mania" complete with concept art for Walt Disney World. The concept artwork looked decent and had some decent potential.

Will make a follow up comment soon.

 

[brb1006]

More of Eric Scales concept art for "Mr Toad's Motor Mania"

While Scales' idea on a reimagined version of Mr Toad's Wild Ride at Walt Disney World hasn't been updated since 2013. He was very open if somebody at Disney would have been open on his proposal in the future. He envisioned it to be located at the former "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" prior to the construction of Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

You can read more about his idea on a modern version of a Wind in the Willows attraction in his portfolio.

Eric Scales- Portfolio

This blog is specifically dedicated to my Theme Park Design Artwork. For more general illustrations and random sketches check out my other blog at ericscalessketchbook.blogspot.com

ericscalesportfolio.blogspot.com

 

[Fox&Hound]

Sorry if someone else already posted this, but I read online that Stitch won’t get redone because it is filled with asbestos and if they redo it they would need to redo Cosmic Rays too to clear it and with the money it brings in they dont want to have to close it. Any truth to that rumor?

 

[Brer Panther]

Not the worst idea for the space. Do you have a link to the post?

 

[James Alucobond]

That literally just sounds like someone who reads uninformed wishful speculation on this and other forums.

 

[Bryan_the_Imagineer]

Sorry if someone else already posted this, but I read online that Stitch won’t get redone because it is filled with asbestos and if they redo it they would need to redo Cosmic Rays too to clear it and with the money it brings in they dont want to have to close it. Any truth to that rumor?

This rumor is too far-fetched to be true, like why would there be asbestos in the stitch building, as there's no water damage nor plant life (As far as we know) in the building.

 

[𝐌𝖆𝖓 𝖎𝖓 𝐖𝖊𝖇]

Somebody on Reddit claimed that they might be putting an Edna Mode show in the Stitch building. Anyone know if there's any truth to that?

If true... I'd be a retrofit of a mothballed Play Pavilion concept...

 

[Haymarket2008]

Not the worst idea for the space. Do you have a link to the post?

Honestly makes a lot of sense. This was one of the ideas that was supposed to be featured within the Play Pavilion at EPCOT. Maybe they are grafting that on into Tomorrowland?

That being said: it is a terrible idea and doesn't fit Tomorrowland whatsoever.

 

[Haymarket2008]

I remember between 2008 and 2013, Eric Sale (character designer and illustrator) created a proposal for a modern version of Mr Toad's Wild Ride titled "Mr Toad's Motor Mania complete with concept art for Walt Disney World. The concept artwork looked decent and had some decent potential.
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Will make a follow up comment soon.

I have always thought that a revival of Mr. Toad would be a great fit in the UK pavilion at EPCOT (at least the new IP mandated version of the park).

 

[Bocabear]

Mr Toad was a lot of fun... a silly, fun attraction and staple of Fantasyland...I still mourn the loss and replacement by the lackluster Winnie The Pooh ride...but I am from a different era in Disney history and they have really done nothing with Mr. Toad since redoing the version in Disneyland back in the 80s... It would be a lot of fun to do something like that concept art, but as it is not tied to a currently running Disney Plus streaming kids show, it would never get built... Which is such a pity. They have an immense catalog of IP that is still classic Disney to work with, but we seem to only get the most recent ones.

 

[Bill Cipher]

Sorry if someone else already posted this, but I read online that Stitch won’t get redone because it is filled with asbestos and if they redo it they would need to redo Cosmic Rays too to clear it and with the money it brings in they dont want to have to close it. Any truth to that rumor?

I feel like there's a degree of truth to this. Not necessarily true that they don't want to close Cosmic Rays because it makes too much money, but rather because there aren't enough large QSR locations in the park to offset its capacity. Rays serves so many guests its not even funny, often filling its dining room and overflow seating for hours on end.

Since the Stitch/AE footprint is so small, it would make sense if designers want to eat into the Cosmic Rays footprint for attraction space, and if building codes require them to update the entire structure anyway then they might as well go all in. The big issue though, as mentioned, is where do you send the rest of those hungry guests? Pecos, Harbor House, and Pinocchio are all on the opposite side of the park. Opening Tomorrowland Terrace fulltime sounds like an option, but it would still need more to supplement it because it needs to close at dinner time for firework parties.

Suffice to say, if the plan is for a Stitch replacement to overlay the existing theatre, it could come in the near-mid term; if the plan is for a Stitch replacement to alter the space significantly, it'll come much further down the line.

 

[Disney Maddux]

I feel like there's a degree of truth to this. Not necessarily true that they don't want to close Cosmic Rays because it makes too much money, but rather because there aren't enough large QSR locations in the park to offset its capacity. Rays serves so many guests its not even funny, often filling its dining room and overflow seating for hours on end.

Since the Stitch/AE footprint is so small, it would make sense if designers want to eat into the Cosmic Rays footprint for attraction space, and if building codes require them to update the entire structure anyway then they might as well go all in. The big issue though, as mentioned, is where do you send the rest of those hungry guests? Pecos, Harbor House, and Pinocchio are all on the opposite side of the park. Opening Tomorrowland Terrace fulltime sounds like an option, but it would still need more to supplement it because it needs to close at dinner time for firework parties.

Suffice to say, if the plan is for a Stitch replacement to overlay the existing theatre, it could come in the near-mid term; if the plan is for a Stitch replacement to alter the space significantly, it'll come much further down the line.

FWIW, the recent somewhat revival of something possibly happening here was supposedly a retrofit of the current format.

 

[J4546]

I have always thought that a revival of Mr. Toad would be a great fit in the UK pavilion at EPCOT (at least the new IP mandated version of the park).

that would be pretty chill. A nice slow paced inside/outside darkride...I dont hate it. But I still want mary poppin carousel variant