Storybook Circus Land

[jt04]

The 7 dwarfs mine cart ride is being made. Of course, isn't it replacing Snow White's Scary Adventures with a princess meet and greet?? Pathetic disney, lay off the meet and greets for your own good. :hurl:

Personally I don't give a hoot about m&gs, but most guests love them. They continue to evolve and they are great at absorbing crowds. Therefore I hope they keep making them. The more the better. And they do add ambiance to the parks even for those who don't visit them.

Apologies for using the word ambiance.

 

[roadtripper]

Meet and greets are awesome for families with young kids. I bet the princess and fairy M&G helped to sell plenty of photopass, though Disney does not provide enough of the photographers throughout any of their parks..another discussion. Circusland seems an afterthought. The big guys think boys don't have enough stuff, so Pixie Hollow gets the axe, even though Disney seems to be focusing on the fairies in the last few years. So they keep something that never fit in with MK in the first place simply because we are used to seeing the tents. What did they do for the boys? How many boys are into a fake circus? Seems that AK already has this theme going with the Cirque Du Soleil type of show and the animals.
Perhaps a Peter Pan theme would have been better. Take a pirate ship similar to Donalds boat, some water features, keep the fairy M&G and move Peter Pan and Wendy up there. Seems the whole concept would tie in well with the Ariel attraction on the other side of it. The water would simply continue into the Peter Pan theme and seemlessly link the two areas. I love the Peter Pan ride so just leave it like it is and where it is, no big deal. Disney seems to be into the "magic mirror" technology right now. I think in Peter Pan Tink gets trapped in a lamp by Captain Hook. Use that lamp idea to create a cool effect while waiting for the M&G. Walk through a door and suddenly you are trapped with Tink as she flies around trying to find her way out?
Anything but Circusland, which I feel will stay that way without change for a long time. I can really see some cheesy carnival games coming in soon.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Meet and Greets serve a purpose. There's a huge demand for them, and if you can set up an attraction with multiple versions of the same character (like what was done with Mickey in the Judge's Tent) you can help curb the demand.

Even with things like that, they are very low capacity and typically have the longest waits of anything in the park.

As for the Meet and Greet that's heading for Snow White's Scary Adventures - it is likely temporary.

If you don't like Meet and Greets, don't wait in line for them - not everything can be a ride. This expansion is increasing the capacity of the Magic Kingdom - it's a good thing. Just because you dislike one aspect of it doesn't mean you can't enjoy other parts of it.

 

[Skyway]

I love how the people who attack Storybook Circus are the same ones who would complain if Disney installed an attraction that did not fit within the "theme" of the surrounding land.

Quite simply, Dumbo does not fit in Fantasyland. It is not disguised under a medieval tent. And it does not belong in an enchanted forest.

Dumbo gets excused because it's a classic Walt original.

Yet if Disney were to install a flying Mishu The Dragon spinner in the middle of Fantasyland, people would complain.

Storybook Circus finally gives Dumbo the home he thematically deserves, especially now that the spinner is getting a twin.

Could the area be smaller? Sure.

But keep in mind, Pixie Hollow and the Princess Houses were exchanged for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I'm sure many agree that was a fair swap.

That leaves the former Pixie Hollow land now vacant.

Disney could have easily thrown up some walls and landscaping and cut that area off from visitors.

Or they could have found a cost-effective way to use the land, which they did by expanding Storybook Circus.

By doing so, they also solved the troublesome challenge of incorporating Goofy's Barnstormer into Fantasyland. And they could keep the tents, saving money for other FL improvements.

It's easy to say Disney should have spent more money to do something else with the area. But when given the restraints of working within the same budget, I think Disney made brilliant financial and creative decisions to pull this plan together.

 

[JustInTime]

For the record, Meet and Greets are a huge part of my trips. And I am a 23 year old Male. Love em'

 

[WondersOfLife]

Personally I don't give a hoot about m&gs, but most guests love them. They continue to evolve and they are great at absorbing crowds. Therefore I hope they keep making them. The more the better. And they do add ambiance to the parks even for those who don't visit them.

Apologies for using the word ambiance.

Okay I guess I can think the same as you but there's no reason to get rid of a perfectly fine dark ride, one of WDW's very very VERY few remaining classics! Why can't they make the m&g replace Winnie the pooh instead? :lookaroun Who cares about a new queue line, it replaced toad so it had what it was coming anyways!

 

[RyTy]

It sure looks like a ticket booth at the entrance. I the concept art of the same location, you can see a child holding up 2 fingers (as if he's buying 2 tickets).

I remember reading that you would be given feathers indicating when it was your turn to ride Dumbo. I am thinking that the booth is part of the Next Gen queue for Dumbo.

 

[TomHendricks]

A voice of sanity and reason amongst the din.

I love how the people who attack Storybook Circus are the same ones who would complain if Disney installed an attraction that did not fit within the "theme" of the surrounding land.

Quite simply, Dumbo does not fit in Fantasyland. It is not disguised under a medieval tent. And it does not belong in an enchanted forest.

Dumbo gets excused because it's a classic Walt original.

Yet if Disney were to install a flying Mishu The Dragon spinner in the middle of Fantasyland, people would complain.

Storybook Circus finally gives Dumbo the home he thematically deserves, especially now that the spinner is getting a twin.

Could the area be smaller? Sure.

But keep in mind, Pixie Hollow and the Princess Houses were exchanged for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I'm sure many agree that was a fair swap.

That leaves the former Pixie Hollow land now vacant.

Disney could have easily thrown up some walls and landscaping and cut that area off from visitors.

Or they could have found a cost-effective way to use the land, which they did by expanding Storybook Circus.

By doing so, they also solved the troublesome challenge of incorporating Goofy's Barnstormer into Fantasyland. And they could keep the tents, saving money for other FL improvements.

It's easy to say Disney should have spent more money to do something else with the area. But when given the restraints of working within the same budget, I think Disney made brilliant financial and creative decisions to pull this plan together.

 

[Krack]

By doing so, they also solved the troublesome challenge of incorporating Goofy's Barnstormer into Fantasyland. And they could keep the tents, saving money for other FL improvements.

How does an "airplane ride through a farm" roller coaster fit in thematically with a circus?

 

[stphnbogert]

How does an "airplane ride through a farm" roller coaster fit in thematically with a circus?

Because the ride is getting rethemed. I'm sure the new concept won't be an airplane riding through a farm. That's why its closing.

 

[ght]

Okay I guess I can think the same as you but there's no reason to get rid of a perfectly fine dark ride, one of WDW's very very VERY few remaining classics! Why can't they make the m&g replace Winnie the pooh instead? :lookaroun Who cares about a new queue line, it replaced toad so it had what it was coming anyways!

The reason SWSA is going away is because, based on what we can tell, the new mine coaster will feature many of the same elements as the old dark ride, making it a little repetitive. Think of it as a 'plussed' version of the old SWSA. To be able to put this new SW ride (which will be themed to SW instead of a medieval fair, btw) in they gave up a large area that would contain the princess meet and greets (which are also losing their home in Toontown). While I might not be the biggest meet and greet fan they are very popular so they need a home somewhere. With the new mine car ride it makes sense to put them where the old, now somewhat redundant SW ride used to be. Also, with Pooh now becoming part of the forrest that leaves the SWSA spot as the only spot in the castle sesction on that side. This gets the princesses in an area where they fit thematically and it puts the meet and greet away from the rides so if there is a crowd or long line at the meet and greet it doesn't get in the way of people trying to get to the rides. As was mentioned in another post, there is only so much budget for this expansion and they have done a wonderful job covering as many needs as possible while applying theming that makes sense.

As far as Toad, I think we all wish they hadn't gotten rid of it but it is gone and isn't coming back. I think Pooh takes a lot of unjustified heat because it is the ride that replaced Toad. Sure it isn't an E-ticket but it is a very nice dark ride (much better than the DL version). I sometimes wonder if the same ride had been put in FL in 1971 what the general opinion of the ride would be now. I suspect it would be much different.

 

[jmuboy]

Here is my idea for the Storybook Circus area and it adds an element that the MK is in DESPERATE need of.

Add "The Big Top Theater" - a large covered outdoor theater venue for live shows. An exact copy of the FL Theater in DL's FL would work perfect here as it is huge, can handle live stage productions, and is covered by a canopy that looks like a tent (perfect for the circus theme).

The MK is in major need of a venue to replace the Castle Forecourt Stage. That stage is wrong for so many reasons:

1 - it is in a horrible location. It crowds the hub and causes the passage inside the castle to be cluttered at best and closed way too often at worst.
2 - the forecourt stage has no seating at all.
3 - not only do you stand, but you get to melt in the UNSHADED blazing Florida sun and humidity while you "enjoy" a 20 minute live show.
4 - those same miserable conditions the guests are forced to endure are what the performers have to endure as well.

A new stage with appropriate stage, seating and a shade cover would allow the shows to go on in heat, humidity and rain and still be comfortable for the guests and performers.

The theater layout and design is already done. Just copy DL's Fantasyland Theater. They already have several shows they have staged in that theater WDW has never shown that WDW could even recycle.

If you look at an overhead pic of TTF, you can see this theater would fit perfectly along the backside of the LM ride (if you remove County Bounty and the Hall of Fame tents).

The Judges Tent could be reused as the new merchandise tent. A new restroom facility could easily fit between the Judges Tent and the new theater.

As for the old castle stage, it would be removed and replaced with a beautiful garden with an ornate central fountain in a French style that compliments the castle.

None of these changes are costly in the grand scheme and they are changes that are REALLY needed at the MK. That darn Forecourt Stage is a HUGE pet peeve of mine due to its location and the poor guest / performer conditions it creates.

 

[jt04]

I love how the people who attack Storybook Circus are the same ones who would complain if Disney installed an attraction that did not fit within the "theme" of the surrounding land.

Quite simply, Dumbo does not fit in Fantasyland. It is not disguised under a medieval tent. And it does not belong in an enchanted forest.

Dumbo gets excused because it's a classic Walt original.

Yet if Disney were to install a flying Mishu The Dragon spinner in the middle of Fantasyland, people would complain.

Storybook Circus finally gives Dumbo the home he thematically deserves, especially now that the spinner is getting a twin.

Could the area be smaller? Sure.

But keep in mind, Pixie Hollow and the Princess Houses were exchanged for the Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I'm sure many agree that was a fair swap.

That leaves the former Pixie Hollow land now vacant.

Disney could have easily thrown up some walls and landscaping and cut that area off from visitors.

Or they could have found a cost-effective way to use the land, which they did by expanding Storybook Circus.

By doing so, they also solved the troublesome challenge of incorporating Goofy's Barnstormer into Fantasyland. And they could keep the tents, saving money for other FL improvements.

It's easy to say Disney should have spent more money to do something else with the area. But when given the restraints of working within the same budget, I think Disney made brilliant financial and creative decisions to pull this plan together.

If they make the backstory as brilliant it would be easier to accept.

Okay I guess I can think the same as you but there's no reason to get rid of a perfectly fine dark ride, one of WDW's very very VERY few remaining classics! Why can't they make the m&g replace Winnie the pooh instead? :lookaroun Who cares about a new queue line, it replaced toad so it had what it was coming anyways!

I believe the rumor that the location is temporary and that in the long run we may get the Cindy show/m&g that was cut but in a much more appropriate place. One that can handle larger crowds. Once the meet and greets move to a more appropriate place the building would be available for a brand new state of the art dark ride. With an entirely new charcter in all probability. Aurora? Rapunzel? Toad? :lookaroun :shrug:

Here is my idea for the Storybook Circus area and it adds an element that the MK is in DESPERATE need of.

Add "The Big Top Theater" - a large covered outdoor theater venue for live shows. An exact copy of the FL Theater in DL's FL would work perfect here as it is huge, can handle live stage productions, and is covered by a canopy that looks like a tent (perfect for the circus theme).

The MK is in major need of a venue to replace the Castle Forecourt Stage. That stage is wrong for so many reasons:

1 - it is in a horrible location. It crowds the hub and causes the passage inside the castle to be cluttered at best and closed way too often at worst.
2 - the forecourt stage has no seating at all.
3 - not only do you stand, but you get to melt in the UNSHADED blazing Florida sun and humidity while you "enjoy" a 20 minute live show.
4 - those same miserable conditions the guests are forced to endure are what the performers have to endure as well.

A new stage with appropriate stage, seating and a shade cover would allow the shows to go on in heat, humidity and rain and still be comfortable for the guests and performers.

The theater layout and design is already done. Just copy DL's Fantasyland Theater. They already have several shows they have staged in that theater WDW has never shown that WDW could even recycle.

If you look at an overhead pic of TTF, you can see this theater would fit perfectly along the backside of the LM ride (if you remove County Bounty and the Hall of Fame tents).

The Judges Tent could be reused as the new merchandise tent. A new restroom facility could easily fit between the Judges Tent and the new theater.

As for the old castle stage, it would be removed and replaced with a beautiful garden with an ornate central fountain in a French style that compliments the castle.

None of these changes are costly in the grand scheme and they are changes that are REALLY needed at the MK. That darn Forecourt Stage is a HUGE pet peeve of mine due to its location and the poor guest / performer conditions it creates.

^THIS IS BRILLIANT! Yes, this would make sense! If only they can come up with a decent backstory that blends this land with the rest of the FF. Perhaps as an origin story for some of the classic Disney characters that they intend to include.

 

[ght]

Here is my idea for the Storybook Circus area and it adds an element that the MK is in DESPERATE need of.

Add "The Big Top Theater" - a large covered outdoor theater venue for live shows. An exact copy of the FL Theater in DL's FL would work perfect here as it is huge, can handle live stage productions, and is covered by a canopy that looks like a tent (perfect for the circus theme).

The MK is in major need of a venue to replace the Castle Forecourt Stage. That stage is wrong for so many reasons:

1 - it is in a horrible location. It crowds the hub and causes the passage inside the castle to be cluttered at best and closed way too often at worst.
2 - the forecourt stage has no seating at all.
3 - not only do you stand, but you get to melt in the UNSHADED blazing Florida sun and humidity while you "enjoy" a 20 minute live show.
4 - those same miserable conditions the guests are forced to endure are what the performers have to endure as well.

A new stage with appropriate stage, seating and a shade cover would allow the shows to go on in heat, humidity and rain and still be comfortable for the guests and performers.

The theater layout and design is already done. Just copy DL's Fantasyland Theater. They already have several shows they have staged in that theater WDW has never shown that WDW could even recycle.

If you look at an overhead pic of TTF, you can see this theater would fit perfectly along the backside of the LM ride (if you remove County Bounty and the Hall of Fame tents).

The Judges Tent could be reused as the new merchandise tent. A new restroom facility could easily fit between the Judges Tent and the new theater.

As for the old castle stage, it would be removed and replaced with a beautiful garden with an ornate central fountain in a French style that compliments the castle.

None of these changes are costly in the grand scheme and they are changes that are REALLY needed at the MK. That darn Forecourt Stage is a HUGE pet peeve of mine due to its location and the poor guest / performer conditions it creates.

I really like this idea, though, ironically given some of the other discussion in the thread, the Fantasyland Theater at DL is now a........princess meet and greet.

 

[TP2000]

Wishfully thinking, but it would be nice if Magic Kingdom's Storybook Circusland, was similar to the Storybook Land Canal Boats at Disneyland.
A nice relaxing boat ride around miniatures of various Disney locals would be a great ride for families in that section.

Or had a Casey Jr. train ride around and through the same area, like Disneyland.

I think the Imagineers, by labeling this FLE area as "Storybook Circus" are using a point of reference that they would get because they are familiar with Disneyland where those two rides exist side-by-side. But it's understandably confusing to someone unfamiliar with Disneyland who may not get the Storybookland - Casey Jr. Circus Train connection.

It's an odd choice of a title for a major FLE component, that's for sure.

 

[jmuboy]

I really like this idea, though, ironically given some of the other discussion in the thread, the Fantasyland Theater at DL is now a........princess meet and greet.

True, but lets put that horrible truth aside for right now. lol. (certainly a terrible choice on the part of DL)

 

[PurpleRose]

I would love a Casey Jr train but I am not holding my breath. I do think the food service train is a nice touch though.

I dunno, I am kind of looking forward to what they do with the circus theme. Could be pretty cool.

 

[jt04]

I would love a Casey Jr train but I am not holding my breath. I do think the food service train is a nice touch though.

I dunno, I am kind of looking forward to what they do with the circus theme. Could be pretty cool.

I think a theater and show on the scale of the Nemo show at AK could bring this entire concept together. And the MK definitely needs a versatile theater that can handle large crowds and allow for different shows on the same day.

 

[ryanduggers]

I think a theater and show on the scale of the Nemo show at AK could bring this entire concept together. And the MK definitely needs a versatile theater that can handle large crowds and allow for different shows on the same day.

Didn't they used to have one in tomorrowland? How did that work out?

 

[jt04]

Didn't they used to have one in tomorrowland? How did that work out?

That was cheesy and worse mostly outdoors. The MK needs a major broadway style venue that can host an E Ticket caliber show and other seasonal and special event shows rain or shine. GT couldn't come close to doing that. Just my opinion.