The New Fantasyland

[jt04]

I can only speak for myself and my family, but these meet and greets are a humongous waste of space. My wife, me, my teenaged son and even my five-year-old daughter will have zero interest in any of these meet and greets. The only time my daughter wanted a picture taken at WDW, Universal or DL when we visited all three between January and March was when we went to Chef Mickey's, when we saw the Simpsons outside the Simpsons ride and when she saw Sully at DCA. We explained to her about going to wait in line in Toontown to see Mickey and Minnie and whoever else was there, but she had no interest.
More merchandise locations? Again, zero interest in more places that will in all likelihood be selling all the same tired junk that is sold everywhere else. Even the supposed "book store" that is in the BatB section would not necessarily be a real book store in the sense of having unique books about Disney. Given the way stuff is marketed in the shops, I'd imagine lots of the same junk that is everywhere else on property.
The four good things to come out of these purported plans are the Little Mermaid ride (which I'm sure will be a wonderful experience) the added capacity of another Dumbo (and hopefully the removal of the Aladdin eyesore), more eating options (and if the Be Our Guest table service location doesn't have lots of AAs it will be a huge missed opportunity) and at least a more attractive landscaped and themed environment. Problem is, there won't be a lot of time spent by my family in this area for all these M&Gs. I'd much rather the money be spent on more dark rides than these M&Gs, but I don't know how many dark rides you could get for the amount of money these buildings and what not cost.
Its better than nothing, but it certainly isn't knocking my socks off at this stage. Hopefully more solid information will make it so.

I'll go back out on my limb (I love the view) and say, if they do this plan, the FL section of the MK will be the most popular spot in any of the 4 parks at WDW. And not just because it's new. It will stay that way. The M&G's are far more than that. Remember people's cynacism towards the KP Adventure at WS before it opened? This is many times better than that and it will prove a much much bigger hit. And from what I understand KP has proven very popular. I think it is only a test of certain technologies that will be rolled out in a big way in the new FL. Just a hunch on my part though.

 

[jt04]

This is exactly what the Disney theme parks were not supposed to do. Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed attractions like HM, If You Had Wings, COP etc. We didn't have M&G areas. As a matter of fact, when the characters were out my sister and I protested when our parents wanted to stop and get pictures. Same goes for my daughters. They never cared about seeing the characters. We wanted to get as many rides in as possible. The M&G areas are overdone in my opinion and the ratio to actual attractions is sad with respect to this plan. I'm all for sprucing up exteriors in FL and of course the LM dark ride which will be spectacular. But I will say Universal is not worried in the least. The Potter ride will have a bigger "Wow" factor than anything currently planned by Disney.

I don't doubt that of the single ride. Although I still prefer ToT over Spidey.

This deal is much broader, but is designed for a younger demographic. I'm telling you, I really believe this plan is a home run. Brilliant strategy by Disney. I don't have time to go into all the reasons but Disney has a huge advantage with 4 parks as it gives the planners a much bigger canvas to paint on. Gotta go.............:wave:

 

[MUTZIE77]

I love how everyone is totally freaking out about these meet and greets that have yet to be announced. I will freak out if they do in fact end up being all meet and greets, but until then I am going to enjoy the fact that we are hopefully getting something new. I will say, like everyone else, another good sized ride would be nice. You know for us 20 somethings and 30 somethings that also really enjoy FL and have no kids with us.

 

[ryanduggers]

After studying this blueprint, I have some observations.

before you flame me, understand that I have been an industrial designer for 19 years for an engineering firm, so I might know a little bit about blueprints.

1. I think it is legit, but not complete. the west side (mermaid & west) looks to me to be at a very high state of completion (figured out), but the Dumbo, pixie hollow, and barnstormer areas seem to be less thought out, almost tentative. It looks like that area still needed more work when this print was made. This is not uncommon in the world of drafting and design. this could also give credence to the phased construction ideas being talked about.

You finish what you need first.

This looks real, but more like an early check print.

2. what is the small maze-like area just south of "ariel meet & greet"?

3. I will not miss toontown, but I think Mickey & Minnies houses could fit in well at the edge of the Dumbo area, on the edge of the enchanted forest as a good transition. They are still popular. Get rid of the rest of toontown.

4. I like it.

 

[MiklCraw4d]

It looks like HERE COASTER?? Or CHERE COASTER?? Maybe VERSE COASTER?? No idea what those would mean though... :shrug:

The Battle of Serenity Valley Coaster!!!! This is the best rehab ever!!!

 

[Skyway]

The best way to look at these M&G's is that they are simply re-building EXACTLY WHAT EXISTS RIGHT NOW....but in a more appropriately-themed way.

Other than Mickey's House (which is still an embarassment compared to the DL version), the current Toontown M&Gs in those moldy rent-a-tents are an AWFUL setting. And yet, the idea of an air-conditioned, high capacity (duplicates of the same character), and controlled place to get good photos is a brilliant idea. Disney just didn't execute it well enough the first time around.

I haven't been in the Toontown M&Gs in a while (because my family dynamics have changed) but I recall there being roughly the same numbers and types of characters slated for the New FL (other than the glaring omission of Mickey, who will certainly be finding a new home elsewhere). So they really are just building newer, nicer homes for the existing M&Gs.

so I see this really as a (much needed) Toontown makeover, with a new E-Ticket dark ride and themed restaurant for Fantasyland, not to mention an overall landscaping enhancement.

That ain't bad, considering just weeks ago many were complaining that Mermaid might have been indefinitely delayed.

 

[The Conundrum]

Wait.

First, people complain about Everest and it's ilk because it's not immersive enough, not well-themed enough, not enough detail.

Now, people complain about what appears to be an immersive, deeply-themed, attention-to-detail-up-the-wazoo environment that also will contain what appears to be a pretty strong attraction, because "there aren't enough new attractions."

Recognizing that money is finite, which would you rather have?

What in the blueprints suggests to you this will be a "deeply themed" "attention to detail up the wazoo environment" ?

The complaints are legitimate DCA, HKDL, and Universal are getting real rides. This proposal only adds 1 new ride (a clone of a dca attraction) and just some general retheming and reworking of a preexisting meet and greet area into another. At the very least they can add one more dark ride.

I'm glad Lee is finally coming out and saying it like it is and I fully expect more people to back him up.

 

[The Conundrum]

I think people are missing the point that this makeover is being done with pre-teens in mind not the average poster on WDWMagic. The M&G's are E-tickets for the target audience.

How exactly do you know these are e-tickets for preteens? I know when I was a preteen i would have much prefered more rides or things to see not princess meet and greets. This is a moneygrab to get little girls to buy more princess merchandise nothing more.

This new Fantasyland is perfect for whom it is meant to be perfect for. If anybody here was excited to have M&G's for themselves rather than their kids it would be very odd. :lol:

Well if this "new" fantasyland can't cater to everyone then it shouldn't get made. Where is the appeal to young boys? to adults and grandparents? The original MK fantasyland had enough for everyone and so does the fantasyland's at the other MK parks. You know this too but you want to keep playing games for some reason.

It's a great plan and very well thought out. I'll bet money the folks at Uni are not happy and for good reason. They should be worried.

If this is the real proposal Universal has NOTHING to fear from Disney.

Good luck finding more than 10 people that would disagree with my statement.

 

[justdru]

Man, if this is true, and they start moving dirt in October I wonder how they're gonna deal with the rehab environment? Seems like a lot of work.

 

[Mad Stitch]

2. what is the small maze-like area just south of "ariel meet & greet"?

I was wondering that myself. I tried to zoom in and clean the text in photoshop, but I still couldn't make it out.

 

[calicommando]

Looking closer, it does not say mirror by Cinderella, it does say MERCH... and It doesn't say CHEESE COASTER by Barnstormer either... It looks like HERE COASTER?? Or CHERE COASTER?? Maybe VERSE COASTER?? No idea what those would mean though... :shrug:

I agree that it doesn't say CHEESE COASTER. It's a 2 or 3 letter word based on the fact that it would be centered over COASTER and the first C is not a C.

 

[justdru]

I was wondering that myself. I tried to zoom in and clean the text in photoshop, but I still couldn't make it out.

Yea, I'm not even gonna attempt it.. not happening, way too pixelated.

 

[justdru]

I agree that it doesn't say CHEESE COASTER. It's a 2 or 3 letter word based on the fact that it would be centered over COASTER and the first C is not a C.

I can sharpen that one - give me a few, gotta fire up the Mac.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

I'll agree with you on the gift shops but have to be kidding regarding restaurants, especially if it's a sit down restaurant. For the number of guests in MK on an average day, it has the smallest selection of places to eat. Even if its's a quick service...peak times it's impossible to find a place to sit.

Actually once I saw the plans. I posted this...

I know I'm late to everything. Can't post while I'm at work. (At least I try to resist posting at work. ) I luckily saved the plans when I saw them not even thinking that they would be deleted off of here. But I have a few comments/thoughts of my own.

1) When I first saw the typed up titles for the attractions/rides/restaurants I was disappointed but seeing these plans laid out like this actually makes a lot more sense.

2) More rides would have been a plus, but it's still under scrutiny what is a ride in this plan and what is a show and what is a M&G... so I'll just have to wait an see if maybe there is something we're over looking.

3) I think the Castle Wall/Courtyard idea is awesome as long as it doesn't restrict the guests flow of traffic from west FL to east FL. I think it's a cool way to separate SW from Pooh and maybe make the Courtyard it's own separate square (diamond?) away from everything else with MP, SW, Village Haus, and carousel inside.

4) BatB mini-land looks nice. Maybe they will put a small Beast castle there, as well as maybe an Atlantica look for Mermaid, making 3 "castles" in FL?

5) If the BatB restaurant is themed out of its mind with maybe an AA show every half hour or something that would be sweet.

6) Did anyone else notice the river/moat system going around the land? It seems to be connected to most of the new areas. Could they do a swan boat system with this or maybe something on a smaller scale?

7) What's all this about not being able to see the track system for TLM? Isn't it on the left side of the "Mermaid" area? Or is that just a queue line?

8) Dumbo sure looks like it takes up a lot of space. Could there be a story walkthrough before you lead up to your flight with Dumbo? Or maybe even a queue line and then a small dark ride until you end up at the actual spinner ride itself?

9) Sorry I made this so long! :wave:

*Just to show you I'm on board.

 

[justdru]

I agree that it doesn't say CHEESE COASTER. It's a 2 or 3 letter word based on the fact that it would be centered over COASTER and the first C is not a C.

I've cleared it up considerably but it doesn't help. The section of track that goes through the word is the vice in this case. I do not believe the first letter is a C or that that's the first letter at all. I think that's part of the schematic.

However, from there, it's difficult to tell if it's an H or if the bridge between the two stems of the H is actually the track underneath. Same goes for the E after the H, if that's what it is. It's too hard to tell.

 

[Lee]

The Battle of Serenity Valley Coaster!!!! This is the best rehab ever!!!

Dude....don't tease a Browncoat!
"No one leaves Serenity. You just learn to live there" -Zoe Washburn



Return to topic....

 

[Figment4Ever]

Dude....don't tease a Browncoat!
"No one leaves Serenity. You just learn to live there" -Zoe Washburn



Return to topic....

Funny...every time I zoom in on that, I SWEAR it says "Verse coaster" and all I can think of is Firefly...
It looks like there's a plus sign on there, and some letters covered or smudged under the plus sign, and then "ERSE"...or at least that's what I see when I blow the image up real big and squint my eyes.
Anyone with blueprint knowledge know what the plus sign is for?

I actually thought at first that it might say "Reverse Coaster" but it doesn't really make sense for them to be re-doing the ride system *shrugs*

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Just an amazing amount of postage here ... I only have a few things to add at this point, 11 days at WDW/SW plus a smash-and-non-grab on one of my cars won't permit me the hours to go over all the posts (and some of the great points I have seen in passing).

My first point has to be cynical ... as in the timing of the 'leaks' just when the only thing the fan community is discussing is the senseless death of a young monorail pilot and the aftermath ... and then yesterday's bus collision only adds to the negative view of the World and transport in general.

So, you either slip or hold back when this F-Land info comes out to get everyone talking about something really positive. You even ask webmasters (like Steve) to pull the blueprints, which is exactly what happened when word of the BLT Tower leaked out. In other words, you tease the fans, but don't make it official. WDW Social Media Dept at work, a cynical Spirit might ask.

That said, much of this is what I have heard is 'planned' and it isn't hard to imagine the other parts. It does all seem to 'fit' what Disney wants to do and the direction they want F-Land/TTF to take. So, this is either the exact blueprints (doesn't mean they can't change as anyone in archictecture will tell ya) or some very skilled plant that is still very much based on reality.

In other words, even if this is BS, it isn't. Way too much of this is real deal.

And I do believe it borrows heavily from past concepts from DCA's Mermaid ride, to DLP's never-built Beauty and the Beast attraction/Gaston's to the new walk-thru for Cindy's Castle in TDL, which is exactly what I'd expect. And I haven't studied this down to the minute level that I am sure many here have done.

Anyway, I have a dude coming with new auto glass, so I don't know when I'll be back, but I did want to toss those points out.

FWIW, I do think we're very close to having something to actually get excited about ... really excited (although do realize this and Joe Rohde's move to Oahu and HKDL projects says nothing will come to DAK for years) ... provided Disney doesn't have to keep paying millions out to dead CM's families and injured guests.

Continue ...

It's coming, it's needed, I'm happy.

They keep adding things, I'm thrilled.:lol:

You mean this Dumbo? :animwink:

Awwwwww!!!:lol: YES!:ROFLOL:

For those wondering, it'll take 2 years to build Mermaid at DCA, if Disney started in October of this year, they could be done by October 2011.

I certainly hope that's the time table...


Heck, they built DL in a year and a day. They can do this.

 

[Merlin0402]

I think it says cheshire coaster... as in the cheshire cat... an Alice area maybe?

 

[EPCOTPluto]

I certainly hope that's the time table... Heck, they built DL in a year and a day. They can do this.

Of course, they must first officially greenlight it, with a huge press release, and then we'll truly know. And if I may say, I would like to see some topiaries in the "New" Fantasyland that can be of animals or characters, like this ye olde pic of the TTC. :lol: