The New Fantasyland

[jt04]

I believe in the past Honor Hunter has talked about how Lasseter has the ear of Iger. So while in the traditional sense Lasseter may not have the authority to override Rasulo, it may have been a case of the two arguing the case with Iger and the board.

Exactly. Honor Hunter keeps saying the more successes Lasseter has the more leverage he will have. It seems to playing out exactly as Honor (and only Honor) predicted.

Long time lurker, first time poster!

I certainly believe the leaked plans to be the real deal but who knows how new they are. As to why they were leaked, perhaps it was to simply guage fan reaction.

I have a few questions and concerns with the plans. Perhaps someone "in the know" can elaborate or folks can speculate - I'm interested in hearing other people's opinions.

• I can't imagine Disney would get rid of Toon Town Fair without replacing it with a new version. I doubt they would want any kind of negative reaction to spending hundreds of millions of dollars only to get a negative reaction from a huge amount of visitors. With all of its problems, you can visit TTF at any time and it's jammed and easily one of the most visited areas of the park. I have a four-year old son and I can tell you he'd be heartbroken if Mickey and Minnie's houses were gone.
It also seems odd they'd add a Toon Town in many of the other parks and then get rid of it in MK.
So the question: has anyone heard any rumors about a new Toon Town?

No. But I believe the Fab Five will get new M&G's elsewhere as Kevin Yee suggests. They will not "fit" the new Fantasyland. The fab five are Americana and not European folk lore.

• Do you think "facility" at the top (NE) corner is a large special events tent like the one at Epcot?

:shrug:

• Couldn't a new Toon Town be shoe-horned into that area if it was just the two houses and a "toonish" backdrop? And wouldn't that fit in well with the Dumbo attractions?

Again, it would screw up the backstory. I expect the fab five to be available elsewhere.

• Dumbo doesn't usually have the lines that other attractions do. If they were to add a second ride, why would they need a such a large queue? And why would they spend a lot of money on an interactive queue that people are only going to spend a little bit of time in? After all, we aren't talking TSMM type lines here.

That is the big question. Dumbo appears to be much more than just two spinners and also appears to be designed for large crowds. There is more here than meets the eye.

• A lot of info has been released in the past few weeks about expansions at WDW. Is it possible Disney could be trying to combat HP (notice the timing is right when the latest HP movie opened) by adding a major expansion in each park (Journey at AK, FS at MK, Monsters, inc. at HS)?

They were bound to respond eventually. I think that before they were too forward leaning when countering Universal, and this time seems more "wait and see". I think that is prudent. And I'm sticking to my theory that DCA had to reach a certain developmental point before attention could be turned to WDW.

• I've heard some talk about an expansion in Frontierland. Is it possible this could be a Woody Meet and Greet?

I personally don't believe the Frontierland and Adventureland expansion projects/rumors are seriously being considered as a counter to HP. MI is a different story. I wonder how Randall Wallace is doing on the script for the new 20K movie?

Thanks folks!

Just my 2 cents.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Some better examples of TDL's Fantasyland:

Not all of it is like WDW.

*sigh* Even they have a nicer IASW Facade.

Methinks we have the worst FL...:lookaroun

 

[Slowjack]

The one part of the FL expansion I quite don't get is the 2 spaces they have marked for Dumbo. I can see why they would want the spinners at the the furthest point in the park to pull the crowds up there, but why would they dedicate a whole other piece to Dumbo by the train station?

From the plans, it looks like there's nothing really in that "plot" except the train station itself. So my guess is simply that the Dumbo theming extends to the train station itself. Perhaps some sort of Casey Jr. tie in?

 

[peterpanic74]

*sigh* Even they have a nicer IASW Facade.

Methinks we have the worst FL...:lookaroun

Haven't others been saying this for quite awhile now? It's been pretty well established! :brick:

 

[wserratore1963]

Call me lazy, but I'm not looking through a NINETY PAGE THREAD to find the information I'm looking for.

Can anyone summerize the thread in 100,000 words or less?

Percentage of truth to the rumors?

And I see talk of blueprints and what seems like some people have seen them. Where can they be seen?

thanks!

Try This
http://etckt.com/2009/07/16/fantasyland-rumor/

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

^^^ Awesome link....Has a good synopsis.

Haven't others been saying this for quite awhile now? It's been pretty well established! :brick:

So sorry that my offering of opinion upset you.:wave:

 

[magicmaya]

I haven't read this whole thread and I don't feel like it :brick:

The point is that the plans have been leaked out for a FL rehab?:shrug:

I'm confused, my brain hurts

 

[EpcotServo]

Methinks we have the worst FL...:lookaroun

Yep. Disneyland's is great.

We do have 20K going for us thoughOH WAIT-We have a tiny tree, nevermind.

 

[tirian]

Long time lurker, first time poster!

• I can't imagine Disney would get rid of Toon Town Fair without replacing it with a new version. I doubt they would want any kind of negative reaction to spending hundreds of millions of dollars only to get a negative reaction from a huge amount of visitors. With all of its problems, you can visit TTF at any time and it's jammed and easily one of the most visited areas of the park. I have a four-year old son and I can tell you he'd be heartbroken if Mickey and Minnie's houses were gone.
It also seems odd they'd add a Toon Town in many of the other parks and then get rid of it in MK.
So the question: has anyone heard any rumors about a new Toon Town?

• Couldn't a new Toon Town be shoe-horned into that area if it was just the two houses and a "toonish" backdrop? And wouldn't that fit in well with the Dumbo attractions?

Don't worry. Mickey and his pals will have a new home. The majority of TTF is used for princesses and pixies right now anyway, so we really won't be losing anything but Mickey's M&G and their crowded homes that aren't planned well for Guest flow. And as Master Yoda has already pointed out...

Toontown was never intended to be permanent. It was to be a temporary thing for one of Mickey's birthdays. It has greatly outlived its life so there will be no financial loss by shutting it. Disney got their money's worth and it is time to trade the old clunker in.

TTF has indeed "outlived its life"; in fact, many of the tents are dry-rotting right now as we speak.

Exactly. Honor Hunter keeps saying the more successes Lasseter has the more leverage he will have. It seems to playing out exactly as Honor (and only Honor) predicted.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but every major online insider, from Al Lutz to our own Lee and Martin, and Laughing Place to a certain Spirit from 1974, predicted that Lasseter would bring sweeping changes to the parks, and that his influence would override everyone who blocked the necessary work. The only person who made a 100% wrong statement was Lutz, who claimed that Lasseter cared only about DL and didn't care what happened to WDW. I'm glad he was wrong.

 

[tirian]

I haven't read this whole thread and I don't feel like it :brick:

The point is that the plans have been leaked out for a FL rehab?:shrug:

I'm confused, my brain hurts

Don't read it all; it's full of meaningless rambling and arguing. New FL plans were leaked online (you'll have to Google them) and the plans are legit. The only unanswered question concerns which edition the plans are—whether they're the final plans or an earlier draft.

Everything else is pure speculation.

 

[bugsbunny]

Try This
http://etckt.com/2009/07/16/fantasyland-rumor/

That certainly explains it. Thanks! :wave:

 

[lazyboy97o]

The only person who made a 100% wrong statement was Lutz, who claimed that Lasseter cared only about DL and didn't care what happened to WDW. I'm glad he was wrong.

I do not recall any statements being that cut and dry, but more along the lines stating that Lasseter's first and primary focus is on the Disneyland Resort.

 

[tirian]

I do not recall any statements being that cut and dry, but more along the lines stating that Lasseter's first and primary focus is on the Disneyland Resort.

He made that assertion when announcing that DL's Nemo Subs were going to be "so much better" than Epcot's Nemo dark ride. Granted, the subs are a more impressive piece of engineering, but many fans have said the shorter dark ride has ironically become the better experience. (I agree; I've already seen the movie and don't need to relive it for 15 minutes.)

To be honest with you, however, I don't keep up with all the online posts and such. I have too much going on in my life to care. :lol:

 

[magicmaya]

Don't read it all; it's full of meaningless rambling and arguing. New FL plans were leaked online (you'll have to Google them) and the plans are legit. The only unanswered question concerns which edition the plans are—whether they're the final plans or an earlier draft.

Everything else is pure speculation.

thanks! :wave:

 

[SirGoofy]

He made that assertion when announcing that DL's Nemo Subs were going to be "so much better" than Epcot's Nemo dark ride. Granted, the subs are a more impressive piece of engineering, but many fans have said the shorter dark ride has ironically become the better experience. (I agree; I've already seen the movie and don't need to relive it for 15 minutes.)

To be honest with you, however, I don't keep up with all the online posts and such. I have too much going on in my life to care. :lol:

To say Lasseter only cares about DL is ridiculous. I talked to him about WDW and the man seemed so passionate.

 

[RSoxNo1]

My knowledge of them is rather vague. Just imagine new effects, audio, new (and perhaps totally different) track, exterior appearance changes, etc.

Are you expecting just a cleaned up version of Space Mountain much like the Small World refurb?

I doubt it. I think it came from further down the ladder than Eric. Even if it did come from him, he's so well positioned he would probably just get a wrist slap.:lol:

It seemed to come from the original poster as something really matter of fact. Like, "Oh yeah, I have these plans - you mean you don't?" He had to be aware of what he was sitting on which is why people are speculating that it could have been a delibrate leak. I know you have stated that it wasn't a delibrate leak, but how far down the ladder would plans like this appear?

Nah....they're too good. Nobody would believe Phil was involved.....

Sick burn.

The one part of the FL expansion I quite don't get is the 2 spaces they have marked for Dumbo. I can see why they would want the spinners at the the furthest point in the park to pull the crowds up there, but why would they dedicate a whole other piece to Dumbo by the train station?

It's for capacity issues. Dumbo has low capacity and huge demand. I think many families bypass Dumbo because of the waits, and it is probably the source of the most temper tantrums in all of Walt Disney World.

 

[DocMcHulk]

It's for capacity issues. Dumbo has low capacity and huge demand. I think many families bypass Dumbo because of the waits, and it is probably the source of the most temper tantrums in all of Walt Disney World.

I was going to say the same thing. I think dumbo's lines are smaller than they would be if there were 2 dumbo rides. It's got high demand, but no one wants to wait in a long line, largely unshaded, on a hot day.

 

[TP2000]

*sigh* Even they have a nicer IASW Facade.

Methinks we have the worst FL...:lookaroun

Cheer up, that dubious honor goes to Hong Kong Disneyland. Hong Kong Fantasyland has the medieval tents and even fewer attractions than Magic Kingdom! Hong Kong has just one solitary dark ride, and it's Winnie The Pooh!

Hong Kong Disneyland Pooh Ride:

Hong Kong did get a nice Small World, but it's even shorter than Magic Kingdom's truncated version.
Disneyland Small World = 15 minutes. Magic Kingdom Small World = 9 Minutes. Hong Kong Disneyland Small World = 7 Minutes.

I think Disneyland has the only Pooh ride that is not in Fantasyland. Florida, Tokyo and Hong Kong all have their Pooh rides in Fantasyland. Disneyland's Pooh ride is in Critter Country, with an outdoor loading area as is par for the course for many Disneyland attractions.

Disneyland Pooh Ride Loading Area:

 

[bstiles]

It's for capacity issues. Dumbo has low capacity and huge demand. I think many families bypass Dumbo because of the waits, and it is probably the source of the most temper tantrums in all of Walt Disney World.


I understand why they are putting dueling dumbos at the top there. My problem is the theming in that section of the park. You come out of the enchanted forest and boom right in the middle of a circus. The dumbo plot in front of the train station seems like its a place holder of sorts, just a guess. It's all fantasy right?

 

[Lee]

Are you expecting just a cleaned up version of Space Mountain much like the Small World refurb?

Better than that, but not on the level with Mansion.
Kinda like a Pirates level refurb is what I'm expecting, I guess...

I know you have stated that it wasn't a delibrate leak, but how far down the ladder would plans like this appear?

Not sure since I don't know the OP. It would appear that someone at Disney who had the plans gave a copy to someone he trusted. Turns out maybe he shouldn't have trusted that particular person.
Then the plans leak, much to the surprise of the person who originally had them. Suddenly he's trying to get them off the net to prevent his identity. (Which, as I understand it, was not difficult to find out if you are on the inside.)

The problem with a leak like this, is that many of us rely on inside sources to tip us off, and provide materials like those plans. This incident could well have a chilling effect on the whole "insider secret" business.