News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

[_caleb]

Warning, unpopular opinion...

If I'm in a giant black-top asphalt parking lot surrounded by thousands of cars and bus depots and other infrastructure, I don't care what sort of themed or unthemed glimpses of the park I get from outside the park. I'm already in an unthemed wasteland.

So, the only park that I would care about outside-the-park theming is MK, which has endeavored making the approach to the park from very far away to be all nicely themed. Good idea in theory. In practice, it makes actually getting into the park a hassle having to cross a lake with huge crowds to do so. I wind up cursing this attempt at outside-the-park theming.

Mind you, I have experienced a pleasant approach to the MK when crowds were low and I wasn't jammed into the monorail or ferry. But we all know how overcrowded MK has become. And waiting for the next monorail/ferry, or the one after that, and getting packed in is not so much fun. At that point, I care little for how well themed outside-the-park is.

From your perspective, would there be a limit to what you’re okay with seeing from outside the parks? Do you see a difference between unthemed areas (like the outside of a plain, unthemed building), and clearly-visible backstage areas (like garbage dumpsters and foodservice delivery).

I can see a difference, and to my knowledge, Disney still does (and should continue to do) a decent job of hiding the ugly inner-workings even if they don’t put much effort into theming the backside of rockwork and stuff.

 

[marni1971]

Also the sunken road way has nothing at all to do with sight lines

Do tell

 

[Disney Analyst]

Warning, unpopular opinion...

If I'm in a giant black-top asphalt parking lot surrounded by thousands of cars and bus depots and other infrastructure, I don't care what sort of themed or unthemed glimpses of the park I get from outside the park. I'm already in an unthemed wasteland.

So, the only park that I would care about outside-the-park theming is MK, which has endeavored making the approach to the park from very far away to be all nicely themed. Good idea in theory. In practice, it makes actually getting into the park a hassle having to cross a lake with huge crowds to do so. I wind up cursing this attempt at outside-the-park theming.

Mind you, I have experienced a pleasant approach to the MK when crowds were low and I wasn't jammed into the monorail or ferry. But we all know how overcrowded MK has become. And waiting for the next monorail/ferry, or the one after that, and getting packed in is not so much fun. At that point, I care little for how well themed outside-the-park is.

I’m with you.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If I'm in a giant black-top asphalt parking lot surrounded by thousands of cars and bus depots and other infrastructure, I don't care what sort of themed or unthemed glimpses of the park I get from outside the park. I'm already in an unthemed wasteland.

I know what you’re saying but I don’t agree. I think everything that can be seen by the public is “on stage”, even if it’s off property (such as the back of Cars Land at DCA).

 

[marni1971]

Warning, unpopular opinion...

If I'm in a giant black-top asphalt parking lot surrounded by thousands of cars and bus depots and other infrastructure, I don't care what sort of themed or unthemed glimpses of the park I get from outside the park. I'm already in an unthemed wasteland.

So, the only park that I would care about outside-the-park theming is MK, which has endeavored making the approach to the park from very far away to be all nicely themed. Good idea in theory. In practice, it makes actually getting into the park a hassle having to cross a lake with huge crowds to do so. I wind up cursing this attempt at outside-the-park theming.

Mind you, I have experienced a pleasant approach to the MK when crowds were low and I wasn't jammed into the monorail or ferry. But we all know how overcrowded MK has become. And waiting for the next monorail/ferry, or the one after that, and getting packed in is not so much fun. At that point, I care little for how well themed outside-the-park is.

If seven seas was the parking lot, the park appearance from there would be just as important as now, and would mostly look as well as it does now. EPCOT Center was similarly designed.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Warning, unpopular opinion...

If I'm in a giant black-top asphalt parking lot surrounded by thousands of cars and bus depots and other infrastructure, I don't care what sort of themed or unthemed glimpses of the park I get from outside the park. I'm already in an unthemed wasteland.

So, the only park that I would care about outside-the-park theming is MK, which has endeavored making the approach to the park from very far away to be all nicely themed. Good idea in theory. In practice, it makes actually getting into the park a hassle having to cross a lake with huge crowds to do so. I wind up cursing this attempt at outside-the-park theming.

Mind you, I have experienced a pleasant approach to the MK when crowds were low and I wasn't jammed into the monorail or ferry. But we all know how overcrowded MK has become. And waiting for the next monorail/ferry, or the one after that, and getting packed in is not so much fun. At that point, I care little for how well themed outside-the-park is.

You're entitled to that opinion, however part of the magic of so many Disney dark rides is the appearance that the entire attraction takes place within that facade. When the fact that something is a facade is revealed before you see the actual facade, it takes away from that experience.

Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, DINOSAUR and many others intentionally hide the show building to contribute to the magic of the attraction. In a land as immersive as Pandora, having that appearance broken before you even see it, hurts the experience.

 

[LittleBuford]

Warning, unpopular opinion...

If I'm in a giant black-top asphalt parking lot surrounded by thousands of cars and bus depots and other infrastructure, I don't care what sort of themed or unthemed glimpses of the park I get from outside the park. I'm already in an unthemed wasteland.

I’ll go further: I actually enjoy catching such backstage glimpses. I like seeing how things work behind the magic.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’ll go further: I actually enjoy catching such backstage glimpses. I like seeing how things work behind the magic.

That’s what backstage tours are for!
I agree, I do as well.

There’s also a place for intentional backstage views like catastrophe canyon and wildlife express. While I disagree with the design of wildlife express, it was intended, as built, to show backstage areas.

 

[LittleBuford]

That’s what backstage tours are for!
I agree, I do as well.

There’s also a place for intentional backstage views like catastrophe canyon and wildlife express. While I disagree with the design of wildlife express, it was intended, as built, to show backstage areas.

There are different levels of backstage, of course, and some of them are best left for tours, while others (such as those listed by @_caleb) are best left unseen altogether. As for what one might view from outside the parks, I realise not everyone will share my perspective (indeed, most here appear not to), but I feel it's important to underscore that there are those of us who care deeply about theming but have no issue with (and may even be welcoming of) the kinds of backstage glimpses that others find so egregious.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

The lack of depth perception makes it hard to tell, but that tree is bigger and older than it looks. It's probably been there since opening day. But hopefully they do replant similarly large trees along the area.

That's part of why I posted this picture from the Barnstormer queue - the combo of the queue grading up and the land outside the Train Tracks grading down makes it even harder to block the building. But I really do hope they make it happen.

FIXED!

 

[lazyboy97o]

There are different levels of backstage, of course, and some of them are best left for tours, while others (such as those listed by @_caleb) are best left unseen altogether. As for what one might view from outside the parks, I realise not everyone will share my perspective (indeed, most here appear not to), but I feel it's important to underscore that there are those of us who care deeply about theming but have no issue with (and may even be welcoming of) the kinds of backstage glimpses that others find so egregious.

Isn’t scarcity part of what makes such views alluring and interesting?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Isn’t scarcity part of what makes such views alluring and interesting?

Seriously. There's a BIG difference between being shown how a Magic Trick is done whether you want to know or not and managing to catch a glimpse of the secret as the Magician works because you're curious enough to look for the seams.

 

[doctornick]

You're entitled to that opinion, however part of the magic of so many Disney dark rides is the appearance that the entire attraction takes place within that facade. When the fact that something is a facade is revealed before you see the actual facade, it takes away from that experience.

Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, DINOSAUR and many others intentionally hide the show building to contribute to the magic of the attraction. In a land as immersive as Pandora, having that appearance broken before you even see it, hurts the experience.

I think this is absolutely true, but do people seeing the Pandora show building from outside the park even know that is what it is? It can’t really mess up the experience unless you can tie them together which most guests wouldn’t be able to do.

I bring up the Soarin’ show building a lot on these discussions as it draws a lot of ire. Personally I think it is well blended in and tough to see unless you know to be looking for it. But more importantly, if I hadn’t read it was the soarin’ ride I would have no idea. I would have just thought it was some generic backstage support building - or even something unrelated to the park. From where you are able to see it, it doesn’t even look like it’s part of Epcot.

Now Tron is a different issue as you can see the ride go in and out of the building. While the canopy helps for (some) of the in park views, it should be better hidden from other angles. Or honestly it should have a themed exterior just like Space. Tron itself would allow for some “in the grid” style theming that would make the view of the building more palatable.

 

[LittleBuford]

Isn’t scarcity part of what makes such views alluring and interesting?

Absolutely. I don’t think we’re anywhere near the point where such views aren’t scarce.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I think this is absolutely true, but do people seeing the Pandora show building from outside the park even know that is what it is? It can’t really mess up the experience unless you can tie them together which most guests wouldn’t be able to do.

I think it’s pretty obvious. As was Everest before the trees grew in.

Also Galaxies Edge from several on stage areas.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I always think on stage truly needs to be as hidden and in theme as possible.

But I’ve always been of the opinion that backstage views happen from outside the parks and it really does not bother me. Especially when majority of guests likely don’t even know what they are looking at.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Especially when majority of guests likely don’t even know what they are looking at.

I’m saying this in an extreme way, but why would you think that? Cause the average guest is too stupid to understand what you understand?

It doesn’t take a Disney historian to understand that the big box with rocks on sticks is Pandora or Galaxies Edge.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I’m saying this in an extreme way, but why would you think that? Cause the average guest is too stupid to understand what you understand?

It doesn’t take a Disney historian to understand that the big box with rocks on sticks is Pandora or Galaxies Edge.

As someone who had worked in restaurants almost two decades, and also did a summer stint as an international at Magic Kingdom working... my experience is anecdotal... but the general public are clueless.

I have many stories to share. The amount of people who enter a restaurant and can’t figure out how to get out...

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

As someone who had worked in restaurants almost two decades, and also did a summer stint as an international at Magic Kingdom working... my experience is anecdotal... but the general public are clueless.

I have many stories to share. The amount of people who enter a restaurant and can’t figure out how to get out...

“ I happen to think it’s the height of arrogance to assert that other theoretical “people” aren’t going to understand something that you yourself understand. Like you are better or something. That means your theoretical world of people is full of dumb people. Mine is full of smart, curious people.” - Joe Rohde

 

[SilentWindODoom]

Do tell

Is it not to allow for the tall water pageant floats or anything else that may come to cross the roadway without needing a drawbridge since it's one of the prime thoroughfares and leads to a deluxe hotel?

You're entitled to that opinion, however part of the magic of so many Disney dark rides is the appearance that the entire attraction takes place within that facade. When the fact that something is a facade is revealed before you see the actual facade, it takes away from that experience.

Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, DINOSAUR and many others intentionally hide the show building to contribute to the magic of the attraction. In a land as immersive as Pandora, having that appearance broken before you even see it, hurts the experience.

That's done from the entrance area of the ride, is meant to play into that the facade is, and in the case of the first example doesn't even work since you can see the building from the exit.

Tron isn't a house or a mountain or a museum. It's just kind of an abstract... shape. It's a building, like the rest of Tomorrowland (save for the Speedway).