News Tron coaster coming to the Magic Kingdom

[sonoma15]

Disney's proposal for Potter's main feature was essentially Toy Story Mania. There are images out there of that ride concept.

Yeah, Disney's concept was hilariously bad (and if I recall it would've went in Magic Kingdom)

 

[UNCgolf]

I dare you to get off Hagride without a smile on your face. Its fun so who cares?

Fun is relative.

Tons of people think Toy Story Mania is fun; I think it's terrible.

 

[marni1971]

Spaceship Earth had that problem as well to my surprise.

I know someone who didn’t know American Adventure had anything inside.

More fool them.

 

[marni1971]

That lift hill kills all sorts of theming about it being a trip into space, unless one assumes that a space elevator will be driven by a clanking chain.

SM's coaster needs to be replaced with one that has a launch and no lateral whiplashing.

Nah. Replace the whiplash but keep the hills. Just use the silent lifts that were axed in 2009.

 

[celluloid]

Is there any talk of the Walt Disney World Railroad being opened again by the 50th? My understanding is that it is still closed due to the construction.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I wish more people would directly compare MK to Disneyland. When I’m standing at the end of Main Street at Disneyland I’ve got Refreshment Corner, Jolly Holiday Bakery, a Corn Dog Truck, and the Plaza all within sight. None require a reservation (except Plaza at Breakfast).

At Magic Kingdom at the same spot I’ve got Casey’s and that’s it. Plaza and Crystal are in sight but both require reservations and never (or extremely rarely) have walk up availability.

yeah but the restaurants at DL are puny compared to the WDW counterparts. I also find plenty of availability at Plaza (same day and walk ups). There’s also the bakery on Main Street. You’ve got the restaurant inside the castle. There’s those two permanent food stands with popcorn on either side of the hub. Tony’s is as the front of MSUSA. They’re starting to use TT for lunch now (and leaving it open for firework viewing at no additional charge). I only wish they’d reopen the Columbia.

 

[marni1971]

yeah but the restaurants at DL are puny compared to the WDW counterparts. I also find plenty of availability at Plaza (same day and walk ups). There’s also the bakery on Main Street. You’ve got the restaurant inside the castle. There’s those two permanent food stands with popcorn on either side of the hub. Tony’s is as the front of MSUSA. They’re starting to use TT for lunch now (and leaving it open for firework viewing at no additional charge). I only wish they’d reopen the Columbia.

There’s really not much comparison. The amount of choice and amount of same day availability is an eye opener in Anaheim.

(Not including.... popcorn carts...)

 

[lazyboy97o]

It's worth mentioning that I also recall flinching at the wording of that statement - it was overly harsh and culturally unfair.

Which is to say, I believe @lazyboy97o to be relaying the wording of the message, not selecting it on his own.

What was culturally unfair? I don’t agree with Disney’s reasoning.

The story that you relayed regarding the outdoor portion is widely shared. It’s claimed that Chinese people at Hong Kong Disneyland couldn’t figure out that Space Mountain was ride and would just take a picture and go about their day. This question and story ignores history. TRON Lightcycle Power Run isn’t the first Space Mountain that starts outdoors. Nobody tells the story of the silly clueless French people who couldn’t figure something out so they had to put the launch for Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune outside. And let’s not forget that the marquee for Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom once included a physical ride vehicle with riding astronauts. There are challenges communicating an experience that cannot be seen, but the story as related to TRON and Space Mountain at Hong Kong Disneyland is specifically about Chinese people and how this is an example of building a park suited to Chinese people.

This though is not the only story about the Chinese parks that gets shared. There are a variety of them and the common thread, often played for a laugh, is that Chinese people just wouldn’t understand the discussed aspect of a theme park. When they all get combined you get a very negative stereotype of Chinese people. Disney did wise up a bit after Hong Kong Disneyland and doesn’t discuss the “distinct” aspects of Shanghai Disneyland.

Both Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disneyland are very much laid out based on this silly idea that Chinese people prefer to take pictures instead of ride rides. This is the public justification Disney gave for reducing the size and number of rides that were originally announced for Hong Kong Disneyland.

That originally announced version of Hong Kong Disneyland, the one Hong Kong officials were mad did not materialize, included Frontierland and Toon Town. The lands nixed because the Chinese apparently wouldn’t understand and would not be interested in so many rides.

You’ll also see claims that what rides that were built had to be simple and calm lest they overwhelm Chinese visitors, completely ignoring that there are plenty of thrill rides in China. It’s also one of the reasons Mystic Manor had to be more cartoony than The Haunted Mansion and it’s original conception, so as not to be too startling, even though it is the local entertainment team at Hong Kong Disneyland that puts on the one Disney Halloween event that actually has scary elements including a haunted house walkthrough.

The Progress City Radio Hour interview Tom Morris is worth a listen. It’s about a variety of topics of which the Chinese parks is a small part, but he gives examples of some the ridiculous ideas that Disney had regarding their audience in China.

 

[larryz]

There’s really not much comparison. The amount of choice and amount of same day availability is an eye opener in Anaheim.

(Not including.... popcorn carts...)

Indeed. I much prefer Disneyland's relaxed, casual atmosphere over WDW's regimented campaign requirements.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

There’s really not much comparison. The amount of choice and amount of same day availability is an eye opener in Anaheim.

(Not including.... popcorn carts...)

On the west side of the park yes. Not the East side. TL is scarce. The MK approach is one big QSR per land. You laugh at the popcorn carts but as any Coca Cola aficionado knows, fountain coke is superior to bottled coke (unless it’s a glass bottle) and they both serve great fountain Coke. Like I said, they should reopen the Columbia, TT and Tortuga Tavern. They should also be open till 12 am (at least).

 

[EricsBiscuit]

On a totally unrelated note, how can I disable receiving an email for quotes, likes, etc on this forum? Thanks

 

[ImperfectPixie]

On a totally unrelated note, how can I disable receiving an email for quotes, likes, etc on this forum? Thanks

Unwatch the specific threads you no longer want notifications from, then if you click watch again, it will ask if you want e-mail notifications.

 

[marni1971]

On the west side of the park yes. Not the East side. TL is scarce. The MK approach is one big QSR per land. You laugh at the popcorn carts but as any Coca Cola aficionado knows, fountain coke is superior to bottled coke (unless it’s a glass bottle) and they both serve great fountain Coke. Like I said, they should reopen the Columbia, TT and Tortuga Tavern. They should also be open till 12 am (at least).

They should do a lot of things. But they won’t listen to either of us.

 

[wdwmagic]

A new structure is going up at the TRON site.

TRON Lightcycle Run construction - July 26 2021

TRON Lightcycle Run construction - July 26 2021

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[EricsBiscuit]

They should do a lot of things. But they won’t listen to either of us.

As many of us have said, you need to apply for VP of WDW. I will use my faction of a fraction of a percent of stock in the company to influence the Bobs. Expect a letter from 1180 Seven Seas Dr soon.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

As many of us have said, you need to apply for VP of WDW. I will use my faction of a fraction of a percent of stock in the company to influence the Bobs. Expect a letter from 1180 Seven Seas Dr soon.

MARTIN 2021! MAKE WALT DISNEY WORLD GREAT AGAIN!

 

[PuertoRekinSam]

as any Coca Cola aficionado knows, fountain coke is superior to bottled coke (unless it’s a glass bottle)

Give me a bottle anyday. (Opinions… obviously; your mileage might vary)

1) resealable… which means I don’t need to gulp it down before entering a ride
2) ice just waters down a drink as it melts.
3) even if I don’t get ice the fizz is gone too quickly
4)there is too much inconsistency with fountain. While dark soda is easier to tell, when the syrup is getting low, I am always worried about the soda roulette with sprite. refreshing Lemon lime? or unexpected Beverly?
5) the wild sputter and spit you sometimes get at a fountain. I really don’t enjoy the sticky syrup all over my hands thanks.

The plastic bottle is a problem… so chalk that one up to a win for fountain

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

There’s also the bakery on Main Street. You’ve got the restaurant inside the castle. There’s those two permanent food stands with popcorn on either side of the hub. Tony’s is as the front of MSUSA.

Disneyland also has a Starbucks, Food stands in the hub, and a sit down restaurant towards the front of Main Street.

 

[Kev1982]

I recall hearing basically a similar assessment somewhere, although I can't recall where

It was accompanied by the anecdote that Space Mountain at Hong Kong initially had a lot of people walking up to it, taking a picture with it, and then walking away, thinking it was entirely sculptural and having no awareness that there was actually anything inside.

In fairness, if you didn't already know that Space Mountain *wasn't* purely sculptural, the structure itself doesn't really hint at its true purpose. Without any context it is very abstract.

I think it was said in “the Imagineering Story” on Disney+

 

[DoleWhipDrea]

Once The Imagineering Story reached Iger's time and China, an awful lot of opinions were being stated as actual fact.

I will never get over them saying that the Chinese people wouldn't appreciate classic Pirates of the Caribbean.