What I think...as of today...for now...

[lazyboy97o]

I think the crcus theme could be fun, but I hope they leave the Barndtomer alone... Love that ride, it is a great intro to coasters for the little ones.

Changing the theme of the coaster will not change its layout. Goofy will be gone, but it will be the same tame ride.

Before attacking the circus theme, consider the amazing thing WDI is trying to do with the FL makeover, and how a popular attraction has tied their hands.

Rather than haphazardly plopping a bunch of random experiences next to each other (as Walt's original Fantasyland had done), WDI is finally trying to give FL a cohesive story.

The circus being apart of a Disney park goes all the way back to Mickey Mouse Park, the small, studio adjacent park proposed in the early 1950s that the City of Burbank wanted nothing to do with. Then, during the design of images, there was some thought given to a small circus area to go along with Dumbo, the Flying Elephant. After Disneyland opened, there was the horrendous failure of the Mickey Mouse Club Circus. In the 1970s Disneyland was slated to get a massive expansion. Most people know Discovery Bay, but the site of the current Fantsyland Theater was slated to get Dumbo's Circusland as part of that overall expansion project.

Some Photos: http://www.theneverlandfiles.com/tnf/disneyland/dumboscircusland.php

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Wow! I haven't kept up on the FLE thing at all. Very interesting stuff here. And thank you, Lee, for your willingness to share even when the possibility of another 180 is always there. I gotta hand it to ya. I've never sat & read 18 pages before.

Blue Sky planning began back in 2006. The project went through a few different phases, concepts plugged in, pulled out, etc. Until they settled on what we saw last year with the blueprints and then the art/model.
The new SW ride was an early concept that was pulled in favor of the M&Gs. Thankfully, cooler heads have prevailed.

In '08 during our lunch w/an Imagineer we asked a lot of specific stuff about the "Blue Sky" process to which he didn't have a wealth of answers as his position didn't really encompass that sort of thing. He did tell us about a time within the previous couple years he had been part of a Blue Sky thing (the impression we got was that it was part of a team building type exercise) where they were asked to come up with ideas for the old 20k Leagues space. He said his group pitched a Mickey & the Beanstalk based ride where ride cars or mine trains zoomed thru story elements and spiraled downward as if descending the beanstalk. What you said in this post made me think of that. The time certainly fits but that's most likely coincidence. :animwink: Interesting, none-the-less.

This all sounds wonderful and much needed, but I feel a little sad for this guy....

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=532130

That young man was the FIRST thought that popped in my mind, too, at the first mention of SWSA leaving. I realize it's a tired old attraction. But for that fellow, yeah, my heart hurt a little.

....or maybe he'll be gifted a "souvenir" ? There are some awesome possibilities...

That would be so awesome! How could they not? If it has to go, I'd love to know he was the last person to ride it & was gifted whatever pieces meant the most to him. And maybe let him be the 1st to ride the new version if that's the way this all goes down. :animwink:

So, if SWSA is going to leave, how about replacing it with a Robin Hood dark ride? All kinds of characters that boys will love and there is even a princess, Maid Marian. Plus all kinds of merchandise. We can have plush toys, hats with little fix years, bow and arrow sets (the sticky, suction cup kind), and Maid Marian princess outfits for the girls.

And it wouldn't be too far from the Friar's Nook!

My husband would freak. That's one of his top picks for Disney films for sentimental reasons. I'd loooove to see Robin Hood brought to life! So much possibility!

I get the circus/dumbo relation. What circus doesnt have elephants? But what i dont get is the need for deulling dumbos, is t really that long of a wait? i never waited, so dont know. I think kids will love it, notwithstanding the clowns, which creep alot of people out. Poltergeist!!!

I haven't been on Dumbo since I was a kid just because I haven't felt the need. I have a little sentimental feeling going for it, tho. Seriously, be at rope drop by the castle rope. The stampede of parents to Dumbo is insane. Definitely something to behold! :lol:

 

[Captain Neo]

If they go foward with Snow White coaster than I guess Monsters Inc. coaster at the Studios is dead because to an extent tehy would be too similar (I know monsters would probably use different seating style but both would be family friendly coasters themed to an animated property).

It's also incredible that even after redoing the plans for FLE they still have somehow managed to ignore their BIGGEST untapped franchise (Alice in Wonderland) and instead they will be DOUBLING the carnival theme. WDI really is retarded.

 

[Ignohippo]

I really like your idea of a Neverland area. It's much better than my idea regarding Pixie Hollow. In fact, it's so good it's a shame it can't be presented to the artisans behind the expansion. I can see your idea really adding a touch of real magic to the area. Do Imagineers ever visit here?

Thanks Magenta. I'm going to try to do some sketches in the next few days. Maybe we can get the ball moving in this direction...

 

[DisneyNut2007]

I am thrilled that coloring b-day cards with Cindy and dancing with Aurora(or is it the other way around :ROFLOL: ) are OUT.

I have felt all along that there was a happy medium between the circus tent M&G's that exist now and the elaborate M&G's that were announced last year.

Hopefully this will make for a much better balanced FLE.
:sohappy:

Sorry, but I still think that Cindy's chateau, Aurora's cottage and Pixie Hollow are still going to happen, no matter what.

I reitterate that Lee is a phony insider and does not deserve to be trusted or praised at all.

 

[GIO]

What if they leave it essentially whole, but dressed it up in circus themes?

I guess it would be like flying with Dumbo instead of a biplane.

 

[Captain Neo]

For those of you crying over the lose of SWSA know this:

Walt & Roy Disney, the imagineers, and the original park planners never wanted a copy of Snow White's Scary adventure in the first place. Originally they were going to build a Sleeping Beauty dark ride instead. I guess the reason MK ended up with Snow White (and Mr.Toad & Peter Pan) is because the Florida project was going way over budget and they simply were running out of money forcing them to just clone existing attractions rather than creating something new from the ground up. By removing SWSA and building a new Snow White ride it would be correcting an almost 40 year old mistake. Walt & Roy would probably approve of this decision.

I personally would be really on board with this new version of Fantasyland if the current Snow White Scary Adventure is replaced with another dark ride (Jim Hill claims a beauty & the beast dark ride was planned which would have been cool).

 

[Testtrack321]

Walt & Roy would probably approve of this decision.

Can we stop saying this? I don't think anyone here knew them personally, and even if they did, can't predict their motives.

If Snow White is removed I will feel a little sad. It's a dark and scary attraction that is more in line with original fairy tales than the happy-go-lucky stuff we see now. It's an attachment to the basic roots of germanic fantasy. And while the ride doesn't echo the movie moment for moment like in Peter Pan, that is made into a strength; this was the first Disney ride where you weren't just a passive observer but THE main character.

 

[lazyboy97o]

For those of you crying over the lose of SWSA know this:

Walt & Roy Disney, the imagineers, and the original park planners never wanted a copy of Snow White's Scary adventure in the first place.

Walt died before actual design work on the Magic Kingdom began.

 

[Captain Neo]

I'd hate to see the skyway go. Unless they have a vastly better idea.


I know more than I let on. :animwink:

Skyway to be replaced by giant circus tent confirmed

Walt died before actual design work on the Magic Kingdom began.

oh word? well still the company wasn't intending to clone Snow White (just like they didn't want to clone Pirates) California and Florida should have a different slate of attractions otherwise why bother visting both parks??

It's a dark and scary attraction that is more in line with original fairy tales than the happy-go-lucky stuff we see now. It's an attachment to the basic roots of germanic fantasy. And while the ride doesn't echo the movie moment for moment like in Peter Pan, that is made into a strength; this was the first Disney ride where you weren't just a passive observer but THE main character.

I agree with all this but you have to realize the new Snow White ride will probably be pretty much identical just with Tony Baxter's modern special effects (currently seen at Disneyland) and more thrilling ride system.

 

[David S.]

I haven't been on Dumbo since I was a kid just because I haven't felt the need. I have a little sentimental feeling going for it, tho. Seriously, be at rope drop by the castle rope. The stampede of parents to Dumbo is insane. Definitely something to behold! :lol:

And I'm in there too, even though I'm a single adult male and not a parent! But it's great to get the first ride of the day and then walk-on all the other dark rides in the area while nearly everyone else in FL is waiting for Dumbo. I don't "stampede", though!

 

[David S.]

For those of you crying over the lose of SWSA know this:

Walt & Roy Disney, the imagineers, and the original park planners never wanted a copy of Snow White's Scary adventure in the first place. Originally they were going to build a Sleeping Beauty dark ride instead.)

Actually, I read somewhere that it was Roy personally who made the decision that the Fantasyland dark rides would be based on the Disneyland classics.

oh word? well still the company wasn't intending to clone Snow White (just like they didn't want to clone Pirates) California and Florida should have a different slate of attractions otherwise why bother visting both parks??.

I'd still want to visit both parks because their are enough differences between various versions of the same ride to make it interesting.

I LIKE having versions of Disneyland originals in the MK. It's like a "franchise". Not having the DL classics in the MK would be like a Mc Domalds not selling Big Macs, because each restaurant is trying to do something "original".

Having the classics at each park makes it easy for people who live close to one park and will likely never make it to another still experience the essential classics that define what a Magic Kingdom/Disneyland - style "Castle Park" is. IMO, Snow White is one of these essential classics.

If we can't have Snow White in our park just because Disneyland had their version first, then they also need to get rid of the Railroad, Main Street Vehicles, Jungle Cruise, Treehouse, Tiki Room, Pirates, Big Thunder, Splash Mountain, Tom Sawyer Island, Riverboat, Haunted Mansion, Small World, Peter Pan's Flight, Cinderella's Carousel, Dumbo, Mad Tea Party, Peoplemover, Carousel of Progress, Astro Orbiter, and Speedway.

It wouldn't be a true Disneyland/Magic Kingdom-style "Castle park" with none of these present!

 

[Magenta Panther]

I like SWSA, but a good Dwarf Mine Ride would be tons of fun. I'd get over losing SWSA for the coaster :lol:, especially since a new ride is within the realm of possibility for that space. Of course, that would be contingent upon FLE being successful, but, if all goes well, that shouldn't be a problem. However, the plans for the current construction aren't even set in stone, so I won't worry about the future of the SWSA just yet.

By the way, is your user name a reference to the Pink Panther? I love the cartoons and the Peter Sellers movies!

Yes, it is! One of my favorite pieces of animation ever is the original opening credits for the first Pink Panther film. The panther is so cool in it, a sort of graceful, mischievous klutz. Unfortunately as time went by he got sort of messed up, he lost his grace and mischievousness and became too human and angular. But he is sublime in that opening sequence, and meshes perfectly with Henry Mancini's unforgettable theme. Thanks for asking!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Thanks Magenta. I'm going to try to do some sketches in the next few days. Maybe we can get the ball moving in this direction...

Oh, I'd love to see what you come up with!

 

[Wilt Dasney]

If Snow White is removed I will feel a little sad. It's a dark and scary attraction that is more in line with original fairy tales than the happy-go-lucky stuff we see now.

Have we been on the same ride? :lookaroun

Honestly, my opinion is that when Imagineering tried to do away with the scary elements of the ride in the '90s, they went too far in the other direction. The current ride has been Windexed so thoroughly clean of any suspense or fear that it's just not very interesting from an atmospheric or narrative standpoint. Even the Witch was made over into a smiling, earnest, mildly menacing (but not really, don't worry!) figure that she's just hard to take seriously as any kind of threat.

Maybe if I had the unjaded eyes of a child, I would see this different, but it's impossible for me to look at the current ride and see it as the least bit scary...which is ironic, since I believe the name only officially and permanently became Snow White's Scary Adventures after the last makeover.

(PS: I know David S. will disagree with every word of this post, and that's OK. Different strokes, as they say.) :lol:

 

[cheezbat]

I'm really enjoying this thread...and looking forward more to the FLE now. While I personally like SWSA the most out of the three current dark rides in Fantasyland, I could see it go for this new Mine ride. I'd like to see SWSA replaced with another dark ride, like many of you would like as well. I say this though: why not theme a new dark ride to Sleeping Beauty? Or Aladdin?(it's an excuse to get rid of the Magic Carpets in AL!) Or Robin Hood, like some have said? I'd LOVE to see any of those done, and they'd be MK exclusives!

 

[Magenta Panther]

I guess it would be like flying with Dumbo instead of a biplane.

Hmmm, I was thinking of it being made to look like a circus train. In fact I think somebody on this thread mentioned that, you know, making it look like Casey Jr. Maybe the cars could have carved scrollwork and gilding on them like circus wagons do, and maybe some could look like animal cages and stuff. A coaster like that could look pretty gorgeous.

 

[Magenta Panther]

Have we been on the same ride? :lookaroun

Honestly, my opinion is that when Imagineering tried to do away with the scary elements of the ride in the '90s, they went too far in the other direction. The current ride has been Windexed so thoroughly clean of any suspense or fear that it's just not very interesting from an atmospheric or narrative standpoint. Even the Witch was made over into a smiling, earnest, mildly menacing (but not really, don't worry!) figure that she's just hard to take seriously as any kind of threat.

Maybe if I had the unjaded eyes of a child, I would see this different, but it's impossible for me to look at the current ride and see it as the least bit scary...which is ironic, since I believe the name only officially and permanently became Snow White's Scary Adventures after the last makeover.

(PS: I know David S. will disagree with every word of this post, and that's OK. Different strokes, as they say.) :lol:

Wow, I had no idea the ride I'd ridden on - and was rather unimpressed with - was a weaker version of the original. I feel as gypped as I did when I saw a video of the original Journey into Imagination with Figment. Bummer!

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Wow, I had no idea the ride I'd ridden on - and was rather unimpressed with - was a weaker version of the original. I feel as gypped as I did when I saw a video of the original Journey into Imagination with Figment. Bummer!

Here's a link to the original version. It's pretty dark, so you won't see everything, but it gives you the basic idea:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th7LJFzG1o8

Essentially the original ride was nothing but the witch popping out and threatening to murder you at every turn. (Many people interpreted the "star doors" at the end after she threatens to drop a boulder on you as evidence that she succeeded in that endeavor!)

It was a very bizarre ride for a Disney park, and honestly didn't have much of a story. It also thoroughly frightened the bejeezus out of many, many kids (including a 6-year-old Wilt Dasney), so I know why they took it out. I still think that atmospherically at least, it was more interesting than what's there now.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I'm really enjoying this thread...and looking forward more to the FLE now. While I personally like SWSA the most out of the three current dark rides in Fantasyland, I could see it go for this new Mine ride. I'd like to see SWSA replaced with another dark ride, like many of you would like as well. I say this though: why not theme a new dark ride to Sleeping Beauty? Or Aladdin?(it's an excuse to get rid of the Magic Carpets in AL!) Or Robin Hood, like some have said? I'd LOVE to see any of those done, and they'd be MK exclusives!

For my part, I'd like to see a new, dark ride based on The Lion King. Or a "plussed" version of the Pinocchio ride at Disneyland.

But maybe your Sleeping Beauty idea is the best one - especially if that ride has a fantastic dragon AA! That could be AWESOME.