Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Discussion Thread

[Ed]

I wouldn't count on that Princess thing fading out anytime soon. There will always be little girls. A HUGE percentage of whom will ALWAYS dream of being a princess.

 

Don't forget the little gays! They dream of becoming princesses and queens too.

[cfc]

I noticed they said it's the largest expansion in many years. Which is 1 dark ride, a restaraunt, a playground/zone, and a additional spinner. That's one leisurely pace for expansion!

 

Well, there are "C" ticket dark rides and "E" ticket dark rides. From what I understand, the Little Mermaid attraction will be the latter (if it's like the ride they're building at Disney's California Adventure). Overall, it does look like a pretty radical and (I think) long overdue makeover for Florida's Fantasyland.

[moinab]

What little I've seen, so far, it looks like the Little Mermaid ride is going to be similar to the Nemo ride at Epcot.

 

Am I wrong?

[mcjaco]

Yeah, they said there will be no queue line for dumbo but it will be interractive, not sure how that's going to work out. Should be interesting.

 

My guess is that it will be like the Fast Pass system. You get a Fast Pass when you enter the "queue" tent, then can walk around and do things at interactive kiosks, etc. When it's time for your Fast Pass, you hop on board.

[jkwan]

You know if it is cool enough, I may ride the Dueling Dumbos just for the line. I really have no memory of ever riding the Dumbo ride when I was a kid, but I probably have and don't remember it. I think I'll ride the next time I go.

[Erik Johnson]

What little I've seen, so far, it looks like the Little Mermaid ride is going to be similar to the Nemo ride at Epcot.

 

Am I wrong?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBUMRk-nkdA

 

This was the original idea, so I bet the actual one will be better.

[speedracer]

^ That early concept was more along the lines of the small FL dark rides, whereas the updated versions going into DCA and MK are $100 million dollar major E-Ticket attractions! Suppose to be along the lines of a Haunted Mansion, big-budget special-efx animatronic-filled extravaganzas. One of the more impressive efx will be Ariel's animatronic hair, just to give it the convincing effect of being underwater. Can't wait to see the giant animatronic Ursula!

 

Here's some beautiful hi-res pics of all the newness coming to the MK.

[SKULLY]

The new expansion looks beautiful but some of what they're calling attractions are just cheap and embarrassing. How about just scrap this whole new expansion and build a clone of 20K Leagues Under The Sea in Fantasyland as a tribute to the best attraction Disney ever demolished?

[moinab]

Thanks, Eric! Good to know I was wrong!

[Erik Johnson]

The new expansion looks beautiful but some of what they're calling attractions are just cheap and embarrassing. How about just scrap this whole new expansion and build a clone of 20K Leagues Under The Sea in Fantasyland as a tribute to the best attraction Disney ever demolished?

 

Don't you mean the original Journey Into Imagination was the best Disney attraction ever demolished?

 

[mcjaco]

Um, Horizons....HELLO!

[chemical_echo]

With the lines to meet a princess already as long as they are, I don't want to see what the lines will be like for dancing with Cinderella or getting picked to be part of the Beauty and the Beast re-enactment with Belle.

 

The Sleeping Beauty actresses better be damned good at acting surprised since they're going to have several surprise parties throughout the day.

[Capitalize]

Screamscape has some pictures up now that the transit system is back up. Apparently not a whole lot looks different, which personally makes me very happy... I've always loved Space Mountain. Everything from the music (in the line I mean), kind of campy old school theming, to the not smooth as glass coaster itself. All around always has been my favorite ride at WDW... So the less they change it the better for me.

 

http://screamscape.com/html/wdw_-_magic_kingdom.htm

[chemical_echo]

Disney indeed mentions a "pumping musical score" and synthesized sounds of space in the ride description

Is there even any sound in space?

I always imagined it a very silent place...unless you're directly next to a supernova or something of the sort.

[Retro_Gaga]

Disney indeed mentions a "pumping musical score" and synthesized sounds of space in the ride description

Is there even any sound in space?

I always imagined it a very silent place...unless you're directly next to a supernova or something of the sort.

 

QFT

[DarkStitch626]

Isn't this the only space mountain that hasn't fully been modified somehow? I mean I know the one in California got new tracks and such. Lets crank up the Red Hot Chili Peppers during the ride. Lol naw' lets just keep a classic gold! I'm happy its getting refurbished nicely.

[Capitalize]

Thats my main thing, I feel like with it being the original and everything a total and complete overhaul would be a mistake. It would be like taking a classic dark ride and overhauling all the effects entirely. it would lose a lot of its classic charm.

[Guest]

It would be like taking a classic dark ride and overhauling all the effects entirely.

Many of the dark rides have had major upgrades and theyve all turned out better than before, I loved going on Pirates the first time after they put in all the new effects and being like woah I cant believe they put this sweet new technology into such an old ride, that is cool.

 

The more upgrades the better IMO, especially since its the exact same track design. No point in an attraction themed to the future being retro, I really like how they did DLs and hope MKs will match it. Look what they did with Spaceship Earth's entrance, after a few cosmetic changes the area looks way sleeker and better.

[Capitalize]

I probably should have been more clear but I meant more along the lines of Knoebel's Haunted Mansion or similar dark rides like that where many of the existing effects are still used. Even Disney's Haunted Mansion could be coupled with that to an extent.

 

Just for clarification, what new effects did Pirates receive all at once? I know that after the films came out they added a very nice looking Jack Sparrow character that was top of the line. But I know that many of the animatronics in that ride are still pretty basic as far as technology is concerned.

 

I guess that when I really enjoy an attraction a total overhaul makes me a bit nervous. Something like what happened with Journey into Imagination at Epcot makes me hesitant that the modernization won't always be for the better. Basically sometimes I think its nice to leave some things from the past as is because its nice to appreciate the original for what it is. Its not always as impressive looking as something brand new but it takes on a whole new quality of nostalgia over time.

[GabrielOak]

Thought this interview could be of interest...

 

Exclusive! Interview with Imagineers Chris Beatty and Jon Georges on Disney World's Fantasyland Expansion

 

http://www.blooloop.com/Article/Theme-Parks-Blooloop-Exclusive-Interview-with-Imagineers-Chris-Beatty-and-Jon-Georges-on-Disney-s-World-Fantasyland-Expansion/155

[tntornadox]

So, they are devoting alot of land and resources in the Magic Kingdom to fill the little girl princess niche, I see... looks great, but one question lingers in my mind...

 

What about boys?

[monsterfan99]

^ To me, Magic Kingdom was already a boys or at worst a unisex park. Frontierland, Adventureland and Tomorrowland learn way more towards boys then girls. Girls had Fantasyland and the rest was a split.

 

At the very least, boys will have Gaston's pub, which will be amazing.

[frozenflames]

My main question is, what will happen to the rides already there? I can see on the blueprints that Winnie the Pooh, Snow White, the Mad Tea Party, and the Carrousel are still going to be there, but what about other attractions like Peter Pan's Flight, Mickey's PhilharMagic, or even It's A Small World? None of those seem to be represented on that blueprint...

[Erik Johnson]

^ Peter Pan, Small World etc are not represented on the map because the left side of Fantasyland is not represented on it.

[spacemtfan]

 

This was a video taken on the TTA by someone else (not me). For the most part, they just made everything shiny. You can catch a glimpse to see a rocket going through the track, but it looks the same as the old one (but shinier).