Playground Trip Report!

[disneyfan1313]

Today was the first official operating day of the Poohs Playful Spot playground at WDW. This is located directly across from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and takes up the space where the que for 20k under the sea was. It is a very well themed area with water effects in addition to things to play on.. onto the pics!

Here is the entrance - as you can see i'm too old to play..

There are lots of things for kids to climb on and under - even with the rainy weather people were enjoying it!

Oh No! The honey is spilled!

This is the water play area with the jets and jumping water surprising kids.

For those of you who were worried there is TONS of space for a future attraction behind the playground!

This is an overall look at the playground..

You can go in the tree!

I would probably hurt myself going in there!

[SLUSHIE]

It looks really cool.

 

It just doesn't seem like something that belongs in the Magic Kingdom. We have something similar to that at the local mall.

[Homer]

That little playground looks like a nice little addition to MK for the kids.

 

Great pics!

[QuakerOaties]

It looks nice, but as much as I hate to say it, not something I'd expect to see at the Magic Kingdom.

 

Mark "At least it's Pooh" Luskus

[SharkTums]

It looks nice! It would be better if it was Chip n Dale's playground though!

 

It will be nice for a few years till they put Journey in! (Wishful thinking!!!!)

[YoshiFan]

While the playground looks nice, like others said it's not something that seems to fit with the Magic Kingdom. In a small park or a standard amusement park like Dorney, it might fit or even as a playground at a Disney resort but in arguably what is considered one of the best theme parks in the world, I think they could have come up with something better than a playground.

[kenshinmac]

Bah how dull... It does look like the sort of things they put in malls all over the country. Disney removes a one of a kind ride for something that is age limited...

 

I dunno this is what has bothered me about almost everything Disney has done for the past 10-15 years. What happened to the rides for everyone? I mean everything now is for teens or little kids. They don't make rides that everyone can enjoy as a family either due to height restrictions or the content. Sure there are a few exceptions but it seems to be the way they are heading.

[CoasterFanatic]

Looks great. It might not be the stellar E-ticket attraction that we are all waiting for, but it looks a hell of a lot better than an empty moat.

 

At first, I couldn't even tell where it was at.

[disneyfan1313]

Argh. Once again.. They did *not* remove 20000 leagues for this! They are using a *very* small portion of the land where it was - about the space that the que for 20000 leagues took up. There is *more* than enough room behind it for a large attraction or other further expansion.

[CoasterFanatic]

I meant that "the empty moat". I am familiar with the area you speak of.

[Jose Eber]

Jeez you were quick to jump on getting at the opening.

 

I think these are the first pics I've seen (nothing on WDW magic I believe).

 

I would agree with the one poster how everything is getting very segregated. There are no more new rides for the whole family anymore. Big picture thinking has been gone for a long time at Disney.

 

Pooh? you can be too old

Stitch? too scary for the young-ins

Soarin? too short

Stunt show -- o.k. that's one attraction . . . more of a show

Cinderellabration -- o.k. that's another....more of a show...note how these shows totally cater to very specific audiences.

Mission Space? You've got to be kidding me.

Test track -- defn for a broader segment, still a major height restriction

RNR -- ouch.

 

How far back do we need to go?

 

I think a playground is fairly unimaginative. I would have loved to see a serious overhaul of 20 000 leagues. i miss it so.

 

the last thing this (disney) world needs are more attractions that make your ears bleed (because its so loud) or give you a heart attack (because its so intense).

 

Whatever happened to entertainment. Instead we substitute intensity.

 

Big difference.

 

Rant off (which thread was this?)

 

edit: this is an aerial pre construction. yes there is a lot of space...but no submarines!! (If disneyland gets refurbs, why not us?)

Overview of MK, see castle bottom left. Its a very big area.

[robbalvey]

I don't get it. The area looks fine. Nothing wrong with it. It's not like this is the new E-ticket for 2005. There are areas like that in Toon Town at Disneyland, MGM Studios, California Adventure, how is this any different?

 

Most of the people who are bitching won't be using that area anyway, so what's the big deal? I'm sure you'll totally forget all about when/if they add another large attraction there.

 

It's certainly better than a photo spot like it has been the last umpteen years!

 

I dunno this is what has bothered me about almost everything Disney has done for the past 10-15 years. What happened to the rides for everyone?

 

What happend to the rides?!?! What are you talking about??? Did they not just build Mission: Space, Soarin' and now they've got Expedition Everest opening up soon? And what about Tower of Terror and Buzz at Disneyland? And Raging Spirits just opened and Tower is on it's way to both Tokyo and Paris. And almost ALL of those rides have a fairly low height restriction so everyone can ride.

 

I can tell you "what happened to the rides" they are building them!!! ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE!

 

--Robb

[Jose Eber]

^ I think what people are complaining about (or at least me) is the Alice in Wonderland, the Casy jr. Circus Train, Story book Canal, the Small world caliber of ride that everyone can be in, and everyone gets a kick out of.

 

Those sorts of rides are not being built. They have no age restriction for the most part and nearly anyone can ride it. A playground is hardly an attraction like that. No moving parts, no evolving story etc.

 

Philharmagic is one such newer attraction, but it still lacks. I mean, that's hardly innovative, even if its wraparound 3d

 

Disney (to me) was about innovation and entertainment for everyone.

 

It just isn't that anymore. A good chunk of rides even adults won't ride because it is too intense.

[Damien666]

^ Very good point Robb!

 

The only new thing at Disney to me that has failed is SGE.

This may have looked good on paper, but this has become the worst thing at WDW. I know there are people that like it,but those people are in a minority!

A show that throws you in total darkness and hits you with sensory effects is NOT kid friendly!!!

 

I know this question has been answered a lot but, WHAT ON EARTH WERE YOU THINKING DISNEY!!!!! GET RID OF THIS NOW!!!!

 

Whew, got that out of my system. I know it won't happen for a long time, so Disney will have a really bad show for a while.

 

Anyway, the playplace does look nice. I wish they would of put TDL's Pooh in there but ehh, what are you gonna do when you don't want to put money into great rides.

Edit Oh yeah, while Philharmagic may not be new with the 3-D. It's the best 3-D show Disney has come up with!

[blackcurrent]

It looks a nice little area for the small ones. If nothing else it will help with the crowds. I mean people enjoying this area with their little ones are not queueing for rides..... It might only make a small difference but every little helps

[Chrissie]

I like it! We went to WDW when my little sister was 2 and at that time she liked nothing more than playing in a park with other kids. I mean at 2 years old she really wasnt able to go on many rides and I dare say she probably got bored. So taking her to a park so that she could enjoy something that was suitable to her would have been a good idea. Yeah, The Magic Kingdom has loads of things for little kids but I dont see a problem in giving them a little more

 

 

- Chrissie "I wish I could play in the playpark" Stevenson

[Erik Johnson]

Thanks for posting all the nice pictures of the new Pooh area. I am happy to see that they were able to do something with some of the old 20K area. It looks like they also spent some money putting in trees around the new playground as well. While I myself will not be able to crawl through the houses and tunnels (this could make a a funny Photo TR!), there will be plenty of other people that will enjoy this new attraction. Its amazing how much stuff WDW has been doing this past year to make the parks better. WDW has been going through some nice referbs. It's a Small World looks like a brand new ride. The Land "Now w Soarin" has been completely referbed with the new Seasons eating area. Now "The Living Seas" is going through a referb. Epcot has been getting some love and care this past year. Plus there is the 100 million new ride going up at AK (which looks amazing). All of these things costs a lot of money. So why not use some unused area to put in a small playgound for the kids...at least it has been themed. I have been going to WDW since I was 3 years old (I'm a native Floridian) so it has been interesting how these parks have grown and evolved over these past 30 years (remember the Swan boats anyone?) While it seems that there are a lot of critics of WDW (not on this site, but I have seen "Nitpicking Disney" Photo TRs of such things as a little trash on the ground to ripped seats etc.) I for one have been really happy with all of the new additions and referbs that have been going. Didn't they close 20K becuase of the huge cost it was going to take in order to referb the ride to bring it up to code?

[disneyfan1313]

My opinion - Something like this was needed for the area and brightens it up quite a bit. Heck - anything looks better than a rusty lagoon!

 

(you might see these same pics btw on wdwmagic.. I had sent them to steve over there also)

[kenshinmac]

Yeah Robb as Jose pointed out I was kinda talking about the rides that a whole family can enjoy. The sort of things I remember growing up with in Disneyland. I just kinda wish that Disney would build a few more of them. I don't think that there isn't room for age specific rides and attractions but I think there haven't been enough of the truly magical rides that the Disney parks are truly known for. I mean the rides that I found the theming the best on recently are things like ToT that you couldn't take a small child on at all.

 

Maybe I'm being irrational but it seems like Disney is moving away from the whole family spending a day together feel to the teens go one way everyone else goes the other...

[robbalvey]

Yeah Robb as Jose pointed out I was kinda talking about the rides that a whole family can enjoy.

So what were all those Buzz rides, the Pooh rides, the subs re-hab at Disneyland, the Monsters Inc ride at Disneyland?

 

And quite honestly, Soarin' IMO, while *I* personally don't really like that ride think it's a *PERFECT* ride the whole family can enjoy. Same thing with Test Track. It kind of is the "modern day" Pirates. And yes while both Test Track and Soarin' have a 40" height restriction, that's only a 4 years old. So IMO, that's still very much a 'family' ride. There's been a LOT of family rides built in the past 10 years! Tell you what, go to a Disney park with a family (I do!) and you'll see!

 

And all those rides I've mentioned have been built within the last 10 years.

 

There seems to be more ride projects than ever being built at Disney parks, in fact the last time I can remember this much activity was in 1994/95 when Tower, Indy, and Space Mountain all opened up.

 

Oh, and you're wrong about being able to take a small child on Tower of Terror. The height restriction is only 40" so basically a 4 year old can ride it. Whenever we go on Tower, we always see small kids riding it! And LOVING it!!!

 

--Robb "While IMO we haven't seen a new E-ticket on the level of the original Tower, there has been a LOT of new rides in development!" Alvey

[dandaman]

(you might see these same pics btw on wdwmagic.. I had sent them to steve over there also)

 

Ah, I was wondering why they looked the same...

[kenshinmac]

Yeah Robb as Jose pointed out I was kinda talking about the rides that a whole family can enjoy.

So what were all those Buzz rides, the Pooh rides, the subs re-hab at Disneyland, the Monsters Inc ride at Disneyland?

 

And quite honestly, Soarin' IMO, while *I* personally don't really like that ride think it's a *PERFECT* ride the whole family can enjoy. Same thing with Test Track. It kind of is the "modern day" Pirates. And yes while both Test Track and Soarin' have a 40" height restriction, that's only a 4 years old. So IMO, that's still very much a 'family' ride. There's been a LOT of family rides built in the past 10 years! Tell you what, go to a Disney park with a family (I do!) and you'll see!

 

And all those rides I've mentioned have been built within the last 10 years.

 

There seems to be more ride projects than ever being built at Disney parks, in fact the last time I can remember this much activity was in 1994/95 when Tower, Indy, and Space Mountain all opened up.

 

Oh, and you're wrong about being able to take a small child on Tower of Terror. The height restriction is only 40" so basically a 4 year old can ride it. Whenever we go on Tower, we always see small kids riding it! And LOVING it!!!

 

--Robb "While IMO we haven't seen a new E-ticket on the level of the original Tower, there has been a LOT of new rides in development!" Alvey

Whoa... I had no idea the ToT height was that low. I guess I wasn't aware that the height restrictions were that low. I am not sure if I would consider some of them "family" rides. I definitely know some adults that wouldn't go near ToT and Test Track. You are definitely right about Pooh and Buzz. I just question how long the Buzz ride will remain relevant. I mean Pooh is a classic childrens character but how long will Buzz's popularity last when there aren't new movies coming to theaters? I definitely think that the latest round of announcements is a great way for Disney to go though. I am really happy the subs are coming back although it would have been nice if they could have upped the capacity somehow. The re-inventing of Superstar limo is a great thing too.

[robbalvey]

I just question how long the Buzz ride will remain relevant.

 

Well, for at least 10 years now, and they way Toy Story videos and merch keep selling I'd say at least another 10 or 20.....

 

I mean Pooh is a classic childrens character but how long will Buzz's popularity last when there aren't new movies coming to theaters?

Star Wars didn't have any new movies coming to the theaters either for about 18 years and it didn't seem to have a popularity problem. Give it time, classics aren't like *poof* you're a classic, it happens over time. And those films that are 'timeless' which Toy Story might very well end up being, don't happen over night.

 

--Robb

[Erik Johnson]

By the way it was just announced on wdwmagic.com that Expedition Everest's height requirement will be 44 inches.

[USRoadTripper]

Looks ok, but i think it would be nice if it were more of a water area than it seems. Those draw a lot of little kids during the hot times of the year. I jsut wonder if those slide and things will get too hot if in the sun.

 

-Julie