Looks like the Storybook Circus section will make use out of the existing Big Top Tent. That should make the bean counters happy :D
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:( guess it's not going to be a scary Mine Train ride like Dinosaur or Indiana Jones. Bummer
Exciting news! Can't wait to see the end result!
Based on what I can discern from the concept art, my best guess is that's it's going to go roughly in the area where Ariel's Grotto and the old Pooh Playground were. Sort of behind where Dumbo is now.
But I expect that it's almost entirely going to be built on new land ... from what I can tell, they must be really expanding out beyond "the berm" and seriously cutting in to the backstage areas.
Here's a question ... is the Circus-themed area going to now be a part of Fantasyland? Or do you think it will remain sort of its own separate land?
Anyone have a guess as to whether the Mine Train will be a mild coaster like Thunder Mountain, or a coaster exclusively for little kids, like Barnstormer?
If it's like Barnstormer, I'll be disappointed to see Fantasyland becoming pretty much a "kiddie" area of the park that tweens, teens, and adults will feel like they have to skip.
Seems like all the communications stick with "Fantasyland Expansion," which implies we're not going to have a separate named area once it's done (fan references to "Circusland" notwithstanding).
I was reading the other day (must've been a D23 thing) about the actual circus at DLR that Walt presented over the holiday season of 1955. Sounds like it was an utter disaster (of the kind that doesn't really hurt anybody very much and makes great stories *afterwards*), and Walt was cured of his enthusiasm for circuses. Would be good if Disney honored its past (unlike what happened in Dinoland at AK) and stuck to what they know works.
way cool plans! it will be fun over the next year or so watching Disney pull this one off!! I am sure it will give us all something to look forward to!
Funny...my daughter Madison LOVES the Guiness Book of World Records, and in the 2010 edition, it lists Expedition Everest as the most elaborate and costly roller coaster built in recent times. It gave all the specifics on time, cost, labor, etc.
Hopefully this project doesn't get shelved and it can reach it's full potential. It would be so exciting for all of us who LOVE the Magic Kingdom!
Julie:mickey:
If you go back a bit earlier in this thread (at least I think it's in this thread) our resident Imagineer, Mufasa, gives a little bit of insight into what to expect.
Sounds like it's going to be quite a bit different from the Barnstormer in the sense that it's not really going to be a "roller coaster", but more of a dark ride with some thrilled elements incorporated. He specifies it's going to have fully functional audio-animatronics (and not the static figures the old attraction had) and a lot of other neat goodies.
His description has me very excited for this and expecting a lot more than the Barnstormer!
From everything I've seen about the ride technology potentially in use for the coaster, it should be a family coaster, more along the lines of a BTMRR, SM and Primeval Whirl, meaning that it will be thrilling, but not too thrilling as to exclude children.
The idea of the coaster cars tilting and moving along w/ the drops and turns of the ride makes me think it might be something similar to the Mack E-Motion Coaster seen here. These cars are designed to tilt from side to side or even forward and back along w/ the movement of the coaster car, so it feels more "out of control." I think this aspect alone will add some thrills, plus I imagine there will be lots of in the dark moments.
I think this was WDI's answer to the criticism of the new FL being too geared towards girls. This will give something thrilling for the boys to enjoy so it isn't all fairies and princesses.
I think you're right, but that makes me think that choosing a Snow White theme was a bit odd. It's still a princess movie, after all. While yes it will be thrilling, will boys really want to go on a "princess ride."
I think I would have chosen something else ... I keep coming back to Cars. Why not a Cars attraction?? What does WDW have against Cars? It's without question the most popular boy franchise they've ever created, yet it's completely absent from WDW.
As the father of a 4 year old boy, it really irks me that they keep ignoring it. I have to travel across the country to take my son on a Cars ride??? Really???
Ian, I realize that everyone is talking about this as a "Snow White" attraction, but isn't the write-up more a "Seven Dwarves" attraction? Yes, I know - same movie, but maybe by keying on the dwarves, it will be more 'boy' oriented.
As far as anything Cars goes in MK, if they rethemed the Speedway, OK, but otherwise, keep anything NEW based on a Pixar movie in DHS, please. Since they have instituted Pixar Place, let MK be Disney and DHS be Pixar. When Laugh Floor and Space Ranger Spin are due for major rehab, move them (or not) to DHS and replace with something either Disney or "real" future related -- they are in Tomorrowland, after all.
JMHO!!
Thanks for the info! Sounds great!
The Mine Car, if I am not mistaken, will be across from Pooh and where SWSA is now. I think the queue is supposed to, from my understanding, be across from Pooh. Beauty and the Beast will occupy the area once known as Ariel's Grotto, with Mermaid taking up a portion of that area and the old 20K site. The mine car will also take up 20K plot.
As for Storybook Circus, I'm assuming it will be its own land. There is an entrance way that leads into the land from Fantasyland, like how there is an entranceway from the Hub to Adventureland.
The lands in MK would be:
1. Main Street USA
2. Tomorrowland
3. Storybook Circus
4. Fantasyland
5. Liberty Square
6. Frontierland
7. Adventureland
That way, they don't have to change the morning song lines "7 lands and more...."
Very excited to see the new changes. Going to miss some of the old attractions, though.
My DDs will love the new princess meet and greets....
No, the new princess meet and greet is going where SWSA is now. The press release mentioned that specifically.
RE: Cars in Tomorrowland vs. DHS ... I don't care where they put it, just so something with it for heaven's sake!
I mean really ... isn't a Cars overlay of the Speedway a no brainer?? What are they waiting for???
I am so happy to hear about the new coaster- it will be great to get some new rides
A couple of thoughts.
First, whether or not this is some sort of response to the WW of Harry Potter, this is Fantasyland we are talking about. The heart of Magic Kingdom. Disney has closed, changed and rethemed many attractions over the decades. But this is different. Expanding and upgrading Fantasyland is very serious business. Any lame or half-hearted efforts could do serious damage to the the Magic Kingdom "brand". Disney knows this. And despite all the recent criticism of cutbacks, it looks like they are pulling out all the stops for this. I'm very impressed with the plans. A giant leap forward in my opinion.
Now, there is just one more void to fill at MK. And it appears they have the perfect opportunity.
If only Gaston's Tavern sold :beer:. :mickey: