Cars area coming to Magic Kingdom | Page 6 | Inside Universal Forums

Cars area coming to Magic Kingdom

  • Signing up for a Premium Membership is a donation to help Inside Universal maintain costs and offers an ad-free experience on the forum. Learn more about it here.
I think it's a tricky balance between maximizing capacity and, to @belloq87's point, providing areas in the park that aren't packed to the gills with guests. There's a fine line between an attraction that regularly has a short queue and one that is, broadly speaking, of little interest to guests.

My hope, and that's all it is, is we'll see some nice, thematic areas in these new lands similar to what we got in Galaxy's Edge and what you can already find in places like Grizzly peak.
 
  • Like
Reactions: belloq87
Between Cars land and Villains Land, there will be a very significant increase in park capacity. The Island was basically dead, and the Riverboat wasn't close to full on non busy days, plus it seemed it was down for refurb about as often as it ran. This will help to distribute the crowds of Fantasy land into this area. There will be so much more to do and explore at MK when these are completed. Like most, I'll miss the waterway ambiance. But if these lands meet the thematic levels we've seen in the various new lands at Disney Tokyo, that might be enough to make up for losing the rivers look. Myself, I'm very pleased with these new lands, plus they're both fun IP's. Sometimes you have to let nostalgia go, especially when it's become stale.
Yup - should see waits across all major attractions drop by 10-15 minutes each, more if rumors of Muppets taking over Hall of Presidents, increasing the utilization of that theater.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mad Dog
I’m glad to see so many trees in the concept art (from an aesthetic and cooling perspective.) So much of MK is hot concrete. Also, from an accessibility standpoint - walking into a land off the main path is so much easier and faster for crowds than catching a boat to TSI.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MikePat and Jake S
Can't remember the last time I went there

Just want to push back on this specific talking point I've seen pop around (not to pick on your Nick, sorry). "I haven't been to/seen it in a long time so it's ok to go" is just not a good excuse to get rid of something, especially one designed for kids. I haven't been to Cinderella's Royal Table or Disney Jr Live in a long time, doesn't mean I want them gone nor should they be removed! "TSI only was accessed by another ride with low capacity" and some other points I get.
 
Universal must be so thankful to not be burdened by history....both controversial and beloved.
ETMain.jpg

:cool::p:D

I like parks with nature incorporated in them. Rivers, lakes, gardens, rock work are things that really gives parks character and charm. While saying that I also never went to TSI or rode the riverboat. My only hope for this is that there will still be a distinct area difference between Frontierland and liberty square. Like, don't have the theming collide or mesh.
 
Just want to push back on this specific talking point I've seen pop around (not to pick on your Nick, sorry). "I haven't been to/seen it in a long time so it's ok to go" is just not a good excuse to get rid of something, especially one designed for kids. I haven't been to Cinderella's Royal Table or Disney Jr Live in a long time, doesn't mean I want them gone nor should they be removed! "TSI only was accessed by another ride with low capacity" and some other points I get.
Guests also didn't have to literally venture onto TSI in order for its presence -- and the Rivers' presence -- to have an aesthetic impact on them, perhaps without them realizing it.

If a person ever enjoyed strolling along the river, or looking at Splash/Big Thunder/Mansion/the castle from across the water, the area was serving its purpose as much as it did for people actually exploring Tom Sawyer Island directly.
 
Last edited:
One of the things that surprised me on our June trip with the girls (10 & 11). As I said, we used to love TSI, but for some reason our last couple trips it seemed old to us and kind of boring. But, I thought it was just us, and the girls would like it. We were surprised at their reaction. They thought it was boring/meh and they didn't want to stay long. They reacted in three ways to all the attractions on their first trip to a real theme park (only Kennywood a few times before). It was either thumbs up, thumbs down or so so move of the hands. TSL got thumbs down from both of them. The only other thumbs down were given to Imagination, Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth, all at Epcot. Most everything got thumbs up. Anecdotal, but a fresh perspective for us.
 
I’ll admit , I’m bummed to lose TSI. I think it was the last part of the park that felt “relaxing”. We would often go there in the hottest part of the afternoon to cool off and relax. The last time we went , a lot of what had made the island special was gone , or closed . So I realized it was just a matter of time. At least we still have camp Jurassic.

Same. I used to love running to TSI before they close for MNSSH and just relaxing on one of the rocking chairs. It became ritual. Going to miss it as it was always a highlight for me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: belloq87
Kids today are different. They don't really do much physical play and especially outdoors. They don't really know how to appreciate the outdoors and nature and the age that starts to happen is getting younger and younger. Which also brings me to another point, always ALWAYS leave guest feedback. No matter how insignificant you feel it is, still, let them know.
 
Kids today are different. They don't really do much physical play and especially outdoors. They don't really know how to appreciate the outdoors and nature and the age that starts to happen is getting younger and younger. Which also brings me to another point, always ALWAYS leave guest feedback. No matter how insignificant you feel it is, still, let them know.
Our girls though, are very active outdoors, especially on my large park like property, compete and enjoy playing on baseball and soccer teams, and often spend time walking on the river bike/walking trails that are only a block from their house. TSI did nothing for them. And that was telling. Expectations might be a lot different than they were for prior generations of kids.
 
TSI did nothing for them. And that was telling. Expectations might be a lot different than they were for prior generations of kids.
or this could just speak to the specific preferences of a couple of near-tween kids. I'm hesitant to read too much into a specific anecdotal example.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mccgavin
I think what really burns the most is how the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island would do a fantastic job "masking" the Villain's Kingdom. You would have the traditional MK land with Frontierland and Liberty Square, and we would walk along a peaceful river. As we walk further up the river, we would find ourselves further down the road headed past darker rocks and more thorny shrubbery and find ourselves in the forbidden pace up the river.

I mean....yeah, the Cars ride would also mask it with the mountainous terrain, but this would ruin such a quintessential part of MK. It won't be the same. Having Villain's Kingdom there would compliment that perfectly. Argue about "added capacity" all you want, but isn't that what Villain's Land is going to accomplish? Won't that add a butt-load more capacity to the park? Ugh. What an absolute shame.

Also have fun paying almost $200 (If not more!) plus Lightning Lane only to see 1/4 of the park boarded up with construction walls.