Magic Kingdom (General Discussion)

[DrStarlander]

I know with certainty that these things were on the chopping block - along with Country Bears - as far back as 2015

Are you saying the removal of RoA, TSI, and LB was widely expected within the fan community? I didn't get that impression from the reaction this past year. Very knowledgeable people seemed surprised and have filled many hours of video content about it. Including Imagineers. I haven't heard a lot of "But we all knew this was coming of course...."

So my comment about what kind of reaction I would have gotten if I proposed that on the forum in 2018 wasn't me saying Disney didn't have plans to do this going back a decade or whatever. Who knows what's discussed inside Disney or what info some have heard about. That wasn't my point.

 

[Tbad556]

Are you saying the removal of RoA, TSI, and LB was widely expected within the fan community? I didn't get that impression from the reaction this past year. Very knowledgeable people seemed surprised and have filled many hours of video content about it. Including Imagineers. I haven't heard a lot of "But we all knew this was coming of course...."

So my comment about what kind of reaction I would have gotten if I proposed that on the forum in 2018 wasn't me saying Disney didn't have plans to do this going back a decade or whatever. Who knows what's discussed inside Disney or what info some have heard about. That wasn't my point.

There were rumors on IU all the way back in 2012. TSI rumors from WDWMagic back in 2017. Additional discussion in 2017 about how ROA and TSI have been rumored to be in danger for years. Additional discussion in 2024. Etc. While it's a bummer of a loss (and I think that's where that reaction came from), I agree that it wasn't a crazy surprise.

 

[BigHouseFootball]

There’s some major cases of hindsight bias going on here.

 

[TheGentTrent]

To be clear: I don't think Disney is afraid of killing sacred cows ... but I would be stunned to see them close an actual-factual popular attraction that, again, has incredible throughput. Rivers of America, Tom Sawyer Island and the Liberty Belle were nowhere near as popular as Jungle Cruise is.

Does it have such great throughput? I don’t know if Lightning Lanes are getting handed out like Halloween candy here, but it seems like the wait times for Jungle Cruise get out of control very quickly. That standby line absolutely crawls most of the day.

I do agree with the larger point though that Jungle Cruise is so deeply ingrained with the Disney Parks experience that I don’t see it leaving anytime soon. It’s got its own Little Golden Book for crying out loud. I can’t say the same about the other two attractions.

 

[Jake S]

Does it have such great throughput?

I have it on good authority that the theoretical capacity of the Disneyland Jungle Cruise is around 2,200 guests an hour. Now, how often it actually hits anywhere close to that I have no clue. But I'd think its capacity is at least very good!

 

[fryoj]

After seeing how the Disney crowd flips out when they close minor things, the meltdowns over closing one of the original cornerstone rides would be biblical.

 

[DrStarlander]

There were rumors on IU all the way back in 2012. TSI rumors from WDWMagic back in 2017. Additional discussion in 2017 about how ROA and TSI have been rumored to be in danger for years. Additional discussion in 2024. Etc. While it's a bummer of a loss (and I think that's where that reaction came from), I agree that it wasn't a crazy surprise.

The two links from 2017 (the second link "additional discussion") are the same day, July 31, 2017, right? It's the same discussion about whether the Rivers of America being shortened at Disneyland for SWGE portends a similar fate at MK.)

The last link is from October 2024, after D23 and the "morning after" release showing what was happening to RoA/TSI...so not relevant to what was expected by fans before the announcement.

If the fan community widely expected the removal of RoA, TSI, and LB, I don't feel these particular links show it. Though Brayden previewed the possibilities a few months before D23, I think his video after the D23 announcement captured the general sentiment:

 

[SkiBum]

No I mention of the Castle repaint either. Might just not any have any new info to release yet.

I have wondered if they would start that after New Year's Day but the silence has been a little deafening.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

After seeing how the Disney crowd flips out when they close minor things, the meltdowns over closing one of the original cornerstone rides would be biblical.

Disneyland's version shouldn't be touched... but I wouldn't be opposed to MK's removal (or at least heavy modification). I don't think the Jungle Cruise should stop them from building back there behind PotC.

I have wondered if they would start that after New Year's Day but the silence has been a little deafening.

I'm expecting them to finish before the start of MNSSHP next year since the projection animation needs to be updated to fit the new color scheme.

 

[Grabnar]

They usually wait for after Marathon Weekend because you run through the castle. I wouldn’t expect movement until mid/late Jan

 

[DrStarlander]

After seeing how the Disney crowd flips out when they close minor things, the meltdowns over closing one of the original cornerstone rides would be biblical.

I can't speak to what other people think is possible, but what I'm thinking might happen someday is Disney not "closing" the Jungle Cruise. Well, for three years, sure. But then it would re-open. And the new version, would have almost 50% higher hourly capacity and use only 65% the space...making room for Mystic Manor or an S.E.A. sit-down restaurant Adventurer's Club experience or something.

And yes, there would be howling. I might howl myself, I'm a traditionalist. But then we'd hear about the autonomous animatronic crocodiles that can crawl out of the water onto the banks of the rivers in front of our eyes; Amazon river dolphins leaping out of the river; free-roaming monkeys literally swinging through the trees; and a massive tiger that autonomously prowls around so we'll never know where we'll see him; feeling the hippos thump against the boat hull and push it sideways; going through a tropical storm that sets the boat swerving and swaying; passing through a swarm of iridescent blue morpho butterflies; surviving a narrow escape from a rumbling, collapsing shrine; getting chased backwards through a lava tube by a hot fiery flow; and not only seeing "the backside of water" but for the first time -- only at Magic Kingdom -- seeing the "backside of lava," I think would be well-received by most.

And if people -- including myself -- want to see "the original" with the 70-year-old animatronics, we can go to Disneyland. Both parks would have something unique to offer.

 

[Mad Dog]

Jungle Cruise is overrated and boring to me. BUT, it's a classic attraction and guests line up in big numbers and seem
to like/love it. So I doubt Disney will close it like they closed the sparsely attended Tom Sayer Island. Plus, with Cars land
and Villains on the agenda, MK probably won't feel the need to make any other major changes for a long time.

 

[Alicia]

I have wondered if they would start that after New Year's Day but the silence has been a little deafening.

I confirmed with Disney that Carousel ofProgress and the castle repaint are still definitely happening, they just don’t have dates or specifics to release yet is all.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

None of these announcements felt “major”, just some PR for some things that are opening soon. Wasn’t meant to be a full media blitz for everything they’re doing so. It’s clear how sour we’ve gone on them though that we all immediately assumed cancellation.