Cars area coming to Magic Kingdom

[TheCodeMan95]

and my serene nap time on the wall in front of the Discovery Center, looking at the lagoon.....

I definitely miss the front lagoon area being quiet and serene lol

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I think the Velocicoaster comparisons make sense - but it'll definitely be a bit different considering MK is technically replacing 2 "attractions."

VC literally just took over abandoned backstage areas.

The MK Project will be adding somewhere between 6,000+ of hourly capacity, currently TSI/Liberty Belle are about ~1.7K hourly capacity (and barely using it's full potential) and operating short hours.

Current:
Tom Sawyers Island - ~600-800 an hour (opens at 11/12AM, operates to dusk)
Liberty Belle - 900 an hour (opens at 10/11, operates to dusk)

Rough Capacity Estimate:
Cars E-ticket Ride - 1,440 (Test Track's theoretical capacity)
Cars Flat Ride - 720 (Alien Swirling Saucers theoretical capacity -> I believe this will be a version of DisneySea's Aquatopia but w/ Cars)
Villains E-ticket Dark Ride - 1,800-2,000 (Average Modern Disney Dark Ride theoretical capacity)
Villains E-ticket Coaster - 2,000-2,200 (Cosmic Rewind/Everest's theoretical capacity)

I'm not defending the aesthetic choice to remove the waterfront from Liberty Square/Frontierland (I think it's a horrible choice), but not opposed to the removal of TSI and the rest of the Rivers of America.

 

[Mad Dog]

The MK Project will be adding somewhere between 6,000+ of hourly capacity, currently TSI/Liberty Belle are about ~1.7K hourly capacity (and barely using it's full potential) and operating short hours.

Current:
Tom Sawyers Island - ~600-800 an hour (opens at 11/12AM, operates to dusk)
Liberty Belle - 900 an hour (opens at 10/11, operates to dusk)

Rough Capacity Estimate:
Cars E-ticket Ride - 1,440 (Test Track's theoretical capacity)
Cars Flat Ride - 720 (Alien Swirling Saucers theoretical capacity -> I believe this will be a version of DisneySea's Aquatopia but w/ Cars)
Villains E-ticket Dark Ride - 1,800-2,000 (Average Modern Disney Dark Ride theoretical capacity)
Villains E-ticket Coaster - 2,000-2,200 (Cosmic Rewind/Everest's theoretical capacity)

I'm not defending the aesthetic choice to remove the waterfront from Liberty Square/Frontierland (I think it's a horrible choice), but not opposed to the removal of TSI and the rest of the Rivers of America.

Yes. Kind of reminds me of the huge capacity boost when Diagon/Gringotts/He replaced Jaws or Pandora replaced the Donalds family M&G (Lion King show moved to a new location and a better venue).

 

[lowbudget]

My family doesn't go to a theme park for the serene views, or relaxing atmosphere, we can do that at home. We come for entertainment opportunities and experiences offered nowhere else. ROA and the steam boat are fine, but they don't connect with younger consumers, or even me, a 36-M.

Nostalgia by definition, conjures emotions and memories of times past, if the kids aren't connecting with an area today, there will be no nostalgia to tap tomorrow. Times change and the Riverboat and ROA do nothing for the 3 youngest generations.

Take on top of that raw revenue streams, which I'm sure the bean counters are looking at, and its a no brainer. Acres of space which generate little to no revenue, vs a 20 year old IP which still sells vast quantities of merch and has new material coming online every couple years.

 

[jarmor]

When do we realize we are only a few of the 10 plus million that visits MK? Why do we say things like "well I don't like it so no one should like it"? We do we realize and understand that things, life is bigger than just US? I don't experience everything at parks but I appreciate them for having things FOR everyone and not just me.

 

[JunoSynth]

Why do we say things like "well I don't like it so no one should like it"?

Some people say those things/convey that on here? Lol

 

[MartyMcFly]

My family doesn't go to a theme park for the serene views, or relaxing atmosphere, we can do that at home. We come for entertainment opportunities and experiences offered nowhere else. ROA and the steam boat are fine, but they don't connect with younger consumers, or even me, a 36-M.

Nostalgia by definition, conjures emotions and memories of times past, if the kids aren't connecting with an area today, there will be no nostalgia to tap tomorrow. Times change and the Riverboat and ROA do nothing for the 3 youngest generations.

Take on top of that raw revenue streams, which I'm sure the bean counters are looking at, and its a no brainer. Acres of space which generate little to no revenue, vs a 20 year old IP which still sells vast quantities of merch and has new material coming online every couple years.

That's the problem, everyone is arguing nostlalgia is the reason for the sadness but I believe it's more than that, and I think those who aren't that bothered don't really understand or are not conscious of why they love disney, but more specifically the Magic Kingdom so much.

I didnt have a clue about half the IPs when I went to disney growing up, including Tom Sawyer. I'm not nostalgic for the specific IP and I dont think many people are. Heck some werent even movies/tv back then, Haunted Mansion and Pirates. The IP isnt the source of the nostalgia, it was the whole idea that this park could actually be a living and breathing place. The same intangible magic is not going to be there with Cars land 2.0. Something that kids dont know\arent familiar with is good, it sparks imagination, it lets them pretend to be more than kids who enjoy cartoon cars.

The point of Disney theme parks is they are greater than the sum of their parts. This feels like they're just adding more parts, whilst losing the strengths that meant the parts individually didnt matter that much. Disney has had old, tame, slow rides for decades and succeeded not because of that but despite that.


On top of it fundamentally changing the Magic Kingdom, I think what is angering a lot of people is surely there was another option in terms of space, surely there was one other route they could have gone down to preserve a mere sliver of Magic Kingdoms' fabric.

The new areas and land will be gorgeous, it will be done well, but it doesn't feel very Magic Kingdom. That's all we're saying.

 

[DodgsonHere]

 

[IzzyB]

Catching up because I haven't been able to sit as much with back issues.

I'm glad they aren't getting lazy and just cloning RSR and the idea of having your RVs going over varied terrain that looks far steeper that RSR looks pretty neat to me.

However, Cars kinda feels like a franchise that while may not be dead, doesn't really make a splash nowadays. If I was running things at the Disney Parks it would not be an IP high up on the list to add attractions for.

I don't think you understand how popular Cars still is. Walk down toy aisles and you will see it very much in the cars section of toys and elsewhere. It will absolutely make a splash

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.

But is TSI designed for kids? I mean it is fairly boring and needs to be updated if it was kept, not to mention the low capacity way to get there even if it was more popular a ton wouldn't be able to experience it. Now that same audience (kids) will be able to experience this land which will be a HUGE improvement.

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.

Do you have kids or really know kids? Because this statement is opposite of what I see. Kids LOVE nature, playgrounds, sports, etc. They love to get out and move and bike in their neighborhood. I think people who are not around kids a lot have this teenage kid in their phone mentality about kids. But what they don't see is everything kids do. You want know what my kids beg me to go to every year? Gatlinburg. Why? They absolutely love hiking into nature, snowtubing, etc. We gave them the option of Hawaii, CA (Disney and Universal included in this trip) and Alaska. They picked Alaska. Because it was full of nature, animals, hiking, etc. My 13 year old LOVES nature and animals. She was very much on board with Alaska and everything it has to offer.

The bottom line is TSI was old, dated, and didn't offer the right kind of adventure along with the low capacity means to get to it with limited hours. Not that kids don't like nature or outdoors.

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.

1/4 of the park? Literally two attractions will be boarded up that barely anyone went to. I don't think this is boarding up 1/4 of the park.

 

[Jake S]

Yeah, I think the fact that Camp Jurassic at IOA is still so popular puts the lie to the idea that These Damn Kids Just Hate Nature. TSI needed to either be heavily updated or made a lot more accessible (or both)! But I can see why they went this direction.

 

[jarmor]

The dinosaurs do help lol.

 

[Mad Dog]

Catching up because I haven't been able to sit as much with back issues.


I don't think you understand how popular Cars still is. Walk down toy aisles and you will see it very much in the cars section of toys and elsewhere. It will absolutely make a splash


But is TSI designed for kids? I mean it is fairly boring and needs to be updated if it was kept, not to mention the low capacity way to get there even if it was more popular a ton wouldn't be able to experience it. Now that same audience (kids) will be able to experience this land which will be a HUGE improvement.


Do you have kids or really know kids? Because this statement is opposite of what I see. Kids LOVE nature, playgrounds, sports, etc. They love to get out and move and bike in their neighborhood. I think people who are not around kids a lot have this teenage kid in their phone mentality about kids. But what they don't see is everything kids do. You want know what my kids beg me to go to every year? Gatlinburg. Why? They absolutely love hiking into nature, snowtubing, etc. We gave them the option of Hawaii, CA (Disney and Universal included in this trip) and Alaska. They picked Alaska. Because it was full of nature, animals, hiking, etc. My 13 year old LOVES nature and animals. She was very much on board with Alaska and everything it has to offer.

The bottom line is TSI was old, dated, and didn't offer the right kind of adventure along with the low capacity means to get to it with limited hours. Not that kids don't like nature or outdoors.


1/4 of the park? Literally two attractions will be boarded up that barely anyone went to. I don't think this is boarding up 1/4 of the park.

If TSI was more like Camp Jurassic, I might have wanted to keep it. But it has become very boring.

 

[belloq87]

I don't think too many people are arguing that getting rid of the island is the major (potential) loss here.

There's a lot of (valid, in my view) concern about what the absence of the Rivers of America will do to the atmosphere and "feel" of a very, very large section of Magic Kingdom.

More and more, I'm coming around to the opinion (which I've seen expressed in a few other places) that releasing that overhead concept art was kind of a mistake on Disney's part, because that angle -- which no guest will ever experience the new area from -- does nothing to communicate what things are actually going to look like at ground level from current park areas, fostering more angst and uncertainty. When I'm standing in front of Haunted Mansion and I look to my left where the water used to be, what am I seeing? What am I seeing when I'm exiting Big Thunder or Country Bear Jamboree? When I'm walking into Liberty Square from the hub area, what does that look like?

And Disney better have impressive answers to all those questions. Because if they haven't carefully (very carefully) considered those sightlines (and more), there is a serious problem waiting to happen.

 

[saint.piss]

 

[Disneyhead]

Move the Liberty Belle to Port Orleans Resort and turn it into a Bar/Live Music Stage. And fill cartoon cars land with TONS of rock work and water features and everything will be fine.

Oh, and Piston Peak looks like Baby Groot Mountain to me.

 

[Jake S]

Move the Liberty Belle to Port Orleans Resort and turn it into a Bar/Live Music Stage. And fill cartoon cars land with TONS of rock work and water features and everything will be fine.

Shut up and take my money.

Oh, and Piston Peak looks like Baby Groot Mountain to me.

Yeah, it’s the only thing I’ve been able to see since the art dropped.

 

[IzzyB]

The dinosaurs do help lol.

Not many dinos in the actual playground. None of my kids have been Dino obsessed, my son has liked them but other things were always more of his favorite. But all 3 of my kids enjoy that area even my 13 year old daughter.

When we go on vacation we seek out playgrounds and I am always amazed of how many other tourists around me that are also at the playground. The issue was TSI really had less to do for kids, less playground feeling. It also was hard to get to so parents don't want to waste time on a boat just to have that running around.

 

[saint.piss]

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Ehhhhhh maybe maybe not.

 

[Mad Dog]

Ehhhhhh maybe maybe not.

sooo true. Myself, I quit driving inside the WDW bubble. It's gotten too much like a big city express way....I'm a bus guy now (or skyway sometimes). They're fairly quick, and I can drink without worrying.