Magic Kingdom (General Discussion)

[ChristopherSE]

New Photo Capture Coming to Pirates of Caribbean at Magic Kingdom Park on June 19

"As you prepare to exit a haunted grotto and dive into the Golden Age of Piracy, a Disney PhotoPass camera will capture the perfect treasure of your swashbuckling voyage. Properly warned ye be, says I!"

New Photo Capture Coming to Pirates of Caribbean at Magic Kingdom Park on June 19 | Disney Parks Blog

 

[Nick]

New Photo Capture Coming to Pirates of Caribbean at Magic Kingdom Park on June 19

"As you prepare to exit a haunted grotto and dive into the Golden Age of Piracy, a Disney PhotoPass camera will capture the perfect treasure of your swashbuckling voyage. Properly warned ye be, says I!"

New Photo Capture Coming to Pirates of Caribbean at Magic Kingdom Park on June 19 | Disney Parks Blog

So unnecessary and it looks like the picture is using a flash too which, depending on how much of a theme park snob you are, only helps to ruin the ride experience.

But they've got to have a picture on every ride now so they can sell those photo packages, right?

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

So unnecessary and it looks like the picture is using a flash too which, depending on how much of a theme park snob you are, only helps to ruin the ride experience.

But they've got to have a picture on every ride now so they can sell those photo packages, right?

I'm just guessing here, but the on-ride photo is right at the scene with the skeleton steering the ship during a storm so perhaps the flash is disguised as lightning.

 

[UNIrd]

So stupid.

 

[ChristopherSE]

The talking pirate skull was reinstated to get everyone in the boat to look in the same direction for the photo. And yes, the camera flash is (poorly) disguised as a bolt of lightning.

I really hope this doesn't last long. The talking skull feels out of place, the flash is distracting, and frankly its a terrible photo op lol.

 

[SpyderDan]

They couldn't have made it less cartoony looking?

 

[Nick]

This would've gotten the best reception at D23 :

 

[Nick]

Apparently the Tokyo Speedway cars have been sent to the Magic Kingdom. The ride closed on January 11th of this year in Tokyo. Notice the steering wheel is on the left hand side in these cars unlike our speedway where the wheel is on the right hand side.

Photo: Jackie Roseboom

 

[Andysol]

Apparently the Tokyo Speedway cars have been sent to the Magic Kingdom. The ride closed on January 11th of this year in Tokyo. Notice the steering wheel is on the left hand side in these cars unlike our speedway where the wheel is on the right hand side.

Photo: Jackie Roseboom

So WDW bought these from TDLR.... why?

 

[Nick]

So WDW bought these from TDLR.... why?

Beats me. These are gas powered as well, so it's not an upgrade.

One would've thought it would've been more productive to buy Hong Kong's Autopia cars, which were all electric. Their version closed last year for the upcoming Avengers attraction.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think it's literally just to use them as spares and parts. The shells pop off and are swapped pretty easily if I remember correctly.

 

[JoeCamel]

Apparently the Tokyo Speedway cars have been sent to the Magic Kingdom. The ride closed on January 11th of this year in Tokyo. Notice the steering wheel is on the left hand side in these cars unlike our speedway where the wheel is on the right hand side.

Photo: Jackie Roseboom

Guess it has been a while since you drove one? Wheel on same side, but I do see images on DIS that show it on both sides. Maybe DL is on the right?


Video shows them on both sides!

 

[Nick]

I think it's literally just to use them as spares and parts. The shells pop off and are swapped pretty easily if I remember correctly.

Sounds about right.

Of course if they bought Tokyo's cars for spare parts, that doesn't give me much hope for a switch to electric anytime soon. Not that I expect that to happen, it's just sort of annoying that they aren't going that route if they're going to keep the speedway around.

 

[epcyclopedia]

The intrusion into speedway is just the awning and a tiny bit of the track, so I suspect it'd be a year or two until they have to shut speedway down for the modifications. So it could be coming - just a ways off.

 

[Bulldog45]

I really wish the speedway would either get replaced or completely reinvented. I just don't see the appeal in driving beaten up go-karts at the Magic Kingdom...

 

[Alicia]

I really wish the speedway would either get replaced or completely reinvented. I just don't see the appeal in driving beaten up go-karts at the Magic Kingdom...

Small kids usually can't ride in real go-karts, but because these go so slow and on a rail they let little kids ride. This is many children's first time driving anything... and it creates memories.

In fact, many parents are taking their kids to Disney now because they want their kids' first memory of driving a car to be just like their own experience. It's a cycle. And Disney likes to milk money from nostalgia. So it ain't goin' nowhere.

 

[Bulldog45]

Small kids usually can't ride in real go-karts, but because these go so slow and on a rail they let little kids ride. This is many children's first time driving anything... and it creates memories.

In fact, many parents are taking their kids to Disney now because they want their kids' first memory of driving a car to be just like their own experience. It's a cycle. And Disney likes to milk money from nostalgia. So it ain't goin' nowhere.

There are go-kart places all over the country, but there is only one Magic Kingdom. For the busiest theme park in the world to use up that much space for an old go-kart track seems silly to me. But since it continues to garner long wait times I suppose Disney is living by "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

 

[epcyclopedia]

There's a whole segment of folks who go to Disney and ask "where are the rides?" - because god forbid they read a map, and if it's not exposed steel and a moving vehicle to them it's not a "ride."

These people are the ones who say there's nothing to do at Epcot.

So the speedway provides a visible attraction for them. They like it. Other folks like it for various reasons too, but my experience has been that the main reason it's kept around is for these people.

What I find funny from an observational standpoint is the overlap with the guests that like the TTA. It's visible as well, but is also enjoyed for other reasons than just being a visible "ride." The funny part comes in when it's usually the people who can't find the entrance to the TTA (and want to ride it - but god forbid they read a map) are the ones who often just got off the speedway and loved it.

 

[OLSinFLA]

I was shocked when I rode DL's Autopia. It wound through different types of scenery (city, town, farm) and not all the tracks went the same way. And it was loooong. (glad I didn't work that one). After that I realized once again, we got the cheap and quick stuff.

 

[ChristopherSE]

I was shocked when I rode DL's Autopia. It wound through different types of scenery (city, town, farm) and not all the tracks went the same way. And it was loooong. (glad I didn't work that one). After that I realized once again, we got the cheap and quick stuff.

While I think DL's iteration has always been better, it's also important to remember that MK's speedway has lost 32% of its length over the years as more rides were added in around it. And from what I can tell, it's going to need to be slightly shortened again to make way for an entrance path to Tron via Tomorrowland. Poor thing just can't catch a break.