Mary Poppins Attraction - UK Pavilion

[Nick]

I figured it's time enough to finally make a thread for this. Probably was long ago.

Anyway, for those that haven't been following along, @Marni1971 has hinted that they are back to where we all thought they would be for this - Mary Poppins. Most recent rumor is that there is 2 to 3 ride systems they are choosing from.

According to Martin himself, the Brave attraction when it was still on was supposed to be a busbar type classic dark ride. So don't expect anything amazing, but not everything needs to be. Some smaller, quaint rides are good for rounding out every park.

 

[Doug A.]

I’m glad they went back to Mary Poppins as that IP fits in the best, a lot better than brave does. I enjoy a quality dark ride for the immersiveness and to feel like you are part of the IP being portrayed.

 

[Ashhanbre]

I'm all for another dark ride....but Mary Poppins....yuck.

 

[Skipper Justin]

I'm all for another dark ride....but Mary Poppins....yuck.

Someone needs a spoonful of sugar.

 

[fryoj]

Someone needs a spoonful of sugar.

Well at least we know the specialty dessert for the land.

Edit:
Don't know if it has anything at all to do with it, but Disney is releasing a new Mary Poppins story next Christmas.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018) - IMDb

 

[Nick]

Well at least we know the specialty dessert for the land.

Edit:
Don't know if it has anything at all to do with it, but Disney is releasing a new Mary Poppins story next Christmas.

Mary Poppins Returns (2018) - IMDb

As much as I love Lin-Manuel Miranda, one would hope they would make a Poppins ride based on the Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke version of Poppins.

 

[Viveen]

An interesting from MousePlanet about attractions we never got on opening day of WDW regarding "The Sword In The Stone" and "Mary Poppins" Rides that we could have got, I would love these concepts to be used for the UK Pavilion ( Especially the Mary Poppins one as that seems the main contender)

"Instead of the popular Peter Pan's Flight attraction at Disneyland, the Imagineers proposed using the overhead monorail track to fly guests into an entirely different adventure inspired by the popular film Mary Poppins (1964), since guest surveys had shown Disney visitors would enjoy a ride based on those characters. The first proposal was to use overturned umbrellas as ride vehicles to soar over the rooftops of London to mimic Mary's own journeys with her umbrella. A version that was more seriously considered was to use the colorful carousel horses from the film as ride vehicles. Guests would find themselves leaping through the chalk paintings done by the street artist Bert, the friend of Mary Poppins, as the horses bounced along. Several possible tableaus would have included scenes inspired by the film, like the fox hunt and a horserace".


"Instead of a Mr. Toad attraction, the Imagineers originally pitched the idea of an attraction based on the animated feature The Sword in the Stone (1963) since the character of Merlin fit in so appropriately with the theme of Fantasyland. The part of the film that offered the most options for dramatization was the famous wizard's duel between Merlin and the witch Mad Madam Mim, with them each getting zapped and transforming into different creatures. The finale would have had the ride vehicle circling around Mim after she had turned into a huge dragon just before she is defeated by Merlin".


Credit:https://www.mouseplanet.com/11815/The_1971_Walt_

 

[Viveen]

According to Martin on wdwmagic they’ve come up with a decision.
Here is too hoping it does not end up as a Carousel!

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Why’s everyone so not down with a Mary Poppins carousel? It makes sense and fits the area and movie.

 

[Teebin]

So is this carousel confirmed? I think it would be a perfect addition for the young and young at heart in an otherwise adult park.

 

[Nick]

So is this carousel confirmed? I think it would be a perfect addition for the young and young at heart in an otherwise adult park.

It's likely not a carousel if they go with anything close to the ride system they were going to use before they changed from Brave to Poppins. It was going to be a busbar Dark ride, like the old Snow White ride at MK or Winnie the Pooh (or the countless dark rides at Disneyland).

 

[Ashhanbre]

Why’s everyone so not down with a Mary Poppins carousel? It makes sense and fits the area and movie.

Because our expectations were higher, and I guess maybe that's our fault. To me a Carousel (a ride for toddlers) does not make sense in World Showcase, especially with all the drunk people around at different times of the year. Maybe I'm just overthinking that though?

 

[ChristopherSE]

To me a Carousel (a ride for toddlers) does not make sense in World Showcase, especially with all the drunk people around at different times of the year. Maybe I'm just overthinking that though?

Disney is definitely trying to bring more family appeal to EPCOT, in an age where it's lost some appeal. What between frozen, ratatouille, guardians, (coco maybe), and Mary Poppins coming in. And toddlers are much easier to take all the way around world showcase if they can stop for Mary, Rat, and Elsa on the way around. Not to mention kids will always be any any disney park regardless of any adult-aimed seasonal events. Might as well throw them a bone. And a quaint Poppins-inspired carousel, I think, fits more in world showcase than a few things that are (or will soon be) residing in world showcase.

 

[fryoj]

Disney is definitely trying to bring more family appeal to EPCOT, in an age where it's lost some appeal. What between frozen, ratatouille, guardians, (coco maybe), and Mary Poppins coming in. And toddlers are much easier to take all the way around world showcase if they can stop for Mary, Rat, and Elsa on the way around. Not to mention kids will always be any any disney park regardless of any adult-aimed seasonal events. Might as well throw them a bone. And a quaint Poppins-inspired carousel, I think, fits more in world showcase than a few things that are (or will soon be) residing in world showcase.

The more toddlers they draw to Epcot, the less they are overcrowding MK.

 

[Teebin]

I think toddlers is over stating it for a carousel. It would be a good ride for parents and their children under 14. They can exclude drunk adults...

 

[TheGentTrent]

If the carousel keeps tens of people from bothering me at Frozen or Ratatouille, I'm all for it.

 

[Ashhanbre]

I'm all for anything that opens things up for Frozen and Ratatouille as well. But I don't think a carousel will move that many people compared to a dark ride.

 

[shiekra38]

I'm all for anything that opens things up for Frozen and Ratatouille as well. But I don't think a carousel will move that many people compared to a dark ride.

Are we talking the carousel dark ride that was designed for MK or just a carousel?

 

[Ashhanbre]

Are we talking the carousel dark ride that was designed for MK or just a carousel?

I thought they meant just a carousel? Is it something different?

 

[Nick]

I thought they meant just a carousel? Is it something different?

The was a Poppins "carousel" dark ride that Tony Baxter designed way back in the 70's or 80's with a really unique ride system which I believe might be what @shiekra38 is talking about. Something in this space would not be anywhere near that elaborate though. There isn't enough space.

It's all very tight lipped and i'm sure a carousel is one of the proposals, but there are also forms of dark rides being considered too. Brave was to be be a dark ride. With the change of IP, it's unknown if the ride system will remain as it was.