WDW Magic Kingdom: General Discussion

[siralgenon]

For me there's never been anything wrong with the attraction in terms of scenery, theming and attention to detail. As with everything Disney, it has looked immaculate. As immaculate as a burnt down town can be. I've always found the major flaw with the Magic Kingdom's version is it's length. It is tiny compared to the others and feels like half the attraction is missing.

 

[Ketz]

I recently wathched a video about WDW, and one section went into detail about forced perspective, and how brilliantly effective it is, here is what Belles castle look like in magic kingdom from the main path

And here is the actual size,

And no, he isn't a giant!

 

[Rob]

So how is the Magic Kingdom hub expansion coming along I hear you say? Well I can't remember exactly when they started the work but my initial response would be slowly, although it is now nearing completion. Here is an aerial photo, from August 5th, posted on Orlando Theme Park News:

 

[Harv]

Not exactly sure where to stick this, but Disney is making another movie based on one of its theme park attractions; this time it is Jungle Cruise.

Dwayne Johnson is teaming up with Disney to translate a theme park ride to the big screen.

Johnson is attached to star in Jungle Cruise, based on the classic ride, while John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, the duo behind the Will Smith heist movie Focus, have been tapped to write the script.
The studio last tried to develop the project as a starring vehicle for Tom Hanks and Tim Allen in early 2011 with writer Roger S.H. Schulman.

Jungle Cruise is one of the Disneyland’s original rides and has a retro adventure vibe, transporting parkgoers into a melange of African settings such as the Nile River and Congo River, encountering rhinos and hippos and headhunters along the way. There’s an Amazon River section featuring piranhas.

While the Hanks-Allen iteration was to have been set in modern times, the new take brings the project back to its’ period roots with even the intent to harken Cruise to movies such as The African Queen, the 1951 classic starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn adventure movie that was one of the original inspirations for the ride.

Johnson is pumped to take a ride down the river: “[Disney production president] Sean Bailey and Disney have been awesome partners and now the fun part begins ... We’re starting to put in the work with Requa and Ficarra and our creative team. Fired up about this one. Here we go.”

Full article.

 

[Sam]

Not bothering to write reviews, but a few thoughts on each park I went to last month:

• Space Mountain remains a superb rollercoaster - Orlando's best by some way. Something Disney are very good at is not underestimating how much intensity kids can handle. It's actually amazing that a ride as wild and terrifying as Space Mountain was built as a family coaster... in 1975. The vast majority of family coasters today are much tamer (Th13teen) and are poorer for it. The layout is fantastic, and it's just so long. I love that big drop - the biggest on the ride - that comes right towards the end, and the design of the trains creates the same terrifyingly exposed feeling that the Mouse at Blackpool does. An infinitely enjoyable ride - the most purely fun ride in Florida.
• It's a dry park - why? Ironically, given that it's the happiest place on earth, you see a lot of tired miserable looking parents around towards the end of the day. They'd probably be in a much better mood if they could have a beer or two while the kids re-ride Splash Mountain. A little bit of booze can do wonders for the atmosphere of a park in the evening (see: EP, Hollywood Studios).
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train looks beautiful, and fits into the park perfectly. Like Splash, like Space, like Big Thunder, it feels like it's always been there. Unfortunately, the coaster itself is a bit rubbish. Both coaster parts are far too short, and don't really do anything, even making Big Thunder look exciting. It's also relatively low capacity, allowing it to permanently vie with Peter Pan for the longest queue at MK - it's definitely not worth the 1h+ waits it usually gets. The dark ride section however - albeit brief - is wonderful. The animatronics are astounding, and the bit where the bell gets rung and they start singing 'Heigh-Ho' as you go up the lift is one of those great moments of on-ride theatre that Disney are the masters of.
• Haunted Mansion isn't as good as I remember it being. It's just a bit... boring. The best bits are the bits with new tech (the ghosts in your carriage at the end, the Madame Leiota figure). They should do more of this.
• Big Thunder is nowhere near as good as the one in Paris, and that's not even counting the French version's excellent finale. The section after the third lift should be redesigned and rebuilt, as it's poor, frankly.
• Jungle Cruise is okay, but mostly because of the puns. If they upgraded it with properly amazing animatronics and more impressive sets, it could be a great ride. But I guess they don't see the point when Kilimanjaro Safaris is down the road, which kinda renders Jungle Cruise, well, totally redundant. What is the point of Jungle Cruise?
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, almost missed by us, is a hidden gem. Really charming, witty attraction.
• Something about the WEDway and how it moves is incredibly satisfying. It just trundles and shunts around the track in this weirdly addictive fashion. And it's so long.
• The Hall of Presidents is mesmerising. The Obama animatronic is jaw-dropping, the best animatronic I've ever seen. The movement is 99.9% of the way there to achieving accurate human fluidity. The way all the other presidents move and twitch and nod their heads as each is introduced is an amazing sight. Sit at the front.
• Even though most people hate it, I quite like the Big Bear Jamboree. I'm a bit of a sucker for heartbreak American country songs ("all the guys that turn me on, turn me down"), even when sung by animatronic bears. Like almost every ride at MK, it oozes charm, warmth and soul.
• The Plaza Restaurant, top of Main Street to the right, is really really good and not too expensive. At Disney, you often pay barely more than the (very expensive) fast food prices for a really nice meal. Much better value - I recommend the Philly cheese steak sandwich.
• Celebrate The Magic and Wishes are both *alright* but combined they go on a bit. They'd be much better off rolling them into one in a new show with both projection mapping and fireworks like Dreams at Paris. Dreams is a far better night-time show as it has all the best elements of Wishes and CTM in a shorter, punchier presentation. Also, the Paris castle seems to be a little bit better for projection mapping.
• Small World is so boring. They need to get some Disney characters (decent animatronics to give the scenes a focal point) in each country as fast as is possible.
• Little Mermaid is an addictive dark ride - my favourite in the park. It's well-crafted, fun, exciting, and most importantly the film has got some really great tunes which work well on a ride. It's actually one of those rare dark rides where on re-rides you look forward to scenes - the splendour of the Under The Sea room and the majestic Ursula.
• MK is by some distance the nicest park in Florida to spend time in. It's got this warmth and friendliness that the other Disney parks don't quite manage, and that Universal get nowhere near to. Like EP, Efteling and the original Disneyland, even when you're not on a ride it's a pleasure to spend time in.

 

[jon81uk]

Not bothering to write reviews, but a few thoughts on each park I went to last month:

• Space Mountain remains a superb rollercoaster - Orlando's best by some way. Something Disney are very good at is not underestimating how much intensity kids can handle. It's actually amazing that a ride as wild and terrifying as Space Mountain was built as a family coaster... in 1975. The vast majority of family coasters today are much tamer (Th13teen) and are poorer for it. The layout is fantastic, and it's just so long. I love that big drop - the biggest on the ride - that comes right towards the end, and the design of the trains creates the same terrifyingly exposed feeling that the Mouse at Blackpool does. An infinitely enjoyable ride - the most purely fun ride in Florida.
• It's a dry park - why? Ironically, given that it's the happiest place on earth, you see a lot of tired miserable looking parents around towards the end of the day. They'd probably be in a much better mood if they could have a beer or two while the kids re-ride Splash Mountain. A little bit of booze can do wonders for the atmosphere of a park in the evening (see: EP, Hollywood Studios).
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train looks beautiful, and fits into the park perfectly. Like Splash, like Space, like Big Thunder, it feels like it's always been there. Unfortunately, the coaster itself is a bit rubbish. Both coaster parts are far too short, and don't really do anything, even making Big Thunder look exciting. It's also relatively low capacity, allowing it to permanently vie with Peter Pan for the longest queue at MK - it's definitely not worth the 1h+ waits it usually gets. The dark ride section however - albeit brief - is wonderful. The animatronics are astounding, and the bit where the bell gets rung and they start singing 'Heigh-Ho' as you go up the lift is one of those great moments of on-ride theatre that Disney are the masters of.
• Haunted Mansion isn't as good as I remember it being. It's just a bit... boring. The best bits are the bits with new tech (the ghosts in your carriage at the end, the Madame Leiota figure). They should do more of this.
• Big Thunder is nowhere near as good as the one in Paris, and that's not even counting the French version's excellent finale. The section after the third lift should be redesigned and rebuilt, as it's poor, frankly.
• Jungle Cruise is okay, but mostly because of the puns. If they upgraded it with properly amazing animatronics and more impressive sets, it could be a great ride. But I guess they don't see the point when Kilimanjaro Safaris is down the road, which kinda renders Jungle Cruise, well, totally redundant. What is the point of Jungle Cruise?
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, almost missed by us, is a hidden gem. Really charming, witty attraction.
• Something about the WEDway and how it moves is incredibly satisfying. It just trundles and shunts around the track in this weirdly addictive fashion. And it's so long.
• The Hall of Presidents is mesmerising. The Obama animatronic is jaw-dropping, the best animatronic I've ever seen. The movement is 99.9% of the way there to achieving accurate human fluidity. The way all the other presidents move and twitch and nod their heads as each is introduced is an amazing sight. Sit at the front.
• Even though most people hate it, I quite like the Big Bear Jamboree. I'm a bit of a sucker for heartbreak American country songs ("all the guys that turn me on, turn me down"), even when sung by animatronic bears. Like almost every ride at MK, it oozes charm, warmth and soul.
• The Plaza Restaurant, top of Main Street to the right, is really really good and not too expensive. At Disney, you often pay barely more than the (very expensive) fast food prices for a really nice meal. Much better value - I recommend the Philly cheese steak sandwich.
• Celebrate The Magic and Wishes are both *alright* but combined they go on a bit. They'd be much better off rolling them into one in a new show with both projection mapping and fireworks like Dreams at Paris. Dreams is a far better night-time show as it has all the best elements of Wishes and CTM in a shorter, punchier presentation. Also, the Paris castle seems to be a little bit better for projection mapping.
• Small World is so boring. They need to get some Disney characters (decent animatronics to give the scenes a focal point) in each country as fast as is possible.
• Little Mermaid is an addictive dark ride - my favourite in the park. It's well-crafted, fun, exciting, and most importantly the film has got some really great tunes which work well on a ride. It's actually one of those rare dark rides where on re-rides you look forward to scenes - the splendour of the Under The Sea room and the majestic Ursula.
• MK is by some distance the nicest park in Florida to spend time in. It's got this warmth and friendliness that the other Disney parks don't quite manage, and that Universal get nowhere near to. Like EP, Efteling and the original Disneyland, even when you're not on a ride it's a pleasure to spend time in.

A few thoughts,

Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom are dry as that is what Walt wanted, Be Our Guest does serve alcohol with dinner, so we might see more meals offering wine & beer in the future, but I don't think it ever will have the walk-round drinking of Epcot.
The point of Jungle Cruise is that it is the Jungle Cruise. Its just one of the classic rides. It wouldn't be the same with new animatronics.
Same sort of goes for Small World, they won't remove it as it is a classic. I've been on DisneyLands version that has dolls of Disney characters and it was sort of like eye-spye trying to spot them, but i wouldn't have wanted them any bigger or more animated that the rest of the dolls.
Illuminations at Epcot is far superior than Wishes! I haven't seen Paris/ latest fireworks though. But I know Paris has the latest version of the projection mapping technology.
I rode Little Mermaid at California Adventure and found it boring so I was surprised you thought it was your favourite dark ride. But then I'm not a huge fan of the Fantasyland dark rides like Peter Pan or Pooh and of course Little Mermaid has far better technology that either of those.
Despite being British I also loved Hall of Presidents and almost found it patriotic!

I can't wait for my next trip to WDW in a years time! My last was 2010 and I did California in 2012.

 

[Sam]

Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom are dry as that is what Walt wanted, Be Our Guest does serve alcohol with dinner, so we might see more meals offering wine & beer in the future, but I don't think it ever will have the walk-round drinking of Epcot.

Yes but Walt's dead and doesn't run the parks anymore. With the other three parks serving booze, there is no logical reason why MK doesn't. It's just silly.

The point of Jungle Cruise is that it is the Jungle Cruise. Its just one of the classic rides. It wouldn't be the same with new animatronics.

Same sort of goes for Small World, they won't remove it as it is a classic. I've been on DisneyLands version that has dolls of Disney characters and it was sort of like eye-spye trying to spot them, but i wouldn't have wanted them any bigger or more animated that the rest of the dolls.

I think there's a tendency to say that these rides shouldn't be removed or significantly changed just because they've always been there. Actually, they may be classics but both are rather poor rides (Jungle Cruise because Kilimanjaro has rendered it obsolete and Small World because it's boring compared to more exciting family dark rides that have been built since). Some old Disney rides have aged well and some, like these, haven't.

 

[Dave]

I like Jungle Cruise, it has charm.

Can't really say I like its a small world but I think the reason these rides stay is for many in the U.S. visiting Disney is a family tradition and I think parents like the idea there are rides that have spanned the generations.

It's a bit like Eftling, half their rides are crap but there is an emotional attachment to them.

 

[EuroSatch]

Jungle Cruise is not re-rideable. Small surprisingly is. However I have a tendency to agree that perhaps after 44 years of being open - and 60 in Cali - there comes a time to move on.

There is a fear of removing 'Walt Classics' from the parks as if it is a sacrilegious act. However Walt has been dead for some time and the parks are no longer his babies. Some of the recent additions to the park are lovely and charming. But think how much more could be done if MK at least could let go of the past.

And Walt's attitude towards alcohol comes from the times of the park being built. Attitudes have changed, it's not to stop being dry!

 

[jon81uk]

Yes but Walt's dead and doesn't run the parks anymore. With the other three parks serving booze, there is no logical reason why MK doesn't. It's just silly.

I think there's a tendency to say that these rides shouldn't be removed or significantly changed just because they've always been there. Actually, they may be classics but both are rather poor rides (Jungle Cruise because Kilimanjaro has rendered it obsolete and Small World because it's boring compared to more exciting family dark rides that have been built since). Some old Disney rides have aged well and some, like these, haven't.

If it weren't for the corny script of the Jungle Cruise I would have said get rid as well, as what's the point of animatronics when they have real animals, but I like the cheesy corniness of it.

I see your point on the park being dry, but given the Magic Kingdom is still very much a family park it sort of makes sense. I think they should continue what they are doing with Be Our Guest and serve beer & wine with dinner, but I think it makes more sense to keep the big push on alcohol to the more adult parks of Epcot & Hollywood Studios.

 

[Dave]

I can go a day without a drink and based on the popularity of the park it's not putting guests off.

And if attractions are popular why lose them, it's not like they are running out of space and it helps with capacity.

 

[EuroSatch]

I can go a day without a drink and based on the popularity of the park it's not putting guests off.

And if attractions are popular why lose them, it's not like they are running out of space and it helps with capacity.

For me, it would be to have a bit of variety in the food outlets than fountain drinks. One day in a dry Magic Kingdom is fine, but when you spend a few days there over a holiday, particularly when it's quiet season, it would be nice to have a couple of relaxing drinks to get away from the intensity of the atmosphere.

The old rides - they're popular because the park is the most visited park in the world. However, at the same time, it can feel like you are in a museum of theme parks, rather than a current modern and updated park.

 

[Dave]

True but you can lay that accusation at many parks including EP and especially Efteling. Disney do close rides so it must still be an attraction people like.

 

[AstroDan]

Perhaps Jungle Cruise could be modernised? Better effects and scenery....

 

[jon81uk]

Perhaps Jungle Cruise could be modernised? Better effects and scenery....

It's tricky though, a lot of people were outraged when Jack Sparrow was added to Pirates as it "ruins a classic ride". Personally I agree, the parks aren't museums and change is inevitable. But at the same time the classic rides shouldn't be forgotton. So in my opinion, adding Jack Sparrow is good and it keeps the classic ride, but adds something new. I agree with you that some elements of Jungle Cruise could be updated, especially in the temple rooms.

 

[jon81uk]

For me, it would be to have a bit of variety in the food outlets than fountain drinks.

There are quite a few slushie type drinks available now.
Such as Lefou's Brew http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2013/...ons-tavern-in-magic-kingdoms-new-fantasyland/
Or Blue Fairy slush http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2014/...-village-haus-in-disney-worlds-magic-kingdom/
Or of course there is always a coke float or a pineapple juice dole whip float http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2012/...dole-whip-float-at-magic-kingdoms-aloha-isle/

But at table service restaurants there isn't as many options maybe for drinks to go with dinner.

 

[Dave]

Perhaps Jungle Cruise could be modernised? Better effects and scenery....

Interestingly it gets a lot of attention on the KOTK tour. It is the only attraction that has a lot of "Walt" in it. Plus they never put audio animatronics outside (Jungle Cruise has animated figures not audio animatronics).

I think they just can't emotionally let it go and guests love it for similar reasons Europeans love Geister, dream flight, bubble works and so on.

 

[Rob]

Good news! The final walkway of the new Magic Kingdom hub is now complete and open to the public:

Source: WDWMagic.com

This means that all of the work around the new hub is nearing completion. All that remains to be finished is the work on the ramps up to the castle.

 

[Rob]

This news relates to all Orlando theme parks (those at WDW, Universal and SeaWorld) but as MK is the biggest of the lot so I'll pop it in here.

Metal detectors have either been installed or are being installed at all Orlando theme parks. Pretty obvious as to why and although it's not the most magical way to start your day it does make sense in the world we live in today. Expect longer times waiting to get into all the parks.

 

[Lordy]

I pretty much agree with every thing Sam said. A few extra points though:

Splash Mountain is utterly brilliant. Best water ride I've been on by a long shot. But why oh why did they think it would be a good idea to have Splash and Big Thunder in a dead end!?

I've always heard people say that Orlando's Space Mountain is far superior to Paris'.... hmmm, in my opinion, the coasters are just too different to make a comparison.