Up_Up_and_Away Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 What if a girl in a family happened to be a tomboy?And what if a boy likes fairy tales? I'm just going with the stereotype that you started here: Fantasyland? More like Princess and Flying Pachyderm Land. Looks like they're hell bent on catering to demographics OTHER than boys and people over the age of 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 surpklus kingdom posted new listings on ebay this week of the signs from the path between tomorrowland and toontown fair saying they are up for sale because the path had already closed for construction of the new fantasyland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted August 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 Source: Orlando Sentinel Disney says Fantasyland expansion plans are changing By Jason Garcia on August 12, 2010 at 6:03 pm Disney is redrawing the sweeping Fantasyland expansion plans it laid out last year, even as bulldozers clear land for the project inside the Magic Kingdom. With the revisions, begun under new Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Staggs, designers are attempting to rebalance the plans, which initially tilted heavily towards young girls by emphasizing attractions and experiences built around Disney’s stable of animated-movie princesses. “We took a hard look at it amongst a number of us and said, ‘Can we make the appeal broader? Can we make it even better?’ “ Staggs said during an interview this week with the Orlando Sentinel. The Fantasyland expansion is a critically important project for Disney. The Magic Kingdom, the busiest theme park in the world, now draws more than 17 million visitors a year and needs added capacity to ease pressure on crowds inside the park. The project, billed as the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history, also comes as Disney World faces heightened competition from Universal Orlando, where the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter has drawn rave reviews — and enormous crowds — since opening in June. Staggs declined to discuss specific changes to the Fantasyland plans, saying Disney would unveil them “in due course.” The original plans called for a lavish indoor ride based on the movie The Little Mermaid, a trio of interactive princess character-greeting areas, an elaborately themed Beauty and the Beast restaurant, an expanded Dumbo attraction for young children, and a vaguely defined fairies-themed area. Staggs said much of what was included in the original plans will be incorporated into the final product and that the changes are “improving it on the margin.” He characterized the revisions as part of any creative project’s natural evolution. As an example, Disney cited Hong Kong Disneyland, where early blueprints included an area dubbed “Glacier Peak” that was eventually replaced with a section themed around the company’s Toy Story film franchise. “Our process is always iterative and always goes through changes as it goes along,” said Staggs, who was the Walt Disney Co.’s chief financial officer when he switched places with parks-and-resorts chief Jay Rasulo at the start of this year. Staggs added: “I believe one of my most important jobs is to make sure that I’m enabling and challenging our creative process to create the best possible result.” Disney first announced the Fantasyland expansion plans 11 months ago, with Rasulo personally unveiling them during a convention in Anaheim, Calif., for a company-sponsored, $75-a-year fan club. Staggs is now running the theme-park division and Rasulo is CFO following an executive shuffle orchestrated by Disney President and Chief Executive Officer Bob Iger. The Fantasyland construction is well underway: Yellow backhoes and mountains of dirt are visible behind temporary construction walls erected inside the Magic Kingdom. But rumors have been building for weeks that changes were afoot, fueled by reports from a pair of well-known Disney bloggers, Jim Hill of Jim Hill Media and Al Lutz of MiceAge.com. Company followers say there have been two pivotal developments since the Fantasyland plans were first announced: Staggs was installed as head of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and Universal opened the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Staggs, who has three young sons, is said to have expressed concerns that the initial plans for Fantasyland were too narrowly tailored to girls. The Wizarding World, meanwhile, has delivered impressive early returns for Universal Orlando since formally opening June 18. The more than $200 million addition to Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park powered the resort to a 2 percent attendance gain during the second quarter, its first quarterly increase in two years. Attendance at Disney World sank 2 percent during a similar period. “I think Harry Potter helped” push Disney executives to revisit their approach with Fantasyland, said Lutz, of MiceAge.com. “I think it had an influence to say, ‘Hey, this is something that can be done on this level, and it’s not at a Disney property.’ “ Staggs said Wizarding World has not been a factor in Disney’s Fantasyland plans. “I don’t see evidence that somehow that has changed anyone’s direction or made them think differently,” he said. But he said Disney is trying to broaden the project’s overall appeal. For instance, plans for three interactive princess meet-and-greets — where children could dance with Cinderella, celebrate Sleeping Beauty’s 16th birthday or play a role in a story with Belle of Beauty and the Beast — are being altered. “One of the things that I thought the early design did fantastically was delivered on that princess experience. And that does tend to skew towards girls. … We’ve kept that intact — not exactly, necessarily, the way it was presented, but that appeal is there,” Staggs said. “I think we’ve added some things that aren’t just princess-focused, and that’s a good positive.” Staggs said planners are also reviewing the Fantasyland expansion with an eye toward blending “aspirational rides” — rides that offer thrills or tension — with attractions designed for guests of all ages. And he said they want to ensure that the additions are flexible and can be updated or adapted over time. The revisions are not expected to substantially alter the construction timetable; most of the Fantasyland additions are still scheduled to open in 2012 and 2013. Staggs said the project’s price tag will “not materially” change with the revisions, though a slight increase is likely because of certain additions. He would not provide specific figures. Staggs said none of the changes should be interpreted as an indictment of the original Fantasyland expansion plans. “We had a number of different people look at it and say, ‘Is it accomplishing what we want to from a guest experience standpoint? Is it accomplishing that in a way that is operationally great? Is it as broad as it can be in its appeal?’” he said. “The answer is, it largely did. But we thought we could continue to play with it and make it better.” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThemeParkRider Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 Glad they came to their senses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted August 13, 2010 Report Share Posted August 13, 2010 I much say it is thrilling, even as a seasoned regular park goer, to see the construction going on from behind the fence, it builds supsepnse! For new fantasyland, this is what they SHOULD do- 1.Keep ToonTown 2.keep Little Mermaid 3.Keep the Be our Guest Restaurant 4.keep the Gaston restaurant 5.Add a 20k ride like the one at Tokyo Disney sea., Most boys today probably dont know who the hell Nemo is, but its still a cool attraction targeted toward them 6.Add Pinnochios Daring Adventure 7.Add a family suspended attraction similar to ET Adventure themed to MAry Poppins They shoulkd get rid of- 1.Double Dumbo 2.All those f@#&ing Princess Meet and Greets! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarioSonic94 Posted August 14, 2010 Report Share Posted August 14, 2010 (edited) Those idiot Disney execs keep forgeting the most important factor of a WDW Fantasyland redo: The return of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Edited August 14, 2010 by MarioSonic94 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted August 14, 2010 Report Share Posted August 14, 2010 One really good idea would be to bring a Vekoma junior coaster like flying unicorn at universal and theme it to Phineas and Ferb. The show has a HUGE all family member fanbase and rolelr coaster rides at disney are always popular. add a simple themed qunues like their designs for the coaster and maybe add a room themed to agent P's lair and Dr. Doofensmirts new evil invention- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scipiomask Posted August 15, 2010 Report Share Posted August 15, 2010 ^No, no, no! Don't bring Disney Channel into Fantasyland, please!! Save them for Toontown - oh wait, oops. There's no way this will ever compare to Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I just returned from Universal and I must say, that section is far better than any in any other theme park I've ever visited - and that includes all of the Disney parks. The Forbidden Journey ride is my favorite dark ride (with Spiderman in a close second), while Haunted Mansion has sunk down to 3rd place. Disney keeps making Omnimovers while Universal uses cutting edge technology, and as soon as Universal starts catering more towards younger kids, Disney will start to see a drop in attendance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
29yrswithaGApass Posted August 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2010 It may be because I am starting to get "up in age", but sometimes I enjoy a restful omnimover ride over an intense thrill ride, especially at Disney. Bring back Horizons! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted August 15, 2010 Report Share Posted August 15, 2010 how about a family coaster themed to this- and a walk through themed to this- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Historically, the first roller coaster was themed after the Matterhorn. Mountains are also a convenient way to hide the coaster and perserve the magic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastercrazy Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 OK, I see your point but, I still think the mountain theme is a little worn out. Also I really dont find Disney rides very magical, I find B&M magical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Up_Up_and_Away Posted December 14, 2010 Report Share Posted December 14, 2010 Also I really dont find Disney rides very magical, I find B&M magical. Then perhaps this isn't the thread for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertDavid Posted December 15, 2010 Report Share Posted December 15, 2010 ^ Just tickled me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 You know I was just thinking, nobody really cares that barnstormer will become great goofini. I was thinking, why not turn the kidie coaster into a new Mr.Toad's wild ride! I mean the barn can easily be converted into a disneyland esque toad hall and the fly thorugh would do nicely. Plus, i think fans will like it better to see this attreaction return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CycloneMan Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Having the theme as The Great Goofini matches Storybook Circus. As much as I love Mr Toad, it just wouldn't work. BTW: Fantasyland is coming along very well and I'm really looking forward to see how it looks in the up coming months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Master Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Having the theme as The Great Goofini matches Storybook Circus. As much as I love Mr Toad, it just wouldn't work. BTW: Fantasyland is coming along very well and I'm really looking forward to see how it looks in the up coming months At the end of the Wind and the Willows short, Toad is flying a biplane. Still they are going to be hard pressed to make WDW's Fantasyland be equal to Disneyland's Fantasyland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest racinggal17 Posted September 1, 2012 Report Share Posted September 1, 2012 (edited) How far are they at building the new Fantasyland in WDW's Magic Kingdom Park? I hope they will get it done by next season. Edited September 2, 2012 by Up_Up_and_Away New thread merged into existing thread; going forward, please utilize an existing thread if an applicable one already exists. ~UU&A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warnerleroy Posted September 2, 2012 Report Share Posted September 2, 2012 Everything with the exception of severn dwarfs mine train is scheduled to soft open this november Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 NFL soft opened today and its nice but not great. Storybook Circus side is better execution. Pictures coming later today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarioSonic94 Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 All you need is Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and the expansion is complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GAcoaster Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 I posted a bunch of pictures on my site: http://www.amusementpics.com/WDWNewsandNotes12.htm Overall it's really nice, but nothing special. The trees and water features add a much needed element to Fantasyland though: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike13 Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) I posted a bunch of pictures on my site: http://www.amusement...sandNotes12.htm Overall it's really nice, but nothing special. The trees and water features add a much needed element to Fantasyland though: Was the Fantasyland castle and expansion supposed to be a quick answer to the Harry Potter addition and to somewhat replicate the appearance of Hogwarts or is Avatar still supposed to be Harry Potter competition? Edited October 13, 2012 by Mike13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Up_Up_and_Away Posted October 13, 2012 Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 Was the Fantasyland castle and expansion supposed to be a quick answer to the Harry Potter addition and to somewhat replicate the appearance of Hogwarts or is Avatar still supposed to be Harry Potter competition? I think Disney is hoping that both areas will be stiff competition... but this expansion won't be complete for another year or so, and Universal is moving very quickly with Potter phase II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThemeParkRider Posted October 15, 2012 Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 Wow looks very great! I do almost get the feeling that the two areas may not blend together so well, like it may be clear they were built at two seperate times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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