MK has not had a E-ticket ride in 10 years; what's in the pipeline?

[scooby-the-doo]

You hear a lot of talk that EPCOT needs help, and AK needs help, and they do, there's no doubt, but why is it that the flagside park of the Walt Disney World complex gets ignored somewhat?

Before those pipe-up and mention Buzz Lighyear, let it be known that I do not rate that an E-ticket. An E-ticket ride is an event, it becomes a ride that people associate that park with, that people return to the park to ride. Buzz Lightyear was a nice addition, but it ranks as a D-ticket for me.

And so the last E-ticket ride the MK received was Splash Mountain. Since that time:

- MK has had 20k closed (an absolute travisty, and the fact that the lagoon has been left to rot for seven years just rubs salt into the wounds), CoP pretty much closed permanently, Toad closed.

- MGM has had two major E-ticket producations: ToT and RRC.

- EPCOT has had and or green-lit two major E-tickets: TT and Mission: Space

- And AK looks to be getting a major $100 million plus ride in its near future (much needed!).

And so, I ask you, what does, if anything, MK have in the pipeline for itself? (20k refurb and or replacement per chance?)

 

[EUROPA]

- And AK looks to be getting a major $100 million plus ride in its near future (much needed!).

No doubt that it needs it but what attraction/ride are you talking about? Did I miss an anoucement ?

I think Every park needs at least two new E-Tickets.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

You hear a lot of talk that EPCOT needs help, and AK needs help, and they do, there's no doubt, but why is it that the flagside park of the Walt Disney World complex gets ignored somewhat?

Because it's got more E-tickets and attractions than all the other WDW parks, and it draws the most visitors each year. I would think it would be most efficient, business wise, to spread out the crowds out as evenly as possible. Therefore, long term, the park with the least attendence should tend to get the most attractions, including e-tickets, and the park with the greatest attendence should tend to get the fewest attractions.

 

[wdwguide]

The Magic Kingdom apparently got VERY close to get Fire Mountain, but it was cancelled. Besides Philharmagic, I don't know of any concrete plans for the park. From a business standpoint that is understandable - the Magic Kingdom is in another category than the other three parks, and virtually all visitors will visit it regardless of its attraction lineup simply because it is there.

 

[Bob O]

I believe what the dcsoop says and is another indication that wdw cares little about the guests and wants people to be happy with the same old status quo.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I have to agree that I never pass up the Magic Kingdom on a trip. And I think many people (who are not teenagers) feel the same way. Until they feel otherwise there is no reason to do anything to MK except tweak the B-tickets, change the parades, perform standard maintenance. They should put something in 20,000 leagues.

 

[All Aboard]

Gotta disagree with you BobO. All indications are that there is very little reason to add an E to MK. WDW's best strategy to boost overall attendance is to make the other 3 parks more attractive. MK will get its guests, it's a fantastic park just the way it is.

 

[Lewisc]

Buzz Lightyear and Pooh both have long lines. I wouldn't call them E-rides but they seem popular.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'll admit that the big, gaping hole that is 20,000 Leagues is bad Show - at least to those who know that there was something there. The closing of attractions without replacements is a negative for the MK. However, as has been pointed out in many a debate around here, the MK is a complete park. That really mitigates the need for a new E-ticket. Not that it wouldn't be great to have one, and additions are usually a good thing - but in todays environment (for whatever many reasons I really don't want to re-debate) some picking and choosing must be done. I don't necessarily agree that not putting a new E-ticket in the MK shows contempt for the guests and what they want. Rather, Disney is leaving the 'classic' MK experience alone and focusing additions on parks that are not as 'timeless'/'classic' and showing their age more (Epcot), or may not be viewed as 'complete' (AK).

 

[scooby-the-doo]

Originally posted by DisneyKidds
Rather, Disney is leaving the 'classic' MK experience alone

Bah! This is a corporate excuse for not doing anything! At the very least, 20,000 Leagues Under Sea needs to be brought back. Or, if that is not on the cards, an alternative that would fit quite nicely in that spot and would keep the Verne theme is DS's 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth'.

Just sitting and watching those majestic submarines make their way across the lagoon is a sight I do wish I will see again some day....

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Oh-oh!! Here we go again!!!

However, as has been pointed out in many a debate around here, the MK is a complete park.

When? I mean, when they had CoP running all day long? When they had the sky buckets? When Timekeeper was fully operational? When 20K was really there? When the Tiki House ran all day? When... when... when...?

Seems to me it isn’t quite as complete as it once was! Or are we slowly working toward the day when the amount of attractions equals what the spreadsheet and marketing research shows. Which is substantially LESS than is even present today!!!

Rather, Disney is leaving the 'classic' MK experience alone

I don't think so!! Seems a little... well... ah... LESS, if you ask me!!!

Just a little something to chew on.....

 

[DisneyKidds]

Sheesh! Do you guys read all the words? Do I have to quote myself? Ok, so be it.......

I'll admit that the big, gaping hole that is 20,000 Leagues is bad Show - at least to those who know that there was something there. The closing of attractions without replacements is a negative for the MK.

There. See. I AGREE!!!! However..........

in todays environment (for whatever many reasons I really don't want to re-debate) some picking and choosing must be done.

..........and you can't really argue with that at the moment. I'm not saying it should be that way. I'm not saying it is right. It just is, and we have to deal with it.

So when I say the MK is 'classic' I mean that it has more 'classic' rides that have stood, and will stand, the test of time. Fantasyland gets more charming as it gets older. Epcot doesn't have this 'classic' element. Future world just looks run down as it gets older. As for completeness of parks, most around here would agree that MK is a more complete park than any of the others, even if it is 'less' complete than it was 10 years ago, no? Given all that, it is easy to see why less is going into the MK. More should be going in everywhere - but it ain't gonna happen right now.

 

[Bob O]

gcurling So the anwser for disney is to let a park stagnant and do nothing at all??? Leave area's unfilled,dont update attractions,dont run rides the whole time the park is open, all of which has been done at MK.
Just because the park isnt as bad as others in no reason at all for inaction and too stop improving the park so as to increase the guest experience(of course if they even care about that anymore).

 

[Douglas Dubh]

So the anwser for disney is to let a park stagnant and do nothing at all???

Of course not, and this has not happened. The Hall of President's recently added a new figure, the Speedway received a facelift, there's a new show going into Fantasyland to replace the Lion King one, Pooh replaced Toad, Buzz replaced whatever the flying ride was called when it closed.

The MK is continuing to change. It's not stagnant. It simply hasn't added any new, big rides, and probably won't for a while.

Although Villains Mtn would be great just north of the old lagoon.

 

[Bob O]

If the The hall of Presidents adding a new president is consider a major update for MK then things are really sad!!!
Pooh replacing the Toad ride isnt a postive at all!! They took a ride that had two tracks and made it one so as to add more room to sell things which isnt needed!!!! And a true update would have been to install the Pooh ride in Japan rather than the ride they put in with cheap cutouts and the same ride system(boring).
Same thing with Buzz!!! They could have added a great interactive ride like MIB but instead did it on the cheap by using the same ride system and adding bright colors and cheap things to shoot at with nothing interactive or anything new that cant be found at other parks that have rides where you shoot at targets.
The only thing new is the replacement on the LK show and if history is any guide they are unlikely to go out of their way to "wow" us.

 

[All Aboard]

Bob, you are focused on "what they've added." True, not much of a list. But, I say "why should it be?" I concur that the loss of 20k is a bad thing, same for shutting down CoP and Timekeeper for most of the year. But, I am thankful that the Skyway is gone. What an eyesore.

Buzz is an upgrade to If You Had Wings and is very popular. Pooh is on-par with Toad, for the most part and the subject is much more widely known.

But, my point is that WDW has no reason to direct capital expenditures at MK right now. Their needs are elsewhere. MK leads in attendance, folks still love it, it gets almost no complaints except from the Car 3 hood ornaments. Shoot the $ at AK and Epcot where they are most needed.

 

[NotUrsula]

I'm feeling much older than previously if it has been over 10 years since AE opened.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

In my opinion both Pooh and Buzz were vast improvements over the previous attractions. Although Toad was a quality attraction the core audience of the parks was no longer familiar enough with the characters and the storyline. Heck even my parents dont know what movie Mr Toad is from. Buzz and Pooh in my opinon are the two best non-eticket rides in the Magic Kingdom. And to compare Buzz a ride installed in an existing space to MIB which was built from scratch as an e-ticket for Universal is like comparing apples and oranges. Even Walt himself saw the need to constantly update and change.

 

[space42]

Originally posted by NotUrsula
I'm feeling much older than previously if it has been over 10 years since AE opened.

I believe that AE opened with new Tomorrowland in 1994.

As for a new E-Ticket for MK. I would just like to see Disney build SOMETHING on the same scale as Splash Mountain in ANY US Disney park!

 

[Bob O]

Every park no matter how great needs to add great exciting rides/attractions or it stagnats and needs to keep reasons for people to come back. And all of the parks have attendance problems. Dont you think a e-ticket at MK would give people more of a reason to return???
Disney has done things on the cheap at MK like everywhere in their USA themepark world. I will grant you that Toad is dated to alot of people, but disney should have used the pooh techology from TDS and made a great attraction, but no they did it cheap by using the same old ride mechanism and then made a double ride into a sigle ride so as to make people endure another gift shop!! They had the option to doing something excellant but were too cheap to do it.
As for Buzz it is a perfect example of disney trying to do something on the cheap. They had the chance to make it into a E type attraction but were too cheap. So instead of doing something original and tearing out the ride mechansim they take the cheap route and again use the smae dated ride style and made a ride that is exciting for a ankle biter!!! They could have done what US did with MIB and make a interactive ride that would be challeging and alot more fun but that would have cost more money and they are too cheap!!! The only reason is it apples/orange is because disney was too cheap to tear down the old attraction and start new!!! But they didnt want to "wow" the guest so Buzz isnt interactive and innovative like MIB but is silimiar to rides in other theme parks/amusment parks where you shoot at stationary objects while moving at a slow pace.
All the parks need a major infusion of capitol for improvements and MK isnt immune to this. But of course we can be happy that abc will get that money instead.