20k Update

[OnWithTheShow]

Well I have obtained further information regarding what will happen to the 20k lagoon. I had been told last spring that a project had been approved and was to start construction in the fall of 2001 or spring of 2002. In late August they began to drain the lagoon in preparation for construction. However as the water level dropped the side walls of the lagoon began to crumble. The process was stopped for fear of damage to the surrounding fantasyland pathways and structures. They are currently attempting to determine what to do about this situation. As far as the attraction goes I have no idea what was approved but it was not to be a roller coaster whether fire mountain, bald mountain or some kind of villians attractions. It would have been a more family oriented attraction (but still and e-ticket) to fit with the theme of fantasyland. PS I have heard a few things concerning saturator coasters with a strong tie in to donald duck and the chipmunks. See this site for the type of ride i am talking about:

http://www.hersheypark.com/watercoaster.html

make sure to watch the video!

 

[airlarry!]

Wow! That thing looks cool. Can you imagine what our favorite Imagineers could do with this concept?

The ride as one experience.
The Queue as another watching people get soaked.
The dismount line snaking through the ride soaking the people on it.

Like the end of Kali...but on steroids X 1000!!

Wow.

 

[larworth]

Very interesting rumors OWTS.

Have heard about the structural problems of the lagoon, but the first that an actual attraction was nearing approval for this site. A good family ride seems like the right thing to put here. I would love another mountain, but put it in Adventure land or as an expansion beyond Toontown in deference to traffic flow and castle sightlines.

With Phalarmagic on the way this would have been quite a bit of investment in MK in a short amount of time, while DAK would still be sitting there waiting??? I wonder now if they are debating whether the lagoon, or the hole in Tomorrowland (COP and Timekeeper) should be fixed first.

A water coaster? Yes, there is some novelty here in that there are only a couple of these going today. However, unless they themed it to the nines we have another Primeval Whirl on our hands. My bigger concern is how guest friendly these rides are. While not high on thrills, the are definately SOAKER rides (for both riders and spectators). People already have issues with raft rides where they just have a chance to get soaked.

 

[All Aboard]

Concerns:

1 - Unless heavily themed, it screams "SIX FLAGS!!"

2 - This is a no-way match with Fantasyland. If it goes in the Magic Kingdom, it's gotta go in ToonTown. Maybe a retro-future theme and stick it in place of the Speedway. Even there I don't like it.

3 - Agree with Larworth, many guests have "soaking issues". From the look of the guests in the video, you basically come off drenched to the core. Maybe it's a water park attraction.

4 - When water restrictions kick in (and they always do) what are you left with? My guess is that since you are squirting guests, that's potable water.

 

[d-r]

Really neat and interesting.

As for the soaking, I wouldn't ride it 95% of the time, snd it is hard to imagine it in fantasyland, though a hanging ride if themed well would be really cool ever the lagoon if you got just a little wet.

T've heard the thing about draining the lagoon and collapsing the utilidors/ walk way several times, and I understand the physics of it, but I don't understand why they couldn't fill it with sand/dirt/rocks or concrete. maybe that would be too much pessure and it would collapse thr other way? still not sure if I 100% buy it.

 

[space42]

hmmmmm, but they have drained the lagoon in the past.
check out this link.. some really neat pics from a 20k rehab in 1980.

http://www.disneypix.com/MagicKingdom/Fantasyland/20KRehab/MagicKingdom-FL20K.htm

I wonder what the different is between now and 1980 that they cant drain it now?

 

[CM Tinkerbell]

I have also heard about the structural concerns with the 20K lagoon at this time. As for the 1980 rehab, it has been over 20 years since then and there may have been some additional deteriation since that time. I hope they are able to resolve these problems and have a new attraction put in it's place. I don't know if I like the idea of the soaker ride though. It doesn't seem to fit too well.

 

[Bob O]

But alas Paramounts Kings island has a similiar attraction in their kids area and now hershey park has a unique attraction but not disney, and apparently not anytime in the near future at that site, if ever. I would perfer a mountain containing a E ticket type thrill ride but at this point putting most anything in that long neglected area would be a improvement.

 

[Planogirl]

Maybe it should actually scream "Hersheypark" since that's where it's being built.

I always see a lot of concern about whether a new attraction is too "Six Flags". I don't understand this concern because really what separated WDW from most of the other parks is theming and not really the rides. WDW has plenty of rides that just spin or float or function as a coaster. The difference is the theming. Besides, at least Six Flags builds a lot of new rides.

I would personally like to see a ride like this. It looks like a hoot to me.

 

[HBK]

1 - Unless heavily themed, it screams "SIX FLAGS!!"

Two words....Primeval Whirl.

Get used to it. The "Six Flags" type attractions are going to be put in more and more. This looks neat...and combine it with some theming (crossing my fingers) and I think it's a winner.

And for the soaking complaints, you get wet on Splash and there is still an hour wait for it. I don't think it's a big issue.

 

[Another Voice]

Remember all those “rumors” about a big new attraction that was going in to Blizzard Beach? The new attraction that got canned after the accountants figured it wouldn’t raise attendance any and so wouldn’t generate enough cash?

I wonder if the grapevine has a kink or two in it. This type of attraction would seem much better suited to a water park than a theme park.

Just a thought.

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Just things I hear from people who heard things from people that heard them from some suits walking around who heard them from this mysterious "voice".

 

[larworth]

I believe Hersheypark will be the 3rd such installation. The other two both are in North Carolina (Paramount Carowinds and a Wet n Wild). The ride was originally designed/marketed for waterparks. We’re not talking Splash wet here we are talking drenched. It could have been a great addition to BB or TL, but not any of the other parks.

It will be a great fit for Hershey. It fits nicely into their family/thrill mix of rides, but the biggest reason it works for me is they already have 3 other wet rides in the same area. A very wet canyon river raft ride, a drenching tidal wave boat drop ride, and a couple of small water slides. It will easily be worth the trouble to either change into suits or bring extra clothes to ride the RollerSoaker. Quite a few Six Flags/Cedar Fair parks have water parks inside them, so I can see more of these popping up in the near future.

The rides in the waterparks already aren't novel, it really is all about theming. They could have easily turned this into anthoer chair lift ride motiff at BB and had it fit in great. Wonder what you would do at TL?

 

[BRERALEX]

Wasnt everybody going crazy for a Monsters Inc. suspended roller coaster a couple of months ago well here it could be errr under water!!! Monsters Inc. X Atlantis thats the ticket!!!! (E ticket)

 

[tar heel]

When you get off the Flying Super Saturator at Paramount's Carowinds, you are as soaked as you would be if you had taken a 5-minute shower fully dressed! It's lots of fun, but taking your shoes off and then putting them back on your wet feet is a pain. If we're going to do it, we always do it last. It also is a fairly low capacity attraction, which would be a problem in Fantasyland.