Marathon Weekend 2023

[Naomeri]

SAFD: I'm going to go on a limb and say Tomorrowland Speedway. It's an opening day attraction, and it looks cool for something from 1971. But it's 50 years later, and the only real change to it has been shortening the track to make room for other things. Can't they find cars with more efficient engines, or at least some with better emissions?

My first thought was Enchantment, but that would imply that there was a peak to be coming down from....... >.>;;

Oh, that’s a good one, I didn’t even think about the Speedway

 

[azrivest]

Oh, that’s a good one, I didn’t even think about the Speedway

Yeah they could replace them with electric cars. At least get rid of the smell!

 

[Barca33Runner]

SAFD: I'm going to go on a limb and say Tomorrowland Speedway. It's an opening day attraction, and it looks cool for something from 1971. But it's 50 years later, and the only real change to it has been shortening the track to make room for other things. Can't they find cars with more efficient engines, or at least some with better emissions?

My first thought was Enchantment, but that would imply that there was a peak to be coming down from....... >.>;;

I’ve never gone on the Speedway and have spent very little time in that corridor because I can’t stand the fumes. I honestly can’t understand how they haven’t updated the vehicles there already. I think they could update the cars to electric/low emission vehicles with Sugar Rush theming and it would be pretty cool. But really anything that would make it smell less like an eternal tire fire would do the trick for me. The more I think about it, the more baffled I am at its continued existence.

Enchantment’s days are already numbered. Although it will almost certainly still be around for Marathon Weekend 2023 it has already been announced that the Happily Ever After soundtrack and theme will return sometime in 2023 for the MK nighttime spectacular. As much as I didn’t hate Enchantment, as it’s my contention that it’s really difficult for anything to feel truly terrible in that atmosphere, the soundtrack and theme never felt like they added to the experience.

 

[Herding_Cats]

SAFD:
-I agree about Space. I love the ride, but it's sooooo jerky.
-Tiki room. Agree again. Could they preserve the original animatronic clacking with like....pre-show, or at the beginning and then transition to something less....well.....dated?
-Country Bears.....why is this still a thing? It's a bit like the original splash theming....so many people don't even know who the country bears are.


I cannot believe that the Speedway hasn't been updated to electric cars with all of the other green initiatives Disney has rolled out in the past several years.

 

[Baloo in MI]

I’ve never gone on the Speedway and have spent very little time in that corridor because I can’t stand the fumes. I honestly can’t understand how they haven’t updated the vehicles there already. I think they could update the cars to electric/low emission vehicles with Sugar Rush theming and it would be pretty cool. But really anything that would make it smell less like an eternal tire fire would do the trick for me. The more I think about it, the more baffled I am at its continued existence.

Enchantment’s days are already numbered. Although it will almost certainly still be around for Marathon Weekend 2023 it has already been announced that the Happily Ever After soundtrack and theme will return sometime in 2023 for the MK nighttime spectacular. As much as I didn’t hate Enchantment, as it’s my contention that it’s really difficult for anything to feel truly terrible in that atmosphere, the soundtrack and theme never felt like they added to the experience.

Could not agree more on both points. Anything to reduce the smell and noise around the speedway would be an improvement. Both my daughters have always loved the speedway so it is an every trip torture for me as I hate the smell and noise. And I am very excited about HEA, but I enjoyed Enchantment. Hard to not enjoy music and fireworks standing in the middle of Disney!

 

[GuinnessRunner]

SAFD: 100% agree with COP, Space & Figment.

Not sure it counts since it's technically been closed for a bit now, but can we please finally get the replacement for Stich's Great Escape? Bothers me every time walking by (or riding on the the TTA) that now empty building.

 

[jrsharp21]

SAFD:

My brain when I get in line for Space Mountain: “They’d never let people on this unless it was completely safe. The liability and bad press would cost them way too much for them to risk anything bad happening.”

My brain when I’m mid-ride on Space Mountain: “There’s no way this is safe. Please don’t let my vehicle be the one that derails and causes them to close this death trap.”

While I understand the nostalgia for Space Mountain my argument for an update is based on several factors:

1. What is the reasonable remaining life on the current ride mechanism? If it will need to replaced eventually what is the argument for delaying it now (outside of the obvious, money).

2. The ride breaks down a lot. This leads to both extended planned refurbishment shutdowns and day to day unplanned maintenance. Space Mountain should be able to eat large amounts of crowd and it is currently unreliable to achieve this goal.

3. Ride technology has advanced immeasurably since Space Mountain debuted. How do you balance nostalgia vs Space Mountain’s place as a legitimate park icon? If you remain with the current ride Space Mountain will continue to fall down the list of memorable park experiences. For many it is already an afterthought.

A complete overhaul would allow for new design and technology to be implemented that would allow Space Mountain to accommodate more guests, more reliably and elevate it back to park icon status. My only concern would be that Disney would feel the need to pigeonhole IP into any reimagining.

If the WDW version could only upgrade to use the same vehicles as the Disneyland version. The DL has actual seats and there are two people per row. So it definitely accommodates more riders and with the seats, it is a much smoother ride. The WDW version actually hurts. Those ride vehicles aren't meant for taller people either. Another plus for the vehicles in Disneyland is that the speakers are right near your head, so you can hear the ride soundtrack clearly through the whole ride.

 

[Cabius]

SAFD: If you touch my tiki room I'mma come at you, but it would be nice to update the Tomorrowland Speedway.

But mostly, I'd love to get (almost) anything back into the Stitch's Great Escape building!

 

[jrsharp21]

I think the TTA Peoplemover show/displays could be updated. With the addition of Tron it would be a perfect opportunity. Back when Peoplemover was still around at Disneyland, they had a Tron show element. If they could bring that back with some updated effects, that would tie in nicely. Maybe throw in some animatronics in the displays.

 

[DisneyMountainWoman]

SAFD:
There is soo many but here are the easiest I think to change and update.
Tomorrows Speedway should be turned into Candy crush and electric cars.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros: should be turned into Coco.

 

[1lilspark]

SAFD:
There is soo many but here are the easiest I think to change and update.
Tomorrows Speedway should be turned into Candy crush and electric cars.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros: should be turned into Coco.

100% here for a sugar rush speedway overlay and you can just re anix the attraction to fantasyland if you don’t want to break with the tomorrowland theme

As much as I’d love a coco themed ride in Mexico they would most likely have to gut out the marketplace and possibly the restaurant instead the pyramid to accommodate extended queue space and I don’t like that thought

 

[fatmanatee]

Give Space Mountain the Tokyo overhaul.

 

[GuinnessRunner]

I think the TTA Peoplemover show/displays could be updated. With the addition of Tron it would be a perfect opportunity. Back when Peoplemover was still around at Disneyland, they had a Tron show element. If they could bring that back with some updated effects, that would tie in nicely. Maybe throw in some animatronics in the displays.

They have updated the speach recently at least but agree with you on the rest. Caught me off guard as they didn't re-record the whole script so for the new portions near Tron it's a slightly different voice.

 

[nekonekoneko]

Enchantment’s days are already numbered. Although it will almost certainly still be around for Marathon Weekend 2023 it has already been announced that the Happily Ever After soundtrack and theme will return sometime in 2023 for the MK nighttime spectacular. As much as I didn’t hate Enchantment, as it’s my contention that it’s really difficult for anything to feel truly terrible in that atmosphere, the soundtrack and theme never felt like they added to the experience.

If Disney is going to replace a show, something as iconically "Disney" as a fireworks show, the replacement should be better than what was there prior. HEA was arguably better than Wishes, but I can't find many people (though there are some) who think that Enchantment is better than HEA. The only thing about Enchantment is that they used more building space for more projections, but I feel that removes the focus of the show away from The Castle, and that needlessly complicates things.

 

[Barca33Runner]

If Disney is going to replace a show, something as iconically "Disney" as a fireworks show, the replacement should be better than what was there prior. HEA was arguably better than Wishes, but I can't find many people (though there are some) who think that Enchantment is better than HEA. The only thing about Enchantment is that they used more building space for more projections, but I feel that removes the focus of the show away from The Castle, and that needlessly complicates things.

I’ve softened on Enchantment over time. I was unhappy when they announced it and unmoved when I saw it (albeit on YouTube) for the first time. When I saw it in the park I didn’t hate it, but I don’t think that is the response they should be trying to attain.

Ultimately, it’s biggest failure from my perspective is that it’s not HEA. HEA was basically everything i didn’t know I wanted in a fireworks show from the first time I saw it. I’m all for changing the projections over time and updating the arrangement to fit, but the theme and the song just hit so much of what a day in the parks and Disney, in general, mean to me.

ETA: I also think Disney vastly underrated how much people loved HEA. I think they put a lot of time and effort into Enchantment but there was some hubris involved believing people would immediately warm to it the same way.

 

[camaker]

If Disney is going to replace a show, something as iconically "Disney" as a fireworks show, the replacement should be better than what was there prior. HEA was arguably better than Wishes, but I can't find many people (though there are some) who think that Enchantment is better than HEA. The only thing about Enchantment is that they used more building space for more projections, but I feel that removes the focus of the show away from The Castle, and that needlessly complicates things.

I’ve softened on Enchantment over time. I was unhappy when they announced it and unmoved when I saw it (albeit on YouTube) for the first time. When I saw it in the park I didn’t hate it, but I don’t think that is the response they should be trying to attain.

Ultimately, it’s biggest failure from my perspective is that it’s not HEA. HEA was basically everything i didn’t know I wanted in a fireworks show from the first time I saw it. I’m all for changing the projections over time and updating the arrangement to fit, but the theme and the song just hit so much of what a day in the parks and Disney, in general, mean to me.

The show itself is undeniably a technical marvel, but I had two problems with Enchantment. First off, where I felt there was a cohesive theme and story being told by Wishes and, to a lesser extent, Happily Ever After, Enchantment didn't seem to have any sort of cohesion or story beyond "let's see if we can cram every IP we own into one nighttime show." Secondly, Wishes was a fireworks show. Happily Ever After added in the castle projections which, in my opinion, complemented the fireworks without completely taking the attention from them. Enchantment, however, has taken the castle projections to the extreme. The projections feel like a separate show being displayed concurrently with the fireworks. I didn't know where to watch. Regardless of where I was looking, I felt like I was missing something in the section I wasn't watching at the time, especially with how quickly they cycled through the different IPs. It was just too much.

 

[marty3d]

SAFD: I'm going to pile on and say the Tomorrowland speedway as well - they need to get rid of the gas cars and the fumes. I would be happy if they keep everything the same and simply replace the gas cars with electric ones.

Second choice would be all of Tomorrowland - it's time for updates across the entire land. Agree with:
- Space Mountain - new vehicles but keep overall theme
- CoP - final scene - do something with it. Not sure exactly what but Disney has fantastic Imagineers who I'm sure can come up with something we'd love that fits in the spirit of the attraction.
- Stich building - Something! I'd even be happy if they brought back mission to mars!
- Monsters Laugh Floor - not to be "that guy" but either a new show or whole new attraction
- New restaurant? I know we have Space 220 at Epcot, but I think there's room for a (less expensive) Tomorrowland themed table service restaurant

 

[RuntheMouse]

SAFD: I'm going to pile on and say the Tomorrowland speedway as well - they need to get rid of the gas cars and the fumes. I would be happy if they keep everything the same and simply replace the gas cars with electric ones.

Agreed!

 

[1lilspark]

Idk who is running but socials posted the castaway challenge medal

 

[lookingforsunshine]

Enchantment, however, has taken the castle projections to the extreme. The projections feel like a separate show being displayed concurrently with the fireworks.

I never saw Enchantment but I felt this way with the MNSSHP fireworks show. I said to my friends that they could do away with the fireworks entirely. They were kind of distracting.

Monsters Laugh Floor - not to be "that guy" but either a new show or whole new attraction

Please don’t take my laugh floor away from me it’s my one guaranteed serotonin boost a year!