New McKim's Mile House and ImaginAtrium Member Lounge >> NOW OPEN! 3/18/25 <<

[CarolynFH]

Making it an easy VQ on an app will only make the actual waitlist exponentially longer, though. As soon as you get rid of an inconvenience such as having to walk to the actual attraction, you get way more people trying to join.

I'd rather you have to be in Frontierland to join.

I think they're able to put geofences on the restaurant walk-up waitlists - I know I've had some limitations when trying to see how long the wait was at a given place - so they could probably use that tech rather than the VQ tech they use for rides like Tron. I'm not sure they could limit it to being in Frontierland (or Adventureland, just adjacent) as opposed to just in MK, maybe someone else knows.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

I think they're able to put geofences on the restaurant walk-up waitlists - I know I've had some limitations when trying to see how long the wait was at a given place - so they could probably use that tech rather than the VQ tech they use for rides like Tron. I'm not sure they could limit it to being in Frontierland (or Adventureland, just adjacent) as opposed to just in MK, maybe someone else knows.

Geofence is actually much more precise, at least at DLR, they know if you’re within a few minute walk when you try to check in for dining reservations— I think this is true for WDW as well.

 

[mrsap]

Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade Closed Permanently, Construction Walls Arrive

The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is now closed permanently. The opening day attraction had its final day of operation yesterday after nearly 53 years. The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade will be replaced by a Disney Vacation Club members-only lounge.

The nearby Disney Vacation Club kiosk and the Frontier Trading Post remain open at this time.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade Closed Permanently, Construction Walls Arrive

The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade is now closed permanently. The opening day attraction had its final day of operation yesterday after nearly 53 years. The Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade will be replaced by a Disney Vacation Club members-only lounge.

The nearby Disney Vacation Club kiosk and the Frontier Trading Post remain open at this time.

I am excited to have a convenient* place to take a break on hot, crowded MK days.

*convenient provided you plan ahead and get on a waitlist 30-90m before you actually want to use it.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

I am excited to have a convenient* place to take a break on hot, crowded MK days.

*convenient provided you plan ahead and get on a waitlist 30-90m before you actually want to use it.

Same, we’ll definitely stop by regularly! I will say people on social media are not very happy about it though-the comments

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Same, we’ll definitely stop by regularly! I will say people on social media are not very happy about it though-the comments

 

[Cabius]

Same, we’ll definitely stop by regularly! I will say people on social media are not very happy about it though-the comments

I totally get it! Disney is taking away something that every park guest could enjoy (even if it wasn't that popular, just walking past it added some thematic atmosphere) and turning it into something only an entitled minority can enjoy.

As a member of the entitled minority, I'm of course happy with it. But I get why it stings, especially after years of 'charge more, give less' monetization.

 

[DonMacGregor]

DVC just presents as a convenient boogey man for anyone who's salty about the arcade closing. Disney is in the business of making money. Post-COVID, the Shootin' Arcade was free and if people were lining up, it wouldn't be free. Plus, DVC doesn't get even a square inch of park space without paying rent on it, so DPEP obviously wants to earn income off the space. If they could do that as an arcade, and just leave it as-is, they would.

As is par for the Disney course, there are people who swear they use it every time they are in the park, and that it's always crowded, and DVC has "stolen" something else beloved from their childhood, but...

 

[zackiedawg]

I've sat and chilled on the large 'bench' thing in front of the gallery many times, and watched - most days I was there i could count the number of people using the shooting arcade on one hand in 30 minutes. It seems to be one of those things people 'miss' only after it's gone, but when it was there, nobody used it.

As a DVC lounge, that place will be much more crowded all day, guaranteed. And Disney can probably justify it even having some monetization value, if just one or two people a day decide that they want to buy into DVC when they see the entitled enjoying their new space.

I've got an interesting idea to pitch Disney - expand it to use up all that frontal space right up to the construction wall, all the way back to the Adventureland side, and make it 2 stories with a covered roof viewing deck for parades and such. That should really get the hoi polloi jealous (and make getting into the lounge for DVC members during parade times about as bad as the most popular new ride!)

 

[tx911]

I've sat and chilled on the large 'bench' thing in front of the gallery many times, and watched - most days I was there i could count the number of people using the shooting arcade on one hand in 30 minutes. It seems to be one of those things people 'miss' only after it's gone, but when it was there, nobody used it.

As a DVC lounge, that place will be much more crowded all day, guaranteed. And Disney can probably justify it even having some monetization value, if just one or two people a day decide that they want to buy into DVC when they see the entitled enjoying their new space.

I've got an interesting idea to pitch Disney - expand it to use up all that frontal space right up to the construction wall, all the way back to the Adventureland side, and make it 2 stories with a covered roof viewing deck for parades and such. That should really get the hoi polloi jealous (and make getting into the lounge for DVC members during parade times about as bad as the most popular new ride!)

Maybe "Beyond Big Thunder" will be a giant DVC-only villains land

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

DVC just presents as a convenient boogey man for anyone who's salty about the arcade closing. Disney is in the business of making money. Post-COVID, the Shootin' Arcade was free and if people were lining up, it wouldn't be free. Plus, DVC doesn't get even a square inch of park space without paying rent on it, so DPEP obviously wants to earn income off the space. If they could do that as an arcade, and just leave it as-is, they would.

This. This, this, this, this, this. Honestly, I kinda wish we’d encouraged our kids do it more often before it was gone, but I don’t blame Disney from correctly identifying it as unpopular.

I've sat and chilled on the large 'bench' thing in front of the gallery many times, and watched - most days I was there i could count the number of people using the shooting arcade on one hand in 30 minutes. It seems to be one of those things people 'miss' only after it's gone, but when it was there, nobody used it.

It me!

As a DVC lounge, that place will be much more crowded all day, guaranteed. And Disney can probably justify it even having some monetization value, if just one or two people a day decide that they want to buy into DVC when they see the entitled enjoying their new space.

Aside from rental fees that DVC likely has to pay to the parks budget, the EPCOT lounge is always packed (50+ people?) and even Starview Station usually has 20-30 people (or more) these days. MK lounge will be bumpin’ and that’s 50 or more of us who aren’t making lines (for food, rides, or drinks) even longer. Way better capacity use than the gallery.

I've got an interesting idea to pitch Disney - expand it to use up all that frontal space right up to the construction wall, all the way back to the Adventureland side, and make it 2 stories with a covered roof viewing deck for parades and such. That should really get the hoi polloi jealous (and make getting into the lounge for DVC members during parade times about as bad as the most popular new ride!)

Roof viewing of parades.

 

[tx911]

This. This, this, this, this, this. Honestly, I kinda wish we’d encouraged our kids do it more often before it was gone, but I don’t blame Disney from correctly identifying it as unpopular.

It me!

Aside from rental fees that DVC likely has to pay to the parks budget, the EPCOT lounge is always packed (50+ people?) and even Starview Station usually has 20-30 people (or more) these days. MK lounge will be bumpin’ and that’s 50 or more of us who aren’t making lines (for food, rides, or drinks) even longer. Way better capacity use than the gallery.

Roof viewing of parades.

A rooftop deck would be insanely good

 

[BamaGuy44]

DVC just presents as a convenient boogey man for anyone who's salty about the arcade closing. Disney is in the business of making money. Post-COVID, the Shootin' Arcade was free and if people were lining up, it wouldn't be free. Plus, DVC doesn't get even a square inch of park space without paying rent on it, so DPEP obviously wants to earn income off the space. If they could do that as an arcade, and just leave it as-is, they would.

As is par for the Disney course, there are people who swear they use it every time they are in the park, and that it's always crowded, and DVC has "stolen" something else beloved from their childhood, but...

Every time. As predictable as a sunrise. "Stupid Disney never innovate, never build anything new, parks just stagnate! Epic Universe will be the end of them. We need state of the art attractions opening every 6 weeks."

But also,"don't you dare change or remove anything, no matter how unpopular, because NOSTALGIA!"

Im sure there are some people who genuinely love the arcade and will miss it. 90+%* of the people whining had forgotten it was even there, if they ever did notice it.

*statistic is made up but I deem it to be accurate because reasons

 

[tjkraz]

DVC just presents as a convenient boogey man for anyone who's salty about the arcade closing. Disney is in the business of making money. Post-COVID, the Shootin' Arcade was free and if people were lining up, it wouldn't be free.

Many comments I've read criticizing removal of the Shootin' Gallery have referenced the cost, with posters apparently not even visiting often enough to realize that it's been 4 years since Disney charged for it.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I'm sure there are some people who genuinely love the arcade and will miss it. 90+%* of the people whining had forgotten it was even there, if they ever did notice it.

It's just like the people who haven't been over to Tom Sawyer Island since middle school in 1983.

 

[BamaGuy44]

It's just like the people who haven't been over to Tom Sawyer Island since middle school in 1983.

Pretty much , but if they tried to close it, suddenly it's everyone's favorite thing. The pearl clutching would be off the chart, Walt would once again be rolling in his grave, etc. Poor Walt, his casket has no doubt drilled its way to the center of the Earth by now, with all that rolling.

 

[muppets3d]

Many comments I've read criticizing removal of the Shootin' Gallery have referenced the cost, with posters apparently not even visiting often enough to realize that it's been 4 years since Disney charged for it.

Honestly though the frequency of somebody's visit shouldn't dictate whether or not they can be disappointed for a change.

A lot of the complaints on social are people complaining just to complain. If a post on social media cost even $1 to make, the internet would be such a profoundly better place.

I do believe that Frontierland will be basically unrecognizable from today before long.

 

[tjkraz]

I do believe that Frontierland will be basically unrecognizable from today before long.

Put $1 in the jar on your way out.

 

[mrsap]

Demolition Underway at Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade in Magic Kingdom

While we can see that the show set is being demolished, the building itself will remain standing and be converted into a Disney Vacation Club Members-only lounge. Here’s a look at the current progress, as seen from aboard the Liberty Square Riverboat.


For these next few photos, we have to push our camera settings to the extreme to see inside the dimly lit interior.

 

[Lisa01]

Hooray!

It seems to me that DVC owners are being treated a little better over the last few years, slowly getting more perks and more respect. I have to wonder how much Covid influenced it - that when Disney realized DVC owners would pay to maintain and operate the DVC resorts whether they were open or closed, it opened their eyes to more possibilities. I think they were beginning to see things before Covid, such as how converting unsold WL rooms to CCV would fill those rooms and allow them to fill the remaining WL rooms at higher prices, but maybe Covid accelerated the process.

I'm sorry. I truly wish I could agree with you, but I feel DVC members are treated like second class citizens. When we purchased, members got free tickets, free valet parking, daily room servicing, the incredi-pass for $300, etc. The rooms had more amenities. My daughters went on the 4th of July and bought a retail room at the Coronado. Though the room was $300, they got mouthwash, an amenities kit, shower cap. Seems petty, but it annoys the heck out of me. As you said, we have stood by Disney thru thick and thin. The itty bitty perks they throw our way now are insulting.