Thoughts on Cars Land replacing Tom Sawyer Island at The MK

[tx911]

It looks like there is still some water on the south side facing Fronteirland, but in general, yes, there will be no "river" encricling the island, it will be filled in to conntact to the mainland.

Yes, the renderings of the Cars attraction seem to show quite a bit of water features.

 

[firefly_ris]

What has made Disney parks unique is theming and kinetics -- even when guests don't actively understand or notice it, it is felt when it's not there. Removing the Liberty Belle and the river is going to make this area so chaotic and crammed. They see this area as it currently exists as simply a revenue loss rather than part of something that makes Disney parks unique.

WDW especially has the gift of land expansion and they just won't do it, and instead continue to cannibalize existing areas of their parks instead. For me this just adds to a list of several years worth of decisions by WDI (or more likely Corporate) that I don't understand anymore. I have nothing against new attractions but it just seems like they want to take the cheaper route every single time instead of really considering how these parks work thematically in the long run for the next several decades.

 

[BrianL]

Yes, the renderings of the Cars attraction seem to show quite a bit of water features.

It's kind of hard to tell from the painting because some thigns that look like water have people stansing on it. I think though that there is some water on the current Frontierland side based on the fact that you can still see some of the boardwalk in the image. Most likely, this small part of the water will remain as a barrier, with access to the Cars section closet to BTTMR, possibly through to Liberty Square. There will not be enough water for the riverboat though.

 

[tx911]

It's kind of hard to tell from the painting because some thigns that look like water have people stansing on it. I think though that there is some water on the current Frontierland side based on the fact that you can still see some of the boardwalk in the image. Most likely, this small part of the water will remain as a barrier, with access to the Cars section closet to BTTMR, possibly through to Liberty Square. There will not be enough water for the riverboat though.

That's just depicting Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro walking on water

Seriously though, I agree, no Riverboat

 

[nancipants]

Several people have questioned why they're building the Cars area on ROA and TSI, instead of expanding. Aren't they expanding for the Villains area? That's literally beyond Big Thunder.

My thought is that they're using this opportunity to redo the landscape in Frontierland to allow Villains Land to connect easier to the rest of the park. Because having one pathway beyond Big Thunder would stink. (See also: Sunset Boulevard in DHS.)

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I think part of all this is removing/redoing Frontierland because of the current culture of politically correcting things. Not saying it’s wrong, just how it is. Tom Sawyer story has “Injun Joe”, the slave Jim and such and the Liberty Belle is reminiscent of the old south. And the frontier concept in general is frowned upon currently. I’m surprised they haven’t removed the Indian scene from Peter Pan yet. Not trying to be political or controversial but I think this is the thought behind gutting Frontierland.

 

[BrianL]

I think part of all this is removing/redoing Frontierland because of the current culture of politically correcting things. Not saying it’s wrong, just how it is. Tom Sawyer story has “Injun Joe”, the slave Jim and such and the Liberty Belle is reminiscent of the old south. And the frontier concept in general is frowned upon currently. I’m surprised they haven’t removed the Indian scene from Peter Pan yet. Not trying to be political or controversial but I think this is the thought behind gutting Frontierland.

I mean, it could be some of that, but also the Old West, etc. just isn't that culturally relevant anymore. How many WDW gusts have even read Tom Sawyer? How many of them think he's a Disney character? I mean, that might be a statement on our society as a whole. One might make arguments about why that is true, but it is what it is. It seems that the area is becomming more of a "country" type area and not really just the Old West.

 

[Planogirl]

DS and I spent a lot of time playing in the caves and the fort when he was young. It was fun and DS always asked to go to the island. I understand why they are replacing it but it’s still a shame that somewhere quiet and relatively simple couldn’t survive.

 

[Donald Duck Family]

What has made Disney parks unique is theming and kinetics -- even when guests don't actively understand or notice it, it is felt when it's not there. Removing the Liberty Belle and the river is going to make this area so chaotic and crammed. They see this area as it currently exists as simply a revenue loss rather than part of something that makes Disney parks unique.

WDW especially has the gift of land expansion and they just won't do it, and instead continue to cannibalize existing areas of their parks instead. For me this just adds to a list of several years worth of decisions by WDI (or more likely Corporate) that I don't understand anymore. I have nothing against new attractions but it just seems like they want to take the cheaper route every single time instead of really considering how these parks work thematically in the long run for the next several decades.

This. All of this. Disney needs to expand, not replace.

Current management does not understand what set Disney apart from all the others in the past.

They are going to pave paradise and put up a parking lot.

 

[tx911]

This. All of this. Disney needs to expand, not replace.

Current management does not understand what set Disney apart from all the others in the past.

They are going to pave paradise and put up a parking lot.

I agree, that would be nice. But even Walt didn't intend for things to remain untouched.

Also, TSI and the Riverboat aren't paradise, and Cars ain't a parking lot

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

Ah, mixed feelings. Frontierland is my favorite area of MK but I have to admit we never made it to the island. Every time we tried the ferry had just left or was down, or something else intervened. But I loved standing by the water and just taking a quiet moment or two, especially at night. I hope they can preserve that feeling. Nothing against Cars, it's a favorite franchise in our family so I'm sure we'll like it.

 

[DisneyPanthersFan]

Our family loves the riverboat. We ride it pretty much every trip.

We enjoy Cars Land at California Adventure, but I personally don't feel that Magic Kingdom needs to have its own Cars Land. Especially if it's at the expense of Rivers of America/TSI.

 

[Deb]

Never been to TSI, If I ever rode the river boat it was 45 ish years ago. I will miss the esthetics of the river itself but I also trust the imagineers to have something wonderful in the works

 

[BrianL]

Never been to TSI, If I ever rode the river boat it was 45 ish years ago. I will miss the esthetics of the river itself but I also trust the imagineers to have something wonderful in the works

I do trust the imagineers, but I don't necessarily trust the money-minders to let them do what needs to be done. We shall see though.

 

[Ronaldo17]

Probably overdue now, not been to TSI in years.

 

[MartyParty]

I remember growing up with extended family that loved western movies and TV shows. I feel like Tom Sawyer Island kinda capture that vibe of adventure in the American west. That vibe is gone today as is the notions of folks riding horses, wide open spaces, upcoming little small towns, etc.

Don't think TSI connects with folks the way it once did. As for the island it was ok. No real rides to speak of but that wasn't the point.

Ok to move on...

 

[pks_domer]

We've not ever been to TSI in any of our trips to WDW with the kids, and I don't remember going as a kid (despite liking Mark Twain's stories). But, we have been to TSI at DL with the kids... they had a blast, but like half the things to do on the island were closed. Basically we just did the pirate treasure, a few caves, and that was about it. A nice break, and a chance for them to run around in a way we wouldn't let them in the rest of the park, but not something we're dying to squeeze in on our next trip to WDW to get a fuller experience than we got at DL.

New Cars rides, though, sign us up...

 

[wabbott]

Look for this idea to be round-filed pretty quickly. TSI and the ROA are part of what make the park what it is. It is alarming to me that such an idea has been seriously proposed. Do these people have any concept of how the parks were originally created?

This line of thinking will lead to someone suggesting - seriously - that Cinderella Castle be demolished, since there's only the one restaurant there.

 

[tvguy]

All the vacant land and they have to take something out to add a ride? Why? The whole thought process of WDW was always having the room to expand.

 

[tvguy]

. However, I am also excited to see this new Cars land as the land in DCA is great. I am sure the new land will be awesome, but I also agree with others that there is a need for some type of preservation of certain "classic" Disney attractions.

I realize Cars Land is not geared to a 67 year old like me, but even my Cars loving 5 year old Granddaughter found Cars Land at CA a disappointment.