We’ve all heard the rumors about what Disney Parks are planning to do for the Magic Kingdom, but it seems as though the only things implemented so far have been paint jobs and opportunities to price gouge. If Bob Chapek is focused on an epic EPCOT overhaul, turning it into a new IP-merchandise-heavy theme park, neglecting the biggest park (attendance) seems like a possible outcome.
So, to help him out and get the ball rolling, here’s five ways to improve the Magic Kingdom, just in time for the 50th Anniversary!
#1. Tomorrowland Speedway Re-Imagined
Despite the rumored theme or its place in the Magic Kingdom, a Wreck-It-Ralph Sugar Rush Racer overlay just makes sense. Can we all be true to ourselves and admit that Tomorrowland‘s futuristic theme has been chipped away year-by-year into a space/cartoon/alternate-reality cluster of disaster? The location is next to the Mad Tea Party and Storybook Circus attractions, so it’s easy to just let that geographical transition happen. Tomorrowland Speedway is too popular to just bulldoze and overhaul.
Enough with the fumes already, too… convert these units to run on re-chargeable batteries. Keep a dedicated track with all of the old shells with two-seaters and make the majority single rider. Now with two lines: single rider and family, the loading time would decrease. With the extra width available now, adding an extra rail would increase load capacity. With a magnetic fail-safe at the loading platform, all lanes could depart at once and guests could actually “race”. Extra batteries and solar panels with pure sine wave inverters would cut down tremendously on fossil fuel consumption. Put the panels where those cabanas were and on top of the Tomorrowland Light and Power Company (Space Mountain’s gift shop) roof.
#2. Make Extra Magic Hours More Frequent and at Night Only
There’s just something special about the Magic Kingdom at night. That magical aura that surrounds your body and the smile you can’t shake off after witnessing Wishes! fireworks spectacular, that extra energy boost, makes you want to take on a new challenge. The hanging lights at the Rapunzel bathrooms, the distant Heigh-Ho and pick-axes sound in the distance, riding your favorite attraction… everything feels different.
I have nothing against early risers, but with the new entry process and having the morning show at the castle, it just seems too mundane to accommodate early Extra Magic Hours. If there are more successful limited runs of hard ticket events for the Magic Kingdom from 7PM-3AM, with exclusivity from 12AM-3AM, one could conclude that they could get rid of Extra Magic Hours altogether… and then the fans revolt! Night time is also great for photography enthusiasts.
#3 (a). Frontierland Transformation
So, I guess I buried the lead. This is the big salami right here. It all starts by docking the Liberty Belle and making it a permanent meet and greet, with a restaurant/fireworks viewing area on the top deck. Disney sure loves to make everything a viewing area and a potential dessert party for patrons to pay extra for, so we may as well accept this as a given. Maybe Princess Tiana’s Ice Cream Social and Parade Viewing can have a permanent spot on the Liberty Belle? At least we’ll have something to do while all of the construction happens around it. That construction starts because we will…
#3 (b). Construct Two Bridges to Ease Traffic Congestion
Capacity is at an all-time high for the Magic Kingdom; getting to Tom Sawyer Island is extremely inconvenient, and it is space better utilized. Building a bridge from the Haunted Mansion queue to Tom Sawyer Island to the smoking section at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will ease traffic congestion. With the Liberty Belle docked, this is now possible. How many times have you walked from the funnel that is it’s a small world / Peter Pan’s Flight to get to Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and had to maneuver through all of Frontierland? This is a better way. This addition would be most beneficial during the parade.
It just makes sense. All of the caves and play areas go undisturbed with these new bridges, and ultimately will give children more opportunities to enjoy them. Also, with the Liberty Belle permanently docked, we now have the headroom to…
#4. Build a New River Ride on the Rivers of America
The inefficient raft that takes 30 people 300 feet is now gone. The Rivers of America are now ripe for a Grizzly River Run (Disney’s California Adventure) type of ride that the Magic Kingdom deserves. Ft. Langhorn would be an easy overlay into a ride queue. The entry and exit at the bridge is perfect. If the boats need elevation for drops, new track area towards the north end of the island, and an expanded route, can accommodate it.
Any variation can easily be done and out of the (visual) way of the park goers. How about Tom Sawyer’s Grand Getaway for an attraction name? If there’s a new, country-themed intellectual property in the future for Disney, we’ll name it that.
This major addition to the Magic Kingdom would be the big announcement to push for the 50th Anniversary…and it’s a big project. Since we’re used to construction being spread out over multiple earnings segments, this should be open for/by the big anniversary.
#5. Stitch’s Great Mistake
This is a perfect space for a WALL-E attraction. It’s big enough for a large 3-D film with moving seats. Now, that sounds like an attraction I’d go and experience (no more smell of fear in the room!). A simple design with an easy story to accompany this setup just writes itself. WALL-E and EVE dancing out in space with the fire extinguisher (with air blown onto guests for affect).
This addition would also fill a need; remember PUSH the trash can? How about a remote-controlled, interactive WALL-E robot experience outside of this attraction instead? Just imagine the wonderful memories that could occur with this setup. EVE could be there, too! I’m sure with the drone technology available, this would be a great nighttime feature! Meet and greet handlers can say, “WALL-E has to recharge” when it’s break time, too.
So, there you have it. Filling up space gone to waste, outdated attractions updated/replaced for a new generation of Disney guests, and new pathways to get there! I know I didn’t tackle issues like Tony’s Town Square, a night time parade replacement or the Swiss Family Tree House, but that’s fuel for plenty of feuds in the comments. 😉
