Let’s check in about something that disappeared from Magic Kingdom last year, the Frontierland Shootin’ Arcade. Tucked between the Country Bear Musical Jamboree and Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café, the Shootin’ Arcade was once a quirky little corner of the park where guests could test their aim in a wild west-style shooting gallery. It didn’t have a line, didn’t require a Lightning Lane, and didn’t come with a backstory explained over three pre-show rooms. It was just simple, old-school Disney fun.
Today, we’re wondering: does anyone miss it?
For some, the answer is an easy yes. The Shootin’ Arcade was a nostalgic part of the park that felt like a throwback to an earlier Disney era, when pleasures didn’t have to be high-tech or IP-driven to be entertaining. It gave kids (and adults) a place to slow down, take a break from the crowds, and feel like a cowboy for five minutes. There was something charming about the sound of the pop-guns echoing down the wooden boardwalks of Frontierland. It wasn’t flashy, but it was part of the park’s atmosphere.
It did take up valuable real estate in a park where space is always in short supply. It wasn’t included in your park admission (unless you caught it during that brief window when Disney removed the fee), and it didn’t exactly draw massive crowds. Plus, the theme park world is different now. Guests expect more interactivity, more storytelling, and often, more IP connections. The Shootin’ Arcade didn’t check those boxes.
The biggest kicker for most Disney fans is that the space was transformed into a new Disney Vacation Club Member Lounge, adding yet another perk for DVC members but taking away a piece of Frontierland charm in the process.
Still, there’s something to be said for the little experiences that aren’t built around a queue. The Shootin’ Arcade was spontaneous. You could stumble upon it, spend a few minutes pretending you were in a John Wayne movie, and move on with your day. It didn’t ask for a major time investment or offer a ride photo at the end. It was just there, and that was kind of the beauty of it.
It also helped round out Frontierland thematically. Between Big Thunder Mountain, the Country Bears, and (the now closed) Tom Sawyer Island, the Shootin’ Arcade helped create the feeling that you were stepping into a fully lived-in western town.
Of course, maybe you never even glanced at the Shootin’ Arcade. Maybe your day at Magic Kingdom was too packed to consider popping off a few laser rounds at a fake tin can. And hey, that’s fair too. It wasn’t the flashiest part of the park. But sometimes, it’s those quiet corners that you don’t realize you’ll miss until they’re gone.
So, what do you think? Did you ever stop and play? Do you miss the Shootin’ Arcade? Or are you glad to have a Disney Vacation Club Member Lounge in Magic Kingdom?
Let us know in the comments, especially if you ever managed to hit all the targets on your first try. Yeehaw!
