What Would YOU Like To See In DisneyLand ?

[Atlantica]

Ok, this thread is just for fun, but who knows ? Some Disney Imagineers may be reading .....

What is the one element, from any Disney movie that you would like to see come to life in any of the theme parks ? Whether it be Tulgey Wood from Alice In Wonderland, Cruella Devile's house from 101 Dalmations, Atlantica from The Little Mermaid .... any element, whether it be a room, house, place, palace, garden; anything at all !

I'll start

I have always wanted, for obvious reasons, Atlantica featured in one of the parks, as the castle. I know this wouldnt fit in with the rest of the 'look' of Disney, but I still think it could be, if done right, a beautiful thing to behold. BUT as they are including Eric's Castle now, I'll have to be happy with that.

So as that dream is being partly realised, I would like to offer up something else I would like to see in DisneyLand; a trip down the Rabbit Hole ! Not like the Alice Dark Ride as such; it would be a walking attraction. If you understand me, sort of a Helter Skelter ride you get at fun fairs, but inside, and in the dark....

You have to crouch down to get into the rabbit hole, just as Alice does, and you go along until you reach the top of a winding slide. You start to slide down, (probably on some sort of mat), twisting every which way, seeing everything that Alice does along the way, through projections and physical objects .... such as the rocking chair, the books, lamps, fireplace and such ! This is all kept quite in the dark; only lit as it is in the film; until you come to the bottom, where you end up outside, in the 'Golden Afternoon' garden, where flowers talk, and are much bigger than you, just like Pixie Hollow (maybe the two places could be attatched?).

Look forward to seeing people's thoughts and ideas

[blackcauldron85]

I really like that Alice idea, atlantica!!!!!

I like the idea of a Villain's Land that many people have had. And/or a Dragon Land. I think that a Narissa-as-dragon ride would be cool, with you riding on her (Narissa makes more sense than Maleficent for this kind of ride, I think, since she scales buildings while holding people...And there could be a little kid's section, with an Elliott ride (maybe a train or something...?) or the Reluctant Dragon. And a Sleeping Beauty dark ride would be neat here. Maybe Disney should just build Beastly Kingdom.

I also like the ideas of Wonderland or Never Land that other people have mentioned before. How about a Prydain? True, not many people would know what it is, and I know that it's unlikely, but you have fairies to please the little ones, and a princess, and then swords and sorcery for the boys, and undead warriors for the goths ...kidding, sort of. I mean, there's something for everyone. And there could be rides: an apple-hunt (maybe like a Buzz Lightyear-type ride, or it could be like Heimlich's Chew Chew Train), a Battle for the Cauldron ride, maybe like the ride in Norway, only faster...with the track changes and stuff... I haven't thought it through yet.

A 101 Dalmatians ride would make sense, either a dark ride or a faster ride, in Cruella's car. Idk that Disney would want to have you riding in a villain's car, unless it'd be in Villain Land, but it'd still be fun.

[Atlantica]

Ooooo all good ideas Amy ! I especially like the idea of Villains Land; that could be extremely interesting ! It could almost incorporate the Dragon Land idea as well, save for dragons like Pete

There could be a particular villans layer in the middle of it maybe ? How about a center peice that incorporates an element of all the villains maybe; like the Queens Dungeon, Forbidden mountain and so on ?

[ColorsOfTheWind]

I have a few ideas I've come up with while thinking of what I'd like to see at the park. So far I only have one actual ride idea in mind. The rest are tweaks I'd do to the park

I'd love to see a kind of log ride based on Pocahontas, with people riding in canoes instead of actual logs. The ride would basically take you through the story (but I think only from Pocahontas's viewpoint, or else the ride might be too long) and there would be some great drops at Just Around the Riverbend - hopefully synchronized to the part when she herself drops down the waterfall - and some other parts in the film. I think it'd be great to find a way to not make it so bumpy, though. I can't imagine continuously bumping into the sides during Colors of the Wind anyway, it's just a thought.

Then I would like to see a few tweaks to the park. For one, I think there should be Disney characters roaming freely all around the park. I know it'd be difficult to have this happen, but it'd make the place a lot more magical to see the characters come to life all around you, not at specific times while you wait in line for them.

And finally, I'd want to jazz up the tram ride and entrance area. I mean, you're going to the most magical place on earth! The tram ride over should be the transition from this world to the world of Disney and I, for one, can hardly call passing a few posters and a car being used as an advertisement for some car company magical. I'll admit, sometimes they've got some character figures out, mostly for the holidays I believe, but it needs to be much more magical, I think.

So those were my two cents.

[dizfan]

King Triton's Castle is in Mermaid Lagoon at Tokyo DisneySea and it's beautiful!

[Disney Duster]

^ I was just going to tell Atlantica that there was an Atlantica built at Tokyo Disneyland! Complete with the place where Ariel explored sunken ships, I think her grotto, and Ursula's lair, my favorite!

That Alice Helter Skelter sounds great!

Amy, what's this Norway ride and apple hunt?

ColorsOfTheWind, if the characters were all over the place, I would think that would be distracting. Some people actually do not want to be around the characters and it would drive some people away. Also, it is more special if you see them sometimes, not all the time, that would take away the specialness.

I have always wanted my favorite films to come to life. A Sleeping Beauty dark ride would be more exciting than the walk-through, but I wonder if there could be walk-throughs that are like dark rides. Walking through the scenes, almost like a haunted house in a way, but sometimes it's happy.

Cinderella's getting a walk-through at Tokyo Disneyland that is said to be like Sleeping Beauty's but with more, like bigger, more interactive and impressive scenes, and a whole recreation of the ballroom.

Honestly, the Fantasyland expansion really could be almost exactly what I want, but I would love it more if you could walk through the homes and see the story unfold that way. The only problem is it would probably have to be guided like a haunted house, in case any villains chased you. But you would walk into a scene and it would either be in a smooth loop or some scenes would just magically start over again, and when you were ready you would leave the scene onto the next one.

So, it would be like a walk-through but with animatronics, I guess, really, really well-done animatronics that are like something in between the real animated characters and real people in the costumes. Projections would be fine, as long as it looked like it was really happening. So places would be Cinderella's chateau, Sleeping Beauty's castle (in Disneyland and Paris), and the other homes of other characters where most of their story takes place. Maybe Gepetto's workshop could have Stromboli's wagon and a surfaced Monstro right by it to go inside, and the queen could transform right outside Snow White's cottage, with the kiss in the woods behind it. Could Bambi and any forest film just be around the same area?

You know what, maybe I just want Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty dark rides, they may work better, lol. It's just that the fairy tales particularly lend themselves to simply walking through and taking in the beauty, but it can be more 3-dimensional like the dark rides.

In fact, dark rides might be better because then they are clearly contained and not quite the characters come to life, so you don't expect too much of them, and you zoom past them before you start to realize their flaws or how fake they are. I don't know.

[blackcauldron85]

^ I like your ideas about the walk-throughs!!!!!

Um, well, there's the Maelstrom in Norway (I couldn't recall its name when I typed earlier), and...I haven't thought any of this through, but Gurgi likes apples, so it could be a journey through Prydain, with the theme being looking with Gurgi for apples, but instead of scenes of Norway like the Maelstrom, it'd be of Prydain, so essentially it'd be a dark ride, but with drops and stuff...

[ColorsOfTheWind]

ColorsOfTheWind, if the characters were all over the place, I would think that would be distracting. Some people actually do not want to be around the characters and it would drive some people away. Also, it is more special if you see them sometimes, not all the time, that would take away the specialness.

I don't mean the characters would be everywhere all the time. I agree, they would lose their specialness that way. But as it is at Disneyland right now, I never see any characters. Either they aren't there or they're hidden behind a massive line. I actually find California Adventure to be a much better place to see them.

If there were to be more characters than there are now, I don't think it would drive people away either. I have never heard a single negative comment about the characters when people see them at the park. In fact, I commonly hear people wish there were more of them. When my friend first visited Disneyland back in February, her only complaint was that she didn't see a single character. They add to the magic and they should be around more.

[Disney Duster]

Amy, thank you!!!

You also said there would be a Battle for the Cauldron ride. I think that makes more sense. The Black Cauldron would probably be best having an awesome scary adventure ride and the apple hunt more of an outdoor in the forest activity, more for the kids but the cool adults like us would join!

ColorsOfTheWind, what I mean is some people who aren't "Disney people", who aren't big fans of Disney, still go to the parks because the parks are considered the biggest, best places to go for vacation. There is Epcot and Tomorrowland and Hollywood Studios, there are places for people that don't watch Disney films often or are "embarassed" by the characters that they see as kiddie, even though they're not kiddie at all, but they think they are just because they are hand-drawn or smiling.

And these people probably wouldn't voice their opinions out loud, but more to themselves or when they get some place quiet or they won't be heard. Could you imagine an adult saying "I hate Mickey!" out loud in front of all the kids and parents and the Disney employees, even Mickey himself, ruining it for everyone?

[Atlantica]

Atlantica has already been created ?! How on EARTH did I not realise this ??!?!?!?!? Does anyone have any good photographs ?!

All these ideas are just brilliant ! I love the idea of the Pocahontas ride; it would fit perfectly with a log flume type ride; but I get what you mean, it couldnt be too bumpy, that would spoil it a bit ...

I was think that too, Disney Duster, that probably anyone who loves the fairy tale films are pretty much having their dreams fufilled with the Fantasyland expansion. Thats kind of comes back to my idea as well; you go through the rabbit hole with Alice; instead of walk through, you fall through !

But if what if there could be one element from any of the films that could be realised, and just put anywhere in a Disney park, exactly as it was in the film ?

I think I would like to see Ariel's grotto. Go in, visit it, pick up her treasures and everything. Maybe it could be underneath the Pirate Caves in Paris, near the Blue Lagoon / Pirates ride.

[Wonderlicious]

I always had the idea for Bald Mountain, which would be a themed rollercoaster ride through the caverns of the haunted peek from Fantasia (think something similar to the Matterhorn or Expedition Everest). I honestly think that the other Disneyland-style parks could do with an equivalent to the Matterhorn (aka a thrill ride set within the caverns of a mythical mountain for Fantasyland), and Bald Mountain would be a perfect fit.

When it comes to any specific dark rides, I think that they have already tackled most of the best stories that could work well as a dark ride (or at least in the form of a series of dimly lit dioramas in confined spaces à la Fantasyland), and I wouldn't really want a story that isn't suitable for the format to become one. I think that the best dark rides are probably based more around an actual experience and observing pretty/exciting scenes as opposed to retelling the plot of the actual film, so there would have to be a certain experience that could lend itself to being part of the dark ride (such as flying through the night sky forms such a huge and enchanting part of Peter Pan's Flight). A dark ride based on an animated film with a highly complex narrative would fail if the ride were essentially to simply recount what happens in the film. I'll use the example of a potential Cinderella dark ride (by the way, I've just made this up now). A ride that simply tried to retell what happens and to showcase every character would probably seem a bit stale, but a ride in a pumpkin coach focussing upon the experience of seeing the Fairy Godmother say her magic words and send you off through the dimly lit streets to see the Prince and Cinderella fall in love at the ball would seem a truly magical experience.

Films that I feel would definitely make for good dark rides would be Aladdin (involving flying on a magic carpet over the enchanting Arabian surroundings - the current Dumbo-style ride does no justice to the film), 101 Dalmatians (a mix between a dodge-the-villains ride à la Snow White's Scary Adventures and a crazy ride through Merry England à la Mr Toad's Wild Ride) and Sleeping Beauty (an adventure: "get to the palace to save Aurora, but watch out for Maleficent and her minions!"). A few interactive dark rides (similar to the Buzz Lightyear ones) would be groovy too.

Other than that, a few potential ideas:

*Neverland, as a sort of designer playground and walk-through area, similar to Tom Sawyer's Island (see one of my posts in the Fantasyland expansion thread).

*Some Lilo and Stitch stuff that actually centres around Hawaii than the space-based stuff. I will take people's word that Stitch's Great Escape is crap, and that Stitch is a heavily used yet not terribly well handled character in the Disney theme parks. The Hawaiian settings in the film are absolutely gorgeous, and replicas of them would be perfect for Adventureland.

*A real Pizza Planet, as it appeared in Toy Story, that acts as an eatery and an arcade. I don't know what the Hollywood Studios version is like (I can remember seeing it, but not going in it), but the Disneyland Paris version is essentially a tent-like building (originally used to promote Space Mountain and explain its origins) that was cheaply done up with some Toy Story paraphernalia to cash in on the said movie shortly after it first came out. It would be so cool if they replicated it to how it first appeared.

*The unrealised Beauty and the Beast animatronic show that was planned for Disneyland Paris (back when it was Euro Disney) would be nice, though I suppose that the Beauty and the Beast section for Fantasyland adapted some of those ideas, especially in regards to the Be Our Guest restaurant.

*I know that it's not even out yet, but the Snugly Duckling from Tangled would be a fun addition to Fantasyland. And if not, they could open a similar restaurant, only for it to be themed around villains (think Disney ripping off the Poisoned Apple tavern from Shrek 2 ). They could even have character meals featuring the villains.

[UmbrellaFish]

*I know that it's not even out yet, but the Snugly Duckling from Tangled would be a fun addition to Fantasyland. And if not, they could open a similar restaurant, only for it to be themed around villains (think Disney ripping off the Poisoned Apple tavern from Shrek 2 ). They could even have character meals featuring the villains.

Oooh! I like that idea! Well, I mean, The Snugly Duckling as a future Disney restauraunt has been mentioned before, but I didn't think about it as a Villain Character meet and greet. Could you imagine how much money Disney's make off that place?

Okay, so I know that this isn't possible because of space, but I've always wanted to experience the world of Cinderella inside her Disney World castle. Like see the ballroom. I don't know what is about me and ballrooms, but I just love them.

I wish Ariel's mermaid costume was more accurate. I've never ever liked it.

Gosh, my creativity in this post beats all of your's!

[blackcauldron85]

but I've always wanted to experience the world of Cinderella inside her Disney World castle. Like see the ballroom.

I'm tired and read that as "bathroom", and thought, 'yeah, I'd like to see Cinderella's bathroom'.

I've been misreading things lately...apparently I need to go to bed earlier.

[UmbrellaFish]

but I've always wanted to experience the world of Cinderella inside her Disney World castle. Like see the ballroom.

I'm tired and read that as "bathroom", and thought, 'yeah, I'd like to see Cinderella's bathroom'.

I've been misreading things lately...apparently I need to go to bed earlier.

Well, there is that Cinderella Dream Suite. I believe her tub is surrounded by murials and has an electronic (Fairy Godmother hooked her up...?) night sky. Her toilet is made of gold.

Suck on that Lady Tremaine!

[blackcauldron85]

Bald Mountain sounds awesome, Joe! And I genuinely like all your ideas for dark rides.

But if what if there could be one element from any of the films that could be realised, and just put anywhere in a Disney park, exactly as it was in the film ?

I've said it before, and Joe has said it just above- something that still sticks out in my mind as making sense is a Cruella car ride. I think that it'd be really fun, but I still wonder if Disney would do a ride like that with a villain being in the lead...

[avonleastories95]

With a Spoonful of Sugar, this idea will be good! At Disneyland and Epcot Center at the England Pavilion, I think there should be a 45 minute Mary Poppins musical titled "Step In Time or Mary Poppins: Live on Stage!" I think it should be similar to the Broadway show, having Disney know the popularity of the show. Mary flying over the audience, lavish song and dance numbers, an 8 minute "Step in Time number," and the story of the Walt Disney Classic will be the main highlights of this show. Due to time constriants, some numbers will be out or not in order of the movie, via "Beauty and the Beast." I believe that Disney's classic Live Action flims of the 60's and 70's are not very well acknowleged in the parks. I mean at least there could be Love Bug racing! And for us Mary Poppins fans, the only thing we get is a CHARACTER GREETING, FOR GOODNESS SAKE! Mary Poppins needs at least a Horse ride.

[blackcauldron85]

I'd love to see a kind of log ride based on Pocahontas, with people riding in canoes instead of actual logs. The ride would basically take you through the story (but I think only from Pocahontas's viewpoint, or else the ride might be too long) and there would be some great drops at Just Around the Riverbend - hopefully synchronized to the part when she herself drops down the waterfall - and some other parts in the film.

As I was leaving my house this morning, I was thinking about your idea! I mean, I think that it'd be really fun, and especially with the Pocahontas show being no more, the movie could use a presence in the parks!

And avonleastories, the Herbie racing idea is really good- even using Herbie in bumper cars- something- would be great. I'm not too familiar with the Herbie films, but you're right- they do need to give the live action films more of a presence. And I don't dislike the Mary Poppins idea at all, but I wonder if it'd make more sense to adapt a musical that already doesn't have a Broadway show to the theme parks...? But Mary Poppins of course would be an excellent show.

[Disney Duster]

Atlantica, I think these should please you, I certainly hope.

Mermaid Lagoon Part 1

Mermaid Lagoon Part 2

Mermaid Lagoon Part 3

!

But if what if there could be one element from any of the films that could be realised, and just put anywhere in a Disney park, exactly as it was in the film.

Just going by the word "one element", that would be th garden where the Fairy Godmother does her magic. Ursula's Lair, where she does her magic, is probably the second thing.

But if I could expand "one element" to mean a bunch of things all part of the same world, if there was one thing I wanted to see expertly done just for me, it would Prince Charming's castle done exactly, including the garden where "So This is Love" happened, and either the transformation of pumpkin, mice, horse, dog, and rags there, or in the garden of the chateau, all of it faithfully recreated. That would be the next best thing to actually jumping into the films and seeing the real thing!

Wonderlicious, you are right that most, not all but most things that are best suited for dark rides probably have them...this was just wishing for ourselves. I didn't think Cinderella would actually be that exciting as a dark ride, but you made me believe, fantastic ideas! Now I want it baaadly!

So...I imagined if Cinderella was a ride, Lady Tremaine might pop out a lot and even darken the room with her presence, the stepsisters would try to throw things at us, and Lucifer would try to attack us. That cat can jump and practically fly, man. There would be a beautiful "Sing Sweet Nightingale" scene with bubbles flying past us (and a real bubble machine? But the ride must be water-proofed?) and mice and birds fly or swing past us to make the dress. The Fairy Godmother's magic scenes would be amazing, and then not only might we ride through the town to the castle (and maybe would fly since the coach slightly flew, watch the film), and our coach spins to "dance" through the ballroom and see the gorgeous "So This is Love" come to life, but we would have to escape the palace (could our coach go down the stairs, like a coaster?), and escape the scary guards on horses to get home. I even imagined that when Lucifer is chased by Bruno out the window, our coach could be on an upper level, so we can follow him out the window and fall with him, then go back in the chateau to see the slipper fit and then the beautiful wedding, and our coach could follow the wedding coach on the path out.

Also, Sleeping Beauty's. I can see it now, starting in Stephan's castle, it's a nice, beautiful scene, with beautiful fairy projected magic like the gifts. Suddenly, Maleficent appears before you in a bright, fiery, scary blaze. The curse, a big ole scary demon-filled projection. Then you move to the fire of the burning spinning wheels. Then, into the woods. You zig zag through trees and see Aurora with Phillip. You zoom past the cottage with the magic fight. You nearly get hit and turn blue or pink! Then Aurora walks in, and they stop. We see Maleficent's raven leave the cottage and follow it to Stephen's castle. We go through halls and things, looking for Aurora as we hear both the eerie Maleficent music and fairies voices call her name, and if it's possible, we go up the spiral staircase, in the fairy or dragon or horse car, to see Aurora touch the spindle, and in a spectacular effect with a flash of light, Maleficent stands before us, and then pulls back her cape to reveal Aurora on the floor. We go to Maleficent's castle, evading scary gargoyles and goons, until we find Maleficent celebrating with the goons. Then we go down to the dungeon, where the fairies free Phillip. We now must escape the castle, passing through gates avoiding arrows, boulders, and hot oil! We go through the forest of thorns, come face to face with the dragon, who breathes fire a little too close to us, but Phillip's sword strikes her, she falls, and we go to see the beautiful awakening kiss, and then observe the dance in the clouds on our way out!

Aladdin definately should have a ride. Lilo & Stitch could have one but actually I think the outer space parts should be included, with some flying and even lasers like Buzz Lightyear.

Sleepy Hollow should have a dark ride! What about a Fantasia and package feature ride combining all the best, ride-fitting scenes from all those?

What Beauty and the Beast animatronic show was planned? Can you tell me about that?

Suck on that Lady Tremaine!

Well, since you want to see the ballroom, did you know Tokyo Disney will build it in their caste? The concept art doesn't make it look as cool as the film's to me, but, it's still "supposed" to be it, and who knows what it will look like in the end. But I'm with you on seeing her whole castle. Actually her Royal Table should probably look like the ballroom at least.

Yea, Ariel's mermaid costume bugged me too. There's been a lot of better ones on parade floats. But lots of character's costumes need to either look better or be closer to the films. In fact being closer to the films would pretty much take care of looking better, but I understand them wanting to get a little creative when making the costumes.

[Atlantica]

OH MY WORD DISNEY DUSTER !!

THANK YOU !!

Gosh, well, I've figured out that I did indeed know of it, and have seen a few odd pictures here and there, but I didnt realise the area was so expansive !

Points I liked :

* The coulours. The whole colour scheme was just as it was in the movie ! The purples, blues, greens and so on; perfectly re-created.

*The Grotto. Especially liked the added touch of having Eric's statue.

*The darkness of it all; not having it especially bright and cheery.

* The inclusion of some of the characters from Ariel's Undersea Adventures.

What I would have preferred would have been an exact copy of Atlantica, and make it into a real place, or ride thorugh, such as the new Harry Potter ride. How awesome would that be ? Rather than just being a playgroud for kids.

[Disney Duster]

Actually maybe the Cinderella dark ride would be more suited to the way Wonderlicious first described it, being more about the magical journey, visual beauty, and wonderful feelings than scariness or telling the story. I guess like Peter Pan's Flight, right? But "Sing Sweet Nightingale" could then be in there, and maybe the mice making the dress.

There is just no pleasing you, is there Atlantica? LOL, just kidding.

I actually thought that Atlantica was supposed to be gold and glittering, and not be made of shells but just unique shapes built out of...who knows what? However, usually in the theme parks they slightly modify and get creative with the looks, just a little, when making them the "real life" versions or "park" versions. Honestly, how could anyone make the perfect version of anything from the perfect films? That would take real magic! Even though there is magic at the parks, too!

But what did you mean when you wanted it to be a place? I thought it was! I would LOVE to just play with Ariel's sunken ships, grotto, and Ursula's lair, all her potions! What did you have in mind? I'd love to hear what you'd want it to be more like.