Is THIS the Future of Frontierland?

[@bkstarkey]

The biggest problem for me? The continued removal of water from the parks. It creates ambiance, cools areas down near it, and provides calm.

[@MrsAlicat8]

💯 my thinking. It's already so hot and they want to replace trees and water with desert? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING

[@chrishintz1077]

As what happened at Epcot. Fountain removal and pond removal, then tried to supplement with Moana area. But it’s just not the same.

[@bkstarkey]

@@chrishintz1077 that’s a bingo!

[@MrsAlicat8]

@chrishintz1077 and the moana area is somehow still like the surface of the sun 🤷‍♀️

[@thetuckcanon]

And the ducks?

[@katecamellia]

I go to Disney for the ambiance. For the sights. For the laid-back vibe. It’s what separates Disney from other theme parks. Taking this out is criminal 😢

[@metallicnole4514]

I think as long as disneyland stays the same, it's all good. Since that's walt's original park and should be preserved. MK was more of a disneyland clone and has the freedom to make changes. But that's just my take on it.

[@lunamax1214]

​@metallicnole4514 Not really, because many don't have the privilege to go to both parks. Having some duplicate areas and attractions is what makes it less bittersweet for those who cannot travel as often as they would want.

[@metallicnole4514]

@@lunamax1214 Well once the new attractions open up and it adds more capacity to the park, any complaints will be completely drowned out.

[@Cuban_Superman]

Preach! 👍🏼👍🏼

[@marskristin]

Exactly! Disney really won't feel like Disney without the 'river'.

[@ArtfulAmy]

12:21 The Haunted Mansion looks so mysterious and grand from across the river which adds so much atmosphere.

[@nickn271]

Exactly. I love how Haunted Mansion is tucked away in its own corner. It adds to the mystery. Now it’s going to just be in the middle of cars area and eventually the villains land.

[@ArtfulAmy]

@@nickn271 Agreed, the new plan takes away from the mansion’s seclusion.

[@im_nic]

If you’re Damaro and higher ups at Disney, and you made the conscious decision to NOT show the infamous Monday concept art because you knew the reaction would be negative, you’d think that’s be an inclination to not follow through with this idea.

[@McNugget7511]

I think they also know that Disney fans are volatile in opinion. Change of any kind generates massive negative backlash even if years down the line everyone admits that it was a good change. It's probably why they didn't show the exact location for Monsters Inc because even removing something like Launch Bay would probably make shareholders think everyone hates Disney

[@jakegaubatz]

I don't think they really care about that though. It seems that they now don't care about retaining and returning guests, but rather want to pull in more international first-timers from growing ME/Asian/European countries with rising GDPs. That's why they want more E-tickets and more rides and more space. Ever since they took away and limited the Florida Residence discounts, they stopped caring about guests returning and just being a one-and-done park.

[@Undrave]

Feels dishonest. I hope Damaro never makes it to CEO.

[@stanfordite1]

@@Undrave He won't because he's going to prison.

[@metallicnole4514]

@@jakegaubatz Will replacing the rivers cause FL regulars to stop visiting the park?

[@HeartlandHunny]

The biggest issue for me, other than the nostalgia and losing the beauty of Rivers, that area offered a lot of great “escape the crowds and noise” spots for people who need that. Disney World is pretty much always super crowded now, and it’s easy to get really overwhelmed by that. Rivers of America and TSI offered a lot of quiet little spots that you could go to escape that for a bit. The fact that “nobody rope drops TSI/riverboats” is exactly why we need them. I dislike the idea that everything in a theme park needs to be super popular and always slammed with crowds. You need the quieter, secluded places and the cult favorites. Visiting Disney is fun, but it’s also really stressful. Getting rid of spots where people went to decompress is a bad idea.

[@MrsAlicat8]

My kids' favorite spot in the park is tom sawyer Island to have some space and freedom. They are bummed

[@andrzejszpak688]

But places like rivers of america don’t actually fix the problem of overcrowding, adding more lands and attractions does.

[@pinbot76]

Lightning lane has set the precedent for getting rid of quiet places. I’ve never used it, so no blood on my hands.

[@MrsAlicat8]

@@pinbot76 fast pass has been around for 25 years....there's not much difference? (Except cost and annoying app work 😆)

[@pinbot76]

@@MrsAlicat8 Right. FP was free. It was not a direct revenue stream.

[@Ravelord_N_I_T_O]

Cars Land existing in vague proximity to the Haunted Mansion would feel so wrong.

[@DrStarlander]

In the rendering, the entry to Cars area is right in front of Haunted Mansion. I beg Disney to give more space and respect to the Haunted Mansion!

[@emiliebeaudoin1179]

HM is designed to be a waterfront facade. It's going to look so out of place without water.

[@2neverlandboy]

@@emiliebeaudoin1179 True . You see the front of the mansion from the river.

[@SA12String]

It's actually nauseating.

[@DrStarlander]

@@emiliebeaudoin1179 Agree. It's a Hudson River Valley house, and the placement of the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom is arguably one of the most thoughtful and effective spatial compositions in all the Disney Parks. The theme of the building and its relationship to the Rivers of America is outstanding. It will be a serious loss in the heritage of Imagineering. Now, I do think they should have long ago moved the queue around to the woods around the side to avoid the modern canopy, and maybe they will now. In fact, given that Liberty Square is almost certainly in its last days, I will not be surprised -- and at this point given the Cars situation I won't be disappointed -- if they move the queue around the bend toward Villains Land and build a new facade facing that direction with all the thematic quality this attraction deserves. To be clear, I'd rather it all stay the same, with the river. But if they are going to "break things" they shouldn't do half-measures and leave such a classic attraction in an incongruous, compromised condition. If they are going to break things, break it all the way and "build back better" so to speak. By "better" I mean take the Tokyo Disney Sea approach in terms of detail and budget and thematic richness.

[@yokedpredator2127]

acres upon acres of open space: *exists* “Let’s tear down an opening day area”

[@michaelthesanta3610]

Multi-Billion dollar company can't make a little room for the biggest theme park resort in the world

[@Soulzer007]

Well, those acres upon acres reserved for more hotels…

[@jasmine-rose18]

@@Soulzer007they need to create more rides for more capacity. Not more hotels. Plus the parks have been underperforming all summer

[@Mammothsaber-4457]

It’s literally logistically impossible to expand into the undeveloped areas without altering or changing something

[@Mammothsaber-4457]

@@michaelthesanta3610 It’s literally logistically impossible to expand into the undeveloped areas without altering or changing something

[@IcyDiamond]

One issue with Cars Land is how weird it is in Magic Kingdom. Like every land in Magic Kingdom is just based on generic concepts like frontiers, adventure, the future, fantasy, etc. Even the new Villains Land lines up with this. But having one land based off a movie franchise just doesn’t really fit Magic Kingdom imo. Feels much more like a Hollywood Studios land in line with Galaxy’s Edge, Toy Story Land, and the soon to be Monsters Inc. Land. I’m sure it’ll still be cool but it’s something to think about ya know.

[@FrappeInsider]

No, it's perfect! A Mountainous cars land next to a forest bayou that's next to a villains land that's next to a wild west runaway train. Makes perfect sense!

[@2neverlandboy]

That was my thought. There’s plenty of space behind the already built car show at Hollywood Studios this open Leon connects with the miniature golf course there they can remove the miniature golf course and build there connecting the car show to Cars land.

[@buster5661]

I know frappeinsider is being sarcastic, but that was painful to read

[@joeromano92]

I think the issue is that people aren't separating the land from the attraction. If you start viewing it as the American Wilderness area addition that just has cars attractions in it, this feels a lot better.

[@buster5661]

@@joeromano92 it will be an eye sore regardless of its fun or not

[@duderdude4831]

Every American drives around every day. We go to Disneyland, park our cars in a giant lot, to go see old river boats, the frontier, old main street, etc. The idea to literally pave over that for a CARS attraction is so wild.

[@WasatchWind]

Exactly. I love Disneyland California because it is an escape. It is a world I can explore where I can imagine my own adventures. The lands are general concepts - the wild west, the rainforest, worlds of fantasy. I can see all the IP stuff in movies. I can't ride a riverboat or a runaway mine train, or fly through space. I'm just afraid all the Disney parks will one day become like California Adventure. A mess of IP everywhere with no real theme anymore.

[@michaelrusso906]

But ask a kid what they'd rather do...

[@WasatchWind]

@@michaelrusso906 Kids have such rapidly shifting thoughts. If you plopped them down on Tom Sawyer Island they'd have fun. If you dropped them onto the Cars ride at California Adventure they'd have fun. It's good for kids though to have a variety of kinds of fun. Stimulates their mind. And for older kids and adults, it's nice to have a place to rest.

[@sarahlamper5701]

Thisssss. What’s with all the cars recently ??? What happened to trains, boats, people movers? Things that reflect public transportation aka a better, brighter world (kinda the whole point of Disney) I’m sick and tired of cars.

[@timrogis4416]

be in line for haunted mansion; hear vroom vroom cachow; suddenly haunted mansion theming becomes immaculate as the spirit of the park dies a little; somewhere in a disney boardroom a new person suggested a future where there is a themed "afterlife is a highway" ride collaboration, and bob iger clapped

[@stephenterranova8455]

God, I know I'm old and weird...but riding on the Rivers of America near dusk and waving to people on Tom Sawyer's Island and standing in-line at the Haunted Mansion is usually my favorite moment each time I'm at the Magic Kingdom. I would miss that so much, it really breaks my heart. 😞 (And I also wasn't a person who had a problem with the re-theming of Splash Mountain.)

[@jakegaubatz]

But now you can wave to them in a Test Track clone with eyes! Joking aside, it's an awful idea. It's gonna be really hot and more chaotic/stressful without that river. But they can sell more Cars merchandise so who cares about guest comfort?...

[@WasatchWind]

I sincerely hope they don't touch the one in Disneyland. It was a fun place to go as a kid and just run around as a break from the rides. Quieter places like that are very important in parks. The open, varied space also just allows some room to breathe. Packing a ride in every available space is the _exact_ kind of problem Walt was addressing when he envisioned Disneyland.

[@pizzazombie5209]

Completely agree with all of this. Except you forgot about waving to BTM riders. 😆

[@shugotenchi]

There's a porch just west of Fort Sam Clemens with rocking chairs on it where you can sit, enjoy the shade, wave to the riverboat, and watch people on Big Thunder Mountain re-think their decisions.

[@bobbyswanson3498]

for me it’s not really about the nostalgia or consistency of theme, but rather that this a huge water feature and asset to the park experience. having a whole river with a tree filled island in a park adds so much atmosphere and beauty compared to an artificial mountain.

[@michaelrusso906]

Sadly, atmosphere and beauty isn't why most people spend thousands to visit theme parks.

[@YokiDokiPanic]

@@michaelrusso906 The Efteling would like a word.

[@andyb7808]

I agree with you completely Dallin, atmosphere cannot be overlooked!

[@rapidfiringneurons]

So, so happy that this isn't happening in Disneyland. A really bad call. Rivers of America is part of Walt's soul.

[@WasatchWind]

Walt would be incensed about this. Cramming as much profit producing in every square foot as you can is the exact thing Walt fought against when creating Disneyland. He understood the importance of open space, filling things with props to create atmosphere, etc.

[@michaelrusso906]

​@WasatchWind I think people put too much emphasis on what Walt - a man who died almost 70 years ago - would have felt. The only reason so many opening day attractions have stuck around is because everyone has held Walt's vision in such high regard. But the reality is that he wouldn't have let these areas sit untouched for a half century. The second something else got his attention he would have bulldozed that stuff. He was always looking forward.

[@Metal_Head_Mark]

I think it will eventually happen at Disneyland. The neglect that is going on at Tom Sawyers Island (Pirate's Lair) is jaw-dropping. So many parts of the island are closed off and all of the interactive segments don't work, and haven't for awhile, either. Disneyland needs the space more than Disney World. I think it is just a matter of time before this is going to happen at Disneyland. ROI is what drives this newer Disney regime. If they see a potential profit, they are going to take advantage of it. Sadly the typical Disney guests will complain about it but still financially support Disney.

[@stanfordite1]

@@Metal_Head_Mark It's not happening anywhere. When I take over Disney, ROI and profit will be the last thing anyone is allowed to think about. The most important thing will be WWWD, "What would Walt do?"

[@chloewildner167]

This is short-sighted. Disney keeps taking away benches, shade, and now waterways to increase “flow” and maximize space. But between the heat and the crowds WDW can be a LOT. I wonder how many folks leave the parks entirely now when they can’t find a spot to decompress. Thank God the Peoplemover is still in WDW!

[@masoncorridor9219]

No room to decompress as well as insane prices. It would likely lower desires to return.

[@coehl0]

How can you spend money or exit through the gift shop on a bench?

[@aliciaharris4721]

Absolutely need a place to decompress! The first time I’d ever been on the river boat was a couple of years ago and after being the sole planner for the whole trip and booking lightning lanes all day, I needed a break from my family. We spent 20 minutes on the relatively empty boat and it was 100% what saved the day, especially since my family’s one that’s like if we leave the park early, we’re not coming back because we’re too exhausted.

[@coehl0]

@@aliciaharris4721 decompress on the train 🚂

[@VoidNull9222]

It just speaks to modern Disney’s design philosophy of trying to cram as many E-ticket, people-packing, attractions into the parks. To use a video game term they’re trying to min-max the space they have. The problem is real people don’t behave like video game characters. We need places to relax, to decompress, to get away from the excitement and catch our breath. This is just another way Disney is brazenly treating the parks as a money generator rather than a place where human beings are supposed to exist and congregate

[@MannyEmm]

I don’t think that anyone has touched on the wildlife aspect…specifically, the ducks. Duck, as well as other birds, depend on the rivers and the island for growth and stability. They will be displaced if the Cars land is built. What happened to the plans to build beyond HM? Don’t mess with the river or the island!

[@emiliebeaudoin1179]

Erasing a strip of nature to put more cars and asphalt... Great idea

[@lpierce8842]

Walt Disney World is surrounded by swampy wetlands. I think the ducks will be okay. They’ll probably actually be better off if they don’t become reliant on the food humans drop.

[@phillyguy199]

I believe Disney decided removing high maintenance areas was better for their bottom line. I also think they are trying to shrink the American history footprint due to their DEI objectives. And they want to sell more merch.

[@MannyEmm]

Yea, it’s alll about making money….in addition to to the two attractions, naturally, the will add themed shops, stores and eating places…which will generate extra income!

[@michaelrusso906]

Magic Kingdom isn't a wildlife sanctuary.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

They're gonna be real sorry when there's even less of a break from the summer heat without that water feature.

[@EriJ100]

I'm pretty sure that modern Disney management does not care at all about guests having to deal with heat. There is definitely a strong correlation to how hot an area of a park is and how recently said area has been built. New lands and areas seem to be concrete slabs with very little water or tree cover.

[@phillyguy199]

Yah, I think these decisions are coming from young designers in California who have no idea what a Florida summer is really like.

[@michaelrusso906]

Heat or not, families are going to rush to that area everything morning and will spend stupid money on Cars merch.

[@fredlopez5213]

Big Thunder proved you can replace an iconic historical attraction while still continuing some of its predecessor's spirit. The problem is that today's imagineers are severely limited by an IP mandate that stops them from doing so. The Disney Difference used to be unique attractions/atmosphere and ambitious inspirational themes that no other park would dare to build. Now Disney is just the park that Universal could build if they owned their IP.

[@ThePurple628]

As someone who lives with sensory issues and can often face a meltdown in the parks, it's things like what's there now that sincerely help calm me. I know there's rooms, but I'd rather not be stuck in a room to calm down when I can just find a nice calm and atmospheric part of the park and hang out there with my family. It's part of why Liberty Square is my favorite section and why for my the unthemed part of the queue to the Haunted Mansion becomes easier to stand when it's over 30 minutes. Sure, I don't go on the Liberty Belle or go over to TSI, but other people, including people like me, do. It's also a visually calming thing because if everything was busy all over the place, it would make it so significantly less fun to be there.

[@WasatchWind]

I bet if you brought this up to them in a press conference they'd go "oh yeah we care about people with these kinds of issues or whatever it is," and then they do stuff like what you've described. Disney doesn't care about anyone. They do not care about the minority groups they try to win brownie points with. They do not care about making it easy for families to go to the parks. They care about money, and hence they go after the worst kind of Disney fans who will cheer this nonsense on because they will buy tons of merchandise, and bully anyone who questions Disney's word. I loved Disney growing up, but I constantly lament all the employees working to hold the company together. They want to make amazing movies. They want to make creative, innovative attractions with original concepts - but the higher ups don't have an imaginative bone in their body. I only hope that growing discontent about Disney will bleed them until they finally change course. I only hope there won't be more horrible casualties in the parks before that happens.

[@david40k]

this is a very realistic cars attraction, by paving over nature with more roads

[@sarahlamper5701]

LMFAOOO I think you just pinpointed where my grievances were coming from

[@KhurtKhave669]

Like Walt, I was born and raised in Missouri and moved to the Southwest. The Rivers of America is a small reminder of Walt's childhood home. People who grew up in the city will never understand.

[@ChuckE.CheesesIllinois]

As a Chicagoan, I can relate

[@coehl0]

Walt has been spinning in his grave for a long long time.

[@annlavine3576]

i understand and i lived in a city as a child

[@LittleMissDisney]

Missouri still will exist you should visit it and the actual Mississippi River

[@WasatchWind]

This decision is just in direct opposition to one reason Walt built Disneyland. Traditional amusement parks often will pack a ride or food stall into every available space, and Walt wanted a place where there was some breathing room, some natural beauty. But modern Disney doesn't care. "How dare that river not be making any money for us!"

[@katylrp]

As someone who visited WDW for the first time while pregnant, I was so grateful for any and every atmospheric ride in which I could rest & just BE in the MK. Could you imagine if they filled in the castle moat to add more parade viewing?

[@happilyevanafter]

They actually already have done that once. There used to be a lot more water around the hub.

[@coehl0]

Disney don’t care, sit on a bench.

[@johnmccallum2425]

Your point at 12 minutes is spot on. It is about losing the Disney difference. If you have kids, Tom Sawyer Island is a great place for your kids. The fort and the caves allow the kids to run around and have imaginative play like kids use too. Your kids are not just waiting in lines for a few minutes of pleasure you get from a ride. It also allows the parents to rest and take in the great scenery. My wife and I allowed the kids to run around and we use to eat lunch on the picnic table.

[@2neverlandboy]

I am OK with changing Tom Sawyer‘s Island. But not Rivers of America. Rivers of America is really beautiful where it is with the liberty bells and her whistle blow adds a unique ambience to frontier, land, and ties into Tiana’s . There’s so much room in Hollywood Studios behind the already cars themed show. There is open land and Disney’s Fantasia miniature golf behind the cars show at HS. Widen the park and build cars land there.

[@buster5661]

If they were going to change it, they should of changed it to rivers of the bayou

[@FindingTheForce]

Hey Offhand. Very well worded and respectful way to express your point of view on filling in the rivers. 👍🏻 👏🏻

[@ChicknNugts]

I don't typically do the boat or Tom Sawyer, but I sure as heck look forward to walking along the river between rides.

[@WasatchWind]

It's just nice to have open space. There's something about human psychology that helps you feel more relaxed. Especially actually going to the island and spending time there, it's a nice quiet place to take a break. Disney only can see that it isn't making them money.

[@Lordvader330]

We love Tom Sawyer island. It's fun to walk around and visit the caves.

[@WasatchWind]

No, no self made free fun. You must ride the cars ride and spend 30 bucks to ride it, or wait several hours in line.

[@joshbrown1302]

I wish this cars ride was replacing the speedway .. I feel like it'd be a better fit, and it would be updating their car attraction...shorten the rivers yes but save all that land for villains...and do more then just two rides in villians

[@KforFreedom]

Absolutely, why are they building this cars first, when what everyone wants is Villians. Shorten Rivers of America, then start building Villians behind it. I guarantee you, no one will even care if you ever get to building this cars attraction somewhere

[@squidward_tortelllini]

how the tomorrowland speedway keeps surviving every single expansion/update is honestly beyond me and atp it’s a conspiracy lol

[@stephk6577]

I agree that losing the Rivers of America is hard to swallow. I have no issue with TSI being replaced, and I wouldn't even mind if they modified the River like at DL. Removing the River almost feels like removing the Castle.

[@cyndiebirkner704]

It's like Disney just doesn't get the "theme" part of theme park. Next thing you know they'll decide that Main Street takes up too much space when they can jam in another IP ride. BTW: They didn't get rid of the water in DCA when they put in Cars Land, so it can be done.

[@WasatchWind]

Get ready for when they announce they're replacing the railroad with Rocket rods 2 electric boogaloo

[@pocketsizedcg]

I have vertigo so I cannot ride most rides but I still love going to Disneyland for the ambiance; for the river boat, for the island, for Main Street, and New Orleans Square. The more Disney gets rid of these attractions the less I am inclined to keep visiting.

[@phillyguy199]

So glad to see "they" haven't gotten to you. Certain other influencers seemed to think destroying the Rivers of America was perfectly fine. One said, "Well, the river and islands are very run down and the Liberty Bell is in bad shape. Why not get rid of them?" Another influencer said it doesn't matter and he doesn't care. I cannot comprehend what Disney is thinking. The fact that they can't see that they are compromising their parks is beyond me. So many of their new changes like the ones at EPCOT, Fort Wilderness and the Florida resorts are downgrades. But losing the river takes the cake.

[@GookSquadGaming]

Cars should’ve been in MGM even with monsters inc land coming it’s still just a half day park.

[@anateixeira3945]

In all honesty, Disney should have built a 5th gate dedicated to Pixar. They should have done that when they decided to open Toy Story land in Hollywood Studios.

[@jakegaubatz]

Hollywood Studios is slowly becoming PixarLand. I don't mind and prefer them to put all the IP movie stuff in that park instead of cramming it into other parks.

[@stanfordite1]

@@jakegaubatz Disney is going to be losing Pixar under antitrust and will have to close all Pixar attractions unless it wants to pay royalties.

[@1337slic3]

The guy whose closest park is Elitch Gardens knows 100% what differentiates a Disney Park from something like Six Flags. Exactly the same way I feel about it. It's going from a magical, well-themed experience to a mish mash of rides with popular characters slapped on, with no further thought behind how the park itself feels as a whole. They do a lot of good work on the rides themselves (usually), but the experience of the park in its entirety is getting less magical.

[@FloridaSupremeDisney]

Absolutely I agree with you It’s almost like Universal has spies working in Disney that are giving these bad ideas to sabotage the charm of the park. Meanwhile, over at Universal they’re going in the right direction with more theming more immersiveness. 🤔

[@rattyeely]

The Rivers of America is one of the most jaw-dropping locations in Disneyland because of the sense of scale it establishes, and it makes Frontierland feel like one of the best-themed lands. I really think it's the beating heart of the park with all the kinetic energy and beautiful scenery it offers. I love riding the paddleboat every time, it's a great peaceful break in the middle of a hectic day at Disney. I haven't seen the Magic Kingdoms version, but I can't imagine what the parks would feel like without it.

[@stooch66]

The feel of the Magic Kingdom was so amazing when it was just lands with rides that had almost no IP, other than the fairy tales. You got lost in your own imagination and just felt like you were in a different world. Constant IP bombardment just keeps reminding you that you are still in the real world!

[@DrStarlander]

Well said

[@JohnMatthewVO]

I can't speak to Florida (never been there) but in Anaheim, for me, the Rivers are the heart of the park. Filling them in and eliminating the Mark Twain and Colombia would be devastating and possibly the end of my visiting the park. The parks need water, it's vital for ambience and a sense of centering. And yeah sticking Cars in there changes it from Frontierland to Southwestland.

[@coehl0]

No one cares, everything has to change with the times. No one goes to the island, no one cares, you’re not going to go to Disney cos there’s no more river? Haha. No way, Jose.

[@SteveCarras]

They belong in Tommoriwland.

[@stacyr2775]

Completely agree with you about the Rivers of America, but changing Frontierland to Southwestland is worlds better than what it is right now: Southland cosplaying as the Old West.

[@SwivelAxl]

@@coehl0I do agree Disney could remove TSI and replace it with a ride that fits the land. Instead of Disney bulldozing over the island, they should have destroyed the absolutely useless speed way in Tomorrowland and put the Cars stuff there. It makes more sense to be there rather than the old timey theme of Frontierland.

[@coehl0]

@@SwivelAxl I’m surely they’ll get to that too :)

[@kdusel1991]

I hope they put cars land somewhere else! It doesn't belong in frontierland! But if it adds to the atmosphere I guess I can accept it

[@smilingstingray5537]

I get sensory overloads pretty easily, and taking away spaces like this just stresses me out. The idea that this calm location that seemed to give me a break is instead going to be replaced with the noise of zooming cars is just... so unappealing. It was always so nice to have a break, even just standing by the river. Also I can't help but wonder what it'll do to the temperature in that location, replacing the water with concrete.

[@Kanzuko]

Filling in rivers is a huge mistake. It's always been a fun place to just chill out around after a busy park day and seeing the boats go by and all the ducks swimming around in there has always been very peaceful. Replacing that with concrete and putting a loud, fast paced attraction like Cars on top is going to shift the entire dynamic of the park. I was fine with the Splash mountain change because regardless of retheme its still gonna be a fun ride to get wet on. Heck I even understood the Nordstrom to Frozen retheme change. I was upset by it because I loved Nordstrom, but from an optics point of view I could understand it. I just can't understand this choice. They even hid the concept art and didn't mention replacing rivers at the parks panel for fear of the backlash, they know this change is going to be devastating, yet they're going through with it? It makes no sense.

[@coehl0]

You’re not going to go to Disney cos there’s no more river? Haha. No way, Jose.

[@Kanzuko]

@@coehl0 I never said that in my comment, I said the dynamic of the park would change. In my opinion, it'd change for the worse. It'd be too busy and bustling all the time in that corner of the park and wouldn't give people going to the park a moment to breathe and relax a little. It also, like others have stated before, will make the park feel even hotter, which is a really bad thing for a park based in central Florida. Its not like I'm gonna boycott them over it, but I think they're making a dire mistake.

[@coehl0]

@@Kanzuko point is. Disney, don’t care. Look at the state of the parks, so many downgrades. Sorry but. This isn’t a new, one time issue. It’s the new normal, and it’s the future.

[@writerpatrick]

I did hear a rumor that Disney was reconsidering the idea since it hasn't come across favorably. I haven't heard anyone really excited for it, instead it seems like they're in mourning and willing to accept the loss.

[@officialmonarchmusic]

I believe this too. I personally think the reason why they didn't back off on the Splash Mountain situation is that they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. They knew they had to go through with it after they announced it or be skewered by the mainstream media. This isn't the case here. And almost everyone is against them. Almost no one is excited. They are far more likely to respond

[@phillyguy199]

Disney doesn't listen to their guests. They just plow ahead with bad idea after bad idea. It's likely that they said they might reconsider only to quiet the online dialogue.

[@pizzazombie5209]

I heard this too, but just in another KZbin comment. Do you have sources so that we can keep hope alive?

[@michaelrusso906]

No matter how much the online community complains, general visitors are going to go nuts for a Cars themed section and merch will sell great. Meanwhile, keeping the area as is requires maintaining the water and landscaping and it's a huge area that doesn't make the company any money with whole sections that are off limits to guests.

[@lilyderooij]

Fingers crossed!!

[@pault5557]

“We need more People Movers, not less” truer words were never spoken!!! 🙌

[@KLGChaos]

I've only been to Disney World twice in my life and never got to ride the boats or visit the island. I will be making it a priority when I'm there next month. And you've got me more worried about the Haunted Mansion now. I was thinking about sightlines, but didn't even think about HEARING the cars go by.

[@coehl0]

When you get on the boat you’ll see where they are getting rid of it.

[@MCastleberry1980]

The idea of Cars right between Frontierland and the Haunted Mansion seems viscerally wrong. That whole area of the park was built around the river and having a specific vibe. I've only been to WDW once, and while Disneyland will always have my heart, I really did dig the way Liberty Square and Frontierland seemed to flow as well as they did.

[@JDiva4eva]

Talking about the different ways of experiencing the parks and not everything needs to be the an e-ticket…I cannot agree more. My favorite attractions at WDW were/are Living with the Land and the People Mover and even Tom Sawyer Island because those were some of the only attractions that my mom and I could do together. She couldn’t handle intense rides. So whenever I did those, I was just a single rider. But those slower more atmospheric rides were where my childhood memories were made.

[@keySkullghost]

Somebody call Joni Mitchell…they filled Rivers of America and put up a racing track. This is a sad choice when WDW has SO MUCH real estate. Granted, it’s not as popular- but it’s still really fun to explore TSI and the fort😢

[@Gracie287]

I wouldn't be surprised (or, honestly, upset) if Disney replaced Tom Sawyer Island with a different attraction, but I can't help but wonder if they're being shortsighted about the potential environmental implications of filling in the Rivers of America. True, it's an artificial river, but does the wind blowing over the river (or drafting off the Liberty Belle) generate cool breezes for nearby visitors? Will they knock down needed shade to make room for more concrete and steel? OTOH, the river could be a massive reservoir for mosquitoes for all I know, but I would hope Disney would do an environmental assessment before filling them in.

[@coehl0]

No one cares about Tom Sawyer in 2024. Ask almost any kid under 40 tell you who he is lol. Nah fam.

[@FoxieRoxie365]

@@coehl0lol just say that YOU don’t care. Don’t speak for a whole bunch of kids who you especially don’t know that more than likely know who he is or heard the name Tom Sawyer

[@coehl0]

@@FoxieRoxie365 doesn’t matter what I or you think. Disney makes the rules

[@volkris]

Paraphrasing what was said here, every time I see something about bayou adventure it strikes me as jarring to see a mountain in the middle of a bayou. That was a mistake. But I think it connects back to the bigger picture here, that Disney just doesn't care about doing things right, about being special, about coherency or telling a story inside the park, it seems like Disney just wants to be a generic roller coaster park with different stickers slapped on the rides reflecting their IP superficially. Forget Rivers of America, it's not a roller coaster. Forget what a bayou actually looks like, we have a roller coaster to slap some IP on. They seem to just not care about having a park that is special and differentiated any deeper than the surface level.

[@shirw]

Yes, totally agree!

[@jacoblyman9441]

Splash Mountain was already in a bayou though. I don't know if Chick-A-Pin Hill itself was supposed to be near the bayou in Song of the South (I watched a pirated copy once, it wasn't that memorable 😂) but the Disney ride always went straight from hill scenes to indoor bayou scenes. Arguably the Splash Mountain/Tiana's theme always worked better in Disneyland. It is the perfect boundary between New Orleans Square and Critter Country! Putting it next door to the Arizona/Utah look of Big Thunder Mountain in Florida has always been weird. Destroying the River IMHO would be a mistake, but at least Radiator Springs is on Route 66 in Arizona and would look better near Big Thunder Mountain than Splash/Tiana does (although Cars looks quite jarring next to Haunted Mansion and Liberty Square though).

[@WasatchWind]

​@jacoblyman9441 no, splash mountain was not set in a bayou. It's clearly meant to be in a different part of the south where there's a bit more elevation. That being said, the bayou theming _does_ mesh reasonably well with New Orleans Square (in Disneyland). This nonsense with filling in rivers of America and putting in a Cars attraction, it just doesn't fit in the slightest. Only thing worse would be putting in a star wars attraction set on Tatatoine and them going "see guys! It fits cause it's a desert!"

[@DrStarlander]

@@WasatchWind Splash Mountain was Georgia I think

[@WasatchWind]

@@DrStarlander That sounds about right.

[@DrStarlander]

Flatscreens in Frontierland...Disney, can we please at least draw the line at flatscreens?

[@WasatchWind]

I'm sorry to say this but - dang I'm glad this isn't happening at Disneyland. Frontier land is my favorite land, and then I don't think I'd ever be able to go to the park again if they did it on our side of the country.

[@notdarrell]

Yeah, that's a good point.

[@keepercolby1137]

Build Cars on the island and slap some googly eyes on the riverboat. Problem solved

[@shirw]

Lol

[@mr.meloetta1939]

It frustrates me when they're taking out calmer areas for more crowd space and not just putting somewhere outside the railroad loop. They did it in Disneyland with Galaxy's Edge, why can't they do that here?

[@chiefdan209]

For me it's not necessarily getting rid of Tom Sawyer Island as an attraction or removing a historic attraction that is the issue. For me it's an aesthetic thing. The river and "wilderness" provide a scenic breakup of what is essentially a concrete jungle. now the entire park will be solid ground and nothing else.

[@buster5661]

More concrete = more crowds = more money

[@KforFreedom]

@@buster5661Unless the people who really enjoyed this area as is, this is their families Nostalgia, so they stop making their yearly trips to MK

[@ThaMango1]

I seriously wish I knew how they select where new attractions go... the cars ride could fit into any other park better in terms of theme and capacity, and yet they choose one of the least fitting areas of the least fitting park. There's got to be a good reason, probably moreso linked to monetizability

[@allisongomez7263]

You've said everything I've been thinking. Even if the Liberty Bell was made into a stationary attraction in a smaller river. Add in a waterfall or some sort of rapids by the Haunted Mansion and you'd have a fantastic noise buffer between it and Carsland too!

[@stacyr2775]

Setting aside the massive issue with Disney filling in the Rivers of America (which I am 1000% against), I wanna address the whole "Cars don't belong in Frontierland" mantra everyone's latched onto. Because here's the thing: Even if Cars is set in the modern day, it makes a hell of a lot more sense in Frontierland than Country Bears Jamboree, Splash Mountain, Tiana's Bayou Adventure, and arguably Tom Sawyer's island. Out of these five attraction, Cars is the only one that actually takes place in the American West - in Arizona. Tom Sawyer's Island is technically set in the Midwest, but we can grandfather it in as part of the American West since St. Louis was historically seen as the gateway to the American West. That leaves Country Bears Jamboree, Splash Mountain, and Tiana's Bayou Adventure. To any Southerner, these three attractions all scream Southern not Western, and have always felt weirdly placed in Frontierland. Maybe if Country Bears had used more "Country & Western" music and less old-time/mountain and bluegrass music, the show could have felt like it was taking place in the Rocky Mountains instead of the Appalachian Mountains, but it never did. And without rehashing everything surrounding Tiana replacing Splash Mountain, at least Louisiana was the heart of the Louisiana Purchase, giving it more Western cred than Splash Mountain could ever hope for. Because it doesn't matter how dusty and rocky a mountain the Imagineers built them, those characters are from a property set in Georgia and are inspired by storytelling traditions from the American South and the Caribbean. Nothing about those three attractions have anything to do with the West or the Frontier. So unless Disney Imagineering wants to give us a ride based on either Woody's Roundup or Sheriff Callie's Wild West, there was never any change of us getting a ride that matches the "theme" of Frontierland. And considering that most of Frontierland's theming is stealing from the South, having a ride that's at least set in the right part of the country is actually a positive step. Now if we could just do something about where it's going in Frontierland...

[@parkds]

There are so many layers to the issue of where this new cars expansion should go, ignoring whether anthropomorphic cars even have a place in the Magic Kingdom. Disney would be smart to at least show effort towards compromise on this. I feel like even keeping a stretch of Rivers of America from Haunted Mansion to the start of Frontierland and keeping the Liberty Bell as a docked vessel in Liberty Square would at least be a step in the right direction and preserve some of the aesthetics and benefits of the water. Disney is not going to make everyone happy on this but a show of “we hear you” would mean a lot after the past few years.

[@KforFreedom]

Agree, I’d rather the Liberty Belle still be able to make a shorter circuit but I could also see it utilized well, docked with a Jazz band or meet & greet. If it was parked, there could be a walkway to the island to make a better use for it. But water in that area is crucial for the ambience.

[@lpierce8842]

The problem is that the Liberty Bell can’t be repaired where it is and has to make a long journey out through the Seven Seas Lagoon to the repair dry dock. If the Rivers are shortened it won’t be able to get out for repairs. The LibertyBell would eventually rot where it was docked. I guess you could build some sort of dry dock on the Rivers of America and turn it into a quick service restaurant. ( I don’t think it’s big enough for a regular restaurant, but I might be wrong.) Then you could leave a shortened version of the Rivers by Haunted Mansion and Frontierland. But that would probably eliminate one of the Cars Rides.

[@DrStarlander]

@@lpierce8842 Yes, dock it permanently (pour a slab of concrete under the boat we can't see), surround with pond of water so it looks like it's floating in the water, and install mounted cocktail tables and stools, and have a quick service bayou food shack on the dock and do this over near Tiana's. Sound the whistle on the hour.

[@Ratchetfan321]

Paving over paradise with a parking lot.

[@charlesmesnard]

I in fact "Rope dropped" the Liberty Bell on our last WDW trip, as we frequently rope drop The Mark Twain in Disneyland (great place to eat a breakfast Chimi)

[@genesislouise3994]

I love how Dallin is committed enough to drive to the dessert and dig a hole for the hopes and dreams box but still opted to put a jpeg in it instead of a physical picture lmao

[@RemainSeatedPlease2023]

DUDE!!!! Colorado has Elitches which is Amazi ... I'm sorry, I couldn't even type it without laughing! 😆🥺 We should team up and design a real theme park for Colorado!

[@The_Disturber]

That is why I am happy that my local theme park 'The Efteling ' in the Netherlands, has a stipulation that 80% of the park needs to be nature, so they can't do things like this. And hey it has been named on of the most beautiful parks in the world in return!

[@courtneylynch842]

We finally ventured to Tom Sawyer island on our last trip and loved it. It felt like we found a little slice of peace and quiet in the very busy magic kingdom. I think adding cars is great, but I’m still sad.

[@joeysnowynoey]

I love the rivers and I hate getting rid of chill places to hang out. Everything has to be big thrill rides. I want to have places to just take it in and just enjoy my day. Reason why Epcot is the only real Disney park that doesn't stress me out to go to. (At world that is) Also, I think replacing something like the boat overall will not help capacity. The new rides will take in more people but if they want to keep the capacity of the overall park good they shouldn't be taking out anything if they can help it. Just my two cents though idk if I'm actually correct on that.

[@DonnyG02]

Great video as always! Keep up all the great work! Have a great weekend!🔥

[@4B1ade]

I'm one of those people who begged disney for a cars land in florida, but not in fronteirland. That's like putting ratatouille in tomorrow land. I'm only going to be onboard with it if the cars area is well sectioned off and hidden in fronteirland, and its classified as its own land, and just so happens to be in the place of something that used to be in fronteirland.

[@MrMadshepherd]

There is no way to justify putting Cars in Frontierland

[@host_theghost507]

Whoever wrote "Nobody rope-drops Tom Sawyer Island" is completely missing the point of Tom Sawyer island. If everything in the parks was chosen for its rope-drop factor, being in the park would be unbearable. The genius of Disneyland is its flow: there are still places you can go when you need to get away from the noise and the crowds for a while, which is essential for overstimulated kids, stressed-out parents, and basically all of us. Nobody goes to Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln expecting a thrill ride. You go for the air conditioning and the comfy seats and the quiet, reassuring voice of a robot. Unfortunately, Disney Parks leadership is listening too much to the rope-drop fanatics. More IP, more long lines, more noise, more insanity. The experience is already awful enough without losing the Rivers. The world is not waiting for more Cars rides.

[@tomg9476]

Disney wants $$$. And they think the rope drop fanatics spend the most, so they’re chasing after them.

[@DrStarlander]

Well said. Someone at Disney please send this note to all the Imagineers and park management.

[@discoyetiproductions]

4:40 if people really didn't care about theming then Disney would be overtaken by Six Flags

[@gmmeier321]

We always enjoy your theatrical enthusiasm.

[@dwelco2]

What I think is sad about the removal is that there is even less for people to do as they get up in age. As a kid I remember riding on the riverboat and people mover with my grandparents because they couldn’t do roller coasters. Fast forward some years and now when we have big family trips my parents no longer do roller coasters because they are up there in age and this is one less thing they can do.

[@buster5661]

They are also getting rid of your grandparents by removing the special assistance for people with needs

[@buster5661]

*special needs

[@lpierce8842]

Hey, I’m 69 and have to ride a scooter around the parks, but I still go on most of the rides, even the roller coasters. Then there are people in their 20’s that won’t ride the roller coasters or Tower of Terror ( my favorite ride). There are plenty of slow moving things for people who prefer those things. I genuinely find the Liberty Bell boring, but I also know there are others that like it. There are many places in the parks to just sit and relax- I’ve found them. So while I understand that change is hard and memories are close to people’s hearts, in the end we need to learn to accept it. I wasn’t happy when I heard they were changing Tower of Terror in CA, but then I went on Guardians and although it will never quite be the Tower of Terror for me, it was fun, and Marvel lovers love it.

[@dwelco2]

@@lpierce8842 I’m truly glad you got to experience the parks the way you can. Unfortunately my grandparents and my mom couldn’t.

[@tayshiesty.]

Yk the fact is that we ARENT Disneys main demographic. The parks are NOT meant for us. Yes everyone can go to the parks. Yes we can enjoy the parks. But at the end of day Walt created Disneyland so he could have fun with his daughters. So families could have fun together. I doubt a lot of families go onto the Liberty Bell and go to Tom Sawyer Island, but so many families will have fun on the new cars ride, make memories that will be talked about for years. I think Walt would love that.

[@mr.pencilsharpener8004]

This decision is really showing the difference between theme park fans and theme park ride fans.

[@lucash5446]

I agree that this is the wrong move. I just hope and pray something like this doesn't come to Disneyland

[@BeMoreFunny]

The thing is, tho, I don't think Disney is respecting Walt with this new show. Walt didn't even want to be a statue, let alone an animatronic, and while you have one member of his family rooting it on, you also have his granddaughter who is firmly against it. I mean, we'll see how it turns out, but it's hard to believe Disney's intentions are pure when it's clear they don't care about what he wanted. If they did, they'd be more concerned about promoting his legacy thru continued action and adhering to what he believed in. Walt didn't price gouge, Walt cared about theming, Walt knew the importance of atmosphere. And these are all things that today's Disney blatantly ignores. Today's Disney treats Walt like a corporate mascot. They trot him out, remix his words, hope that the feelings of good will we have toward him, land on and connect with the new things they're trying to sell us. They already use him as a puppet, so I guess making him a fully programmable one is their natural next step... But I don't like it.

[@lucasd6880]

100% agreed!

[@lydia-rose5756]

Yes, I totally agree, thanks for sharing.

[@JohnS-ki2zf]

When every ride is a lightning lane enabled e ticket, then you end up with the 50 minute wait capacity nightmare. Parks need attractions that are just relaxing breaks in the middle of the day. Islands of adventure does this very well, with camp Jurassic and me ship the olive, I can’t wait for you to visit universal.

[@buster5661]

I personally wished they would increase the park tickets to price out the crowds

[@evanb.529]

You hit the nail on the head here. Not every ride/land/show needs to be some big E ticket blockbuster that is constantly so busy the queue is out the door. Quite the opposite, in fact. You NEED to have the emptier, calmer spaces so that when all else fails, there is something to do, something that gets you away from the crowds, and something that gives a guaranteed value for the price of admission. Not to mention that in this case, it involves water, something which limits the intense heat caused by all the pavement (heat island effect). Removing it misses the whole point of why it exists in the first place, further muddies the theming, and adds a specific movie-themed land to a park that literally is designed around broad theming, all while disrespecting Walt Disney in the process. Hope they reconsider this.

[@lawrose4]

Disney is becoming very like Universal Studios. Movie of the week kinda' stuff. Phooey. P.S. You can't "Rope Drop" Tom Sawyer's Island cuz it doesn't open until 11:00 am. I know, I've checked it out many times.

[@FISH-_-1899]

Water always has a nice look in the parks and the birds are something I've enjoyed seeing since I was a kid they make the park more lively and there's been plenty of removal of water in the parks but very little substantial amounts of water added that along with the theming feeling off just dosnt click with me but if the rally ride can live up to radiator springs racers then that's at least one thing to look forward to (and the fron-tire-land puns)

[@sasamichan]

I would agree that kids today don't care about Tom Soyer and Davey Crocket , but come on. steam boats are fun and people love riding on them .

[@coehl0]

Except no one is ever on the steamboat. Even his own video showed like 3 people on there lol.

[@stanfordite1]

Kids absolutely do care about Tom Sawyer and Davy Crockett. My kids do and when I take over Disney, it will be a prerequisite to in order to buy tickets.

[@coehl0]

@@stanfordite1 those poor kids lol

[@stanfordite1]

@@coehl0 Disney is not for kids and never will be. As Owner (not CEO) of Disney, the parks will be a reflection of Walt's and my tastes and I will be deciding what kids want for them. The park will be treated as private clubs.

[@coehl0]

@@stanfordite1 Disney not for kids 😂 This mindset is why it is failing.

[@Undrave]

The way I see it, they've become obsessed with making every individual square foot of the park hit an arbitrary rentability level. The rivers and the island take up a lot of room, and the rivers are expensive to maintain, and nobody's going to pay a lightning lane to use those attractions. That's why they're doing this, becaus they don't care about how it impacts the whole of the park. If they want to calculate the ROI on every single attraction in the park then they might as well bring back individual tickets. All the families that would take a break a on the boat or the island will be funneled back into something that Disney can monetize like a restaurant, a shop, or in a queue where they'll go 'this is gonna take too long might as well pay to skip the line".

[@sumguy3687]

Occam's razor They want to save money by not having to maintain a river.

[@phillyguy199]

Exactly! Penny wise and pound foolish like so many of their recent decisions.

[@duplexidemic]

The cope I have is that as opposed to Disneyland, Disney world has boats just outside the parks that many people start their day with. Tons and tons of people begin their day by taking the river boats from the transportation center to Magic Kingdom, so riding another boat that goes nowhere once you're in the park is redundant. I do not consider the loss of the rivers and tom sawyer's island very significant, but the further dissolvment of Frontierland is disappointing.

[@buster5661]

Another attraction I will never be able to show my kids

[@coehl0]

Your kids will be so grateful they get to go on cars instead.

[@stanfordite1]

@@coehl0 No they won't. Cars is not coming and my great grandkids will be enjoying a WDW preserved in amber and stuck in the twentieth century after I take over Disney and make it great again. Kids will no longer be able to experience Pixar in the parks again due to Disney being split up.

[@coehl0]

@@stanfordite1 my preserved in amber moment is will always be Spectro magic

[@aw76587]

Awesome job stating your points. I’ve been saying so many of these to myself, so it’s good to hear someone else say them out loud. I hope Disney listens.

[@skunkman9815]

We need to start an angry mob

[@KhurtKhave669]

"Welcome, foolish mortals. . . " "Ka-chow! C'mon Mater!" ***vrooooom*** F*** DIsney execs.

[@DrStarlander]

The ideal version of this project is if the Cars attractions are surrounded by a "berm" of rock work and trees so you can't see any of it unless you are in the queue or on the attraction. As you walk all the way around Frontierland, all you see to that side of the pathway is rock work, waterfalls, caves to explore, ponds of water, boardwalks, maybe some Tom Sawyer-like suspension bridges (behind waterfalls) and trees. Make that walkway feel like a wilderness, and move the parade route elsewhere....this area should not have a "boulevard." Then, because this berm will create a more intimate space all along the perimeter, they can embellish the themes of the different areas -- northwest woods at Country Bears, southern bayou at Tiana's, old west at Big Thunder Mountain -- so they feel more immersive (according to modern theme park expectations).

[@KforFreedom]

Well, that’s a lot of faith in Disney… but what about when you are riding Big Thunder Mountain, you are going to be looking at Cars instead of Rivers of America which is going to ruin it

[@officialmonarchmusic]

But first of all, the concept art doesn't show a berm, second of all, these environments were meant to feel big and expansive. They weren't designed to be right next to a giant cliff face

[@DrStarlander]

@@KforFreedom To clarify, I don't have any faith in Disney right now. I think their work in recent years -- since Cars Land -- has been C-quality at best. They seem unable or unwilling to manage sight lines lately. I'm only describing how it should be done.

[@DrStarlander]

@@Travel__Spin DCA Cars Land is backed up to the edge of the park and the mountain range, if that's what you are referring to, is good and blocks the view of the massive power transmission lines that run back there. In fact, from my Google Earth and Photoshop examination, I think each of the feature spires that stick up is intended to block a specific power tower. They did good. That was a different era at Imagineering in terms of the people who work there.

[@DoctorHaggis]

It’s less of a “Frontier Land” and more of an “Unincorporated Mountain Land”

[@kboostmobile6580]

Enough!!! Disney is getting to be a real dumbass with their decisions as of late. Frontierland should be kept as is a d fixed up..... Cars attraction could go near the reedy Creek energy facility. Yes it will require a lot of building up to make it ready for development but it makes a lot of sense as you transition from frontierland to cars Land. It would blend in well yet keep it isolated enough where it will not disrupt the theming of the rest of the park lands...

[@dariandark]

With the end music… I feel you are tying in a “Tron” theme to the peoplemover. And isn’t interesting they are going to go electric. Hum?

[@Mammothsaber-4457]

Theirs already rumors that the decision to fill in the river is being reversed

[@jakegaubatz]

There's a reason why all the parks have a water feature. Epcot, Animal Kingdom, and even Hollywood Studios have some form of water body in the parks. This is to help divide the lands and create more immersion. Aside from that, it also just cools down the park in the summers and is just nice to look at the ducks swimming around. Yeah the theming of Cars Land looks fine, but it's still Cars. I'm not a fan of the series at all and believe it doesn't belong in MK. They already had a Cars show in Hollywood Studios, so why not expand there? It also kinda fits with the Monsters Inc Land and Toy Story Land as these different Pixar universes come together in the same world (Of course, barring Galaxy Edge, Sunset Boulevard, and Runaway Railway). I can't imagine MK with MORE concrete. It's small, so I understand wanting more walking space, but it's gonna be unbearable in summer. I still don't understand why they couldn't fit Tarzan in the land as it fits the historical representation of Frontierland. Expand and upgrade TSI into a big Tarzan Land. Of course, Tarzan doesn't sell like Cars, so that would be an awful idea, right?

[@CharlesReinmuth]

For me it's not themeing, not about respecting the history, or anything else. It's really simple. It's that no other theme park has the scale of entire rivers going through it. It's the feeling. The uniqueness. The breathing room. The aesthetic. That, in fact, does translate to dollars (whether the company realizes it or not) in the form of making Disney stand out above all other experices created merely of metal and concrete. It's literally a win-win. But it's not easily identified or named by the accountants at corporate nor by the guest. If disney goes through with this, they should expect to lose their competitive edge to the rest of the theme park industry in short order. It's not easy to rebuild a river.

[@DrStarlander]

So true. It's the uniqueness. And it's not always about the scale. So many things that have long made the Disney Parks special are intangible. There are no stats to point to, they don't show up on an ROI spreadsheet. Walt and the original Imagineers knew the value of these things...at Disneyland the walk-through of Sleeping Beauty Castle, the Snow White Grotto, the Court of Angels, the petrified wood Walt received as a gift, the dioramas on the train...quirky little places and things that are magic. And would be hard to rationalize business-wise. The Imagineers now are so literal, so logical. It all seems so formulaic. I'm not sure if they don't have the ideas, or they think their colleagues won't respect their quirky ideas, or it's impossible to convince the management to include these things, or if the whole apparatus is just too corporate? They need to wake up, they need an entire mental shift, a culture shift, an epiphany. Theme parks success is not just about what's on the spreadsheets.

[@jaybruminator]

They stopped ordering parts for the riverboat years ago. The river is leaking and isn't kept up to disney standards. So it probably easier to level and fill it in.

[@lawrencerobinson6543]

Theming should be consistent. That is why they call it a theme park. Tiana was a redo of an existing structure, That was probably cheaper, but, from a cost standpoint I thought it would be easier to prep out and build in a new area than spend more money taking out the old attraction, preparing the land for a new attraction and then building a new attraction? Further more traditional IP should be in Magic and the more modern Pixar IP should be around a Pixar area in Hollywood Studios.

[@buster5661]

Yes but more kids are in magic Kingdom, cars franchise is for kids, merchandising equals money, so magic Kingdom cars land

[@KforFreedom]

@@buster5661Families of multiple generations attend Magic Kingdom. My family always went to Tom Sawyers Island & road the Liberty Belle. You need options & variety for all guests. & kids need an area to run sometimes

[@buster5661]

@@KforFreedom I fully agree, but I'm just telling you how it is on a business level

[@coehl0]

How did Toon Town fit into Magic Kingdom exactly?

[@stanfordite1]

@@buster5661 Cars is not coming and Disney will be losing Pixar under antitrust. When I take over Disney and make it great again, it will no longer care about merchandising. The only thing that matters is "What would Walt do?" and Disney under me will run on that question again like it did for decades after his passing.

[@Starwars4J]

I'm so glad you made this video because I've been heartbroken since I found out. As a 38 year old man I felt kicked in the chest. I agree with every point you made. I don't go ON Tom Sawyer Island, I haven't in a long time. Looking at this from over a ledger I get it. Capacity has been low for the amount of land it occupies. It seems like a no brainer, right? Well unfortunately it is a no brainer. It misses the point entirely. So much of the MAGIC of the magic kingdom comes in the theming and atmosphere that makes Disney what it is. Not only is Cars not the timeless classic that the Disney upper execs want to think it is, but it doesn't FIT in Frontierland. And to take away from walking along the water, eating that turkey leg, watching the Liberty Bell sail by while you sit and rest for a minute is to kill the heart of that part of the park. I'm beyond devastated as the soul gets gutted from that part of the park. I can only hope that they will reassign those new rides to another area. They have so much land, there are other places they could put it. But I have a horrible feeling they will stubbornly refuse to listen and push through with their concept art.

[@adventureindustries]

If they wanted to increase interest in the Rivers of America, why not do something with it? Literally nothing happens in the area but a boat ride and (mostly) empty caves on TS Island. Mark Twain or some riverboat gamblers could be on the boat in the form of actors or animatronics. How cool would it be if they sold mint juleps on the boat? Tom Sawyers Island could have more experiences, pirates, outlaws, Daniel Boone, Davey Crockette, bears, wolves, etc. They opted to make the area peaceful and quiet but it doesn't have to be. Inject a little excitement.

[@phillyguy199]

Agreed. There are hundreds of good ideas to create more traffic in that part of the park. They could even make a frontier type movie to generate more interest in the old American west and by association Frontierland.

[@EverScrolls]

Well, I'm happy to see YOU haven't lost your mind. Basically every single youtuber has copied the same talking points in regards to the island and that it's broken down (they never explain why) and it needs replacing and this is fine or great. Yet they never go over to DIsneyland's island and point out how it's just in a sad, sorry state and by comparison is an awful island.