Disney World to expand/refurbish Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom

[NewJeffCT]

Probably about time to do it - we were in the Magic Kingdom last month, and with Space Mountain closed for remodeling, there really were not a lot of "headline" type attractions - Splash Mountain & Big Thunder Mountain? Not a lot of other exciting rides... Haunted Mansion & Pirates of the Caribbean seem a bit old & quaint now.

Disney to expand Fantasyland at Walt Disney World

ANAHEIM, California (Reuters) - Mickey Mouse's house and his Toon Town world will make way next year for a vastly larger Fantasyland, in the biggest-ever expansion of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida, Walt Disney Co said on Saturday.

The Fantasyland expansion, whose price tag was not disclosed, will open in two stages in 2012 and 2013 and builds on the popularity of the Disney Princess and Fairies franchises, which have topped $4 billion in global retail sales.

Disney theme parks Chairman Jay Rasulo said the Fantasyland project, which breaks ground next year, will be paid for from funds designated for the theme park division's annual capital expenditures.

Plans call for four Disney Princess characters -- Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" and Ariel from "The Little Mermaid" -- to be featured in "fantasy lands" where park visitors engage in dancing, storytelling or a birthday party with costumed characters from the films.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE58B25O20090912

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. I fondly remember the episode of LEXX when a microburst from the giant insect

completely destroyed Disneyworld.

AHHHHHHHhhhhhhhh :D :D :D

[XemaSab]

2. This sounds like teh suck

I think the Disney princess franchises are the worst thing to happen to girlhood since foot binding.

I also think they're going to alienate little boys, who are half of their customer base.

[flvegan]

6. I was gonna say that very same thing.

I went to Disney twice as a kid, and I'd have not been caught dead in any of those "fantasy" parks.

Now, if they made Cinderella a pole dancer...

[iris27]

8. Uh, boys have the entire rest of the park...and of the other 3 parks.

Adventureland is pirates and jungles, Tomorrowland is racecars and spaceships, Frontierland is cowboys and mine trains. Not that girls can't enjoy these things too, but if you think adding Gaston's Tavern and a little Mermaid ride is "alienating little boys", then may I humbly submit the other 80% of Magic Kingdom...plus Animal Kingdom, EPCOT, and Hollywood Studios for your consideration.

Lord, I am tired of all the gender essentialism around here these days...

[hobbit709]

3. Are they going to add Teabagger World?

If that isn't Fantasyland I don't know what is.

[armyowalgreens]

4. As long as they don't fuck with Disney Land, I'm okay.

[Cant trust em]

5. I think that Toontown is pretty much a waste of time...

but I would have thought that there would have been something better to do with the space than this.

[iris27]

7. Doesn't look like they're going to add any real headliners.

They will finally be putting the space from 20,000 Leagues to use for a Little Mermaid ride, but I can't imagine that drawing mega crowds 20 years after the movie came out. (Fuck does that ever make me feel old...LM was one of the first Disney movies I remember seeing in the theater!)

Otherwise it's a lot of expanded meet-and-greet areas, an expanded-capacity Dumbo, and new restaurants.

I agree that it's time for another headliner - maybe something in Adventureland which is one of the smaller lands with only Pirates, Jungle Cruise, and Aladdin right now. (And Aladdin might be going away to become the 2nd Dumbo carousel.) But what makes you say Pirates and Haunted Mansion seem old? They both just went through refurbishes in the last few years, and Pirates especially is riding a big wave of popularity from the Depp movies.

[NewJeffCT]

9. The Little Mermaid show & Beauty & the Beast

play top packed houses at Disney's Hollywood Studios...

[Countdown_3_2_1]

10. Instead of the kids sitting on Ariel's lap...

I thin Ariel ought to sit on Dad's lap for a photo. THAT would get me back in Fantasy Land!

And Disney After Dark...Hey. Just move a few attraction from Fort Lauderdale, give it a Disney twist (cause nobody does it like Disney!).

I think a Jessica Rabbit Bouncy Ride would be fun.
Even Tinkerbelle can be put to work. (are you happy to see me or is there a pixie in your pants?)

Open a Victoria's Secret...that a bit of Fantasy Land right there! Today only Princess Jasmine and Belle will be modeling...

Stop! Here I am corrupting such an innocent thread! Wholesome Disney ruined forever.
I'm just a sick bastich. I take dates there just so we can take a photo with Ariel...