THEN AND NOW: MK Fantasyland [Part 1]

Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom

 

Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland facades has seen relatively little change over the years.  You'll notice a lot of color changes though.

As for attractions, Mickey Mouse Review has sadly been gone for almost 3 decades... and now it no longer exists ANYWHERE as it was recently removed from Tokyo Disneyland.  

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, you know, "that one thing with water and submarines and stuff that nobody liked because it used to cost a lot to maintain", well it's still gone.  Golly, I do miss it regardless of how much they tried to tell me it was "bad business" to keep around.

The Skyway tower still looks sharp.  Can we just keep it there forever?  It does no one any harm.

Thank you for no more Lion King in the area.  Oh wait, there's that one scene in Mickey's PhilharMagic.  That's ok, I suppose.

Thank goodness Cinderella Carrousel is no longer just for little girls.  And it's no longer Cinderella's.  And now it's regal.  It's the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel!

Winnie the Pooh is still the new Mr. Toad.  Speaking of "Pooh", shouldn't he be called "Winnie" or "Winnie the Pooh" and not just "Pooh".  Pooh is his species, right?  It's like calling Yogi Bear just "Bear".  

And another question: With the facade/queue of the "Pooh" ride being changes so radically from the (sort of) medieval courtyard look to a themed-out 100 Acre Woods look, will we see more of this sort of thing with the other existing Fantasyland attractions??  I would think they would limit this to anything outside what might be the castle courtyard area.  This makes sense for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and it's close proximity to what may become Fantasyland Forest (or whatever they decide on).  But I can only imagine a successful more immersive queue like this one might inspire a Neverland-themed interactive queue at Peter Pan's Flight that jets out into the walkway with a bunch of non-medieval courtyard-themed props placed every-which-way...?  And similar treatments to all other Fantasyland rides??  Don't get me wrong, I've always considered the medieval tent entrances to be a little less than exciting compared to say, Disneyland's 1983 Fantasyland make-over with it's super charming architecture adapted to the storyline of each attraction.  But the medieval courtyard look offers a pretty nice, consistent look throughout the area.  

So will this Pooh queue inspire a new movement that will change the existing Fantasyland to become yet another incohesive, hodgepodged, mix-matched land? I'm not referring to the expansion but the land as we know it today.  My fear is they'll treat each little piece of the land independently without much thought of the other pieces.  Think: Future World in the last 12 years.  

Now let's say the facade/queue of each attraction gets new treatment. Let's say there is a great master plan. Let's say there is great attention to each attraction AND to the look of the land as a whole.  This might be a good thing.  Not too many digital screens please.

Thoughts?

Related posts:

THEN AND NOW: MK Tomorrowland [Part 1]
THEN AND NOW: Liberty Square [Part 1]
THEN AND NOW: Epcot Future World [Part 1]
ABANDONED DISNEY: River Country [Part 1]
Fantasyland Expansion Model
Matterhorn for Magic Kingdom Fantasyland

BONUS: Today marked the theatrical release of Disney's 50th animated feature "Tangled". Check out Rapunzel's tower at Disneyland's Fantasyland:  

Photos taken 11-16-10

Disneyland Skyway in Your Backyard?

I found these photos on Flickr.  I have yet to find the story behind it other than this a fully-functioning model of a Skyway-type ride in this person's backyard in San Diego.  Watch this thing in action here.  This video clip takes you on the miniature ride.  I imagine they strapped a digital camera to one of the gondolas.

Lesson learned:  If Disney rips out your favorite ride and gives you really lame excuses as to why they did it, build your own version behind your house.     

One time a buddy of mine and I saw Marty Sklar at Epcot.  We went up to him and said, "we are backyard Imagineers".  He looked at us like we were nuts and said, "never heard of that. What does that mean?"...  "Uhhh well, you see, Marty, it's when kids like us make things at home that resemble what real Imagineers do in the parks."  He had a look on his face like, "oh brother".

"A Day at Disneyland" 1960s Super 8mm Souvenir Film

Produced by Walt Disney Productions

This has it all... Penny Arcade, People Mover, Submarine Voyage, Skyway, old Fantasyland, Flight to the Moon, Keel Boats, Mules, Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, etc. etc.  Enjoy!