Aerial Images of Disney theme parks

[hertamaniac]

The Liberty Belle's dry dock is in the North Service Area. In order to get there it goes from the Rivers of America to that canal along Floridian Way then into Seven Seas Lagoon. That's why the Monorail line is so high here. From SSL, it transits the water bridge near the Contemporary to Bay Lake and then up to the dry dock area.

I thought so, but couldn't tell from the satellite image that the railroad bridge can open. So, if a guest bridge was built in this area it would also need to open.

 

[The Pho]

I am trying to think of what attractions, if any, would fit with the theming between Big Thunder and Haunted Mansion on this loop; I am drawing a blank.

They’d want to tie it to popular IP nowadays, but something that fits the bill will probably come along. Anything with a remote connection to Texas?

Obviously a state of the art Home on the Range land with an e ticket Spinner is the best option.

 

[YesterDark]

A bridge would then force you get rid of or permanently dock the riverboat.

Personally I don't see a problem getting rid of the boat and using the space for something better.

 

[OKW Lover]

Personally I don't see a problem getting rid of the boat and using the space for something better.

Gator wrestling?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Not sure if the theming has to transition. It could just be one or the other, like the abrupt change from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland. But it probably could transition. Haunted Mansion (Disneyland and movie at least) is set in Louisiana, Tom Sawyer is set along the Mississippi, and Big Thunder is generically Southwest-themed.

They’d want to tie it to popular IP nowadays, but something that fits the bill will probably come along. Anything with a remote connection to Texas?

The Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion is themed to the Hudson Valley New York, so different themeing .. .it's to fit in more with Liberty Square which is more North East (New York and Philadelphia)

The lands are also connected via loose timeline with Liberty Square being set at more Colonial Times and then it progresses to more modern times when people ventured out west ... so you could continue that with either getting a bit more modern to wind up at the same time period Big Thunder is set in or go even older and have more of a break

 

[Douglas Dubh]

They could fill the area north of TSI with attractions and stuff based on Native American cultures. Maybe something with Pocahauntas close to Haunted Mansion, and a Lewis & Clark raft ride closer to Big Thunder.

Or they could dust off the old Discovery Bay plans.

 

[Joe Arkansas]

The Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion is themed to the Hudson Valley New York, so different themeing .. .it's to fit in more with Liberty Square which is more North East (New York and Philadelphia)

The lands are also connected via loose timeline with Liberty Square being set at more Colonial Times and then it progresses to more modern times when people ventured out west ... so you could continue that with either getting a bit more modern to wind up at the same time period Big Thunder is set in or go even older and have more of a break

Western River Expedition, anyone?

 

[rteetz]

 

[hertamaniac]

The Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion is themed to the Hudson Valley New York, so different themeing .. .it's to fit in more with Liberty Square which is more North East (New York and Philadelphia)

There is also another variant (http://poconosecrets.com/harry-packer-museum-inspires-walt-disneys-haunted-mansion) of the WDW Haunted Mansion theming tied to the Harry Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe, PA (aka Mauch Chunk, PA aka "Little Switzerland"). If you look at the images from the exterior, it certainly appears to have a very similar facade. I can't speak for the interior as my wife and I never did the murder mystery or B&B at Harry's mansion (I am from this area if PA and know the haunted history of this town with the Molly Maguires and the jail's hand print).

The other mansion of Harry's father, Asa Packer, is open to the public and you can tour the interior in it's original state. The interior draws some the elements into WDW's Haunted Mansion in my opinion. In fact, there is a lamp that is very similar to the one in the seance room (not sure it is still there). I can tell you that walking through this mansion, I got the sense the Madame Leota was around the corner or that the room was about to stretch.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

There is also another variant (http://poconosecrets.com/harry-packer-museum-inspires-walt-disneys-haunted-mansion) of the WDW Haunted Mansion theming tied to the Harry Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe, PA (aka Mauch Chunk, PA aka "Little Switzerland"). If you look at the images from the exterior, it certainly appears to have a very similar facade. I can't speak for the interior as my wife and I never did the murder mystery or B&B at Harry's mansion (I am from this area if PA and know the haunted history of this town with the Molly Maguires and the jail's hand print).

The other mansion of Harry's father, Asa Packer, is open to the public and you can tour the interior in it's original state. The interior draws some the elements into WDW's Haunted Mansion in my opinion. In fact, there is a lamp that is very similar to the one in the seance room (not sure it is still there). I can tell you that walking through this mansion, I got the sense the Madame Leota was around the corner or that the room was about to stretch.

View attachment 381811

yeah, definitely elements of that - and fairly familiar with those two as Asa Packer founded the university I attended.

I always understood the storyline of the WDW Haunted Mansion to be Hudson Valley NY - but either way, definitely North East compared to the Southern Plantation style of the Disneyland one

 

[mcjaco]

A bridge to get over the steam boat??? Do you guys realize how tall that bridge would have to be???

I hadn't been out to Tom Sawyer Island in years, but my kids wanted to check it this past September. They loved it. We couldn't get them out of the Fort. And they were both bummed about the steamboat being down for refurb.

 

[hertamaniac]

yeah, definitely elements of that - and fairly familiar with those two as Asa Packer founded the university I attended.

I suspect only a precious few know the true inspiration, but am thinking it is tied to several mansions across the region.

I didn't realize your university was tuition free for the first 20 years; I was much closer to Lafayette.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I suspect only a precious few know the true inspiration, but am thinking it is tied to several mansions across the region.

I didn't realize your university was tuition free for the first 20 years; I was much closer to Lafayette.

it's most assuredly no longer tuition free

My dad actually went to Lafayette - so he had mixed feelings about me going to Lehigh (though he knew it was a better school for what I wanted to do)

 

[sachilles]

Just add a little adventure, add some ziplines(mine car) across and back to Tom Sawyers Island. Those will clear the riverboat, add an "attraction", and give a little more capacity to the island.
I like having the space there, but I'm not sure a moving riverboat is needed there. Give it the princess lily treatment. I think you could get more use out of the water with some sort of attraction with smaller boats.
That being said, with Tron coming in, I fear they've killed the concept of Tomorrowland speedway. I think that space needs more help than the Tom Sawyer section.

 

[mcjaco]

Clear the riverboat???

It's like three stories tall with the stacks.

 

[sachilles]

Clear the riverboat???

It's like three stories tall with the stacks.

Anything below 3 stories would be a lame zipline.

 

[YesterDark]

That area of the park should either be used for a Pocahontas themed area and part of Frontier Land where you can keep a lot of the water. Or convert it to a jungle for Jungle Book. Or convert it to the savanna for Lion King.

Or just continue the Haunted theme and build more "town/city" area and build more of Liberty Square. I'm not sure how you really build up a historical area even more. If you want to keep it to a 19/20th century urban/neighborhood theme you can do Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations.

It's a shame you can't use it for more adventure land theming.

 

[hertamaniac]

it's most assuredly no longer tuition free

My dad actually went to Lafayette - so he had mixed feelings about me going to Lehigh (though he knew it was a better school for what I wanted to do)

I think we were both correct. "The haunted mansion in Disney World was located in Liberty Square, and the façade reflects the Colonial architecture of the surrounding structures. The façade is a mixture of Hudson River Valley, Dutch Gothic style, and of a particular mansion in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, called The Harry Packer Mansion.". https://www.haunteddimensions.raykeim.com/index335.html

OK, so I actually could walk to Lafayette (I grew up/lived on College Hill). The best part of living in this area was being a paper boy around 12-13 years old and delivering papers to the fraternities and better yet, the sororities. Often, I would get an invite for the parties (like Around the World with a passport book). Enough on that front.

That is about as polar opposite you could get (Lehigh vs. Lafayette). I also spent many days/night on South Hill in Bethlehem and really enjoyed your campus. Unfortunately, I didn't put enough value on a private college education and went to PSU (nothing wrong with it, but a different offering).

 

[rteetz]

That area of the park should either be used for a Pocahontas themed area and part of Frontier Land where you can keep a lot of the water. Or convert it to a jungle for Jungle Book. Or convert it to the savanna for Lion King.

Or just continue the Haunted theme and build more "town/city" area and build more of Liberty Square. I'm not sure how you really build up a historical area even more. If you want to keep it to a 19/20th century urban/neighborhood theme you can do Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations.

It's a shame you can't use it for more adventure land theming.

I don’t think Jungle Book or Lion King thematically fits in that area. If those properties came to MK I would think Adventureland would be best suited.

 

[captshinnster]

That area of the park should either be used for a Pocahontas themed area and part of Frontier Land where you can keep a lot of the water. Or convert it to a jungle for Jungle Book. Or convert it to the savanna for Lion King.

Or just continue the Haunted theme and build more "town/city" area and build more of Liberty Square. I'm not sure how you really build up a historical area even more. If you want to keep it to a 19/20th century urban/neighborhood theme you can do Lady and the Tramp, Mary Poppins, 101 Dalmations.

It's a shame you can't use it for more adventure land theming.

Does anyone know the inspiration behind having Tom Sawyer Island at MK. I wonder if it is to tie into Walt Disney's Missouri roots and to pay tribute to Mark Twain. That could be a reason for keeping it the way it is.