Mickeys toontown fair and the 20,000 leagues lagoon make me angry

[JacksBack!!]

The Mickey's Toontown fair and the 20,000 leagues lagoon make me angry as hell everytime I see them. I just hate looking at the 20,000 leagues lagoon and just seeing what a waste of space it is. The body of water is just a huge space eater, and I just cringe and my tempature boils at all the great things that could be put there like a Matterhorn, a Fire Mountain, or a Villian Mountain. Or maybe add a couple of more fantasy land rides like a Pinochio, Alice in wonderland ride, and maybe a water play area like Universal Studios fantastic Curious George Playground. Why close down 20,000 leagues and just let it rot there for ages and ages? At least drain the lake and put an off the self stupid Dumbo ride clone there or somthing. I mean MK only has three dumbo type rides in (Dumbo, Rocket Orbiter, and Alddin) so one more cant hurt. But no disney rather keep that huge waste of space and use it as a back drop for another character meeting area. Its the words largest character meeting area yeah. Then we walk to the right and get too the worlds second largest character meeting area Mickey's toontown fair. How I hate this place. Maybe I would like this place if I never went to the one in Disneyland. But I did and their version of the place 10 million times better then this piece of junk place. And could you belive this place has got worse in time. I remember when it was Mickey's Birthday land it had an okay live stage show an a tent full of Interactive exibits to miss around with. Now that tent is a huge gift shop and the stage show building is just used for another character meet and greet. Every time I enter Mickey's toontown fair, I think of disneylands wonderful Toontown with the fun Rogger Rabbit ride, Goofy's Bounce House, and that wacky Trolly that moves around the streets. Oh how I can dream that it will come to florida, but I guess it will never happen. It seems like all of florida's attractions go to disneyland better and more improved like Tower of Terror, Space Mountain, Big Thunder. And we get clones that dont match up to the disneyland rides like Pirates of the Caribean, Indy Jones ride becomes Dinosaur, and how disneyland has a beatiful fantasy land facades, while we have a more carnivel tent look to our fantasy lands. But who knows maybe this Magic Kingdom aniversery thing will happen and all the old attractions will be updated with new looks. Well I can dream cant I.

 

[space42]

a few things..

20k leagues. That area is HUGE. It is MUCH more than just the lagoon. Don't forget the big show building just beond the waterfalls. This area could support more than one attraction. It makes me sad everytime I walk past it.

As for Disneyland getting better attractions.. It doesn't always work that way. Our Splash Mountain was built after Disneyland's and is much better according to most who have seen both. Big Thunder was opened at Disneyland first in '79 and Disneyworld in '80 or '81 I think. Both are great attractions. From What I understand DCA is getting a cut rate version of TOT ( no 5d room with the lateral movement. All show elements will happen in the one shaft. )

So it works both ways. and PS. I really like Dinosaur

 

[Lesley]

I remember when it was Mickey's Birthday land it had an okay live stage show an a tent full of Interactive exibits to miss around with. Now that tent is a huge gift shop

I don't remember that, but I do remember the Main Street Arcade and Cinema (and that great Walt Disney exhibit, too) that used to be on Main Street. Main Street used to be an attraction in and of itself....now its the Magic Kingdom Mall. Ugh. Some of my fondest memories are of those unique elements that are now gone. And replaced with what? More shops....

I think I could forgive it if the shops actually had anything unique in them....but its just the same stuff that seems to be in all the shops. Shopping isn't even as fun at WDW as it used to be. Oh, well, it saves me a lot of $ !

Geez, I better stay off this board until February....I want to enjoy what I can while I'm in WDW without thinking about everything that's missing...

 

[meeko_33785]

My thoughts on the lagoon is that it could be used for more than scenery. However, from what I have heard, there is plenty of problems in doing anything with it. I'm not expecting anything there any time soon (though I still hope we get a new version of Disneyland's Storybookland Boats in the area.)

As for Mickey's Toontown Fair, I think that, while it may not compare with Disneyland's Toontown, it's an imrovment over Mickey's Birthday/ Starland. The Barnstormer, Minnie's House, and Donald's Boat were an improvment. The show was nice also, but I have a feeling it was removed to make way for bigger productions in the park (notice how "Every Day's A Holiday" premiered at the same time the Starland show closed?).

 

[mktiggerman]

I preferred Mickey's Starland. The old Disney Afternoon show rocked. I still say knock out Speedway and expand toontown into a real "Toon" land (ie. IOA's toon lagoon) and incorporate the 20k lagoon into it.

 

[roymccoy]

that DL has so much more than MK. Actually, DL has went downhill, too. Disneyland has a big empty body of water called the submarines, too! Our Tomorrowland is a ghost town. Country bear Jamboree is gone. Where the Motorboat ride used to be, now there is a hotdog stand there! (That makes a lot of sense). Innoventions is a waste of space. Rocket Rods are gone. Many huge restaurant buildings stand empty. (Space Place and the one on main street across from the Plaza, etc..) Skyway is gone and empty in both lands, Tommorowland and Fantasyland. There is an area that used to be the Character Shop in Tomorrowland that is basically empty and the little gift shop next to it is boarded up. There's nothing at all in the huge "Ranch" area...not even a restaurant anymore.

For all the yelling from Disney executives about how precious and rare space is in and around Disneyland, they sure do have a lot of
empty spaces. Lots of "Available" signs up at Disneyland these days....

Roy

 

[JacksBack!!]

Another waste of space in fantasyland in Orlando's Magic Kingdom is the wonderful building where the sky ride used to go in. The building that is right in front of Peter Pan's Flight. Now the building does look great there, but I wish they would do somthing with it. It would even be good if they drop the ropes so we can go walk around in it. Make it some type of walk through attraction. Or at least make it a character meet and greet. Just dont let it go un used. Also there is plenty of room to put somthing, or even some decreation on that long walk way that conects Mickeys toontown fair and TomarrowLand.

Speaking of TomarrowLand, lets end this stuff of oppening and closing Time Keeper, and lets just throw a new attraction in there, that will actualy get people to want to use that space. A soarn over somthing ride would fit perfect in to that building. Maybe a soarn ride themed after Jewls Vern that takes you Under Water (20,000 leagues), Journey through the center of the earth, and to space all in one ride. That would be great, but disney Paul Pressler fans rather this space rot.

And as always there is that spot that is between Pirates and Splash Mountain that any attraction could fit in. Also there is always that rumor that the Jungle Cruise maybe transformed a bit because of the opening of AK in which Tarzan and the Lion King Characters will replace the animatronics currently there.

Also I do remember when Main Street was somthing more then a big shopping mall. When the place had a Penny Arcade and that Movie Theater thing that always showed Steam Boat Willy. Also that neat theater inside the Kodak builiding right behind the Lady and the Tramp cafe were they used to show a movie about the future Disney projects they were working on. Memories, dont you just love them.

 

[Teejay32]

I too am always sad, seeing the lagoon unused like that. I'd love to see the 20K ride come back.

 

[mktiggerman]

Originally posted by JacksBack!!
Or at least make it a character meet and greet.

already happened. Due to their layouts, the 2 skyway stations are not usable for much other than pretty scenery and storage

 

[BRERALEX]

they use the skyway in fantasyland as a meet and greet for pinocchio and geppetto*

i remeber mickeys birthdayland and think its good for the kids but yeah 20000 leagues needs some building on. Its sad all these years they could have done something.

 

[mktiggerman]

Originally posted by BRERALEX
they use the skyway in fantasyland as a meet and greet for pinocchio and geppetto*

they actually moved them for castle sets, and replaced them w/ Snow White and Dopey

 

[js]

Since it is located next to Ariel, we tell my dd and ds that the lagoon is where Ariel lives. If you look down in the water, you can still see some "stuff" from 20,000 Leagues and my dd thinks it is Ariel's grotto.
It would be nice to see something there but I guess having my kids believe it is where Ariel lives helps ease the pain

 

[PinMan]

why did 20,000 leagues below the sea close ? and when ???

 

[KrnB]

I was always surprised that they didn't take the 20000 Leagues ride and transform it into a Little Mermaid themed ride. They could use a lot of the same elements, but by having it use the little mermaid characters, it would be "current". Then all that space would be just sitting there empty.

 

[Lesley]

Let me see....I think the official reason for the closing was maintenance problems. I'll grant them that maintaining it had to be a bear....but they did it for what? 20 years?

I'm pretty sure the closing date was some time between 1992 and 1994...but I could be wrong. I rode it for the first and last time on my honeymoon in 1992 and I'm relatively sure it was closed on our trip in 94. I do have pics from inside it though!

 

[WDWfanatic288]

i think they could do a little mermaid ride or something

I wish they would do something...I hate seeing land and abanded building