It is probably common knowledge that many of the rides in the Magic Kingdom were beginning to feel a little outdated, especially in Fantasyland. Rides such as It's a Small World and Peter Pan's Flight haven't gone through major changes since Walt Disney World opened in 1971. Personally, I don't consider those rides outdated. I enjoy the classic Disney feel of them, but I can also understand that Disney runs the risk of losing popularity if they don't stay abreast of the changing times and technologies. One of my favorite rides is already long gone: Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. And in 2011, Snow White's Scary Adventure closed.
http://www.insidethemagic.net/2012/06/tribute-snow-whites-scary-adventures-permanently-closes-a-walt-disney-world-classic-dark-ride-since-1971/
Of course as the article states, more Snow White attractions are currently under construction.
However, Disney very rarely fails to please, and so I had confidence that anything new they bring to the park would be just as wonderful, and hopefully more so.
One of the new editions is Prince Eric's castle (from The Little Mermaid) which houses Ariel's Undersea Adventure, a slow moving ride in traditional Disney fashion that takes you through a summary of the movie. You ride in a clam shell, of course (what else??!). Through the use of animatronics, one can no longer see the joints when any given character moves, and the effect is much more life-like.
Here is Prince Eric's castle!
The next new edition that was well worth the wait is the Be Our Guest Restaurant. It's about time Disney did this. Be Our Guest, by its very nature, is a perfect Disney restaurant theme. Reservations are necessary for dinner, but lunch is provided by quick service. As you go in, you are directed to one of several computer stations where you punch in your order on a touch screen. Then you can choose your seat in one of three dining rooms: the ballroom, the library, or the west wing. Your food is brought out to you.
Pictured above is the outside of Be Our Guest, Beast's castle. The food was excellent, as most Disney food is, and it featured French-inspired cuisine. The quick service was very efficient, as it should be in a crowded theme park.
Another change that I noticed in the Magic Kingdom was that activities were added to keep children (and really, adults too) occupied during long waits for rides. This was especially apparent at The Haunted Mansion. You now have a choice of waiting through the cemetery or not, and the cemetery has more headstones with funny epitaphs written on them, an organ that plays different things when you touch it, and a few other similar distractions. I think it's an excellent idea, especially in a place where there are so many children likely to be getting bored, hot, and tired of standing.
Also, I was especially pleased to see that The Enchanted Tiki Room was returned to its previous, classic state from 1971. Several years ago, it was updated to include interruptions from Disney birds Iago (Aladdin) and Zazu (The Lion King), and the sign read The Enchanted Tiki Room, Under New Management! I always thought that it was a little annoying. There was a lot of shouting and loud music, as opposed to the gentle singing of the birds and flowers of the old Tiki Room. As it turns out, a fire rendered Iago and Zazu unusable in the show, but did little damage to the rest of the attraction, and so The Enchanted Tiki Room is as it always was.
I'll end by just saying that the fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom literally gets better every time I see it. They never ever show a skimpy display of fireworks....it goes on for quite some time. And the technology used for the light show on the castle is more advanced every time I see it. It's such a spectacular production, and for me, the best part is still when Tinker Bell flies out of Cinerella's castle.
Here is a link to the Disney Parks Blog.
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