Originally Posted By jmuboy MiceAge has an update from Al that discusses the Circle D ranch moving to make way for a new ride. My question - how do the animal gets to/from Main Street now? I assume those are the animals (the horses) who live on the ranch? Why not move the ranch to right behind ToT near the other new maintenance facilities. Horses could just use the tunnel from DCA to the TL/Main Street backstage area to get the horses on stage. Seems easier and closer logistically. I realize that it would take up DCA expansion land, but honestly - I don't see DCA using up all that space to quickly after CarsLand open anyway. Also - Al seems to suggest more than one ride would be a part of this Frontierland expansion. That would be GREAT!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I dunno, there's something fishy to me about this news. It's hard to believe that DL would consider moving forward with a major Frontierland expansion project without 1) addressing Tomorrowland and 2) without a major proven movie franchise to exploit with a connection to the Frontierland theme. Everyone knows that Disney doesn't "go all out" anymore without linking a given project to branded product.
Originally Posted By DBitz2 I think the horses are transported by horse trailer back and forth between Main Street backstage and Circle D. I also was a little surprised to read that they could be proceeding with a Frontierland expansion before a Tomorrowland fix and expansion. Maybe a Frontierland expansion is something that is physically easier and quicker to accomplish at this point.
Originally Posted By TP2000 There was talk of Bruckheimer doing a big Lone Ranger movie for them a few years from now. There's a western themed movie to tie into. When you look at Google Maps, that Circle D facility is really quite large. Combined with the current Festival Arena, it is a huge piece of land and certainly enough to house an E Ticket and a few smaller rides, shops and dining.
Originally Posted By TP2000 I think it's also important to remember that we are probably talking about a concept that will evolve and develop over a few years before it gets announced, with more updates from Al along the way. This one will probably be kind of like the big DCA makeover project Al started talking about in '06 and then went gonzo with in mid '07 (with lots of folks claiming Al was full of it and was making it up) before the DCA makeover was finally announced and rolled out in October, '07 to Disney fans with their jaws on the floor. I really don't think this is something that gets announced anytime within the next year or two. We've got some time to debate it all in our infinite wisdom. ;-)
Originally Posted By WorldDisney It would be cool if they are working on both a Frontierland expansion and TL redo at the same time like the DCA fix/redo a few years from now. How cool would THAT be?
Originally Posted By DlandDug The idea of expanding into the ranch has been around for at least 35 years now. (Discovery Bay was proposed back in the mid-70s.) This isn't really new "news," just the latest rehash of something that is likely to happen ANY DAY NOW... ...unless it doesn't.
Originally Posted By TP2000 So how do they get the horses from Circle D down to Main Street? Just walk them around the perimeter of the property? Or put them in horse trailers and drive them? And if they have to move Circle D off-property, are there laws about how much you can cart a horse around in a trailer for? Seems like a huge hassle to move Circle D off-property and give up that entire facility while still trying to maintain the presence of live animals inside the park. What a headache.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance Excellent Avatar I think they should change the live horses on Main Street to audio-animatronic horses that pull the wagons.
Originally Posted By TP2000 I'm sure if they really are thinking of moving this Circle D ranch facility off-property, that the concept of animatronic horses for Main Street will be at least considered in a meeting or two. Even just half-jokingly.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance But I think to keep things themed and true to life, the audio animatronic horses should still leave lab created "waste piles" all along Main Street.
Originally Posted By avatarmickey115 Can someone explain this whole Circle D thing...how does it relate to main street? isnt it in frontierland? ughhh
Originally Posted By TP2000 Yeah, exactly avatar. Apparently they keep all of Disneyland's animals on a ranch located just outside the berm north of Frontierland. And then somehow they get several different horses back and forth to Main Street each day to pull the streetcars, in addition to horses that may appear in the Christmas parade or for special events. The logistics of getting them through and around a busy theme park, let alone if they have to move this thing off property entirely, is baffling.
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster They transport the Main Street horses with a truck anyway so a few minutes extra commute time doesn't seem like a big deal. And if they are expanding to the Tri-Circle D Ranch area then Big Thunder Ranch is likely going away so transporting those animals is a non-issue.
