Originally Posted By macnak81 I think this has been around, but I can;t find any info on the net. Can anyone verify leaks about "Bald Mountain" which has also been dubbed "Villain Volcano". Possibly built after the fantasy land expansion, so as to look like a Matterhorn type background to the new fantasyland. Possibly situated behind THM and ISW. Planned to counteract the "fairy factor" and appeal to teens. My imagination is running wild. Just imagine, could be a pretty easy update. The building and layout are made for Tokyo Resort's Journey to the center of the earth. Just re-theme it !
Originally Posted By macnak81 If you look at any satellite pictures of the park , ( I love bingmaps.com, they offer a birds eye view from all directions) there is plenty of room behind the 2 existing show buildings and makes perfect sense to have a mountain as backdrop for the castle and or Fantasyland.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Lets try this link: <a href="http://bingmaps.com.au/index.aspx?q=Walt+Disney+World+Orlando&mkt=en-AU&FORM=BYFD" target="_blank">http://bingmaps.com.au/index.a...ORM=BYFD</a>
Originally Posted By oc_dean Sorry .. that didn't exactly work out. Have to zoom in .. then click "Aerial" on that mini blue task bar.
Originally Posted By oc_dean I went to a similar site ... and grabbed an image of all of Fantasyland .. plus the backstage area to where the WDWRR track run......... <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ocdean/OverheadShotOfWDWSFantasyland#5224455323887636466" target="_blank">http://picasaweb.google.com/oc...87636466</a> This is well before that blue print that has since been revealed. Which shows the exact foot print they are using for the updated Fantasyland .. which is here....... <a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2533/3919450123_09b1b35859_o.jpg" target="_blank">http://farm3.static.flickr.com...59_o.jpg</a> The plan goes only as far back Magic Kingdom Drive. (A backstage roadway) The Little Mermaid showbuilding is going exactly where the 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea caverns were. But .. it is what could go behind the Little Mermaid showbuilding is where Fantasyland could expand to the railroad track. I always thought it was a weird design the WDWRR comes no where near Fantasyland. Of all the lands the WDWRR travels through .. it should pass through the most magical land of them all: Fantasyland. In my map where I draw a very rough layout where rides could go ... along with a WDW railroad train depot. After all ..... the newer Walt Disney Pictures logo that runs before a film ... shows a train cutting across some "magical" land .. and pulling back to reveal fireworks shooting off what appears to be Cinderella Castle.
Originally Posted By oc_dean In this zoomed-in piece of the large layout of the land .. shows these 2 buildings that are to be fixed between the Little Mermaid ride .. and the Be Our Guest restaurant - <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/photo/2009-09/23456304780320-15070657.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.orlandosentinel.com...0657.jpg</a> If they ever expand Fantasyland to as far back as the WDWRR track ... only these 2 buildings stand in the way in what could be the most logical route straight back to that area. Of course .. buildings of this size seem that they could be simply relocated to open up a walk way to get to the kind of expansion you are thinking of macnak81.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Okay ... to prove my point .... here from youtube .. is the Walt Disney Pictures logo (this one, before "Bolt") <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGWApmVy1dM" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...ApmVy1dM</a> First .... a river comes into view (Think ... that narrow water way that passes behind the backstage area behind WDW's Fantasyland). Next .. a train comes into view (The WDWRR) ..... Then a castle .. which looks strikingly similar to WDW's/TDL's Cinderella castle. Could the logo be an omen/premonition to WDW's Fantasyland future?????
Originally Posted By oc_dean Speaking of that narrow water way behind Fantasyland .... That very feature would blend in perfectly to a landscape aesthetic that would quintessentially be "Fantasyland". And as it turns out .... a man-made stream is part of the new plan. The more water ways meandering in and around Fantasyland .. the better.
Originally Posted By macnak81 Amazing observations. Even the current area that they launch the fireworks are way back, Plenty of room for so much more!. I really appreciate seeing the new layout superimposed over the aerial views. Notice how much land is behind small world and the haunted mansion. To me, that is also where a big mountain could fit and be the backdrop for Fantasyland, and to the left of the castle so as not to over shadow the castle, but be seen from the hub.
Originally Posted By brotherdave I'm all for adding a mountain to Fantasyland, but, I'm not sure I'd want it behind the Haunted Mansion ruining the visual sightline for that gloomy manor. If it sat far enough out of view of the Mansion exterior from Liberty Square or Tom Sawyer Island, then I would totally agree on having it behind Small World. Unfortunately, there are a lot of key backstage areas located in this section of the park. The main utilidor entrance is located in the rear of Pinocchio's Village Haus. Not sure if they could 'extend' this beyond or not, but something tells me that the costs might be prohibitive for them to expand in this area.
Originally Posted By wahooskipper The reason the fireworks are lauched from so far back is that people tend to not like having hot fireworks shells drop on their head. In addition to that, you have the access road to the utilidor behind (and below) the back end of the sub tunnels and IASW. So yes, there is space but not easily usable space.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 watch them from Cali Grill and you really get the distance there are behind the castle
Originally Posted By MPierce >> The reason the fireworks are lauched from so far back is that people tend to not like having hot fireworks shells drop on their head. << Ask Dan Young about it!
Originally Posted By macnak81 I agree any expansion will be exspenive. I too would not want a mountain behind the Haunted Mansion. I think it could be far enough away that it would not be seen along the river or frontierland, just fantasy land. As far as the entrance to the utilidors, there are many entrances, The park could still expand around the entrance with out having to add to the corridors. Or is this one of the larger entrances that allow supplies to be loaded in? Therefore to large to build around. I never got that far in my tours.
Originally Posted By macnak81 Well it is certainly common sense to have firework launches away from guests but have you noticed the roofs in fantasyland? many of them have launch tubes right hover the attractions. Doesn't seem to smart,but they are there. I just mentioned that as another reason that the imagineers might have planned that a far in advance.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >> but something tells me that the costs might be prohibitive for them to expand in this area.<< I'm not an architect .. but I can think of several ways to work around a utility door entrance.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 There's no big mountain coming to Fantasyland now or in the near to mid range future. Much of it is fanboi longing based on some rumors (much BS) Jim Hill first wrote about online well over a decade ago. I'll just be happy if Phase I of the redo is truly nice and if Phase II actually happens.
Originally Posted By macnak81 I wasn't able to find any other links about it. I'll have to read up at Jim Hill. Its really "blue sky stuff" but it would make perfect sense to me. They need some villain attraction or something to balance the heavy fairy factor.
