Perhaps the Rarest Photo of the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion

Welcome Foolish Mortals to perhaps the rarest photograph of Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion. Taken around 1971, this is a rare promotional sheet from the Imagineering files. Giving the viewer the perfect look at the attraction from the now long lost Tom Sawyer Island. Plying the Rivers of America, these beautiful canoes and a trip into the wilderness was an opening day attraction not to be missed. Liberty Square was a perfect setting for the old abandoned mansion. Guests couldn't stay away once they discovered the 999 Happy Haunts in residence. The Imagineering masterpiece has drawn in unsuspecting visitors for over 50 years now... much longer number of years than those Cars at Piston Peak will ever reach.

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Charm of the Magic Kingdom's Rivers of America

When it came to color design and creating a mood, there were a few standout Imagineers of the first generation. You'd have to add artist Herb Ryman to the top side of the list! This concept art captures the simple beauty and charm of a Frontierland now long gone. The Rivers of America delivers a serene landscape of dreams as several folks sit by on land watching the world go by. The originally named Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat sails on.

This being a theme park means contrasting buildings exist. At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the beautiful Cinderella Castle in her glorious original color scheme is seen in the distance and the lower level buildings of Liberty Square peacefully co-exist with everything else. 

The vibe was definitely chill. While Piston Peak and the world of Cars will bring a different energy, I'll be curious if the charm factor will still exist. What do you think?

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Piston Peak's Older, More Rustic Cousin: Disneyland's Rainbow Ridge

Piston Peak is sure to remain the Magic Kingdom's most hotly debated addition. Replacing Rivers of America- an opening day feature of the original castle park and one that held Walt Disney's beloved riverboat-  was an announcement that brought a hush and even some boos to D23. Deservedly so. 

Bringing the modern day Cars franchise into Frontierland. It wasn't blasphemy, but it was close. This was far worse than replacing Splash Mountain with Tiana's Bayou Adventure. 

Above is a vintage Rainbow Ridge Postcard from Disneyland's golden days when the man himself was still around to provide real vision for the park he loved. As the gateway to something fantastic, this area not only contained the Mine Train Thru Natures Wonderland, it also held the Conestoga Wagons and the Pack Mule train. 

It was truly a land of discovery filled with rustic scenes, animals native to the American West, and the show stopping Rainbow Caverns as grand finale to the mine train ride. This was the Americana version of the Jungle Cruise as designed by Imagineer Marc Davis. The whole thing was even more special as right across the river was Tom Sawyer Island, a special placed designed for open exploration and a chance to use the imagination God gave us.

Proving great ideas never go to waste, modern Imagineering borrowed from the Mine Train finale to add a taste of vintage Disneyland to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I'm grateful for that, and I look forward to the change. But it does makes me long for a simpler day when Disney suits realized the parks were about much more than promotion for the company's Intellectual Property.

Do Not Go to Disney World in 2026!

As you plan out your year, don't let Disney's hype machine trick you into thinking that 2026 is the year to go to Walt Disney World. It is not. Stop and think about it before you leap and spend all that money. The Magic Kingdom may be the most attended theme park in the U.S.A., but an enjoyable day there will be impacted by the huge expansion going on. Frontierland has become a world of walls since they demolished the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island to create a new area based on the Cars franchise. Piston Peak may end of being beautiful, but for now, it's a mess. The whole left side of the park is one huge crowd trying to navigate to Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Once Big Thunder Mountain Railroad reopens, it's only going to get worse. If you're a first time visitor to Walt Disney World, this will not make your visit memorable for the right reasons... nor will an iconic castle surrounded by scaffolding while it is being painted back to its original 1971 perfect color scheme.

There's more to Disney World than the Magic Kingdom you might say.  And you're right about that. Yet of the other three, two of the other parks, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom, both have major construction going on. Each of these parks have a minimal amount of existing attractions but there's walls o'plenty as well. A whole new Monsters Inc. land is replacing the Muppets at the Studios- and the Muppets are in fact replacing Aerosmith at Rock 'n' Rollercoaster. If stage shows are your thing, a day at the Studios could be satisfying. But if not, that's a lot of pressure to put on the rest of the ten whole attractions (or less) at the former Disney-MGM Studios. It's just not worth your money.

Over at Disney's Animal Kingdom, construction walls on the way to Expedition: Everest showcase just how little there is to do in this park. DINOSAUR will soon depart for good with a ride based on Encanto and a new Indiana Jones Adventure one the way. They open in 2027 at the earliest. Animal Kingdom is a gorgeous park, but it's better to wait when it all comes together.  The park's replacement for It's Tough to Be a Bug, Zootopia: Better Zoogether is not something worth visiting for. It's the same old 3D show in the Tree of Life Theater with a quickly thrown together story that feels cheap and self-serving. 

That leaves Epcot. If you're in the mood for a food festival, go early in the year. Otherwise, skip it as well and wait until 2027. Aside from a Soarin' film about America that will certainly stay around longer than they say, nothing new is coming in 2026, so hold out.

If you must go on vacation, head somewhere else in the States or travel to a different part of the world. The real world has so much to offer. You'll not be disappointed in visiting other cultures and interacting with the people, trying new foods, and seeing important historical sites. Disney can wait. Trust me, you'll be happy you did.

Attraction Poster for Disneyland's Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Love it, hate it, or somewhere in the middle, Tiana's Bayou Adventure is a popular attraction due to wonderful music, memorable characters, and an incredible ride system. Sure, the storyline is forced and rather ridiculous even unnecessary, but this is modern Disney we're talking about. 

For Disney theme park historians, the attraction will stay somewhat controversial due to it replacing Imagineer Tony Baxter masterpiece Splash Mountain. I have not been able to ride it yet at either Walt Disney World or Disneyland. When it comes to the Magic Kingdom, I'm very curious how it will fit into Frontierland's soon and coming Piston Peak and Big Thunder  Mountain Railroad. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disney's Unbuilt Western River Expedition Comes to Life!

Just imagine that the Disney suits had ignored the outcry of "Where is Pirates of the Caribbean?" when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. What would have happened if they would have trusted their instincts and stuck to their plans? Imagineer Marc Davis'  Thunder Mesa in Frontierland and its star attraction, Western River Expedition, would have been the signature Walt Disney World experience for decades. 

Through the magic of AI technology, we can imagine what could have been. Much like the results of taking the concept art for Tony Baxter's unbuilt Discovery Bay for Disneyland (look here), the results are quite striking!

The original plans from Mr. Davis included the Western themed version of Pirates, a Big Thunder Mountain Railroad coaster, and so much more. Think hiking trails, a log flume ride that would pre-date Splash Mountain by two decades, and tons of design detail that would make Florida's Frontierland the greatest themed land of its time.

Best of all? Following through with these plans would have given the castle park an identity all its own and probably saved the Rivers of America. Gone would be the upcoming Piston Peak and the Cars invasion where it doesn't belong. Sure, Villains Land would eventually come. The concept is too rich to ignore. 

The benefits would have continued: Tiana would have received her own custom designed attraction with a much better story line in a brand new mini-land, Tom Sawyer Island would still be the much needed escape from the crowds, and the thematic consistency of this whole side of the park would not be ruined. But what do I know?

I say, look at these what could have been images again, and then tell me Pirates of the Caribbean was a worthy replacement.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Goodbye Rivers of America and a Large Piece of Magic Kingdom History

This is the view I will miss the most with the demolition of Rivers of America at the Magic Kingdom. It's the one I first saw in 1974 on my first visit to the original Walt Disney World park. The stately Haunted Mansion up on a hill in Liberty Square and Aunt Polly's over at Tom Sawyer Island. 

Back then, there was no Big Thunder Mountain or Splash Mountain on the other side, just wilderness to explore while riding the Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat, Davy Crockett Explorer Canoes, the rafts, or the Mike Fink Keel Boats. It was a beautiful simpler time. Imagineering had created a wonderful, totally atmospheric piece of Americana. But nothing lasts forever.  

The Disney Parks blog reported these changes last year in August to a shocked crowd at D23:

"The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney Experiences Chairman Josh D’Amaro, with the help of Tow Mater via video call, announced that a new area inspired by the Pixar Animation Studios film “Cars” will be coming to a reimagined section of Frontierland at Magic Kingdom. “The American West has always been about keeping your eyes on the horizon … believing in yourself, carving your own path, and striving toward success. That goes for miners in the mountains, bears from the country, a princess from the bayou … or a race car from the big city,” Josh told the crowd."

The crowd was silent, then some booed, and then it was on to the next announcement. 

Today is the last day to experience a very important piece of Magic Kingdom history. What a sad, sad day it is.

(Photographer unknown.)