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View Full Version : What attraction would you put in the BT Ranch area?



Disneyfreak
11-23-2002, 09:34 AM
The area next to Big Thunder is useless right now. Did you notice how much room they have in the racnch for a new attraction. They could make a whole new E-ticket! I have had many ideas like a indiana jones technology attraction, but using a river raft on the rapids. The raft would be on a track moving and the hydrolics with the computers would be rocking the boat according to the waves made by the water. The attraction would be different almost everytime because the raft would have many choices where to go. Instead of just going straight, make it like a switchtrack so it can go left or right etc. What kind of attraction would you put in the Big Thunder Ranch area?

This would take up from the front of the barbque to the railroad tracks where the hunchback show is. They would take all that stuff out and there is a huge chunk of land there.

gn2dlnd
11-23-2002, 11:47 AM
Frankly, I'd like to see the BBQ back in business. It used to be my favorite place to eat in the park. And I'd like a Wild West show in the Arena. Good guys, bad guys, some comedy, a few songs, stunts on horses, a getaway on the train, the just-in-time arrival of the Hero flying in on a cable from Tink's tower. It would be swell!

Happy Trails!

gn2dlnd
11-23-2002, 11:54 AM
Wait a minute, I must be brain dead. Discovery Bay! Discovery Bay, Discovery Bay, Discovery Bay. Dis. Covery. BAY!!!!!

I like my Wild West show, though.

jrad32
11-23-2002, 09:29 PM
I have to agree that there is a lot of space there, but I'm not sure what I would put in. It would have to be Western themed, or possibly fantasyland themed, since that land connects there as well.

Maybe something themed to Pecos Bill? Or better yet, how about a Tall Tales area? This would bridge Fantasyland and Frontierland.

We could have a new ride based on Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, John Henry and Johnny Appleseed. Now, I don't know what the ride would be. Maybe a dark ride. You could have a themed restaurant (possibly BBQ), and shops. Maybe a logging camp area for Bunyan, and tie the railroad into Henry in some way where it hits the back of the area. You probably could tie all the characters into a great show showcasing their stories.

What do you guys think?

These characters are certainly underused by Disney, but they did just put out a DVD version of their adventures.

TimBuk2
11-23-2002, 09:38 PM
I agree with gn2dlnd, BRING BACK THE BAR-B-Q !!

That used to be the best eatin's in the land. Now for me it's Pizza Port. But there's really not enough room back there for any "E" ticket ride. Unless it's partly underground, like an outdoor/indoor river raft ride. But heck, DCA kinda has that already.

It has to be in the traditional sense of Frontierland. Hey, what would Walt do (WWWD?) Bring back the old petting zoo and bar-b-q. Certainly not the Hunchback. It needs something timeless, that will stick around for a long time.

Yeah, something timeless, let's see...how about...the Submarines...doh ! and the Sky Ride...doh ! and the People Mover...doh ! and the Mission to Mars...doh ! and last but not least the Rocket Rodd...doh ! I never even got on that one. Why not leave it alone so soon enough 1/2 the park will be stagnent, then our AP's should be 1/2 price !!

Disneyfreak
11-23-2002, 09:57 PM
Maybe for the 50th it could be cheap just to bring back the petting zoo and the barbque. The thing I hated was that the bread was hot on the bbq sandwitch, but then they got cheap and made it just plain cold bread. The beans tasted alot better before they got cheap and the people stopped going there. Thats why it closed.

gn2dlnd
11-24-2002, 12:50 AM
Originally posted by Disneyfreak
The beans tasted alot better before they got cheap and the people stopped going there. Thats why it closed.

I don't remember Thunder Ranch BBQ ever being without customers. As far as I know, the reason it closed was to turn it into a corporate picnic area. They actually make a lot of money from this "useless" piece of real estate.

cstephens
11-24-2002, 07:38 AM
Originally posted by Disneyfreak
The beans tasted alot better before they got cheap and the people stopped going there. Thats why it closed.

The restaurant was crowded much of the time so I'm not sure why you're saying that. I really miss it and was happy that we happened to be there on the last day they were open. They even had mugs for sale!

Some of the menu has been transferred to Rancho del Zocola (sp?), but I've heard it isn't that great. I've not had the barbeque stuff at Rancho myself, and I'm disappointed in Rancho anyway. I still miss Casa Mex.

Pony Sugrue
11-25-2002, 08:50 AM
Originally posted by jrad32
I have to agree that there is a lot of space there, but I'm not sure what I would put in. It would have to be Western themed, or possibly fantasyland themed, since that land connects there as well.

Maybe something themed to Pecos Bill? Or better yet, how about a Tall Tales area? This would bridge Fantasyland and Frontierland.

We could have a new ride based on Pecos Bill, Paul Bunyan, John Henry and Johnny Appleseed. Now, I don't know what the ride would be. Maybe a dark ride. You could have a themed restaurant (possibly BBQ), and shops. Maybe a logging camp area for Bunyan, and tie the railroad into Henry in some way where it hits the back of the area. You probably could tie all the characters into a great show showcasing their stories.

What do you guys think?

These characters are certainly underused by Disney, but they did just put out a DVD version of their adventures.

BRAVO!!

Now that is the best suggestion I've ever read on these boards.

Tony Baxter had suggested that they place the America Folklore DISNEY characters along the banks of the "RIVERS OF AMERICA", but I think at the time, Pressler said "Pecos who?" and blew him off. Pressler never even rode the Mark Twain for years and had no idea what was back there either.

I think that if the ride is exciting enough, everyone will enjoy it whether they know the property or not (come on, how many visitors; waiting in line for "Mr Toad's wild ride" actually have seen the fabulous 1949 flick). Between all these characters, there is catfish riding, tornadoes, a big blue ox, runaway trains, brides bouncing to the moon... you name it. I even think they should chunk in "the Headless horseman" as another legend. The ride will do the trick for the young and/or Disney ignorant while at the same time, they can appease all of us who appreciate Disney's American Folklore.

hbquikcomjamesl
11-25-2002, 09:36 AM
Well, if DL management had realized what WDW management had, namely that Vacation Hoedown was a lame, forced show that was nowhere near as good as the original CBJ, and put the original Bear show back, then the BT area would have been, because of its proximity to Fantasyland, one obvious place to install the west coast version of Pooh.

zedizdead
11-25-2002, 09:37 AM
Maybe they can expand fantasy land, and put in new dark rides for Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Hunchback, and some of the other more recent Disney films.

Or keep the frontier land thing going on and put in a Pocahontas dark ride.

I can't imagine adding those would be very expensive.

Just an idea.

jrad32
11-25-2002, 07:32 PM
Wow. Thanks for the comment Pony Sugrue. My wife is the big Disney fan, but she just bought the Legends DVD, so that's where I got the idea.

It would sure be a natural tie in. You could gain more space up where the skyway building is sitting unused.

AliKzam
11-25-2002, 07:58 PM
Wild River Expedition! Bring Marc Davis's Wild River Expedition! Have no clue what I'm talking about? Go find Jim Hill (http://jimhillmedia.com) .
Also, there is no place, to the best of my knowledge, that sells fruit pies in Disneyland. I can think of no land better than Frontierland. There needs to be a pie stand or something. Call it "Johnny Appleseed's", or something nifty like that.

TerryTiger
11-30-2002, 09:21 PM
It was called "Western River Expedition"...

CaliforniaCrazy
11-30-2002, 09:35 PM
I don't know why this popped into my head at the time I was reading this, but why couldn't they make a ride based on one of Disney's overlooked movies, "The Apple Dumpling Gang"? They could make a mine car ride similar to the ride that Don knott's and Tim Conway took in the movie. I vaugely remember seeing this movie when I was a kid, and I think that was the only cool part of the movie that really stood out for me.

AliKzam
11-30-2002, 09:49 PM
Originally posted by TerryTiger
It was called "Western River Expedition"...

Ah, yes. My mistake. "Western". Not "Wild". After I wrote that and signed off, I thought I might've goofed, but then I got bored and decided to go eat some turkey with my family.
Oops. I still say bring it.

HeeHeeHeeHoHoHo
11-30-2002, 10:16 PM
hmmm now this is bittersweet... if that area is used for an attraction, then where's the Kingdom Party gonna be next year? We need our dance space :-)

AliKzam
12-01-2002, 10:12 AM
Have it over at DCA. There should be plenty of room to dance over there.

Kuzcotopia
12-01-2002, 11:34 AM
If they develop Big Thunder Trail.....


Where will the smokers go? ;-)




Of course, I say leave this area as is for now and fix Tomorrowland. But after they fix Tomorrowland.

The more I think about the other ideas offered, the more I realize that Frontierland only has one main ride. The trail would have to be wider, as the area by the fry cart is crowded enough as it is.

A runaway mine train would be too similar to Big Thunder. A water ride might take some of the weight off of Splash Mountain, but I'd be afraid they'd just do another off-the-shelf knockoff of Kali/Grizzly River Rapids.

I don't know what to put.

Maybe it should be an addition to Fantasyland instead?

Like a Little Mermaid ride?

Ace
12-01-2002, 11:44 AM
That WRE thing sounds pretty cool... but I doubt it because why would they put something that cool in? And especially when it would be original and not a movie-themed attraction. I think that they should cross Indy with Jurassic Park from USH... that would be totally neet.