Post by veu on May 13, 2020 5:50:52 GMT -5
From Jim Hill Media:
Character cameos at the Disney theme parks
Though -- if you were to ask me what my personal favorite character cameo in a Disney theme park attraction might be -- I'd direct your attention to the "Peter Pan's Flight" ride at WDW's Magic Kingdom.
Here ... It's not that the Imagineers were paying tribute to an attraction that used to occupy this spot in the park. After all, "Peter Pan's Flight" has been entertaining WDW visitors since the Magic Kingdom first opened back in October of 1971. But -- rather -- this particular character cameo was actually added to the attraction after the fact in response to guest comments.
What am I talking about? Okay. You're on "Peter Pan Flight." Your flying pirate galleon is zooming in for a closer look at Neverland. And -- as you fly in over Mermaid Lagoon -- you spot someone familiar on a rock below.
Could it be ...?
Yes it is! It's Ariel from "The Little Mermaid."
"So what's Ariel doing in 'Peter Pan's Flight'?," you ask. Well, the way I hear it, right after that Disney animated feature first hit theaters back on November of 1989, the cast members that operated this Fantasyland attraction began getting queries from WDW guests. Each of them asking if one of the three mermaids that you spy inside this dark ride were actually Ariel.
After several years of continually getting asked this question, the cast members who actually ran "Peter Pan's Flight" finally cracked. So -- when this Fantasyland attraction finally went down for rehab in the mid 1990s -- they begged the Imagineers to please change one of the mermaids into Ariel. Just so they'd finally have an easy answer to this rather persistant question.
Which why the guys from WDI first painted one mermaid's hair flame red as well as sculpting her a brand-new sea-shell shaped bra. With those two quick changes, a previously anonymous mermaid suddenly became Ariel. Which -- for some odd reason -- really added to people's enjoyment of what was already a pretty terrific attraction.
Character cameos at the Disney theme parks
Though -- if you were to ask me what my personal favorite character cameo in a Disney theme park attraction might be -- I'd direct your attention to the "Peter Pan's Flight" ride at WDW's Magic Kingdom.
Here ... It's not that the Imagineers were paying tribute to an attraction that used to occupy this spot in the park. After all, "Peter Pan's Flight" has been entertaining WDW visitors since the Magic Kingdom first opened back in October of 1971. But -- rather -- this particular character cameo was actually added to the attraction after the fact in response to guest comments.
What am I talking about? Okay. You're on "Peter Pan Flight." Your flying pirate galleon is zooming in for a closer look at Neverland. And -- as you fly in over Mermaid Lagoon -- you spot someone familiar on a rock below.
Could it be ...?
Yes it is! It's Ariel from "The Little Mermaid."
"So what's Ariel doing in 'Peter Pan's Flight'?," you ask. Well, the way I hear it, right after that Disney animated feature first hit theaters back on November of 1989, the cast members that operated this Fantasyland attraction began getting queries from WDW guests. Each of them asking if one of the three mermaids that you spy inside this dark ride were actually Ariel.
After several years of continually getting asked this question, the cast members who actually ran "Peter Pan's Flight" finally cracked. So -- when this Fantasyland attraction finally went down for rehab in the mid 1990s -- they begged the Imagineers to please change one of the mermaids into Ariel. Just so they'd finally have an easy answer to this rather persistant question.
Which why the guys from WDI first painted one mermaid's hair flame red as well as sculpting her a brand-new sea-shell shaped bra. With those two quick changes, a previously anonymous mermaid suddenly became Ariel. Which -- for some odd reason -- really added to people's enjoyment of what was already a pretty terrific attraction.
