Disney's Worlds of Exploration - Version 2

After a much longer than expected hiatus, I am back for a new post. I needed to take a break for a couple reasons: I was majorly burned out after so many new posts and projects in a row, I got busy at work because I was finishing the work to get licensed as an architect, and I decided that I needed to refocus on longer term and higher quality projects that I could use in a professional portfolio. I decided that monthly new projects were not what I needed to be working on right now, so that led to my long break. And monthly projects are unlikely to return. I will just be occasionally posting some of the things I am working on when I feel like they are good enough to post.

About half of the projects I am putting a lot of time into are updated versions of some of my favorite and most successful old projects. That is where this post comes from.

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This post in an updated version of my plan for a Disneyland 3rd Gate, named Worlds of Exploration.

After completing the first version of that plan and taking some time away from it, I reviewed what I thought worked well and what didn't so that I could make an improved Version 2. This park still has the same concept, the same organization, and the same overall story, but the layout was nearly completely overhauled and a couple lands were removed and replaced.

I would look back at the original post first if you are not familiar with it. I am just going to go over what is different this time. Here's the overall plan. Attractions are named, TS means table service, CS means counter service, and SS means snack service.

The biggest change in the layout is that I removed the road running through the middle of the property. It was a fun idea for a design exercise challenge, but proved to be too impractical and constricting. I decided it would be a much better park without it. That allowed me to regularize the layout into a very clean hub and spoke with a loop connecting the lands. I was also able to enlarge many of the lands that were a little too compressed and fill them out with fully immersive environments. Much better.

For the lands, I also decided to abandon the IP lands that I had forced into the park but didn't really fit into the overall scheme. Those were TRON, Marvel, and Star Wars. It made some sense to have them in, and I still believe that if a third gate were to happen, it is highly likely that Marvel and Star Wars will be included, but I decided to refocus on the concept and remove these lands for this exercise. Here is a land plan that shows the new layout clearly.

I decided to substitute the Greece land that featured Hercules for an England land that features Mary Poppins. The main reason was that I thought Mary Poppins would be a more interesting property to include at this time.

The other new land for the park is an Arctic land that actually has no IP tie in. I decided for this so that all the continents were represented in the park. I've also always wanted to do an Arctic themed land and this was a great opportunity.

So I am going to do a very brief walk through the whole park, pointing out some differences from the last plan and focusing on the new attractions and lands.

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Outside of the park, the big change is the removal of the on-site parking deck. I decided to assume that a centralized parking facility will be built eventually and introduced a peoplemover line to transport people from that parking to this park. The general transportation hub building also includes a line of bus stops that could service the other parks and hotels, guest services, and security.

The park adjacent hotel sits to the side of the entrance with one leg of rooms spanning over the front entrance. It sits over a parking deck at the north east corner of the lot.

The entrance land is The Explorer's Village, modeled on the Greenwich Village area of New York. This is where the explorers live between trips, so all the businesses, retail, and restaurants are themed to the members of the group. There is an elevated train that loops through the park, starting at the front square of the park. The Explorer's Clubhouse sits at the end of the street, inspired by the Jackson Market Library. It holds a table service restaurant that overlooks the park, the start of a park-wide SEA game, and a new version of Mystic Manor that fits the theme and setting.

The Middle East is the first land from the Hub and is modeled on a Middle Eastern square and a covered marketplace/souq. The attractions include a 1,001 Nights dark ride and an Aladdin indoor family coaster.

Next is China, set in the gardens and traditional streets of Old City Shanghai. It includes an animatronics show based on the legend of the Chinese Dragon, a dark ride through the story of Mulan, a traditional Chinese garden for exploration, and a double level carousel sitting over a small lagoon.

The new Arctic land is next along the path. It includes a large indoor coaster through the ice caves and a simulator ride that takes guests on large multi-passenger snow-rovers for a trip to the pole. There is also a indoor kids play station set in the research labs and a counter service restaurant.

Brazil comes next. It features UP in a suspended dark ride and adjacent spinner. The land also includes a kids coaster, a large explorable treehouse, and the second stop for the train.

Then come Polynesia, taking inspiration from the Samoan Islands. The main attraction is a coaster that winds through and around a large volcano. The mountain sits at the direct back of the park and forms a backdrop to the park icon. The other attraction is a musical boat ride through the story of Moana.

Africa is the next land. The entrance from the hub is through a village setting with a wildlife preserve just beyond. The land includes three attractions: a Festival of the Lion King musical show, a balloon simulator attraction that takes guests over the savanna, and an EMV safari ride through the preserve where we encounter a variety of animals.

Next is Mexico, which includes a large town square and a colorful graveyard during Dia de los Muertos. The attractions include a teacups style spinner with large skull vehicles, a boat ride through Coco, an outdoor theater for a musical fiesta, and a spinning dark ride through a lively day of the dead celebration. There is also the third and final train stop in the land.

Last is England. From the Hub, the path leads down Cherry Tree Lane, past the houses straight from Mary Poppins. The rest of the land is set in urban London. The attractions include a hedge maze, a dark ride set in a museum that is based on the legend of King Arthur, and a 4D 360 degree movie based on Mary Poppins.

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I think there is a ton of improvement here and am happy with the results. Bigger lands, more cohesive concept, and a better layout.

Let me know what you think and thanks for still sticking around after my long break. Not sure what or when will be next, so follow along on twitter for updates.

Thanks for reading!