In this week-end D&M Shanghaî Disneyland update we'll have a closer look at a part of the park where it seems that SDL Imagineers may envision to build a Toy Story Land in a near future. Theme Park University is the one who first spotted some buildings which indeed look like some Toy Story Land structures and he posted in his article that you can read HERE the picture below.
If we compare with these pictures of the Toy Soldiers Parachute Drop ride at HKDL and DLP WDS there is no doubt that the one on picture above looks indeed the same, though with a few differences, and with a giant bucket for Toy Soldiers nearby.
Now, i thought that it would be interesting to have a look back to the previous SDL aerial drone videos posted since the last six months to have a look at this from above. And this TSL structure can be clearly seen each time as you'll see on the pictures below ( indicated with an orange arrow ). As you'll see there is a big piece of land that could very well be used for a Toy Story land.
Now, all the question is: are they going to build a Toy Story land, or not? If you're a faithful D&M reader you may remember this SDL map on which was clearly indicated a Toy Story land. The three attractions are supposed to be Rex's Racers, Slinky Dog Spin and Woody's Round-Up with Celebration Cafe and Toy Box Cafe as restaurants. So ,apparently no Parachute Drop ride is envisioned but we can see on the map a structure looking like the green building...
More recently, in another SDL official map the green structure clearly appear without any particular mention, although the one under it is "Celebration Cafe".
Does it mean that WDI Imagieners intend to add this mini-land anytime soon after the park opening? May be, may be not... Some think that HKDL exclusivity on the TSL land is still running but i'm not sure that HKDL has an exclusivity on that one. Although it certainly have one on Grizzly Gulch and Mytic Manor, these two HKDL lands were really brand new lands when TSL had already been built at DLP WDS before opening at HKDL, so it's difficult to have an exclusivity on something which already existed in another Disney theme park. But HKDL may had one for five years for Asia and in this case, as HKDL TSL opened on November 2011 it would end this November, which may explain why SDL Imagineers had to wait.
Above: the concept-art for DLP WDS Toy Story PlaylandThat said, i'd rather prefer they don't build a Toy Story land at SDL as i'm part of those who think that Toy Story land doesn't fit in a Disney "Magic Kingdom". It works at HKDL because they've hidden it behind Jungle Cruise and tons of giant bamboos but it's almost the exception which confirms the rule. There is another important point which is a question of visual intrusion. The pillars of Parachute Drop and the RC Racers track as they exist at DLP WDS or HKDL can be seen from afar and it'll be hard this time to hide them here at SDL, specially at a few meters from SDL Tomorrowland or Fantasyland.
Finally, and always about Parachute Drop, there is also another point more politic this time which is to have an attraction with soldiers dressed as American G.I's in a park on China main land. Sure, it is supposed to be toy soldiers, but toy soldiers looking like G.I's anyway. But i still can't believe they will build Parachute Drop at SDL, mainly for the question of visual intrusion, and may be the green structure will be used only as a Toy Story land restaurant or simply restrooms... Future will tell what is the truth in all this and normally we shouldn't have too long to wait to know about it.
Pictures: copyright Disney, Theme Park University, DR
