Plaza Update & Falco's Flight

As part of the update, Aladdin’s attraction will be removed helping not just traffic flow but nearby neighbors as well. The space however will not go totally unused. In its place, a beautiful Moana inspired fountain will occupy a smaller footprint than that of the attraction it replaces. The fountain’s design uses concepts for the previously planned Journey of Water that was destined for Epcot but has since been scrapped for future long-range plans at the park. The new fountain is a perfect complement to its Tiki Room and Aloha Isle neighbors, as well as The Jungle Navigation Co. attractions nearby.

On one side of the fountain nearest Aloha Isle, a small amount of covered seating will be added. Aloha Isle has long been a popular spot in the park, and the added seating will be a welcome sight to guests who currently are left looking once the few tables currently in existence are full. Even with the added seating and fountain, the plaza walking space will be greatly enlarged allowing several more feet in all directions to the hub, Caribbean Plaza and Frontierland.

While one attraction has been lost, an exciting new addition has been gained in the form of Falco’s Flight. Taking over the spot occupied by the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, this family friendly drop tower attraction fits easily on the Treehouse’s island, bringing a fun new attraction and addition to the Adventureland story. Not wanting to rest on their laurels after taking the tourism industry by storm, The Jungle Navigation Co. has set their sights on dominating the market. After the “rousing” success of The Jungle Cruise, the opportunity arose to expand operations and offer guests another exciting excursion into the jungle. Created with the same workmanship and professionalism of the cruise, Falco’s Flight was born.

The experience was built in honor of Albert Falls’ fellow S.E.A member Camellia Falco who was well known for her love of flight and flying creatures. While numerous exotic animals occupy the waters and grounds of the jungle, the trees are full of just as many new finds. Rare birds, monkeys, spiders, and parachutists being just a few of the sights.

Guests will enter the attraction in a similar spot to the former treehouse, with the queue taking a slightly different path to reach the island for space purposes. Welcomed to the tree by Jungle Navigation Co. staff can be a bit concerning considering their history, but most guests will decide to proceed on anyway. Guests may spot a few boating tourists on their own excursion via a new route as the loading area slowly comes into view.

Approaching the loading zone, guests spy their treetop elevator, or at least that is what the brochure called it. Each of the six apparatus before them does not inspire much confidence. Looking to be made of bamboo, wood and held together by a bit of jungle twine, it is hard to imagine these things holding together for the entire trip up. The old, tattered parachute atop the contraption seems fitting. Guests 40” and taller say their goodbyes to each other, and hope for the best.

Using Intamin’s Rain Forest Drop Tower, this new attraction offers a similar capacity to the carpets and with a bit of Imagineering, easily blends into the land as if it were always there. Utilizing many of the techniques learned from creating the Animal Kingdom's Tree of Life, the central column will be enclosed to look like one large trunk rising to the sky. Tree branches and foliage of various sizes are interspersed throughout the set giving the appearance to everyone outside and inside the attraction that it is one large tree, just like the former Swiss Family Treehouse. Kept to a minimum height for sightlines and increased rider eligibility, the ride peaks several feet lower than the top of the tree, but still offers amazing views of the land and various comedic elements dotting the tree branches with every rise and fall.