We recently got the news that Mickey’s Toontown in Disneyland is getting a reimagining to go along with the opening of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. When the news first broke, I was delighted and surprised; delighted because the land could use a bit of fixing up, and surprised because I always assumed that Mickey’s Toontown would be bulldozed and become a New Fantasyland-type expansion before it would be reimagined. Overall, I think it’s good news, but I do have some questions.

One of the big questions that I’ve seen several people asking online is what’s to come of Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin? This attraction isn’t really featured in the new concept art, but as we’ve seen time and time again, you can’t really base much on concept art. It’s just that, a concept. Not the finished product.

If it hadn’t already been announced that a reimagining for this ride is underway where Jessica Rabbit will become a private eye and the story of the attraction will be changed, I’d be a bit concerned. I’d hate to see this one-of-a-kind attraction go away, but I think it’s safe. Frankly, I’ve always felt that Mickey’s Toontown should have been named Roger Rabbit’s Toontown, considering it’s a creation from his movie.

Another question I have is about the west coast version of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. I’m curious as to what sort of differences we’ll see compared to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version. During an interview I conducted on my podcast with Imagineer Kevin Rafferty, he did say that it will be very similar to the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version, but also mentioned that Disneyland has the added benefit of a new building being built from the ground-up as opposed to making it fit inside of an already existing building. This could allow them to make less compromises. Even without any changes, I feel the ride thematically fits better in Mickey’s Toontown than it does in Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

One of the new areas coming is a water play fountain that will be a focal point in the land. The Disney Parks Blog mentions, “At its base, water tables will invite guests to play with the water and have a sensory experience.” Every time I see water play areas in parks, children seem to love it more than anything else, much to the dismay of the parent who paid lots of money for high tech rides. Disney Parks Blog goes on to say, “At night, the fountain will be brought to life in a unique spectacle.” This is the part that intrigues me most. When I read this, I immediately thought of Moana’s Journey of Water attraction coming to Epcot. I’ll be curious to see whether or not the effects are similar for these two water attractions.

Although the concept art doesn’t suggest this at all, my mind always wonders what’s to come of the Fantasyland Theatre whenever construction is happening nearby. I love a good, live show in the parks, but I also think this land could be used for an additional Toontown dark ride in the future if they wanted. This is probably highly unlikely, but I’d love to see that happen. I also think it could be tied into Toontown with a related stage show.

And finally, there’s a lot of speculation as to whether or not the new Mickey’s Toontown will include an entrance into Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. The two lands are practically right up against each other. But as it stands, Mickey’s Toontown is a dead end. This has always made the land a bit of a cluster on busy days. With the reimagined land and a big, new ride opening, Mickey’s Toontown is sure to be busier than ever come 2023. Having a pathway to and from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge could help ease this congestion. If this were to occur, I look forward to seeing how the Imagineers transition from Mickey’s Toontown into Batuu.

I’m excited to see the changes coming to this land that hasn’t seen too many updates since its opening in 1993. I think it’ll be a lot of fun and I’m eager to see the land look vibrant once again.