Kevin explores ideas for a Halloween episode and stumbles upon a listicle of defunct Disney attractions, leading him to discover "Defuncthell," where theme park rides go after they end. He delves into the history of Disney's adaptation of "The Chronicles of Prydain" into "The Black Cauldron," highlighting production challenges and its eventual failure at the box office. The narrative shifts to Tokyo Disneyland's success and the unique "Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour" attraction, which was a dark, villain-themed tour that ended in 2006 due to various speculated reasons. The attraction's legacy is discussed, noting its influence on other Disney parks and the replacement by "Cinderella's Fairy Tale Hall." The summary concludes with reflections on the uniqueness of overseas Disney attractions and their impact on storytelling.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Walt Disney Company purchased an option to adapt Lloyd Alexander's "The Chronicles of Prydain" series into a feature film in 1971.
2. Walt Disney had passed away five years prior to the purchase.
3. The company struggled to find new source material that aligned with the Walt Disney brand after Walt's death.
4. The adaptation, titled "The Black Cauldron," was originally slated for a 1980 release but was pushed back to 1984.
5. The film was edited, with over ten minutes of graphic sections being cut, before its release in 1985.
6. "The Black Cauldron" was the first Disney animated feature to receive a PG rating.
7. The film cost an estimated $44 million to produce, making it the most expensive animated film at the time of its release.
8. The film grossed just over $21 million at the box office, resulting in a loss for The Walt Disney Company.
9. Tokyo Disneyland opened on April 15th, 1983, as a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company and The Oriental Land Company.
10. Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour was a unique attraction at Tokyo Disneyland that opened on July 11th, 1986.
11. The attraction was a 16-minute walkthrough tour of Cinderella Castle's dungeons.
12. The tour featured a cast member who provided a scripted guide through the attraction.
13. The attraction included scenes with Disney villains, a magic mirror, and a final confrontation with the Horned King.
14. The attraction operated for 20 years before closing on April 5th, 2006.
15. The reason for the attraction's closure is speculated to be due to its dark themes, low capacity, and lack of popularity.
16. A new attraction, Cinderella's Fairy Tale Hall, opened in 2011 as a replacement for the Mystery Tour.
17. Cinderella Castle Mystery Tour is considered one of the darkest and most unique Disney attractions ever created.
18. The attraction's style has inspired the creation of other attractions, including "The Dragon's Lair" at Disneyland Paris and a castle walkthrough attraction at Shanghai Disneyland.