Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of: <a href="http://www.laughingplace.com/w/news/2014/08/19/imagineering-shares-video-about-the-story-of-disney-springs/" target="_blank"><b>8/19/14: Imagineering Shares Video About the Story of Disney Springs</b></a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros This whole backstory seems a little too complicated for its own good, but I'm thrilled that they've come up with something unique that doesn't rely on any existing brands or franchises I still have a tough time carving out part of my vacation for a glorified shopping mall, but everything they've shown so far makes it look like it will be really nice. If they can pull in some unique tenants (rather than more Disney-owned stores selling the same stuff as everywhere else in WDW, which is what the Marketplace has become) then they could really be on to something
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "This whole backstory seems a little too complicated for its own good" Is it? It's coastal Floridian village that grew and expanded around a wellspring. The story is simple, and far less complex than what came before it: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://disneyology.blogspot.com/2010/04/backstories-pleasure-island.html">http://disneyology.blogspot.co...and.html</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I completely agree that the Meriwether Pleasure backstory was way too much! In general, it seems like the backstories with named characters (who don't actually appear anywhere) are a little too much for their own good. The one real exception that I can think of is the Ravenwood backstory of Frontierland at DLP, which is incorporated subtly enough that everything makes sense whether you know the backstory or not and everything can act as a standalone experience (you don't need to know the backstory of Phantom Manor to enjoy Big Thunder, and vice versa) I agree that this mythical Florida town is a much simpler story, and allows them to incorporate a lot of the existing architecture, but I'm not entirely sure I see the need for it. Then again, the current DTD doesn't have a backstory and it's pretty terrible looking, so this may be a step in the right direction. In a way, this feels more like the general overtones of a story that they would create for a hotel, like the Port Orleans mythology which works really well
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I agree that this mythical Florida town is a much simpler story, and allows them to incorporate a lot of the existing architecture, but I'm not entirely sure I see the need for it." The Imagineer in the video explains the need - it's what guides the design, from the architecture to the landscaping. The backstory for Disney Springs isn't something that a guest needs to know. Rather, it's the visual language that the designers use to build the show. If you think about it this has been the basic process for designing successful thematic realms at Disney resorts since 1955.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros That makes sense. I guess I just never really considered DTD to be a themed area. The various Disney shopping areas (DTD Orlando, DTD Anaheim, Disney Village, Ikspiari) tend to be more abstract, and simply be well-designed (Orlando's Westside excluded) shopping areas with no real sense of time or place. I'm glad that they're getting the chance to go back and do it the 'right' way, and set a new standard for the Disney shopping areas And I really hope that they get a chance to makeover the Westside. That area is sort of a mess and not particularly attractive, and could really benefit from a redo. I know they're not doing a lot of work to the existing structures in the Marketplace, so I fear that they'll try to let that be the 'modern' area of this fictional town and not address the issues
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I never understand why a development that was meant to be "downtown" never had an integrated housing component, whether it be a hotel, timeshares or condos. Instead they've always operated the place lake a suburban shopping mall. The omission is even more glaring now with this new back story.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> The Imagineer in the video explains the need - it's what guides the design, from the architecture to the landscaping. << I'd be surprised if they actually used the landscaping to compliment the story, unless they're planning on draping the trees with Spanish Moss and adding some scrubby brush. More likely they'll use the typical Central Florida ornamental flowers -- bougainvillea, plumbago, etc. Not to mention all the non-native palms that they will almost certainly use. Then again, the patented WDI STORY STORY STORY is just there to service fanbois who will lap up anything a BS-spewing Imagineer says.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Story? The story is that they have a bunch of stores, restaurants, etc. set in a coastal Florida town setting. I don't think that any story matters from the guest perspective. It's a glorified shopping mall. Nothing more, nothing less. The idea that the story drives the design does make sense and we will see it without even knowing what it is. We will like it or we won't. The story doesn't matter to us at all. If they follow the design depicted in the video, then I think it will be pretty impressive, but it will still just be a place to shop and eat, etc. It will make it an eye pleasing place to be and that will be good. That won't necessarily draw crowds, but, it won't keep them away like the old one has for me. I just hope we don't all have to walk the way the people did in the video's. I don't think I can do that without hurting something.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "The idea that the story drives the design does make sense and we will see it without even knowing what it is. We will like it or we won't. The story doesn't matter to us at all. If they follow the design depicted in the video, then I think it will be pretty impressive, but it will still just be a place to shop and eat, etc." Much like Main Street, World Showcase, Buena Vista Street, etc.
