Originally Posted By yamabuki DisneylandNewsToday.com has a new article, featuring the actual leaked blueprints of Buena Vista St. Check them out here: <a href="http://www.disneylandnewstoday.com/archives/6795" target="_blank">http://www.disneylandnewstoday...ves/6795</a>
Originally Posted By DlandDug Interesting stuff. Of course, we posted this over a month ago: <a href="http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID513440.asp" target="_blank">http://www.laughingplace.com/N...3440.asp</a> The blueprint used in that article was displayed on the walls of the Blue Sky Cellar for months. Fun to see more details. (The "glass block" detail mentioned in the article almost certainly represents an historical detail-- glass blocks set in the sidewalk to illuminate cellars below. The "lighting" effect would represent the way they appeared at night, lit from below, rather than some sort of "amazing light and color" show.)
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones Are they leaked as in distributed by an employee who was unauthorized to distribute them or "leaked" as in to build up hype? Leaked has lost all meaning these days.
Originally Posted By TP2000 This is "leaked" as in a superfan cleaned up a digital photo of these same blueprints that were displayed publicly in the Blue Sky Cellar. Doug has a great point on the glass blocks in the streets. That's a functional design feature found in any city built before 1930. Although I could see how some kid from Irvine who has never travelled (Vegas and Disney theme parks don't count) would have no idea what they were and would assume they are installed for a killer dance party after dark. That right there pretty much sums up everything you need to know about these "leaked" blueprints and the funny commentary that goes along with it on the website linked here.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Interesting that the existing guest relations, lockers, and restrooms will remain intact behind new facades.
Originally Posted By yamabuki TP2000 - Did you actually look at the pictures? You certainly won't find those at the Blue Sky Cellar. These are an entirely different set altogether, with a much closer look at the construction details. It's not a cleaned-up version of the blueprints we had already seen. Dr Hans - No reason to build new restrooms or lockers when they are already there in near perfect condition.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Of course, however the fact that the current structures will remain intact illustrates that much of what is being done in this area is cosmetic rather than a full on tear down, rip out, build from the ground up redo. I'm happy with what they are doing, especially with Buena Vista Street, but some posters here tend to suggest that the physical changes happening at DCA are much more than they actually are.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>...some posters here tend to suggest that the physical changes happening at DCA are much more than they actually are.<< And some are suggesting they are a lot less...! These blueprints are working drawings that have not been publicly displayed anywhere I have seen. It's an odd lot, and not at all intended for public consumption. The biggest scoop (and the buried "lead") in this article is the placement of the Walt and Mickey sculpture. Note that it overlooks the "Carthay Circle," but is placed so it will be exactly centered to Buena Vista Street as you enter the park. It's very clever and well thought out. Now all we need to know is where the flag pole will end up. (Funniest goof in the article-- the Pump House. But you can't blame an average person for not realizing there has to be a real pump vault near a working fountain...)
Originally Posted By FerretAfros For those keeping track, I was in the parks yesterday, and the steel for the 'tailfins' on the Pan Pacific entrance have gone up. It looks like they will be a little shorter than I had expected (smaller than the WDW version), but will fit the scale the plaza a lot better. I'm still concerned about how the teal will look (I thought we were trying to get rid of the 90's look; I know that's the original color, but it's just out of fashion right now), but I'll hold that off until I see it finished.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 LOL at the glass blocks. I've seen so many of those in NYC and other places that I forget they're there. I suppose Disney could...theoretically do something with lights, but then it would also look out of character. I'm happy they are sticking to such detail and accuracy in these updates though, it's great to see what was lacking originally, finally be brought up to Disney standards.
Originally Posted By Manfried "I'm still concerned about how the teal will look (I thought we were trying to get rid of the 90's look; I know that's the original color, but it's just out of fashion right now), but I'll hold that off until I see it finished." I am so happy you will wait, like Disney will care.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> This is "leaked" as in a superfan cleaned up a digital photo of these same blueprints that were displayed publicly in the Blue Sky Cellar. << I don't recall ever seeing renderings that are as involved, detailed and "inside" as the ones posted at Disneylandnewstoday.com. Those blueprints reveal just how much work -- how much grueling tedium -- is required to create things. A person really has to sweat the details to get a job done properly, even if the project is as rather plain and simple (and cheap) as DCA was in 2001. Therefore, all that much sadder to consider the thousands of hours of work invested (and wasted) in the original park over 10 years ago, and how all of that effort ended up being an exercise in futility. Tossed out with yesterday's garbage, but understandably and correctly so.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 And has harped on the same 3 notes for a decade now. Talk about a lack of creativity.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher Well, I actually believe DCA was good in some ways, but not so good in other ways. It was wonderful in some ways, not so wonderful in other ways. It was Disneyfied in some ways, not so Disneyfied in other ways. It was entertaining in some ways, not so entertaining in other ways. It was a mixed bag. It was kind of good, it was kind of not so good. It was kind of tacky, it was kind of not so tacky. See, in office politics, I can be just as good as anyone else in playing "on one hand...and on the other hand..."
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <It was a mixed bag. > It actually was. That's not as satisfying a response for some as trying to shove everything into the same bag, but it's the more accurate response.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Tisk tisk. Don't you guys know that this is the internet? Either something is the best thing ever, or it's the worst thing ever. There's no such thing as middle ground. How dare you try to be level-headed. For shame! : ) In all fairness, I agree that there were things in the original DCA that worked and things that didn't. Sadly, it seems that the redo is taking out a lot of the things that did work for me, and keeping several of the things that didn't. While the stuff that they're replacing it with seems to be better on average, I still have yet to be 'wowed' by almost any of it. DCA 2001 was a bold move for the company, and it was clearly done on a tight budget. It seems that the budget was as much a factor in the initial reviews of the park as anything else. With the new budget to redo the place, it seems like a lot of the original character of the park is being lost and replaced with character-driven content (I'm sure much to the joy of Bob Iger), regardless of its actual quality. Will Goofy's Sky School be any better than Mullholland Madness? Probably not, but since it has a character associated with it, everybody seems to be giving it the benefit of the doubt, regardless of any actual concept art that shows a really uninspired concept.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros (In case that wasn't clear, I want to make sure that you guys know that I hardly support Mullholland Madness either. I think it's a pretty terrible ride that should have just been removed, but the retheming of it scares me, since it seems to be a fairly-long-term change, meaning that it will be here for at least 5-10 more years. I would much rather they had truly had a grand vision for the area and completely replaced it, than having them place the proverbial 'lipstick on a pig'.)
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I totally agree Ferret Afros. It was a mixed bag. They had some awesome offerings that disappeared (Eureka Parade, entertainers, and yes, for me, the farm, California Dreams, and Seasons of the Vine), and kept some of the stuff I hated from day 1 (the swings, the wheel - which looked better as a sun rather than Mickey, and Mulholland Madness). And simply gilting the caca with toons makes it worse IMHO. WoC does not really impress me, I am not excited about the Little Mermaid. Sadly the only two things of interest to me are the red car trolleys, and Cars Race Rally (which frankly I would have preferred being in muscle cars instead of toons - and I like the movie). So yep, totally agree. The make over is likely to help DCA very much, but to me, the most exciting developments in the Disney empire are in Hong Kong with Mystic Point and Grizzly Gulch.
