Originally Posted By Bolna The Disney Parks Blog posted this video showcasing the technology used when designing the new Fantasyland: <a href="http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/08/imagineers-use-innovative-technology-to-build-new-fantasyland/" target="_blank">http://disneyparks.disney.go.c...asyland/</a> While it sounds a little bit like an advertisement for the ipad, it shows quite a lot of their computer models for Fantasyland. The most fascinating parts for me were that you actually see a walk through the queue for the Little Mermaid and then some of the inside of the ride as well, and what I think must be the Beauty and the Beast show/meet & greet.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt The Little Mermaid queue looks a heckofa lot better than DCA's.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Yes, it does Hans. But, it has to be since it will have Fastpass. That's a lot of Standby queue switchbacks in there. And in a park (Magic Kingdom) that is woefully short on ride capacity this Mermaid ride will be super popular and the Fastpasses will be gone each day by the time breakfast is finished. They are going to need a lot of queue to stack up all those Standby folks waiting for the first big RIDE! at Magic Kingdom in almost 15 years. (Buzz Lightyear was the last new ride opened at Magic Kingdom, back in 1998)
Originally Posted By dshyates Actually Buzz was a replacement attraction. So it did add any additional capacity to the park. The last NEW attraction was Splash in 1992.
Originally Posted By leobloom Just for old times' sake, here are some of the comments from the Disney Parks Blog for that video with my comments between the >> <<: "That is by far one of the coolest videos I have ever seen. It makes me want to move to Florida and come work for Disney." >> One of the coolest videos I've ever seen? Not even half as cool as the old videos of Walt showing us around the creative workshop of WED. << "We are taking our first trip to Disney this Christmas we are so excited. The girls are ages 7 & 8. I wanted to book for Christmas 2012 when the new park opens but I cannot seem to find any information when it should be complete. If anyone has informaion to pass along that would be great." >> "When the new park opens"? How about when the cloned C/D-ticket and the restaurant opens? Not even close to a "new park," not that Disney would be upset with that misperception. << "Why did they ever get rid of Body Tours in Epcot it was just like that but made sever years later so it was not out if date as bad and it seemed like a popular ride" >> Where did this come from? Oh, now I get it. This is Disney's way of hinting that Body Wars is coming back, just like EO and Tiki Room did. << "I need an iPad. And from the virtual video, looks like we’ll be entering Ariel’s ride “under” the castle grotto caves…Nice, once it gets a little decoration." >> Steve Jobs gotta eat. << "Awesome! I can’t wait! Disney Imagineers never fail!" >> Really? A large number of WDW attractions from the past 15 years would like to disagree with you. << "Supposedly phase 1 is to open beginning of next year. and the 2nd end of 2012 beginning 2013. I think last phase 3 may be 2014. We were there in January and spoke to a very informed guest relations person outside of the construction area but who knows." >> We'll be lucky to get a phase 2, much less a phase 3. << "Awesome video, would love to see more videos that go behind the scenes with development tools imagineers use such as this." That video is further proof to me that WDI is fascinated with technology but is lost when it comes to seamlessly implementing technology in the attractions themselves. And the video continues to leave me indifferent to the hype for FLE. The Mermaid queue looks okay, but it doesn't look like it's raising the bar any. It's primarily rockwork. I'm sure it'll be the best rockwork ever by the time the ride/queue opens, but I still find it hard to get excited about FLE.
Originally Posted By TP2000 >>"Actually Buzz was a replacement attraction. So it did add any additional capacity to the park. The last NEW attraction was Splash in 1992."<< True. And Mermaid is actually just replacing the old submarine ride that was there from 1971 to the mid 1990's. There's also talk the Snow White dark ride will be closed, to be replaced by the Snow White family coaster. So the net gain on actual ride count for Magic Kingdom is Zero. No wonder they need to make the queues so big and with so much faux rockwork. They aren't getting any additional rides, just swapping out long-gone closed ones for new ones. What a weird way to run a theme park.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt It is very weird. WDW is run very differently from DL, that's for sure. One can hope that the FE is going to be a directional shift for the MK.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>That video is further proof to me that WDI is fascinated with technology but is lost when it comes to seamlessly implementing technology in the attractions themselves.<< While the mini-advertisement for iPads seemed a little much, BIM and WebEx are nothing new for the building industry. BIM is still in its early stages, but has been in use for many years in complicated buildings. It only makes sense that in a project with so many unusual angles and shapes. The industry still isn't fully using it, since most projects aren't complicated enough to nessecitate its use (your average house or 3-story offic building can be done just fine in AutoCad or Revit). While the video did a good job introducing it like it's new, it really isn't cutting edge. What I found interesting about it is that they had one of the Imagineers standing in front of a giant aerial picture of DTD/PI. It didn't seem to show anything new (it's a photo that didn't have any changes), but it's a curious choice for a backdrop in a promo for Fantasyland.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>...it's a curious choice for a backdrop in a promo for Fantasyland.<< I was scratching my head over that one, too.
Originally Posted By DlandDug As for that Little Mermaid queue, I was struck by the fact that the actual boarding area appears to be an exact clone of the one in Paradise Pier. The rock work caves are all original, of course, but suddenly... we're in DCA...!
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer Anyone else notice the Imagineer standing in front of a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE map of DTD? Yeah, that's what I found interesting.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 One thing that's obvious from these videos is that Disney is really lacking a good "host" for its promotional films these days. Having the Imagineers host just really doesn't seem like a great idea - most of these people really don't seem all that comfortable in front of a camera. They really need someone to basically be the "face" of the Disney Company who hosts all of their shows, etc. Or at least go back to having a recognizable "voice" of Disney again - like Jack Wagner used to be for all those years.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros What ever happened to that guy that did the DCA videos? I think he only did 2 or 3, but he was oh-so-chipper and very corporate-approved. He seemed comfortable in front of the camera, and promised that he would be back in more videos to come, but he seems to have disappeared.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "While the mini-advertisement for iPads seemed a little much..." Did they actually say that the tablets being used were iPads?
Originally Posted By Bolna <<As for that Little Mermaid queue, I was struck by the fact that the actual boarding area appears to be an exact clone of the one in Paradise Pier. The rock work caves are all original, of course, but suddenly... we're in DCA...!>> That's interesting, I was surprised by that sudden change in scenery as well, first you go through caves and then it looks more like the inside of a castle or so. Had no idea that this was like at DCA...
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>They really need someone to basically be the "face" of the Disney Company who hosts all of their shows, etc. Or at least go back to having a recognizable "voice" of Disney again - like Jack Wagner used to be for all those years.<<< I agree totally. Even if it's Iger... I didn't mind when Eisner "hosted" things. In fact, I thought it was approp.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 This is the major problem w/ WDI and the Company at large. All this money blown on the PROCESS than on the actual PRODUCT. Who CARES how they contact the contracters? This "expansion" is starting to look as exciting as CarsLand.
Originally Posted By mrkthompsn Speaking as an engineer, the process and product are inseparable. But I understand what you mean. I'm sure their budget for the product is significantly more than the budget for the process. With a great process infrastructure, you would be able to see many more products down the road.
