Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA When I was working at WDI, I got to test a mock up of the Dick Tracy ride -- you had a Tommygun that you would shoot at targets -- sometimes thinks would break and fall over etc. It was very much like the scene in 'The Great Movie Ride' where the 1930s gangsters get into the shoot out.
Originally Posted By oc_dean When the TL:2055 artwork was presented at a Disney fan convention back around 1990, it showed the "Tomorrowland Promenade" as an open entry-way ... with the PM tracks coming in and out through the Star Trader. From Timekeeper it would have made a straight shot into Star Tours. In the artwork ... the same 1967 trains were present. So .. at least at time of the concept art .. they had no intention of building new trains. (The Rocket Jets .. I'll never forget this. It was one fat blob of rounded parts. Very "early Googie" ... before Googie took on a more slender look pushing into the late 50s. Glad that never happened!) Anyway, I guess they wanted to try WDW's more open "plaza" feel: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2sYXHRFeJNk/SZTI73KtS-I/AAAAAAAAFao/qY0ipWdl6II/s1600-h/Tomorrowland.jpg">http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2sYX...land.jpg</a> If there was ever a chance for a PM renewal for Disneyland in the future ... I wouldn't revisit the idea of cutting out that piece. It reduces kinetics in the land. Reduces that "multiple layering" that makes Tomorrowland .. "Tomorrowland". I'm not a fan of Disney's latest ventures with HKDL's TL .. and what little artwork I'm seeing of SDL's Tomorrowlands. They look like a quaint village! In Tomorrowland .. you want that dynamic feel of a city of the future.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt One element of WDW's TL layout that I prefer over DL's is the open concourse leading into the land. Back in the 70s and early 80s, when DL's annual attendance was less than 11 million people and the two TL entrance attractions were not the big draws that Star Tours and Buzz are, the area was easy to navigate. The last couple of times I visited TL the combination of crowds, Peoplemover supports and overhead track made the entrance mall area feel a bit chaotic. Certainly not the way remember it growing up. DL operations are vastly different today than they were in 1967. With the massive number of people storming the place year-round, removing or relocating some of the obstacles to improve traffic flow in that section of the park (among about a hundred other things in TL) wouldn't be a bad thing. Oh, and after they're done dismantling the Peoplemover they should take the Orbitron down from the entrance. I personally would donate my time to help them do it!
Originally Posted By oc_dean It's not the PM supports that are in the way. It's the planter/seat pods that surround them that are a bit of a pain. Have a look at this 1968 photo of TL at night: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M4c_9yHXHyg/VHcfeEsxL7I/AAAAAAAABw8/a31NNcGZNks/s720/TL%2520at%2520night%25201968.JPG">http://lh5.googleusercontent.c...1968.JPG</a> It's those damn diagonal rocks that surround the Astro Orbitor, and the Astro Orbitor itself that have created a chaotic mess. And about those planter/seat pods ... they could be made more slender .... to deal with today's maddening crowds.
Originally Posted By oc_dean I didn't really complete my thought. I meant to point to point out - pre 1998, the TL entrance was wide open. With a transport system OVERHEAD ... leaving ground level wide open for pedestrians. That was the beauty of Skyway, Rocket Jets twirling, Monorail, and the Peoplemover .... all these vehicles of different kinds going about their business above our heads ... leaving ground level alone ...for the guests. But what did Disney do? First they extended the seating area of Tomorrowland Terrace pitted right up to Rocket Rods station ... leaving only the south end to properly navigate around the center of the land, then they put that lame Cosmic Waves to make navigating even tighter. Today ... we get Wet Cosmic Ball, and built on a series of planters around the wet ball. Talk about obstructions. Now ... this blue sky rendering has the right idea: Get rid of the Magic Eye Theater .. and create an open plaza: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VJwipVg0FSg/TqiybXFxZFI/AAAAAAAABgc/lmWWif3M3pg/s720/i-GztrtsS-O.jpg">http://lh3.googleusercontent.c...sS-O.jpg</a> My apologies for digressing from Stitch to discussing both TLs in general.
Originally Posted By oc_dean ^^^ Though I wonder if that water fountain would end up being an obstruction for crowds as well.
Originally Posted By leemac <<When I was working at WDI, I got to test a mock up of the Dick Tracy ride -- you had a Tommygun that you would shoot at targets -- sometimes thinks would break and fall over etc.>> Crime Stoppers was way ahead of its time. It would have made a great attraction with or without the Dick Tracy branding. The attraction didn't quite replicate the Richard Sylbert look from the movie - all those primary colors. It was a more faithful reproduction of Chicago in the '30s. The other attraction was The Great Muppet Movie Ride. It was a great parody of The Great Movie Ride and would have helped to expand out the Muppets Studio section. I think Bob Weis or one of the other imagineers has published artwork from both rides on the web. Sadly only MuppetVision was executed in the end.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I saw Alien Encounter and found it to be a real head scratcher. I hated the smug sarcasm of the pre-show... The big climax was essentially shutting off all the lights, causing everybody to shriek in terror for two minutes and then it was over.>> That was endemic in the show writing from the '90s. Everything seemed to have that post-modern ironic tone - sort of "wink, wink - look how silly we are - you get it right?" to the audience. I must admit that I loved AE. It was edgy and very un-MK and I've always felt that MK didn't always need to pander to kids. There was room for some attractions that skewed older. I think the biggest problem was that it was stuck between two worlds - being family friendly and schlock horror. It was another Jerry Rees' special - he was TPP's go-to guy for all of the in-park live action - and I thought he directed it perfectly. He had an impressive cast to work with too - Tim Curry, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Nijimy etc. I did think it was great that they tried to create a new 360 degree immersive experience in that venue - I still like the concept even if the execution hasn't been perfect - and SGE is a pretty bad show. An unusual misstep by Kevin Rafferty.
Originally Posted By leemac <<The overview of Stitch-mania in the early 00's sort of reminded me of how I went into the attraction. I hadn't yet seen the film, yet knew plenty of it from the general consciousness of the era (especially those bizarre and terrible teaser trailers). Years later when I finally saw the film, I thought it was just okay and didn't understand all the hype around it, similar to the Pooh franchise that I was familiar with long before seeing the film itself (both films are in my bottom third of Disney features).>> I must admit I'm always perplexed when I hear people say they don't love Lilo & Stitch. It is probably as close those classics of Walt's era as we've seen in a long time. It is such a wonderful feature with a very unique look and palette. I often go back to it (and did so this week!). The problem with Stitch in the parks is that he is always portrayed as this malevolent force - all spiteful and vindictive. It is always right at the end of spectrum as opposed to flipping between adorable puppy and playful mischief. It is just the lowest common denominator when it is Stitch acting up. Stitch Encounter is probably the closest to the right portrayal. Stitch still has a following in TDL. He tends to be in most of the special event parades. Thankfully they are starting to use him more as Lilo's doting puppy than the destructive force that was in the Stitch special events a few years ago.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Dean, I agree wholeheartedly with all your points, however even in that old picture you can see that the overhead track down the center of the entrance mall creates a low ceiling, obstructing views and making the space feel more cramped than it actually is.
Originally Posted By Yookeroo "Dean, I agree wholeheartedly with all your points, however even in that old picture you can see that the overhead track down the center of the entrance mall creates a low ceiling, obstructing views and making the space feel more cramped than it actually is." That photo just might look a wee bit less wide open if you added in enough people to match today's attendance levels.
