Originally Posted By berol I don't think I'd notice it any more or less than anything else around the lake. I'm usually looking at what's ahead of me, not what's across the way.
Originally Posted By BlueOhanaTerror >>>You have to think about how you're basically going to be seeing that face all the time. It needs to be really very subtle or it's going to sear itself into your brain.<<< Actually, that's not a bad idea. If the face were rendered in more muted colors it could be pretty appealing and even more attractive with the overall mix. Say if Mickey's face and features were done in tones of brown or sepia. Or even bronze/yellow, like the sun is now.
Originally Posted By jonvn In the picture, it's stark black and white. If this doesn't constantly catch your eye, I don't think anything will. We'll see. I bet this will be the first thing that gets removed eventually. These changes have been pretty weak, overall. For those who don't like the park, they are hardly changing anything. For those who do, they are filling it with really a lot of cartoon junk. It's just a mess. I don't care how ornate and colorful the stuff is they put in there, if the content is bad, it doesn't matter. You can put as much lipstick on a pig that you want, it's still going to be a pig.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<For those who don't like the park, they are hardly changing anything. For those who do, they are filling it with really a lot of cartoon junk.>> I'm not sure I can agree with that first part too much. For people like me that isn't too fond of the place (I think I have said that on record in one or two threads before ;D), I'm actually pretty happy that they changed as much as they did, which is why I call it a 'Brave New DCA'. Granted, the park doesn't look COMPLETELY different, but I never expected them to do all that and if so, what's the point of keeping the park? Knock the whole thing and just start from the top! Yes, I wish they could go that way lol, but I imagine that's in the ballpoint of 3 billion, NOT to mention the cost of all the revenue they would be losing by shutting the park completely down while building it again, so I don't think people can imagine something SO different. And also, I keep hearing what we know now is just phase 1, the first 5 years, so phase 2 will most likely see more dramatic changes. I'm just happy they are actually changing the WORST area's of the park: Entrance, PP and Route 66. Those are the big 'gag' area's of the park (although we haven't forgotten about you Farm area and San Francisco. Hopefully Disney won't either ). Anyway, I know not EVERYONE is happy with all the changes, but I think it has more to do with what is going in versus what is going out and like you said all the cartoon stuff. But I don't see how people can't be happy the sorriest entrance in DL history will be GONE!!! soon. For me ALONE, this is a celebration!! <---WorldDisney actually singing the 'Celebration' song. 'Ceeeelebration Time, come ON!!!' Who doesn't like 'Kool and the Gang'???
Originally Posted By disneywatcher It's hard to get a full sense of what DCA will be like in the future since the information released to the public so far hasn't been as detailed and finalized as it could be. We still don't know how many more changes may be (or are) in the works, and how much fine-tuning, if any, will occur between now and the time when plans are set into motion. However, I think the upcoming makeover of DCA will have more of its intended effect on attendance and publicity than, by comparison, what happened to the park after Flik's Fun Fair or Tower of Terror opened, or certainly when short-lived events like Soap Opera Weekend or Luminaria were held.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^Yeah, good point DW! Who knows HOW MUCH it will change when its all said and done of course. Even what we see now is just the beginning I think, so I think nearly every facet of the park will be transformed to one degree or another by the time its all done---maybe not to the point of the entrance, but enough!
Originally Posted By jonvn "Granted, the park doesn't look COMPLETELY different" The entrance looks different. The rest will ostensibly look the same. There will be a new ride here or there. Phase 2 may never happen.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^Yeah, but seriously what did you expect to happen?? They are going to try and enhance and modify the area's that suck and build create BETTER and ORIGINAL rides, while getting rid of most of the stuff that suck! I mean I don't know what people thought was going to happen, we knew this for months already, Disney just made it all official a few days ago, but I mean I never thought or expected a COMPLETELY different theme park, just hopefully a better one with a different approach, tone and HOPEFULLY will be constantly changing for the better. And I'm a DCA hater saying this stuff and look how much its turned me around. Its almost like I got therapy or something ;D.
Originally Posted By jonvn Actually, we didn't really know what was going to happen. We had a lot of rumors. Many of which did not come to fruition. People tend to forget predictions that don't pan out. "I never thought or expected a COMPLETELY different theme park" But you kept talking about bulldozers. So did others. The entrance will be made nicer. The rest of the park will stay about the same. They will add a couple of rides. There will be a new area. The theme is not changing, it's being enhanced. The main difference in this whole thing is a new shopping mall at the entrance. All the new rides are cartoon based, and nothing in the various areas are coordinated with anything resembling any sort of point other than "let's stick something here." After sitting and thinking it over for a few days now, it really comes across as a very poor set of choices. I'm sure people will enjoy whatever it is. They seem to enjoy what is there now, and there have been many days this last summer when the place was packed, according to a friend who works there. Which is interesting, in that it possibly is the reason the place was allowed to expand this much. Much like the story behind MGM, which was added to because it was busy, that might also be what happened to DCA, which is basically what I was saying in the first place. So now there will be more rides for these people to go on. Yay.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<Actually, we didn't really know what was going to happen. We had a lot of rumors. Many of which did not come to fruition. People tend to forget predictions that don't pan out.>> Sure, that's true, but it doesn't keep you from talking about all the cartoon stuff just the same . Yeah, maybe half of it will only happen...or maybe the stuff they change will be so sucessful, they will add MORE money and change even more, who knows? But my guess is if Disney felt they had to make some HUGE PR splash all the changes, where as they could've just 'quietly' make the changes without all the fan fare, then they could've done that too. I imagine they are quite serious and they all probably just want a better park now, not simply for finance sake, but perception sake that DCA isn't the sick, weakling cousin of DL like its been getting since opening. The additions will change that. "I never thought or expected a COMPLETELY different theme park" <<But you kept talking about bulldozers. So did others.>> And they are coming lol!! Yes, basically Route 66 and the Entrance will be completely changed. They are going to need bulldozers to erase much of these area's....unless you think they can just do it with wrecking balls, then I'm cool with that too . But believe it or not, I ALWAYS been a realist about this stuff. I never had this pipe dream there was going to be a WESTCOT or a newer TDS sitting in that parking lot and frankly didn't think there should be. I just wanted a basic theme park that followed the traditional elements of a Disney park: INNOVATIVE and ORIGINAL rides that I can find at magic mountain, well developed themed lands, a coherent theme to unify the whole park (okay, that still needs looots of work ) and a BERM!!! Creativity, fantasy and attention to detail. For **me** DCA is lacking SOOO much of these elements and now they are incorporating them, FINALLY!!! I'm happy with that . No, I don't think DCA is going to be this AMAZING park or anything, but maybe, just MAYBE it will be something to hold my interest for more than the 3-4 hours its doing now. Ultimately, that's all I care about. Again, I'm a realist, I just always believed DCA should've been ALOT more real then what it was bringing . <<The entrance will be made nicer. The rest of the park will stay about the same. They will add a couple of rides. There will be a new area.>> Yes, and the rides they will be including will be better than anything that has EVER been included in DCA save Soarin and TOT. For 99.5% of the people out there, the problem with DCA has really just been the rides, not only a lack of them, but a lack of the more immersive ones. At the moment, there is litterally about 4 there right now. If the park can at least DOUBLE that, then its a start, a good one. But no, the park is faaar from done, more WILL be added. I already said this, this is just phase 1, who knows how much things will change in phase? But you make it sound like they will add these things and it will just all stop for the next 20 years when it seems like all their attention is on this park right now. <<The theme is not changing, it's being enhanced. The main difference in this whole thing is a new shopping mall at the entrance. All the new rides are cartoon based, and nothing in the various areas are coordinated with anything resembling any sort of point other than "let's stick something here.>> Again people we are STILL talking about DCA lol. Yeah, its more crappy mismatched themeing, I can certainly admit that. I just like that at least its actually FUN mismatched crap instead of the cheap quick fixes of yesteryear. <<After sitting and thinking it over for a few days now, it really comes across as a very poor set of choices.>> Unfortunatly it doesn't look like DCA will ever get its 'Pirates' or 'Indy'. I like what's coming, but it still seems like there is nothing there to match the caliber in DL. There was certainly nothing in 2001 which is why it SUCKED and people stayed away and probably won't be in 2011...but I at least have hope that it can SOME DAY!! A year ago, hell, 6 months ago I thought DCA wouldn't get anything beyound TOT and be done with it. Now I actually have hope . Its pretty funny that it's ***me*** telling you and others that DCA might actually have a bright future on its hands now lol. But trust me, I know, its STILL DCA, they can just as easily royally screw everything up and a year from now I will be back to how DCA can't do anything right but make me dream of DL. We'll have to see! <<Which is interesting, in that it possibly is the reason the place was allowed to expand this much. Much like the story behind MGM, which was added to because it was busy, that might also be what happened to DCA, which is basically what I was saying in the first place.>> Man, I was there 5 days in August. DL was packed every day....I managed to do everything I wanted in DCA in about 3 hours. The longest line I saw was Screamin around 70 minutes. Everything else was easily 45 minutes and under. Meanwhile most things at DL was at 45 mins and over. Splash, a 15 year old ride was 120 minutes while GRR was maybe 30 minutes. I don't know, but DCA just NEVER seems that busy to me. BusiER, sure, but busy where I feel suffocated and there's lots of people everywhere? Naaaah. The people in charge of these parks probably knew DCA was simply a 'holdover' park and nothing more. Rasulo said it as much last week. I figure if it wasn't for the park hoppers, that park would still be as dead as it was in 2002 with a minor bump in attendance at most. People seem like they go less because of DCA and more to take a break from DL. That's just not good IMO. DCA just NEEDS something to get people excited about this park, but most people just went there because DL just feels so congested at times and its nice to jump on Soarin and Monsters Inc between your Splash and Indy FP's . Hopefully this stuff will excite them. We'll have to see if in 5 years everything will GASP be more than a 45 minute wait .
Originally Posted By BlueOhanaTerror >>>"Granted, the park doesn't look COMPLETELY different" The entrance looks different. The rest will ostensibly look the same. There will be a new ride here or there. Phase 2 may never happen.<<< Actually the Pier is changing quite a bit. It's already changed a good bit - the cues are coming from what's going up now. (Somes good images at MOUSETIMES just put up, give an indication) Large masses will be removed. The whole "feel" bordering that body of water is going to get less "cluttery" and feel more layered. But I can't argue that on the whole, not a lot seems to be changing, aside from the CARSLAND area, and THAT change, to me... is kind of dubious. It IS too much cartoony stuff being added throughout. Can't deny that. It's frustrating, when they have an opportunity to do really INVENTIVE, bold attractions without a pre-existing film tie-in. They've done absolutely NOTHING with Pacific Marine/Coastal life (please don't mention Crush) and that's such a glaring omission... They could do with wildlife - both land-bound and ocean-bound - what they did with SOARIN's treatment of California's terrain. But unless it's something planned for Phase 2... no hint of that at all. And YET - that pointless Wharf sits there. Unless it's point is to serve bread and beer and Margaritas. That's about all it's worth right now.
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<disneywatcher: It's hard to get a full sense of what DCA will be like in the future since the information released to the public so far hasn't been as detailed and finalized as it could be. We still don't know how many more changes may be (or are) in the works, and how much fine-tuning, if any, will occur between now and the time when plans are set into motion. However, I think the upcoming makeover of DCA will have more of its intended effect on attendance and publicity than, by comparison, what happened to the park after Flik's Fun Fair or Tower of Terror opened, or certainly when short-lived events like Soap Opera Weekend or Luminaria were held.>> I think one of the issues facing this enhancement is that they will be adding the bits and pieces over five years. The problem with that is that they will never have an opportunity to showcase the “New DCA†as a grand redevelopment that changes the overall experience of the park. Everything they will be doing will be opened in it’s own time and heavily marketed in that year, just as Tower of Terror, Flicks Fun Fair and Monsters Inc. were. The end result is that there won’t be any significant overall impact. The main entrance will have the biggest visual effect that would signify the changes in the park. Unfortunately, that will probably be the first element they work on. The problem with that is that people entering the park will still be faced with the same relatively stodgy park they have seen over the past several years (with the possible addition of Midway Mania by that time) until the next year when they add another element. So the slow year-by-year additions will only feel like a continuation of what they have been doing over much of the past six years.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<And YET - that pointless Wharf sits there. Unless it's point is to serve bread and beer and Margaritas. That's about all it's worth right now.>> I always look down from the bridge and think 'gee, shouldn't they have seals down there on the rocks?' I don't know how viable that would have been ... costly sure as you'd need marine vets and enclosures etc ... but it sure seems like yet another missed opportunity to tell the California story in layers. For a park that's supposedly about the Golden State, so much of what makes the state special isn't represented at all ...
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^Sooo true spirit! Even with the additions, with the exception of the entrance Calif just seems lost to me. Yes, enhanced, but not much improved. I just hope they change the name to this park, because there is no point anymore in keeping it. PP and GRR could be anywhere, USA and only the entrance and HPB will be the only areas that will be Cali specific and even then, its really just L.A. isn't it? Honestly, change the name of the park and with all the new theming, it could basically be Disneyland 2.0 (or 1.5 depending how you see it ).
Originally Posted By BlueOhanaTerror There are great CAVES in California, too. And there's SOOOOO much fun you could have with that. Doesn't have to be as elaborate as JTTCOTE at DisneySea, but it could be a variant on something like that. I formally motion that they level the whole BUG'S LAND, and make a creepy, cave-filled transition from TOWER OF TERROR to CARSLAND. If you get out of the cave system alive, you discover a lovely drive-in theater.
Originally Posted By jonvn "Unless it's point is to serve bread and beer and Margaritas" Actually, that's a pretty good thing. "There are great CAVES in California, too" Yes, I was in one recently. They are absolutely amazing. Not too many people know about them, either.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Actually, we didn't really know what was going to happen. We had a lot of rumors. Many of which did not come to fruition. People tend to forget predictions that don't pan out." Exactly. There seems to be a lot of uproar over nothing. Let's see how much of this stuff actually gets built. And really, the planned additions and changes are nice, but other than the entrance the existing park doesn't really seem to be changing that much.
Originally Posted By jonvn It's not really changing at all, basically. Stuff is being added, areas are being redressed, but it's basically going to be the same. The big change will be the entrance. It looks like it will be nicer than what is there now. It's not that bad now. It's a big open space, but it looks like they are going to close it in. I'm sure it will be a nice mall. The pier will be fancied up. Couple of other things. Maybe more will be added later, but it's all basically the same.
Originally Posted By disneywatcher >> So the slow year-by-year additions will only feel like a continuation of what they have been doing over much of the past six years. << That will be a problem. Guessing which type of decisions may be made in the future would be easier to do if everyone knew exactly how the current crowd at the DisCo perceives DCA. For example, do they dislike it as much as I do? Or if it's true that John Lasseter admired the idea of adding a Knott's type of parachute-drop ride to DCA, is that a hint that AnyCityUSA-park type of thinking and hokey creativity may continue to be a stumbling block in the future?
