Originally Posted By bean "Hey bean, Are there any plans later in the phase to update the film in Soarin'? I know they've talked about turning the Golden State area into a turn of the century Yosemite type park, which I love, by-the-way. I know most of that as well as AA's along the GRR has been put off until a phase 2, should the first phase be a success, but... If the area was around the turn of the century it would be awesome to have the Soarin' over California be around the turn of the century... to see what it looked like before so many people came westward. Any thoughts?" not that i am aware of although there are plans of cloning the atraction for tokyo so anything is possible. As for the master plans for DCA from what i understand the first phase is due to be completed by 2012. During this five year period only 3/4 of the 1.2 billion dollars are being alloted for additions and changes. the last 1/4 is for the second phase. If the first phase is succesful and attendance is raised to a number that WDI thinks they can achieve then Burbank has pretty much given the their word that they would add another large sum to the 1/4 left for the second phase. This would basically put the overall budget for DCA's first and second phase slightly above what the master plan was originally. The main goal is to position DCA and Disneyland at a good stable position of overall attendance increase and be ready to withstand and kind of slight canablization that might occur when the third gate opens. By that time the resort would had increased its hotel room count by the addition of new hotels and hopefully increased its retail area in DTD. This is the approximate plan for the decade. now as for the grizzley area, there is still hope that in the second phase the train that was discussed is built with track that would circle the mountain and the possibility of one or two major attractions. These attractions would most likely take over the grizzley play area.
Originally Posted By barboy "I really think you need to get out and take some trips outside of Orlando or Anaheim and explore the diferent environments that this world has to offer." Wow that was well timed and I am surprised I missed that the first time around as I am actually packing this hour for Universal Orlando's Mummy(because I have yet to see it) and Mickey's Christams Party over at the Magic King. But you know something I get out quite often--- there is basically three things I have been doing the last 7 years and especially the past 4: reading while sipping coffee at Border's books and Barnes, message boards on my notebook and traveling. In '07 alone I took separate trips for fun and recreation to the Philippines, Hong Kong, Formosa(Taiwan), The Bahamas, Paris/Amsterdam, Mexico(3 times) Disneyland 4 times and (yes, I admit) Las Vegas too. And I am heading to Tokyo in Jan. to see Dis. Sea again.
Originally Posted By barboy I forgot about about Wash DC and Williamsburg/Jamestown, Virginia for her 400 year anniversary too back in April.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan <<not that i am aware of although there are plans of cloning the atraction for tokyo so anything is possible>> I have heard the same rumor too from many reliable sources, but I don't think it would be a clone of the versions at DCA and Epcot. From what I've read, it would be built in TDS's Mediterranean Harbor.
Originally Posted By bartholomewneff Yes, I've heard that too from several sources. I think Blue Sky Disney reported on that a while back as well. I guess it would have to be themed to the Italian coast if it were to go in there. That would be a nice change. Hopefully they won't cut from scene to scene. That's the one thing I don't like about Soarin' Over California, it takes you out of the illusion when it cuts to the next scene. They should have flown into clouds and then emerged in the next scene so as to transition more gracefully.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan ^ I agree, and I was also never a big fan of the scant and bare theming. The technology has a lot of potential that is unfortunately, not being utilized in the current incarnations of Soarin'. If they build the version at TDS, it would naturally have to be elaborately themed to fit in with the rest of the park and especially Mediterranean Harbor. I believe Soarin' was supposed to open with the park along with Tower of Terror, but they were pushed back until the park needed them.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros While the cloud idea is nice, it's hardly practical. The timing from adding the cloud effects would significantly lengthen the ride, and further reduce its capacity. It would also add a lot of dead spots that keep the pacing from moving quickly. While the clouds work for more fast paced things like Storm Rider in TDS, I think it would just take the relaxing speed of Soarin' and make it painfully slow. Then you also run into the issues of many of the scenes being in the desert where there are no clouds to fly into. I guess the camera could turn and look at the sun and come back down and be a different place, but that would be a tough transition to make work, both with matching the sky and other visuals and getting a motion that is believable from the ride mechanism. While it would be nice not to have the cuts in the film, I think the music is written well enough that it builds to the cuts and they sort of release a built up pressure. It then becomes a relief to get to the next location. I feel like adding transitions would remove this and take away what makes the attraction work in general. It runs the risk of making a great attraction into a decent one for no real reason other than somebody felt like it (however, I do agree that some more theming for it certainly wouldn't hurt).
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan But with the current form of Soarin', it's hard to get any sense of immersion or a real storyline because of the jarring and abrupt transitions.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros What sort of story do you expect to get from an attraction called Soarin' over California. I think that's pretty much the entire story right there. While they could obviously do more, I don't think that better transitions between the scenes will help with that. Having a concrete story that is trying to be conveyed will. However, that seems pretty different that the current point of the attraction. Right now it's basically just a nice little travelogue with moving seats. While it might be nice to add somewhat of a story, that would be changing the heart of the attraction, IMO.
Originally Posted By TDR_Fan While that may be true, I feel the experience would be much nicer if we felt as if we were actually flying over the real locations. Right now, although we feel a realistic sense of movement, it still seems as though we're just watching a film with different scenes.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Like I said it's economics and not sand rings that get people to move to those dry hot places--- but you know that(I hope).> There are many reasons people move where they move to. The economy, housing costs, weather, being close to family, and many others. It's not as simplistic as "you consider the desert beautiful or you do not." But you know that (I hope). Actually, a good percentage of the people moving to Arizona and Vegas are former Californians who are moving and/or retiring there because they no longer want to live in California (often because of the expense), but still want to live somewhere that feels familiar. They could move to North Dakota (quite cheaply) or to New York or Boston if a good economy was necessary, but many of them choose to move to another desert-like environment because it feels familiar and therefore comforting to them. They may or may not think the desert is beautiful, but they like the warmth, the 300+ days of sun, etc. Most of SoCal is either desert or on the edge of it, and so moving to AZ or NV will just FEEL more familiar than other places. At any rate, your original assertion that "deserts are boring" is certainly not fact; only opinion, and one not shared by quite a few people who have chimed in. (And even contradicted by yourself in the case of Bryce, Grand Canyon, etc.)
Originally Posted By dshyates I'd much rather drive through the desert that the great plains or the great basin. The great basin is a swath of land that goes from Salt Lake City northeast all the way to Canada. Its about 300 miles wide and its flat with nothing but sage brush and pronghorn. The problem of creating the desert is part of its awe is its vastness which I imagine will be hard to capture in a corner of the old parking lot. Sidebar: I believe that Radiator Sprins topography is actually inspired by the Mexican Hat, Utah area. Its not even on Rt. 66. We ran into it going from (Rt. 66) the Grand Canyon up through Monument Vally to Moab. It is one of the most stunning drives in the country and I would hardly call it ugly and boring. Check out the Monument Vally link, It is one of the most unique environs on the planet. Mexican Hat, Utah: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/289o4m" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/289o4m</a> Monument Valley: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/yp8a4l" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/yp8a4l</a>
Originally Posted By oneyepete ^^ I lived/worked in that area for seven years. It is absolutely gorgeous. When ever we had friends/family come to visit, they always made comments about its beauty and variety. They wanted to just drive around and take in as much as they could.
Originally Posted By danyoung I'm sorry, pete - your friends and family (and you) must be mistaken. Barboy has decreed that deserts are boring, so you're all wrong . . .
Originally Posted By jonvn "jovn, i agree with you here" Thanks! But I didn't say anything on this topic yet! I just realized this thing exploded and was reading through it.
Originally Posted By jonvn And I see that was already corrected. Anyway, they'll build what they are going to build. I don't like the cartoon aspect of it, as I have mentioned before. It's obtrusive. Be that as it may, we might as well wait until it's built to see what happens. I don't think it's going to be a horrible fingernails on the chalkboard experience. But then, if it's cartoony, it'll be close. I won't go back on it a second time if it is, or even bother with DCA at all anymore if that's all the changes are. I don't need to spend extra cash going to another theme park that is just more of the same, and only has one type of thing in it.
Originally Posted By Nobody "I won't go back on it a second time if it is, or even bother with DCA at all anymore if that's all the changes are." That's certainly your prerogative. It would be an honest, and probably wise choice. If I went somewhere, and after giving it a fair shot decided that I really disliked the place, I probably wouldn't go back either (unless I or the place changed). This is of course referring to lesiure activities, and not something work-related (or court-ordered).
Originally Posted By bean "I have heard the same rumor too from many reliable sources, but I don't think it would be a clone of the versions at DCA and Epcot. From what I've read, it would be built in TDS's Mediterranean Harbor." you are correct, I should had not used ClONE because its suppose to have a new movie the ride system though would be the same and its theming would be a bit diferent
