Originally Posted By dagobert Here are more pictures of Europe's largest Lego Store. <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.dlrptoday.com/2014/02/28/europes-largest-lego-store-opens-its-doors-at-disney-village-today-in-pictures/">http://www.dlrptoday.com/2014/...ictures/</a>
Originally Posted By u k fan I'm sure I'll stop by next time I'm there, but I doubt I'll buy anything as Lego stores are so expensive and I can get most of the merchandise back home anyway. That said, I made some minifigures last time I was at Legoland and that was fun!!!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Very nice store. My only gripe is that the store front is inferior to those in Orlando and Anaheim.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Very nice store. My only gripe is that the store front is inferior to those in Orlando and Anaheim.<<< The whole DV is inferior compared to the DTDs in Florida and California. I loved the open spaces at WDW'S DTD. The best would be to tear the whole complex down and rebuild it.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I'm glad that they've finally opened the Lego Store, but I'm surprised it took so long. I know that part of the ceiling collapsed during construction, but that seems like it was nearly a year ago. Even if they had to completely restart the project, it seems like it should have been done a while ago
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I'm glad that they've finally opened the Lego Store, but I'm surprised it took so long. I know that part of the ceiling collapsed during construction, but that seems like it was nearly a year ago. Even if they had to completely restart the project, it seems like it should have been done a while ago<<< As far as I know construction had to be halted, because of legal investigations for the insurance.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "The whole DV is inferior compared to the DTDs in Florida and California." Frank Gehry is another one of those architects whose work I can't stand. He has a few buildings that I do like - The Disney Concert Hall in LA and Millennium Park in Chicago, for example. Gawker Media skewered him in a recent article, calling him the world's worst living architect: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://gizmodo.com/frank-gehry-is-still-the-worlds-worst-living-architect-1523113249/@sarah-hedgecock">http://gizmodo.com/frank-gehry...edgecock</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Frank Gehry is another one of those architects whose work I can't stand. He has a few buildings that I do like - The Disney Concert Hall in LA and Millennium Park in Chicago, for example. Gawker Media skewered him in a recent article, calling him the world's worst living architect:<<< I never understood MDE's decision to ask famous architects to design the hotels and DV for DLP. The hotels and DV lack the Disney theming (I'm not talking about characters). The only two hotels at DLP to look like Disney are the DLH and the NPBC.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I think it was a clever idea to bring in notable American architects to put an artful spin on Disney architecture in France, but unfortunately the results were mixed. At least DLP didn't end up with this hideous monstrosity: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa391/inse0006/TokyoDisneylandHotel.jpg">http://i1195.photobucket.com/a...otel.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I think it was a clever idea to bring in notable American architects to put an artful spin on Disney architecture in France, but unfortunately the results were mixed. At least DLP didn't end up with this hideous monstrosity: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://i1195.photobucket.com/a...otel.jpg<<<">http://i1195.photobucket.com/a...<<</a> The link doesn't work, but it says TDLH. TDL's version of the DLH is the worst of the Victorian themed DLHs. It's too big and I don't like the colour. Maybe it was a good idea to bring in notable American architects for the hotels, but why for Disney Village? That's such an integral part of the Disney resort and it looks awful. It looked awful when it opened, except during the night when the lights were on. By the way, not all DLP hotels were designed by American architects. I think SL was designed by a French.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Interesting, I didn't know that.<<< The Sequoia Lodge was designed by French architect Antoine Grumbach. The Cheyenne and the Newport Bay Club were designed by Robert M. Stern and the Santa Fe by Antoine Predock. According to Wikipedia the DLH was designed by WDI and architecture firm Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo. I didn't know that, because it isn't listed on the WATG website. Michael Graves was responsible for the New York Hotel and Gehry for DV.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "The Sequoia Lodge was designed by French architect Antoine Grumbach." I really like the design of that hotel. Actually I like all of them except the Hotel NY. I've only stayed at the Cheyenne, which was awesome, but the SL would probably be my first choice.
Originally Posted By u k fan I thought the TDLH was quite a fun spin on the concept. Santa Fe is ugly and poorly laid out. I'd have to be desperate to stay there again!!!
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt To me the massive TDLH belongs on the Vegas strip, not at a compact Disney property like TDLR.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>To me the massive TDLH belongs on the Vegas strip, not at a compact Disney property like TDLR. <<< I guess the space at TDR is limited and that's why they built such a huge hotel to accomodate as much visitors as possible.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I haven't seen it in person, but I don't think the TDLH looks all that bad. Yah, it's a little strange to have a Victorian building that big, but if the Grand Floridian or DLPH are acceptable, I see nothing wrong with the Japanese counterpart. It's certainly far less ridiculous looking than the Animal Kingdom Lodge or Aulani, both of which are supposed to look like they're made form logs lashed together, yet are enormous structures Perhaps my opinion will change this summer when I can see it in person
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt It will. It's ugly, trust me. The main problem I see with the structure is that its scale, massing and proportions are awkward, especially that golden Faberge egg perched on the roof above the entrance. The whole thing is incredibly tacky. Does anyone know if Disney designed this property or is it an OLC concoction?
Originally Posted By dagobert >>> Does anyone know if Disney designed this property or is it an OLC concoction?<<< I think everything that is related to the Disney brand at TDR is designed by WDI. I guess all Disney hotels at TDR are from WDI. Did WDI also design Ikspiari and the two OLC hotels that aren't part of the actual resort?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt My understanding is that Disney had nothing to do with Ikspiari.
