Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<We will never agree on HKDL and I think most LP-ers that have visited would not agree with the "cookie cutter" comment. Where have we ever seen an Adventureland, Tomorrowland or Fantasyland like that park has?>> Huh, I been and thinks a lot of is cookie cutter. Main Street is erie since its exactly like DL's. TL and FL is sooo tiny, there isn't really anything to be all that interesting about. TL is cute, but too cartoony. FL is basically a mixture of DL and MK thrown in with the exception of that TINY garden area with the characters. AL is really the only thing to talk about in terms of new area's, but since they pretty much built an entire park around this theme (Animal Kingdom) and 4 OTHERS before it, its not really all that different, is it. I wish they took a stronger Asian theme with AL. What's there is fine, but like with so much of this park, simply not enough. <<I want a reason to return to the park.>> Me too. And probably the reason why I won't be bothering when I'm back in Hong Kong next week. I can't wait to get back to DL though one last time before I leave and I been to that place 10 times in the last 2 months. That's what an MK park should do.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I wish they took a stronger Asian theme with AL. >> Why when visitors can go to a real Asian jungle nearby? I don't understand that at all.
Originally Posted By gurgitoy2 "Why when visitors can go to a real Asian jungle nearby? I don't understand that at all." I feel the same way. How would it really be an exotic locale if it's themed to areas around your home country, or areas close by? It really could have been themed to Frontierland and just be called Adventureland. I'm sure the American west is pretty exotic to most Chinese. You could also have put in the redwood creek area and possibly a raft ride themed to the American Northwest, but oh well...
Originally Posted By Mr X ***<<I wish they took a stronger Asian theme with AL. >> Why when visitors can go to a real Asian jungle nearby? I don't understand that at all.*** After a statement like THAT, how in the heck you can endorse DCA so strongly is just totally beyond me!
Originally Posted By jrriddle ^^ LMAO!!! Long time reader (especially of the foreign park boards), first time poster. Nice one Mr.X!
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ***<<I wish they took a stronger Asian theme with AL. >> Why when visitors can go to a real Asian jungle nearby? I don't understand that at all.*** <<After a statement like THAT, how in the heck you can endorse DCA so strongly is just totally beyond me!>> T*H*A*N*K Y*O*U!!!!! Once again, one contradiction after another . And the ONLY reason why I think the Asian theme should be stronger is that obviously Asian influence is there already with the Thai stature and ornaments at the entrance at the park. It would've been nice to truly follow through and see a completely *different* AL with a different exotic look and feel. That could've been something truely different. Like I said, what's there is nice, but they could've pushed it further IMO.
Originally Posted By leemac <<After a statement like THAT, how in the heck you can endorse DCA so strongly is just totally beyond me!>> Because so much of DCA is about a California feel rather than a direct lift on California. This is why I have so many problems with TDS. Too much of it is trying to reproduce something entirely without putting a unique spin or Disney take on it. Mediterranean Harbor just feel flats compared to the real thing. Same with Arabian Coast. It doesn't have a playfulness about the architecture or create a real sense of fantasy or adventure. There are some real reference points but that is it.
Originally Posted By leemac You set yourself up for a fall when you try to reproduce centuries-old buildings in the middle of an industrial area east of Tokyo. On HKDL's Adventureland they opted for a blended feel so there are African and Asian influences throughout but it isn't as distinctive as DL's. As I said you set your guests up for disappointment if you try to reproduce something without putting your own spin on it. DAK works so well because it has many typical Disney flourishes. The area around the Tree of Life is unworldly but still feels ethnic and true. Funny how every post I make on either the HKDL or TDR boards brings DCA into question.
Originally Posted By Mr X I guess I just don't see things quite that way. I actually LOVE Mediterranean Harbor. It seems pretty damn whimsical and magical to me (SPECIALLY with the looking volcano in the distance, and the choo choo train to the left, and the big magical castle just waiting to be explored up in the distance, and all that...NOTHING to do with Europe but it fits (Sorry, just my opinion of course). As for the original comment, I didn't find anything particularly interesting or fun in the Hong Kong Adventureland. Personally, my favorite is the Magic Kingdom version (with the cool drums and tiki torches and the adventurous atmosphere). I'm not a big fan of the TDL version either, for the record, but anyway the "big" Hong Kong version (which would seem to be a highlight, after the super lame tomorrowland and fantasyland, both of which could be seen with a sweep of the eye if you stand in the middle!), just didn't seem all that special (the boat ride was "okay", but nothing short of a Jungle Cruise slightly plussed).
Originally Posted By WorldDisney Sorry Leemac, I don't see ANY of what you are talking about. DCA captures Calif. about as much as any corporate entity trying to bottle something up and present it as 'different'. But, the guests have spoken on that. As for TDS, I don't see any "placemaking" the way they are doing at DCA and frankly most people WANT a different feel from where they are. You seem to forget that Anaheim doesn't support its surroundings for DL no more than DL does. So? That's the point of the parks, to drop you in a different world, at least until DCA came around where they litterally drop you in the same world, only more sterile and less interesting. Give me Mediterranian Harbour at TDS ANY day over the mess at DCA. Oh yeah, this was about HKDL!!! LOL, sorry .
