Originally Posted By CuriousConstance Update posted on parks blog <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/03/new-smokejumpers-grill-opens-march-20-part-of-grizzly-peak-expansion-at-disney-california-adventure-park/">http://disneyparks.disney.go.c...re-park/</a>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I love the concept art! It's rare to see painted renderings for construction projects. These days they're typically done using computers and look more photo-realistic. As things go this isn't a big project, but it'll do a lot to improve the storytelling in that area of the park. Now all they need to do is work Hollywood Land.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan The artwork looks great. It is digitally painted, but it still looks great.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros The artwork does look nice, almost like something that would have come out of the midcentury period that it's set in. It's great to see the people in the art leisurely strolling along, rather than looking frantic like they often do these days I am a little disappointed that this mostly appears to be a new paint job, with some nice set dressing in between. It looks like Taste Pilots/Smokejumpers will retain its industrial/mechanic shop look, and Soarin' will simply be painted go-away-green (with the airfield checker pattern remaining, even though it's completely out of place with those colors). I'm sure the new trees will be nice, but it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I think the new trees will be the best part. That area was always so hot and no shade to be found.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I am a little disappointed that this mostly appears to be a new paint job, with some nice set dressing in between." You were expecting more?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Maybe a new skin on the Soarin' building, rather than simply changing the paint color. It looks like they're even keeping the modern awning and lampposts at the attraction's entrance and just painting them brown In an ideal world, they would have made it look like materials that would feel at home in the mountains. Heck, even the lodge at Yellowstone matches the general shape of the Soarin' hangar building <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://katrinkatravels.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/D1.-Yellowstone-Lodge.JPG">http://katrinkatravels.com/wp-...odge.JPG</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert I like the concept art and I think the new area looks great, like one of the US national parks. Isn't Soarin' next to the Grand California Hotel? So they give the whole area the same look?
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>It's still an airfield right?<< I think so, but I don't know how clear that theme will be. It was kind of tough to see in the wide open spaces of Condor Flats; adding all the trees will likely make it feel like a secluded mountain valley, which isn't really ideal for aircraft. The footprint is so confined that there's really not much they can do with it; even the old layout felt pretty cramped and there wasn't much visual clutter. I'm sure the new version will have a lot more charm, but I'm not sure it will make any sense >>Isn't Soarin' next to the Grand California Hotel? So they give the whole area the same look?<< Yes, the Soarin' building basically acts like an extension of one of the GCH wings; the two abut each other with a small service road in between. I'm sure the transition between the two will be a lot more gradual now. You can see the GCH on the left side of this photo: <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Soarin'_Over_California.JPG">http://upload.wikimedia.org/wi...rnia.JPG</a> Additionally, the La Brea Bakery on the back side of the building (facing DTD) uses a similar architectural language as the GCH, though it has a slightly different style. I would think that this transition would also be easier, but I haven't seen anything to indicate whether they're repainting that side of the Soarin' building <a target="blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://parksandresorts.wdpromedia.com/media/disneyparks/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/lbb012921LARGE.jpg">http://parksandresorts.wdprome...ARGE.jpg</a>
Originally Posted By dagobert Thanks for the pictures. Compared to the first one you have posted, the new look of the area is a huge improvement.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I'm not sure that Soarin' is Imax>> It is IMAX from the cameras used to the screen itself.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I like the concept art too. Condor Flats was a fine concept, but the area was just never large enough to flesh it out. Combining it with Grizzly Peak so that now there's a large-ish area with a similar feel makes sense. I'm a little sorry to lose the engine/Cool Your Jets thing, but otherwise I like it. Someone on the Disney blog had an interesting question: "Will the decor inside Soarin’ Over California be changed from featuring aviation history to a wilderness theme as well?" Since the Disney employee didn't answer that (and did answer other questions), I'm going to guess the answer is no. The queue was always the weakest part of Soarin' for me, and this was the perfect opportunity to improve it. Maybe they did after all, but I'm not holding my breath.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip The queue at Epcot's Soarin' is also generic and boring. But I wonder if that is intentional on the part of Disney. Would it be too jarring to go through a highly themed and detailed queue and then be dumped into a warehouse like space filled with mechanical contraptions that look nothing like aircraft? The illusion of Soarin' never starts until the film does. Maybe that is the way Disney wants it.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt I never had much of an issue with the queue at Soarin'. I'm not sure where the idea came from that every classic attraction at the park has to have an "experience" while you wait in line. Most ride queues at Disney's parks are nothing more than elaborate switchbacks with no decor at all, and there are several E ticket attractions at DLR that have much more lackluster queues (I'm looking at you Submarines) than Soarin'.
Originally Posted By leemac <<The queue at Epcot's Soarin' is also generic and boring.>> DCA's original plans called for a primary pre-show in the museum wing of the facility. It got canned when budget cuts were mandated by Galen. Epcot's attraction had some unique issues - not least amongst them the need to take guests outside the pavilion - that walkway into the theatres is a decent trek outside the berm of the pavilion. The other problem is that it is a unique E-ticket in that it isn't in a specific time or place - you are just boarding an "aircraft" for a birds-eye view. That made it a lot more challenging to conceive a relevant pre-show experience. Doesn't mean it couldn't have been done (there were budget issues) but it might have been contrived. Tim Delaney was the champion for the dull queues. He wanted to add experiences to them and Soarin' was the test bed for that engagement before it was cranked up for those awful interactive queues at MK. He did that lot on a shoestring budget and it raised the ratings for the attraction.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Condor Flats was a fine concept, but the area was just never large enough to flesh it out.>> There was supposed to be a lot more interactive elements to the area - those all got cut. There was some fun humorous elements too. The backstory was incredibly convoluted though and lost when the placemaking didn't materialise. I understand the need for the placemaking - it isn't the most inspiring one I've seen but it does the job. Planting a load of trees and using a natural color palette makes sense. There isn't a sense of discovery in that part of the park and sadly that won't really change. The walkway needed to be more meandering.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "He wanted to add experiences to them and Soarin' was the test bed for that engagement before it was cranked up for those awful interactive queues at MK." You think those queues are "awful"? Why?
Originally Posted By tashajilek Soarin's queue is probably the main reason I dont ride often. I would rather wait outdoors than inside a slow moving warehouse.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I love Soarin', but the long hallway with the aviators just isn't that interesting after you've read the posters several times, and the portion after you split off but before you get to the loading area is even more dull. True, every ride doesn't have to have a crackerjack queue (and many don't), but this seemed like an opportunity to improve it. I was also thinking that it could be kind of jarring if the exterior now looks "woodsy" and the interior is the same sort of corrugated metal look.
