Originally Posted By Nate McDuck "It does now because Pixar is what the current people running Disney wants to sell you." This is a great point, and your thoughts about Tomorrowland were something I had not considered in that context (I am relatively new to the boards...). I know this is not a WDW board, but the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland is a great example of your point. What does that have to do with presenting a vision of the future? I guess it just goes there because Disney parks don't have a "Monsterland." Yet.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I was not aware of the character overlays on the PP attractions. Is the Sun Wheel overlay just the Mickey Mouse face? If so, I see that as more a decorative touch than a re-theming of the ride. I guess I'm curious what the overlay on the other attractions will be. To be honest, I don't see how it could possibly make them worse than they already are (though I must admit a strange attraction to the Orange Stinger!). I guess I see Playhouse Disney as a child-oriented show and Bugs Land as a kiddie land, so I don't really care what they put in there. I guess toons are as good as anything. The WDW and DL kiddie lands are 100% toons so I don't see anything different here. Turtle Talk was not there during my last visit. Am I correct in assuming it was added to the Animation Studio Building? If so, I find it hard to criticize Disney for putting a character in a building devoted to Disney Animation.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Oh, don't get me wrong, I quite like a lot of the stuff in DCA. But it seems to me like a gross imbalance compared to what they could do.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "This is a great point, and your thoughts about Tomorrowland were something I had not considered in that context (I am relatively new to the boards...)." Nate, if you are interested in knowing a bit more about Walt Disney the futurist check out this link: <a href="http://www.the-original-epcot.com/" target="_blank">http://www.the-original-epcot.com/</a> Click on the link on the left to watch the video. My apologies to you and others who have seen this already, but this site really does give a good idea of where Walt Disney was headed with Tomorrowland and EPCOT in the late 1960's. Buzz and Nemo are fun, but in my opinion there is just too much of the Fantasyland element creeping into all areas of DLR. It really didn't used to be this way.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Soarin', Grizzly River Run and Tower of Terror, have no character tie-in.<< I'll give you two out of three. A certain pixie (or fairy or whatever) makes an appearance in one of those you mentioned. ;-)
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove <<Turtle Talk was not there during my last visit. Am I correct in assuming it was added to the Animation Studio Building?>> Yep. I don't belong in this topic, but I must say that I love the Mickey head on Screamin'. It just subtly (subtly to me, but not to you reminds me that I'm ultimately, at Disneyland. (I know it's DCA, but heck, it's Disneyland.) This contributed nothing to the aesthetics of this conversation, but I wanted you to know that I love seeing it lit up and I love going into Mickey's head. xoxo
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan I think on the west coast, there won't be a lot of experimentation with non-character concepts from Disney for awhile. They want a sure thing, and generally, character-driven stuff is what the public has come to expect and demand here. "It's not DISNEY enough" critics howled regarding DCA. Many of these critics meant "not Disney enough" in terms of immersive, fleshed out themes. But it was taken as literally, "we want more Disney characters!" So that's what's coming for the foreseeable future. It's much more "safe" to spend the money on a ride that at least brings instant recognition of the featured character.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Thanks, Hans! I appreciate the consideration!" No problem. Welcome to the discussion boards.
Originally Posted By mstaft I was hoping the Imagineers would stick more heavily to the California theme as DCA was enhanced. I loved the World Showcase vibe of some areas, but Paradise Pier and the entrance area in particular took away from that feel. I cannot imagine that the entire park will ever totally ditch the theme, though. Too many major buildings in the park that would be hard to explain away.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 I'm firmly in the "too many toons lately" camp. There's nothing wrong with toons per se. But as jonvn used to point out, when you overdo it, you reduce the variety of experience available at a Disney park. That variety has always been one of their chief strengths. If a large percentage of your daily experiences are toon-based, the experiences start to meld into one another. You also make the various lands in DL (or DCA) less distinct from each other. Back in the day, a visit to DL was almost like a visit to 6 different parks. TL was completely distinct from FrL. Now, you've got toons in every corner of the park, making the areas themselves meld into one another. I'm encouraged by bean's contention that there are further changes slated for DCA that are NOT toon-based, but I'd sure like to hear what they are pretty soon. Don't get me wrong - I think the Cars attractions sound good, I love the idea for the entryway (non-toon based!), the WOC show sounds like it will rock... and I'm sure the Little Mermaid ride will be well done... but if it were me, I'd rather move the LM into FaL where she belongs (either in the old Motor Boat Area, or the skyway chalet area) and build something like a Silicon Valley and/or proper San Francisco area (with winding streets that could become the NOS of DCA) in the current Route 66 area. Something non-toon based that would fit the DCA theme and give us something we can't see elsewhere.
Originally Posted By SoThisIsLove <<proper San Francisco area (with winding streets that could become the NOS of DCA>> That actually sounds quite lovely.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>If a large percentage of your daily experiences are toon-based, the experiences start to meld into one another.<< Interesting how the film divisions have been working their butts off to come up with movies that adults will go see without their kids, while the theme parks are galloping just as fast in the other direction.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Ironic, isn't it? Back in the 70's it was the film division that was stuck in the mindset that Disney meant cute and sweet and the theme parks were cutting edge. Now it's the other way around.
Originally Posted By cheesybaby If you don't believe there are too many toons in DCA, just look at HPB: Animation Muppets Monsters Aladdin Playhouse Disney (featuring 4 animated properties) Twilight Zone This is supposed to represent Hollywood? Does Hollywood make 5 animated films (okay, 1 is puppets) for every 1 live-action program?
Originally Posted By k_peek_2000 "California Screamin' The Golden (Silver) Zephyr Tower of Terror The Orange Stinger Maliboomer Grizzly River Rapids The Sunwheel (of Death)" All of which, with the exception of TOT, can be bought out of a catalog.
Originally Posted By jmuboy I agree all Disney parks, in the USA at least, are moving toward toon overkill! Where is the next POTC or HM?
Originally Posted By woody Crying about too many toons is a bit sad. Theme parks are about characters. You can't have enough. You can have better execution and ideas since a bad ride or bad experience might be blamed for the characters, but this is often the exception.
