Originally Posted By Manfried I agree ChiMike. Too many people in the producer positions, which have a lot of clout, have been inside Disney for far too long. And they keep pushing the artists and designers out the door. I'm not knocking producers, but they should be charged with turning out a great project. Producers and designers should be a good working team that don't always agree. That makes a better project. Unfortunately, its the get along go along attitude that rules the day at WDI, so you get projects that turn out like, oh let's see, Little Mermaid, or even - dare I say it - Expedition Everest? I bring up Everest as someone, ideally a strong producer, should have stood up to Joe and said "We need to make sure this Yeti will actually work 17 hours a day, and can actually be maintained." They don't have that now at WDI. I also agree it would be a good idea to hire some cartoonists, production designers, and story people from the film business. Those are the type of people who can design great attractions. What we don't actually need are what they call "designers" as they are really only good at designing environments. Even then they seem to forget the basic Disney design axiom of "a hot dog on a stick" guiding you through the parks.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<Producers and designers should be a good working team that don't always agree.>> It wasn't the designers or the producers who have turned Main St into a Wallmart. It is Accountants. And the desgners and producers are not putting RFID chips in refillable mugs, building cruise ships, adding 5 planned DVC resorts, buying resorts in Hawaii, or castmembers as the Wedding Pavallion not knowing there is a planned DVC going in at the Grand Floridian until the cranes show up. The greatest problem WDW has right now isn't the lack of quality designers or producers, rather the greater problem is that that WDW like the rest of the Disney Company is being run by Accountants. And the CEO has given the Accountants card blanc.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<The greatest problem WDW has right now isn't the lack of quality designers or producers>> It's one of the biggest problems.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom In my opinion the designers are doing the best they can given the fact that their hands are tied behind their backs and the company's priority is building cruise ships, 5 planned DVCs, RFID chips in mugs, NextGen and resorts in Hawaii. The designers and producers are way down the food chain!
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom But my all means continue to discuss the imagination or lack there of amongst the imagineers. It is not as if the fate of the company hangs in the balance. The general lack of company intrest specifically in the WDW parks has a far greater impact on the overall guest experience.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 "In my opinion the designers are doing the best they can given the fact that their hands are tied behind their backs and the company's priority is building cruise ships, 5 planned DVCs, RFID chips in mugs, NextGen and resorts in Hawaii. The designers and producers are way down the food chain!" This.
Originally Posted By Manfried And to continue the discussion. Back in the sixties, they also had original songs for the new attractions. Carousel of Progress, Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion. All original memorable songs. Two done by the Sherman Brothers, the other two by others. So there was a lot more creativity and it was allowed to flourish. So, is it an accountant problem, office politics problem, lack of good artistic talent that provides the right type of excitement, or lack of creative leadership? Probably some of all, but the politics and lack of creative leadership really pervade. Lasseter was supposed to fix this, and maybe he is in some ways, but he did not shake the place up as much as he has Disney animation. He needs to get some of the long time Imagineers out of there and bring in some new ones.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<they also had original songs for the new attractions.>> They still do, Soarin has it's own theme song. Carousel of Progress had two different theme songs. Pirates theme song has changed to be less violent. <<but the politics and lack of creative leadership really pervade.>> I don't know about the politics, but I have to disagree on the creative leadership. The most recent rides; Soarin, Toy Story Mania, have all been very successful and are very popular rides. Disney has retained some very brilliant imagineers. The proof of that is how some have left the Disney fold and been very successful building theme park rides elsewhere. Again, I don't see the bigger problem as the lack of imagination or the execution of said ideas. I see the larger problem with the holders of the Corporate purse who control all.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Soarin, Toy Story Mania, have all been very successful and are very popular rides.>> And both are sterile and incredibly un-creative, IMO.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper ^^Sterile probably isn't the best word for TSMM. I enjoy that one. But it's really not all that creative.
Originally Posted By Bob Paris 1 Especially when you ride Buzz and then MI in TDL and realize, ONCE AGAIN I am simply pointing at something and making an AA pop up, rather dully. Yes, MI was pretty much a snooze for me!
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<^^Sterile probably isn't the best word for TSMM. I enjoy that one. But it's really not all that creative.>> Soarin, I believe is great in concept but the execution falls short. Toy Story I believe is a better Buzz Lightyear and both Buzz and Toy Story are rip-offs of MIB at Universal (which won the Themed Entertainment Association THEA award in 2001). Still, both Soarin and Toy Story are exceptionally popular.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom The last time a ride or attraction recieved a THEA award was in 2008 for Kim Possible Adventure in EPCOT. In 2009 EPCOT itself got the THEA "classic" award. Meanwhile in 2010 The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal picked up four THEA awards. Way to go Team Disney! Keep plugging away at those cruise ships, RFID chips in refillable mugs, NextGen, 5 proposed DVCs, one new "family" resort at WDW and a Hawaiian resort.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Post #213 was suppose to say the last time WDW ride or attraction got a THEA Award was back in 2008 for Kim Possible Adventure in EPCOT.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip Don't be bitter KT... just take a Disney Cruise and be GLAD they put their money where they did!
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I have been on a Disney Cruise! I had a great time considering it was during the first Gulf War and there was an Iraq terrorist ship cruising the Caribbean at the time ( which was picked up by Mexico). The point is whether or not the Cruises are a lot of fun, the point is that WDW parks have long been forsaken. Apparently the amusement park industry shares my point of view.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>Much of Future World never was about the future. Universe of Energy, Horizons, World of Transportation and Spaceship Earth all concentrated on the past and just provided a brief glimpse of what the future might hold... Horizons providing more of a glimpse than the other attractions.<<< The main idea has always been "Where man has gone, and where he is going". The post show, the atmosphere, and the theme, fills in the rest.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>^^Sterile probably isn't the best word for TSMM. I enjoy that one. But it's really not all that creative.<<< No, it is. It's dull, uncreative, and just screens. Sterile.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros >>Toy Story I believe is a better Buzz Lightyear and both Buzz and Toy Story are rip-offs of MIB at Universal (which won the Themed Entertainment Association THEA award in 2001).<< Didn't Buzz at MK open in 1998? Which would mean that MIB was a rip-off of it? either way, I don't doubt that another park does it better. I've never been terribly impressed with the Buzz attraction, and was really disappointed when they didn't do much to upgrade it for the DL/TDL/DLP/HKDL clones, beyond the hand-held guns.
