Originally Posted By leobloom I just think WDW is too damn big. DHS has received the most attention over the past five years, and it's still got problem areas. DAK is underbuilt and needs another big attraction (or two). MK obviously needs attention -- not sure if Fantasyland Plus will make up for two decades of no new E-ticket style attraction. And even EPCOT could use some TLC (Wonders of Life, Energy, Imagination).
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I think that DHS suffers from the fact that is started as one thing and has transitioned into something else. Once the idea of a working studio was abandoned it lost some of it's relevance. The transition has been terrible because there has not been a single vision in place. There is not an Imagineer in charge of the overall concept. So it is very hodge podge. And while DAK has suffered from some cost cutting at the beginning, it at least has a consistant look and theme.
Originally Posted By dagobert I've never experienced DHS when it was a working studio, but I liked the park when we have been to WDW in 2008. Until then WDSP in Paris was the only studios park I've known and maybe that's why I liked the park. The theming was and the rides were also great, especially TOT and RNRC, which we have now as well. My favorite parks in Florida were EPCOT and DAK followed by DHS and the MK. I was really disppointed by the MK and unfortunately I have to say that it is the second worst Disney park I've visited so far.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom << The transition has been terrible because there has not been a single vision in place. There is not an Imagineer in charge of the overall concept. So it is very hodge podge.>> Agreed! Another major problem with DHS is it's layoff. I think everyone was use to the "spoke" layout of DL, MK and EPCOT. DHS is layed out weird where traffic is frequently going against each other. And although DHS does appear to be hodge podge, it sorta has an endearing quality and "vibe" to the park. So, I quess I'm defending the hodge podge. My biggest complaint about DHS is that it needs MORE, MORE, MORE!!! DHS doesn't come close to a DL, MK or EPCOT. And yes many things have gotten old and stale. As much as I enjoy Muppets it is getting a little old. I can't help but think that most of the park could use a drastic change. Still, I would give it a B. DHS is far more better than my local 6 Flags. If fact why not add more roller coasters? There is nothing wrong with making DHS more appealing to a youth/ adult crowd.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom From a traffic flow standpoint the layout of DHS makes very little sense. Of course to each his own. Another problem I have with DHS ( and this ties into it's layout ) the MK as well as DL have multiple ways of getting around the various areas of the park; ie train and vehicles on Main Street. At the DHS park there is no internal transportation, you have no choice but to rely on your own two feet. DHS is one park where the casual quest best be wearing comfortable shoes.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "From a traffic flow standpoint the layout of DHS makes very little sense." What's even more confounding Tom is that the place was designed by Disney, a company that is world renowned for top-notch environmental design. I think most of DHS' aesthetic and organizational problems could be easily rectified with a DCA style makeover. Some areas, like HW and Sunset Blvd, are fine. An elaborate makeover is unlikely though because the place is incredibly popular. According to TEA, DHS's 2010 attendance numbers were just under 10 million visitors.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper The crowd flow problems come from the fact that it's a park operating in a completely different way than it was designed. It was never really supposed to be a true theme park. But when no one wanted to film in Orlando, they had to change the way the park was presented. And Epcot and DAK don't really have in park transportation from one land to another either. Iguess you can count the friendship boats...but they're hardly used.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Remember, when the park opened the street that Toy Story Mania was a backstage area designed to hold trailers for production. There are several places in the park like that which have been repurposed, causing odd traffic flows
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt It was never really supposed to be a true theme park." I followed the development of Disney/MGM closely, and it absolutely was supposed to be a theme park. A hybrid that was specifically designed to compete with Universal, which opened their park A working studio that's just a working studio doesn't have rides in it, and the backstage production stuff, along with the animation studio was there to give the place an air of legitimacy.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Hmm... let's try this again. I followed the development of Disney/MGM closely, and it absolutely was supposed to be a theme park. A hybrid that was specifically designed to compete with Universal, which opened their park the following year. A working studio that's just a working studio doesn't have rides in it, and the backstage production stuff at Disney/MGM, along with the animation studio, was partially there to give the place an air of legitimacy for tourists visiting WDW.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<And Epcot and DAK don't really have in park transportation from one land to another either. Iguess you can count the friendship boats...but they're hardly used.>> Actually EPCOT Center had double decker buses traveling around the World Showcase as well as the Friendship boats. To be fair, EPCOT in my opinion is a totally different animal. The area that is open to guests is vast. There is a reason why EPCOT was joking nicknamed; Everybody Comes Out Tired. The area that guests are allowed in at DAK is a lot less than EPCOT. Your not walking around a large lake. I still would have liked to see some form of transportation inside DAK that brings guests around the various lands. I'm aware that the park initially had the boats that went from one area to another area. But, my understanding is that they were not really intended for transport they pretty much just brought quests on a nonplus voyage from one area to another area. Quite frankly I see no reason why DHS and DAK can't have an elevated trolley or monorail on the scale of the one in DL in those respective parks. What can I say... I'm a faithful transportation geek and WDW is my kinda place. Nothing would make me happier to see WDW expand their monorail and automated transportation services. I am hoping that WDW's articulated buses are successful. I had hoped for something better. But, I understand WDW having to stay within a budget. So, I hope it works out.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Disney-MGM was always meant to be a theme park that had actual production going on. The soundstages were state of the art at the time and the intent was to be a working studio. However... Disney never required any of its production units to film here and most opted not to be here. Cat Canyon could be heard on the soundstages and the backlot when the explosions went off which put the production unit and the theme park folks at odd from the start. When actual production did happen on the soundstages, stars would often make the theme park unit to cover the windows over the soundstages so that they couldn't see the movie making going on. Kind of defeated the whole point of the walking over the soundstages. When you build a half of a theme park, what do you do when a production unit wants to shoot in a location that effectively closes one of the premier attractions in the park...the backstage tram tour. When you have to relieve guest congestion, you open up parts of the property that had been set up for production purposes. And in typical Disney slowness...what to do about attractions and stuff about movies that were popular 10-20 years ago but are no longer on the public radar and not be able to respond to that in a timely manner. (Can we say they Great Movie Ride, Indy Stunt Show and Honey I Shrunk/Playground)
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom DHS was suppose to be a "different" kinda park. I don't think anyone is going to argue taht it has morphed into an odd bag or rides and attractions. My complaint is that it appears to still be half a park and it desperately needs some new lifeblood pumped into it. Other than that... I tend to enjoy it best at night. It is an unbelieveable nighttime park! I still give it a B or B+. At night I give it an A-.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Dr Hans, it looks that way. I'm looking at stuff online. Looks like the contract between Disney and MGM prohibited Disney from having production facilities at WDW. Says in 1988, production facilities opened prior to the theme park. MGM sued Disney. In 1989 the theme park opened next to the production facility and was named Disney-MGM Studios. MGM opened their own theme park at the Las Vegas MGM Grand hotel called MGM Adventures Theme Park. Disney wasn't even allowed to use the MGM name on maps so all maps at WDW referred to the park as Disney Studios. In 2008, the park was renamed Disney Hollywood Studios. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney's_Hollywood_Studios" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D..._Studios</a>
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt So there you go. Thanks for clarifying. Just for extra measure: <a href="http://www.logodesignworks.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/disney.gif" target="_blank">http://www.logodesignworks.com...sney.gif</a>
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I didn't know about them not being able to use the MGM name on maps. As much as I can remember, the MGM moniker was used in all references to the park until 2008. There are still a few locations where you can find signage that hasn't been updated.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Disney was allowed to use the MGM name in most areas of the parks including maps, signage and even merchandise. What the name did not come with was carte blanch on the MGM library of movies. So much so that a rep from Turner (who I believe owned MGM at the time of the studio opening) sent a rep to the park before opening and timed the scenes at the Great Movie ride to ensure that amount of MGM movies on the ride did not go past the amount agreed to in the contract. The reason Mickey is before the Oz scene is because Disney had to cut time from the MGM portion of the attraction. People who rode the GMR during previews will remember that the Sorcerer's scene was originally Miss Gulch on a bike changing to the Witch on her broom in the cyclone
