Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of: <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/News-ID513730.asp" target="_blank"><b>LP Feature: 5/26/11 A New Look at Fantasyland</b></a> With the first phase of New Fantasyland a little over a year away, Doobie gets a peek behind the construction walls and sums up his Fantasyland hopes and fears. [[poll:18]]
Originally Posted By magic0214 I agree with everything you said. I want to feel as if I have stepped into the films. I also just wanted to say that I have really enjoyed your blogs lately!
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORGOCH: What? No castle fer the Horny King? ORWEN: I should certainly hope not! Who wants that hideous thing represented inside a Disney theme park?! ORGOCH: Well, HE does, fer one thing! 'Sides that, it'd make all us Cauldron gals feel more at home! ORWEN: I don't WANT to feel like I'm at home when I go to Disney World! I wanna' feel like I'm a million miles away from Morva! ORGOCH: Hmph! Too bad ya cain't be a million miles away from ALL of us!!! (Sounds of crunching bones followed by awful moans...)
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper I'm a solid 3 on excitement. It'll help, which is nice, LM is a needed addition, SDMT will be fun, but everything else is a wash. And sorry, Doobie, but I can't agree that this will have the same effect as Harry Potter. Potter is one seamless cohesive theme where they've went completely out of their way to try and make sure nothing of the outside world interferes. Strollers are hidden, Coke products aren't served, etc. Fantasyland will look great, but I just see it being even worse of a stroller graveyard than normal.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer The TLM building is coming along. Can't wait to see it done. FL surrounded by rock work will look very, very, very nice.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Thanks for the report, Doobie. I do find it telling (and very much part and parcel of the way TWDC and WDI operate these days) that they had no solid answers to offer for your very fair and basic questions. It again gives pause and makes you wonder what type of people are running the operation when they can't handle the very basics. But it also shows a fundamental fear that they are not confident in their plans and/or they really don't know how much they want to spend and how they want the investment to appear in the financials ... I didn't vote yet ... but that's cause you don't have a 3.5 (a true case of where my excitement level is for this project). I also don't know how excited I'll be by the time it opens as Mermaid is the big 'ticket' attraction and I'll have ridden many times in Anaheim by then ... also, have heard from friends who have ridden that it's very nice, but that's it ... just a really nice dark ride with some actual AAs in it. After riding the decade old Hunny Hunt at TDL, it's obvious Disney is not trying to push the bar higher at all here. This is all about capacity and synergy (and there's nothing wrong with either thing). It's not UNI pushing the bar with WWoHP. Finally, I am a bit amused when Disney talks about how big Fantasyland will be and how much will be added ... BUT they don't really talk about the fact that F-land is swallowing up another land that no longer exists and will also sit on the site of a long-gone E-Ticket ride. There's not much of an expansion happening here. More of a swapping of old things for new ones. Nothing wrong with that.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt When he answered that he doesn't know to your questions I don't believe him at all.
Originally Posted By Disney_Blonde I think we can all be honest that the attractions themselves seem slightly underwhelming, but it is the atmosphere that is going to be really enjoyable. I am with Doobie, & just want to experience the villages of my childhood films. And I have hope that now they have a base to do more things in the future. And yay, it's not Pixarland! I can see how it would be a major stroller parking nightmare, but hopefully they will think that through...
Originally Posted By Doobie I agree. I'm guessing they know internally, but for whatever reason it's not time to make the info public which I have no problem with, but do think it's interesting. It allows them to still make changes more easily. <<< And sorry, Doobie, but I can't agree that this will have the same effect as Harry Potter. Potter is one seamless cohesive theme where they've went completely out of their way to try and make sure nothing of the outside world interferes. Strollers are hidden, Coke products aren't served, etc. >>> As great as I think Potter is, I do think they made some decisions in the name of authenticity that really hurt the overall land - specifically the decisions that result in major crowding in the shops. The things that impress me are the overall look of everything, not the exclusion of Coke and strollers (but that's just me). I think Fantasyland - at least the Belle/Mermaid section - has the potential to come close to that. That's what I'm hoping for. Believe me, when I'm trying to squeeze my way through Potterland or purchase something in the store at the exit to Forbidden Journey, I never for a moment forget I'm in a theme park. Doobie.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> There's not much of an expansion happening here. More of a swapping of old things for new ones. Nothing wrong with that<<< Everything wrong with that if you need more capacity and call it a expansion. Granted, I don't mind loosing TTF, but loosing some rides for MGs space is vexing.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<When he answered that he doesn't know to your questions I don't believe him at all.>> Oh trust me. There's a lot they indeed don't know.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I agree. I'm guessing they know internally, but for whatever reason it's not time to make the info public which I have no problem with, but do think it's interesting." So do I. I'm supposing that it has to do with the almost cutthroat competition in the Orlando theme park market. It was very telling that Universal tried to steal the thunder from the Star Tours the week it opened with announcements about its future plans. The timing was not coincidental.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<Such as?>> Well the things the guy listed, save for the Snow White thing. That's set in stone. I don't know many specifics, but I know someone who's worked on the project and he's laughed when I've asked about specifics on the project and responded, "They have no idea on half that stuff."
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<As great as I think Potter is, I do think they made some decisions in the name of authenticity that really hurt the overall land - specifically the decisions that result in major crowding in the shops. The things that impress me are the overall look of everything, not the exclusion of Coke and strollers (but that's just me). I think Fantasyland - at least the Belle/Mermaid section - has the potential to come close to that. That's what I'm hoping for. Believe me, when I'm trying to squeeze my way through Potterland or purchase something in the store at the exit to Forbidden Journey, I never for a moment forget I'm in a theme park.>> I guess I'm just good at blocking the throngs of people out. Crowds don't bother me or take me out of the place setting. But seeing the sidewalks littered with strollers and things of that sort? It just destroys the illusion.
Originally Posted By Doobie I don't mind crowds. But what happens at Potterville when it gets crowded is just ridiculous. And it's not a twice a year thing like Fourth of July and New Year's Eve - it's whenever the land gets close to capacity which isn't all that uncommon. I remember being there on a summer day this year just trying to walk through the land while the school girls and boys were performing (sorry - I'm not a huge Potter fan and don't know their names) and it just took forever. Same trying to make my way through the shop. Summer crowds don't bother me but Potterplace just isn't set up to handle anywhere near what it needs to be. If the reason for that is maintaining theme, I think that was a bad decision. Doobie.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Meh, I understand. I don't agree an inch. But I understand. And the crowds will be spread out over a much larger area in the next few years, so maybe you'll enjoy it more then. ;-)
Originally Posted By vbdad55 I haven't been there yet ( will be there in 3 weeks however)- only have enough time one day to see WWoHP but that's OK.. intense corwds also ruin an illusion - even more so than strollers in my opinion IF, and again sine I haven't experienced it I can't say for myself, IF it's wall to wall humanity. At one time I wanted to make sure we did all the holidays at WDW. Well all it takes is one visit on the 4th of July to to MK to know how the magic / illusion can be ruined by crowdds that size. I usualy lose myself , immersing into the fantasy around me at MK when I visit. I was a few hundred feet from the catsle- wedged into a 2x2 spot as were each member of my family - nasty hot- etc. and at that point in time the castle meant nothing to me..it was all about discomfort. And I too am not a crowd hater- but that's more than a crowd. So I can understand Doobie's thoughts - and also hope that once they expand there is more room for all.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I don't know many specifics..." That's all you needed to say.
