Originally Posted By DlandDug Oh, and yes, the Matterhorn, regardless of it's ride delivery system, fits into Tomorrowland. It made a great backdrop for the original submarines. Certainly better than Sleeping Beauty Castle and the backside of Fantasyland.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt “There were plenty of "Victorian" style piers in California. None were "pure," but the idea of Paradise Pier is to create a fantasy Victorian style pier that never specifically existed.” Which is why I said that Victorian amusement piers didn’t exist in California. Maybe I’m being too technical. Or maybe Disney is just being loosy-goosy with the term and its narrative. Even if there were such places, nothing in those links looks even remotely like Paradise Pier, except maybe the new Little Mermaid building. What I wished Disney had done is redesigned PP to be an idealized version of what those kinds of boardwalks looked like in their heyday from the 1940s-1960s. “Main Street USA? Not really. But Main Street is certainly an "idealized version" of this.” Fair enough, and when Main Street actually had a grocery store, a tobacconist, a pharmacy, a penny arcade, a jewelry store, and other period shops it actually had an air of authenticity to it. This can’t be said of a “Victorian” pier with a mad mouse coaster, a Pixar ride, and an attraction based on Disney’s The Little Mermaid.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 " It was originally considered a part of TL, and is now considered part of FL." Not quite. From 59 to about 73, the guidebooks said it was in TL, but the famous poster and the physical E tickets always said it was in FaL, from day one. Around '73 they decided to be consistent and have everything say FaL.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<Here's downtown Marceline from Walt's day:>> Wow, is that where MS was inspired from? Christ that looks depressing lol. No whimsical castle at the end of the road either, or did that come in phase two?
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt The Matterhorn is a bit like that Train Station in New Orleans Square that is actually in Frontierland.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Which is why I said that Victorian amusement piers didn’t exist in California.<< Whether you like it or not, they did. The Balboa pavilion (last link) is Queen Anne style. Venice is Italianate revival. There are more, but I don't really have time to go looking them up again. (I did this, at some length, in another thread.)
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Okay, yes, you're right about the architecture Doug. I looked up the Balboa Pavilion and it is indeed classified under architecture from that era. Nevertheless, my point about some of the attractions being out of sync with the period still stand.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros For what it's worth, I was at DCA last night, and there were no signs of work on the murals yet. There were still the walls around the Sun Icon's fountain, but there was no visible work being done.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Good. Maybe those passionate letters I sent to DLR management asking for them to be spared worked.
Originally Posted By Ohana <<<I have major issues with dumping $125m+ on a new entrance to DCA at this stage. That cost is another E-Ticket. I believe that the new entrance won't attract a single new paying guest - only AP-ers curious to see the transformation. I don't have any issue with the entrance being changed down the line but I still can't fathom why they would divert significant funds to a new entrance complex that won't drive attendance in a park that still struggles for attraction count. The only advantage I can see to doing it now is that if the new attractions are blockbusters then trying to fix it then with be an operational nightmare (and probably not the smartest PR move) but I still think that money is better spent elsewhere for now.>>> THIS
Originally Posted By ChurroMonster They ARE spending money elsewhere. They ARE building massive attractions. Improving the ambience of the park at the same time is a bad thing?
Originally Posted By avatarmickey115 Ya, I don't see why you guys aren't liking the idea of a new entrance. BVS looks a lot better than what the stupid Sunshine Plaza is now. I think it would give a great first impression of the park. No, it's not going to be a main attraction, but like I said before, people will leave with a great last image of the park, Buena Vista Street. The murals are fantastic! They deserve to at least be moved to somewhere else, but BVS will look more sophisticated and classy, giving the park a different feel, which will be better....which will attract guests. It's not JUST BVS that will be enhancing the look and feel, it's all over the freaking park! BVS is just a part of the facelift!
Originally Posted By WorldDisney For some of us here, the new entrance is actually the most exciting part of the new project--at least for me . And yeah the ENTIRE park is getting some touch up here and there. By the time its over, maybe the Wharf area will be the only thing completely untouched by the redo, so I dont see the issue here?
Originally Posted By mstaft ^^ That's two, WorldDisney! I am just now reading this thread. Let me tell a short but true story about the DCA 2001 entrance. My wife went to drop me off at DLR for the day. We were scheduled to do to DCA as a whole big (12+) group, but I had heard it wasn't worth the price and wanted to save my retired in-laws from spending boatloads of cash if the poor reviews were true. So, we pull into the Downtown Disney parking lot, walk through it (very nice!) into the Grand Cali Hotel (which we love!) and over to DCA's entrance. We look through the gates past the letters and into the park itself. My wife's response? Well, let's say she has never been to DCA. And we have been to DLR several times in the last 9 and 1/2 years. $125M for a new and expanded entrance? Especially when you can see right into the park? Priceless in promotional value and extracting those high ticket prices from reluctant wallets! Mark www.InsightsandSounds.blogspot.com
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "For some of us here, the new entrance is actually the most exciting part of the new project--at least for me." Me too, but I think I said that already.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "My wife's response? Well, let's say she has never been to DCA. And we have been to DLR several times in the last 9 and 1/2 years." This story doesn't surprise me.
