Originally Posted By FerretAfros Well the themes aren't quite as extensive as those of DL, where the landscaping is a good portion of the theming, but the buildings themselves are definately themed to different areas of the world with a good dose of fantasy thrown in. Sure, there isn't really anything that looks like a realistic place out there, but it is themed to be more of a fantasy world. Just for reference, what would you say Critter Country is themed to be?
Originally Posted By DlandDug Back on topic, the new monorails, as I understand, will be completely new inside and out. It is true that up until the present, the monorails have been running on their original 1959 gimbles. The problem is that many parts for the gimbles are no longer available after nearly fifty years. Whenever something wore out or broke, it had to be custom made. This got rather expensive. Under the previous management of Disneyland (Pressler/Harriss), the decision to eliminate the monorails entirely was actually entertained. Cooler heads prevailed, however. Monorail Orange was taken away, disassembled, and reverse engineered. The gimbles on all the new trains will be replaced with ones that use standard parts that are readily available. The art that we have seen of the new monorails was, I believe, originally leaked to the internet via an incautious posting on the manufacturer's site. This was removed, leading many to conclude that the images were a hoax. But then the same exact images showed up at public presentations by Disney. Here's Matt Ouimet at the February, 2006 "Roundup of Community Leaders:" <a href="http://www.laughingplace.com/News-PID510140-510145.asp" target="_blank">http://www.laughingplace.com/N ews-PID510140-510145.asp</a> (scroll down the page) So... we can reasonably expect that there will be new Disneyland monorails, and they will look just like the ones shown in the renderings. Unless, of course, it doesn't happen.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "Just for reference, what would you say Critter Country is themed to be?" Well, before WDI screwed up the area with Winnie the Pooh it was an extention of Frontierland, themed to backwoods America. Sorry, but calling Tivoli a theme park is a stretch in my opinion.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I guess it's more of a "themed park", than the modern idea of a "theme park." I can definately see how DL has very strong roots there, and it pioneered the concepts behind the fantasy themed environment, but it doesn't really hold a candle to modern Disney parks. To keep things fair though, comparing DL on opening day to a lot of what we have now, I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't pass a lot of people's definition for theme park. The bare bones lands seem pretty reminiscent of DSP (granted I've only seen 50's DL and DSP in pictures) in the general lack of complete theming (there didn't seem to be many trees keeping the themes going). It's easy for me to see how you would disagree with Tivoli, but to me it is more of how the definition has changed with time than a modern day perspective looking back.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt When Disneyland opened each area of the park had a specific theme, mission, and purpose that was supported by clever details right down to the employee's costumes. In my opinion the park's lands were more clearly defined and far more ambitious in what they set out to achieve then than they are today. The fact that Disney is rehabbing a near 50 year old Monorail System rather than replacing it with something more in line with the future of public transportation is a case in point.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros What exactly would you propose they replace it with that is more futuristic? Some sort of computer controlled personalized PeopleMover might be nice, but there really aren't that many places a system like that woudl go within DLR. It's nice to think that they might update it with something new some day, but given the small size of the resort (for right now at least, since everything other than the PPH is right off of a single walkway), it really isn't nessecary to have much more than the current configuration.
Originally Posted By aracuanbird The first/oldest debate is common in many types of attractions. Zoos in Philly and Chicago both claim similar status. But my question on theme parks is this: why would having multiple fantasy areas (as with Disneyland) make that park legitimately "themed," whereas having a single fantasy area doesn't qualify a park as being themed? If that is the criteria, then how is Disney-MGM a theme park?
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt "What exactly would you propose they replace it with that is more futuristic?" I have nothing to propose. But then again, I'm not an Imagineer. "but there really aren't that many places a system like that woudl go within DLR." But isn't that what WDI was once so good at doing? Coming up with creative and ambitious solutions to problems? There was a time when DL was more than just a collection of rides, the themes really meant something and there was a sincere effort put forth to not only entertain but to educate. "But my question on theme parks is this: why would having multiple fantasy areas (as with Disneyland) make that park legitimately "themed," whereas having a single fantasy area doesn't qualify a park as being themed?" Has anyone claimed that? I said that Tivoli isn't a theme park because park does not have themed environments. Just having a themed ride or two scattered about does not make it a theme park.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros "If that is the criteria, then how is Disney-MGM a theme park?" I would say that MGM has at least 2 different themes. There is clearly the 1930's Golden Age of Hollywood areas of Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Blvd and parts of Echo Lake, and there is also the distinctly modern backlot area where there are the facades of the different streets, tram tour, and LMA. While these are the only two very distinct themes I can think of (well, RNRC sort of has its own thing going on entirely), there are enough variations on it to keep it interesting.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>>>>>> 2001DLFan Sun 12/2/2007 9:54a <<oc_dean: >>Meanwhile,I really like what they did with the Nemo sub promotion on one of the trains.<< They changed it to reflect The Year of a Million Lame Promotions.>> That’s just totally tacky. It’s one thing to have an attraction promote another attraction (synergy), but it’s quite another for an attraction to promote a PROMOTION. <<<<<<<<<<< LOL :O) Well .. they have had to "relaunch" this extremely lame promotion for the umpteenth time ..... Now .. they can ~relaunch it~ every time that Monorail train makes a loop from TL to DtD~!!!! And I bet you ...... some people STILL don't know what it's all about. I recall the 25th, 30th, 35th, State Fair, Blast to the Past ..... THEN we knew what to expect and see and experience. This one seems to be in some kind of cloak. Maybe the Klingons or Romulans must (inadvertantly) be helping Disney marketing teams!! HA-HA!
Originally Posted By land fan I wonder what the paint jobs on the new monorails will look like. I hope they dont have YOMD stuff on them. By the way, does anyone know how many trains will be in the Disneyland fleet once the project is fully complete?
Originally Posted By oc_dean There are supposed to be only 3. I beleive: Red, Orange, and Purple There should be 4. That's what the round house is built for ... And usually ... on the busy days .. they run 3, with a back-up stored .. in the event one breaks down, or goes in for maintenaince. I think they are in this conundrum of only having 3 .. because they stripped down one completely to do reverse engineering. The other three left ... were all use to be retrofitted into Mark VIIs. Seems the simply solution is spend the money to build the fourth one! LOL
Originally Posted By oc_dean The last time they went through with this (from going through the 1969 Mark IIIs to the 1987 Mark Vs) is there were monorail manufacturing businesses to work with all 4 Mark IIIs. But this time around Disney did not have a monorail manufacturer to turn to.
Originally Posted By TinksBestFriend What about the company that manufactured the monorails used in Las Vegas?
Originally Posted By SuperDry The new monorail system in Las Vegas is an outgrowth of the previous, limited route that went between MGM/Grand and Bally's. Those monorails were old ones retired from WDW. Both the LV Monorail and WDW monorail are based on a standard gauge of monorail beam. Unfortunately, the DL beamway is of a non-standard, narrower size, so anything that runs on it must be custom designed.
Originally Posted By believe Maybe DL was the first one to call themselves as a "THEME" park. Everyone else called themselves an "Amusement Park" or "Garden". WDW Vegas monorails. Were those automated? I don't remember seeing drivers/pilots when I rode them. Wonder if they'll ever automate the new DL ones. That could save some serious $$$.
Originally Posted By Darkbeer The original Vegas Monorails had drivers when it ran between the MGM and Bally's. When they built the large system, they had all new monorail trains built, which are driverless, and controlled at a central location.
Originally Posted By jmuboy The rumor I hear is the new monorails will start arriving at DL late next week to start testing.
