Originally Posted By Darkbeer Block Party Bash is scheduled to end at the end of the Christmas Season, the last day should be January 6th, 2008.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney "but it goes to my whole point that DCA was a huuuuge mistake and extremely, extremely short sited" <<No. It was needed, and was part of a long term vision for the area.>> No, I'm not talking about a theme park....I'm talking DCA! Big difference . "You build a park that is completely DEVOID of the character and fantasy experience" <<It wasn't. It had muppets, bugs, and the animation thing.>> Right, and this just furthers my point. HPB is honestly the only area of the park that can be set in a fantasy, whimsical theme since its all about movies and animation---and if you notice its also where EVERY addition has been added since 2001. Monsters Inc, TOT, Animation building additions, Alladin, Disney playhouse and etc. Its weird that most of the new additions are lopsided to this area of the park. Meanwhile what has the GRR area got? PP? San Francisco? All zilch! I believe because these area's are so contemporary based, its harder to add more permanent fantasy attractions there, but HPB is all game in this area. Toy Story Mania will litterally be the first main attraction built outside of HPB for a change, although I obviously know more is to come. As for Bugs, once again, look what happened in 2002. They basically had to build an entire new land around it, FFF, just to bring the family and fantasy elements so much of the park was missing---and WASN'T planned as an addition from the start. It's obvious to me looking at what they have done with HPB, that more area's of the park needs to be like that and hopefully the new lands and additions will resemble this when its all finished. <<The thing is that you don't actually need a lot of fantasy elements. The most popular things in the place are not fantasy based. They are just doing this because someone got the idea that you have to have characters tied into everything. THAT is what is short sighted and a mistake.>> I agree, its weird, the most POPULAR attractions in the park, Screamin, TOT, Soarin, etc are NOT character based, but they somehow seem to feel that DCA and Disney in general, can only suceed and its really odd to me. TDS has opened two additional attractions not character based, DAK got Everest, Epcot got Space and so on and they all seem to be just fine without Woody or Buzz. But with DCA, they act like people will only bother entering the park if there is some kind of Pixar thing to see and they could do sooo much more than that...but don't.
Originally Posted By jonvn "if you notice its also where EVERY addition has been added since 2001." A Bug's Land was added to the farm area. "Meanwhile what has the GRR area got" Didn't they turn the Redwood Creek Challenge area into a Brother Bear meet and greet? "the most POPULAR attractions in the park, Screamin, TOT, Soarin, etc are NOT character based, but they somehow seem to feel that DCA and Disney in general, can only suceed and its really odd to me." It's totally stupid on their part. The best things, the most popular things, the most enduring things, none of them are character based. "they act like people will only bother entering the park if there is some kind of Pixar thing" Doesn't strike me as particularly clever on their part. You'd think they'd realize it wasn't a ticket to success with Pooh and Monsters. Adding characters does nothing, except add characters, and probably annoying people older than 5.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney "if you notice its also where EVERY addition has been added since 2001." <<A Bug's Land was added to the farm area.>> Yeah, I just mentioned that, but I was talking about specific attractions where as FFF is an entire land they felt they needed to add just to have something for the little ones....something that SHOULD have been there from day 1. "Meanwhile what has the GRR area got" <<Didn't they turn the Redwood Creek Challenge area into a Brother Bear meet and greet?>> Well, there you go .
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Well, even Epcot seemed to need the addition of characters after a while--or so we've read. Whether or not this actually did anything to boost that particular park's attendance is debatable but it does seem that the general public appreciates seeing both Disney and Pixar characters regardless of where they pop up. I think this is the point Bean was trying to make.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney ^^And I have no problems with characters, Pixar or not there, but it just seems to be nothing BUT Pixar and nothing else and I think that what bothers many people. And once again, you manage to further my point sisters . Epcot was considered 'too adult' after it opened and they slowly tried to add more characters and shows to that place. Epcot opened in 1982. 2001 and they still didn't learn their lesson. Why keep forcing something on your public that you can pretty much figure they weren't interested in? I just don't understand how these people can't figure out their own consumer base who are 60% local, LIKES fantasy elements in Disney theme parks and expects innovative, original rides---nearly everything that DCA was a slap in the face of when it opened.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Adding a few fantasy elements is one thing. A wholesale sellout to corporate synergy is another.
Originally Posted By bean "DCA HAD a parade, it was called 'Eureka' and it actually had something to do with, get this, California!!! Of course, someone thought the entire theme bombed the first day because it was pulled faster than you can say the name." Do not misunderstand me, Eureka was an awesome parade. One of my favorites, but the reality is that it is gone. It was destroyed so there is no way to bring it back. Now for another reality, "The Walt Disney Company" has a group of very very lucrative characters from movies that have made billions. Characters that the new generation of children and young teens connect with. Characters that need to be represented in Disney theme parks. If i was givent he choice I would rather see those characters represented in Anaheims second and maybe future third gate. Disneyland is the perfect park for Disney's older characters. They have the nostalgia, and a much greater connection to Walt Disney himself. What better place to present them then in his first park. Disney/Pixar characters as well as future Disney characters are much better suited for DCA. I will say it again, Eurekea was one of my favorite parades, It was original and fit the park perfectly. What was wrong with it in people minds? What was wrong in families with childrens minds? the lack of Disney related characters. Parents waited with children to see the parade only to leave half way through the parade to either find something lese that entertained the children or to guest relation to make their concerns known. I hate to say this but if i was in charge of the parks when the decision came to destroy Eureka, i would had instead used a little creativity and included a few specific characters that matched the theming of the particular floats. Mulan characters for the Asian floats. Jose Carioca and friends with the Hispanic floats. Goofy, Max and maybe Donald and newphes with the ocean themed floats. It would have saved a magnificent parade and integrated a few characters to please guests.
Originally Posted By WorldDisney <<Adding a few fantasy elements is one thing. A wholesale sellout to corporate synergy is another.>> EXACTLY!!!!! Which I feel they are basically doing when EVERY attraction and show is geared towards that. Wow, me and Hans agree on something---I need a shower ;D.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Was it good for you Felix? Actually, I agree with Hans much of the time. And also with your good self. What shocks me is the amount of agreement I have with jonvn recently!
Originally Posted By DlandDug Actually, they did more than just "add" Flik's Fun Fair to the farm area; they changed the whole area. The farm is sort of a microcosm for the whole DCA problem. It was so odd from the start. An area devoted to growing plants. And a very large area, at that. There was a single attraction (It's Tough to be a Bug), a shop, and two food outlets. There was a also a large corporate presence (Caterpillar) as well as some baffling "interactive" displays about farming and agriculture in California. Oh, and a water play area that was about as charming as an inner-city playground. FFF was announced on the first birthday of DCA (the only birthday of that park that has ever been acknowledged by the company). By the time the changes were done, the "farm" had become a series of fantasy themed planters, all based on a different character from A Bug's Life. One food outlet had been shuttered for a while (Farmer's Market, which recently gained a reprieve when the menu from Boardwalk Betsys was moved there), and the shop became P.T. Flea's. Of course, it's basically a pin shop, so the theme is pretty much meaningless. A funny side note. When they opened Flik's Fun Fair, they added a number of new signs to lure guests back into the area. In the course of this, the numbers for ITTBAB rose. Many guests were heard to comment that they really liked the "new" show... a show that had been there from day one.
Originally Posted By jonvn The farm idea was actually a good one, but simply no attraction was put in the area that connected the farm theme to a reason to go to the farm area. Then what they did was what they do in all their parks now, just throw stuff in, because they really don't have an interest in doing things the way they used to.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo See, I'm agreeing with Jonvn again. Now if I could just get you to a metal concert ;-)
Originally Posted By jonvn I really wouldn't enjoy it. I've listened to heavy metal music, and it's unpleasant to me. Better than rap or hip hop, though. I've even got some heavy metal albums by Led Zeppelin and Jethro Tull...couple of others. Not what I care for.
Originally Posted By jonvn But, hey, if it is for free, I'll go anyway. You'll just get to enjoy my sparkling personality in person for a few hours. Think of a drunken Groucho Marx in a bad mood, but not as witty. That's me.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Lol. Something tells me we would have a very enjoyable time of debate (I do agree with a lot of your views of Disney and DCA).
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<Witches of Morva: ORDDU: Well, even Epcot seemed to need the addition of characters after a while--or so we've read. Whether or not this actually did anything to boost that particular park's attendance is debatable but it does seem that the general public appreciates seeing both Disney and Pixar characters regardless of where they pop up. I think this is the point Bean was trying to make.>> As I recall, the only specific character added to EPCOT was Figment. That character was developed for the Imagination pavilion (NOT A FILM) and actually came to embody all of EPCOT. Figment’s ability to enhance the park probably did have some influence on the park’s attendance, but it wasn't the key element.
Originally Posted By 2001DLFan <<bean; "But there are about 40 signs on the Refurb Wall in front of the attraction at DCA that say "Toy Story Mania!" on it. I really doubt they will change it after all the current promotions....." That does not mean that it could not be changed. It is much easier to stick with one name in promoting the attraction since it is being linked with the Dreams campaign. When all is said and done and people involved in creating the attraction as well as TDA feel like they want to rename it for individuality then it is possible that it could be renamed.>> When they were building the Euro Disneyland park, they changed the name of Discovery Mountain to Space Mountain because Eisner didn’t think people would ‘get it’. And those were two completely different attractions. The new attraction in DCA should be named (Toy Story) Midway Mania as it’s original name was going to be. It would totally fit the theme of the midway area that it’s a part of. The Florida can go with the Toy Story Mania as it doesn’t have any sort of midway to theme to. The Orbitron in Paris Disneyland is the same attraction as Disneyland’s Astro Orbitor. So, there is no reason they cannot apply the proper name to the proper attraction at this late date.
