Originally Posted By u k fan I think the argument for not duplicating anything is completely lost when you take overseas parks into account. Without Disney's signature attractions (and others already in existence) DLP would be a very nice maze and an Indy coaster. If Carsland were built at WDSP (and God knows it needs something) it would have no affect on the number of visitors to DL, but would probably be a huge draw in Paris!!!
Originally Posted By RoadTrip WOW. Where to start? Studios parks all seem to have moved away from being a "working studio". Universal Orlando used to be the strongest of the bunch and it seems to have abandoned the concept. As for the FLE, I really can't believe that anyone would prefer the subs. It was a slow-loading claustrophobic ride with cheesy effects that made that whole area of the park STINK with diesel fumes. Believe me... I wanted to LOVE that attraction. My biggest disappointment when I visited Disneyland when I was about 10 was that the subs were out of operation the day I was there. Fast forward to WDW about 30 years later. I FINALLY get to ride the subs!! What a TOTAL disappointment. I couldn't believe I had thought about them for such a damned long time. Face it... DL re-did it's subs and the attraction is STILL a LOSER! Give me new Fantasyland any day. Some really first-class place-setting is JUST what WDW needed in that area!
Originally Posted By vbdad55 question for Leemac, a friend of mine ( 30 yr + castmember) mentioned to me the other day that LMA was not long for the studios and something else was going in there. What are you hearing and I apologize if I missed it in another thread, I am not here all that often any more
Originally Posted By vbdad55 thanks Hokie, I am trying to catch up a lot of reading...and didn't want to sound completely out of touch. The Carsland in DCA is gorgeous IMHO -- however with it's ride system, how much down time are we looking at with rain ? Are the issues the same as with Test Track ? So Cal weather is a completely different animal sad, I liked LMA - but always though, what a huge piece of real estate and how ugly the metal stands were
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "For me, the rides are the meat of the experience. Everything else is just condiments." I understand that a lot, maybe even most, people feel that way, however I never thought that Disney had the best "rides". Maybe that's why I've never been keen on queuing up for hours waiting to ride something that lasts 5 minutes. DL and all of the subsequent Disney parks (with the sole exception of DSP) have always been more about the overall experience than any individual attraction for me. I can't imagine the MK without an electrical parade or DL without Fantasmic! or fireworks over the castle. I started a new tradition of having having cocktails at the gorgeous Carthay Circle Lounge on my most recent trip. To me that's going to be just as integral to my visit to DCA as riding California Screamin'. There's an environment that these non-attractions create that no single ride could ever do.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<Without Disney's signature attractions (and others already in existence) DLP would be a very nice maze and an Indy coaster. If Carsland were built at WDSP (and God knows it needs something) it would have no affect on the number of visitors to DL, but would probably be a huge draw in Paris!!!>> Yes, it probably would be a huge draw in Paris. But, that doesn't mean it would necessarily be a huge draw in Florida. Or, how long it would be a huge draw in Florida. Your welcome to the Monsters Laugh floor and Mission Space anytime.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<"For me, the rides are the meat of the experience. Everything else is just condiments." I understand that a lot, maybe even most, people feel that way, however I never thought that Disney had the best "rides". Maybe that's why I've never been keen on queuing up for hours waiting to ride something that lasts 5 minutes. DL and all of the subsequent Disney parks (with the sole exception of DSP) have always been more about the overall experience than any individual attraction for me. I can't imagine the MK without an electrical parade or DL without Fantasmic! or fireworks over the castle. I started a new tradition of having having cocktails at the gorgeous Carthay Circle Lounge on my most recent trip. To me that's going to be just as integral to my visit to DCA as riding California Screamin'. There's an environment that these non-attractions create that no single ride could ever do.>> BINGO!! With a few exceptions, your average Six Flags park could top most of the rides that Disney has. The Disney Parks have that something extra that so far no one else has been able to duplicate (although I have to say that Universal Orlando is coming close with IOA).
Originally Posted By Blueusion Been to WDW over 20 times. Avatar is illrevelant. Unless Disney builld a Star Wars land at DHS . I will be spending my money at Universal Studios. I used to love going to WDW but I havent been in over 5 yrs. WDW is boring and there are more greater Theme parks to go to. I went to Ceder Point in 2004 and it cost less for a 2 day ticket than a 1 day at Disney. Although it not considered a Theme Park per say. I had the best time there! We just had fun for those 2 day. Yea I may be old. But Disney has just become illrevelant to me. Nothing new ever just a new slogan every year. I live 90 mins from WDW and I would rather go to Universal or Sea World or go see the Kennedy Space Center again. It's sad That that WDW has become illrevelant to me. I went the 1st time in 1982 and got to see Epcot being built and went back in 1985 and I was so impressed at what was possiable. Maybe I'm jaded but until they quit with the Princess thing and I was appalled to see little girls run around in the over priced crap that Disney sell for momma to relive her childhood and have her daughter look like a overpriced Jon Benet Ramsey. I have a spent a lot of money at Disney and I have stayed at their so called resorts. I went to Hawaii this year for 8 days round trip airfare for 2 and rental car for all those day and had a helicopter ride for 2 for a total of $4000.00 at a 5 star Marriott resort. Not per person but total cost and it was right next to Disney Aulani. Which I will admit was a nice building but cold as far as the theme and the people working there. This was the best vacaction I ever had. Didn't have to worry about long ride lines or any of the crap you have to deal with at Disney. And yes I bought into the Marriott Vacaction club. Have a full suite over looking the property and the pacific ocean and paid far less than Disney overpriced hotel. Oh sorry they were priced right but someone screwed up and the screwed the orginal people that bought in . Disney was a great brand and was the epitomy of quality yrs ago but now. They have run out of imigination and not adding new and exciting rides at there theme parks is one of the reason others are going to UNIVERSAL STUDIOS IN ORLANDO. And no I havent seen any Harry Potter Movies. It is just more fun there
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt Not trying to be a troll, but seriously I don't really think Disney cares.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> BINGO!! With a few exceptions, your average Six Flags park could top most of the rides that Disney has. << When you say "rides," do you mean coasters? Because if you just mean any ride, surely you don't mean Six Flags has anything that measures up to Pirates or Mansion or Splash or Space Mtn. The rides are, arguably, the most important things the parks have produced. The "placemaking" (ornamentation) is nice, but it doesn't justify the ticket prices nor is it what keeps the vast majority of visitors coming to the parks. Just in time for election season. "It's the rides, stupid."
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "When you say "rides," do you mean coasters?" Nope. Small World, Soarin', Country Bear Jamboree, Little Mermaid and Jungle Cruise are the trademarks of Disney's theme park business. Yet, when it comes down to it, especially beyond EPCOT, most of Disney's rides are rather mediocre and cornball. They're entertaining, especially for folks like me who grew up with this stuff, but there's nothing that I'd rush to see if it were a free standing operation. It's the whole experience I pay for, not a single ride. "Because if you just mean any ride, surely you don't mean Six Flags has anything that measures up to Pirates or Mansion or Splash or Space Mtn." I think that Disney excels in storytelling, which makes visiting Disney parks and staying at their resorts an overall better experience most other parks. However, Six Flags' rides are more fun. "The rides are, arguably, the most important things the parks have produced. The "placemaking" (ornamentation) is nice, but it doesn't justify the ticket prices nor is it what keeps the vast majority of visitors coming to the parks." I don't know about that. I think DCA proved once and for all that people expect Disney to put on a good show first and foremost. They want escapism and when Disney is on its game it usually exceeds expectations. For example, Buena Vista Street has gotten raves and it only has one attraction - an electric trolley. Look at what a huge draw Carsland has been and it isn't chock full of fantastic and incredible rides.
Originally Posted By leobloom >> I think DCA proved once and for all that people expect Disney to put on a good show first and foremost. They want escapism and when Disney is on its game it usually exceeds expectations. For example, Buena Vista Street has gotten raves and it only has one attraction - an electric trolley. Look at what a huge draw Carsland has been and it isn't chock full of fantastic and incredible rides. << Take away RSR and does DCA do record business this summer? I doubt it. Buena Vista Street may have gotten rave reviews but, outside of the fan community, no one would've been admiring the area if they hadn't been there to check out the new Cars ride. From the sound of things, FLE might be a good test of this idea. It doesn't have an exciting ride as its centerpiece, but it does apparently have atmosphere to spare. So if MK sees a big boost in attendance, maybe that will suggest that theming/placemaking is as important as having a headlining E-ticket.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I said "with certain exceptions", and Pirates, Haunted Mansion, etc. are certainly those exceptions. But MANY rides at DL and the Magic Kingdom are no different from off-the-shelf spinners I had at my local amusement park in the 50's. Dumbo is just a nicely themed version of a helicopter ride I used to go on in the late 50's. The Teacups are just a re-themed version of the spinning washtubs my local cheapie park had. All of the Fantasyland dark rides are little different from any dark ride I ever rode at the Minnesota State Fair. Think about it... if you average the ride times at the MK you probably get somewhere around 7 minutes per ride (at most). In a GOOD DAY you can maybe experience 12 attractions. That is 84 minutes of amusement... not even an hour and a half. No, if "the rides" were all Disney was about I would certainly never go there! In fact that is why I become less and less attracted to the parks as my Disney destination of choice. Having experienced the Disney Cruises, I feel they do a far better job of what I previously went to the Disney Parks to experience!
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad I think they could do more like Pixar place where they can have a theme with multiple movie types and tie ins. Add a Marvel section ( if legal finds a way) a sci-fi section, a Horror section ( not to scary). It would be like the Great Movie Ride but involve the whole park.
Originally Posted By leemac The problem with Pixar Place is knowing exactly what it is supposed to be - merely replicating some elements from Emeryville is lazy. It really should be a high-energy place filled with detailing and streetmosphere etc. but instead is rather soulless.
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad Exactly! Pixar place has great potential to be a really immersive experience. When they changed the name for that part of the park to Pixar Place I always assumed that that meant more Pixar projects were coming. But it seems more like the name change WAS the project. There is so much they could do there and Pixar will continue to release new movies for new inspiration.
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad How about a Syndrome Island bubble ride. A Toy Story dark ride. Of course the Monsters Inc coaster.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom I'm not going to throw Pixar Place under the bus. I agree with CDD. I think Pixar Place has the potential to be much, much, more. I think what is there is pretty darn good. I basically view the area as incomplete. Not so much in a negative way, just in a "great things are yet to come" way. The sky truely is the limit in that area of the park. It would probably be a great place to have lots more character meet and greets.
