Originally Posted By DlandDug >><< IMHO, the OP is mostly complaining because he didn't "get" the movie...his criticisms are clearly clouded by his own preconceptions. >> Preconceptions that were achieved by observing 50+ years of Disney park design.<< I don't think the preconceptions refered to were about theme park design, but rather this: >>I don't see cars being popular in 10 years.<< The OP is pretty clear that they don't like themed lands based on films, and don't think there's much potential for this particular film to be a succesfull basis of a themed land. I like ToonTown. I like Flik's Fun Fair. Each is very well themed, immersive, and popular. I have seen no reason to believe that Carsland will be any different. The film Cars lends itself well to a well themed, immersive land. There is a great deal of untapped potential for new attractions, especially when you consider that there will be a second film, and possibly more. As far as the two major attractions cited above, Test Track technology was a failure in Disneyland, where they tried to adapt it to the unsuitable People Mover Track. The new "Flying Saucer" type ride will use new technology that addresses the problems of the original. If it doesn't work, that will be another new subject for the discussion boards. What intrigues me is that no one I have ever read is focused on the Mater's Junkyard Jamboree attraction. It has been dismissed as a simple spinner, yet based on the clues that are out there (and they're out there), this could end up being one of DCA's best attractions...
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Why? While Mater appears to be nicely dressed, it doesn't look like anything special. Frankly, it looks to me like a ride mostly for kids.
Originally Posted By SleepingBeauty82 <<They probably couldn't go with the Radiator Springs moniker because the fictional town is not located in California>> I see what you're saying but Condor Flats isn't a town in California. They made that one up too. I don't think there's a real Paradise Pier out there either. I think Cars Land is too much like "Adventureland" or "Tomorrowland". I like the "land" themes in the other park. I think it's silly to bring them to DCA.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<They probably couldn't go with the Radiator Springs moniker because the fictional town is not located in California>> <<< I see what you're saying but Condor Flats isn't a town in California. >>> But it's a fictional place in the California high desert. That fits with a California theme. <<< I don't think there's a real Paradise Pier out there either. >>> But it's a fictional place along the California coast. That fits with a California theme. Radiator Springs is a fictional location that already has a backstory placing it in Arizona. This does not fit with a California theme.
Originally Posted By SuperDry Regarding the Test Track ride system, the "anchor" attraction inside the volcano at Tokyo DisneySea is based on the same ride system, and it's a very different experience than TT. I don't think the casual guest would have considered that they're the same ride system with different dressing unless they really thought about it. So, I think there's a lot that can be done with the Cars ride beyond a redressed TT.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <Radiator Springs is a fictional location that already has a backstory placing it in Arizona. This does not fit with a California theme.> Yeah, but only really to Disney geeks who caught the reference in Cars the movie. It's fairly obscure, and certainly the landscape around Needles on the old Route 66 looked pretty much identical to the landscape 10 miles inside the AZ border. I could live with that little nagging geek in me saying "but Cars the movie said it was Arizona" if we had the more colorful (and flexible) name of Radiator Springs, rather than the generic (and more limiting" "CarsLand."
Originally Posted By Faline I love that: "little nagging geek" part because I guess that describes how I feel about it too. Radiator Springs is a MUCH cuter name, California-related or not. Oh well. Our opinion will not matter a hill of beans in the end.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>While Mater appears to be nicely dressed, it doesn't look like anything special. Frankly, it looks to me like a ride mostly for kids.<< Based on what I have seen, I believe this may be more than just a cute, dressed up spinner for kids. I may be wrong. I do know it isn't a spinner ride, at least.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt I just pulled up the concept art. <a href="http://latimes.image2.trb.com/lanews/media/photo/2007-11/33782942.jpg" target="_blank">http://latimes.image2.trb.com/...2942.jpg</a> You're right, this isn't a spinner, but rather a kind of outdoor version of a dark ride.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< outdoor version of a dark ride. >>> Sounds like fun, especially at night! Now that I think of it, I wonder why this sort of thing hasn't been done before by Disney. It seems obvious when you think about it, especially when you consider that it's probably not all that expensive. I suppose you have to have the right story in order for it to work outside, but this one seems like it would work well.
Originally Posted By Princessjenn5795 Thanks for posting the picture Hans. I think it looks like it will be a good ride. The "outdoor darkride" concept could be really interesting.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>You're right, this isn't a spinner, but rather a kind of outdoor version of a dark ride.<< Or this shows how the attraction would look at night? I can't say. I haven't seen this exact piece of concept art before-- thanks for posting it. In the film loop shown in the entrance to the Blue Sky Cellar, there is a brief glimpse of the vehicles being tested (I assume in a parking lot in Glendale). The vehicles have a "crack the whip" vibe. It appears that guests will be seated in small trailers, dragged around by "cows" while being whipped around in Mater's junkyard. It looks like a good concept-- and not something obviously suggested by the film Cars. But it fits well with the concept of a Carsland. Which goes back to the original point I was making-- that there is plenty of source material in Cars to support a richly themed, immersive land, with a variety of attractions.
Originally Posted By Hista98 honestly there building carsland as a means to bring in more guests to the park by having a winnie. thats why it's getting built. The imagineers know it doesn't have anything to do with CA. But there so desperate to get people into DCA they will try anything. Whcih is unforutante they are sacraficing the theme for it. Walt would not approve
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Walt was more than willing to sacrifice theming if an attraction was good. For example, his Imagineers questioned the Matterhorn fitting in. But he thought it would be fine, and guess what? It is. Besides that, so what if it sacrifices the California theme. It wasn't all that strong before, so why worry about it now?
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt Yeah, the Matterhorn is the perfect example of an attraction that Walt wanted, but didn't fit into the theme of either Fantasyland or Tomorrowland. Over the years people have gotten used to it, but it really doesn't fit. "honestly there building carsland as a means to bring in more guests to the park by having a winnie. thats why it's getting built." I've got news for you: that's the reason why ANYTHING gets built at DLR. It's all to either increase attendance, sustain it, or increase revenue long term. The addition of Carsland (and the rest of the DCA additions) isn't just a solution to a problem, but also a way to enhance the overall DLR experience and increase business.
Originally Posted By SleepingBeauty82 I always thought they sort of themed Fantasyland itself with the cobblestone walkways and such to make it look like a village in the Alps- where the Matterhorn is located. No? Maybe I'm wrong.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt When the Matterhorn opened in 1955 Fantasyland didn't have cobblestone streets or European village architecture. Those came along in the early 80's. Here's what it looked like before the redo: <a href="http://davelandweb.com/fantasyland/images/57_58_LgFormat_FaLand.jpg" target="_blank">http://davelandweb.com/fantasy...Land.jpg</a> <a href="http://davelandweb.com/fantasyland/images/60s/Disneyland-Fantasyland-Aug-62.jpg" target="_blank">http://davelandweb.com/fantasy...g-62.jpg</a>
