Chinese Theatre

[lazyboy97o]

The park icon and lack of an overall cohesive theme stems from the fact that they built it to spoil the opening of Universal in Orlando. They built a tour-able "studio" because that is what they expected Universal to do but Universal had other ideas. They built Universal Orlando as a theme park from the ground up rather than the "working studio" they had in Los Angeles. So WDW has constantly tweaked this park and now they have reached a crossroads. Say what you want but it's no more disjointed than the competition at Universal.

Universal Studios Florida was also built as a studio and production still happens there.

 

[marni1971]

The park icon and lack of an overall cohesive theme stems from the fact that they built it to spoil the opening of Universal in Orlando. They built a tour-able "studio" because that is what they expected Universal to do but Universal had other ideas. They built Universal Orlando as a theme park from the ground up rather than the "working studio" they had in Los Angeles. So WDW has constantly tweaked this park and now they have reached a crossroads. Say what you want but it's no more disjointed than the competition at Universal.

Universal Studios Florida was also built as a studio and production still happens there.

Like DMGM, USF opened as a working studio first, the theme park - although planned - followed later.

Universal actually opened its first soundstage when the theme park was still dirt.

 

[Marty Rotondo]

I don't understand why they thought LA people would want to haul their cookies all the way out to Orlando to film something.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I don't understand why they thought LA people would want to haul their cookies all the way out to Orlando to film something.

Perhaps they thought it'd be cheaper.

 

[WhatJaneSays]

Perhaps they thought it'd be cheaper.

In some cases it was cheaper. At the time there was a decent push to make the Orlando/central Florida area "Hollywood East" but the market didn't bear out (along with state support).

 

[networkpro]

I don't understand why they thought LA people would want to haul their cookies all the way out to Orlando to film something.

Production costs. That's why there are 5 major studios in Atlanta.

 

[Marty Rotondo]

Production costs. That's why there are 5 major studios in Atlanta.

Yeah that's true, but wouldn't transporting everything out there and all that be more costly?
But then again it always is weird to think that people actually live in Florida with theme parks and crazy resorts everywere. It (Orlando) must be a unique place to live.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah that's true, but wouldn't transporting everything out there and all that be more costly?

That's why dedicated facilities were built. The equipment and personelle were to already be in Central Florida.

 

[marni1971]

That's why dedicated facilities were built. The equipment and personelle were to already be in Central Florida.

This.

 

[networkpro]

This thread indeed is a tempest in a teapot. The fate of a replica facade isn't something worth arguing about.

 

[Marty Rotondo]

That's why dedicated facilities were built. The equipment and personelle were to already be in Central Florida.

Yeah but did they ever really have dedicated soundstages at DHS?
Not like universal I wouldn't think. That whole space between their 2 parks in Florida is all dedicated soundstages in the back that don't have rides in them.

 

[Christian Fronckowiak]

Yeah but did they ever really have dedicated soundstages at DHS?
Not like universal I wouldn't think. That whole space between their 2 parks in Florida is all dedicated soundstages in the back that don't have rides in them.

Toy Story Mania, Pixar Place and the former Mickey Avenue were all retrofitted soundstages.

 

[Slowjack]

Yeah but did they ever really have dedicated soundstages at DHS?
Not like universal I wouldn't think. That whole space between their 2 parks in Florida is all dedicated soundstages in the back that don't have rides in them.

As someone pointed out, yes, they did--although of course it was Disney-MGM then, not DHS. Plus a real, and large, costuming department, equipment rentals, studio office space, etc. It was never huge, but it might have grown if the idea had worked out.

 

[tl77]

Yeah but did they ever really have dedicated soundstages at DHS?
Not like universal I wouldn't think. That whole space between their 2 parks in Florida is all dedicated soundstages in the back that don't have rides in them.

The soundstages at the then Disney MGM Studios gave us the new Mickey Mouse Club unleashing Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Ryan Gosling onto the world... I think this is the reason those soundstages had to be destroyed, or at least reused as Toy Story Maina

 

[marni1971]

Yeah but did they ever really have dedicated soundstages at DHS?.

Three of them. And highly specced too.