DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[celluloid]

I find it interesting (and quite mysterious) that we haven’t heard much of anything from insiders re: their thoughts on the scale and/or quality and/or immersion-level of the door coaster.

I don’t know whether to expect something that’ll blow our minds—with a detailed queue, multiple preshows, grand sets, and amazing effects—or something that’ll just be “fun” a la Tron.

Based on the model they presented, I’m begrudgingly guessing it’s closer to the latter (even though they have decades of expectations to live up to… or fall short of). I hope I’m mistaken, of course.

I would think a lot like the queue of DCA's in aesthetics. A tad of Tokyo's which is not a whole lot. A covered extended queue and themed station. Most of the coaster will be in the dark without much corridor feeling, but open and mirrored. Some screens of doors opening and closing and some already static opened.
Figures animated slightly but this will be similar to Disney doing Dark Knight Coaster for those who are familiar.

 

[GoofGoof]

For creatives, it is also a scary time that gives more time for things to be cut.

Yeah for sure it’s a risk, especially if there’s an economic downturn or TWDC has a bad year and they slash budgets. Once they break ground we at least know the project will probably get done but there’s no guarantee it’s not scaled back.

 

[Casper Gutman]

To anyone projecting opening dates - an entirely new management team that will be desperate to please Wall Street takes over Disney in 2026 and in 2025 a presidential administration that is promising to make the most sweeping and sudden changes to the US economy since the early 1930s takes over. So you should factor those in.

 

[Moth]

My personal preference would be Inside Out to WoL and then MV3D relocated to Magic Eye but I have no actual say.

So the SSE lounge can open even with the ride closed? How do you get into the lounge? I assumed it was a staircase somewhere in the post ride exhibit area.

My assumption is that the post show for SSE (Global Neighborhood area) will close first and open a lot earlier than the actual ride, there's an elevator near the entrance to that area that'll provide access to the presumed area it's going (the former sponsor lounge).

I wouldn't be shocked if the lounge opens while both are down and they provide a temporary pathway in and out to the lounge's elevator.

The lounge is opening in 2025, so I wouldn't be shocked if it's opening around the time the ride itself/post show closes. But I also don't expect it to close 2025...

I suspect SSE5 will be apart of Destination D23 like TT3 was, and close around early 2026. If we use Disney's old timeframe of a two year downtime like the last redo was planned to be it'll open back up around 2028. Maybe Global Neighborhood closes in late 2025 with a passage to the elevator for those wanting the lounge.

And if it opens during 2028, before August, which will be the 2nd to last before EPCOT50... That leaves a very obvious contender as the next in line for a make over. You feel me?

Of course a new CEO can see all these plans, laugh at them, chew them up, spit it out and all we have for EPCOT50 is EXPERIMENTAL PARTY CENTER OF TOMORROW.

 

[DarkMetroid567]

Just as a frame of reference, in the 18 months before and after IoA opened, back when Uni was a much more distant competitor to Disney, WDW opened Pooh, Buzz, Test Track, Fantasmic, and Rock n Roller Coaster. Oh, and Animal Kingdom.

I think this is fair to point out, but the market was very different. The mid-90s were not glamorous for the Disney parks and it was clear at that point how much investment WDW especially needed. I think there are some parallels between then-and-now, but attendance then was a far cry from what we see now even after 2019.

MGM also made clear how bad of an idea it was to counter a new park with another new park.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

It's interesting how much Disney is betting on the tourist boost from Epic. To potentially close 8 attractions next year and only open 1 new (Zootopia) and 1 refresh (Test Track) seems like a big gamble to me.
It's certainly a different approach to when Islands of Adventure opened as in addition to AK in 1998, WDW opened 10 attractions (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Storytime with Belle, Test Track, Millennium Village (World Showplace), Doug Live, Rock ‘n’ Rollercoaster, Bear in the Big Blue House Live, Sounds Dangerous!, Asia, Tarzan Rocks) and 1 refresh (Journey Into Your Imagination,)

Pooh, test track, doug, sounds dangerous and tarzan were all replacing other attractions

 

[Casper Gutman]

I think this is fair to point out, but the market was very different. The mid-90s were not glamorous for the Disney parks and it was clear at that point how much investment WDW especially needed. I think there are some parallels between then-and-now, but attendance then was a far cry from what we see now even after 2019.

MGM also made clear how bad of an idea it was to counter a new park with another new park.

So why did they do the exact same thing by rushing to open Animal Kingdom less then a year before IoA?

Both Disney and Universal are deviating completely from past patterns when a new park opens. Historically, whether the new park is yours or the competition’s, you want to have new headliners opening at older parks to pull crowds. When IoA opened, for instance, the Studios had MiB ready to debut to lure crowds next door - and I’ve already listed the attractions Disney had ready. What we’re seeing with the opening of EU is a profound change in philosophy that is tremendously disadvantageous to consumers - and possibly to the older parks themselves.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Pooh, test track, doug, sounds dangerous and tarzan were all replacing other attractions

Why does this matter?

Also, ANIMAL KINGDOM.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

EXPERIMENTAL PARTY CENTER OF TOMORROW.

HORIZONS BAR AND GRILLE CONFIRMED!!!!

 

[Marc Davis Fan]

I would think a lot like the queue of DCA's in aesthetics. A tad of Tokyo's which is not a whole lot. A covered extended queue and themed station. Most of the coaster will be in the dark without much corridor feeling, but open and mirrored. Some screens of doors opening and closing and some already static opened.
Figures animated slightly but this will be similar to Disney doing Dark Knight Coaster for those who are familiar.

Wow, this is really valuable and informative, thank you! I feel like I have a much better idea of the scale and quality we’re dealing with… despite my wishing they were both going to be far greater. I’m sure it will be fun, though.

 

[celluloid]

So why did they do the exact same thing by rushing to open Animal Kingdom less then a year before IoA?

Both Disney and Universal are deviating completely from past patterns when a new park opens. Historically, whether the new park is yours or the competition’s, you want to have new headliners opening at older parks to pull crowds. When IoA opened, for instance, the Studios had MiB ready to debut to lure crowds next door - and I’ve already listed the attractions Disney had ready. What we’re seeing with the opening of EU is a profound change in philosophy that is tremendously disadvantageous to consumers - and possibly to the older parks themselves.

Yeah. Dreamworks just didn't cut the mustard with its lackluster Shrek playground and things that were fun in theory but fell flat, but honestly should have been better with something opening less than a year before EPIC's opening date.

Ideally, I would want IOA to have something announced for the remainder of Lost Continent by now(Be it Zelda or otherwise)

Just to clarify, MIB opened in 2000 after 1999's IOA opening, so perhaps we could be in for a surprise by 2026 for Lost Continent's work.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Backlot Tour in its prime where it still had exhibits of residential street and properly working catastrophe canyon

Which wasn’t the case since 2004 and still was not a working backlot.

Monster soundshow/sounds dangerous > a random mickey toon, particularly as the post show exhibit was good.

Sounds Dangerous was 75% in the dark and a waste of space. Mickeys is alot better and ties into MMRR very well.

 

[celluloid]

Sounds Dangerous was 75% in the dark and a waste of space. Mickeys is alot better and ties into MMRR very well.

It was a Binaural sound-based show. So 75 percent in the dark is a bit disingenuous and makes it sound like visuals are the only thing that make an attraction interesting, particularly when that is literally the conceit.
All original content that fit an local and overreaching theme. Still superior on that front. And you totally discount the post show with its exhibits and interactive foley games. Which had a concept of importance of sound in production and post production. What is the point of screening things you can screen personally? What is the conceit? How is the post show?

I could literally pull up Mickey Shorts on my phone. The experience of Vacation Fun being original is rather weak and people often see it waiting for something to happen that never does. Typically there are not even many laughs. Sounds Dangerous at least had that.

The fallacy is that you are acting as if they could not have something better than both in that space. Sounds Dangerous had its time. Mickey shorts theater is weak at any time.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

All original content that fit an local and overreaching theme. Still superior on that front. And you totally discount the post show with its exhibits and interactive foley games. Which had a concept of improtance of sound in production and post production. What is the point of screening things you can screen personally? What is the conceit?

I could literally pull up Mickey Shorts on my phone. The experience of Vacation Fun being orignal is rather weak.

The fallacy is that you are acting as if they could not have something better than both in that space. Sounds Dangerous had its time. Mickey shorts theater is weak at any time.

Sounds dangerous was derided as the worst show ever created don’t act like it wasn’t.

 

[celluloid]

Sounds dangerous was derided as the worst show ever created don’t act like it wasn’t.

I enjoyed it. It was definitely a low operational budget show. I also know that Monster Sound was once in there. So we don't have to pretend better things have not been in that theater and pretend that better things could not be. I get that it was not everyone's cup of tea, but let's not act like Vacation Fun has much of a concept and is not leaving guests confused on why they just spent ten minutes at one of the most expensive theme parks on the planet to watch an animated short with little effects and humor that mostly falls flat for the young and old.

Stitch's Great Escape was the far worst binaural centric show because it did not know what it wanted to be and used the bones of the greatest binaural audio-centric multi media show ever.

Sounds Dangerous at least had that going for it. I loved The Great Ranaldi and all the jokes though.

And Post show had bits with Wayne Allwine and Jimmy Macdonald. Far superior Disney ties than the current random short.

 

[MisterPenguin]

To me, that's the problem with Disney making these grand announcements about future projects over half a decade before then intend to complete them.

And if Disney didn't announce the line-up for the next 3-5 years, they'd be pilloried here "for doing nothing!" And it would be interpreted as Disney abandoning the parks and not caring. Or, interpreted as Disney "being in trouble."

This is a toxic fandom.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

If inside out is magic eye, would it leak into the ride and figment would become an “emotion”? I really hope not, that’d be utter sh*t imo

If they did tie the IP together (doubtful), he’d probably just be an imaginary friend like Bing Bong

 

[Casper Gutman]

And if Disney didn't announce the line-up for the next 3-5 years, they'd be pilloried here "for doing nothing!" And it would be interpreted as Disney abandoning the parks and not caring. Or, interpreted as Disney "being in trouble."

This is a toxic fandom.

This is disingenuous. If Disney built at an adequate, consistent rate and announced 1 year in advance they would be announcing just as much as they currently do - minus the misleading announcements on which they never follow through. If announcing later means they announce less, it just demonstrates how many of their announcements are dishonest.

 

[The Leader of the Club]

This is disingenuous. If Disney built at an adequate, consistent rate and announced 1 year in advance they would be announcing just as much as they currently do - minus the misleading announcements on which they never follow through. If announcing later means they announce less, it just demonstrates how many of their announcements are dishonest.

1 year worth of announcements cannot fill a 3 hour presentation at the Honda Center that fans will pay hundreds of dollars for tickets to. That’s what Disney wants. The pomp and circumstance that comes from having celebrities come out and announce exciting new projects every two years. And honestly, it’s what lots of fans want from Disney.

 

[Casper Gutman]

1 year worth of announcements cannot fill a 3 hour presentation at the Honda Center that fans will pay hundreds of dollars for tickets to. That’s what Disney wants. The pomp and circumstance that comes from having celebrities come out and announce exciting new projects every two years. And honestly, it’s what lots of fans want from Disney.

And then the projects don't get built. And Disney knows a lot of them likely won't get built. And that's DISNEY'S fault, not the fans. The fans are not FORCING Disney to announce attractions 4 years in advance, or to announce attractions without even a firm commencement date, or to straight up lie for positive PR.