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DAK “Zootopia” is being created for the Tree of Life theater

peter11435

Well-Known Member
You're just making my point.

The importance of WDI is fading. The past head of WDI came from and went back to Gensler and relied on significant resources and talent from Gensler that actively hurt the WDI brand. All the real work has been moved external. New Epcot and the atrocious sterile and unimaginative hotel renovations and designs show there's nothing left inside. Even legends like Tony Baxter and Joe Rhode have had their issues with what has been done.

They may have people there doing things, but the creativity and talent of the past is gone. It's gutted.
You keep saying things like “All the real work has been moved external.” and that’s simply not true.
No one is expecting Disney to build an elevator motor or a monorail. But the design and concept originated from within WDI and was given to a vendor to implement.
That’s still exactly how the process works.
 

Disgruntled Walt

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
You really think people watch a film like zootopia and think the message is about animals in the wild?
No, obviously it's not. But to place this in the middle of Animal Kingdom's park icon is trying to have it both ways. Either it's a metaphor for humanity or it's about the "wild" animal kingdom. It can't be both, as many here have stated. I think that's why people are saying it would belong in Epcot (which I wouldn't want either), because it deals with a human problem of division. The only reason it's in AK is because it's animal characters—The Rescuers would make just as much sense. Actually, it would make more sense because the animals are still sized to their real counterparts and interact with humans. Instead, we've got this weird new reality, talking about animals evolving past natural law to wear tank tops—an explanation I never wanted.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Aside from disputes over the current general quality of WDI, can we all agree this show stinks?
the-critic-it-stinks.gif

It at least still has a/c for 10 Mins..So, sleep through that and you’ll be fine..
 

DrStarlander

Well-Known Member
Zootopia was not about animals, it was about people. And the animal species were metaphors for different people, and served the purpose of getting audiences to watch. But it was about racism, and prejudice, and stereotypes.

This is obvious, right? Are we all agreed on this?

So, it's super confusing to put this show in Animal Kingdom, and it should be moved to the Sunset Showcase or something. (And the executives need to just accept the Tree of Life is not a cheap venue for quick-hit marketing plays.)

They should put an awe inspiring, profound, beautifully filmed, multi-sensory theater-experience about real animals and the natural world with an incredible soundtrack in the Tree of Life. Challenge the Imagineers to make it a can't-miss show. And challenge audiences -- and I know this is going to blow people away -- to, for a moment, engage in something smart and credible and of substance. I know, I know, there is likely zero faith that modern audiences would accept that. But that is what we need from Disney. That is what Walt set out to do in Tomorrowland, what a generation of Imagineers did at EPCOT, what another era accomplished with Animal Kingdom. When Disney gives up on us -- on audiences -- they're inviting us to give up on them.
 
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Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Two key points of contention here:

a. The Yeti is meant to be a guardian of the forbidden mountain, and when combined with the logging truck and oil fires of Kali River the overall theme of Asia is too much human encroachment into wild spaces is bad.

b. FotLK is meant to be representative of the Circle of Life narrative from the movie.
a. But it's now a REAL animal? It is a figment of imagination. Just because sheltered people once believed it was real does not make it so. Sorry, I don't see the connection. Encroachment is the very last thing that a child would even come close to thinking about in either of them. And an adult is not going to take life lessons from a cartoon, a water ride or imaginary character. It's all just a story.

b. And is an artist rendering of an animal, but no more real than the fox or any other animal in the attraction. What is the justification for Nemo? The only thing that was meant to convey, if it was anything more than just a story, is "don't run away from home" there's bad things out there in the world. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar! Whether it is a fox, a fish or a bug the only difference is what the message might be and how lasting it might be that didn't involve fear.
 

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
Aside from disputes over the current general quality of WDI, can we all agree this show stinks?
The disagreement isn’t over the quality of the show or even more generally (good luck finding my posts praising Disney’s current structure). It’s the despicable claim that the issue lies with the look of people. It’s not even a dogwhistle. We don’t need to give such crap legitimacy or common ground because it has a similar conclusion.
 

mattpeto

Well-Known Member
I'll be curious what the GSATs are for this new show, if it's as bad as everyone is indicating. (I wasn't impressed with the one minute teaser FWIW).

If GSATS are truly awful, it will cause a change, eventually.

But if the reviews are high with the typical guest, I'll have to chalk this with the same group that thinks most guests hate Tiana's Bayou Adventure. It's not reality, even though many people here hate Tiana's. Jury is still out here.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
a. But it's now a REAL animal? It is a figment of imagination. Just because sheltered people once believed it was real does not make it so. Sorry, I don't see the connection. Encroachment is the very last thing that a child would even come close to thinking about in either of them. And an adult is not going to take life lessons from a cartoon, a water ride or imaginary character. It's all just a story.

b. And is an artist rendering of an animal, but no more real than the fox or any other animal in the attraction. What is the justification for Nemo? The only thing that was meant to convey, if it was anything more than just a story, is "don't run away from home" there's bad things out there in the world. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar! Whether it is a fox, a fish or a bug the only difference is what the message might be and how lasting it might be that didn't involve fear.
And all these characters are pretty much okay?
0adc33a001374b8ba38aa5071c8a00f0
 

monothingie

Raising Prices Excites Me
Premium Member
You keep saying things like “All the real work has been moved external.” and that’s simply not true.

That’s still exactly how the process works.
So you’re going to hold your hat on that most of the design and architecture and engineering work still occurs in house and not subbed out?

Don’t confuse this with construction or project management, though which are two totally separate things.
 

Tom Morrow

Well-Known Member
Also worth noting that ITTAB featured a number of new characters specifically to showcase the “talents” and abilities of those insects, and why we should take notice of them.
“We bugs have been playing these roles for millions of years, but it seems you guys sometimes dont see us.”

Z is essentially all of the movie characters popping up to wave at the audience and goof off.
Does anybody actually care about Yoga Yak? Or is he there simply because he’s voiced by Tommy Chong, when Cheech Marin voiced Chili the marksman tarantula in ITTBAB?

How modern Disney views its audience:

View attachment 890958

View attachment 890959
Don't ask questions, just consume product!
I'll be curious what the GSATs are for this new show, if it's as bad as everyone is indicating. (I wasn't impressed with the one minute teaser FWIW).

If GSATS are truly awful, it will cause a change, eventually.

But if the reviews are high with the typical guest, I'll have to chalk this with the same group that thinks most guests hate Tiana's Bayou Adventure. It's not reality, even though many people here hate Tiana's. Jury is still out here.

Unfortunately a lot of Disney Adults are going to respond like:

and kids will have an okay time so Disney will see it as a success and continue ruining their parks with similar low effort slop.
 

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