Is Disney's Hollywood Studios' theme a bit loose?

[mharrington]

The thing that bothers me about this, and one reason why I brought up the question in the first place, is in this one review of the park from Studios Central: http://www.studioscentral.com/column/studios-weekly/defending-studios. It's found in a response to the main article, which says:

"I don't disagree, because I wont sit here and say randomness is the way to go. [...] Any perceived 'random attractions' are the result of someone watering down an idea presented to them until it meets whatever budgets they have."
True, but I'm thinking more of the fact that the attractions now get inserted to any thought or reason why they should be there. Of course, I'm mainly grousing about Midway Mania, because while it's a fun attraction it has absolutely no connection to the theme of the park. It makes perfect sense in DCA, but no sense at the Studios. [...] If you're going to theme an area to represent a movie studio, like Pixar Place attempts to, that needs to tie in with the attraction. It's not good enough just to have random rides based on movies put into brick or stucco buildings. I'm not asking them to bend over backwards, just to think a little bit about what they're doing before they do it.

That was partially what drove me to bring this up, because it seems that the Studios can get away with randomness.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Pixar - Toy Story - Pixar Place - Toy Story based on a movie. What is so random about that in a place called Disney's Hollywood Studio?

 

[mharrington]

Pixar - Toy Story - Pixar Place - Toy Story based on a movie. What is so random about that in a place called Disney's Hollywood Studio?

The buildings apparently look rather plain. At least at the California Adventure, the Toy Story midway ride fits in thematically. The California Adventure does have a midway theme at Paradise Pier, where the Toy Story midway ride is, but there are absolutely no midways at the Studios.

 

[Goofyernmost]

OK, using your own logic in this....Paradise Pier is a theme (midway) and Toy Story Mania fits in there due to that connection. DHS theme is movies, shows and general entertainment, DCA does not. It has different lands that they manage to shape in different themes and many of those are not really a logical part of anything. It now has some much better offerings then it used to, but due to the DCA overall theme (California Adventure) they can be much more liberal in where they place things. DHS and it's Toy Story Mania fits due to not only being a Movie but also being part of Pixar Place. Different themes but completely acceptable in either one, but at DHS it is also a theme within an overall theme.

 

[Californian Elitist]

OK, using your own logic in this....Paradise Pier is a theme (midway) and Toy Story Mania fits in there due to that connection. DHS theme is movies, shows and general entertainment, DCA does not. It has different lands that they manage to shape in different themes and many of those are not really a logical part of anything. It now has some much better offerings then it used to, but due to the DCA overall theme (California Adventure) they can be much more liberal in where they place things. DHS and it's Toy Story Mania fits due to not only being a movie but also being part of Pixar Place. Different themes but completely acceptable in either one, but at DHS it is also a theme within an overall theme.

This is the point of the OP. Just because it's a movie, it automatically is supposed to fit in the park. By this logic, you could put any ride in DHS based on any of the Disney films, or films in general, and it'll fit. It is "loose" when you break it down.

 

[Goofyernmost]

This is the point of the OP. Just because it's a movie, it automatically is supposed to fit in the park. By this logic, you could put any ride in DHS based on any of the Disney films, or films in general, and it'll fit. It is "loose" when you break it down.

Well, they all are if you want to put a fine point on it. I have a question, since it has been brought up, just exactly what would be "tight" fit? I guess I just don't understand...enlighten me please! I must be missing something.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Well, they all are if you want to put a fine point on it. I have a question, since it has been brought up, just exactly what would be "tight" fit? I guess I just don't understand...enlighten me please! I must be missing something.

If the park is based on movies, there really isn't a tight fit, unless you limit the theme to a specific genre of film (that would be really interesting). All studio parks, or I should say theme parks with the studio theme are pretty loose. Universal Orlando is loose, too. Universal Studios Hollywood is loose, but like @lazyboy97o said, that park is unique because of its actual, real-working studio that's been in operation for literally a century.

 

[Goofyernmost]

If the park is based on movies, there really isn't a tight fit, unless you limit the theme to a specific genre of film (that would be really interesting). All studio parks, or I should say theme parks with the studio theme are pretty loose. Universal Orlando is loose, too. Universal Studios Hollywood is loose, but like @lazyboy97o said, that park is unique because of its actual, real-working studio that's been in operation for literally a century.

OK, so what's the problem then???? Why is it always being brought up that this or that doesn't belong there. I cannot think of anything that is in DHS that doesn't "loosely" fit there. If we get overly deep into examining it, ToT doesn't fit there. It's not based on Movies or Entertainment but is "very loosely" and artificially connected with an old TV series and the name Hollywood. RnRC is connected by a Recording Studio that doesn't exit in real time, so why does should anyone care?

 

[Californian Elitist]

OK, so what's the problem then???? Why is it always being brought up that this or that doesn't belong there. I cannot think of anything that is in DHS that doesn't "loosely" fit there. If we get overly deep into examining it, ToT doesn't fit there. It's not based on Movies or Entertainment but is "very loosely" and artificially connected with an old TV series and the name Hollywood. RnRC is connected by a Recording Studio that doesn't exit in real time, so why does should anyone care?

I don't think you're understanding the point (BTW, ToT does fit because it's based on a television show). We're not necessarily saying it's a problem... All we're saying is studio parks are very open, because the theme of entertainment, music, movies and television is very huge and broad. The theme isn't very constricted. That's all we're saying. Only a studio park where you can get away with Shrek, the Simpsons, Jurassic Park and Transformers all in one park, without much theme separating theme, if any at all. Toy Story Midway Mania is supposed to be a carnival/pier-themed attraction, hence the reason it was designed for DCA. But the attraction is located in DHS, even though there's no midway or pier like area in the park...it's there simply because it's Pixar and Toy Story is a movie. It's not constricted.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I don't think you're understanding the point (BTW, ToT does fit because it's based on a television show). We're not necessarily saying it's a problem... All we're saying is studio parks are very open, because the theme of entertainment, music, movies and television is very huge and broad. The theme isn't very constricted. That's all we're saying. Only a studio park where you can get away with Shrek, the Simpsons, Jurassic Park and Transformers all in one park, without much theme separating theme, if any at all. Toy Story Midway Mania is supposed to be a carnival/pier-themed attraction, hence the reason it was designed for DCA. But the attraction is located in DHS, even though there's no midway or pier like area in the park...it's there simply because it's Pixar and Toy Story is a movie. It's not constricted.

Alright, apparently I am misreading intent instead of substance. It has sounded to me in many of the posts like people were disgruntled because they didn't see how these things fit the theme. You're saying that nothing really tightly fits the theme in any "movie" park, which is exactly what I'm saying. Since it is the norm, I have been trying to figure out why it is even being brought up, and what to them would constitute a "tight" fit.

I also carried it a bit further and said, because I truly feel this way, that there are no theme parks that do not use the overall "loose" fit concept. I don't believe I even think about it. I said before, I look at the park as a location and that the definition of theme to park operators themselves is very loose.

Definition of Theme = Any story we can spin that sounds like it fits.

 

[lazyboy97o]

OK, so what's the problem then???? Why is it always being brought up that this or that doesn't belong there. I cannot think of anything that is in DHS that doesn't "loosely" fit there. If we get overly deep into examining it, ToT doesn't fit there. It's not based on Movies or Entertainment but is "very loosely" and artificially connected with an old TV series and the name Hollywood. RnRC is connected by a Recording Studio that doesn't exit in real time, so why does should anyone care?

What you are not understanding is exactly where the looseness exists. You're missing that space between the park-level theme and the specific attraction's theme. Big Thunder Mountain exists in several Disneylands, but that doesn't mean you would have proposed to build it in Hong Kong Disneyland's Tomorrowland.

Part of the problem with Rock 'n Roller Coaster is the abrupt jump from the 1940s of Sunset Boulevard to a contemporary recording studio. Yes, there is the G-Force Records Plaza, but it's a big jump. Pixar Place was created to make Toy Story Midway Mania! but it still doesn't say anything. It's based on the Emeryville campus, but then it's also clutter with large toys. Or are those toys and we shrunk down? Because as soon as we enter the attraction building we are toy sized but it's another jump. And if we are at the Pixar Studio, why does Andy live there? What is Pixar Place trying to be other than a named place to lump together in a land otherwise unrelated films? Disneyland doesn't just lump together Disney films because they were made by Disney.

 

[Californian Elitist]

What you are not understanding is exactly where the looseness exists. You're missing that space between the park-level theme and the specific attraction's theme. Big Thunder Mountain exists in several Disneylands, but that doesn't mean you would have proposed to build it in Hong Kong Disneyland's Tomorrowland.

Part of the problem with Rock 'n Roller Coaster is the abrupt jump from the 1940s of Sunset Boulevard to a contemporary recording studio. Yes, there is the G-Force Records Plaza, but it's a big jump. Pixar Place was created to make Toy Story Midway Mania! but it still doesn't say anything. It's based on the Emeryville campus, but then it's also clutter with large toys. Or are those toys and we shrunk down? Because as soon as we enter the attraction building we are toy sized but it's another jump. And if we are at the Pixar Studio, why does Andy live there? What is Pixar Place trying to be other than a named place to lump together in a land otherwise unrelated films? Disneyland doesn't just lump together Disney films because they were made by Disney.

This is what I was trying to say, LOL. Thank you.

 

[PurpleDragon]

Oh yeah, the themeing in DHS is way too loose, just like all the other theme parks in the US!! I mean look at all those "Six Flags" parks, not one ride in any of the parks is about flags. Whats the deal with that?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Oh yeah, the themeing in DHS is way too loose, just like all the other theme parks in the US!! I mean look at all those "Six Flags" parks, not one ride in any of the parks is about flags. Whats the deal with that?

You missed the point. Read posts 23 and 51.

 

[matt9112]

CRAZY EYES!

 

[lazyboy97o]

Oh yeah, the themeing in DHS is way too loose, just like all the other theme parks in the US!! I mean look at all those "Six Flags" parks, not one ride in any of the parks is about flags. Whats the deal with that?

Actually, if you did a little research instead of being quick to try and be clever, you would realize that the name Six Flags very much had to do with flags and the rides did relate.

 

[mharrington]

Definition of Theme = Anything we can spin a story too that sounds like it fits.

What do you mean by "too"? Or did you mean "to"?

 

[Goofyernmost]

What do you mean by "too"? Or did you mean "to"?

Well, I typed 'too', but I didn't mean too! In fact, the whole sentence was not my bestest most effort at grammar. So I fixed that too! Hopefully that will be betterer.

 

[Jim Chandler]

Ok so loose fit means all of the new fantasy land could go in DHS because they are all movies and would make it tightly themed?
However because there are TV (ToT) and music (ARRC) included it is considered loosely themed?

 

[Jim Chandler]

Btw wasn't the beginning of DCA themed to be about California and a place where more exciting rides would be? Which would mean anything would go and any themes have been an after thought?