Mike S
Well-Known Member
If there were like 5 or 6 of them all at once it would've been fine.
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Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway confirmed
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
PizzaPlanet
Well-Known Member
In 2004 SGE became the gold standard of theme park design. They are going to have a hard time living up to that. If Mickey doesn't burp in my face I'll be disappointed.Which I totally understand, but at this point I can only hope for the best. I'm hoping Runaway Railway will be at least a tad bit better than SGE
Frankiepopsicles
Active Member
I wanted to see Fantasia Centaurs as Animantronics
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
Isn't it just astonishing what TDO chooses to pinch pennies on. Good god.
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
Rumors seem to indicate that the substructure will at least remain the same, though cosmetic changes to the facade may happen.
I was worried when the park icon went to ToT instead of the theater when they took down that godawful hat, but it appears, at least at this point, that the theater concept is remaining, which makes sense.. considering the premise is the premiere of a new mickey short.
In all fairness this was before TDO. The decision was made in early 1989, after the tornado scene was already running.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
I sincerely doubt that. Mickey is the company's trademark. He sells tons of merch (Iger's gold standard for an IP's importance). He's all over the parks in one form or another. I doubt the success of the new shorts is the reason the ride got okayed. The REAL reason is probably that the GMR was aging and costly to maintain and run and updating it properly would cost too much money, which Iger despises unless the money is being spent on one of his idiot acquisitions. Much better to just gut the thing, avoid AAs and stick in a bunch of screens. Besides, it's pretty clear that TDO wants to dump the Old Hollywood aspect of DHS altogether to stick in more merchandisable IPs. Because the parks are just venues for merchandise, after all. The Robert Iger Company, ladies and gentlemen!
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
You mean the tornado scene was actually in the ride at one point? I didn't know that! Was it effective?
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
I sincerely doubt that. Mickey is the company's trademark. He sells tons of merch (Iger's gold standard for an IP's importance). He's all over the parks in one form or another. I doubt the success of the new shorts is the reason the ride got okayed. The REAL reason is probably that the GMR was aging and costly to maintain and run and updating it properly would cost too much money, which Iger despises unless the money is being spent on one of his idiot acquisitions. Much better to just gut the thing, avoid AAs and stick in a bunch of screens. Besides, it's pretty clear that TDO wants to dump the Old Hollywood aspect of DHS altogether to stick in more merchandisable IPs. Because the parks are just venues for merchandise, after all. The Robert Iger Company, ladies and gentlemen!
Also keep in mind Mickey's copyright has already been extended a couple of time.. fundamentally changing copyright law in the process. I would not at all be surprised if this is part of setting the ground for it to happen again, continuing to keep him out of public domain. While Disney may have the lawyers and money to keep changing copyright duration law forever, I suspect they are a belt and suspenders legal team when it comes to stuff like that.. new look, new style, effectively new IP and branding... 2023 is when the copyright ends as it stands now.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
I hope Disney never loses Mickey to the public domain. I shudder to think what some people would do to him. Copyright laws should have exceptions in a case like this. As long as a character is active, that character's home company should retain rights to it in perpetuity in my opinion.
Roakor
Well-Known Member
... Because the parks are just venues for merchandise, after all. The Robert Iger Company, ladies and gentlemen!
Wait we are suppose to be going to the parks to buy merchandise? Well I have been doing it all wrong. I just buy my stuff on amazon...soo much cheaper that way.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
tirian
Well-Known Member
I agree with you there. It's also why I do like the look of the new Mickey cartoons: they're a fun update of the classic 30s pie-eyed Mickey. But they're also badly animated and a bit too "momentary" for an attraction that lasts years.
If this Mickey were relegated to just the TV show and march, I wouldn't feel so strongly against it. But this is his first real ride, and Bob "IP" Iger decided it should be an extended commercial for the currently running TV show. That's the rub.
EPCOTCenterLover
Well-Known Member
It's about time Mickey is the centerpiece of a great attraction. Just unfortunate choice of replacement and location.
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
Mickey's been treated nothing more than a corporate symbol for the past decades before the shorts. Trust me, they had no interest in do anything, and I mean ANYTHING before Paul Rudish proposed the shorts.I sincerely doubt that. Mickey is the company's trademark. He sells tons of merch (Iger's gold standard for an IP's importance). He's all over the parks in one form or another. I doubt the success of the new shorts is the reason the ride got okayed. The REAL reason is probably that the GMR was aging and costly to maintain and run and updating it properly would cost too much money, which Iger despises unless the money is being spent on one of his idiot acquisitions. Much better to just gut the thing, avoid AAs and stick in a bunch of screens. Besides, it's pretty clear that TDO wants to dump the Old Hollywood aspect of DHS altogether to stick in more merchandisable IPs. Because the parks are just venues for merchandise, after all. The Robert Iger Company, ladies and gentlemen!
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
What about Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and its various spin-offs? Those have been very successful too, and pre-date the shorts.
Do you think this attraction came to be solely because of the approaching "public domain" licensing? And Disney creating the ride for further justification in keeping Mickey within the company?
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
The thought has crossed my mind. But I think the push on the shorts for the last couple years has a lot to with it too.
True. I guess if it was the sole reason Imagineering would have be more likely to give us a Steamboat Willie ride.
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