MK Piston Peak and Villains Land Construction Thread

[Chi84]

I think some of us need to start coping with the fact that new and exciting things are happening at WDW.

It’s going to be okay . . .

 

[Stripes]

It is absolutely a negative that they had to scrap plans this far into the process. It must have been bad and I think it’s clear that there is a systemic issue within the company. And here we all were blindly celebrating a villains land.

Hopefully this change in direction will turn out to be a positive. At least they recognize the error of their ways. But nothing is guaranteed.

First of all, this is merely a rumor. The situation, conditions, and details surrounding the rumored change, which may or may not be false or misleading in the first place, are unknown and you’re assuming a great deal that is wholly unwarranted.

With takes like that it’s pretty clear you spend a lot of time with your head in the sand.

You know you don’t have to share your inner monologue with everyone, right?

 

[Touchdown]

I think some of this need to start coping with the fact that new and exciting things are happening at WDW.

It’s going to be okay . . .

I hope youre right. I’m choosing cautious optimism for now.

 

[DrStarlander]

Previous concept had an indoor ride. New direction is to think bigger/better. So (and I'm spitballing here) perhaps WDI was thinking "Runaway Railway" and management is more like "Rise of the Resistance".

Rise of the Resistance is a high bar. What makes it so special is the multi-modal experience which defies previous attraction norms (except, most notably, the Haunted Mansion elevator and portrait corridor). As a guest, at least for first timers, you don't know what to expect in this moving-from-one-thing-to-another experience. But boy it's exciting. On re-rides this approach loses the novelty, but at least at Haunted Mansion the narration is so brilliant and memorable we can all joyously join in, and the repetition becomes cultural ceremony. What could have become tiresome instead became a unifying social experience spanning decades.

The Disney Villains offer tonal similarity to Haunted Mansion with much potential for one-liners and quips. If WDI plays its cards right (good writing, mostly) they may capture that same social experience as HM, where we're chorusing along with the characters' taunts and retorts for many years.

One way they could improve the pre-shows and pre-modes further is some branching/variability, so we have to ride a number of times just to see them all. Say we enter a pre-show "council room" where a half-dozen villains are taking turns recruiting us, so we are separated into smaller groups, some going into the Hades chamber, some the Ursula chamber, etc... We all ultimately get to the main ride vehicles but each group had a special, more intimate several-minute experience (and maybe were let in on a unique secret from their villain). We'd have to ride at least six times to see all the chambers and hear all the secrets, if we're lucky...and more like ten times in reality.

Like buying collectible card game booster packs, you don't know what you're going to get. That aspect of gamification is probably what the Disney execs would get most excited about ($$).

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

First of all, this is merely a rumor. The situation, conditions, and details surrounding the rumored change, which may or may not be false or misleading in the first place, are unknown and you’re assuming a great deal that is wholly unwarranted.

But how does that affect the “excitement level?” You’re not suggesting that a fan convention PowerPoint next to a gigantic merch shop is just a throw away bit of theater?…and they’re not SERIOUS…are you?

If so…there’s nothing left to believe in.

You know you don’t have to share your inner monologue with everyone, right?

Speak for yourself, baby

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Rise of the Resistance is a high bar. What makes it so special is the multi-modal experience which defies previous attraction norms (except, most notably, the Haunted Mansion elevator and portrait corridor). As a guest, at least for first timers, you don't know what to expect in this moving-from-one-thing-to-another experience. But boy it's exciting. On re-rides this approach loses the novelty, but at least at Haunted Mansion the narration is so brilliant and memorable we can all joyously join in, and the repetition becomes cultural ceremony. What could have become tiresome instead became a unifying social experience spanning decades.

The Disney Villains offer tonal similarity to Haunted Mansion with much potential for one-liners and quips. If WDI plays its cards right (good writing, mostly) they may capture that same social experience as HM, where we're chorusing along with the characters' taunts and retorts for many years.

One way they could improve the pre-shows and pre-modes further is some branching/variability, so we have to ride a number of times just to see them all. Say we enter a pre-show "council room" where a half-dozen villains are taking turns recruiting us, so we are separated into smaller groups, some going into the Hades chamber, some the Ursula chamber, etc... We all ultimately get to the main ride vehicles but each group had a secret, more intimate several-minute experience (and maybe were let in on a unique secret from their villain). We'd have to ride at least six times to see all the chambers and hear all the secrets, if we're lucky...and more like ten times in reality.

Like buying collectible card game booster packs, you don't know what you're going to get. That aspect of gamification is probably what the Disney execs would get most excited about ($$).

It’s also like…the most overrated thing ever…on several planes…

We can go ahead an move back to the center now on this one…any…day…now

 

[Chi84]

I hope youre right. I’m choosing cautious optimism for now.

Better that than taking solace in the fact that the original plans - which have been scrapped by a brand new CEO in favor of bigger and bolder ideas - must have been very very bad.

What a strange way to interpret good news.

 

[monothingie]

You know you don’t have to share your inner monologue with everyone, right?

 

[UNCgolf]

It’s just funny that a Disney fan can’t see the appeal of a fantasy setting. The music, master sword, triforce will very quickly tell you where you are. Not to mention the iconic trio in the ride.

It has nothing to do with being a fantasy setting, nor am I suggesting a fantasy setting doesn't work as a theme park land (that's silly).

I'm a big fan of Zelda; I've played almost every Zelda game going back to the original on the NES. It just lacks the kind of hook that makes for a special theme park land, as do many other great video games (and great books and movies too).

I'm not suggesting a Zelda land would be a failure -- I'm sure it would be successful/popular. That doesn't mean it's a good idea from a design standpoint, though.

 

[gorillaball]

This is the typical MO for Disney, always spin a negative into a positive.

Whatever WDI had proposed was so bad that even the executives held their nose at it. So what’s the easiest way to save face when confronted with complete failure, say you’re going to plus it or max it or turbo charge it or activate it or whatever nonsense jargon someone came up with.

WDI has been on a big losing streak lately with a lot of total crap things they’ve put out which has far outnumbered the few good things. With actual competition up I 4, they’re actually gonna have to do some work.

This is typical MO for (glass half empty web warrior). “Rumor” of Disney plussing some stuff which was one of about 4 significant announcements 18 mo ago. That equates to - insert any of about 8 negative takes over the last 24 hours in this thread.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Rise of the Resistance is a high bar. What makes it so special is the multi-modal experience which defies previous attraction norms (except, most notably, the Haunted Mansion elevator and portrait corridor). As a guest, at least for first timers, you don't know what to expect in this moving-from-one-thing-to-another experience. But boy it's exciting. On re-rides this approach loses the novelty, but at least at Haunted Mansion the narration is so brilliant and memorable we can all joyously join in, and the repetition becomes cultural ceremony. What could have become tiresome instead became a unifying social experience spanning decades.

The Disney Villains offer tonal similarity to Haunted Mansion with much potential for one-liners and quips. If WDI plays its cards right (good writing, mostly) they may capture that same social experience as HM, where we're chorusing along with the characters' taunts and retorts for many years.

One way they could improve the pre-shows and pre-modes further is some branching/variability, so we have to ride a number of times just to see them all. Say we enter a pre-show "council room" where a half-dozen villains are taking turns recruiting us, so we are separated into smaller groups, some going into the Hades chamber, some the Ursula chamber, etc... We all ultimately get to the main ride vehicles but each group had a secret, more intimate several-minute experience (and maybe were let in on a unique secret from their villain). We'd have to ride at least six times to see all the chambers and hear all the secrets, if we're lucky...and more like ten times in reality.

Like buying collectible card game booster packs, you don't know what you're going to get. That aspect of gamification is probably what the Disney execs would get most excited about ($$).

I agree that repetition plays a powerful role in rides like Haunted Mansion. And “collecting” experiences on rerides will be big in the future, I think. Look at how popular the different songs on Guardians are.

I would add that, imo, rides like Mansion have a strong vibe factor for emotion-oriented kinda people. It’s re-rideable in the way that a beach is re-visitable, strange as that sounds. In our culture, Halloween related imagery tends to equate to freedom - from conformity, demands, sameness, structure, and so on. The forces of entropy / anarchy in a very mild form. I think mansion encapsulates that well and hope that Villains does too.

 

[Bleed0range]

Zelda is definitely currently one of the more minor Nintendo properties and it feels weird to give it a whole space in a brand new park. Luigi’s Mansion I’m hoping will be awesome. We have 0 confirmation of a land replacement for F&F, afaik it’s just a ride. Wicked might get something but I think at this point it’s a bit late for th craze so I don’t count on it. Simpsons, we have 0 idea about what’s going there, I’m hoping Pokemon for both my fiancées sake and Universals since it will help them a lot

Minor? Zelda is like 2nd behind Mario.

 

[monothingie]

This is typical MO for (glass half empty internet web renter). “Rumor” of Disney plussing some stuff which was one of about 4 significant announcements 18 mo ago. That equates to - insert any of about 8 negative takes over the last 24 hours in this thread.

Well maybe it just goes to reinforce that present day WDI is not capable of producing a worthy product for the largest expansion in the history of the flagship park of the Walt Disney World Resort?

But I mean if you can't figure out that the entire restart of Villains is a huge embarrassment to WDI and it's entire public framing of "plussing it" is only about saving face...then well...

 

[deWild]

CHERNABOG MOUNTAIN PLEASE

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

CHERNABOG MOUNTAIN PLEASE

Fire mountain?

That predates probably 1/3 of the people on this forum

 

[Chi84]

Well maybe it just goes to reinforce that present day WDI is not capable of producing a worthy product for the largest expansion in the history of the flagship park of the Walt Disney World Resort?

But I mean if you can't figure out that the entire restart of Villains is a huge embarrassment to WDI and it's entire public framing of "plussing it" is only about saving face...then well...

No the “plussing” by a new CEO is a total positive to parks that badly need new energy and a new direction.

Sometimes it’s necessary to let go of the past and look forward to better times.

 

[monothingie]

This has been quite a spirited discussion and I just want to say that it turns out the real plussing turned out to be the friends I met along the way.

 

[brb1006]

I would be thrilled if this happened.

I really hope there's concept art somewhere in the Disney Archives for the planned Sleepy Hollow ride.

 

[deWild]

Fire mountain?

That predates probably 1/3 of the people on this forum

Chernabog? Oh 1000%. I’m sure it’s never going to happen, but can you imagine if by some miracle it does?

 

[gorillaball]

Well maybe it just goes to reinforce that present day WDI is not capable of producing a worthy product for the largest expansion in the history of the flagship park of the Walt Disney World Resort?

But I mean if you can't figure out that the entire restart of Villains is a huge embarrassment to WDI and it's entire public framing of "plussing it" is only about saving face...then well...

I can’t figure it out, you are correct. Neither can you - not enough evidence, but you have convinced yourself of the cause and therefore the effect. You may be right, only time will tell.

Can you please tell me where they public framed something about plussing it? I haven’t found these WDI public comments yet.