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News Coco Boat Ride Coming to Disney California Adventure

Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
Distorian said:
Theme parks are art and should be viewed as such. The less guests view theme parks as art, the more shareholders can get away with tarnishing them for profit.
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I don't recall Walt ever saying that in his opening day speech.

Most guests outside of hardcore purists (a very small minority) will ever view theme parks as "art" and neither should they. Its not on the guest to think of something as "art" in order to appreciate it. They are just looking to have a good time, as that is what is a theme parks primary goal. They aren't there to be part of some "living art" museum, they are there to have fun. So while YOU may think of theme parks as "art", that is not what the vast majority of guests will ever think or see.

Also shareholders don't drive creative decisions, they get no say in the matter. So they don't "get away" with anything. They invest in a company and expect a return on that investment and don't really care too much how its done, its up to company management to determine to how give that return.
 
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mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
PiratesMansion said:
I agree that themed entertainment is an art form, and there are cases to be made that some themed attractions (most here can probably name at least five, and I imagine there'd be considerable overlap over what those five were) have reached the recognition as art in some form.

However, I guarantee you that over 90% of the public does not view theme parks as anything more than a mechanism through which they can have fun on a ride and/or maybe eat some deliciously fattening foods and/or have a fun day out.

For most guests, if they want art, they're more likely to go to an art museum than a theme park. For most people, the notion that a theme park could be art is laughable.
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If you are referring to the likes of POTC or HM as art then clearly we are better off when they strive for that. Including the general public. I’ll also add that if Walt Disney was only concerned with giving people what they wanted we wouldn’t have Disneyland.
 
PiratesMansion

PiratesMansion

Well-Known Member
mickEblu said:
If you are referring to the likes of POTC or HM as art then clearly we are better off when they strive for that. Including the general public. I’ll also add that if Walt Disney was only concerned with giving people what they wanted we wouldn’t have Disneyland.
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I'm not saying they shouldn't strive to exceed expectations and create excellent attractions.

Just that most people will not ever come to see theme parks as legitimate art.

That shouldn't deter the movers and shakers from creating the best possible experience, but as someone into theme parks, the lore, the process, etc. more than every person I know in real life, I'm skeptical that we will ever live in a world where theme parks will be broadly recognized as art.
 
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M

MistaDee

Well-Known Member
Distorian said:
Theme parks are art and should be viewed as such. The less guests view theme parks as art, the more shareholders can get away with tarnishing them for profit.
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I’m afraid you’re setting yourself up for constant disappointment and heartbreak if you insist on this view.

Theme parks are first a business, second entertainment, and occasionally rise to the level of true art. There is immense artistry involved in their creation, but personally I find the tension between those attributes part of what makes them fascinating to follow.

To claim that they are primarily an art form is to fundamentally misunderstand both their historic and modern contexts.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
PiratesMansion said:
I'm not saying they shouldn't strive to exceed expectations and create excellent attractions.

Just that most people will not ever come to see theme parks as legitimate art.

That shouldn't deter the movers and shakers from creating the best possible experience, but as someone into theme parks, the lore, the process, etc. more than every person I know in real life, I'm skeptical that we will ever live in a world where theme parks will be broadly recognized as art.
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That’s fair. For the record I agree with your post I responded to. I’m just not concerned with if people consider the parks art. I’m concerned if Disney and the Imagineers do. I just care about the end product. Not to say every attraction needs to be “The Mona Lisa”
 
britain

britain

Well-Known Member
Animal Kingdom is probably the 'purest' park in terms of aiming high and hitting high. But even that park has some "it's a business - whaddya gonna do?" concessions.

And being an artistically 'impure' park doesn't mean a park is a failure.

BUT I will concede that if the original artistic concept was a compelling one, and it gets watered down over the years, that's kind of sad. I just don't think the original DCA concept was very compelling.
 
Distorian

Distorian

Well-Known Member
How it feels to be a DCA purist in a forum full of DCA nihilists
1773706284614.png
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
britain said:
Animal Kingdom is probably the 'purest' park in terms of aiming high and hitting high. But even that park has some "it's a business - whaddya gonna do?" concessions.

And being an artistically 'impure' park doesn't mean a park is a failure.

BUT I will concede that if the original artistic concept was a compelling one, and it gets watered down over the years, that's kind of sad. I just don't think the original DCA concept was very compelling.
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I agree that DCA 1.0 didn’t have a compelling concept. I wouldn’t have chose that as the theme for the park when you have infinite possibilities. With that said, I do believe DCA could have been a great park with the right direction/ execution. And I don’t think any concept was going to save the park with the budget it got.
 
coffeefan

coffeefan

Well-Known Member
The problem with DCA is that they could never make a better Ghost Town than Knott's or a better Hollywood experience than USH with a real backlot tram tour. The best land was Grizzly Peak, but Big Bear is like an hour away and has so much more.

DCA's new direction is the best alternative to differentiate the park (besides a complete redo, which wouldn't happen). But they need to fix the weak spots.
 
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DLR92

DLR92

Well-Known Member
Movielover said:
Sure, if by soul you mean somewhere in between absolute pure terror and extreme cringe. You can't honestly say that any of this was a good idea or execution? The 1 single dark ride the park opens with and its this?
View attachment 912261
View attachment 912262
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Superstar Limo is like It’s a Small World but on crack! 😂

Actually I liked Superstar Limo on it’s first concept of being a thrilling attraction. Too bad it turned out worse and cheap.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Movielover said:
Oh boy I can't wait to see you defend this:
View attachment 912191
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The best part of Superstar Limo has been lost to the decades, but I think it was those CM uniforms they wore. You can just sort of barely see it in this pic.

Black slacks, and bright purple jackets with chrome (yes, chrome) epaulets and buttons all over. And a bright purple and tightly starched Captain's hat with a glossy black leather headband and a shiny chrome (yes, chrome) visor glinting in the sun.

Those CM's looked, for all the world, like valet parking attendants at a swanky West Hollywood gay bar. 🤣

It was one of the almost unknown pieces of charm in all of DCA 1.0. And it only lasted about 10 months before it closed. :(
 

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