News Coco Boat Ride Coming to Disney California Adventure

[TP2000]

They announce stuff earlier because they have to sign contracts with third parties. The development cycle is also longer than it used to be.

I've said it before, but Lightstorm Entertainment (James Cameron's company) is likely working on the ride film as we speak. It's in everyone's best interest to keep that team together and working while they wait for development to start on Avatar 4 and 5.

Imagineering has also been working on aquatic animatronics for the land. Defunctland did an interesting video on Disney's living character initiative. These aquatic animatronics are being lined up as the next big thing for Disney to show off after Olaf. Getting to share the stage with Nvidia seems small to us theme park fans, but it as a big part of Disney's push to be perceived as a tech company (and they want their stock price to reflect that perception).

Also Disney is justifying to investors that the Fox acquisition was worth it, having a former Fox property (Avatar) in the parks (even though we know the contract pre-dates the acquisition) helps Disney with this justification.

The only way Pandora at DCA doesn't happen is if that entire project is moved to a different park, at this point there is far too much money invested for the project to be abandoned entirely.

All of that is fascinating!

But you'll have to excuse some of us for believing it when we see it. This is the same company that just a few years ago said before a crowd of 5,000 fans at D23 Expo that Star Wars Land would be "alive" with "roaming" droids and aliens.

And then... it never happened. They finally roll out that cute little ball droid (forgot its name) in a tightly controlled environment a few times a day, but otherwise six years after the land opened nothing is "roaming" and very little of that area seems "alive". It's still mostly static.

There's more action and interactivity in 25 feet of Star Tours queue from 1987 than in than their Billion dollar Star Wars Land:

Entirely static, entirely motionless, entirely lifeless. They didn't even make the land speeder bob up and down a bit.

 

[GravityFalls]

All of that is fascinating!

But you'll have to excuse some of us for believing it when we see it. This is the same company that just a few years ago said before a crowd of 5,000 fans at D23 Expo that Star Wars Land would be "alive" with "roaming" droids and aliens.

And then... it never happened. They finally roll out that cute little ball droid (forgot its name) in a tightly controlled environment a few times a day, but otherwise six years after the land opened nothing is "roaming" and very little of that area seems "alive". It's still mostly static.

There's more action and interactivity in 25 feet of Star Tours queue from 1987 than in than their Billion dollar Star Wars Land:

Entirely static, entirely motionless, entirely lifeless. They didn't even make the land speeder bob up and down a bit.

The aquatic robotics were shown off in a video from Walt Disney Imagineering. Defunctland (everyone should watch those YouTube videos) pointed out that from the exec point of view it doesn't matter whether these animatronics (or "droids" when talking about Galaxy's Edge) make it beyond the presentations. The presentations alone are enough to get investors associating Disney with cutting edge technology and valuing the company closer to a tech company than an entertainment company.

Here's the imagineering video. The aquatic animatronics are shown at 27:34. They are specifically called "ilu-inspired", ilu is the name of one of the ridable ocean animals in Avatar The Way of Water.

 

[wityblack]

We already have underwater animatronics!!!

 

[TP2000]

The aquatic robotics were shown off in a video from Walt Disney Imagineering. Defunctland (everyone should watch those YouTube videos) pointed out that from the exec point of view it doesn't matter whether these animatronics (or "droids" when talking about Galaxy's Edge) make it beyond the presentations. The presentations alone are enough to get investors associating Disney with cutting edge technology and valuing the company closer to a tech company than an entertainment company.

Here's the imagineering video. The aquatic animatronics are shown at 27:34. They are specifically called "ilu-inspired", ilu is the name of one of the ridable ocean animals in Avatar The Way of Water.

Oh. I was afraid of that.

The old D23 Bait N' Switch routine. Got it.

But I genuinely thank you for the information!

 

[DrStarlander]

This is my current expectation:

1. 11-feet of foliage buffer inside new fence.
2. Service/emergency road on both sides of show building.
3. Retention of Parade Building and parade route (with gates) connecting to service road behind Paradise Gardens.
4. Outdoor plaza queue.
5. Future potential bridge to Simba path unobstructed.
6. 58,000 sq. ft. Coco show building.

 

[DrStarlander]

...and they may be leaving open the opportunity in the future for another attraction accessed from the Promenade should they give up or move more backspace functions later. This show building is bigger than Ratatouille at Epcot:

 

[mickEblu]

...and they may be leaving open the opportunity in the future for another attraction accessed from the Promenade should they give up or move more backspace functions later. This show building is bigger than Ratatouille at Epcot:
View attachment 913378

Inside Out Omnimover?

 

[mickEblu]

This is my current expectation:

1. 11-feet of foliage buffer inside new fence.
2. Service/emergency road on both sides of show building.
3. Retention of Parade Building and parade route (with gates) connecting to service road behind Paradise Gardens.
4. Outdoor plaza queue.
5. Future potential bridge to Simba path unobstructed.
6. 58,000 sq. ft. Coco show building.
View attachment 913376

This looks right to me. Just not sure about a sizeable outdoor queue. Seems like that would be better off being indoors.

 

[Disney Analyst]

This looks right to me. Just not sure about a sizeable outdoor queue. Seems like that would be better off being indoors.

Yeah with service roads and backstage I would assume all indoors.

 

[DrStarlander]

Inside Out Omnimover?

Yeah, there are many Pixar IPs that could be featured someday and Inside Out would seem to be a contender. I personally am not a supporter of Pixar as a land theme but they seem committed.

This looks right to me. Just not sure about a sizeable outdoor queue. Seems like that would be better off being indoors.

Yeah with service roads and backstage I would assume all indoors.

I'm expecting about 65% outdoor in a plaza/courtyard with stucco walls, fountains, trees. 35% indoors. But it could swing either way.

What's the percentage split for Web Slingers, Mermaid or RSR? Haven't been in a while so forgetting.

 

[DrStarlander]

Yeah with service roads and backstage I would assume all indoors.

In this layout above, there's not really much/any backstage activity adjacent to the queue area. While the parade route would be nearby (on the other side of a wall and foliage), since it dead-ends at a gate, during operating hours there wouldn't be much activity (trucks, etc.) using that section.

 

[britain]

Yeah, there are many Pixar IPs that could be featured someday and Inside Out would seem to be a contender. I personally am not a supporter of Pixar as a land theme but they seem committed.



I'm expecting about 65% outdoor in a plaza/courtyard with stucco walls, fountains, trees. 35% indoors. But it could swing either way.

What's the percentage split for Web Slingers, Mermaid or RSR? Haven't been in a while so forgetting.

Yeah, I appreciate it when they blur the lines. It's uncommon for an "indoor" queue to truly be 100% indoor. Once you're that deep in, you're almost in pre-show territory. I mean, sure, it happens (Star Tours, Space Mountain) but most queues, even when within a covered building, are adjacent to open air moments (FL dark rides, Jungle Cruise, etc.). The lengthiest queues have a nice transition from outside to inside to pre-show (Indy, Rise, Mission Breakout).

 

[DrStarlander]

Yeah, I appreciate it when they blur the lines. It's uncommon for an "indoor" queue to truly be 100% indoor. Once you're that deep in, you're almost in pre-show territory.

I think Coco is an IP that benefits from that outdoor plaza feel, the Mexican village/hacienda sort of vibe. I'm thinking Old Town in San Diego. I think it would be a shame to be entirely indoors myself. Whereas other properties -- particularly modern, technological, in-your-head, not-rooted-in-a-place properties like Inside Out or Marvel or Tron, etc., make sense to be indoors -- to me.

 

[mickEblu]

Yeah, there are many Pixar IPs that could be featured someday and Inside Out would seem to be a contender. I personally am not a supporter of Pixar as a land theme but they seem committed.

Considering Inside Out 2 made over a Billy and a 1/2 and the Inside Out neighborhood is right there it would make sense. Wouldn’t be my first choice though.

 

[mickEblu]

I think Coco is an IP that benefits from that outdoor plaza feel, the Mexican village/hacienda sort of vibe. I'm thinking Old Town in Sad Diego. I think it would be a shame to be entirely indoors myself. Whereas other properties -- particularly "synthetic" properties like Inside Out or Marvel or Tron, etc., make sense to be indoors -- to me.

Good point but can they make it feel that way with the coaster towering over us is the question.

 

[mickEblu]

Yeah, I appreciate it when they blur the lines. It's uncommon for an "indoor" queue to truly be 100% indoor. Once you're that deep in, you're almost in pre-show territory. I mean, sure, it happens (Star Tours, Space Mountain) but most queues, even when within a covered building, are adjacent to open air moments (FL dark rides, Jungle Cruise, etc.). The lengthiest queues have a nice transition from outside to inside to pre-show (Indy, Rise, Mission Breakout).

MMRR and it’s pretty recent.

 

[DrStarlander]

Good point but can they make it feel that way with the coaster towering over us is the question.

No, and I don't think it's ideal at all. But I don't think they care really. Pixar Pier is fundamentally a compromise.

MMRR and it’s pretty recent.

I don't think they had a choice in Toontown space-wise, but for Coco they have excess space at the entry area, arguably.

 

[britain]

I think Coco is an IP that benefits from that outdoor plaza feel, the Mexican village/hacienda sort of vibe. I'm thinking Old Town in Sad Diego. I think it would be a shame to be entirely indoors myself. Whereas other properties -- particularly "synthetic" properties like Inside Out or Marvel or Tron, etc., make sense to be indoors -- to me.

I suppose the only question here is how much to they want to reserve the Land of the Dead to be some place you only travel to DURING the ride (leaving the queue entirely in our world)? Or is the entire queue, including the outdoor portion, in the Land of the Dead? I don't think the concept art supports that approach, I don't see any skeletons in the outdoor architecture.

There could be a halfway point in the queue where you travel to the Land of the Dead and then you continue to be queuing through indoor simulation of "outdoor nighttime" for awhile before you actually get on the ride (like the Mexico pavillion at Epcot).

 

[britain]

MMRR and it’s pretty recent.

Ah yes, I forgot about that one. Only been on it once.

 

[mickEblu]

No, and I don't think it's ideal at all. But I don't think they care really. Pixar Pier is fundamentally a compromise.

I think the “plaza”aesthetic will just be the space between the Parade Gate entrance and the show building entrance which I don’t think will be too deep into the expansion area.

I don't think they had a choice in Toontown space-wise, but for Coco they have excess space at the entry area, arguably.

They do have a choice but they also have to deal with the coaster. So if they can’t pull off the plaza, hacienda, village vibe effectively what’s the point? I’m open to the case that it can be done effectively but I can’t visualize it myself. If only they put Coco and Monstropolis/ Monsters Inc coaster in the backlot/ bus transpo/ Hyperion and Avatar in Simba but oh well.