A Spirited Dirty Dozen ...

[JustInTime]

It comes down to no one else wanting it. OLC wasn't interested, which rules out TDR. With Lucasfilm and Marvel onboard, no one at the other resorts sees a compelling need to clone Avatar. That may change down the road if the next 18 Avatar movies Cameron makes are so amazing and successful that no one can help themselves, but barring that, DAK will likely remain the sole home of the blue cat people.

I am kinda glad AK will exclusively hold the IP. I miss when thigs were exclusive to specific parks

 

[Finallyinflorida]

This chaos is why I just don't enjoy riding HM anymore.The loading process kills the entire mood of the attraction, utterly idiotic on their part.

I couldn't agree more. We've skipped this ride for a few years (we are parents now) and we finally had a adults only trip in March. It was mayhem! And there was a couple behind us that seemed horrified by it all. From what I gathered, they always go to Disneyland. There was trash EVERYWHERE, people pushing and shoving. The ride stopped at least three times and the crowd grew as more and more people were packed into the waiting area. My last ride unless something changes. Very disappointing.

 

[doctornick]

Regarding Avatar in other parks, I wonder if it might be considered for Shanghai or Hong Kong in the future simply because the movie was very popular in China. Obviously, not in the immediate plans, but who know what the future holds (especially if/when a second gate is planned for those resorts).

 

[FerretAfros]

The stories in this thread have made me realize something. People keep talking about the 50th anniversary and what they want Disney to do for it. New E Tickets, new parades, new fireworks, etc. You know what I want for it? Resort wide renovations on the level DLP is getting for its 25th anniversary. I'd like to see the place shine like it hasn't for a long time. We have a little over 5 years before it hits so that should be more than enough time for them to do it all and of course this would affect guests but it would all be worth it in the long run. Sadly I doubt this would happen. Prepare yourselves for the 50th cupcake party for the amazing value of $149.99 per head.

The 50th is a nice goal, but I don't understand everybody's obsession with it right now. It's half a decade away. What's your life going to be like by that point? Probably rather different than it is now. There is plenty of time to turn things around before then.

DL's 50th was a success because it restored the park to its former glory and invited people back to take it in as they remembered from years past. The actual lineup of 50th-related offerings was quite small (fireworks, 2 parades, photo collages, decorations). Nearly everything was done from concept to completion in the 12-18 months leading up to the event without prior planning. It's amazing how quickly and efficiently thing can be done when managed properly

There's nothing wrong with looking forward to something in the far-off future. But the hopes that the 50th will become WDW's be-all-end-all are just sad, since so much could realistically get done well before then. I know that construction timelines are often slower than we'd like, but set your hopes a little higher. It's getting depressing around here!

 

[ChrisFL]

I couldn't agree more. We've skipped this ride for a few years (we are parents now) and we finally had a adults only trip in March. It was mayhem! And there was a couple behind us that seemed horrified by it all. From what I gathered, they always go to Disneyland. There was trash EVERYWHERE, people pushing and shoving. The ride stopped at least three times and the crowd grew as more and more people were packed into the waiting area. My last ride unless something changes. Very disappointing.

It's ironic to me since Disney made this elaborate queue area designed to keep people occupied so the wait time doesn't seem so bad, but instead they're overcrowding the rooms anyway.

 

[MKCP 1985]

I am kinda glad AK will exclusively hold the IP. I miss when thigs were exclusive to specific parks

I hope the Avatar movie area of the park is a big success for that park and it doesn't bother me that It's Tough to be a Bug can be found somewhere at Disneyland or that there are "clones" scattered here and there. It is more of a bother that some versions of the cloned rides are so much better at parks so far away (not talking about the Bug show).

 

[WildcatDen]

The 50th is a nice goal, but I don't understand everybody's obsession with it right now. It's half a decade away. What's your life going to be like by that point? Probably rather different than it is now. There is plenty of time to turn things around before then.

Just a quick disclaimer - This post was not approved by @Zac Skellington
Everything I have been hearing points to the 50th as being the goal for not only the new offerings, but also a large amount of 'fixing what is currently broken'. I am hopeful this holds as I expect the next two years to be difficult even with Avatar and possibly TSL coming on line prior to the close of 2018. I believe @WDW1974 said it earlier but it may be 2019 before things really change and if they can ride the success of the new SWL with other 'wins' in all parks as well as all around fixes, well the 50th may well be something we can all be happy with.

As to the current plight and how we got here, I think that has been discussed ad nauseam and I am sure the next two years will provide ample opportunity for further bashing. It takes a bit to steer a ship the size of Disney. Let's just hope their reaction time is better than the Titanic's. . .

 

[RobbinsDad]

Just a quick disclaimer - This post was not approved by @Zac Skellington
Everything I have been hearing points to the 50th as being the goal for not only the new offerings, but also a large amount of 'fixing what is currently broken'. I am hopeful this holds as I expect the next two years to be difficult even with Avatar and possibly TSL coming on line prior to the close of 2018. I believe @WDW1974 said it earlier but it may be 2019 before things really change and if they can ride the success of the new SWL with other 'wins' in all parks as well as all around fixes, well the 50th may well be something we can all be happy with.

As to the current plight and how we got here, I think that has been discussed ad nauseam and I am sure the next two years will provide ample opportunity for further bashing. It takes a bit to steer a ship the size of Disney. Let's just hope their reaction time is better than the Titanic's. . .

Considering what's already been approved and the impending change in executive administration, I find it hard to believe we'll get much else before the 50th than we already know about. Maybe some cosmetic changes or new entertainment, but not construction.

 

[WildcatDen]

Considering what's already been approved and the impending change in executive administration, I find it hard to believe we'll get much else before the 50th than we already know about. Maybe some cosmetic changes or new entertainment, but not construction.

That may end up being true, but I am still hearing of something NEW (attraction wise) for MK and EPCOT in time for the 50th. AK may not be in the cards and that may be determined by the success of Avatar. The other is the potential Phase III at the Studios. You may find it hard to believe, and in this current climate, I cannot blame you, but I feel there is reason to hope. . .

 

[Mike S]

The 50th is a nice goal, but I don't understand everybody's obsession with it right now. It's half a decade away. What's your life going to be like by that point? Probably rather different than it is now. There is plenty of time to turn things around before then.

DL's 50th was a success because it restored the park to its former glory and invited people back to take it in as they remembered from years past. The actual lineup of 50th-related offerings was quite small (fireworks, 2 parades, photo collages, decorations). Nearly everything was done from concept to completion in the 12-18 months leading up to the event without prior planning. It's amazing how quickly and efficiently thing can be done when managed properly

There's nothing wrong with looking forward to something in the far-off future. But the hopes that the 50th will become WDW's be-all-end-all are just sad, since so much could realistically get done well before then. I know that construction timelines are often slower than we'd like, but set your hopes a little higher. It's getting depressing around here!

I was trying to give them some leeway with how long everything takes lol. Plus the fact that it probably wouldn't start anytime soon. Also I meant all around the resort including hotels. I remember a recent thread about a huge waterfall-like leak in the Contemporary. If it could all be done sooner they should go for it.

 

[Zac Skellington]

Just a quick disclaimer - This post was not approved by @Zac Skellington
Everything I have been hearing points to the 50th as being the goal for not only the new offerings, but also a large amount of 'fixing what is currently broken'. I am hopeful this holds as I expect the next two years to be difficult even with Avatar and possibly TSL coming on line prior to the close of 2018. I believe @WDW1974 said it earlier but it may be 2019 before things really change and if they can ride the success of the new SWL with other 'wins' in all parks as well as all around fixes, well the 50th may well be something we can all be happy with.

As to the current plight and how we got here, I think that has been discussed ad nauseam and I am sure the next two years will provide ample opportunity for further bashing. It takes a bit to steer a ship the size of Disney. Let's just hope their reaction time is better than the Titanic's. . .

Awww..... Don't be like that. I just don't think you're that funny, but I'm sure we can be friends. I'll tell you what; you yell downstairs to have your mom pop in a fresh batch of cookies. Then I'll come over to listen to you recite your favorite Andrew Dice Clay "poetry".

 

[TalkingHead]

Like always you miss the point of the post... If the right people are in place and the leadership says go get it done it can all be fixed that fast... But again you want to paint the picture as the world is falling and parts of it is but hey you are the way you are.

I am not a pixie duster but I am a person that knows what can get done when a company sets it mind to it. Universal has shown things can be fixed fast and new rides go up...

MK does not need another E ticket right now.. it needs fixes and if you read which you don't I said replace Stitch while redoing space complete... But again you don't read.

Epcot can be fixed in 18-24 months and then continued to be plussed after that with something every year... But seas, and mission to space will be the next to that need work but I picked Energy and Imagination to start...

I guess what you're saying is in a perfect world where money's not an issue and people can be hand-picked for the work, WDW could straighten things out in 2 years.

Ok, you're right. I guess that proves you're not pixie-dusting.

(And never mind Uni was never in the position of WDW. Smaller resort, less infrastructure, fewer parks, newer attractions...for starters.)

 

[michmousefan]

Only attraction that was noticeably better was Pirates, which was a poopie show last fall. Looked quite good now.

When I was at the MK on an early March spring evening, the amount of trash in the Pirates queue was enough to merit an email. To their credit, I got a phone call within six hours asking me more about the situation (there was also line-jumping at Star Jets and the Seven Dwarves queue was also in bad shape). But as Pirates was the worst by far, that's where I directed most of the energy... emphasizing that after walking through noticeable trash in the queue it's a bit harder to get into the spirit of the ride, and the CM was appreciative. Dunno, perhaps it worked. Moral of the story (for everyone): DO NOT be afraid to speak up where you see Disney failing their own standards.

 

[AEfx]

Why do people complain about research trips for theme park design as being this unnecessary flourish when you see plenty of film production crews doing the same thing?

Because they are generally very expensive and unnecessary. It's usually a vanity issue and this is 2016 - photographs can be taken by just one person locally and sent over the Internet, for crying out loud.

I'm sorry, I know folks disagree with me, but with Everest, for example - if you had given me $100K and a tractor trailer truck to haul the crap, I could have spent a few weeks going to flea markets right here in the US and gotten stuff to junk up the queue with and it would have been just as "authentic" to 99.5% of guests.

Trekking around the world in that case was simply wasting all that money - which ended up costing us interior theming on the actual ride, leaving us with the lovely skrims - and oh yeah, a poorly designed Yeti.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Because they are generally very expensive and unnecessary. It's usually a vanity issue and this is 2016 - photographs can be taken by just one person locally and sent over the Internet, for crying out loud.

I'm sorry, I know folks disagree with me, but with Everest, for example - if you had given me $100K and a tractor trailer truck to haul the crap, I could have spent a few weeks going to flea markets right here in the US and gotten stuff to junk up the queue with and it would have been just as "authentic" to 99.5% of guests.

Trekking around the world in that case was simply wasting all that money - which ended up costing us interior theming on the actual ride, leaving us with the lovely skrims - and oh yeah, a poorly designed Yeti.

I don't think hitting up US garage sales would yield a bunch of Nepalese artwork and artifacts though.

 

[Ismael Flores]

Gadget's is on the very land that Frozen will occupy, so it's history.

As to Toontown in TDL, why would they get rid of it? It is popular still and it is functional and well-maintained.

And just a comment on TDL's expansion plans, but they have not all been finalized nor released. People are reading into them many things, some true, some not at all true.

they really should re-use gadget and move it to DCA. A nice theme with some rock work and plenty of landscaping this could be a fun little ride that fits perfectly between grizzly rapids and Soarin.

i think that a bit of reworking of the trail and large landscaping area in front of the monorail tracks and hotel would allow for this small coaster to fit. rock work and trees would block out any issues with noise pollution for the hotel especially since the first floors of the hotel wings in that area house world of Disney on one side and restaurant on the west side.

They can even reroute the path so that it hugs the hotel wings closer and use the existing area of path and some of the landscaped area for the small ride and queue

simple inexpensive re-use of an existing ride and an added capacity for DCA in an area that desperately needs some thing to occupy the families that sit around the area waiting for family members to get out of Soarin.

 

[futurecastmembr]

Because they are generally very expensive and unnecessary. It's usually a vanity issue and this is 2016 - photographs can be taken by just one person locally and sent over the Internet, for crying out loud.

I'm sorry, I know folks disagree with me, but with Everest, for example - if you had given me $100K and a tractor trailer truck to haul the crap, I could have spent a few weeks going to flea markets right here in the US and gotten stuff to junk up the queue with and it would have been just as "authentic" to 99.5% of guests.

Trekking around the world in that case was simply wasting all that money - which ended up costing us interior theming on the actual ride, leaving us with the lovely skrims - and oh yeah, a poorly designed Yeti.

These guys take flights all the time. It's really not going to cost the company that much to fly Joe Rhode to Nepal in the grand scheme of things. It's a part of research and development and they can also use it for marketing.

 

[FigmentJedi]

These guys take flights all the time. It's really not going to cost the company that much to fly Joe Rhode to Nepal in the grand scheme of things. It's a part of research and development and they can also use it for marketing.

Which they did. Discovery Channel had two documentaries on Everest: The one about actually making the ride that's easy to find on YouTube and one documenting the research trip called Journey to Sacred Lands that isn't on YouTube.

 

[Mike S]

Because they are generally very expensive and unnecessary. It's usually a vanity issue and this is 2016 - photographs can be taken by just one person locally and sent over the Internet, for crying out loud.

I'm sorry, I know folks disagree with me, but with Everest, for example - if you had given me $100K and a tractor trailer truck to haul the crap, I could have spent a few weeks going to flea markets right here in the US and gotten stuff to junk up the queue with and it would have been just as "authentic" to 99.5% of guests.

Trekking around the world in that case was simply wasting all that money - which ended up costing us interior theming on the actual ride, leaving us with the lovely skrims - and oh yeah, a poorly designed Yeti.

Scrims?

Don't forget the light leaks that reveal the super structure of the mountain during the backwards section if you're on the left side of the train during the day.

 

[71jason]

I guess I should try that. I went (again!) on a rainy Wednesday in May around 4:40 and waited 30 minutes with a pager to get in.
Place is very overrated. Someone tell that to my pal, the EPCOT Explorer, please.

Was probably the rain or bad luck--just doesn't pull a crowd anymore. Calling it "overrated" implies it's still beloved. Jock's has replaced it in the hearts and minds of most lifestylers, and it's too obscure for the general public. Ended up there on the 1-year anniversary--coincidentally, my friend's birthday--the three of us were the only "regulars" in the place. And, as Dave alluded, only one CM that night left over from the opening team. As much as I still kind of like the place once or twice a month, pretty much been a failure on every level, coming down to basic design flaws.