A Terror-rific Spirited 13th (ToT fans have lots to fear)...

[Mike S]

Universal looks impressive because they keep building "new" things. BUT those new things just replace other things. Yeah it's impressive seeing the newest technology constantly on display with new exciting movies, but there is no value placed in anything more than 5 years old at Uni. If it was Universal, the Tower of Terror would've been rethemed years ago. So would everything else. That's how Universal can open new attractions every year and still everything in both parks can be done in like a day and a half.

And Uni only gives a crap about immersive theming because Potter fans wanted to visit a movie set. Look at Transformers! It's a giant gray block in the middle of the studio section of the park. It is an ugly, ggray military bunker right in the middle of the studio section. Why the flip is King Kong in Jurassic Park? Potter theming looks impressive till you ride Dragon Challenge and suddenly your just in a random backstage area as you flip around. People praise them so much, but they didn't even have the decency to add a quidtich banner I something to the ride itself.

Disney will always be better because they go for timeless. Already no one cares about the Transformers movies anymore. Who really is going to remember Fast and the furious 8 in 10-20 years? Think Despicable Me and the minions will be remembered once the current generation of kids outgrow them? Dont forget about the timelessness of Brandon Frasiers Mummy movies! the Mummy ride they replaced Uni's signature attraction with is stop there!

Uni has some very impressive rides and Islands of Adventure is like 80% to being incredible. But they are always going to be the Sega to Disney's Nintendo because all Uni cares about is what's popular now. Disney has a ton of problems right now and I worry that decisions being made will make it worse, not better, but Disney is still streets ahead of Uni.

Uni was going to turn the ET ride into Smurfs until Smurfs 2 bombed the box office. that should tell you everything you need to know about their priorites aand why Disney will always win in the end.

There's a good number of rides that have and will continue to last, mostly in IoA and what's recently been built. What's been replaced recently honestly needed to go (Twister, Disaster, Jimmy Neutron, etc.) just like Disney is finally kicking out Stitch. Jaws only for the fact that the replacement is overall a much better use of the space. King Kong is not "in" Jurassic Park. It's actually pretty similar to the off transition between Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.

Regarding the Transformers movies popularity I just have one thing to say: who cares about Song of the South anymore? The ride is great and popular regardless just like Splash Mountain. The franchise is more than just the Michael Bay movies too and has been around for quite a while. About the "gray block." When you consider that you're supposed to be in a N.E.S.T bunker, that's probably why the building looks like a bunker...

Fast & Furious may not be a ride most are looking forward too including myself, but the franchise is about 15 years old now and still going. I feel the Minions probably will be remembered though for me only the first movie was good.

For the Mummy see my Transformers example. There's also a new movie coming next year if they feel like going that route. I fully agree on Dragon Challenge and will celebrate should they ever close it for a more immersive experience like the Forbidden Forrest.

I find your video game reference amusing since Universal will be building a Nintendo Land.

Then i guess it's in its own mini land between Jurassic Park and Toon Lagoon? Well, in that case shouldn't we complain that the Skull Island area only has one ride?

And sure they both have dinos, but Skull Island and Jurassic Park are still not the same place at all.

The theming inside the ride and queue itself is good, but it doesn't fit really. Like the Mummy ride and the Transformer ride and the Simpson's ride and despicable me.

What else would you do with Skull Island?

 

[BrianLo]

About the "gray block." When you consider that you're supposed to be in a N.E.S.T bunker, that's probably why the building looks like a bunker...

Ack, don't defend the Transformers show building! Agree with everything else, and it is a fairly wonderful ride. One built at amazing lightening speeds that we will likely never see again from either company...

But the building... Ya it looks like it was designed and built in 9 months.

It's forgiven by circumstance only, barely.

 

[Mike S]

Ack, don't defend the Transformers show building! Agree with everything else, and it is a fairly wonderful ride. One built at amazing lightening speeds that we will likely never see again from either company...

But the building... Ya it looks like it was designed and built in 9 months.

It's forgiven by circumstance only, barely.

I do like it more than the broken windows warehouse base from the movies.


To each their own.

 

[Bairstow]

Ack, don't defend the Transformers show building! Agree with everything else, and it is a fairly wonderful ride. One built at amazing lightening speeds that we will likely never see again from either company...

But the building... Ya it looks like it was designed and built in 9 months.

It's forgiven by circumstance only, barely.

Studio block theme park design is The Worst.
Disney is guilty of it too.

 

[WildcatDen]

If Uni continues on it's current trajectory and Disney continues with 'we are number one so we don't have to do anything substantial mode' it will overtake Disney within a decade....

I know they are teaching the new math in those new fangled education buildings, but I thought you were predicting. Disney to pack up and cease to exist anywhere from tomorrow to 2 years, or was it 3? Now we have a decade?

 

[Phil12]

Ah, good point Phil. I believe I have seen the documentary you linked to.

Here's some documentation that might interest you. As I said, racism was widespread and acceptable during Walt's life. Segregation in schools, restaurants and housing was legal. Walt was a member of the Riviera Polo Club which excluded blacks, Jews and single women as members. In WW I and WW II the U.S. Military was segregated. Racism and discrimination was the norm in the U.S., not the exception.

During most of Walt's life, racism, sexism and antisemitism was accepted, practiced and entirely legal. As I stated in my original post it was culturally normal (and even expected) of the Hollywood elite. And it should be noted that Walt later regretted his association with the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals and did his best to distance himself from that organization.

I'm not saying that Walt discriminated more than other people of his time, I'm just saying that he went along with the norms of the period and that included discrimination based upon race, sex and religious affiliation.

https://skeptoid.com/blog/2013/07/04/was-walt-disney-an-anti-semite/

 

[Brer Oswald]

Here's some documentation that might interest you. As I said, racism was widespread and acceptable during Walt's life. Segregation in schools, restaurants and housing was legal. Walt was a member of the Riviera Polo Club which excluded blacks, Jews and single women as members. In WW I and WW II the U.S. Military was segregated. Racism and discrimination was the norm in the U.S., not the exception.

During most of Walt's life, racism, sexism and antisemitism was accepted, practiced and entirely legal. As I stated in my original post it was culturally normal (and even expected) of the Hollywood elite. And it should be noted that Walt later regretted his association with the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals and did his best to distance himself from that organization.

I'm not saying that Walt discriminated more than other people of his time, I'm just saying that he went along with the norms of the period and that included discrimination based upon race, sex and religious affiliation.

https://skeptoid.com/blog/2013/07/04/was-walt-disney-an-anti-semite/

Yeah sure, he didn't much care that everyone around him and the clubs he joined were bigotry, but he was never a biggot himself. Was this wrong of him? By today's standards, yes. And as he got older and society changed, he realized it was wrong. Like you said, that's why he distanced himself from the MPA like you said. Again, he was not perfect. But the claims that Streep and so many uninformed people make about him are just brutally false.

 

[Bairstow]

I mean Universal is already catching up and revealing Pandora like environments before Pandora

Just like:

BLIZZARD BEACH

 

[Bairstow]

Mickey Mouse going crazy on South Park right now. I love this episode lol.

Trey Parker is such a theme park nerd.
You can tell he probably just got back from Orlando again.
Last night's episode had both the "Thing 1/Thing 2" T-shirts from Universal and the nighttime lighting package from White Lightning at FunSpot.

Heck, one of you weirdos probably is Trey Parker.

 

[Mike S]

Trey Parker is such a theme park nerd.
You can tell he probably just got back from Orlando again.
Last night's episode had both the "Thing 1/Thing 2" T-shirts from Universal and the nighttime lighting package from White Lightning at FunSpot.

Heck, one of you weirdos probably is Trey Parker.

Let's not forget Imaginationland.

 

[Bairstow]

Let's not forget Imaginationland.

 

[Mike S]

I laughed so hard when I saw that.

 

[brb1006]

Mickey Mouse going crazy on South Park right now. I love this episode lol.

I remember that episode.

 

[brb1006]

Trey Parker is such a theme park nerd.
You can tell he probably just got back from Orlando again.
Last night's episode had both the "Thing 1/Thing 2" T-shirts from Universal and the nighttime lighting package from White Lightning at FunSpot.

Heck, one of you weirdos probably is Trey Parker.

And a Journey Into Imagination reference in Imaginationland two parter.

 

[brb1006]

And this is the musical that Josh Gad was at before Frozen.

 

[Bairstow]

I remember that episode.

 

[yellowrocket]

Interesting. I suppose Iger's plan looked pretty good to Viacom.

Viacom?

 

[Phicinfan]

TWDC so far aside from demo has not spent squat on DHS, EPCOT is undergoing cuts even as we speak, We will see what 'Wall Street' actually allows Disney to build, Yes DL is getting a SWL, The question is will Wall St allow Disney to build one on each coast. The only project that's being worked at DHS right now is TSL and that's had major budget cuts.

I don't give a carp about what a company or person SAYS, I judge by what they DO. So far all Disney has done is given a bunch of flowery pressers on what they are GOING to do, yet only greenlighted some flat carnie rides.

With due respect I believe you are wrong. DHS has done way too much land clearage FOR SWE to not build it, not to mention it has already been publically announced. I get you are a show me, not tell me person. But as someone else has posted, you don't clear all that space for fun. Wall street won't dictate what gets built, they will dictate how successful the build was.

 

[TeddyinMO]

With due respect I believe you are wrong. DHS has done way too much land clearage FOR SWE to not build it, not to mention it has already been publically announced. I get you are a show me, not tell me person. But as someone else has posted, you don't clear all that space for fun. Wall street won't dictate what gets built, they will dictate how successful the build was.

Please don't feed that troll!

 

[jpeden]

With due respect I believe you are wrong. DHS has done way too much land clearage FOR SWE to not build it, not to mention it has already been publically announced. I get you are a show me, not tell me person. But as someone else has posted, you don't clear all that space for fun. Wall street won't dictate what gets built, they will dictate how successful the build was.

They've also literally started foundations that match the foundations for SWE in Disneyland. This is being built and will probably be vertical in the next six months if not much sooner.