Al Lutz: Carsland for WDW, FLE not Bringing in Guests

[lazyboy97o]

So its better to have a Pixar Place (with Toy Story only) and a Carsland? Idk. I feel like it would only add more confusion to a park that already is unsure of its identity. I agree that they don't tie together well but it's no different than the Lucas Land people dream of at night.

I don't think the existing Pixar Place works nor do I think the ideas of a Lucasland are any better.

The exterior aesthetic of Pixar Place thus far is essentially "PIxar HQ in Emeryville as a gateway to the worlds of the movies". Have the other end of Pixar Place when this is all done continue that. As for how the Pixar worlds connect, general "crazy internet theory" consensus seems to be they're all the same universe, all thanks to using the movie shout outs to put the pieces of the puzzle together, except for Cars and maybe Incredibles, with Good Dinosaur joining that list when it comes out.

I think the whimsical theming would be that this is visiting Pixar Studios where the cartoons are "filmed". So all these characters would be found there, where they work and the rides are the "soundstages" where the movies are filmed. Compare to the "This is Sportscenter" commercials where you have mascots and sports stars hanging out on the ESPN campus for humor sake, even though that is clearly not what exists in reality.

I understand the conceit, but its the same lazy approach that has created the problems within the park. It's the "it's based on a movie so it fits" mentality but with an exterior aesthetic that is nicer than sets and sound stages. It works at Universal Studios Hollywood because it is an actual production facility and that remains the focus, anywhere else I think it is just lazy.

 

[dupac]

I don't think the existing Pixar Place works nor do I think the ideas of a Lucasland are any better.


I understand the conceit, but its the same lazy approach that has created the problems within the park. It's the "it's based on a movie so it fits" mentality but with an exterior aesthetic that is nicer than sets and sound stages.

I guess to me it's the lesser of two evils. We can agree though about the thematic problems of the park in general.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I visited it a few weeks ago, but I didn't go to specifically see it. I was going to be there anyway so I checked it out. I have to say that I liked the Mermaid ride and even though I noticed that some of the characters were doing no more then swinging back and forth and they were loosely defined as AA's, it didn't bother me much because I cannot envision what they would have all those individual sea critters do mechanically. Does anyone have any thought about that?

I agree that it is way to early to decide whether it's a draw, big or minor, it's not done yet and not really connected, once it is done completely will be a much better time to make that evaluation. For most people coming from out of town, they are not going to make a special trip when only part of it is completed. They will wait until it's the whole package and then plan a trip.

For an idea of what CAN be done with that many AA's when given the proper budget and top-notch maintenance... I give you Sinbad's Storybook Voyage at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Turn up your speakers and take in the AMAZING musical score.

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

For an idea of what CAN be done with that many AA's when given the proper budget and top-notch maintenance... I give you Sinbad's Storybook Voyage at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Or better yet how about this:

 

[Yensid1974]

I have a question for some of the insiders (@WDW1974 @RSoxNo1 @Lee). If the debate on WDW's NextGen project continues to go in a direction that the Weatherman and others don't like, would they use an expansion project at WDW as cover to change the topic so to speak?

 

[JEANYLASER]

I'm confused?

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Or better yet how about this:

Just skip to the zip-a-dee-doo-dah riverboat in the last scene of this video and take it in. The full range movement, the more balanced audio, the lighting.

But I would take Sinbad over Splash every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

[Lee]

I have a question for some of the insiders (@WDW1974 @RSoxNo1 @Lee). If the debate on WDW's NextGen project continues to go in a direction that the Weatherman and others don't like, would they use an expansion project at WDW as cover to change the topic so to speak?

Yep.
Not sure the destraction would work long term, but they would/could certainly attempt redirect fans' attention.

 

[Lee]

For an idea of what CAN be done with that many AA's when given the proper budget and top-notch maintenance... I give you Sinbad's Storybook Voyage at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Careful...
That ride has been known to cause certain spirits to get a bit teary-eyed...

 

[Skippy's Pal]

BINGO. Walk into a Target, people are pushing carts and staring at a tiny screen. Dine and watch people with everyone at their table, they're all staring at whatever device and not talking. Theme parks, same deal. You've hit on something really true and big.

When we were down at UNI a few weeks back, my wife and I laughed with the sheer stupidity that people have and how they can't get away from staring at the screen. We went by several groups and it went like this: Someone took a picture on their phone of something like two seconds back, then tells everyone, "OMG! Look at this picture, look at what I got!!" Yup, they then stopped dead in their tracks, oblivious to anyone around, and the whole group had to stare at the picture of something they JUST saw! It was unreal and we saw it happen many times.

What's the point of going anywhere and doing anything if you're just going to stare at your mobile device the whole time? I'm sure that any of our psychology friends on the board will let us know that we're dealing something here in the realm of addiction and narcissism.

Exactly. Which is why being tied to a tiny iScreen thanks to NextGen or FastPass+ or whatever wants to make me stick pins in my eyes.

 

[Beholder]

I've always felt that a "logical" transition in DHS between genres would work pretty good. I like the idea of the GMR being the hub from which all the "lands" spring from. Adventure here, animation there, more mature drama/thrillers over this way. I personally like things kind of neat and orderly, and a park layout that follows some sort of clear demarcation lines would be great. I tend to think that's part of the problem with DHS, it's disjointed and things are placed in a sort of random order. That's how I view it, others may differ, but it's just me maybe.

And lose the hat.

 

[Todd H]

Careful...
That ride has been known to cause certain spirits to get a bit teary-eyed...

That's the first time I've ever seen video of that ride and it has me teary-eyed. Holy crap why can't WDW have anything that amazing?

 

[Lee]

That's the first time I've ever seen video of that ride and it has me teary-eyed. Holy crap why can't WDW have anything that amazing?

Because WDW guests are not particularly...umm ...how to put it.... discerning.
They'll head down to the swamps, lay out the cash, and wait an hour ride dusty ol' Peter Pan.

For TDO...mission accomplished.
If guests aren't demanding that kind of quality, why spend the money to give it to them? What they have is "good enough".

 

[Goofyernmost]

For an idea of what CAN be done with that many AA's when given the proper budget and top-notch maintenance... I give you Sinbad's Storybook Voyage at Tokyo Disney Sea.

Turn up your speakers and take in the AMAZING musical score.

Very well done, but no matter how loud I turned the speakers up, I still didn't understand a word spoken other than "please keep your arms and hands inside the boat" at the end. It was colorful and longer then most of the dark rides we have here, however, I still found fault. What was with the day/night sky thing. Very distracting don't you think, makes it look like something done in a room instead of the outdoors. That aside, and back to my original question, all those were "grounded" AA's, what I asked about was what do you do about those alleged AA's that are fish and you are depicting them in the water, under, not on top, what does anyone think they could have done to enhance the motion? I'm not being critical, I just can't think of anything and I was hoping someone could tell me what could have been done differently. I don't even want to know how, just what!

 

[Dopey77]

That's the first time I've ever seen video of that ride and it has me teary-eyed. Holy crap why can't WDW have anything that amazing?

Kinda answered your own question there.. cause then it would be in WDW, and we cant have that in our parks, but coming soon to compliment the Phil Holmes store near Belle's Village will be the Meg Crofton Store across from Little Mermaid! Now THAT is something we can have.. and who doesnt want another "One Disney" store.. Why heck, I know I sure do and you do too!

 

[Darth Sidious]

Very well done, but no matter how loud I turned the speakers up, I still didn't understand a word spoken other than "please keep your arms and hands inside the boat" at the end. It was colorful and longer then most of the dark rides we have here, however, I still found fault. What was with the day/night sky thing. Very distracting don't you think, makes it look like something done in a room instead of the outdoors. That aside, and back to my original question, all those were "grounded" AA's, what I asked about was what do you do about those alleged AA's that are fish and you are depicting them in the water, under, not on top, what does anyone think they could have done to enhance the motion? I'm not being critical, I just can't think of anything and I was hoping someone could tell me what could have been done differently. I don't even want to know how, just what!

I always wondered if it was possible, without creating ridiculous additional costs, to put high def screens behind a show scene with moving imagery of say a blue sky and clouds. This if done right can bring dark rides to another level. I'm not suggesting show scenes be replaced with this but rather the mural backdrops can be replaced.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm not being critical, I just can't think of anything and I was hoping someone could tell me what could have been done differently. I don't even want to know how, just what!

Instead of just rotating the fish on a pedestal or on a pin... you put articulation in the fish itself. There is no limitation about putting them on the ground for that. The limitations are around weight and movement.. both which can be done from behind, above, etc.. it just costs more.

There could also be more layering of the sets to hide more of the show support stuff. They went for the 'big musical number you move through' in TLM.. and the problem is for many that uniqueness is lost by the tradeoff of having so much of the show infrastructure in plain sight.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

I have a feeling TDO realized they made a big ooooops with FLE back when they decided to add the SDMT instead of having another M&G there, but it was too late to go back on their plan. They had all these M&Gs and after all was done they needed another ride to draw people in, but too little too late and the timing of the opening of SDMT has been a big let down for people.

Well... They also could have done a more fleshed out Alice in Wonderland entrance from TL, moved PPF to where Storybook Assness is and create a never land area around it and put a Tangled ride where PPF once stood. Pooh's hunny hunt would also have been nice.

Just saying...

 

[Genie of the Lamp]

Just skip to the zip-a-dee-doo-dah riverboat in the last scene of this video and take it in. The full range movement, the more balanced audio, the lighting.

But I would take Sinbad over Splash every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

Yeah, Sinbad is better than Splash although I'd look at it as a 1A, 1B kind of mentality since all of their attractions are kept up to the highest quality standard by OLC. The score done in this attraction by the musical genius Alan Menken does really blow you away and put you in awe/tears. A trip to TDL anyone?

 

[Otamin]

Or better yet how about this:

Only because I just found out, but I never realised the Tokyo version literally opened a day before the MK version.

It's crazy both opened at essentially the same time.