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

[Ignohippo]

I agree with this, though I feel it was right to re-do Dumbo and keep the Barnstomer and RR station (which was the one thing that was 100%, unquestinably improved).

When you realize the northern half of the land was at one point to get a new ride (a variation of Mater's spinner) and better theming (even if based on the Faries), it's really easy to be annoyed at all that space being devoted to a retail location, a M&G tent and...sitting space.

Personally, I would have put an Aladdin dark ride there with some Arabian caravan tents facing the circus (to blend in on one side) and a desert mountain scape extending from the Mermaid building for the other. You could then relocated the Aladdin group there and ditch the spinner in AL, plus have another new ride and something more gender neutral (or "boyish") in FL. Just some random fanboi thinking.

I would've used it for Neverland (with Hook's ship and Skull Rock – which would have blended in perfectly with TLM) and used the back half for Pixie Hollow.

Dumbo and Barnstormer could've remained as they were in the original plans or Dumbo could have been relocated someplace else (like a mini-Circus area in the parking lot behind Main Street).

 

[SirLink]

Let me 'splain' something to you. All the money that I will ever have for the rest of my life (barring a little amount of dividends and social security) I currently have in my possession. Save up? Save it from what? Meals? Medicine? At my age, I am not about to postpone my having fun in order to wing on over to California to see Carsland. I will take my yearly visits to WDW because they are easily affordable. Others living on small incomes are also unable to justify spending that much money to experience a ride.

What I don't understand is why it is so important that attractions aren't in two places. Why would it possibly matter to you. There are many other attractions that are specific Park related, they don't all need to be. The bigger, more popular ones should be shared. No one is complaining about Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Small World, Space Mtn, Splash Mtn, Big Thunder Mtn, Soarin or ToT or many of the others that are also featured in DL and in WDW. It's hardly precedent setting.

Can you imagine what would happen at DLR if all of the WDW Guests were to show up there? It wouldn't be pretty.

I'll tell you what if they were to create Porta Corsa for DHS I wouldn't have a problem because it would force WDI to be unique ... but I never understand the notion of WDW is cheap so I'll keep going ... but the money I would of spent on 1, 2 or even 3 WDW trips I could put it towards going to DLR ... just strange...but like I have said I'm not from the US

 

[TP2000]

I HATE this. Be unique. Stop copying other parks. Incredibles would be so much better. They are only hurting Disneyland by doing this. Be original WDW.

They aren't hurting Disneyland by cloning Cars Land. Disneyland pulls in tourists from markets that would never consider a WDW visit; Western US States and Canadian Provinces, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, China, Korea and the emerging economies of Southeast Asia. These are folks that have no need or desire to visit central Florida for a Disney experience when Disneyland is closer and easier for them, and can be bundled in their broader visit to California (and Vegas).

Similarly, WDW pulls in tourists from markets that would never consider a Disneyland visit. Your point about a big chunk of WDW visitors driving there from within a 750 mile radius of the Eastern US is a very good one.

There's a lot of WDW visitors that head to Orlando simply because they can load the whole clan up in the Wagon Queen Family Truckster and drive there for a fraction of what one airline ticket would cost. That market won't ever consider flying to Southern California for a week's vacation.

Radiator Springs Racers has entered the Top 10 List of all-time great E Tickets, along with Pirates, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and It's A Small World. It would be a shame if WDW never got to share in the glory of Cars Land, and wouldn't be a good business decision on TDO's part either.

 

[rle4lunch]

Let me 'splain' something to you. All the money that I will ever have for the rest of my life (barring a little amount of dividends and social security) I currently have in my possession. Save up? Save it from what? Meals? Medicine? At my age, I am not about to postpone my having fun in order to wing on over to California to see Carsland. I will take my yearly visits to WDW because they are easily affordable. Others living on small incomes are also unable to justify spending that much money to experience a ride.

What I don't understand is why it is so important that attractions aren't in two places. Why would it possibly matter to you. There are many other attractions that are specific Park related, they don't all need to be. The bigger, more popular ones should be shared. No one is complaining about Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Small World, Space Mtn, Splash Mtn, Big Thunder Mtn, Soarin or ToT or many of the others that are also featured in DL and in WDW. It's hardly precedent setting.

Can you imagine what would happen at DLR if all of the WDW Guests were to show up there? It wouldn't be pretty.

Actually, all the original rides you speak of have their own variations of them at each park, all are very unique to their respective park. Only the new ones like Soarin and Mermaid are the same.

Obviously you know how you want to live your life, and if its paycheck to paycheck that's fine. But you do save up to go to WDW, so why not save up for a little longer and you go to West? The differences are striking. I grew up going to WDW and never thought I'd want to see DL, EVER. I didn't go to DL until I was 30 years old. Now I go about 4 times a year since I'm stationed in California. Last year we only went a couple times and then saved up for a year to go to WDW this past Christmas.

You don't have to 'splain anything to me. If you don't see a reason to go to DL, then don't go. The money obstacle though is kinda a flaccid argument, unless you just don't see any value added to experience the original Disney experience that is DL.

 

[Maerj]

Someone I know who works for the company just got back from WDW and they were telling me that Carsland is coming and that Lights Motors Action is leaving. They also said they were being told that FOTLK is leaving for Avatar. The other reason it's leaving is that the actors get paid quite well for Lion King and they are looking to save some money. There ya go.

 

[HMF]

Al Lutz is reporting that Carsland, sans Luigi's is being fast-tracked for DHS, and that WDI is being given a decent budget. Supposedly the high water table in Florida means Luigi's basement/equipment can't be built. Wonder if another ride will be imagined for this part of Carsland? No Iron Man in Tomorrowland in Disneyland for now (maybe a massive Tomorrowland project including E Ticket in the Future).

http://micechat.com/21154-hello/

Supposedly Burbank thinks that FLE is a less than stellar success because it is being rolled out one piece at a time.

Could it be , something good happening at Disney after the major emotional blow of Tony Baxter's departure?

 

[Mammymouse]

Someone I know who works for the company just got back from WDW and they were telling me that Carsland is coming and that Lights Motors Action is leaving. They also said they were being told that FOTLK is leaving for Avatar. The other reason it's leaving is that the actors get paid quite well for Lion King and they are looking to save some money. There ya go.

Oh no - not the Lion King leaving. I am really depressed now, especially because I have no interest in Avatar.

 

[bubbles1812]

Someone I know who works for the company just got back from WDW and they were telling me that Carsland is coming and that Lights Motors Action is leaving. They also said they were being told that FOTLK is leaving for Avatar. The other reason it's leaving is that the actors get paid quite well for Lion King and they are looking to save some money. There ya go.

Isn't Festival of the Lion King super popular though? I'm not saying it is beyond the realm of possibility that they'd axe it but I don't know... Just really surprises me that that's what they'd take out for Avatar of all things. Taking out an attraction based on one of your most popular movies ever, an attraction that everyone generally seems to like in a park that is lacking, one that is always crowded and people line up for, and for a property that is altogether unproven and won't likely see the light of day for years... It just plain sounds stupid to me. The performers can't be making that much money in the grand scheme of things. Guess call me skeptical on that one.

 

[AndyMagic]

Everyone seems to be focusing on the news that New Fantasyland didn't have a big effect on attendance and resort bookings but the real news here is that guest satisfaction for the expansion isn't great either. It's akin to releasing a big budget Hollywood film that has a sluggish opening at the box office coupled with a lukewarm response from critics and film- goers thereby preventing any hope of positive word of mouth from saving the project. It's officially a dud and the mine train won't help matters. The lesson to Disney should be that, in the end, it's the rides that matter.

There is nothing inherently wrong with FLE aside from the complete lack of a major anchor ride. Swap out Little Mermaid with any number of WDI E-ticket creations that are collecting dust on a shelf somewhere and it would have been a success. Staggs was on the right track when he dropped the additional M&Gs for a ride but when the money wasn't really there to build a true show-stopper on the Mine Train plot, he should have dropped Mermaid from the plans as well and used all that available land and funds to build a good old-fashioned E-ticket.

Imagine, if you will, it is 1994 and Disney has just unveiled their big expansion to Disney-MGM Studios. You enter the gates excited and anxious to see what wonders await you. You make a right onto Sunset Boulevard and are amazed at the level of detail everywhere. Disney really outdid themselves this time! You pass by a Beauty and the Beast stage-show. It looks interesting but you pass it up to get to the main draw at the end of the road. Waiting for you is a beautiful building that houses the main ride of the expansion. You enter the queue and your expectations grow greater and greater as you marvel at your surroundings. You reach the loading area for the ride and sit down. Sadly, instead of taking off on a one of a kind journey to the Twilight Zone on an elevator from hell, you experience what can only be described as a slow and uneventful trip through a warehouse with plastic fish spinning wildly everywhere you turn. Talk about a letdown.

 

[Maerj]

Isn't Festival of the Lion King super popular though? I'm not saying it is beyond the realm of possibility that they'd axe it but I don't know... Just really surprises me that that's what they'd take out for Avatar of all things. Taking out an attraction based on one of your most popular movies ever, an attraction that everyone generally seems to like in a park that is lacking, one that is always crowded and people line up for, and for a property that is altogether unproven and won't likely see the light of day for years... It just plain sounds stupid to me. The performers can't be making that much money in the grand scheme of things. Guess call me skeptical on that one.

I was told that the union the performers belong to is one of the highest paying and that Disney is looking to not pay the performers anymore. I was told that they are considering moving the show to another spot, it hasn't been 100% decided yet.

Of course this is all rumor and should be taken as such. I can't confirm any of this. I am just repeating what I was told.

 

[saxamoophone]

You make a right onto Sunset Boulevard and are amazed at the level of detail everywhere. Disney really outdid themselves this time! You pass by a Beauty and the Beast stage-show. It looks interesting but you pass it up to get to the main draw at the end of the road.

You know it's crazy to think that the Beauty and the Beast stage show even pre-dates Sunset Blvd. Anyone else remember the OLD theater?

My goodness that show has been around forever!

 

[bubbles1812]

I was told that the union the performers belong to is one of the highest paying and that Disney is looking to not pay the performers anymore. I was told that they are considering moving the show to another spot, it hasn't been 100% decided yet.

Of course this is all rumor and should be taken as such. I can't confirm any of this. I am just repeating what I was told.

Interesting. It just seems like a terrible business move to axe one of your few draws to one of your least attended parks. But then again it is TDO. So...relatively par for the course with them.

 

[Buried20KLeague]

Let me 'splain' something to you. All the money that I will ever have for the rest of my life (barring a little amount of dividends and social security) I currently have in my possession. Save up? Save it from what? Meals? Medicine? At my age, I am not about to postpone my having fun in order to wing on over to California to see Carsland. I will take my yearly visits to WDW because they are easily affordable. Others living on small incomes are also unable to justify spending that much money to experience a ride.

What I don't understand is why it is so important that attractions aren't in two places. Why would it possibly matter to you. There are many other attractions that are specific Park related, they don't all need to be. The bigger, more popular ones should be shared. No one is complaining about Jungle Cruise, Pirates, Small World, Space Mtn, Splash Mtn, Big Thunder Mtn, Soarin or ToT or many of the others that are also featured in DL and in WDW. It's hardly precedent setting.

Can you imagine what would happen at DLR if all of the WDW Guests were to show up there? It wouldn't be pretty.

So then it's a choice you make... It's not that it's impossible. I, personally, would INSTANTLY trade two trips to WDW for one to DL.

If you chose to miss out on broadening your horizons and keep the horse blinders on, that's fine... That's the choice you make. But to jump on someone for suggesting it makes no sense.

There's MUCH more to experience there that's different from DL than just Carsland. Certainly you're not that blind to Anaheim?? And yes, there are different versions of many rides on each coast... Which I love. Every ride you just mentioned is different in DL than at WDW. There are a couple true "clones", but that's it.

You ask why it's bad to clone rides. The answer is simple. Every ride that gets cloned means one less unique experience somewhere in a Disney Park.

EDIT TO ADD: I'll never understand why Disney thinks it's a good idea to cannibalize their own customer base by duplicating attractions on different coasts. It makes absolutely zero sense to me. I get that when you clone a ride, you save on design and production costs... But that's like not seeing the forest through the trees. Dumb. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

 

[Tim_4]

Imagine, if you will, it is 1994 and Disney has just unveiled their big expansion to Disney-MGM Studios. You enter the gates excited and anxious to see what wonders await you. You make a right onto Sunset Boulevard and are amazed at the level of detail everywhere. Disney really outdid themselves this time! You pass by a Beauty and the Beast stage-show. It looks interesting but you pass it up to get to the main draw at the end of the road. Waiting for you is a beautiful building that houses the main ride of the expansion. You enter the queue and your expectations grow greater and greater as you marvel at your surroundings. You reach the loading area for the ride and sit down. Sadly, instead of taking off on a one of a kind journey to the Twilight Zone on an elevator from hell, you experience what can only be described as a slow and uneventful trip through a warehouse with plastic fish spinning wildly everywhere you turn. Talk about a letdown.

"Letdown" for you maybe. Or me. But there are a million 9-year-old girls who would infinitely prefer spinning fish over an elevator from hell.

 

[Maerj]

Interesting. It just seems like a terrible business move to axe one of your few draws to one of your least attended parks. But then again it is TDO. So...relatively par for the course with them.

I agree. I was shocked at that as well. I thought that FOTLK was one of the best and most popular things there. They should be adding to that park, not taking anything away.

 

[AndyMagic]

"Letdown" for you maybe. Or me. But there are a million 9-year-old girls who would infinitely prefer spinning fish over an elevator from hell.

Swap out Tower of Terror for any number of big Disney E-tickets that don't have height requirements then. What about building something on the scale of Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Spaceship Earth or Pooh's Hunny Hunt? Mermaid's issues have nothing to do with its lack of thrills.

 

[Captain Neo]

That "New Fantasyland" is the biggest flop I have ever seen at Walt Disney World. Sure there have been horrorendus attractions before like stitch's great escape but this project Disney really gave a big push and lost big. I think there gonna go 2 for 2 with their "Next gen initiative going bust.

 

[bubbles1812]

"Letdown" for you maybe. Or me. But there are a million 9-year-old girls who would infinitely prefer spinning fish over an elevator from hell.

When I was 9, I infinitely preferred an elevator ride to the Twilight Zone over any dark ride similar to the little mermaid. And I knew many more like me who would have said the same. We aren't all pansies. Don't generalize. Spinning plastic fish are not exciting or really even that cute... And this is from someone whose second fav Disney movie behind Beauty and the Beast is Mermaid

 

[Taylor]

Or you could save up for a year and head out west instead of taking a trip to WDW to see the same exact things every year. gasp. lol.

And not have a Disney trip for a year

 

[invader]

"Letdown" for you maybe. Or me. But there are a million 9-year-old girls who would infinitely prefer spinning fish over an elevator from hell.

Just because you're going to aim for a target audience doesn't mean you have to do things on the cheap. A Little Mermaid ride could be awesome, it just wasn't executed the way it should have been. The ride is a joke. You go thought the first two rooms and think this might be good, you see Ursula and say "Woah!" and at that point you unfortunately see the end of the ride. It didn't live up to the expectations the ride sets up. It looks and feels rushed along with being cheap.