News Announced: Mary Poppins Attraction in UK Pavilion

[yensidtlaw1969]

I know what you mean about Pan. A LOT of people do, apparently, because look at the lines Pan gets! I don't think it's always packed just because the ride has capacity issues, I think it's because people are just charmed by the idea of Peter Pan's Flight. Speaking of which...how will the Poppins ride, as is currently envisioned, compare to, say, Shanghai's Pan? If you don't mind me asking?

Totally - all around the world Pan dominates in terms of lines when it comes to Fantasyland (with perhaps Matterhorn excepted). Magic Kingdom has fewer attractions of that nature, but Disneyland has plenty of them, so its popularity isn’t born from lack of things to do. Seemingly everyone and their mother wants to ride Pan. Which makes sense! The novelty of flying puts it above the other Fantasyland Dark Rides, no pun intended. Who doesn’t dream of being able to fly? Total wish fulfillment. A stroke of genius from day one of Disneyland, it’s remained popular for a reason and has yet to be met with much if any competition on the C-Ticket level. There’s nothing that compares.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I think a modern version of Alice suits the original Poppins very well. It’s not as if Poppins is going to get the POTC or Indy treatment in terms of scope/scale and I don’t think a simulator simulating Mary Poppins flight over London would be right for the IP. A modern C ticket sounds right for Poppins. Maybe D If they could get clever with the ride system.

I actually think Poppins could justify an E-Ticket on the scale and scope of Pirates or Indy given that the film is more comparable in scale and scope to the POTC or Indiana Jones movies (if not nearly as intense) than it is to the smaller and more charming animated classics of yesteryear that are typically basis for such Fantasyland style attractions — but if this is what they’re offering they certainly have every chance they need to make a beautiful little ride. Poppins is a film that offers an embarrassment of gifts for creative optioning.

I agree that a simulator would be a poor fit, that’s not the vibe of that film. It’s comforting that Disney seems to agree.

 

[EPICOT]

Have we ever seen a live action movie turned into a dark ride before? That is where some of the disconnect on expectations might be coming from.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Have we ever seen a live action movie turned into a dark ride before? That is where some of the disconnect on expectations might be coming from.

TGMR.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Have we ever seen a live action movie turned into a dark ride before? That is where some of the disconnect on expectations might be coming from.

Shanghai Pirates

 

[mickEblu]

I actually think Poppins could justify an E-Ticket on the scale and scope of Pirates or Indy given that the film is more comparable in scale and scope to the POTC or Indiana Jones films (if not nearly as intense) than it is to the smaller and more charming animated movies of yesteryear that are typically basis for such Fantasyland style attractions — but if this is what they’re offering they certainly have every chance they need to make a beautiful little ride. Poppins is a film that offers an embarrassment of gifts for creative optioning.

I agree that a simulator would be a poor fit, that’s not the vibe of that film. It’s comforting that Disney seems to agree.

Don’t get me wrong, it could make for a great a E ticket. I Just don’t think this current regime would build an E ticket for Poppins.

I think if they do this right, it could become one of the park favorites. As long as marketing don’t set expectations too high.

 

[EPICOT]

TGMR.

Shanghai Pirates

I should have specified Fantastland style dark ride with the scope of Pooh, Alice, Snow White, etc.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

After watching a DLR's Alice video, I'm all for that type of ride coming to the UK and Poppins. Alice looks pretty solid and that type of ride would be a great addition.

 

[Jones14]

I get tired of the Universal simulators. There comes a point where I start to get a headache and E.T. is the only safe choice.

I think that’s why Islands is still the stronger park, and will continue to be until Nintendo (at least). Even if you avoid the water rides, you’re still got a huge variety within its attraction lineup, and the architecture is far more varied and interesting than USF.

 

[JenniferS]

It is.

Do the UK Poppins ride correctly and circle back around to Coco in a few years ... I still think Coco would be a better fit for Mexico though than trying to find Donald Duck but it shouldn't necessarily be a priority now if funds are so tight. They need to focus on expansions right now, not overlays.

Agreed ... except for the “funds are so tight” part.

 

[Kman101]

Agreed ... except for the “funds are so tight” part.

LOL, well, I know funds are really 'tight'. But they do only have a select amount to work with so that's why I said it the way I did. Of course we both know they 'could' afford to do anything they wanted to do, in a sense.

 

[Christian Fronckowiak]

I think that’s why Islands is still the stronger park, and will continue to be until Nintendo (at least). Even if you avoid the water rides, you’re still got a huge variety within its attraction lineup, and the architecture is far more varied and interesting than USF.

Not to mention that Islands still has a unifying concept, while the dumping ground next door says, "we started off as a production facility with rides and shows about show business, and then became the park for everything they can't or don't want to fit into Islands of Adventure."

 

[Magic Feather]

Not to mention that Islands still has a unifying concept, while the dumping ground next door says, "we started off as a production facility with rides and shows about show business, and then became the park for everything they can't or don't want to fit into Islands of Adventure."

And, even then, Islands managed to dump its unifying theme (or its intended one) with the opening of Kong, and that theme will only continued to be eroded by the next non-Potter project. (Unless the schedule gets shuffled... again)

 

[tirian]

And, even then, Islands managed to dump its unifying theme (or its intended one) with the opening of Kong, and that theme will only continued to be eroded by the next non-Potter project. (Unless the schedule gets shuffled... again)

I admire the Potter areas and many of Uni’s latest rides, but their parks still lack the thematic cohesion Disney had for decades. My statement works only if you ignore Epcot and DHS c.2010–2018.

 

[RandySavage]

Is there any documentation/evidence that IoA was designed with an intended unifying theme other than the catch-all "Adventure" (I've read theories that is "literature" - which wouldn't apply, or the more inclusive "stuff you read", which still wouldn't apply to all lands)? I feel that is a fan-created theory.

 

[Christian Fronckowiak]

Is there any documentation/evidence that IoA was designed with an intended unifying theme other than the catch-all "Adventure" (I've read theories that is "literature" - which wouldn't apply, or the more inclusive "stuff you read", which still wouldn't apply to all lands)? I feel that is a fan-created theory.

Islands of Adventure had the theme of visiting these imagined worlds brought to life (you know, the upcoming theme of Disney's Hollywood Studios -slash- The Park to be Renamed Later), in comparison to the existing parks (USF and USH) where you were visiting a studio backlot that took you onto the sets of movies. That was the big separation at the time-- Universal Studios Florida took you behind the scenes, deconstructing the movies, allowing you to admire the art of filmmaking; Islands of Adventure brought the stories and their settings to life for you to experience them as a character.

Keep in mind, this was before you visited Diagon Alley and Springfield in Universal Studios Florida, or Pandora in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The concept of IP-driven standalone lands was quite novel.

Plus, it was Universal designing a "theme park," which they had never done before. Previously, they had built production facilities that-- over time, as they learned, and got more ambitious-- began featuring standalone attractions. This was a theme park for the sake of a theme park as part of the transformation of the standalone Florida studio into their first vacation destination resort.

 

[...it's a yungle]

As far as I’m concerned, given WDW’s chronic lack of charming C Tickets, adding something like that to Epcot would be being better than they were yesterday. Just because it’s not the biggest and brightest attraction they’ve ever built doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a place in the lineup.

I feel like this is one of the big problems of the way Disney has under built their new parks in the last 20 years. They spend years fighting to round out the experience of a park with some C and D ticket attractions only for guests to arrive expecting any shiny new addition to be an E. People don’t complain about them when they’re there from day one and part of the greater whole, but the hype machine gets ahead of them when they’re being brought online after the fact. New Fantasyland is a great example of this, as is Na’vi River Journey. It seems Toy Story Land may be next.

Or, to speak metaphorically, side dishes are great when they’re being served as part of a whole meal, but if you’re expecting the main course they can be underwhelming.

In the case of Epcot and its coming attractions, if you know you’re getting a Burger or two it’s reasonable to want Fries with that.

Yup...do it Disney, please.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Is this going to be based on the original Mary Poppins or the upcoming sequel? Hopefully the former.

 

[RandySavage]

Islands of Adventure had the theme of visiting these imagined worlds brought to life (you know, the upcoming theme of Disney's Hollywood Studios -slash- The Park to be Renamed Later), in comparison to the existing parks (USF and USH) where you were visiting a studio backlot that took you onto the sets of movies. That was the big separation at the time-- Universal Studios Florida took you behind the scenes, deconstructing the movies, allowing you to admire the art of filmmaking; Islands of Adventure brought the stories and their settings to life for you to experience them as a character.

Keep in mind, this was before you visited Diagon Alley and Springfield in Universal Studios Florida, or Pandora in Disney's Animal Kingdom. The concept of IP-driven standalone lands was quite novel.

Plus, it was Universal designing a "theme park," which they had never done before. Previously, they had built production facilities that-- over time, as they learned, and got more ambitious-- began featuring standalone attractions. This was a theme park for the sake of a theme park as part of the transformation of the standalone Florida studio into their first vacation destination resort.

Well put.

There was mention above of a unifying theme for IoA (i.e., as Animals/Nature is for AK), and I'm assuming the members were referring to the often-mentioned "literature/things you read" central theme.

I've never subscribed to this being the intended theme of the park - and I would be surprised to hear/read anyone who had a hand in creating the original park say it was the case. I can see it being applied after the fact for some needless purpose, but it's pretty obvious it is not Lit-based park. A foremost example being the park icon (Lighthouse). Wouldn't a walkthrough book or library be considered if the park were supposed to be about things you read? If the icon has nothing to do with lit/reading, I think that's a pretty good indicator it's not the park's theme. And the entire introductory land (PoE) sets up a park of random adventures, rather than a Things-You-Read-based park. Additionally, Jurassic Park (and, later, Potter) reproduce the production design of the films (as opposed to creating themed lands directly from the source-material as a Literature based park ought to do).

 

[wishiwere@wdw]

IMO, this is just the kind of addition WS needs and I’m looking forward to it. That said, when is the final performance for British Revolution? Losing the gazebo and maze garden are unfortunately a bit of a bummer as I’ve always enjoyed this area.