Attractions Becoming Cheap, Themed Mess?

[Chef Mickey]

I posted this in another thread and it got me thinking about the entire direction of Disney and its attractions. I'm all for "theming." Afterall, it is a THEME park. However, what used to set Disney apart were amazing rides with just outstanding visual effects, NATURALLY themed attractions, learning, or just good old creativity. Examples include:

• Spaceship Earth
• It's a Small World
• Horizons
• World of Motion
• Maelstrom
• Universe of Energy
• The Great Movie Ride

It seemed somewhat saved that even some newer attractions kept this spirit:

• Test Track (Original)
• Mission Space
• Expedition Everest
• What am I missing?

I believe those were all Eisner approved. I like Igor, but he seems to be moving the ship toward profit margins, cheaper, pack in the crowds, and sacrifice quality of quantity. As a shareholder, I love it, as a Disney enthusiast, not so much.

It is a shame that every new attraction has to be tied to a current TV personality, movie, or celebrity host. The new rides are forcefully themed, where the connection makes little sense. Am I missing a new ride that HASN'T followed this model?

Disney, for the love of God, please keep some stand alone rides that are just really interesting, fun, and original.

All new rides seem to be ruined with a cheap draw like Ellen, Donald in old River of Time in Mexico, Test Track, ruined by interactive fluff, the Seas with Nemo and Friends, etc etc etc.

The traditionalists like myself will always lose. The days of Dream Flight, World of Motion, Horizons, etc seem to be gone. Everything has to be tied to a recognizable movie or personality. So sad.

What do you think?

 

[wm49rs]

I'm not exactly a defender, but the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride isn't tied to a celeb or the like, nor the Storybook Circus area. Test Track was renovated in no small part because of the contribution and input from Chevy, as was the Star Wars ride through Lucas. You may not like the Seas Pavilion additions, but before them that area wasn't exactly a great draw. I'm not going to deny there's too much of a trend towards character tie-ins where perhaps they shouldn't be (such as a "Frozen" Maelstrom overlay), but I think you're gong a bit too far in the other direction....

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

One Big Pile of Dino Diarrhea..

 

[luv]

I think it's nice when they use celebs. Gives the parents a little, "Oh, looky who!" moment. But only when it fits the overall theme. Gary Sinise is cool on Mission Space, but he isn't the focus - the ride is. As it should be.

I don't think all new rides need a TV/movie tie-in, though. Something new and creative will always be more impressive.

 

[DVCOwner]

I am not a fan of the new little mermaid ride, but the overall theming is better than the ride itself. Also the from the pictures I have seen of the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train seem to be great on the theming of it.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I think it's nice when they use celebs. Gives the parents a little, "Oh, looky who!" moment. But only when it fits the overall theme. Gary Sinise is cool on Mission Space, but he isn't the focus - the ride is. As it should be.

I don't think all new rides need a TV/movie tie-in, though. Something new and creative will always be more impressive.

Although they REALLY Don't want to admit that the attraction was based on the Touchstone Box office Flop..

 

[Chef Mickey]

I am not a fan of the new little mermaid ride, but the overall theming is better than the ride itself. Also the from the pictures I have seen of the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train seem to be great on the theming of it.

Don't get me wrong...I like a subtle theme or celebrity tie in...mission space is a great example of using a celebrity for good.

The Little Mermaid is a bad ride with great theming. I'm not sure how they can improve the ride system but I feel like they slapped the little mermaid on a ride and cut corners.

What I really want are more rides that don't have a movie or character associated in such an in your face manner.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I'm not exactly a defender, but the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride isn't tied to a celeb or the like, nor the Storybook Circus area. Test Track was renovated in no small part because of the contribution and input from Chevy, as was the Star Wars ride through Lucas. You may not like the Seas Pavilion additions, but before them that area wasn't exactly a great draw. I'm not going to deny there's too much of a trend towards character tie-ins where perhaps they shouldn't be (such as a "Frozen" Maelstrom overlay), but I think you're gong a bit too far in the other direction....

I will be upset if they ruin Maelstrom with Frozen. I really like Frozen and feel it needs to be an addition versus replacing a classic. It won't happen that way, sadly. Costs more to add rather than revamp.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

What I really want are more rides that don't have a movie or character associated in such an in your face manner.

Mystic Manor at HKDL is a good example.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I agree. Don't see too many unique and artistic rides that made a statement like Horizons and World of Motion anymore. Shooting for the stars, classic status, and timelessness is not a priority anymore and it is a sad feeling.

What has crossed my mind, and believe me I am well aware at how a long shot in the dark it is, is that maybe they will start to take notice of what you described in your thread. I was thinking maybe for future. I hope these things are cyclical like in other areas of life and in business too. The nineties were about a generation away now and it is time for some calling the shots in WDW to take a good, hard look at the facts in hindsight.

Now there are exceptions. TOT is off the table. Detailed, brilliant, superior quality. More should have been modeled after this. Big asset to DHS. Very well done.

And then the flip side. They are now making Horizons t-shirts that many are buying because a classic was put down like a dog…. Nobody thought that sometimes there are lulls and trends change but it could have upswinged eventually. You know, like how music is. Give it a bit of time, have faith in the work that was done, your vision, believe in its lasting and have a sense of pride and purpose, and certain stuff is cool again.

If not for vision, care, or nostalgia, maybe they can look back at the last decade or so and what was done to existing rides and what was built fresh, and how most of them from scratch are aging, quicker, and they are getting less bang for the buck by tying it into recent movies, with celebrities, etc. They will actually spend more money constantly changing them or having to nix them all together. MS….the clock is ticking. And I have more examples, but I don't even have to bother because you already handled that in the first post.

I am hoping, and this has happened in many instances, that what people pull away from, they most usually go back to eventually.

Again, super high hopes, totally delusional, but I can hope that even from a business cash-talks-perspective they will start realizing they really need to think it through before they continue things they way they have been going.

There is no way, for example, a big announcement should have been made about Fantasyland only to have everything overhauled. Hyperion Wharf, anyone?

Doesn't make me feel very confident for the future when you have to backtrack with big steps like in these instances.

What happened with Snow White is really strange too. But that is for another time.

 

[Voxel]

Thing we have to consider and think about Iger is not a Parks man, he wasn't hired to be a parks man. He was hired to maintain the stability of the Disney Corporation during the recession. When he took office many Hotel projects were put on hold due to the economy and significantly less people were attending the parks. The parks thus were not a prime source of income and feared as the possible death of Disney. But Iger did what he was highered to do. He maintained the stability of Disney, not only that he increased Disney value in a time of recession which is amazing. I hope and feel however that in 2016 the next CEO will be more oriented to the parks, because once again the parks bringing in money at a record rate.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I'm not exactly a defender, but the Seven Dwarfs Mine Ride isn't tied to a celeb or the like, nor the Storybook Circus area. Test Track was renovated in no small part because of the contribution and input from Chevy, as was the Star Wars ride through Lucas. You may not like the Seas Pavilion additions, but before them that area wasn't exactly a great draw. I'm not going to deny there's too much of a trend towards character tie-ins where perhaps they shouldn't be (such as a "Frozen" Maelstrom overlay), but I think you're gong a bit too far in the other direction....

While I agree that the seas was not a big draw ( I, myself loved it though!) I think letting them get away with overlays or bringing in cloned attractions (Soarin') is a cheap and gaudy way to effectively jingle a shiny object in front of an infant. I have grown beyond these thin veils of "improvement" and need to see more than Phineas and Ferb treasure hunts and movie overlays to see value for my dollar. I do agree that Star Tours 2.0 was a pretty awesome improvement though.

 

[EOD K9]

The problem with doing a "Frozen" overlay takes away from the idea behind WS. El Rio del Tiempo was supposed to be a tourist advertisement of sorts for Mexico. The same goes for Norway. By adding Donald and Frozen, you are negating the culture behind the attraction. It makes it lose its World's Fair theme.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I have actually (tried) put myself in the shoes of a true Mexican and I think I would be insulted by the current iteration rather than feeling a sense of national pride.

 

[bethymouse]

I myself am looking forward to the details they're putting into the mine train ride.
If they want to add a Frozen attraction that'll be fine, but the culture of Norway needs to stay in tact IMHO.
Dinosaur seemed to be great in the beginning, but for some reason it has lost its "draw".
It makes me wonder about Avatarland and what that will turn out to be....

 

[Mrs.Toad]

I myself am looking forward to the details they're putting into the mine train ride.
If they want to add a Frozen attraction that'll be fine, but the culture of Norway needs to stay in tact IMHO.
Dinosaur seemed to be great in the beginning, but for some reason it has lost its "draw".
It makes me wonder about Avatarland and what that will turn out to be....

I know. I have the sinking feeling I can't shake that Avatarland will have a shelf life. I'm not trying to be a downer, I can't help it.

And how many "rugged geography mountain'" rides should there be at some point? And it did cost the life of a classic dark ride in the old FL style. SW.

 

[donaldtoo]

I like Igor, but...

 

[disney4life2008]

I have actually (tried) put myself in the shoes of a true Mexican and I think I would be insulted by the current iteration rather than feeling a sense of national pride.

thank you! I have always thought this but never voiced. it The ride now fun fun of Mexicans and their culture. It is an embarrassment. I understand the tie in with Donald but it is poorly done. I enjoy The actual boat ride but hate the Donald overlay.

 

[aladdin2007]

thank you! I have always thought this but never voiced. it The ride now fun fun of Mexicans and their culture. It is an embarrassment. I understand the tie in with Donald but it is poorly done. I enjoy The actual boat ride but hate the Donald overlay.

Agree, worried the same will happen to Maelstrom.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Nice thoughts everyone. May I just add that some of the longest standing rides were original ideas that actually inspired later movies (Pirates) and have stood the test of time.

It seems these well thought out rides are actually better long term investments than slapping Nemo on a ride and letting the ride name do the drawing instead of the content.

Pirates
Haunted mansion
Splash mountain
SpaceMountain

I know some of those have back stories, but they are largely stand alone rides, done absolutely the right way down to the last detail and are still great today.

Someone mentioned tower of terror.....Tower of Terror is a perfect example of subtly blending an established backstory with an incredibly detailed ride that will last 40-50 years. Again, a product of a more parks oriented CEO.

Trouble is, parks are making record profits so management knows the consumer is well, consuming. I just can't help but think it could be so much more. Maybe I'm wrong, but I doubt it.