Curious Constance
Well-Known Member
I think this approach works for parks like DHS or USH but even then I feel like a lot of IP can feel dated relatively quickly.
I think the castle parks need to be more of balance of original and IP and I think they are. Take DL for example - almost the entire west side of DL is IP free with the exception of Indy which to me has always felt organic in Adventureland and Pooh. I don’t count POTC. I still view POTC as the original attraction with a few Johnny Depps and annoying soundtrack added. (We ve seen what a real POTC ride based on the movie looks like and it’s in Shanghai). I also don’t count Splash Mountain as being an IP ride in the traditional sense as most of the general public under 60 doesn’t know those characters.
With all of that said, A 14 acre Star Wars Land tips the scale at DL. An original TL redo could help tip it back the other way or at least make it even.
The problem with DCA is that Disney now views it as the movie studios sister park (they have to put all this newly acquired IP somewhere) so we have things like Pixar Pier and GOTG:MB in Hollywoodland.
I agree with Splash Mountain. Perfect IP utilization. Unknown characters, unknown story, now it feels very much like park specific IP, and not like a billboard for the latest movie craze, so will never feel dated.
But I don't think there is a snowball's chance in hell of something like Splash Mountain being greenlit or Tomorrowland getting a non IP based redo in the future. That's just not going to happen, maybe ever again. My point isn't so much of the balance now in Disneyland, but where it's going to end up. Every single thing that's added is IP. That can't go on much longer before it's just taken over everything.