News D23 Expo 2019

[Kman101]

So glad I’m not the only one. The land looks no more immersive than Disney Springs or any similar complex.

I guess seeing Spidey swinging (until the lawyers or accountants cut it) and maybe some "heroes" running about, a glorified meet and greet, and two already done elsewhere attractions is immersive. One of their biggest franchises deserves a better investment. But fans will instagram away at Pym's Test Kitchen (LOL). I wish I didn't feel so jaded but this whole thing today felt like one big joke.

 

[flynnibus]

I think putting mini Disney Stores into Target is a brilliant idea. And I can't believe I said that. But I did. (I'm waiting for the jokes that it's not going into Wal-Mart ... I've also thought mini-Toys r Us stores should go into Wal Mart ... anywho ...)

It feels more like a 'pop-up store' concept... but 70 stores.. out of the 1800+ Target has in the US alone? That's not even a drop in the ocean.

Real time.. I was totally expecting them to reboot the Disney Shopping app... then to say it was a target retail experience? That felt completely backwards...

 

[Phineas]

Also, is the Doctor Strange attraction just the outdoor Jedi Training Academy with a new coat of paint? They could have created a truly surreal dark ride or even a fun house with that IP.

 

[Casper Gutman]

So glad I’m not the only one. The land looks no more immersive than Disney Springs or any similar complex.

This is a problem with Marvel. It’s settings, like it’s characters, are very “realistic,” as superheroes go. They live in New York or LA. There’s no Gotham or Metropolic or Atlantis or Oa to work with. Uni took a clever approach with its over-the-top comic aesthetic, but Disney needed to differentiate, to go in a different direction. They needed to be really creative with the property. And it doesn’t look like they’ve done that.

 

[Clamman73]

Imagination is a little bit of Celebration and a little bit of Nature.

 

[2600loop]

Also, and I do not wish to be insensitive or disrespectful of the affected families, but the wording they used-something like “granting wishes that last a lifetime” isn’t as profound when recipients are quite often terminally ill.

my immediate reaction was to cringe, I'm sure not intentional at all but still a very unfortunate turn of phrase

 

[Kman101]

Yeah. I mean, we'll see, but they really seem to be blowing their chance to use Marvel in the parks.

I think so too.

Personally copying Rise for Avengers makes more sense, but a part of me is glad they aren't, but it deserves that treatment.

 

[Phineas]

I guess seeing Spidey swinging (until the lawyers or accountants cut it) and maybe some "heroes" running about, a glorified meet and greet, and two already done elsewhere attractions is immersive. One of their biggest franchises deserves a better investment. But fans will instagram away at Pym's Test Kitchen (LOL). I wish I didn't feel so jaded but this whole thing today felt like one big joke.

You’re not wrong. I hate to come away feeling so negative, but today was mostly a bust for me.

 

[Sue_Vongello]

What is Disney supposed to do..... just open attractions and say "meh... if you wanted to know anything, you should have been reading wdwmagic?"

This 'dismissal' because it's been a rumor attitude is bizarre. What do you all want a company to do?

We want to be wowed, surprised, and filled with excitement by the leadership of a company that gives some glimmer of hope that they understand the product and ideals of the company they are paid to represent.

 

[UNCgolf]

Also, you got a lousy price on the Uni deluxe because you stayed so briefly.

Actually felt like we got a great price! It wasn't significantly more expensive than Riverside.

 

[Mike S]

I’ve heard Falcon. I’ve heard FoP. And I’ve heard Star Tours.

Wow, really? That stinks.

Is it controversial if I like Dreamer's Point and the Walt statue Epcot's getting? I'm all for the Walt statue. I've wanted the Storyteller's Statue so I'll take this in a heartbeat. It's the little things.

However, Dreamer's Point reads "upstairs is reservation only ... sorry folks!" ... but I'll try and not be too judgey ...

Completely agree.

Yes, I think the biggest cheers were for the Coco float and when the Imagineer alluded to Figment.

Don't forget Dick Van .

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Universal’s executives must be laughing their heads off at how pathetic this presentation was. They announce a whole new park and Disney responds with... almost nothing.

 

[SoCalMort]

Did they happen to 'forget' to confirm RoTR opening dates or did I miss that?

 

[Sir_Cliff]

This is a problem with Marvel. It’s settings, like it’s characters, are very “realistic,” as superheroes go. They live in New York or LA. There’s no Gotham or Metropolic or Atlantis or Oa to work with. Uni took a clever approach with its over-the-top comic aesthetic, but Disney needed to differentiate, to go in a different direction. They needed to be really creative with the property. And it doesn’t look like they’ve done that.

I definitely agree. This is particularly striking when looking at the artwork for what's coming to WDS: that park is probably the ugliest Disney has, and the new area really doesn't look much better than what it's replacing. Still feels like a warehouse complex.

 

[TwilightZone]

So.....Imagination. If it's staying, does it fit in World Nature (whatever those two words together mean)? If it's getting redone, will it have a nature element? What about Magic Eye theater?

I assumed by the circling its going in the same "world/neighborhood" that sse is in. So same theme presumably.
A world nature take on it would be interesting to see though if it happens.

 

[SplashJacket]

This is a problem with Marvel. It’s settings, like it’s characters, are very “realistic,” as superheroes go. They live in New York or LA. There’s no Gotham or Metropolic or Atlantis or Oa to work with. Uni took a clever approach with its over-the-top comic aesthetic, but Disney needed to differentiate, to go in a different direction. They needed to be really creative with the property. And it doesn’t look like they’ve done that.

The original concept for Walt Disney Studios in Paris for Marvel looked phenomenal. Now it is the garbage which has plagued the other two establishments.

 

[WDWBryan]

Imagination is a little bit of Celebration and a little bit of Nature.
View attachment 401835

The bathrooms are nature

 

[Kman101]

So, that panel was...just ok. While I knew most of it would be further details on projects that were already shown off at the Parks exhibit Thursday night, I was expecting a few more surprises than just Poppins rumor confirmation for EPCOT and a generic pop song infused daytime parade for DL. To be more specific, I was expecting juicy reveals for the 50th and the future of the Imagination Pavilion. Instead, we got little acknowledgement of the 50th other than “it’s happening with cupcakes at all 4 parks” and zero for the Imagination Pavilion despite going into great detail on what will happen to literally every other part of EPCOT.

To be fair, I understand why they might not have wanted to go into detail for the 50th just yet, but I really got my hopes up for a return to form for Imagination based on how it was presented in the concept art. Unfortunately, the deliberate exclusion of Imagination probably means that it’s fate is still in flux as rumors have suggested. If Chapek and Co. had any understanding of the fanbase, they would’ve announced the return of Dreamfinder right then and there while saving their Target synergy announcements for another time and place.

I feel like they wasted this D23. I feel like we've been reminded of many of these things for years now. lol. They could have better teased future investment but they really didn't. We know from here other things are brewing so it really almost felt like a waste of time. It was meant to be a hype panel, really, and it fell flat (despite the vloggers cheering at each and every thing). I think we all set our expectations too high. We we kind of warned to not get hopes high. I didn't, but it was still such an awful presentation. The entire thing was a chore to sit through.

D23 2021 falls during the start of WDW's 50th and 2022 is Epcot's 40th. If they want to leverage buzz and hype, they can announce a Coco overlay, Imagination, more about Mary, etc. Animal Kingdom turns 25 in 2023 and DHS turns 35 in 2024 so they could pick 2021 as the time to announce projects there (just all a guess! But I give them too much credit). There's a lot that could make 2021 better. Let's hope!

 

[Casper Gutman]

What is Disney supposed to do..... just open attractions and say "meh... if you wanted to know anything, you should have been reading wdwmagic?"

This 'dismissal' because it's been a rumor attitude is bizarre. What do you all want a company to do?

If the rumor was exciting, having it confirmed and seeing artwork would be very well received. The problem is the rumored changes are awful, and more often then not the confirmation adds nothing to them... or makes them look worse then rumored.

 

[Mike S]

Also, is the Doctor Strange attraction just the outdoor Jedi Training Academy with a new coat of paint? They could have created a truly surreal dark ride or even a fun house with that IP.

So true and disappointing.