DHS Makeover - What we know so far.....

[Incomudro]

Last night my wife and I watched part 1 of the PBS special they ran on Walt Disney. When talking about Snow White, it explained how Walt was attempting to make an animated film so emotional that it could make a person cry. He wanted to make a person cry as a result of a cartoon drawing dying! His devotion to evoking the emotional response from the audience was THE driving force behind changing the landscape of animated films forever. It wasnt about the money, it was about the challenge.

Disneyland was the same type of challenge and once again, he changed the game forever. I dont think that type of mindset exists or is even allowed to exist within the company anymore. Its like what @ford91exploder said, they seem to just follow a formula now. X (theme/setting of movie) + Y (popular song) + A (scenes from movie) = what Walt did. They completely ignore the emotional appeal (at least at the level Walt cared for) and rely solely upon the appeal of the movie they are making an attraction for to create the emotion.

Disney with Pixar still makes films that can bring an adult to cry.
Are Stars Wars Land and Pandora not a challenge on the level of anything Disney has ever done in Disney Land or Disney World?
Yes, they fit the formula you mention but many of Disney's rides have always fit the formula.
Many have also been nothing particularly ambitious, such as Dumbo, Tea Cups, Speedway so part of the expansion at NFL is not anything less than Disney has done before.

 

[wdisney9000]

Disney with Pixar still makes films that can bring an adult to cry.

Im not sure how that relates to what I was saying. I never implied that Disney does not make quality films anymore. I simply cited Walts desire to create that emotional appeal which is why we have animated films today. You have a desire to defend a position that was never attacked.

Are Stars Wars Land and Pandora not a challenge on the level of anything Disney has ever done in Disney Land or Disney World?

Time will tell. The tragedy is that both Star Wars and Avatar Lands are being built as a result to the success of Harry Potter at Uni. Heck, NFL was technically their first response to Potter but it was a swing and a miss in terms of awe inspiring. The bolded is exactly what Im talking about. Disney had to have their face rubbed in the dirt in order to even build on the level that they are capable of, let alone trying to surpass their own aspirations. That would take someone having a creative idea that would be deemed waaaaay to risky by Igers "play it safe" strategy. Your lying to yourself if you think Avatar and/or Star Wars would have been green light within 10 years (or possibly ever) if Potter hadnt been a success. Disney would have never taken the risk and the fact they told JK Rowling to go kick rocks is the proof.

 

[Incomudro]

Im not sure how that relates to what I was saying. I never implied that Disney does not make quality films anymore. I simply cited Walts desire to create that emotional appeal which is why we have animated films today. You have a desire to defend a position that was never attacked.


Time will tell. The tragedy is that both Star Wars and Avatar Lands are being built as a result to the success of Harry Potter at Uni. Heck, NFL was technically their first response to Potter but it was a swing and a miss in terms of awe inspiring. The bolded is exactly what Im talking about. Disney had to have their face rubbed in the dirt in order to even build on the level that they are capable of, let alone trying to surpass their own aspirations. That would take someone having a creative idea that would be deemed waaaaay to risky by Igers "play it safe" strategy. Your lying to yourself if you think Avatar and/or Star Wars would have been green light within 10 years (or possibly ever) if Potter hadnt been a success. Disney would have never taken the risk and the fact they told JK Rowling to go kick rocks is the proof.

I don't disagree with any of that.

 

[wdisney9000]

I don't disagree with any of that.

The good news is that at least Disney seems to be awake at the wheel now and hopefuly Star Wars Land will be a good one-two punch combo. If Avatar ends up being a slightly upgraded NFL in terms of size and substance, that'll do...pig

 

[mm52200]

So as we get closer to January, anymore rumblings about attractions closing/construction starting? I know they won't give too much notice probably but just wondering if there had been anymore talk.

 

[PizzaPlanet]

What you described about Never Never Land + Pixie Hollow is brilliant! Re-imagine Peter Pan add in a more kid friendly Fairies Ride + suped up M&G for both the Pan characters and Fairies and maybe even dedicate an area for Jake (for the tots).

Let's remember that the "Disney Fairies" franchise was created by the same studio who brought us "Planes" and the countless awful disney sequels. I don't feel they deserve a permanent place in the parks.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

An odd burst of respect for pixie-themed M&G's here...

 

[roj2323]

Meanwhile back at DHS......

 

[Next Big Thing]

I don't think it's a stretch.
Dumbo's location was part of its charm. Spinning in the castle courtyard with great views of the castle, carousel and (in a simpler time) a beautiful lagoon was an iconic Disney experience for kids, and some adults.

The same spin with the stirring vista of the circus...ugh.

Personally, I like the new location better now, if only because it's out of my way.

 

[danlb_2000]

Meanwhile back at DHS......

... I got nothing, back to Fantasyland discussion.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I don't think it's a stretch.
Dumbo's location was part of its charm. Spinning in the castle courtyard with great views of the castle, carousel and (in a simpler time) a beautiful lagoon was an iconic Disney experience for kids, and some adults.

The same spin with the stirring vista of the circus...ugh.

I'm with you on location from a perspective that it's less of a draw for people because it's not centrally located (although not centered like that Carrousel). I'll give you that. But at the time it was giving you views of the tops of buildings that were themed to... circus tents.

 

[Kman101]

We all have our preferences. I can see the appeal of the view of where Dumbo used to be and I'm not a huge Storybook Circus fan either, except for the train station, but we also remember things through rose colored glasses. Was the view REALLY that much better or immersive? Is someone really missing out? I mean, like I said, we like what we like but I notice we lump in "this is bad" because we just preferred something different.

 

[Incomudro]

We all have our preferences. I can see the appeal of the view of where Dumbo used to be and I'm not a huge Storybook Circus fan either, except for the train station, but we also remember things through rose colored glasses. Was the view REALLY that much better or immersive? Is someone really missing out? I mean, like I said, we like what we like but I notice we lump in "this is bad" because we just preferred something different.

Humans have a big tendency to prefer the original version of most things, vs any changed version of it.

 

[marni1971]

Humans have a big tendency to prefer the original version of most things, vs any changed version of it.

The new Spider-Man is better than the old ride.

 

[Smiddimizer]

I think it would be great if they tore out the speedway, tore out the circus tent queue, and built more Fantasyland around the new Dumbo. I'm not as vitrolic about the speedway as some but I still think that would be the way to go.

 

[Incomudro]

I've thought the Speedway was so far below Disney since I rode it probably 42 years ago. (I'm 52)
However, my wife and I rode it with our sons driving about two seasons ago when they were 11 (twins) and we had a blast.
Rode it a couple of times as a matter of fact, switching drivers.
This was a at night, when we had done everything and were filling in time. It changed my perspective on the ride.

 

[ThemeParkJunkee]

Riding at night can change your perspective of a ride which got me to thinking about lighting for the toy story land. If we are in Andy's back yard, shrunken to the size of a toy soldier, what kind of lights would be on at night?

 

[Steel City Magic]

I think it would be great if they tore out the speedway, tore out the circus tent queue, and built more Fantasyland around the new Dumbo. I'm not as vitrolic about the speedway as some but I still think that would be the way to go.

I'm kinda hoping tim burtons dumbo is a big hit and they 'burtonize' storybook circus now that I've caught wind that burton is doing dumbo...
I'm still amazed burton doesn't have a larger influence in the parks besides the HM christmas layover ala Lucas and now Cameron

 

[Steel City Magic]

Riding at night can change your perspective of a ride which got me to thinking about lighting for the toy story land. If we are in Andy's back yard, shrunken to the size of a toy soldier, what kind of lights would be on at night?

Strands of Christmas lights and fireflys? Maybe a giant glowstick or two? No clue...

 

[doctornick]

Nope.

Phase 4 is pure blue sky right now, with a potential placeholder or two in the mix.

Villains ain't one of them.

Another idea I was thinking would be good option for Phase 4 -- especially if it is a "Disney" IP -- would be to revisit the Toontown variant of where the characters are "working". Would enable them to have a great place to have various M&G and some family friendly theming with some nice dark rides.