Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Indeed! There seems to be a school of thought within WDI that 'story' in themed design means literally sitting down and writing out a story.
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Dinosaur has seen better days
- Thread starter SplashJacket
- Start date
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
It's why Disney Springs is... Disney Springs.
What's the deal with those weird random strips of overhead shade you ask?
Well... once there was an overhead train - apparently the only one ever in Florida but it is no more and only parts of the infrastructure remain in a manner that was safe not to tear down... and don't think too hard about where the rest of that track would have run because... there are buildings - really old buildings, since this is an old, well established space - where that elevated train went. That train, you know, was older than the old buildings in the old town that seems to have a weird abundance of repurposed warehouse space in close proximity to classic Florida architecture and no signs of any spot that ever had a train station the train may have stopped at because the old train was gone, I guess, long before the old warehouses that were built there because - don't question it!
Anyway, enjoy your limited shade - that's the condensed version of the twenty-minute back-story about why it's there.
Want to understand the rest of it? You'll have to read the 463 page novel coming out this fall from Hachette Books...
To be fair, Pleasure Island had a convoluted backstory nobody cared about either but you didn't have to know it for any of the architetural choices to make sense and most of DTD was always on the nose about just exactly what it really was - a Disney built shopping district.
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lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
An example of how it is better to do nothing instead of something. The tracks are more of a long bridge, a sort of Overswamps Railroad, connecting two high points. The tracks were supposed to go go from Please Island (which still has part of the always way too small turntable built into the hardscape, out over the West Side, continue down along Buena Vista Dr and then turn across Buena Vista Drive near Typhoon Lagoon, and then ending into an artificial embankment where the line would have “continued”. You were also supposed to be able to go up onto portions of the track, and even enter some of the venues like Splitsville in a more true imitation of the High Line.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Anyway, enjoy your limited shade - that's the condensed version of the twenty-minute back-story about why it's there.
An actual train of some kind running from one end of the Springs to the other would have been far more enjoyable and practical.
MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
I am one of those people. They should've figured out a way to build it in DCA or not at all tbh.
MagicHappens1971
Well-Known Member
Galaxy's Edge was designed for DLR. The transition/tunnels into Galaxy's Edge on the other coast are definitely better.
Lil Copter Cap
Well-Known Member
Dr. Seeker is using the Dino Institute invention of The Time Rover to his personal gain (e.g. grabbing the Iguanodon because he believes this species is “the key to understanding these magnificent creatures” — aka Dinosaurs) by co-opting a tour group’s time travel journey. We have no choice or say in the matter. We are just vibing while the Time Rover/“Computer” does all the work!
I think the story is very strong especially knowing it’s a movie tie-in.
And I think to combat the idea that the story is a bit convoluted (although I personally believe it’s straightforward) the writers knew it may be perceived as such and added a layer of simple storytelling that raises the stakes on top of the meteor crash: a big dinosaur is chasing the tour group.
And personally, the best beat of the entire story: The Iguanodon we are subsequently saving from extinction is holding up the literal tree trunk that’s blocking the ride vehicle’s path at the end, thus saving the tour group.
It’s truly storytelling at its finest. And not everyone will believe that or even get every aspect of the story after multiple rides (which, in my opinion, makes the ride even more of a headliner due to its depth!)
Movielover
Well-Known Member
Plus on top of all of that it's one of the best movie tie ins because it's not a repeat of the plot of the movie. It simply takes the dinos featured in the movie and crafts a entirely original narrative and characters to create it's own thing. Dinosaur should be looked at as the prime example of how to do IP tie in.
VicariousCorpse
Well-Known Member
It's not an IP tie in, they were developed simultaneously with the express intent of using elements from each other. For instance the carnotaurus was designed from the beginning to be an animatronic. With the thick legs needed for support affecting the other proportions.
Movielover
Well-Known Member
Yes, but then the decision was made to change the name accouple years after the park open to directly tie in with the movie. As such the ride was toned down to appeal to younger audiences who would make the connection with the movie. Hence it is a IP tie in.
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
But the original ride was good enough to not need an IP tie-in. Much like the similar situation of Splash Mountain, where people don't need to know the IP tie-in to enjoy that ride.
That is the beauty of Countdown to Extinction/Dinosaur....... When maintenance is in good working order.
I could say the same about It's Tough to be a Bug as well.
Splash Mountain needs artifical plants for it's Tiana overlay right? And Dinosaur is nothing but plants. 
Ldno
Well-Known Member
Sometimes I do feel like we need some sort of transportation all the away across disney springs, they should go with a mini monorail
DoleWhipDrea
Well-Known Member
The original plans for Disney's shopping area included a Peoplemover line (same for EPCOT.) If they had gone ahead and built them, some future issues wouldn't have come up, like the whole disjointed way Pleasure Island was free in some sections but not a section in the middle, causing walking issues for guests.
I also really wish Animal Kingdom had a transportation system - too bad the Discovery River Boats didn't have remotely enough capacity or interesting things to see.
I went to Animal Kingdom this morning, one last time before my AP expires. If Dinosaur had been a 5-10 min wait, I might have paid a visit, but that queue was at 40 min this morning. I feel for all of those guests who not only paid Disney premium prices for a premium product, to have to wait that long to see the current condition that the ride is in. We keep getting surveys asking why we're unsure of renewing...have the people writing these surveys actually been to the parks recently?
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
I think it is a bit of missed opportunity that:
- They didn't finish the Monorail to Disney Springs
- They didn't build the Peoplemover in Epcot
- They didn't build the Peoplemover in Disney Springs (first I'd heard of it was your post)
- They didn't do something about in park transportation at AK
I think DHS is small enough, for now, where it's not such a big deal. The rest? They could have all used some kind of transportation system.
DoleWhipDrea
Well-Known Member
I should specify that it wasn't designed for Disney Springs, but the original incarnation of "Disney Village."
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
It's pretty much this when taking the boats to Port Orleans/Riverside..Nothing to see but, it's relaxing...IMO it would be nice to see them return and use the seating area of the former RoL theater as a third dropoff point by Everest..
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Before even the Disney Village when it was the Lake Buena Vista Shopping Village.
A train in AK would have been an awesome experience. Probably impossible to do now though
solidyne
Well-Known Member
There is one! Not very awesome, though.
Seriously, though. Yes, more trains, people movers, banthas, etc. circling the parks!