Marni, you are so right. I had time to think about everything you said regarding the Chinese theater. I love The Great Movie Ride so much and I totally think the Chinese theater should stay. It would be so tragic to lose it. So, I look forward to The Great Mickey ride making a comeback!
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News Disney Not Renewing Great Movie Ride Sponsorship Deal with TCM ; Attraction to Close
- Thread starter The Visionary Soul
- Start date
danlb_2000
Premium Member
There will probably be enough room in the corner between TSL and SWL for an additional attraction if they wanted to. There are also plenty of options if they want to go beyond the current park boundaries.
Well said. I totally agree, if anything it would be the total opposite.
DHS is my least favorite park right now, but I still love this park. I love the old Hollywood vibe and glamorous feeling of this park.
With that said, I just couldn't grasp the mindset of what I wrongly considered to be mediocrity.
I have always looked at the Chinese theater as a gorgeous but cheap knock off version or fake imitation of the real Chinese theater in Hollywood.
Until now, my mindset has always been if you want to experience Hollywood then just go to Hollywood.
Why would you go to Disney for a real Hollywood experience? When I go to Disney I want to experience Disney.
But, the Disney fan community doesn't it see it that way - to them it is authentic Hollywood, even better than Hollywood.
And, this is what I didn't get at first. I refused to acknowledge that fantasy trumps reality within the Disney fan community.
I never really understood the outrage over Norway. If learning about a country and experiencing its culture is so important -- the first thing that enters my mind is to just visit that country.
But, Disney fans prefer to visit World Showcase. I imagine this mindset is akin to Vegas fans who would opt for a stay at the Venetian than actually going to Italy. Or, even people who think Papa Johns pizza is an authentic taste of Italy.
So, I've been observing this all wrong. When I go to Disney it's just for Disney. But, for Disney fans it's so much more than that.
The world that Disney created is better than the real thing especially when compounded with memories and nostalgia -- and most of the time it is. There is nothing wrong with that.
I've been missing this point the whole time. I've been condescending and I didn't respect any of the history regarding the attractions or the parks.
I finally get it now and I think The Chinese Theater deserves to shine brightly at DHS forever!
Yeah, I totally agree.
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RobidaFlats
Well-Known Member
For many people, your assessment is probably spot on. I would like to suggest a little nuance that may apply to another group.
It's not actually about authenticity. It's about spirit and ease. This is difficult for me to describe, so if it doesn't register, I apologize in advance, but here it goes:
The idea of Old Hollywood at DHS (or MGM) was something that couldn't actually be visited. Not only because it was themed to a past many decades ago, but also because it never actually existed as depicted. In that way, guests got to enjoy the spirit of Hollywood, not an authentic recreation. Authenticity requires all sorts of things that most of us would rather not worry about on vacation. For example, no trip to a major city is complete without panhandlers, a slightly greater possibility of pick-pocketing or petty crime, pollution, traffic, etc.
Specifically when it comes to World Showcase, the goal is not to replace a trip to the actual country. It is about getting a taste without the travel, language barrier, currency exchange, visas and all the other minor annoyances that would add up quickly if you were to try to take a trip that visited that many countries. In some ways it's like a travel brochure, you get to see some architecture, cuisine, etc. without getting the full experience. So it is authentic, but only in so far as it is acknowledged to be a "sanitized" experience with limited scope.
I suppose what it boils down to for this group is that they enjoy the "Disney" version of real places. In some ways I guess it could be viewed as similar to a zoo. You get to see animals, but it's nothing like animals would be in the "real world". They aren't eating each other, threatening you for approaching them, separated by thousands of miles and different climates or any of the other real world "problems" with visiting wildlife.
It's not necessarily that people prefer World Showcase over the real thing (although some definitely do), it's more that it is a practical taste of the real thing that focuses solely on the positives.
If we apply the zoo analogy to theme parks, I would imagine it would be something like this:
Pure Fantasy (ex: Fantasyland) -> Awesome movie about animals that can talk
Highly Themed (ex: EPCOT Center) -> Visit to a well-done zoo
Real Thing (ex: I suppose Adventures by Disney?) -> African Safari
Each of those categories would apply to different people for different reasons.
I don't know if that made any sense at all, but I tried, haha.
Magenta Panther
Well-Known Member
I like the Old Hollywood vibe of DHS too, although I think Universal did it better (it even has Schwab's Pharmacy!) And to me, the Chinese Theater is the epitome of that. There's nothing wrong with having it in DHS, any more than there's anything wrong with having authentic-looking architecture in World Showcase. The Hollywood Tower is another (although original) aspect of the Old Hollywood theme. I'd hate if any part of Old Hollywood in DHS was removed, which is what I fear is going to happen in favor of purchased IPs. If so, forget DHS. It'll become Merchandising-and-Played-Out-Purchases Land as far as I'm concerned. Who needs it? I'll just get my fix for Old Hollywood at Universal instead of spending time and dollars at DHS (somewhere, a merch minion at the Disney Company screams in anguish. GOOD!)
Cesar R M
Well-Known Member
didnt they do that with Princess and the Frog vs Tangled and Frozen?
RadiatorSpringsRacer
Well-Known Member
SosoDude
Well-Known Member
I think you have come up with a great name for the park:
Disney's Spirit of Hollywood
Nemo14
Well-Known Member
I think it will depend on how well they design and implement the transition from each area to the next. And people can debate the semantics of how Disney has always used IP's in the parks but we are seeing a transition from IP based attractions to flat out IP based lands and that is where the similarity to Universal comes into play.
Having unique "lands" such as Adventure,Frontier Tomorrow, etc, that each contain IPs yet are based on a larger concept is a much more creative process that yields a far more emotional experience for the guest. Creating an entire "land" solely based off an IP simply requires copying and building a concept that has already been created. Disney used to create masterpieces, now they just trace (in WDW)
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Well, in the case of Star Wars Land they made a point in saying how the planet is completely new and never before seen. I'm sure Avatar won't be an exact copy and paste of any area in the movie either. Even Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley* aren't complete copies but I do get your overall point.
*The entire right side of Diagon Alley that's under the roof where the stage is was designed exclusively for the park.
I will give credit that they, (Dis and Uni) add their own elements which definitely make an enhancement. When speaking in terms of the overall finished product though, and this is just my opinion, but devoting each new major park addition to an entire IP based land is unnecessary and lazy, especially considering that they have, and seem to be continuing to turn existing rides into IP based rides.
They are loosing a balance between entertainment and edutainment. And for those who think Im pleading for the parks to be a museum of "what was once great", I assure you, you are incorrect. They had a great balance of heavy fantasy attractions with light splashes of fun educational attractions sprinkled throughout the parks. It was harmonious to walk around MGM and be whisked away to classical movie scenes from Public Enemy, Marry Poppins and Alien on TGMR and then visit The Monster Sound Show and get an inside look and learn about how special effects are created. The Backlot Tour once entertained us with unique movie set pieces and then C3-PO and R2-D2 taught us the importance of changing camera angles in a scene. There are countless other examples of how the park had such a rhythm and vibe to it. You bounced around the magic of movies and also learned how it all comes together, but it didnt feel educational or forced. That's how real synergy TRULY works, not just slapping a GoTG sticker on an existing creation. Now, most of the great experiences that had that balance and gave the park a life are gone and simply replaced with more and more fantasy. Th same seems to be slated for Epcot and even AK (with Avatar). Their new recipe for theme parks is fantasy mixed in with more fantasy.
I like sugar in my kool-aid, but that doesnt mean I make it the ONLY ingredient.
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lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The tracing is in the entire creative development. Setting is established. Aesthetic is established. Sound is established. Characters are established. Major story points are established. All of the rules of the theme are set and must be followed (ironic since so many who praise the franchise model say such rules should be ignored).
CanadianGordon
Well-Known Member
It continues to amaze me that Disney has such classic films like Mary Poppins, and Bambi, and Snow White, and many other wonderful live action movies and yet they continue to not have rides devoted to them. I'd be for a ride along with Classic Disney. Especially since many of the original performers are still with us and could provide voices. Why they never updated the great movie ride accordingly I will never know.
Hopefully this is a sign they are going to show us more. I love the idea of a Mickey ride, just wish it wasn't tearing out a ride that needed some TLC.
I know not all the classics were great, but that was part of the charm. I know it may not be a great film, but Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a classic with some great moments and wonderful songs... "bobbing along, on the bottom of the beautiful briney sea..."
Hopefully this is a sign they are going to show us more. I love the idea of a Mickey ride, just wish it wasn't tearing out a ride that needed some TLC.
I know not all the classics were great, but that was part of the charm. I know it may not be a great film, but Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a classic with some great moments and wonderful songs... "bobbing along, on the bottom of the beautiful briney sea..."
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Snow White HAS a ride. And before that, she had ANOTHER ride that was in the park for over nearly 40 years.
Mike S
Well-Known Member
Imo they should've kept both. Alice has two rides in DL. Why shouldn't Snow White in MK, the one that started it all?
DinoInstitute
Well-Known Member
Because those meet and greets are what the guests really want. You should know that by now!
Phil12
Well-Known Member
I couldn't disagree with you more. All the "lands" in the Disney parks were based solely upon IP's that were popular in 1955. Adventureland was solely based up the Disney series "True Life Adventures" and the movies "Treasure Island" and later "Swiss Family Robinson". Frontierland was based upon Davy Crockett and other frontier Disney series. Fantasyland is obvious. Tomorrowland was based upon the TV show:
And don't forget that the Disneyland TV show was nothing more than an advertisement to get people to come to the park! Walt was a great salesman!
RobidaFlats
Well-Known Member
I think you misunderstand the argument. Each of those lands is themed to a genre that contains all of those IPs and is not themed to a particular IP itself. Avatarland, for example, would be the equivalent of making Treasure Island-Land. If Avatarland was contained within Sci-Fi-Land or Alien-Land or something similar, that would be more congruous to the originals.
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
But what if an IP setting is broad enough to incorporate many kinds of settings? Star Wars, for instance, can do war stories, crime stories, mysticism, etc., in addition to the sci-fi elements most associate it with.