Disney Pixar Studios...

[sknydave]

Does Disney breaking the ties with MGM mean the Great Movie Ride will close?

 

[Hakunamatata]

First of all, those were in response to somebody else not you. Second of all I notice that you are extremly quick to attempt to counter anything negative said about the Walt Disney Company. Are you on their payroll perhaps or do you just love disney so blindly you will accept any mediocre garbage they throw your way?

Oh look at you. You figured me out. Im paid millions each year to make sure that I shoot down any negative post about Disney. Cant get anything by you.....darn.

All I can hope is that the Walt Disney Company will look at what the majority of folks are saying and not the one or two people who continue to say "Nope nothing wrong with Disney everything they do is SUPER!"

I think the WDC is looking at what the majority of folks are saying. Those folks that are buying DVC about as fast as they can build it. Those folks that flocking to the extra ticket events at the "decrepid" Magic Kingdom. The many folks that I work with, go to church with, and socialize with that have all come back from WDW stating its one of the best vacations they have been to and cant wait to go back. So, yes, I do hope the Disney Company listens to all those people. Further, you are assuming that because I disagree with you, that I am blind to some of the issues that Disney needs to address. I have had my share of critical comments for Disney for a number of issues.

 

[Enigma]

Does Disney breaking the ties with MGM mean the Great Movie Ride will close?

Not necessarily. Alot of the films used in the Great Movie ride aren't even MGM...Alien is Fox, Indiana Jones is Lucasfilm, and who knows what Tarzan is. The only MGM movie in the ride that is of any great significance is Wizard of Oz. I think the movies used in GMR are each on a seperate contract with Disney.

At the very least though, once the park becomes Disney-Pixar Studios you can expect some changes on the ride to focus it more on Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Henson, and Touchstone pictures.

However, it could be even more significant than that and involve tearing all of the scenes out and replacing them with stuff like Narnia, Pirates, Nightmare before christmas, etc. or even replacing the ride entirely with a new attraction.

Its pretty up in the air and is something ive been wondering too.

 

[JCorduroy]

Do you get that at Dino-RAMA? or the broken down beat up attractions at the MK? Haunted Mansion is finally getting a rehab after it has been totally run into the ground for years! Fantasyland at WDW is totally stuck in the 70s...you will never look at WDW's fantasyland again after you have seen californias, japans, or paris's and im not talking about the rides that are absent from floridas..im even talking about rides like peter pan and snow white which have been upgraded with new theming and technology while the florida versions just stay the same with fourty year old effects and technology. All of the new additions to the park in the past five years have been subpar with the exception of two (Soarin,everest). Despite what the 5 people here think Mission:Space is not this great ride that the general public or even most disney fans love in the same way as Splash Mountain or Indiana Jones. Monsters inc. and Stitch are both terrible.

You seem to have the same argument for each point someone makes, so I don't know why I'm going to carry on with this - but what the heck.

Do I get that at Dino-Rama? Actually, in a way I do. No, it's not my favorite land, but the theming for what the area is intended to be is spot on. It's a carnival - you can't argue with that. As for your other points here - I disagree with you on there only being two E ticket attractions of quality being added. There's quite a few people who say all four you mention (M:S, TT, Soarin', EE) are fantastic - and I'd be one of them. I enjoy each of those rides and think they're all worth the time. As for the rest of the rides on property - there are certainly some that need extensive TLC, the Haunted Mansion, as you mentioned, is a fair example of this. However, there's so many rides that I appreciate for what they are simply because they retain the charm they were originally designed with (Peter Pan, for example). Sure, they could use some polish and paint, but overall the rides themselves are still a blast, and I go about 25 - 35 times a year.

Ambiance? at the delux resorts maybe. There is no ambiance at a place like all-star. Although you disagree, the food at the MK has got to be the most generic overpriced food ever.

I'd say that each level of resort has ambiance. The All-Star and Pop Century resorts, while yes they are cheap, still portray Disney magic and spirit. I get excited each time I go to those resorts. I will not argue that the Moderate and Deluxe resorts have more ambiance, but as another poster pointed out, most staying at the All-Star or Pop Century resorts either cannot afford or do not desire the extra ambiance. Honestly, my three favorite locations on property are the fountain at the Port Orleans French Quarter, the Great Ceremonial Hall at the Polynesian, and the Surf's Up buildings at the All-Star Sports, all for different reasons. The POFQ for my fifth anniversary with my wife, the Poly for the fact that I just lose myself in the presentation, and the All-Star for my love of surfing and the fact that it was my first resort I could afford to stay at on my own for my wife and I.

As for your food comment - I don't think it's all that bad, personally. Maybe I'm just numb to horrible fast food living in Orlando, but I think anything on Disney property is worth the couple extra bucks just for the fact that it tastes better than anything within a reasonable driving distance at comperable prices.

 

[culturenthrills]

You might have valid points, except for the fact that WDW is GAINING market share, not losing it.

And if you're going to talk about sitting stagnant, take a look at Universal. They do MUCH less than Disney on a year to year basis. Two new rides and a retheme on two others does not make them competition to WDW. Blue Man Group won't draw people in. It might be a popular show, but people won't go to Universal just because of it. How many new attractions has Universal ever added to their parks that wasn't a replacement of another attraction?

Yes, they have gained market share through DME, DVC and Magic Your Way ticket plans and giving away the dining plan for free during slow periods. But the bump from those things is not going to last forever. Attractions are what drive attendance. All you have to look at is DAK's significant bump from the opening of Everest.

 

[sknydave]

Not necessarily. Alot of the films used in the Great Movie ride aren't even MGM...Alien is Fox, Indiana Jones is Lucasfilm, and who knows what Tarzan is. The only MGM movie in the ride that is of any great significance is Wizard of Oz. I think the movies used in GMR are each on a seperate contract with Disney.

At the very least though, once the park becomes Disney-Pixar Studios you can expect some changes on the ride to focus it more on Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, Henson, and Touchstone pictures.

However, it could be even more significant than that and involve tearing all of the scenes out and replacing them with stuff like Narnia, Pirates, Nightmare before christmas, etc. or even replacing the ride entirely with a new attraction.

Its pretty up in the air and is something ive been wondering too.

Yeah, now that I think about it, the ride has movies produced by different studios. It sure would be nice to see some new scenes!

 

[Enigma]

I'd say that each level of resort has ambiance. The All-Star and Pop Century resorts, while yes they are cheap, still portray Disney magic and spirit. I get excited each time I go to those resorts. I will not argue that the Moderate and Deluxe resorts have more ambiance, but as another poster pointed out, most staying at the All-Star or Pop Century resorts either cannot afford or do not desire the extra ambiance. Honestly, my three favorite locations on property are the fountain at the Port Orleans French Quarter, the Great Ceremonial Hall at the Polynesian, and the Surf's Up buildings at the All-Star Sports, all for different reasons.

What do you think of Universal's hotels like Portofino and Royal Pacific..would you say they are better/worse/on par theming wise with Disney's moderate resorts?

 

[JCorduroy]

What do you think of Universal's hotels like Portofino and Royal Pacific..would you say they are better/worse/on par theming wise with Disney's moderate resorts?

I can't really say as I haven't spent any real time in either, unfortunately. However, from what I've seen I like - moreso the Royal Pacific than the Portofino (it's more my style - more south pacific/polynesian). I do think they compare well to the Moderate (and in some cases, the deluxe) resorts at Disney, but I'd want to make a full judgement from staying there to speak to the quality of the rooms and service provided by the resort employees.

 

[Fun2BFree]

Ambiance? at the delux resorts maybe. There is no ambiance at a place like all-star.

I disagree. Though not as fancy as the deluxe resorts, the All-Stars have their own charm and ambiance that separates it from non-Disney hotels. I still feel like I'm at Disney whenever I walk through the over-sized objects, hear excited families off on another day of fun, and it has its quiet areas too, like the small park in ASMu in the Broadway section. Disney make your budget holiday special.

 

[wickedfan07]

Do you get that at Dino-RAMA? or the broken down beat up attractions at the MK? Haunted Mansion is finally getting a rehab after it has been totally run into the ground for years! Fantasyland at WDW is totally stuck in the 70s...you will never look at WDW's fantasyland again after you have seen californias, japans, or paris's and im not talking about the rides that are absent from floridas..im even talking about rides like peter pan and snow white which have been upgraded with new theming and technology while the florida versions just stay the same with fourty year old effects and technology. All of the new additions to the park in the past five years have been subpar with the exception of two (Soarin,everest). Despite what the 5 people here think Mission:Space is not this great ride that the general public or even most disney fans love in the same way as Splash Mountain or Indiana Jones. Monsters inc. and Stitch are both terrible.

Ambiance? at the delux resorts maybe. There is no ambiance at a place like all-star. Although you disagree, the food at the MK has got to be the most generic overpriced food ever.

Not every attraction has to be Splash Mountain, and not every resort has to be the Contemporary. Not every attraction CAN be Splash Mountain. Stitch and Laugh Floor are probably not as good as Splash (I've never experienced any of them), but they also have their place. In Tomorrowland, Space Mountain s the big kahuna, so to speak. Then, Stitch, Laugh Floor, Carousel pf Progress surround it and support it. Because of this, everyone is able to enjoy something about Tomorrowland. Not everyone wants to or can ride Space Mountain. If everything was some kind of thrilling new E-ticket two things would happen: (1) somebody would be left out (the opposite of Walt's goal), and (2) there wouldn't be as many attractions (aka. things to fill up a day with), because millions would be spent on fewer huge attractions. Your generic amusement park isn't all roller coaster, why must a Disney park be all major attractions. People of all ages will still enjoy the Carousel, even though its not an E-ticket.

And I will agree with several other posters: the All-Stars DO have their own charm. I had a great time there on my marching band trip last year - though it is the least expensive Disney option, its still miles ahead of the Holiday Inn. Only in Disney will you find a drum set several stories high. The ambience is fun and festive. Just because you're not immersed in a simulated exotic locale doesn't mean its tacky or below grade.

 

[kennyj29]

Sorry, I know in my heart when HP firsts open, it will have crowds, still not on the level of Disney, but it will only last a few years. You can't even compare Universal with Disney. It's still an amusement park (better themed then most but still an amusement park) Disney is an experience. My husband, who is a moody person turns into a child when he goes there. He never wants to go to Universal. We went right after 9/11 to Universal for a day. There was NOBODY in the park there and I mean nobody!!!! We were at Disney and even though the crowd was light, there WAS a crowd.

 

[lilmizpixie3]

As much as that would make sense to rename the studio that at this time, I believe this should keep it just MGM that way everyone can still identify with it.