Disney plus Imagineering

[DrAlice]

Why do Disney vloggers have to dress like ten year olds and talk like cartoon characters?

Because Disney is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BrianLo]

They saw it because it was Pixar, an IP unto itself.

I think that's the argument. Disney Parks is an IP all to itself. A separate art form, not just a one direction funnel from the studios.

Walt envisioned it as a two way street.

 

[TROR]

They saw it because it was Pixar, an IP unto itself.

Disneyland used to be an IP.

 

[SuddenStorm]

#poultrypalace to be more specific. Thankfully though, they don't all appear to be Pixar Pier related.

View attachment 431879

But, there's also this...

Seeing social media's impact on theme park design is fascinating. What's an incredibly cheap and tacky chicken stand has literally thousands of followers... despite being less themed then the Totally Kickin' Chicken over at Six Flags...

Honestly, I feel like this stuff cheapens Disneyland in the eyes of the average consumer. Instead of Walt Disney on TV showing the latest advances in animatronic technology and what's coming to Disneyland in a weekly TV show, we have blog posts and people posing in front of painted plywood. What's worse? This behavior encourages this level of quality from WDI. Yikes.

I'd love for Disneyland to shift back to more tasteful marketing... and I think the Imagineering Story is a huge step in the right direction. It's really amazing that millions of households around the world now have a really top notch summary of the history and philosophy of Disney Parks.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I think that's the argument. Disney Parks is an IP all to itself. A separate art form, not just a one direction funnel from the studios.

Walt envisioned it as a two way street.

My point is that for many though, the theme park is not the draw. It's the connection to the characters and the movies. They choose to go to Disneyland over Knott's because Disneyland has the characters they enjoy. In the example I used earlier they chose to go on basic spinner ride solely because they liked Inside Out. That whole side of the park has multiple spinners. They chose purely on the characters they wanted to see.

Look at the wait times of Frozen vs Malestrom in Epcot. Do you really think that even a redone Malestrom that is thematically appropriate for the pavilion would pull anywhere close to the numbers Frozen does? Not even close.

I would prefer more of a balance myself, but I understand why Disney does this. The same issue plagues the film industry. Everyone complains about there being too many sequels and IP based movies. Then you look at the box office and guess what are the most popular movies?

 

[Travel Junkie]

Disneyland used to be an IP.

It is. However, it does not pull in nearly 20 million people a year at the prices they command solely because Disneyland is Disneyland.

 

[Phroobar]

It is. However, it does not pull in nearly 20 million people a year at the prices they command solely because Disneyland is Disneyland.

I don't think that is true. Disneyland is a huge tourist trap. People come to southern California just for Disneyland regardless of price.

 

[flynnibus]

My point is that for many though, the theme park is not the draw

No

Disney as a master of the form of entertainment is the draw and why it's been generational. And why Disneyland was the disruptor... not because it had a fantasyland with Disney's cartoon characters.

 

[Travel Junkie]

No

Disney as a master of the form of entertainment is the draw and why it's been generational. And why Disneyland was the disruptor... not because it had a fantasyland with Disney's cartoon characters.

Not for everyone. I know for a fact (as I know several personally) who choose Disneyland over other places because it has Star Wars, Frozen etc. No other reason.

 

[flynnibus]

Not for everyone. I know for a fact (as I know several personally) who choose Disneyland over other places because it has Star Wars, Frozen etc. No other reason.

So does Disney on Ice... but you goto WDW instead...

And if you took a six flags coaster and just put frozen images on it.. it would not be the same as Disney.

 

[PiratesMansion]

So does Disney on Ice... but you goto WDW instead...

And if you took a six flags coaster and just put frozen images on it.. it would not be the same as Disney.

As much as I agree with your overall points in this thread, that's basically what they just did with Incredicoaster.

 

[flynnibus]

As much as I agree with your overall points in this thread, that's basically what they just did with Incredicoaster.

True, but incredicoaster does not live in isolation... nor should any one poor choice be used to characterize the nearly 70 years of Disney parks

 

[Travel Junkie]

True, but incredicoaster does not live in isolation... nor should any one poor choice be used to characterize the nearly 70 years of Disney parks

That's hardly the only off the shelf ride that Disney re-skins with characters. In fact there are very few that can't be found elsewhere.

There are a few things that separate Disney parks from others. Beloved IP is one of them. I'm not sure why that is so hard to admit.

 

[flynnibus]

Beloved IP is one of them. I'm not sure why that is so hard to admit.

Because believing its the only reason the parks exist ignores history and the things that actually differentiate the product. Being PART of it does not make it the 'the thing', most critical, or the differentiator.

It's called seeing something and misapplying it's meaning/purpose.

 

[Mac Tonight]

At this point in the company, everything is an IP. Even Walt himself.

 

[DanielBB8]

If Disneyland by itself is the draw, it would continue to have 6 million in annual attendance (double Southern California locals parks like Knotts and Six Flags). The IP stokes attendance much higher. It certainly works for Universal.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Eisner I would say had much higher high points during his good years than Iger.

This.

I mean, just compare the rides featured in episode 3 vs 5.

 

[Mac Tonight]

This.

I mean, just compare the rides featured in episode 3 vs 5.

For better or worse, I think Iger's legacy will be tacked onto ROTR and FoP and less on things like M:BO and Pixar Pier.

 

[lazyboy97o]

My point is that for many though, the theme park is not the draw. It's the connection to the characters and the movies. They choose to go to Disneyland over Knott's because Disneyland has the characters they enjoy. In the example I used earlier they chose to go on basic spinner ride solely because they liked Inside Out. That whole side of the park has multiple spinners. They chose purely on the characters they wanted to see.

Look at the wait times of Frozen vs Malestrom in Epcot. Do you really think that even a redone Malestrom that is thematically appropriate for the pavilion would pull anywhere close to the numbers Frozen does? Not even close.

I would prefer more of a balance myself, but I understand why Disney does this. The same issue plagues the film industry. Everyone complains about there being too many sequels and IP based movies. Then you look at the box office and guess what are the most popular movies?

That Disney should focus its theme parks on people who don’t like theme parks is just a dumb idea. It’s like saying the animation studio should focus on making movies for people who aren’t interested in movies. It’s not a good business decision.

 

[lazyboy97o]

For better or worse, I think Iger's legacy will be tacked onto ROTR and FoP and less on things like M:BO and Pixar Pier.

It seems Iger has no qualms about taking credit for projects done before his tenure.