Disney plus Imagineering

[BrianLo]

Also a Disneyland without Americana is like a hamburger without a bun.

Yes, it still has the meat and the toppings, but without that bun it's not really a hamburger is it?

I’ll lodge my dissent. Disney Parks are not McDonalds franchises. It shouldn’t be a beachhead to shove Walt’s idealist American vision down the throats of Mainlanders or the French.

Disneyland is the only Disneyland. Disneyland needs Americana.

Tokyo, Shanghai, Paris... those aren’t Disneyland. They shouldn’t aim to be pale competitors.

I much prefer what they attempted to do for Shanghai, even if it’s not perfect. Is Tokyo Disneyland a better park? Sure. Does it feel like a strange shrine to things that don’t particularly belong to that culture? Yes.

Certainly Paris is very beautiful. But I’m on board with the French that it is an American cultural bomb, when it should have been its own thing.

The spice behind a Disneyland is Nostalgia and idealism. But it doesn’t have to be American.

 

[britain]

So according to the current President of WDI, the original Pirates of the Caribbean is boring for anyone with no nostalgia for it.

So the only thing keeping this attraction that has endured for decades in three different countries, in three different languages, going is...cultural osmosis? What about the children who were not alive in 1967 and didn't ride it for the first time until 1987, 1997 or 2007? Did they just fake their enjoyment to please their parents?

Or maybe anecdotal evidence from a handful of mainlanders with no knowledge of the Disney brand is not the best barometer for attraction quality?

CHILDREN do enjoy it. It’s the older visitors that either don’t have nostalgic experience of when THEY were children OR don’t have someone to excitedly vouch for it (like I did for my wife who had never been to a Disney park before) who might not “get” it.

PotC is a terrific classic that plays a fundamental part in any of the parks, but c’mon, it wouldn’t be much of a draw if it were touted as one of Shanghai’s 3 Big E’s if it were a clone of the DL original.

(Now, a clone of DLP’s on the other hand...)

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I much prefer what they attempted to do for Shanghai, even if it’s not perfect. Is Tokyo Disneyland a better park? Sure. Does it feel like a strange shrine to things that don’t particularly belong to that culture? Yes.

But the Japanese still love it, just like baseball and Coca Cola. They obviously don't mind.

There's more than one way to do Americana ,every park doesn't need Mr. Lincoln. just look at Grizzly Gulch in HKDL. It's clearly "American" in flavor and setting, even if it's not overtly patriotic.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

PotC is a terrific classic that plays a fundamental part in any of the parks, but c’mon, it wouldn’t be much of a draw if it were touted as one of Shanghai’s 3 Big E’s if it were a clone of the DL original.

(Now, a clone of DLP’s on the other hand...)

It's safe to assume that even a "traditional" PotC in Shanghai was never going to be a clone of the original like Tokyo, but more like Paris or the proposed version for HKDL.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Some more revisionist history:

The episode suggests the Imagineers had a choice between Marvel and Tron, but when the attraction line up was decided in 2010 it was before even the first Thor and Captain America movies had been released, let alone Avengers 1 and only 1 year after the Marvel acquisition. At that time, Marvel was never seriously considered for the parks. It was only AFTER Avengers (and Frozen) blew up that rushed, temporary attractions for those properties were added to Shanghai.

It was more like six months after the acquisition closed on December 31, 2009, so even less time. Iron Man 2 would have only been released about a month prior. As I said in the other thread, maybe Disney had the innovative idea to do a roller coaster based on Universal’s The Incredible Hulk.

 

[BrianLo]

But the Japanese still love it, just like baseball and Coca Cola. They obviously don't mind.

There's more than one way to do Americana ,every park doesn't need Mr. Lincoln. just look at Grizzly Gulch in HKDL. It's clearly "American" in flavor and setting, even if it's not overtly patriotic.

Yes they do. I think that's the problem the company ran into. Japanese love enshrining Americana. They faltered once they thought the same would work for Europe, or Paris or China.

The Americans are equally guilty. Magic Kingdom is not Disneyland either.

The best part about HKDL is actually when they leaned into their own, with Victorian-British Colonialism. Even if the American parts are great. An opportunity was still lost.

 

[BrianLo]

It's safe to assume that even a "traditional" PotC in Shanghai was never going to be a clone of the original like Tokyo, but more like Paris or the proposed version for HKDL.

Shanghai's Pirates is great though and mostly its own entity. Same as Mystic Manor. Why does everything have to just be an alter?

The threat comes when there is an ingrained belief that everything needs to be variations of the same. Shanghai isn't a threat to Disneyland and nor should it be. The company should embrace unique. Solidifying original pirates as just as important for its park as the new Pirates is for Shanghai. Each untouchable in their own ways.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Shanghai's Pirates is great though and mostly its own entity. Same as Mystic Manor. Why does everything have to just be an alter?

This is one thing they undoubtedly got right.

I'm not saying the ride they did build was bad, or the wrong choice, just that it was never going to be a like-for-like clone of the original.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Disneyland’s Americana has almost nothing to do with the appeal of TDR to the Japanese, it’s almost everything to do with IP and characters.

 

[Stevek]

I will proudly own that I am quite possibly the sole fan of Mission Breakout.

Well, I'm pretty sure there are Dozens of us, DOZENS. But I prefer not to associate myself with those people. You lot are more fun.


I liked the episode, even if it rings more info-mercially for people. This was the era I obviously followed the closet and pretty much the projects I tracked quite closely.

I'm a fan of Shanghai Disneyland - Pandora - Galaxy's Edge and yes evenly lowly Mission Breakout. Even if they all have variable faults, they really have been great things to watch develop, be built and ultimately for me to experience.

I love Mission Breakout. While we can question fit all day long, I firmly believe the actual ride is more enjoyable now...and I loved TOT.

 

[T.Will]

Disneyland’s Americana has almost nothing to do with the appeal of TDR to the Japanese, it’s almost everything to do with IP and characters.

You say that yet things like the Mark Twain and Country Bears made it over no issue. I think OLC wanted everything of Disneyland, including the Americana.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

You say that yet things like the Mark Twain and Country Bears made it over no issue. I think OLC wanted everything of Disneyland, including the Americana.

I didn't say the Americana presented any issue nor that the OLC didn't/doesn't want them, I said that the overwhelming attachment of Japanese people to TDR is their love for Disney IP and characters.

 

[T.Will]

I didn't say the Americana presented any issue nor that the OLC didn't/doesn't want them, I said that the overwhelming attachment of Japanese people to TDR is their love for Disney IP and characters.

Ah. I see.

 

[VJ]

I'll go as far as to say a Disneyland without Americana is a hamburger without the burger.

so.. a ham

 

[mickEblu]

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

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But, there's also this...

It'd be hard once they get caught up to current day. But word is there is another series in the works that focuses more on individual attractions.

I take it back the boyfriend/ girlfriend duo are not the worst. THIS GUY right here is the worst. What in the hell. How can anyone stand more than 3 seconds?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

What in the hell. How can anyone stand more than 3 seconds?

They're almost all insufferable.

Did anyone watch the latest "Nerd Crew" parody podcast that Red Letter Media did? They make fun of all these online brand shills by linking their unwavering support of literally anything Disney puts out to Chinese citizens trying to uphold their Social Credit.

 

[NateD1226]

They really skipped Pixar Pier because they knew they didn't have anything nice to say about and try to argue the hate. What a mess.

 

[mickEblu]

They're almost all insufferable.

Did anyone watch the latest "Nerd Crew" parody podcast that Red Letter Media did? They make fun of all these online brand shills by linking their unwavering support of literally anything Disney puts out to Chinese citizens trying to uphold their Social Credit.

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Yeah most of them are terrible. I think I’m in the minority around here but one of the only vlogs I watch are Fresh Baked. I enjoy his videos and he isn’t over the top. I like the banter between him and Ian. Bonus points for speaking in a human voice.


Haha no I didn’t even know these guys existed until your last post.

 

[mickEblu]

I can’t recall all of the episodes but did Chapek get one interview?

 

[T.Will]

I can’t recall all of the episodes but did Chapek get one interview?

He was only there for about seven seconds and said nothing. Truly a visionary leader for the parks.