Disney to announce overhaul of DL Tomorrowland at D23?

[shambolicdefending]

My man David on Fresh Baked (whom I will defend as a level-headed, good-natured soul in whom there is no guile; He sometimes speculates silly things, but he's the first to tell you he could be wrong) is reporting that he's spoken to insiders that claim the Peoplemover could have been back a long time ago if Disney had committed to a long-term solution to the Carousel Theater / Launch Bay problem. The company was not willing to restore the Peoplemover track if they were "just one sci-fi hit movie away" from replacing the carousel building with a completely new structure based on a new hit IP.

As we know with Disney's non-Star Wars and non-Marvel films, that sci-fi hit just never seems to arrive. The recent rumor that the carousel building will simply be razed and replaced with nothing more than seating makes sense with this Peoplemover rumor, in my opinion.

After about strike six on the SciFi movie attempts they should've realized they had it backwards. Take the PotC route and build a popular ride first, then make a movie based on it.

 

[Stevek]

Well Tony Baxter seemed to think they would apply here and I tend to believe him on such things.

It's also not like Disney spent a small fortune building new emergency exit ramps from the Starcade that cut across where the PeopleMover track used to be to meet exit requirements for the Space Mountain queue for no good reason.

Exactly. You'd think one of the key imagineers would be in the know about such things.

 

[Phroobar]

My man David on Fresh Baked (whom I will defend as a level-headed, good-natured soul in whom there is no guile; He sometimes speculates silly things, but he's the first to tell you he could be wrong) is reporting that he's spoken to insiders that claim the Peoplemover could have been back a long time ago if Disney had committed to a long-term solution to the Carousel Theater / Launch Bay problem. The company was not willing to restore the Peoplemover track if they were "just one sci-fi hit movie away" from replacing the carousel building with a completely new structure based on a new hit IP.

As we know with Disney's non-Star Wars and non-Marvel films, that sci-fi hit just never seems to arrive. The recent rumor that the carousel building will simply be razed and replaced with nothing more than seating makes sense with this Peoplemover rumor, in my opinion.

I take it they have no faith in Strange World. I don't either. It looks worst than Lightyear.

 

[D.Silentu]

I saw a trailer for that in front of Thor and the "mood piece" that they were going for in the preview was a mistake. When it came up in conversation later no one could decide whether the movie was supposed to be on another planet or if it was a Journey To The Center Of The Earth type story.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Well Tony Baxter seemed to think they would apply here and I tend to believe him on such things.

It's also not like Disney spent a small fortune building new emergency exit ramps from the Starcade that cut across where the PeopleMover track used to be to meet exit requirements for the Space Mountain queue for no good reason.

Exactly. You'd think one of the key imagineers would be in the know about such things.

Walt Disney Imagineering avoids being responsible for code compliance and hires others to take on that responsibility. There’s no point to there even being a California Existing Building Code if all buildings had to follow the current codes. These codes and regulations are also available to the public.

 

[el_super]

Walt Disney Imagineering avoids being responsible for code compliance and hires others to take on that responsibility.

Yeah but that is, in part, why Tony's statements seem legit here. I don't have any doubt that Tony is mostly ignorant of building codes and compliance, but certainly at some point he looked into how much it would cost to bring it back and was told ... It wouldn't work.

Thinking this would have been around the time that Tony was working to bring back the Subs, Castle Walkthru and Mr. Lincoln. About the same time that Lasseter was ready to spend a fortune to bring the Flying Saucers back. Does t seem like money was an issue at the time... Except to bring back the PeopleMover.

There’s no point to there even being a California Existing Building Code if all buildings had to follow the current codes. These codes and regulations are also available to the public.

It doesn't have to be a building code. DOSH requirements could also be at play. DOSH wasn't really a thing when the Rocket Rods opened, but they have the ability to approve or deny any attraction being opened based on their standards. Clearly there was precedent set that attractions were in scope for DOSH requirements, not being grandfathered, when they took the time to rebuild the leaves for Alice.

But even if we take it a step further and say that they were absolutely grandfathered from all regulations and building codes, company policy might just forbid it anyway. No one would want to stand in front of the news cameras after and accident and try to explain that the company had no legal responsibility to add safety measures and decided to open the ride anyway.

 

[Parteecia]

They need to bring back the AT&T speaker phone booths.

 

[Consumer]

So the Matterhorn closes indefinitely on August 8th.

Rumors have been swirling that the Matterhorn needs to be rebuilt.

A week or so ago Scott shares the post about work going In the Motorboat cruise area.

D23 is in 6 weeks.

The Matterhorn typically does not go down for refurb this time of year (at least not that I can remember).

Should we be worried about the Matterhorn? I only ride it maybe 3-5 times a year but I’ll be getting a ride in on my next trip.

Possibly my hottest Disneyland take is that I would be ok with the Matterhorn being razed, permitted that a new, better Matterhorn be built in its place. Although an iconic attraction, the Matterhorn is old and upgrading it to have a smoother ride, a hidden queue, more advanced rockwork, animals, and an Alpine village surrounding it would be welcome. Of course, I acknowledge Disney is either incapable or unwilling to do any of that, but I am not inherently opposed to the idea of rebuilding, improving, and expanding the Matterhorn at the cost of tearing down the rotting mountain. Theme park design has come a long way since 1959, and it would great to see some of those techniques be integrated into a ride as iconic but antiquated as the Matterhorn.

 

[mickEblu]

Possibly my hottest Disneyland take is that I would be ok with the Matterhorn being razed, permitted that a new, better Matterhorn be built in its place. Although an iconic attraction, the Matterhorn is old and upgrading it to have a smoother ride, a hidden queue, more advanced rockwork, animals, and an Alpine village surrounding it would be welcome. Of course, I acknowledge Disney is either incapable or unwilling to do any of that, but I am not inherently opposed to the idea of rebuilding, improving, and expanding the Matterhorn at the cost of tearing down the rotting mountain. Theme park design has come a long way since 1959, and it would great to see some of those techniques be integrated into a ride as iconic but antiquated as the Matterhorn.

I see where you re coming from but I guess I am inherently against it as I’m about 1,000% sure the end product would be less charming and worse for the park. Maybe not in and of itself but for the park and specifically that part of the park. Even if we could trust modern Disney with the task from what I understand the Matterhorn would have to be at least twice the size it is now? That would really shake things up on that side of the park which I guess they re probably planning on doing anyway. Matterhorn rebuild or not.

 

[PiratesMansion]

The only thing I want them to do with the Matterhorn is do whatever they need to do to keep it running as is.

They're more than welcome to replace the bobsleds with more comfortable vehicles, and of course they should continue to maintain it. But otherwise I don't want them to touch it.

I don't care that it's a bit rough, I love it. It's not Disneyland without the Matterhorn.

 

[shambolicdefending]

Eventually they'll have to redo the whole thing from the botton up or tear it down for good and replace it.

It's already probably pushing the limits of operational feasibility in 2022. Imagine another 20-30 years...

 

[Phroobar]

Eventually they'll have to redo the whole thing from the botton up or tear it down for good and replace it.

It's already probably pushing the limits of operational feasibility in 2022. Imagine another 20-30 years...

Why? The Matterhorn is not the oldest operation roller coaster in the world. There are plenty running daily since 1920. I don't know where people get this limits of operational feasibility thing.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Why? The Matterhorn is not the oldest operation roller coaster in the world. There are plenty running daily since 1920. I don't know where people get this limits of operational feasibility thing.

It’s also the Coaster of Theseus at this point.

 

[SSG]

It’s also the Coaster of Theseus at this point.

Like Trigger's Broom. Street sweeper Trigger is rewarded by his local council for using the same broom for 20 years. He accepts, saying “This old broom has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time.”

 

[Phroobar]

Like Trigger's Broom. Street sweeper Trigger is rewarded by his local council for using the same broom for 20 years. He accepts, saying “This old broom has had 17 new heads and 14 new handles in its time.”

Technically there isn't one original part of your body anymore either but it is still you.

 

[shambolicdefending]

I don't know where people get this limits of operational feasibility thing.

I mean... have you ridden the thing in the last 10 years? To say nothing of the well-documented structural problems with the mountain, itself.

 

[Phroobar]

I mean... have you ridden the thing in the last 10 years? To say nothing of the well-documented structural problems with the mountain, itself.

Yes actually I have many times. I've also ridden coasters that are far older across the country. If the structure wasn't passing inspection it wouldn't be open. Where are these well-documented structural problems? Are they real engineering case studies or just testimony from fat Kyle from Reseda?

 

[el_super]

Yes actually I have many times. I've also ridden coasters that are far older across the country. If the structure wasn't passing inspection it wouldn't be open. Where are these well-documented structural problems?

Chunk of plaster breaks off Matterhorn Bobsleds, forcing partial closure of Disneyland roller coaster

Disneyland officials said the rockwork broke loose early Thursday morning while the Anaheim theme park was closed.

www.ocregister.com

Seems kind of silly to suggest there isn't an issue when we keep discussing and seeing multi-month long closures every year. Maybe that's the secret to being a really old coaster: only be open three months a year.

 

[shambolicdefending]

Yes actually I have many times. I've also ridden coasters that are far older across the country. If the structure wasn't passing inspection it wouldn't be open. Where are these well-documented structural problems? Are they real engineering case studies or just testimony from fat Kyle from Reseda?

Nobody's saying it won't pass inspection. That's not the issue. Nor is comparing it to "coasters that are far older across the country."

The fact is it's not a comfortable ride. It's extremely rough and tumble by Disney standards. It's already gone through multiple long refurbishments in the last decade or two (far more than other comparable rides) to keep it usable now, and I think the odds are pretty good that it will take even more work in the future - up to and including a total rebuild.

 

[Phroobar]

Nobody's saying it won't pass inspection. That's not the issue. Nor is comparing it to "coasters that are far older across the country."

The fact is it's not a comfortable ride. It's extremely rough and tumble by Disney standards. It's already gone through multiple long refurbishments in the last decade or two (far more than other comparable rides) to keep it usable now, and I think the odds are pretty good that it will take even more work in the future - up to and including a total rebuild.

You were saying well-documented structural problems. That has nothing to do with the feel of the ride. Is the ride going jump the tracks and fly off into Alice's Under Land below? I don't think it is rough and tumble by "Disney standards" whatever that is. Goofy's sky school throws you pretty hard during it's turns and its stops will make you throw up. I think the problem you are referring to is the ride isn't comfortable for people of size. It was designed for people of a 1960s body frame and not the ECV riders of today. If someone has trouble fitting in the vehicle, they probably shouldn't do it.

There is no reason to remove or rebuild the ride unless we all look like the people in Wall*E.