Disney's Hollywood Studios: What's Next

[djlaosc]

Well, wouldn't they be able to at least sell the albums in the singers' original contract that was the prize for winning American Idol?

Yeah, that's what I was thinking they would have - I thought that they would at least have all of the winners' first album as a minimum, and then any others they released until they were dropped. Then you have the non-winners that they signed as well - I couldn't understand why they didn't have them. I think that there is a small stall around the American Idol area, and the albums that were available were in two rows under the cashier's desk - they weren't displayed well at all!

 

[Beholder]

Speaking of music, it's Disney's Hollywood Studios, so let them sell movie scores and soundtracks. That would be great. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates, the list goes on and on. A store just for that wouldn't have to take up much space either.

 

[djlaosc]

Speaking of music, it's Disney's Hollywood Studios, so let them sell movie scores and soundtracks. That would be great. Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Pirates, the list goes on and on. A store just for that wouldn't have to take up much space either.

That's a great idea - that's why whenever I've thought about the problem that DHS has with "land" names - one of the names that I would keep is "Echo Lake", but have it stop before you get to Indiana Jones/Star Tours (have that as Lucas Land or whatever). Have it as the lake, and the American Idol/'the area formerly known as Sounds Dangerous' building area.

When I was thinking about moving attractions around, I was thinking that you could have put Stitch's Great Escape in the Sounds Dangerous building (it deals with sound in the dark, and gets it out of Tomorrowland, but could you turn the Sounds Dangerous building into an old-fashioned music store?

Have music props displayed/for sale, have CDs available...

• Movie Scores/Soundtracks
• TV Scores/Soundtracks (ABC Studios)
• American Idol CDs
• Disney Records/Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers/High School Musical CDs
• Disney Parks Music CDs

Something for everyone, something that fits the theme, some attraction specific merchandise, and something that will help fill the void of Virgin Megastores leaving DTD!

 

[Beholder]

I loved the Virgin Megastore! Just the scale and variety alone kept me occupied for long periods of time.

There are definitely voids in the merchandise and marketing efforts they currently employ. I guess it takes less effort, less money, and less of a logistical problem when everything is the same at every shop. And that's just complacent and borderline lazy. I can understand that concept in a chain of gas stations, but not at a place that built it's reputation on unique, amazingly detailed and themed attractions.

 

[RSoxNo1]

The lands in DHS are a major issue when looking at the identity and future direction of that park. While ideas like Hollywood of the 30s-50s are executed very well in parts, a jagged line can be drawn between that "Hollywood that Never Was" concept and the "Collection of stuff we don't know what to do with".

I could spell out a list of solutions that have been mentioned hundreds of time before, but at this point the park needs a total overhaul that really it's biggest need is to have the "Collection of stuff we don't know what to do with" areas be stripped to their very core and rebuilt.

 

[imagineer boy]

4. Great Movie Ride: plus this so that all scenes are from Disney films. There are enough of them, and it would be a lot of fun in my opinion to go through scenes from Pete's Dragon, Witch Mountain, Parent Trap, National Treasure, etc. as well as old cartoon shorts and other Disney TV/movie properties that are kind of forgotten. Some of these things will never ever get a ride of their own but maybe Great Movie Ride could be a chance to give them all a chance to shine...and for guests to rediscover them. Disney did a lot of great family entertainment in the 70s and 60s that two or three generations have never been exposed to now!

I'm really gonna have to disagree with that one. Having the ride go through some of the greatest movies of all time makes it feel more epic. Going through old Disney movies people barely remember is self indulgent and kinda lame IMO.

 

[Beholder]

The lands in DHS are a major issue when looking at the identity and future direction of that park. While ideas like Hollywood of the 30s-50s are executed very well in parts, a jagged line can be drawn between that "Hollywood that Never Was" concept and the "Collection of stuff
we don't know what to do with".

This is exactly the main issue I have with DHS! Nothing goes together, no seamless transition between areas. It's just a "ok, hmmm, let's put this...over there! Yeah, it'll fit." A total or at least partial redesign is in order to clean up the mess.

And no hat.







I could spell out a list of solutions that have been mentioned hundreds of time before, but at this point the park needs a total overhaul that really it's biggest need is to have the "Collection of stuff we don't know what to do with" areas be stripped to their very core and rebuilt.

 

[Turtle]

Here are ten things I want to see happen at DHS:


6. Carsland. Build a larger version of what was built at DCA, but this time include a Cars-themed update of Autopia/Speedway that would feature Cars characters that kids can drive. This would allow the removal of the Speedway from Tomorrowland. If guests want their small children to be able to "drive" a car, they can now go to Carsland and go car-crazy.

7. Pixar Land (adjacent to Carsland): Rides based on other Pixar films. Monster's Inc. Door Coaster. Ratatouille Dark Ride and Restaurant. Bug's Life kids play area. Toy Story coaster that's similar in intensity to the upcoming Seven Dwarves Mine Coaster. Dark Ride themed to UP that is like Peter Pan's flight (where you are suspended from the ceiling in what feels like a balloon and are floating through scenes from the movie). NOTE: Brave would not be here, as it should be reserved for Fantasyland at Magic Kingdom. Nemo should be reserved for a dark ride at Animal Kingdom in an Australia area (where Nemo would serve as the Great Barrier Reef attraction in that land of AK in the future).

We can't have a Carsland and another Pixar land.

We already have a Toy Story Midway Mania so why would we have a roller coaster?
There is already a Nemo ride in Epcot.....

 

[djlaosc]

The lands in DHS are a major issue when looking at the identity and future direction of that park. While ideas like Hollywood of the 30s-50s are executed very well in parts, a jagged line can be drawn between that "Hollywood that Never Was" concept and the "Collection of stuff we don't know what to do with".

I could spell out a list of solutions that have been mentioned hundreds of time before, but at this point the park needs a total overhaul that really it's biggest need is to have the "Collection of stuff we don't know what to do with" areas be stripped to their very core and rebuilt.

You're right - the park at the moment has two distinct themes, and, with the current layout of the park, it's difficult to see what they could do...

The simplest way for it to happen is...

• Hollywood Boulevard
• Sunset Boulevard
• Echo Lake
• Lucas Studios
• Muppet Studios
• Pixar Studios
• Walt Disney Studios (Animation Courtyard/Mickey Avenue)
• Backlot (Commissary Lane/Streets of America)
• Marvel Studios (if/when Disney got the rights back - I know that this may/will probably never happen, but I imagine that most people would agree that DHS is where they would go).

The problem is that each land would only end up with 1 or 2 attractions (mind you, that's the case now)

• Hollywood Boulevard (1)
• Sunset Boulevard (4)
• Echo Lake (1)
• Lucas Studios (2/3 depending if you include Jedi Academy)
• Muppet Studios (1)
• Pixar Studios (2 - including Bug's Life Playground)
• Walt Disney Studios (5)
• Backlot (2)

But honestly, if only the world was like Rollercoaster Tycoon and you could relocate everything with a click of a mouse and you could change the layout of the actual park, it could possibly be better... The problem is, they have some good attractions, but the layout of the park is wrong, and I don't know how you could correct that without a DCA kind of makeover!

 

[J03Y]

Fantasmic is in dire need of updating. DL has been updated thru the years and DHS's has become more and more of a joke. Just give it some TLC.

of course...i just don't want it to go away forever

 

[RSoxNo1]

But honestly, if only the world was like Rollercoaster Tycoon and you could relocate everything with a click of a mouse and you could change the layout of the actual park, it could possibly be better... The problem is, they have some good attractions, but the layout of the park is wrong, and I don't know how you could correct that without a DCA kind of makeover!

Even the parts that have a solid theme have some issues. Something like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster doesn't belong on Sunset Boulevard, but could the Animation Courtyard be re-worked to something entirely different where a modern recording studio would logically fit into the theme? If so, the entrance to RnR could be re-worked.

Grouping the rest of the park into the ideal version of different Studios is certainly an approach that would be represented in the dedication plaque, "A Hollywood that never was, and always will be."

 

[djlaosc]

Even the parts that have a solid theme have some issues. Something like Rock 'n' Roller Coaster doesn't belong on Sunset Boulevard, but could the Animation Courtyard be re-worked to something entirely different where a modern recording studio would logically fit into the theme? If so, the entrance to RnR could be re-worked.

Grouping the rest of the park into the ideal version of different Studios is certainly an approach that would be represented in the dedication plaque, "A Hollywood that never was, and always will be."

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster would fit in with the Echo Lake that I was talking about earlier - American Idol, a big music/CD shop, but it has been placed at the other side of the park (I guess that's where they had space). I think there's space behind RnRC - if they had put AIE there, then it could have been a new land, but they repurposed an older building!

 

[Jedeye80]

I love DHS, it's always the first park I visit but it's obvious it needs something new, move the hat, dont get rid of it though cos I actually like it, then upgrade the GMR and have the theatre as the icon of the park. Use the George Lucas connections to full potential, star wars is over 30 years old but is still as popular as ever, can't think of any other franchise that has endured that long yet it only has 1 ride and a cool shop. Same goes for indiana, update the stunt show and build a ride suitable, create somewhere for all the Lucas properties, I'd even be happy with a American graffiti diner.
Use TOT as a template for all future attractions, great queue, even better ride with a awesome gift shop that sells specific ride merchandise.
Pixar place gives off the impression that it's more than a 1 ride avenue, make it so, move pizza planet where it fits, give us the monsters inc coaster please, I'd also like to see wall:e in some capacity.
I love sunset blvd as it is but the BaTB show could go, put on a show using music from the likes of singing in the rain and wizard of oz and so forth, upgrade fantasmic, refresh it up to the standards that it should be setting not the standards it falls below.
Also, do something with the backlog tour, either bring it up to scratch or demolish it (along with LMA) and use the land to its potential.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Use the George Lucas connections to full potential, star wars is over 30 years old but is still as popular as ever, can't think of any other franchise that has endured that long yet it only has 1 ride and a cool shop. Same goes for indiana, update the stunt show and build a ride suitable, create somewhere for all the Lucas properties, I'd even be happy with a American graffiti diner.

It is not that easy with getting things done with George Lucas based what people on the message board said about George Lucas in the past despite the connection. People in the past has blamed not having a Stars Land on Lucas or Disney matter of.

What I know out of Lucas is the fact he was been known to milk money on Stars Wars Franchise by releasing the same movies multiple times with different changes. I am guessing George has a pretty big ego and would asking for an insane amount of cash for adding attractions for Star Wars.

 

[Jedeye80]

It is not that easy with getting things done with George Lucas based what people on the message board said about George Lucas in the past despite the connection. People in the past has blamed not having a Stars Land on Lucas or Disney matter of.

What I know out of Lucas is the fact he was been known to milk money on Stars Wars Franchise by releasing the same movies multiple times with different changes. I am guessing George has a pretty big ego and would asking for an insane amount of cash for adding attractions for Star Wars.

Surely he must realise that adding attractions that's he linked to is a way of carrying on his legacy, the shop at star tours must make a fortune, a restaurant themed to star wars would make a mint too, that's without even thinking about indiana jones possibilities.

 

[msupulski]

Star Wars weekends have shown that there is a demand for more Star Wars. That is what they should be doing at WDW not Avatar. Harry Potter, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings these are rare franchises that come along once in awhile that will retain their popularity for years. Disney has Star Wars and they could mint money if they could create a Star Wars land as immersive as Harry Potter. End of rant.

I think that Disney should expand on Star Wars at least slightly considering how popular it is even years after its peak. I also have thought about LotR and how Disney could do something so impressive with that series, especially with The Hobbit coming out in December. *sigh* I can dream.

 

[Beholder]

I think that Disney should expand on Star Wars at least slightly considering how popular it is even years after its peak. I also have thought about LotR and how Disney could do something so impressive with that series, especially with The Hobbit coming out in December. *sigh* I can dream.

I'm dreaming with ya. LOTR would just be epic! I'm not sure If Disney would do the franchise justice though. They are quite capable of pulling it off, but would the determination and loyalty to the source material be there? Unless it was built with the full creative might of WDI and ALL the necessary funding, I'd rather it not be done. These aren't Snow Whites dwarves...

 

[Jedeye80]

Would it even be possible for Disney to get the rights for Lord Of the Rings?

 

[RunnerEd]

Since we're sort of on the Lucas topic, his new film Red Tails would make for a really great ride. Although the film wasn't stellar as a whole, the action sequences were incredible. Furthermore, the stroy of the Tuskegee Airmen is a timeless one in American history. It could make a solid additiion to a Lucas area of the park.

I serve in the Army and want to pass on something that we do that would be great on the forum. The first time you use an acronymn in a post, type it out instead of pretending everyone knows what you mean when you type B&BPEASWa7DCJDP becasue not everyone does (those are the initials of the characters that will have a major presence in the new Fantasyland.....see what I mean?)

 

[Bairstow]

At least MGM's layout and overall themeing isn't as scattershot as Universal Studios Florida. Other than some New York-ish cityscape alleys and blocks near the entrance, every attraction around the lagoon has its own small self-contained themed area.

Since we're sort of on the Lucas topic, his new film Red Tails would make for a really great ride. Although the film wasn't stellar as a whole, the action sequences were incredible. Furthermore, the stroy of the Tuskegee Airmen is a timeless one in American history. It could make a solid additiion to a Lucas area of the park.

I serve in the Army and want to pass on something that we do that would be great on the forum. The first time you use an acronymn in a post, type it out instead of pretending everyone knows what you mean when you type B&BPEASWa7DCJDP becasue not everyone does (those are the initials of the characters that will have a major presence in the new Fantasyland.....see what I mean?)

Hated every second of Red Tails but,

Wouldn't anything having to do with WWII fit a lot better on Sunset Boulevard? As I understood it, that section of the park is "set" in 1942-43.
There's a victory garden and everything.