Eddie Sotto's take on the current state of the parks (Part II)

[stevehousse]

Eddie, your thoughts and opinion on the DHS carsland rumors??? this was the response i had left in that thread.

i dont mind if they did put in Radiator Springs Racers, however i dont think they need a whole cars land, keep that in Cali. If i had my way, they should tear down the entire backlot area/tram/canyon, and build a proper Pixar Studios Land that would have the entire back of the park be devoted to that studio. TSMM will stay, change HISTK play area to A Bugs Life, add Radiator Racer Springs, add Monsters Inc Family door coaster, and an Up dark ride to complete the land, with various pixar meet and greets throughout the area. move planet pizza back there and do it properly, and use the old property to make a muppets restaurant, meet and greet, or even a ride??? any thoughts? i think these additions would greatly improve the park! One can only hope. But i do feel that if they "copy" carsland, it still wouldnt do the park justice...

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Eddie, your thoughts and opinion on the DHS carsland rumors??? this was the response i had left in that thread.

i dont mind if they did put in Radiator Springs Racers, however i dont think they need a whole cars land, keep that in Cali. If i had my way, they should tear down the entire backlot area/tram/canyon, and build a proper Pixar Studios Land that would have the entire back of the park be devoted to that studio. TSMM will stay, change HISTK play area to A Bugs Life, add Radiator Racer Springs, add Monsters Inc Family door coaster, and an Up dark ride to complete the land, with various pixar meet and greets throughout the area. move planet pizza back there and do it properly, and use the old property to make a muppets restaurant, meet and greet, or even a ride??? any thoughts? i think these additions would greatly improve the park! One can only hope. But i do feel that if they "copy" carsland, it still wouldnt do the park justice...

Carsland is pretty much an all or nothing to me. A lite version just won't cut it. As it is i think the land needs stronger critical mass beyond the ride itself. a pixar branded collection of rides in a nice idea as well. You have me torn.

 

[jt04]

Carsland is pretty much an all or nothing to me. A lite version just won't cut it. As it is i think the land needs stronger critical mass beyond the ride itself. a pixar branded collection of rides in a nice idea as well. You have me torn.

You guys put a convincing volcano in the Mexican pavillion at Epcot. [whould love to hear some who what where when why and how background if you have any on that bit of magic] So perhaps that could be the angle they might attack RSR at DHS. Possibly a shorter indoor track able to better deal with Florida weather.

I think Pixar could fill a 5th gate by now. And I bet it has been discussed. But a collection of C, D and E tickets sitting side by side at DHS has a very strong appeal. Especially in the hands of Lasseter et al.

Thanks for your indulgence.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I was shocked to see this. This could have been handled so much better.
http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2012/08/hong-kong-disneyland-main-street-usa.html

 

[ChrisFL]

It might be just me, but I think the most ghastly part of that is the green color. HKDL has its own green monster. I do wonder who greenlit such a thing (no pun intended)

 

[invader]

I was shocked to see this. This could have been handled so much better.
http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2012/08/hong-kong-disneyland-main-street-usa.html

The vents running through the middle of the dome are the icing on the cake.

 

[flynnibus]

I was shocked to see this. This could have been handled so much better.
http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2012/08/hong-kong-disneyland-main-street-usa.html

Unsure why it's here.. but I assume it's supposed to be reminisce of the Great Exhibition hall.. which was in the victorian era.

 

[Rasvar]

Unsure why it's here.. but I assume it's supposed to be reminisce of the Great Exhibition hall.. which was in the victorian era.

The interior with the air vents actually reminds me of the old 20K queue. However, it is way to jarring on the outside. It strikes me as a modern mall entry area.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Unsure why it's here.. but I assume it's supposed to be reminisce of the Great Exhibition hall.. which was in the victorian era.

Yes. At best it's a "Crystal Palace" Exhibition reference. Usually, they don't appear in an intersection.

 

[ChrisFL]

This is the only thing that comes anywhere close in Disneyland (Anaheim)

 

[Eddie Sotto]

This is the only thing that comes anywhere close in Disneyland (Anaheim)

True and it fits in so much better.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

To me, if you are gonna do a barrel vault exterior facade, there had better be some rich and delicate detailing. This British Palm House is typical of the Crystal Palace style, but as you can see, has some finesse and intricacy.
The HKDL version has none of that. I still prefer the way DL handled the barrel shape by containing the vault in a wood facade.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I still prefer the way DL handled the barrel shape by containing the vault in a wood facade.

Hong Kong Disneyland was built with the a duplication of Disneyland's Main Street, USA. The same facade is there, just under the name of the Carriage House instead of Crystal Arcade.

It can be ssen in this photo.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/38338905.jpg

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Hong Kong Disneyland was built with the a duplication of Disneyland's Main Street, USA. The same facade is there, just under the name of the Carriage House instead of Crystal Arcade.

It can be ssen in this photo.
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/38338905.jpg

Good point. Thanks for the image. I think the HKDL signage looks better than the original. Being that MSUSA is a recreation (and well done at that!) of Disneyland, dropping in a WDW inspired solution onto that tiny street is even more surprising. WDW has a full second story, making the facades taller, so it is easier to get away with the more monumental styles of architecture.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I was shocked to see this. This could have been handled so much better.
http://disneyandmore.blogspot.com/2012/08/hong-kong-disneyland-main-street-usa.html

Wow, that looks like a 1997 train station platform. Yikes.
Some of the detailing is good, but the basic design is just completely off.


Here's how it's done:

One can even use a metal grille instead of a glass construction as an entrance to a barrel vault of glass:

One day, when I can afford it, I'll have you design me an MK style Main Street based not on 1920's America, but on 1905 Paris. I bet it will be the greatest thing ever! Somewhere, there is a shopping mall in East Asia dying for just that, filled with luxury shops. We should get in business and build it, it would make us filthy rich.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

One day, when I can afford it, I'll have you design me an MK style Main Street based not on 1920's America, but on 1905 Paris. I bet it will be the greatest thing ever! Somewhere, there is a shopping mall in East Asia dying for just that, filled with luxury shops. We should get in business and build it, it would make us filthy rich.

When you we start? I take Visa (and a little equity).

Would love to do that. La Belle Epoque in Shanghai. You must be channeling your inner "Midnight in Paris" gene. Eugene Atget for real. I'll bring the Absinthe. I suggest you get on the blower and call that rich uncle (we'll do it right!).

BTW I thought of Galerie Vivienne when we were debating that arcade facade, but it was just too cruel to compare the two. GV is just too good.

 

[ChrisFL]

One day, when I can afford it, I'll have you design me an MK style Main Street based not on 1920's America, but on 1905 Paris. I bet it will be the greatest thing ever! Somewhere, there is a shopping mall in East Asia dying for just that, filled with luxury shops. We should get in business and build it, it would make us filthy rich.

On this note, I have a confession...I've been working on a theme park concept of my own which has Paris in 1900...also the time of the World's Fair in Paris, and I agree it would be a perfect idea for a Main St.

 

[stevehousse]

Eddie, has Disney ever considered adding a villains land to magic kingdom or any other park?
I have always thought I would be so cool to have a villians character restaurant along with 2 or 3 rides to go with it! I remember reading years ago about something called bald mountain? Is there any truth to that ride?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

On this note, I have a confession...I've been working on a theme park concept of my own which has Paris in 1900...also the time of the World's Fair in Paris, and I agree it would be a perfect idea for a Main St.

I'll buy an annual pass, and I don't care where you build it!

The world needs an adult theme park, with Disney slipping into ever more infantile territory. TDS shows how it's done, and how exiting the result is when you dare to cater to mature tastes.

Edit: The new Buena Vista Street in DCA shows that even Disney in America can still do it. When Disney puts its mind to it, when the designers understand the art and why it works, the result can be so beautiful, so charming.
Maybe we can all see a bit of our wish for a Paris area fulfilled in the new Ratatouille area in the Paris Studios. A tiny little World Showcase.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

When you we start? I take Visa (and a little equity).

Would love to do that. La Belle Epoque in Shanghai. You must be channeling your inner "Midnight in Paris" gene. Eugene Atget for real. I'll bring the Absinthe. I suggest you get on the blower and call that rich uncle (we'll do it right!).

Midnight in Paris was great.

It touches on several universal themes. We all wish we could timewarp and take a stroll in a previous era. The stones are still there, and many historical cities can still give you a historical sensation. But the themed environment can give a whole new twist to that. I love, totally love, every attempt in WDW at a recreation of a previous time and place, from the Studios' 1930/40 LA, the 'Hollywood that never was and always will be', to colonial America to Africa in Animal Kingdom. There is something about these places that totally immerse me, charm me.

They are representations, idealisations, Disneyfications of the real thing. But that's okay, that is exactly what Midnight in Paris taught us. That these places and times are exactly that,idealised golden ages. The 'Paris of 1905' that exists in the public imagination is already a 'Paris that never was and always will be'. Public memory is already a Disneyfication.