I love a ride that has state of the art AA Dinos where I don't have to get wet.
And has my favorite dinosaur. I love the styracosaurus .
I'd argue the flavor that was put into Dino-Rama, as cheesy, value engineered, and peak late-Eisner it was, will make it a LOT better than what Tropical Americas ends up as!
I don't want to go to an DAK, where one of the core ingredients of it have been torn out of it, almost a decade after they've all been unified with Pandora!
Yeah... this is the part I just don't get. I have always found Dino-Rama an absolute blemish on the park. Dinosaur I can kind of see loving, but... I think Tropical Americas is a clear upgrade on overall theming and aesthetic.
But to each their own! I shouldn't have questioned the sincerity of people's opinions. (that comment wasn't originally directed at you just FYI, but the point stands)
But those three attractions will have so much more capacity, it will be a boon to AK. FoP will be a walk-on! I mean, sure, it won't really move the needle much, but think of the optics Josh and Co. get from this!
Lines at DHS are the norm, given the limited attraction count and inexplicable desire by those in charge to build headliners without enough of a supporting cast. But I must have missed the long lines at TSM. I haven't personally experienced one longer than 20 minutes or so in a decade.
Yeah... this is the part I just don't get. I have always found Dino-Rama an absolute blemish on the park. Dinosaur I can kind of see loving, but... I think Tropical Americas is a clear upgrade on overall theming and aesthetic.
But to each their own! I shouldn't have questioned the sincerity of people's opinions. (that comment wasn't originally directed at you just FYI, but the point stands)
It absolutely feels out of place at Animal Kingdom, because the rest of the park is tropical -- but it's actually a very well-designed and intricately detailed area. The theming is absolutely on point.
The biggest issue is that it's just not a good theme for Animal Kingdom (or really for a Disney theme park in general). I'm not sad to see it go. But... there's a tremendous amount of care/detail/depth to it that that has been lacking in some of Imagineering's recent projects.
Lines at DHS are the norm, given the limited attraction count and inexplicable desire by those in charge to build headliners without enough of a supporting cast. But I must have missed the long lines at TSM. I haven't personally experienced one longer than 20 minutes or so in a decade.
It absolutely feels out of place at Animal Kingdom, because the rest of the park is tropical -- but it's actually a very well-designed and intricately detailed area. The theming is absolutely on point.
The biggest issue is that it's just not a good theme for Animal Kingdom (or really for a Disney theme park in general). I'm not sad to see it go. But... there's a tremendous amount of care/detail/depth to it that that has been lacking in some of Imagineering's recent projects.
I'd argue that it never truly felt like a mom and pop established carnival and therefore not on point. It was never dumpy enough. It felt and looked distinctly Disney in it's execution. Too vibrant, modern and pristine. Definitely out of place for Animal Kingdom, I agree. But the visuals never really lent that tourist trap vibe, per the backstory. IMHO.
Coco, Avengers Campus, Avatar are all significant California investments that have nothing to do with Epic.
Disney has earmarked money towards the domestic parks and it didn't really have anything to do with Epic. They were putting that money into the parks (WDW and DL) with or withouth Epic.
Coco, Avengers Campus, Avatar are all significant California investments that have nothing to do with Epic.
Disney has earmarked money towards the domestic parks and it didn't really have anything to do with Epic. They were putting that money into the parks (WDW and DL) with or withouth Epic.
It absolutely feels out of place at Animal Kingdom, because the rest of the park is tropical -- but it's actually a very well-designed and intricately detailed area. The theming is absolutely on point.
The biggest issue is that it's just not a good theme for Animal Kingdom (or really for a Disney theme park in general). I'm not sad to see it go. But... there's a tremendous amount of care/detail/depth to it that that has been lacking in some of Imagineering's recent projects.
I think a good measuring stick of how creative a person is is how they handle a lack of budget or otherwise unfavorable circumstances.
Dino-Rama was clearly made by someone (Rohde) who had a clear vision of what he was doing there and was generally very skilled. Note Primeval Whirl which, despite having very few show elements at all, has several elements that people feel are missing in certain full on dark rides (like the time tunnel at the beginning so feel like you're in the middle of things not just riding past them, or the dynamic poses of the dinosaur cutouts).
To me, the area (and Restaurant O'saurus) came across as someone charging at an idea with everything they had even if it wasn't the best base to build on. Dinosaur Treasures didn't need to be filled to the brim with so much stuff that there probably wasn't a single person on the planet who saw everything in there, yet they did that anyway. The games would have run just fine and people would have paid for them without the cute little illustrations on top or the little elements that made them fit the theme, but they customized them anyway (and they were really cute). There's a near identical cast member door near Dinosaur as there was near Dinosaur Treasures and they didn't bother with any theming to tell you not to go past that one so they could've just left it at that in Rama, too, but they put up a giant parking lot sign with a joke on it. TriceraTop Spin didn't need its kenetics but it had them while most spinners don't. Chester and Hester's didn't need all the signs, etc. etc. etc. Even if you don't particularly like these elements, it's things they added to make it so it's hard to look anywhere in the area without your eyes landing on SOMETHING that was placed there intentionally and it all adds to the overall tone of the area.
Hundreds of small things because they couldn't afford one big one, is the way I saw it.
If I may go off on a more personal note;
- I'm sick and tired of the irony overload in modern culture and enjoy having puns presented to me without someone groaning or making the "eh? EH?" face immediately after.
- Dinoland is the farthest they've pushed the "feeling like you're traveling somewhere people live" concept that Animal Kingdom is supposed to be using. Africa, Asia, and Pandora, at least so far as I have seen, don't go farther than ads for stuff around the area or a place having a canonically named owner. Dinoland has full characters with personalities and Chester and Hester are the biggest example of that since Marsh and Seeker are confined to the ride and newspaper clippings; the added detail that they genuinely like dinosaurs and aren't just opprotunistic makes it surprisingly nuanced characterization considering the medium and the jokey setup, too.
- I love small towns. Sometimes, when it wasn't crowded and it was dark, the area around Dinosaur Treasures really felt like I was somewhere else. I also never get tired of that thing where they put a light in the window like someone's home; I know no one's in there, but it gets my imagination running.
- The whole "people pay for anything dino" aspect is so true and in hindsight it's funny to look back and realize it's been something present in my life without me noticing. Like, when I was a lot younger my family was driving to Disney and my parents decided to make a side stop and asked us where to go, and we all picked the dinosaur park. I wouldn't even qualify anyone in my family as a dinosaur person, that's just the magic of dinosaurs. I never thought about them and how big a role they play in our culture before Dino-Rama.
- I can't hate this face;
If someone really can't understand why anyone could like Rama, think about something like Blizzard Beach; I think they're very similar in tone. They're bright and silly and have a general atmosphere of being upbeat and happy. They both love puns. Rama just has the joke cheap element to it. When I went to either one, though, I smiled and laughed.
I'm sad to see Rama go. I think modern Imagineers could learn a lot from it. "Chester and Hester" clearly had skill and drive even if they didn't have the budget.
I think a good measuring stick of how creative a person is is how they handle a lack of budget or otherwise unfavorable circumstances.
Dino-Rama was clearly made by someone (Rohde) who had a clear vision of what he was doing there and was generally very skilled. Note Primeval Whirl which, despite having very few show elements at all, has several elements that people feel are missing in certain full on dark rides (like the time tunnel at the beginning so feel like you're in the middle of things not just riding past them, or the dynamic poses of the dinosaur cutouts).
To me, the area (and Restaurant O'saurus) came across as someone charging at an idea with everything they had even if it wasn't the best base to build on. Dinosaur Treasures didn't need to be filled to the brim with so much stuff that there probably wasn't a single person on the planet who saw everything in there, yet they did that anyway. The games would have run just fine and people would have paid for them without the cute little illustrations on top or the little elements that made them fit the theme, but they customized them anyway (and they were really cute). There's a near identical cast member door near Dinosaur as there was near Dinosaur Treasures and they didn't bother with any theming to tell you not to go past that one so they could've just left it at that in Rama, too, but they put up a giant parking lot sign with a joke on it. TriceraTop Spin didn't need its kenetics but it had them while most spinners don't. Chester and Hester's didn't need all the signs, etc. etc. etc. Even if you don't particularly like these elements, it's things they added to make it so it's hard to look anywhere in the area without your eyes landing on SOMETHING that was placed there intentionally and it all adds to the overall tone of the area.
Hundreds of small things because they couldn't afford one big one, is the way I saw it.
If I may go off on a more personal note;
- I'm sick and tired of the irony overload in modern culture and enjoy having puns presented to me without someone groaning or making the "eh? EH?" face immediately after.
- Dinoland is the farthest they've pushed the "feeling like you're traveling somewhere people live" concept that Animal Kingdom is supposed to be using. Africa, Asia, and Pandora, at least so far as I have seen, don't go farther than ads for stuff around the area or a place having a canonically named owner. Dinoland has full characters with personalities and Chester and Hester are the biggest example of that since Marsh and Seeker are confined to the ride and newspaper clippings; the added detail that they genuinely like dinosaurs and aren't just opprotunistic makes it surprisingly nuanced characterization considering the medium and the jokey setup, too.
- I love small towns. Sometimes, when it wasn't crowded and it was dark, the area around Dinosaur Treasures really felt like I was somewhere else. I also never get tired of that thing where they put a light in the window like someone's home; I know no one's in there, but it gets my imagination running.
- The whole "people pay for anything dino" aspect is so true and in hindsight it's funny to look back and realize it's been something present in my life without me noticing. Like, when I was a lot younger my family was driving to Disney and my parents decided to make a side stop and asked us where to go, and we all picked the dinosaur park. I wouldn't even qualify anyone in my family as a dinosaur person, that's just the magic of dinosaurs. I never thought about them and how big a role they play in our culture before Dino-Rama.
If someone really can't understand why anyone could like Rama, think about something like Blizzard Beach; I think they're very similar in tone. They're bright and silly and have a general atmosphere of being upbeat and happy. They both love puns. Rama just has the joke cheap element to it. When I went to either one, though, I smiled and laughed.
I'm sad to see Rama go. I think modern Imagineers could learn a lot from it. "Chester and Hester" clearly had skill and drive even if they didn't have the budget.
They don't think, they know. We're already well into the booking curves.
Universal did them a solid by gate keeping Epic behind full priced tickets in their attempt to not completely squander away all their USO/IOA attendance.
Universals improvements would include...
Making the first land you get to a Minion land with a conveyer belt ride that lags?
A new playground and retheme that has been pretty poorly received?
Shutting down 2 attractions in one of their anchor lands for a park with no replacement planned at this time?
yeah. Universal is miles ahead of improving their parks... Universal does a few really solid rides and everyone kisses the ground they walk on. They release tons of stinkers and no one talks about why they failed (except F&F which is so comically bad it can't be ignored)
They don't think, they know. We're already well into the booking curves.
Universal did them a solid by gate keeping Epic behind full priced tickets in their attempt to not completely squander away all their USO/IOA attendance.
I think you can make a pretty strong argument that Disney may see additional guests for people that normally wouldn't go to WDW but may splash a day or two at DHS/MK while at a Universal vacation. Go do Potter and a day to see Galaxy Edge? Hit up a castle park one day?
I don't think you see a dramatic dip in attendance this year. more likely than not you'll see somewhere between -0.5% to +2% increase in attendance to WDW Parks.
Lines at DHS are the norm, given the limited attraction count and inexplicable desire by those in charge to build headliners without enough of a supporting cast. But I must have missed the long lines at TSM. I haven't personally experienced one longer than 20 minutes or so in a decade.
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