An interesting topic for discussion, but the OP is obviously in the "I drink a 5-gallon jug of WDW Kool-Aid daily" camp.
FLE is your pick as the best land ever? And it's "not even particularly close"?
So that's your opinion and that's great, but what is it based on, exactly? The Official Disney blog? Shiny press photos? First, as has been pointed out already - It's not even open yet, and won't be fully complete until the 7DMT opens in 2014. Second, there are other theme parks out there with lands/areas that are as well-themed or better than FLE, or even FL as a whole. I haven't been to Cars Land yet, but based on what I've read and seen from a lot of sources I highly respect, I'd put it above FLE. Third, the expansion brings 2 new rides, and they removed an existing FL attraction in the process. Even with the new stuff, there is nothing that screams, or even says, "I HAVE to do that!!!". What specifically has Disney done to "raise the bar... again"?
Oh, I think maybe I figured it out. Disney has "raised the bar" by investing $1.5 billion in a C-ticket, a D-ticket, two restaurants, and a next-gen Fastpass system that does very little to add hourly ride capacity but will let the people stuck in the queues ooo and ahhh over some nice elements... until they get bored of them after the first couple of times thru the queue. And let's not forget the schizophrenia of adding these next-gen queues to entertain guests while waiting but wanting more people to use FastPass (and pre-plan every last detail of their vacation, which contradicts reality when it comes to families with children under 12) which is supposed to take them out of the queues and into shops and restaurants, spending money. They did all of that instead of investing $1.5 billion in D- and E-ticket attractions and/or an expansion somewhere that would really draw people away from WWoHP and actually "raise the bar"? Golf clap...
FLE is your pick as the best land ever? And it's "not even particularly close"?
So that's your opinion and that's great, but what is it based on, exactly? The Official Disney blog? Shiny press photos? First, as has been pointed out already - It's not even open yet, and won't be fully complete until the 7DMT opens in 2014. Second, there are other theme parks out there with lands/areas that are as well-themed or better than FLE, or even FL as a whole. I haven't been to Cars Land yet, but based on what I've read and seen from a lot of sources I highly respect, I'd put it above FLE. Third, the expansion brings 2 new rides, and they removed an existing FL attraction in the process. Even with the new stuff, there is nothing that screams, or even says, "I HAVE to do that!!!". What specifically has Disney done to "raise the bar... again"?Oh, I think maybe I figured it out. Disney has "raised the bar" by investing $1.5 billion in a C-ticket, a D-ticket, two restaurants, and a next-gen Fastpass system that does very little to add hourly ride capacity but will let the people stuck in the queues ooo and ahhh over some nice elements... until they get bored of them after the first couple of times thru the queue. And let's not forget the schizophrenia of adding these next-gen queues to entertain guests while waiting but wanting more people to use FastPass (and pre-plan every last detail of their vacation, which contradicts reality when it comes to families with children under 12) which is supposed to take them out of the queues and into shops and restaurants, spending money. They did all of that instead of investing $1.5 billion in D- and E-ticket attractions and/or an expansion somewhere that would really draw people away from WWoHP and actually "raise the bar"? Golf clap...
