"Frozen" coming to Disneyland?

[Disney Irish]

To an extent, absolutely. Streaming, Amazon, iPods, and all other wonders of the 21st century have delivered a culture of instant gratification to the United States, more so than ever in its history. This translates to demanding familiar, comfortable content that can be easily accessed, rather than something new and more complicated. Pixar Pier is probably the greatest example of this within the parks. Static figures of The Incredibles on a fairly barebones coaster excited the most smooth brained, mouth drooling, window licking Disney fan because they recognize The Incredibles and that's sufficient for their happiness.

Despite the cultural changes over the past 15 years in the United States, I don't believe that's the sole reason for Disney's failures in delivering quality content. Smuggler's Run, I believe, is a good example of this. Despite being a ride centered on the most iconic spaceship in pop culture history, the ride generates half an hour waits at best and has had almost no real impact on Disneyland fans. If it were removed tomorrow, would anybody miss it? Likely not, unless the photo op out front left with it. Could it be that it's not simple enough for American audiences? Is the presence of an obscure cartoon character, rather than Han Solo or Chewbacca, what does it in? Maybe so, but ultimately I think it's just a bad attractions and the wait times and guest response reflect that.

Of course, I am criticizing modern Imagineering, however Rise of the Resistance is the greatest rides of the past 20 years in any Disney theme park. Yet, still, it is generally lauded for its technological impressiveness and immersion, rather than its writing, which further speaks to my original point: storytelling has taken a backseat to technology. Modern Disney thinks the animatronic of Navi River Journey, the flight system of Flight of Passage, the trackless features of Rise of the Resistance, the gameplay of Smuggler's Run, or the never-will-happen ride system of the Avengers E-Ticket are what will wow audiences and keep them coming back, but ultimately Space Mountain is still iconic than all of them and that's just a roller coaster in the dark.

If Disneyland had never been built, ie you remove the nostalgia factor, and built Disneyland new today exactly the same, I don't know if modern audiences would flock to it the same as they do because of nostalgia.

 

[Disney Irish]

WED didn’t work for the studio, the studio people were made WED employees. The art directors have always been the leaders of projects.

Yes I'm aware that they were made WED employees.

Anyways, moving on....

 

[Disney Irish]

There’s something about your posts that never really feel like you believe you what you re saying but more like playing devils advocate for fun.

If you say so, I believe everything I post. Anyways don't we all play devils advocate from time to time in posting here.

 

[Consumer]

If Disneyland had never been built, ie you remove the nostalgia factor, and built Disneyland new today exactly the same, I don't know if modern audiences would flock to it the same as they do because of nostalgia.

It's an interesting hypothetical. Would Pirates of the Caribbean be as popular as it currently is if it were the 1967 version of the attraction opened today? Maybe not. The amount of morons online who call for it to be replaced by the Shanghai version are a testament to that theory that it would not be. However, I would argue that Marc Davis' Pirates of the Caribbean, while not as technologically impressive as Shanghai's, has the same wow factor as Rise of the Resistance. Slower, sure, but the Wicked Wench exchanging volley with the Spanish Fort? That is just as impressive as the AT-AT's on Rise, if not more so given how much more dynamic it is with the smoke, the animatronics, the explosions in the water. And of course, the humor of dunking the mayor in the well, pirates wanting a busty redhead over a fat maid, prisoners trying to lure a dog with a bone because the dog has the key - all of these are funny gags, even in the current year; far more humorous than any of the gags on Mystic Manor (I must acknowledge Grizzly Gulch, however, for its bear gags are Marc Davis in quality and deserve recognition in this discussion).

Maybe Pirates isn't the fastest and that makes it boring to a generation whose favorite app is one that consists of 30 second videos, but the core content is still impressive, and I would say the same general comments apply to Haunted Mansion or any of the other Disneyland staples.

My main point in all of this is not that I think it's bad that Disney is making leaps in theme park technology, obviously I think that's great, but often it seems Disney is more interested in creating stories to showcase new technology, rather than creating new technology to showcase the story.

 

[Disney Irish]

It's an interesting hypothetical. Would Pirates of the Caribbean be as popular as it currently is if it were the 1967 version of the attraction opened today? Maybe not. The amount of morons online who call for it to be replaced by the Shanghai version are a testament to that theory that it would not be. However, I would argue that Marc Davis' Pirates of the Caribbean, while not as technologically impressive as Shanghai's, has the same wow factor as Rise of the Resistance. Slower, sure, but the Wicked Wench exchanging volley with the Spanish Fort? That is just as impressive as the AT-AT's on Rise, if not more so given how much more dynamic it is with the smoke, the animatronics, the explosions in the water. And of course, the humor of dunking the mayor in the well, pirates wanting a busty redhead over a fat maid, prisoners trying to lure a dog with a bone because the dog has the key - all of these are funny gags, even in the current year; far more humorous than any of the gags on Mystic Manor (I must acknowledge Grizzly Gulch, however, for its bear gags are Marc Davis in quality and deserve recognition in this discussion).

Maybe Pirates isn't the fastest and that makes it boring to a generation whose favorite app is one that consists of 30 second videos, but the core content is still impressive, and I would say the same general comments apply to Haunted Mansion or any of the other Disneyland staples.

My main point in all of this is not that I think it's bad that Disney is making leaps in theme park technology, obviously I think that's great, but often it seems Disney is more interested in creating stories to showcase new technology, rather than creating new technology to showcase the story.

It is an interesting hypothetical, and one that if you look at it critically might give you insight into modern WDI decisions.

 

[mickEblu]

It is an interesting hypothetical, and one that if you look at it critically might give you insight into modern WDI decisions.

I think it’s safe to say that Webslingers will be just as popular and revered as POTC in 50 years. Wait, it’s not even as popular now. Lol

 

[Disney Irish]

Anyways.....

How about Frozen coming to DLR, any more info on this rumor that we can discuss...

 

[LittleMerman]

It's one the most popular and lucrative franchises in Disney history so I don't see why not.

 

[mickEblu]

Anyways.....

How about Frozen coming to DLR, any more info on this rumor that we can discuss...

I’m betting it’s not a ride. PeopleMover and a Frozen ride announced at the same D23 while DCA continues to get unnecessary rethemes and no new rides? If 2 new attractions are announced for DL at this D23 they better be announcing 4 for DCA. Also Galaxies Edge is still very new. MMRR will be be here in 7 months or less. Frog Logs are coming

Anyway I’d be pretty surprised to hear about a Frozen ride this D23

 

[Disney Irish]

I think it’s safe to say that Webslingers will be just as popular and revered as POTC in 50 years. Wait, it’s not even as popular now. Lol

Dunno, TSMM is still popular after 14 years, so its possible. Every generation has their favorites, so the MCU crowd growing up today may elevate it to revered status in DCA for all we know.

 

[Disney Irish]

I’m betting it’s not a ride. PeopleMover and a Frozen ride announced at the same D23 while DCA continues to get unnecessary rethemes and no new rides? If 2 new attractions are announced for DL at this D23 they better be announcing 4 for DCA. Also Galaxies Edge is still very new. MMRR will be be here in 7 months or less. Frog Logs are coming

Anyway I’d be pretty surprised to hear about a Frozen ride this D23

Dunno if it would be announced for this years D23, but maybe in a couple years. They do have to announce something for the 75th coming up in a few years.

 

[mickEblu]

Dunno, TSMM is still popular after 14 years, so its possible. Every generation has their favorites, so the MCU crowd growing up today may elevate it to revered status in DCA for all we know.

No we do know. That’s not happening lol. RSR maybe

 

[Disney Irish]

No we do know. That’s not happening lol. RSR maybe

Hey a guy can dream.....

 

[lazyboy97o]

It's one the most popular and lucrative franchises in Disney history so I don't see why not.

That shouldn’t be the criteria. Nobody said Anna and Else should have been added to Encanto. Additions to the parks should be based on their own merit as a themed experience, not their performance in an entirely different medium.

 

[Consumer]

Disneyland should just have a new land in the Motorboat area called "Snowland" with snow themed attractions.

 

[LittleMerman]

That shouldn’t be the criteria. Nobody said Anna and Else should have been added to Encanto. Additions to the parks should be based on their own merit as a themed experience, not their performance in an entirely different medium.

I didn't say anything about Encanto I'm saying that there's clearly an affinity for the Frozen franchise. Disney builds lands based on IPs so it makes total sense to use one of the most successful/popular franchises they have.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

But we haven’t seen that version yet. After their barfy B&tB ride at the other park, I’m no longer assuming everything at TDR is going to be amazing… though, yeah, it would be hard to create something worse than FEA.

It's not TDR, it's WDI. Beauty and the Beast is only an example of what Walt Disney Imagineering is capable of when given an unlimited budget. As it turns out, WDI is no longer about storytelling, but about technology. I suppose that's what happens when you replace artists with engineers.

For an attraction with the same theme or story, I'll take anything Imagineering does for the Tokyo Disney resort versus what they'd create for any American park.

 

[Homemade Imagineering]

Unsure if anyone's mentioned this yet, but a revival of the old Motorboat Cruise attraction with an updated, simpler ride system (similar to IASW/POTC) themed to Arendelle could be extremely charming. Not only would we gain something old back in a newer, updated form, but we'd also have something in the area that'd fit in nicely. Granted, I can't say whether it'd be logistical considering how it's right up against the Autopia, but enclosing sections of the attraction for dark ride portions could possibly work. It'd also add a good amount of capacity to the park, in the scenario of using the same type of ride system as IASW/POTC. They'll probably end up paving over the area with whatever is to come, but one can dream!

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

But we haven’t seen that version yet. After their barfy B&tB ride at the other park, I’m no longer assuming everything at TDR is going to be amazing… though, yeah, it would be hard to create something worse than FEA.

Come on. Barfy is too strong a word. It has issues, but it's a far bigger swing than 95% of what we've seen in the states the last 20 years, and better than a majority of those projects too. Clunky pacing and some odd staging don't undo all the good that is there.

A B&tB-style Frozen ride would still be 3 times better than Frozen Ever After. At least.

 

[CaptinEO]

Half of them are about storytelling. Ultimately, that's what Disneyland is about. Whether it's Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain, or Main Street USA, Disneyland tells stories. Current Imagineers with projects such as Mickey Avenue or the Beauty and the Beast ride have forgotten how to do that.

I don't think any of the rides mentioned above tell a story. I'd say they give people small elements that allow them to create their own story. The rides more so offer interesting experiences, characters, or themes.