News Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind attraction confirmed for Epcot

Cesar R M

Well-Known Member
Is there really a 20 minute Frozen film playing before Coco?
Yes :/

They removed it on Mexico the second day ( we got the movie a month earlier). Because everyone complained how freaking long it was.
And It was in October.. We do not see a good eye on the Christmas overflood crap right during day of the death.

*edit*

Seems everyone is hating that damn short universally..

https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/11/25/16697898/coco-short-olafs-frozen-adventure-hate-pixar
 
Last edited:

DisneyDodo

Well-Known Member
What a wordy way to trot out the dumb “Disney is a business” line.
Nope, you seem to be misunderstanding my post. The “Disney is a business” claim (which I happen to also subscribe to, but it’s not what I said) is that sometimes Disney has to make decisions that are not in the best interest of the customers, for the benefit of the company. This applies to changes such as raising prices and cutting costs, which are sometimes necessary, but where the customer is clearly worse off.

My
argument is that not everything is a zero-sum game and that in some cases Disney’s decisions can be mutually beneficial.
 

DisneyDodo

Well-Known Member
Well, the question is, is Disney using these things "correctly," in a way that enhances the parks? I guess your view is that they are? Can you explain how in your view the parks are enhanced by its current use of gift shops and IP?
Absolutely! Feel free to read some of my previous posts on this thread for some more depth on my feelings about IP, but here's the somewhat-short version: if you have an attachment to an IP, it's presence in an attraction can obviously cause increased excitement. If you don't care about the movie that generated the IP, you can just judge the attraction for what it is, as if the IP were created for the attraction. For example, for fans of the POTC movies, I don't think anyone would question that the addition of the Jack Sparrow animatronics to the POTC rides can be exciting. For people like me who don't care about the movies, the change can simply be viewed as the addition of some cool pirate animatronics (who happen to resemble Johnny Depp) to the ride. In any case, the guest is no worse off by the IP-injection.
As for the gift shops, the idea is very similar. If you have no interest in shopping, you can walk right through and on towards your next attraction. But for those who do care about the merchandise, this is a convenient way to purchase some. As long as Disney is not locking guests in the stores or forcing them to buy, there's really no way someone can be worse off from them.
 

Jenny72

Well-Known Member
I think it's good that many people aren't bothered by this stuff. And I really believe you that you're fine with it. But you might want to acknowledge that some others are more tuned in (for better or worse) to the overall theme of the parks being worn away. The constant movie IP and shops make me feel I'm less of a guest and more of a walking wallet. This guest *is* worse off for the IP injection, even if you're not. And I am not a rabid crazy fan or whatever.

Maybe it's a little bit like ads that get flashed at you from a phone or whatever. For some people, it's just like, "Just ignore them unless you're interested in the product. Who cares?" But for others, constant advertising is very unpleasant. Different sensibilities. It seems the park is over time aiming towards people like you (who aren't bothered) and less to people like me (who are). So I guess you probably "win."
 

TheKevCris

New Member
I think it's good that many people aren't bothered by this stuff. And I really believe you that you're fine with it. But you might want to acknowledge that some others are more tuned in (for better or worse) to the overall theme of the parks being worn away. The constant movie IP and shops make me feel I'm less of a guest and more of a walking wallet. This guest *is* worse off for the IP injection, even if you're not. And I am not a rabid crazy fan or whatever.

Maybe it's a little bit like ads that get flashed at you from a phone or whatever. For some people, it's just like, "Just ignore them unless you're interested in the product. Who cares?" But for others, constant advertising is very unpleasant. Different sensibilities. It seems the park is over time aiming towards people like you (who aren't bothered) and less to people like me (who are). So I guess you probably "win."
I understand where you are coming from and it's definitely a perspective I haven't personally thought about so it's refreshing. It may be the case now, but you never know with Disney Parks, it may end up going back to how things were someday :) and not so much of constant movie IP overload and Marvel/Star Wars expansion - although it is their time right now to actually invest on those properties. Maybe there will be a harmonious balance. The IPs are cool and I am not so bothered, but I also fear that it will be more excessive than it already is, and I'm more so all for Disney creating original-Disney attractions and experiences. Even better, I hope Disney invests a little more time on approving new and original ideas and narratives that are specific to a ride (i.e. Haunted Mansion, Phantom Manor, stuff like that).
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
Yes :/

They removed it on Mexico the second day ( we got the movie a month earlier). Because everyone complained how freaking long it was.
And It was in October.. We do not see a good eye on the Christmas overflood crap right during day of the death.

*edit*

Seems everyone is hating that damn short universally..

https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/11/25/16697898/coco-short-olafs-frozen-adventure-hate-pixar

From the article:

But one has to wonder if the hatred for forcing Frozen into the Coco experience may backfire just a bit for Frozen.

(But one only has to spend time around 6-year-old girls to know the answer: Probably not.)

Yeah, they complained in Mexico, but, as far as your claim of "universal" hate goes...


Not so universal.
 

Sped2424

Well-Known Member
From the article:

But one has to wonder if the hatred for forcing Frozen into the Coco experience may backfire just a bit for Frozen.

(But one only has to spend time around 6-year-old girls to know the answer: Probably not.)

Yeah, they complained in Mexico, but, as far as your claim of "universal" hate goes...


Not so universal.
The frozen short is very good, it's placement is what is killing it with the news or "reactions". It should have stayed an abc special but rest assured many of these outlets claiming to be "frozend out" are going to be the first with a hype post to any teaser trailer for Frozen 2.
 

DisneyDodo

Well-Known Member
I think it's good that many people aren't bothered by this stuff. And I really believe you that you're fine with it. But you might want to acknowledge that some others are more tuned in (for better or worse) to the overall theme of the parks being worn away. The constant movie IP and shops make me feel I'm less of a guest and more of a walking wallet. This guest *is* worse off for the IP injection, even if you're not. And I am not a rabid crazy fan or whatever.

Maybe it's a little bit like ads that get flashed at you from a phone or whatever. For some people, it's just like, "Just ignore them unless you're interested in the product. Who cares?" But for others, constant advertising is very unpleasant. Different sensibilities. It seems the park is over time aiming towards people like you (who aren't bothered) and less to people like me (who are). So I guess you probably "win."
I'll just clarify a few things because I believe that we agree on more points than not:
1. Like you, I am not questioning anybody's emotions. I don't deny that the people who say they are upset about IPs actually are
2. I also very much see the value of theming in parks. However, I feel this is a completely separate discussion - whether a ride is IP-based says nothing about whether it is thematically appropriate (e.g. Space Mountain and Peter Pan's Flight would be equally out of place in Frontierland).
3. I do believe it is imperative for Disney to keep its guests' needs in mind. For any business to be successful, it must consider its customers. If the majority of Disney guests were made to feel uncomfortable by IPs or gift shops, I would advocate that Disney change its practices, despite the fact that I'm not personally harmed by them. However, I do believe it to be a small minority of guests that is actually disturbed by these tendencies (these boards are not a representative sample), and, from Disney's perspective, their needs are far outweighed by those who stand to benefit. Therefore, Disney's behavior is reflective of its customers' desires, not dismissive of them.
4. The fact that these decisions make you feel like a "walking wallet" is precisely what I was referring to when I said this backlash is stemming from an underlying aversion towards profit-motivated decisions. So it's not that IPs or gift shops are actually making the parks inherently worse per se, but rather that they are triggering these negative sentiments.
 

AEfx

Well-Known Member
The Really Useful company would say otherwise with their run of The phantom of the Opera, Cats and others..

Have you looked at the list? They are the exceptions, not the rule. Not to mention both examples you are giving are based on literary properties. You know ALW didn't invent the Phantom story, right? And Cats is actually based on a book, as well, though much less known.
 

Jenny72

Well-Known Member
First of all, thanks for the conversation. It's interesting to explore these things and I appreciate your thoughts on this.

I'd argue that if the shops, IP-infusion, etc. trigger these annoyed feelings, then that *is* the experience. There's no separating the two. Part of what makes/made Disney so special is that there were all these subtle things that brought about a feeling. Most people couldn't put a finger on it, precisely. It's literally in the air -- background noises, music, scents, etc.

I don't mind them trying to turn a profit -- in fact, I want them to make money hand over fist. But have a little subtlety about it! When it feels like everything is just shoved in for cash -- synergy here, shops there -- it takes you out of that theme. It's like when the monorails get dirty. Do most people notice consciously? Probably not. But there's a slow etching away of that feeling like you're entering a different kind of place. Do most people notice the IP-infusion and the gift shops everywhere? Not if you ask directly, but a few people I've talked to (not in the forum) say that Disney has "lost something." I think this is part of it.

By the way, I do agree that if they used IP well, we'd both be happy about it. But I'm just not sure it's possible to have a rule that basically says "get our new IPs into the park right now", and still do it well. The underlying motive shows through in the execution.
 

MotherOfBirds

Well-Known Member
Frozen has been an inescapable fact of life for half a decade now. It seems appropriate that half the population has been lulled into complacency and the other half immediately experiences migraines whenever that snowman appears. The fact that Disney felt the need to hold people captive to get them to watch it rather than air it as a holiday special, as it was originally intended, speaks volumes.
 

Nj4mwc

Well-Known Member
The frozen short is very good, it's placement is what is killing it with the news or "reactions". It should have stayed an abc special but rest assured many of these outlets claiming to be "frozend out" are going to be the first with a hype post to any teaser trailer for Frozen 2.
With the price to take my kids to the movies I welcome any extra included in the ticket. I wish cartoons before the main movie became a thing again. Be it Frozen or any others. And at 21 minutes long that's a nice little extra benefit for going to see Coco.
 

larryz

I'm Just A Tourist!
Premium Member
From the article:

But one has to wonder if the hatred for forcing Frozen into the Coco experience may backfire just a bit for Frozen.

(But one only has to spend time around 6-year-old girls to know the answer: Probably not.)

Yeah, they complained in Mexico, but, as far as your claim of "universal" hate goes...


Not so universal.
The best fix would be to run the short after Coco... that way, Frozen fans can have their fix, and those who would just as soon not watch it can just get up and go.
 

sedati

Well-Known Member
The constant movie IP and shops make me feel I'm less of a guest and more of a walking wallet.

Oddly, the only real browsing and purchasing I did at the parks this fall was in Pandora and Potter- oh, and Memento Mori. What's the consensus on that shop anyway- another pointless cash grab, or a great solution to a shocking oversight (my view.)

As always, I never feel more like a walking wallet than at World Showcase. This has always been a problem for this area (the world's greatest food court, but without the free samples) and now that I've finally got to experience Food and Wine, I found that taken to an obscene and distracting level. I don't begrudge it's fans, but it was enough to keep me from sticking around for Illuminations and the non-ride attractions in that area, and instead enjoy some re-rides back in Future World.
 

zengoth

Well-Known Member
Oddly, the only real browsing and purchasing I did at the parks this fall was in Pandora and Potter- oh, and Memento Mori. What's the consensus on that shop anyway- another pointless cash grab, or a great solution to a shocking oversight (my view.)

Haunted Mansion merchandise, for those of us who are rabid collectors, had always been hit and miss finds before Memento Mori. The kiosk outside the HM exit, for years, was the only outlet. HM merchandise also tends to go more pricey than just pins n' plush, so it needed some retail space.

But things wax n' wane. Nightmare Befor Xmas merch had a big presence at both the ToT exit store and down the street at Villains in Vogue. Nowadays, notsomuch. (But one can get all kinds of NBC stuff at retailers like Hot Topic, ThinkGeek, et al).

POC's exit store still has NBC merch as well, for no good reason except there's no other place to put it.

Disney makes some head scratching decisions on what merch to push, imho. Like Marie from the Aristocats all over France in the World Showcase. I'm not in the demo, so I don't understand the sheer volume of it.

Btw, on other topics - Disney's always had retail in the parks since WDW opened its gates - the only thing that seems to have changed, at least in the MK, is that there used to be more "specialty" stores instead of Emporium ad nauseum.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Oddly, the only real browsing and purchasing I did at the parks this fall was in Pandora and Potter- oh, and Memento Mori. What's the consensus on that shop anyway- another pointless cash grab, or a great solution to a shocking oversight (my view.)

As always, I never feel more like a walking wallet than at World Showcase. This has always been a problem for this area...
Not always.

You used to spend a respectable amount of money when you needed to eat inbetween attractions. The food was secondary to the attractions.

Now they want the clutter of the promenade to be an attraction. And charge you extra for it.
 

sedati

Well-Known Member
Not always.

You used to spend a respectable amount of money when you needed to eat inbetween attractions. The food was secondary to the attractions.

Now they want the clutter of the promenade to be an attraction. And charge you extra for it.

During our first trip to Epcot Center in 83, my parents couldn't get over how there was nothing to do in World Showcase but shop and eat- neither of which we did (hit Odyssey mid-day for our only in park meal.) American Adventure was great, El Rio Del Tiempo was pleasant and ambient. I think having to stand through "Wonders of China" broke my father's resolve and so "Impressions of France" and "O'Canada" were skipped entirely. We visited each country, tempted by all the treats but deterred by all the prices. And as I was a child back when "you broke it, you bought it" was an actual thing, my parents kept us out of the shops once we saw what the prices of the imported curiosities were.

I always wonder what World Showcase would have been like if it were as originally conceived, a stand-alone park. I'd hope they would have put more attractions in, but I also assume they would have run into the same funding issues with their foreign partners.

It wasn't until going as an adult that I ever spent any money eating in World Showcase, but still quite frugally. And it wasn't until then that I finally got to see "Impressions of France," and I really enjoyed it and sought out all the music. I hope this gets a minor technical upgrade when Ratatouille arrives. I still have yet to experience any version of Canada 360. On one trip I actually convinced everyone to go, but a projector broke while we were in line for the next show and we were told it would be a while so we left (I was still somewhat happy just to see the queue, and I have at least seen your tribute video.) On my most recent trip, I pushed to go, but once I explained what it was, no one wanted to do it. Perhaps I should lie next time- maybe entice them with false hopes of an IP related adventure. ;)
 

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