I Love Mystic Manor & Hotel Hightower. Could TDA Get That Creative Again?

[Model3 McQueen]

I saw these videos from ReviewTyme the other day, and I found it quite incredible what stories Disney could create when they're unable to copy and paste another attraction's theme in a different country. The amount of detail, heart, and brilliance that went into creating these amazing tales, it's astonishing. So of course it had me thinking.. could Disney(land) resort ever have a new attraction made with this much spirit, thought, detail, & originality again?

I'm not going to type away a rant at current Disney management. Actually, Disneyland parks' last original attraction was Splash in the 80's.. right? (Source: https://touringplans.com/disneyland/attractions/opening-dates). And that's not even all that original, it's loosely based on SotS. So that would make BTMRR the last original DL ride, made in the 70's!! Hotel Hightower isn't that old, and Mystic Manor is still pretty young.

I'm just thinking.. I've got nothing better to do during lockdown. I long for some more original magic Disney is known for, not Universal's business model.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

Last original ride in Disneyland was Rocket Rods in '98.

Gone too soon.

Not Rocket Rods, but the Peoplemover.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Last original ride in Disneyland was Rocket Rods in '98.

Gone too soon.

Not Rocket Rods, but the Peoplemover.

Thank you for that correction!! I completely forgot.. It's been awhile since I've done any serious thinking LOL.

Though I don't think Rocket Rods had any story. BTMRR at least had a hidden story.

 

[brb1006]

Sadly no, apparently Disney Imagineers have more creative freedom when it comes to projects outside of WDW and DL. Especially for Tokyo (due to being owned by OLC) and Hong Kong. At least according to The Imagineering Story from Disney+. Non-US Disney Parks also have better looking AA's for modern attractions (meanwhile WDW and DL has been catching up with Rise Of The Resistance). Even the puppet version of Sven looked more expressive at Paris (which was a copy of Shanghai's version) compared to the Sven AA for Magic Happens.

 

[TP2000]

I know this is heresy, especially because I'm often gushing about how fabulous everything in Tokyo is, but I found the Tokyo version of Tower of Terror to be kind of a let down. The pre-show and elaborate storyline for the ride is just a tad overdone. Or actually, quite a bit overdone.

And the whole ride is this creepy Ode To Joe Rohde vibe with portraits and statues of Joe Rohde as Harrison Hightower placed around, except they mercifully edited out his saggy distended ear lobe. Maybe the Japanese have no idea who Mr. Rohde is and thus they don't get the subtext, but the whole plot and pre-show set up is just one big Love Fest for Celebrity Imagineering that rubs me the wrong way. Since when are Imagineers the star of the show?

 

[BrianLo]

Admittedly I had no idea who Joe Rohde was at the time. So the conceit doesn't bother me.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

They weirded up TOT for the Japanese.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I know this is heresy, especially because I'm often gushing about how fabulous everything in Tokyo is, but I found the Tokyo version of Tower of Terror to be kind of a let down. The pre-show and elaborate storyline for the ride is just a tad overdone. Or actually, quite a bit overdone.

I agree. IMO this is a similar trait I find in attractions that people find disappointing. If everything building up to the ride is better than the ride itself, then you are bound to be let down.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Admittedly I had no idea who Joe Rohde was at the time. So the conceit doesn't bother me.

Same here I didn't know who he was until the warehouse fortress powerplant fiasco.

@TP2000 it actually doesn't bother me that they used his face. Of course my admiration for this story is subjective but I understand they were trying to go for a "this guy has so much greed in his heart, he'll die by it" sorta deal, so the many portraits of him are part of the character. I wish I could see it in person.

I tend to not be impressed with video.. and mystic manor / hotel hightower look extremely impressive to me, at least from a creative standpoint. I still haven't seen RotR but I expect great things from that too. The problem is it's more structured and IP than I tend to like.

Meanwhile DCA gets Mission Cheapout and Pixar Pier, and likely Midway Mania 2.0: arachnophobia edition with Spiderman

 

[SuddenStorm]

I really hope that at some point in my life I get to see a show with the same amount of creativity, awe, and wonder of the original Fantasmic again at Disneyland Park. A show that I absolutely hated having to watch as a kid (why watch a show when you can ride attractions!) but fell in love with as a teenager after a 6 year hiatus.

I'd also love to have the experience of riding a ride for the first time at Disneyland Park and walking off it with a huge grin on my face. I know for many Rise did the trick, but it didn't quite click with me the same way Splash, Mansion, or Indy do.

I envy the generation that grew up at a time where Imagineering was delivering Pirates, then a few years later Mansion, then a few years later Space Mountain, then a few years later Big Thunder, than Star tours, then Indiana Jones Adventure. It's almost like for 40 years Imagineering could do no wrong, and fans could trust them to do right by Disneyland.

I really worry that the level of creativity we saw in Disneyland Park from '55-95 won't be replicated again. Something about the current projects just don't vibe with me the same way.

#bringbackbaxter

 

[Sailor310]

Watch what you wish for. Back in my day....the line for Indy was down Main Street, also super long for BTMRR, SM huge lines, frequently broke down. My story about the early weeks of Space Mountain is in the Grad Nite section. Waited 2-3 hours. Broke down.

 

[fctiger]

I been on both rides in person. Hotel Hightower is great theme wise but its oddly the weakest version of TOT in terms of the ride portion but I haven't rode it in 10 years. But yes the pre-show is even better in person. You know how great a queue is when you think its better than the actual ride. I was supposed to be back at the resort literally this week and that was going to be one of the rides I planned to redo again after not being on it for so long but oh well.

As far as Mysttic Manor, again, even better in person. I really love it and its hands down HKDL best attraction there. They should've had something in that park like that in day one and not day 2,846 but I digress.

But yes I always make a point Disney still does original attractions just less in the states parks. But yes even in the Asian parks that is now becoming less and less so since literally all their new additions coming in the next few years (well...now pending I guess) are all big IPs from more Marvel to Tangled, Frozen and Zootopia. So a lot original stuff looks to be on the back burner for the next five years at least pretty much everywhere.

 

[Magic Feather]

Sadly no, apparently Disney Imagineers have more creative freedom when it comes to projects outside of WDW and DL. Especially for Tokyo (due to being owned by OLC) and Hong Kong. At least according to The Imagineering Story from Disney+. Non-US Disney Parks also have better looking AA's for modern attractions (meanwhile WDW and DL has been catching up with Rise Of The Resistance). Even the AA for Sven looked more expressive at Paris compared to the Sven AA for Magic Happens.

Paris's Sven is/was a Puppet. DL's is a copy of the figure used on Shanghai's daily parade, so I would not be too quick to jump to the "overseas makes it better" conclusion.

 

[Phroobar]

DCA needs a haunted house. What if Redwood Creek Challenge Trail was replaced with Mystic Manor? It seems like it would make a great transition to the SF area. The building architecture could totally match the Winchester Mystery House. The problem is what IP would be attached to it?

 

[Disney Irish]

DCA needs a haunted house. What if Redwood Creek Challenge Trail was replaced with Mystic Manor? It seems like it would make a great transition to the SF area. The building architecture could totally match the Winchester Mystery House. The problem is what IP would be attached to it?

I'd be all for that. The WMH is a great backdrop for an attraction.