Lasseter Taking Leave of Absence

[Pixieish]

Since this is the Disneyland forum, I’m familiar with Disneyland, and it is the only park that Walt Disney saw built from the ground up and open, I will refer to the original. I never denied there was some use of IP’s always in Disneyland. However the way it was incorporated into Disneyland then and now are completely different. We can use Cars Land as an example. It’s a land that is a physical replica of a place in a movie. None of the five original lands fit that description.

That’s just one example.

Oh, I understand that. But the bottom of my post explained why I think we're seeing IP-based lands vs. generically themed lands.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Oh, I understand that. But the bottom of my post explained why I think we're seeing IP-based lands vs. generically themed lands.

Yes, I forgot to mention that, so I went back and edited my post. Sorry about that.

 

[Pixieish]

Yes, I forgot to mention that, so I went back and edited my post. Sorry about that.

No worries.

I'd much rather see unique lands too, but there are just too many people Disney has to justify expense to and there aren't many willing to take the risks that go along with unproven ideas. It's really a shame because I think the imagineers would blow our minds if given the opportunity.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think the problem many of us have is that we love the original way Disney used IP-based attractions placed into a themed, over-arching land. I'll use MK as an example...

• Cinderella's Golden Carrousel - Cinderella movie
• Country Bear Jamboree
• Diamond Horseshoe Revue
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant - Dumbo
• Frontierland Shooting Gallery
• The Hall of Presidents
• The Haunted Mansion
• It's a Small World - World's Fair, NY
• Jungle Cruise - The African Queen
• Mad Tea Party - Alice in Wonderland
• Mickey Mouse Revue - Cartoons
• Mike Fink Keel Boats - Davy Crockett Stories
• Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - Wind in the Willows
• Skyway
• Snow White's Adventures - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Swiss Family Treehouse - Swiss Family Robinson
• Tropical Serenade
• Grand Prix Raceway
• Walt Disney World Railroad
• Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat
• Peter Pan's Flight - Peter Pan
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage - 20,000 Leagues
• Flight to the Moon
• America the Beautiful

So, that's 24 attractions with 12 of them having direct IP tie-ins. Go-carts were everywhere, as were haunted houses, so we'll cross them off the list as well. We'll also cross off the Railroad and Skyway, as there HAS to be a way to transport guests. That leaves 8 out of 24 attractions/experiences with no obvious IPs. That isn't very many, and those have tie-ins to eras in American history and culture.

• MK is a prime example of taking IP-based attractions and building a "land" that creates harmony among and around them. The land itself may have an overall theme, but it's not IP-based. The six lands are: Main Street USA, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland.
• Epcot has a Future/Space "land" and a world's fair "land".
• AK has Asia, Africa, Dinosaurs and a discovery "land".
• HS was the only one that didn't really divide itself into lands, so the whole park was basically a "land" themed after old Hollywood.

Unfortunately, the parks already cover most of the "loose" themes attractions could fit into unless you start narrowing the "land's" focus - like deserts, tundra, mystery, etc., and then you'd still likely have attractions that seem misplaced or shoehorned in. So, creating generically themed lands today is a very problematic proposition. Thus, we get lands themed after IPs, ie: Harry Potter/Star Wars/Pandora/Marvel.

IP has a rather well established definition. Haunted house is not an example of IP.

 

[Pixieish]

IP has a rather well established definition. Haunted house is not an example of IP.

I understand that, but I was narrowing the list down by originality.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Taking yet another look at the Car Land concept art, I can’t help but feel disappointed with Iger’s poor choice in having IP’s everywhere now. I like Cars Land, but Disney was on the right track with the original plans. We were almost there, and then nope.

The concept art alone looks better than Radiator Springs, in my opinion.

 

[TROR]

It's really a shame because I think the imagineers would blow our minds if given the opportunity.

I know it's sacrilegious to say, but anyone else feel WDI is on the decline? I know we want to blame execs and shareholders for the failures of Disney parks, but look at that new Nemo simulator in Disney Sea. That's completely designed by WDI without any Disney shareholders or executives telling them what to do and it's funded by the OLC who isn't stingy with their money, and yet it's a completely garbage attraction.

 

[Pixieish]

I know it's sacrilegious to say, but anyone else feel WDI is on the decline? I know we want to blame execs and shareholders for the failures of Disney parks, but look at that new Nemo simulator in Disney Sea. That's completely designed by WDI without any Disney shareholders or executives telling them what to do and it's funded by the OLC who isn't stingy with their money, and yet it's a completely garbage attraction.

It looks cute! Better than the Nemo we've got in Orlando, that's for sure. And we don't know if they were given directives or not. Every creative position I've held each project has directives, whether it's for a client or for in-house use.

 

[Travel Junkie]

I know it's sacrilegious to say, but anyone else feel WDI is on the decline? I know we want to blame execs and shareholders for the failures of Disney parks, but look at that new Nemo simulator in Disney Sea. That's completely designed by WDI without any Disney shareholders or executives telling them what to do and it's funded by the OLC who isn't stingy with their money, and yet it's a completely garbage attraction.

There is more of a spotlight on them and people think WDI should hit everything out of the park and that simply won't happen and never has. Even Walt era WED had plenty of clunkers.

Recent Standout attractions are Mystic Manor and Grizzly Gulch at Hong Kong, Pirates at SDL and really a lot of Shanghai is very well done from the attractions, shows etc. I think the problem is that much of their best work of late has been outside the U.S. I have confidence that both Star Wars attractions will be very very good though.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

• Layout is more than just a single road
• Actually set in California
• Multiple dark rides
• Not tied to a single movie
• Set in 1950's and 60's
• Herbie the Love Bug
• Vintage cars on display

The primary difference is the Cars franchise, other than that there's nothing in the concept art that looks radically from Cars Land to my eyes.

 

[TROR]

The primary difference is the Cars franchise, other than that there's nothing in the concept art that looks radically from Cars Land to my eyes.

Oh, no, I strongly disagree. Cars Land is small desert town in the middle of nowhere. Carland, on the other hand, is modeled much more like the Southern California town we see at the beginning of 1953's War of the Worlds with a lot of large pine trees and mountains. It also has a 1950's/60's time period which means you're in the heyday of car culture in California and Route 66 rather than remembering it fondly like you are in Cars Land. That time period difference also unifies all the lands (minus bug's land) with a 1920's-60's setting which ties the theme of the park stronger back to Walt's California.

There is more of a spotlight on them and people think WDI should hit everything out of the park and that simply won't happen and never has. Even Walt era WED had plenty of clunkers.

Recent Standout attractions are Mystic Manor and Grizzly Gulch at Hong Kong, Pirates at SDL and really a lot of Shanghai is very well done from the attractions, shows etc. I think the problem is that much of their best work of late has been outside the U.S. I have confidence that both Star Wars attractions will be very very good though.

While I think there's some wonderful stuff in Mystic Manor, there are huge glaring problems in it. I'm not talking about the awful cartoonish character design (although it is awful), I understand that was done in an attempt to sell more toys, and I'm not even talking about the finale where all the action is just projected onto the walls because that was likely due to running out of budget. No, the biggest problem, and it's one the Imagineers are responsible for, is that it has no flow. In regards to its storytelling, especially as a theme park attraction, it's really bad. Constantly the ride has to stop so you can see a show scene play out and then reset which is not how rides work. A ride's show scenes should be an continuous loop with no beginning or end. You can come in at any moment during a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion and it always makes sense. It's very clear when you listen to the music for those two attractions. This problem of show scenes starting and stopping is also a problem on Shanghai's Pirates.

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

While I think there's some wonderful stuff in Mystic Manor, there are huge glaring problems in it. I'm not talking about the awful cartoonish character design (although it is awful), I understand that was done in an attempt to sell more toys, and I'm not even talking about the finale where all the action is just projected onto the walls because that was likely due to running out of budget. No, the biggest problem, and it's one the Imagineers are responsible for, is that it has no flow. In regards to its storytelling, especially as a theme park attraction, it's really bad. Constantly the ride has to stop so you can see a show scene play out and then reset which is not how rides work. A ride's show scenes should be an continuous loop with no beginning or end. You can come in at any moment during a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion and it always makes sense. It's very clear when you listen to the music for those two attractions. This problem of show scenes starting and stopping is also a problem on Shanghai's Pirates.

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you haven’t actually ridden either attraction.

 

[vancee]

Since Lasseter is related to Pixar.. I just watched Coco. Amazing movie, I demand everyone see the movie right now. Ugh.. Changed me emotionally in so many ways, best Disney movie I've ever seen hands down.

 

[TROR]

I’m gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you haven’t actually ridden either attraction.

Going to go out on a limb and guess you don't need to ride an attraction to observe and critique storytelling.

 

[Disney Irish]

Going to go out on a limb and guess you don't need to ride an attraction to observe and critique storytelling.

Except when you experience something first hand it takes on a whole new meaning. Versus taking someone else's word for it or watching a video on Youtube. With the former you get to take in the whole experience for yourself using all your senses. Whereas with the latter you get either someone else's bias or through someone else's experience (you aren't creating your own) via the video.

 

[Travel Junkie]

While I think there's some wonderful stuff in Mystic Manor, there are huge glaring problems in it. I'm not talking about the awful cartoonish character design (although it is awful), I understand that was done in an attempt to sell more toys, and I'm not even talking about the finale where all the action is just projected onto the walls because that was likely due to running out of budget. No, the biggest problem, and it's one the Imagineers are responsible for, is that it has no flow. In regards to its storytelling, especially as a theme park attraction, it's really bad. Constantly the ride has to stop so you can see a show scene play out and then reset which is not how rides work. A ride's show scenes should be an continuous loop with no beginning or end. You can come in at any moment during a scene in Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion and it always makes sense. It's very clear when you listen to the music for those two attractions. This problem of show scenes starting and stopping is also a problem on Shanghai's Pirates.

I will politely but strongly disagree with you. There is no law of attractions that says show scenes must play out in a continuous loop. The design and storytelling of MM and SDL Pirates works out quite well. And also yes you do need to ride the attraction to accurately critique it as you have proved to people that have actually ridden those attractions.

 

[spacemt354]

Going to go out on a limb and guess you don't need to ride an attraction to observe and critique storytelling.

The attractions were not designed to be viewed through the lens of a YouTube video.

So...you can't have a completely informed opinion on either until you see them in the medium they were intended to be experienced with...on-ride and in-person.

 

[Californian Elitist]

The attractions were not designed to be viewed through the lens of a YouTube video.

So...you can't have a completely informed opinion on either until you see them in the medium they were intended to be experienced with...on-ride and in-person.

Have to agree with this.

I find it very interesting when people form complete opinions of a show, a ride, a movie, a place, etc. without ever having actually experienced those things. First impressions based on what you see in YouTube videos, trailers, commercials, etc. are fine, but final judgment should always be saved for after having experienced anything firsthand.

 

[TROR]

While y'all try to tell me I must ride an attraction to get an idea of it, I'll disagree. If I'm judging the level of fun in the attraction, then yes, I need to ride it, but I'm talking about how the story is being told. For me, I don't enjoy the "Ride vehicle stops. Show scene starts. Ride vehicle leaves. Show scene resets. Repeat." kind of storytelling in dark rides. While I don't think Mystic Manor is a bad ride (though I think the cartoony character design is), I think it'd be far better if, instead of stopping in every room, the ride vehicles went slower with all of the show scenes having no beginning or end. That's my take on dark rides in general.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

New reporting revealing details about Lassetter's behavior are emerging. It appears that higher ups within Disney knew about it.

There’s evidence Disney may well have been aware of troubling behavior on the part of the digital animation pioneer. Indeed the Pixar co-founder attended some wrap parties with a handler to ensure he would not engage in inappropriate conduct with women, say two people with direct knowledge of the situation.

http://deadline.com/2017/11/john-lasseter-behavior-pixar-disney-1202213821/