cjkeating
Well-Known Member
It never really bothered me that most quick serve restaurants at DLP had a loose IP theme as it was generally non-offensive... this one however is way too much.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
MAGICal DLP News, Rumours & Thoughts
- Thread starter Animaniac93-98
- Start date
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
Maybe it's because I like the IP in this case, but I'm a little ambivalent about this one.
I generally agree about the tooning of the park being unfortunate and also that the setting for this restaurant is outside the timeline of the rest of the land. As a way of integrating IP into the park, though, I find a QS like this fairly inoffensive and they at least seem to have put some thought into it rather than just painting some characters on the wall, Hakuna Matata-style. Once you enter the shops, you're confronted with piles of character merchandise, so I find it hard to get worked up about Coco theming inside a QS already themed to Mexico. They also seem to be leaning into old black and white 'photographs', instruments, and handpainted signs, etc. which at least isn't jarring for the setting. That said, I think the existing theming was better from what we've seen.
One thing I do not like, though, is the proposed sign, which does seems to break with the continuity of the land as being too colourful and contemporary.
I generally agree about the tooning of the park being unfortunate and also that the setting for this restaurant is outside the timeline of the rest of the land. As a way of integrating IP into the park, though, I find a QS like this fairly inoffensive and they at least seem to have put some thought into it rather than just painting some characters on the wall, Hakuna Matata-style. Once you enter the shops, you're confronted with piles of character merchandise, so I find it hard to get worked up about Coco theming inside a QS already themed to Mexico. They also seem to be leaning into old black and white 'photographs', instruments, and handpainted signs, etc. which at least isn't jarring for the setting. That said, I think the existing theming was better from what we've seen.
One thing I do not like, though, is the proposed sign, which does seems to break with the continuity of the land as being too colourful and contemporary.
mrflo
Well-Known Member
I would not have minded them adding little nods and easter eggs from Coco - like what they did with the spirit animals as part of the wall decorations or the papel picados. That actually looks quite nice. Though the statue at the entrance, the new restaurant name and whole story that this is their family restaurant is what makes it a bit too much for me. It feels too forced into the Frontierland. It's not like the restaurant even needed the IP to attract customers. Last time I was visiting DLP the bigger issue was finding a place to eat after 7pm. Fuente was one of the few ones still open but completely packed.
And I agree that we had plenty of examples where IPs got added to QSRs already in the 90s. So in principal it is nothing new. But at least in the 90s Disney also knew how to really promote new movies in the park. Characters from new movies were there to meet with guests right with the release of the movie. There were shows (B&B), special parades (Aladdin, Hercules) or at least a new parade float to welcome new characters to DLP. Shouldn't it be easy to add one or two new sequences for new movies to the castle show per year? I don't get why nowadays they can't even do those basics first.
And I agree that we had plenty of examples where IPs got added to QSRs already in the 90s. So in principal it is nothing new. But at least in the 90s Disney also knew how to really promote new movies in the park. Characters from new movies were there to meet with guests right with the release of the movie. There were shows (B&B), special parades (Aladdin, Hercules) or at least a new parade float to welcome new characters to DLP. Shouldn't it be easy to add one or two new sequences for new movies to the castle show per year? I don't get why nowadays they can't even do those basics first.
I think we should get “the year of the Disney classics” back. Ols school disney 2D animation. Would be great!
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
For an alternative, there will be replacement shuttle buses running. Not ideal, but shouldn't be super complicated either.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
I just visited the Coco restaurant irl. I wish the place were just Texmex/Southwest. But it honestly isn't all that bad. Effort has been made to avoid a full Fantasyland cartoon space. The effect is not much more intrusive than the Hakuna Matata restaurant.
The restaurant is now fully Mexican too, menu and decor, which quite apart from the toonification issue is another slight mismatch. Nice burritos though.
The restaurant is now fully Mexican too, menu and decor, which quite apart from the toonification issue is another slight mismatch. Nice burritos though.
cjkeating
Well-Known Member
I think I'd be "okay" with it if it wasn't for the gaudy sign of the external placement of the statue.I just visited the Coco restaurant irl. I wish the place were just Texmex/Southwest. But it honestly isn't all that bad. Effort has been made to avoid a full Fantasyland cartoon space. The effect is not much more intrusive than the Hakuna Matata restaurant.
The restaurant is now fully Mexican too, menu and decor, which quite apart from the toonification issue is another slight mismatch. Nice burritos though.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
Yes.
Disney has just beaten me into submission. If they leave something in a park at 50% of its heyday I'm happy.
cjkeating
Well-Known Member
Exactly. You have to pick your battles and a counter service restaurant isn't worth it... Nautilus however remains very much on my list of recent grievances.
Depends when you’re visiting really. I’ve watched Lion King with plenty of empty seats before. And I’ve also seen the line closed for it 30 minutes in advance as it was full.
Lion King and Mickey and the Magician shows I’d arrive at least 30 mins early personally. However in my experience the later Mickey and the Magician shows are a lot quieter so you could most likely arrive a little later for those.
Pixar I’m unsure, but as it’s new I’d try arrive an hour early if I was planning to see it
fradz
Well-Known Member
We generally arrive 35-40 min before showtime and always got in, even on busy days, but for the Pixar show I think a bit earlier would be safer. We generally do the 2nd showing for Lion King and from there the Studios shows
Most if not all the LEDs are now removed.
IMDREW
Well-Known Member
Yes I saw one left on one roof. It is sad, I was excited to see them.
Same here.
Trekkie101
Well-Known Member
They're coming back with 'skates' to avoid the paint thing apparently.
Indeed. It may be becoming more Bob, but it’s (literally) years ahead of a decade ago.
mrflo
Well-Known Member
In case you also love listening to legendary Imagineers and have not seen this one yet, here are part I & part II of a recent interview with Tony Baxter. Many great stories including the Little Mermaid ride that was planned for Disneyland Paris, Splash Mountain, Harry Potter but also his perspective on using IPs for attractions:
DisneyDean97
Well-Known Member
Listening to these really make me miss Baxter, the parks would be so different if he was the head of WDI. Voices like his are nonexistent inside the halls of Imagineering
Last edited: