News Main Street Cinema Chapeked - UPDATE!!

[Disney Analyst]

Its pretty funny, they claim they want more foot traffic in the place but then they never did anything like adding a few seating options in all this time to convince people to stay more than a few minutes. I really do like going in there. No, its not a huge priority but I usually stop in every time at night. But most people don't want to just stand watching the cartoons either, especially if you already been on your feet all day. More would come in if they knew you could sit and take some time to relax while watching. The Animation Studio in DCA figured this out years ago and added a lot more seating after the first few years it opened.

And if you wanted to sell something inside, fine, but keep it in line with the theme at least. Sell food items like bagged popcorn, drinks, candy, etc just like if you were going to to a real movie theater. Encourage people to buy something like that, give them a place to sit inside so they can eat it and watch. That's why people were so put off by it, it wasn't just because they were selling stuff inside, it was mostly the way it was done. It was rushed, crass and just completely out of theme.

Also for something so temporary.. they installed new lighting to light up the displays... which is now turned off...

 

[fctiger]

Okay? So Disney should make it happen. They’re not going to, most likely, but they should.

I think if it was up to them if they were truly serious about remaking TL, they rather just build something completely new, takes up less space and feel like something more than an overlay. Because that's all it will be, just like what they did with the subs and Nemo. And to be fair about Nemo, it worked. Even though the ride itself is pretty blah it still gets longer lines now than the old subs did, but it certainly didn't add to the theme obviously.

 

[Figments Friend]

So those benches added to the Cinema are not new....as seemed to be implied in that social media blurt.

They have been there previously as I have seen and enjoyed them personally on previous visits over the last year or two.
Last sat in one in January of this year.

Very nice to sit in there for a while and have some quiet time.

 

[SuddenStorm]

So those benches added to the Cinema are not new....as seemed to be implied in that social media blurt.

They have been there previously as I have seen and enjoyed them personally on previous visits over the last year or two.
Last sat in one in January of this year.

Very nice to sit in there for a while and have some quiet time.

Interesting! Hadn't heard they put any in there. Definitely looking forward to them my next visit.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I agree with Eddie Sotto here, but also think The Phantom is the kind of thing they should bring back for Halloween Time every year. Have him out front and have six silent, public domain horror classics playing inside (Calagari, Cat and the Canary, Nosferatu etc).

 

[TP2000]

I agree with Eddie Sotto here, but also think The Phantom is the kind of thing they should bring back for Halloween Time every year. Have him out front and have six silent, public domain horror classics playing inside (Calagari, Cat and the Canary, Nosferatu etc).

That is a great idea for HalloweenTime! It's something they could even turn on and off quickly, if they wanted to keep it as a special offering for the private parties they used to have, or just for after sundown.

And yet again, here we've got a thread full of amateur fans who have come up with more good ideas for the Main Street Cinema off the top of our heads, some that could even bring some retails sales (the old film strip and animation cels for sale) for Mr. Chapek's retirement fund.

But the brain trust of Disneyland management could only come up with some generic merch displays pushed in there selling random Mickey Mouse t-shirts and Made-In-China crap, looking all tacky and greedy? It's troubling to think that was the best idea they could come up with, which had to be approved by at least a few levels of management. How could they be that sloppy???

 

[Animaniac93-98]

How could they be that sloppy???

I guess they decided to do this in a hurry and just pulled whatever merch and tables were available in storage to slap together a display ASAP. The whole thing screamed "temporary", as if this was a test (like those tents in WDW's Tomorrowland) to see if the concept of making the Cinema a retail space would work. Of course they shot themselves in the foot by making this as ugly and awkward as possible, while also offering the blandest of products that were already for sale mere feet away, dooming them to failure before they even started.

My absolute favourite element was the small table just outside the door with the tight, black wrap drape that looked like it was last used at a Courtyard by Marriott convention center. As if Disney borrowed it between wedding receptions.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

You guys are just brutal. On top of all this complaining, you want some guy dressed as Lon Chanie to walk around Main Street? Yeah, that's likely.

 

[Phroobar]

You guys are just brutal. On top of all this complaining, you want some guy dressed as Lon Chanie to walk around Main Street? Yeah, that's likely.

Why wouldn't we want a guy dressed up as Lon Chaney walking around Main Street? It seems he would fit right in.

 

[HoldenC]

I think its awesome how much power the APs and fans have at Disneyland. I wish this passion was translated at WDW.

 

[Mac Tonight]

I think its awesome how much power the APs and fans have at Disneyland. I wish this passion was translated at WDW.

To be fair, this pop-up shop was never destined to be a permanent changeover. Still, its nice to feel like we sped up the process and popped the bubble a bit early.

Sadly, we were powerless against Pixar Pier and M:BO.

 

[flynnibus]

Sounds to me like some move by a lower level... and as soon as some higher level got wind of what was done in isolation... they ordered a change. Feels more like a disconnect than "the fans has spoken!"

 

[TROR]

It’s a good thing they tried to make the Main Street Cinema more desirable. You know, with these large crowds and all. Really helps absorbs the people.

 

[Kram Sacul]

I blame Kim Irvine.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Cam Irving?

 

[Miru]

And Disney want Chapek as their CEO in their entirety. Imagine how THAT goes down.

 

[The_Mesh_Hatter]

Some of the damage still isn’t fixed. The turnstiles are removed, and the way the curtains are pulled back removed any buffer between it and Main Street. You can easily see the theaters from Main Street, which removes a lot of the mystique. I also think there are way too many benches inside. The ones alongside the screens, but facing away from them, prevent any proper viewing—if you want to watch a short you have to stand directly in front of exhausted tourists lounging on the benches and try to look past them.

 

[Kram Sacul]

They should really just leave things alone. I wouldn’t trust them with a cup of coffee at this point.

 

[JD2000]

If they care, add themed cinema seating, not benches.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

What's wrong with benches?