DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[FigmentJedi]

the beauty of this attraction is you don't have to know the TV series to fully comprehend the storyline you are about to be a part of... It is easy to understand, and some of the best placemaking and storytelling the Imagineering team has ever done.

Twilight Zone is just a framing device for an original story that was presented without said framing device when the attraction was only three years old with that TV movie. The fifth dimension hallway could easily trade out "The stuff from the show's theme song" for something tied more directly into the cursed hotel storyline like actually getting to go to the decaying ruins of the Tip Top Club.

 

[Incomudro]

Exactly.
STOP lightening things up.
One of the cool things about RnR and ToT in that location across from each other, is that it (was) one of the more edgy, more "grown up" areas of the park.
Putting Muppets on any ride - though yes - it'll be fun, just lightens things up.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I just want to add, I'm not personally trying to attack you, or offend you.

I think I've just come to accept what corporations do in 2024. This is our world. The era of Disney many long for, have nostalgia for, is long gone. I suspect it only gets worse once the new CEO comes.

Understanding that and using it as a defense for a corporations bad plans are two different things.

For “capitalism” to work, consumers need to behave aggressively in their own interests. That’s how the “ invisible hand” works. Capitalism does NOT mean that consumers defer to corporations or treat them as omniscient, which is how it tends to work in this country today.

 

[Blobbles]

Corless Lied, Muppets Died

This is Disney’s Revenge for all the talking they did to them all over the years.

 

[britain]

Twilight Zone is just a framing device for an original story that was presented without said framing device when the attraction was only three years old with that TV movie. The fifth dimension hallway could easily trade out "The stuff from the show's theme song" for something tied more directly into the cursed hotel storyline like actually getting to go to the decaying ruins of the Tip Top Club.

All true, but ironically, TZToT vs. plain old ToT is Exhibit A in "Why we tie things to an existing IP." It's a marketing hook.

That is so core to how they think now, it would be so weird to see Disney strip TZ from ToT and leave it IP-less. It would have to be some sort of stripping AND injection of a different IP.

 

[Charlie The Chatbox Ghost]

A new CEO takes control in 2026. Economic policy changes beginning in 2025 are going to cause the cost of construction to skyrocket and may crater the economy as a whole. Nothing that is slated to begin construction after 2025 should be considered close to certain - no Villains Land, no phase 2s, no Muppets Coaster, nothing.

Remember what the pandemic did to the Epcot redo in particular and the last wave of significant investments into the parks in general? The current situation is even worse, because the disruption is forseeable.

I wouldn't get our hopes up for this to be cancelled.

 

[Bocabear]

Right. Just because you're changing the IP from one no one remembers to one people know doesn't make it better. Splash had a good storyline you could follow without knowing anything about its history. We know why it changed. Not arguing that. The Tiana replacement didn't live up to how well it could be done. There is nothing about ToT that says the theme must be changed. The story runs perfectly throughout.

Tiana could have been much better if they stuck to the source material instead of imagining a life for her that was not suggested in the story... I think we would have preferred a book report ride... Without the tension of a villain, it is basically Small World with a waterfall.

 

[BrianLo]

I will say that since the structure of Monstropolis fits the footprint well, this should help with a relatively quicker build for Monsters. The door coaster is going to be built essentially on backstage land/parking so could be started quite quickly. Pizzerizzo and Mama Melrose will simply be changed to a different restaurant theme but presumably continue to be largely intact. The Christmas store gets converted to other retail. The large Muppets store just gets torn down (and its in a weird position anyway). Muppetvision gets changed into a new show but presumable can reuse the theater largely as is.

The rest of Grand Avenue outside the Muppet area (Sci-Fi and such) can simply remain as is and not be touched.

I have renewed faith this is a 2028 project. Cars seems more developed, but Monsters seems plucked off the shelf and easier to rush forward with the bulk of the land being overlayed. Which is why I expect them both to open in ‘28.

We’ll have to see, but RNRC could very well be something that’s ready for 2026. Akin to Test Track.

I know everyone’s going to be upset for a long while, but I think I now strongly prefer this packaged option over animation courtyard. It’s the third phase of the DHS redo we long wanted. One more E ticket, a RNRC overlay and quite a number of show refreshes. The odd man standing is Beauty and the Beast. With the only lingering caveat that why do we have yet another roller coaster project, even if I like them all individually in their own vacuums.

 

[Disstevefan1]

yeah....but look what they did to Splash Mountain..... It is not better than it was... The TOT's plotline and story are engaging. It is masterfully done...Concise,eerie, beautifully designed from start to finish... Can anyone say that they could change the theme and still have as engaging and enduring an attraction? I say no...

Totally agree! Tiana is (at the very least) still a fun log flume because it was a overlay.

ToT's replacement, assuming it wont get bulldozed and be an overlay, will still be a fun attraction.

Disney is gonna do what Disney's gonna do!

 

[BrerFoxesBayouAdventure]

What do you mean by wishy washy? He liked the original ride but also likes the new one. He was very vocal with his "let them cook" attitude. His opinion never changed much past the initial announcement, aside from feeling it didn't fit in Frontierland, which iirc he still feels that way but isn't as bothered by it.

He was pretty happy that it closed but went to Japan to visit it anyway.

 

[Fox&Hound]

Maybe this has been discussed but do we know what’s going in the theater? It would be shame if it’s Laugh Floor because that attraction is just god awful. Cringe as the kids would say

It’s the “Put that Thing Back Where it Came from or So Help Me, So Help Me!” Show

 

[Casper Gutman]

I wouldn't get our hopes up for this to be cancelled.

Oh, Muppets will close. But the coaster overlay is very questionable.

 

[Brer Oswald]

Totally agree! Tiana is (at the very least) still a fun log flume because it was a overlay.

ToT's replacement, assuming it wont get bulldozed and be an overlay, will still be a fun attraction.

Disney is gonna do what Disney's gonna do!

I found it very boring and mind numbing. I also found the drops less thrilling, mostly because of the psychological changes. The light they added in the dip drop made me realize it was smaller than I thought it was. The replacement of the briar thorns with....grass also makes it easier to see the bottom. I'd rather ride Mine Train for thrills.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Understanding that and using it as a defense for a corporations bad plans are two different things.

For “capitalism” to work, consumers need to behave aggressively in their own interests. That’s how the “ invisible hand” works. Capitalism does NOT mean that consumers defer to corporations or treat them as omniscient, which is how it tends to work in this country today.

Right. But that comes down to those who are against Disney’s current direction with the parks to actively boycott, and speak with their wallets / actions.

Disney will change course if people give them a reason to.

But if the majority just doesn’t care … and consumes what is handed out, hard to not see why a corporation continues on the same path.

I don’t think I’m defending, I think I’ve simply resigned myself to the fact that Disney has changed.

It just is, and I don’t care much at this point to have strong feelings for or against. (Clock me in 10 years when they announce something like Mansion being removed or rethemed, and I’ll probably have a meltdown).

 

[Casper Gutman]

I have renewed faith this is a 2028 project. Cars seems more developed, but Monsters seems plucked off the shelf and easier to rush forward with the bulk of the land being overlayed. Which is why I expect them both to open in ‘28.

We’ll have to see, but RNRC could very well be something that’s ready for 2026. Akin to Test Track.

I know everyone’s going to be upset for a long while, but I think I now strongly prefer this packaged option over animation courtyard. It’s the third phase of the DHS redo we long wanted. One more E ticket, a RNRC overlay and quite a number of show refreshes. The odd man standing is Beauty and the Beast. With the only lingering caveat that why do we have yet another roller coaster project, even if I like them all individually in their own vacuums.

Everything else aside - what show refreshes? The ancient Indy and BnB continue on and Mermaid is coming back.

 

[DisneyHead123]

It's not a Disney IP and I thought the contract cost, or whatever, was always a sticking point. Plus, it's an ancient TV series that many guests have never seen.

I suspect the Haunted Mansion style vibe is enough for many younger park goers who aren’t Twilight Zone fans. Disney has very few spooky attractions and the one they have (Pirates, Mansion, Tower) are pretty beloved. People love a Halloween vibe.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They are all movies...

…make sure you don’t trip over that bar

 

[BrianLo]

Everything else aside - what show refreshes? The ancient Indy and BnB continue on and Mermaid is coming back.

Fantasmic, Mermaid, Muppetvision-> Monsters, Villains, Frozen and Mickey were also newer. I’m more so referencing the state of DHS coming out of its “redo” that shouldn’t have left the majority of the shows from the 90’s continue on.

I didn’t expect perfection (Indy and B&TB) with the last redo. But I expected several more of the shows to have been touched, which they are finally getting around to. Beauty and the Beast annoys me the most because I feel like Indy is buying time in an expansion pad. Plus it’s sooo easy to just run something else at B&TB (hence Jollywood nights)

 

[Disney Analyst]

Tiana could have been much better if they stuck to the source material instead of imagining a life for her that was not suggested in the story... I think we would have preferred a book report ride... Without the tension of a villain, it is basically Small World with a waterfall.

As someone who has defended the change, as I do still believe Tiana is a perfect IP to replace splash with … I agree they mucked it up with the play they designed. They need to focus on how to build a story. This is a long form attraction. They have the space and time to build to something.

I think many aspects look gorgeous, but the story lacks.

 

[aladdin2007]

Vahle and D'amaro will not be content until everything that does not have LL has it and replaced with it. Nothing they do anymore makes much sense in terms of placement and they could care less about expanding. How the heck is the studios going to handle the crowds, they cant handle it now with what little they to offer as it is. And another great easy to go to theater attraction bites the dust. Keep making it so complicated guys people are irked as it is.