DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[JackCH]

I find this take utterly baffling. The entire point of Monsters, the IPs hook, is putting extraordinary creatures in an utterly familiar, banal workaday world. The franchise’s setting is uninteresting ON PURPOSE. An attraction that emphasizes the setting over the characters - like, say, a coaster with few show scenes - is uniquely unsuited to the property. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say there are few properties that are more of a mismatch for a thrill coaster - one that springs to mind, of course, is Muppets. Both IPs need a ride type that emphasizes the characters and the gags that spring from their personalities - say a show or a dark ride. The Tokyo dark ride is a great showcase for the essential qualities of Monsters.

The fan obsession with the Door Coaster is a perfect example of people not understanding what works in a film and what works in a theme park attraction. Viewers watch the film’s door sequence, which uses editing, camerawork, and music to create kinetic excitement, and assume it’s perfect for a ride - but those properties don’t translate. Take another spectacular action sequence that seems perfect for a ride - the troop carrier escape from the reactor after the first encounter with xenomorphs in Aliens. It’s one of the most exhilarating sequences in all of film and seems ideally suited for an immersive ride. Actually translating it into a ride, however, would create an attraction set in empty industrial hallways, where the points of interest are almost entirely behind guests, and the ride vehicle dramatically restricts riders vision.

Perhaps an even more vital point is that the door sequence is so exciting because it functions as the climax of the characters’ emotional arcs - it worked because we had spent over an hour coming to care about these characters and there relationship. The early Pixar films excelled at these late-film action sequences that worked because they served as the climax of the films themes and the characters development. Think of the moving truck chase in Toy Story or the luggage room sequence in Toy Story 2. Both action sequences are masterpieces, and both would make awful rides. The emotional and thematic elements that make them work won’t translate. Movie viewers are generally very bad at understanding HOW a movie is making them feel things and attribute their excitement at these sequences only to the kinetic elements, which are of strictly secondary importance - hence the foolish obsession with building a door coaster.

Interesting points. However, there are ways the Door Coaster can be done if executed well to capture that “kinesthetic excitement.”

I fundamentally disagree with your take on Monsters. I actually don’t care for the characters all that much. What I enjoy is how the world “Monsterfies” aspects of our real world. I enjoy the little puns and jokes and quirks of how a Monster world mirrors our own. Hence, I think a mini land and Door Coaster actually works well to showcase that. I also just think the MI dark rides, even the one in Tokyo, are sort of mediocre. But I know that is not the majority opinion.

As far as the story context in the films- sure. But I think there is a reason people widely clamor for a “Door Coaster” and not a luggage or truck ride. There is something about it that captures the imagination and looks “fun.”

I hear your points, and they are well expressed. And for an IP that I think has a stronger story and characters I would agree with you more, but my interest in Monsters (and Cars, for that matter) is more the charm of the setting than the story.

 

[Agent H]

There are many examples of poor sight lines. For the most part, they are still OK within the parks with a few exceptions (but there have always been exceptions).

But the views of Pandora and Galaxies edge from public areas outside the park are extremely bad show.

Related specifically to this topic, you can see the existing muppets building from within galaxies edge - that could have been prevented in the design, but it wasn’t.

You can see muppets from inside galaxies edge?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

You can see muppets from inside galaxies edge?

Yes. It’s not terrible - but there are places where it’s visible.

 

[Agent H]

Yes. It’s not terrible - but there are places where it’s visible.

I think the fact that I’ve never noticed it proves that it’s not that bad

 

[BrianLo]

We’ve seen an official model of the track. It doesn’t go through any doors. We actually have a shocking amount of detail about this ride and none of it is exciting.

I’m not actually sure if I believe the model, it was very barebones… but there is a scene that it appears we leave the warehouse mid ride. Which I think is quite fair to speculate is a door scene. Maybe Boo’s room.

I still disagree with you that a Monsters Dark ride is in any way a more palatable solution.

Sure, I’d stand and applaud for a Great Muppets movie ride… but a Tokyo clone? No thanks. You still haven’t addressed that neither iteration of the dark rides are really that strong. If you take off the Tokyo goggles.

 

[LindseyDisney]

I have a question. What's the future of Laugh Floor?

 

[Gremlin Gus]

I have a question. What's the future of Laugh Floor?

It's still staying at TL, though I wouldn't be surprised if it goes away whenever Disney decides to do a TL overhaul in the 2030's

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

I find this take utterly baffling. The entire point of Monsters, the IPs hook, is putting extraordinary creatures in an utterly familiar, banal workaday world. The franchise’s setting is uninteresting ON PURPOSE. An attraction that emphasizes the setting over the characters - like, say, a coaster with few show scenes - is uniquely unsuited to the property. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say there are few properties that are more of a mismatch for a thrill coaster - one that springs to mind, of course, is Muppets. Both IPs need a ride type that emphasizes the characters and the gags that spring from their personalities - say a show or a dark ride. The Tokyo dark ride is a great showcase for the essential qualities of Monsters.

I wouldn't say that the setting of Monsters Inc is uninteresting. The factory is far from banal and Monstropolis itself is a very lively, colorful, fun environment that was created with a pretty deep level of detail provided we don't spend a huge chunk of the movie exploring it.

And then when we shift into the factory, we're introduced to an incredibly creative environment that yes resembles something you'd find in the human world, but on a completely different scale, full of different sight gags and twists. It's extremely well suited to exactly what they're doing with it which is giving it a land based on the city, and then creating this coaster that places you within one of the most exciting and fascinating environments of the entire film.

Yes, a dark ride can work if done well. It's yet to be done well as a dark ride, though. Tokyo's is decent but far from great, and California's is very substandard. But the property is far more flexible than just a dark ride, and we shouldn't be hamstringing it to only that style of attraction. It can work in different forms, and a coaster is most certainly one.

I've watched this film well over a couple hundred times in my lifetime (there was a stretch of time when I was a little kid where I no joke for around a year watched it at least once a day). I understand this movie deep, it's my favorite film of all time, and I would NEVER advocate for something I didn't think would work with it.

 

[Agent H]

I wouldn't say that the setting of Monsters Inc is uninteresting. The factory is far from banal and Monstropolis itself is a very lively, colorful, fun environment that was created with a pretty deep level of detail provided we don't spend a huge chunk of the movie exploring it.

And then when we shift into the factory, we're introduced to an incredibly creative environment that yes resembles something you'd find in the human world, but on a completely different scale, full of different sight gags and twists. It's extremely well suited to exactly what they're doing with it which is giving it a land based on the city, and then creating this coaster that places you within one of the most exciting and fascinating environments of the entire film.

Yes, a dark ride can work if done well. It's yet to be done well as a dark ride, though. Tokyo's is decent but far from great, and California's is very substandard. But the property is far more flexible than just a dark ride, and we shouldn't be hamstringing it to only that style of attraction. It can work in different forms, and a coaster is most certainly one.

I've watched this film well over a couple hundred times in my lifetime (there was a stretch of time when I was a little kid where I no joke for around a year watched it at least once a day). I understand this movie deep, it's my favorite film of all time, and I would NEVER advocate for something I didn't think would work with it.

I think the Tokyo ride looks great

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

I’m not actually sure if I believe the model, it was very barebones… but there is a scene that it appears we leave the warehouse mid ride. Which I think is quite fair to speculate is a door scene. Maybe Boo’s room.

View attachment 845198

I still disagree with you that a Monsters Dark ride is in any way a more palatable solution.

Sure, I’d stand and applaud for a Great Muppets movie ride… but a Tokyo clone? No thanks. You still haven’t addressed that neither iteration of the dark rides are really that strong. If you take off the Tokyo goggles..

Banishment to the Himalayas would be kind of fun. and one of the easier scenes to pull off digitally plus they could a practical snowfall effect with snow machines. For a tongue in cheek meta reference joke, Mike Wazowski could say something like, "Yeah, that Yeti's not working!"

 

[Purduevian]

Banishment to the Himalayas would be kind of fun. and one of the easier scenes to pull off digitally plus they could a practical snowfall effect with snow machines. For a tongue in cheek meta reference joke, Mike Wazowski could say something like, "Yeah, that Yeti's not working!"

If I've learned anything from Everest, Indy, living with the land, and haunted mansion... effects based on water are risky.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

If I've learned anything from Everest, Indy, living with the land, and haunted mansion... effects based on water are risky.

Any hypothetical snowfall system would likely use hyper-condensed food safe bubbles. But yeah in general, practicals typically fall at the wayside in time due to mold, sensor trips in general safety concerns/upkeep. it is still doable however. one place where snowfall would really benefit a ride is in Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast attraction -- but getting off topic.

re: door coaster, I'm not ruling out scenes.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I have a question. What's the future of Laugh Floor?

The Monsters discover that -- better than screams or laughter -- what can power their city are human burps. Some show that will be!

 

[Chip Chipperson]

The Monsters discover that -- better than screams or laughter -- what can power their city are human burps. Some show that will be!

That's a great idea for an upcharge attraction. Admission requires the purchase of 1 large carbonated beverage per person. Maybe also require the purchase of a chili cheese dog. Put pay toilets at the theater exit and it prints money!

 

[Disgruntled Walt]

Any hypothetical snowfall system would likely use hyper-condensed food safe bubbles. But yeah in general, practicals typically fall at the wayside in time due to mold, sensor trips in general safety concerns/upkeep. it is still doable however. one place where snowfall would really benefit a ride is in Tokyo's Beauty and the Beast attraction -- but getting off topic.

re: door coaster, I'm not ruling out scenes.

They could just reuse the ones they have from the Osbourne Lights.

 

[ᗩLᘿᑕ ֊ᗩζᗩᗰ]

They could just reuse the ones they have from the Osbourne Lights.

Bob says you're hired!
(but you have to change your name)

 

[rle4lunch]

The Monsters discover that -- better than screams or laughter -- what can power their city are human burps. Some show that will be!

this sounds as bad as Figment's farts.

 

[Professortango1]

I’m not actually sure if I believe the model, it was very barebones… but there is a scene that it appears we leave the warehouse mid ride. Which I think is quite fair to speculate is a door scene. Maybe Boo’s room.

I would actually love it if the detour into the door didn't make us pass through one show scene, but rather a series of quick different show scenes as we go from door to door to door. Like a madcap chase through different portal points. I could see a finale scene doing the same mirrors trick with Boos door open to her room from the factory that we see in other iterations of Monsters Inc attractions.

 

[Tip Top Club Resident]

We’ve seen an official model of the track. It doesn’t go through any doors. We actually have a shocking amount of detail about this ride and none of it is exciting.

Do we have any idea about the theoretical ride capacity? I know Vekoma suspended coasters don't typically fair too well in that regard but Disney always seems to have an answer for capacity concerns.

 

[GoofGoof]

Do we have any idea about the theoretical ride capacity? I know Vekoma suspended coasters don't typically fair too well in that regard but Disney always seems to have an answer for capacity concerns.

If you go way back to the beginning of the thread (start around page 14) there was some talk about the model showing what looks like 4 lift elevators so they should be able to increase capacity that way. It probably depends if they work any sort of show scene in and how long that takes. It certainly won’t be a capacity like an Omni-mover but hopefully enough that it’s not a huge problem.