Monsters, Inc. Hollywood Studios rumor

[the-reason14]

I kinda like the idea of mgm being WDW's "thrill park." With ToT, and Coaster being there already, it's a good start for them to continue making more thrill rides. I think it and AK should have a few more 'thrills' whether it's coasters or something else. But I also don't think they should alienate the kiddies either. I think they should build a toontown with the DL roger rabbit ride, and maybe some other DL fantasyland rides and put it somewhere in the studios. This could be mgm's version of fantasyland. Then get rid of the Indy dated spectacular for a similar ride from DL or keep the show and build the ride by it, and the MI coaster.

 

[invader]

Sorry for the dig, but did they word this awkwardly, as if there are plans for another multi-looping coaster?

 

[AEfx]

Disney was created as a family park, rides that are targeted toward one group of people who want extreme thrills is not what Walt wanted. Another coaster would be fine in HS...and if it is a big thrill ride that is great but this park needs more than that. 90 minutes to wait TSM is out of control.

Couple of corrections to minor misconceptions...

First, there isn't really a single ride at Disney with "extreme thrills".

Second, out of the more thrilling rides, although I'm sure age skews somewhat at the upper and lower portions, the people that ride them are hardly "one group", as I see people form 7 to 70 in line for ToT, RnR, etc.

Third, Walt had no problem with thrill rides. In fact, he built the first steel roller coaster in the world (the Matterhorn at Disneyland). This "he only wanted rides that toddlers and the elderly can/are eager to ride" misconception has brewed around him much like history (or at least popular belief among fans) has made him into this grandfatherly gentleman without fault (they tend to forget he was a chain smoking hard talking abrupt man when he wanted to be, or when he wasn't getting his way, for example).

All that said, I agree that MGM needs more "everyone" rides. It dearly needs a couple of nice, dark rides that are well-themed. I'm still dying to see The Muppet Movie Ride twenty years after it was cancelled. If anyone is screaming out for Animatronics, it's the Muppets (which was why I always get a twinge of sadness doing MuppetVision, because I can watch the Muppets on film at home, I want to SEE THE MUPPETS!).

AK has the same issue. Both parks seem to forget that the dark ride is really what originally, and still does, set Disney apart, as they offer so little in that arena (glaring exception being GMR, of course).

 

[JamieD]

no, you aren't the only one that liked it. Our family liked it too when we went in 09 but it's just something that once you've seen it, you really don't need to see it again.

We are planning on going back to Disney World next year in March or May (depending on if my parents want to go with us) and therefore I have started a checklist of things we want to do and things we can skip to make time for others......Indy was on my kids' list to skip! lol

We have all agreed we would rather spend the extra time we would spend watching Indy, waiting in line for TSM. (we've never done it yet due to long lines)

The problem with the movie studio stick that has been the rage since, what the mid-80s, is what we sometimes refer to as re-rideability. Studios spend so much time building a story and balancing everything on it, that many people don't want to see it again. It's the old, "been there, done that." Universal had a problem with too (how many times did you re-ride earthquake?). It's why most people walk through the 'Aerosmith in the recording studio' scene if they can. Let's just get to the ride. On the plus side, RR and ToT both offer such thrills that people will endure the "setting up" of the attraction. Indy and most other shows don't. I'm with a previous poster; play up the adventure of a great franchise and lose the "live filming."

DHS needs more attractions with re-rideability. Done.

 

[Kamikaze]

The problem with the movie studio stick that has been the rage since, what the mid-80s, is what we sometimes refer to as re-rideability. Studios spend so much time building a story and balancing everything on it, that many people don't want to see it again. It's the old, "been there, done that." Universal had a problem with too (how many times did you re-ride earthquake?). It's why most people walk through the 'Aerosmith in the recording studio' scene if they can. Let's just get to the ride. On the plus side, RR and ToT both offer such thrills that people will endure the "setting up" of the attraction. Indy and most other shows don't. I'm with a previous poster; play up the adventure of a great franchise and lose the "live filming."

DHS needs more attractions with re-rideability. Done.

Go to Six Flags and Cedar Point if you just want attractions without backstory. More thrills, cheaper, more 'adult' attractions. Story is what Disney Parks are built on. Sorry.

And obviously, the majority wants backstory as well, since those parks have also started theming up and adding story elements to their attractions.

 

[sWANNISAX]

I think the answer for the studios is to literally redivide the park into themed "studios." Such as you have Pixar Studios where the pixar rides are, Disney Studios where animation is, Old Hollywood Studio on the street leading to TOT. Turn the left side of the park into Lucas Studios Backlot, and then the Muppet Studios area. If the Marvel Rights were in their possession, which I know they aren't and likely won't be, the New York Street could become Marvel Studios.

Dividing the park along these lines would allow a retheming with different concepts and probably also create more unity to the park as a whole. The Disney Studios section could add more kids rides, I think the idea above about moving Town Town to the studios is smart. The Disney Studios section could literally become toon town.

 

[Scuttle]

I think the answer for the studios is to literally redivide the park into themed "studios." Such as you have Pixar Studios where the pixar rides are, Disney Studios where animation is, Old Hollywood Studio on the street leading to TOT. Turn the left side of the park into Lucas Studios Backlot, and then the Muppet Studios area. If the Marvel Rights were in their possession, which I know they aren't and likely won't be, the New York Street could become Marvel Studios.

Dividing the park along these lines would allow a retheming with different concepts and probably also create more unity to the park as a whole. The Disney Studios section could add more kids rides, I think the idea above about moving Town Town to the studios is smart. The Disney Studios section could literally become toon town.

This actually isn't a bad idea. Just not sure how it would work without major overhaul.

 

[laward32]

I think the fastpass wouldn't be so bad if they only accepted them in the time frame on the fastpass. They distribute so many an hour to keep the lines from being to bad, but since you can use them at anytime it can make it worse.

I would love to see a MI coaster and another ride added to DHS.

 

[marni1971]

Sorry for the dig, but did they word this awkwardly, as if there are plans for another multi-looping coaster?

Not really. Paris had the first 2 Disney looping Coasters so they had to be resort-specific.

 

[Brian Noble]

Go to Six Flags and Cedar Point if you just want attractions without backstory. More thrills, cheaper, more 'adult' attractions. Story is what Disney Parks are built on. Sorry.

Exactly. And, the best in this genre are excellent at what they do.

And obviously, the majority wants backstory as well, since those parks have also started theming up and adding story elements to their attractions.

Yes and no. Cedar Point, as an example, has been adding what I'd call "light theme" to many of their recent additions (Dragster, Maverick, the new Ocean Motion location), but not others (Windseeker, maXair). Even so, the primary point of any of these has not been story, but the dynamics of the attractions. Very few places are "pure story" or "pure thrill". Story-based parks have a little bit of thrill to them. Thrill-based parks have a little bit of story to them.

There are a few places that I'd consider closer to mid-point hybrids: Busch's Williamsburg park is on that list. Six Flags Fiesta Texas might be too.

 

[JLW11Hi]

Exactly. And, the best in this genre are excellent at what they do.

Not to mention just adding a sloppy "backstory" to something doesn't automatically make it more interesting.

A pervious posted lumped ToT and RRC together when criticizing this, where it is quite obvious that the ToT set up is lightyears better than the one at RRC which involves a pretty forced storyline. The queue might as well send you straight to the backdoor loading area without going through the cheesy video and its bare screening room.
The ToT video room looks great and ties the show into the Twilight Zone cleverly by showing the video on an old TV screen and slowly building up tension by adding the lightning effect in the room and the big surprise at the end.

(Though, I will admit some of the ToT video is showing its age. The effects in-video are pretty corny and old. Revamp, anyone?)

 

[wizards8507]

The problem with the movie studio stick that has been the rage since, what the mid-80s, is what we sometimes refer to as re-rideability. Studios spend so much time building a story and balancing everything on it, that many people don't want to see it again. It's the old, "been there, done that." Universal had a problem with too (how many times did you re-ride earthquake?). It's why most people walk through the 'Aerosmith in the recording studio' scene if they can. Let's just get to the ride. On the plus side, RR and ToT both offer such thrills that people will endure the "setting up" of the attraction. Indy and most other shows don't. I'm with a previous poster; play up the adventure of a great franchise and lose the "live filming."

DHS needs more attractions with re-rideability. Done.

I've been trying to think of how to phrase this exact sentiment for months, so thank you.

This is why the perception that DHS is half-day park is so popular. If you went to DHS and did American Idol, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid, One Man's Dream, Lights Motors Action, Backlot Tour, the Animation Academy, and Indiana Jones in addition to the "must-dos" (Tower, RnRC, Toy Story, Fantasmic), I think you would actually find it difficult to do everything even in a full day. The problem is excactly what JamieD said. Most people don't want to do Indiana Jones and Backlot Tour on every visit. When you start skipping things, especially long shows, a full day park can easily become a half day park. Thus, many of us find DHS tourable in a half day, not because there isn't enough to do, but because there isn't enough we want to do every time we visit.

 

[DisneyJunkie]

They could seriously help the wait problem TODAY if they just removed Fastpass.

See California Adventure for proof.

Not a chance. Fastpass is great.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

They could seriously help the wait problem TODAY if they just removed Fastpass.

See California Adventure for proof.

The same ride can be more or less popular on the opposite coast. Different guest tastes, location, and competition from other attractions affect wait times. I'm sure there are some other variables, too. Whether a ride has Fastpass or not is only a part. Look at Soarin' (Over California): crazy waits in Epcot, much more manageable waits in DCA. Both have Fastpass.

 

[Theme Parkitect]

There are a few places that I'd consider closer to mid-point hybrids: Busch's Williamsburg park is on that list. Six Flags Fiesta Texas might be too.

Um. I'm sorry. Were you trying to say that Fiesta Texas has good story? What park do you go to??? I live in Corpus Christi (2 hours away) and that park it HORRIBLE with story. The rides ARE fun, but story? Stop lying to yourself. They tried to copy Disney with the "hub" concept using the Mexican town instead of Main Street U.S.A. but it was a failure. I really hope I read your post incorrectly. :zipit:

 

[JamieD]

Go to Six Flags and Cedar Point if you just want attractions without backstory. More thrills, cheaper, more 'adult' attractions. Story is what Disney Parks are built on. Sorry.

And obviously, the majority wants backstory as well, since those parks have also started theming up and adding story elements to their attractions.

I'm not saying I don't want a backstory, but let's not confuse theming and story-telling with backstory. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Space Mountain provide immersive theming. Splash Mountain tells a great story. Each approach is a bit different, but both give you a great feeling that's not forced and hence lots of re-rideability. IaSW and PotC tell loose stories that are up for interpretation and provide so many things to look at that each ride can feel pretty different, hence lots of re-rideability.

Rides based on movies often try to re-tell the movie plot or create some elaborate storyline so the ride makes sense. The more elaborate and precise a story becomes, I believe the fewer times the average person wants to hear it again and again. RnR is great and the storyline was interesting the first few times, but if you're riding it for the fifth time during your vacation, it's not hard to believe that you'd just like to get on the rollercoaster. Honestly the make-up of attractions like TGMR and Indy at DHS and the old Earthquake and Kongfrontation at USF don't allow for as much re-rideability. I enjoyed them, but don't need to visit them five times during my vacation.

I've been trying to think of how to phrase this exact sentiment for months, so thank you.

This is why the perception that DHS is half-day park is so popular. If you went to DHS and did American Idol, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid, One Man's Dream, Lights Motors Action, Backlot Tour, the Animation Academy, and Indiana Jones in addition to the "must-dos" (Tower, RnRC, Toy Story, Fantasmic), I think you would actually find it difficult to do everything even in a full day. The problem is excactly what JamieD said. Most people don't want to do Indiana Jones and Backlot Tour on every visit. When you start skipping things, especially long shows, a full day park can easily become a half day park. Thus, many of us find DHS tourable in a half day, not because there isn't enough to do, but because there isn't enough we want to do every time we visit.

Exactly. When I visited DL years ago, I felt like they had six e-tickets: Splash Mountain, BTMR, Matterhorn, IJA, ST and Space Mountain. We would make sure to put those in high rotation for the first few days, but as our vacation wore on we seemed to ride Space Mountain, Matterhorn and BTMR more than the others. They provided more re-rideability.

 

[TP2000]

In all fairness DHS sees around 8,200 more guests per day than DCA, nearly all of which head straight to TSM. I am no expert but I'll wager that that has considerably more to do with the wait time than fastpass.

Valid point. And DCA already has a lot more rides and attractions than DHS does, with generally similar operating hours and four more rides already under construction at DCA for 2012.

Disney California Adventure
25 Rides/Attractions, 4 of them Thrill Ride E Tickets
4 Live Stage Shows
1 Night Spectacular

Disney's Hollywood Studios
10 Rides/Attractions, 3 of them Thrill Ride E Tickets
7 Live Stage Shows
1 Night Spectacular

I'm no fan of Fastpass, and I absolutely LOVE that Toy Story Midway Mania doesn't have Fastpass at DCA. But I think if they removed Fastpass from Midway Mania at DHS it would make it worse in this instance. DHS just doesn't have the attraction and overall park capacity to deal with all those people looking to go on a ride. Similarly, it's great that Little Mermaid doesn't have Fastpass at DCA, but that it will have the full Fastpass/NextGen queue built for it at Magic Kingdom in 2012.

 

[invader]

Not really. Paris had the first 2 Disney looping Coasters so they had to be resort-specific.

Yeah, but for the Offical WDW twitter, I would understand if it was something like Disney Parks.

 

[marni1971]

Yeah, but for the Offical WDW twitter, I would understand if it was something like Disney Parks.

But DLP is classed under Disney Parks too.

 

[Lee]

Yeah, but for the Offical WDW twitter, I would understand if it was something like Disney Parks.

The same WDW twitter that just days ago asked if anyone remembered when there was a club called Videopolis in Fantasyland?

Apparently, knowledge of WDW history is not a requirement to work in Disney social media.