News Paradise Pier Becoming Pixar Pier

[Curious Constance]

Great questions! I'll try my hand at some educated guesses, based on past practice and how the DCA remake of 2009-2012 played out.

• How are they going to do this? (Take all of Paradise Pier down at once, or one attraction/building at a time) Probably, in phases from this September through next May, for Screamin', Fun Wheel, Carousel, Sky School, Swings. Some of the smaller round rides may take only a few weeks, while the bigger rides may take three or four months.
• How much of Paradise Pier are they going to overlay? Just the Boardwalk, or the entire land? My hunch is the boardwalk from Sideshow Shirts to Screamin', but maybe Goofy's Sky School and Swings gets in on the act too?
• When are they going to do this? Labor Day '17 through Memorial Day '18 is my guess.
• Will The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Undersea Adventure move to Pacific Wharf? That's an easy fix for that, kind of like the Matterhorn moving from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland and back again in the 1960's and 70's.
• How easy is it going to be to move Francis' Ladybug Boogie, Flik's Flyers, Tuck and Roll's Drive 'Em Buggies, Princess Dot Puddle Park and Heimlich's Chew Chew Train to Pixar Pier? Probably more trouble than it's worth.
• How easy would it be to re-theme the aforementioned attractions? Not that hard, but would seem worth saving for Marvel Land.
• Will King Triton's Carousel be re-themed to Finding Nemo or Finding Dory? Let's hope! It needs a big plussing from it's 2001 cheapness.
• How will they re-theme the other attractions? (California Screamin' to The Incredibles, Mickey's Fun Wheel to Luxo Jr.? Silly Symphony Swings or Goofy's Sky School to WALL-E? Jumpin' Jellyfish to Up? Golden Zephyr to Buzz Lightyear Rockets (no possessive necessary?) Only Lasseter and his bartender know that yet. Stay tuned.
• Who will now conduct Instant Concert... Just Add Water? Do they still do that show?
• What character meal will Ariel's Grotto be replaced with? Not sure you could replace the Princess gravy train. They'll likely stay.
• When is Paradise Pier Hotel next due for a refurbishment? Probably not before it's hopefully torn down in the 2020's.

That reminds me that I really hope they do something with the cheap faux-modern Carousel in Paradise Pier. It needs a serious upgrade and proper Imagineering. It's one of the few things left in DCA that didn't get touched in the upgrades of 2009-2012, and still wallows in its Paul Pressler cheap stucco/cement/vinyl banner treatment. Cheap and tacky!

Did you just call King Triton cheap and tacky?

 

[Curious Constance]

california adventure is dead inside it is ruined should be gone I wish dizzy which is destroyed now I should be gone now now now now now now Disney just do it tomorrow so if it D Molisch

Hans, granny is back!!!!!

 

[Disney Irish]

Just thought of this, when was the last time Screamin' when down for a long refurb?

If this means it goes down and gets some TLC I'm happy with this. However where is the confirmation that its being rethemed to Incredible's? I think some of us on here are jumping the gun on a lot of this based on one single piece of concept art. Let's wait and see what other details come out in the next couple of months.

Although it wouldn't be a Disney fan forum if people didn't fly off the handle when changes are announced. lol

 

[Disneyfan1981]

Here's the thing, and it's just my two pennies but here goes, I've always felt that DCA itself never felt very Disney when it opened. It simply was lacking the punch to storytelling that Disneyland had. I get the intent, that the park was built to honor Walt's journey, etc, etc but Paradise Pier just felt like a meh thing. Very few kids even on the busiest days were at the carnival games, the little side rides were fairly easy to get on since they weren't busy and except for California Screamin' it wasn't much to write home about.

Mulholland Madness was simply rethemed to Goofy's Sky School and I kid you not the thing is busy as hell. It is the same ride, there is nothing changed except for signage and it instantly became a hit. I remember early trips to MM where they would ask if you wanted to stay on because no one was in line. Now the wait times during the summers easily hits 30-40 minutes. So it's been proven that a simple change does wonders. I mean I still remember Superstar Limo which became Monsters Inc and did more than just an overlay but essentially was the same ride only now following Monsters Inc instead of finding celebrities.

So I'm not surprised that they (Disney Parks) would simply just overlay over the land, I mean it's worked before. A little tweak here, a little tweak there and suddenly lines. At least with Pixar it isn't going to be just some random land that hasn't been given any love. Even the Paradise Pier hotel doesn't have a separate entrance (which it could) and feels like a random hotel in the area with a few statues of Goofy or Donald surfing but not much else. It doesn't have the same feel as DLH or GC. I know the hotels aren't changed but it was mentioned in here somewhere about just retheming that too.

For me who attends DL regularly at least it's something that keeps that area new. That brings some kind of whimsy. I mean 45 minute waits for TSMM were regular things but California Screamin'? 10 minutes average. The Wheel? 15 max. The swings (which are actually Silly Symphony themed) 5 minutes. There isn't much really there to draw so at least this brings more attention which in turn could bring more rides bring more fun stuff. It's a start, might be a lazy one but at least it's one.

 

[nevol]

Just thought of this, when was the last time Screamin' when down for a long refurb?

If this means it goes down and gets some TLC I'm happy with this. However where is the confirmation that its being rethemed to Incredible's? I think some of us on here are jumping the gun on a lot of this based on one single piece of concept art. Let's wait and see what other details come out in the next couple of months.

Although it wouldn't be a Disney fan forum if people didn't fly off the handle when changes are announced. lol

I was moreso expecting cutouts of toy story characters that the track flies through, nothing major. The tubes from inside out would be incredible as the scream tubes, but the problem is, they can't really effectively theme that ride to anything too specific because the ride envelope and vehicles are what they are. They can't just replace those trains with emotion/idea balls that self-illuminate. The ride is really strong as it is; a boardwalk/pier roller coaster. It is a super fun experience at night. It doesn't need a story which is why I think toy story is the most likely; they can just put cutouts and static figures here and there while maintaining the nighttime lighting package etc.

 

[Disney Irish]

I was moreso expecting cutouts of toy story characters that the track flies through, nothing major. The tubes from inside out would be incredible as the scream tubes, but the problem is, they can't really effectively theme that ride to anything too specific because the ride envelope and vehicles are what they are. They can't just replace those trains with emotion/idea balls that self-illuminate. The ride is really strong as it is; a boardwalk/pier roller coaster. It is a super fun experience at night. It doesn't need a story which is why I think toy story is the most likely; they can just put cutouts and static figures here and there while maintaining the nighttime lighting package etc.

But those are still just your thoughts. There is no confirmation of any specifics of anything other than that Pier itself is getting rethemed. There is no specifics of any of the rides themselves. So again I think a bunch of us here are jumping to conclusions based on very very very limited information and one basic concept art.

Once more details come out then we can have something to really discuss. But right now its just all a little too early to think abc is going to happen to xyz.

 

[nevol]

But those are still just your thoughts. There is no confirmation of any specifics of anything other than that Pier itself is getting rethemed. There is no specifics of any of the rides themselves. So again I think a bunch of us here are jumping to conclusions based on very very very limited information and one basic concept art.

Once more details come out then we can have something to really discuss. But right now its just all a little too early to think abc is going to happen to xyz.

Sorry that is not what I meant at all; I was agreeing with you. There is zero evidence of an Incredibles overlay of Screamin; all I am contributing beyond that is commentary on what is more likely and what in general is feasible. Did I say they were turning the scream tubes into the tubes from Inside Out?

 

[nevol]

Can anybody here read?

 

[wm49rs]

Can anybody hear read?

I'm sure they can. And use the right words too....

 

[nevol]

I'm sure they can. And use the right words too....

Classic. when two words are phonetically similar back-to-back i sometimes type that way. Like word two hitch hikes on word one. I should probably get that checked out.

 

[Disney Irish]

Sorry that is not what I meant at all; I was agreeing with you. There is zero evidence of an Incredibles overlay of Screamin; all I am contributing beyond that is commentary on what is more likely and what in general is feasible. Did I say they were turning the scream tubes into the tubes from Inside Out?

I think you are misunderstanding what I'm saying, and taking what I'm saying and making it specific to you.

Its fine to have a discussion on what our "thoughts" are of the changes. But when ideas of specific changes are brought up without confirmation it leads to emotions and panic of those changes, all based on someones idea. So while I can appreciate your ideas of "what could happen", it better to discuss things more broadly for now. Once more details are released then we can start to debate the more granular points of the project. Anyways just my two cents.

 

[TP2000]

Did you just call King Triton cheap and tacky?

Just the merry-go-round named after him, honey. Not the man himself.

You may now continue with your delusion that he's real and wants to spend time with you under the sea.

 

[nevol]

I think you are misunderstanding what I'm saying, and taking what I'm saying and making it specific to you.

Its fine to have a discussion on what our "thoughts" are of the changes. But when ideas of specific changes are brought up without confirmation it leads to emotions and panic of those changes, all based on someones idea. So while I can appreciate your ideas of "what could happen", it better to discuss things more broadly for now. Once more details are released then we can start to debate the more granular points of the project. Anyways just my two cents.

Got it. I can't really avoid using some level of judgement, because to some extent, we know what we are getting or in what capacity we are getting some IP, regardless of what that IP is. For example, it is still a Pier. Given that a wooden roller coaster is a strong manifestation theme element for a pier, it would work against them to disguise the ride as anything else. If it was too successfully an IP attraction and no longer resembling a wooden coaster, then suddenly the Ferris wheel and boardwalk games and Midway Mania make less sense. So there is room to discuss these things even if we don't know whether or not movie a b or c will get a C D or E, or whether the interior of that theater shown will be a mini land in a new traditional style immersive replica of a particular IP or an indoor land themed less, embracing the pier/arcade look, or if it'll house a 3d show-attraction like ITTBAB etc etc.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Ha! You realize we already have REAL PIXAR LANDS and that it is the other resorts that don't, for the most part? Cars land, a bug's land, finding nemo submarine voyage... that attraction cost $150 MILLION DOLLARS. We don't need a generic off-the-shelf studio-branded land

This isn't about "what we need". These are corporate business strategies that are working extraordinarily well. Many regular posters here screamed and moaned that Mission Breakout was mistake and something "we didn't need" and look how that turned out.

 

[Disney Irish]

Got it. I can't really avoid using some level of judgement, because to some extent, we know what we are getting or in what capacity we are getting some IP, regardless of what that IP is. For example, it is still a Pier. Given that a wooden roller coaster is a strong manifestation theme element for a pier, it would work against them to disguise the ride as anything else. If it was too successfully an IP attraction and no longer resembling a wooden coaster, then suddenly the Ferris wheel and boardwalk games and Midway Mania make less sense. So there is room to discuss these things even if we don't know whether or not movie a b or c will get a C D or E, or whether the interior of that theater shown will be a mini land in a new traditional style immersive replica of a particular IP or an indoor land themed less, embracing the pier/arcade look, or if it'll house a 3d show-attraction like ITTBAB etc etc.

The issue, as I stated before, when you are starting to talk specifics without confirmation then emotion set in, which turns into panic. You then have panic about ideas of which its unknown if it'll even come to light.

So sure, they can put some cutouts of Pixar characters in Screamin' and call it Pixars Wild Ride. Now you have some fan of Screamin' panicking that they are changing their favorite ride. All because someone threw an idea out there. This is how internet rumors get started.

 

[Disney Irish]

This isn't about "what we need". This is a corporate business strategies that are working extraordinarily well. Many regular posters here screamed and moaned that Mission Breakout was mistake and something "we didn't need" and look how that turned out.

Exactly, fans can never agree on what "we need" or what the "parks need". Its really what the business finds is in their best interest. Some work, as in the recent past, and some don't as in the more distant past.

 

[SSG]

So sure, they can put some cutouts of Pixar characters in Screamin' and call it Pixars Wild Ride. Now you have some fan of Screamin' panicking that they are changing their favorite ride. All because someone threw an idea out there. This is how internet rumors get started.

So you're saying Pixar's Wild Ride is definitely happening?

 

[disneyC97]

Just thought of this, when was the last time Screamin' when down for a long refurb?

If this means it goes down and gets some TLC I'm happy with this. However where is the confirmation that its being rethemed to Incredible's? I think some of us on here are jumping the gun on a lot of this based on one single piece of concept art. Let's wait and see what other details come out in the next couple of months.

Although it wouldn't be a Disney fan forum if people didn't fly off the handle when changes are announced. lol

Hopefully it will get a long overdue full repaint

 

[Disney Irish]

So you're saying Pixar's Wild Ride is definitely happening?

I heard it from a cast member who was working at TSMM while the Park's presentation was happening....

 

[Phroobar]

It wasn't announced but if you look to the right of the concept art you can see the renamed Mickeys Fun Wheel to the Pixar Fun Wheel with an image of the lamp on the marquee. I personally don't think Mickeys face would or could be replaced by any one Pixar character

So the concept art's sign has a lamp on it if you squint yours eyes just right, therefore the wheel will have a giant lamp on it. Right.... <backs away slowly>

This is the same logic as that guy with the crazy hair on Ancient Aliens uses.