News Paradise Pier Becoming Pixar Pier

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I'm betting it'll be the streets, off-ramps, and walkways leading to DLR come 2019 if they don't do something soon.

I bet most voters living in Anaheim have little awareness of the pending gridlock nightmare that's about to come their way. This is where the local news media isn't doing its job. In addition to in-depth stories on Disneyland attraction changes and retired Imagineers the LA Times, or another media source with with influence, ought to expose what's going on.

Well considering that the OC Register changed their coverage of D23 from negative to positive halfway through the weekend after pressure from Disney, doesn't look like we'll get anything worthwhile out of them!

 

[Deleted member 107043]

Well considering that the OC Register changed their coverage of D23 from negative to positive halfway through the weekend after pressure from Disney, doesn't look like we'll get anything worthwhile out of them!

I did say a media source with with influence, so...

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

I did say a media source with with influence, so...

LOL true!

 

[Deleted member 107043]

So I feel for the poor guy in those dopey shorts.

Look at the terrible decor. The whole thing is just so sad.

 

[TP2000]

I've been thinking about Pixar Pier today, and have a few musings...

I must say, I had no idea that Paradise Pier had so many diehard fans that are upset at this news!

Paradise Pier was rethemed in 2010-11 to add a whole bunch of "Disney" characters, mostly just slapped onto the side of existing rides from 2001. Along with the reskin of existing structures with far nicer Victorian themed overlays, it was a nice freshening of what was arguably the weakest and cheapest looking section of DCA.

Paradise Pier went from this Paul Pressler stucco masterpiece...

To this properly budgeted and Imagineered environment....

Pixar Pier appears to be a similar project, replacing the Disney characters slapped on things with Pixar characters. Midway Mania is already there as an anchor attraction themed to Pixar, but there are still some sections of the Pier that haven't been upgraded fully from their 2001 cheap Paul Pressler aesthetic - King Triton's Carousel, Sideshow Shirts, Fun Wheel queue, all of California Screamin'.

Hopefully the Pixar Pier project will address those four remaining areas, and it's apparent the Sideshow Shirts building and Fun Wheel queue get plussed up from the one piece of official artwork released.

And it looks like they are using the work already done at Tokyo DisneySea for their Midway Mania mini-land as inspiration; an early 1900's trolley amusement park. (The trolley companies built these to encourage weekend use of their rail lines.)

So far, so good for me. But the big question is what becomes of all the Disney characters that were pushed into the Pier back in 2010?

There's still that Hollywood Backlot expansion out into the East Esplanade bus loading zones that is coming. And there's a new Mickey dark ride going into DHS, which was rumored to be under consideration for DCA's Hollywood area. The Hollywood expansion could be themed to classic Disney characters, eliminating Monsters Inc. And the Marvel expansion is rumored by Miceage to include A Bug's Land, eliminating another Pixar franchise.

This could mean that since Pixar will be eliminated from the rest of DCA, except for Cars Land obviously, WDI is giving the Pier over to Pixar while they remake big chunks of the rest of the park into properly Imagineered homes for Disney and Marvel characters.

Looking at the long game here of 5 to 7 years from now, that could very well be the method behind the madness of Pixar Pier for 2018. Judging from how insanely happy and hyper John Lasseter was when he announced this at D23, which even caused him to slur his words and act like a fool which was obviously not related to alcohol use whatsoever , Pixar Pier is the bone WDI and Burbank throw the Pixar team to keep them playing along as they remove Pixar from the rest of DCA

 

[Animaniac93-98]

It won't be hard to remove Mickey and Goofy from their rides, but Mermaid is another matter. Both the ride and Grotto character meal. I could see the ride becoming Coco though, possibly to share development costs with the rumored overlay of Mexico's attraction at Epcot. Maybe the upcoming Fantasyland expansion will include a Princess dining hall?

 

[Deleted member 107043]

but there are still some sections of the Pier that haven't been upgraded fully from their 2001 cheap Paul Pressler aesthetic - King Triton's Carousel, Sideshow Shirts, Fun Wheel queue, all of California Screamin'.

I would argue that Screamin is fine as is and its classic woody coaster theme (with a modern twist) works well with the seaside pier story. What it lacks is a proper Disney queue/boarding area.

 

[Travel Junkie]

Anyway, don't let any of this distract you from the fact that the Lakers are on the up and up. Any Lakers fans here?

Heck yeah. Lonzo!

I must say, I had no idea that Paradise Pier had so many diehard fans that are upset at this news!

This probably falls under the Frozenstrom argument. Malestrom wasn't great, but ideologically does Frozen fit into Epcot and lamenting the branding of everything.

This could go one of two ways. 1. they could slap a Pixar character name to everything and add nothing but meet and greets. 2. Use the branding as an excuse to really spend some money and do the area right.

TDA has had success using money carved out for new offerings to upgrade existing infrastructure. World of Color is an example of budgeting an upgrade to the equipment into the overlays they have done over the years. If renaming a carnival game after a Pixar character is the price of doing business to get the funding to create a better area, then I'm fine with it. If all they do is cheaply add the Pixar characters and don't upgrade the area, then it is a bad move. They didn't give enough details on which way they are going.

When the announcement landed with a giant thud in the parks presentation it was because they didn't announce any new attraction or even explain what they were doing. That made everyone think it was just rebranding. After hearing all the WDW announcements the DLR heavy audience wanted something big for the local resort.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

And there's a new Mickey dark ride going into DHS, which was rumored to be under consideration for DCA's Hollywood area.

Redo Fantasyland, extend it into Toontown, and put Mickey there. Ideally it would be awesome if the Mickey ride could go somewhere on BV Street.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

The Mickey ride sounds terrible from how they describe it as screens (shocker!) that simulate 3D without glasses. Doesn't sound like anything I'd ever want to ride. They build a giant canyon and a charming-ish dark ride with 3D sets and figures for the Cars movie, but Mickey Mouse gets a screen ride? I know, too early to judge, nothing pleases me, go back to Haunted Mansion etc.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I know, too early to judge, nothing pleases me, go back to Haunted Mansion etc.

Honest question: Besides Haunted Mansion and Snow White what else do you enjoy at DLR? You're obviously aware that you come across as kind of surly when discussing anything other than those two attractions, so my questions aren't meant to put you on the spot. In short I'm trying to be nice.

Also why don't you use 'quote' or 'reply' when responding to posts? It's sometimes difficult to follow who you're talking to.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I enjoy being charmed.

 

[mickEblu]

Redo Fantasyland, extend it into Toontown, and put Mickey there. Ideally it would be awesome if the Mickey ride could go somewhere on BV Street.

I like the idea of just expanding BVS and absorbing Hollywoodland, including the backlot. BVS is like the smallest land in the history of lands anyway. Being that they got rid of TOT- the Hollywood anchor attraction and considering that the new Mickey ride really doesn't feel all that Hollywood it probably makes the most sense, especially if they continue the strong theming. DHS does Hollywood. Universal does Hollywood. DCA may as well get rid of it at this point and focus on BVS. Between Carthay, Hyperion, the Mickey ride, animation academy, rerouted trolley, all the shops and strong theming would make for a great land.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

I like the idea of just expanding BVS and absorbing Hollywoodland, including the backlot. BVS is like the smallest land in the history of lands anyway. Being that they got rid of TOT- the Hollywood anchor attraction and considering that the new Mickey ride really doesn't feel all that Hollywood it probably makes the most sense, especially if they continue the strong theming. DHS does Hollywood. Universal does Hollywood. DCA may as well get rid of it at this point and focus on BVS. Between Carthay, Hyperion, the Mickey ride, animation academy, rerouted trolley, all the shops and strong theming would make for a great land.

There's probably not enough room but it might be interesting if It's Tough to Be a Bug became the Mickey ride. Where could the BV Street entrance be? Between the Carthay and Disney Jr or whatever it's called?

 

[mickEblu]

Heck yeah. Lonzo!
.

Don't forget LaVar!

 

[Californian Elitist]

The thought of Mermaid being taken out never crossed my mind. Would be weird if it were to leave.

 

[mickEblu]

There's probably not enough room but it might be interesting if It's Tough to Be a Bug became the Mickey ride. Where could the BV Street entrance be? Between the Carthay and Disney Jr or whatever it's called?

That could work too but I think that may be where Spider-Man is going.

 

[mickEblu]

The thought of Mermaid being taken out never crossed my mind. Would be weird if it were to leave.

I think there is zero chance of this happening.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

That could work too but I think that may be where Spider-Man is going.

Crazy to think that a SPIDERMAN ride is coming to DLR.

Who knows what's planned, especially since they are so tight lipped about the future of DLR, but maybe Mickey will be part of a FL expansion. I certainly wouldn't be mad if it was. lol

 

[Suspirian]

It won't be hard to remove Mickey and Goofy from their rides, but Mermaid is another matter. Both the ride and Grotto character meal. I could see the ride becoming Coco though, possibly to share development costs with the rumored overlay of Mexico's attraction at Epcot. Maybe the upcoming Fantasyland expansion will include a Princess dining hall?

I doubt anything is happening to mermaid. Either Pixar Pier is a mini-land that is encompassed by Paradise Pier or TLM is "moved" to Pacific Wharf like Matterhorn was to Fantasyland. Not sure about the Grotto though.