News Paradise Pier Becoming Pixar Pier

Curious Constance

Well-Known Member
Cheap??? They weren't cheap! Can you imagine what the bar tab must have been for this guy?!?...

I greww uhp in Whitttyer, Cahliforniuh... (hic!)


GROSS. I HATE the way Bob said "Pixar Pier" really fast and dramatic like everyone was just going to FREAK OUT over the thought of it. UGGGGHHHHHHH. And Lasseter is just awful. Those few jumps in the air seemed to be a bit more than his body was capable of.
 

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
GROSS. I HATE the way Bob said "Pixar Pier" really fast and dramatic like everyone was just going to FREAK OUT over the thought of it. UGGGGHHHHHHH. And Lasseter is just awful. Those few jumps in the air seemed to be a bit more than his body was capable of.
I wonder who were all the shills that cheered at the announcement of Pixar Pier. I guess they learned to stack the audience after the crickets of Mission Breakout.
 

Rich T

Well-Known Member
Yes they would because the fandom, maybe not you specifically, but the majority of the fandom was critical of the state of Paradise Pier. And even more so were the critics of DCA overall. So while again maybe you specifically didn't have an issue with it, Disney did have to do something.
My complaint is that they had already started doing something clever with it, and it was working; the classic Mickey overlay was a great direction. The Pier could have continued mixing early Disney animation with the early 20th Century Amusement Pier theme, and I think it could have turned into something really fun and cohesive (I think people would forgive TSMM being tucked away in there). And then, after all that work on the Swings corner... Pffffff. They decided to junk it all up and make it more of a mess than ever. They now have a gigantic attraction called "Pixar Pal-Around" featuring Mickey Mouse.
 
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MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
My complaint is that they had already started doing something clever with it, and it was working; the classic Mickey overlay was a great direction; the Pier could have continued mixing early Disney animation with the early 20th Century Amusement Pier theme, and I think it could have turned into something really fun and cohesive (I think people would forgive TSMM being tucked away in there). And then, after all that work on the Swings corner... Pffffff. They decided to junk it all up and make it more of a mess than ever. They now have a gigantic attraction called "Pixar Pal-Around" featuring Mickey Mouse.

Mickey will be public domain soon. When that happens, Pixar can make a movie with him in it!!!!
 

nevol

Well-Known Member
Yes they would because the fandom, maybe not you specifically, but the majority of the fandom was critical of the state of Paradise Pier. And even more so were the critics of DCA overall. So while again maybe you specifically didn't have an issue with it, Disney did have to do something.

You are reducing it to a binary set of choices; either Disney leaves it alone or makes Pixar Pier. Your reasoning is sound in this vacuum, critiquing simply fandom reaction to these choices. But in doing so you are ignoring the infinite possibilities of what else could have been done, and even the execution of and quality of Pixar Pier itself. It isn't like they built a brand new land with high quality finishes, attractions built from the ground up, interesting dark rides, simulators, and a finding nemo sub ride.

They tacked on static figures to a roller coaster, built a really underwhelming googie / midcentury plaza, and named food stands after characters. I adore the new finishes on the pixar promenade and as you enter the land by ariel's grotto but the microbrew theme pulls you right out of the period-centric architecture, rendering the entire experience post-modern rather than properly themed.
 
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brb1006

Well-Known Member
You are reducing it to a binary set of choices; either Disney leaves it alone or makes Pixar Pier. Your reasoning is sound in this vacuum, critiquing simply fandom reaction to these choices. But in doing so you are ignoring the infinite possibilities of what else could have been done, and even the execution of and quality of Pixar Pier itself. It isn't like they built a brand new land with high quality finishes, attractions built from the ground up, interesting dark rides, simulators, and a finding nemo sub ride.

They tacked on static figures to a roller coaster, built a really underwhelming googie / midcentury plaza, and named food stands after characters. I adore the new finishes on the pixar promenade and as you enter the land by ariel's grotto but the microbrew theme pulls you right out of the period-centric architecture, rendering the entire experience post-modern rather than properly themed.
Don't forget the long wait for a static figure of Bing Bong. Seriously months of waiting and delays for this?
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
You are reducing it to a binary set of choices; either Disney leaves it alone or makes Pixar Pier. Your reasoning is sound in this vacuum, critiquing simply fandom reaction to these choices. But in doing so you are ignoring the infinite possibilities of what else could have been done, and even the execution of and quality of Pixar Pier itself. It isn't like they built a brand new land with high quality finishes, attractions built from the ground up, interesting dark rides, simulators, and a finding nemo sub ride.

They tacked on static figures to a roller coaster, built a really underwhelming googie / midcentury plaza, and named food stands after characters. I adore the new finishes on the pixar promenade and as you enter the land by ariel's grotto but the microbrew theme pulls you right out of the period-centric architecture, rendering the entire experience post-modern rather than properly themed.

So while yes there could have been many so possibilities I'm dealing with the hard facts on hand. Pixar Pier is here now, not some fantasy of Paradise Pier 2.0 or some other idea for the area. So it is a binary choice based on these facts. Without any other data to go on its either A. Paradise Pier stayed exactly the way it was, or B. Pixar Pier. We can argue all day long on "what if", but that isn't reality. We can also argue all day long the merits of choice B, and we have for 529 pages in this thread. I was just making the point that Disney was going to do something and almost no matter what they did there was going to be some complaint about it by the fandom.

Also just a point of fact so its on the record, I've never said I actually liked Pixar Pier. I'm actually meh about it because I never like the area prior anyways. So in the end I can avoid it if I don't want to see it. I'll really only ever go to that area to ride the coaster, no matter the name it has on it.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
You are reducing it to a binary set of choices; either Disney leaves it alone or makes Pixar Pier. Your reasoning is sound in this vacuum, critiquing simply fandom reaction to these choices. But in doing so you are ignoring the infinite possibilities of what else could have been done, and even the execution of and quality of Pixar Pier itself. It isn't like they built a brand new land with high quality finishes, attractions built from the ground up, interesting dark rides, simulators, and a finding nemo sub ride.

They tacked on static figures to a roller coaster, built a really underwhelming googie / midcentury plaza, and named food stands after characters. I adore the new finishes on the pixar promenade and as you enter the land by ariel's grotto but the microbrew theme pulls you right out of the period-centric architecture, rendering the entire experience post-modern rather than properly themed.

Where have you been ?
 

shortstop

Well-Known Member
I was just making the point that Disney was going to do something and almost no matter what they did there was going to be some complaint about it by the fandom.
I’ve seen this type of argument a lot with respect to a lot of changes in Disney Parks, and it’s flat out untrue. It’s false to say that hardcore fans will complain no matter what. Fans complain when a mediocre area of a park is turned into a theme-less cluster of characters. Fans would NOT complain if a mediocre area of a park were improved upon with high quality theming and placemaking.

I’ve seen the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” defense of Disney quite a bit on this site and I think that reflects a poor understanding of the fanbase’s complaints and objections.
 

Curious Constance

Well-Known Member
I’ve seen this type of argument a lot with respect to a lot of changes in Disney Parks, and it’s flat out untrue. It’s false to say that hardcore fans will complain no matter what. Fans complain when a mediocre area of a park is turned into a theme-less cluster of characters. Fans would NOT complain if a mediocre area of a park were improved upon with high quality theming and placemaking.

I’ve seen the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” defense of Disney quite a bit on this site and I think that reflects a poor understanding of the fanbase’s complaints and objections.
It’s never about pleasing everyone because that’s impossible. It’s about providing a high quality, fun experience that the average person will enjoy and want to experience again and tell their friends about.
 

Disney Irish

Premium Member
I’ve seen this type of argument a lot with respect to a lot of changes in Disney Parks, and it’s flat out untrue. It’s false to say that hardcore fans will complain no matter what. Fans complain when a mediocre area of a park is turned into a theme-less cluster of characters. Fans would NOT complain if a mediocre area of a park were improved upon with high quality theming and placemaking.

I’ve seen the “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” defense of Disney quite a bit on this site and I think that reflects a poor understanding of the fanbase’s complaints and objections.

I get what you're saying, I don't completely agree with it, but I get it. I just feel the internet has made rise to a different kind of fan, the hyper-critical fan that is critical of everything no matter what. There are several fan sites full of these. Luckily this site doesn't have many.

Anyways, like I said I get what you're saying even if I don't completely agree with it.
 

__r.jr

Well-Known Member
It’s false to say that hardcore fans will complain no matter what. Fans complain when a mediocre area of a park is turned into a theme-less cluster of characters. Fans would NOT complain if a mediocre area of a park were improved upon with high quality theming and placemaking.

Far many more would have been receptive had Disney finished what they started; continuing the Victorian era template throughout the pier because Disney is at their best when creating idealized, romanticized, lived-in environments that blend fantasy with history. King Triton's Carousel be given the gingerbread lattice structure that was alluded to 12 years ago, the wrap-around boardwalk the Fun Wheel was suggested receiving and the Gustav Tinkershmidt backstory that was hinted at but went nowhere.

What is so fascinating is the areas that were remodeled by 2012 was met with general praise. The public reacted positively to the changes made and one would think that's all the validation Disney needed to have to know what they were doing, where they were going was the ideal route.
 

MistaDee

Active Member
So while yes there could have been many so possibilities I'm dealing with the hard facts on hand. Pixar Pier is here now, not some fantasy of Paradise Pier 2.0 or some other idea for the area. So it is a binary choice based on these facts. Without any other data to go on its either A. Paradise Pier stayed exactly the way it was, or B. Pixar Pier. We can argue all day long on "what if", but that isn't reality.

I found the direction that Paradise Pier 1.5 took to be encouraging! The Victorian era theme was not a fantasy, but rather never fully executed. Within that theme it would be possible to make an area that folds in classic Disney animation as well as an old-timey feel that could have salvaged the land in my opinion.

Imagine if they announced a Mystic Manor style funhouse where Goofy's Sky School is or Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway tucked behind TSMM (likely impossible but I digress.)

I would much rather had Paradise Pier stayed the way it was because that at least allowed for a trajectory that I could get behind - the vision they laid out in 2008 was one I could get behind as a fan, that's no fantasy. Option B takes us in the wrong direction, even if it is "something."
 

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