Pixar "Invasion"

[gusgoose]

So, what's up with people complaining about the Pixar movies "invading" Disney World? I understand there's always going to be people who pine for the older rides that the newer rides replace. But has there been a single case where a "classic" ride was replaced by an inferior Pixar-themed ride?

Can anyone honestly say with a straight face that they enjoyed the Living Seas more without the Nemo theming? Or that they'd rather ride Dreamflight than Buzz Lightyear's Ranger Spin?

I understand the people who don't like to see so many movie tie-ins with new rides, but let's face it, that's how things work these days. It would one thing if Disney was releasing, say, a Wall-E ride this summer to correspond with the release of the movie. But they're not doing that, they're only building rides based on the Pixar movies that have been out for at least a few years and proven themselves as modern classics.

The fact is, Pixar hasn't made a movie even below very-good standards yet, which is pretty unbelievable. In fact, I'd say at least half the Pixar movies instantly qualified as classics. When was the last time Disney released a classic non-Pixar animated movie? The Lion King?

I think it just needs to be accepted that Pixar is here to stay, and yes the studios in the modern economic era are going to take steps to capitalize on popular modern releases than they did even in the modern-classic animation era of the 90's, when the Lion King, Aladdin, etc. were popular. Take a quick look at the highest grossing movies of all time. I believe every Pixar movie cracks the top 100, except for possibly A Bug's Life. If you were a Disney executive, you'd have cash register noises going in your head too when you looked at that list, and start dreaming up ways to capitalize on it in the parks.

 

[tractorm3]

i got into this in another post i made that started some noise.

Basically Pixar=Disney.

The thing i have to say is i dont knwo why toy story is behind two of the newer rides and having those rides be some what simalar, not in tech but in the sence you are in a car spinning and shooting things with a score. Thats why i feel pixar is over done in the parks.

I love the new rides and they look very promising as long as they hold up just a little better than EE

But this summer i think will change every ones mind since the common rumors is there is some E-ticket annoucment this summer some time or some thing to that extent

Disney has alot of there movies into rides and no one complains, i think its just a very different and new face for WDW and people dont like change but in time in sure it will be considered classics.

 

[ann0d]

Personally, my kids are growing up with Pixar, so they love all the new Pixar additions. Disney has to stay up to date like anybody else.

 

[CThaddeus]

The idea of a Pixar attraction doesn't bother me. However, I will say there are a few Pixar attractions out there I just don't care for:
1. The off-the-shelf type attractions of Flik's Fun Fair at California Adventure (though I do kind of like Heimlich's Chew-Chew Train)
2. Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor - Maybe if it had been in the Studios I might have liked it better. But this is definitely a case where I think the predecessor ran rings around the current occupant. I'm also over the whole interactive-video-screen-as-attraction thing.
3. The Nemo ride portion of The Seas. Sorry, without even a drop of educational content it just doesn't appeal to me there. However, had it been placed in Fantasyland or next to the Musical, I would be okay with it. Turtle Talk doesn't do a whole lot for me either. After I've seen it once, I don't feel the need to repeat it. I always thought The Living Seas was too educational and lacking that certain Disney humor the other EPCOT pavilions had, but I have to say I'd rather have the full-on education back than the currently fluff-filled pavilion.

But there are Pixar attractions I do enjoy, and are among my top Disney Park attractions: Finding Nemo - The Musical, It's Tough to Be a Bug, The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Buzz Lightyear (though I did love Dreamflight!), Monsters Inc. - Mike and Sulley to the Rescue, the two Pixar parades that have been at California Adventure, and the Woody's Roundup Show that briefly ran at Disneyland.
So, really, in my mind, they've got a pretty darned good track record. We'll see how Toy Story Mania goes...

 

[wannab@dis]

The idea of a Pixar attraction doesn't bother me. However, I will say there are a few Pixar attractions out there I just don't care for:
1. The off-the-shelf type attractions of Flik's Fun Fair at California Adventure (though I do kind of like Heimlich's Chew-Chew Train)
2. Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor - Maybe if it had been in the Studios I might have liked it better. But this is definitely a case where I think the predecessor ran rings around the current occupant. I'm also over the whole interactive-video-screen-as-attraction thing.
3. The Nemo ride portion of The Seas. Sorry, without even a drop of educational content it just doesn't appeal to me there. However, had it been placed in Fantasyland or next to the Musical, I would be okay with it. Turtle Talk doesn't do a whole lot for me either. After I've seen it once, I don't feel the need to repeat it. I always thought The Living Seas was too educational and lacking that certain Disney humor the other EPCOT pavilions had, but I have to say I'd rather have the full-on education back than the currently fluff-filled pavilion.

But there are Pixar attractions I do enjoy, and are among my top Disney Park attractions: Finding Nemo - The Musical, It's Tough to Be a Bug, The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Buzz Lightyear (though I did love Dreamflight!), Monsters Inc. - Mike and Sulley to the Rescue, the two Pixar parades that have been at California Adventure, and the Woody's Roundup Show that briefly ran at Disneyland.
So, really, in my mind, they've got a pretty darned good track record. We'll see how Toy Story Mania goes...

1. No idea... haven't made it to the left coast, yet.
2. Can't agree at all. Laugh Floor was great. Everyone seemed to be enjoying it and it was MUCH better than the tired Timekeeper. Also, you do realize what you just said... right? Remove "interactive" and you are right back to a video based attraction. :lookaroun

"I think the predecessor [Timekeeper - movie attraction] ran rings around the current occupant. I'm also over the whole interactive-video-screen-as-attraction thing."

3. So you would rather the pavilion be empty? :shrug: I just don't follow. You don't like Nemo because it doesn't have education but you thought the pavilion used to have too much education but you would rather it have too much than not enough and be as empty as always. OK

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

I would absolutely prefer dreamflight to Buzz Lightyear

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

Personally, my kids are growing up with Pixar, so they love all the new Pixar additions. Disney has to stay up to date like anybody else.

This goes along with a thought I had the other day. I just booked a trip to take my niece6 & nephew9 to the World in December. While I am sure they will enjoy Splash Mountain, they won't have any idea of the storyline that goes with the ride. I'm sure there are going to be characters in the parks that they're not going to know. While I love the classics, and are sad to see them replaced with the new stuff, it's a fact that today's families have young children that will recognize Sulley & Mike before Tweedledum & Tweedledee.

 

[Lee]

But has there been a single case where a "classic" ride was replaced by an inferior Pixar-themed ride?

Depends on your definition of "classic" but Alien Encounter being replaced by the much inferior Stitch....

Or that they'd rather ride Dreamflight than Buzz Lightyear's Ranger Spin?

Yeah...I think I would. Especially since Buzz is put to shame by MIB down the road at Universal.

 

[XaiChai]

Eh, I've never understood whats the deal with the Stitch ride....It's not like they really changed a whole lot from the original ride. I actually really like it and I kinda like that its a little bit more family friendly.

 

[XaiChai]

Besides, its not like any of us would rather see a Home on The Range ride in Frontierland.

 

[bgraham34]

If you want Disney World to be around in 20 years, they must adjust to the changing times. Like it or not thats the way it is.

 

[CThaddeus]

1. No idea... haven't made it to the left coast, yet.
2. Can't agree at all. Laugh Floor was great. Everyone seemed to be enjoying it and it was MUCH better than the tired Timekeeper. Also, you do realize what you just said... right? Remove "interactive" and you are right back to a video based attraction. :lookaroun

What other people think of the attraction is their business. To each their own. I'm expressing my opinion. I wasn't impressed by Laugh Floor because I've already seen it in Crush's Turtle Talk and Stitch's Picture Phone (the best of the three, in my opinion). A third attraction of this kind is just didn't work for me and felt unnecessary (not to mention out of place in Tomorrowland). And Timekeeper was more than JUST a video-based attraction. It had impressive Audio-Animatronics, a 360 degree view, and a story line I found way more entertaining. Laugh Floor is just a bunch of TV screens, nothing more. If that appeals more to you and "everyone" else, then it's all yours. I simply wish they had put a little more into it. I never found Timekeeper "tired."

3. So you would rather the pavilion be empty? :shrug: I just don't follow. You don't like Nemo because it doesn't have education but you thought the pavilion used to have too much education but you would rather it have too much than not enough and be as empty as always. OK

I never saw it "empty." Even during the slower seasons when I was there I still waited in a bit of a line to get in, giving me time to study the 20000 Leagues props. In addition, the movie was filled with people, it took about ten minutes to get on a Hydrolator, and there was a line for the Sea Cabs. On the opposite side of that, I was there a few months ago, had zero wait to get on Nemo (both times on different days), and the only thing I had to queue up for was Crush's Turtle Talk...and my guess is because it was running in only one theater every 15 minutes or so. Ultimately, I could be good with the Nemo attraciton if they reworked it to teach people something about the oceans and marine life. As it stands now, it's a fluffy Fantasyland dark ride and as such does not appeal to me in EPCOT Center. I know the idea is evil, but I'd still rather be learning something from an attraction there than just be entertained.

 

[marni1971]

Can anyone honestly say with a straight face that they enjoyed the Living Seas more without the Nemo theming? Or that they'd rather ride Dreamflight than Buzz Lightyear's Ranger Spin?

Yes and definately. SWN is good, and saved the facility, but give me Alpha pre 2001 anyday. And as for BLSRS... dear oh dear

Well, you asked.

 

[CThaddeus]

Eh, I've never understood whats the deal with the Stitch ride....It's not like they really changed a whole lot from the original ride. I actually really like it and I kinda like that its a little bit more family friendly.

I'm with you there. I think they actually improved it in many ways.

edit: Oh, and if done properly, I'm all for a "Home on the Range" attraction. I see no reason why this couldn't be done well.

 

[jakeman]

Laugh Floor is just a bunch of TV screens, nothing more. If that appeals more to you and "everyone" else, then it's all yours.

I tend to disagree that Laugh Floor is "just a bunch of TV screens". My TV's at home can't interact with me on same level as Laugh Floor. In fact, my TV only does what I tell it too. I can't talk to it or have it talk directly to me.

I understand that you do not care for the attraction, but to belittle the technology that went and to say it is nothing more than a TV is rather shortsighted.

And on another note, why are we down on Buzz Lightyear all of a sudden. Wasn't the first generation of these types of rides? I'll be the first to admit that the Buzz Lightyear is Disneyland is superior (it has been 10 years since I went on MIB so I won't comment).

 

[MousDad]

Depends on your definition of "classic" but Alien Encounter being replaced by the much inferior Stitch....

I agree with SGE being inferior than AE, but was Stitch Pixar?

I may be wrong, but I don't think so. If not, that actually adds fuel to the fire that Pixar characters are better than non-Pixar, (at least the last 12-15 years' worth).

 

[jt04]

Yes and definately. SWN is good, and saved the facility, but give me Alpha pre 2001 anyday. And as for BLSRS... dear oh dear

Well, you asked.

Buzz is really dated now that TSMM is open and I really hope they have the courage to shut it down. Someone suggested that the facility could be converted rather easily to a Wall-E dark ride and I think that is an amazing idea since Wall-E actually occurs in the future. :lookaroun

I am with everyone else that the Laugh Floor belongs at the Studios. I would love to see them build a brand new Laugh Floor at the Studios while the current one is still running and then they could open the new one and not have any downtime. Then the original sets could be shipped to Paris or DL or some other park. Then........

I have always though they might put a ride based on the original "flying saucers" at DL inside this building. Basically Luigi's Hubcap/Tire Spin from DCA but themed to "flying saucers" with a new animated circle vision film to go with it would be amazing!

Then if they also got rid of Stitch, the Skyway building, and refurbed SM/TTA...........Tomorrwland might actually start to look Tomorrowy again

 

[CThaddeus]

I tend to disagree that Laugh Floor is "just a bunch of TV screens". My TV's at home can't interact with me on same level as Laugh Floor. In fact, my TV only does what I tell it too. I can't talk to it or have it talk directly to me.

I understand that you do not care for the attraction, but to belittle the technology that went and to say it is nothing more than a TV is rather shortsighted.

I'm not belittling the technology. It is just a bunch of video screens you stare at for 15-20 minutes. I can very easily hook up a video camera to watch people who are watching a TV in another room and interact with them via a monitor and microphone. But, you're right, there's a lot of programming and such to get characters to appear on the screen to look like they're talking to you in real time. That's impressive, but it's been done already in Turtle Talk and Stitch's Picture Phone (RIP), so it doesn't come across as something unique to me. Call me old school, but Audio-Animatronics will always impress me more than a character on video screen...interactive or not.

 

[jt04]

I'm not belittling the technology. It is just a bunch of video screens you stare at for 15-20 minutes. I can very easily hook up a video camera to watch people who are watching a TV in another room and interact with them via a monitor and microphone. But, you're right, there's a lot of programming and such to get characters to appear on the screen to look like they're talking to you in real time. That's impressive, but it's been done already in Turtle Talk and Stitch's Picture Phone (RIP), so it doesn't come across as something unique to me. Call me old school, but Audio-Animatronics will always impress me more than a character on video screen...interactive or not.

Mr Potaohead proves your point. The problem (unfortunately) is development costs and maintenance costs. But you are right, it would be amazing to see the Laugh Floor using Mr Potatohead technology (as long as it is installed at DHS that is!).

 

[progroupie]

For those of you claiming you prefered Dreamflight to Buzz or Timekeeper to Laughfloor, do you think you're honestly saying that based on attraction quality or based on nostalgia and what you grew up with?