Not to continue off topic to this thread, but I think it will work. They seem to be turning around with attendance up 9% this year so far. And they have the right focus. A marine life based theme park, but really sell the rides and attractions and most importantly the value for the money. They ignored Blackfish and thought it wouldn't touch them which was a mistake. From marketing to messaging to operating, they are now confronting it. And think about it, there is not a park in Orlando yet that really the coasters or other thrill rides. Sea World has the only Giga and beats Universal's two parks in true inverting coasters with two of them. If they continue down that path they will have success.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
PizzeRizzo Closing or Receiving Menu Changes?
- Thread starter RSoxNo1
- Start date
Not to continue off topic to this thread, but I think it will work. They seem to be turning around with attendance up 9% this year so far. And they have the right focus. A marine life based theme park, but really sell the rides and attractions and most importantly the value for the money. They ignored Blackfish and thought it wouldn't touch them which was a mistake. From marketing to messaging to operating, they are now confronting it. And think about it, there is not a park in Orlando yet that really the coasters or other thrill rides. Sea World has the only Giga and beats Universal's two parks in true inverting coasters with two of them. If they continue down that path they will have success.
gmajew
Premium Member
You cannot blame them for making this seasonal or when needed for the time being. The park is a shell of itself and even during peak times I was able to get reservations the week of to anything in the park. So their is really no need for it right now.
I hate having anything shut by I also believe they should have just shut the park down and did the refresh right all at once and open it new when they were ready.
I hate having anything shut by I also believe they should have just shut the park down and did the refresh right all at once and open it new when they were ready.
Tom P.
Well-Known Member
What DIsney has *not* done is find someone who "gets" The Muppets to run Muppet projects. Jason Segel came closest. But even he wasn't right on the mark.
Quite honestly, The Muppets were Jim Henson and Frank Oz. Many other talented people have been involved since Day 1, of course, but the heart and soul were Jim Henson and Frank Oz. When one of them was gone (Henson), they soldiered on and did some good stuff but it still wasn't quite the same. When both of them were gone (Oz due to retirement rather than death), it all fell apart.
Am I saying that no one can ever again do The Muppets correctly? Yeah, I think maybe I am. I hate that, because I want to see new projects that I love from them. But The Muppets were/are such a unique property, so unlike anything else, that I think perhaps they were unique to those two individuals. I'd like to be proven wrong, though.
kjb101791
Active Member
Both fair points. I worked at Hollywood Studios and never knew how to tell people how to get to Muppet Courtyard from Sunset/Animation Courtyard. "just go sort of straight-ish, then keep going. If you don't see Muppets, you aren't there". This is also the reason why Streets of America never really seemed to meet its potential and usually felt abandoned when it could have had actual shops to go in, a la Universal Studios (gasp).
Missing20K
Well-Known Member
Wasn't the Streets of America originally closed to pedestrian traffic and only part of the backlot tour? Not to say they couldn't have added a shop or three when they added Muppets Courtyard and opened the Street to guests. But could be a reason they don't have them, as they were never intended to be shops but just facades.
kjb101791
Active Member
That would make sense. Some of the shops you could see computers and desks inside, so they probably could have been fairly easily converted into a more usable form. The whole area/park is still odd for navigation in a mostly non-endearing way.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Yes. It was opened up to traffic when they neutered the tram tour and put in the car show.
It was all Hollywood facade stuff in most of it... steel with cladding and a few smaller spaces here and there.
flynnibus
Premium Member
The streets of America were created to be a movie backlot... you would see filming there or learn how movie magic was done for sets while on the backlot tour. It was never conceived to be the walking guest area it is now.
hombredesilla
New Member
>Quite honestly, The Muppets were Jim Henson and Frank Oz.
While I agree with your praise of these gentlemen, you need to add Jerry Juhl to that list as well. His writing is key to much of what is considered classic Muppet works.
While I agree with your praise of these gentlemen, you need to add Jerry Juhl to that list as well. His writing is key to much of what is considered classic Muppet works.
Missing20K
Well-Known Member
I believe it opened to pedestrian traffic much earlier, sometime in the early 90's as I remember being a kid on the backlot tour and wishing we could walk around the "set". I think the next time we went was 94 and we got to walk around and I was so excited.
EDIT: my recollection was a bit off. went back in 92.
Last edited:
kjb101791
Active Member
Right, but then when it was they let an opportunity for really being immersed in the streets not happen and was sort of just a dead end. Anyway, PizzeRizzo is OK.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Part of it was opened to foot traffic when they adjusted the tram tour early on.. while the NY square area (where the tram turnaround was) was kept on the tram tour. The area was commonly used for promotions and event stuff (go on youtube for all the really bad 90s tv stuff they would do
). They trimmed the trams from going back through here in multiple stages early on.. making most of Streets of America open to foot traffic. By the mid nineties, the tram tour and park mods made all of this 'park area' with add-ons done.https://www.yesterland.com/streets.html
TimeDuck
Active Member
This is so sad, Rizzo is Top 5 Muppets, easy.
I just want that gorgeous Muppets store to actually be stocked with Muppets merch
Just one chance to buy a Rizzo and Sam the Eagle plush please...Also how is there no Great Moments in History merch :/
DisneyDreamerxyz
Well-Known Member
This is so sad, Rizzo is Top 5 Muppets, easy.
I just want that gorgeous Muppets store to actually be stocked with Muppets merch
Also how is there no Great Moments in History merch :/
I work in merchandise and I love the Muppets !! I wish there was more Muppet merch too ! but at least there is some, I know I've seen Miss Piggy and Fozzy Bear ear-hats recently. and Rizzo has appeared on Muppet Babies which has been renewed for a 2nd Season on Disney Junior and they are making merchandise for Muppet Babies - They had a Kermit plush in the store I work in recently. Hopefully more to come !!
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
At least the Disney Junior Live Tour (Which is basically the same show at the parks but going across the U.S) also has The Muppet Babies in the show...
Sadly they are only shown on Screens rather than characters....Shame they couldn't get Vee corporation to make new costumes since they have done Sesame Street, Muppets & Muppet Babies costumes for live shows..
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
and actually even more of the Streets (probably including the Muppet Vision theatre) should be demolished to re-do the park.
In the last 30 years people's interest of how the movies are made have changed as well as the techniques used to make them, as cameras have got smaller, more things are done on location now instead of backlot filming. Also with DVD/Blu-Ray extras there is less interest in learning "movie magic" in a theme park setting.
Due to the awkward shape of the walkways etc in that area of the park I think it would have been better to demolish Muppetvision and Mama Melrose as well and make a much more cohesive park layout, with fewer dead ends. Of course this could be phase two/three/four...
Universal Orlando has survived better as they didn't build their "backlot" street fronts as just fronts, they built it as part of the theme park from day one rather than adding a tram tour to a theme park that doesn't have a lot of actual filming taking place (unlike Universal Hollywood). and of course Disney Studios Paris "tram tour" is even more of a mess.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
Missing20K
Well-Known Member
Wow that video is a blast from the past of my early childhood. I remember so much of what was shown. I miss the early days of the competing "Studios" parks.
dgp602
Well-Known Member
I was just there last week. Park was crazy crowded. All food options were shoulder to shoulder. And here sat this large, expansive restaurant vacant. I don't get it.
It almost feels like this whole Muppet area is primed to be bull dozed after Star Wars opens, or maybe even before....
It almost feels like this whole Muppet area is primed to be bull dozed after Star Wars opens, or maybe even before....