News Remy's Ratatouille Adventure coming to Epcot

[justintheharris]

The predicted increase in efficiency may not have happened but MDE does better allow WDW to know who is going to which parks each day. It also due to FP+ allows me to better plan my vacation. I no longer spend most of the day in parks waiting on line. I spend about half the day on shows and rides and the other half shopping and eating. We also dpend more time at Disney Springs. Believe me, MDE was money well spent because it included so much more that just FP+. We love it and the magic band sales are extremely profitable. And thanks to the new upgrade options permits hotel guests are buying bands rather than just getting the free ones.

I think I'm gonna side with this one. Mainly because the development of Magic bands has probably led to people spending more money than they realize. Instead of having to pull out a credit card a see an object they associate with finances, they only have to tap a wrist band. And even worse, kids can do this too with mom and dad's card! On a different note though, you're absolutely correct that it does allow Disney to predict the amount of people going to each park. However, those are just that. PREDICTIONS. Take a look at Disneyland right now. Reservations for Star Wars sold out within hours but there are TONS of people blowing off their reservations. As a matter of fact, Disney cast members self admission block out got lifted for this week. That's how off those estimates were.

 

[lazyboy97o]

While I agree about the investments, Ratatouille fits perfectly into the France pavilion and is hardly an "awkward corner" and considering the space that Tron is going in was previously unused, I wouldn't consider that misplaced either. Do I agree that Disney spent way too much time and money trying to avoid building new rides? Absolutely. Do I agree that they were being lazy by selecting already existing rides? Sure. Did they make poor selections or are placing their selections inappropriately? Absolutely not.

Ratatouille is literally “around back.” It is spatially disconnected from the rest of the Pavilion.

 

[justintheharris]

Ratatouille is literally “around back.” It is spatially disconnected from the rest of the Pavilion.

I personally don't find it awkward. But I guess that's just me.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Ratatouille is literally “around back.” It is spatially disconnected from the rest of the Pavilion.

That's usually what happens when you expand past what is guest accessible, in a tight area.

Disneyland's Toontown is "around back" Fantasyland theater and iasw
IJA is "around back" Jungle Cruise and PotC
Harambe Market is "around back" Harambe
Fire Mountain that everybody always wants, would've been "around back" Jungle Cruise and PotC too

If the expansion and the connection between both areas are well themed, I don't see the problem.
It just creates a larger and more interesting area.

Just like how Everest is disconnected from the original Asia plot of land

 

[lazyboy97o]

That's usually what happens when you expand past what is guest accessible, in a tight area.

Disneyland's Toontown is "around back" Fantasyland theater and iasw
IJA is "around back" Jungle Cruise and PotC
Harambe Market is "around back" Harambe
Fire Mountain that everybody always wants, would've been "around back" Jungle Cruise and PotC too

If the expansion and the connection between both areas are well themed, I don't see the problem.
It just creates a larger and more interesting area.

Just like how Everest is disconnected from the original Asia plot of land

It is not what usually happens except in more recent projects. “It’s a small world” (Disneyland) would be the most similar situation. Attractions like the Indiana Jones Adventure and Expedition Everest continue the pattern language of their respective lands, they continue to shape space in a similar manner. They’re spatially connected to their larger environment. In figure-ground Ratatouille would read as more backstage than part of the pavilion space.

 

[MaximumEd]

“Pattern language”, “shape space”, “spatially connected”, “figure-ground”. That’s some pretty good word salad. Bravo.

 

[justintheharris]

It is not what usually happens except in more recent projects. “It’s a small world” (Disneyland) would be the most similar situation. Attractions like the Indiana Jones Adventure and Expedition Everest continue the pattern language of their respective lands, they continue to shape space in a similar manner. They’re spatially connected to their larger environment. In figure-ground Ratatouille would read as more backstage than part of the pavilion space.

This is a textbook example of finding fault for the sake of finding fault.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This is a textbook example of finding fault for the sake of finding fault.

You’re right it is ridiculous to evaluate built space in the manner by which built space is evaluated.

 

[Timothy_Q]

It is not what usually happens except in more recent projects. “It’s a small world” (Disneyland) would be the most similar situation. Attractions like the Indiana Jones Adventure and Expedition Everest continue the pattern language of their respective lands, they continue to shape space in a similar manner. They’re spatially connected to their larger environment. In figure-ground Ratatouille would read as more backstage than part of the pavilion space.

That's because we know it currently as backstage.

Once it is properly themed, it'll read like an extra Parisian street you can walk down in the pavillion.

Exactly like what happened for the Harambe Market

 

[lazyboy97o]

That's because we know it currently as backstage.

Once it is properly themed, it'll read like an extra Parisian street you can walk down in the pavillion.

Exactly like what happened for the Harambe Market

Theming is not just ornament and props. The plan and organization of space are very much part of themed design. Much of that can be known now, it doesn’t require “theming” to be understood.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Theming is not just ornament and props. The plan and organization of space are very much part of themed design. Much of that can be known now, it doesn’t require “theming” to be understood.

So how would you have added a ride to the France pavillion in a better way, without doing any of the things they avoided doing?

-without removing any existing facilities
-without crowding the current tiny paths of the pavilion with the extra crowd levels the ride will bring
-without using the front half of the pad between France and Morocco (so it can theoretically still be used for a future country)
-without putting the show building in the path of the Skyliner

 

[FigmentFan82]

Theming is not just ornament and props. The plan and organization of space are very much part of themed design. Much of that can be known now, it doesn’t require “theming” to be understood.

Expansions have to go somewhere. Why is 'around back' not good enough for you? They planned and organized the space based off what they originally wanted to build. Now new things are built, and you fit them where they can. I don't see the negative of this.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Expansions have to go somewhere. Why is 'around back' not good enough for you? They planned and organized the space based off what they originally wanted to build. Now new things are built, and you fit them where they can. I don't see the negative of this.

The difficult thing is adding to an existing themed area without diluting the existing theme. In recent years Disney has done this with a varied level of success.

 

[justintheharris]

Theming is not just ornament and props. The plan and organization of space are very much part of themed design. Much of that can be known now, it doesn’t require “theming” to be understood.

Theming is not just ornament and props. The plan and organization of space are very much part of themed design. Much of that can be known now, it doesn’t require “theming” to be understood.

Would putting it’s entrance between Morocco and France have made you happy? Doubt it. If anything, I love the new layout. Given the fact you will be able to stand in a new area of the France pavilion without being able to see World Showcase lagoon, I would argue this format is even MORE immersive than most of the pavilion. The only distraction may be the gondolas but we’ve yet to actually walk the new courtyard so I’ll reserve that judgment.

 

[justintheharris]

 

[Indy_UK]

That's coming along quickly.

I know this ride isn't going to change th earth but for where it being put, not taking up much space and in theme, it's perfect

 

[rreading]

There has been discussion here as to how Rat can be improved. The question I have (not having ridden it) is whether there are truly simple tweaks to make it better? I would assume (ha!) that TWDC would be aware that something could be better and that a simple modification would be easy - especially in a new build.

So if it would be easy to do better, then why not? I don't believe that Disney is lazy, for the most part.

 

[JohnD]

This is a textbook example of finding fault for the sake of finding fault.

"Epcot needs more attractions!"

Disney builds Rat.

"It's around back."

There's no pleasing some people. Maybe he would prefer the show building in front, like GOTG?

 

[shortstop]

"Epcot needs more attractions!"

Disney builds Rat.

"It's around back."

There's no pleasing some people. Maybe he would prefer the show building in front, like GOTG?

To be fair, there are other ways to do it. The show building for Indiana Jones Adventure is extremely detached from the rest of Adventureland - however, they managed to properly integrate the attraction into the land. Sure, the queue is long, but the entrance isn’t difficult to find or isolated from everything else. Similarly, the exit takes you back to where you started from (I.e. in the land).

On the other hand, to access Ratatouille, you have to go around the entire pavilion. It seems like it will be “themed” well from an aesthetic standpoint (it looks like Paris) but it’s spatial layout relative to the rest of the pavilion is awkward, at best, which is unfortunate, because spatial layout is important in themed design as well. IJA shows that just because the show building is in an awkward place doesn’t mean it has to feel out of the way.

 

[ToTBellHop]

"Epcot needs more attractions!"

Disney builds Rat.

"It's around back."

There's no pleasing some people. Maybe he would prefer the show building in front, like GOTG?

Yes, it’s one of the more absurd complaints. A new ride that fits in the park theme and replaces nothing should be a home run. I wish MMRR was handled like this (“around back of Disney Junior”).