Returning to old concepts, the end of (a little bit of) hubris?

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Original Poster
Meaning, Disney always gave the impression that every attraction that replaced an old one was better and the old one wasn't worthy...unless it's for selling merchandise to nostalgic nerds (like me).

Case in point is the "return of World of Motion elements" to Test Track which may have been driven by GM execs, difficult to tell.

Another one is where figment was brought back after the debacle that was Imagination 2.0 (so short lived most people probably don't even remember it), but generally speaking....the "keep moving forward" concept has always been the case.

I wonder if we'll start seeing some more returns to more "classic" versions or additions to some attractions. It appears they are repainting the Seas pavilion to more closely match the original paint scheme. I'm hoping Imagination also goes back to the light blue instead of the kodak colors (dead sponsorship, remove the sponsor colors Disney!).

I don't expect a lot of these things to happen, but it would be interesting if Disney actually pushed toward nostalgia more, I think it would do good things beyond merch sales.
 

denyuntilcaught

Well-Known Member
I too had a similar thought. I don't want to give it too much...hope?...but I do think there's been a bit more of Disney acknowledging its history within the context of the parks, and bringing some of that back to life. Yes, is it fan servicing, sure, but I think it's also a gentle admission that they know some of their best moments are behind them, so might as well commit to it and resurface some of that.

Interesting parallels to the live-action remake strategy on the studio side.
 

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
I wonder if we'll start seeing some more returns to more "classic" versions or additions to some attractions. It appears they are repainting the Seas pavilion to more closely match the original paint scheme. I'm hoping Imagination also goes back to the light blue instead of the kodak colors (dead sponsorship, remove the sponsor colors Disney!).

I don't expect a lot of these things to happen, but it would be interesting if Disney actually pushed toward nostalgia more, I think it would do good things beyond merch sales.
Zach Ridley's big bold plan to bring Epcot back on how it was in the 80's
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el_super

Well-Known Member
I don't expect a lot of these things to happen, but it would be interesting if Disney actually pushed toward nostalgia more, I think it would do good things beyond merch sales.

It ebbs and it flows. With all things, you eventually hit a point where it is broken/faded/forgotten and needs to be replaced and that replacement always has to be something different that can start to attract attention again.

There is no better example of this than Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland. That attraction opened at Disneyland in 1965. Ran its course and was replaced in 1975, only to eventually be brought back. Ran it's course again and was replaced in 2001, only to be brought back again in 2009. The current iteration, being a more nostalgia based re-presentation of the original 1964 show that was really well received when it opened but... mostly sits empty today.

Circle of life I guess.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
I wonder if we'll start seeing some more returns to more "classic" versions or additions to some attractions
I think it's just 'retro sells' more than anything else.

It's a trend in merchandise everywhere... Retro/throwback is big right now. EPCOT jumped on that around the anniversary and WDW has milked that baby in small amounts for a long time now.

I think it's just more of that milking the old to try to add credibility now.
 

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
A few other examples...

Tiki Room -> Under New Management --> Tiki Room

Happily Ever After -> Disney Enchantment -> Happily Ever After

Soarin over California -> Soarin around the World -> Soarin over California (Even if brief)

Captain EO -> Honey I Shrunk the Audience -> Captain EO Tribute -> HISTA not reopening(???)

Symbiosis -> Circle of Life: An Environmental Tale -> Awesome Planet (in a non-ip sense, same message)
 

JIMINYCR

Well-Known Member
When the new doesnt work the old comes back to save the day. The old proved its worthiness at one time so its a safe move to bring it back because its history shows a lengthy success.
Disney tries to show they are willing to move forward by cutting out what they see as old and tired. They dont see the worth we the guests see in what is tried and true Disney attractions. They arent experiencing these attractions at our level. Walts statement about Disney continuing to be moving forward didnt mean shutting the door and abandoning what you already had.
I only wish Disney would value what we do and see the worth in the old as we do.
 
Honestly it is not what Disney sees as we do, they are the creators and the dreamers. I sometimes feel Disney wants to do more and keep people interested in the product. I feel this over thinking and over reaching is where they forget that they have a masterpiece and do not realize it due to being in continuous thought of how it can get better instead of realizing this is perfect and people love it. I feel that with older rides like World of Imagination and so on that they are so wrapped around details of improvement that they lose the concept of what they were creating in the first place.
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
Disney always peddled nostalgia. The difference now is the nostalgia is for its own past rather than the past in general
 

el_super

Well-Known Member
Disney is busy trying to rewrite its past, not having nostalgia for it.

Nostalgia itself has to change. The things newer generations get nostalgic for, are not the same things that previous generations did. As older generations die off, nostalgia itself will change.
 

Robbiem

Well-Known Member
Disney is busy trying to rewrite its past, not having nostalgia for it.
I think they are doing both. There has been lots of retro Epcot centre and Euro Disney merchandise etc available recently for example

they are happy to monetise their past when they think it will pay off
 

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