Rumors of OZ at DL... any rumors for WDW

[TP2000]

As an example, Alice In Wonderland was one of the biggest successes in recent history, yet not a single attraction was built to take advantage of it.

Well, there is the Tim Burton Alice In Wonderland themed Mad T Party nighttime street party opening this June at Disney California Adventure.

So Disney does know that it's a popular concept to use for theme park audiences.

 

[invader]

As an example, Alice In Wonderland was one of the biggest successes in recent history, yet not a single attraction was built to take advantage of it.

Because it was a snooze-fest.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Because it was a snooze-fest.

Opinion.

 

[Captain Chaos]

From what I understand, the theme park rights are under copyright and have been awarded to a park that's trying to be built in NJ.

There was originally going to be a park in Olathe, KS but the morons in the area were too short-sighted to see what an amazing opportunity this was and the residents wouldn't allow it. The Wonderful World Of Oz was the name and the artwork for it was amazing. I believe Jim Hill did a story on it.

Besides promotion for the movie, this doesn't belong in a Disney park. Disney has too many of its own properties that they are letting die. Iger needs to stop looking outside and needs to take better advantage of what he already has.

As an example, Alice In Wonderland was one of the biggest successes in recent history, yet not a single attraction was built to take advantage of it.

I live in NJ... And this is the first I ever heard of this, nevermind that I haven't heard of any new park being built...

There was a Wizard of oz park in North Carolina... Beech Mountain to be exact... Opened 1970, close 1980... Looked, eh, cheesy LOL http://www.emeraldmtn.com/oz.htm

Back in 2006, when Kansas fell through, the plan was to build the park in NY... Obviously that never happened...

Universal Studios Japan HAD a land dedicated to Oz... Looked OK... The land had a WICKED musical... Not sure about any rides... I think Oz would actually go well in IOA, replacing the last parts of LC Unless there are theme park rights owned by someone else...

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Now as I mentioned before about Return to Oz being Disney's second attempt..What about the first time? Well, during The Disneyland TV show's Fourth Anniversary special they did a segment for a purposed film Walt was going to do called The Rainbow Road To Oz. It was to star the original Mousketeers as the Oz characters..The film never got off the ground only to just have a preview of what was to come on the DL TV Show..But, it would have been the only Mousketeer Movie ever made...Here's the video to see what would have been...
[youtube]kJjhqBb3qGI[/youtube]

 

[Strangeling]

I'm with you, I loved "Return to Oz"!

Originally I grew up in Kansas City and heard about 20 years worth of constant "they're bringing an Oz theme park to Kansas!" rumors, news articles, buildups, and letdowns.

I'd be very curious to see Disney incorporate it into an existing or future park if they can get through any legal rights wrangling. Oz is a richly textured world (so many books in the series to get material from, and of course the MGM movie, etc.) and obviously has the "staying power" to keep generations of new fans interested.

 

[xdan0920]

False. Toy Story 3 was the biggest movie of 2010. Two seconds of research would have told you that.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Biggest movie of 2010. Huge hit with girls and other demographics. I thought it was great. They should at least do some kind of new Alice attraction, because interest in the franchise is quite high after the movie.

Johnny Depp in Burtonland was just another of many stories of Alice going back to Wonderland older (like Looking Glass Wars or American McGee's Alice), and ended up being kinda meh. Turning the Jabberwocky poem into a heroic prophecy, Wonderland isn't even really called Wonderland, the stupid Breakdancing stuff at the end, Christopher Lee has only three lines as the Jabberwock before his tongue gets cut off and becomes a generic dragon as a result. Could have been handled better.

 

[xdan0920]

It's still the biggest movie other than that with an insanely huge boxoffice take. So it would be idiotic not to use that momentum for an attraction or something even if it doesn't use the designs.

This makes no sense. Please rephrase into a coherent thought.

But maybe people are against using anything Alice due to an irrational hatred of Tim Burton their mirrors the hatred for James Cameron and anything that is popular and isn't Pixar. Seems to be a pattern around here.

Yes, a pattern of hating everything not produced by Pixar. Maybe you can ask your "friends" Avengers, Pitchforkman, Bulls, Backofwater if that is a pattern around here.

 

[Prototype82]

I'd much rather have them come up with a Potter-swatter that answers Animal Kingdom's need for a new land: Pandora. But Oz at Hollywood Studios has amazing potential. I'd much rather have LOTR though...

(Edit: OR have Burton's Wonderland in the original Pixie Hollow area)

 

[Skipper03]

I'm really not sure how others feel about Return to Oz, but am i the only one who actually enjoyed the movie? I loved it as a kid and i still find it good to this day. Of course, i really don't try to compare it to the 1939 classic and take it on its own merits.

Still one of my favorite movies as a kid!

The wheelers were so scary!! lol

 

[Disday]

Jim Hill reported months ago that DHS is to get an Oz parade.

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Disney's been trying to get Wizard of Oz into the parks for years! Go here.

 

[grunter]

Besides promotion for the movie, this doesn't belong in a Disney park. Disney has too many of its own properties that they are letting die. Iger needs to stop looking outside and needs to take better advantage of what he already has.

Um, isn't Oz ALREADY IN A DISNEY PARK?!!? Namely, the climactic munchkin/Wicked Witch of the West scene from the Great Movie Ride at MGM?

:lookaroun

 

[plaz10]

Well it would be Disney's Second chance on Oz..If anyone remembers..

ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOVIES OF ALL TIME. Its probably just nostalgia or whatnot but it's awesome. and im pretty sure I have to go home and watch it today after work.

 

[MCC1]

With Sam Rami at the helm, I've got high hopes for the new OZ...decent cast too, so this could have legs as franchise property...making theme park integration all the more promising.
http://collider.com/oz-great-powerful-synopsis/105609/

 

[lwalker8]

There was a Wizard of oz park in North Carolina... Beech Mountain to be exact... Opened 1970, close 1980... Looked, eh, cheesy LOL http://www.emeraldmtn.com/oz.htm

hahaha... wow!

They will never build an Oz. That would draw such low attendance when held against a franchise like Harry Potter. A Wizard of Oz Land would have been fantastic in 1955 when the park originally opened... But now? "Oz the Great and Powerful", due out in 2013 is all but a guaranteed failure. I honestly have no idea what Disney's film unit is thinking over the last few years... See: Mars Needs Moms (really?), John Carter (I was rooting for that one, but a $250 mm budget?), Tron, Prince of Persia.... good thing they bought Pixar and are distributing Dreamworks films, otherwise they would be looking a lot worse. Meanwhile, they watch other studios take Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Cheap executives trying to milk the properties they already have, while other studios make billions off of wise decisions to branch out and shell out the big bucks for popular book series. Frankly I'm surprised they didn't try to pick up Percy Jackson in the ultimate moment of "this is just as good as Harry Potter, but a third the price!".

What I cannot figure out is why they can't do more with Lucas and Star Wars in the Parks. That is the one property they have that they really could use to go head-to-head with Harry Potter. Are they restricted in some way by their agreement with Lucas? Both Indiana Jones and Star Wars remain extremely marketable and span multiple generations, both parents and children.

They go to pick up Avatar, which, while wildly successful, does not generate the fan base that relatable, interesting characters do. Harry Potter, Star Wars, Indiana Jones... those are characters and stories that people dream of. Avatar was a special effects extravaganza. I challenge anyone to ask 10 friends the name of one character in the movie Avatar. If you can get an answer from more than 1, I'd be surprised.

*End Rant*

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

With Sam Rami at the helm, I've got high hopes for the new OZ...decent cast too, so this could have legs as franchise property...making theme park integration all the more promising.
http://collider.com/oz-great-powerful-synopsis/105609/

Which makes me wonder if Bruce "This Is My Boom Stick!" Campbell will do a cameo like he did in all 3 Spiderman films..

 

[Ignohippo]

What I cannot figure out is why they can't do more with Lucas and Star Wars in the Parks. That is the one property they have that they really could use to go head-to-head with Harry Potter. Are they restricted in some way by their agreement with Lucas? Both Indiana Jones and Star Wars remain extremely marketable and span multiple generations, both parents and children.

*End Rant*

I've never seen anyone state exactly what the deal is, but it seems it must be for one ride. IMO, SW is the only thing that could draw like Potter.

 

[Disneyfan_76]

I'm really not sure how others feel about Return to Oz, but am i the only one who actually enjoyed the movie? I loved it as a kid and i still find it good to this day. Of course, i really don't try to compare it to the 1939 classic and take it on its own merits.

You're not alone. I enjoyed this movie as well. It just wasn't the big smash they were hoping on.