Spirited News, Observations & Thoughts IV

[jensenrick]

It is also cut down from what was originally designed and even built. Originally the attraction had two levels, but failures with the ride system prompted the second level's removal and reworking of the scenes all on the main level.

Be that as it may, from the vids I've seen- it's still a lively and comical ride, with fun animitronics and a relaxed atmosphere. As much as "cloning" gets the stink-eye around this forum, I think it would be a great addition to any Universal Park.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

To anyone who knows some of Universal's upcoming plans (perhaps @WDW1974 or @Lee @marni1971 or anyone else)-

Is there any intention at Universal's creative department to build rides that aren't just geared towards any sort of thrill, instead targeting more people who like slower paced dark rides with elaborate sets and animatronics? Or is it just going to be a continual stream of thrill rides through the end of the decade? Basically rides like classic EPCOT ones, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean etc are what i'm talking about. Emphasis not on how fast paced and in your face everything is, more calm slow paced and detailed rides that you can just sit back and enjoy looking at all the little details. And hopefully with fewer video screens and more physical sets and animatronics. That in my opinion is what they really need at this point. There are a few rides scattered around that everyone can enjoy, but not nearly enough.

While I'm glad Universal is going to start busting WDW's complacency to pieces, I'm really not a massive fan of more thrilling rides (few exceptions). Nor rides that replace physical sets and animatronics with video screens. Nor for that matter is my mom (who has always suffered from motion sickness and has to avoid anything more thrilling than Splash Mountain or Big Thunder).

It sickens me to no end that Disney mutilated EPCOT as i've said, and that there's an apparent wish to continue doing things the same way they started to in the mid-late 90's. I want Universal to appeal to the kind of people who love rides from the 60's-80's era of Disney parks. They've plenty of thrills already built and still coming, but they should appeal to the other side of the coin as well.

Someone has probably responded to this, but I just wanted to say the you mother should be able to ride both of the upcoming Harry Potter E-Tickets. The Gringott's coaster is going to be more dark ride than coaster and should be less "thrilling" than Big Thunder.

 

[docnabox]

For some people and kids these are major attractions. I remember from my days as a CM in entertainment the reactions I received from guests, and they were not concerned with the semantics on the park maps. They were in the moment and taking part in something that was not part of their normal day. Something fun.
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WDW absolutely has (and has always had to varying degrees) issues, but it is amazing how the fans committed enough to spend time online cruising forums and searching out any shred of possible news react in the social media age. Throughout this thread alone, there has been the air of "theme park war declaration", and entitlement that seems both senseless and honestly just as bad as what may or may not be happening in the boardrooms, and happend years ago with the snobbing of Universal.

I like both parks for similar and yet completely different reasons. To please the regulars that go enough times to know every little secret, song, show, menu item, when refurbs are being done, when unannounced attractions are (maybe) going to be announced, etc. they ABSOLUTELY need to keep that "magic" evolving and add more rides, refreshen the quality, and create promotions that are actually a draw (not limited time magic). Universal is nailing this right now, but that doesn't mean that it is a "game over" scenario. People love to pick sides, hence the popularity of spectator sports filled with fans that have never stepped on the field, and apparently theme parks are no different.

Are guests here actually doing anything to edge Disney towards a more "Disney" WDW though, or are they just speculating and complaining?

How is anyone on this forum supposed to directly do anything to "edge Disney to a more 'Disney' WDW?" There really is no direct way to make that happen and I do believe that if such a possibility existed, there would be a long line of people attempting to make that happen. Disney already knows what to do to make a "more 'Disney' WDW." They just choose not to do it for reasons discussed ad nauseum on this discussion and countless others over the past several years.

Since there really is no direct path to encourage the edge to a "more 'Disney' WDW," I just take the indirect path and quit going in 2010. I think of it as my own little penny in a fountain and someday, if enough people stop going, they will see all those pennies and maybe realize they are losing out. Maybe they won't, but there is a whole big world out there I can spend my travel dollars on instead so, oh well.

And since this is the rumors section, speculation is pretty much part and parcel and since the rumors we get are generally less than favorable, complaining about it seems reasonable to me for anyone that loves WDW and is dissatisfied with the direction it is headed

 

[the.dreamfinder]

Someone has probably responded to this, but I just wanted to say the you mother should be able to ride both of the upcoming Harry Potter E-Tickets. The Gringott's coaster is going to be more dork ride than coaster and should be less "thrilling" than Big Thunder.

Voldemort animatronic?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Someone has probably responded to this, but I just wanted to say the you mother should be able to ride both of the upcoming Harry Potter E-Tickets. The Gringott's coaster is going to be more dork ride than coaster and should be less "thrilling" than Big Thunder.

I doubt it. I'll have to ride it first to be the judge of whether she could handle it, but even then she probably wouldn't want to go on them. Soarin is the closest thing to Harry Potter she's willing to put up with (which is funny because Soarin kind of frightens me a little bit and can make me a bit dizzy and I don't even mind Everest), and I was under the impression that Gringotts was going to be somewhat more intense than Big Thunder.

It has gotten to where she's said she won't even go on Splash and Big Thunder. Dunno if she'll go through with that statement if we ever visit again as she really likes Splash (she's kind of in an anti WDW mood lately because of being disenchanted with what they did to EPCOT and all her old favorites). The recent theme park accidents have made her paranoid.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Madagascar characters, specifically Alex the Lion and the Penquins, are seen at their M&G location on a daily basis (if I'm not mistaken) at Universal Orlando Resort. If they can have that, why can't they have a ride?
And who "keeps talking about" it anyway? I have never seen the idea of a Madagascar ride at UOR brought up on this forum before, although I don't have the time to scour every thread, so . . .

The Madagascar characters stopped appearing 2011 when the deal with Dreamworks Animation expired. Starting just this year the characters now appear at Busch Gardens Tampa.

 

[jensenrick]

The Madagascar characters stopped appearing 2011 when the deal with Dreamworks Animation expired. Starting just this year the characters now appear at Busch Gardens Tampa.

Really? Oh. I had no idea. My bad.

 

[misterID]

I do not know why people keep talking about Madagascar for Universal Orlando Resort. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment may be short on cash, but I highly doubt their rights to the Madagascar characters are limited to just San Diego and Tampa.

You mean like how WDW can't build Marvel rides, but DLR can? Or how Peanuts characters are licensed to more than one Theme Park in the US?

... But it would still be nice

 

[lazyboy97o]

Or how Peanuts characters are licensed to more than one Theme Park in the US?

This one has me puzzled. Who else is using the Peanuts characters besides Cedar Fair?

 

[JenniferS]

First thing that came to my mind too, after what happened to the cars at AoA.

What happened to the cars at AoA?

Please tell me that you are not suggesting they were vandalized.
We stayed at POP last November, and spent a relaxing afternoon across the bridge - eating in the food court and just walking around the beautiful resort. Sooooo much better themed than POP, in my opinion.

It is beyond my comprehension that losers would destroy any of the decorations/features there.

 

[Zweiland]

This one has me puzzled. Who else is using the Peanuts characters besides Cedar Fair?

Maybe because Cedar Fair has more than one park?

A Google search brought this up: http://www.nextstophongkong.com/attractions/theme-parks/snoopys-world/
But that could be just a rip-off.

 

[tmstephe]

Voldemort animatronic?

I can see it now, the most stunningly advanced AA ever... Disco Voldemort!

 

[misterID]

This one has me puzzled. Who else is using the Peanuts characters besides Cedar Fair?

Knotts Berry Farm doesn't use them anymore? Dorney Park (CP might own them, though)? I believe there's a waterpark too...

Anyway, it was a wasted IP like Sponge Bob and there could have been a better DM attraction.

 

[Captain Neo]

John Lasseter is friends with Tom Fitzgerald... that should scare you.

John Lasseter is also friends with Tony Baxter. So what is the point of this post?

 

[Zweiland]

Knotts Berry Farm doesn't use them anymore? Dorney Park? I believe there's a waterpark

Both are owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company.

 

[Clever Name]

I am sure that when the ethos of JC changed from a "serious" attraction to a comedy attraction, many fans thought that Walt's dream had been broken and that the end of the earth was near. If you view old films (videos) of the JC it's not difficult to understand why the show had to change. I think we all agree that the change was needed and was the right thing to do.

Had the script changes not been made to JC, it would have ended up being just as unpopular as CoP, CBJ and the Tiki Room are now. These attractions can be brought back from their slide into ignominious oblivion with some creative input. As I've mentioned before, Hip-Hop would be a perfect foil to bring the CBJ back to life. Sam the Eagle could join forces with the Tiki birds to perform a tribute to Hawaii (and mostly its big brother the continental USA). Of course, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker would be able to make the CoP turn in the right direction once again.

I feel very sure that had there been Disney forums back in the days when JC was transformed into a comedy cruise, certain posters would have accused those who suggested such changes as being trolls. But you see I view it as a shame to allow the Tiki Room, CBJ and CoP to suffer the same fate as Mr. Toad, Snow White and 20K. I view change as better than death.

 

[Admiral01]

In my defense, I said it was not a fair comparison, but they did make yummy sammies.

The point is that if a business is not doing well one of the options is to close the underperforming unit. Newport News was the ONLY US builder of Nuclear powered Aircraft Carriers and one of only two builders of Nuclear powered Submarines. Seems like a favorable position right? Did not keep Northrop from spinning them off.

On a grander scale, there once was this country that went by the name of USSR. Got into a bit of a spending was with some country from the West and now the USSR ceases to exist as it was once known. Now again, not apples to apples but just saying, nothing would surprise me at this point.

Is the inaction a pause to see how to retaliate, or a pause to contemplate other options?

And by no means am I saying people do not care. You would not be here if you did not. We all care. Maybe it's the suits that don't?

I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but I needed to chime in...

Shipbuilding was never the industry that Northrop Grumman (NG) thought it would be when they acquired Newport News, Ingalls, and a few other shipbuilding bits and pieces. NG thought they could synergize shipbuilding with the rest of their highly technical divisions, and the Navy felt that NG's strong technical competence would lead to better products and innovation. That, sadly, never really came to fruition. NG was so out of touch with their unit that they even planned to build commercial (cruise and freight) ships at Newport News, hence the large dry dock where we now build Ford-Class carriers. The decision to build commercial ships at a yard designed to produce military standard vessels was silly, and showed a lack of understanding of the business by the then-parent corporation. Building ships for the government was never going to be that incredibly profitable...

Newport News Shipbuilding isn't the performer that NG wanted, so they decided to spin off Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). That isn't to say that Newport News (NN) doesn't make a profit...it just doesn't make a profit comparable to the other Northrop Grumman units. There were a lot of factors involved there, including NG not being the ones who designed the business unit from the ground up - unlike Disney and their theme parks.

HII-NN is still the sole builder of US Navy Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carriers, and one of two builders of Nuclear Powered Submarines (along with General Dynamics Electric Boat). That said, no one outside of NG was too happy when HII was spun off. Interestingly, General Dynamics has Electric Boat, NASSCO, and a few other shipyards that perform quite well.

Disney has the benefit of owning all the culture and history of WDW and DL.

 

[misterID]

Both are owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company.

You reply fast, dude. I did not know that for sure. I guess we'll just leave it at: "Like WDW can't build Marvel attractions, but DLR can?"

 

[the.dreamfinder]

John Lasseter is also friends with Tony Baxter. So what is the point of this post?

If Skipper John is so close to Baxter, then why is he out of a job? Did you notice that Baxter's resignation letter mentioned Pete Docter and not John?

 

[disneylandfan95]

If Skipper John is so close to Baxter, then why is he out of a job? Did you notice that Baxter's resignation letter mentioned Pete Docter and not John?

Because John has been noticeable absent in Glendale since Cars Land was in the latter stages of production. Tony and John are friends, not close by any means, but definitely on good terms. Tony and Pete Doctor, however, are very close.