Or like adding an antiseptic New Orleans Square with singing pirates changed it forever in '66, or replacing the real culture of the Indian Village with the singing robot animal culture of Bear Country changed it in '72. Or adding a bizarrely placed museum diorama of the Grand Canyon to the railroad just after Tomorrowland and the TWA rocket changed it in '58, and then in another mind-warping and non-sensical move adding robot dinosaurs after the static diorama display in '66. Or having a dead President, who everyone knows was shot in the back in 1865, give speeches in the opera house of an American small town set forty years after his assassination.
None of that makes sense thematically. But it happened, and Walt did most of it, and it's beloved by everyone. Because Walt. And that bottle of Scotch he kept in his office.
Star Wars Land will be fine. Disneyland will survive. It will actually get busier.
Despite the fact that Michael Colglazier doesn't have the cajones or the approval from HR to keep a bottle of Scotch in his office
You make valid points here. You also ignore a fundemental truth.
Disneyland wasn't invented day 1, it was an iterative process that led to the Disneyland we know and love.
He invented the theme park genre, and out of that comes all modern design evolution. He took disparate themes and ideas and merged them together. There's some European Amusement/theme park DNA in Disneyland. There's a little bit of American Amusment park thinking. There's strong inspiration from living history parks like that of the Henry Ford. In the end he created something distinctly different. Something that had never been done before.
He still wasn't finished though. Over the next couple years they innovated, tested, and built a huge number of concepts. If something didn't work he'd move on, and if they did he doubled down. The classic Pirates of the Carribean and New Orleans Square prove just how far they'd come from the beginning. They built an all inclusive land with themed shopping, dining, and attractions integrated in. Walt and his team had cracked the basic model Harry Potter and Cars Land would follow decades later.
He was somewhat burdened by the fact that he didn't know what it would become, but he navigated it beautifully. In the end, Disneyland has a number of quirks which you pointed out. Those are just testaments to the will of an innovative founder who constantly pushed boundaries and tried new things. It also gives it a charm that is uniquely Disneyland. No other park can ever be quite like Disneyland. It's special. It's by far the best domestic park, and probably the best park in the world (though I'll see what Sea brings to the table soon).
All without Rey, Finn, and BB-8.
I will fight you on Matterhorn though, I think its placement is a perfect complement to Sleeping Beauty's Castle.
Just like a page from a storybook.
The question of whether Star Wars fits into Disneyland doesn't mean I never want things to change or be added. I never want people to ask, "what would Walt do?" That's not what any creative should ever ask. I do want creatives to ask, "what can I do that will complement what Walt did?" "How can I celebrate Disneyland's history while looking forward?" "How can I make the spirit that Disney created better?" Instead they seem to be cramming something in. That's a red flag for me. Cool transitions are nice, but that doesn't mean they justify changing the makeup of the park.
I say Splash Mountain, Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, etc. all complement the incredible achievements and are rides that are clearly in the Disney tradition.
Star Wars is different.
Jungle Cruise and Tomorrowland Subs/Monorail/Autopia are the next targets for IP locations in my view. There's only so much classic Disneyland, and when it's gone, it's gone forever.
The great thing about Disneyland is that it always seems fully built out, and yet always manages new surprises.
Two great quotes from Walt come to mind as I read this last page:
"Disneyland is your land. And I am of course talking to you right here, right now. Screw those who come late to this party- strangers from some far off time with their own dreams, ideals, and hard facts. This isn't for them. Here age can relive fond memories of the past and youth can go screw off to Knotts, Universal, or that damned Pacific Ocean Park."
"Disneyland is completed. There's no more room to grow, nor imagination left in the world. Put a cork in it, this sucker's done."
Yeah, you're so right. Disneyland isn't relevant. It's
soooo old fashioned. Does anyone even go there anymore?!?
If your "dreams, ideals, and hard facts" include BB-8 and Rey, more power to you.
I do somewhat dislike that Walt quote-and I know that may sound hypocritical-because it's become synonymous with forcing things that don't fit into theme parks. It's like "see see we have this quote, so you better like it!" I also think that ignores that fact that many of the contemporary creations of his day have become cultural institutions today. I'm not against adding things, just adding things that make Disneyland less special.
