Rumor Stitch's Great Escape Replacement— Don’t Hold Your Breath

[Strollin' Stu]

One has to wonder if Disney is already considering repackaging Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin to coincide with Pixar’s next years release of Lightyear.

I wouldn't doubt it! The fact that Space Ranger Spin is still up and running is a miracle. Not only because it sticks out for being the only Toy Story ride not in Toy Story Land, but also because that ride is old and in need of some TLC. Perhaps they're waiting to refurb it in time for the new movie.

 

[owlsandcoffee]

Care to share your thoughts on a replacement, rather than ding mine non-monsters/ Toy Story ideas?

I don't think they were saying it was a bad idea. Just that Disney probably won't do it.

 

[uncle jimmy]

I don't think they were saying it was a bad idea. Just that Disney probably won't do it.

Who said anything about a bad idea? Owl you think my idea is bad? jk

And, I truly wanted to know what @Rich Brownn thoughts were on a replacement for SGE.

 

[champdisney]

I wouldn't doubt it! The fact that Space Ranger Spin is still up and running is a miracle. Not only because it sticks out for being the only Toy Story ride not in Toy Story Land, but also because that ride is old and in need of some TLC. Perhaps they're waiting to refurb it in time for the new movie.

As soon as I saw that reveal trailer a few months ago, I thought to myself, this is what they’re going to do with Space Ranger Spin!! After all of the years of clamoring for the removal of BL: SRS because of “too much Toy Story around WDW”... I will actually be okay with this. It will continue to be tied to Toy Story but only by association.

In our world, we know where Buzz Lightyear comes from BUT in the world of Toy Story, the upcoming film will serve as the source from which Buzz Lightyear came from. Making the property familiar but also something entirely new. It all makes sense.

 

[fgmnt]

A CEO that had spent any time trying to understand what to add to MK Tomorrowland and WDW as a whole over the last decade, while still catering to IP, would have landed on building an E-ticket dark ride like ROTR in Tomorrowland in the South building + expansion pad based off the Guardians of the Galaxy, and a black box simulator in the north building. Instead you have a copy of a ride from somewhere else that sticks out like a sore thumb, an ancient B/C-ticket arcade shooter ride you have convinced guests is a D/E ticket, a theater show that does not fit the theme of the land by any stretch of the imagination, and a dead theater.

Oh well!

 

[UNCgolf]

A CEO that had spent any time trying to understand what to add to MK Tomorrowland and WDW as a whole over the last decade, while still catering to IP, would have landed on building an E-ticket dark ride like ROTR in Tomorrowland in the South building + expansion pad based off the Guardians of the Galaxy, and a black box simulator in the north building. Instead you have a copy of a ride from somewhere else that sticks out like a sore thumb, an ancient B/C-ticket arcade shooter ride you have convinced guests is a D/E ticket, a theater show that does not fit the theme of the land by any stretch of the imagination, and a dead theater.

Oh well!

I'm not sure Iger (I'm only talking about him because Chapek hasn't had the job long enough to have much effect on this stuff yet) had any input on what was built/is currently being built beyond the vague IP mandate, especially since he was mostly interested in/focused on the media side.

They're big ticket capital expenditures, so it's possible he was involved to an extent, but CEOs don't usually make those types of decisions -- they might be involved in signing off on the final plan, but I wouldn't expect them to be very involved in anything leading up to that. That's more the purview of the parks leadership (which means Chapek could deserve more of the blame unless Iger was hands-on for a CEO, although even then I would expect some of the decisions were made at a level below him and he just signed off).

I'm not defending Iger or how the parks have evolved under his leadership, just pointing out that CEOs would usually be at least one step removed from that level of decision making. The CEO could certainly get involved if he or she wanted (Eisner seemed to be pretty hands on, at least at certain times), but that's not really their job description. They'd be more likely to sign off on a specific amount of money going to parks and it's up to the parks leadership to determine how to spend it.

 

[corran horn]

Considering the criticial and financial drubbing Artemis and Wrinkle got, I think you can safely eliminate them from any future IP.

Slim & None and Slim just left town.

 

[Rich Brownn]

Care to share your thoughts on a replacement, rather than ding mine non-monsters/ Toy Story ideas?

Not dinging yours. I'm just saying Disney rarely will base a ride on a flop. Its why we never got the "Island At The Top Of The World" ride in the70s. Or "Dick Tracy" ride. Artemis was hated by pretty much everyone - fans, critics, public. The dodged a bullet by skipping theatrical release. (Fowl sits at 8% on RT which is by far the worst reviews any Disney film has ever gotten.) As for ideas, the space is really suitable for another show-type experience. Not necesarily using the Mission theaters, but it's really too small and akward a layout for a decent ride.

 

[uncle jimmy]

Appreciate that... Island I can enjoy now, but I much rather watch Journey to the Center of the Earth. And I grew up with Dick Tracey and Roger Rabbit, RR was funnier, but I always wanted a sequel for DT. And I can understand the negative reviews for Artemis, after beloved characters are changed so much... such a shame for a great book series.

Speaking of show-type experiences for that space, I wonder what other ideas WDI had for that space other than WIR?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Tomorrowland should be all about space and robots and robots in space.

The Fox movie 'Robots' got decent reviews and could be an excellent aesthetic to follow and be a fun attraction with a robot factory shenanigans gone awry with split second misses and gags. And it's criminal that there's no WALL*E attraction in Tomorrowland.

For space, consider this: You know how MMRR was the first Mickey Mouse themed ride in the whole of Disney parks history? Why not Mickey and friends in space?

 

[Dranth]

Here's a couple Disney related IP's that I could think headlining a replacement show for SGE:
-Flight of the Navigator
-DreamFinder presents...
-WallE presents...
-Big Hero 6
-A Wrinkle in Time characters
-Artemis Fowl

I wonder thou if a replacement for SGE will come online before a Space Mountain refurb happens?

Even though we all know the right answer is to put AE back in, Futurama keeps popping into my head. It doesn't make any sense as I am not even sure what you could do with it in that space nor is it popular enough for them to bother.

Alternatively, and I know it won't happen, I would like them to sit Imagineering down and tell them to come up with something new. Walk in and say the only constraints are:

• It has to fit in this space
• It has to meet some reasonable minimum throughput
• It has to fall within a reasonable budget
• It has to make sense in Tomorrowland

I really wonder what we would get and I think it would be a fascinating insight into the current state of Imagineering. Would they try and use an existing IP or jump at the chance to make something truly new? Could they come up with anything other than the theater format currently in place? etc.

At the end of the day, even if what they come up with stunk, it would be better than an empty building.

*Edited to add Tomorrowland constraint.

 

[aliceismad]

And it's criminal that there's no WALL*E attraction in Tomorrowland.

Yesssssssss

 

[Bairstow]

For space, consider this: You know how MMRR was the first Mickey Mouse themed ride in the whole of Disney parks history? Why not Mickey and friends in space?

They could just put the old Star Traders decor back.

Tomorrowland Shops and Restaurants

Enjoy some health food before buying Coppertone products at Mickeys Mart while you visit Walt Dated Worlds Tomorrowland.

waltdatedworld.com

 

[Grumpy4196]

Meet the Robinsons would also fit in Tomorrowland and if you wanted to go a little scarier but not full-blown Aliens you could use The Black Hole as a source of inspiration.

 

[uncle jimmy]

Between Disney and Fox, there is a ton of Sci-fi content for them to use in Tomorrowland that isn't Monsters or Toy Story.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Between Disney and Fox, there is a ton of Sci-fi content for them to use in Tomorrowland that isn't Monsters or Toy Story.

But how much of it is an active franchise?

 

[MisterPenguin]

But how much of it is an active franchise?

True... but Disney can resurrect an IP that has gone moribund by using it in the parks, such as with TRON or Ratatouille.

 

[lazyboy97o]

True... but Disney can resurrect an IP that has gone moribund by using it in the parks, such as with TRON or Ratatouille.

Those are coming to Walt Disney World because they already existed. Their development was pushed by others outside the company.

 

[networkpro]

Why not bring back X-S with the addition of Predator and Alien protagonists? Not merely evil, they will hunt you down and eat you.

 

[uncle jimmy]

But how much of it is an active franchise?

Mr. Chapek, is that you asking this question?

True... but Disney can resurrect an IP that has gone moribund by using it in the parks, such as with TRON or Ratatouille.

I would add that the live action movies of late have resurrected a lot of franchises, introducing a new generation to characters.