The Dawn of a New Era for Disneyland

EPCOTCenterLover

EPCOTCenterLover

Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of Star Wars going into Disneyland. It would have been better suited (along with Marvel) to a 3rd park. That said, it's done. I'll still enjoy Disneyland for what it is even if I long a bit for what it used to be. The park's not perfect- and this addition confirms it along with a mess of a Tomorrowland- but it is still the best Disney park on the planet. If based on nostalgia alone and for the number of classic E Ticket attractions, it would win even with its weak areas. Who can beat classic New Orleans Square? And WDW's MK may have a new Fantasyland, but for all its flash, DL's still has the heart and charm of the classic years. Just two examples.
 
britain

britain

Well-Known Member
377396


Hee-hee!
 
Darkbeer1

Darkbeer1

Well-Known Member
Let me add, I have been driving around the Resort Area a lot lately.

Yesterday, noticed that a small piece of Building Wrap was removed to show the Cambria Name on the Hotel, and other signage is popping up. The Starbucks is now open on its Parking Lot. The signage is up on the Element. The JW Marriott is topped off, the Westin is growing, as is the Radisson Blue, The Hilton Garden Inn and Home2 Suites is working on its underground parking.

The area is growing and improving daily. So much has changed and improved from the early 1990's.

And hoping for more growth, not just in the Resort Area, but in the Platinum Triangle, which is currently opening more housing units on a regular basis, but the segment that includes the Honda Center, ARTIC and Angel Stadium in particular.

But it is key to also look at the other parts of town, such as the segment of Beach Boulevard in the city limits, Center City/Downtown, and the Industrial area along the 91 freeway on the East side of town.

So as Disneyland grows, so does the city. It has been a partnership for over 60 years, and will continue for the foreseeable future,

As stated, it is the start of a new era for both the Disneyland Resort, and the city of Anaheim. One we hope to see grow and improve.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Happyrebster said:
It is? I can see this in any one of literally thousands of open pastures across America. You really think that folks come to Disneyland - from all over the world - to see a bit of livestock on the hoof?
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I think you re looking at it the wrong way. It’s not about Big Thunder Ranch being a huge draw. It’s about the variety it added to the park thereby making it a richer experience. It was also a nice area to take a break from the crowds. The park is losing too many of these spots.
 
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Travel Junkie

Travel Junkie

Well-Known Member
mickEblu said:
I think you re looking at it the wrong way. It’s not about Big Thunder Ranch being a huge draw. It’s about the variety it added to the park thereby making it a richer experience. It was also a nice area to break from the crowds. The park is losing too many of these spots.
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This is a good point. The last few years, Disney has looked at maximizing profit. How much money per square foot can they make. They are chipping away at all the little things that set Disneyland apart.

To the dawn of a new era question, in a way yes it is. However, I would argue that Carsland and DCA 2.0 was really the beginning. Even with two parks, Disneyland was thought of as a locals only place. Sure it had it's fair share of tourists, but it really catered to the local audience. While it hasn't shifted to the point of WDW and likely never will, there has been movement to make it more of a tourist destination. Carsland put the resort on the map for many that only considered WDW. All of the hotel development around Anaheim began after and as a result of the success of Carsland. DLR finally became a place that you needed to stay more than a day at.

I don't believe we have GE in its current form without Carsland. GE is a continuation and furthering of Carsland. What comes with Marvel and thereafter is a continuation of that.

What Carsland, GE, and the additions in the years to come are a dramatic shift in the vision of Disneyland. I heard it said once that Disneyland is the most popular regional theme park in the world. In many ways that was correct. It had the charm and many of the attributes of a quality regional park, only with a bigger budget. It is rapidly becoming more and more a product of a large conglomerate. It's being stripped of its rough edges and smoothed over with a corporate slick shine. Big Thunder Ranch had charismatic imperfections that were charming and natural. Talk to Disney about creating GE and they will talk about how much it took for them to manufacture a grimy lived in environment. That is the subtle difference that people will see no matter hard Disney tries. Instead of authenticity they are trying to manufacture authenticity.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Travel Junkie said:
This is a good point. The last few years, Disney has looked at maximizing profit. How much money per square foot can they make. They are chipping away at all the little things that set Disneyland apart.

To the dawn of a new era question, in a way yes it is. However, I would argue that Carsland and DCA 2.0 was really the beginning. Even with two parks, Disneyland was thought of as a locals only place. Sure it had it's fair share of tourists, but it really catered to the local audience. While it hasn't shifted to the point of WDW and likely never will, there has been movement to make it more of a tourist destination. Carsland put the resort on the map for many that only considered WDW. All of the hotel development around Anaheim began after and as a result of the success of Carsland. DLR finally became a place that you needed to stay more than a day at.

I don't believe we have GE in its current form without Carsland. GE is a continuation and furthering of Carsland. What comes with Marvel and thereafter is a continuation of that.

What Carsland, GE, and the additions in the years to come are a dramatic shift in the vision of Disneyland. I heard it said once that Disneyland is the most popular regional theme park in the world. In many ways that was correct. It had the charm and many of the attributes of a quality regional park, only with a bigger budget. It is rapidly becoming more and more a product of a large conglomerate. It's being stripped of its rough edges and smoothed over with a corporate slick shine. Big Thunder Ranch had charismatic imperfections that were charming and natural. Talk to Disney about creating GE and they will talk about how much it took for them to manufacture a grimy lived in environment. That is the subtle difference that people will see no matter hard Disney tries. Instead of authenticity they are trying to manufacture authenticity.
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Well said.

The other day I said I would have preferred Pandora to SWL at DL. Of course I’d rather have no single IP lands at DL but Pandora I think would fit in more with the spirit of Disneyland, not to mention aesthetically.

Back to your point, Chipping away the planters and quiet spots definitely hurt the park but I can understand in some areas (not the HM planter) that it was necessary. But then again they leave the Astro Orbitor clogging up a main walkway.

Very good point in regards to manufacturing authenticity. Even though the Tropical Hideaway is one of the best additions/ changes in recent years I do feel a bit of that there. I wonder though is that just because it’s new? I think part of what adds to the feeling of inauthenticity is the fact that they (like you said) need to maximize the space at DL these days so new developments are less likely to be a charming nook/cranny that made DL special. The old motivation of an addition to the park was to make something special for/at the park . It’s now usually either to create synergy with a movie release or to create more capacity.
 
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Travel Junkie

Travel Junkie

Well-Known Member
Dr. Hans Reinhardt said:
Hasn't Disneyland always done this?
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Sure. Perhaps I should clarify even though I referred to it before. It's now a slick more corporate feel to it. If you speak to WDI about the aged looks in the newer lands they break it down to this extreme scientific level. We wanted it to looks 54 years old so we spent millions of dollars to research the way to make it look that way. In the past they just put some dirt on it, hit it with a hammer to create a ding and called it a day.

To put it another way. They were making it up when designing rides like the Matterhorn. The ride is bumpy because it was new and they were figuring it out as they went along. The imperfections became part of the identity of the ride. Today Disney would make the Matterhorn perfectly smooth or if there was an imperfection it would be a planned imperfection. Those imperfections were not planned before. They were just there.
 
Mouse Trap

Mouse Trap

Well-Known Member
Travel Junkie said:
Sure. Perhaps I should clarify even though I referred to it before. It's now a slick more corporate feel to it. If you speak to WDI about the aged looks in the newer lands they break it down to this extreme scientific level. We wanted it to looks 54 years old so we spent millions of dollars to research the way to make it look that way. In the past they just put some dirt on it, hit it with a hammer to create a ding and called it a day.

To put it another way. They were making it up when designing rides like the Matterhorn. The ride is bumpy because it was new and they were figuring it out as they went along. The imperfections became part of the identity of the ride. Today Disney would make the Matterhorn perfectly smooth or if there was an imperfection it would be a planned imperfection. Those imperfections were not planned before. They were just there.
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The flip side of this is that everyone would still complain. “Bob Iger made HOW MUCH and they can’t make a lousy track smooth?”

Nostalgia aside, we know how people really are...
 
S

shambolicdefending

Well-Known Member
The golden age fallacy is a real thing. Thirty years from now, today's young kids will be mulling the loss of "their" Disneyland... that perfect era when Galaxy's Edge and Marvel were the rage. SR and RoR will someday be "classic" attractions, surviving on charm more than freshness. Time never sits still...

We usually have a good idea what's due to come next (although life has its occasional surprises). But it's the thing that comes after "next" that is hard to predict, and usually has consequences we could never guess.
 
DisneyAndUniversalFan

DisneyAndUniversalFan

Well-Known Member
Aw, honestly this thread makes me kind of emotional/sad. I agree with what everyone said. The Big Thunder Ranch was pure Disneyland. Also, these are the final hours of the "Good Old Days," we'll miss. I was there last summer for the third time visiting, and was yet again immersed in the beautiful charm that the original park has. Star Wars Land and everything after this will change the place forever. I will miss these days when Disneyland was so charmingly... beautiful. Like it still feels like walt's park and how alive the atmosphere is.

On the other hand, I'm pretty excited for the future and realize that even like Walt said, Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." I am definitely excited to see the land, i'm sure it will be amazing. The live streams, pictures, and videos make it look incredible.

Just of all the times of me being there waiting in line for any ride, just the vibe is so classic and charming, damn I love it so much. This park will be packed like sardines for years and years now, totally ruining the amazing "simple" charm DL has that no other park has.
Aw. I feel like crying, haha. Listen, Star Wars Land will definitely DLR, and i'm glad and can't wait, but I will for sure miss these good old days of Disneyland. :rolleyes:

Everyone in this forum, be sure to read this post on Disney Tourist Blog, it talks a lot about this new era. :confused:

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/end-disneyland-locals-park/

At least Hong Kong Disneyland will still be a simple and charming park more than Disneyland because of Star Wars changing that for the whole park. Damn.
 
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brb1006

brb1006

Well-Known Member
chriss.moyer said:
Aw, honestly this thread makes me kind of emotional/sad. I agree with what everyone said. The Big Thunder Ranch was pure Disneyland. Also, these are the final hours of the "Good Old Days," we'll miss. I was there last summer for the third time visiting, and was yet again immersed in the beautiful charm that the original park has. Star Wars Land and everything after this will change the place forever. I will miss these days when Disneyland was so charmingly... beautiful. Like it still feels like walt's park and how alive the atmosphere is.

On the other hand, I'm pretty excited for the future and realize that even like Walt said, Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world." I am definitely excited to see the land, i'm sure it will be amazing. The live streams, pictures, and videos make it look incredible.

Just of all the times of me being there waiting in line for any ride, just the vibe is so classic and charming, damn I love it so much. This park will be packed like sardines for years and years now, totally ruining the amazing "simple" charm DL has that no other park has.
Aw. I feel like crying, haha. Listen, Star Wars Land will definitely DLR, and i'm glad and can't wait, but I will for sure miss these good old days of Disneyland. :rolleyes:

Everyone in this forum, be sure to read this post on Disney Tourist Blog, it talks a lot about this new era. :confused:

https://www.disneytouristblog.com/end-disneyland-locals-park/

At least Hong Kong Disneyland will still be a simple and charming park more than Disneyland because of Star Wars changing that for the whole park. Damn.
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Check out DisneyChris.com is also a website dedicated to past Disneyland attractions and shows complete with rare audio. Especially for the older parades.
 

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