The downfall of Hollywood studios

[RobUK]

My main problem with DHS is the entire feel of it. Magic Kingdom feels, erm, magical; Epcot has the global/imagination/science aspect to it, which, admittedly, do seem to bore some; Animal Kingdom obviously has the zooalogical spin to it. What's DHS's experience meant to represent? It feels a bit like a bunch of vaguely movie things chucked together with not much thought given.

For me there should be more colour and 'pop', if you like. Kind of like the Islands of Adventure, but mixed with movies. The Pixar catalogue is ideal for this.

 

[PlutoGoof9122]

OP is really right and whoever posted about Epcot being sort of a half day park is right too. For all of us Disney freaks we can see what first, second, or third timers don't, how much a majority of Disney World needs upgraded. Sure Magic Kingdom just got a major upgrade, but with all the deals on food and hotels Disney runs, more and more people are visiting. Especially with Universal getting Diagon Alley, you would have to think some of them will want to visit the world.

Just think about DHS in the future. American Idol is leaving. I know I saw somewhere about Indiana Jones maybe being taken out (dont remember if true) and you've got empty spaces where Drew Carey used to be and next to pixar place. The upper management of Disney has to have something planned for this park. Whether it be Star wars related or Carsland related. Because as of right now, DHS is the park that most needs it, followed by Epcot.
With ToT and RnRC already in it, they could add a couple more good thrill rides and it will have that thrill park feel that teens and adult thrill seekers will love.

Sure Frozen is a great addition for the summer, but what about after? Is it just to tide us over until they want to announce something else?

For me, im 25 and have been going to Disney since I was 10 with multiple trips per year. The whole fastpass plus thing has made every park almost a half a day for me because I don't want to wait in those lines. I had a great system with the old fastpass and now I can't do it. Call me crazy but I refuse to wait thirty minutes for pirates, haunted mansion, etc....

 

[Fox&Hound]

My problem with Hollywood Studios, and I'm guessing many repeat fans will agree with me, is an issue of repeatability. If you go to Disney often, how many times can you see: Indiana Jones, B&B, Little Mermaid, American Idol, or the Cars Stunt Show? A park built on shows needs new life every (5-10?) years at least. But so many of the shows are...stale. The sad part about the current state of HS is that it has some really great rides: ToT, Toy Story, RR, the GMR. But keep going! New shows, new family rides, new thrill rides, and like another poster said, an easier to navigate grid, and HS could be a #2 park right behind MK. Monster's Inc, Tangled, Star Wars: all could make great new rides and attractions. I love the poster who said make it themed to the love and magic of movies. WHo wouldn't want to be infused into a scene of the Avengers? I love the Ursula game where they put your voice into a movie- is that still there? People love going to the movies- focus on that and the park solves itself. Make people realize the magic in movies again!

 

[Matt_Black]

WHo wouldn't want to be infused into a scene of the Avengers?

The problem is not one of desire, it's of contractual obligations. Currently, that is not going to be feasible in the near future.

I love the Ursula game where they put your voice into a movie- is that still there?

I remember that too; one of the scenes was Tron. I think all of that was closed when the Sound Studio was switched over to seasonal shows. Certainly, I've not seen it listed as one of the park's attractions.

People love going to the movies- focus on that and the park solves itself. Make people realize the magic in movies again!

I agree. The focus has shifted from "this is how movies and TV shows are made" to "here are some movies and TV shows that are popular".

 

[bethymouse]

Have a great time @Cubfan300

 

[seahawk7]

I would love to see the Indiana Jones ride that is at DL brought to replace the Indiana Jones show. I know some people have said that some rides should be unique to DL and some unique to WDW but I disagree. When I go to WDW I meet many people who have never been to DL and the same with people closer to DL. So the ride would be unique to many people at WDW.
It is a really fun ride and I think it would be an E ticket ride that stays in theme with the park.

 

[BrianV]

Disney studios is our second favorite park, after MK. It has our two favorite rides (Star Wars and toy story) as well as our favorite restaurant (sci fi diner). Throw in honey I shrunk the kids where our kids will play for hours and we are very happy.

That doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws. It could use a few more good rides. The backlot tour was always weak. The great movie ride is fine, but the ending is way too long. The roller coaster and the tower of terror do nothing for me...I don't really like thrill rides.

I guess different parks for different people. For me, magic kingdom > Hollywood studios > EPCOT center > animal kingdom.

 

[STITCHGEFAN]

I've said it before, DHS needs to turn into the WDW "thrill park." They need these type of rides to counter Universal.

This. The decline of DHS has been more scathing due to its inevitable comparison with UNI. Whilst DHS has stayed in early 2000's and to an extent the 80's, UNI is well and truly 2014.

DHS took a blow when their major refurb of Star Tours was blown out of the water by Transformers. Add HP, Minions and Rip Rock, it has taken a brutal beating.

Disney has two options now. It goes blow for blow with Uni and adds rides, a number which need to be bigger, or surrender the 14+ market to the Flex pass. Sadly, given that Disney has 4 major parks to accommodate, I think it's only got the option to take the latter route, meaning more lower-toned, kiddy rides on a long term basis.

 

[Victor Kelly]

It will always be the park that was built to compete with the original Universal despite what people say. It is horribly empty despite having several note worthy attractions

 

[RobUK]

Regardless of the current state of it, I think we can all agree it's still not as vacuous or lacking in personality as DLP Studios.

 

[seahawk7]

Disney studios is our second favorite park, after MK. It has our two favorite rides (Star Wars and toy story) as well as our favorite restaurant (sci fi diner). Throw in honey I shrunk the kids where our kids will play for hours and we are very happy.

That doesn't mean it doesn't have flaws. It could use a few more good rides. The backlot tour was always weak. The great movie ride is fine, but the ending is way too long. The roller coaster and the tower of terror do nothing for me...I don't really like thrill rides.

I guess different parks for different people. For me, magic kingdom > Hollywood studios > EPCOT center > animal kingdom.

Do you think they could plus the backlot tour? I think that would be good. This past trip I noticed a lot of people including ourselves spending a long time in the area with the original scripts and costumes. So I think Disney could improve on it without scraping what could potentially be at least a D ticket.

 

[BrianV]

Do you think they could plus the backlot tour? I think that would be good. This past trip I noticed a lot of people including ourselves spending a long time in the area with the original scripts and costumes. So I think Disney could improve on it without scraping what could potentially be at least a D ticket.

Agreed. It could be better.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

WHo wouldn't want to be infused into a scene of the Avengers?

That is something that can't happen at WDW due to the contract Universal has with Marvel. I am mentioning this because another poster mentioned earlier in this thread about adding Marvel.

If you want you want anything with Marvel, IOA is pretty much it due to the contract Universal has.

 

[MikeTaylorSound]

I think what the park lacks is memorable music. It's kind of the same problem with AK, too... they even reuse Adventureland area music in the Flametree BBQ area. At least the area music around the Oasis, Tree of Life, and "Hapa Duiani" are memorable. What music do you associate with DHS? The obnoxiously loud HSM3 parade? The Forest Battle for Star Tours? The Hollywood Tower Hotel playing creepy 30's jazz music with tons of reverb/twilight zone? TSMM "You got a friend in me" played really fast? Aerosmith songs for RnRc?

What MK has/had:
"it's a small world", "in the tiki room", "yo-ho, yo-ho a pirates' life for me", "little orange bird", "you can fly", "swiss family polka", "winnie the pooh", "i'm late/paining the roses red/off with her head", "star tunnel", "there's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow", "country bear jamboree", "songs of the south", "all aboard the mine train", "grim, grinning ghosts", "fortuosity", "monsters, inc. theme", "the little mermaid story book", "be our guest", "gaston's theme", "monorail song", "planetary boogie", "if you had wings", the tomorrowland area music, "wishes", leaving the park with "when you wish upon a star", etc.

What EPCOT has/had:
"one little spark", "innoventions area music", "world of motion", "horizons", "listen to the land", "in the big, blue world", "universe of energy", "part of me", "honey i shrunk the audience", "ellen's energy adventure score", "fountain of nations", "swept away, fountain view area", "spaceship earth 2006 score", "soarin'", "canada", "three caballeros", "german area music", "two brothers", "mission: space march", "garden grill area music", "circle of life", "illuminations", "promise", etc.

The smells and memorable music that are intertwined so nicely with the ride experiences and general activity at MK and EPCOT make the other parks seem that much more drab and lacking. "Enchanted Tales with Belle" has the interaction and experience this new generation craves, and along with the songs everyone knows and sings, I think the branding in young, future consumers is a great model to generate success. Look at us, MK has a little something of everything at the park and we're eating it up. We get giddy when Donald or Mickey waves at us and tear up when we recall our first ride on Dumbo. The other parks don't have that.

I think Frozen will be the first of the new iconic staples for the new generation of Disney buffs and DHS has taken the cheap approach to incorporate it into the park before committing to full scale. The whole comic book-made-movies don't translate well in theme parks: look at uni, a worn down Spiderman ride and a Hulk rollercoaster. Disney wants to exploit their take over of Marvel anyway they can, and they're trying to figure out the best way... too bad this whole Avatar business got there first.

 

[Cajun mousefan]

I think this park could be very interesting with just a little bit of re-imagining, because I do believe that they are on the correct track with the start of Pixar Place (although they do need to expand it a bit). Star Wars land would also infuse a lot of buzz into the park and depending on how Star Wars land is implemented, maybe even Pixar Place could be expanded to include Cars and some other Pixar movies.

 

[odmichael]

Basically, they could retheme the park based on the intellectual properties they own:

Hollywood Blvd - rennovate the main street but keep that classic studios feel.
Hollywood Studios Thrills - Just a new name for the area surrounding Rockin Rollercoaster and Tower of Terror replacing sunset blvd
Pixar Place - get an expansion! This could be big! Just about any of those movies could be made into something fun over here.
Star Wars Land - we KIND OF know this is coming. Just a matter as to when. Hopefully sooner rather than later. I think a cool themed Moss Eisley Restaurant and Cantina would be amazing with mexican-inspired quisine - something fun for adults plus it has food that is not currently found in HWS.

These next lands are where things get tricky:
ABC Backlot - Remove commissionary lane and replace it with this. Turn the studio backlot into an ABC backlot tour showing realistic action sequences. I know there is a no Marvel rule. But perhaps they could tie in their Shield TV show here because it would be based directly off the show.
Walt Disney Lot - Classic HWS shows and attractions. I enjoy One Man's dream and perhaps a Nostalgic land of what this park once was could solve the problem of keeping up with the new while maintaining classic Disney movies and annimation.
Disney Channel Lot - can replace some of the old stuff like American Idol for a new interactive experience for kids. Perhaps including Disney XD would also solve a problem in a lack of thrilling content?


There is just no organization. It shows in the street names. Unniversal has slowly done away with this themselves as they have Springfield and Diagon Alley.


Side note:
It may not fit the "Studio vibe", but I've always wanted a water ride at DHS because it always gets hotter than the other ones to me. My guess being it’s cramped with a lot of people and many buildings. One way to incorporate one could be a new log flume ride - similar to Dudley Doorights at Islands of Adventure. I picture one maybe using a bug's life, the incredibles, brave, or Finding DORI???

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Completely agree with most of this. However, I should add Muppets needs a total revamp, thats right up there with The Great Movie ride, which is awesome. But the AA's are terrible. Tarzan's is the worst. I think Frozen will take over part's of the studios with Star Wars, and Toy Story. They will probably expand in to most of the park and be more central. Also, I think that animation courtyard will eventually close for Cars Land.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

I also think that Pixar Place will be expanded into a world of all pixar films, Carsland, "Arendale" and ect. will come. I think that's how this will wind up working. I also think that we don't need Star Wars.

 

[BrianV]

I also think that Pixar Place will be expanded into a world of all pixar films, Carsland, "Arendale" and ect. will come. I think that's how this will wind up working. I also think that we don't need Star Wars.

Don't need Star Wars? Um, I think you made a typo. You meant we desperately need Star Wars? Just wanted to help out with your autocorrect mistake!

 

[C&D]

To paraphrase Mark Twain (and this is the Hollywood Studios taking): The reports of my 'downfall' have been greatly exaggerated. And this, of course, JMO.