The growing cultural war over AE

[Testtrack321]

Warning, I didn't ride AE or have ridden Stitch. I'll probably be riding it with Indy95 in June for the first time. Anyway...

-From the videos I see, the preshows seem just as goofy as those in Timekeeper and Buzz. The overall problem with it is the lack of good animation and a weak storyline. I think it should have been more explained when in the L&S timeline this happens. Mabey they should have talked about trying to find Jamaba?

-The effects seemed forced into the storyline.

-Sloppy story. Forgeting there is a generator? 626 calling himself Stitch? Come on!

 

[CaseyWilliams]

Don't ever change it! Nothing should ever change! Once it's in... it's IN FOR LIFE! Run Disney like the mob! Classics! More attractions for people who quote every line in Monty Python movies (accents and all) and think if you haven't "married" someone online then you really aren't commited to your personal internet lifestyle. Bring back HORIZONS! Bring back the SKYWAY! Bring back 20K! Bring back WORLD OF MOTION!

QUOTE]

The issue isn't dont ever change, it's whenever change occurs, make it worth while. Look at what Horizons and World of Motion got replaced with. Test track, come on, we experience that everyday driving to the parks. And Mission Space, yeah thats a good thrill ride, but the competitor built two new thrill rides that are much better IMHO (Spider Man and The Mummy). And now you have a big opening for a new attraction (SGE), that from the reviews, really isnt much of a change, especially for those of us that have been on AE in the past. Not good for business.

Change is good, just dont replace classics with attractions that your competition would even consider in their parks (with the exeption of Mission Space and maybe Philharmagic). Recently, the Disneys track record on change hasnt been great. But here is hoping for Soaring and Everest

 

[dxwwf3]

Well I guess I can throw my $.02 cents in again since I feel obligated to post in every AE topic on these boards.

I think alot of people are starting to realize what I have been saying ever since I saw the first concept drawings of SGE. One problem most hardcore AE fans have with this attraction is that is just looks so similar to the attraction we loved. Everyone that has given a review of SGE keeps saying how much the new attraction reminds them of the past. And that isn't good when you are going into a new storyline and everywhere you look you think "Hey this used to look like.... when it was AE" or "Hey that Sarge guy looks alot like S.I.R." or "That teleportation tube used to have a scary alien in it". See what I mean. Of course that only goes for those that have seen AE before or they are big fans of it. But that is who we are on these boards, we aren't first time guests.

And another big thing is that alot of AE fans feel cheated by this new attraction because it seems like all they wanted to do was throw up a cheap changeover that takes out everything we liked about AE and replaces it with a children's attraction that aims to sell merchandise as much as it wants to entertain. (Wow that was a really long sentance ). Is that a fair outlook? Probably not. But I'm sorry that's just how alot of us (myself included) feel.

I also want to say that in the past few months I have tried to be really nice about SGE and it's fans. And I honestly hope that they do enjoy the new attraction. And in all seriousness I hope the attraction is a success because it has some AE tributes in there. But FOR ME PERSONALLY I didn't like the attraction at all (I watched the online video) and I do not plan to see this attraction in person. I'm not angry anymore, but I am sort of disapointed in the results of the new show.

But as long as most kids like it and it turns out to be a hit among regular guests, then good. That's what it is supposed to do.

 

[dxwwf3]

In the comments posted here over the last two weeks or so, it has become apparent to me, at least, that former AE fans really aren't going to much care for the Stitch ride.

And who can blame them? It's not easy to "love" an attraction that replaced one you had loved before. There's expectations to meet. And those who enjoyed the dark humor and scare factor of AE just aren't going to find it with Stitch.

Understandably, Stitch will fall short with these folks.

Thank you for being a Stitch fan that actually realizes this. You don't have to agree, but at least you can see where some people are coming from.

We just have to accept that. You can mourn AE, but don't crucify Stitch because it isn't AE.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone. I just feel that the show should be judged on its OWN merits and shortcomings. Not judged on a scale comparison with AE.

And I can also see your point here. But, like I said in my previous post, the two attractions just look too similar for there not to be comparisons between the two. Case in point, if Winnie The Pooh had the exact same track layout to Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and it also featured cardboard cutouts and it also had the memorable train sequence, then you would have probably heard alot more comparisons between those two attractions. I agree that it is not fair to compare SGE to AE, but Disney just made these attractions so similar that it's hard not too.



Great post by the way! I hope you really enjoy SGE more than you expect to :wave:

 

[Lynx04]

We just have to accept that. You can mourn AE, but don't crucify Stitch because it isn't AE.

Yes, It isn't Stitches fault that he has been teleported to earth!!!!!!!!!

 

[nfeagle5]

just look at my avatar.......lol

 

[Poncho1973]

I find Jim Hill to be a reliable source of info. Why don't you?

The reasons are infinite... but in a nutshell ("look this is me in a nutshell") it boils down to his rewriting of history. He's not the ultimate source for all things Disney. I've seen things that I've physically been a part of reported incorrectly, as well as things others I know have been a part of. He also takes "blue sky" ideas and writes them as if they were HAPPENING and some evil demon of anti-Disney hate ruined them for the world. Face it... some ideas SUCK. Blue sky ideas come up, they get shot down when the money is calculated or guest surveys are taken. (his current article about DL's 30 year is no exception)

Some of his tales must have been written by infamous story-telling bus drivers. He's got backstory, concept ideas and all sorts of details that no one really has any idea how to disprove or prove.

Then you have situations like the one with Gen Grizz. Anyone here can tell you that I'm NO FAN of the General's army of Disney Purists...but that was just an irritating thing to read. It wasn't nice and it wasn't really the whole story (from what I read from the General and others).

Sure JHM reports some things of great interest... but I'd really never bet on MOST of the things spouted being close to the truth.

 

[Stitchfan712]

I don't think there's anything wrong with Jim Hill telling us about some previous Blue Sky ideas. It gives us insight as to what might have been, and the reasons why it didn't happen.

I found his story about Wilderness Junction to be fascinating. And that wasn't just a blue sky idea, the ground was cleared and surveyed for that one.


Jim has made mistakes. When he finds out he's reported something inaccurately, he posts an article correcting it. Baghdad Bob never did that.

 

[Poncho1973]

The issue isn't dont ever change, it's whenever change occurs, make it worth while. Look at what Horizons and World of Motion got replaced with. Test track, come on, we experience that everyday driving to the parks. And Mission Space, yeah thats a good thrill ride, but the competitor built two new thrill rides that are much better IMHO (Spider Man and The Mummy). And now you have a big opening for a new attraction (SGE), that from the reviews, really isnt much of a change, especially for those of us that have been on AE in the past. Not good for business.

Change is good, just dont replace classics with attractions that your competition would even consider in their parks (with the exeption of Mission Space and maybe Philharmagic). Recently, the Disneys track record on change hasnt been great. But here is hoping for Soaring and Everest

I understand what you are saying. HOWEVER... there are plenty of Disney Purist Zealots out there that claim nothing can ever change.

You can't please all the people, all the time. It's just stupid to think you can. I understand that.

Maybe SGE isn't the world's best replacement... but it shows me that some investment is being made into the future. AE was a one-trick pony. You went in once... you know all the gimmicks. The technology was very mid-90's and fairly disposable. SGE could rightly be seen as a one-trick pony as well. BUT an investment has been made. It's been announced that updates and upgrades to the programming can be done relatively easy now. This update allowed for that. It could've been done with the same story, but Stitch is HOT. Kids love Stitch. A marketing dream. My 18-month old nephew loves 4 characters and can pick them out anywhere in the whole world by sight/sound: Mickey Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, SpongeBob Squarepants (it's ok to love more than Disney) and STITCH.

Stitch is very popular from my visits to the parks as well.

The upgraded technology is in place... personally I'd love to see SGE become like ToT... no two adventures are quite the same. Same basic story. 15 different ways to get there. That's technically possible now.

 

[Stitchfan712]

Stitch is popular with adults, too......more popular than any disney character in the last 10 years outside of the pooh and fab5 franchise.

 

[Poncho1973]

I found his story about Wilderness Junction to be fascinating. And that wasn't just a blue sky idea, the ground was cleared and surveyed for that one.

Land around WDW is surveyed all the time. As far as land clearing... I wasn't in Florida in the early 90's... but I know there are firebreaks on both sides of Vista... ample room to park construction vehicles... but land for a resort?? That much couldn't have been cleared. The trees are way too old and way too dense (look at Terra-Server for aerial photos). If there was a clearing... it was just a small portion next to the road, that even if it wasn't for said resort, could have been used for vehicles. Who knows?

 

[dxwwf3]

just look at my avatar.......lol

Love that avatar!

 

[CaseyWilliams]

Change

Poncho1973, dont get me wrong, I am all for change. As I think most even hardcore Disney fans are. My favorite attraction at EPCOT was Horizons and hated to see it go, but at the same time was excited at its replacement. I just think that its sad the replacements that have been coming out have been somewhat of a disappointment. Disney has been at this game for along time, and has more material at there disposal (and by material I am referring to characters, stories, etc...) than Universal. But it just seems like they have been crushed lately on the new attractions. As I mentioned my 2 favorite attractions in Orlando areThe Mummy and Spider Man. Look at what universal does, they replace King Kong, which I thought was a very cool attraction, with the mummy. They replaced Hitchcock with a great 3D film, Shrek. If Universal closes replaces something, excitment builds because you assume whatever the replacement is its going to be better. Lately if Disney replaces something, you start to get afraid that all we get is a crash course for the DMV or just a rehash of the same attraction.

Still Soaring and Everest do look promising.