Rich T
Well-Known Member
Yes, but Big Thunder Ranch/Barbecue was designed by 1980’s Imagineering. No IP required.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
The Miscellaneous Thought Thread
- Thread starter mickEblu
- Start date
Centauri Space Station
Well-Known Member
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
Because of a poor attempt to recreate Paris' Discoveryland on basically no budget.
Disgruntled Walt
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
To what extent is the Rocket Rods mechanism still in the track?
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
And yet it still looks better than that photo of the Speedway at MK’s Tomorrowland
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
If they closed the Plaza Inn I'd be heartbroken- even though there are fried chicken places sprinkled throughout every state in America.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
No argument from me here! Both MK and DL have bad TLs, IMO—each weak in its own ways. DL wins the prize for abandoned-junk-in-plain-sight, though.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I should think changing attitudes to animal welfare have something to do with it.
A good thing in my opinion.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
I'd go further and say that there's no such thing as a good Tomorrowland or Tomorrowland equivalent anywhere at the moment.
All have their problems and thematic/atmospheric inconsistencies.
The only good Tomorrowlands exist in the past.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
If I was CEO in a universe where I could ignore all complications, I would gather the necessary people in a conference room, point a frustratingly shaking finger at a photo of 1968 DL Tomorrowland and say, “Just do THIS again! It’s better than what we’ve had ever since! This is pretty! This is pleasing! It’s kinetic! It’s okay if it’s outdated in some ways! This is Disney’s Tomorrowland; it’s its own thing, and it *works!* Call it Tomorrowland Classic! But keep Space Mountain and update Flight to the Moon to make it good!”
I’d also make Blackbeard’s Ghost a walk-around character, make Snow White scary again, build a Darby O’Gill dark ride, bulldoze Pooh for Country Bears Never Die… And send all skip-the-line moneymaking schemes and bubblewands back to the fires of Mount Doom.
BasiltheBatLord
Well-Known Member
Interesting tidbit from Imagineering with Royce, he says that during the PotC Red refurb, there were originally plans to include a second scene with Red and the Auctioneer in the burning armory right before the end, but it was cut.
Timestamped link:
Timestamped link:
BalooChicago
Well-Known Member
I really wish they’d put something on the people mover track; even if it was a small scale non-rideable vehicle that gave them a purpose and some motion.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
That seems to imply that the animals cared for by the Circle D Cast Members were being mistreated in some way. I severely doubt that was the case.
Or that the animals disliked their human interactions, which didn't seem to be the case at the Big Thunder Ranch.
The only animals who seemed cranky were the Presidential Pardoned Turkeys (turkeys aren't generally charismatic), but then they probably didn't understand how close they came to death before ending up at Disneyland for the rest of their natural lives.
The only animal attraction/interaction I think is probably best left in Yesterland is the Pack Mule ride, owing to both its very low hourly capacity and the difference in BMI of Americans circa 1960 to circa 2024. But even those animals are bred for that sort of thing, which is why pack mules are still used in working environments, or even tourist uses including our National Park system.
World Famous Mule Rides |
www.grandcanyonlodges.com
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
It’s not a criticism of the CMs specifically, but of (petting) zoos as an institution. A few short decades ago, not many people took issue with circus animals, and look where we are now. I believe the very idea of animal entertainment will become anathema within the next fifty years.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
I believe a properly-run petting zoo of domesticated farm animals, where the animals are well-cared for, have lots of room to wander or just get away by themselves if they choose, are a great thing. As long as there is enough staff to prevent jerk guests from misbehaving, petting zoos can teach a greater appreciation of animals. For many, this is their only encounter with goats, chickens donkeys, ponies etc. and it can form lasting, impactful memories.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I don't believe a crowded theme park is (from the animals' perspective) a good environment for such a facility. Nor am I convinced that petting zoos—or zoos of any kind—teach humans greater respect for animals.
Just my perspective. I'm not looking to change your mind, or anyone else's.
Rich T
Well-Known Member
Speaking from personal experience, I come from a family of animal-fans (three of us at one point wanted to be farm vets at some point in our lives!) and occasional petting zoo visits were a much-loved and fondly remembered part of our lives. And I love a well-run zoo or not-a-zoo. When you look an animal in the eye, live, they become more than abstract concepts or distant scenery. This is an experience I think benefits everyone.
But, heck, I grew up in the 60’s. I used to fret about the safety of the live chickens running around freely in the Knott’s parking lot.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
I appreciate your perspective, even if I don't agree with it. Regardless of how either of us feels on the matter, I think it's fair to say that there is a general (and ongoing) shift away from animal shows and exhibits. Quite how far that shift will go is unclear, and my prediction for the future may well be wrong. But the idea of Disney today opening a zoo is almost inconceivable, such is the change that's come about since as recently as the '90s, when Animal Kingdom opened.
Last edited:
Rich T
Well-Known Member
I think the best existing (we don’t need more) zoos and animal parks can serve as important research, rehabilitation, and education centers. As well as, sadly, necessary arks. Many species could be wiped out by poaching, environmental change or plague, and I do think it’s important to have “safe” animals in reserve against disaster. In multiple locations, if possible.
I forgot to point out about Big Thunder Ranch; it was a very relaxed, uncrowded environment where the goats had their own little fake boulders to climb on to get eye-to-eye with guests. Most guests never realized the little animal center even existed. I agree that a busy, noisy guest-packed environment is not the place for such an attraction, but DL’s ranch was a peaceful—dare I say it—Little Patch of Heaven.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
I'd forgotten about Animal Kingdom in this discussion, probably because it's the park that is easiest for me to skip entirely on my WDW visits in the 2000's and 2010's. Also because I've been a long term member of the Zoological Society of San Diego, so I'm all set with world-class zoos.
But I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on these guys? Keep them working for the task they were bred for, or send 'em to the glue factory and pave over the tracks?
