The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[mickEblu]

The first time I rode Big Thunder when it opened, I was greatly disappointed that there was so little going on in the show scenes. Still loved the ride, but I’ve distrusted concept art ever since.

I’ve ranted before about my love for Nature’s Wonderland and how its loss really took away Frontierland’s depth (imagine Adventureland stripped of Jungle Cruise). Big Thunder was a necessary addition, but they really missed a chance to fold the best of Nature’s Wonderland into the experience.

Thanks. That’s really interesting and something I’ve never considered as
BTMRR has been around my entire life but it totally makes sense. I can see how it would feel light on the show scenes for someone who experienced Frontierland’s Jungle Cruise. As someone who didn’t, it’s just a wonderfully themed coaster and all the show scenes feel like a bonus. Now with everything they took away from Frontierland for GE, it must feel like even more of a shell of its former self.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Don't know how "common knowledge" this is, but when Walt's Barn is open to the public in Griffith Park (3rd Sunday each month?), there's a beautiful model of Nature's Wonderland inside that's worth a look. They also have some of the cars from the Disneyland Passenger Train on display nearby, among other cool artifacts.

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Funny— I’d really been looking forward to HBO Max, but it’s such a complete cluster of incompleteness right now that it’s got no value for me. And I HATE the grotesque new Looney Tunes. Open the complete classic film vault wide and we’ll talk, HBO Max. I already own nearly all your entire stingy “hand-selected” mini-library.

They really messed up by not making deals with Amazon and Roku and they don't seem to be any hurry to fix it. They don't seem to care that they're missing out on 70 million households. I would love to get HBO Max but I can't get it on Roku and I'm not going to watch it on my computer.

I don't know if Go or Max have the same interface or not, but I find Go's to be abysmal. No ability to set up profiles and IMO poorly organized.

And no matter what they say they need to simplify and just make everything streaming HBO Max. No one can understand the difference between HBO GO, Now, or Max without a chart. That's bad business.

 

[Rich T]

Thanks. That’s really interesting and something I’ve never considered as
BTMRR has been around my entire life but it totally makes sense. I can see how it would feel light on the show scenes for someone who experienced Frontierland’s Jungle Cruise. As someone who didn’t, it’s just a wonderfully themed coaster and all the show scenes feel like a bonus. Now with everything they took away from Frontierland for GE, it must feel like even more of a shell of its former self.

I like to believe that in some alternate universe Big Thunder was designed to begin with a gentle coaster adventure along the old Mine Train’s route before climbing up into the new mountain section for a speedier 2nd act, then plunging into a Rainbow Caverns finale.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I like to believe that in some alternate universe Big Thunder was designed to begin with a gentle coaster adventure along the old Mine Train’s route before climbing up into the new mountain section for a speedier 2nd act, then plunging into a Rainbow Caverns finale.

For all of his talents, it's hard not to be angry with Baxter over Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with the way it destroyed Nature's Wonderland and how he went around Marc Davis to get his part, and only his part, of Davis' opus built.

 

[Rich T]

For all of his talents, it's hard not to be angry with Baxter over Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with the way it destroyed Nature's Wonderland and how he went around Marc Davis to get his part, and only his part, of Davis' opus built.

But... Big Thunder was a ride the park needed. The growing coaster wars were threatening to keep thrill lovers away from Disney. We’ll never know the entire story about exactly what happened with Baxter and Davis; they weren’t working in a vacuum. And even though I wish Baxter had saved parts of Nature’s Wonderland, Big Thunder—in all 3 incarnations—is the most eye-catching and iconic ride on the planet.

I also wish Western River Expedition had been built, but not exactly 100% the way Davis seemed to be envisioning it.

 

[TROR]

Just finished watching Ken Burns' Country Music documentary. Even at 16 hours, it's still simplified in parts, but it was good and I recommend it. Definitely gives me a better understanding of the arts' origins and changes throughout the years, as well as validating my belief that 90's country was something special. I'll probably check out his Civil War documentary next as I've been constantly told to watch it for the past few years and have never gotten around to it, and then maybe his baseball one after that.

 

[1HAPPYGHOSTHOST]

Always go for the corner of the room. It's the best place to sit or even lay down. I've fallen asleep in there and ended up in a second show.

Thank you for the tip.

 

[smooch]

Bothers me I have never done the Tikki Room.

I haven't either and I have made a point with my girlfriend that next time we go we're going to the show. The last few times I've gone I went with some friends who mostly care about thrill rides, so no Tiki Room, and the time before that with my other Disney enthusiast friends when we wanted to go to the Tiki Room it was closed I believe or there was something else that prevented us from going. And all the times before that have been with my family and my brothers only care about thrill rides and not the shows at all.

 

[smooch]

Always go for the corner of the room. It's the best place to sit or even lay down. I've fallen asleep in there and ended up in a second show.

I've only ever fallen asleep on It's a Small World. My friends I went with last time needed a break cause it was a very hot summer day on the second day of our trip and we stayed til close the day before and went for rope drop the second day and I totally dozed off and woke up near the end of the ride. Would not recommend, waking up to that song was not a fun experience

 

[Sharon&Susan]

I've had a very interesting day so far, I've made a leaker on reddit angry enough (by implying that his leaks may not be completely true!) to post a picture!

Time will tell (in approx. 5 hours) whether his claims are true or not.

 

[mickEblu]

I haven't either and I have made a point with my girlfriend that next time we go we're going to the show. The last few times I've gone I went with some friends who mostly care about thrill rides, so no Tiki Room, and the time before that with my other Disney enthusiast friends when we wanted to go to the Tiki Room it was closed I believe or there was something else that prevented us from going. And all the times before that have been with my family and my brothers only care about thrill rides and not the shows at all.

When I play “tour guide” I always like to throw in one or two attractions the group would most lIkely never go on like Alice in Wonderland or Casey Jr. I think it adds some nice variety and makes for a more rounded Disneyland experience.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I do the same. Usually show people Mr. Lincoln when wait times get too high.

Love the new avatar!

 

[Phroobar]

I do the same. Usually show people Mr. Lincoln when wait times get too high.

Love the new avatar too.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Hot take: Cinderella III may be better than actual Cinderella.

Not better artistically, but considerably more interesting as someone who's never actually cared for Disney's Cinderella much at all. At any rate, even though it's one of THOSE direct-to-video Disney sequels, it is genuinely better than at least five of the official Disney animated canon films.

The first five minutes are pretty bad, but then it picks up considerably.

Although you almost get the sense that whoever worked on the Chinese castles recently hasn't seen a single Disney-affiliated movie other than this one because the castle interiors have that bright-but-artificial feel now present in Shanghai and the revamped Hong Kong castle.

Best part is either Cinderella becoming an action girl or the brief sequence in which Cinderella ends up inside Knott's Pumpkin Eater haunt maze.

I don't know whether any of this is actually "good" but it's definitely memorable.

 

[TROR]

Old photos of Disneyland are ridiculously charming. Everybody just always looks so nice and happy. Why can't we have a Disneyland like that?

 

[smooch]

Old photos of Disneyland are ridiculously charming. Everybody just always looks so nice and happy. Why can't we have a Disneyland like that?
View attachment 475785

It's funny how miserable a lot of people look in the park when I'm there. I'm sure sometimes when I'm tired I don't look bright and bubbly (then again I usually never do) but a lot of the time I'm in the park I have a constant smile on my face because I love being in the parks and take everything in since I only get to go once every year or two. It makes me sad seeing families looking stressed or upset, I understand it when children are throwing tantrums that it gets stressful but I've seen even groups of young adults / teenagers that seem like they aren't enjoying themselves. This is the happiest place on earth, dang it!

 

[Phroobar]

Old photos of Disneyland are ridiculously charming. Everybody just always looks so nice and happy. Why can't we have a Disneyland like that?
View attachment 475785

Because we get this instead.

 

[smooch]

Because we get this instead.

We should sign a petition to get the dress code updated so everyone dresses up for a day at the parks again. Everyone knows Disney has to listen to the petitions we create.

 

[Phroobar]

We should sign a petition to get the dress code updated so everyone dresses up for a day at the parks again. Everyone knows Disney has to listen to the petitions we create.

I believe Disneyland does have a dress code. The problem is the cast members don't enforce it because they would have to confront someone.

 

[Rich T]

Hot take: Cinderella III may be better than actual Cinderella.

Not better artistically, but considerably more interesting as someone who's never actually cared for Disney's Cinderella much at all. At any rate, even though it's one of THOSE direct-to-video Disney sequels, it is genuinely better than at least five of the official Disney animated canon films.

The first five minutes are pretty bad, but then it picks up considerably.

Although you almost get the sense that whoever worked on the Chinese castles recently hasn't seen a single Disney-affiliated movie other than this one because the castle interiors have that bright-but-artificial feel now present in Shanghai and the revamped Hong Kong castle.

Best part is either Cinderella becoming an action girl or the brief sequence in which Cinderella ends up inside Knott's Pumpkin Eater haunt maze.

I don't know whether any of this is actually "good" but it's definitely memorable.

Cinderella 3 is definitely the best of the video sequels. The crew had fun with it, and it shows. It’s genuinely funny, suspenseful and surprising. Cinderella, the Prince, the King and Anastasia actually have some depth, and the mice are not over-used. And, yeah, that pumpkin scene is possibly the most wonderfully creepy, disturbing thing in Disney animation history.