The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[PiratesMansion]

Since their Space Mountain was a duplicate of Disneyland's version, I wonder if it has reached end of life just like Disneyland's did in 2004. Disneyland had to rebuild theirs from scratch. Looks like they are getting an external facelift too. Very TRON like.

Looking at that picture, it seems like they removed the Rocket Jets. Then I looked at google maps and Tokyo doesn't have a Rocket Jets ride or Peoplemover anymore.

That's probably what's happening. Interestingly enough the Tokyo version already had a soft reboot in terms of theme during the late 00's and I had assumed they had redone their track at that time, but I guess not because otherwise this wouldn't really be necessary.

The one thing I will miss about the Tokyo version is that the current version feels more ominous than the others around the world. Whereas space as an environment in the other versions (at least, non-Paris and non-Star Wars versions) is just a weird and neutral place, Tokyo's felt darker and vaguely malevolent compared to the others. Not intense by any stretch but just slightly unsettling and eerie. I imagine that particular tone will not survive the reboot, and I wouldn't be half surprised if they didn't change it to something a bit more like Space Fantasy at USJ.

Here's hoping that OLC has changed its mind about on-ride audio since the ride's last reboot.

In terms of defunct attractions, they removed the Star Jets a few years ago. Although the Star Jets was built on a raised platform, and the facades leading into Tomorrowland were built large enough that a Peoplemover could have been accommodated, TDL ultimately never had a Peoplemover.

I would not be surprised if we find out later that an IP is attached to this retheme, probably Stitch considering his popularity in Japan.

Stitch already has two attractions at TDL-Tiki Room and Stitch Encounter (like Turtle Talk but with Stitch instead). I don't think he could support a third, though both of his existing attractions have been around for some time and I could see both of them being changed out soon.

 

[mickEblu]

Whoa, Din Tai Fung coming to DTD?! Also according to Five Fires who was at some event tonight - Catal is turning to Mexican food, and Jazz Kitchen is getting some modern remodel ()

 

[truecoat]

At first, I thought Tokyo was just remodeling the ride. A completely new build is kind of surprising.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

Notice how they shared a target opening of 2027, yet Splash Frog Mountain in Anaheim still doesn't have a timeline.. just sell the Disney theme parks to OLC. They know what they're doing.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

Since their Space Mountain was a duplicate of Disneyland's version, I wonder if it has reached end of life just like Disneyland's did in 2004. Disneyland had to rebuild theirs from scratch. Looks like they are getting an external facelift too. Very TRON like.

Looking at that picture, it seems like they removed the Rocket Jets. Then I looked at google maps and Tokyo doesn't have a Rocket Jets ride or Peoplemover anymore.

TDL never had the Peoplemover, just the rocket jets on a platform so it was high like the other 2

 

[Supreme Leader]

Are the wait times on the app still being inflated to push the lightening lane nonsense or what gives?

IDK it feels like it. Rise was a posted 70 minute wait and I ended up waiting 35.

 

[Dear Prudence]

IDK it feels like it. Rise was a posted 70 minute wait and I ended up waiting 35.

VERY good to know, thank you!

 

[SuddenStorm]

Today I signed into my Disney+ for the first time in months, and it asked me if I wanted to have mature content on my Disney+. I guess the Netflix TV MA Marvel shows are on Disney+ now?

The creation of the Touchstone label is well known among Disney fans- they wanted to make films that wouldn't fit under the Disney brand but were very protective of the Disney name and brand in the '80s and '90s. What happened to that level of respect for the Disney brand?

Disney controls Hulu. They could have stuck the TV MA Marvel shows there. It seems somewhat wrong to have have it on Disney+.

But I guess I'm not surprised and it's another in a long line of decisions that make me think Disney really doesn't know what they're doing today as a brand.

 

[No Name]

Today I signed into my Disney+ for the first time in months, and it asked me if I wanted to have mature content on my Disney+. I guess the Netflix TV MA Marvel shows are on Disney+ now?

The creation of the Touchstone label is well known among Disney fans- they wanted to make films that wouldn't fit under the Disney brand but were very protective of the Disney name and brand in the '80s and '90s. What happened to that level of respect for the Disney brand?

Disney controls Hulu. They could have stuck the TV MA Marvel shows there. It seems somewhat wrong to have have it on Disney+.

But I guess I'm not surprised and it's another in a long line of decisions that make me think Disney really doesn't know what they're doing today as a brand.

I don’t think TV-MA content is any sort of disrespect to the Disney brand. It took them over 50 years to release their first PG movie, today their most popular movies are PG-13, and I bet in a decade or two nobody will blink an eye at a bit of rated-R content. It was still somewhat taboo until Fox and DC did it well and now people are very much looking forward to Disney’s rated-R Deadpool 3.

Touchstone was needed in the 80s and 90s when Disney’s films weren’t even close to this market, rated-R movies weren’t made for large audiences, and people didn’t want Disney making mature content, but now that’s changed.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Today I signed into my Disney+ for the first time in months, and it asked me if I wanted to have mature content on my Disney+. I guess the Netflix TV MA Marvel shows are on Disney+ now?

The creation of the Touchstone label is well known among Disney fans- they wanted to make films that wouldn't fit under the Disney brand but were very protective of the Disney name and brand in the '80s and '90s. What happened to that level of respect for the Disney brand?

Disney controls Hulu. They could have stuck the TV MA Marvel shows there. It seems somewhat wrong to have have it on Disney+.

But I guess I'm not surprised and it's another in a long line of decisions that make me think Disney really doesn't know what they're doing today as a brand.

It's because all of the Marvel shows have now migrated over to D+, and those shows were originally on platforms without the expectations that American audiences have when it comes to Disney. The week those shows came to D+ was the week I was prompted to create a pin.

I get thinking the Marvel shows should stay on Hulu, but Marvel is one of the five main areas of D+ and one of the main things they use to attract subscribers. Hulu has a little more than 1/3 the subscriber numbers as D+ and I don't know that they could convince people to migrate there for those shows alone-and that natural question for consumers would be confusion that the Marvel service doesn't have the Marvel shows. And as much as I think it makes sense to keep both D+ and Hulu, I could also see Disney wanting to consolidate both if only to save operating costs. We'll have to see what happens when Disney gets full control of Hulu in 2024.

The other wrinkle is that Hulu is only in the US and (in name only) Japan. Hulu doesn't have any tangible international presence and Disney clearly doesn't intend for it to gain any. In other countries, including Canada to my understanding, programs that would have ended up on Hulu here have been a part of Disney+ from the start, albeit requiring certain settings a la parental controls so that you wouldn't see, say, Handmaid's Tale right up next to Snow White unless you set your profile to allow that. I could see Disney wanting to operate both streamers if doing so would continue to prove profitable (Hulu has also been growing its subscriber base, although at a much slower rate than D+), but if the line between Disney's two streamers continues to blur-and they are increasingly sharing content-I could see an executive or two see it as easy cost savings to just shut down Hulu and merge everything into Disney+.

Maybe a strange possibility, but based on what Disney as a company has done over the past decade-plus, not entirely farfetched.

 

[No Name]

It's because all of the Marvel shows have now migrated over to D+, and those shows were originally on platforms without the expectations that American audiences have when it comes to Disney. The week those shows came to D+ was the week I was prompted to create a pin.

I get thinking the Marvel shows should stay on Hulu, but Marvel is one of the five main areas of D+ and one of the main things they use to attract subscribers. Hulu has a little more than 1/3 the subscriber numbers as D+ and I don't know that they could convince people to migrate there for those shows alone-and that natural question for consumers would be confusion that the Marvel service doesn't have the Marvel shows. And as much as I think it makes sense to keep both D+ and Hulu, I could also see Disney wanting to consolidate both if only to save operating costs. We'll have to see what happens when Disney gets full control of Hulu in 2024.

The other wrinkle is that Hulu is only in the US and (in name only) Japan. Hulu doesn't have any tangible international presence and Disney clearly doesn't intend for it to gain any. In other countries, including Canada to my understanding, programs that would have ended up on Hulu here have been a part of Disney+ from the start, albeit requiring certain settings a la parental controls so that you wouldn't see, say, Handmaid's Tale right up next to Snow White unless you set your profile to allow that. I could see Disney wanting to operate both streamers if doing so would continue to prove profitable (Hulu has also been growing its subscriber base, although at a much slower rate than D+), but if the line between Disney's two streamers continues to blur-and they are increasingly sharing content-I could see an executive or two see it as easy cost savings to just shut down Hulu and merge everything into Disney+.

Maybe a strange possibility, but based on what Disney as a company has done over the past decade-plus, not entirely farfetched.

I don’t see them combining Hulu and Disney+, because the Disney Bundle works well with three services, and the price increase for Disney+ alone (and transferred Hulu folks) would be coldly received.

Furthermore, I’m currently grandfathered into getting Hulu free with Spotify and I don’t want that to change.

 

[No Name]

This is the logo for Disney Streaming, the corporate arm that handles these tough decisions. I thought it was just an okay logo until someone pointed out that the colors represent each of Disney’s four services, Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, and Star+, and I think that’s very neat.

 

[PiratesMansion]

View attachment 636346

This is the logo for Disney Streaming, the corporate arm that handles these tough decisions. I thought it was just an okay logo until someone pointed out that the colors represent each of Disney’s four services, Hulu, Disney+, ESPN+, and Star+, and I think that’s very neat.

The color explanation helps justify it a bit, but I think it's a little bland.

 

[Too Many Hats]

Anyone ridden Splash Mountain lately? I rode Friday night and the "How Do Ya Do?" section was the brightest-lit I've ever seen it. It was fantastic! Typically the lighting during those scenes is so bad (especially during the stretch from Br'er Rabbit's introduction to Br'er Bear's wiggling butt) that you're plunged into darkness and the ride takes on an almost sinister quality. It's regularly in a state of disrepair that's sub-Disney show quality IMO.

But currently the sets (as minimal as they are, in this iteration of the attraction) are fully visible. I even noticed details I'd never seen before (who knew there was a sign marking Br'er Turtle's home?). I appreciate the excellent work during this year's refurb.

Of course, a bunch of other stuff is still broken (the lighting in the Laughing Place is a mess, the man-sized dog in the rowboat is not spinning, the light over Br'er Fox during his first scene is broken, "Well I'm glad I thought of that, 'cause that's just where you're going!" was not working, etc.) but the lighting improvements are unprecedented during my few years living in SoCal.

 

[TP2000]

I'm watching my last Disneyland fireworks show from my house right now.

For the last 30 years I've had this lovely hillside home about six miles due east of Disneyland. I've seen at least a thousand (I hate math, someone else do that math) fireworks shows erupt out of the western facing windows over those decades. This is my last one, as I've sold this house and am moving on to another state. I was feted by some wonderful neighbors the last few evenings, and each time the host or hostess timed their dessert course to the fireworks ignition, as any good Villa Park host or hostess knows how to do. But tonight it's just me, in this big empty house.

I'm not even staying the night here tonight, as the house is now completely empty, and I have a nearby hotel room for tonight. But I thought I'd bring a good bottle of wine and watch the fireworks one last time. They're lovely. And since Disneyland recently switched to a regular show, with what name I honestly can't remember, they are big and beautiful again like they always were before Covid.

I'm not sad to leave California in its current state, but I'll probably miss seeing the Disneyland fireworks from my hillside abode. Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company has certainly changed the past few years, just like California has. But I'll cherish the memories I had here of this place. It was a wonderful location to live out the last few decades of employment and then retirement.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not quite gone yet. I'm heading down tomorrow to spend the summer in the old family beach house in La Jolla before my final home is ready for me in Utah. But onward and upward as the Saints say (hopefully they forgot about a few things from previous decades )!!!

Farewell Disneyland, and OC, and soon California. It was a very good run!

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I'm watching my last Disneyland fireworks show from my house right now.

For the last 30 years I've had this lovely hillside home about six miles due east of Disneyland. I've seen at least a thousand (I hate math, someone else do that math) fireworks shows erupt out of the western facing windows over those decades. This is my last one, as I've sold this house and am moving on to another state. I was feted by some wonderful neighbors the last few evenings, and each time the host or hostess timed their dessert course to the fireworks ignition, as any good Villa Park host or hostess knows how to do. But tonight it's just me, in this big empty house.

I'm not even staying the night here tonight, as the house is now completely empty, and I have a nearby hotel room for tonight. But I thought I'd bring a good bottle of wine and watch the fireworks one last time. They're lovely. And since Disneyland recently switched to a regular show, with what name I honestly can't remember, they are big and beautiful again like they always were before Covid.

I'm not sad to leave California in its current state, but I'll probably miss seeing the Disneyland fireworks from my hillside abode. Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company has certainly changed the past few years, just like California has. But I'll cherish the memories I had here of this place. It was a wonderful location to live out the last few decades of employment and early retirement.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not quite gone yet. I'm heading down tomorrow to spend the summer in the old family beach house in La Jolla before my final home is ready for me in Utah. But onward and upward (hopefully they forgot about a few things from previous decades )!!!

Farewell Disneyland, and OC, and California. It was a very good run!

I must admit I got a little choked up reading your goodbye. May God bless you in this next season of life.

 

[D.Silentu]

Safe travels to new horizons! We'll try and keep the conversation lively until you can rejoin us from your new home.

 

[Nunu]

I'm watching my last Disneyland fireworks show from my house right now.

For the last 30 years I've had this lovely hillside home about six miles due east of Disneyland. I've seen at least a thousand (I hate math, someone else do that math) fireworks shows erupt out of the western facing windows over those decades. This is my last one, as I've sold this house and am moving on to another state. I was feted by some wonderful neighbors the last few evenings, and each time the host or hostess timed their dessert course to the fireworks ignition, as any good Villa Park host or hostess knows how to do. But tonight it's just me, in this big empty house.

I'm not even staying the night here tonight, as the house is now completely empty, and I have a nearby hotel room for tonight. But I thought I'd bring a good bottle of wine and watch the fireworks one last time. They're lovely. And since Disneyland recently switched to a regular show, with what name I honestly can't remember, they are big and beautiful again like they always were before Covid.

I'm not sad to leave California in its current state, but I'll probably miss seeing the Disneyland fireworks from my hillside abode. Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company has certainly changed the past few years, just like California has. But I'll cherish the memories I had here of this place. It was a wonderful location to live out the last few decades of employment and then retirement.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not quite gone yet. I'm heading down tomorrow to spend the summer in the old family beach house in La Jolla before my final home is ready for me in Utah. But onward and upward as the Saints say (hopefully they forgot about a few things from previous decades )!!!

Farewell Disneyland, and OC, and soon California. It was a very good run!

Beautifully written farewell, got me a bit nostalgic, in a good way. I don't know you in person, but I can somehow picture you watching those Disneyland fireworks, enjoying your wine, and reflecting on your life in California.

I'm sure it'll be very easy for you to make lots of good, and interesting new friends in Utah. I wish you all the best in your new adventure. How exciting!

 

[mickEblu]

I'm watching my last Disneyland fireworks show from my house right now.

For the last 30 years I've had this lovely hillside home about six miles due east of Disneyland. I've seen at least a thousand (I hate math, someone else do that math) fireworks shows erupt out of the western facing windows over those decades. This is my last one, as I've sold this house and am moving on to another state. I was feted by some wonderful neighbors the last few evenings, and each time the host or hostess timed their dessert course to the fireworks ignition, as any good Villa Park host or hostess knows how to do. But tonight it's just me, in this big empty house.

I'm not even staying the night here tonight, as the house is now completely empty, and I have a nearby hotel room for tonight. But I thought I'd bring a good bottle of wine and watch the fireworks one last time. They're lovely. And since Disneyland recently switched to a regular show, with what name I honestly can't remember, they are big and beautiful again like they always were before Covid.

I'm not sad to leave California in its current state, but I'll probably miss seeing the Disneyland fireworks from my hillside abode. Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company has certainly changed the past few years, just like California has. But I'll cherish the memories I had here of this place. It was a wonderful location to live out the last few decades of employment and then retirement.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm not quite gone yet. I'm heading down tomorrow to spend the summer in the old family beach house in La Jolla before my final home is ready for me in Utah. But onward and upward as the Saints say (hopefully they forgot about a few things from previous decades )!!!

Farewell Disneyland, and OC, and soon California. It was a very good run!

Best of luck TP! It all happened so fast. I feel like you just told us you decided to move a few weeks ago! Let me know how it goes in Utah and if my family and I should follow you. Haha.

 

[mickEblu]

What a difference a week makes. Not one MSEP sipper or bucket to be seen at DLR today. Last weekend they were everywhere.

Here’s a couple shots of the new rogue light posts at NOS. There is one more a bit closer to HM.

I kind of joked on the Tarzan’s Treehouse thread about Stitch taking over the treehouse. But seriously he had quite a presence and at Adventureland Bazaar today. He’s a big seller for them and has pretty much no presence at DLR.

Lastly, Hyperspace Mountain front row was a blast tonight. I know this is sac-religious but I think I enjoy it more than the “original.” I just feel a lot more energy. On second thought is it really sac-religious? It’s the 2005 version on its second soundtrack (3rd iteration if you count the original with no soundtrack).