The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[mickEblu]

My opinion on this is that it's a good thing. There has been too much change at Disneyland / California Adventure in the last 7 years.

The rethemes especially are such a waste. What changed from 2000-2015 in Disneyland Park? They rethemed the country bears to Pooh, rethemed Buzz Lightyear from Rocket Rods, and redid Space Mountain. That's 3 changes in 15 years. Now they just go overboard.

I think people now expect Disney to have big new things every single year. I wish they would just refocus their efforts on improving the guest experience instead of adding or retheming rides.

Did anyone really need Pixar Pier, Guardians, or Soarin Over the World? What a waste of money on all 3 of those.

They just changed out popular attractions for attractions that are equally as popular. I don't understand it.

Yup. Waste of money for terrible to lateral moves at best at DCA. I don’t think it’s the people forcing Disneys hand though. People are more than fine with seasonal overlays. I think it’s Disney wanting to leverage all of the IP they acquired from the mid 2000s to early 2010s. The choices were poor, the execution hasn’t been great and with rethemes you are inherently at a disadvantage.

Yeah you just missed Nemo from 07 but point taken.

Well it’s going to have to slow down whether they like it or not. There’s no more space left and nearly everything but a few “untouchable” classics have been rethemed.

 

[mickEblu]

And what's sad is none of those additions after the Grizzly Peak Airfield overhaul are actually good.

They range from 'cheap and unnecesary' to 'expensive, technically impressive but completely lacking soul'.

Yup except for ROTR which I think only feels like it’s lacking in soul because of the setting which is a cold, sterile Star destroyer. The unload area outside for example does not feel soul-less and is really well done.

 

[CaptinEO]

Yup. Waste of money for terrible to lateral moves at best at DCA. I don’t think it’s the people forcing Disneys hand though. People are more than fine with seasonal overlays. I think it’s Disney wanting to leverage all of the IP they acquired from the mid 2000s to early 2010s. The choices were poor, the execution hasn’t been great and with rethemes you are inherently at a disadvantage.

Yeah you just missed Nemo from 07 but point taken.

Well it’s going to have to slow down whether they like it or not. There’s no more space left and nearly everything but a few “untouchable” classics have been rethemed.

That's a good point, they spent so much money on acquisitions it is probably in Iger's manifesto to showcase every new toy he bought.

Still shocked we've seen no Fox attractions. Titanic show on Disney Cruise Lines? Alien in the Magic Kingdom?

 

[Rich T]

…Still shocked we've seen no Fox attractions. Titanic show on Disney Cruise Lines? Alien in the Magic Kingdom?

They already tried Alien in the Magic Kingdom. Twice.

 

[PiratesMansion]

Parks should be adding new attractions. That's not the issue.

The issue is that many of these additions are downgrades or lateral moves at best. That, and they mess with the popular attractions and leave the ones that suck untouched.

 

[mickEblu]

Parks should be adding new attractions. That's not the issue.

The issue is that many of these additions are downgrades or lateral moves at best. That, and they mess with the popular attractions and leave the ones that suck untouched.

Agree but who said they shouldn’t be adding new attractions?

 

[mickEblu]

Took my kid to McDonalds for one of those Halloween buckets. I miss dark meat chicken McNuggets and fried apple pies.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Took my kid to McDonalds for one of those Halloween buckets. I miss dark meat chicken McNuggets and fried apple pies.

The oldest McDonald’s standing in Downey should still have the fried apple pies. You can get a fried pie and take a tour of their tiny museum.

 

[mickEblu]

The oldest McDonald’s standing in Downey should still have the fried apple pies. You can get a fried pie and take a tour of their tiny museum.

Been there! But didn’t know they had the original apple pies. Might have to stop there on my way to Disneyland one of these days. Thanks!

Downey in general is a fast food haven. The first Taco Bell is also there I believe. They also had one of the first Raising Canes in So Cal a few years ago when you couldn’t find one anywhere. I’ve also seen a couple really old chains that have gone extinct elsewhere like a PupNTaco (?) believe.

 

[Disney Irish]

Took my kid to McDonalds for one of those Halloween buckets. I miss dark meat chicken McNuggets and fried apple pies.

The oldest McDonald’s standing in Downey should still have the fried apple pies. You can get a fried pie and take a tour of their tiny museum.

Ok, I have to ask....

What is the difference between a McDonald's "fried apple pie" and a regular McDonald's apple pie? Isn't the same thing?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Been there! But didn’t know they had the original apple pies. Might have to stop there on my way to Disneyland one of these days. Thanks!

Downey in general is a fast food haven. The first Taco Bell is also there I believe. They also had one of the first Raising Canes in So Cal a few years ago when you couldn’t find one anywhere. I’ve also seen a couple really old chains that have gone extinct elsewhere like a PupNTaco (?) believe.

I think you’re right about Raising Canes! Their bread mixed with whatever that sauce is is to die for. I didn’t know the first Taco Bell was in Downey. Wow. I wonder if there was something going on out there that drew in fast food business folks? Can’t be a coincidence.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Ok, I have to ask....

What is the difference between a McDonald's "fried apple pie" and a regular McDonald's apple pie? Isn't the same thing?

The fried ones taste better than the baked ones! The apple filling is the same, but the fried crust versus the baked crust makes a slight difference. They’re crispy and very tasty.

And now I want one.

 

[Disney Irish]

The fried ones taste better than the baked ones! The apple filling is the same, but the fried crust versus the baked crust makes a slight difference. They’re crispy and very tasty.

And now I want one.

So is it on the regular menu or is it one of those secret special menu items?

 

[PiratesMansion]

Agree but who said they shouldn’t be adding new attractions?

I recall seeing someone above saying something to the effect of "it was good they didn't add anything last year, everything they've added recently has been bad."

Which has some truth to it, of course, but the solution shouldn't be "add nothing" either.

It's certainly a pretty big indictment against Disney that there are definite needs and things they should do to make the experience better, but they routinely do the opposite instead, and so we are conditioned to collectively wince and assume the worst, at which point adding nothing might seem preferable.

 

[Californian Elitist]

So is it on the regular menu or is it one of those secret special menu items?

It’s on the regular menu at the old location in Downey, but it’s nowhere to be found outside of that location, based on my own experiences. They brought it back for a short time, then they made them disappear again.

 

[mickEblu]

I recall seeing someone above saying something to the effect of "it was good they didn't add anything last year, everything they've added recently has been bad."

Which has some truth to it, of course, but the solution shouldn't be "add nothing" either.

It's certainly a pretty big indictment against Disney that there are definite needs and things they should do to make the experience better, but they routinely do the opposite instead, and so we are conditioned to collectively wince and assume the worst, at which point adding nothing might seem preferable.

Oh I think you re referring to Captain EO’s post. I believe he was also referring to rethemes specifically and not new rides. The park needs new rides every once in a while but I’d prefer nothing at Disneyland for now until we get some trustworthy people in there. And even then after the TL redo/ Autopia, FL theatre and Motorboat there’s no space left without getting rid of something classic. Unless DL forward happens.

MMRR was a no Brainer as we didn’t lose anything and it went inside Toontown. If they were to announce a new E ticket going into any land not named Toontown or Tomorrowland I think we’d all be $hitting bricks.

 

[mickEblu]

Ok, I have to ask....

What is the difference between a McDonald's "fried apple pie" and a regular McDonald's apple pie? Isn't the same thing?

What Raven said but what doesn’t taste better fried!?

 

[SuddenStorm]

My opinion on this is that it's a good thing. There has been too much change at Disneyland / California Adventure in the last 7 years.

The rethemes especially are such a waste. What changed from 2000-2015 in Disneyland Park? They rethemed the country bears to Pooh, rethemed Buzz Lightyear from Rocket Rods, and redid Space Mountain. That's 3 changes in 15 years. Now they just go overboard.

I think people now expect Disney to have big new things every single year. I wish they would just refocus their efforts on improving the guest experience instead of adding or retheming rides.

Did anyone really need Pixar Pier, Guardians, or Soarin Over the World? What a waste of money on all 3 of those.

They just changed out popular attractions for attractions that are equally as popular. I don't understand it.

To be fair, if we're talking attractions only they also changed Pirates of the Caribbean and redid Big Thunder Mountain railroad during that time. And Nemo. Indy got some upgrades as well (not that you'd know riding it today). And there were some aesthetic changes, entertainment overhauls, etc.

But by and large, after the Pressler era 2005-2015 was a GREAT decade for Disneyland park, with alterations usually for the better (if we ignore Pirates, getting rid of Country Bears, and Nemo).

Something changed in 2015 (isn't that about when Paycheck came in)- and not for the better.

 

[SuddenStorm]

If they were to announce a new E ticket going into any land not named Toontown or Tomorrowland I think we’d all be $hitting bricks.

As far as I'm concerned, that's what they're doing with Splash Mountain... and yes I'm terrified.

It's worse than a new addition since it's gutting a classic. Galaxy's Edge, for all of it's flaws (and I far prefer the old river), at least didn't outright remove anything except the BBQ- which I miss but it's not a dealbreaker for the park.

 

[mickEblu]

As far as I'm concerned, that's what they're doing with Splash Mountain... and yes I'm terrified.

It's worse than a new addition since it's gutting a classic. Galaxy's Edge, for all of it's flaws (and I far prefer the old river), at least didn't outright remove anything except the BBQ- which I miss but it's not a dealbreaker for the park.

Oh same here. All of these crazy back stories and what they announced at D23 didn’t help either. Retheming Splash Mountain is one of the worst things they could do for myself personally. I would have preferred they retheme any ride not named POTC or HM. Any of the other mountains would essentially be the same core experience with (insert) retheme.