The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

No Name

Well-Known Member
Antarctica also has not reopened.
Wow, well then SeaWorld sucks. Lol. I didn’t know their “coaster capital of Orlando” thing meant getting rid of the two coolest rides (literally the two coolest rides) at the park.

And is apparently being replaced by… (drumroll)… another roller coaster. But the rumors are that it’ll be a genuine family coaster this time, (along the lines of the jet ski coasters at other SeaWorld/Busch locations) which is something the park could use.

Would love to know the whole story on what the heck happened with the Antarctica trackless dark ride. Reviews of it weren’t spectacular, but if it had been open when I was there, I definitely would have given it a try.
It was the first trackless ride I’d been on, and still to this day, the best trackless vehicle. Unlike Rise and MMRR, this had a motion base, so the movement was neat and you got to soak in some very cold air. The biggest problem was they spent all their money on the vehicles, so the actual ride felt more like a garage than Antarctica.

I thought they’d eventually put money into making the ride better, but if they just aren’t reusing those vehicles, I’d like to buy one.
 

Consumer

Well-Known Member
Feeling inspired, I've been browsing eBay for old DCA merchandise. My two favorites are this lunchbox and this six-pack of Coca-Cola. Honestly may get myself a pack of DCA Coca-Cola. I'm sure it tastes like sunshine.

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TP2000

Well-Known Member
Oh look, lies and ignorance, how surprising.

I'm here for you! ;)

On the general subject of Disney live-action remakes: The live-action Beauty and the Beast is available free-with-ads on YouTube. These remakes, so far, seem to have none of the long-term fanbase longevity of the original animated films.

Oh, geez, really? Free on YouTube? After they spent and lost Billions getting Disney+ up and running?

How on earth does that even make sense? To use YouTube instead of your own streaming service? Unless they wanted the quick hit of actual ad revenue from YouTube because Disney+ is still losing Billions?

Perhaps these weak live-action remakes serve the same purpose as Disney's non-animated films did in the 1960's and 70's? Weak pablum that squeaks out a profit? Stuff like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo, The Apple Dumpling Gang, etc., etc.???
 

Brer Panther

Well-Known Member
Disneyland is Americana. McDonalds is Americana. McDonalds has a place at DLR. Even if it’s just DTD.
Does your Downtown Disney still have a McDonald's? Did it ever?
Perhaps these weak live-action remakes serve the same purpose as Disney's non-animated films did in the 1960's and 70's? Weak pablum that squeaks out a profit? Stuff like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo, The Apple Dumpling Gang, etc., etc.???
Nope. They exist because Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland made a ton of money at the box office, and then Maleficent made a ton of money at the box office too... and then The Jungle Book did. And then Beauty and the Beast did.

As for why it's free to watch on YouTube, I don't know.
 

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Does your Downtown Disney still have a McDonald's? Did it ever?

Nope. They exist because Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland made a ton of money at the box office, and then Maleficent made a ton of money at the box office too... and then The Jungle Book did. And then Beauty and the Beast did.

As for why it's free to watch on YouTube, I don't know.

No it never did but we do have one right across the street on Harbor Blvd. Sounds convenient but it’s never crossed my mind even once to cross the street to go there while I’m at the park. I have hit it a few times before or after the park though. Other than that we had the McDonalds Fry wagon in Frontierland for a few years in the early-mid 2000’s if I’m not mistaken.
 
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TP2000

Well-Known Member
Does your Downtown Disney still have a McDonald's? Did it ever?

Nope. They exist because Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland made a ton of money at the box office, and then Maleficent made a ton of money at the box office too... and then The Jungle Book did. And then Beauty and the Beast did.

I would put two of those in the "live-action remake" category; The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. I saw Maleficent in a theater, and it was not a remake of Sleeping Beauty, but rather a new story based on the backstory of Maleficent, hence the name of the movie.

I didn't see Alice in Wonderland back in 2009, so I just watched the trailer on YouTube. That looks more like Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, rather than a remake of Walt Disney's Alice In Wonderland. A very different style of movie and storytelling than Walt.

As for Moana and the other stuff in the pipeline, I'm sensing more Herbie Goes Bananas level stuff.

As for why it's free to watch on YouTube, I don't know.

Isn't that weird? I just checked, and there's a ton of old and classic Disney movies (The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, etc.) that are available from Disney on YouTube. I had no idea they were doing that!

I'm sure there's a solid business plan behind offering their premiere content on YouTube, but I don't get the broader strategy of doing that at the same time as dumping Billions into Disney+. What's the point of Disney+ if a customer can just get all this content for sale or rent on YouTube?
 
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TP2000

Well-Known Member
Disneyland is Americana. McDonalds is Americana. McDonalds has a place at DLR. Even if it’s just DTD.

I could support that, even though I used to make fun of McDonald's in the parks themselves. In DTD, it makes more sense.

It would also do GANGBUSTERS business with families needing a meal break without dropping $300 at Carthay or Blue Bayou, or $200 at Lamplight Lounge, or $150 at Cafe Orleans or Plaza Inn. Having a large-scale McDonald's in DTD might also put Tomorrowland Terrace and Smokejumpers out of business, which is probably why it hasn't happened.

I will admit that about twice per year I get a craving for a Big Mac, fries, and a Coke. And I drive past In-N-Out and indulge in that every six months or so. And every six months, I get a craving for Kentucky Fried Chicken; 3-piece meal, Original Recipe, with corn and cole slaw and a root beer. And I always say thank you to the Colonel when I'm done.

There is a place for good old American fast food in everyone's lifestyle, at least on occasion. Moderation is key!

The DTD McDonald's would need to be big, not just a small order counter and pickup window, and be ready to deal with massive mealtime crowds. They could put it on the unused plot north of Splitsville where the Planet Hollywood was supposed to go. It could be done modern style, sort of high concept architectural, like the one in Disney World.

But the Anaheim DTD location would need to have vastly better landscaping than the WDW location, which looks like it was landscaped by two college guys with a pickup truck and a $500 gift card to Home Depot. And it would need more outdoor seating for the Anaheim climate.

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Disney Irish

Premium Member
I would put two of those in the "live-action remake" category; The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. I saw Maleficent in a theater, and it was not a remake of Sleeping Beauty, but rather a new story based on the backstory of Maleficent, hence the name of the movie.

I didn't see Alice in Wonderland back in 2009, so I just watched the trailer on YouTube. That looks more like Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, rather than a remake of Walt Disney's Alice In Wonderland. A very different style of movie and storytelling than Walt.

As for Moana and the other stuff in the pipeline, I'm sensing more Herbie Goes Bananas level stuff.



Isn't that weird? I just checked, and there's a ton of old and classic Disney movies (The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, etc.) that are available from Disney on YouTube. I had no idea they were doing that!

I'm sure there's a solid business plan behind offering their premiere content on YouTube, but I don't get the broader strategy of doing that at the same time as dumping Billions into Disney+. What's the point of Disney+ if a customer can just get all this content for sale or rent on YouTube?
Disney has been licensing their movies out to Youtube for awhile, and its typically not first run movies. This is nothing new. In fact earlier this year Iger had stated they were to do more of that licensing to other services as a way to monetize more Disney content. But not all Disney content is or will be available for free or rental/purchase on Youtube or other services, hence D+. So the point of D+ is to have a single location for all Disney content.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
But not all Disney content is or will be available for free or rental/purchase on Youtube or other services, hence D+. So the point of D+ is to have a single location for all Disney content.

Or put another way... The point of Disney+ is to have a single location for all Disney content that we want you to have access to.

Or if you absolutely refuse to give us that 11 bucks per month for Disney+, you can just go to YouTube and find the last 70 years of our very best stuff that made us kind of famous and that you were probably looking for anyway. What, you don't want to watch Ms. Marvel?!?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
And I finally found my Burger Invasion Happy Meal box. Good ‘ol original DCA. Nostalgia truly is a helluva drug.

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I'm absolutely fascinated with the thought that a young Disney fan such as yourself was saving McDonald's branded packaging from DCA's early years. I love it!

I hope you take care of that stuff. It's already extremely rare (and kind of weird, which makes it valuable), but it will only become more rare and valuable in the decades ahead! You might want to look into how to store paper goods long-term to retain their integrity and dyes and such. I'm being serious.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Found this in my stash, too. From the 50th (nearly 20 years ago 😭):

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I have a similar Coke bottle, but it's from the 1998 New Tomorrowlnd opening with a picture of the Coca-Cola rocket on it and the New Tomorrowland 1998 logo. I have absolutely no memory of how I got it, or where. Did I get it at Disneyland? Or my local Ralph's Fresh Fare?

But when I was moving last year and I was sorting stuff into Save vs. Junk bins before the Bekins folks showed up, for some dumb reason I thought "Yup, I need to keep this." And so it's now in some random Sterilite container in my attic somewhere. Again.

Marie Kondo is not pleased.
 

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