Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
The middle deck of the Mark Twain is the best. The low ceiling helps frame your view of Tom Sawyer Island, the railroad and waterfalls, etc. so beautifully, it feels cinematic.
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The Miscellaneous Thought Thread
- Thread starter mickEblu
- Start date
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Were you there today? I just got home from a 10 hour day in the park.
Small World looks and sounds excellent post refurb. So do Indy, Space, and Mansion. And Big Thunder's finale was working.
Honestly, the park looks the best it has in a while. As long as we choose to ignore Tiana's horrific reliabilty and show quality-
Agree. Especially Small World. That’s probably the biggest draw for me with these anniversaries. The overall Show quality. Of course, they should have these standards all the time but that’s another conversation.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Dude like not to beat the deadest of horses, but if Splash Mountain was still there and we had a few other odds and ends back- I'd be on here singing the praises of the park saying it's the best it's been since 2016.
Like sure I still noticed stuff not working right on just about every ride- but so much more was working then usual. Especially on Indy and small world. Small World blew me away- it was far more vibrant than I've ever seen it.
Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
I was there on June 12th. I agree completely, Disneyland is looking gorgeous right now. Indy is the most functional it's been in years. The waterfall on Big Thunder is operational again. The new Mansion queue is doing what it was designed to do. As far as I can tell, every single effect on Rise is working consistently. Can't wait for the Tiki Room and Opera House to open back up.
Of course, Fantasmic is in very sad shape. The Pirates queue remains a disaster and should've been fixed before the 70th. The water wheel at the Adventureland Treehouse is apparently the most challenging piece of machinery on earth to maintain.
But the park has finally recovered from its post-covid nadir in maintenance, thankfully. Things were rocky there for a while and I worried it was a "new normal." That's turned out not to be the case.
Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
Watching a Haunted Mansion lights-on POV right now. I've always wondered why the ceiling is so high in this scene. Wouldn't it be spookier and more immersive if it were lower? Anyone know if there's any reason it needs to be so high?
NobodyElse
Well-Known Member
I think it might have to do with the theatrical lighting. They might be too noticeable with a low ceiling.
?
Rich T
Well-Known Member
How To Train Your Dragon Live-Action Remake Review
I generally don’t like live action remakes of animated movies, but I thoroughly enjoyed this new version of How to Train Your Dragon.
The original animated movie is one of my favorite films of all time, with its brilliant screenplay, fantastic design and sharp balance of comedy and drama.
This live action remake is a spectacular, lovingly-made, well-cast movie full of smart adaptation choices. It’s not perfect, but overall very good, with no major stumbles.
The entire cast is fantastic—ESPECIALLY Gerard Butler reprising his role from the original as Chief Stoick. His performance is (unsurprisingly) the most convincing, heartfelt and fun-to-watch embodiment of an animated character brought to flesh-and-blood life that we’re ever likely to see.
John Powell’s amazing score was mind-blowing in the original, and his new arrangements are just as grand, emotional and exhilarating here.
This version of the story removes nearly all the modern-jokiness from the dialogue, so we do lose classic lines such as, “We’re Vikings—It’s an occupational hazard” in favor of some well thought-out replacement lines that add character depth and additional world-building.
Contrary to what the trailers suggested, relatively few of the new film’s scenes are shot-for-shot recreations of the animated film. There are a lot of re-stagings and re-workings to take full advantage of the cast’s acting abilities and the big shift in tone that comes with a world that—in live action—comes across as less whimsical and much more dangerous and frightening. Some of the dragons in this film are genuinely scary.
The biggest, most defining difference in storytelling between the two versions: Despite the remake running a half hour longer than the animated film, Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless, actually spend less time together in this new version; a few of their sequences have been streamlined, and at least two major scenes have been eliminated entirely. All the film’s additional running time is devoted to further developing the human characters. The result is a version of the story where the Vikings of Berk have more depth, but the bond between Hiccup and Toothless isn’t quite as strong as it was in the original.
The trade off, however, allows more realistic conflicts between Hiccup and Stoick, Hiccup and his peers, and especially Hiccup and Astrid.
I love what they’ve done with Astrid’s character in this remake. She was great in the original, but the new layer of characterization here is excellent, greatly raising the stakes for her decisions in the third act.
So…does EVERYTHING work in this remake? Almost. There are a few odd moments where the realistic visuals and less-jokey dialogue don’t quite suspend disbelief as perfectly as the animated film managed to do.
For me, the one scene where the tonal shift is at its most jarring is the big climactic moment when (Spoiler) the teenagers fly in on dragonback to rescue the trapped, about-to-die adults from the awakened gigantic “Red Death” monster dragon.
It was goofy and far-fetched enough in the original, but smoothed over with animation humor by cutting to the Chief mouthing the words “What the—“, getting a needed laugh from the audience.
That kind of humor doesn’t exist in this version, so the scene plays completely straight and, for me, stretched the fantasy’s believability almost to the breaking point. Fortunately, it’s only a brief moment of “too much” before sheer fun and excitement take over; the climactic battle is as epic and exhilarating here as it was in the original, and the emotional aftermath still works.
Speaking of the aftermath, the moment where Hiccup wakes up and discovers what the battle has cost him is just as moving as it was in the original. Fantastic acting and staging.
Thematically, the only change I didn’t enjoy was the addition of anti-war, maybe-we’re-as-much-to-blame dialogue for Hiccup. Because it wasn’t needed. In the original, it’s perfect enough that the Vikings, simply as a matter of survival, are fighting the livestock-stealing dragons, unaware that a greater evil is controlling the creatures. Storywise, the animated film’s message about the importance of communication was neat, straightforward and effective; no additional war-is-bad commentary was necessary.
Overall, though, I’m very relieved to find that my all-time favorite animated film now has a live-action counterpart that is genuinely interesting and entertaining. And that’s in *addition* to a charming Berk theme park land with a fantastic stage show and roller coaster! It’s a good summer for dragon fans.
I generally don’t like live action remakes of animated movies, but I thoroughly enjoyed this new version of How to Train Your Dragon.
The original animated movie is one of my favorite films of all time, with its brilliant screenplay, fantastic design and sharp balance of comedy and drama.
This live action remake is a spectacular, lovingly-made, well-cast movie full of smart adaptation choices. It’s not perfect, but overall very good, with no major stumbles.
The entire cast is fantastic—ESPECIALLY Gerard Butler reprising his role from the original as Chief Stoick. His performance is (unsurprisingly) the most convincing, heartfelt and fun-to-watch embodiment of an animated character brought to flesh-and-blood life that we’re ever likely to see.
John Powell’s amazing score was mind-blowing in the original, and his new arrangements are just as grand, emotional and exhilarating here.
This version of the story removes nearly all the modern-jokiness from the dialogue, so we do lose classic lines such as, “We’re Vikings—It’s an occupational hazard” in favor of some well thought-out replacement lines that add character depth and additional world-building.
Contrary to what the trailers suggested, relatively few of the new film’s scenes are shot-for-shot recreations of the animated film. There are a lot of re-stagings and re-workings to take full advantage of the cast’s acting abilities and the big shift in tone that comes with a world that—in live action—comes across as less whimsical and much more dangerous and frightening. Some of the dragons in this film are genuinely scary.
The biggest, most defining difference in storytelling between the two versions: Despite the remake running a half hour longer than the animated film, Hiccup and his dragon, Toothless, actually spend less time together in this new version; a few of their sequences have been streamlined, and at least two major scenes have been eliminated entirely. All the film’s additional running time is devoted to further developing the human characters. The result is a version of the story where the Vikings of Berk have more depth, but the bond between Hiccup and Toothless isn’t quite as strong as it was in the original.
The trade off, however, allows more realistic conflicts between Hiccup and Stoick, Hiccup and his peers, and especially Hiccup and Astrid.
I love what they’ve done with Astrid’s character in this remake. She was great in the original, but the new layer of characterization here is excellent, greatly raising the stakes for her decisions in the third act.
So…does EVERYTHING work in this remake? Almost. There are a few odd moments where the realistic visuals and less-jokey dialogue don’t quite suspend disbelief as perfectly as the animated film managed to do.
For me, the one scene where the tonal shift is at its most jarring is the big climactic moment when (Spoiler) the teenagers fly in on dragonback to rescue the trapped, about-to-die adults from the awakened gigantic “Red Death” monster dragon.
It was goofy and far-fetched enough in the original, but smoothed over with animation humor by cutting to the Chief mouthing the words “What the—“, getting a needed laugh from the audience.
That kind of humor doesn’t exist in this version, so the scene plays completely straight and, for me, stretched the fantasy’s believability almost to the breaking point. Fortunately, it’s only a brief moment of “too much” before sheer fun and excitement take over; the climactic battle is as epic and exhilarating here as it was in the original, and the emotional aftermath still works.
Speaking of the aftermath, the moment where Hiccup wakes up and discovers what the battle has cost him is just as moving as it was in the original. Fantastic acting and staging.
Thematically, the only change I didn’t enjoy was the addition of anti-war, maybe-we’re-as-much-to-blame dialogue for Hiccup. Because it wasn’t needed. In the original, it’s perfect enough that the Vikings, simply as a matter of survival, are fighting the livestock-stealing dragons, unaware that a greater evil is controlling the creatures. Storywise, the animated film’s message about the importance of communication was neat, straightforward and effective; no additional war-is-bad commentary was necessary.
Overall, though, I’m very relieved to find that my all-time favorite animated film now has a live-action counterpart that is genuinely interesting and entertaining. And that’s in *addition* to a charming Berk theme park land with a fantastic stage show and roller coaster! It’s a good summer for dragon fans.
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Too Many Hats
Well-Known Member
This has got to be the answer. It has always looked less-than-ideal to me; I wonder if there is an alternative. Talk about a nitpick, I know. But in 2025 I bet they could make it look a little less like a "set" and more like a creepy hallway.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
I don't recall that actually being the case. If it exists I would love to see it.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Because, as mentioned in the movie forums, Disney hasn't done cross promotional parades with brand new movie releases in like 30 years. So there was no expectation here with this movie.
Misted Compass
Well-Known Member
IIRC around Turning Red's release they had characters from that film out in the park rather quickly. Might have been in a parade.
Disney Irish
Premium Member
Turning Red came out in March 2022, Mei Mei both in human and Red Panda form didn’t debut in the US Parks, DCA specifically, until Jan 2024 during Lunar New Year.
What you’re probably thinking of is she debuted in Shanghai DL around the time of the movies release.
The US Parks have been slower to integrate newer characters, with few exceptions.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
Thinking about drinking some Corporate Kool-Aid, how much do MagicBands run for in the parks nowadays? I'm seeing $35-45 on Disney's site and I'm wondering if it's about the same, less (hahaha I'm sure no), or more in person.
I was also expecting a little more variety than what the Disney site is currently showing me. Are there more design options inside the actual parks?
I was also expecting a little more variety than what the Disney site is currently showing me. Are there more design options inside the actual parks?
gerarar
Premium Member
The price online is pretty much the same as in the parks. But if you have a AP / MK, you'll get whatever discount on top when buying at the parks/Downtown Disney.
And yes there's much more designs in-person than online. Online stock is always bare from what I've experienced.
I recently got the cheapest Magicband+ I could find, $35 minus MK discount. It's become worth it just for simplifying entry. I bought a puck holder on Etsy to carry it on my watchband.
I'm having fun with the activations but I can't figure out why it's going off near the Grizzly viewing scopes. It's like trying to ask Lassie if Timmy fell down a well. Wish I could reconfigure My Pal Mickey somehow to work in the parks and tell me in words.
I'm having fun with the activations but I can't figure out why it's going off near the Grizzly viewing scopes. It's like trying to ask Lassie if Timmy fell down a well. Wish I could reconfigure My Pal Mickey somehow to work in the parks and tell me in words.