The Spirited Seventh Heaven ...

Mr. Peabody

Mr. Peabody

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
So how about that DreamWorks Animation/SoftBank rumor?
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GiveMeTheMusic said:
Independent publicly traded animation studios are a bad idea, and DWA has a rough go of it. Making 2-3 films a year is hard enough, but Wall Street riding your and selling off if one of them isn't a megahit? It's gotta be exhausting, and it's not an environment the medium can thrive in. That was my original point - DWA suffers because it's beholden to Wall Street.
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the.dreamfinder said:
I brought up the DreamWorks story as an example of the risks of the tentpoles only model. By splitting DreamWorks Live-Action and Animation and selling its impressive back catalogue, sound familiar?, Dreamworks Animation became more profitable, but lost a safety net which would help them weather the bad performance of a particular film. If I may quote Christopher Finch's "The Art of Walt Disney" Michael Eisner's greatest achievement, "was that he built a company where no creative endeavor need be aborted due to lack of funding." That achievement was accomplished due to a respect for respect for the canvas. Too bad that tremendous gift Bob inherited from Michael and Dick and Harvey and Scott and Jeffrey has gone to waste.
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Well, this is embarrassing....I suppose it was only a matter of time, given their reliance on tentpoles.

For anyone who is interested, the Wall Street Journal recently posted an article that says an acquisition deal is less likely, but some kind of content partnership may still be possible.
 
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CJR

CJR

Well-Known Member
Mike S said:
I thought the conspiracy thing was a joke.
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That's because, if he's referring to my post in the Lumberjack thread, it was a joke. I don't post quite as much, so I guess my sarcasm isn't well known. It's hard to read sarcasm on forums, so I get it.

It sounds crazy because it is crazy (management wouldn't purposely put in a show just to can it, they would have just stopped all shows after Off Kilter if they really wanted to).

No, I don't think Disney management would purposely put in a show just to cancel it a couple months later. They did cancel a show quickly a while back (in TL), but that still wasn't the original plan. I do believe it's a lesser show, but to them, they're both "just shows".

During my original run at Disney, I was Guest Show Host (custodian) at Downtown Disney. I would occasionally draw characters with water and people would gather around me to watch it, take pictures, asked me to pose with them, etc. Some people are easily entertained. With that said, there will no doubt be a crowd that will watch the new show. Even I'll watch the show at least once, I'm actually quite open-minded. It doesn't sound good, but low expectations could be what wins me over.

No actual harm was intended with my post; sorry if it pushed a button. :)
 
PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
CJR said:
That's because, if he's referring to my post in the Lumberjack thread, it was a joke. I don't post quite as much, so I guess my sarcasm isn't well known. It's hard to read sarcasm on forums, so I get it.

It sounds crazy because it is crazy (management wouldn't purposely put in a show just to can it, they would have just stopped all shows after Off Kilter if they really wanted to).

No, I don't think Disney management would purposely put in a show just to cancel it a couple months later. They did cancel a show quickly a while back (in TL), but that still wasn't the original plan. I do believe it's a lesser show, but to them, they're both "just shows".

During my original run at Disney, I was Guest Show Host (custodian) at Downtown Disney. I would occasionally draw characters with water and people would gather around me to watch it, take pictures, asked me to pose with them, etc. Some people are easily entertained. With that said, there will no doubt be a crowd that will watch the new show. Even I'll watch the show at least once, I'm actually quite open-minded. It doesn't sound good, but low expectations could be what wins me over.

No actual harm was intended with my post; sorry if it pushed a button. :)
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Ohhhhhhhh. Then I'm sorry for the harsh response earlier. I thought you were being serious.....
 
CJR

CJR

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
Ohhhhhhhh. Then I'm sorry for the harsh response earlier. I thought you were being serious.....
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It's all good, no hard feelings at all. I've had a rough day (work stuff), so I've been a bit more snippy today than normal. Good news is the hard part's over now so I can enjoy the rest of the year. :)

Sorry for the confusion!
 
Smiddimizer

Smiddimizer

Well-Known Member
TP2000 said:
I've been on JTTCOTE several times, and it impresses most for its physical scale and scope and detail. But the actual story and purpose of JTTCOTE isn't that engaging or endearing or memorable. JTTCOTE also completely lacks humor or wit or warmth; it's very sterile and flat when it comes to "Why are we here and what are we doing?". But as a Disney fan you will love the facility and the expert operation.

Radiator Springs Racers is not quite as impressive as JTTCOTE when it comes to huge facility and overall scope. RSR lacks any real pre-show or opening act like JTTCOTE has with the elevators. At RSR you just wait through a nicely themed queue and are loaded into a car and you're off on a grand adventure.

But what RSR has over JTTCOTE is the story and purpose and characters, that are emotionally engaging and memorable, unlike the only "characters" or interaction in JTTCOTE; flirty mushrooms and a grumpy lava monster. The emotional connection at RSR and understandable plotline and inherent humor make it a fantastic Disney attraction. The thrill ride aspect at RSR is also longer and more exciting than the mostly darkened high speed escape from the lava monster at JTTCOTE.

That RSR sits in one of the most physically impressive structures that WDI has ever built pushes it into Mega E Ticket territory. It's not to be missed; both a daytime ride and a nighttime ride, which are different experiences.
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If Journey to the Center of the Earth were about a minute longer, I'm pretty sure it would be hailed as the best ride on the face of the earth. I think it still stands as Disney's best since Tower of Terror. It's a hell of a lot more immersive than RSR, inside and out...

...buuut, it's also the least whimsical. You're talking about a ride with basically no humour, and that's important, even though it's not a technical thing. Gimme that ol' fashioned fun, non-cynical, non-gritty comedy--whether it's edgy like HM or just cartoonish like BTM or World of Motion--that's Disney's bread and butter. RSR isn't the same kind of funny, but it's that same kind of fun. If that makes any sense at all.

The real 'D' would have left smiling. After Journey I fear he would have left scratching his head. It's sort of like, what do you get when a bunch of imagineers get left in a cave too long playing with giant crystals and excited mushrooms?
 
C

choco choco

Well-Known Member
misterID said:
I've never ridden JTTCOTE but I've heard over and over again how the ride is a bit of a letdown, meaning the queue and the building are rich in detail, but the ride feels lacking, considering the build up to the actual ride and then the finale with the lava monster is a bit of an anticlimactic visual. But the land itself is stellar. No one is saying it's terrible by any means, just that it isn't what people continue to build it up as.


That's sort of the feeling with EFG. The land is fantastic but you walk away a bit bummed that the ride didn't live up to the hype... but, EFG gets better the more you ride it and you get over your initial disappointment. I hate to call it a disappointment though, because it is a cool ride... but the ride in my head was a lot better. DA is incredible though.
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Actually both rides inside Mysterious Island have performance issues. Journey to the Center of the Earth ends so suddenly and abruptly - without any sort of tension, build-up or climactic release - that I got off and immediately wanted to prescribe it Cialis. 20K Under the Sea shuts off the lights and falls asleep. Literally. That ride is so dark and void of activity you might wonder if Disney designed it as a sort of sick joke to have you stare into the void and ponder your existence. I know I did.

From what the videos can tell, Escape from Gringotts commits one of the cardinal sins in ride-making. It talks too damn much. You can't get any momentum. Here you are trying to escape, but every character you meet along the way, what does he do...HE STARTS MONOLOGUING! He/she starts this like prepared speech about how you're not supposed to be here, or there's no way out, or there's danger ahead (what danger? Everybody talks about danger but nobody feels it) or how feeble you are compared to them and now they are going to destroy you. The climax of the ride is....no what am I talking about, the ride has no climax. The last scene is someone - for some reason - pontificating loudly at you for a solid minute while some CGI dragon wanders around in the background. And scene.
 
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Smiddimizer

Smiddimizer

Well-Known Member
choco choco said:
From what the videos can tell, Escape from Gringotts commits one of the cardinal sins in ride-making. It talks too **** much. You can't get any momentum. Here you are trying to escape, but every character you meet along the way, what does he do...HE STARTS MONOLOGUING! He/she starts this like prepared speech about how you're not supposed to be here, or there's no way out, or there's danger ahead (what danger? Everybody talks about danger but nobody feels it) or how feeble you are compared to them and now they are going to destroy you. The climax of the ride is....no what am I talking about, the ride has no climax. The last scene is someone - for some reason - pontificating loudly at you for a solid minute while some CGI dragon wanders around in the background. And scene.
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This is awesome!! Couldn't have said it better myself. Doesn't help that Vildemort is one of the most asinine master villains I've seen in some time...that's not really a knock on the ride so much as the franchise, but still.

The dragon should've made a large, physical appearance. Not just lumbering around wondering is going on (like I was!)
 
misterID

misterID

Well-Known Member
choco choco said:
Actually both rides inside Mysterious Island have performance issues. Journey to the Center of the Earth ends so suddenly and abruptly - without any sort of tension, build-up or climactic release - that I got off and immediately wanted to prescribe it Cialis. 20K Under the Sea shuts off the lights and falls asleep. Literally. That ride is so dark and void of activity you might wonder if Disney designed it as a sort of sick joke to have you stare into the void and ponder your existence. I know I did.

From what the videos can tell, Escape from Gringotts commits one of the cardinal sins in ride-making. It talks too **** much. You can't get any momentum. Here you are trying to escape, but every character you meet along the way, what does he do...HE STARTS MONOLOGUING! He/she starts this like prepared speech about how you're not supposed to be here, or there's no way out, or there's danger ahead (what danger? Everybody talks about danger but nobody feels it) or how feeble you are compared to them and now they are going to destroy you. The climax of the ride is....no what am I talking about, the ride has no climax. The last scene is someone - for some reason - pontificating loudly at you for a solid minute while some CGI dragon wanders around in the background. And scene.
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But in its defense it's something you have to experience. Youtube doesn't do it justice...
 
Rteetz

Rteetz

Well-Known Member
Micechat had a big update today about Disneyland

Disneyland
1. Disneyland is getting the paint the night parade that Hong Kong received. The Disneyland version will have some differences tho including a frozen float.

2. A new Steve Davison show is coming for the 60th. Big pyrotechnic upgrades are needed so the old fantasy in the sky show will return starting January 9th.

3. The backstage alley/arcades behind main street will wrap up in late fall.

4. Peter Pan is getting a big refurb starting in February and finishing in May

5. CMs will get special diamond celebration name tags

DCA
1. New world of color

2. Luigis flying tires is going goodbye come January 11th to make way for a new ride called luigis festival of dance. The tires have been too hard for Disney to maintain so they had to shut it down. The new ride will incorporate a ride system similar to ratatouille.

3. GM is looking to sponsor an attraction in Disneyland could end up being RSR or autopia with some upgrades

4. Frozen is going into the animation academy

5. Soarin will close January 11th for HD upgrades. The new film will not come until 2016 when it debuts at Shanghai.
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Rteetz said:
Micechat had a big update today about Disneyland

Disneyland
1. Disneyland is getting the paint the night parade that Hong Kong received. The Disneyland version will have some differences tho including a frozen float.

2. A new Steve Davison show is coming for the 60th. Big pyrotechnic upgrades are needed so the old fantasy in the sky show will return starting January 9th.

3. The backstage alley/arcades behind main street will wrap up in late fall.

4. Peter Pan is getting a big refurb starting in February and finishing in May

5. CMs will get special diamond celebration name tags

DCA
1. New world of color

2. Luigis flying tires is going goodbye come January 11th to make way for a new ride called luigis festival of dance. The tires have been too hard for Disney to maintain so they had to shut it down. The new ride will incorporate a ride system similar to ratatouille.

3. GM is looking to sponsor an attraction in Disneyland could end up being RSR or autopia with some upgrades

4. Frozen is going into the animation academy

5. Soarin will close January 11th for HD upgrades. The new film will not come until 2016 when it debuts at Shanghai.
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Looks like I'll be missing out on Peter Pan during my trip but it doesn't bother me much. The rides I care about are Alice, Toad, and Pinochhio which we don't have here. It'll be nice to go on Snow White though. Soarin' down too? No complaints there. As long as they have Radiator Springs Racers open I'll be fine ;)
Edit: Just skimmed through the actual article, looks like Peter Pan WILL be open for my trip. It apparently closes on the 9th and I'll be there before that. I will be missing Splash Mountain though which I did want to ride because of how different it is from our version.
 
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rael ramone

rael ramone

Well-Known Member
doctornick said:
Don't really agree. Po4 IMHO offers some new -- and fantastic -- insight with virtually ever post, even if the main gist is the same. In fact, he's probably the one poster on here that I make a point of stopping to carefully read every post whenever I see them.

There's a lot of stuff on these pages that are just things being repeated and repeated. I mean, how many times do people have to mention that the Yeti is broken? Po4 actually has a different and pleasantly objective take on how P&R has been neglected under Iger's reign. Even if it doesn't make a direct impact, I think that the education of even a small segment of the fan base is a good thing.
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I'm wondering about how many people who invest in $DIS, who are, in Jim Cramers terms 'doing their homework' on it, thinking of perusing the boards to see how the customers view the product - and seeing posts that analyze 10K filings & conference call transcripts (not just 'disco yeti wah wah wah')... And they see the results of cheap capex - both in the opinions of guests AND to the bottom line (AKA, their return).

We need more, not less 'financial reporting' of the misdeeds of $DIS...
 
Nubs70

Nubs70

Well-Known Member
rael ramone said:
I'm wondering about how many people who invest in $DIS, who are, in Jim Cramers terms 'doing their homework' on it, thinking of perusing the boards to see how the customers view the product - and seeing posts that analyze 10K filings & conference call transcripts (not just 'disco yeti wah wah wah')... And they see the results of cheap capex - both in the opinions of guests AND to the bottom line (AKA, their return).

We need more, not less 'financial reporting' of the misdeeds of $DIS...
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However, the misdeeds outlined on these boards only encompass WDW P&R. Which is only a subset of a subset of what is included in the price of what is $DIS
 
D

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Rteetz said:
2. Luigis flying tires is going goodbye come January 11th to make way for a new ride called luigis festival of dance. The tires have been too hard for Disney to maintain so they had to shut it down. The new ride will incorporate a ride system similar to ratatouille.
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If this comes to pass, I wonder whether the same ride would appear at the rumored DHS Cars Land lite or not. Would be more cost effective to clone a ride, after all....
 

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