This message board is about to become very interesting...

[Ghostbuster626]

Now that my main man John Lasseter is in charge of WDI and has pulled Tony "I created Star Tours and Splash Mountain, what the hell have you done?" Baxter out of the limbo land that Eisner put him in im expecting the news and rumors board to really heat up in the coming months. I mean just last week Lasseter asked Tony to show him everything that he has designed in the last 20 years but wasnt allowed to build. I personally will not be surprised at all if stuff like Beastly Kingdom, Project Gemini, Fire & Bald Mountain, Star Tours 2, and everyones favorite Indiana Jones Ride for WDW all get reevaluated again. I have a strong fealing at least some extremly high profile e-tickets will finally get green lit within the next two years.

The days of Chucky Cheese/carnival attractions like Dinorama and mediocre attractions like Mission: Space is coming to an end very fast. I remember a few months ago the word was that Iger will not be investing much in the parks and that Expedition: Everest would probably be "the last e-ticket for a long time". However now with the major shake ups going on that is simply untrue. Anyways, I was wondering how you guys feel on the matter and what you would (realistically) like to see be done at the parks?

 

[WDWPassHolder]

I totally agree with you. With Disney having a new 'Boss', lots of things that Eisner didn't like will probably become a reality. Let's just hope that he will bring more good rides. Also, i think that Universe Of Energy should be evaluated...the AAs in that ride are very outdated, and a new ride wouldn't hurt in there.

 

[bhg469]

I like some of your points, the future looks brighter.

 

[matthope03]

Ok well first of all, Mission Space is not even close to being a carnival ride nor a kiddy ride or anything of the sort. I realize some people may not like it but it truely is a realistic feeling of take-off and all the other components of space travel with the buttons (which granted do not affect the ride but they had to design it that way). Mission Space is an amazing ride in many aspects. Moving on though, I somewhat agree with you when it comes to reevaluating what is on the shelves at WDI. You may see a couple of those rides begin to come to life in some form in the next couples years, but I would not bet on seeing most, only a handful. Lasseter will want to have some new rides with his "touch" sooner or later. That may mean adding some of his ideas to some of the rides already on the boards on designing complete new ones. However, I feel he will really like a couple and will want them in production immediately or as soon as possible.

 

[PlaneJane]

Where these boards not already interesting??

 

[PhilosophyMagic]

Honestly, before anything else is ADDED, I would like to see the "cheesy carnival things" REMOVED. WDW would be perfect if it weren't for DinoRama and Aladdin, etc. This is my only major hope. It would make the entire Disney experience stand apart again.

Unfortunately, that fact that they may return to the phase pf not ADDING those types of attractions means nothing in terms of when they will be removed. But, eventually, they surely must be, just because of eventual additions and changes. Imagine, an IMMERSIVE Walt Disney World again!

Am I going crazy again? Excuse me.

 

[MickeyTigg]

I agree with your points other than where you state that Mission: Space is mediocre....mediocre?

You have to be kidding...

 

[jedimaster1227]

Man, you have to realize that as much as we all miss Horizons, MS is not a carnival ride and not even in that ballpark. I'm not too fond of the attraction due to its lack of advertised interactivity but I don't discredit the ride as carnival quality at most. Also, Project Gemini will never ever ever happen! You have to realize that this project would require removing Epcot's icon, and the only remaining symbol left in the parks almost completely unaltered. Please remember that this is one of those topics that will light anyone here up.

Also, Gemini proposed adding a new Rainforest Pavilion, but the question is where?

I agree with you on the idea of Star Tours Version 2.0 and I could even stretch for Fire Mountain, but I don't expect anything on the level of Gemini to ever happen.

 

[Ghostbuster626]

Ok well first of all, Mission Space is not even close to being a carnival ride nor a kiddy ride or anything of the sort. I realize some people may not like it but it truely is a realistic feeling of take-off and all the other components of space travel with the buttons (which granted do not affect the ride but they had to design it that way). Mission Space is an amazing ride in many aspects. Moving on though, I somewhat agree with you when it comes to reevaluating what is on the shelves at WDI. You may see a couple of those rides begin to come to life in some form in the next couples years, but I would not bet on seeing most, only a handful. Lasseter will want to have some new rides with his "touch" sooner or later. That may mean adding some of his ideas to some of the rides already on the boards on designing complete new ones. However, I feel he will really like a couple and will want them in production immediately or as soon as possible.

I didnt say Mission: Space was a carnival ride. I said it was mediocre (as in "meh") ride. Although the technology in the ride is cool and gives you realistic sensations the ride itself is unimpressive in the sense it lacks story (uhh..so your in a futuristic space training center and your going to ride a simulator of a simulator...huh?), it lacks immersion, everything from the queue to the ride video lacks imagination. Its just very half a$$ed..you see what im saying here?

 

[matthope03]

So in Test Track you just go through a queue that just has a whole bunch of car testing stuff and then you get in a car and go through a simulation. I believe this is roughly the same idea you have about Mission Space. Bottom line is EPCOT is supposedly to be a learning type environment. However, the reason for so many changes to Future World is because change is always happening. The first rides that were there (Horizons, World of Motion, WoL) were educational type rides and exhibits). The new rides follow that same path. Soarin, Test Track, and Mission Space all give people insight to things that they may not normally get to experience or see. The "story lines" that you are refeing to are not as prominent in Epcot as they are in the other parks, nor do I think they necessarily need to be since they rides are educational based.

 

[Ghostbuster626]

Man, you have to realize that as much as we all miss Horizons, MS is not a carnival ride and not even in that ballpark. I'm not too fond of the attraction due to its lack of advertised interactivity but I don't discredit the ride as carnival quality at most. Also, Project Gemini will never ever ever happen! You have to realize that this project would require removing Epcot's icon, and the only remaining symbol left in the parks almost completely unaltered. Please remember that this is one of those topics that will light anyone here up.

Also, Gemini proposed adding a new Rainforest Pavilion, but the question is where?

I agree with you on the idea of Star Tours Version 2.0 and I could even stretch for Fire Mountain, but I don't expect anything on the level of Gemini to ever happen.

See my last post in regards to Mission: Space. As for Gemini I think people are getting overly emotional about this...It would not require removing SpaceShip Earth..all it would do is require a track to ring around it (think Saturn). The ride "Time Racers" is very similar to the current ride inside SSE (which has been horribly butchered in recent years with all the warning videos and all) all it is is a bit more thrilling...Basically it adds a few "zippy" indiana jones/test track type speed boosts during the ride. It doesnt turn SSE into a roller coaster or anything it just modernizes it abit. In fact I even heard many of the SSE AA's would stay in the ride! As for the "rainforest" pavillion..that is actually just an expansion to the current Land Pavillion that would replace the tired old Lion King show that nobody likes (its still open right?) with a fun jungle themed roller coaster.

 

[Ghostbuster626]

I also think World Showcase needs some real rides. Not necassarily thrill rides mind you but even a few fantasyland type rides would be nice. I remember there was once a Russian fairy tale dark ride proposed...couldnt they modify it and make it a German fairy tale dark ride or something to that effect?

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Well, I think there is a balance point. I think this is a good sign in that I don't think attractions will be half a$$ed any more. With John in this role and Steve Jobs having some greater say in decisions, I think things will be on a grander scale. Having said that, I think there might be some more TIME between attractions now. That is a good thing. WDW is doing fairly well right now and can ride off its current successes (namely Soarin' and EE soon to be).

On a side note, I THINK I read somewhere that John listed the aparks as an inspiration for some of his creativity, or at least Disney itself. I could be wrong there. I also know that Iger went to the parks fairly often, so we now have two people that can appreciate the foundation of Disney in prominent roles. Additionally, with Strategic Planning reduced and John being in an advisory role, we have removed a bit of the overbearing-ness. That means that he can speak more freely (in theory). THAT i think has as much pull as any new projects. I would love to see some re-renovations of some attractions to bring them up to quality standards around the resort before integrating things that are new (except for a mythical land of some sorts for DAK - I think that is just needed now to round things out, especially on the left side now). However, to see some of the recent failures (namely JIYI/JIIwF, SGE, Tiki, etc.) redone and some classics decidedly redone (again, namely Pirates, Mansion, COP, TTA, and SSE) would make a great foundation for diving into new concepts. All of this takes a lot of money, and that is an issue, especially with more debt, but luckily these aren't necessarily needed to pull people in right now. That means there is no need for immediate expenditure to get immediate gain.

 

[jedimaster1227]

Remember, don't double post.

Anyways, the point on SE is to preserve the ride in its entirety, ride vehicles, ride track and all, leaving it as a testament to Walt's true vision of what the EPCOT Center park should be (And I don't mean the city)

 

[matthope03]

As far as the projects I would like to see. I would like and I think we will eventually see Bald Mountain in some form where the old 20k used to be. I also believe we will see Beastly Kingdom in some form in order to offset DAK with Everest now open. I honestly have a hard time seeing Fire Mountain ever evolving in Adventureland, as well as I do not believe you will see Time Racers or anything of the sort in SSE (though I think they should do a major update to this). I believe you will see Stay Tours II, this may be one of the first things Lasseters goes after since it is more along the lines of animation rather than actual big daddy rides. As far as Indiana Jones goes, this is a little harder to take a stab at. I have a feeling that Disney really wants to add a ride since they have them at the other parks and are so successful, but at the same time they do not want to get rid of the stunt show since it is so unique. IF they go ahead with it, I would not expect the stunt show to leave and they add the ride somewhere next to the stunt show. Did I miss any of the projects on the books? Oh, I would expect Monsters Inc. in some form of a ride in MGM by the year 2010. I would also expect some type of attraction dealing with the Incredibles in either Tommorrowland or MGM. Lastly, if the movie Cars does really well this summer expect an upgrade to Tommorrowland Indy Speedway to incorporate the movie. That should about cover it. There is your answer to your question.

 

[jedimaster1227]

For the most part, I agree.:sohappy:

 

[jackfrost]

Sounds like good news for WDW. In regards to Mission:Space I was completely underwhelmed by it. I wouldn't go as far to put in a group with carnival rides, but really its just nothing more than a glorified motion based simulator that really isnt even that fun (Soarin' got it right). Star Tours v2.0 needs to happen. Disney is just sitting on that Star Wars license right now when it could be put to such great use. Imagine a truely revolutionary, immersive, and fun ride set in the Star Wars universe. You would have SW fans flocking to MGM for years and years to come.So much can be done with Star Wars I hope WDI steps up and makes it happen.

 

[jedimaster1227]

That is definitely right, and because of Iger's closeness with Lucas, things should work out in our favor!

 

[SallyShine]

I didnt say Mission: Space was a carnival ride. I said it was mediocre (as in "meh") ride. Although the technology in the ride is cool and gives you realistic sensations the ride itself is unimpressive in the sense it lacks story (uhh..so your in a futuristic space training center and your going to ride a simulator of a simulator...huh?), it lacks immersion, everything from the queue to the ride video lacks imagination. Its just very half a$$ed..you see what im saying here?

In other words, it reminds you of a Universal attraction?

 

[Rosso11]

That is definitely right, and because of Iger's closeness with Lucas, things should work out in our favor!

Is Iger close with Lucas? I hope so because Star Wars is an extremely under utilized property right now. There is just so much potential that Disney is just sitting on at this moment.