Toontown expansion into the Speedway Area

[unkadug]

capacity

:veryconfu Why, because you can vary the capacity to a degree like a carnival ride?

Not a very compelling reason.

 

[HokieDevil]

Speaking of Carnival rides and E-ticket attractions, does this mean thanks to the success of EE at AK that they will be doing away with that awful, white trash, horriblely themed area at Dinoland USA. Maybe before we talk about the Speedway, Disney should deal with this eyesore....

 

[Skippy]

In response to making it cars themed, i'm not sure i'd like that too much. i mean, the characters are invading tomorrowland as it is.

And about Chester and Hester's carnival games, those are on my list of things I want to see removed... ugh.

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Speaking of Carnival rides and E-ticket attractions, does this mean thanks to the success of EE at AK that they will be doing away with that awful, white trash, horriblely themed area at Dinoland USA. Maybe before we talk about the Speedway, Disney should deal with this eyesore....

I was about to bring that up, I hate Chester and Hesters. I do enjoy Primevial Whrul, er howeever you spell it, but not in the area it's in. :hurl:

 

[AEfx]

When the same attraction can be experienced at your local amusement park, what is the reason for keeping around an out-dated, noisy, polluting, large footprint attraction?

At the moment "nothing better to put there" sounds like the answer to me.

The speedway is a big, noisy, eyesore that people tend to feel nostalgic for because they experienced their first "driving" there. It has long lines - and do you ever notice how unhappy those people in that specific line look, lol? It's parents getting dragged by little kids into the smelly, noisy, not-very-well-protected queue, while the rest of the fam sits and waits.

It offers nothing unique, either. Nothing "Disney", nothing awe-inspiring. It could go at any time and I think WDW would survive with barely a notice, if something better were put in it's place. I'm all for it sticking around for the time being, though, as it is a nice speed-bump between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland for the Barney-set.

AEfx

 

[Pongo]

Speaking of Carnival rides and E-ticket attractions, does this mean thanks to the success of EE at AK that they will be doing away with that awful, white trash, horriblely themed area at Dinoland USA. Maybe before we talk about the Speedway, Disney should deal with this eyesore....

Actually, Dino-Rama is the best themed are in all of a surprisingly UN-themed Dinoland USA.

It's actually just as well themed as the rest of the park. It's just a theme that you need to understand the story behind.

 

[AEfx]

It's just a theme that you need to understand the story behind.

But that's usually the crux of these discussions. One group insists it's a cheap piece of crap ("hey, they didn't even bother to cover this old parking lot paint up") and the other insisting that it's got this great story that once you know it (and the reasons for them making it look like an old parking lot) it suddenly becomes this work of genius. (Yes, I'm being a bit dramatic, but stick with me.)

There is this middle-ground that usually gets lost. There are those of us who do understand the theming, the story behind it, and all the work that went in to making it look "cheap and tacky", but just because we recognize that there is a reasoning and was hard work done doesn't mean one has to like it.

I think the biggest issue, and why I tend to fall on the "I wish it would be replaced" side, is the fact that if you aren't aware of the post-modern humor and the story itself or "in" on the fact that it is supposed to be that way it isn't nearly as appealing. You can consider that pretty esoteric knowledge when even people on Disney boards have to be told sometimes what the "theme" really is. That is too complex for a theme-park, where impressions are made in seconds and experiences made in minutes. AK has a much more unifed theme than any other park, and it just doesn't "fit" for many.

AEfx, who realizes that this just got totally OT and forgot what thread this was LOL...

 

[yodathefrog]

Actually, Dino-Rama is the best themed are in all of a surprisingly UN-themed Dinoland USA.

It's actually just as well themed as the rest of the park. It's just a theme that you need to understand the story behind.

Typical Americana. What beautiful part of this country doesn't have a seedy tourist trap next to it? I really think that is what the Imagineers were going for, and they nailed it on the head...so much to the fact that people think they did it on the cheap. Look at the ground next time you are back there, the theming to the pavement is just as well done as any other part of the park. It's supposed to be tacky, it's supposed to be run-down, that's the joke! Oh, and next time you ride Primeaval Whirl, look for the "Dinosaur" references.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

the theming to the pavement is just as well done as any other part of the park. It's supposed to be tacky, it's supposed to be run-down, that's the joke! .

They could have saved a fortune and just asked Tony Blair the companies that built the new Scottish parliament

Oh wait thinking about it that would have cost 360 times as the original budget

 

[HokieDevil]

Typical Americana. What beautiful part of this country doesn't have a seedy tourist trap next to it? I really think that is what the Imagineers were going for, and they nailed it on the head...so much to the fact that people think they did it on the cheap. Look at the ground next time you are back there, the theming to the pavement is just as well done as any other part of the park. It's supposed to be tacky, it's supposed to be run-down, that's the joke! Oh, and next time you ride Primeaval Whirl, look for the "Dinosaur" references.

Isn't that exactly what Walt was trying to replace was this idea of a run down, tacky, sleazy part of America. Yeah WDW is all about Americana, but remember he always tried to clean it up. Marceline, MO is no way near as oppulant and mantained as Main St USA. And even when constructing the Haunted Mansion it was not supposed to look run down. So why would we credit the immagineers in doing something that would be so directly opposed to walt's vision

 

[Skippy]

All theming issues aside, there is one thing about that place that I can't stand, which is the cheap carny games scattered throughout it. I don't believe it's place is in Walt Disney World.

This of course is my opinion, and I'd like to hear from others if they think this fits with their view of the area's theme, or are you also against it?

 

[Pongo]

All theming issues aside, there is one thing about that place that I can't stand, which is the cheap carny games scattered throughout it. I don't believe it's place is in Walt Disney World.

This of course is my opinion, and I'd like to hear from others if they think this fits with their view of the area's theme, or are you also against it?

I think the carnival games fit because they are part of the theme.

But then again, I'm one of the ones that actually enjoy Dino-Rama. I think the story behind it is great and it gives some kinetics to the otherwise stale-looking Dinoland USA.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I ignore the carni games, I wouldnt play them here and I dont play them at Disney or Universal.

Ive never played the shooting arcade at the MK either. Though I have to say I do think it is wholly appropriate to the surrounding theme.

Just a thought, isnt Buzz just a glorified Carni game?

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Just a thought, isnt Buzz just a glorified Carni game?

I think it's more of a glorified arcade game.

 

[yodathefrog]

Isn't that exactly what Walt was trying to replace was this idea of a run down, tacky, sleazy part of America. Yeah WDW is all about Americana, but remember he always tried to clean it up. Marceline, MO is no way near as oppulant and mantained as Main St USA. And even when constructing the Haunted Mansion it was not supposed to look run down. So why would we credit the immagineers in doing something that would be so directly opposed to walt's vision

I totally agree with what you are saying about Walt's original desires, but isn't that what the Magic Kingdom is for? Everything in that park is pristine and presented in a magical, perfect way. Yet, Animal Kingdom is supposed to feel like reality. The architecture in Africa and Asia show wear and tear of years of use along with a lack of funding...not a pristine city. That is the situation I feel Chester and Hester fit into, not the eutopia of the Magic Kingdom...thus being more acceptable and believeable.

 

[CThaddeus]

Maybe what bothers people most about it is that it is a truly tacky US theme slapped into a park that for the most part seems to be about far off exotic lands. Dinosaur on its own is fine, as you could easily assume it is on some remote island like Isla Sorna (yeah, I know, Universal reference), but the whole Chester n' Hester area just seems like such a sore thumb in the midst of all that beautiful, lush scenery. In addition, all those rides within it are just lame, off-the-shelf attractions.
For me, this is an area I have no problem skipping over. Maybe if it had been put in the Magic Kingdom or something it might have felt like a better fit. I still probably wouldn't visit it, but it might feel a little more like it belonged.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

But it is fun. FACT!

 

[comics101]

Alright, come on. The area does look cheap, but it still looks better than most carnivals and i think it looks better than Six Flags. It's a cheaper part of Dinoland that I think they used sort of as a space filler. Wasn't there supposed to be some roller coaster ride about going through an excavation (sp) site? I could be wrong but I thnk budgets were cut and so they made Hester and Chester instead. Does anyone else no of this? also, Primeavial Whril is Awesome.

 

[Scar Junior]

I think they used sort of as a space filler. Wasn't there supposed to be some roller coaster ride about going through an excavation (sp) site? I could be wrong but I thnk budgets were cut and so they made Hester and Chester instead. Does anyone else no of this? also, Primeavial Whril is Awesome.

Yeah, from what I remember: The Excavator was to have wooden supports and be a family coaster. It's look fit better aesthetically and it looked a lot more fun.

We have a coaster here in a (ridiculously crappy) Cedar Fair owned park in MN. The official name is "The High Roller" but everyone refers to it as "The Wooden Roller Coaster" and it has a very similar design. It was from the 1920s or 1930s.

I have always viewed Dinorama as a filler until something better comes, hopefully it will be the excavator.

BTW, IMO... I think the rides and tackiness is on par with Six Flags. Primeavial Whirl isn't the worst thing Disney has done, but Dinorama is on my short list.

 

[tirian]

Oh?

At WDW!

Edit: The conversation has changed dramatically since the above quote. Sorry!