Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Won't it be confusing to have a Toy Story hotel and Toy Story parking lot on opposite ends of the resort?
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Toy Story Hotel Planned to replace Paradise Pier Hotel?
- Thread starter mickEblu
- Start date
TP2000
Well-Known Member
So, this was a proposed basic replacement of lobby props, decor, and wall coverings. With painting the bland, circa 2000 beige walls a new bland, circa 2020 shade of grey. You can tell in the pre-pandemic "concept art" it's just a redecoration of the existing 1986 spaces.
This circa 2020 "whimsy"...
Becomes this circa 2020 "whimsy"...
(I'm loving the pedestrian clip art they're using. Look at that couple inspecting that hiking trail map to Yosemite National Park!)
One thing I noticed is that the lobby bar in the left background has been replaced with another store.
And I'm okay with that, as that Sand Dollar Lounge or whatever it was called has consistently been one of the worst hotel bars in Anaheim. Usually it was staffed by a lone and oddly grumpy woman with noticeable tenure who might begrudgingly pop the top off of a $10 bottle of Michelob for you, so long as you waited quietly for her to approach you and she liked your tone.
I remember the last time I plopped there in that bar waiting for some family members about five years ago, the big TV in the middle of the lounge was playing a PG-13 rated movie from some cable channel. It had an inappropriately passionate sex scene, and some salty language blaring. With some kids running around the bar unattended. And the sole grumpy CM barmaid hiding in the most obscure corner she could find by the ice machine, playing with her phone.
Magical! Immersive! World Class!
This circa 2020 "whimsy"...
Becomes this circa 2020 "whimsy"...
(I'm loving the pedestrian clip art they're using. Look at that couple inspecting that hiking trail map to Yosemite National Park!)
One thing I noticed is that the lobby bar in the left background has been replaced with another store.
And I'm okay with that, as that Sand Dollar Lounge or whatever it was called has consistently been one of the worst hotel bars in Anaheim. Usually it was staffed by a lone and oddly grumpy woman with noticeable tenure who might begrudgingly pop the top off of a $10 bottle of Michelob for you, so long as you waited quietly for her to approach you and she liked your tone.
I remember the last time I plopped there in that bar waiting for some family members about five years ago, the big TV in the middle of the lounge was playing a PG-13 rated movie from some cable channel. It had an inappropriately passionate sex scene, and some salty language blaring. With some kids running around the bar unattended. And the sole grumpy CM barmaid hiding in the most obscure corner she could find by the ice machine, playing with her phone.
Magical! Immersive! World Class!
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PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
They have definitely soured me on the franchise in general because of how badly (and how consistently) they push it into the parks.
What they really need to do is bulldoze the hotel and start over from the ground up. Of course, that won't happen because of that lease they apparently can't worm out of, but I can dream.
In case anyone hasn't seen the Toy Story Hotel in Tokyo, here it is. It looks more like Super Mario Bros. from 1985 than anything out of Toy Story to me, but maybe the only thing Bob knows about Toy Story is that it prints money:
TP2000
Well-Known Member
Here's the current, and rather sad, check-in desk. You can tell they kept the circa 1986 floor and ceiling and added circa 2000 "Seaside Whimsy!" awnings and one (1) framed photo of Paradise Pier.
Here's what it becomes. A plus to be sure, but it's not hard to plus up that rather sad scene shown above. And again, with the hysterical people clip art! It appears they took two low res photos of employees from the Shanghai Airport Sheraton and plopped them in behind the front desks.
The Rubik's Cube desk is cool though.
But don't even get me started on that Kelly green camo gaucho-dress-blouse onesie the brunette lady with wash-n-go hair and a 4th graders backpack is wearing.
Here's what it becomes. A plus to be sure, but it's not hard to plus up that rather sad scene shown above. And again, with the hysterical people clip art! It appears they took two low res photos of employees from the Shanghai Airport Sheraton and plopped them in behind the front desks.
The Rubik's Cube desk is cool though.But don't even get me started on that Kelly green camo gaucho-dress-blouse onesie the brunette lady with wash-n-go hair and a 4th graders backpack is wearing.
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denyuntilcaught
Well-Known Member
Please, please, please let's move on from Toy Story.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
This was apparently something they were considering pre-Covid. There's no official announcement from TDA on this. It may have died years ago. It may never happen. It may happen in 2030. No one knows.
But the concept art was at least good for a few chuckles!
Usually it was staffed by a lone and oddly grumpy woman with noticeable tenure who might begrudgingly pop the top off of a $10 bottle of Michelob for you, so long as you waited quietly for her to approach you and she liked your tone.
This pretty much sums up my experience with customer service these days. Not just at Disneyland but almost everyone that’s not working for a tip. It just feels rare to get a smile, see some fake enthusiasm or get greeted without being the one to greet first.
Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Preach it, brother!
Amen!
Enough already....
It really isn't that great of a movie and it is beyond annoying in the Parks because of the 'overkill'/ overuse.
Pack sand, Pixar properties....
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Figments Friend
Well-Known Member
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Yeah, because the property is found in the parks. So, naturally, people will line up. Doesn’t mean there’s an addiction there.
el_super
Well-Known Member
So basically theme doesn't matter? People will line up for anything.
denyuntilcaught
Well-Known Member
I mean, 90 mins for Slinky Dog Coaster is kind of proving that they will.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Uh, yeah. The general public doesn’t care and likely won’t even notice. I thought that was pretty obvious.
el_super
Well-Known Member
Yeah and it's left to the jury to decide how much of that is Toy Story versus just being a coaster.
On the other hand, if theme really didn't matter they could just leaves PPH as-is and keep raking in the money. That hotel is rarely under 80% capacity.
I think they would have been better off making this a mid century modern boutique hotel lightly themed to the Incredibles. I’ve never set foot in there but it doesn’t seem to have a very large footprint. Since it can’t be some sprawling Polynesian themed hotel I’d say they should have focused on making it quaint and charming. It would also still make sense next to Pixar Pier.
No Name
Well-Known Member
I know a lot of people who say Midway Mania is their favorite ride ever, who like Toy Story Land in Orlando better than Galaxy’s edge, etc. Yeah there is clearly demand but it’s unfortunate they keep building cheap flat rides (and cheap hotels). Regional amusement parks have kiddie sections, I’m not sure Disney parks need to.
el_super
Well-Known Member
There needs to be some benefit to both the potential customers and Disney that is going way beyond even just the quality of the output. Something is making Disney (and even OLC) choose Toy Story as a theme, above any other potential themes/IPs that get used.
For something like PPH, the amount of money being spent to refurbish it (although honestly I don't know if it's just Toy Story or overall Pixar still), could easily be used to theme it to Star Wars or Marvel (ala Paris) or even something newer like Encanto. But they didn't...
They choose Toy Story because it still resonates with the audience.
They choose Toy Story because it makes a connection to the audience that another property can't.
They choose Toy Story because people browsing through ads/marketing material will see Buzz and Woody and instantly make that familiar connection to what this property means and the emotions that it conveys.
It's the same reason there is a Toy Story lot and Toy Story buses with Buzz Lightyear pictured on them. And why "You've got a Friend like Me" plays in the esplanade. People love Toy Story.