Transformative Multi-Year Expansion Announced for WDS Paris

[cookiee_munster]

The shops and eateries in Warehouse 1? Is there something else you'd like to see in there? Just wondering what prompted the question.

There's just something about it. I watched a YouTube video of someone walking around every shop and eateries in there the other day, and I get that it's supposed to be "fake" Hollywood. But at the same time, it just seems so cheap. What I'd like to see it replaced with? I have no idea... The indoor aspect is nice.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

They should worry more about the long, empty path leading to the lake before touching Studio 1.

That's where they should have a real, outdoor Hollywood Blvd to extend ToT's theme.

 

[Robbiem]

There's just something about it. I watched a YouTube video of someone walking around every shop and eateries in there the other day, and I get that it's supposed to be "fake" Hollywood. But at the same time, it just seems so cheap. What I'd like to see it replaced with? I have no idea... The indoor aspect is nice.

I think the idea of a soundstage is OK, if cheap but the execution isn’t great. Why would you have a Hollywood set in Hollywood? If it was themed to be an actual recognisable movie set, like star tours in WDW that could work. Maybe go for a very cartoony toon town ?

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Hollywood Boulevard was close to perfect in the early days of Disney-MGM; they should have just copied it.

I’m shocked they didn’t. Even Disney seems to understand that the front of DHS still works and they’ve left it alone.

Is there room in this thread to discuss how current-day WDI seems to prefer trying to reinvent the wheel over standing on the shoulders of giants?

Like, I'm not saying they should just clone everything developed by a past generation, but projects like Buena Vista Street should have easily benefited from the example of projects like Hollywood Boulevard at DHS, and yet it's so clear that no such homework was done.

Their portfolio is so large now, there's hardly any project in development where they can't look back at something with SOME shared DNA, and they should be evaluating the successes and failures of those preceeding projects when making new ones. What's the point of having such a rich history if you just keep starting from the ground up each time?

 

[Kev1982]

Is there room in this thread to discuss how current-day WDI seems to prefer trying to reinvent the wheel over standing on the shoulders of giants?

Like, I'm not saying they should just clone everything developed by a past generation, but projects like Buena Vista Street should have easily benefited from the example of projects like Hollywood Boulevard at DHS, and yet it's so clear that no such homework was done.

Their portfolio is so large now, there's hardly any project in development where they can't look back at something with SOME shared DNA, and they should be evaluating the successes and failures of those preceeding projects when making new ones. What's the point of having such a rich history if you just keep starting from the ground up each time?

What is baffling me is that when they buy new IP, bang few years later there s a marvel campus and a star wars land. Still there s so many great animated movies not getting the same treatment many years later like aladdin, lion king, little mermaid (exception of TDS). Go back a little more: 101 dalmatians, sleeping beauty,… great stories and movies, great villain,….basically nothing…

 

[marni1971]

DL's 50th was Ouimet and Harris, no one else. A rare bright spot in Eisner's final years.

One would think he learned a lesson from rushing MGM, but WDSP shows the lesson was not learned.

I’ve quoted this before but on the eve of WDSP opening a friend overheard Eisner saying to someone else “maybe we did build this too cheap”.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Is there room in this thread to discuss how current-day WDI seems to prefer trying to reinvent the wheel over standing on the shoulders of giants?

Like, I'm not saying they should just clone everything developed by a past generation, but projects like Buena Vista Street should have easily benefited from the example of projects like Hollywood Boulevard at DHS, and yet it's so clear that no such homework was done.

Their portfolio is so large now, there's hardly any project in development where they can't look back at something with SOME shared DNA, and they should be evaluating the successes and failures of those preceeding projects when making new ones. What's the point of having such a rich history if you just keep starting from the ground up each time?

I don’t know if WDI, as a whole, are truly capable of evaluating what makes something successful or a failure anymore. Look at Epcot - Entrance was a win (except the LED billboard they put on SSE). The rest? Hot garbage. Maybe some of that comes from managerial directives, but for me, the signs are not encouraging.

 

[Den Carter]

Studio 1 is fine, even if it's a bit uninspiring as theming goes, but problematically, it's a serious bottleneck. For private events they often open the backstage path between the side of S1 and the Cinemagique theatre. If they could theme this area even slightly, and do the same for the Animagique side, that would be a cheap way of achieving a highly effective improvement to crowd control.

 

[cookiee_munster]

I think the idea of a soundstage is OK, if cheap but the execution isn’t great. Why would you have a Hollywood set in Hollywood? If it was themed to be an actual recognisable movie set, like star tours in WDW that could work. Maybe go for a very cartoony toon town ?

This is the thing though, it's no longer about Hollywood or movie making. Really, it's about the studio's that sits under the Disney umbrella. I wish they'd pull more association with Disney+ This is pretty much where it'll draw its strengths in the future, not just from the parks but from future shows and movies that are released through it, right down to the back catalogue of shows and movies Disney+ now has.

 

[J4546]

I agree, DHS is more about the various major studious disney owns, its a place to showcase Pixar, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Marvel, and other major studio stuff imo

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

I don’t know if WDI, as a whole, are truly capable of evaluating what makes something successful or a failure anymore. Look at Epcot - Entrance was a win (except the LED billboard they put on SSE). The rest? Hot garbage. Maybe some of that comes from managerial directives, but for me, the signs are not encouraging.

And notice how the Entrance redo was more about reverting to what a previous generation did than about actually inventing anything.

For all the praise Shanghai's Pirates gets, I think it's still kind of stunning how little it takes from the original Pirates attractions. Like, popular opinion seems to be that was a successful example of them reinventing the wheel, but . . . I don't know. Pirates spent decades as the high-water mark for themed attractions, and in going to make a new one you throw out basically every lesson it taught? It feels lacking in a real conceptual understanding of what made the original great and why it's held up for 50+ years. There's more to what makes it great than just "Boats, Water, Pirates are there", but that's practically all they held on to.

But perhaps now I'm getting TOO off topic.

 

[UNCgolf]

And notice how the Entrance redo was more about reverting to what a previous generation did than about actually inventing anything.

For all the praise Shanghai's Pirates gets, I think it's still kind of stunning how little it takes from the original Pirates attractions. Like, popular opinion seems to be that was a successful example of them reinventing the wheel, but . . . I don't know. Pirates spent decades as the high-water mark for themed attractions, and in going to make a new one you throw out basically every lesson it taught? It feels lacking in a real conceptual understanding of what made the original great and why it's held up for 50+ years. There's more to what makes it great than just "Boats, Water, Pirates are there", but that's practically all they held on to.

But perhaps now I'm getting TOO off topic.

Admittedly I haven't been there to see it in person, but ride through videos of Shanghai Pirates leave me relatively cold -- I don't get why people love it so much. The screens are integrated pretty well, but there's still a lot of just watching something happen on a screen and that never feels immersive to me. It seems consistently most of "watch an event happen on a screen, then the screen moves away and there's a physical set similar to what was on the screen but all the action is done because it happened on the screen rather than on the set".

Screens generally only work for me when they're a supplement to a physical set (NRJ handles them very well), not a replacement for one.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

For all the praise Shanghai's Pirates gets, I think it's still kind of stunning how little it takes from the original Pirates attractions. Like, popular opinion seems to be that was a successful example of them reinventing the wheel, but . . . I don't know. Pirates spent decades as the high-water mark for themed attractions, and in going to make a new one you throw out basically every lesson it taught? It feels lacking in a real conceptual understanding of what made the original great and why it's held up for 50+ years. There's more to what makes it great than just "Boats, Water, Pirates are there", but that's practically all they held on to.

Well according to now ex-WDI head Bob Weis, Chinese people think the American Pirates ride is boring so I guess that's why they didn't?

 

[DCBaker]

 

[dennis-in-ct]

I’ve quoted this before but on the eve of WDSP opening a friend overheard Eisner saying to someone else “maybe we did build this too cheap”.

I remember visiting the the park 4 months after it opened. Yesterday, while organizing a closet, I found the WDS 1st year map which reminded me just how cheap it was made. “Someone should be fired for this” I thought when I exited the entrance building.
Entering the park, Studio One, was impressive. Once exiting the building, a person could see the WHOLE park and all on one level built on Asphalt no less. I was horrified.
When I saw the announcement of the WSP, I thought “it’s about time!”
Looking forward to seeing the results and maybe visit once it’s completed as nothing has compelled us to go back yet. Disneyland Paris needs a new attraction as well. Although, I was told by a good friend of mine who recently visited how impressed he was with DLP’s refurb. He said the park looked spectacular.

 

[marni1971]

I remember visiting the first year the park opened. yesterday, while organizing a closet, I found the WDS 1st year map which reminded me just how cheap it was made. “Someone should be fired for this” I thought when I exited the entrance building.
Entering the park, Studio One, was impressive. Once exiting the building, a person could see the WHOLE park and all on one level built on Asphalt no less. I was horrified.
When I saw the announcement of the WSP, I thought “it’s about time!”
Looking forward to seeing the results and maybe visit once it’s completed as nothing has compelled us to go back yet. Disneyland Paris needs a new attraction as well. Although, I was told by a good friend of mine who recently visited how impressed he was with DLP’s refurb. He said the park looked spectacular.

We went to WDSP 3 months after opening. My thoughts were the same as yours.

I'm glad your friend recognised the work done in the legacy park. It truly is spectacular.

 

[dennis-in-ct]

We went to WDSP 3 months after opening. My thoughts were the same as yours.

I'm glad your friend recognised the work done in the legacy park. It truly is spectacular.

I still hold Disneyland Paris as THE best designed Magic Kingdom. (I have only been to Florida, California and Paris). It’s mind-blowing to see in person. The craftsmanship and love that went into creating the park is amazing. I am grateful to the design team who were involved and the company’s willingness to spend the money. My first visit to DLP was 1998 (a year past it’s 5 year anniversary).
My Disney bucket list is now set on visiting DisneySea. And the Shanghai park looks interesting too. I feel like Shanghai was built with the lessons of “building on the cheap” of the past.

 

[marni1971]

I still hold Disneyland Paris as THE best designed Magic Kingdom. (I have only been to Florida, California and Paris). It’s mind-blowing to see in person. The craftsman and love making the park is amazing. I am grateful to the design team who were involved and the company’s willingness to spend the money. My first visit to DLP was 1998 (a year past it’s 5 year anniversary).
My Disney bucket list is now set on visiting DisneySea. And the Shanghai park looks interesting too. I feel like Shanghai was built with the lessons of “building on the cheap” of the past.

Shanghai was remembering HKDL/DCA/WDSP but it was still sub par. They tried to make it more visually attractive but consequently the budget for the offerings was lower. Tokyo’s my holy grail.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Tokyo’s my holy grail.

I do appreciate the inclusion of Tokyo content in your recent tribute videos.

One day you'll get to film all that yourself!