Understanding Imagineering #1 - Who does what better?

[WED99]

Hey folks! Welcome to the first Understanding Imagineering! UI is a series of threads I will be running that each has an interesting topic about theme park design. The intention is to further educate people on what makes a good Imagineer by engaging them in interesting discussions and making them look at things in a different way.

The first topic is...

Between Disney and Universal, who does what better?

It's a simple one but can have various different answers. So please share what you think and try to debate others if you see the need to.

Have Fun!

 

[stevehousse]

Another Uni vs Disney thread! Great...maybe u should hve used the search option and u would have seen probably 50 other threads just like it...

 

[WED99]

Another Uni vs Disney thread! Great...maybe u should hve used the search option and u would have seen probably 50 other threads just like it...

This thread isn't a Disney vs Uni thread. It's intention is to highlight what makes a Universal park experience unique compared to a Disney park experience, therefore giving armchair imagineers more insight into what they should do when it comes to their designs. Or in other worlds, how to get the best of both worlds.

It's more a means of education than rivalry. I chose this over used topic because I felt it was simple for the first thread of the series and it is yet to be done in a non-fanboy fashion.

Hope that clears up your confusion.

 

[Sam Magic]

Oh! Interesting I would say that the Disney has a far better experience, but UNI is more immersive and very plan and get it done ASAP.

 

[lazyboy97o]

This thread isn't a Disney vs Uni thread. It's intention is to highlight what makes a Universal park experience unique compared to a Disney park experience, therefore giving armchair imagineers more insight into what they should do when it comes to their designs. Or in other worlds, how to get the best of both worlds.

It's more a means of education than rivalry. I chose this over used topic because I felt it was simple for the first thread of the series and it is yet to be done in a non-fanboy fashion.

Hope that clears up your confusion.

But doesn't such a discussion require a strong knowledge regarding how the two units operate? What about Universal Creative enables them to do more for less? It's not just design choices, but a larger issue of organizational structure and decision making.

 

[WED99]

But doesn't such a discussion require a strong knowledge regarding how the two units operate? What about Universal Creative enables them to do more for less? It's not just design choices, but a larger issue of organizational structure and decision making.

And that's the sort of stuff we should discuss. It's good to try and understand.

So tell me, do you think Universal's smaller budgets gives them a disadvantage in certain areas?

 

[WED99]

Oh! Interesting I would say that the Disney has a far better experience, but UNI is more immersive and very plan and get it done ASAP.

What makes Universal more immersive?

 

[Sam Magic]

What makes Universal more immersive?

For me it's only because 90% of all their stuff is from films or Worlds I know of.

 

[WED99]

For me it's only because 90% of all their stuff is from films or Worlds I know of.

Interesting. I guess a lot of people feel that way, stepping into these fantasy worlds we see in the media is something we all dream about.

Although, for me it's very different. I find original attractions much more immersive, because I get to discover the story as I'm in the attraction/area. Plus, seeing Nemo or Harry Potter show up is like a contant reminder to me that I'm in a theme park.

What about this. Do you think Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean have the same level of immersion or not? And why?

 

[ctxak98]

Well I havent posted on the Imagineering forum in a while but, I would say Universal, as of recently, is more unique and more impressive in terms of creativity like the new ride systems they come up with, however Disneys stories and places it takes you to are far better detailed and immersive( with the exception of Harry Potter) like transporting guests from asia to Africa or China to Norway.

Its all personal preference but I do think Universal will always have the upper hand in todays day and age because action movies and thrillers are becoming more and more popular. Lands likeLord of the Rings and Harry Potter are out of Disneys element and thats what people want.

I will also say that I find it much more difficult to create a land ouy of vision and have it be fantastic, than to take from a movie or book, with already so much detail, and make it fantastic! Just my opinion of course!

 

[lazyboy97o]

And that's the sort of stuff we should discuss. It's good to try and understand.

So tell me, do you think Universal's smaller budgets gives them a disadvantage in certain areas?

Budget limitations are a reality everywhere. Many say they're even beneficial as they require real creativity to overcome.

 

[Figments Friend]

Budget limitations are a reality everywhere. Many say they're even beneficial as they require real creativity to overcome.

I would agree with this.
Some true creative cleverness has been exercised through history when a projects budget or other financial shortcoming has caused a team to *think outside the box* and come up with a alternative idea.

It is often during such moments that true creative genius comes forward in amazing ways.

 

[WED99]

Budget limitations are a reality everywhere. Many say they're even beneficial as they require real creativity to overcome.

I would agree with this.
Some true creative cleverness has been exercised through history when a projects budget or other financial shortcoming has caused a team to *think outside the box* and come up with a alternative idea.

It is often during such moments that true creative genius comes forward in amazing ways.

These are both very good points. Maybe when it comes to armchair imagineering it might be wise to set yourself an imaginary budget. Not every attraction can have hundreds of screens, sets and special effects.

 

[WED99]

Its all personal preference but I do think Universal will always have the upper hand in todays day and age because action movies and thrillers are becoming more and more popular. Lands likeLord of the Rings and Harry Potter are out of Disneys element and thats what people want.

I just want to ask you about this section of your post.

Do you think in the future Universal could beat out Disney because of this upper hand?

Do you think licensed lands are the future of theme parks?

 

[lazyboy97o]

These are both very good points. Maybe when it comes to armchair imagineering it might be wise to set yourself an imaginary budget. Not every attraction can have hundreds of screens, sets and special effects.

You probably will not encounter fictional budgets in design school as there is also a need to be able to think freely as a way of familiarizing yourself with other issues. Budgeting requires some training and, more importantly, real world experience. Themed entertainment is not traditional construction so there are no standard models that can be utilized like with more typical construction.

Do you think in the future Universal could beat out Disney because of this upper hand?

How do you define beating? Attendance? Per capita guest spending? Awards?

 

[WED99]

How do you define beating? Attendance? Per capita guest spending? Awards?

Attendance and reputation (similar to how Disney is currently known as the "go to theme park destination")

 

[englanddg]

Another Uni vs Disney thread! Great...maybe u should hve used the search option and u would have seen probably 50 other threads just like it...

It's more than that.

 

[englanddg]

Universal is not more "immersive" when it comes to total experience.

For example, lets take an onsite stay experience (my own)...

The trip to the parks, even though I was at Royal Pacific, was always a chore. However, it was a different chore than trying to catch a bus (as at Disney unless you stay on the vastly limited monorail system). The boats rarely ran, communication about when they were to be closed was also not very good.

However, they did have rickshaws (where in the US are rickshaws common?...er...nowhere), so that made up for it.

I'll continue later. Great idea for a thread, and this isn't a Uni vs Disney thread.

 

[ctxak98]

I just want to ask you about this section of your post.

Do you think in the future Universal could beat out Disney because of this upper hand?

Do you think licensed lands are the future of theme parks?

I think that with the influence of franvhises nowadays, that eventuallu disney wont have the power to compete. Sure Avatar and Lucas will hold up for a while but then what!? Pixar probably wont compete...im still hopeful for Disney though?

 

[WED99]

I think that with the influence of franvhises nowadays, that eventuallu disney wont have the power to compete. Sure Avatar and Lucas will hold up for a while but then what!? Pixar probably wont compete...im still hopeful for Disney though?

It definitely is something I'm excited to observe as I grow old. It's crazy to think maybe one day a Disney park might not even contain any original attractions.

This brings up a thought. Do you think maybe there's some middle ground between franchises and originality? Almost as if the designers were writing fan fiction.