I do get all of that and also find it strange that they have chosen to clone a ride that was retrofitted into another attraction's space and use it to anchor an entire land in two different parks. That said, riding it again at HKDL it actually didn't feel as underwhelming as you might imagine in that context. Maybe a bit short, but I guess it's not exceptionally short for a modern Disney ride.
Then again, my unpopular opinion was a positive assessment of the Epcot version! I also kind of like the feeling of just drifting through various settings from the film with familiar music and characters without a clear narrative thread. I honestly think Disney should do more attractions like that. I know some people find it almost a book report ride, but that's really not my sensation as I don't see how it recreates any of the plot points from the film beyond the scene where the younger trolls are being told the story of the film at the beginning of the ride.
I'm definitely on board with rides not necessarily needing a linear narrative -- one of the complaints people have made here about Na'vi River Journey is that it doesn't tell a story, and I've never really understood that particular complaint. I don't think it needs a story (and there are other classic Disney attractions that don't really have a narrative, like Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise); you're just experiencing being on a river in a jungle on an alien planet (and, at least IMO, it absolutely nails that).
I've never really understood the complaint about book report rides either, though. If you're building a ride based off a specific movie, isn't that often what people want? People generally want to see the scenes and characters from the film they enjoyed. I think that's part of the reason FEA felt off to me (although certainly not my biggest issue); it's basically a collection of scenes similar to scenes from the film (Elsa singing Let It Go in the ice palace, etc.). If they ever built an Aladdin ride, e.g., I think people would want to see the Cave of Wonders, they'd want to see an A Whole New World flying carpet scene, they'd want to see a Friend Like Me scene, etc., which doesn't have to be done as a book report, but if you have all those scenes it seems like it's almost inherently one.
Not that I'm suggesting an IP ride should default to a book report ride -- some IPs have far more leeway for unique experiences from particular parts of a film, or even from something outside of the film itself (see the Avatar rides, e.g.), than others -- but Tiana, e.g., likely would be a much better ride if it was a book report (or close to one). The Disney animated films (and Pixar too) are often self-contained in a way that trying to develop something outside of the context of the movie doesn't really make a lot of sense.
I also think that it has to involve physical sets and AAs, because the point would be to inhabit the physical space of the film in a way that can't be done outside of the attraction. If it's mainly screens, then... may as well just watch the actual movie.
