Unpopular Opinions: DLR Edition

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

I don't understand your reply. can you explain

 

[Squishy]

I don't understand your reply. can you explain

 

[THE 1HAPPY HAUNT]

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ah

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

They could really improve The Jungle Cruise by adding The Rock. Universal did it with Earthquake twice and they've enjoyed nothing but success.

 

[socalifornian]

It would be nice if they took themselves a little more seriously and replaced everything with real animals. Animal Kingdom is secluded even by Disney World standards and Disneyland has fireworks, so they might have to be trucked in every day like the horses

 

[TP2000]

Out of curiosity, have you been on the HKDL version, and if so, do you think it's an improvement?

I haven't been on it yet, so I can't say one way or the other. I just know it's the only version to be built in this century.

I've been on it once, about 10 years ago. It was heavy on special effects and light on animals. I waited in the "English" line, but the skipper was so bad at English and had such a thick accent I mostly remember just sitting there biting my lip and trying desperately not to laugh at the poor guy. He had no ability to communicate basic verbs and nouns in English, let alone tell a decent joke. That's all I really remember.

I've been on the new musical version in Tokyo twice now in the last few years, and like every other ride in Tokyo it is aesthetically flawless and pristinely maintained. Everything works perfectly. But even with Tokyo's new music and sing-a-long skippers clapping and laughing, the overall concept is just tired and dumb in 2019.

I find it fascinating that Disneyland mercifully canned the hokey Jingle Cruise version, but WDW keeps doing Jingle Cruise every Christmas. It gives me hope that someone in TDA has some taste and can see the writing on the wall.

 

[BasiltheBatLord]

Agree Jungle Cruise is boring but it's legendary and so deserves its space. It's kind of like an old man who is super lame now but was a hero in his past life and so still deserves respect and space to do his own thing.

 

[mickEblu]

I agree on all of these except turning Jungle Cruise into a rapids ride. I can support a massive refurb for the attraction, but ideally we would get an Adventureland redesign that better incorporates Indiana Jones with the Jungle Cruise and manages to create a better flowing Adventureland both with traffic and aesthetic.

I agree with all your agreeing except altering the JC layout. I’m curious as to what you mean by creating a better traffic flow?

 

[Rich T]

-HMH is a great ride

It would be if it weren't displacing a better ride.

 

[Rich T]

Star Wars started off great in 1977, but has become more bloated and pretentious with each film that followed, beginning with the first time Yoda opened his freaking mouth.

 

[mickEblu]

Star Wars started off great in 1977, but has become more bloated and pretentious with each film that followed, beginning with the first time Yoda opened his freaking mouth.

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I’m a grumpy middle aged man. I can only imagine what I’ll be like.

 

[TROR]

I agree with all your agreeing except altering the JC layout. I’m curious as to what you mean by creating a better traffic flow?

Adventureland is a very tight space, so if we pushed everything back a little bit it would free up the walking area within the land.

Basically my proposal would be to give Temple of the Forbidden Eye an exterior closer to that of what was planned for The Lost Expedition with the railroad running through it.

Then push back the Jungle Cruise to take over the outdoor picnic area in the Esplanade and have it enter the temple there.

If anyone's not familiar with it, here's some old schematics for how Adventureland would've been laid out had The Lost Expedition been built.

 

[Rich T]

Adventureland is a very tight space, so if we pushed everything back a little bit it would free up the walking area within the land.

Basically my proposal would be to give Temple of the Forbidden Eye an exterior closer to that of what was planned for The Lost Expedition with the railroad running through it.

View attachment 359107

Then push back the Jungle Cruise to take over the outdoor picnic area in the Esplanade and have it enter the temple there.

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If anyone's not familiar with it, here's some old schematics for how Adventureland would've been laid out had The Lost Expedition been built.

View attachment 359108

Interesting. I like it. But it costs money and it's not the Simpsons or Avatar, so no Disney suits will understand any of it.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

As a Swedish-American, it's culturally offensive to have actors who are clearly not Northern European portraying Scandinavians in the Frozen show. Frozen is based on The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, arguably Scandinavia's most famous author. It is set entirely in 1800's Norway, and uses Norse mythology, symbols and culture as its plot vehicles. Even the architecture and stained glass windows are Norwegian. But somehow we are supposed to believe that Africans and Latinos are Norwegian royalty and gentry in the 1800's? When they cast the blue-eyed, blond-haired surfer boy from Fullerton Junior College into the role of Black Panther, or the pretty Vietnamese girl from Garden Grove into the role of Tiana, we can talk more. But until then, it's offensive to negate the unique minority culture on which the literature and story is based on.

I didn't find it especially offensive, but it was certainly confusing. Is Elsa adopted?

The Disneyland Hotel is tired and worn out and should have been imploded 3 years ago. The Disneyland Hotel is a patchwork quilt of 1960's and 70's concrete towers and canyons, and it is hokey and outdated. The 2010 rehab was overdue and desperately needed, but it should have been used for only five or six years until a new hotel could be built to replace this 1960's relic. I know the 4th Hotel disaster that was lowballed and screwed over by former DLR Prez Michael Colglazier was going to effectively outrank the Disneyland Hotel and allow it to go to Yesterland eventually, but that whole plan was such a cheap and spineless plan for that property. They need to implode all three towers Las Vegas style and start from scratch. It's way past it's prime, and all the novelty teacup seats in the lobby can't hide it any more. Also, the valet guys who park your car are generally lazy jerks. And the Steakhouse 55 Cocktail Lounge is one of the worst hotel bars in Southern California.

Our trip was half Disneyland Hotel, half Grand Californian. We really liked the Disneyland Hotel itself, but the rooms were beat to heck and tired. I don't go as far as you do saying they need to be completely rebuilt, but they're due for a good gutting and complete refurbishment.

The Grand was tremendous.

 

[Mac Tonight]

I rode the Jungle Cruise yesterday and had a blast! I sat across from a group of 20-something university bros and even they had a laugh and got spooked by the hippos. So it stays!

 

[Stevek]

Dole Whips are completely overrated
Disneyland Churros are completely overrated
The Little Mermaid ride isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be
Guardians Macaroni Tower is actually a better ride experience
It's a Small World theme song (and ride) is not annoying
The Disneyland Hotel (excluding Trader Sam's) is overrated and not that much better than Paradise Pier
While the land is thematically beautiful, Mater and Luigi are pretty weak attractions and the land deserved much better
I love HMH (but agree it's here too long)
Peter Pan, while a great dark ride, is not worth a 30+ minute wait.
Winnie the Pooh is good family dark ride

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Disneyland Churros are completely overrated

Yes! What the heck is wrong with people? There are more churro carts at Disneyland than there are popcorn, pretzel, churro, and ice cream carts combined at WDW. Want ANYTHING AT ALL besides a churro? Too bad.

 

[Rich T]

...Mater and Luigi are pretty weak attractions and the land deserved much better...

I agree with most of your views, but Mater's is one of the most fun and non-nauseating flat rides I've ever experienced. Love that thing! Short waits, too, because of the twin systems. But Luigi's I would love to see turned into a compact Autopia-style ride, keeping just the Tire Shop entry. Then Autopia in DL can be bulldozed for something better.

 

[Rich T]

I didn't find it especially offensive, but it was certainly confusing. Is Elsa adopted?

Come on, guys, it's a stage play. Plays have different rules. Anyone can portray anyone. Sven has a human head sticking out of his shoulders and Olaf's puppeteer is standing in plain sight. All that matters is the quality of the performance. Just enjoy the show!

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I rarely eat junk food, but one of the best snacks at Disney is the peanut butter cookie in the Poo shop. I don't want popcorn, pretzels, churros etc. I have to walk to a remote corner of the park in a ridiculous cartoon animal land for my fluffy delicious cookie and I avoid every cart in the theme parks.