Voyage of the Little Mermaid is done, won't reopen with the parks.

[bubbles1812]

Has this actually been confirmed or is this still in the rumor category? Just curious.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Kind of runs contrary to the single-factor analysts that they simply don’t spend enough money.

I just think they spend money in the wrong ways. Perhaps Imagineering is somewhat at fault, rather than just management? I don’t know.

It’s like your car. If you’re too cheap to change the oil eventually you’ll have to pay for more expensive repairs. That’s very much how Disney operates. They drag their feet until they’re forced to do something and it ends up costing more which is further compounded by rising costs, which encourages more feet dragging. The notion of “Look at all that they’re spending now” misses the larger narrative.

Oh wow. Honestly I did not know those figures.

but with that in mind what about a comparison... how much money did Universal’s “Fast & Furious” ride cost? Or Runaway Railway at HS?

for personal comparisons.

I don’t have those numbers handy but newer attractions are a bad comparison because costs have spiraled out of control since 2006 (meaning return on invest has become worse). The previous $100 million attraction was the Roller Coaster Themed to India or Whatever and more recently Pixar Pier cost more than that.

Is that how much they spent on Mermaid's refurb?

What did they change, Ariel's Ice Cream Swirl Hair, a couple wigs, a few new static fish, and blacklighting the Under the Sea scene?

This ride already cost way too much for what it is, how is it possible they spent half that much on such relatively minor changes?

It needed help, but yeesh.

If I remember correctly, the changes were done over at least two closures. There was also the change to the animation of Ariel getting legs and small tweaks to the other animatronics.

 

[brb1006]

I agree and the fact Universal is still doing construction while closed says a lot.

Apparently WDW and DL used to do construction when the parks were closed back in the day.

 

[brb1006]

I didn't even know this existed. Very cool, and a shame this never materialized.

That video was actually from a previous The Little Mermaid DVD release.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Has this actually been confirmed or is this still in the rumor category? Just curious.

I don’t think it’s confirmed until the parks open and it’s not there.... of course I think a lot of entertainment will be missing when the parks reopen.

 

[brb1006]

Nothing beats the tech package used on Tokyo's Little Mermaid show.

Would love to see that transfer, but no dice.

The show is called "King Triton's Concert", here's some photos.

Better video footage


It's one of those shows "that videos won't do justice and have to see in person".

 

[MaryJaneP]

We always thought "Winnie" was actually Canadian as we were led to believe "Winnie" was a shortened form of Winnipeg. Maybe we are mistaken.

 

[brb1006]

Whatever the final price tag was, they clearly ran out before the ride was finished and had to go to Dollar General to get sea creature toys.

Because nothing screams millions of dollars spent for this.

Did the designers of McDonalds Play Place and Happy Meals work on this (especially the sea creatures)? They even reused some of the sea creatures for the final scene.

Also this moment

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Because no screams millions of dollar spent for this.

Did the designers of McDonalds Play Place and Happy Meals work on this (especially the sea creatures)?

Also this moment

Regarding the kiss the girl scene - the plastic water coming out of the fish in that scene is my most hated moment of any theme park attraction I think... well until Pixar Pier was complete. They give it a run for the money.

Regarding Ursula’s head.... along with carousel of progress, mansion, and jungle cruise boats sinking.... nothing to see! Just a severe lack of maintenance from the worlds most visited theme parks!

 

[No Name]

And let's get real... Mickey Avenue was always a reality because the Chinese Communist Party would never allow pro America concepts into their country, Mainstreet USA included. Winnie the Pooh was likely buried under the Mickey Avenue asphalt.

I don’t understand why they didn’t go with a 1920’s Shanghai Main Street.

They’d be foolish to build a Main Street USA in Shanghai Disneyland. In my opinion, they shouldn’t have done that in Hong Kong or Paris either. But a main street that’s a similarly falsely glorified image of a time in those respective countries and cultures would’ve been a fine idea.

Bob Iger proudly claims that it was his personal idea to have a Mickey Avenue instead. And it has as much to do with cultural reasons as it does with this weird idea that Mickey Avenue makes the park more “Disney.” I think it tries to appeal to everyone and winds up not really appealing to anyone. I wonder how much the Shanghai audience likes it.

Winnie the Pooh has two rides in Shanghai Disneyland.

Disney probably regrets that considering Winnie the Pooh is now censored in China.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

They’d be foolish to build a Main Street USA in Shanghai Disneyland. In my opinion, they shouldn’t have done that in Hong Kong or Paris either. But a main street that’s a similarly falsely glorified image of a time in those respective countries and cultures would’ve been a fine idea.

Bob Iger proudly claims that it was his personal idea to have a Mickey Avenue instead. And it has as much to do with cultural reasons as it does with this weird idea that Mickey Avenue makes the park more “Disney.” I think it tries to appeal to everyone and winds up not really appealing to anyone. I wonder how much the Shanghai audience likes it.

The park really needs a railroad.

 

[WDWTank]

A series of cars moving through a building of projections with modest promotional props, basically a ride that is a constantly updated synergy/advertisement.

I’m sorry, but really? Advertisements need to stay out of theme parks. This is something straight from Biffco

 

[WDWTank]

Speaking of BATB show

What happened?

 

[WDWTank]

More Disney... more family.

As long as it’s not Supercharged

 

[ImperfectPixie]

What happened?

Looks like Beast almost lost his drawers?

 

[bryanfze55]

The park really needs a railroad.

Even my Six Flags has a railroad. It gives you a terrific birds-eye-view of every place in the park that’s falling apart.

 

[WDWTank]

Maybe cause I only go to parks is for rides but Disney does need more rides. More thrilling too.

Have you tried Six Flags?

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The park really needs a railroad.

Obviously I’m biased, but building a castle park without a railroad is truly going against everything Walt wanted for the parks.

Even if they made a miniature train in Fantasyland as an homage to the Carolwood Pacific it would at least be something.

 

[celluloid]

They’d be foolish to build a Main Street USA in Shanghai Disneyland. In my opinion, they shouldn’t have done that in Hong Kong or Paris either. But a main street that’s a similarly falsely glorified image of a time in those respective countries and cultures would’ve been a fine idea.

Bob Iger proudly claims that it was his personal idea to have a Mickey Avenue instead. And it has as much to do with cultural reasons as it does with this weird idea that Mickey Avenue makes the park more “Disney.”

Of course he does. "What if we had, two Downtown Disneys?"

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Of course he does. "What if we had, two Downtown Disneys?"

That’s pretty much what we have in Florida. California has some of the individual charm left on Main Street.