What are some of the worst immersive lands?

[BasiltheBatLord]

I think you nailed it
But Critter Country seems like it doesn't deserve to be listed with those others.

It gets somewhat of a pass in that it’s a “mini-land” and it’s obvious that it was only made because they had no other way to thematically integrate Country Bears/Splash in that area of the park. But still always raises ??? when I’m over there. What is the country of the critters? Does this mean Pooh lives in the same universe as Song of the South? (If so, I hope one day we can get a crossover if all the PC nonsense ever dies down cause that’d be kinda awesome)

 

[Skibum1970]

My vote is going for the current state of Tomorrowland.
- There's nothing "tomorrow" about the Tomorrowland Speedway. It's essentially just go-karts on a guided track.
- Stitch is terrible. Not the animatronic itself....but the entire storyline. You're visiting a PRISON... At DISNEY WORLD.
- Monsters Inc. and Buzz Lightyear need to be shipped across to DHS.
- Carousel of Progress needs a renovation and a new final act.

Agree completely. Rebuild Space Mountain with a better layout (that's my thought) and bring in some other rides. Move Monsters/Buzz to DHS to give that park a Pixar Place. While we're at it, install dark ride scenes on the Peoplemover to give it some lift. Another option for Tomorrowland would be to go retro and bring in Jules Verne stylized future. 20K Leagues as a great dark ride but improved upon from Tokyo to get more capacity. Journey to the Center of the Earth could be a slot ride or use similar tech as Spiderman. Goes from worst immersive land to best. Well, that's just my opinion.

 

[FettFan]

That's just bad ride choices, I wouldn't count that as the land being poorly themed.
A good example of a poorly themed land would be dinoland usa or for more recent pixar pier.

Well the reason I say its badly themed is that it's strayed far away from its 1994 incarnation.
Tomorrowland 94 was supposed to be a futuristic sci-fi spaceport. Hence we get the overhead PA system calling out announcements to passengers moving through the area like an airport concourse, the multiple "lines" of the TTA Peoplemover, the Convention Center (Alien Encounter) and the Expo Center (Timekeeper), as well as the "Tomorrowland Retro-Metro Society".

Now it's just....there. It's a shell of the old spaceport theme, as bits and pieces have been chipped away.

 

[Joesixtoe]

I used to walk through Future World with a sense of wonder, not I walk through and just try and day dream of what it once was and or could be. They have got to get more into Innovations and such. These buildings are sadly bone dry and makes it feel a bit cheap. But I still love walking through there at night and seeing all the lights and what could be

 

[mm52200]

Waaay too much concrete.... bring back the twinkling trees!

Have you failed to see the twinkling trees that flank the perimeter of the hub? Yes more shade is needed the twinkling trees came back with the remodel of the hub.

 

[geekza]

Have you failed to see the twinkling trees that flank the perimeter of the hub? Yes more shade is needed the twinkling trees came back with the remodel of the hub.

True, but the hub used to be a welcoming garden. Now, it more resembles a putt-putt course. I understand the reasoning behind the change in order to accomodate more people in front of the castle for the evening fireworks (and if they ever bring back a nighttime parade), but it was still an aesthetic loss that I feel cheapened the park a bit. Just my opinion, though, and others are equally valid.

 

[discomouse131]

Have you failed to see the twinkling trees that flank the perimeter of the hub? Yes more shade is needed the twinkling trees came back with the remodel of the hub.

Since it's been almost 4 years since my last visit, I guess I have "failed to notice" those trees. Geesh!!

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don't get on a plane to go to the world premiere park to sit on a bench under a shade tree in front of a castle I can't see because of the shade tree.

This reminds me: The palm trees in front of the Chinese theater must be destroyed!! And Min and Bill's, too.

Stop blocking my view of the fireworks/projections!!!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

True, but the hub used to be a welcoming garden. Now, it more resembles a putt-putt course. I understand the reasoning behind the change in order to accomodate more people in front of the castle for the evening fireworks (and if they ever bring back a nighttime parade), but it was still an aesthetic loss that I feel cheapened the park a bit. Just my opinion, though, and others are equally valid.

All opinions aren't equally valid. The hub is a disaster zone, a utilitarian non-space that is hell to linger in. It also cheapens the look of the castle and Main Street, which now look like a fake fiberglass structure and two dressed up boxes. Water and trees lended gravity, authenticity and a sense of space, a pleasant one at that.

All that to accommodate hellish crowds, which in an act of lunacy, they didn't decide to spread out more with a clever nighttime show but rather pack all together with a projection show.

 

[Bairstow]

Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom has always been a messy combination of different places and wildly different time periods, but with the addition of the Aladdin spinner and all the (admittedly cool) pirates scavenger game elements everywhere, the place has become a complete dog's breakfast.

 

[geekza]

All opinions aren't equally valid.

Well... I was trying to be diplomatic. I agree with you.

 

[LUVofDIS]

I think you’ve hit on something. The thread asked about the “worst immersive”. Much of the discussion here is lands that are the “least immersive.” Pandora went all in on full immersion. The result is lots of fake foliage that blends in with the rest of AK and two attractions. While FOP is by far one of the best attractions at WDW, for the money they poured into Pandora the immersion fell flat.

I think Pandora is just okay during the day, things look fake. But at night I think it shines (or should it be glows). I just love walking around the land at night. I also think it transitions fairly well into the other lands.

I'd say that Pandora is the most immersive fictional land of WDW, and it rivals HP for Orlando. It's pretty dope to me.

I personally feel HP nails the definition of immersive. Pandora has a hard time because it is an alien environment where humans supposedly cant breathe in its atmosphere, yet we can, strange.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

I personally feel HP nails the definition of immersive. Pandora has a hard time because it is an alien environment where humans supposedly cant breathe in its atmosphere, yet we can, strange.

Whether you think this is contrived or not, here is Disney's official explanation:

As guests enter the land from Discovery Island, they encounter a large Pandoran plant known as the Flaska Reclinata (or Baja Tickler). The plant is interactive and responds to guests touching it. It glows at night and the bioluminescent forest glows and reacts along with the plant. The plant is one of many that helps detoxify the atmosphere helping humans breath in the otherwise poisonous air.

Much like a sea cucumber will process sediment, animal droppings, and decomposing plankton on the ocean floor, [the flaska reclinata] performs a similar cleaning function with the atmosphere of Pandora. Like a mechanical air filter, it absorbs toxic gases from the atmosphere, right through its bark, and then distills the gas into a liquid that collects in the plant’s hollow interior.
Like a factory, the flaska reclinata works at this crucial act of atmospheric purification constantly. So much so that two very important things happen. First, the overall atmosphere of Pandora gets measurably cleaner: scientists have detected much lower airborne toxicity levels in regions with the plants than in those without.

This is the plant in question:

 

[BlakeW39]

I think Pandora is just okay during the day, things look fake. But at night I think it shines (or should it be glows). I just love walking around the land at night. I also think it transitions fairly well into the other lands.



I personally feel HP nails the definition of immersive. Pandora has a hard time because it is an alien environment where humans supposedly cant breathe in its atmosphere, yet we can, strange.

Pandora doesn't look fake, come on. It is looks very real, the mountains, the plants, it looks very biologically logical. It looks just as real HP. The snow in HP looks more fake than anything of Pandora, not that it's awful.

I actually prefer Pandora during the day because it allows me to fully take in its grandeur - it is very large and I find myself saying "woah" quite often. I love Hogsmeade and Diagon but the same doesn't happen there. They are littke towns, they are expertly crafted but take FotH sitting next to FJ - a bit immersion breaker imo.
Of course we are all entitled to our own opinions, but on immersion alone, I would take Pandora any day of the week (I also find the world more intriguing) over HP. However Hogmeade + Diagon combined > Pandora, because while Pandora is imo more interestingly themed, HP has more to do with two fantastic E tickets in distinct locations.

 

[Imagineer Brandon]

hollywood land in california adventure. it was on track to become really great and there's some fun concept art of a renovation out there, but the guardians tower absolutely ruined any chance of that now.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

Pandora doesn't look fake, come on. It is looks very real, the mountains, the plants, it looks very biologically logical. It looks just as real HP. The snow in HP looks more fake than anything of Pandora, not that it's awful.

And as amazing as Diagon Alley is, I actually find the dragon on top of Gringotts to be quite immersion-breaking (i.e. reminding you it's merely a theme park prop). It roars and breathes fire quite impressively like a real dragon but is completely static like a statue. Not the biggest issue in the world but quite glaring when you're competing for the title of most immersive land ever.

 

[BlakeW39]

And as amazing as Diagon Alley is, I actually find the dragon on top of Gringotts to be quite immersion-breaking (i.e. reminding you it's merely a theme park prop). It roars and breathes fire quite impressively like a real dragon but is completely static like a statue. Not the biggest issue in the world but quite glaring when you're competing for the title of most immersive land ever.

Exactly. The dragon is an absolute eyesore. It looks co but it's a statue. I think thst HP gets a few passes from the masses but if you want to my take on the most immersive land, it's Africa to me.

 

[Bairstow]

And as amazing as Diagon Alley is, I actually find the dragon on top of Gringotts to be quite immersion-breaking (i.e. reminding you it's merely a theme park prop). It roars and breathes fire quite impressively like a real dragon but is completely static like a statue. Not the biggest issue in the world but quite glaring when you're competing for the title of most immersive land ever.

All it needed was a tiny bit of head swivel, or the slightest bit of wing movement.

 

[EagleScout610]

All it needed was a tiny bit of head swivel, or the slightest bit of wing movement.

Or a strobe light

 

[FettFan]

Whether you think this is contrived or not, here is Disney's official explanation:





This is the plant in question:

I don't know about you guys, but "The Baja Tickler" sounds like a Mexican pervert.