THE 1HAPPY HAUNT
Well-Known Member
Well you see, when a mommy Dino and a daddy Land love each other they make a Dinoland to share with the world 9 months later.
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What the heck is Dinoland U.S.A?
- Thread starter Brummyboy92
- Start date
DreamalittleDisney
Well-Known Member
I never knew the backstory... now I can sort of forgive it
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Everyone always thinks of Dinorama as Dinoland, but Dinorama is just part of it. Dinoland also consists of the Dino Institute, Restaurant-osaurus, the Boneyard, and all the other various roadside buildings. These are all well themed, but its true that you have to know the backstory to really understand it and it is not conveyed that well. For instance, Restaurant-osaurus itself is called as such because interns at the Dino Institute keep slapping "osaurus" signs on everything as a prank. If you explore Restaurant-osaurus you'll also see tons of backstory and can see how it was once a simple diner that had to expand due to the boost in visitors using makeshift methods like adding trailer homes onto it.
However, Dinorama itself is an example of Disney coming up with an elaborate backstory to justify building something cheap. It's like if they stuck a standard tilt-a-whirl in Pandora and said that the Na'Vi visited Earth and really loved tilt-a-whirls so we brought one to the Valley of M'oara for them to enjoy.
However, Dinorama itself is an example of Disney coming up with an elaborate backstory to justify building something cheap. It's like if they stuck a standard tilt-a-whirl in Pandora and said that the Na'Vi visited Earth and really loved tilt-a-whirls so we brought one to the Valley of M'oara for them to enjoy.
Cosmic Commando
Well-Known Member
I think the layout of the land doesn’t help things; I don’t think it’s always clear that Dinoland and Dinorama are separate things, especially when you often enter through Dinorama. I’m not saying this is a perfect solution, but if you imagine a Dinoland set up like MSUSA and Dinorama were where Center St is, I think it would be much easier for people to understand the difference between the two parts.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
All that fabulous backstory can't hide that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes.
Dinirama is junk. It brings down the park with it. Primeval Whirl isn't any fun to begin with. The carnival games are an embarrassment for a Disney Park.
There are pockets of greatness in Dinoland. Restaurantosaurus is fun, Dinosaur is great except for the actual ride (small detail...), Cretaceous Trail and the landscaping in general is awesome, the crocodiles and birds are a neat touch, the general mid-century look is superb in places, there are clever details ('Trilo-bites', the gift shop in general).
Most of that is overgrown by the nasty weeds of Dinorama. Or by the Dinobash overlay. Which managed to rather difficult feat of cheapening up the cheapest part of any WDW park. Restaurantosaurus is rubbished by the iname addition of the hard liquor tent. The trail is closed, except for the bit with the pink painted dinos and Chip 'n Dale m&g. There's another God-awful dance non-party. The fountain is boarded up. The land feels a bit sad, even beyond the somewhat make-shift Dinorama part.
Dinirama is junk. It brings down the park with it. Primeval Whirl isn't any fun to begin with. The carnival games are an embarrassment for a Disney Park.
There are pockets of greatness in Dinoland. Restaurantosaurus is fun, Dinosaur is great except for the actual ride (small detail...), Cretaceous Trail and the landscaping in general is awesome, the crocodiles and birds are a neat touch, the general mid-century look is superb in places, there are clever details ('Trilo-bites', the gift shop in general).
Most of that is overgrown by the nasty weeds of Dinorama. Or by the Dinobash overlay. Which managed to rather difficult feat of cheapening up the cheapest part of any WDW park. Restaurantosaurus is rubbished by the iname addition of the hard liquor tent. The trail is closed, except for the bit with the pink painted dinos and Chip 'n Dale m&g. There's another God-awful dance non-party. The fountain is boarded up. The land feels a bit sad, even beyond the somewhat make-shift Dinorama part.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
That's the argument of the lazy and untalented designer.That's why all rides should be based on IPs, so that everyone knows the background already!!
Dinosaur doesn't need a wiki page to explain itself.
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The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
To me the question is, how does one even manage 'Disney Budget + Dinosaurs = Rubbish'?
Surely any eleven year old picking his nose with his plastic brontosaurus could come up with a fun answer to your question?
( *sheds inconsolable tears over Universe of Energy* )
I believe Dino-Land was really the first time WDW did something that looked and felt cheap. The response was not overwhelmingly negative, and THAT gave them permission to do other things that look and feel cheap.
And totally agree. Toy Story Land is kind of cute, but then when you step back and look at it, it’s incredibly lazy.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
I don't understand the Toy Story Land backlash. The land may be relatively simple, but unlike Dinorama it still looks pretty and is aesthetically pleasing, especially at night. The lush landscaping an night time lighting packages help a lot with this. I think what gives it a feeling of "cheapness" to some is the lack of big structures to see and go into. It was never intended to be on the same level of Galaxy's Edge or Pandora.
po1998
Well-Known Member
The problem with this, is that 95% or more of the guests have no idea what the backstory is for any attraction at WDW. Just because the imagineers put this cool backstory together, and it makes sense to them, doesn't mean squat to the average guest.
xdan0920
Think for yourselfer
Everything about it is cheap. The alien ride is an embarrassment. Like an Aladdins flying carpet level embarrassment. There’s no shade, there’s no real place making. It’s too small, it’s just cheaply done. Not to mention the finishes are already falling apart. I’d honestly expect to see a land like that at my local six flags. Not a Disney park.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Exactly the response I was expecting, thanks.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
If you had told me 10 years ago that most Disney resorts would have a Toy Story Land with carnival rides I'd have thought you were crazy.
Now it's just sad how frequently Disney has fallen back on the idea as an "inexpensive" means of expansion.
Now it's just sad how frequently Disney has fallen back on the idea as an "inexpensive" means of expansion.
Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
So why bother saying "I don't get the backlash" when you did all along?
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
As in, I expected my post would be met with hyperbolic knee-jerk complaints like "It looks like a Six Flags!" - I question whether people who say this have actually been to a Six Flags. Dinorama is Six Flags-y: tacky flat cutout theming on asphault with little to no landscaping. Toy Story Land is not this.
"There's no placemaking!" - what does that even mean? The place is Andy's backyard. We're in Andy's backyard.
If you had told me 10 years ago that Disney would have lands as elaborate in scope and scale as Pandora and Galaxy's Edge, I would have been skeptical. Let's not pretend that Toy Story Land is Disney's new normal, OR that there haven't been carnival rides at WDW since 1971.
I'm not saying I think TSL is fantastic or preferable to something better, but its several steps up from Dinorama or Pixar Pier to me.
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Animaniac93-98
Well-Known Member
Dressing up flat rides with "Disney" trademarks has becoming an increasingly common tactic used by WDI. Post 2000 we've had:
Paradise Pier/Pixar Pier
Dino-Rama
A Bug's Land
Mermaid Lagoon
Magic Carpets of Aladdin (MK, WDSP, TDS)
Toy Story Playland (HKDL, SDL, WDSP, DHS)
Baymax/Mater
Cars Race Rally
Mary Poppins Carousel
The only pre-2000 exceptions have been things like the teacups and Star Jets. They were built sparingly. Now it's much more common, with whole areas based around them instead of them being the smaller, complimentary attractions.
Beacon Joe
Well-Known Member
That is the theme.
Kate F
Well-Known Member
Feel like creating a poll just to see the consensus on this.