Evolution of Disney Attractions (Rant)

Croaker · Post by **Croaker** » Sep Tue 26, 2006 10:34 pm

don't think they changed buzz..think it was timemaster. opens in November? Monsters inc comedy club....(i'm sure the informed will add to this post)

Post by **subsonic** » Sep Wed 27, 2006 11:11 am

Disneyland:
Buzz Lightyear is new in Tomorrowland, it replaced Rocket Rods.

California Adventure:
Monsters Inc. (Dark ride) is new in Hollywood Backlot, it replaced Super Star Limo

ctrain2281 · Post by **ctrain2281** » Oct Wed 11, 2006 4:12 pm

I miss every ride that replaced a live cast member who guided me through attractions for an automated tape recording.... once again automation > humans

Post by **js3901** » Oct Wed 11, 2006 6:25 pm

well, when you think about it, automation is alot easier than a live person. the recording never gets tired, is never late to work, never gets sick, never needs to be paid, doesn't need to be trained...

can you say that about a live person?

sure, the automation takes away some of the personality, but it makes too much sense to the bottom line to not use automation and get rid of the live person.

Post by **spaulo** » Oct Wed 11, 2006 6:34 pm

Except that in many cases, it sucks. And "it sucking" should totally fit into the equation somewhere.

SoarinSoarin · Post by **SoarinSoarin** » Oct Wed 11, 2006 11:04 pm

Well, Epcot of most parks has been effected by the new, modern trends.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends? Maybe just "The Seas" would be okay, but as for going into making it sound like a child-ish pavilion (which it has now become) is going a bit far.

As for the Living with the Land auitimated ride, it totally kills the ride experience. If you rode the Jungle Cruise over and over, and all you heard was some automated voice, which never changes emotion or their jokes, the ride wouldn't be the same. Now Living with the Land Skippers may not try to bore you with lame jokes, but the experience of having someone with an unique personality telling you about everything growing in the Land's Greenhouses is what the whole ride is about. I guess the only fun you can have in those Greenhouses is the "Behind the Seeds" Tour now.

Epcot is just not the same park anymore.

SS~

Croaker · Post by **Croaker** » Oct Sun 15, 2006 2:55 am

SoarinSoarin wrote:Well, Epcot of most parks has been effected by the new, modern trends.

The Seas with Nemo and Friends? Maybe just "The Seas" would be okay, but as for going into making it sound like a child-ish pavilion (which it has now become) is going a bit far.

As for the Living with the Land auitimated ride, it totally kills the ride experience. If you rode the Jungle Cruise over and over, and all you heard was some automated voice, which never changes emotion or their jokes, the ride wouldn't be the same. Now Living with the Land Skippers may not try to bore you with lame jokes, but the experience of having someone with an unique personality telling you about everything growing in the Land's Greenhouses is what the whole ride is about. I guess the only fun you can have in those Greenhouses is the "Behind the Seeds" Tour now.

Epcot is just not the same park anymore.

SS~

while they try to update the front section of epcot ie.. the seas, soarin, spaceship earth section(end of ride) the countries seem to be scaling back. i was surprised to see the lack of selection that Japan had in merchandise. as well as Germany and England. what was really funny was watching this lady in front of me at the Japanese Pavillion...she was purchasing a handbag and it had Japanese writing on it...she asked.."what does this say?" the CM said...."it says 'English'" the lady then said..."oh" and continued purchasing and while cleaning out the tissue inside saw a stamp that said..Made in China she just laughed and told the CM, i laughed along with them and the CM then told us...that alot of the merchandise in the China pavillion has Japanese writing on it. i guess those silly Americans can't tell the difference we all look alike anyways.

kronk's angel · Post by **kronk's angel** » Oct Sun 15, 2006 6:08 am

subsonic wrote:If anybody's been an active member of this forums for over 2 months you'll know my views toward this. HM and POTC are perfect examples of what works. They weren't based on "What's popular now" and they cater to kids and adults. While attractions at the parks are improving they still aren't thinking long term. They are going with what's popular now. And until reading this thread it now occurs to me they are dumbing down attractions to be more kid based. This is definitely what Walt did not want.

It should be mandatory for those stupid penny pinching execs to read Disney forums!

Second the motion for Sub to be put in charge of the parks. All in favor?

As I recall as a young kid hearing about the new HM ride, listening to the Ron Howard walk-thru record, we talked about how it was a ride for "big kids" -- teens -- and wondering if it was too old for us to go on.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I think the teen audience is the sweet spot that the most successful rides aim for. My $0.02 worth.

Generally, I've found that a bored CM going through the spiel immediately before the ride is a bit of a downer, just when I am all excited, or at least trying to have a good time. In those cases, an imaginative recording with video (e.g., Star Tours) is a good replacement.

Then again, don't the CMs talk before that ride starts too?

Regardless, it's nice to have a real person who is into it talking/performing.

And I've always loved the Jungle Cruise. Once I went on the ride and the CM was trying to go through the jokes with some non-english speakers, and he was getting frustrated, and generally not being very kind. It was all very unintentionally funny.

Sorry for rambling post...

Goofyman · Post by **Goofyman** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 9:47 am

It is true that disney seems to have morphed more toward profits. This is sad to me because I feel it is not the intent that Walt had at any time for the parks to be more focused on profits rather than quality family enjoyment

Post by **subsonic** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 11:52 am

Walt was all about profit, but the difference was that he knew quality would bring in more profit. He was a believer that it takes money to make money. The current Disney ethics have been to cut corners and increase money in the short term.

Post by **rdeacon** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 2:42 pm

subsonic wrote:Walt was all about profit, but the difference was that he knew quality would bring in more profit. He was a believer that it takes money to make money. The current Disney ethics have been to cut corners and increase money in the short term.

Let's hope that the current ethics is on the way out with Eisner, and that Iger and Lasseter and crew are pushing for Quality. I know Lasseter is all about quality. Lets hope he has enough clout to out muscle the bean counters.

Rich

MansionButler · Post by **MansionButler** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 6:22 pm

bbowen13 wrote:O.K., with the Living Seas being changed to "The Seas with Nemo & Friends", the Buzz Lightyear ride and now the Comedy club with Mike from Monsters, one question....Is this still Disney World or are they changing it to Pixarland?

When Disney first opened, it was full of attractions and images of popular Disney characters and films. Is it Pixars fault that the only popular Disney characters and films of the last 10 years come from Pixar?

Not taht I support The Seas changing, but but there's nothing wrong with Pixar entering the parks.

knedeau wrote:While I do like the movies, I think it's terrible that they are giving everything a "Movie Theme". I mean, have they really DONE their research? The Haunted Mansion and the POTC have been doing SOOOOO well for SOOOO long WTHOUT movies. I mean they were so cool, they had movies made about THEM! The Disney Theme Parks should not be the "Movie Theme Park"

See, this is what I agree with. I don't have a problem with Pixar making up most of the new movie-based additions as opposed to solely Disney movies. I have a problem with synergy taking over the parks, not Pixar.

csquare77 wrote:Im with Knedeau on this, also yah Nemo and Pirates are popular now, but what happens 5 years from now.

How well have (the movies) of Mr. Toad and Song of the South held up? You honestly think they've lasted better than Pirates and Nemo will in 5 years?

csquare77 wrote:Yah another is the aladdin ride in adventure land talk about something out of place.

I don't understand how that's out of place. . .

jbvenn · Post by **jbvenn** » Jan Tue 23, 2007 9:44 pm

Croaker wrote: while they try to update the front section of epcot ie.. the seas, soarin, spaceship earth section(end of ride) the countries seem to be scaling back. i was surprised to see the lack of selection that Japan had in merchandise. as well as Germany and England. what was really funny was watching this lady in front of me at the Japanese Pavillion...she was purchasing a handbag and it had Japanese writing on it...she asked.."what does this say?" the CM said...."it says 'English'" the lady then said..."oh" and continued purchasing and while cleaning out the tissue inside saw a stamp that said..Made in China she just laughed and told the CM, i laughed along with them and the CM then told us...that alot of the merchandise in the China pavillion has Japanese writing on it. i guess those silly Americans can't tell the difference we all look alike anyways.

I remember when shopping at World Showcase was one of my favorite things; you could find some really cool things. We used to be able to get classic toys at UK, and they had great little beanbag bears dressed in traditional costume (I have a fox hunter, Sherlock Holmes, Queen Victoria and Shakespeare). The same was true in Germany; no one does toys like the Germans, and they had some cool stuff. Now everything has to have a Disney tie-in; the UK toy shop went to almost exclusively Pooh merchandise (the Disney version, not the original). And the German toy shop now sells mostly plastic figures and junk.

Other shops have had similar declines; the emphasis has changed from giving shoppers a sense of the country to selling cheap trinkets.

Sarah Turp · Post by **Sarah Turp** » Jan Wed 24, 2007 7:30 am

I completely agree with the decline in the world showcase shops. I have a fantastic rug on my floor that i bought in the morrocco pavilian years ago which clearly says on the label, made in Morrocco. When i went last year there seemed to be nothing that seemed really unique to the individual contries. Most of what they sold was suff you could by in various other shops across WDW. It seems a shame that they have lost much about what was unique to them.

bbowen13 · Post by **bbowen13** » Jan Wed 24, 2007 8:42 am

Please understand I don't have a problem with Pixar, I love the movies and think they have a place in Disney World. The only thing I don't care for is the placement of some of these attractions. Monsters Inc. does not belong in Tomorrowland, maybe Disney Studios. :mickey3