Disney Announces a Kim Possible attraction at Epcot

Post by **subsonic** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 12:47 pm

http://wdwnews.com/ViewPressRelease.aspx?PressReleaseID=111636

I'm not much of a blogger, and anyone who has frequented the forums knows I'm a nostalgic Disney person. With that said, I must express discontent over Disneyâ€™s latest venture. With its new partnership with Verizon Wireless Disney is, yet again, forgetting that they are a "Theme Park." Additionally, they are not upholding Walt's philosophy: "Disney is a place for everybody."

One facet of the partnership with Verizon Wireless allows Verizon customers to get benefits such as, "receiving up-to-the-minute tips on special Park activities with just the touch of a button or receiving a call from Buzz Lightyear, welcoming you to the Magic Kingdom." With this service only offered to Verizon customers, those not Verizon subscribers are being excluded and thus may not get to the full experience Verizon customers will get.

The second deal with Verizon is centered around the Kim Possible attraction in Epcot Center.

"An ultra-interactive attraction, Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure invites guests of all ages to team up with members of Team Possible to save the world from various comical villains and their mad inventions. Armed with an official Verizon Wireless â€œKimmunicator,â€

Post by **js3901** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 1:12 pm

and here I was thinking that Subsonic has sold out and started reporting park news stories as part of our site News feed... shame on me, huh?

from the looks of the article, there will be Verizon Wireless (VZW) exclusive content, but they will also do some content for everyone, regardless of who their wireless carrier is. While I have VZW, I'm not sure how much I would actually use this feature. When I go to the parks, I personally am too wrapped up in the experience of actually BEING there. the only time I even used my phone while in WDW (back in '06) was to call and meet-up with Dr. Ravenscroft (if we went to different attractions) or with knedeau when we met-up for breakfast/pics.

as for the KP attraction, I agree that it's one of the worst mistakes since the Eisner administration. I hope this isn't the start of a trend of bad moves made by Disney. I thought that Lassester was going to focus on what's already in the parks rather than building new things (with the exception of the DCA overhaul).

cap396 · Post by **cap396** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 1:35 pm

I agree that World Showcase is not the right location for this attraction. And I'm one of the few people left in the world who doesn't own a cell phone. I get annoyed when I see people at the parks who are constantly talking on their cell phone, sometimes even while on the rides. This may encourage even more of this.

elizabethswann · Post by **elizabethswann** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 2:46 pm

Wow. Kim Possible and World Showcase should not be together in that sentence.

spodie · Post by **spodie** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 2:51 pm

Yeah, it seems like this would look increadibly out of place in the World Showcase. It looks like Disney is doing a lot to make this park look more "kid-friendly," thus making the Park-Hopper option look more and more attractive.

Future Guy · Post by **Future Guy** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 4:01 pm

Wow, I wonder what's next for the World Showcase, a London Tipton-themed attraction in Germany?

And didn't Kim Possible go off the air?

Joe90 · Post by **Joe90** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 4:08 pm

I cannot join Verizon without a US Zip code so that option is out.
Have I been racially discriminated against I wonder?

I will have to take a closer look at portable telecom jamming equipment.
That could provide some amusement

Post by **horizons1** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 5:51 pm

I just received my WDW passholder newsletter and it's not really an "attraction" but rather an interactive adventure. You go to one of four stations and pick up a handheld device. As you roam through the WS pavilions clues and other stuff pops up on the screen. You solve some sort of puzzles (sounds like a sort of scavenger hunt.)

Future Guy · Post by **Future Guy** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 6:10 pm

Maybe it'll be good for keeping kids occupied so their parents can enjoy World Showcase without constant cries of "I'm bored". I remember the first time I visited EPCOT back in 1985 or so, I was so upset that the adults marched right past all the exciting-looking stuff in Future World so my mom could shop in Morocco.

Donalds1Fan · Post by **Donalds1Fan** » Nov Wed 12, 2008 6:56 pm

Future Guy wrote:Maybe it'll be good for keeping kids occupied so their parents can enjoy World Showcase without constant cries of "I'm bored". I remember the first time I visited EPCOT back in 1985 or so, I was so upset that the adults marched right past all the exciting-looking stuff in Future World so my mom could shop in Morocco.

That's how I feel about the Kim Possible thing too. I first went to Epcot in the early 90s when I was 9, and oh how I hated it. We went from Magic Kingdom one day to Epcot the next, and I was not impressed. Of course, by the time I got into my mid-late teens, I loved Epcot. But World Showcase can be boring for the little ones.

Not thrilled about the cell phone thing. I guess this is what they're doing instead of continuing Pal Mickey?

Thanks, but I think I'll stick to my old Pal anyway. Mickey or a cell phone? I'll take Mickey.

rodders · Post by **rodders** » Nov Thu 13, 2008 5:25 am

Interesting story which certainly stirs up some strong feelings. Thanks for the update.

I'm not sure that I like the idea of haves and have nots in any park so I will give the thumbs down to this whole idea.

Post by **rdeacon** » Nov Thu 13, 2008 9:36 am

Just a note the Kim Possible interactive adventure was planned and tested before the current Lasseter era, so I'm not sure it you can blame him.

Jacca5660 · Post by **Jacca5660** » Nov Thu 13, 2008 11:55 am

Disney like most corporations is just looking at the now and how can we get somebody else to pay for it. The short sightedness of this is just amazing. I thought once we got through the Eisner regime Disney would go back to being the company a lot of us grew up with and would regain some of Walt's vision again.

I guess with having a Steve Jobs at such a high level, this was to much to ask. No, I don't think someone is going to come and rescue Disney from modern realities and bring us back to the 1960. I just thought that maybe Disney would look on line, read all the Disney boards (and yes there are hundreds), and utilize the best free focus groups a corporation could have to actually know what it's clientele is wanting for. Alas, Disney is still using the "We can make a buck here now and don't worry about the future attitude.

It sad that they don't have the foresight to do use the information out there, the imagination that Disney attracts with the people that come to work for it and do something with it. The big fanfare with the Disney Pixar merger was that the creative people were going to be in charge of creating stuff. It seems that the CPA's are still dictating where Disney is headed.

With the state of Disney right now, think of the rides and attractions that we would never have seen? How many of the original Disney attraction had no tie ins to a movie or property? With this corporate attitude we would have never seen POC, HM, BTM, SM,. I know I only touched on a few (the list would be to long), but this is just sad. What's next "Marriott's Tower of Terror Hotel and Suites", "CSX's Disney railroad", "Carnival's Jungle Cruise and Casino", "Georgia Pacific's Tree of Life"?

It's just another sad happening in Disney History. I'll get off of my soap box now. Thank you for reading. ;=(

Post by **subsonic** » Nov Thu 13, 2008 12:49 pm

Rdeacon and I were chatting via IM about this just now and he said something that sparked another feeling in me. "The Kim Possible thing is just branded wrong
the concept is ok.. but you can't tell me that they could have come up with a new theme. Disney could have done a world explorer theme. Hell even an Indy theme would have worked better"

Why does everything have to be a tie-in these days? Haunted Mansion and Pirates weren't tie-ins. I remember reading a blog which pointed out how Disney attractions don't make you the star anymore as opposed to you being on the side lines and watching it. In Kim Possible you help Kim with her adventures.

Here's an idea. Ditch the tie-ins and make the guest the star again. Make a "World Adventure" attraction that includes all ages. Something with immersible detail, effects, and technology that "wow" everybody. Perhaps scatter clues throughout all the countries in which you must complete the adventure.

Rdeacon said that a "World Adventure" with out a tie-in to a popular character wouldn't sell shirts. I disagree, people buy Haunted Mansion, Pirates, and Space mountain shirts. They aren't tied-in to a character (pre Jack Sparrow). Perhaps shirts sell more with the tie-ins but they and then clumped into the bland, not unique, Disney merchandise that is sold at most of the shops.

As I said, and most people, like Jacca agree, Disney is so short sighted these days.

Donalds1Fan · Post by **Donalds1Fan** » Nov Thu 13, 2008 8:14 pm

I agree with you, subsonic. I personally don't mind the attraction itself, but I find the KP theme of it to be very odd. Disney is slow on the uptake yet again. Kim Possible is no longer in production. All the episodes they have have been shown, and personally from what I've seen of the Disney Channel lately, it's hardly ever on TV. A couple of years ago would've been a good time for this, if they absolutely had to do it. Not now when the show's over and barely airs anymore.

I'd find this something I would want to take part in if the theme actually made sense to me as an adult. Kim Possible in WS does not. I liked the show, but it doesn't mesh with EPCOT, IMO. I think mostly children will be the ones to use this. Which is a shame, seeing as I like a good scavenger hunt myself.