4 Reasons Why Disney’s Hollywood Studios Needs To (And Will) Change

[LeahZ]

I want the current Disney’s Hollywood Studios to succeed. I want to see it grow into something great. Here are some of the reasons I think Disney’s Hollywood Studios needs to change for the better.

Read more here:

http://www.wdwinfo.com/4-reasons-why-disneys-hollywood-studios-needs-to-change.htm

 

[NewmanFamily6]

I agree that HS could be amazing. As it is now it is my DD 13's favorite park. I'm worried about the new ideas that Disney has overall. Avatar? Really, a whole section for that movie in AK. My kids don't even care to see it, I thought it was boring, but at least DH liked it. Will anyone remember this movie by the time that is complete?

 

[Angel Ariel]

Will anyone remember this movie by the time that is complete?

I believe there is a sequel to Avatar that is supposed to come out around the time that the new land opens.

 

[Planogirl]

Interesting article. I agree that theming is a huge problem at DHS. I think too that the other parks make more sense (except for a certain change coming at World Showcase of course).

The new rumors in no way insure that theming will improve. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree that HS could be amazing. As it is now it is my DD 13's favorite park. I'm worried about the new ideas that Disney has overall. Avatar? Really, a whole section for that movie in AK. My kids don't even care to see it, I thought it was boring, but at least DH liked it. Will anyone remember this movie by the time that is complete?

If the new area is well done, the movies won't matter that much. Some of Disney's best attractions have nothing to do with a movie or if they do it might be one that most people have never seen.

 

[Liljo22]

I agree that HS could be amazing. As it is now it is my DD 13's favorite park. I'm worried about the new ideas that Disney has overall. Avatar? Really, a whole section for that movie in AK. My kids don't even care to see it, I thought it was boring, but at least DH liked it. Will anyone remember this movie by the time that is complete?

If the section is done really well, does the movie even matter? Just an example, Song of the South is not going to be on anyones best movie list but Splash Mountain is done really well. You do not see anyone saying how can they make a whole ride about a movie that was dated by the time the ride was even created.

If Pandora is beautiful with great rides, no one is going to care what movie it comes from.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think #3 and #4 apply to Epcot as well.

 

[ethanwa]

I'm worried about the new ideas that Disney has overall. Avatar? Really, a whole section for that movie in AK. My kids don't even care to see it, I thought it was boring, but at least DH liked it. Will anyone remember this movie by the time that is complete?

Avatar has a number of sequels planned... I know at least two are coming. The first movie made BUCKETS of money.

 

[IamGroot]

I'm excited with Disney's themed "lands" copying the effect of Harry Potter in universal.

If you have been to Cars Land in Cali, you know what I'm talking about. Cars Land restored my faith in disney imagineering. If they do anything like that at DHS with Cars, other pixar, Star Wars, etc, then DHS will quickly rival MK for attendance. I think they also have a good chance to do this with avatar.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Avatar has a number of sequels planned... I know at least two are coming. The first movie made BUCKETS of money.

It remains to be seen whether it made buckets of money because of the (at the time) revolutionary use of 3-d technology, or if it was because of the story itself. The type of technology avatar used when it was released is much more common now, so that aspect alone I don't think will drive ticket sales as much.

Personally, the story was just Ok to me. Not bad, but not amazing either. I never felt an attachment to the characters the way I do with Star Wars or even Star Trek. For me, it is the story/characters that drive my interest in sequels, not technology...so while I expect Avatarland will look fantastic, and I want to see what they do with it, I really don't care about the movie sequels at all.

 

[csm101]

Just turn it into a Pixar/Star Wars land and move on with it.

 

[johde]

In terms of cohesiveness, the problem with both of the Studio parks DHS and Universal is that production in Florida never took off when both were working studios the "behind the scenes" stuff worked. Now, half the time the sound stages and facades look like plain boxes and half finished themeing. For better or worse, I think Universal is currently in the lead in the "bringing order" department. With most of their recent projects they have gone the "step inside the movies" direction and away from the "behind the magic" making of the movies. This is especially true with Diagon Alley and the creation of Springfield around the Simpsons ride.

That being said, if DCA can be used as a guide, Disney is not afraid of the wholesale makeover of large sections of a park. Instead of doing things in several steps like Universal seems to be doing. Disney appears ready to close 1/3+ of the park (if Lights Motors Actions and the Streets of America would get the ax following the holidays) and do everything in one giant step.

 

[Planogirl]

In terms of cohesiveness, the problem with both of the Studio parks DHS and Universal is that production in Florida never took off when both were working studios the "behind the scenes" stuff worked. Now, half the time the sound stages and facades look like plain boxes and half finished themeing. For better or worse, I think Universal is currently in the lead in the "bringing order" department. With most of their recent projects they have gone the "step inside the movies" direction and away from the "behind the magic" making of the movies. This is especially true with Diagon Alley and the creation of Springfield around the Simpsons ride.

That being said, if DCA can be used as a guide, Disney is not afraid of the wholesale makeover of large sections of a park. Instead of doing things in several steps like Universal seems to be doing. Disney appears ready to close 1/3+ of the park (if Lights Motors Actions and the Streets of America would get the ax following the holidays) and do everything in one giant step.

Disney could even afford to close a whole park because they would have three left. (Imagine the fuss here though! ) Universal has less right now so it would be a large hit for them.

 

[Fenway1970]

It remains to be seen whether it made buckets of money because of the (at the time) revolutionary use of 3-d technology, or if it was because of the story itself. The type of technology avatar used when it was released is much more common now, so that aspect alone I don't think will drive ticket sales as much.

Personally, the story was just Ok to me. Not bad, but not amazing either. I never felt an attachment to the characters the way I do with Star Wars or even Star Trek. For me, it is the story/characters that drive my interest in sequels, not technology...so while I expect Avatarland will look fantastic, and I want to see what they do with it, I really don't care about the movie sequels at all.

Well, let's face it, the story was basically Dances With Wolves, just a lot cooler looking.

I think you and other posters have it right: the quality of the theme park lands is only partially related to the quality of the movies. The first Avatar created a visually amazing world, much as the HP movies did with Diagon Alley and Hogwarts. If Disney re-creates Pandora as well as Universal did DA and the attractions are compelling, it will stand apart from the movies in terms of success. Same goes with Star Wars, although of course that comes with a much more established fan base.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I never understand why they don't change out the shows more often. My local arts center couldn't keep the doors open if they had the same show for years and years and years. I guess the parks are full enough, first-timers don't know how old the shows are, etc.

If they even changed BaTB out to Tangled, people would be so ridiculously happy.

 

[hakepb]

If the section is done really well, does the movie even matter? Just an example, Song of the South is not going to be on anyones best movie list but Splash Mountain is done really well. You do not see anyone saying how can they make a whole ride about a movie that was dated by the time the ride was even created.

If Pandora is beautiful with great rides, no one is going to care what movie it comes from.

Is it going to be more than 1 good ride?

The highly-rated Cars Land is 1 very-well themed ride (RSR) and 2 little kid rides that are OK if you do t have to wait more than 10 minutes to ride (Mater and Luigi). Plus a really well-themed "land" (Main Street Radiator Springs) that is fun to walk in and stop for a quick bite to eat)

Based on what I've read, I don't think Avatar-land will have more than 1e-ticket attraction. (Sure, I'd like more, but that doesn't seem to be Disney's way)

 

[IamGroot]

Is it going to be more than 1 good ride? The highly-rated Cars Land is 1 very-well themed ride (RSR) and 2 little kid rides that are OK if you do t have to wait more than 10 minutes to ride (Mater and Luigi). Plus a really well-themed "land" (Main Street Radiator Springs) that is fun to walk in and stop for a quick bite to eat) Based on what I've read, I don't think Avatar-land will have more than 1e-ticket attraction. (Sure, I'd like more, but that doesn't seem to be Disney's way)

Who's "way" is it? The only competition is universal. And they have ONE themed world which can be compared, and it has 1 eticket ride and a couple rides which were just re-skinned to HP.

Also, I wouldn't expect a disney board to be super fired up about avatar. But the fact is that is the highest grossing film of all time so there is obviously a market for it. Disney also has a history of working with other properties (Indiana jones, Star Wars, alien, etc) so this isn't a new thing or a departure from the past.

Personally I would rather have Star Wars first, but I'm still fired up for avatar.

 

[Mome Rath]

When Avatar came out there was a phenomenon that lead to multiple tickets being sold to the same people over and over again (meaning the number of people who watched it more than one time at the theater was high), and that phenomenon was people becoming so engrossed in the movie that they wanted Pandora to be real. My husband and I are both in the mental health field and it was interesting to read reports of people suffering from depression and suicidal ideation over the fact that Pandora was not a real place. Do I believe it was widespread? No, but it was discussed enough to make the news. I think it is easy to forget how big of a deal it was when it first came out, and the fact that they are planning multiple sequels will benefit Disney in its timing.

I can't wait til Pandora arrives, as it will be the only reason I'd go back to AK, being my least favorite park that I avoid like the plague on my yearly trips.

As for the Studios I really hope they do a complete overhaul. Having been there from the beginning, I have seen it slide downhill over the years, though I still spend at least a day there when we go. I'm hoping to see them capitalize on Marvel and Star Wars, as both franchises are iconic to such a degree as to always be popular and well known. The movie ride definitely needs an overhaul, but I do think that a lot of the oldest movies showcased need to remain, as that is kind of the point of the ride. Right now I'm just happy the hat is taking a hike.

 

[jlwhitney]

If the new area is well done, the movies won't matter that much. Some of Disney's best attractions have nothing to do with a movie or if they do it might be one that most people have never seen.

This has been my thought all along.

 

[JimmyV]

The solution to the mess that is DHS is right in front of the noses of the suits in charge. The problem is, Disney came into possession of three of its biggest acquisitions, (Star Wars franchise, Marvel franchise and Pixar franchise) at a time when it decided not to spend any real money on the park. It had locked up money into Avatar and MDE with little to no money left over for big, creative thinking. So instead of a park that celebrates Pixar in wide-sweeping fashion, we have the mess that is DHS. DHS claims to have a "Pixar Land". But here are the list of Pixar movies. How many are meaningfully represented at DHS?

Toy Story
A Bug's Life-Nope
Toy Story 2
Monsters, Inc.-Nope
Finding Nemo-Nope
The Incredibles-Nope
Cars-Nope
Ratatouille-Nope
WALL-E-Nope
Up-Nope
Toy Story 3
Cars 2-Nope
Brave-Nope
Monsters University-Nope

It wouldn't take a creative genius to come up with a half dozen really great attractions based on these movies. That is, after all, how the Disneyland got started. Attractions based on movies. Add in Marvel and Star Wars and you'd have a heck of a good park. When DHS first cut its ribbon, it was supposed to be a tribute to film making and serve as a working studio. That ship has sailed, sunk, and rotted. Time to move on to building a park with rides based on movies that people under the age of 30 will find relevant. The more Disney pigeonholes things like Nemo into Epcot and Monsters, Inc. into the Magic Kingdom, (and even Avatar into Animal Kingdom), the more it seals the fate of DHS being s shell of what it should be.