DHS- what would you improve?

[PearlySwan]

I absolutely love DHS, but there need to be more sit-down restaurant choices. Pixar Place is an amazing theme, but needs a few more Pixar themed rides. Fantasmic needs to happen every night. The park that should have the biggest theatre spectacles should be DHS and. I agree with other poster that they need to bring back the other parade. It was very movie themed.

^^^ Perhaps a roller coaster ride themed after the Randolph/Sully/Mike/Boo door chase scene in Monsters, Inc. would do. DD, the thrill ride junkie of the family, said "You know that would be an awesome roller coaster ride!" It did look like a thrilling alternative. I asked her how she would design it and she said people would climb into their own 'door' (vehicle). They would be sitting down with their legs hanging loose. When the ride takes off they would essentially be in an upright position.

 

[PearlySwan]

Um, no, HSM3 is a show, not Streetmosphere.

^^^ Okay.

 

[philahartasmic]

ok... so I have a deep deep love for DHS. It is honestly my favorite park (out of the the other 3- cause lets be real- MK will always be number 1 ) And I get quite passionate about this subject.

However, over the years this park has slowly morphed into the ugly stepsister. Don't get me wrong. I still love going there and spend a ton of time in that park... it just has sooooo many flaws. If these flaws were addressed, I feel like this park could be make its way back up to the top.

So here is what has gone wrong/how to fix it.

The biggest issue is that the park doesn't know what it is anymore.

Ever since the whole working studio element failed, this park has had no identity. The installment of thrill rides is great, but why are they there? What made so many of the original attractions great was that they had a distinct reason for existing. There was a tie in to the edutainment part of the park. Things like Indy and the Backlot Tour provided thrills but also educated you on the process of movie making.

This is the number one flaw with what the park has turned into. When it originally opened it was a full working studio that was able to do what Disney does better than everyone else- combine education with entertainment. There is no reason why there can't be more attractions based around the ideas of showing you how movies are made while integrating beloved characters. Let's not forget that the Studios were originally an idea for a section at Epcot.

So to start with- this park needs to identify what it is. Is it a place that is just going to let you "ride the movies" like Universal, or is it going to try and be what it started out to be- a park that is as fun as it is educational.

After that, then it can start figuring out what its next step is.

Yes, Pixar Place should be expanded with new attractions. Why an Incredibles attraction hasn't been created is beyond me.

Yes, the dining needs improvement.

Yes, the Muppets should have a more prominent role (if it wasn't for Eisner screwing it all up they would have)

Yes, GMR needs a major overhaul.

Yes, Fantasmic should be playing every night and the Studios SHOULD have the BEST theatrical experiences.

Yes, the hat should go.

And list could go on and on. But none of that can happen until the park decides what it is.

 

[LilGMom]

We love DHS so this is a tough one.

I'd bring back Fantasmic! each night. Change or get rid of Narnia. And I'd love to see a Star Wars themed TS restaurant.

 

[Dawgdad]

Character meals. Toy Story Theme maybe.

 

[jamstew]

Definitely the restaurants, both TS and CS.

I'd love to see an Indiana Jones ride.

I know I'm in the minority, but I love Block Party Bash as do my kids and grandkids.

 

[Princess Sleepy]

We love DHS so this is a tough one.

I'd bring back Fantasmic! each night. Change or get rid of Narnia. And I'd love to see a Star Wars themed TS restaurant.

I second this! What a great idea for a new TS. I'd also like to see an update to GMR and more Pixar theming. Isn't there a Monsters, Inc. ride in DL? IT wouldn't be hard to replicate that.

As far as characters go, there are a lot to see already. The classic characters are out in the main plaza area most mornings. Inside Animation Studio are characters from Incredibles, Up, and Fantasia. Toy Story characters can often be seen by TSMM, and Star Wars characters by that area.

 

[#1DopeyFan]

We LOVE the hat, hope it never goes away!

We also loved the Monsters Inc ride at DL, I think it was one of our fave things there...would LOVE to see that at DHS.

A SW themed restaurant would totally rock, what a great idea!

 

[khertz]

DH and I have always liked DHS but I think we really fell in love with it this trip. We spent a day and a half there, then decided that our last morning before our flight we'd get there for RD, ride TSM and get a FP, then leave for MK after we rode with our FP. We ended up staying until we had to leave to catch our Mears shuttle! We loved exploring One Man's Dream and seeing the great movie about Walt. We did the animation class 4 times (drew Donald, Goofy, Dale, and Ray from Princess and the Frog). We enjoyed wandering around and seeing the characters that were out, seeing the shows, etc. I was surprised with how much we found to do there, and how much time we chose to spend there. I think the Backlot tour could use an overhaul (make it back like it was!), and I think American Idol is pretty silly. But overall, we really really love this park!!

 

[Smile4Me]

We enjoy this park, visit one full day for sure, and then maybe stop in once more during a week long visit....I totally agree with the PP that says the park needs to choose what it is-experiencing the movies,,,that would cover rides and shows (already much of what it is, I know),,,but it needs to keep up with an ever changing industry . GMR needs desperate attention, Indy should turn into a ride,,,cause I can see a stunt show to an extent already with Lights, Motors, Action, it could use maybe two or three more rides for close to all ages, one more Pixar and maybe a Muppet ride to go with a new Muppet show, and throw the Marvel characters in there for a ride or a dining experience..add a Star Wars Character meal, and one more (more current or can't be found anywhere else character dining experience , i.e. Marvel) and now you're getting somewhere...

 

[sters]

This park needs more continous running rides. This park just sucks in the rain if you have young kids. If you don't time the shows just right, then you've got no place to go when it rains and ToT, RnR and Star Tours are not options when your kids are little. You'd think the insane crush for Toy Story Mania would clue Disney in that more of these types of rides are needed! Perhaps more are in the works (I hope).

And the counter service options stink.

The atmosphere is great on a sunny day.

 

[fireman1]

It's tied with MK as my fav park..Love the atmosphere.
That said, i'd add more and better restaurants, add another thrill ride (maybe based on the wizard of oz), either fix the backlot tour or do away with it all togeather, update the muppet vison 3D attraction and the great movie ride (Star tours is getting an update so I didnt mention it),
and add more characters.

 

[dphie28]

Perhaps a roller coaster ride themed after the Randolph/Sully/Mike/Boo door chase scene in Monsters, Inc. We watched this movie recently at home, for movie night, and DD said: "You know that would be an awesome roller coaster ride!" Leave it to the thrill ride junkie in the family to think of this!

I said this same thing to my kids when we watched Monsters, inc. last week!!! A stand up roller coaster where you are attached to a 'door'...soooo fun!

 

[inkkognito]

Hat = Epic Fail. Get rid of it.

They could never really fix this park to my liking because it's no longer a real working studio and that's what a I used to love about it. Anyone remember the original backlot tour in which the walking tour and tram tour were combined? They had a movie with Pee Wee Herman and Mel Gibson and you often saw real shows and movies being filmed on the walking part. And it was so cool when the real animation studio was there...the animation tour now is just a shell of what it used to be.

But with all that said, I do love Tower of Terror and am looking forward to the new Star Tours movie. Voyage of the Little Mermaid is cute, although I hate that they cut it down to a more ADD version...would be nice to see Hunchback come back. And I'd give my eye teeth for a return of Superstar Television. That was a real studio-type attraction and with plenty of audience participation. It was just way cool.

Dunno why Fantasmic is not every night all the time. I'm not into it myself, but DH is addicted to it and it is a HUGE favorite with so many people. Not a good cost cutting measure to cut that down.

 

[2Jacks]

never go to DHS for the dining experience (especially CS), but do enjoy Mama Melrose and can usually tolerate Pizza Planet.

will be curious to see how the Pixar upgrades pan out.

as a lifelong Marvel Zombie, this would be the perfect place for Marvel attractions. think Disney can move the Spider-Man ride from Universal to DHS?

 

[ebtbmom]

I love HS, my 2nd fav after MK.

I would love to have Who wants to be a millionaire? back.

I agree about the block party thing they are doing now instead of a parade. I do not want to get up and dance around with the performers. I pay for them to dance and entertain me!

OT: they've also changed the beautiful Dreams Come True Parade at DLR to a stop and party type of thing. Positively dreadful!

I also wish the Star Wars area was bigger, and I would be more likely to attend Star Wars weekend if it was a hard ticket event and therefore less crowded. Also, having it sometime other than hot as blazes June would be nice, but that's probably just me!

 

[DonaldTDuck]

We always eat at PTC and love it and have found several cs meals we like, and Starring Rolls is a great breakfast/snack, so food is no issue. Love most of the attractions, but would love more Muppets. And, as pp said, Monster Inc. ride at DL is great and would be a great replacement for Narnia. What really needs attention is the show schedule. We had to miss something this year because our ADR for PTC was mid-afternoon, and B&tB lost out. F! every night would be great, but don't look for it soon. It's cheaper to do 2 shows 4 times a week than a show each night, so they could at least do that.

 

[Marshay]

Better and more food choices

Rides for young kids

Updated shows or tours

More rides in general -- Pixar themed!

Fantasmic nightly

Actual tv shows and movies being made here and opportunity to see them in action.

 

[okeydokey]

The restaurants.

I agree. Especially counter service.

 

[Victoria3]

This is my favorite park! If one park needed improving it would have to be MK.

It has alot of my favorite attractions. Streetmosphere, Block Party Bash, TOT, Beauty And The Beast, LMA, HSM3, AI and the drawing classes. But if I had to pick one thing to get rid of it would be the big hat. Star Wars Weekends is alot of fun as well!