how bad is this going to hurt DL?

[DVC-Landbaron]

I don't believe Disney is being outdone by the competition, I just think they have different goals in mind. ( Come on, that last line is just to easy for sarcastic comments from the element

OK! I'll bite. What different goals? To lower the bar until they sink below the competition? To make cuts so that the profits remain constant and they don't have to innovate? To take money from the parks and sink it into dying ventures, suck-o cable stations and that wonder-network - ABC?

Just what different goals did you have in mind?

 

[airlarry!]

I know Yoho! has this tattoed to his wrist so it won't take long to answer, but when was Indy built? When was ToT built? Has it been that long since Disney upped the bar?

Yes, Disney has made some great additions since Indy was built, but when was the last time in Orlando or at DL did they try to up the bar?

Not the thrill, puke or shake bar, just up the bar for the public to say "Ya gotta ride this! Now!" like Splash did, and Indy did, and ToT did, and etc etc.

BTW: Anybody that's read these kind of boards since before IOA became a dream and a reality knows that someone always throws out the "this'll really make Disney mad and they'll build the next generation of Pirates now!" card...and even today, after all these years, it still ain't true.

Well, let me take that back. Somewhere, in the deep dark recesses of what used to be known as Walt Disney Imagineering, is a plan for a Space pavilion that contained all of the things people would expect from a redo of an Epcot pavilion. There was the blue sky version, I know, but then there was the version that was doable. The doable version would cost some pretty change, sure, but it would bring guests into that side of the park in droves. The paint-shaker part of the ride was just one teeeeensy bit of the whole SPACE experience.

So, yes, WDI can and did get mad that IOA stole some of their ideas. And WDI scratched on their pencils and mouse pads and slide rulers and came up with a knock-yer-socks-off attraction.

But we got Dumbo's Space Washing Machine instead. Thank you, Mikey, Mr. "President of Walt Disney Imagineering"

 

[KNWVIKING]

IMO, IOA wants that "tweener" crowd. People love Disney when they're young & when they're old. Somewhere in the middle there, Disney isn't kewl to them. As a child, everything was fantasy. As an adult,everything is paradise. But there is a gap in the middle that want in-your-face thrills.You want to ride dueling dragons nine times before lunch. That's IOA's goal. Disney- again,IMO- knows this. They know that you'll be back in a few years. You'll also be in a higher tax bracket by then, will have more expensive tastes and you'll have a couple grandkids that you can't spend money fast enough on. That's Disneys goal.

 

[raidermatt]

Actually, Vike, I think you are on the right track, except that you are talking about what Disney's goals USED to be.

PW, TT, M:S, E:E, RnRC, Dinosaur, and even ToT, Splash and Indy are firmly aimed at attracting tweeners. Some have the story and theme behind them to broaden their appeal. However, they also exclude the kiddies, many of the older folks, as well as those who can't handle thrill rides.

We know Disney has morphed into a company that looks to create based on demographics and taking people away from the competition... At the park level, DCA, MGM and AK are all examples of this. The examples at the attraction level are numerous as well.

No, that doesn't mean that's ALL they do, but its become a much greater focus for them... Kids are bored? Put in a kiddie ride. Tweeners like IOA better? Put in some thrill rides.

 

[cristen]

Viking,

I get what you are saying about the different goals in mind. Believe me, I do not want the parks to end up like IOA or Magic Mountain. They need to continue to be Disney. And we have not gotten E:E yet, we still don't know what the hell it will morph into before is all said and done. M:S does not make me excited.


I just think Disney is getting lazy with the whole imagineering thing. They know there is the competition out there, they have the best imagineers in the field (if they haven't all completely left), some of their ideas are out of the ball park, yet we are not seeing it. We know that DCA is a huge failure, if any park needs something new to breathe life into it, it would be that park. So what do they decide? Let's put in something that is already tried and true, and only a half version at that. What the hell?! Out of ALL those ideas spewin' forth out of those guys, they have to build a clone?

They need to be waaaaaay ahead of the game, and they are not anymore.

 

[ShadowWind]

Universal only understands thrill rides, gut wrenching rides that while they have a lot of theming, still have to have a health warning for every one. Look at IOA. There is no ride there that someone of moderate health can go on. This leaves out a large share of the people. This type of thing is seen throughout the theme parks of the country.

Disney was the only place that understood that good storytelling and amazing animation can be just as thrilling as getting your body thrown around. I don't know anyone who doesn't like Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion or even Country Bears. None of these are thrill rides but they are thrilling from a visual perspective. They are rides and shows that all ages can go on, enjoy, point out the wizardry, and stand in awe of the Imagineers talents. Think about what you remember from M:S, Test Track. Are these going to be visions that you will remember years later? Can anyone hum the soundtrack to these rides? Probably not, but people can remember each and every scene of Pirates, Haunted Mansion, World of Motion, Horizons, Journey Into Imagination. It's imbedded in their minds, good or bad, and will be for a long time. That is what thrills me about a ride. Seeing something so amazing, that it becomes engraved in my mind. How can it when you are too busy being stimulated by high speed antics to even notice anything. I find myself not only finding little new offerings, since Disney spends so little on non-thrill rides, but I am losing the high end rides I did have to enjoy. So for me, Disney is becoming Six Flags. All great rides, if you aren't a coward.

I am not against thrill rides and if they had built Test Track or M:S in another pavilion and left the two they replaced alone, I'd be more than happy that they put in rides to balance out the attendance. I think a park should have a healthy mix, but it's obvious that Disney is trying to be Universal and it's doing a bad job of it. Then when attendance drops, it doesn't understand why that is. It's not because people are running to Universal for their new thrill rides, of which many people cannot ride, it's because people are losing the magical balance that Walt instilled into the parks that allows for young and old to enjoy the same experience. To some people, that is the true experience and the thrill of visiting a Disney park. Without that, why pay $10000 for a week in Orlando, when you can get a similar thrill in the city nearby. Heck, I live near Disney and I'm finding it harder and harder to justify going there.

ShadowWind

 

[ShadowWind]

As far as TOT in DCA, does anyone think that looks like a hotel out of the 20's? The one at Disney MGM is so elegant from an architectural view that one could actually believe it was a hotel in that era. The one in DCA reminds me of some weird art deco that completely offsets the story (if it's the same one within).