New Al Lutz: DCA Attendance Records, Removal of Nemo Subs?, New 3rd Marvel Park?

[mouseymommy]

That would be FANTASTIC! I bought a Maleficent coffee mug in the Villains store back in 1993 and it is still my favorite mug. If it ever broke, I'd be heartbroken. DS(13) and I spent about an hour the other day talking about how awesome it would be if there was a "Villains Land" in Disneyland, the kind of rides we'd like to see there...he even drew up a map!

My DS10 does the same thing! My DS5 said he wished there was a Bambi ride, so he drew one out for him. He want to be an imagineer when he grows up.

I had a coffee mug that had a pic of Belle on it and said "I'm in love with a beast of a man" It was my favorite and my DD broke it! I was so sad!

 

[nunzia]

they cant get rid of autopia...thats like sacrilige

They got rid of Toad at WDW..so nothing is sacred

 

[Jlebrett14]

Autopia needs a new sponsor like gm to come in and replace the ambiance with something more up to date, as it is tomorrowland, and bring in some green energy vehicles and change the queues so they educate kids on alternative fuels for cars.

 

[disney-inspired]

An entire Marvel themed park would not be appealing to my family at all.

A change in Tomorrowland would be exciting, but I hope they keep the retro feel to it.

That kind of defeats the purpose of it being TOMORROWland.

Nah, they wouldn't. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of marvel characters.

Exactly! There are several "franchises" within Marvel. I love super heroes and the marvel characters so I'd be down for it! But that doesn't seem like it would fit in DLR

Can't wait for Innoboring, Autolame, and ScreamingNemoEndlessly to be removed. I might even dance about it.

No Marvel, please! I'm not against reaching out to franchises for inspiration, but Marvel branding is completely linked with Six Flags. It would be a shame that Disney couldn't think of any concept more creative and original to place inside Tomorrowland than something that another park already does, even if Disneyland spends 10x the amount on effects. What Disneyland does has to feel like nothing else, anywhere in the world.

You're thinking of DC.

FWIW, in CA six flags is DC themed...and Marvel is at Islands of Adventure, is there Marvel theming in six Flags elsewhere?

Yup!

Radiatior Springs Racers is basically Test Track. Mission: SPACE doesn't fit Disneyland's profile of ride types, though it might fit in in DCA.

Personally I'd rather not see even more clones. I'd prefer NEW rides, not rehashes of old ones.

I haven't been able to ride Test Track but isn't it faster? I was hoping RSR would be faster. It was fun though.

Agree, we need some fresh blood in DLR.

 

[skiingfast]

I haven't been able to ride Test Track but isn't it faster? I was hoping RSR would be faster. It was fun though.

Test track is over 1/3 faster. It has a long strait away. RSR has more high speed curves that creates more force that is fun.

 

[dopeyfanatic]

Subs.....they can go. They are very childish and a lot of kids are scared of them. My kids have never cared much for them. They need a new coaster. There are lots of things for younger people, but they could use another coaster. It doesn't even have to loop. Innoventions...it can go too. That space does have some cool games and such, but how many people pay what they do to spend time basically at an electronics show? It is a nice break from weather or when parents need to sit, but nothing to worry about seeing. Autopia is fun for kids, but too big. They need to upgrade and downsize. Maybe try and make us feel like we are driving in the air? Give us Jetsons style "cars". I don't know, but it really could be smaller. Astro orbiter needs to be moved to allow better flow. What about the arcade area? There is never a lot of people in there. That seems better suited for DTD. I think TL could use some new.stuff, but I also think even Toontown could be expanded. They just need to make sure stuff is different than WDW. I see the new stuff going in out there and I am making plans to go back. If they do it here I wouldn't need to. As for Marvel, I think it could be done and be awesome. Not everything needs to be young and.cheesy. I think it would be awesome to have a coaster set up like you are flying around a cityscape. The city might bd normal, but acting like you are flying around it certainly would not be

 

[quiltymom]

I'm also in agreement with moving Astro Orbiter. It's such a road block where it currently is. It needs to go back to where it used to be, UP on top of the old people mover building! Moving it to the ground was just silly. It's not my favorite ride, but rockets need to be up, rather than down.

I'm also in the camp of people who'd love to see the people mover come back.

 

[4th Gen Disney Fan]

I'm in the opinion that they need to remove Autopia, Subs, Innoventions, the Motor Boat track, Magic Eye Theater, Starcade and downsize/eliminate the Star Trader.

As others have said, these attractions take up the entire Eastern side of the park and no longer add value to the idea of a World of Tomorrow.

Autopia was designed around the vision of what the ideal freeway system would look like. As we all know, this turned out to be an idealized interpretation that is not realistic in any way. I'm sure that there are some folks who will say that "It's not supposed to be realistic, it's supposed to be futuristic." In that case, it fails at that too. Cars look nothing like the out of date bodies on the current version, and they still run on fossil fuels. Plus, the track is way too long for this type of ride. I would much rather they had electric go karts in that area and made it more exciting.

I have never cared for the subs. At all. I went on it when I was a kid and lived in SoCal. When I got off the ride I asked myself: "What was the point of THAT?" The attraction has always had extremely long lines and it has just about the worst capacity of all rides outside the storybook ones. The refurb to Nemo didn't help it out at all.

Innoventions is just a waste of space. Pure and simple. America Sings was so much more interesting - and fun. I know we got Splash Mountain out of the deal, but an updated attraction in the spirit of America Sings would be so nice. Disney has really improved their Animatronics and I think they should use this space as a showcase of their best work. Either that or bulldoze the entire structure.

The motor boat track is just sitting there taking up space. Get rid of it.

3-D movies can be enjoyed in the comfort of our own homes. Do we REALLY need a huge building taking up massive real estate?

I don't see the point in continuing on with Starcade and the Start Trader. Nobody goes to arcades any more. I was saddened to see just how empty it was on my last trip. That place used to be extremely crowded and they always had the latest arcade machines. This trip, it was empty. Such a sad, but real sign of the times. There is no longer anything that is futuristic about an arcade.

As the Star Trader is directly connected to Starcade, it should also go. The Buzz store right across the aisle is a perfect location to use for merchandising. All it needs is a slight remodel and it can handle both Disney and Star Wars merchandise.

 

[quantumottle]

Wow, I actually agree 100% with every single word in your post. Wonderfully said, thank you very much.

Now, if only Iger, Lassiter, etc. and the TDA Imagineers will listen, TL could become just as huge a hit as the new Carsland by the end of the decade.

I'm in the opinion that they need to remove Autopia, Subs, Innoventions, the Motor Boat track, Magic Eye Theater, Starcade and downsize/eliminate the Star Trader.

As others have said, these attractions take up the entire Eastern side of the park and no longer add value to the idea of a World of Tomorrow.

Autopia was designed around the vision of what the ideal freeway system would look like. As we all know, this turned out to be an idealized interpretation that is not realistic in any way. I'm sure that there are some folks who will say that "It's not supposed to be realistic, it's supposed to be futuristic." In that case, it fails at that too. Cars look nothing like the out of date bodies on the current version, and they still run on fossil fuels. Plus, the track is way too long for this type of ride. I would much rather they had electric go karts in that area and made it more exciting.

I have never cared for the subs. At all. I went on it when I was a kid and lived in SoCal. When I got off the ride I asked myself: "What was the point of THAT?" The attraction has always had extremely long lines and it has just about the worst capacity of all rides outside the storybook ones. The refurb to Nemo didn't help it out at all.

Innoventions is just a waste of space. Pure and simple. America Sings was so much more interesting - and fun. I know we got Splash Mountain out of the deal, but an updated attraction in the spirit of America Sings would be so nice. Disney has really improved their Animatronics and I think they should use this space as a showcase of their best work. Either that or bulldoze the entire structure.

The motor boat track is just sitting there taking up space. Get rid of it.

3-D movies can be enjoyed in the comfort of our own homes. Do we REALLY need a huge building taking up massive real estate?

I don't see the point in continuing on with Starcade and the Start Trader. Nobody goes to arcades any more. I was saddened to see just how empty it was on my last trip. That place used to be extremely crowded and they always had the latest arcade machines. This trip, it was empty. Such a sad, but real sign of the times. There is no longer anything that is futuristic about an arcade.

As the Star Trader is directly connected to Starcade, it should also go. The Buzz store right across the aisle is a perfect location to use for merchandising. All it needs is a slight remodel and it can handle both Disney and Star Wars merchandise.

 

[ManusDei]

Seeing as the Star Trader got updated with Star Tours and how it's always packed with kids wanting to build their own lightsabers or buy pins or other Star Wars merch, I don't see how it's such a bad thing when it seems to me that a lot of people like it. I think it fits just fine where it is and fits in well with the Star Tours exit, so getting rid of it would seem illogical to me. If they were to make any further changes to it, I'd want them to clear up some space a bit, it gets pretty crowded sometimes.

On the other hand, the Starcade can go. Arcades are awesome, but especially in this economy nobody likes to pay big bucks to get inside a park and then have to pay more for an arcade game (this is true of many theme parks, not just Disney). Besides, if we wanted to play games, we could just head over to Innoventions for a bunch of free Microsoft-sponsored gaming.

I know I'm in the minority, but I like Innoventions as it is. I think it could use a little work, but I think they really do have something neat and uncommon there. Though I'm all in favor for any more interesting ideas that would draw more crowds.

BTW, to all those who say Captain EO is just a big 3D movie theater and not futuristic or anything special, I'd like to point out that most movie theaters (and all home 3DTV sets) don't offer moving chairs and other effects that further immerse you into the experience. Plus, similar technology is used at MuppetVision and It's Tough to Be a Bug, both shows I (and I'm sure others) still can enjoy. Though I do have to say, I'm not a fan of Captain EO, and if they wanted to keep the theater I wouldn't be opposed, so long as they put in a more entertaining/engaging show.

 

[4th Gen Disney Fan]

Seeing as the Star Trader got updated with Star Tours and how it's always packed with kids wanting to build their own lightsabers or buy pins or other Star Wars merch, I don't see how it's such a bad thing when it seems to me that a lot of people like it. I think it fits just fine where it is and fits in well with the Star Tours exit, so getting rid of it would seem illogical to me. If they were to make any further changes to it, I'd want them to clear up some space a bit, it gets pretty crowded sometimes.

On the other hand, the Starcade can go. Arcades are awesome, but especially in this economy nobody likes to pay big bucks to get inside a park and then have to pay more for an arcade game (this is true of many theme parks, not just Disney). Besides, if we wanted to play games, we could just head over to Innoventions for a bunch of free Microsoft-sponsored gaming.

I know I'm in the minority, but I like Innoventions as it is. I think it could use a little work, but I think they really do have something neat and uncommon there. Though I'm all in favor for any more interesting ideas that would draw more crowds.

BTW, to all those who say Captain EO is just a big 3D movie theater and not futuristic or anything special, I'd like to point out that most movie theaters (and all home 3DTV sets) don't offer moving chairs and other effects that further immerse you into the experience. Plus, similar technology is used at MuppetVision and It's Tough to Be a Bug, both shows I (and I'm sure others) still can enjoy. Though I do have to say, I'm not a fan of Captain EO, and if they wanted to keep the theater I wouldn't be opposed, so long as they put in a more entertaining/engaging show.

I can totally see your point about the Star Trader. I also enjoyed building my own lightsabre. My only reasoning behind removing it was because it is connected to Starcade and there is more than enough retail space across the concourse in the Buzz building.

As far as Captain EO goes.... As you said, the technology is on display at 2 other places in the resort. EO is redundant. Star Tours offers a much better experience for this sort of attraction. I get that EO is still showing for nostalgia purposes, but the nostalgia will fade. We watched the film during our last visit while we waited for Space Mountain to come back online and found EO to be extremely lacking. You can watch 3D movies at home without all the blurriness and out of date special effects. Sure, you'll miss out on the moving seats, but in my mind this is a small trade off for the possibility of using that massive amount of real estate for something more advanced.

That's pretty much my opinion on everything in Tomorrowland. It's all out of date and the attractions take up way too much space. Keep Buzz, Star Tours, and Space Mountain. The rest can go.

 

[ManusDei]

I can totally see your point about the Star Trader. I also enjoyed building my own lightsabre. My only reasoning behind removing it was because it is connected to Starcade and there is more than enough retail space across the concourse in the Buzz building.

I guess I disagree. Seeing Star Trader's popularity, and from what I remember about the size of Buzz's shop, I don't believe it's enough space. Buzz's shop is pretty small, though I suppose they could get rid of the extra hallway that allows you to skip it and expand that way (not the Buzz pictures though, of course). But even then, I'd still think it's too small; given how Star Trader is already fairly crowded as it is, cramming it into another building to me seems like a bad idea. Again, just my two cents.

I'd prefer they kept Autopia in some form, so long as it gets a much needed update and some of that extra track and useless space gets put to use. Nemo subs can go entirely, though that's not likely to happen anytime soon. I always did like the idea of diving down in a sub, it's really cool, just IMO it's not well executed with the long lines, cramped subs, and projector screens.

 

[Mugglemama]

Re: Tommorowland....I find it a little bit ironic that the area of the park that is supposed to be the most "futuristic", actually feels the most outdated of anywhere in the entire resort to me.

 

[HydroGuy]

FWIW, I do not disagree with some of the sentiments of what parts of TL should be changed. However, I will point out that TL has seen the most investment in recent (last 7) years at DL park - by far. Think about it.

-Finding Nemo Subs - $150 million 2007
-Star Tours - huge upgrade 2011
-BLAB - new ride added in 2005
-Space Mtn - refurbed for 2.5 years and much improved 2005
-Matterhorn - no real changes to ride (shared with Fantasyland) 2012
-Theater - changed from HISTA back to EO 2010(?)

During this time what else has happened at DL?

Fantasyland
- new castle walk thru
-Matterhorn refurb (shared with TL) which was more of a cleanup and not any real ride changes
-Current PFF project

Adventureland
- small upgrade to JC

Frontierland
- I can't think of anything

NOS
- significant POTC refurb and Tom Sawyer Island changed to Pirates Lair. HM upgraded a little.

Critter Country
- nothing

Toontown
- nothing

Main Street
- rework of Abe Lincoln

 

[Zbugz]

That kind of defeats the purpose of it being TOMORROWland.

I suppose. But one cannot ever keep the "tomorrow" aspect up to date without refurbishing it every 5 years, so I feel like DL made a good call when they made it retro. Too bad Disney doesn't hold the Jetsons franchise, because that would be a really fun theme for Tomorrowland.

 

[DisneytheKid]

If they did keep the autopia track I agree, it would be interesting to see some solar and other alternative energy powered vehicles.

I'm in the opinion that they need to remove Autopia, Subs, Innoventions, the Motor Boat track, Magic Eye Theater, Starcade and downsize/eliminate the Star Trader.

As others have said, these attractions take up the entire Eastern side of the park and no longer add value to the idea of a World of Tomorrow.

Autopia was designed around the vision of what the ideal freeway system would look like. As we all know, this turned out to be an idealized interpretation that is not realistic in any way. I'm sure that there are some folks who will say that "It's not supposed to be realistic, it's supposed to be futuristic." In that case, it fails at that too. Cars look nothing like the out of date bodies on the current version, and they still run on fossil fuels. Plus, the track is way too long for this type of ride. I would much rather they had electric go karts in that area and made it more exciting.

I have never cared for the subs. At all. I went on it when I was a kid and lived in SoCal. When I got off the ride I asked myself: "What was the point of THAT?" The attraction has always had extremely long lines and it has just about the worst capacity of all rides outside the storybook ones. The refurb to Nemo didn't help it out at all.

Innoventions is just a waste of space. Pure and simple. America Sings was so much more interesting - and fun. I know we got Splash Mountain out of the deal, but an updated attraction in the spirit of America Sings would be so nice. Disney has really improved their Animatronics and I think they should use this space as a showcase of their best work. Either that or bulldoze the entire structure.

The motor boat track is just sitting there taking up space. Get rid of it.

3-D movies can be enjoyed in the comfort of our own homes. Do we REALLY need a huge building taking up massive real estate?

I don't see the point in continuing on with Starcade and the Start Trader. Nobody goes to arcades any more. I was saddened to see just how empty it was on my last trip. That place used to be extremely crowded and they always had the latest arcade machines. This trip, it was empty. Such a sad, but real sign of the times. There is no longer anything that is futuristic about an arcade.

As the Star Trader is directly connected to Starcade, it should also go. The Buzz store right across the aisle is a perfect location to use for merchandising. All it needs is a slight remodel and it can handle both Disney and Star Wars merchandise.

 

[quantumottle]

Re: Tommorowland....I find it a little bit ironic that the area of the park that is supposed to be the most "futuristic", actually feels the most outdated of anywhere in the entire resort to me.

It's true isn't it. There's no denying that gawdy 70's architectural feel of TL, in my opinion.

On a more positive note, at least DLR has only one part of the resort that feels this way, I'd say about 25 - 35% of WDW feels like that to me.