News Round Up

[rteetz]

Kongstruction update

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2015/03/king-kong-project-update-truly-imposing.html

 

[mchac430]

Ok. I love Frozen as much as the next fan. However, I'm still having issues with having it in Word's Showcase. It would have been fantastic in Fantasyland.

 

[jcnewton]

New DHS map showing the new center stage where the hat was.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...de-map-updated-with-center-stage-addition.htm

Does the wonky map layout bother anyone else but me? Entrance at the top right? I know they've had it oriented differently before.

 

[rteetz]

Does the wonky map layout bother anyone else but me? Entrance at the top right? I know they've had it oriented differently before.

I think DHS has a weird layout in general.

 

[jcnewton]

I think DHS has a weird layout in general.

Perhaps something that can be addressed by a well-needed, upcoming overhaul?

 

[Reddog1134]

Does the wonky map layout bother anyone else but me? Entrance at the top right? I know they've had it oriented differently before.

It's positioned to be geographically correct. If you look at the Epcot map, its "upside down".

 

[skier_pete]

New DHS map showing the new center stage where the hat was.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...de-map-updated-with-center-stage-addition.htm

Love that the big hidden mickey in the center now shows up pretty clearly on the map! (Orientation doesn't bother me, as others have said, they are just using North as Up, which is what the other parks maps all do.

Longtime Disney composer Alan Menken will score the live action beauty and the beast

http://di.sn/60142PbA

Not to be a poop, but didn't he already score it? I mean, his jobs basically 3/4ths done, right? Throw a couple new musical queues based on his original score and it's all good.

Menken is a great scorer, but any new songs will SORELY miss Howard Ashman. Tim Rice is pretty good, but Ashman was a lyrical genius and will leave any new songs feeling the lesser by comparison.

 

[rteetz]

Planet Hollywood branded hotel coming to lake buena vista

http://fw.to/GPMD9gi

 

[rteetz]

Avatar aerial on Twitter

https://twitter.com/bioreconstruct/status/577890086374739968

 

[Josh Hendy]

Does the wonky map layout bother anyone else but me? Entrance at the top right? I know they've had it oriented differently before.

Not only is the map layout wonky looking to me, but it also highlights the incoherence of the layout of the park. The way those maps should be, at least ever since the first concept art for DisneyLand, is a kind of super-cool looking, inviting overview of a park. That makes you start imagining walking through the gates, looking right and left at all the neat buildings, walking forward to an inviting-looking weenie, and so on.

Disney seems determined to not let the eye or the mind dwell on the concept of walking through the gates of DHA, savoring the views and imagining ones self walking around the park.

If the Chinese Theatre is supposed to be an attractive-looking visual magnet or anchor, someone should tell Disney because they clearly don't want anyone to think of it that way based on this map. Even if the controversy over the theatre is an urban legend, there is something broken or misbegotten about the way the park entrance and "central" (sic) avenue is built around it.

The new stage in front of the theatre isn't even shown, it's just an oval with words inside. I'm not expecting to see anything bold, imaginative or architecturally decisive in this space. Probably another temporary-looking placeholder of some kind.

 

[tnartteacher]

Does anyone know if the crane is still up behind the castle in Magic Kingdom?

 

[ghoulardi]

I heard it's gone.

 

[rteetz]

Does anyone know if the crane is still up behind the castle in Magic Kingdom?

It's been gone for close to a week now a

 

[rteetz]

Parking placards are on the way out and it will be magicbands

http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2015/03/parking-placard-elimination-at-yacht.html?m=1

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The way those maps should be, at least ever since the first concept art for DisneyLand, is a kind of super-cool looking, inviting overview of a park. That makes you start imagining walking through the gates, looking right and left at all the neat buildings, walking forward to an inviting-looking weenie, and so on.

Disney seems determined to not let the eye or the mind dwell on the concept of walking through the gates of DHA, savoring the views and imagining ones self walking around the park.

The 1953 print you're referencing may be the most beautiful sketch since DaVinci's anatomical man...

Maybe my favorite piece of Disney "art" in history...


As far as de-emphasizing the central hub...I could see a couple of angles there:

1. They lower expectations/point out that it's not your traditional park

2. If they do decide to do a major upgrade...they may attempt to refocus the park on the wings and not at the center...that works better there than any other park by far.

They should do a full reboot to directly counter IOA and the potter expansions...if they perceive them to be a longterm threat.
It would reestablish their dominance in the marketplace with pop culture...with an unsaid slogan of "we have that...and the nostalgia park... And the zoo...and Elsa's frozen globe park"

Or something like that

 

[Josh Hendy]

...

They should do a full reboot to directly counter IOA and the potter expansions...if they perceive them to be a longterm threat.

...

Agree with everything. I'm going to assume that the tentativeness and indecision in the 2015 plan for the park with respect to the new stage, the weenie (or lack) and the way they are presented on the map are all temporary - until a really large and sensible do-over can be finalized.

If both stunt shows, backlot tour, American idol, Streets of America, I Shrunk the Playground and maybe even Muppetland are all toast (or can be made toast) then this gives them a lot of space to play with.

They can keep Hollywood Ave, Sunset Ave, Mickey Ave and Pixar Place, plus the building that includes 50s Prime Time. And Star Tours which I assume is easier to just leave alone. The rest of the park (around 50% or so) should be fair game for redevelopment. The Great Movie Ride could be kept, with the facade facing down Hollywood Ave to be determined.

With all that space any imagineer worth their salt could come up with a decent weenie, a sensible hub or water feature with attractive sightlines to the rest of the park, a huge Star Wars land, a larger Pixar land, a Marvel land (someday) plus decent stages for "flash in the pan temporary dance party" and other hollywood-y type shows and rides.

 

[skier_pete]

I agree with a lot of this. However, the Chinese theater should remain the centerpiece down main street. I understand the need to put a permanent stage there, but hopefully it will be low profile enough that it is not blocking the view - at least most of the time.

The 1953 print you're referencing may be the most beautiful sketch since DaVinci's anatomical man...

Maybe my favorite piece of Disney "art" in history...

I think you are talking about Peter Ellenshaw's masterful drawing. I agree. We were lucky enough to get to see the original, and it is incredible in more ways than can be described here. Let's just say it's something that I'll never forget.

I think there is little hope to fix DHS to be a "proper" hub and spoke park like the other three. I agree a major park overhaul is necessary.

With all that space any imagineer worth their salt could come up with a decent weenie, a sensible hub or water feature with attractive sightlines to the rest of the park, a huge Star Wars land, a larger Pixar land, a Marvel land (someday) plus decent stages for "flash in the pan temporary dance party" and other hollywood-y type shows and rides.

As stated above, I disagree about the weenie, I think the theater works just fine.

I think the biggest stumbling block to a complete park overhaul is to make that decision that you essentially going to close down half the park. They did it at DCA, and there's only two parks there, so it can be done.

It makes me think more and more that this is the main reason they are delaying any annoucements. They want to have DAK and Avatarland up and running before they do major renovations in DHS. To do what you suggest, DHS will become 1/2 the park it is (and it's not a very good one) for at least 3 years. With DAK already handicapped with the "everyone leaves by 3", that leaves them with two parks.

 

[rteetz]

Innoventions west looks to be closing possibly

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...-innoventions-west-to-close-by-the-summer.htm

 

[nkosiek]

It's so bad it's almost laughable anymore with the price raises and getting less. I seriously can't understand how they can look their customers in the eye (I know they don't) and say that raising prices for the 3 non-MK parks is warranted when each park has had some serious closures with nothing replacing/additions, thereby as lockedoutlogic puts it, getting less for more. This is like when the ice cream companies about 10 years ago stopped with the 1/2 gallons and went to 1.75 quarts but kept charging the same.

 

[skier_pete]

This is like when the ice cream companies about 10 years ago stopped with the 1/2 gallons and went to 1.75 quarts but kept charging the same.

Check your local freezer section - they've dropped to 1.5 quarts (or 1.58 quarts) in a half gallon.

See - everyone's doing it!!