Redo rides for 50th

[MissScarlet]

Somewhere someone posted an article about disneyland redooing some of the classic rides for the 50th birthday celebration. Specificaly it talkied about pirates. I can't remember if it was here or on the disneyland bored or where ever? If anybody knows what I am talking about Please help me find this article. Thanks so much!

 

[d-r]

There is a thread further down this page called "AK Attractions and WDI comments - westcoaster" (actually there are three of them, but the first one is the most replied) that has a link to a Jim Hill article here http://www.dcacentral.com/dca/jim_hill/showarticle.asp?ID=12&page=1

 

[Another Voice]

I was wondering if anyone around here cared enough about Disneyland to bring up this topic. Yes, WDI is working on plans for extensive “plussing” of many of Disneyland’s most popular rides. And no, not a single individual thinks those plans will ever be used.

WDI is in the process of being shut down for all intents and purposes. The division will simply be a contract management group. WDI will become just one of several groups bidding for jobs both with Disney and outside. There won’t be any in house talent: artists, writers, imaginers; they’ll all be hired on a job-by-job basis should they land a contract.

Of course, there are yet a few artists, designers, writers, and other people still employed at WDI and they’ll all desperate to find a way to save their jobs. Marty Sklar was given a window-job to dream up “something” for Disneyland’s 50th Birthday, but the job was really just a way to get rid of him so Paul “The Pooh Pusher” Pressler could put in a “friendlier” person. According to rumor, the 50th plans are being used as a lifeboat for the few creative people left at WDI.

Everyone knows the plans won’t come to anything because everyone knows The Company isn’t going to spend the capital on the parks. They’ve now been officially labeled a “no growth” division and all future spending has all but ceased. Read Michael Eisner’s letter about how after decades of investment, it’s now time to “reap the returns” from the parks. And you may get even more hints about what Michael sees as the park’s future in all the praise he’s been heaping on the “royalty-only” relationship Disney has with Tokyo.

Since there’s no way of proving that adding a few show effects to ‘Space Mountain’ or ‘Pirates’ is going return twenty percent, those projects will never be approved. Even the recent holiday make-over of the ‘Haunted Mansion’ was called a disappointment. It had people lining up for an hour, but Management was only looking for increased merchandise sales (and they didn’t happen). There is a chance Disney could sell the upgrades to corporate sponsors, but Disney’s current sponsors are bailing and making all kinds of nasty comments. It looks rather bleak.

What will happen is still undecided, and frankly all the effort is being spent on that sink hole they’ve created in Disneyland’s parking lot. I expect D/L 50 will be a bunch of parades, entertainment and lots & lots of merchandise. The only upside is that our park won’t be blighted with a big hat.

A soft drink bottle in honor of the new owners perhaps; but definitely not a hat.