rumored new park question

[yitbos96bb]

I completely agree with your assessment of Dino-Rama. I mean why is Dino-Rama themed to look like a cheap amusement park? It really saddens to me to see that when I think about what the possibilities that could be been for a Dinoland like the ones the Imagineers had in mind.

With that said I can understand how you, and AV and some others who have voiced their personal disappointment of how the value resorts were designed feel let down.

I do think the designers of the values could have thought of a much better design when they created Pop Century. With the 3 All Stars sister resorts they already used the cartoon and giant icon theming more than enough.

I think they really should have looked a little deeper into their imaginations and come up with something new.

Even Walt said, "You can't top pigs with pigs."

JMHO

Asking "WHY is dino rama themed to look like a cheap theme park?" leads me to believe that you and several others do not know the backstory of Dinoland. In truth, Dino rama actually fits the story of the area EXTREMELY WELL... that's not sayin you like the rides or should like them mind you... but it does fit the theme... It was designed ON PURPOSE to look like a cheap theme park.

TO enlighten those who do not know, HERE is the story behind Dino Land. I was an opening crew Cast Member for Animal Kingdom and we were told this story as we were touring the park led by one of the imagineers. This was during my first college program in 1998.


So in such and such year (It was given but I can't remember) Dinosaur fossils were found in the area. It was a HUGE fossil find and generated a lot of excitement. There is a BIG DIG SITE where fossils are uncovered (This is the purpose of The Boneyard Playground site within the theme... it represents the dig site) The Dino Institute bought up the land in the area and hired a bunch of grad students to work the find (I don't know if they are still there but when the park opened there were Streetmosphere performers who did a show AS THE GRAD STUDENTS who were there to dig the site). The Grad students hung out at a local cafe on their off time (Which brings Restraurantosaurus into the theming of the area)... if you look closely you can see where they have signed their names, left journals and other things and even momentos in the cafe. The Dino Institute in the meantime needed to make some money to keep funding the dig. So they opened up a time travel adventure (Countdown to Extinction which was a MUCH better name... but now known as Dinosaur... and YES it was planned from the beginning to be tied into the movie... we heard that as well which was the first most of us heard they were DOING a Dinosaur movie...). Using time machines, they could transport people back in time to see the dinosaurs living... thus raising money to fund the dig through the ride and of course the Dino Institute Gift Shop.

Ok At this point we have covered story elements of:

The Boneyard
Restaurantosaurus
Dinosaur
Dino Institute Gift Shop
Streetmo actors (although I am not sure if they still perform)

Sue wasn't really tied into the story, but fits the theme since they were cleaning the bones when the park first opened and did a big part of it in DAK.

The Theatre in the Wild (or what ever its called) where Nemo is now (and had the Jungle Book which was horrific and Tarzan Rocks which was mediocre) was never really considered a part of Dinoland and thus just shares proximity but not theming.

So this just leaves Dinorama and Chester and Hesters which is where the story resumes...

So when the fossils were found Dino Institute bought up all the land, but there was ONE owner who refused to sell. The names of the owners were... (and you might start to see where this is going) Chester and Hester. Chester and Hester owned a gas station and once the dig site became a tourist attraction, they decided to turn part of their Gas Station into a shop to sell cheap dinosaur items to tourist... basically turning the gas station into a Roadside Attraction (much like South of the Border, Wall Drug, etc).

Now Dino Rama wasn't part of the original story, but it writes itself... Chester and Hester refused to sell and opened a roadside attraction tourist trap to make money from all the tourists. Dino rama IS THAT TOURIST TRAP. THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS THAT ITS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE A CHEAP TOURIST TRAP BECAUSE THATS THE THEME!!!!! The imagineers purposedly did this to fit into the Chester and Hester enviroment.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...map&um=1&start=2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=2

Look at the DAK Map over at Dinoland. Notice the area sectioning it off from the rest of Dinoland... its because the Dino Institute

Personally, the rides are mediocre but the THEMING is brilliant and fits perfectly with what they are trying to do.

So just as an FYI, next time in DAK spend some time and REALLY look around DIno land. Look at Chester and Hesters and find the gas dispensers, toolboxes etc. Look at Restaurantosaurus and find all the grad student stuff. It was really brilliant in the subtlety of the theming.. THe problem is as COOL as this is IF YOU KNOW THE STORY behind it (just like Haunted mansion makes SO much more sense if you know the story of the bride and groom, etc) if you don't know it... well it just looks lame. Disney Imagineers come up with elaborate back stories... they need to share them or make it a bit more obvious. A Chester and Hester Streetmo would go a LONG way as well as the Grad students in getting this story told.

SO that's the long and short. Hope you found it interesting.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Dino rama IS THAT TOURIST TRAP. THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS THAT ITS SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE A CHEAP TOURIST TRAP BECAUSE THATS THE THEME!!!!!

Requiring guests to study and understand the backstory of a "land" is not a reasonable expectation.

In the end, from a guest perspective, there's no real difference between actual cheap-looking carnival rides on an actual cracking asphalt parking lot and ever-so-carefully themed cheap-looking carnival rides on an ever-so-carefully themed cracking asphalt parking lot.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Requiring guests to study and understand the backstory of a "land" is not a reasonable expectation.

In the end, from a guest perspective, there's no real difference between actual cheap-looking carnival rides on an actual cracking asphalt parking lot and ever-so-carefully themed cheap-looking carnival rides on an ever-so-carefully themed cracking asphalt parking lot.

I agree that thinking the guests can easily figure out the back story is not reasonable. It actually WAS very easy at the beginning with the Grad Students out and about all the time, but as I said, most people don't take the time to talk to Streetmo performers.

On the flip, much as I usually do on many of your posts, I STRONGLY DISAGREE with the second half of your statement. There are MANY people who look at it right away and GET what the imagineers are trying to do... there are some of course that don't. But I would argue that some of the examples used like Dumbo and insinuating its this genius of a ride is in fact ridiculous... it isn't... Its a flying ride that LOOKS like Dumbo. The thought behind Dinorama and the fulfilling of theme is MUCH better than a Tea Cups or a Dumbo... but because many people, including it seems yourself, have such fond memories of the rides as kids or when it first opened (depending on your age) that it will always have a soft place in your heart... Its similiar to politicians who go on about how great and perfect the 50's were with this make believe Leave it to Beaver scenario in their head, when in reality the 50's had a lot of terrible aspects... War, Segregation, etc. I actually feel the same way about Star Wars... its a mediocre made film with poorly written dialogue and great special effects... but I will always love it despite the short comings and it will turn a blind eye to many of its fault because of my memories as a kid.

Now, SNOW WHITE was pretty ingenious as the original ride was designed to be from Snow White's POV. Unfortunately, people didn't understand it and the added a Snow white eventually to it. In this case, much with Dinoland, it isn't the ride that's bad or not themed.... its that Disney does a poor job of getting the idea across... usually because of lack of foresight or more likely today, budget cuts.

But as I said, i disagree with you strongly and I would bet the imagineers would as well. There is a lot of positives with the theme and the issues that exist are more in the training of Cast Members and lack of supporting characters to help showcase the original vision.

 

[mitros]

I have no doubt you are exactly the kind of person that Dino-Rama is aimed at.

What you like and what it takes to grow a multi-billion dollar entertainment company are two very different things. The opinions I offer are based on a simple idea – that Disney was successful because they had a unique style and way of creating things. That directly resulted in productions that touched an enormous number of people. Their movies, parks and television shows have entertained and taught generations now.

But in recent times Disney has abandoned their methods in search of “quick and easy” profits for men without skill, talent, drive or even an interest in what Disney truly means. That is a serious business problem – as witnessed by all the millions and millions and millions of dollars that have been lost with yesterday’s abandonment of Disney Mobile.

If you are a fan of what that group had built – I wish you long and happy visits. Come out the California Adventure…you’ll have the place to yourself. I, however, want Disney to stick around and to once again create the products that millions love. I have quite a lot of experience in the “real world”, thank you very much – and that has strengthened my belief of what Disney represents and what it should be doing to live up to its potential.

And that takes a little more than pandering to nine and twelve year girls.

Well said, as usual, AV......