Toy Story Land skeptic

[Pop Goes the Weasel]

Toy Story movies are great, and while I'm sure Toy Story Land will be cool and some day I will take my family there and enjoy it, I was hoping for either Cars Land or Pixar Place. Here's why I think it is a mistake.

While my kids LOVE to watch Toy Story, that world does not engage them outside the movie. While they watch Woody, Buzz and company, they LIVE Cars, Planes, and The Incredibles. Among my kids and their friends, Mater, Lightning, Dusty, and similar merchandise abounds and is cherished. Woody doesn't get played with.

The numbers show that while Toy Story is a merchandising success, Cars merchandising is even greater growing to be a $10 Billion giant even before the release of the sequel Cars 2. The Cars world is a rich imaginative environment which translated well into the successful Cars Land.

The cast of Toy Story is purposefully generic toys who do the extraordinary. That's why we all love the movies. They are ordinary toys in an ordinary world.

The ordinary nature of the Toy Story universe is what makes me skeptical of a Toy Story Land. The concept of walking in a giant world of toys seems a bit reminiscent of an All Star resort (perhaps a better fit for this concept). Maybe that generic nature will give it staying power when the movies are older, but it seems rather unremarkable compared to the rich world exhibited in Cars Land.

With so many rich worlds and wonderful characters in the Disney/Pixar universe, why limit it to Toy Story which might not translate as well in a large immersive experience?

 

[Eoghann]

Toy Story Land is an answer to a specific problem. DHS needs family friendly rides and it needs additional rides quickly. Toy Story Land answers both of those problems (although we are talking Disney quick here so still a couple of years at least).

If rumors are to be believed a reduced Cars Land could still be on the roadmap in the future.

 

[rteetz]

Toy Story movies are great, and while I'm sure Toy Story Land will be cool and some day I will take my family there and enjoy it, I was hoping for either Cars Land or Pixar Place. Here's why I think it is a mistake.

While my kids LOVE to watch Toy Story, that world does not engage them outside the movie. While they watch Woody, Buzz and company, they LIVE Cars, Planes, and The Incredibles. Among my kids and their friends, Mater, Lightning, Dusty, and similar merchandise abounds and is cherished. Woody doesn't get played with.

The numbers show that while Toy Story is a merchandising success, Cars merchandising is even greater growing to be a $10 Billion giant even before the release of the sequel Cars 2. The Cars world is a rich imaginative environment which translated well into the successful Cars Land.

The cast of Toy Story is purposefully generic toys who do the extraordinary. That's why we all love the movies. They are ordinary toys in an ordinary world.

The ordinary nature of the Toy Story universe is what makes me skeptical of a Toy Story Land. The concept of walking in a giant world of toys seems a bit reminiscent of an All Star resort (perhaps a better fit for this concept). Maybe that generic nature will give it staying power when the movies are older, but it seems rather unremarkable compared to the rich world exhibited in Cars Land.

With so many rich worlds and wonderful characters in the Disney/Pixar universe, why limit it to Toy Story which might not translate as well in a large immersive experience?

Carsland has already been done in California. It's been said that if cars were to come to DHS it wouldn't be an exact clone of the land in California.

I'd also like to point out that these two lands DHS are getting is only the start. A third unannounced area is still supposed to be coming.

Toy story has been successful in theme parks, look at TSMM and toy story playland in Paris or Hong Kong.

Also this is not news or rumors.

 

[Pop Goes the Weasel]

Carsland has already been done in California. It's been said that if cars were to come to DHS it wouldn't be an exact clone of the land in California.

I'd also like to point out that these two lands DHS are getting is only the start. A third unannounced area is still supposed to be coming.

Toy story has been successful in theme parks, look at TSMM and toy story playland in Paris or Hong Kong.

Also this is not news or rumors.

Sorry, as a reaction to an item in the news, I wasn't sure where else to chime in.

I think Toy Story can certainly make for some great attractions. I'm with you there. I'm more concerned with the immersive theming of this large area to the exclusion of other Pixar movies. I hope I'm proven wrong.

 

[dogdangling]

A third land, I'm intrigued where the room for that is going to be, surely the studios have run out of space

 

[Overexcited]

Would be cool for another park the is Pixar themed!

 

[Pop Goes the Weasel]

I think even with the two new lands, they are likely going to have to change the existing park footprint and push out into parking lot. Considering the total monetary expense, I would imagine that rerouting a service road and building some new parking would not be prohibitive. Are there other considerations or hurdles when it comes to expanding the park?

 

[Eoghann]

Sorry, as a reaction to an item in the news, I wasn't sure where else to chime in.

I think Toy Story can certainly make for some great attractions. I'm with you there. I'm more concerned with the immersive themeing of this large area to the exclusion of other Pixar movies. I hope I'm proven wrong.

It's all speculation until they announce it, but consider three things:

1) What's been announced doesn't really seem to match up with the close to three billion that the budget is rumored to be.
2) The 25 acres covered by Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land even if they don't extend park boundaries. Leaves plenty of potential, if you assume that Lights, Motors, Action is on the chopping block. That show only runs twice a day so it's really not eating up that many people. Plus it's expensive to put on. It's a prime site for at least one more land. As I mentioned a reduced version of Cars Land (less rockwork) has been rumored
3) The Muppets are getting a new tv show this fall, if (big if) it's a hit, there may be incentive to do more with their tiny square of the park.

Also consider that the budget in question was supposed to be a 5-6 year thing so it's actually quite likely they haven't announced everything yet.

 

[rteetz]

A third land, I'm intrigued where the room for that is going to be, surely the studios have run out of space

Run out of space? This is WDW there is space everywhere. However it's likely the LMA area isn't used for Star Wars or toy story. That is where the third land is supposed to go.

 

[rteetz]

I think even with the two new lands, they are likely going to have to change the existing park footprint and push out into parking lot. Considering the total monetary expense, I would imagine that rerouting a service road and building some new parking would not be prohibitive. Are there other considerations or hurdles when it comes to expanding the park?

Actually they don't have to expand the current foot print much. Toy story will go behind TsMM and use back stage area. Star Wars in the echo lake area.

 

[rteetz]

It's all speculation until they announce it, but consider three things:

1) What's been announced doesn't really seem to match up with the close to three billion that the budget is rumored to be.
2) The 25 acres covered by Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land even if they don't extend park boundaries. Leaves plenty of potential, if you assume that Lights, Motors, Action is on the chopping block. That show only runs twice a day so it's really not eating up that many people. Plus it's expensive to put on. It's a prime site for at least one more land. As I mentioned a reduced version of Cars Land (less rockwork) has been rumored
3) The Muppets are getting a new tv show this fall, if (big if) it's a hit, there may be incentive to do more with their tiny square of the park.

Also consider that the budget in question was supposed to be a 5-6 year thing so it's actually quite likely they haven't announced everything yet.

Yes 2.8 billion. A big chunk of that for infrastructure including a likely parking garage.

LMA is the area in question. It doesn't seem it would be used for Star Wars or toy story.

A different version of RSR has been rumored for DHS.

Muppets is likely to stay for now and like you said a lot will depend on the tv show.

 

[Kimosabe]

I have no doubt that Toy Story Land can and will be very immersive and well done. I also understand that the two new TS rides announced fit the need at DHS for more family-friendly, B/C/(D?) ticket attractions. But I agree with the idea that there is an insane amount of Pixar IP getting left on the proverbial cutting room floor here. There is no reason why the long-hoped-for Monsters, Inc. door coaster couldn't be made to be a family-friendly coaster rather than Slinky Dog and virtually any other Pixar IP could be utilized for the other ride slated for the little green alien dudes. Toy Story is already represented with two rides at WDW, with one at DHS and one in the MK. And as pitiful as it might be (in my own opinion, of course), Pizza Planet also hooks in Toy Story yet again. Maybe as they create this new/expanded TS world, Pizza Planet will also get an upgrade.

I will just sit back at this point and hope that Toy Story Land is so well done that we all forget about "what might have been." DHS is far and away my wife's least favorite WDW park, while the rest of us in the family very much enjoy it, so anything that will get her interested in going back is good for us, whether Toy Story, Star Wars or whatever.

 

[Kimosabe]

A different version of RSR has been rumored for DHS.

As I resign myself to Toy Story overload at DHS, I could definitely see a fun version of RSR themed for RC (the remote control car) from Toy Story. Any rumor to that effect, or would it be something totally different?

 

[rteetz]

As I resign myself to Toy Story overload at DHS, I could definitely see a fun version of RSR themed for RC (the remote control car) from Toy Story. Any rumor to that effect, or would it be something totally different?

No rumor to that. The RSR ride rumor is just a toned down version of the current one with cars as the theme still. Toy story is still currently only getting the two announced rides.

 

[3DisneyFanz]

I'm glad it's going to be something new. I understand there isn't heavy cross population among guests for DLR and WDW but things need to be different enough to potentially draw people to both places.

 

[JACKNAG]

I'm Glad for something new also. I love all the toy story movies, they are going to need another movie and be at the caliber of Toy story mania for the whole land. To me a land better stand the test of time. but I'm sure Disney imagineneers won't let us down

 

[Anne5555]

Different children have different preferences. My son was obsessed with Toy Story for years and still loves it. His favorite thing to do at WDW is to meet Buzz and Woody and ride their rides. I wish Toy Story Land would open ASAP! At open house this year another child brought a Sheriff Woody toy to school and his teacher commented on how funny he thought it was that so many children were into a movie that he saw when he was a kid. (That made me feel really old!) But of course the TS2 and 3 movies were more recent (I know I saw the 3rd in the theater with both children) and TS4 will be out in 2 or 3 years to draw new fans to the franchise.

My son likes Cars, but not really more than he likes any other Disney/Pixar movie. I think he can relate to the Toy Story characters more than he can to the Cars characters. He has a few Cars toys and diecast type Plane toys, but he never plays with them like he does his Toy Story (and Sponge Bob) toys.

It would be nice if Carsland came to the park at some point in the future, or maybe a land based on the Incredibles, Monsters, Inc., or Pixar movies in general.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

If they had announced a Carsland for WDW, everyone would have complained about Disney "taking the cheap way out and just building more clone attractions." I'm glad to see something new.

 

[MickeyandMinnie04]

my son would never leave toy story land!

 

[Planogirl]

I think that a lot depends on how expansive and well-themed the Star Wars area will be when it comes to the budget. A well done area could eat a lot of that money.