Who's looking forward to new Toy Story Land?

[Helvetica]

I keep seeing people say "off the rack rides" - but are any of the rides in Toy Story Land really "off the rack"? I know the Alien Swirling Saucer ride is a clone of Mater's at DCA, but I thought it was a new concept then so still a Disney specific ride ... and the Slinky Dog Dash was designed for that space and has two launches and an animatronic Wheezy at the end, etc. - doesn't feel "off the rack" to me

I get it for Dinoland as those are rides that are in other (non-Disney) parks quite often, just themed. But heck, Rock N Rollercoaster is literally a copy of a ride in a different themepark, just put inside a building and people seem fine with that

Slinky Dog Dash is a Mack Launch Coaster. It's pretty scaled back in terms of what the model is actually capable of, but it is a model that's in a lot of other parks overseas and two launches for this model is pretty standard. Personally, I'm a big fan of the theming of Slinky Dog Dash. You won't see this kind of configuration anywhere else or the other elements, so I personally wouldn't classify it as off the rack like I would the Wild Mouse Coaster at Animal Kingdom.

 

[disneysteve]

Rock N Rollercoaster is literally a copy of a ride in a different themepark, just put inside a building and people seem fine with that

I think the magic of Disney is the queue, the pre-show, and the theming of the ride itself. The ride mechanism is almost secondary. RNR is a great overall experience even though you can ride a similar coaster lots of places. At the other places, it is probably a fairly generic queue and an unadorned ride. If Slinky Dog has a great queue, pre-show, and theming of the ride itself, I'm sure folks will be okay with this one, too, even though the ride itself is very generic.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Slinky Dog Dash is a Mack Launch Coaster. It's pretty scaled back in terms of what the model is actually capable of, but it is a model that's in a lot of other parks overseas and two launches for this model is pretty standard. Personally, I'm a big fan of the theming of Slinky Dog Dash. You won't see this kind of configuration anywhere else or the other elements, so I personally wouldn't classify it as off the rack like I would the Wild Mouse Coaster at Animal Kingdom.

oh yeah, not saying it's a never before seen ride system or antyhing - but that is different (at least to me) than an "off-the-shelf" attraction is all

 

[disneysteve]

the Wild Mouse Coaster at Animal Kingdom.

And it's funny how people criticize Primeval Whirl but don't say a word about Space Mountain which is also a very basic coaster.

 

[Helvetica]

And it's funny how people criticize Primeval Whirl but don't say a word about Space Mountain which is also a very basic coaster.

Space Mountain is fun and there are some unique elements.

Primeval Whirl just hurts. It's not even a good Wild Mouse Coaster.

 

[tweedletwin]

Space Mountain is fun and there are some unique elements.

Primeval Whirl just hurts. It's not even a good Wild Mouse Coaster.

This is how I feel about it. I’ve ridden rides relatively similar to Primeval Whirl at large county fairs. It’s fine, but what little theming it does have doesn’t make up for the fact that it looks more fun than it actually is.

Space Mountain is proof that excellent theming can take an average ride and make it better than the sum of its parts (this is especially true for the Disneyland version, which I think offers a smoother ride experience, and I also think has a superior soundtrack). Putting that coaster in the dark, plussing it with a soundtrack and projections make the whole thing seem a lot faster and more thrilling than it is. Space Mountain is by no means a spring chicken, but it still commands some impressive wait times because it’s so successfully done. If you compare it to Goofy’s Sky School at DCA (also a Wild Mouse type ride), you can see what a difference thoughtful theming makes.

 

[disneysteve]

Primeval Whirl just hurts. It's not even a good Wild Mouse Coaster.

My family is among the exceptions. We love the ride. We hit it every trip.

 

[embracejg]

I love the logic pretzels Disney fans twist themselves into calling this place something special yet attacking everything Universal does as lazy and uninspired. I love Toy Story as much as anyone else, but this land was done on the cheap and people will notice.

 

[disneysteve]

I love Toy Story as much as anyone else, but this land was done on the cheap and people will notice.

I think hard core fans like us will notice. I don't think most of the 15 million people who will visit the park in the next year will give it a second thought. They'll see some cool statues and theming and a couple of fun rides that their kids will enjoy.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I love the logic pretzels Disney fans twist themselves into calling this place something special yet attacking everything Universal does as lazy and uninspired. I love Toy Story as much as anyone else, but this land was done on the cheap and people will notice.

I think there is a difference between saying something is "special" and being excited for something. I am excited for it but also understand what it is - a nice area that is the lesser of the two new lands coming to a park that I think will be really neat. As for "on the cheap" I think that is pushing it - or at least we don't know until we see it done. They are having multiple animatronics in it and seem to be adding a lot of details. Now is it, Pandora immersive? No, but again, I am not expecting that

And people have called out Disney for the Alien ride just being a clone of what is at DCA, just like people call out Universal when their rides are virtually clones of other rides

 

[Tonyz]

And it's funny how people criticize Primeval Whirl but don't say a word about Space Mountain which is also a very basic coaster.

Well I think you explained it well already... the queue, theming, postqueue, music...

Was SM at one time a “technically brilliant/advanced” ride or did those types of rides already exist in 1977?

 

[disneysteve]

Was SM at one time a “technically brilliant/advanced” ride or did those types of rides already exist in 1977?

I think when Space Mountain opened in 1975, roller coasters were pretty well-established. I don't think there was anything particularly ground-breaking about the actual ride itself. What made it a big deal was being indoors in the dark.

As for Primeval Whirl, the very well executed theme of the entire area just somehow missed the mark. People just never "got" the fact that it was supposed to look like a tacky roadside carnival. That's the whole point. It achieved exactly what it was supposed to. Guests just never liked it for whatever reason. Of course, that's true of much of Animal Kingdom. We've been visiting the park since before it opened to the public and we loved it from the very first time. It has changed a lot in 20 years to give it more mainstream guest appeal.

 

[disneysteve]

I think there is a difference between saying something is "special" and being excited for something.

That's a good point. I'm excited any time Disney adds new stuff. As a regular visitor, it is nice to have something different to check out whether it's a ride, show, store, restaurant, parade, etc. That doesn't mean that every new thing is the greatest thing ever.

Craig mentioned on the show how not every new ride can be an E-ticket experience. They need a variety. They need things with large capacity. They need things for all ages. The 2 rides in Toy Story Land are going to be popular and well-liked even if they aren't wildly new or innovative.

 

[tweedletwin]

As for Primeval Whirl, the very well executed theme of the entire area just somehow missed the mark. People just never "got" the fact that it was supposed to look like a tacky roadside carnival. That's the whole point. It achieved exactly what it was supposed to. Guests just never liked it for whatever reason. Of course, that's true of much of Animal Kingdom. We've been visiting the park since before it opened to the public and we loved it from the very first time. It has changed a lot in 20 years to give it more mainstream guest appeal.

I am totally one of those people that was never impressed by it, LOL. And it’s not that I didn’t understand that they were trying to theme it to “tacky roaside carnival,” its that I thought that it was kind of a lazy idea thematically in the first place. What makes Disney parks so special to me personally, is that the theming elevates it beyond carnival and amusement park status. I just never found that the theming of Dinoland did anything SO much more innovative that I didn’t look around and go “ok, so basically my state fair with cartoon dinosaurs.” What could they have done to wow me and maintain that theme? I don’t know, but the same Imagineers created Expedition Everest, and an African village that looks nearly identical to locations I visited in Kenya. So the land just ends up looking like “We Ran Out of Money Land.”

I consistently skip Dinoland when I’m at Animal Kingdom, and I consistently skip Paradise Pier when I’m at DCA for the same reason. When I’m at a Disney park I just expect more than a cheeky “oh but it’s MEANT to be a carnival!” Dinosaurs offer such a rich subject matter- the kind of innovative, immersive placemaking that could’ve been done...it’s hard (for me) to look at Dinoland in comparison to the rest of Animal Kingdom and not consider it a lost opportunity and a bit out of step with the immersion that exists within the rest of the park.

 

[disneysteve]

it’s hard (for me) to look at Dinoland in comparison to the rest of Animal Kingdom and not consider it a lost opportunity and a bit out of step with the immersion that exists within the rest of the park.

It certainly isn't Beastly Kingdom like it was supposed to be. I'll give you that much.

Still, I like the fake tackiness of it. We like Primeval Whirl. It's a must-do for us. I don't care about the Dumbo knock off, but I don't care about Dumbo either. There are a couple of good snack options back there. The nachos from the little motor home cart are actually rather good.

There did use to be a tent building that had dinosaur "artifacts" that was pretty neat. I don't know why that went away.

 

[tweedletwin]

It certainly isn't Beastly Kingdom like it was supposed to be. I'll give you that much.

Still, I like the fake tackiness of it. We like Primeval Whirl. It's a must-do for us. I don't care about the Dumbo knock off, but I don't care about Dumbo either. There are a couple of good snack options back there. The nachos from the little motor home cart are actually rather good.

There did use to be a tent building that had dinosaur "artifacts" that was pretty neat. I don't know why that went away.

Yes! The loss of Beastly Kingdom kind of broke my heart. Dinoland just isn’t a 1:1 replacement for me.

And it’s not that I think Primeval Whirl is an *awful* ride. It’s fine. But fine is not why I do Disney. I actually enjoy carnivals and I never miss my state fair. I always have a great time- but my expectations (and the price I pay) fall in line with that. When I go to Disney parks, I expect more from them than carnival games and rides.

To bring it back to Toy Story Land, I guess I just rankle at the idea that some people feel we should give subpar theming a pass because it’s a “land for kids,” and there aren’t E-ticket rides there in the first place. I don’t think it’s a good excuse. Especially when Disney has proven over and over again that they can create beautiful and engaging environments for guests of all ages, even if the rides present there aren’t E-tickets.

 

[rteetz]

Yes! The loss of Beastly Kingdom kind of broke my heart. Dinoland just isn’t a 1:1 replacement for me.

And it’s not that I think Primeval Whirl is an *awful* ride. It’s fine. But fine is not why I do Disney. I actually enjoy carnivals and I never miss my state fair. I always have a great time- but my expectations (and the price I pay) fall in line with that. When I go to Disney parks, I expect more from them than carnival games and rides.

To bring it back to Toy Story Land, I guess I just rankle at the idea that some people feel we should give subpar theming a pass because it’s a “land for kids,” and there aren’t E-ticket rides there in the first place. I don’t think it’s a good excuse. Especially when Disney has proven over and over again that they can create beautiful and engaging environments for guests of all ages, even if the rides present there aren’t E-tickets.

Dinoland didn’t go where beastly Kingdom was supposed to go anyways. Camp Minnie Mickey was there and now Pandora.

It all comes down to budget and the Euro Disney problem. Had Euro Disney been successful a ton of cancelled projects would’ve went through.

 

[tweedletwin]

Dinoland didn’t go where beastly Kingdom was supposed to go anyways. Camp Minnie Mickey was there and now Pandora.

It all comes down to budget and the Euro Disney problem. Had Euro Disney been successful a ton of cancelled projects would’ve went through.

Yep, I understand that wasn’t the intended location.

And re: your second paragraph, that is exactly my point. A lot of the lands that thematically don’t work for me CAN be traced back to budget cuts.

DCA 1.0 as whole is a prime example of this. They spent tons of money reworking that park because it was done on a shoestring budget and it showed. It’s hard not to be a little disappointed when you look at Tokyo Disney Sea. I would’ve loved if the original Disney Sea concept had come to fruition.

And none of this is to say that I don’t love or enjoy these parks! I’m a Disneyland annual passholder and I don’t even live in the state. I just think it’s possible to love something *and* be critical of parts of it. Disney shines when it innovates!

 

[loblolly]

I'm always excited to see new things, and this is a fairly big project. My kids are at that age where some of the attractions/movies that I grew up with aren't as exciting for them, but THEY grow up with Toy Story. And, even as two 13 and 16 year old boys, I think they would enjoy at least checking it out and exploring a little. So, while we're not on the edge of our seats the way we will be with something like Tron, or even the Star Wars hotel (I really want to see how it turns out and how it'll work), it is something that I'm at least looking forward to checking out.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

I also miss what I thought Beastly Kingdom was supposed to be. As a huge fan of "all things mystical", I was VERY excited at the thought of dragons, wizards, and even seeing a unicorn in real life!! My heart broken when I realized it was a "no go".