Walt Disney World and Disneyland(s) Discussion

[blue_rogue]

It sounds like Disney World will be adding Star Wars Land and Cars Land to Hollywood Studios!

https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201306/3524/

 

[Coheteboy]

It sounds like Disney World will be adding Star Wars Land and Cars Land to Hollywood Studios!

https://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201306/3524/

Definitely good news because that park REALLY needs to step it up. I am curious though... all the reports about Cars Land being a much smaller, lower budget version of the one in DCA... what that entails I really don't know. I'm sure we'll hear more at the D23 Expo in August.

 

[cokebabies]

Unless they do some remodeling, I don't even know where Cars Land would go. It definitely seems like it'd be a shrunken version. Which would be a shame, since that area is amazing.

They could save some space by getting rid of that awful Luigi's Tires ride.

 

[smitty]

As far as Cars Land being smaller, I'm pretty sure they will omit Luigi's Flying Tires, that ride hasn't gone over very well at DCA.

I'm excited to see what Star Wars Land would incorporate. There's so much potential. I only hope the penny pinchers at Disney don't mess it up.

I sure wish they'd mention a complete re-due of Tomorrowland at Disneyland. The love to DCA has been nice but it's older sibling is in dire need of some major love.

 

[cokebabies]

As far as Cars Land being smaller, I'm pretty sure they will omit Luigi's Flying Tires, that ride hasn't gone over very well at DCA.

I'm almost surprised. I mean, I thought it was awful and incredibly dull, but it always seems to have a long wait.

I know 95% of that wait is simply due to the nature of the loading (like Dumbo), but this seemed like one of those rides where the novelty, no matter how poorly executed, would be enough to get it some love.

 

[smitty]

I've been on it once, last year when the land first opened, and have not had any great desire to go on it again. Maybe if I was walking around and the wait was around 10 minutes I'd jump in line, but otherwise I always skip it. Whereas Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, though simple, I will go on every time I'm there.

It would be nice if the folks at Disney would leave Cars Land in California and make something entirely new in Hollywood Studios, but unfortunately the upper ups at Disney seem more concerned with mediocrity and penny pinching than originality and awesomeness.

 

[Shropt]

Unless they do some remodeling, I don't even know where Cars Land would go. It definitely seems like it'd be a shrunken version. Which would be a shame, since that area is amazing.

They could save some space by getting rid of that awful Luigi's Tires ride.

Word is to take out the stunt show, backlot tour, streets of America, Muppets, Pizza Planet, Honey I shrunk the out of date movie, the burger place between Star Wars and Indy, and I could see them taking out the sound effects show myself.

 

[IrishJedi]

Yeah, I'm hearing the MUPPETS may be a goner, too.

I should find out fairly soon. We'll be consulting on the Tatooine portion.

 

[Shropt]

The Muppets 4-D show either needs to be torn out or updated to HD. The film quality (grain and such) just looks bad though it's still a great show.

 

[Coheteboy]

The Muppets 4-D show either needs to be torn out or updated to HD. The film quality (grain and such) just looks bad though it's still a great show.

I don't know if Orlando has done this but the film was updated to digital projection in California and has looked pretty great. Or is this another example of Orlando Management not taking care of their parks?

ON the subject of Muppets, I'm still disappointed that they announced WhatNot building workshops would be coming to the Disney resorts but it hasn't happened. They announced this at the FIRST Disney Expo which was like four years ago.

 

[cokebabies]

I've been on it once, last year when the land first opened, and have not had any great desire to go on it again. Maybe if I was walking around and the wait was around 10 minutes I'd jump in line, but otherwise I always skip it. Whereas Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, though simple, I will go on every time I'm there.

Yeah the Jamboree looked super mediocre, but turned out to be really fun.

Word is to take out the stunt show, backlot tour, streets of America, Muppets, Pizza Planet, Honey I shrunk the out of date movie, the burger place between Star Wars and Indy, and I could see them taking out the sound effects show myself.

Sounds Dangerous? Has that even been in operation in the last 5+ years? Every time I passed it, it was being used as an area to hand out wristbands, or sign autographs for SWW, or some other miscellaneous use. But yeah, I don't miss that attraction one iota.

While I'd miss the Muppets, and, oddly enough Backlot Express (it's a fairly generic quick service, but I've always liked it), everything on that list can go in favor of Cars Land. That whole chunk of DHS is really weak right now.

 

[Protozaius]

I really would hate to see Muppet Vision 3D leave. Perhaps if it was moved... or condensed somehow to take up less space like it is in Disneyland.

I remember reading that it's one of, if not the, last filmed segment of Jim Henson perfoming Kermit the Frog. Since losing Jim, we also lost Richard Hunt and Jerry Nelson. I've seen the new Muppets film and I think there has been something vital that has been lost in "passing of the torch".

It's still refreshing to see all of the original Muppeteers performing all of their original creations... still creating some of that original Muppet Magic.

 

[Coheteboy]

I really would hate to see Muppet Vision 3D leave. Perhaps if it was moved... or condensed somehow to take up less space like it is in Disneyland.

I remember reading that it's one of, if not the, last filmed segment of Jim Henson perfoming Kermit the Frog. Since losing Jim, we also lost Richard Hunt and Jerry Nelson. I've seen the new Muppets film and I think there has been something vital that has been lost in "passing of the torch".

It's still refreshing to see all of the original Muppeteers performing all of their original creations... still creating some of that original Muppet Magic.

I absolutely love Muppet Vision and yes, it was the last project Jim Henson worked on for the Muppets. He was already in talks with Michael Eisner at the time to sell the Muppets and Disney was going to develop an entire land devoted to them. Unfortunately, he passed away before the sale so the land never happened.

Fast forward to now and disney does own the muppets but there's no Jim Henson. The first movie did well and the sequel is coming out (next year I think) so only time will tell if Muppets will finally get their theme park due.

I think of all places, a Muppet Land would work best in Florida. But it might be too late.



Regarding the future of DHS, I'm now hearing that Cars Land clone may not happen. Orlando management wanted Cars Land but they wanted it on the cheap. John Lasseter got involved saying it has to be done right if at all... the only thing they could ditch is the Flying Tires. As it turns out, it would cost more to build Cars Land in Florida because it has higher winds and Hurricanes... the Cadillac Ridge becomes a sail essentially and would need to be doubly enforced than it was in CA.

But there's no official word right now on it... this is just what I'm hearing.

 

[crows]

Regarding the future of DHS, I'm now hearing that Cars Land clone may not happen. Orlando management wanted Cars Land but they wanted it on the cheap. John Lasseter got involved saying it has to be done right if at all... the only thing they could ditch is the Flying Tires. As it turns out, it would cost more to build Cars Land in Florida because it has higher winds and Hurricanes... the Cadillac Ridge becomes a sail essentially and would need to be doubly enforced than it was in CA.

But there's no official word right now on it... this is just what I'm hearing.

I am kind of hoping this is the case. I am kind of hoping that they do not build cars land in Orlando,
I mean, Cars land should be exclusive to CA and they should just do something else for FL.
I mean,couldn't they do a Pixar land? have rides of the other movies or something?

I am really kind of hoping that it will not happen.......

 

[crows]

Was there any movement in the new simpsons area when you went down? I was there in september and seemed like they were building a krusty burger and moes tavern.

Moe's Tavern and all the restaurants are fully open now, (I know this post is old but still, they are open now)

 

[Protozaius]

Regarding the future of DHS, I'm now hearing that Cars Land clone may not happen. Orlando management wanted Cars Land but they wanted it on the cheap. John Lasseter got involved saying it has to be done right if at all... the only thing they could ditch is the Flying Tires. As it turns out, it would cost more to build Cars Land in Florida because it has higher winds and Hurricanes... the Cadillac Ridge becomes a sail essentially and would need to be doubly enforced than it was in CA.

But there's no official word right now on it... this is just what I'm hearing.

I certainly hope Carsland stays exclusive to DLR. I think there should be more atttractions that are exclusive making each park more distinct.

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Just got back to Texas from two weeks in WDW/US-IOA with the wife and kids -- and my parents, my brother and his girlfriend, and my sister and her boyfriend. Group of eleven total.

Nine park days, four driving days. Kids had a great time. We stayed in the Comfort Suites in Kissimmee. Really nice. Good breakfast buffet. King bed. Room for three kids. And, only $114 a night. Rest of our group stayed on-property ... but, Disney's reasonably-priced rooms don't fit 5 people comfortably at all.

Only 8% over-budget for my family of five ... which ain't terrible. My fuel, food, ticket and hotel budgets were spot-on. Didn't quite account for the wife's gift spending. Heh.

SnakeDoc

 

[Coheteboy]

Just got back to Texas from two weeks in WDW/US-IOA with the wife and kids -- and my parents, my brother and his girlfriend, and my sister and her boyfriend (Group of eleven total).

Nine park days, four driving days. Kids had a great time. We stayed in the Comfort Suites in Kissimmee. Really nice. Good breakfast buffet. King bed. Room for three kids. And, only $114 a night. Rest of our group stayed on-property ... but, Disney's reasonably-priced rooms don't fit 5 people comfortably at all.

Only 8% over-budget for my family of five ... which ain't terrible. My fuel, food, ticket and hotel budgets were spot-on. Didn't quite account for the wife's gift spending. Heh.

SnakeDoc

Care to share with us more from your trip? What was the best thing? What was the worst?

What impressed you more? Universal or Disney?

 

[SnakeDoctor]

Care to share with us more from your trip? What was the best thing? What was the worst?

What impressed you more? Universal or Disney?

I'd been before -- last in 2009 -- so most of it wasn't new to me. New Fantasyland was really well done. Was particularly impressed with the Storybook circus area ... they did a lot to improve that from the old Toontown thing. Little Mermaid ride is probably one of the best dark rides out there -- the animatronic Ariel, Ursula and Sebastien are impressive.

I heard the Storytime with Belle thing was great -- my wife took the kids, who got to participate. I was elsewhere buying a pulled-pork barbecue hotdog (which I highly recommend).

Harry Potter land was great, but the same as 2009 (though slightly less crowded this time). They really should've thought through crowd size more. The whole area is way too small ... and the shops are ridiculously small. Ride made me a bit sick ... moreso than even Mission Space ... but, that's a problem with me, not the ride.

Got to ride Transformers on the 2nd day it was open. Wasn't bad ... though pretty much a straight knock-off of Spider-man from Islands of Adventure. It was good -- but I was a bit disappointed that it didn't take a step-forward rather than just replicating ASM.

I was much more impressed with the Despicable Me ride than with Transformers. It was great. Kids loved it. Never liked Jimmy Neutron much ... preferred Hanna Barbera (which Neutron replaced). But, Despicable Me was above and beyond both.

Universal Studios is looking a bit dated. The Mummy Coaster is the best ride in Universal, though a bit short. They really need a new big-time franchise to reinvigorate that park. Shame they got rid of Jaws, Kong and BTTF. Islands of Adventure is much better than Universal. My 5yo son is a bit young for most thrill rides ... but forced himself onto Jurassic Park (its his favorite movie). Came off it and said "That was awesome!! But ... I don't want to do it again." Heh.

Best part was my daughter. She was 5 last time we went ... and was completely mortified by Splash Mountain. She's now 8 ... and she's a gutsy little girl. Rode literally everything except The Rip Ride Rockit at Universal (which she got on, but got bounced-off just before it started for being too short). She went from screaming straight through Splash Mountain to repeat-riding Tower of Terror.

SnakeDoc

 

[SnakeDoctor]

The new "Celebrate the Magic" projection show between the parade and fireworks at MK was really great ...

SnakeDoc