Disney Parks News

[Viper26 20]

I feel that they're making DCA be somewhat of another Hollywood Studios/movie backlot themed park and taking away the California theme it was meant to have. I don't mind a movie themed area in the park, . Retheming Paradise Pier to Pixar Pier is a bad move especially with the rides there being built or rethemed in this decade (Ariel's undersea Adventure, Goofy's Sky School, Fun Wheel, etc). Some of the stuff that's being done at Disney Parks lately haven't been good despite the announcement and opening of several good rides and attractions as well as Disney Shanghai.

[The Master 122]

They are also going to close down the Great Movie Ride and replace it with Mickey and Minnie indoor rollercoaster.

[Yoshi 241]

I don't like that The Great Movie Ride is closing at all and so soon. They couldn't have waited until Toy Story Land opens next year so the park wouldn't have almost a year of just 4 rides open? A Mickey ride is a great idea, just not as a replacement for The Great Movie Ride and it removes another tame ride. The entire park except Toy Story Mania is thrill rides.

[29yrswithaGApass 1,323]

^ Couldn't agree more. And they still charge full price for admission to that park.

[29yrswithaGApass 1,323]

It would appear that the new Star Wars Galaxy's Edge will use the ride technology from Mission Space as the basis for the Millennium Falcon attraction. That seems odd being Mission Space was never a big success.

 

Photo from WDWMagic.com

[Mrpq 36]

^{that dudes earing/s is out of control lol}

[Yoshi 241]

Hopefully it uses redesigned ride vehicles / cabins. I took one look at the sample cabin outside the Mission Space entrance years ago and decided it wasn't for me because of how close the riders are to the screen.

[The Master 122]

It would appear that the new Star Wars Galaxy's Edge will use the ride technology from Mission Space as the basis for the Millennium Falcon attraction. That seems odd being Mission Space was never a big success.

 

Photo from WDWMagic.com

Also seems pretty redundant with Star Tours already existing. Btw, I really hate how Disney is handling Star Wars in general.

[Yoshi 241]

Universe of Energy's replacement is now confirmed to be a coaster:

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/10/confirmed-guardians-galaxy-ride-epcot-will-revolutionary-roller-coaster-rude/

[Lemur 72]

19 hours ago, Yoshi said:

Universe of Energy's replacement is now confirmed to be a coaster:

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/10/confirmed-guardians-galaxy-ride-epcot-will-revolutionary-roller-coaster-rude/

 

Disney really should thank James Gunn for making the GOTG movies such massive successes.  The Guardians aren't subject to the Marvel-Universal licensing agreement that's keeping the Avengers stuck over at IOA.  

[The Master 122]

Screamscape reports that California Screamin will be renamed to the Incredicoaster, which I think is stupid. Especially since Screamin is a long well known and established coaster to rename at that this late date. 

[Lemur 72]

As much as I understand this is Disney trading on their own intellectual property, which is their right, it just doesn't jive with what Walt did at Anaheim and Orlando.  Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates, the Haunted Mansion and the Matterhorn had zero to do with Disney IP.  They were all original, immersive and amazing.  What IP they did trade on was well developed and appropriate and also immersive and amazing.  And I say this as someone who loves both Star Wars and the Marvel movies, but I don't want to see re-purposed rides cheaply rethemed.  I want to see new and amazing rides.  

[GAcoaster 280]

Chapek (head of Disney Parks division) has a background in merchandise, so any new additions have to be able to sell something to pay for them. 

 

It's one of those things where Disney used to give the guests things they didn't know they wanted (Pirates, Mansion, Jungle Cruise, etc.), now it's a case of how can they leverage it economically, what will create more revenue so the bean counters can justify the cost with return on investment. That's why they won't spend money on things like the EPCOT unless it's to add characters and sell more stuff. 

[29yrswithaGApass 1,323]

Sadly that is what is wrong with today's Disney and most major theme park companies, especially those on the NYSE.  

[Yoshi 241]

On 11/8/2017 at 4:54 PM, GAcoaster said:

Chapek (head of Disney Parks division) has a background in merchandise, so any new additions have to be able to sell something to pay for them. 

 

It's one of those things where Disney used to give the guests things they didn't know they wanted (Pirates, Mansion, Jungle Cruise, etc.), now it's a case of how can they leverage it economically, what will create more revenue so the bean counters can justify the cost with return on investment. That's why they won't spend money on things like the EPCOT unless it's to add characters and sell more stuff. 

 

I never thought about that before but now it makes sense why all these new additions to the parks are almost all licensed attractions. It's a shame that EPCOT especially is probably going to get more and more licenses.

 

Some new information about the Guardian's of the Galaxy coaster has been released.

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2017/12/breaking-new-details-revealed-guardians-galaxy-ride-epcot-coaster-will-not-feature-inversions/

There will be no inversions and it is yet another launch coaster. I'm still not really looking forward to it that much just because of the theme and now that whole side of Future World that used to have 3 rides that anyone could ride is now 3 more intense / thrill rides that are much more limited in who can ride them (both height requirements and health warnings or people that don't like more thrilling rides). Not to mention it will probably be a Tier 1 FastPass ride so it's either give up a Test Track FastPass or deal with ridiculous standby waits.

 

 

[The Master 122]

So I have seen the new GOTG  facade on the former Tower of Terror, and it is more ugly in person than in photos. Its is just so cheap and tacky looking now. 

[Yoshi 241]

Yeah I agree. It looks so out of place and something I would expect to see as a building in Tomorrowland. It was also strange to see all the Marvel merchandise being sold in the park. Probably because I'm used to the Florida parks where they don't sell those items.

[Medusa42 223]

7 minutes ago, Yoshi said:

It was also strange to see all the Marvel merchandise being sold in the park. Probably because I'm used to the Florida parks where they don't sell those items.

Not as strange as Marvel prizes showing up at Six Flags Great America this year.

 

 

[Yoshi 241]

I wouldn't have expected to see that. It reminds me of around 10 years ago when multiple Six Flags parks were selling Disney character merchandise.

[Viper26 20]

When I was at Hersheypark there was a store towards the front of the park that was selling mostly DC Super Hero merchandise and barely any Hershey Company products.

[29yrswithaGApass 1,323]

Back in 2007 I went to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom and was surprised to see that they had a "Disney Store".

 

 

[Mr.Six 70]

23 hours ago, Yoshi said:

I wouldn't have expected to see that. It reminds me of around 10 years ago when multiple Six Flags parks were selling Disney character merchandise.

I remember when the Musik Express played Disney music back when it was open.  Brings back good memories.

[The Master 122]

On 12/11/2017 at 6:46 PM, Viper26 said:

When I was at Hersheypark there was a store towards the front of the park that was selling mostly DC Super Hero merchandise and barely any Hershey Company products.

 

That store sells alot of Pop stuff like the Walking Dead  and Star Wars shirts.

 

Screamscape reports that Stich's Escape has reopened for the Christmas season for the last time. After the holidays, Stich will close down forever. 

[Coaster Justin 35]

On 12/11/2017 at 6:59 PM, 29yrswithaGApass said:

Back in 2007 I went to Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom and was surprised to see that they had a "Disney Store".

 

 

 

 

A Wise person once said "The merchandise selection went through more changes beginning to carry other character merchandise like Disney and other non Warner characters as they looked to increase sales to kids regardless of the park's licensing."

 

Don't remember who said it. They were smart and seem really nice.

[The Master 122]

So I rode the Guardians of the Galaxy redo of the former Twilight Zone and its pretty much a halfassed retheme of the ride. It still looks mostly like a 1930s hotel, only with scifi stuff tacked on, sort of looks like a retro future on Doctor Who (cheap). There is even the mandatory annoying Stan Lee cameo in the lobby pre show. The biggest change is in the library which changed into the bad guy's office with a audioamtronic of the raccoon character. The basement, boiler room waiting area is still a boiler room, only it has old non operating audioamtranics, some rope lights, and old car parts tacked on to the boilers to make things look futuristic. They just slap a old belt driven car radiator fan on the front of a boiler with a few wires. The ride itself is largely the same, just different video. The lines for it were insane, and fast passes ran out early. They also have a lame GOTG dance off show in front of the ride.         

Edited December 17, 2017 by The Master