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[DLP-Photos.com]

It isn't New York. When you go to the hotel again just take a look at the meet n' greet area for Disney characters in the hotel lobby near the entrance of the restaurant. And when you stay at that hotel look out of the window and see the great view of Disney village and lake Disney. it's a wonderful hotel, I love it. And it's in Disneyland Resort Paris, not New York.

No it is not New York just as Pirates isn't in the Caribbean, the original Space Mountain wasn't in the time-age of Jules Verne or Big Thunder Mountain isn't in the far west - that is what Disney does so great. They build immersive locations and use themening to take you somewhere completely different from where you are! If this wasn't the case it would just be a parisian theme park.

[ed-uk]

Have you've been in the restaurant? Have you stayed at the hotel and experienced the immersive themeing? We're talking about two art deco style pictures of Ratatouille.

[DLP-Photos.com]

"I am not saying you cannot change anything or that this update is a catastrophe." I wrote this in one of the replies you answered.

This update to me is a small thing and no I haven't stayed at the hotel, but I know that is has great feeling and some great themening (I have been in there) and of course this update won't make the general feeling of the hotel that much worse. BUT I do not have to have stayed in the hotel to see that Ratatouille doesn't fit into the overall theme of the hotel.

The thing about Disney is that even the smallest details are coherent with the general story of the location (in this example Hotel New York).

This is just a painting or two, but it is these details that makes the themening so immersive in every corner of an attraction, hotel or restaurant. My arguements haven't been to this update only, it is a general view of how things are going - this was just the latest example. A similar little detail that would still ruin the overall story would be the integration of Stinky Pete AA inside the last tunnel of BTM - that would be a very small detail in the complete attraction, but still enough to make it less perfect.

[Anthony]

... And Ratatouille does work in my opinion because Remy is a chief and he does work in a restaurant.

Sadly, it seems that was exactly the depth of thinking applied here :roll:

Exactly. There appears to have been very little gone on here except making that connection. Which has already been done at Restaurant des Stars! And, unless it has really been cancelled, will be done again next door to the new dark ride. Yes, it's only two pictures, but why take the hotel's main restaurant towards a French Ratatouille theme? Why?! It seems like such a cheap fix for somewhere which should really be top-class, having a live jazz band playing Disney songs to bring in more guests, or something. Not window transfers of Paris.

The funny thing is, Hotel New York is probably the one hotel which could do with a bit more "fun" to it, and a touch more "Disney", but this just looks like they went with the first idea anyone shouted out rather than sitting down to actually think about what this restaurant should be, what it should add to the hotel.

(I'm not outraged either, I should say, this is just a bit disappointing to see)

[ed-uk]

A picture is a personal thing, some will like it some wont. I'm not defending the change, they can put it back the way it was. It would be nice to have a top class restaurant and I would go in provided it wasn't too expensive, and top class reataurants often are expensive. Not keen on Jazz so that wouldn't pull me in but others might like it. If we're really ment to believe we're staying  in a hotel in New York, and that's where we're being transported to, I can't believe they wouldn't be allowed to hang a modern piece of art work on the wall, or hang a Monet print in a New York Hotel. And why wouldn't Disney have a French Restaurant in one of their hotels in France, even if they do have some Ratatouille pictures on the wall. The film is set in France, it was a success.  Maybe it just sounds to easy for some? I can see the logic in it. It's Disney's Hotel New York. And that makes a difference to me.

[RnRCj]

To be honest, it's only a couple of pictures, so it doesn't really bother me. It's just the concept of it that is very disappointing.

There are lots of these small changes like this happening around the resort which are not really  improving anything. For a resort that is apparently in debt I think it would be much wiser to spend on things that would actually bring it closer to the famous Disney standards.

Disney theme parks are not all about the characters. Walt himself created attractions like the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise etc. which aren't in any way related to the Disney film characters. In fact, only a small part of Walt's original park was dedicated to the characters so this shows he wanted his parks to be more about the unique themed experiences. For a resort that has "Disney" in the title I think they should respect Walt's ideas and concepts.

In this particular case, Ratatouille is very obviously French whilst the theme of the hotel is very obviously New York; the theming inconsistency is clear. Therefore this change is not up to the expected Disney standards and should not have taken place.

[Scissorsboi]

I honestly think that the biggest problem with footfall in the hotel restaurants isn't theme, isn't food quality, it's just that guests who visit Village DON'T KNOW they exist and that they can eat there. How often have you seen guests wandering down to the Hotels who aren't staying there?

I think before updating/renovating restaurants is undertaken, initial advertising their existance should be addressed.

However, I'm not a fan of Ratatouille in the restaurant as there is already one in Studios, a simpler theme would have been to rename it "The Manhattan Gallery" and to switch out paintings for ones available in Disney Gallery, then you have a restaurant with class, good food and a merchandise situation where if you're seated next to a beautiful piece of artwork which you can buy, you'd go down to Disney Gallery and investigate possibly resulting in spending. That way there can be characters in the restaurant, with no overall theme to tie them together whilst still being presentable.

But as I say, until people know they exist in the first place, I don't see any changes making any difference.

[dagobert]

It seems that as long as anything is somehow related to Disney, the new Imagineers think it will fit anywhere in Disneyland.

Adding toons to the resorts (Santa Fe) seems to happen just in Paris. There is no Disney hotel in the US, Japan and Hongkong that has references to any toons, except the cheap All Star Resorts, the Pop Century and the future Art of Animation hotel.

I really doubt that these new pictures will attract more people to the restaurant. Is the Manhattan restaurant successful and how is the food there? I have never eaten there so I don't know. Like Scissorsboi mentioned, there should be more advertisement of the hotel restaurants in the resort.

I also wonder how the Disney Hotels in Paris would be rated by an international hotel rating agency, since I think the quality can't be compared to other hotels. Maybe Disney should consider spending the money on that instead on unnecessary pictures.

The pictures don't bother me that much, it just seems that Disney in Paris just doesn't think anymore, like Anthony, Nicolai and forza have already mentioned. And Ratatouille is already featured in Restaurant des Stars, but at least it wasn't renamed related to the movie.

Forza, I really liked your example with Stinky Pete inside BTM!!! It made me laugh, but don't say it too loud, maybe someone from DLP-I might think about it and technically he would fit. Forza you also mentioned the rules featured in the new Imagineering book, but somehow I think that they  don't apply anymore in Paris. By the way it's a great book.
It's really frustrating what's happening in Paris.

[ed-uk]

I think it's to early to judge it. i'm going to wait and see what they do to the restaurant, look at the menu and price. I've only had breakfast in there and it is very nice. It looked like it had just been decorated. What is clear, Disney is looking for greater synergy between its films and theme parks. I think that comes from Disney HQ in America.

[ben mcqueen]

I'm going to be staying in Sequioa Lodge this Wed-Fri and plan on going to dinner here so i'll take plenty of pics to post up here when i get back!

[RiverRogue]

It seems that as long as anything is somehow related to Disney, the new Imagineers think it will fit anywhere in Disneyland.

Forza, I really liked your example with Stinky Pete inside BTM!!! It made me laugh, but don't say it too loud, maybe someone from DLP-I might think about it and technically he would fit. Forza you also mentioned the rules featured in the new Imagineering book, but somehow I think that they  don't apply anymore in Paris. By the way it's a great book.

Oh well, I'll spell it out one more time... try to remember it before next blaming DLPI for those projects:

First, they're not "new" Imagineers. Most have been around at least since park opening and they know their jobs very well. Maybe even better than you do.

The problem is, as I've said several times before, that they don't always have their way. Marketing considerations and in-company politics are given priority nowadays.

[dagobert]

Oh well, I'll spell it out one more time... try to remember it before next blaming DLPI for those projects:

First, they're not "new" Imagineers. Most have been around at least since park opening and they know their jobs very well. Maybe even better than you do.

The problem is, as I've said several times before, that they don't always have their way. Marketing considerations and in-company politics are given priority nowadays.

Okay, it seems that you are somehow affiliated to Disney or Disneyland Paris. Maybe you work there, I don't know.

With the term NEW Imagineers I mean the people who didn't design the park, like Tim Delaney, Tom Morris, Tony Baxter and so on did. Unfortunately none of them is anymore involved in Paris. There is a podcast about Tim Delaney involved in creating DLRP and how they cared a lot about the place, the stories told and how everything should fit the theme. I just think that this passion they had for Disneyland Paris back then isn't found anymore.

I do know that they know the job better than me. I'm just a fan of the place, but I don't have to like everything they do. The Imagineers praise theirself for telling stories and how everything has to fit the theme, like it is mentioned in all their books, but things like "improving" hotels with just adding toons, just doesn't fit their principles. That's my opinion!! So no offense.

I do know that I can't blame DLP-I for everything, but when creating something new or adding new things to the resort, it usually comes down to Imagineering. I don't have the insight like you have, and so I don't know if WDI in Glendale, DLP-I in Paris or if the Entertainment Department created it. I sum all of them up in the term Imagineering and since DLP-I is responsible for Paris, I thought they did add the toons.

I do know that the Imagineers can't have their ways, since there are budgets restraints and other reasons, but hopefully that will change again.

I do know that the management has the last word, that marketing is very important and that the financial situation is not good, but hopefully the new CEO of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Tom Staggs will have an influence on new projects, like he had on the reworked Fantasyland at WDW.

I just wanted to say that I'm not happy with the recent additions of toons everywhere in the resort. And since this is not happening at other Disney Resorts around the globe, it must be a Paris thing.
I also want to say that I didn't want to offense anyone. I was just making clear how I think about that all and I really don't want that this topic turns into another TSPL disaster.

[RiverRogue]

With the term NEW Imagineers I mean the people who didn't design the park, like Tim Delaney, Tom Morris, Tony Baxter and so on did. Unfortunately none of them is anymore involved in Paris.

Not quite true. As I've said before, several of the Imagineers currently at DLPI have worked on the design of DLP. The lands' executive designers didn't work all alone, you know. Up until recently, the director of DLPI was the guy who designed the entire Alice area of Fantasyland. One of the senior designers worked on the design of Main Street. Just for example...

I can attest to the fact that most of the Imagineers in Paris care about the resort and know what it should be like, more so than many of the Imagineers currently in Glendale. They don't deserve the blame for much of what's happening at the moment.

I completely understand that people on the outside can't know all this, but as a result it would be sensible to phrase your accusations accordingly.

[dagobert]

With the term NEW Imagineers I mean the people who didn't design the park, like Tim Delaney, Tom Morris, Tony Baxter and so on did. Unfortunately none of them is anymore involved in Paris.

Not quite true. As I've said before, several of the Imagineers currently at DLPI have worked on the design of DLP. The lands' executive designers didn't work all alone, you know. Up until recently, the director of DLPI was the guy who designed the entire Alice area of Fantasyland. One of the senior designers worked on the design of Main Street. Just for example...

I can attest to the fact that most of the Imagineers in Paris care about the resort and know what it should be like, more so than many of the Imagineers currently in Glendale. They don't deserve the blame for much of what's happening at the moment.

I completely understand that people on the outside can't know all this, but as a result it would be sensible to phrase your accusations accordingly.

First thanks for the information about the Imagineers. I didn't know that.

And I want to make sure that I didn't want to offend anyone at DLP-I, I just wanted to tell how I think about the recent transitions and addings and I have to admit that I thought it was their idea to add the characters. I know they have a tough job with all the cost cuttings.
Isn't WDI or DLP-I not allowed to veto against such things, since, like you said, they still care a lot about DLRP. Does TWDC have any influence on what's happening at DLRP?

So when DLP-I isn't responsible for all this, who is? I mean I can't imagine that the adding of the toons to the hotel was done by WDI in Glendale.

You are right that I have to phrase my accusations accordingly, but since I don't know who it was it comes down to Imagineering, since most people think, me included, that the Imagineers are responsible for nearly everything that happens at any Disney Resort.

[Anthony]

Is this even a DLP-I project? (Is it even a "project"?)

Seems more like the restaurants division not knowing what to do with the place.