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[dagobert]

Good to hear that there will be AAs. I'm always amazed by that technology. Unfortunately WDI doesn't build them anymore.

[davewasbaloo]

Sadly, there is a view that AA's do not impress people much anymore. I am not sure where that is coming from, because I think they are the outstanding features of Disney attractions. But when things like Slinky Dog and the Parachutes seem to please the masses in Paris, the top brass wonder why bother with the more expensive AA attractions (especially when things like Phantom Manor is rarely sited by people as a top fav, or when the Buzz AA is largely ignored by people as they rush past to get on the ride).

[dagobert]

Sadly, there is a view that AA's do not impress people much anymore. I am not sure where that is coming from, because I think they are the outstanding features of Disney attractions. But when things like Slinky Dog and the Parachutes seem to please the masses in Paris, the top brass wonder why bother with the more expensive AA attractions (especially when things like Phantom Manor is rarely sited by people as a top fav, or when the Buzz AA is largely ignored by people as they rush past to get on the ride).

It would really be interesting why AAs don't impress anymore. MAybe because many people consider them old fashioned and not modern technology, although it is.

[davewasbaloo]

I don't know what it is? But Disney currently are spending $1.5 billion on the Next Gen programme, with the blueprint being about interactivity. Hmmmmm, personally I would prefer state of the art AA attractions. But I am in the minority so it seems.

[kate&phoo]

I actually really love the studios and although my five year old daughter doesn't seem to realise how good it is for her experience at DLP (she calls it the "brown park"    ) we've had a wonderful time spending lots of time with the characters there, we love all the shows with very little queue time, I love the scenery - I LOVE that park!

For me, in all honesty what would make it better is if they got rid of a few if not all the rides and make more movie sets and scenery, little touches that could only be in DLP.

I would love to go and see a replica of the Bank's nursery in Mary Poppins or even shop in Al's Toy Barn. Cinemagique should be the feather in the Studios cap but I ignored the attraction several times over before going to see it because DLP was ridiculously busy and the queue times were outrageous. Animagique is another attraction which is criminally underplayed.

There are some great attractions in the studios that you don't even know are there. One of the biggest problems with Disneyland Paris fullstop is the lack of nice rides for young and old to enjoy. Snow White, Pinoccio and Peter Pan are too dark for my little girl and what the studios allow is for young and old to go to show and enjoy it universally. There's not much that does that in DLP. You can go on a ride like Aladdin's Carpet Ride anywhere but you won't find Stitch Live! or Animagique at your local carnival.

So in conclusion I really like the Studios but would like more of the same (except for the rides thanks!).

[samuelvictor]

I was surprised by Studios Park when we went in March 2011, I'd heard a lot of people saying it was poor and not worth going to, I can only think that perhaps they'd been before it was expanded and newer stuff was added.

Don't want to be controversial, but after 5 days, I think we all actually liked Studios Park a little MORE than Disneyland Park - or at least as much. After three days out of season we'd done nearly every ride and show once, so we talked about which things we'd like to do again. We did the Studio Tram Tour 5 times, Stitch Live & Slinky Dog 3 times, Animagique & Cinemagique twice,  and the drawing lessons after the Toon Studio tour thing 5 times (great, free souvenir!).

The Playhouse Disney show, Moteurs Action, Tower of Terror and Crush's Coaster were all loved by our family, and personally, I think walking through Lot one is probably my favourite themed shopping area. The Earful tower, mickey statues etc are lovely theming touches, as are the panavision cameras and lights around the place, and all of the theming in Toy Story Playground (queing in slinky dog's game box was a favourite, as were the brio wooden railway pieces being made into benches and the "peeling" stickers on the hotwheels tracks). Oh, and only the wife braved the Aerosmith coaster, but she enjoyed it!

We also had a lot more success interacting with cast members in the Studios Park as it was less crowded, and the stars & cars parade was pretty cool, you're closer to the characters so can interact more with them (shout their name and they can hear and see you, as they are lower down and closer).

If it wasn't for Star Tours and the Buzz Light Year Laser Blast in Discoveryland our kids would have preferred Studios Park hands down. I look forward to this park expanding and having new stuff added as time goes by - as long as they don't change it too much!

[claire2281]

It would really be interesting why AAs don't impress anymore. MAybe because many people consider them old fashioned and not modern technology, although it is.

I think the probably isn't that they aren't new technology it just depends how good they are. The new Jack Sparrow AA for example is brilliant. Some of the existing ones in PotC are frankly awful. I'm glad they've currently removed the sword fighting pirates because they were getting worse and worse until they looked ridiculous.

I do wonder about the maintenance cost for AA stuff too. How long can they keep going before they need serious refurb and how much does it cost? Particularly if you want really top quality stuff. That might put them off using too much of it.

I think really good AA looks great and at the same time I think a ride like Crush copes excellently without it (unless you count Bruce - he's sort of AA I suppose although simplistic enough), and the projections of Nemo and Squirt are perfect for that ride. It seems to be so very dependent on what they're creating and what the source material is.

[samuelvictor]

Overall I was underwhelmed with most of the AAs in the two parks, which was a surprise, I was expecting to enjoy them, always been a fan of animatronics in 80s & 90s films, perhaps I expected too much. Most of the ones in Snow White, Peter Pan, Pinocchio etc would have been just as cool as models if they were static. I liked the models, just found the very basic movement distracting.

The Buzz Lightyear one in Laser Blast however was very impressive, probably the best I've seen. C3PO & the fixing droids in Star Tours were brilliant as well. The dragon under the castle was very cool, wish it'd have moved a little more though. Everything in Phantom Manor was cool. Unfortunately in "It's a Small World" many seemed to be broken or stuck, though overall I enjoyed the theme and message of the ride. Pirates of the Caribbean was closed for refurb when we were there.