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[Josh]

I guess Disney Parks are a way to discover new Disney films as well, though. I'd never seen Sleeping Beauty, for example, when I was a kid. A big and elaborate land like Carsland may help to continue to popularise the franchise.

It will be difficult for Cars to be a "timeless classic" like Snow White is, because it's set in the modern era whereas other films are set in a point in history outside of living memory that will never change.

[pussinboots]

I wholly disagree. Afterall, Walt built Mainstreet USA and Frontierland in California (where there are dozens of ghost towns and paddlewheelers still ply the Sacramento river). And DLP has a European flair in Fantasyland and discoveryland. It's not what you do but the way that you do it!

and i am more excited about our trip to Puy de Fou than DLP next year to explore recreations of European history!

"European flair," "small town USA" and "the Wild West" as partial themes of a park are not the same as a park based on California. For one thing, they merely occupy sections of a park that has quite a bit of diversity. I'm not opposed to bits here and there involving specific geography; but an entire park based on such a narrow theme? Awful idea.

Let's review the non-Disneyland-style parks with the most successful, fruitful, nonobstructive themes: Epcot was born out of ideas of utopianism and eventually became a celebration of innovation and community. (And also far away places.) Animal Kingdom is dedicated to the wonders of nature. (And also far away places.) DisneySea, while masquerading as a park about the oceans, is really a park about the universal longing to go beyond the horizon, to explore. (And also far away places.) The ocean theme merely gives it some really neat landscaping.

See a common theme here? They were all founded on very broad, almost philosophical ideas, and they all quench our thirst for traveling to far away places. The sucker parks (Studios 1&2 and California Adventure) are stuck in unsatisfying little corners and are forced to live on with very flawed basic genetic structures.

As for Disneyland; I need only to point to the names of the lands to make that point. There's also that sign at the entrance...

[Epcot_Boy]

I do think that we should not forget that the Disneyland Parks are in the main American, or at least a representation of America (It could be argued that it's a very loose association I guess). After all when we enter the parks we go through Liberty Square into Main Street, USA, not the Rue Saint-Jacques or Russell Street (Hong Kong) or Shinsaibashi Osaka in Japan.
But yes, where Disney (The Company) was clever in those early years was applying diversity in the other lands and Disney theme parks. You could experience the Culture (Disneys interpretation not withstanding) of various places around the world without having to travel to do so.
Disneys exploration of various cultures within their theme parks has facinated me and to be honest it's never really bothered me if that happens to be a Californian town during the gold rush or a trip back to medieval times with King Arthur's Carrousel.
The facination for me was Disney's interpretation of the various cultures, not really where they came from. So America, Europe, Asia I don't really mind, I just want Disney to remember its own history

[pussinboots]

Yes, there's an interesting thing there in the way that entering through Main Street makes us see the world from an American point of view. (In essence: Walt's.) A similar point can be made about DisneySea, where the starting point of Mediterranean Harbor renders guests Europeans who are exploring the rest of the world. Very apt.

But in both cases these are just starting points. What comes next is a deep, exciting plunge into imagination. At California Adventure, Buena Vista Street will be the start of a journey that leads no farther than... Upstate. Bring a book.

[Epcot_Boy]

But in both cases these are just starting points. What comes next is a deep, exciting plunge into imagination.

Absolutely :thumbs:  My fear is that if they're (Disney) not very careful, they will lose that most fundamentally ingredient, Imagination

[davewasbaloo]

and commercials such as toon synergy do not take much imagination at all. I would rather spend a day in DCA than one big glorified fantasyland of toons (though DCA today fits that description more than 10 year ago did).

[mattboywonder]

Makes me wonder what road they are going to take with Shanghai DL - too much toon or brand new unique attractions.  

Tokyo DisneySea has hardly any disney movie inspired/toon character attractions.  The only real exception is Mermaid Lagoon, which has attractions aimed at young children.  TDS is the most incredible theme park on earth in my opinion - and without actually having Disney movie themed attractions

[DutchBrit]

TDS is the most incredible theme park on earth in my opinion - and without actually having Disney movie themed attractions

Hmmmm. Doesn't it strike that the whole point of having a Disney theme park is to have a park with a Disney theme? Otherwise logically what you have got is a park with some other sort of theme. Calling it Disney is then probably contravening trade descriptions.

[Anthony]

Hmmmm. Doesn't it strike that the whole point of having a Disney theme park is to have a park with a Disney theme? Otherwise logically what you have got is a park with some other sort of theme. Calling it Disney is then probably contravening trade descriptions.

It depends what you understand of the word "Disney" to start with. Animated films... or much more than that?

Tokyo DisneySea actually appears to have more than its fair share of Disney characters, but the important thing is that they're not the entire landscape. You can't physically spot them on the park map. They're a layer on top, almost like visitors enjoying the park alongside you. Having said that, I'm actually quite pro-Cars Land, specifically, and think there is room for developments like that within the parks, but they're not the be-all and end-all, no way. You need a Buena Vista Street or an American Waterfront, something that says "Disney" but in a non-branded, purely imaginative and escapist way, to balance things out.

[davewasbaloo]

Sorry dutchbrit, but as a Disneyland since 1974, and my family had been going since opening day In 1955, to us disneyland had very little to do witht he films. It was always about immersive themes, state of the art attractions that delivered a sense of place, live musical and comedy entertainment arount every bend, themed shopping and dining, a place of learning too. The experience dlp offers is too toony inmho and lacks a lot of what makes the original dl special. Much was there in 92 but it has been hacked away over the last 20 years.

[davewasbaloo]

This one has really been picking away at me, silly i know. But i wanted to demonstrate how the best of disney has nothing to do with disney films. Here is a list of my fav disney attractions, in no set order. Please have a loook, think of your own lists and think - how much do they have to do with films being made before them? To me they are disney because of the quality:

Train
Horse drawn streetcar
Jungle cruise
Tiki room
Indiana Jones and the temple of the forbidden eye (synergy but not disney)
Pirates of the Caribbean
Haunted mansion/phantom Manor
Splash mountain (ok, i'll conceed this one)
Country bear jamboree
Mark Twain
Golden Horshoe Revue
Big Thunder Mountain
The matterhorn
It's a Small World
Submarine voyage (the original, non nemo version)
Carousels of progress
Hall of presidents
Mission to mars
peoplemover
Adventure thru inner space
Star tours (synergy, non disney)
Le Visionarium
Capt Eo
Space mountain de la terre au la lune
The nautilus (disney attraction)
Hall of presidents
Main street electrical parade (ok, disneyfilms here)
Spaceship earth
Universe of energy
Wonders of life
Horizons
World of motors
Test track
Journey into imagination
Soarin'
Listen to the Land
The Living Seas (pre Nemo)
American adventure
Impressions de France/O canada/wonders of china
World showcase
Illuminations reflections of earth
Tapestry of nations
Great movie ride (some disney touches, but wouldn't miss them if removed)
Rock n roller coaster
Tower of terror
Muppetvision 3D (Disney did not own the muppets when built)
Motors action (would welcome the removal of the disney references)
Cinemagique (some Disney references - minority of show)
One man's dream (ok, can't get more disney, so grant you that one)
It's tough to be a bug (ok, synergy)
Kilemenjaro safari
Pengani Forest Exploration trail
Kali/Grizzly River rapids
Expedition everest
Maharaja jungle trek
Countdown to extiction (they synergised this as dinosaur)
Screamin'
Power of blast
Chance to shine
Animation (ok, granted)
Aladdin/Tarzan le recontre/roi lion/Mulan stage shows (granted)
Golden dreams
Seasons of the Vine
Journey to the centre of the earth
20k leagues under the sea (ok)
Fortress exploration
Big band beat
Stormrider
Aquatopia
Sinbad
Mystic rhythms
Bravesemo
The daytime lagoon show (Disney)
F! - DL and TDS (not WDW) -Disney
Remember dreams come true (Disneyland themed)
Buffalo bill's wild west show (before the rubberheads ruined it)
Crescendo
La Nouba
Polynesian luau
Tahitian Terrace

So out a list of my 87 fav shows and attractions, the ones that were tied to a disney film on their opening day = 12. 14 if you include the great movie ride and cinemagique. How does your list compare?

[DutchBrit]

Sorry dutchbrit, but as a Disneyland since 1974, and my family had been going since opening day In 1955, to us disneyland had very little to do witht he films.

Which is fine. But it's a matter of opinion and it doesn't mean that other people have to a) agree or b) be the way that the Disney company chose to run the company now. Disney is a film company. It's what they started out doing, it's what they still do. If you want to run a theme park, you pick a theme. It's a good idea to pick a theme that promotes your company, it's an even better idea to pick a theme that no-one else can do. Every successful compnay loves a monopoly.

I'm not going to get into a favourite ride discussion, because although I like Disney, I'm not an obsessive. I like the films, I like the characters, I like having parks where those are the themes. And the thing is that there are more people like me than there are obsessives.

[davewasbaloo]

I'm not going to get into a favourite ride discussion, because although I like Disney, I'm not an obsessive. I like the films, I like the characters, I like having parks where those are the themes. And the thing is that there are more people like me than there are obsessives.

Such a shame, Disney, especially within the leadership team and WDI could really use more obsessives. Actually, the whole world could. Obsessives are what drive forward the world - Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Walt Disney, all obsessives.

[davewasbaloo]

Disney is a film company. It's what they started out doing, it's what they still do. If you want to run a theme park, you pick a theme. It's a good idea to pick a theme that promotes your company, it's an even better idea to pick a theme that no-one else can do. Every successful compnay loves a monopoly.

Funny, this was the case when DL opened, and it had very few attractions that were based on their films (thank goodness, if it was like today, I would have never been as invested). Up until 2002, there were very few lands that were synergistic:

Main St USA
Adventureland (working title was True Life Adventureland when in development)
Frontierland/Adventureland
New Orleans Square
Liberty Square
Bear Country/Critter Country
Fantasyland
Toontown/Mickey's Toontown Fair
Tomorrowland/Discoveryland
Future World
World Showcase
Hollywood Bvd
Sunset Bvd
Backlot
Animation courtyard
Oasis
Harambe
Asia
Dinoland
Camp Minnie Mickey
Sunshine Plaza
Hollywood Pictures Backlot
Golden State inc. Condor Flats, Grizzly Peak Recreation Area, Pacific Wharf, Golden Vine Winery and the Bay Area
Paradise Pier inc Route 66
Front Lot
Studio 1
Production Courtyard
Backlot
Animation Courtyard
Mediterranian Harbor
Mysterious Island
Mermaid Lagoon
Arabian Coast
Lost river Delta
Port Discovery
American Waterfront inc. Cape Cod

Post 2002

Pixar Place
Toon Studios
Toy Story Playland
Flik's Fun Fair - a Bug's Land

Coming soon:

Grizzly gulch
Mystic Point
Avatarland

In terms of settings these are diverse and grand and thankfully few shout "Disney film".  That is a fairly modern (and worrying trend). and I hate it. I long for a return to greatness, rather than dumbing down the product because of casual fans. I bet very few casual fans ever said - hey, I would love to go on a boat ride with robotic pirates. It takes imagination, vision and know how to create these great expereiences, and that is what makes people travel to Disney parks IMHO.

[DutchBrit]

Funny, this was the case when DL opened, and it had very few attractions that were based on their films

But that was half a century ago when they had a monoploy on the whole concept of theme parks! I'm afraid I can't accept that as a valid comparision to the situation today.