Walt Disney Studios Park turns 9!

[Kristof]

Today 9 years ago, Walt Disney Studios Park opened its gate for park guests of all ages.  The park turned out to be a disappointment for many, but over the years improvements have been made and will continue in distant and not so distant future!

Happy Birthday!  :thumbs:

[dagobert]

Happy Birthday Walt Disney Studios Park!

In my opinion the park is on a good way, despite TSPL, to become a nice full day park. In 2006 I've been to WDS for the first time and the park was a huge disappointment, but today I enjoy spending time there, because the park has some really good attractions like TOT, RnRC or Cinemagique. I even think that some attractions are better than their counterparts at DHS in Florida, although the theming is a lot better at WDW.

Now I hope that Ratatouille is coming and hopefully it will include a table service restaurant, because the park desperately needs one. I also hope that the rumoured Production Courtyard transformation is still on the table, because that would add a lot more atmosphere to the park and that wouldn't be very expensive. That area still looks a bit like a concrete desert. I know that the park would still be a half day park, but at least it would be a more beautiful half day park and maybe people would more likely spend a longer time at the studios. Honestly I prefere a studio placemaking over new attractions, because that park deserves to be a "real" Disney park.

Hopefully the park will see a brighter future!!

[junglebaggie]

Happy Birthday WDSP!!!   I have been to DLP many times and believe that the studios is getting better, be it slowly.   It could do with another parade to bring in the crowds and TOT and Crushes Coaster were great additions, although the line for Crushes Coaster is always so long.  When I last went in December 2010 I did the Studio Tram Tour: Behind the Magic which was very disappointing, parts had been cut out and no water in Catastrophe Canyon, I don't know if this was due to the weather conditions (it was freezing and there were massive icicles) but it really was a let down.   I still don't think it is worth a whole day there though, it still has a long way to go.

[davewasbaloo]

Where have those 9 years gone. I really miss the big band playing live on the 2nd level of Studio 1, as well as all Jaminators and Shakespeare live, the Italian Movie band, and the red carpet when you left with the cast members clapping and asking for your autograph.

It may have been small, but it sure was a lot of fun. That was a big deal for us, we decided to start our family, were at the opening of WDSP and then went to the newly opened DCA all within a month of each other. And Pin trading became an obsession. The free pins given to AP holders at the opening were a lovely touch!

To me there are two key things missing that would make this seem a more rounded park experience - a good highly themed table service restaurant, and a family friendly, big budget dark ride. Then it would feel much better.

WDSP has improved over the years  until that abomination opened last year ruining so much.

Also, a fountain on the backlot would be a great touch.

[CafeFantasia]

I agree. 9 years already, where has the time gone? I remember going to the Shareholders Preview for the park, back in March 2002. That seems like maybe 5 years ago, but not 9!

As others have said, it wouldn't take too much, or too long to fix this park. Here's what I would do:

• Build the Ratatouille dark-ride and restaurant, giving the park a proper family ride, and a full-service restaurant

• Re-theme Production Courtyard with a 1950s Hollywood style, with full on Art Deco architecture
• Change the small circular stage in the middle of Production Courtyard to a nice unisphere-esque fountain
• Finally build Soarin' next to CineMagique, but give it an Iron Man theme, focusing on the Stark Expo

• Replace the Art of Disney Animation with Mickey's PhilharMagic. Perhaps keep the pre-show and post-show areas
• Replace Animagique with a Monsters Inc dark-ride, similar in scale to the one at Disney California Adventure
• Retheme Flying Carpets Over Agrabah to Finding Nemo, to tie-in with Crush's Coaster

• Replace the Costuming Building with either Toy Story Mania!, or a Cars themed Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre restaurant

[dagobert]

• Build the Ratatouille dark-ride and restaurant, giving the park a proper family ride, and a full-service restaurant

• Re-theme Production Courtyard with a 1950s Hollywood style, with full on Art Deco architecture
• Change the small circular stage in the middle of Production Courtyard to a nice unisphere-esque fountain
• Finally build Soarin' next to CineMagique, but give it an Iron Man theme, focusing on the Stark Expo

• Replace the Art of Disney Animation with Mickey's PhilharMagic. Perhaps keep the pre-show and post-show areas
• Replace Animagique with a Monsters Inc dark-ride, similar in scale to the one at Disney California Adventure
• Retheme Flying Carpets Over Agrabah to Finding Nemo, to tie-in with Crush's Coaster

• Replace the Costuming Building with either Toy Story Mania!, or a Cars themed Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre restaurant

I like your plan, especially the retheming of Production Courtyard including a fountain, but there are some things I would change.

I wouldn't replace Art of Disney Animation, but it should get a major overhaul, like including Pixar and modern animation technologies. I think since Disney became famous with making animation movies, the park should have such an attraction.

I would also replace Animagique and Flying Carpetswith something related to Pixar, since there are already so many Pixar rides. Tonn Studio could be transformed into Pixar Studios like at DHS. There could be a second entrance to "Pixar Studios", themed like the real Studio, at a new hub at the end of an expanded Hollywood Blvd, with real shops and restaurants and not just facades like it is now. Of course the STT has to move somewhere else.
A lake could be used as a hub and Hollywood landmarks like the Chinese Theatre or Carthy Circly Theatre could be at the end of Hollywood Blvd, like at DHS.

A Cars themed Sci-Fi Dine-In would be great, although I would prefere a copy of the DHS version. I really liked that restaurant.
Soarin' would be a wonderful addition, but I'm not a big fan of superheroes, I wouldn't mind if it would be the Californian version.

[CafeFantasia]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it if the original version of Soarin' came to the Walt Disney Studios park. The only thing is, this is a movie studios theme park, so I expect to see rides based on movies, not rides with a generic movie theme. I always liked the idea behind Universal Studios Florida being the place where you "Ride The Movies".

So if Soarin' were to built at the Walt Disney Studios park, I'd like to see it themed around a popular movie, with a story, famous actors and cutting-edge visuals. How about Iron Man, or the Chronicles of Narnia, or even Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? I really like the idea of Iron Man. How cool would it be to go on a mission with Tony Stark, flying over cities at night, blowing stuff up, all to an epic soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi?

The other offenders at the park, as in, attractions which aren't actually based on any particular movie are:

• Lights, Motors, Action
• Rock 'n' Roller Coaster

Sure, the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster is themed around a rock band, but wouldn't it be better if it was based on a movie, with a story? How about TRON: Legacy ;-)

[dagobert]

Since I liked Tron Legacy a lot and the music from Daft Punk was great, I can imagine to retheme RnRC to Tron.

You are right that the movie shown in Soarin should be themed around a movie if the ride will get built at WDS. I agree that Iron Man would be a good choice, even if I don't like superheroes that much.

[Josh]

I remember New Years day in 2001 when I was about six years old. I looked over the fence near the Disney Village to watch it being built. It's been a long time since then.

[15MagicalYears]

Happy Birthday WDS! Here's to (hopefully) a bright & expansive future  :lol:

[Anthony]

So if Soarin' were to built at the Walt Disney Studios park, I'd like to see it themed around a popular movie, with a story, famous actors and cutting-edge visuals. How about Iron Man, or the Chronicles of Narnia, or even Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland? I really like the idea of Iron Man. How cool would it be to go on a mission with Tony Stark, flying over cities at night, blowing stuff up, all to an epic soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi?

The trouble with that might be that you're stuck with the same visuals for however long a ride on Soarin' lasts, and it's a rather slow-moving simulator, you wouldn't be able to travel as far as you would in say a Starspeeder. Flying through Narnia or Wonderland doesn't appeal to me, you wouldn't see the same variety of locations or landscapes. And if it was a CGI universe, like all of those, well it's no match for our own real planet in my opinion. If they wanted to tie it into something the best thing would be Disneynature or True Life Adventures.

But personally I'd love Soarin' over California (not even a "World" version) almost exactly as it is in DCA, with a 1950s California aviation/travel theme. The Studios really needs more California/Hollywood in it...

[davewasbaloo]

You make a good point Anthony. I imagine for most of DLP's visitors, the 1930's to 50's California is as exotic feeling as Frontierland or Adventureland. If they would just go for it on the theming, add in some shows like Big Band Beat at TDS and a few other features, WDSP would be a bigger success. This could then include Soarin (though that is set in the 00's - the LA, San Francisco and San Diego skylines do that, as does the modern surfing and skiing gear.

[dagobert]

I don't mind what movie would be used for Soarin' at WDS. In my opinion it is an amazing attraction and I liked it a lot at EPCOT. I think that Soarin' would be another boost for WDS, because adults will love that ride.

[CafeFantasia]

I just think that for Soarin' to come to the Walt Disney Studios Park in its original form would be slightly disappointing. The original ride opened in 2001. So to build a new version of it, over 10 years later, with no changes or improvements would be weird.

It could definitely do with a digital projection system, instead of the film system it currently uses.

Also, what if they built Soarin' at the Walt Disney Studios Park with just one theatre instead of two? I know it would have a negative effect on the ride's hourly capacity, but surely it would be cheaper to build and take up less room inside the park.

[dagobert]

I don't know how much space is needed to build Soarin', but according to rumours the space between Cinemagique and the Television Building is kept for Soarin'. Is there enough space to house two theaters? Are there also two theaters at DCA, like at EPCOT?

Since it will take at least another five years until Soarin' gets built, I can imagine that the whole attraction will be improved.