Toy Story Playland (General discussion)

[claire2281]

I just noticed something... Is it me or does this soldier look like he was designed to be holding a rifle? Haha.

IIRC that actually happened with real army men too. I remember my brother having some that were in odd positions for what they were carrying

I love the circle on the back and the excess plastic from the moulding.

[DopeyDad]

I'm sure I read somewhere that the 'top' surface of RC was going to get a covering once all testing complete, but can't find that anywhere now. Maybe I imagined that! It would be a silly let down if they didn't, don't you think?

I've heard that too, I guess we'll just have to wait and see... :?

More now on DLPinfo and looks like the 'top' that had been referred to only means the extreme ends of the track, not the upper surface so to speak. So looks like thats it! Maybe it simply wasn't possible but I think the choice of ride should have taken in to account whether they could completely theme it.  

So far I really like the concept and general area theme, I think it does what they set out to do and give you the chance to imagine you're shrunk to toy size. It actually looks quite like my childrens playroom at the minute  :lol:  But the choices of RC and Parachute drop seems flawed if they can't complete theming and deal with intrusion to other areas of the park. the latter may be dealt with later by future placemaking changes  [-o<  but the rides themselves appear complete now.

[CafeFantasia]

It's funny what happens when you put a tilt-shift filter on these photos we're seeing of Toy Story Playland. Now it REALLY looks like a toy. I love this first one of Slinky. It's really hard to believe that it's not a miniature. The grass is so effective:

[SM:M3]

Fantastic idea to do that Alan, it is really effective, if only DLP did a tilt-shift video of TSPL similar to the ones WDW did for the Magic Kingdom and Epcot

RC Racer & Queue







More over on DLP.info

[Donald-Duck-Malta]

New Rc Racer pictures as promised,My favorite Toy Story Playland ride from the looks of it
Source:DLP.Info















Enjoy :thumbs:

[Adam]

The springs as such look a bit low and in the way - I assume you step into the seats and don't hit your head on the springs!

[Maarten]

Those trees near RC Racer kind of ruin the impression that you are the size of toy. It doesn't really work for me in this part of Toy Story Playland, compared to the area surrounding the toy planes and the ball for example.

Well here goes. TSPL's theme is very well maintained throughout the pictures I've looked at. It may well be a well-carried out idea, bu that doesn't make it a good idea to begin with.
I think it looks cheap and tacky and makes WDS even more unorganised than before. The rides look pretty good (bar the lousy themeing) and I will def. make a bee-line for them if and when I visit next. But the new rides aren't making me book any quicker.

I completely agree with you aswell. The idea behind Toy Story Playland is quite bad to begin with. From an Imagineering point of view it doesn't add anything to the story that Walt Disney Studios is trying to tell (Hollywood/moviemaking). According to the official backstory it isn't even supposed to be a toon movieset, although that would have been a weak excuse for a ride aswell since Toon Studio doesn't work either in my opinion.

Like we all know Toy Story Playland consists out of cheap carnival rides. But in the meantime 1/3 of WDS's entire attraction roster consists of carnival rides. Just compare that to Disney's Hollywood Studios and Hollywood Pictures Backlot: there are none to be found overthere. I just don't think the Hollywood/moviemaking theme lends itself very well for carnival rides. And ofcourse Dumbo and Orbitron are dressed up carnival rides aswell, but Disneyland Paris is different story.. literally. We shouldn't compare WDS to Disneyland Paris or Tokyo DisneySea, simply because the park has a totally different concept to begin with. That doesnt mean that Disney is allowed to drop the ball on WDS though.

Like Pete's Dragon says, Toy Story Playland makes WDS more unorganised then it has ever been, both from a theme perspective and the park lay-out. Since we have 4 studiolots (Frontlot, Toon Studio, Production Courtyard including Hollywood Boulevard and Backlot) where does Toy Story Playland fit in? According to the new parkmaps its a seperate studiolot although it can be regarded as an extension of Toon Studio. Quite confusing. Besides that, the new area is attached to the exsisting park without really integrating it. The path behind Art of Disney Animation is just as bare as it was, and the Parachute Drop and RC Racer seem to be placed without any sightlines in mind.

I havent posted in this topic for a very long time. However, in the last few days I have seen quite a few pictures of Toy Story Playland. Disney hasn't proven me wrong with the opinion I already had, so I think I am allowed to express myself, whether its negative or positive. In the end of the day, many people will enjoy Toy Story Playland, and that counts for something, but the overall design and theme of Disney parks is what sets them apart.

[dagobert]

Well said Maarten. I can't agree more with you.

Judging from the pictures the theming of TSPL isn't so bad, but I still don't get it how Andy's backyard fits into the studio theme.

[Reiana]

So maybe we should say all "Good by" to the former idea of WDS being a Studio, where you can take a look behind the scenes. Maybe we should get used to the idea that WDS is now a theme park where you can enjoy (or not) rides related to Disney/Pixar movies, that you can be part of the movie itself.

[dagobert]

So maybe we should say all "Good by" to the former idea of WDS being a Studio, where you can take a look behind the scenes. Maybe we should get used to the idea that WDS is now a theme park where you can enjoy (or not) rides related to Disney/Pixar movies, that you can be part of the movie itself.

Isn't it sad to think about WDS this way? I mean, it's Disney where nearly everything has a theme. But I think you are right, we have to get used to the idea that WDS isn't about Hollywood and moviemaking anymore.

[CafeFantasia]

Definitely, the Walt Disney Studios Park isn't a place where you can go behind the scenes. I think that's what they wanted it to be, initially. They wanted it to be educational. But now (8 years later) it's quite simply a theme park with a movie studio theme, or even simpler, a theme park based on movies (and television).

[dagobert]

Definitely, the Walt Disney Studios Park isn't a place where you can go behind the scenes. I think that's what they wanted it to be, initially. They wanted it to be educational. But now (8 years later) it's quite simply a theme park with a movie studio theme, or even simpler, a theme park based on movies (and television).

Based on that, Dumbo, Snow White, Peter Pan, Pinocchio or Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril would also fit the theme.

[DLP-Photos.com]

I agree with PD, Maarten and you other guys... I guess they couldn't have made the theme any better, but they should never have chosen this theme. It doesn't work and just gives especially Toon Studio a step in the wrong direction to which it was already going. Away from the idea of Walt Disney Studios Park - they could just as well rename the park to Disneys park of Movies and Television - it's not a Studios Park no more

I like the colors and the pictures you have made Alan, but I doubt it will look like that walking through and will the colors be as vibrant in the winter? I actually think they are now at their peak and only will be during 2 months of summer - I hope to be proofed wrong, but time is running out.

Of course the details of the assembling kit inside the RC queue is creative, but to me they have ruined their own creativity by choosing this theme. They simply cannot make the special high quality themening that we love WDI for.

With that being said I am sure many people will love this and as said before hopefully it will get them to sell the insane amount of Toy Story merchandise they had already stuffed into everywhere from Main Street over Frontierland to WDS. Maybe this money can be used for the Ratatouille ride making that a true WDI E-ticket experience  [-o<

[dagobert]

Thanks Nicolai for telling us your opinion after seeing it in real life. I also think that the colours will not look so bright in winter.

[DopeyDad]

Definitely, the Walt Disney Studios Park isn't a place where you can go behind the scenes. I think that's what they wanted it to be, initially. They wanted it to be educational. But now (8 years later) it's quite simply a theme park with a movie studio theme, or even simpler, a theme park based on movies (and television).

I think thats an interesting point Alan, ToT is no movie set, its the hotel itself, nor are Cars Race Rally or Crush. and the Playhouse Live and Stitch studios connection is also pretty tenuous. So it looks like WDS turned away from this thematic route quite some time ago, maybe it was poorly conceived at the beginning or maybe poor choices have followed but its not a 'where the magic gets made' theme park anymore. So is it any use trying to bang every square peg into a round whole or should the park be re-branded somehow that allows more flexibility, maybe even more creativity than at present?