Walt Disney World and Disneyland(s) Discussion

[Coheteboy]

Sooo.... I have a different set of photos to post, but thought you guys would be interested because it has something to do with Walt Disney Imagineering (the group that designs all the rides, shows, theme parks, hotels, cruiselines, etc).


You guys ever seen the weird looking alien spaceship structure at LAX?

Ever wonder what it was? Well it's called Encounter Restaurant and Lounge and the interior was designed by a team at WDI. Even having lived in LA all my life, I never once stepped foot inside. This friday I was picking up my cousin, her flight delayed, so I found a perfect opportunity to visit.

The moment you get in the elevators for "Roof", weird sci fi music plays

I can only imagine what it would look like at night

Hey look I'm parked at the bottom there!

I didn't' have any food but I sure did get buzzed off an Old Fashioned cocktail at 11 in the morning. If you guys ever find yourself needing to kill time at LAX, maybe check this place out!

 

[cokebabies]

That looks awesome. I see a lot of touches of California Grill.

 

[Darth Waller]

We ate there earlier this summer when we had a three hour layover in L.A. It was pretty good food and such a cool atmosphere.

 

[Coheteboy]

Misc picture time from last week:

Yup, Christmas stuff is already starting to go up...

 

[cokebabies]

I really want to get back to DLR for Christmas. We were there a few years ago like a week or so before Christmas, and it poured for five days straight.

 

[c3r1h5]

Misc picture time from last week:

Spoiler

Yup, Christmas stuff is already starting to go up...

What camera are you using? I really liked your haunted mansion shots! Thanks!

 

[Coheteboy]

What camera are you using? I really liked your haunted mansion shots! Thanks!

Thanks! I'm using my brother's Canon 50D. You can get better shots with a newer rebel nowadays though.

 

[Coheteboy]

A ride on Mickey's Fun Wheel...

Cars Land

Grizzly Peak

Matterhorn, Soarin', Space Mountain

 

[Coheteboy]

Last Friday, Disney Legends amassed at Disneyland for a dedication...

Here's songwriter Richard Sherman (sporting a S.H.I.E.L.D. hat)

Old Disneyland president Jack Lindquist

The Voice of Donald Duck and animator Tony Anselmo

Imagineer Bob Gurr

Imagineering and Disneyland PR Marty Sklar

Historian and Archives' Dave Smith

The voice of Alice and Wendy, Kathryn Beaumont

Behind the window on the left... would honor another...

Why, it's Imagineer Tony Baxter, who gave us Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Star Tours, Splash Mountain, Indiana Jones...

ta-da

 

[Coheteboy]

Other guests were on hand as well including Marvel's Kevin Feige, Leonard Maltin, illustrator Drew Struzan.

Here's the replica that Tony got to keep

Last Friday was also the opening of Thor: Treasures of Asgard inside Innoventions, right next to the Iron Man Hall of Armor.

Weapons are on display..

But all of that is build-up for the recreation of Odin's Throne where you can get your picture with Thor..

Remarkable job isn't it?

All part of the Merriest Place on Earth. Next week I'll deliver pics from the FROZEN meet & greet and the Holiday version of World of Color.

 

[cokebabies]

While I actually think the Iron Man, Thor, etc displays are cool and all, it just further proves that Innoventions hasn't had its own identity in a long time.

 

[Coheteboy]

While I actually think the Iron Man, Thor, etc displays are cool and all, it just further proves that Innoventions hasn't had its own identity in a long time.

It has certainly evolved from the "world's fair" style of having sponsors and cool new things to this hodge podge of random stuff.

Currently within Innoventions are the following:

-Iron Man Hall of Armor and virtual armor simulation
-Thor: Treasures of Asgard (displays and meet & greet)
-Disney Infinity stations
-Asimo the Honda Robot
-Some other thing I cant' remember

Bottom floor: Dream Suite (fancy housing ideas for rich folk essentially)


I think with the Disney Infinity station in there as well as the rotation exhibits, it's definitely something that Disneyland kind of needs: a place to put random stuff with plenty of queue space already designed.

 

[smitty]

Innoventions has never worked for me. I've tried over the years to find some redeeming quality with the various exhibits and such but overall the whole building has, in my opinion, been a poster child for exactly what's wrong with the whole of Tomorrowland. And though I have no problem with Marvel being introduced to Disneyland (especially Iron Man in Tomorrowland) I very much can't wait for the complete overhaul of the land itself.

I love Star Wars and am very excited to see some additions in theme to TL but am also not sure how I feel about it becoming basically Star Wars Land. A little Marvel (or God forbid something completely unique to DL) could go a long way if done as well as Cars Land.

 

[Coheteboy]

Innoventions has never worked for me. I've tried over the years to find some redeeming quality with the various exhibits and such but overall the whole building has, in my opinion, been a poster child for exactly what's wrong with the whole of Tomorrowland. And though I have no problem with Marvel being introduced to Disneyland (especially Iron Man in Tomorrowland) I very much can't wait for the complete overhaul of the land itself.

I love Star Wars and am very excited to see some additions in theme to TL but am also not sure how I feel about it becoming basically Star Wars Land. A little Marvel (or God forbid something completely unique to DL) could go a long way if done as well as Cars Land.

Oddly enough, the variety and randomness of Innoventions is closer to how Walt envisioned Tomorrowland in the very beginning. But I'm sure his ideas would change as technology evolves and they're able to do more things.

But the failure of Innoventions lies also with companies not willing to really use the place properly and Disney's failure to find companies that show things that are truly unreal.

Could you imagine if Innoventions really was a showcase of things that you couldn't see otherwise? It would retain the educational element that Disneyland used to hold very dear. We're slowly moving away from anything educational and now doing only the things that are entertaining, and that saddens me a bit.

So for that reason alone, I don't fully hate Innoventions, though it's definitely far from what I would want it to be.

 

[smitty]

Couldn't agree more on most of your points. I do miss the educational, as well as, entertaining factor that Disney used to aspire to. The sad part is, up until the DCA redo the Disneyland property as a whole has been about filling the coffers of the share holders and upper management rather than actually turning out a fantastic, other worldly product that Walt and his original team were so famous for.

Even with good sponsorship Innoventions would have to be constantly updated to keep up with the tech it means to represent, something I really don't believe Disney Execs would be interested in. I'm at the point now where I'd just like to see something new entirely in that area, whether it's a complete gutting of the building and a new ride/show is put in, or raze the building and start totally fresh.

 

[Coheteboy]

Couldn't agree more on most of your points. I do miss the educational, as well as, entertaining factor that Disney used to aspire to. The sad part is, up until the DCA redo the Disneyland property as a whole has been about filling the coffers of the share holders and upper management rather than actually turning out a fantastic, other worldly product that Walt and his original team were so famous for.

Even with good sponsorship Innoventions would have to be constantly updated to keep up with the tech it means to represent, something I really don't believe Disney Execs would be interested in. I'm at the point now where I'd just like to see something new entirely in that area, whether it's a complete gutting of the building and a new ride/show is put in, or raze the building and start totally fresh.

You may get your wish soon enough! Though... it would come at the cost of losing more of the "tomorrowland" theme but more Star Wars.

I really wish they went the TRON route but sadly that may not happen anymore.

 

[cokebabies]

You may get your wish soon enough! Though... it would come at the cost of losing more of the "tomorrowland" theme but more Star Wars.

I really wish they went the TRON route but sadly that may not happen anymore.

When that happens, it will just further my hypocrisy of always praising the "old" ways of DLR / WDW. I complain that something is useless, then when it's gone I talk about how great it was.

 

[Coheteboy]

When that happens, it will just further my hypocrisy of always praising the "old" ways of DLR / WDW. I complain that something is useless, then when it's gone I talk about how great it was.

I think the problem is that even if "new" is more fun than "old", the new always sacrifices theme or better ideas for movie-franchised entertainment.

The Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is probably the best example of this. You had an amazing attraction from 1959: The Submarine Voyage, taking guests through liquid space in search of the lost city of Atlantis and the North Pole.

When it closed in the mid 90s, it was an unchanged, outdated attraction. All they ever did was repaint the subs and drain the lagoon. None of the technology or animatronic fish or the recordings were ever updated. Guests stopped riding.



Now that the ride closed and seemingly no hope was in store, Atlantis The Lost Empire wasn't enough of a box office draw even though that theme would have been INCREDIBLE. They went with Finding Nemo, the box office winner.

Now we board a submarine to watch cartoon fish projected on glass. A part of me is just happy that the submarines are still there, because it really does add to the vast visual eye candy found at Disneyland, but I'm dead a little inside because we're watching Cartoon Fish in Tomorrowland.

 

[smitty]

Honestly guys, I agree with you both. I miss the Submarine Voyage, The People Mover, Adventure Through Inner Space and all the various attractions that were unique to Disneyland. Do I like Star Tours, absolutely, but there is something to be said for the originality of the early Disneyland. There should be a way to balance the licensed attractions with whole new, deeply thought out ones without sacrificing everything that came before. A large problem is that we tend to live in a society that for the most part has no need for the past. Everyone has to have the most hip and trendy device, and each new attraction has to be from a new hip and trendy film, TV or book series, most of which aren't even Disney originals, like TRON (something I have been praying for since the original came out in 82). It's a sad truth, but something I guess we'll just have to make the best of because I don't see things changing anytime soon.

 

[cokebabies]

Agreed, unfortunately.

If a new attraction comes along that doesn't have a character name (especially a Pixar character) attached to it, I'm shocked. I was actually very surprised that the Test Track revamp didn't involve shoehorning in some characters.

Which isn't to say licensed attractions are a bad thing. You could argue that a lot of new attractions might not get added to the budget, if the management didn't think it would garner enough interest for the parks. So if Disney wants to put a Carl's Flying House simulator where Wonders of Life in Epcot is currently rotting, it sure beat the alternative of nothing.

Plus, when they're done well, the licensed aspect just adds to its impressiveness. The first time I walked through Cars Land, I was impressed and surprised in a way a Disney park hadn't done to me in a while.