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View Full Version : The XGames venues are UGLY!



TP2000
07-03-2003, 11:32 PM
I just read Adrienne's July 3rd update, after visiting DCA/Disneyland today and seeing the new XGames stuff for myself. I am simply shocked at how ugly and trashy this XGames stuff all looks. From the giant corrugated metal "X" plopped down in front of the sun icon (not like that was a work of art, but now it's even worse) to the hideously cheap looking "MotoX Arena" out in the parking lot, all of this XGames stuff sets a brand new low for Disney Parks in my book.

The pictures in today's MP update don't do it justice, because all of these venues look about three times worse in person than they do in the few pics Adrienne posted with her update. You've just got to see it to believe how tacky and low-rent Disney has allowed it's newest American Park to get.

Believe it or not, the ugly XCade video arcade is one of the better looking venues simply because it's at least in a permanent building. Sure the inside is cement floor and unfinished warehouse construction, but at least the exterior is a real building. The rest of the XGames structures are cheap, slapped together tents and county fair quality t-shirt stands set on dirty blacktop. The lone decorative elements for all of these venues consist solely of plastic advertising banners of the equipment suppliers for the rollerblade/skateboard/dirt bike industry. Plus a few generic DCA "XGames Xperience" plastic banners clipped to metal railings. It's bad, and just really trashy looking!

Who the heck is running the Parks in Anaheim now?!?! Have they just completely thrown the Disney rule book out the window? Isn't there someone left with just a little bit of class and style?

Morrigoon
07-03-2003, 11:46 PM
ADVERTISING????

Someone hook up some jumper cables to Walt's urn, I bet there's enough power to run the park coming off that thing by now!

AVP
07-04-2003, 08:42 AM
OK, I'll take some really ugly pictures and add them to this week's park update. :D

AVP

jerjer2005
07-04-2003, 12:26 PM
I dont really think its that bad... i really like the big x in sunshine plaza its not like the areas being used for anything else

Cadaverous Pallor
07-04-2003, 12:33 PM
Originally posted by Morrigoon
ADVERTISING????

Someone hook up some jumper cables to Walt's urn, I bet there's enough power to run the park coming off that thing by now! Do I really have to say this again?

Walt put advertising in his park. Companies provided money so Walt put in the advertising.

Walt never had a problem with "selling out" and that legacy stays.

As for the X-games sets being cheap, well, I think that they would be amiss in spending way too much money on something that isn't permanent. Do you really think it's worth it to make it look like it's always been there?

I'm going to stick my neck out here: This X-games thing is NOT about theming, or about seamless integration. It is about seeing X-games stunts. And from AVP's article, it seems they provide just that.

Besides, have you ever been to an extreme sports exhibition? Unless you go to a permanent skatepark, the ramps and such are all temporary structures that are taken down and travel around. Attempting to make DCA look like a permanent skatepark would be a pointless waste of time.

The only problem I could see from the article was the lack of shade.

Oh, and btw, this is one of the few things at DCA that both kids and adults can enjoy together.

My 2 cents.

DonaldDuck14
07-04-2003, 12:52 PM
OK..CALM DOWN HERE! I totally agree with Cadaverous Pallor.
Ok ,so what if the X games venues aren't your staples center setup with elaborate seats with special club level seating. Why would you spend money in elaborate set up on a TEMPORARY venue..come on now. It makes me mad how some people don't appreciate whats out there, you can't blame Disney for at least trying to add more entertainment in a park people still complain about how there isn't much to do. If you don't like it..OH WELL cry me a river while your at it. It will only be up for awhile...not even for the whole summer. So when disney actually builds something thats hideous and permanent, then i would understand, but until then stop your sad song and avoid going to the park. Sorry, but i had to say what was on my mind.

truman
07-04-2003, 01:25 PM
Donald, you took the words right out of my mouth. Stop that it hurts! :p

newhdplayer
07-04-2003, 01:33 PM
Ditto's to C.P. and DD14.

Please pay attention to the "theme" of any X-games exhibition and you will notice the lack thereof. AS a matter of fact, the more temporary and "street" it looks, the better. Maybe the appeal is to the Sk8tr-boi culture.

Maybe we should also discuss the visible tattoo's of the temporary attraction cast members.

YellowMan
07-04-2003, 02:03 PM
Here's my opinion on the whole thing. The X Games Xperience was a BAD idea. I've said this from the start. Disney shouldn't sink to the cheap extreme sports show level of other parks. That said, what they have set up isn't as bad as I expected. I had expected that everything would be temporary, and it is just that. Let me also say that the setup at DCA exceeds what they have at other parks. Have you seen Knotts' thing? From what I remember, there isn't any seating or shade at all there. You just walk up and stand and watch the show. Disney decided their guests would enjoy sitting a lot more than standing, so they installed some temporary seats. Sure they're very temporary looking but they're still seats. As for the brand name banners all over the place, how about we just get rid of all of those and leave the area completely plain. That would look a whole lot better, now wouldn't it?:rolleyes:

DonaldDuck14
07-04-2003, 04:31 PM
well i personally like the shows, especially the "MX Big Air" in the X Arena. And im not a fan of the X-games, so i think they aren't too bad...and i like those banners. They seem to bring a summer feel, I wish i could take one home:D . And i bet you most of the average tourists out there who is not a big serious disneyland resort "expert" would agree.

GongFishuang
07-04-2003, 07:47 PM
A comment on the original post: The fact that the "arcade" has a more permanent structure reflects Disney's priorities on protecting its assets over providing comfort and shade for human guests. Got to keep those machines safe!

MonorailMan
07-04-2003, 09:32 PM
Originally posted by GongFishuang
A comment on the original post: The fact that the "arcade" has a more permanent structure reflects Disney's priorities on protecting its assets over providing comfort and shade for human guests. Got to keep those machines safe!

Woah! Where did this come from? Lack of shade, disrepect to it's guests, no! I think the only reason why the arcade was stuck in the SFB buildings, because it was some free empty space. I;m sure if they would had an extra arena around, they would have used it.

The whole this I got from the OP, was that the xGames setup appearance sucks. Ok, so it's not the best show. It's far from disrespect of it's guests, and protecting it's "assets". :rolleyes:

furbE95
07-06-2003, 12:10 AM
You cant say that dca is sinking to the level of other parks. I havent seen it yet, but im guessing it is a whole lot better. Disney is just being smart about using its assets (espn) to capitalize on the whole x-games thing. Its great to see that the company still puts some of its stock in their sports things. Am i the only one who is disgusted that disney actually sold the world series champs and refused to re-sign their captain of ten years after leading them to the stanley cup finals?

I cant wait to see this new event.

TP2000
07-07-2003, 10:48 PM
Oh Wow! I'm famous! Adrienne used the post I made that started this thread in her update today! Should I be proud of myself, or embarassed of myself? :-)

But seriously Adrienne, thank you for using my quote and thoughts in your update. I guess my 15 minutes are up now that thousands of MP readers saw my name in lights.

I returned to DCA yesterday, and the XGames venues are just as ugly, tacky and low-rent as they were earlier in the week. I did notice they added some plastic "YAMAHA" flags on the metal barricades all over the MotoX Arena though.

What really shocked me though was how uncrowded the MotoX and Skateboard arena's were in the middle of the afternoon! In the MotoX arena they were only letting people sit in one of the three bleacher sections, and even the one section they were seating was only about 75% full during the show. If the MotoX Arena seats 2,000 people, there were likely only about 500 or 600 people watching the afternoon show on Sunday.

I hadn't seen DCA that slow and uncrowded on a weekend since this past winter, but the XGames stuff was really empty. Soarin' had only a 10 minute wait, and Screamin's wait time on Sunday afternoon said "5 Minutes", but it actually only took about 45 seconds to jog through the empty queue and get assigned a row immediately once we got to the station area. We went 3 times in a row in a 10 minute period on Sunday afternoon!

Wasn't the XGames supposed to boost attendance?