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idesign
04-19-2004, 08:06 AM
Leaving Disneyland late last night with my daughter asleep in her stroller, I was accosted by a singular horror. As I was watching the Steam train pass by and enjoying the steam-boiler smell, I was shocked to see what was left after it passed. As the last car went by the entirety of the night sky was filled with the buzzing flickering dilapitated tower of terror neon! Don't believe me? try it. just stand smack between the BOA and the Train stairs after dark and look up.

Talk about "not being able to see the real world" from inside, I get double the horror. NOt just the real world, but DCA! The view is irrevocably changed forever. It is almost as if it was designed that way, it's simply unbelieveable.

Be forewarned and do not use the left side tunnel after dark. You will never recover from the sight.

idesign
04-19-2004, 08:11 AM
BTW, I am no "DCA" hater. We had just spent most of the entire day there, as we often do. I do not like the tower itself, for many reasons, but it's not the park or the attraction I was offended by, just it's intrusion into the "sacred berm". I was jerked out of the magic violently by it, however, this is not intended top be another "i hate DCA" thread.

Not Afraid
04-19-2004, 08:18 AM
Have you seen the Maliboomer from the Mark Twain? That's a nice site too.

I don't think you can really get away with no seeing the outside world from DL anymore - especially with the drop-type thrill rides going in to DCA.

cemeinke
04-19-2004, 08:19 AM
Talk about "not being able to see the real world" from inside, I get double the horror. NOt just the real world, but DCA! The view is irrevocably changed forever. It is almost as if it was designed that way, it's simply
Personally, I don't consider Tower of Terror part of the "real world" any more than other parts of Disneyland. Afterall, if you turn around and look up, you'll find you're are looking at Space Mountain looming over Main Street.

The Tower is now DCA's "weenie."

Cadaverous Pallor
04-19-2004, 09:32 AM
Cemeinke is right about Space. You can see the Matterhorn from Main Street too.

And I was rather surprised to watch the Skyway video Kevin Yee posted a short while ago, as it revealed that in riding the Skyway you saw the tops of all the show buildings, revealing the back sides of facades, etc etc.

idesign
04-19-2004, 09:56 AM
I agree there have been peeks and sneaks throughout time at DL, but never have they been of a dishevelled, dumpy, irrepaired (looking) hulk of a thing.

My daughter had asked me during the day, why did that building burn up? Are they going to fix it? The thrill-ride is fine if they, but why must the building be the new crown fixture of the "resort". It is. It's the first thing you see, and the thing you will see more than anything in the park.

(trying to remain tactfull)...
It looks like something that we see on the news every night.

tod
04-19-2004, 10:16 AM
I was rather surprised to watch the Skyway video Kevin Yee posted a short while ago, as it revealed that in riding the Skyway you saw the tops of all the show buildings, revealing the back sides of facades, etc etc.

I always liked that. Just enough of a peek at the backstage.

-t

Kevy Baby
04-19-2004, 10:21 AM
Every time I've come to this section, I keep the title of this thread as "Disgusting Eeyore Tower..." :D

Howard Johnson's cemeinke's right (as is CP). Backstage, other area, and out-of-berm viewings are inevitable. It gets to a point where you cannot grow without this taking place. As far as it having a dilapitated look - that is one of the keys of the theming: what separates Disneyland from the rest. You can look out from Main Street and know that you are NOT looking at the real world. Rather you are witnessing another aspect of the fantasy. Besides, it would IMHO look WORSE if what you saw was a nice crisp pristine building. That would ruin the suspension of disbelief.


The thrill-ride is fine if they, but why must the building be the new crown fixture of the "resort". It is. It's the first thing you see, and the thing you will see more than anything in the park.Of course the newest, latest and greatest is going to be the current star of the show. Disney is trying to attract visitors to the resort. So naturally, they want to provide new and exciting ways to lure guests. Keep giving them new reasons to come back to the DLR and make sure the classics remain mostly as they were. Sounds like sound business sense to me.

As far as it's size and visibility, what is the harm in that? As was mentioned earlier, you can see Matterhorn and SM from other areas in Disneyland, and from outside the park. Why is this any different?

cstephens
04-19-2004, 10:51 AM
I agree there have been peeks and sneaks throughout time at DL, but never have they been of a dishevelled, dumpy, irrepaired (looking) hulk of a thing.

So does it bother you that this same building (or at least something very, very similar) is at Walt Disney World?


My daughter had asked me during the day, why did that building burn up? Are they going to fix it?

And did you explain to her that it was another attraction?

GeminiAngel
04-19-2004, 11:00 AM
I agree there have been peeks and sneaks throughout time at DL, but never have they been of a dishevelled, dumpy, irrepaired (looking) hulk of a thing.

My daughter had asked me during the day, why did that building burn up? Are they going to fix it? The thrill-ride is fine if they, but why must the building be the new crown fixture of the "resort". It is. It's the first thing you see, and the thing you will see more than anything in the park.

(trying to remain tactfull)...
It looks like something that we see on the news every night.

ok awhile ago eveyone commented that we should have the T-O-T. or something to spice up DCA. Now that we have it everyone still complains. come on ppl. TOT IS part of the MAGIC!!!!!! all I can say is whaaaa!!!! I know I can't wait to ride it.

Flubber
04-19-2004, 11:05 AM
Every time I've come to this section, I keep the title of this thread as "Disgusting Eeyore Tower..." :D

I thought the exact same thing. Then I of course had to ask "What's an Eyeore Tower and why is it disgusting?" and clicked the thread... :|

Being able to see TOT from Main Street doesn't bother me any more than the steam trains running on fuel that isn't wood or coal, or being able to see a castle or a metal mountain from Town Square. Part of the beauty of Disneyland is the blending of all the themed elements.

Filbert
04-19-2004, 11:07 AM
ok awhile ago eveyone commented that we should have the T-O-T. or something to spice up DCA. Now that we have it everyone still complains. come on ppl. TOT is part of the MAGIC!!!!!! all I can say is whaaaa!!!! I know I can't wait to ride it.

It's interesting when you have to 'explain' to people what the 'magic' is. Maybe they should post signs on Main Street.

LSPoorEeyorick
04-19-2004, 11:17 AM
Frankly, I'm happy that DCA finally has a visible weenie. (No amount of understanding the definition of which will help me avoid snickering.) I think it's very interesting-looking. I was utterly thrilled to see some landscaping, the dilapidated fountain outside, and the great fiber-optic sign because I had heard it was going to lack the immersive design of the Orlando version. So it's visible from the other side of the berm? So what? It's not as though it's a skyscraper or a billboard. I'm just happy that it's a step towards improving the park (just as its twin was a step towards improving MGM, which I hated more than DCA on first visit.)

HBTiggerFan
04-19-2004, 11:31 AM
I'm happy that it's not another off the shelf carnival ride sticking up from the park into the real world.

And you can see inside DL from the ToT. Space Mtn, the castle, the Matterhorn were all visible

Cadaverous Pallor
04-19-2004, 12:55 PM
My daughter had asked me during the day, why did that building burn up? Are they going to fix it? Perhaps should could have asked what a snow covered mountain is doing in the middle of the park in 80 degree temperatures....or why a mouse can be six feet tall and stand on two legs.

This is all part of the theme park experience. I guess you'd agree with Walt's idea of a scary ride. He kept the Mansion nice on the outside, not dilapidated, the way the Imagineers wanted it. This is one thing I disagree with Walt on. The ultimate "pre-show" is when you see a large attraction from a distance. And IMHO, the Tower's exterior prepares you for exactly what's inside.

Plus, I happen to think the Tower is beautifully done. The art deco styling is very nice. I even feel better about the purple stuff now that I've ridden it. As for it being a landmark of the park, it's a very good thing. I think that with this ride they actually hit the elusive "edgy" experience they were looking for for DCA in the first place. It's high tech, thrilling, and for most of the family. I think it's a great representative for this park and I hope they continue to travel in the same direction.

ROBONICS95
04-19-2004, 01:01 PM
ok awhile ago eveyone commented that we should have the T-O-T. or something to spice up DCA. Now that we have it everyone still complains. come on ppl. TOT IS part of the MAGIC!!!!!! all I can say is whaaaa!!!! I know I can't wait to ride it.


exactly!!!

Cancer Norm
04-19-2004, 01:57 PM
Originally posted by idesign
Be forewarned and do not use the left side tunnel after dark. You will never recover from the sight.

1) My advice is .......don't look up!! :D

2) I always, always exit through the right tunnel! :D

3) Put up really big trees!! :D

sediment
04-19-2004, 02:35 PM
"Disgusting Eeyore's Tower"? What? Eeyore lives in a stick house, if I recall correctly. Not a tower.

Perhaps you were thinking of
this (http://www.bevcoworld.com/plahut/pages/Eeyore_house.htm)?

It's on the ground, I tell, the ground! Not a tower at all!

Opus1guy
04-19-2004, 06:30 PM
And I was rather surprised to watch the Skyway video Kevin Yee posted a short while ago, as it revealed that in riding the Skyway you saw the tops of all the show buildings, revealing the back sides of facades, etc etc.

When Skyway was being considered for removal, a surprising number of Imagineers added to the "remove" side of the reason list, and many favored it's removal. The above quote is one of the reasons why. Here's some I recall reading (aside from other more "safety" related ones).

- Backstage areas revealed
- Utilitarian rooftops revealed (often worn topping, air conditioning units, ladders, paint buckets, etc)
- Visual conflicts between "lands" and degradation of intended "land" isolation.
- Skyway has crude "High Tension Power Line" look to it.
- Skyways have become synonymous with dozens of other cheesy amusement parks.

etc, etc.

That last one kinda makes you wonder whey they didn't install it at California Adventure! ;)

SCUBAbe
04-19-2004, 06:53 PM
Have you seen the Maliboomer from the Mark Twain? That's a nice site too.

OMG ..I can ven see huge portions of DCA from the matterhorn....but I LOVE it...I lso like seeing Disneyland from the sunwheel.

NirvanaMan
04-19-2004, 08:01 PM
I think the tower looks pretty sweet. Def not an eeyore..or an eyesore.

DisneyDustin22
04-19-2004, 10:04 PM
figured I'd add my thoughts as long as everyone else is because why else are we all browsing this site? so some people don't like being able to see TOT from Main Street, some people do. It all comes down to how you experience the resort when you go. personally, im all for keeping lands and rides in their land areas and not being able to view them from other areas. however, im a realistic human and understand that if you build a 100+ ft tower or mountian, you will be able to see it from far away. so i smile and go on with my life.

i will say this however and im sure a portion of you would agree with me on this. the only real "problem" attraction i have at DL is the monorail. anytime an attracion, "leaves" the park, that is bothersome. to go from being inside this magical place and whisking around the track through the trees to suddenly sharing the road with trucks and taxis and the magic of carls jr. next to you, just doesnt seem magical. however, again, a realist and i understand space is a problem, so while i make that part of the journey, i face away from the street. ;) pretend its not there. we just dont have the miles and miles and miles of space between parks like we do in WDW. sigh.

MCComposer
04-19-2004, 10:27 PM
So it's visible from the other side of the berm? So what? It's not as though it's a skyscraper or a billboard.

Um...it isn't, I thought that's kinda exectly what it was. Isn't this: http://www.mpimages.net/dlr/compressed/DCA/Hollywood_Pictures_Backlot/ToTExt2-041604-AVP.jpg a giant tower with a giant billboard on it. Tell me if I'm wrong.

I'm not saying it's good or bad. It is indeed a new weenie for the resort and I'm very excited to ride it. That's all. I'll have to go down there ans see it to descide for myself.

GoldenEars
04-19-2004, 11:05 PM
I agree with what people are saying about this thread. You can see a lot of different things from different parts of each *land*, and the ToT is certainly one of them now. But geez, I wouldn't be overly dramatic about it and say it was a disgusting eyesore. I understand we have our opinions, and I respect that, but the bottom line is...don't go under that particular tunnel or look up. This way you'll leave a happy person and all will be right in your little corner of the world! :p

I, personally, love seeing ToT in certain locations when I'm inside Disneyland and DCA. It's more like *eye-candy* to me and makes me want to see it up close & go on it. Which is what the folks at Disney want others to feel about it too. It's a sure bet to draw people into DCA!!

Patrick

3IdAlienKid
04-20-2004, 12:01 AM
I dislike seeing ToT from within the DL berm because it reminds me that DCA was ever there to begin with.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy DCA for what it is, and I frequently went there when I had an annual pass. But as much as I've enjoyed DCA, in my mind it should never have been built in the first place. It does nothing to "complement" DL the way Eisner says it does, and honestly, I preferred it when it was a parking lot.

Mind you, this is NOT intended to be a DCA bashing post. In pointing out my dislike for DCA, I'm simply saying that if you're not in favor of DCA, you won't like it's intrusion into the DL berm. Seeing something from inside DL that to me does not compliment DL in any way definitely intrudes into the "magic."

I even like ToT at MGM, one of my favorite attractions at WDW. I am sure I will like the DCA version as well. But the DCA version has come to represent to me DCA and all the sad attempts they have to make to get attendance up because they failed big-time in the first place, and it just makes me sad to be reminded of that from within DL.

Incidentally, in Tomorrowland you can see ToT if you're standing around the Subs. And you can see the Soarin' building from the Main Street Station also.

It reminds me of that story of how Eisner, in his quest to make a lucrative deal with (I think) Westin, he gave them lots of leeway with the design and location within WDW of the hotels they were to run. So when Westin picked the design and location, and the Swan and Dolphin finally went up, you could see them from throughout World Showcase in Epcot. Then when Eisner noticed this one day, he tried to get the Imagineers to design something to block the view, which of course there was no possible solution by then (see, even Eisner knows the importance of the berm! :D ). There's also another Epcot berm problem you can read about at www.jimhillmedia.com (April 14, 2004, "WDI has a solution to Epcot's Soarin' problem"), but fortunately there's plans to fix this one.