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SimpTwister
12-21-2001, 12:22 PM
Besides the Farm, Paradise Pier is the area of DCA that gets the most criticism.

Many people are against the whole idea of a re-creation of a carnival in a Disney park. I disagree.

I think the problem with Paradise Pier lies not in the core concept, but in the fact that the themeing wasn't taken far enough.

'A Seaside Amusement Park' is hardly a theme at all. The whole place is about as interesting as the Santa Monica Pier, except that Santa Monica has a real ocean.

Take that theme one step further, however, and the possibilities start to come to light. For example:


A Seaside Amusement Park...

...in 1910
...in 1928
...in 1940
...that is old and decrepit... and HAUNTED!
...that has been closed for a decade. It has only recently reopened. Some rides and structures are run-down, some are shiny and new. A few are in a (permanent) state of transition.


If they had so much as set a time period for PP to re-create, this area would be twice as interesting (and by extension, so would DCA).

They may have been going for 'timeless', but what they got was 'generic'.


To summarize: I personally see nothing inherently wrong with California Screamin', the Sun Wheel, King Triton's Carousel, and Golden Zephyr in DCA. The problem is, that's ALL they are: rides. No interesting setting, no theme, no story.

In the future, if PP is at the very least given an authentic 1920's treatment, with suitably intricate architecture, period costumes, and Disney-ized versions of classic rides (Dark Rides, Shoot-the-Chutes), DCA will be a much better park.

hbquikcomjamesl
12-21-2001, 02:04 PM
Amazing. Hold the presses. Paradise Pier gets some actual, honest-to-God, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, instead of endless bitching!

Not to mention that most of the ideas have some merit. One thing, though: a 1928 theme would automatically eliminate such modernistic things as surf-rock played on a band organ, and would require appropriate backdating of the music on Screamin' as well.

FriendOfDaisy
12-21-2001, 02:41 PM
I don't know, I can't imagine an entire section of a Disney park with "decrepit" as part of the theming. However, I do agree that a little theming might go a long way, but I think the ideal time period would be the late 50s/early 60s. That's when the piers in were at their peak, when the Beach Party movies glamorized the shore, when "beach music" was starting to come in, when Annette was a big star... Plus, if they could extend the lagoon or somehow create more water on the other side (where the back wall is now) and make you feel like you're actually on the ocean, you could add some great water-themed rides or perhaps even a more sizable (and usable) beach. Just a thought.


David

innerSpaceman
12-21-2001, 02:41 PM
Simp Twister hit it right on. The problem with Paradise Pier is the generic nature of it and the fact that theming did not go NEARLy far enough. If you want to keep an old-timey feeling yet not be so far in the past as to preclude most of the rides, then I suggest a chronological compromise - the very appropriate year of 1955.

Still, some interesting attractions besides off-the-shelf or standard rides would be nice. How about an elaborate, dark ride Fun House?

Gracy_hm
12-21-2001, 02:52 PM
GOD BLESS US EVERY ONE

stevemo
12-21-2001, 04:10 PM
But remember, detailed theming would have cost money and would have made DCA more like Disneyland, which probably would have put off the Magic Mountain/Universal crowd they were trying to attract.

Iceman
12-21-2001, 06:23 PM
Those are just plain GREAT ideas. I liked Paradise Pier but couldn't put my finger on why I didn't like it even more. You have hit the nail on the head.

I hope that some Disney Imagineers read boards like this. Once they sift through all the pointless complaining they will find the occasional gem like your post, SimpTwister. Since I do plan to become an Imagineer someday, let this be my public record that I will still listen to good ideas from people OUTSIDE the company! :D

DisneyFreak2000
12-21-2001, 08:44 PM
I always thought Paradise Pier would do better as a more fantasy type sea-side carnival. I'm sure as long as they THEME the place it will be good, but I always thought that they should theme it to have more of a 'The Little Mermaid' feel to it. Put AA octopi, seagulls, seals, etc. everywhere. Make decoratiosn and such more Fantasyland pink and purple and yellow. Being that it's a California park though, maybe it would be better that they go the antique carnival way than the Mermaid Lagoon way.

SimpTwister
12-21-2001, 09:10 PM
Thanks for the backup, y'all.

Yeah, it wouldn't really matter that much WHAT the theme was, as long as there WAS a theme (beyond 'Seaside Amusement Park').

1955, fantasy/Little Mermaid, whatever. Maybe something like the Boardwalk at WDW. I've never been, but it looks much more themed than PP.

It would seem a relatively easy task to add a layer of theming to Paradise Pier. It would be the most cost-efficient way to improve DCA (hear that, bean-counters?).


IMO, though, they should just scrap Orange Stinger and Maliboomer. Eyesores both.

And I don't hate the idea of a Wild Mouse coaster, but the 'theming' on Mulholand Madness is just really, really ugly.

Nigel2
12-21-2001, 10:56 PM
On the useable beach idea, why do I have a feeling that it would end up like Cosmic Waves.:) But yeah a theme adjustment would help, it almost looks like they tried for it in the begining but towards the end they just stopped. A dilapdated carnival might be a little odd since some of the rides wouldn't work as well. I think people would be a little too frightend by the sun wheel if they thought it was going to collapse or at least be like the one in "1941". And maliboomer (so lame, but has some merit) is too fast. CS could be a "haunted coaster" but I have no idea how that could go about.