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View Full Version : Ideas for New Restaurants?



dlandnut
03-24-2006, 12:34 PM
What about a sit down restaurant on Tom Sawyer Island? (By sit down, I mean sit, receive a menu, be waited on, relax for a bit, lol).

How about a sit down restaurant between Matterhorn/IASM?

What about return of the Tahitian Terrace (or something similar) as another possibility for a sit down restaurant?

I heard that at one time there was talk of a "dinner cruise" that Imagineers thought of pursuing, i.e., reservations for dinner aboard the Mark Twain Steamboat, or reservations on the Railroad as it circles the park and you are served dinner in a "dining car". Or, were they "brainstorming" ideas only?

:)

JookyG
03-24-2006, 12:57 PM
I don't think a restaurant on the island would be very relaxing, considering that's where the kids go to let off steam. Maybe a character dining experience, which is going to attract a lot of kids anyway. But with TSI closing at dusk, it seems impractical.

I love your other ideas, though. The dinner cruise or dinner train would be really cool. Instead of creating a galley car, the train could stop and pick up dinner orders in NOS, maybe from the Blue Bayou, or in Tomorrowland for Italian food from the pizza port (maybe upscale it a little).

Mostly I'd just like to see the Tahitian Terrace come back. I'm not old enough to remember it, and have never even seen the space, but the old photos are driving me nuts! I'd LOVE to eat someplace like that, whether it be counter service or elegant full service. Especially if they include the skewers from the soon-to-be-extinct Bengal Barbecue.

TikiGeek
03-24-2006, 01:05 PM
IMostly I'd just like to see the Tahitian Terrace come back. I'm not old enough to remember it, and have never even seen the space, but the old photos are driving me nuts! I'd LOVE to eat someplace like that, whether it be counter service or elegant full service. Especially if they include the skewers from the soon-to-be-extinct Bengal Barbecue.Your comments echo my thoughts on this exactly.

I would love to see a place like Tahitian Terrace come back. In the absence of B-BBQ this could really work. :)

Opus1guy
03-24-2006, 01:50 PM
Not only great ideas, but all have been considered before by Disney and in some cases actually done! As for what has been considered before, I happen to know a bit about a few proposals that were active at one time or another.

Back when the Lilly Belle was taken out of service, it was proposed to Club 33 if they would be interested in taking it over (and paying for it's refurb) to offer it's Member's and their guests a special premium priced dinner on-the-rails. This was considered both as a "on-the-line" and "stationary on-a-siding" project. At that time it was also proposed that the Club even consider taking over the old then-in-storage Yellow Cars of the Disneyland Railroad for a similar dining experience...the carrot being the increased dining capacity would allow them to accommodate more memberships. But both concepts never went out of blue-sky.

Club 33 has had special dinners aboard the Mark Twain complete with bar up in Walt's bar on the steamship. And many Enchanted Evenings and specially arranged Private Parties still do this more often than you might think.

Private dining experiences in Walt's firehouse apartment have also been proposed or considered for Club 33, wedding packages and even to the general public...but those have been shot down as well.

Another I recall being pursued was a fine-dining sit-down restaurant up in the location of the Fantasyland Skyway Chalet. I'm sure there were more.

Many blue-sky proposals lie dormant for many years and are dusted off for re-consideration many times in their lives. Some eventually see the light-of-day in their original or modified form.

Tahitian Terrace would be a natural to bring back. Unfortunately...there doesn't seem to be much interest or vision on the part of some Park management in regards to expanding full sit-down table service restaurants within Disneyland Park. Getting the most profit out of the lowest food and labor costs also with high-turnover, seems to excite them more these days. IMHO and experience. :(

Niwel
03-24-2006, 02:02 PM
I'd like a restaurant where each room was an homage to a different classic live action movie: in the Mary Poppins room it would look like a tea party on the ceiling; the Parent Trap room would look like Camp Inch; the Pete's Dragon room would look like a lighthouse; the Treasure Island room would look like a jungle (or deck of a ship); the Bedknobs and Broomsticks room would look like the Isle of Nabomboo. (Yes it is basically the same concept as the old Soap Opera Bistro -- but I liked that place).

Opus1guy
03-24-2006, 02:06 PM
I'd like a restaurant where each room was an homage to a different classic live action movie: in the Mary Poppins room it would look like a tea party on the ceiling; the Parent Trap room would look like Camp Inch; the Pete's Dragon room would look like a lighthouse; the Treasure Island room would look like a jungle (or deck of a ship); the Bedknobs and Broomsticks room would look like the Isle of Nabomboo. (Yes it is basically the same concept as the old Soap Opera Bistro -- but I liked that place).

Though not entirely what you're thinking of, but along the same same "homage" line...at Disneyland Paris, "Walt's - An American Restaurant" on Main Street has each of it's different rooms themed to each Land in the Park. What a great restaurant that is! Would love to see that one here in Anaheim. :)

JookyG
03-24-2006, 02:22 PM
Tahitian Terrace would be a natural to bring back. Unfortunately...there doesn't seem to be much interest or vision on the part of some Park management in regards to expanding full sit-down table service restaurants within Disneyland Park. Getting the most profit out of the lowest food and labor costs also with high-turnover, seems to excite them more these days. IMHO and experience. :(

Opus1guy, do you see this situation changing under Iger/Lassiter's managment? There seems to be a new buzz lately around some of these these dusty ideas, fueled in part by the Re-Imagineering blog (http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/) I'm sure. I hear management is re-evaluating old proposals, but will anything come of them? I'd like to think Iger isn't as beholden to the accountants, but I'm sure he's still wearing those shackles.

Opus1guy
03-24-2006, 03:04 PM
Opus1guy, do you see this situation changing under Iger/Lassiter's managment?

I do see many good signs. But I also see some signs that concern me a bit. To correctly "imagineer" something takes a lot more than just a good idea and the ability to build. While there is plenty of talent in the Pixar team...many of them really don't know what makes a good Disney theme park attraction. There are many elements that make up a "Disney" attraction. Often when someone is considered a genius in one discipline, they don't turn out to be one in another.

As much as folks consider Lassiter a breath of fresh air and a "traditionalist"...I'm not sure he knows everything there is that differentiates Disney attractions from say Universal rides. In fact one thing that sort of disturbed me listening to his comments at the shareholders' meeting was his constant reference to the "rides" in the Parks. Anyone that really knows Disney theme parks knows that that's a dirty word unless you're talking about Mr. Toad. He must not have paid too much attention when attending Disneyland University training when he was a Jungle Cruise skipper! ;)

Now don't get me wrong and I know that seems like such a small thing and this is something they can learn (or re-learn). But it's that and many things being discussed "out on the street" that concern me. It concerns me anytime that someone from one discipline (film animation) comes over with perhaps too much "power" to a new discipline (theme park design). Unchecked or too much power can lead to things like Superstar Limo. I hope we're not talking about a super-ego or someone that thinks they know-it-all. It also concerns me that if they rush to build and don't take the time to think and build the thing out correctly in that special way that distinguishes Disney theme park attractions from the other guy's rides...that they'll have a couple of bombs and then the beancounters or some Marketing weasels will step back in and take the power away again.

I'm optimistic about the changes in management, but I'm not blind to some potential pitfalls as well as some of the people still in various positions from the previous regime that might not be the best people for the job any longer within the current and new management focus. Some of them are sadly just praying the "new guys" fall on their faces.

I hope that Lassiter (and Jobs) learns as much as he contributes in the theme park arena. That would be great. :) At least he's bringing a very energized style and positive attitude to the creative side. I just hope he can stand up to the corporate culture that is the 6 Billion Pound Mouse, and it doesn't end up rolling over and flatting him. The relatively small corporate environment and focus of Pixar that he's been used to, is a far cry from the mega-conglomerate/corporate bureaucracy that is The Walt Disney Company.

When the honeymoon is over...I hope they're still in love.

PragmaticIdealist
03-24-2006, 04:36 PM
Another I recall being pursued was a fine-dining sit-down restaurant up in the location of the Fantasyland Skyway Chalet. I'm sure there were more.

The view from that location is great. I think that idea has possibilities.

PragmaticIdealist
03-24-2006, 04:53 PM
I do see many good signs. But I also see some signs that concern me a bit. To correctly "imagineer" something takes a lot more than just a good idea and the ability to build. While there is plenty of talent in the Pixar team...many of them really don't know what makes a good Disney theme park attraction. There are many elements that make up a "Disney" attraction. Often when someone is considered a genius in one discipline, they don't turn out to be one in another.

As much as folks consider Lassiter a breath of fresh air and a "traditionalist"...I'm not sure he knows everything there is that differentiates Disney attractions from say Universal rides. In fact one thing that sort of disturbed me listening to his comments at the shareholders' meeting was his constant reference to the "rides" in the Parks. Anyone that really knows Disney theme parks knows that that's a dirty word unless you're talking about Mr. Toad. He must not have paid too much attention when attending Disneyland University training when he was a Jungle Cruise skipper! ;)

Now don't get me wrong and I know that seems like such a small thing and this is something they can learn (or re-learn). But it's that and many things being discussed "out on the street" that concern me. It concerns me anytime that someone from one discipline (film animation) comes over with perhaps too much "power" to a new discipline (theme park design). Unchecked or too much power can lead to things like Superstar Limo. I hope we're not talking about a super-ego or someone that thinks they know-it-all. It also concerns me that if they rush to build and don't take the time to think and build the thing out correctly in that special way that distinguishes Disney theme park attractions from the other guy's rides...that they'll have a couple of bombs and then the beancounters or some Marketing weasels will step back in and take the power away again.

I'm optimistic about the changes in management, but I'm not blind to some potential pitfalls as well as some of the people still in various positions from the previous regime that might not be the best people for the job any longer within the current and new management focus. Some of them are sadly just praying the "new guys" fall on their faces.

I hope that Lassiter (and Jobs) learns as much as he contributes in the theme park arena. That would be great. :) At least he's bringing a very energized style and positive attitude to the creative side. I just hope he can stand up to the corporate culture that is the 6 Billion Pound Mouse, and it doesn't end up rolling over and flatting him. The relatively small corporate environment and focus of Pixar that he's been used to, is a far cry from the mega-conglomerate/corporate bureaucracy that is The Walt Disney Company.

When the honeymoon is over...I hope they're still in love. I've had exactly the same thoughts, and I was cringing in my seat at The Pond, too, when Mr. Lasseter repeatedly used the word, "ride". It, and the content of his comments, disturbed me in that they seemed to demonstrate a superficial understanding of Disneyan culture.

I think Mr. Lasseter will do extremely well if he can focus on changing the organizational culture of the company and wield the power he has, internally, for the good so that the creatives are given preeminence.

Shadowcat
03-24-2006, 05:07 PM
I have to dig up the "let's make a REAL House of Mouse" restaurant. Set it up like the 50's Diner at WDW (without the drive-in theme tho) and show Mickey and friends cartoons up on the big screen. Heck, they can even just show House of Mouse itself! ^.^

olegc
03-24-2006, 08:45 PM
all of us, including Mr. Lassiter, would be great Blue Sky group imagineers - but making it actually happen is a different story.

even now in the parks - they have done a bang up job with refurbishments and the look of the parks, as well as getting some new "attractions" ;) greenlit - but it also troubles me that the labor issue and the hardline taken on some of these topics - as well as the issues in another thread about restaurant mess/upkeep/service - makes me think that some things are still not reaching the top of the list for improvement...

Before we build new restaurants (even the redone River Belle) - let's try to make the stuff we have now work better in this new management era. Otherwise we have exactly opposite of what Pressler's era did - we'll have great attractions but your lunch will consist of popcorn and a $5.00 bottle of water from a cart.