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View Full Version : 50 Years... what might be coming



wonderful
06-16-2002, 09:33 AM
First, I think it is a safe bet that DL's 50th will, at least, be better than the 45th....
I hear parades and entertainment are already in the planning phases (truthfuly, I would've started planning the week after Parade of the Stars debuted... or torn out my eyes Oedipus-style to avoid having to see the horrible thing over and over and over and over...)...
Most web sites and other sources confirm that the big push is to completely overhaul five classic attractions-- not really redo them, but give them a bit more "wow": and those attractions are..
1. it's a small world-- the rumor is that Imagineers will go back to Walt and Mary Blair's original vision of a lighted facade that would shine like a jewel-- think fiber optics that can change design for the season or occasion; the inside would be revamped and there'd be much more to look at than singing kids. I personally LOVE this ride, but I am all for a redo since nine times out of ten folks come off asleep... my only request (hehe) is that the holiday version still be a possibility each year.
2. Pirates of the Caribbean-- new special effects, larger drops and an improved battle scene a la the pirate ship fight in front of Las Vegas's Treasure Island. Again, I am all for a redo and I'd really love to see a photo option put on this one.
3. Space Mountain-- most have seen the new rockets, but plans for the inside have been rumored to be anything from DL Paris's version to a Buzz or Stitch tie-in... a character tie in would be great because Tomorrowland is pretty character deficient.
4. The Haunted Mansion-- all new effects and an expanded "museum of the wierd" concept-- probably will include some restructuring to make the holiday version easier to install and take out... it would be nice to see a permanent fog effect like the one that comes with the holiday version. I've always thought there should be a story teller out there at certain times in the day to tell the story of the mansion.
5. Jungle Cruise-- definately could use the change (though I do LOVE this attraction dearly) and I haven't heard any concrete plans for this, but it would be more exciting and more of an E ticket, featuring effects like animals that actually noticed the guests on the boats. It would be nice to encounter Jose from Tiki advertising the show somewhere near the end. This one and "it's a small world" are the two I'm looking forward to most.

Now, I have read most of this or heard most of this from sources that are right about 80% of the time, but I in no way intend for anyone to think "I know." Truth is, the only ones who do "Know" are very good at keeping secrets and very good at releasing just enough to whet appetites of fans...
Just remember that a 50 Year celebration is more all inclusive than attractions and a parade... eateries will probably be redesigned (or removed), play areas and character meet and greets will be effected, and merchandising and special events will probably have dozens of things planned, not the least of which being shows like "A 50 Year Birthday Celebration" "A 50 Year Christmas Celebration" "A 50 Year Reunion" and you get the picture... well, it all seems pretty amazing from here, but this is Tomorrowland and here anything is possible =)

DisneylandKid
06-16-2002, 09:47 AM
Everything sounds good to me, except I really don't think that they should change Pirates's drops that much---I don't want this to turn into a typical thrill ride... Jungle Cruise is what I'm looking most forward to!

Oh, and, I really don't think Space Mountain should be CHANGED... just touched up.

TP2000
06-16-2002, 03:45 PM
Just curious about this one, since it seems to come up regularly from people....

How would you "change" the drops on Pirates? You do realize that lengthening or steepening the drops would require you to completely gut and lower the entire structure and show building on either the top level or the bottom level, right? You can't just add 10 or 15 extra feet to a drop without lowering the level at which the boats end their drop.

If you were to "change" the drops on Pirates, it would require massive and unprecedented change to the buildings and structures that contain and surround this attraction. The Show sections would then need to be an extra 10 or 15 feet below their current level as well. Unless you want to install some sort of lift hill that brings the boats back up to the level that the rest of the Show takes place at, at some point after the "changed" drops and before the boats enter the "Battle Scene" where the first major Show scene begins.

I'm also contantly amazed by people in a boat with me on Pirates who claim that Disneyland "changed" the drops, or "added that second one since we were here last", or something to that effect.

The limits with which people think about their spoken statements sometimes astound me.

How about we just concentrate on adding the sword fighting pirates from Paris and the flaming skull effect from Tokyo? We can leave the complete demolition and restructuring of the present New Orleans Square in order to accomodate a "change" in the drops for a later time.

MickeyD
06-16-2002, 04:56 PM
Originally posted by TP2000
How would you "change" the drops on Pirates? You do realize that lengthening or steepening the drops would require you to completely gut and lower the entire structure and show building on either the top level or the bottom level, right? You can't just add 10 or 15 extra feet to a drop without lowering the level at which the boats end their drop.

If you were to "change" the drops on Pirates, it would require massive and unprecedented change to the buildings and structures that contain and surround this attraction. The Show sections would then need to be an extra 10 or 15 feet below their current level as well. Unless you want to install some sort of lift hill that brings the boats back up to the level that the rest of the Show takes place at, at some point after the "changed" drops and before the boats enter the "Battle Scene" where the first major Show scene begins.


Not that I'm saying they should or would, but wouldn't it be possible for them to "change" the drops by making one bigger drop instead of two smaller drops?

Sophie832
06-16-2002, 08:19 PM
I'm up for anything as long as the imagineers who work on the upgrades keep some of the original stuff, and remember the magic of the attractions (like with the Haunted Mansion Holiday).

I've heard that the 50th will be a global Disney celebration, but I hope that doesn't mean that once again Disneyworld gets a better parade and celebration than Disneyland. It may sound impossible, but think about Walt's 100th where the PARK HE PRACTICALLY LIVED AT has no 100th parade, and Eisner and Roy decided to celebrate in Florida. This is Disneyland's 50th, and I want everyone around the world to wish they were in So. Cal. to celebrate!

No matter what, I know I'm not the only one who is counting down to the 50th already!!!

merlinjones
06-16-2002, 08:31 PM
They should add new rides to the broken and deserted half of the park, not "fix" what isn't broken. I'm really sick of Imagineers wanting to "pee" on the classics to make them their own with debatable "improvements". Do something new!

As Ward Kimball once said "Walt Disney is dead and you missed him". Imagineers - - you didn't design those rides - - do your own. The revised versions of Pirates is weaker - - same for Small World and Phantom Manor design travesties at EDL.

If you want to improve show effects, fine. But to change design elements like the attack of the fort (which is storytelling, leading into the next scenes), is foolish. Will you reedit "Snow White" next?

You simply can't improve on Mary and Mark and Claude and the gang in the design and storytelling department. Update technology, but leave us Disneyland, please!!! We like it.

Disneyfreak
06-16-2002, 09:15 PM
I think that they could make the drop on pirates steeper and longer by having the same idea as Splash Mountain where you go down then up the drop. But as far as im concerned, change the ship so it like sinks or something but dont change how it looks.