Making Memories vs. Paying the Bills - What the Future Holds for Disney Parks

Disney's business has been making money off of nostalgia and "remembering the magic" tugging on tear ducts as we remember our first time visiting the vacation kingdom(s). That feeling when you experience Peter Pan's Flight for the first time or hear the trumpeting fanfare of the Main Street Electrical Light Parade with anxiety and curiosities through your child's eyes even though you have seen it dozens of times. 

We all have our favorites but at what point is it time to say goodbye? Surely no one is thinking that Disney is expected to keep all shows and attractions operating as they were on October 1, 1971? Right? Can you imagine how boring that would be? 

There definitely is some discord with fans and guests with some of the recent announcements and rumors going around regarding the future of Disney theme parks. Let's take a look at some of these projects and see how people feel about them.

Current Attraction: THE TWILIGHT ZONE TOWER of TERROR 
Location: DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE   
Will Become: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY -  MISSION: BREAKOUT!
GUEST REACTION: HOT and WARM but cooling
 

Copyright Disney

 

When the rumor/news originally broke on WDWMagic.com by WDW1974, about this refurbishment for the Tower in Florida, people were outraged. Disney denied it and the attention quickly shifted focus to California (and eventually Paris) to concert their Tower attraction into Guardians of the Galaxy. When it was realized that the entire area around the Tower of Terror will be re-themed around Marvel then it makes sense. The California and Paris versions of Tower of Terror pale in comparison to the Florida and Tokyo versions so this actually may be a welcomed change. People are still upset but tempers are cooling as this refurb plays part of a much bigger project including a RnR-coaster/Cap America refurb plus more.

Current Attraction: THE TWILIGHT ZONE TOWER of TERROR 
Location: DISNEY'S HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS   
Will Become: GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY -  MISSION: BREAKOUT!
GUEST REACTION: NUCLEAR

Since Universal has the lock on 99.9% of all Marvel properties in the East Coast this does not make sense for Disney to pursue since "GotG" would stick out like a sore thumb at the end of Sunset Blvd.. Unlike DCA, this would not become a Marvel themed area and if it did would be pretty minimal. You may have heard this idea is dead...it is not.

Current Attraction: Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
Location: Epcot   
Will Become: Disney - PIXAR Attraction Based on "Coco"
GUEST REACTION: UNKNOWN

  
It appears Donald & Co. will be waiting for their eviction notice in the form of box office totals once "Coco" is released in theaters Fall 2017. No details other than what you can currently dig and find from "Marni1971" and friends on WDWMagic.com. 


Current Attraction: The Great Movie Ride
Location: Disney Hollywood Studios   
Will Become: The Great Mickey Ride
GUEST REACTION: Split - Happy & Confused

 

 "If you are not going to update it, then put it out of it's misery" seems to be the sentiment of many online. Sure "The Great Movie Ride" will be missed but guests will be wowed with a new ride system (rumored to be borrowed/based off of the new Star Wars ride next door) based on the main mouse himself. This rumor has been bouncing around for years and seems to be finally materializing faster than the Wicked Witch of the East in Munchkin-land...or at least for now anyway. There is excitement in that they are FINALLY building a ride around Mickey Mouse but at the cost of a Disney classic. We will see what happens but I feel people will be ok with this one once they see what they come up with.

 

Current Attraction: The Universe of Energy
Location: Epcot   
Will Become: Guardians of the Galaxy
GUEST REACTION: Confused & Mad 

If the Tower of Terror (DHS) to Guardians of the Galaxy overhaul is nixed...this is "Plan B." How does this make any kind of sense for Future World much less Epcot? Anyone? Anyone? Please, if you have a sound reason or theory of how this fits we will be more than happy to publish your theory of how this supports the vision of Epcot.

So....what are your thoughts? Good? Bad? What are they thinking?  

Drop us an email at DisneyCastBlast@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

R.I.P. EPCOT Center/Epcot '94/Epcot '95/Epcot

Picture by "Justin at EPCOT" - http://justinatepcot.blogspot.com/2016_03_01_archive.html

By now you have probably heard the rumors of "new and exciting" additions coming to the Experimental Proto...aw hell who are we kidding...Epcot. On one hand the new additions excite me, replacing old stale attractions that need to be updated more than being replaced. It was once said:

To all who come to this place of joy, hope and friendship, welcome.

Epcot Center is inspired by Walt Disney's creative genius. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, the wonders of enterprise, and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.

May Epcot Center entertain, inform and inspire. And, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere. —E. Cardon Walker, October 24, 1982 

 Epcot is quickly becoming Magic Kingdom 2.0 with a bar and all you can eat buffet (for a price). With Donald and friends moving in at the Mexico pavilion and Elsa converting a pavilion based on a real nation into a fictitious land goes against everything Epcot stands for. Nemo at the Seas? It is cute but by no means gives you the excitement of our seas and what the depths of our planet have to offer.

Enter the latest rumors of converting one or more Future World pavilions into "Guardians of the Galaxy." It does not fit. It does not make sense. It does not celebrate human achievement through the "wonders of enterprise." The only place this ever could have fit within Epcot was when the "Great Movie Ride" was planned to be built next to the Journey into Imagination pavilion. 

 

But the Universe of Energy is old and boring and needs to be replaced. Yes you are correct...it does. Not at the expense of the concept and them of Epcot. You can't tell me with innovators like Elon Musk that human vision and ingenuity cant be expressed in new shows and attractions throughout the park. There is no reason Guardians of the Galaxy should be considered unless all options of the true spirit of Epcot have been exhausted. 

Society may be to blame. People no longer care about the nostalgia, history, vision and heritage of what the Imagineers and Walt Disney set out to do. I understand Walt did not have direct input on the theme park Epcot, however his ultimate vision of EPCOT led to the development of the theme park known as EPCOT Center/Epcot '94/Epcot '95/Epcot. People want quick thrills and no longer have the patience for story and dialogue that have made Disney (and Universal) attractions special. 

Putting Guardians in Future World is as bad as putting a Circus in the middle of...oh wait...nevermind. Not exactly the best fit.

Am I against the "Disney-fication" of Epcot? No. I do remember a time when Epcot had no characters except a few robots and a small dragon with his friend that found dreams. It wasn't until the outcry of guest feedback that led to the Fab 5 to enter the Future and the showcase of culture from other lands. I am willing to bet that there has never been an outcry by guests to add Guardians of the Galaxy.

Sure the new additions may be entertaining but doesn't exactly offer "hope to people everywhere."  

What are your thoughts? Will they eventually change the Epcot Dedication Plaque as Epcot continues to make changes away from its original vision?

Drop us an email at DisneyCastBlast@gmail.com

 

Are You Ready for the "Tower of Groot?"

RUMOR TIME!

*DISCLAIMER*
First...before we begin...things that we have been told and that we know...

1. Disney cannot have Marvel properties in Florida 
2. Disney cannot have Marvel properties in Florida

and finally

3. Disney cannot have Marvel properties in Florida

This post is based on a news tip from poster "WDW1974" over at www.WDWMagic.com. It appears that this deal includes ONLY "Guardians of the Galaxy" and nothing more. It also involves the beloved "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" on both the west and east coast Disney resorts. 

THE SCOOP


Seems as though there are plans in the works to convert both Tower of Terror attractions into "Guardians of the Galaxy" attractions to take advantage of the popularity of the (soon to be) franchise. Now you can blast the idea as nothing more than complete B.S. but remember Disney has done crazier things. Looks like California is pretty much a done deal however Florida has a few more hurdles and may be a little more problematic.

OUR TAKE

Probably not the best idea for a "redo" in recent theme park times. The "Twilight Zone Tower of Terror" is a timeless classic that is arguably one of the last true unique Disney attractions ever built. Why mess with it? To me it seems to only hurt the surrounding theme of the area. We are not sure how the new theme will fit into the surrounding area, in Florida or California, but it is going to take one hell of a storyteller to pull it off. We like the Tower of Terror the way it is...leave it alone.

YOUR TAKE?
 
What are your thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea?

What are your thoughts? Drop us an email at DisneyCastBlast@gmail.com