9/15: Laughing EO Off

[MickeyMousePal]

Originally Posted by danyoung

Yeah, I gotta say I'm pretty underwhelmed by MILF coming to DL. There are several attractions in TL that are marginal at best in their adherence to the theme of the future. But this one just can't in any way be spun as something futuristic. It's just a toon attraction, and it doesn't belong in any incarnation of TL!

I was okay when BLAB was added to Tomorrowland. What does Monsters, Inc have to do with the future? Where are the Incredibles People Movers? I smell another movie-tie-in for Monsters, Inc 2. I also fell like Star Tours 2.0 won't live up to it's own hype. Now I really feel like there is no tomorrow for Tomorrowland.

[spacejockey]

NO! NO! NO! Please God no MILF in Tomorrowland!!! The show in Florida is horrid at best and Monsters is already represented in the Backlot. It's simply just too much filler and further dumbs down the theme of Tomorrowland. Plus the audience is very different in SOCAL than in FL as most Disneylanders are repeat locals and this show is not repeatable at all MILF will be another empty theater in 6 months after opening. I can't believe with the limited space in Disneyland that they would even consider this. We need to get a petition going!!! But, first I need to go throw up...

[Evan]

I'd rather keep HISTA there indefinitely than have Monsters, Inc. there.

There is hardly anything futuristic about Monsters, Inc. Tomorrowland needs to stop being polluted with Pixar attractions. In bringing Monsters to Tomorrowland, it'd practically be another Toontown. Buzz Lightyear is the only one that makes any sense.

I mean, if you're going to put another Pixar attraction in Tomorrowland, at least base it on something that makes sense, like WALL-E. Monsters makes no sense in Tomorrowland whatsoever.

Here's hoping Al is completely wrong on this.

[cellarhound]

Well, well, well...

D23 Expo didn't go so well... I am not surprised because D23 conceptionally has HUGE execution problems.

I am not talking about the magazine which is nice, nor the website which is nice too...

Con's are built organically from the outside of companies utilizing partershiping with outside organizations... Apple is involved with MacWorld but it is an independant organization... Comicon, Wondercon and the like are all independant events.

My advice:

1. Start smaller - Think grass roots. Top down approach to fans NEVER WORK - everything you do feels artificial. Work with local fan groups to produce events in multiple cities. And think cities outside of Anaheim and Orlando... New York, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Seatle.

2. Find a better date. Early middle of September? Weekend after Labor day? What exactly where you thinking? Did you just want to fill dead time in your collective calendar?

3. Better execution of D23 by taking it outside of Disney. Too much of the D23 program seem like an afterthought to bring value to D23 members by utilizing synergy only... It is simply not working... And more over what I have seen is poorly planned executed. These types of programs are better suited when they utilise synergies outside the companies they support. Apple's relationship with MacWorld is a classic example.

4. Have your annual meeting of stockholders durring that convention... seriously... Apple did this, killing two birds with one stone and it becomes a serious love fest by people who are invested in it and think the company is terrific! Not just fans...

I would not be surprised if they pull the plug on D23. But I hope that they try to rethink the program and try to save it. What they are doing isn't working.

----------

On a side note... They need to remove, Honey I Shrunk the Audiance's Intellegence - asap. I am not certain Laugh Floor is the best replacement - EO may not be either, but both might be a good place holders untill they can find something better. Perferabley with something more futuristic and spacy... It would be a good opportunity to bring MARVEL into the park...

[pineapplewhipaddict]

This is what I've been talking about. So many of you kept thinking we would get something new and innovative for the long-term replacement of HISTA, and what's this I see now? A "slightly-tuned" Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor. Hate to say it, but I told ya so. I'm not surprised by this one bit. This is the stuff we need to come to expect when there's potential for a "new" attraction to come our way. Beware.

Now we can just hope and pray (and make our voices heard) for this bad idea to go away. If we must have this new attraction tied to a Pixar film, why the heck can't WALL-E be used?! At the very least we would be starting off the theme correctly (not to mention that it's one of the few Pixar films that hasn't gotten an attraction yet.) Maybe WDI wants to tie in the film with something else when Tomorrowland gets it's makeover...at this point that's their only remote excuse.

Maybe if we're really loud, we could get Alien Encounter. I think I'll go re-read why that attraction didn't come to Disneyland in the first place.


...I wonder if the Autonomatronics have anything to do with this slightly fine-tuned version of MILF (so weird typing in this context!).

Speaking of which, I mostly really enjoyed the D23 Expo. I only went Saturday (couldn't afford or had the time off to go the whole time) and all the Imagineering stuff was great! I just wish I'd had the time to get a picture with WALL-E

I was really annoyed with how they handled the big Princess and the Frog panel. They were already running incredibly late, and then had the audacity to stop us individually and confiscate all of our cell phones and cameras, have us scanned, and still have security watching us going up and down the rows. That said, the presenters themselves did a great job, and we got to see a lot of amazing stuff and the movie was quite heavily revealed.

I think all the talk of the big presentation on Saturday having nothing new is a little bit of a stretch. We were lavished with concept art for WDW's new Fantasyland, were shown how the beginning of Radiator Spring's Racers attraction is supposed to look in terms of rider POV, and were shown a clip for what's to come to Star Tours (with a fairly entertaining way of presenting that whole concept by having Darth Vader wanting specific time lines etc.). I found the presentation to be overall very enjoyable, save for no news regarding Captain EO.

I really hope he doesn't get cold feet and completely shelf the idea. And it would be quite a waste, considering all the money and work WDI has already put into it.

[BassBone]

Originally Posted by Dustysage

Indeed. Honey I Shrunk The Audience is almost a better option than Laugh Floor.

Perfect way to destroy Tomorrowland, put more Pixar characters in it!

I'm DISGUSTED! Doesn't Imagineering have the balls to say no to the Pixar boys? I guess the answer is no.

Why do you assume that it's Pixar that's pushing this? IIRC, Pixar was minimally involved in the creation of Laugh Floor besides the design of new characters and it only improved after they became more involved for fear of a poor attraction diluting their brand. The people at WDPR aren't stupid. They know what makes money, or at least they think they do, so I imagine they're the ones pushing mainly for new Pixar-based attractions. The "Pixar boys" get involved so the experience isn't too bad and their brand isn't damaged. At least that's what I want to believe.

Originally Posted by SnorkletsMom

Monsters? Yeeaah. Precisely why I've never been thrilled with Lasseter's overly large presence in the company. Keep him in charge of the Pixar stuff, where he belongs. Don't let him or the MBAs keep shoving more Pixar-themed crap into the parks division.

What a hideously bad, typically unoriginal idea. I'd prefer they just make DCA into PixarLand and then I could continue to avoid it.

I think Pixar makes awesome films. But that doesn't mean the films make awesome attractions.

Don't blame Lasseter too quickly. He is as big a Disney fan as any of us.

Originally Posted by toonaspie

Probably the same thing he was thinking when he announced plans for "Cars 2". :P

Cars 2 was pushed for by Disney, not by Pixar, much like Toy Story 3.

Originally Posted by EC82

So, people are going to BELIEVE Al Lutz still?

Come on, Al, you "reported" on rumors that were far from confirmed, turned them into an insistent sort of "reality" and now are expressing bemusement when they turn out to be .......FALSE! No one except YOU ever said Captain EO was coming back.

I used to look forward to Al's updates and now I seriously doubt the validity of pretty much anything he says.

He reported it as a rumor, saying nothing was definite and it was pending Iger's approval. I'm more upset at Iger's cold feet than Al's reporting. It's Iger's fault that it may not be coming back. Everyone else at the company wanted it to come back.

[startours2.0]

MILF is coming to Disneyland? LOL!!! Al's April Fool's articles are getting more outrageous each year!

[Mr Wiggins]

Originally Posted by cellarhound

It would be a good opportunity to bring MARVEL into the park...

Meaning no disrespect to your post, this would be a good opportunity for me to vomit everything I've eaten clear back to and including that nice rib roast last Thursday.

[flynnibus]

Originally Posted by cellarhound

Con's are built organically from the outside of companies utilizing partershiping with outside organizations...

But Disney can still bring in tons of people and content. I think what you are seeing here is when you plan an event less then 6 months out and no one knows what to expect. Other vendors, organizations, etc didn't have the time or incentive to really participate. It's a chicken and the egg thing.. Disney has to prove it will have draw and is worth coming to and being a part of. I think Disney certainly pulled out enough things from the 'cant normally do or see' box to make people want to be a part of it.

Originally Posted by cellarhound

2. Find a better date. Early middle of September? Weekend after Labor day? What exactly where you thinking? Did you just want to fill dead time in your collective calendar?

Why is it bad? The issue here is more of 'what are you conflicting with'. You are also probably seeing another byproduct of 'Year 1 planning'. You can't get the convention center for a week when you want it on short notice. These calendars are booked out years in advance. If you come along with shortnotice - you gotta work within someone else's schedule.

Originally Posted by cellarhound

These types of programs are better suited when they utilise synergies outside the companies they support. Apple's relationship with MacWorld is a classic example.

This will come once people have a better expectation of what the show will be and have time to plan and participate. Next year they will...

[cellarhound]

Originally Posted by Mr Wiggins

Meaning no disrespect to your post, this would be a good opportunity for me to vomit everything I've eaten clear back to and including that nice rib roast last Thursday.

MARVEL is Disney now.... I do realise that idea is kinda unsettling, but I think it was a good move on Iger's part, because Disney properties was still having traction issues with boys... Now they don't have that problem anymore...

[Mr Wiggins]

Originally Posted by pineapplewhipaddict

If we must have this new attraction tied to a Pixar film, why the heck can't WALL-E be used?!

Here's why:

• A Wall-E attraction would have to be designed and built from scratch, which would cost more money and take more time than cloning MILF.
• A Wall-E attraction would be a less powerful draw than MILF for the key demographic at whom Disney has been aiming their recent attractions, namely, the kiddies (Buzz? Pooh? Tink? MILF? ...connect the dots).
• A Wall-E attraction would generate less opportunity for plush and other merchandise than the Monsters, Inc. cast of characters.

[rob3gd]

Oh i didn't know Michael's family went to Disneyland and saw the re-installment. cool. Now, i think that it would be great to re-debute EO with an charity event. I dont think that MILF is a good idea for tomorrow land because it lacks replay value. it is actually kind of funny i will give it that, but as far as entertaining and quality,i give it a D-

[cellarhound]

Originally Posted by flynnibus

But Disney can still bring in tons of people and content. I think what you are seeing here is when you plan an event less then 6 months out and no one knows what to expect

.

Disney can be a draw... But it needs to be smarter and provide more value... It should not think it can produce a Comicon overnight simple because Iger wishes it so... It's a grassroots thing, not something where they can squeese more money out of fans...

Originally Posted by flynnibus

Why is it bad? The issue here is more of 'what are you conflicting with'. You are also probably seeing another byproduct of 'Year 1 planning'.

What I see is lack of preparation and lack of willingness to develope anything beyond what they planned... Long term what they planned is simply unsustainable to meet demand for what they see is high demand. The Studio tours and events seem to me to be so makeshift to me... There is no committment to feed ongoing demand... I think its because there is a big miscommunication between fans and Disney...

D23 is so one sided... It is Disney's megaphone with a premium price tag... I have seen that before... Doesn't optimise sales... Doesn't optimise much of anything really... Except the dublicity by which people feel when they buy in and get nothing back...

One big event just doesn't cut it when it is at the start of a school year and after a big travel weekend. Fans thirst more involvement.

Originally Posted by flynnibus

This will come once people have a better expectation of what the show will be and have time to plan and participate. Next year they will...

I am not convinced there will be a next year, because they have done little to change the status quo on what is going wrong with the program...

And what they have produced does not justify the price of membership...

Just my 2 cents.

[Kiba]

Originally Posted by EC82

Come on, Al, you "reported" on rumors that were far from confirmed, turned them into an insistent sort of "reality" and now are expressing bemusement when they turn out to be .......FALSE! No one except YOU ever said Captain EO was coming back.

It's never 100% until we get an official confirmation. Now, I think the MJ resurgence resulting from his death makes it a possibility- even now (have any of you guys seen the Angel MJ impersonator near Mann Chinese Theater?) but it still is going to be a PR risk.

Originally Posted by pineapplewhipaddict

I was really annoyed with how they handled the big Princess and the Frog panel. They were already running incredibly late, and then had the audacity to stop us individually and confiscate all of our cell phones and cameras, have us scanned, and still have security watching us going up and down the rows.

I think that's pretty standard for upcoming releases but I think the no-camera policy for the Sleeping Beauty pre-screening panel was off as well as inconsistently enforced. It just really gets on my nerves that half the people in my row kept taking pictures and I got treated as a would-be pirate for a movie I've bought on DVD twice.

Con was pretty good-- a couple panels I couldn't get in, but an hour wait usually sufficed. Have to say I hope the Comic-Con-for-Disney model stops short of putting panels in rooms that don't fit all or most of the people interested.

[rob3gd]

Originally Posted by Mr Wiggins

Here's why:

• A Wall-E attraction would have to be designed and built from scratch, which would cost more money and take more time than cloning MILF.
• A Wall-E attraction would be a less powerful draw than MILF for the key demographic at whom Disney has been aiming their recent attractions, namely, the kiddies (Buzz? Pooh? Tink? MILF? ...connect the dots).
• A Wall-E attraction would generate less opportunity for plush and other merchandise than the Monsters, Inc. cast of characters.

Interesting