Hong Kong Disneyland new lands announced officially with Artwork

[Tyler1994]

Originally Posted by PragmaticIdealist

These additions are supposed to help Hong Kong Disneyland? They seem like they're Chinese knockoffs of Disneyland.

At least they putting twists and making them more unique.

[MrLiver]

Originally Posted by PragmaticIdealist

These additions are supposed to help Hong Kong Disneyland? They seem like they're Chinese knockoffs of Disneyland.

Maybe that's exactly what the Chinese want. It's all about knowing your audience.

[Goover]

Originally Posted by MrLiver

Maybe that's exactly what the Chinese want. It's all about knowing your audience.

Or maybe they just want unique rides from what they saw in the US.

I personally aplaud the twists WDI is making to these classics. It's a smart business move and a great way to enhance the diversity in Disney Parks.

Do you want to go to Disney Park or HKDL?

Most want to go to HKDL, so the rides are specialized to fit specifically in HKDL.

What would be the good of a HM clone in Hong Kong? How much international business would that reel in?

[VictorVon]

I really like the idea that the "themes" of Disneyland are kept across the various parks but that the rides themselves are not necessarily duplicated. For example, the way the Haunted Mansion is not quite the same in the parks, especially Phantom Manor. It takes the same concept of a "haunted place" but twists it so that it's not the "same old ride" as everywhere else. Mystic Manor seems to have real potential as the park's "Haunted Mansion." And I think Grizzly Trail works as the park's "Big Thunder"... if executed properly, of course. However, Toy Story Land is obviously the cheapy, kiddie-ride thing a la Bugs Land at DCA. Not too great. But I would argue that it does function as a somewhat decent transition to Fantasyland. Frontierland to Fantasyland at Disneyland is a much harsher transition and it still manages to be okay.

At the end of the day these unique attractions make me more likely to visit HKDL one day. If it was just more Haunted Mansion or Big Thunder, I'd be less likely.

[ZeekSlider]

As a Haunted Mansion/Phantom Manor fan, I'm looking forward to seeing DLHK's version.

[nojarama]

I think it all sounds VERY interesting (especially the Mystic Manor)! I'm just sad that it's going to be on the other side of the planet. Well, I guess that means I need to: 1) win the lotto, 2) get a sugar daddy or 3) inherit some big bucks, so I can pay visit to this (and TDL, TDS and DLP)!!!

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by MasterGracey

Hear, hear. The only thing that could work is a the re-imagining of the Haunted Mansion. But God, contemporary childrens' toys?

Ugh.

TOYLAND would be a more obvious name, but that isn't the TM they have, right? And it's more important to BRAND the product than create a coherent storyline in today's Disney. And without TSMM, it looks like a junky collection of cheapie attractions, and doesn't fit it well at all.

Mystic Point and Grizzly Trail aren't even "LANDS", which I thought was the point of a DISNEYLAND theme park. I thought this was even more rigid in the overseas parks... There's no 'Square' 'Country' or other name used for any areas of Tokyo Disneyland or Disneyland Paris. But the Chinese are hip and edgy enough to understand what a MYSTIC POINT is ? My understanding is a POINT is a strip of land that juts into the sea, or some body of water... The Jungle River seems quite a ways away from this area, blocked by a railroad track, and accessible only through Grizzly Trail or Toy Story Land. So that doesn't make a lot of sense to me either. The Haunted Mansion re-think looks cool, but why does it need it's own POINT, er LAND? What else will fill up the land, besides this one attraction?

Grizzly Trail to me seems like the best of the three concepts.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by VictorVon

I really like the idea that the "themes" of Disneyland are kept across the various parks but that the rides themselves are not necessarily duplicated. For example, the way the Haunted Mansion is not quite the same in the parks, especially Phantom Manor. It takes the same concept of a "haunted place" but twists it so that it's not the "same old ride" as everywhere else. Mystic Manor seems to have real potential as the park's "Haunted Mansion." And I think Grizzly Trail works as the park's "Big Thunder"... if executed properly, of course. However, Toy Story Land is obviously the cheapy, kiddie-ride thing a la Bugs Land at DCA. Not too great. But I would argue that it does function as a somewhat decent transition to Fantasyland. Frontierland to Fantasyland at Disneyland is a much harsher transition and it still manages to be okay.

At the end of the day these unique attractions make me more likely to visit HKDL one day. If it was just more Haunted Mansion or Big Thunder, I'd be less likely.

Great first post. I agree.

[Twist1234]

Toy Story land looks cheap but a trackless ride system!WOW!

[MasterGracey]

Originally Posted by MrLiver

Maybe that's exactly what the Chinese want. It's all about knowing your audience.

Who said that Disney knows anything about their audience? Actually, the initial lack of success at Hong Kong Disneyland would suggest they know little about what their audience actually wants.

Originally Posted by CaliforniaAdventurer

TOYLAND would be a more obvious name, but that isn't the TM they have, right? And it's more important to BRAND the product than create a coherent storyline in today's Disney. And without TSMM, it looks like a junky collection of cheapie attractions, and doesn't fit it well at all.

Mystic Point and Grizzly Trail aren't even "LANDS", which I thought was the point of a DISNEYLAND theme park. I thought this was even more rigid in the overseas parks... There's no 'Square' 'Country' or other name used for any areas of Tokyo Disneyland or Disneyland Paris. But the Chinese are hip and edgy enough to understand what a MYSTIC POINT is ? My understanding is a POINT is a strip of land that juts into the sea, or some body of water... The Jungle River seems quite a ways away from this area, blocked by a railroad track, and accessible only through Grizzly Trail or Toy Story Land. So that doesn't make a lot of sense to me either. The Haunted Mansion re-think looks cool, but why does it need it's own POINT, er LAND? What else will fill up the land, besides this one attraction?

Grizzly Trail to me seems like the best of the three concepts.

The three lands are fine divided into separate sections, but they should all fall under a general theme. This expansion could really work in the way that Frontierland, New Orleans Square, and Critter Country all work together, utilizing a cohesive underlying theme, but each section being unique by itself.

The problem is that how does a western grizzly bear-inhabited mine train ride, a mysterious haunted mansion, and contemporary toys have anything to do with each other? Not only do they fail to work with eachother, they also have zero relation to the region of the park they're being tacked onto. The only thing that could become a natural extension to the Adventureland theme is Mystic Point, with its mysterious rainforest angle. But the project as a whole shows that Disney has little interest in making cohesive theming at this park. No consideration to existing themes are being considered, and Toy Story Land is quite possibly the most inappropriate thing I've seen added to a Magic Kingdom-style park in some time.

[PragmaticIdealist]

My observation is that these attractions copy existing attractions too much while incorporating superficial distinctions that do more to degrade the original concepts than to actually offer something original and worthwhile.

It looks like a mess.

[OC2Epcot]

I went to HKDL in 2005 just one month after it opened. I enjoyed the park, and had a good time. I'm happy to see the expansion, but I agree with others, and don't get the Toy Story part. The other areas seem pretty good.

[Dustysage]

Originally Posted by MrLiver

Maybe that's exactly what the Chinese want. It's all about knowing your audience.

If Disney understood the Chinese, the park wouldn't be widely considered a failure.

I remember when they opened the park and listed every photo op as an "Attraction" and then had the nerve to say that is what the Chinese wanted. Ummmmm NO. The Chinese expected to find rides at Disneyland just like people from everywhere else in the world do.

True, Disney may be able to get away with a bit more in China, but for quality and reputation sake, they probably shouldn't be.

It Disneyland is your premium brand, they should be protecting that brand with a high quality product. If they wanted to build a cheaper version of Disneyland, they probably shouldn't have slapped their premium "Disneyland" label on it. They could have made it a DCA (Disney's China Adventure) instead.

It is almost sad to see what they are doing to this park. So much potential, so quickly wasted.

-Dusty

[PragmaticIdealist]

It's all just further evidence that Disney has become utterly and completely irrelevant. The company is as bankrupt of creative ideas as it's ever been.

[lighttragic]

keeping in mind these are preliminary sketches , maybe we can hope disney would make the transitions much better. perhaps Toystoryland will only be accesible through fantasy land? I am sure with time as more artwork comes out , it will gives us more insight and detail as to whats to come.