WDS - A victim of layout

[fizzog]

Ok, when WDS opened, let's just say it wasn't Disney's finest hour. Concrete, rubbish theme, bad layout. But good attractions. I was in WDS on my recent trip and was thinking, WDS has as many if not more of my favourite DLRP attractions than DLP. I mean think about it, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, great ride, Cinemagique, intelligent and witty show, Armageddon, fun and scary despite a bloated pre-show, Stunt Show, spectacular. WDS has some amazing and high quality big attractions, so why couldn't Disney have just done what's around them a little better? The reason WDS didn't make an impression on anyone was not its good rides (granted not much for Kids but hey, I'm not a kid) but the way they did it, and surely if they could've churned out high quality original attractions like that, (R'n'RC, despite being a clone of sorts did that great DLRP 'let's do it a little differently' thing) they could've been as creative with the main stuff. The theme of a working studio isn't necessarily unworkable with if it's bustling and colourful, but it wasn't bustling because it wasn't colourful, both boxes are left unchecked. I'm not sure what this thread is really, but I just wanna say, WDS, in fairness, has some great attractions, especially now with Crush and the well-realised if overdone Cars, and of course ToT. It seems the ride dept. used their imaginations and the layout dept.'s. Anyhoo, uh, discuss.

[TDLFAN]

WDS was also a victim of Michael Eisner's legendary budget cuts.

[fizzog]

Legendary, already down in the history books. Still, I think California got it better than Paris. At least their park was pretty.

[Sir_Cliff]

I was also struck by how competitive (if that's the right word) WDS is with DLP in terms of attractions when I was there in May. It particularly seems to be developing as a more thrill-oriented complement to the fantasy-oriented park next door to the point where both parks have something for all the family but younger kids may have DLP as their favourite whereas older kids might prefer WDS. But, yes, for a theme park it has very little theming and everything is squashed into a tiny area. For future developments I think they really should just close the tram tour (would anyone miss it?) or severly truncate it and start working on a more expansive layout for the place. Its small size and lack of theming are far more of a problem now than lack of attractions, though.

[pussnboots]

I agree wholeheartedly. A Disney park is not just the sum of its rides. A Disney park should be like a movie -- it should offer quality escapism from beginning to end, it should be paced well, it should hold its audience.

The reason you are dazzled by the time you are riding the Indiana Jones Adventure is because you were carefully shuffled here by way of turn-of-the-century America and increasingly remote exotic locations. If it hadn't had that clever build-up but instead stood on a parking lot somewhere*, the ride would not have had this effect on you. This is what's wrong with the Studios. It is this parking lot. And all the E-tickets in the world aren't going to fix that.

The Tower of Terror is a good example. As good as the attraction is, I really thought that its location gives you far too little time to adjust to "gloomy". You really have to work hard to get in the mood and you're only catching up somewhere in the library. Unlike at its Floridian cousin or at Phantom Manor next door, I highly doubt anyone is getting chills before the main gate. Which seems like a waste considering the attraction's price tag.

(This unhinged rant is basically an unfinished outtake from my last trip report. I figured it would have been a bit much, haha.)


*Which, ironically, it does, but that's neither here nor there.

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by pussnboots

I agree wholeheartedly. A Disney park is not just the sum of its rides. A Disney park should be like a movie -- it should offer quality escapism from beginning to end, it should be paced well, it should hold its audience.

In other words... it should be like TDS.

[pussnboots]

Originally Posted by TDLFAN

In other words... it should be like TDS.

Pretty much.

[fizzog]

Originally Posted by TDLFAN

In other words... it should be like TDS.

Yes, TDS, where supermodels drape you in hawaiian flower garlands and offer you a range of supercars and millions of pounds in cash.

[Japper]

Well... The one thing I do like about the WDS layout is the wide walkways.. I thought the Hollywood Studios in florida was much more crowded because of the tiny walkways (and then high buildings).

But the WDS park just needs some space! Some nice themed areas with one or two rides.. where you can just enjoy the theming!


(sorry for the bad english)

[fizzog]

I would love for the destruction of the tram tour, I must say, it's an awful ride, but I'd settle for the drastic re-thinking of it. It takes up too much valuable space. The Hollywood sign backdrop could lead to New York and London street sets with their own attractions, or just none at all, just nice areas, and they in turn could lead to more studio-y sections that link to Backlot (or maybe one day Action Studios). Such a shame they couldn't have had Tune Studios with Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, Sounds Dangerous and Fantasia but hey, it could happen...maybe...

[yesitsme]

I'm not sure I would agree that WDS ever had great attractions, I'm more of the opinion that it had, for the most part, terrible attractions AND a terrible layout!

Yes Cinemaique is great and yes it was nice to have an original attraction like Armageddon but the rest of it was fairly rubbish IMO. I still to this day cannot understand why they built a coaster in the dark which goes upside down (RRC) in a park next to DLP which has a coaster in the dark which goes upside down (and did it much better until mission 2)


Even with the pathetic budget this could have been a great park but IMO it was badly designed and planned on just about every level -

• Building a car park
• including the expensive and pointless Disney channel TV studios
• Not thinking that guests might be interested in some nice scenery
• Mistakenly thinking that europeans would be happy with a load of shows and hardly any actual rdes

The list goes on and they are still making mistakes today like building TOT right at the front of the park.

I honestly just can't believe how badly the whole second park was handled and planned.

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by fizzog

Yes, TDS, where supermodels drape you in hawaiian flower garlands and offer you a range of supercars and millions of pounds in cash.

Yes pretty close... but the pounds were spent in theme and quality, unlike WDSP. ..and they DO give out gifts ocasionally at the door... unlike WDSP... So your brit sense of humor falls flat I am afraid.

[nathan detroit]

Originally Posted by fizzog

Yes, TDS, where supermodels drape you in hawaiian flower garlands and offer you a range of supercars and millions of pounds in cash.

(Good jokes are wasted on those who suffer from delusions of grandeur and constant PMS)

[fizzog]

Fight, fight, fight, fight! This is getting good! And who says I'm a brit? Mwahahahahahaha!

No but really I am.



I bet that one fell flat too...

[TDLFAN]

Originally Posted by nathan detroit

(Good jokes are wasted on those who suffer from delusions of grandeur and constant PMS)

OH, I did not realize someone posted a good joke anywhere here so far..