Pixar Studio

[fizzog]

Ok, there's been talk in various places about Toon Studio, essentially, being Pixar Studio, so I thought I'd put this idea into an armchair imagineering thread so people can respond and state their ideas, or their protest against such a change, but also incorporate general ideas for improving Toon Studio even without a total Pixar re-name.

Ok, first thing's first, bye bye 'Art of Disney Animation'. I hope a few folks will agree with me at least on that one, Pixar or Toon or whatever. What goes there? Well, a real restaurant would be nice, that's right, a real restaurant at WDS, I gasp at the thought. The Animator's Palette was always an option right? If we're gonna stay Toony anyway. As far as Pixar goes, well, I have no doubt that they could think of some Pixar-themed restaurant...hang on a second, there's a Pixar film based on cooking...do the math! A shop would do too, since WDS is short on permenant examples of those (yes, a shop selling specific goods, not general merch.)

And Animagique; I don't hate it, but I don't love it. It's a nice idea, but could Studio 3 be occupied by something better, the Rataouille dark ride maybe opposite the restaurant? Or Toy Story! There's a big ol' warehouse there that's prime space, and it's not being used. If they really want to, heck, demolish the warehouse and build something new, maybe this would herald the re-doing of the horrendously hideous area from the Mickey Statue (that would go, of course) and the new area - who designed that floor?

Buh-bye flying carpets; it's no exactly Pixar. If Toon Studios remains, well, whatever, keep your shabbily but just bearably-themed spinner, but if not, put either a restaurant or shop there, whichever hasn't occupied the animation building's spot (a restaurant, perhaps, would be better placed next to Crush/Studio 3). Crush's Coaster and Cars and the space between them, fine, just add some cameras on cranes with characters hanging off them or something interesting like that. Obviously it's bye bye toon town backdrop (mercifully) and with any luck bye bye costuming building (the tram tour will eventually have to have some kind of re-doing because of its stupid location blocking any backward development). This leaves space for a ride, shop, cafe, play area, whatever, but preferably a play area with an 'A Bug's Life' theme, kind of a version of the HISTK playground but with different characters. Then tart up the exit, an archway with the logo for Pixar Studio (or even Toon Studio) and do the same for the front of the area.

Ok, if we're being drastic, why not bulldoze the animation building, put something new in/bulldoze Studio 3, and extent Hollywood Blvd. to wear Cars/the magic carpets are now, with an archway proclaiming 'Pixar Studio' between the two rides. A shop/restaurant could still go on the animation site, but with a Hollywood Blvd. theme (then maybe they could use the akward courtyard with tables and a catering van for something else) and Studio 3 could either be bulldozed and replaced with something Hollywoody, or even better, used for something else (I like the three soundstage buildings in a row, and Animagique would not be hard to remove from the building and be replaced). This would be a big deal, making the whole front area of the park a huge '30s Hollywood area, but wouldn't that be wonderful? Then Toon/Pixar Studio could be a little narrower and cosier, still with two prime spots for new stuff, if not more. That area could lead off not only to Hollywood Blvd. but to new areas or street sets beyond.

Ok, I'm getting a bit carried away. None of this will happen, it's too late to re-brand or re-do Toon Studio, and it's certainly too recent, but hey, I can dream.

[pussnboots]

I see your point. The Toon Studio concept, as well as its name, appears to have been thought of by an amateur with a limited grasp on both Disney animation history and the English language. It is as two-dimensional as it gets. I'd be fine with Pixar Studios. And let's add the "s" at the end of that last word, shall we. There is something unpalatable about a singular "Studio" in the Hollywood sense.

However, and as always I've nagged about this before, I feel that there should be a place in the park that properly celebrates the art of Disney animation. And while The Art Of Disney Animation stops short, I'd like to point out once again the rather excellent Animation pavilion at Disney's California Adventure. They'll never build it, of course. But it would make an awfully nice addition to the park.

Since the park fails to be an actual working studio, I think it should at the very least maintain a certain learned, museum-like element. Not in every corner, but there should be a place for it. Without that, the park is truly no more than a s****y version of the Disneyland Park.

[fizzog]

An animation pavillion too would be great, and the only reason I say 'studio' is because Toon Studio is, rather unfortunately, just Toon Studio, not Toon Studios, but I know exactly what you mean.

[nathan detroit]

Originally Posted by pussnboots

However, and as always I've nagged about this before, I feel that there should be a place in the park that properly celebrates the art of Disney animation.

Totally agree.

I also think that it is important to keep a live show in WDS. I like Animagique but feel that its time for a change. It could easily be made into a Monsters Inc black light show or something similarly Pixar.

I am not against Toon Studios becoming Pixar Place (or whatever). As I have said, it is virtually that anyway. I would however like to keep the Carpets and simply re-theme them (Wall-E perhaps? Or maybe Bugs Life).

I would also like to see The Incredibles represented somehow. I always felt that the film suggested a ride akin to Crush's Coaster.

If Pixarland (or whatever) does come into fruition, it would be nice to have a proper entrance and a definate change in envirnment instead of a few flags with Toons on to show you are in Toon Studios.

[fizzog]

Toon Studio, in retrospect, is not all that good. Let's be honest, the old animation courtyard area is bare and horribly paved, the big metal towers with posters on, for some reason, still stand. The new area's quite good but it's just rides and no meat. They won't do it because Toon Studio is brand new, but it needs a once-over...already, what does that tell you? Hollywood Blvd. on the other hand has potential and isn't all that bad.

[pussnboots]

To play devil's advocate for a moment, they did have a very very small budget for Toon Studio, and flashes of bad taste aside, I suppose they did a relatively good job with it. They also had a very large hole to fill in the park's attraction roster, and therefore had little choice but to splurge on two rides instead of eye candy.

So perhaps it's not all that strange that it already needs a makeover; it might even have been planned that way all along. But with the Marshall Plan of Toon Studio/the Tower of Terror/Hollywood Boulevard completed, I do think we're finally getting to the point where they can afford the luxury of fluff, by which I mean all that excessive stuff that makes a Disney park a Disney park.

[fizzog]

Right you may be, unless you really were just playing devil's advocate and don't think that at all. Depending on the budget I guess they did a good job, but c'mon, couldn't they have chosen some different path? I think that front area is their top priority.

[pussnboots]

They could have chosen a path that would have ultimately been better for the park as a whole, but this one had all the ingredients of immediate and good marketing, and considering the desperate state the park was in... They could be forgiven. What they did with Discoveryland was pure stupidity, since it already was perfectly fine to begin with and the park was never short on guests, but Toon Studio was a different situation.

However, now... I agree; something should be done.

[fizzog]

After my revelation about the key to WDS' layout (see, uh, some other thread) I had a delve into the Photos Magiques folders to look at the pros and cons of Hollywood Blvd. and Toon Studio and the future. I just thought I'd do a little photo thingy.



Now here is Toon Studio's problem, the entrance. It reeks of the original version of WDS, concrete, metal pylons and general 'ugh!'. This can easily be fixed, since the hideous concrete walkway is a big ol' blank canvas. Strip the strip of anything on it and the surface, then do something interesting, ie. a better entrance (an actual archway, maybe a toon parody of the WDS or Paramount entrance) and some cool decoration/theme for the main road, golf carts with stray toons crashed into buildings etc. The animation building and Animagique would not need to go, though that might be favourable. General toon studio overlay to this whole front section.



Here lies potential; I feel I have been a little harsh on Toon Studio - it aint all bad. This area, with its waky lamposts and floor shows promise, but it needs more zing and an idea that I have spoken of a million times - a camera on a crane with toons hanging off it, or even better, getting rid of the plant beds, seen in their entirity here:



And replacing them with some central area feature to define this are of Toon Studio, like the camera crane, maybe some zany fountain, some kind of centrepiece to form some kind of courtyard/mini-hub. Hence Toon Studio could combine a main studio road with Animagique (or at least its building) and the animation building (or hopefully a new restaurant/shop, an idea I think Disney will like as it makes them money) as well as some little features/shops in the blank space at the side of Studio 3, and (combined with) the backlot area with Crush, Cars and the flying carpets and a new central area with a feature. This would be relatively easy and so effective. I don't think these ideas are outlandish or even unrealistic, but then I'm no Disney exec.

Hollywood Blvd. is not awful, in fact:





Just look at it, gawgeous! Granted it looks best at, shall we say, certain angles but still, I mean come on. For the most part this is proper Disney stuff. Not convinced? Well look at these:





And the crowning glory:



These nighttime pictures are sensational (you may have noticed that I have not seen these before so sorry if you have). Disney know how to light at night; I particularly love the ominous purple tower in the background (and in regards to its location, a bit too near the front maybe, but all I can say is that I was creeped out sufficiently, and that the sight of it behind the buildings works nicely, like a daunting spectator). So I like Hollywood Blvd., it has great potential to encompass the whole of Prod. Courtyard including the TV studios which could be just made to work (maybe not with my hub idea and hopefully with a removed partners statue, but still). Just look at this photo:



Does this photo not scream "Expand Me"? It's like it just stops short when we want to see more roads, more streets, and I genuinely believe that this is the plan, but Disney are doing it slowly not to tease us, though that effect is created, but so a whole area is never shut at once. This area reeks of potential. I would also like to point out any gaps in the Hollywood skyline in the photos - just extent the 2D buildings just a bit, or add a little something just to complete that skyline and not leave blank space, even some palm trees, just something.

And now the last photo:



Look at that unused space. Heck, even without a relocated tram tour station (I genuinely believe that this is on the cards too) this space could continue Hollywood Blvd so you go from one theme (toon studio) straight to another with no horrid concrete next to grass pathways, and a little street here would frame the tower beautifully, leaving only the view of ToT from the Armageddon area ineffective (there's gotta be build-up, behind buildings looming, or down a street a la DHS). If they do relocate the tram station, heck, this could lead straight to new areas of the park, street sets, Tune Studio, whatever. I think what I've suggested here, unlike most of my plans is actually feasible. It aint gonna happen, it never happens the way we want or expect it to, but I really think these plans are plausible. Maybe I'm just getting carried away...

[fizzog]

C'mon! I did a nice photo thingy for y'all here

[nathan detroit]

Originally Posted by fizzog

C'mon! I did a nice photo thingy for y'all here

Not yours though are they?! Speaking of which - you did promise us some snaps of your visit the other week....

[fizzog]

Yes, yes, I don't have all the photos as a great deal were taken on not my camera and I'm rather frustrated, but I promise there's some corkers! (and I know they're not my photos, I'm just illustrating a point...don't mock me...)

[nathan detroit]

Originally Posted by fizzog

Yes, yes, I don't have all the photos as a great deal were taken on not my camera and I'm rather frustrated, but I promise there's some corkers! (and I know they're not my photos, I'm just illustrating a point...don't mock me...)

Me?! Mock?! Would I ever?!