Willy Wonka definately has the fun factor, and I wish I could say 'Yes!' to the OP.
But, no.
Like others, I don't see a clean fit in the park for location.
Although isn't it every kids dream to walk into that fairy tale factory, with the chocoate river, and the lollipop trees, and the whipped cream...
When Gene Wilder drinks from the buttercup, and then bites the edge - perfection.
Wish I could say it would work for Disney, but I can't see it.
You all might recall .. Ghirardelli was one of the proposed Mini Factory Tours for DCA, to work along side with the Mission Tortilla, Mondavi wine, and Boudin Bread tour/exhibits.
After first visiting EPCOT in 1992 .. I saw exhibits like these .. attached to a larger attraction .. and they worked as "post shows".
If Disney ever approaches Ghirardelli ... and get them to co-sponsor a major attraction .. and stick a "Ghirardelli factory tour" at the end of the attraction (as a post show) ... Picture ... Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory attraction sponsored by Ghirardelli.
But not the "dark" version that Johnny Depp did. But the more brighter, happier Gene Wilder version. It's not hard to figure out which version is going to be more suitable for Disney.
When I first saw the movie as a kid ...... My jaw dropped at the possibility of a boat ride, going through that "forest" of candy .. and all the other cool sights.
It would be like Pirates of the Caribbean meets 'it's a small world' meets Living with the land boat ride.
The only way to do it .. would be to do it right ... and that would mean Large Scale - "pirates" showbuilding size. DL could NEVER accommodate it. No proper land (theme issues), no space!
But DCA? Third park down the line? WDW property?
I think it's a wonderful idea ........ It would be so nice to see it someday .. and perhaps it can.
Last edited by Tomorrowland_1967; 03-28-2009 at 05:30 PM.
And about it not being suitable for Disney??? ......
ToT, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Indy have elements far darker than anything from Willie Wonka. Even the "Johnny Depp" version!
Who currently has the rights to the Gene Wilder film? A Willy Wonka park could be amazing. Imagine walking up Charlie's street to the magnificent favctory, with the boat ride, a dark ride tour, a freefall in the glass elevator, and a candy shop. That would be truly amazing.
~The darkness must goDown the river of night's dreamingFlow morphia slowLet the sun and light come streamingInto my life, into my life~
You know ...Originally Posted by Noctourne
going on your same thought pattern here .......
the whole Gene Wilder version is so chuck full of ride/attraction ideas. Not just one.
Remember when they first enter .. and the halls get smaller .. and seems to be a dead-end ... I picture an indoor maze just based on that portion of the movie, alone. Then the glass elevator ride at the end ...... more food for thought.
WB owns the rights to the 1971 film. I'm still trying to block the new one from my memory.
It would be amazing, and last time I check Disneyland has:
- Tiki Room
- It's a Small World
- Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
It's a messed up/weird place to begin with. Willy Wonka is no different (it just has stock footage of a chicken getting it's head cut off). Fantasyland would be a great place but there's no room for it in California. 20K's empty plot gives MK lots of space but Mermiad is meant to go there. Studios and DCA make no sense to me and AK obviously doesn't so that rules out some Fantasyland out there to do it. Wish I knew whihc one could work best.
I like The Happiest Millionaire. What's wrong with that?
I love the book, the old movie, and the new movie and I would love some kind of ride or even a whole theme park devoted to Willy Wonka, but I just can't picture it in Disney.
In the real world there are candies made by Wonka. But I believe that Wonka is a brand name for a larger candy manufacturer -- I want to say Mars or Nestle. I know it isn't Ghiradelli though. While I understand what you are saying, and I think it can work, it would be difficult to have Ghiradelli sponsor a Willy Wonka attraction when it is a rival candy manufacturer that produces candy under the Wonka name.If Disney ever approaches Ghirardelli ... and get them to co-sponsor a major attraction .. and stick a "Ghirardelli factory tour" at the end of the attraction (as a post show) ... Picture ... Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory attraction sponsored by Ghirardelli.
Haha as long as the attraction has the acid trip tunnel with Wonka's chant then I'm all for it.
Difficult finding a place for it though, even in DCA. Possibly the Wharf area but thats going to be kind of hard with Cars Land being built and all that.
I think it could be a fantastic ride for Universal, I just find the theme of any of it's interpritations too creepy for Disney. I think it out-creepifies(new word, like it?) even The Tower of Terror because it's that...freakishly happy kind of creepy, you know? But at Universal or maybe Hershey Park (do they own the rights to Wonka?) the possibilities are endless when it comes to rides, they could make a whole new land themed as the inside the Wonka's factory. Obviously there could be a boat ride on a "chocolate" river, OR it could be the transportation around the area. Cool interactive features all around with the different machines that make the candy. It's perfect for a theme park, just not Disney IMO.
Too creepy for Disney, by far.
The Willy Wonka stories have some REALLY dark stuff that is >thisclose< to being macabre, almost satanic. In the first movie it almost feels like they wanted to go even darker, but they toned it down (or up, as the case may be) to avoid ratings board problems.
Wonka revels in all the flawed kids getting caught by their own sins of gluttony and greed and avarice, and the traps are laid so they weed themselves out of the running. And getting the "Competitor" to quite clearly recruit the kids for Industrial Espionage is a brilliant twist - if they'll violate trusts without a second thought now as a child, it isn't going to get any better at all when they grow up.
You could edit all that macabre stuff out of the mix, "Sanitized For Your Protection" style - like they left "Song Of The South" almost entirely out of Splash Mountain, only leaving little sections like the characters and setting and music - but the blank spots are almost palpable.
Every time I ride Splash, I want to renew my 'Reservation' at Amazon.com for a copy of SOTS if they ever get the intestinal fortitude to re-release it.
--<< Bruce >>--
There's No Place Like 127.0.0.1
I would LOVE to ride on a flying elevator ride! The possibilities are endless with what could be done. :sigh:
I think that the story is too large to fint into one ride. Maybe a whole park, by a different complany?
Btw, you are speaking to am Oompa Loompa. I was one in our school play last year.
We are currently imagineeing a new attraction for you!
Please enjoy all the other attractions in fabulicious Vasooki-land!
I think a Candyland in general could be good for a new Magic Kingdom-style park or Hong Kong. Add a Willy Wonka dark ride and a Rock Candy Mountain coaster and you are set!
ONE TWO THREE NOT ONLY YOU AND ME
As mentioned previously, Alton Towers in the UK built a Charlie ride in 2007.
Half of the rides budget was spent on licensing alone, and the Dahl foundation were very fussy about how the ride was built.
The ride has a TV screen with CGI Wonka saying the boarding instructions.
Then you board a boat tour of the factory with a commentry by Wonka and Charlie.
Once you get off the boat you board the glass elevator simulator and fly around the factory.
The ride is very true to the book, in both appearance and content.
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