Is John Lasseter a total sell-out?

[pineapplewhipaddict]

We can't blame all off the pixar "take over" on John. Monsters ride (which needs to be ripped out or done properly) was done before he got there. Nemo was a let down, but he did a great job on TSMM.

This is true. A lot of people forget that John was by no means in charge of most of the Pixar attractions we currently have...he might not have even approved of them if he had been in his current position at that time.

I can't help but wonder that if the status of the Subs had waited just a bit longer, we could have gotten them back in a much more original format...after all, it was Eisner that gave FNSV the greenlight. That's wishful thinking of course...heck, we could still have ended up with a rotting lagoon. IMHO, it's better that Nemo is there compared to it not being used at all and to potentially receive the same fate as Florida...but that by no means indicates that I'm a fan of the current attraction. It was one of the most anticipated openings for Disneyland and I'm extremely disappointed with the result.

[Gwenchanter]

While I'm not overly excited about the prospect of a "Cars Land" I actually like the Nemo Submarine. It brought back the ride, and it's better than The Seas at Epcot by a ton! C'mon, isn't actually going underwater in a sub to see the underwater characters from Finding Nemo much more interesting than riding in a buggy? As a kid the subs weren't my favorite but now I actually like it. I don't know if it's because I'm an adult now and can appreciate it on a deeper level, or if the story is finally detailed and engaging enough to keep my attention.

[Screwy Squirrel]

"So if we determine that "Toy Story" is a real franchise for the company, then "Toy Story" should get made. Now, you still have to have a great story and great execution - and in the absence of that, you shouldn't make it. And not everything has to be a franchise. I was recently asked whether "Ratatouille" was a franchise. I said no: "Ratatouille" is an extremely good animated film and will be a classic unto itself, but it is not a franchise. You are not going to see "Ratatouille" attractions in parks. When you look at "Toy Story," we're making our third film, we're opening two Toy Story Mania attractions at parks this summer, we have a very strong consumer products line, we have a "Toy Story" musical opening on the cruise line, we have a game in development - that's a franchise."
- Bob Inger

Unless/until there's a radial change in direction at Disney corporate, we'll NEVER again see a major attraction that isn't tied to a hit movie - a "franchise". It works that direction - movie first - that's safest despite the success of POTC as a movie.

Since Pixar has the most successful movies now, that's where the franchises are. Regardless of what type of lands, or even rides, come of it. It's backwards, but that's the New Disney.

[Joelio]

Except ofcourse for the Ratatouille ride which is being constructed in WDS.

[pineapplewhipaddict]

While I'm not overly excited about the prospect of a "Cars Land" I actually like the Nemo Submarine. It brought back the ride, and it's better than The Seas at Epcot by a ton! C'mon, isn't actually going underwater in a sub to see the underwater characters from Finding Nemo much more interesting than riding in a buggy? As a kid the subs weren't my favorite but now I actually like it. I don't know if it's because I'm an adult now and can appreciate it on a deeper level, or if the story is finally detailed and engaging enough to keep my attention.

It sounds like you may not remember the old attraction. I suggest you sit down and take a trip back in time...

YouTube - Submarine Voyage (Disneyland) Part 1 of 2


YouTube - Submarine Voyage (Disneyland) Part 2 of 2


Also...I haven't been there in person yet, but I've watched a video of The Seas with Nemo, and from a visual and technological standpoint, I think Epcot got the better deal (I haven't seen what the original attraction was like, I should do that...). Epcot got the full glory of the KUKA arm with the angler fish, something that Disneyland was supposed to get several times over...but it never came. From what I've been told, Imagineers weren't able to fit the KUKA arms in the attraction, so they were scrapped and we now have a kinda lame effect in my opinion (by Disney standards).

Yes, it's great that we physically get to ride in submarines, but when looking out of one's porthole, one doesn't see a whole lot. The fans were expecting a bunch of animatronics filling the space like the old attraction, and instead there is a lot of dead liquid space. The colors of the lagoon are beautiful, and the few animatronics in there are mostly nice...once things start looking cartoonish, though, (IMHO) things go downhill. The only thing Nemo-ish I like in that lagoon is the buoy with the seagulls.

At least our lagoon didn't become a landfill with a Winne the Pooh play area replacing it. Imagine...if Disney hadn't filled up the lagoon in FL, they could have maybe had an underwater version of the Little Mermaid...

[PragmaticIdealist]

Mr Wiggans, Who are you? Walt was all about the "kiddies". In all of us. What do you think he had in mind? Adult entertainment? Get a grip, my friend. Disneyland is all about the child in each of us, the wonder, the absolute trust in something wonderful just around the corner. The authors I cited wrote for those of us who could dream. When did you grow up to the point where you lost that ability to dream? What happened to the child in you?

You really don't have a clue. Do you?

Whatever Walt Disney intended is now long dead, just like him, unfortunately.

[film975]

With the Seas verion of the nemo ride compared to the subs at Disneyland, I guess it all depends on which ride you went on first. Me, I went on the subs first. And they were one of my favorite things at Disneyland. And I was so happy they brought them back. Then I went on the Seas Nemo ride at Disney World sometime later and it just pales in comparison.

I do think it's much cooler to see these characters in a real undewater environment and in a submarine. Kind of wish they had more animatronics though like Bruce and the other sharks should've been. But it is impressive how well the projections were timed so guests could see them right on cue through the port holes.