Reimagineering DCA- Place Making and Defining "Lands"

[Uncle Bob]

I think that most would agree that one of the biggest problems with DCA in its current form is the lack of clearly defined “lands”. Clearly WDI has recognized this problem and much of the upcoming makeover will be devoted to “place making” to help define these lands as unique, individual and separate.

While the new entrance should do a lot to help, much of DCA is open and connected and as it is now, you never really feel like you’re in a real place, unlike DL IMO. What can be done to fix this? Working with what is already there, and what we know about Carsland and the new PP and Little Mermaid area, what ideas do you have to help to separate and define the lands better? I’ll post a few of my ideas to follow, but curious to see what others think.

[DisneyPixar]

If I could dream, then I would have all Pixar-related rides and attractions out of DCA and build a third gate that was Disney Pixar.

I'd rename the park Disney's True-Life Adventure Park. The theme are adventures and explorations and other.

The first land is Tinseltown, U.S.A. It contains, instead of Monsters Inc., a ride based on a car chase between 20s gangsters. Meanwhile I'd have an afternoon "Movie Premiere" show where classics like Mary Poppins or Swiss Family Robinson "premier" and people pretend to be the actors walking up the red carpet. I'd want people to think they are at a movie premiere.
Just have the red cars, a fancy Rolls or two, Newsies, etc. and what have is a land dedicated to the high-rolling big city life of Walt's day, as opposed to small-town America in Main Street, U.S.A.

I'd turn the Golden State into the Golden Land, make it based on the Yukon gold rush era. I'd throw in a ride that was based on dogsledding, a fort where you pan for gold and see blacksmith's repairing sleds, and motiff the area to look snowy and cold. Soarin would be Alaska themed, which offers a thrilling look at the Final American Frontier.

Third, instead of Carsland I'd have a land called the Sandland: which is parts of the middle east and barbary coast. An alladin coaster based on the cave of wonders, a motion-sim ride with Ben Gates going through the Sphinx, Japan's voyages of sinbad and Genie 4D, and other rides. This exciting area would feature flame blowers, fakirs, snake charmers (AA snakes, let's be real here) and an amazing market: The Agrabah Bazaar where you can buy all kinds of foods and souvenirs).

Paradise Pier is fine, but turn Midway Mania into a non-toy story attraction with new human characters. Take out Disney characters too, but build in magic shops, curiousities, boats in the pier, and that old-timey pier feel. And put a little salt in that water, I want the smell! And for the love, round up some Seagulls. They poop, but that's life (especially at a pier).

Little Mermaid is joined by Tritons' Carousel as part of Undersea land. A few rides based on the ocean go here, perhaps slight emphasis on children's rides.

Finally, Flik's Fun Fair is replaced by Piratelands, with a variety of attractions based on Jack Sparrow, Blackbeard, etc. TSI in DL is returned to Frontierland.
The legend of Jack Sparrow is a ride with the same Vehicle's as Indy shaped like pirate ships, with storms, choppy waters, and naval skirmishes going on. Skull Island is a place where pirates roam and there's a lot to explore.

This is what I would do, if I owned the company and were rather wealthy.

[Uncle Bob]

Dis-Pix,

I like many of your ideas, but I feel like many of your suggestions would be too far away from the original theme and would end up making the park feel even more disjointed. I do appreciate your attempt to solve some of the thematic problems throughout the resort though. I also agree that there is too much pixar right now, but I don't think that means that there can't be any pixar influence in DCA, it just needs to be done right and fit the theme of the area. I believe TSMM will do this, from what I've seen so far.

[Oswald the Rabbitt]

No more Pirates. You seem to follow the mistakes of EPCOT where people wont associate the park with Disney.

[Uncle Bob]

I agree, pirates are unnecessary in DCA, but like I said, it's a nice attempt to at least fix some of DL's issues at the same time as improving DCA, so I at least appreciate the sentiment and creativity if not the actual idea.

[Anatole69]

Personally I'd love to have a Pirates of the Barbarey Coast Ride. All I have is the name, though, and no concept beyond that.

At least it is true to the history of California and isn't a stretch to get in there, like Pixar and the Little Mermaid is.

- Anatole

[Uncle Bob]

Anatole,

I just think another pirates ride is unnecessary at the DLR. I really don't have a problem with the fit of the theme, it could fit well. It's just overkill of a franchise that's popular right now. I suppose these are Cali pirates not Caribean and you could say this is an unrealated pirate ride, but I just think it's unnecessary and a stretch as well, and if I had a choice I'd spend the money on something else personally.

I also don't buy your premise that all the attactions must be related to Cali history to fit the theme. It's more important that the rides fit the theme of their land, and I think that can be achieved through a variety of different ways that can fit thematically if done right.

A Mermaid based area and darkride would be very appropriate to an ocean front amusement park as well as boardwalk amusement games. I beleive TSMM and TLM are both potentially really cool ways of stregthening the theme of PP and bringing in some Disney into the park in a clever and tasteful manner.

[Anatole69]

I never said the ride had to fit the history of California, just that it helps when it does. lol.

I love Pirates, so you're talking to the wrong person about that. At TDS the Aladdin ride is a boat ride and one could argue they have the same thing twice over at TDL with Pirates and Small World, yet the ride still has it's own identity. It just matters how it is done.

- Anatole

[Anatole69]

Also I would make it more late 19th century pirates, since that fits the history of CA more, and would give the second pirate attraction more of a unique identity.

It doesn't even have to be a boat ride, either. I'm not against a show set on a pirate stage, for example.

- Anatole

[Uncle Bob]

Anatole,

I love pirates too, the ride is great and I have always loved the mystery and adventure of that time period. I just think there are other new ideas that could be done.

[Aladdin]

If your definition of the words "cleary defined" mean lack of themeing,
then yes I agree to a certain point. Hollywood Pictures has always been
"defined" fairly well, however with the "Monsters Inc" ride added, THAT
added confusion for this area. Monstropolis is not Hollywood. And the
Hollywood & Dine was one of the few original things that fit the themeing
great, but of course That was closed, and blocked off. Even the short
lived Who Wants to be a Millionaire fit, and was really the only representation
of a television show being done. Soap Opera Bistro fit well, too, but
replaced by a more kid friendly theme. Hollywood Tower Hotel is also a
good fit.

Continuing with the good themeing, In Golden State, most of GRR area and Redwood
Creek area is done well, with it "national park" theme. However, because of the cheapness in producing this area, the space inside GRRR cannot be utilized for other attractions, and space is at a premium for DCA, so that was a bad decision. Rewood Creek challenge trail is themed relatively well, but the horrendous Brother Bear show
need major improment. Condor Flats, as an airstrip is done well too, landing strip lights,
etc.

On to the Farm area, which was overrun by the addition of Bug's, is themed very well,
but all of the attractions area too small, too short, too slow, and too restictive. The 3D Movie is themed well, but PLEASE, could they do away with the Stink Bug! I avoid that movie just because of the Smell, however I would do it again if they got rid of that part.

The Pacific Wharf area is themed ok and it's just and eating area, but without Seafood? THAT is the most critic error of that area. San Francisco area is represented by bathrooms ~ UGGGGH! That needs help (not even gonna touch Whoopi's Calfornia).

Route 66 IS cleary defined, BUT HORRIBLY THEMED, and a CRAPTACULAR them, in the first place. How the heck did this area get off the drawing board???????? That entire area on that side of Paradise Puddle is an insult to What Disneyland is all about.
It Celebrates what Walt detested. And of course the other side of the Puddle is where imagineering forgot what imagineering is all about. Carney rides. BARF! BARF!! BARF!!!

Yes, Toy Story Mania is coming, but the CRAPTACULAR Carney theme continues to be forced down the throats. THIS was one of Eisner's and Presslers BIGGEST and most eggregious points of mismanglement.

Of course, the Entry area must be mentioned as the most uncomfortable, unwelcoming sights of any Disney Park. THERE is absolutely NO shrubs, grass, flowers, trees welcoming us as we enter DCA. In fact, DCA cannot be called a "PARK" because it does not contain anything resembling a park. The entry area ends at the concrete Sun Plaza. Not a very inviting place at all.

So SOME areas are not defined well, primarily the Unwelcoming Entry Area and the ENTIRE Paradise Puddle Area! And THOSE are the areas with the LEAST themed, and Cheapest Created, least creative, and POOREST base ideas ever, in any Disney Park.

[Anatole69]

We will have to agree to disagree then. I say do those other new ideas, and do the Pirates of the Barbarey coast as well. Won't kill anyone to have pirate attractions in both parks.

Fantasyland has 4 seperate dark rides devoted to the realms of fantasy, two dark rides devoted to the realms of pirates, in two different parks, won't kill anyone.

In some ways, the Aladdin ride is a pirate ride, just without pillaging and plundering. lol.

- Anatole

[Anatole69]

- Anatole

[Uncle Bob]

Aladdin,

I agree with most of your post. I guess part of my issue is that even in many of the areas you identify as well themed, you are not sufficiently enclosed within that area to ever not be able to see out to other parts of the park and often the outside world as well.

In regard to many of the attractions that were better themed but removed anyway, well basically for the most part they just were not fun and the restaurants were just unneeded as the park is empty too much. I think if the more Disney execs just asked themselves the simple question, is this fun, we wouldn't have the problems we have today. Clearly all of the problems are not theme related, like you say budget was the biggest factor and helped create many of the other issues.

[Uncle Bob]

Anatole,

I guess I could potentially support a pirate ride if it was done well, totally distinct from the original and unique, but I'm not sure I like the Treasure Island idea. I guess you could say DL already has Pan and its pirates too, so there's more than one pirate influence already. It just would be low on my priority list personally, and I fear would just be a big marketing gimmick for the films as well as always be compared to the original which could pose a problem too.