HKDL is already overloaded with interactive play areas (which they desperatly label as full-scale attractions) so another real attraction would be nice to see along with GG. Not a big attraction, but something like a C-ticket for the kiddies who can`t get on the Grizzly coaster (which I assume would have a height restriction at least similar to Everest once it opens) and to ease the crowds a little bit.Originally Posted by 4 Park Central
The fact that HK Disneyland is owned and managed by Hong Kong International Theme Parks may have some play in it but for a country with more rules then a prison... Come on. The park isn't doing that great what China had wanted/expected too, and its shareholders are still putting pressure on the park for not making a profit since construction, and like you mentioned... The park is still getting negative publicity "locally."This is very true. All my friends in China tell me that they have no interest in Hong Kong Disneyland because it has too little rides. When I try to explain that I like the theming and detail in the park, they just laugh and say that rides are all that matters in a park. They are more impressed by how big and fun a ride looks from the outside and not so much how well themed it is. A large roller coaster would be better than a Pirates of the Caribbean or Haunted Mansion in their minds.
It was mentioned by the locals, that they would rather spend money on going to the original Disneyland then hopping a ferry or much less driving on the only freeway to get there, the Lantau Link 8 freeway, which the traffic makes LA traffic seem like pre-school.
Many possibilities on why a budget cut is being called for. No doubt the lack of attendance numbers has major influence, and the idea on spending heavy money on a new ride won't solve the problem in China's eyes. Of course, this goes what everything Walt Disney stands against. I'm also a believer in, "Spare no expense" policy from John Hammond's Jurassic Park. If a bad attraction opens, nobody will ride much less make an effort to make a visit, and give no mention of it. Make an awesome ride, people will arrive and spread the word on Twitter. Period!
Such a pity if the rumors are true. This attraction was the one reason I wanted to visit HKDL in future. I'm sure the Grizzly coaster will be nice but I'm not going overseas for that. TSPL...let's not go there. The current attractions...not any different from what's found elsewhere. And while others mention beautiful details...as far as I can tell from pictures I don't see anything more detailed than what's here in SoCal.
A new ride on the LPS system is what I was most looking forward to. I enjoy classic omnimover rides as much as anyone else, but the LPS system is the new gold standard for this century...it allows so much more flexibility and depth for a ride. As for the scenes...the wonderful greenhouse scene was already gone by the time of D23...now what else will be on the chopping block?
HK govt is killing the best chance for this park's success...
Might not happen but what I would really wish for is for OLC to build this at TDS. From what we've seen so far the details and story are sufficiently different from Haunted Mansion to allow for its inclusion in the same resort. It might even been a great idea for the next phase of DCA's expansion!
Down with the Hat
Hong Kong Disneyland is aesthetically pleasing, but there is not a lot of attention to detail in the theming. The landscape and location are very nice and the place looks very shiny and new, but most of the theming is not any more detailed than other Magic Kingdoms- I would say less actually due to the much smaller showcase of different architectural styles. It's definitely not up to the level of Disneyland or Disneyland Paris in terms of thematic detail.
I would as well, considering the OLC's reputation of building attractions fully. It would fit quite well in Lost River Delta if given the chance, and it would also add another needed E-ticket family attraction for the park. It would also add amazing thematic synergy between it and the Hightower Hotel, as well as the S.E.A. in Explorers' Landing. Though the main character of Mystic Manor may be a bit too similar to Hightower.
~ Tokyo DisneySea’s Arabian Coast at nighttime ~
What a joke Disney. If this is true, I hope HKDL burns to ashes so you have to rebuild it the right way.
My understanding is that expansion budget is locked at $468 million. The HK govt was told that $468m in equity would buy them the three lands/attractions as presented (they likely have no idea about details like omnimover vs. gps ). IF there is a cutback (like no GPS), it seems to me it is because WDI can't deliver the product at that promised price. But noone in the HK govt is going to bat an eye because they don't care about or understand the minutia of theme parks the way enthusiasts like we do - to them a theme park ride is a theme park ride.
Last edited by RandySavage; 08-28-2010 at 11:01 PM.
^^ If they really couldn't build the LPS version of the ride on that budget...the question is, why are they wasting all that money on TSPL? A fully realized Mystic Manor would be a major draw. On the other hand, TSPL is going only to exacerbate people's poor impressions of HKDL and won't increase attendance one teensy bit! Currently we are headed towards TSPL + dumbed down Mystic Manor + Grizzly Coaster. They expect this combo to raise attendance?? On the other hand, if they spent the same amount money, built a fully realized Mystic Manor + Grizzly Coaster...I think both attendance and the park's reputation would improve significantly. And the Toy Story plot would still be available for something more meaningful down the line...
My thoughts exactly. Hope someone in OLC has the same brainwave at some point. One can dream, no?...
Down with the Hat
You and I and everyone here get that, but the Disney theme park suits don't. Bruce Vaughn, WDI's chief, even went on record at the 55th WDFM lecture, saying (paraphrased) "the Chinese care about one thing: number of attractions, that's why we count every meet & greet in our 37-attraction HKDL expansion." ToyStoryLand gives them quick quantity - and for cheap. The conventional wisdom within the executive team seems to be quantity over quality in Hong Kong. As someone who grew up with the parks and knows exactly what draws me and exactly what deters me, it is so simple: quality trumps all. That was Walt's mantra. It is universal. In China. In theme parks. In everything. Quality trumps all.
But I get the feeling that today's Disney theme park execs (and certainly Disney's non-theme park execs) are not lovers of theme parks. Is Jay Rasulo a theme park enthusiast? No. He and his kind are executives who went to mid-tier business schools, got their MBAs, couldn't make it in super-lucrative fields like i-banking, hedge funds & private equity and ended up working up the echelon within the notoriously low-paying Walt Disney Company.
So you've got an entire class of execs that aren't very talented and don't truly love or understand the business they're running (of course there are exceptions). I hope I'm wrong, but this is the feeling I get when I see the decision-making. If Disney could keep their product at the gold standard, its stock would be trading at $200 right now instead of $30 and people would clawing to reserve a room at WDW.
Last edited by RandySavage; 08-28-2010 at 11:52 PM.
i would love to see this attraction make it to DCA. it would make the perfect attraction that would almost complete Paradise Pier. I could really see this fitting nicely on the boardwalk.
The housewithin the western helix and the showbuilding behind it. Paradise Pier needs a fun house and this would be perfect.
It will be a disgrace if they cut the budget on MM. Given that HKDL are actually strongly rumoured to be making money this year, it is even more surprising.
HK govt didn't sign up for this mininature park with low budget new attractions.
Hey everyone... been away for a while, but now I'm back... and on such sad news!
Mystic Manor, in the elaborate LPS form it has been repeatedly hyped and presented to fans in presentations, is absolutely the only reason a dedicated Disney Theme Park fan would strongly consider (and plan for) a trip to the otherwise sparse Hong Kong Disneyland.
There's so many other ways to spend even the most dedicated fan's precious vacation money... Tokyo Disney Resort being the most consistently satisfying and comparably distant front-runner... that such a completely insane cutback to a much-anticipated new WDI attraction would be closer to a death knoll for this park then just simply another disappointment and missed opportunity.
If this rumor is in any way true, then Disney either has secret plans to sell off interest in the park completely when these new 'budget slashed' E-lite ticket attractions open and attendance rightfully stays as attended as a Latoya Jackson concert, or they fed the rumor to see what kind of reaction it would get with the loudest fans.
Well I think they got their answer didn't they?
It is the HK Government we should all be blaming for every bad thing about HKDL. 1.) The HKG shifted the opening dates of HKDL many times until they settled on 2005 2.) They wanted to open HKDL ASAP when it was meant to open a whole year later in 2006 3.) They didnt let the WDC invest in HKDL for expansion in the next 4 years because they didnt want to lose stake in the park and at the same time NOT invest. 4.) The only reason they allowed WDC to invest in HKDL was because they realized the project was a failure unless if it was expanded 5.) Even during the expansion talks they kept declining various concepts WHICH IS WHY WE ENDED UP WITH TSL!!
i DON'T think its fair to blame Disney for budget cuts like this, at least not in Hong Kong Disneyland. incase you didnt know, Currently, the Hong Kong Government holds 57% stake in the park, while The Walt Disney Company holds 43%. so Disney could very well NOT BE RESPONSIBLE for this, but rather the government. so remember, this is what happens when the government runs stuff, it sucks.
EDIT!
HAY GUYS! you know how no one likes the safety rails on Alice that the local city government made Disney put on the ride.
this is what happens when the government runs the whole park!!!
Last edited by williamtheking; 08-31-2010 at 03:37 PM.
So. Zetta. SLOW!
I know you're all gonna think I'm crazy, but if they dump the crazy trackless ride system and go to an Omnimover, that will HELP the ride tremendously. The version proposed at the D23 Expo was designed to have a horrible capacity. I examined the track layout with an Imagineer thoroughly, and we BOTH came to the conclusion that there wasn't enough room in the proposed footprint to account for any type of backup in the ride system. The design didn't meet operational needs. I don't know about the budget cuts... but if you go to an Omnimover, you only have to decorate one side of some walls, you can direct attention, you have a higher capacity, and you really have a better experience. I'm all for it.
-Bill
I don't think you're crazy, but I bet you haven't experienced Hunny Hunt. The GPS-guided system is vastly superior to the omnimover. And here it is part of Mystic Manor's hook: your vehicles begin by moving like an omnimover, and then come under the control of the magical dust, separate, and move through the show scenes in unexpected ways.
To go from that to a steady, rotating HM-like omnimover would be a travesty - low capacity or not.
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