Specific plan for a WDW theme park RandySavage and I are working on a specific plan for a new WDW park. Based on a proposed real park, Randy is going to have fun "Disneyfying" it.
Once the plan is posted and perhaps with some artwork, then comments and suggestions will be appreciated. If you want to debate whether a 5th gate is needed at WDW, use another thread that discusses the pros and cons of a 5th gate. Cheers.
Re: Specific plan for a WDW theme park Since it will take a little time to finish and post the specific plan for a 5th gate theme park, I'd thought I would ask about what rides and attractions would you like see in a new park? Any theme at the moment.
Be realistic, not dozens of roller coasters or E-ticket rides. I know a lot of Disney films and characters are still not represented at WDW. Or even an idea that isn't heavily Disney influenced.
If we really like your idea, maybe it can be revised into the plan with your approval.
Thanks for any suggestions.
Hmm, I've always liked the non-movie-themed rides like POTC, Space Mountain, and Jungle Cruise (although I love movie-themed rides just as well). Maybe something about medieval times or a float down the Amazon or something Western-themed with cowboys. I think a Western show would be enjoyable. It doesn't have to be an E-ticket. Just a fun show.
Re: Specific plan for a WDW theme park Thanks for your ideas. Currently our plan has a rustic outdoor country stage show. As far as medieval times, there is a Renaissance Faire-type event that might be a seasonal promotion in the European section of the park. Disney run, of course. I guess the closest to this idea, is the "Hunchback of Notre Dame" festival once featured at Disneyland, CA.Originally Posted by inluvwithbeast
Robin Hood.
No words, My tears won't make any room for more,
And it don't hurt, like anything I've ever felt before, this is
No broken heart,
No familiar scars,
This territory goes uncharted...
This isn't a specific suggestion, but I'd have at least two to three rides that have a high capacity and can move riders through quickly. This sort of attraction can do wonders with helping with crowding issues in the parks.
You know, the reason why Disney parks are a bit better than other theme parks is because each park has an overall theme, don't forget that. You can plant as many fun attractions in one park, as long as you don't have an overall theme it won't work the way imagined.
I'm really excited what will become of this project of yours.
Yes! You know what would be awesome? A theme park through the ages. A classic land with rides based on mythology (Hercules?). A medieval land with a renaissance fair thing along with a Robin Hood ride. A colonial land kinda like Liberty Square. Etc etc.
But maybe that's a bad idea. lol.
Re: Specific plan for a WDW theme park It's funny that your comments aren't too far off what we are doing. Yes, a possible Greek/Hercules section and at another part of the park, A Rennaissance Faire (seasonal) in the European Village section and in another area, a period American town.
May sound like a jumble, but there is a unifying theme.
Later.
This is interesting because it's something that I think about when I put together site-plans for new parks from scratch. I am a big proponent of adhering to theme in theme parks (I can't tolerate Monsters Inc in Tomorrowland or PotC in Frontierland, Buzz Lightyear in a Vernean Discoveryland, etc.).
That said, I wonder if Disneyland/Magic Kingdom ever had an overall theme as you mentioned. I don't think they did/do - at least not as clearcut as Animal Kingdom or World Showcase - and yet they are the most successful of theme parks. Even DisneySea's overarching theme (the romance & adventure of the seas) is not completely reflected attractions themselves (many of which have little to do with sea).
Does Islands of Adventure have one? It's lands have very strong themes, but not the park as whole. Design-wise, I think it is still a successful park, but hasn't achieved the financial success of a Disney park. EPCOT Future World once had an overall theme, but chipped away at it over the years and currently is adrift (IMO).
Does a park with an overall theme (e.g., periods of history, continents, myths & legends) work better than grouping five lands of popular franchises (e.g., Shrek-land, Star Wars-land, Indiana Jones-land, Harry Potter-land & Spiderman-land)? What about one with no overall theme but lands that cover broad ideas like Fantasy, Adventure, the Frontier, the Future?
^A franchise land has a narrow focus, that reduces the amount of scope for new attractions. Sure you can have a new addition to a Star Wars land, but if its not based on the tales of George then its going to stick out like a sore thumb.
A broadly themed land (ie Tomorrowland) can apply to a multitude of attractions and even themes. For example take Disneyland's Tomorrowland of the '60's, Discoveryland, Port Discovery, the original Future World or MK's Tomorrowland.
Whilst the latter has got a problem with attractions that don't fit (see: Laugh Floor) it still has a ability to encompass a wider range of attractions.
^Strictly-themed lands (e.g., Carsland, Mysterious Island, Wizarding World) have their merits (they can be highly coherent and immersive) and their challenges (any additions/changes from outside the central "universe" can shatter the theme) from a design standpoint. And, then there is the risk of the central franchise losing popularity or becoming irrelevant. That is a HUGE danger and why I think franchise-lands should be avoided or based on timeless properties.
Broadly-themed lands (Fantasyland) are obviously much more forgiving, but can become incoherent dumping grounds (Tomorrowland) which can ruin the story/feel/effectiveness of the environment as originally intended.
My problem is when WDI/TWDC management disregards the theme-design rulebook for the purposes of "cashing in" on whichever media property is popular at the moment (see my above examples).
This will probably seem like a stretch, but I would like a park, or at least a land or half of a park devoted to nostalgic Disney rides.
What I mean is rides like Horizons, Body Wars, Innerspace, etc could be brought back with an intention to recreate the effect but with the newest technology and planning.
When I went to Epcot Center in 1991 I remember there was a rocket ship in Future World that was originally from Disneyland. It felt like a washing machine inside when you looked at the screen and imagined you were blasting into space. I thought it was cool that they had this classic ride even though it was so outdated. They had room in WDW so they could fit that rocket ride into the park.
I also think it would be cool if they had a theater where you could watch Classic Disney Shorts and buy snacks and chill out.
I'm with you on that one, planting a new attraction in any land just for building the attraction makes no sense and is an insult to the original land theme. For example, Buzz Lightyear is set in a clean, modern future and has no place in a steampunk/retro style environment.
A few months ago, I came across a post where a fan explained the original theme to the Disneyland park. I can't find it right now but here's what I can recall:
Since Disneyland was built based on Walt's vision it was themed after the dreams and fantasy of a kid in the 50's. You start in the past, a small, Victorian style town (Walt's home town), preserved in every little detail, you then move on counterclockwise, into Adventureland/New Orleans Square, where both adventure and mystery await, further down the trip through your imagination you move into Frontierland/Critter Country, where the dream of cowboys and indians comes true, then you stumble into Fantasyland, the place where fairytales come to life only to end up in Tomorrowland, where the future (Walt's vision) has already arrived.
Of course, 55 years later, that original idea doesn't quite work the same, but it gives the park itself a nostalgic coherence.
When they built Disneyland Paris in 1988, the imagineers all went back to the drawing board because they couldn't just copy the other Magic Kingdoms and came up with a slight re-theming of the entire original design. Disneyland Paris takes a similar route to Walt's original dream but focuses it on a single person living in Victorian times. Again, you start in a small, Victorian town, you move on into the west, Frontierland, complete with a haunted manor, you then venture up into Adventureland where you can explore temples and an exotic island with pirates nearby, moving into Fantasyland with its quaint fairytale village and beautiful, fantastic gardens and you'll end up in Discoveryland, a place right out of a Jules Verne novel. This all really comes together if you take the railroad and look at the whole picture (especially the train stations).
Islands of Adventure is a franchise-based amusement park, each area is very neatly themed after the franchise it's based on, but there is no overall theme, after all it's Universal - brilliant but uninspired. The reason it still works, though, is because the franchises are still high on demand and the attractions built are fascinating and thrilling enough to keep the audience coming back for more.
Personally, I'd stick with an overall theme where each of the lands or areas make sense. Meaning, that guests journey through a fantastic place, real or not, and end up in different areas of different interests and theming. It's an imagineer's challenge to make it work and they have in the past. Taking a bunch of well-known franchises and throwing them into an amusement park only works if the franchises are that popular and on demand, something that doesn't quite work with Disney.
From my perspective, Disney parks are almost meant to be based on a vision of a person or have and overall theme itself, what comes into the park is up for debate, though.
I actually think the parks that have a handful of themes are stronger than the ones with a single, strict theme. We could come up with explanations for why Disneyland, the MK, Epcot, and even Islands of Adventure kind of, sort of have a unifying theme, but we'd be kidding ourselves. They have multiple differently-themed lands and manage nice transitions between them. As a result, a day in those parks feels like it has more variety and flavor than a day in the more strictly single-themed parks (Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios, etc.).
Multiple themes, smartly handled, is actually a strength.
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