The Laugh Floor Comedy Club Confirmed

[Pete]

That said there are several rides that I found boring as a kid and I still find boring as an adult. I don't see the big deal about Carousel of Progress, I understand the importance of it in the Disney timeline but I wouldn't line up to ride it and I don't think I'm too much in the minority on that one because while at WDW last month the entrance for COP was split between people for the ride and people wanting to meet Buzz Lightyear.

Disney should always cater toward the majority. Look at Epcot, it used to be a more educatinal park, but now it has more thrill rides and charater tie-ins than ever. Now the mainstream audience likes it much more...who cares if it has alienated the older folks and the families with small children. Tweens, teens and young adults like it much more, and that's what counts...that's Disney's core audience. Sure attendance has dropped 20% since the 90's, but the 80% that goes today likes it more.

And World Showcase has always been pointless in my mind; maybe because I've been to most the countries for real or maybe because they are done how American's view the other countries and not what they are really like. When we got to United Kingdom last month (to meet the Pooh gang) even my wife from Alabama said "this is nothing like home".

Exactly, the UK is nothing like Alabama, what were they tinking?!

But more importantly, some people can afford to travel extensively internationally. Why have a park that allows people a small sample of international flavor when a six figure income allows people to see the real thing?

Tomorrowland is unique to the other lands because it is supposed to be about the unknown and looking to the bright future. 50 years ago that wasn't such a hard thing to do, computers were growing in use and people could dream about the improvements to life that they would bring which they did.

Well if it's hard to do, we shouldn't do it!!!!

But today when you look into the future there isn't that much to dream about how our lives will dramatically change, especially not through technology. Space is already so well covered in the land and that really is the only frontier left for the normal person. If You Had Wings showed how flying could bring the world closer to you; not a big deal nowadays, you can get flights from the UK to France and back for 2p (a dime), we don't have to dream about it. We're not going to live in underwater colonies, we're not going to have hover cars, we already have electric cars and normally one or more computers in each household. We just don't have the room to conceive a grand positive look at the future that they did back when Tomorrowland was conceived.

Disney needs to get on the bandwagon. The world has become a decadent, self-indulgent place and Disney should embrase that, not try to fight against it. Walt was a sap; instead of trying to teach people about the hard facts that have created America, he should have been trying to make as much money as possible by catering to the majority with the quickest easiest movie tie-ins!!!!

And history has proved the point that "tomorrow" rides don't last. Compare how many of the Tomorrowland rides compared to the rest of the park have needed to be scrapped since the park opened; it's a huge amount and that's before you add rides like Horizons which were the same category.

Exactly, what was Walt thinking, updating attractions every 10 years. That costs too much money!!! Stick something in there you don't ever have to update.

Right now Disney doesn't need to be adding rides that are only going to be there for a decade and unfortunately thats what most vision of the future rides are. What they do need to do is build attractions that will become the classics in another 30,40,50 years time; and the most likely way thats going to happen is if they are based on the movies that will be considered the classics by the next generation.

This always works...look at classics like Third Man on the Mountain, Honey I Shrunk the Kids, Johnny Trumain, The Adventures of Icabod and Mr. Toad, Davy Crockette meets Mike Fink. Big box office always equals classic.

30 years from now the adults are going to want to take their kids on the rides based on the movies from their childhood considered classics, and that's gonna be Monsters, Nemo, Mermaid, Lion King, Toy Story; much like the same way we drag our kids onto Snow White and Peter Pan or in my case subject my kid to frequent viewings of the Tranformers Movie. It may seem like Pixar overkill now, I bet it will seem different in the future. And as soon as they do make a future based movie,

And these types of attractions always stand the test of time. Star Tours is just as fresh today as it was when it opened. So is Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. But it's too bad they couldn't have Captian EO stay open too. I mean that was a great attraction, hip and edgy. It capitallized on all the trends, and it was what all the kids wanted to see in 1986. Why did they close it? It could have stayed open for another 40 years at least!

Oh, I'm sure the card board flats in Buzz Lightyear will look amazing in 2048!

I wouldn't be surprised if COP is next to go.

It should be a Monster's Inc Door coaster with a triple loop and a candy coated center...and they should hand out old McDonald's toys at the exit! The slogan should be...you only live once so have fun doing it...screw the future! That's just my modest proposal.

[flynnibus]

for so much effort Pete you would hope you'd be more entertaining.. but your not.

[Cmash95]

during the annual stockholder's meeting mr. lassiter said that they were going to make rides based on the movies. of course he assumes that all the movies he makes are going to be gigantic hits. what concerns me and i know i have said this before... The rides need to fit into the theme. and btw I am not in favor of " disneyfying" epcot with cartoon characters. I didn't like in in the land and I don't like it with nemo. what's next? we going to bring the cars to testrack? leave the characters at mgm or MK. pleaseeee

[OTownGuy]

yes Pete, you only reinforce you are some retarded teen who has NO concept of what made this company GREAT and who Walt was and what WED had in minde when creating thier parks and attractions. You would probaly relish in seeing everything before 1984 go up in flames. Go play with your Rasulo and Weiss dolls and leave this to the big boys who KNOW about the legacy of this company and its parks.

[StrongStyle]

Yes I believe that Buzz will still be going strong into the future even with it's cardboard cut outs. It's not a technologial marvel now but had some of the biggest lines I saw during my whole trip and ever since getting back my son has been holding his hands in the Buzz laser firing pose and he'd never paid any attention to Buzz before riding the attraction. And yes, I would have ridden it whether I had my son with me or not; and yes, second time I was determined to try and beat my score from the first time.

It doesn't actually matter how technologically advanced a ride is, that shouldn't be the key factor. What is important is that throughout the experience everyone on the ride whether they be kids or adults are smiling from enjoyment and not laughing at how outdated the concepts of the ride are; concept is so much more important than technological superiority; and it's the concept that goes pear shaped real quick on tomorrow vision rides. Thunder Mountain railroad is an extremely tame roller coaster, but who doesn't want to ride it. All the dark rides in Fantasyland are technological antiques but they still have lines going back and back and back. If they'd been able to put Winnie the Pooh in a new building and left Mr Toad, there would still be a huge line for it with its cardboard cutouts.

And while I can't back it up, I'd have to guess that refurbing a ride every 10-20 years is a lot more economical than riping a ride out and starting fresh every 10. It also means that the ride, because it's still viable but needs a tweek, doesn't lose it's reputation and place in the park. Honey I Shrunk the Audience has been in operation for 11 years and exported to several parks, Star Tours is close to celebrating its 20th Anniversary, and they are still going strong. No they are not as fresh today as they first were, neither is Space Mountain, neither is POTC (pre-refurb), neither is Spash Mountain, neither is Country Bear Jamboree, nieither are any of the dark rides; but we still ride them because they are not absurd and that's what looks into the future always prove to be within a few years; and the lines at these rides opposed to the complete lack of people on rides like COP back that up. And no, its not worth keeping a ride in the park for 150 people per day; until they expand the park's borders every building needs to have something in it that will attract people, it's not only good business, if nothing else this also reduces lines as an average throughout the park because visitors will be further spread out. And yes, I think Captain EO would attract more daily visitors than COP.

And there does also seem to be a general feeling that fans of the park want classic rides left alone and not updated in a major way. Look at the feedback the Space Mountain overlay is getting at DL, I couldn't believe just how bad Journey Into Imagination was on this trip, I'd have loved my son to experience the original. POTC seems to be the exception and not the rule with its refurb. So yes, I can see Buzz staying just as it is with its cardboard cutouts and being fine because it was a lot of fun and will still be fun in 10 years time and beyond.

I wish i made 6 figures, but we are in the day of the budget airline and flights are stunningly cheap. The world is at our feet. And thank god England (real or showcase) doesn't look like Alabama.

Unfortunately, the world doesn't have a bright technological future any more; we've achieved almost everything we are going to until there is another HUGE technological breakthrough. We live on a planet with constant friction between power factions, huge poverty, third world countries and decreasing natural resources (and yes I am just waiting to get another moaning from my father in law about rising gas prices in the USA when ours have been three times more expensive for a long time).

But if it means so much to people that Tomorrowland be kept to future rides only, just move the land entrace way back 200 feet after Monsters Inc and Stitch and bingo

[kcnole]

yes Pete, you only reinforce you are some retarded teen who has NO concept of what made this company GREAT and who Walt was and what WED had in minde when creating thier parks and attractions. You would probaly relish in seeing everything before 1984 go up in flames. Go play with your Rasulo and Weiss dolls and leave this to the big boys who KNOW about the legacy of this company and its parks.

Did you miss the part where Pete stated that his prior posts were a satyrical joke? They weren't very funny jokes, but it wasn't his true opinion of how the parks should be run either.

[Disney Magic]

Pretty much the only realistic look into the future Disney can give right now is that in 15 years they are going to have to seperate road from pavement around the parks because by that point 90% of American visitors will be in electric trolleys because they can't handle the walk around the park for no reason other than obesity (boy am I gonna get heat for that statement).

Isn't that your picture in your avatar? ....I wouldn't talk if I were you!

[flynnibus]

why all the believe that the POTC refurb will be so different?

We already know its basically just getting a moderzation for a/v, some new AA characters, and a new water-screen effect. I think the biggest thing about the POTC refurb is supposedly the 'un-doing' of the dumbed down refurb they did years back (removing all the sinful stuff).

I would consider the POTC an 'overhaul' more then an update.

A funny thing about something on the website from disney.. they talk about how they did these great effects with lights for the clouds.. and how they are replacing them with video projection. A good example of replacing a solid, reliable technology, with a much more costly, more complex, higher maintanence piece.. because doing things digitally is so much 'easier' then figuring out the slick ways of doing it with non-digital effects. Hope its worth it in the long run

[StrongStyle]

Isn't that your picture in your avatar? ....I wouldn't talk if I were you!

I'm the first to admit I am overweight, always have been and am even more so after spending 4 weeks in the deep south of the states. But I can still walk 20 plus miles without problem and always have been able to. I have walked the entire distance from east to west coast of the UK and also the Pennine Way which runs from near the south up to Scotland. MK isn't that big of a place, we had a Spectromagic position right by the entrance to Main Street by the train, yet I still popped over to ToonTown because we wanted drinks from there.

[TDLFAN]

And there does also seem to be a general feeling that fans of the park want classic rides left alone and not updated in a major way.

I disagree. As a fanatic, I want Disney to update the rides that need the work, but those that are OK should be left alone but improved with better technology as time goes on. Look at the subtle changes made to DK's HM..

I couldn't believe just how bad Journey Into Imagination was on this trip, I'd have loved my son to experience the original.

The Original version of Journey into Imagination was a so so ride that could have been turned into a most wonderful experience IF they had invested good money to make it better white keeping the original show intact. However, they went cheap and now we have an atrocious version to deal with and nobody likes.

POTC seems to be the exception and not the rule with its refurb.

Funny, POTC would be the one ride I would leave alone and not refurbish to accomodate a movie overlay. But whatever... I recognize the need to change it for the sake of synergy.

I can see Buzz staying just as it is with its cardboard cutouts and being fine because it was a lot of fun and will still be fun in 10 years time and beyond.

Agreed to a certain degree, because the Buzz ride at WDW can be made better if they decided to bring it to standards similar to the versions at TDL, DL, HKDL, and DLP. There is always room for improvement at WDW when you compare it to all of the other Disney Resorts.

I wish i made 6 figures, but we are in the day of the budget airline and flights are stunningly cheap. The world is at our feet. And thank god England (real or showcase) doesn't look like Alabama.

Let's get real... the world is at your feet because the pounds and euros are clobbering the rest of the world's nominations. How many of you brits care to go to DLP for a Disney holiday instead of WDW??? yes, deregulation of the business has done wonder for air travel, but has also killed the quality of service in the airline industry. Anyone who has flown easyJet or RyanAir could attest to this.

Unfortunately, the world doesn't have a bright technological future any more; we've achieved almost everything we are going to until there is another HUGE technological breakthrough.

Disagree. Go to Japan so you can see the technology we'll enjoy in 5-10 years from now in the western hemisphere, in use in their everyday life over there. There is still room for many more technological breatthroughs ahead.

We live on a planet with constant friction between power factions, huge poverty, third world countries and decreasing natural resources (and yes I am just waiting to get another moaning from my father in law about rising gas prices in the USA when ours have been three times more expensive for a long time). Pretty much the only realistic look into the future Disney can give right now is that in 15 years they are going to have to seperate road from pavement around the parks because by that point 90% of American visitors will be in electric trolleys because they can't handle the walk around the park for no reason other than obesity (boy am I gonna get heat for that statement).

BINGO!!! I agree with you on this. And please vote Tony Blair off before his reputation as a leader goes to the deep deep (and I mean... deep!) south, and ends up in hell with Dubya. He's with Stupid. (Thanks the Pet Shop Boys for that one)
As for obesity...sadly a fact of life in the USA and parts of the western hemisphere. No one cares to get off their butts and walk anymore. Blame the parents who are training their kids to be McDonald's kids and stroller babies well into their early teens. Just take a look at the kids riding those huge strollers at WDW... It's a pityful thing. reason why the USA will continue to lead the World in heart desease, diabetes, and many other illnesses that can be prevented just by being slim and eating better.

[Cmash95]

as far as i am concerned the name of the land can be changed and then it won't matter. I have read many many posts on here about how bad themeing is at universal or how cedar fair is ruining the themeing of knots, or how six flags can't keep adding rollercoasters because it ruins themeing, yet when disney does the same thing with an attraction that doesn't fit, its ok. I know we all love disney, but you can't have it both ways.

[StrongStyle]

Japan would be the one place in the world I haven't been to but want to. I've even take 2 years of Japanese reading/speaking night classes which I wont hopefully of forgotten before having the chance to go there. Would have gone in 2003 but wife got preggy. I still don't think anything from there is going to change the way I live my live though, sure, there's the little modcons and the gadgets that make you think cool I'd love to have one of those but it's not like they live in underwater colonies or take trips to the moon, have robots clean their house and cook dinner. I mean change to life as if we lived with Star Trek technology which to those in the 50's is probably what a lot of todays gadgets would be perceived as.

In the last 7 years Ive been to WDW twice and DLP twice. DLP seems to be places that the whole family (parents, siblings etc) goes together to celebrate a birthday, WDW seems to be someone we get to when we have the chance (first time because I was working in Ft Lauderdale for 6 months, second because we worked out we could drive there from Alabama in 8 hours and stay an extra week).

Ryan Air/Easyjet are fine, I'm not saying use them for a 9 hour flight, but for a couple of hours jump on jump off they are fantastic. Using Easyjet after the World Cup has finished for a week in Spain to officially celebrate my 30th birthday.

Back on topic though and the viability of Monsters Inc in Tomorrowland. The moral of Monsters Inc was that fun and laughter and niceness are better than hatred and fear and hostility and that friendship between humans and monsters can be a beautiful thing. Isn't this a positive look to how to change the world and make tomorrow a better place? maybe not the Human/Monster part yet, but the rest is all good. Make love not war!!

[TDLFAN]

I have read many many posts on here about how bad themeing is at universal or how cedar fair is ruining the themeing of knots, or how six flags can't keep adding rollercoasters because it ruins themeing, yet when disney does the same thing with an attraction that doesn't fit, its ok.

Excellent point Cmash95, but I have to say that Universal did Disney one up with the theming at Islands of Adventures... which I visited this past wednesday for a few hours. I forgot how much nicer this park is when compared to some areas of WDW's parks.

[TDLFAN]

Japan would be the one place in the world I haven't been to but want to.Would have gone in 2003 but wife got preggy.

..And whose fault is that?!?

I still don't think anything from there is going to change the way I live my live though

What you don't know won't hurt you.

it's not like they live in underwater colonies or take trips to the moon, have robots clean their house and cook dinner.

Not in the classic sense of the Jetsons on TV, no, but they sure have made some huge strides in technology that we still have not seen in our parts of the world.. ..And don't be so sure about the lack of food cooking robots...

[StrongStyle]

To be fair, Islands of Adventure has much easier theming of lands to keep to; Marvel Super Heroes, Toon, Jurassic and Lost Continent (ie anything else). I don't disagree with theming of the lands, I just think in Tomorrowland they have dug themselves into a big whole. 50 years ago when DL opened the future had so much to look forward to the world was changing in a huge way, people's lives and the way we lived was literally in constant flux. I remember just 25 years ago when my house hold got its first PC; it was the size of 3 of todays towers, had a screen no bigger than 8", and worked in black and yellow.

It was in places like Tomorrowland where we could say in 30 years time we'll each have a computer and we will be able to communicate worldwide via it; we will each have a phone that we can just carry around without wires and it will work around the world, we will have cars that can run on electricity, TVs in every room the size of the half the wall and be able to record and watch whatever we want on little silver discs.

I really don't see day to day life in 20 years being all that different to what it is now. We will have more electric cars, our TVs will be even slimmer, our phones will be so small you wont be able to find it in your pocket; but we are not going to be transporting from home to work or those sort of things, and if they did a ride in Tomorrowland now that suggested all those kinda things it would be ciritised for being copied from Star Trek.

To me the theming of the lands is mostly about how they look and feel on the outside. I say keep it looking futuristic on the outside and in the surrounding area and not think so much about the entertainment in the buildings.

I like cooking for myself thank you very much :P