The Creative Bankruptcy of Disney Leadership: Why the Mediocrity of New Disney Rides Doesn't Deliver
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- Опубликовано: 8 апр 2021
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Why Galaxy's Edge Needs to Be Rethemed to the Original Trilogy: • Why Galaxy's Edge Need...
Disney's Underutilization of the Trackless Dark Ride Technology: • Disney's Underutilizat...
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I've taken a LOT of people to Disneyland for the first time and after every experience I always ask "what was your favorite ride." 7/10 times it ends up being Pirates of The Caribbean or The Haunted Mansion. Those are old rides that originally didn't have an IP. But they continue to captivate people because they're just so well done.
If you have the creativity and care you don't need a major IP to make a good ride.
Everest is another great example of this, unfortunately since Everest there hasn’t been anything original and I don’t think there will be anytime soon. 🥲
@@jayman5577 definitely not. They will redo all the classic original attractions to be some form of cheapened IP to "sell more merch" already happened with Tower of Terror and others.
@@boxingfan2796 tower of terror was based on an ip
@@lilcloutvevoWell, yes and no. While The Twilight Zone was an IP, the “episode” was fictional. It was still an original backstory for the ride, it just used The Twilight Zone to convey it. Technically you could remove all Twilight Zone references and still have that core story of 5 people vanishing from an elevator during a freak storm in 1939. Would the ride suffer from the loss of the Twilight Zone references? Yes, but it’s still an original story idea and can be done.
It's really sad to realize that Joe Rohde probably quit because of all creative suppression the higher ups were giving him. Another great job on the video, you hit everything right on the nose.
There's been a lot of rumor that he was pushed out of the company as being too expensive. From what I hear, his projects consistently go far over-budget, but the results are obvious. I think the pandemic was an excuse for Chapek to make a lot of cuts that he otherwise wouldn't have been able to do without a lot of pushback. Obviously I don't know any of this for sure, but I felt that his departure was odd. Before the pandemic hit, I happened to encounter him at the Nomad Lounge, seemingly working on a project that he was quite enveloped with (or at least that's the impression that I got). I can't speak for him, but I'm not sure if I believe he was ready to leave the company.
@@PoseidonEntertainment he always seemed to be so passionate about his projects that I thought he would never want to retire.
I think a little of Joe's problem was he started getting to full of himself. He also started worrying about detail that was pointless. Example, he was talking about the special fur matting of the yeti they did and the dirt under the nails. Why, this had to cost hours of time and money to do something that at 45+mph you'll never see in the dark even if lit. He started to over tell stories also over the ride experience. Meaning he started to rely on the story/art of the project for excitement more than the actual performance of the ride...I think he was pushing to hard to cement his legacy as a marquee imagineer in Disney history and not letting it happen naturally like the originals did
@@chrisr2596 Perhaps that’s true, but at least Joe had passion for his projects. I think Walt himself would have appreciated an imagineer that wants to continue to plus things and add to the overall guest experience, even if some of his details might be a bit overkill. I believe Animal Kingdom is arguably the best park for details because of Joe.
Exactly! His ideas were too much for their share holders to handle
Hollywood Studios' Toy Story Land would be improved just by building an oversized picket fence around the whole thing. Not only would it theme the land to be Andy's backyard, it would help block the sightlines to the rest of the park so you can't see Galaxy's Edge just down the road (that has to be the worst-themed transition in any Disney park).
Oh I agree. I'm not sure what Disney was thinking there. I know that themed transitions are difficult, but they didn't even try here. I'm also annoyed by how easily visible the Tower of Terror is from numerous points within the land.
That blunt idiotic no-sense rough transition, exists in Paris as well, between Toy Story Land and the Ratatouille zone. "Paris" there, in the theming of the square, does not even have a convincing "inner city Paris Feeling", because the whole 'expensive' thing is one sided. The other side is a blunt unimaginative wall (were they parked food trucks/carts to get the attention a bit off that blunt wall), and behind that wall, the 3rd class local attraction park's rides from Toy Story Land come peeping out.
In the new development for the Studios park, instead of building the second part of the street (with for instance some minor but unique 'Paris' related attraction in it) to make the Ratatouille land believable at last, they invest in more idiotic cheap carnival rides with TSL....
I have the worst feelings with the whole of the Studios' expansion plan, by the way. Nothing at all is coherent, NO place at all will take you into total immersion and make believe, as in the planning, all "themes" will be fully visible from one another across the mini-lake (blown out of real proportions on the PR-produced artwork) and ending up in a senseless mish-mash, just housing 3 attractions of unrelated theme.
For me personally, the whole expansion project is an intellectual failure...
Clearly Galaxy’s Edge is just Andy’s new Star Wars playset that he left outside!
@@dennisvelez9846 THAT would have been an AMAZING transition! Just place oversized Star Wars figures in a pile on the way there, as if transitioning from toys to imagination!
@@Undrave while that’s a great idea, it would cost too much for these guys
Its actually so ironic that Jurassic Park's Ian Malcolm has the perfect quote for the recent era of Disney parks...
"....It didn't require any discipline to attain it. You read what others had done and you took the next step. You didn't earn the knowledge for yourselves, so you don't take any responsibility for it. You stood on the shoulders of geniuses to accomplish something as fast as you could, and before you even knew what you had, you patented it, and packaged it, and slapped it on a plastic lunchbox..."
Outstanding Voldemort
This quote also fits perfectly with the new jurassic world trilogy
@@largol33t1 the new Nintendo land universal is building is so amazing, it’s so creative and they actually tried. Same with the secret life of pets ride. On the other hand disney has been a let down lately. Especially canceling that awesome quinjet ride for a cheaper low budget multiverse ride
Walt Disney borrowed money to start Disneyland. The current management just puts the money in their own pockets. They take the customer for granted while using Walt Disney's name.
100 percent agree with you … greedy assholes who are too happy to collect millions in salaries and bonuses ..🙄
Yeah as I always say, Bob Iger and Bob Chapek take Walt’s name in vain and think that they can buy any companies, and that’s a big problem. 😞
I mean Walt Disney was a guy who wanted to be a rich guy, but that wasn’t his true passion. His passion was to bring affordable family entertainment for not only children but also appealing for adults, and he wanted the audience to love his movies, because he made his movies for everyone including the audience to love it, not just for himself.💖
I remember Michael Eisner saying he was gonna be the last creative executive there will be and so far he isn’t wrong. Iger wasn’t creative but for the most part he let the creativity for the creative but now the company as a fact see the parks as merchandise
I think you've summed up things nicely.
Bob iger Lucas bashers pandering ruined Star Wars and made it toxic. He isn’t creative friendly. He banned 2D animated films from happening anymore,and so much more.
And when did Eisner say that? Seriously I wanna see the quote. It’s ominously scary
@@fridaynightnicktoons6885 the no 2d thing happened right before Iger came in. And he even let a couple of 2d films get made. It’s just they didn’t make much money which sucks because princess and the frog and the 2011 Winnie the Pooh were very good.
@@lizbenjaminnathansmith3244 Yeah, ironically it's Disney's own dominion over the American market that killed 2D animated films in the west. Because they were so prevalent, and they only made films for children, 2D animation became synonymous with childish guff. This was especially bad when Pixar and DreamWorks started making CGI animated films that were much more adult and boundary pushing than the comparatively stagnant Disney. This wasn't because it was CGI but since that was the most identifiable difference audiences associated CGI animation as being more "adult," while 2D animation was for kids. This stands in contrast to Japan's 2D animated output, which had a lot more studios vying for attention, and was much more varied from the outset.
I am SO GLAD i found your channel! As a Disney superfan myself who just wasn’t feeling all these new changes, I thought I was just being a cynic/getting old. It feels so good to know that there are so many people like me who adore Disney, but strongly desire more out of it than the junk food we’ve been getting with the era of Iger/Chapek
I appreciate Disney as a company for its creative legacy and because of its classic attractions. If the parks were made up entirely of experiences from Iger and Chapek, I don't think that I would even want to go.
@@PoseidonEntertainment couldn’t agree more!
I agree. Being in Texas, I've never had the opportunity to go to Disney Land or World. I have "experienced" the parks through pov videos here on RUclips. I don't understand why anyone would spend so much money for broken animatronics, meals you need a mortgage for, and all the new upcharges. I grew up going to Six Flags. Disney's supposed to have more dreamy experience. Yet, Six Flags, from what I've observed, outshines the house of the mouse.
@@lisagillum-wells1979 don't go, waste of time
@@PoseidonEntertainment You know, ideas don't have to be good on paper. You just need to look up the original sources and get them right before delivering. Brainstorming for anything that comes out of your mind also helps too, along with guest interaction and feedback. While it's understandable Disney is in a tight spot trying to get back its profits from the pandemic, I think creativity may need to be put first, then they can worry about the cash. Also no one is mentioning TRON (made in Shanghai) or Cosmic Rewind or that Mary Poppins attraction. I guess a few props won't hurt, besides some props are cheaper than screens. Looks like whoever will lead better go find all forms of imagination and art in the place where lost things go or they'll never hit 88 miles per hour. Or even give Genie Plus a whole redo to get it similar to Fastpass Plus.
Sadly, "aggressive mediocrity" is the norm in most of our culture now, not just Disney, and most people have been conditioned to accept it to the point where they will aggressively defend it, and attack those who call it out for what it is.
YESS, they think that people are attackimg it pr smth. Same thing happens in movies and music
Capitalism. Capitalism says it's fine if it sells, and there are enough people that those who aren't already aware it's a ripoff will come around for _years_ for any IP or product and... buy the inferior product, even if they too will be unsatisfied.
This is the only destination it leads. The _entire incentive structure_ to our economy is to give the least for the highest price. These "innovations" should surprise no one.
@@clarkkent7973 Fail to see the bigger picture, and fail to understand why your ass hurts and your wallet is much lighter than you were hoping every time you leave your cave.
@@ashkebora7262 late stage capitalism is what you are describing. Although we moreso have crony capitalism and corporate socialism now but that's another story. But essentially people have reduced to mindless consumers. And these people will shriek and cry out if you criticize this stuff like this video. They can get away with putting out copy and paste garbage everywhere and people will need to "consume" it if it's new. It's like an automatic response now like Pavlov's dogs.
Exactly
A lot of people say that more IPs are good for the parks just because they were there since the beginning of Disneyland, but I tend to disagree. During Walt's era, the only IP rides built (not including off-the-shelfs) were 4 Fantasyland dark rides and KC Junior. On the original front, you have the DL Railroad, HM, Pirates, the Matterhorn, Monorail, Sumbarine Voyage, Small World, Jungle Cruise, Nature's Wonderland, and Space Mountain was even conceived back then. IPs can be good if done right, like Indiana Jones Adventure which places emphasis on the experience and not the IP. But I prefer it when Disney is forced to think creatively to bring something new & original into the world.
Edit: To be clear, I dont personally revere or even care about Walt Disney. But Disney's claims that they're "embodying Walt's dream" is obviously disingenuous, and Walt's IP attractions are no excuse for defending excessive IP takeover and aggressive mediocrity today.
One thing that I find incredibly distasteful is how Walt Disney is quoted on construction walls, as if it's a seal of approval. I think the original Epcot was incredible, but it definitely was not Walt's creative vision, and to put a statue of him in the middle is insultingly audacious. I think IP did and still does make a lot of sense for Fantasyland because that's exactly what guests have come to expect and want, but you have to also deliver. That's one major issue I have with Seven Dwarves Mine Train. I've often heard the claim that it's well themed, but it's mostly rockwork. It only has two scenes, being the mine and the cottage, compared to how many scenes on Big Thunder Mountain? It's... lazy. A rollercoaster with just enough to get by, but again, not going for the standard that Disney was once known for. I'll never understand its popularity, other than it being friendly for small children.
By IP, you're referring to intellectual Property, right? So, with so many rides having some relationship to Disney's movies and shows, you're concerned about Disney's desire to milk the popularity of these creative works via the attractions and the visitors who ride or attend them. That's what rides and shows are in Disney parlance: "Attractions", because they attract people like moths to a flame. Moreover, each one has to tell a story the way Walt would tell it. Let's take the example of the Seven Dwarves Mine Train and the aforementioned criteria for telling the story of Snow White? The way you describe the ride as containing only the mine and the cottage, and not having taken the ride myself, I don't know the answer to that question.
That said, if the ride is required to tell the story of Snow White, it could at least provide some detail on the jewel mine itself. Whenever I've seen the movie way back when I was a kid, after watching the Dwarfs march off to work with their picks and shovels following their singing "Hi, Ho, Off to Work I Go", I had few clues about where those people work and what they do. For example, who owns the mine? Who gets the gem output? How are the gems delivered to the mine owner? How are the Dwarves paid, assuming they get paid at all? One last thing: not all gems are dug from a mine and come as cut and polished stones as they appear to be from what videos I've watched of the ride.
I have to wonder just how much research the Imagineers conducted when they conceived and designed the attraction: did they visit any open diamond mines in South Africa or Australia? Did they visit an emerald mine in Colombia? Did they visit a lapis lazuli mine in Chile? Did they consult with anybody from DeBeers or other diamond merchants about what kind of stones are dug from mine shafts or what happens to them after they're removed from the mines, e.g., that they're sent to be cut and polished into the beautiful gems we all know and love? If that research had actually been performed, then anybody could tell ride designers that the mine scenes showing polished stones gleaming or glowing in the dark are bunk--magical perhaps, but nonsensical. I know I'm going to get flack from these comments, but my response is, "Yes, I know this is a remnant from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale as Walt would have told it, but this ride still doesn't tell satisfy the requirement of telling a story, especially if the story is about the mine and the Dwarfs' work there, no matter how many scenes from the Snow White story you insert. Anyway, what story are you attempting to tell, the story of Snow White or the part about where the Dwarfs work, this jewel mine?"
IPs are fine if done right. But now it's being overdone on steroids. Literally redoing EVERYTHING even at Epcot to be some form of Cars/Pixar/Marvel/etc. It really cheapens the feel in my opinion. There's no more original and unique attractions that Disney used to be notorious for. There's no innovation or imagination. Everything has been sterilized, cheapened and then slapped with an IP.
Exactly, IP's back then we're the template, Fantasyland was made as a home for Walt's characters. So IP is ingrained into the dna of Fantasyland from the get go. It was a way of promoting the park as a means of saying "you could meet your favorite characters", I can't recall any other IP based attractions being built in Walt's era following the opening
The difference between Disney and Universal is that Disney now feels like they are designing their parks to be themed shopping malls first and foremost and theme parks as an afterthought. Guests are expected to spend $$$ on dining and shopping while in the parks whereas Universal still feels like they're designing their parks as theme parks first, with dining and shopping as bonus add-ons.
Take Epcot for example. It used to be the most ambitious theme park in the world, but once Disney realized how much money they made from the Food and Wine Festival, they realized they could just hype up the dining/shopping at World Showcase and neglect building creative or original rides. Galaxy's Edge put way more emphasis on shopping/dining when they instead could've opened the land with a third ride. It's like Disney saw the success of Butterbeer and Wands from Wizarding World and took the wrong lesson from that. Disney designed Galaxy's Edge around selling those things, whereas Universal just added them on to an already great themed land and ride(s).
Let’s all remember that Iger was viewed by Eisner and Roy E as “not creative enough” to run a company like Disney, and Chapek himself is basically a fatter and balder version of Pressler. The parks themselves are literally falling apart, to the point where even Pressler would probably be a little uncomfortable. Spider-Man at DCA doesn’t even have a functional emergency lighting system.
Holy snot that's bad and unsafe and almost definitely illegal to some extent.
@@spencerpetunia8268 not to some extent
Comparing someone to Pressler is an insult in itself, but the “fatter” and “balder” roast killed me.
I’ve been attending WDW since 1981. So much of the Magic is gone. From the original unique shops on Main ST to taking out attractions like 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea & The Great Movie Ride. I have a feeling Disney will start to see a drop in people caring about returning to the parks year after year. It might take a while.. but the diehards are growing tired of the mediocrity.
That's a point I definitely agree with. The lack of new and compelling attractions isn't building a loyal consumer base I expect.
but the diehards are dying... Im the only person at my store in the uk to have gone to disneyland.
And they won’t attract the next generations because they’re overpriced and well behind.
I miss the great movie ride. Got me into Indiana Jones and Alien as a kid 😔
Really makes me miss the days of Micheal Eisner - yeah he had a fall from Grace at the end of his tenure but at least most of the ideas presented were still original and new
In all honesty, I liked the overall theme of California Adventure, but obviously it failed to deliver because of that signature cost cutting of his late tenure. Something like the Bakery Tour, while superficially educational, at least was trying to be unique. It's in the spirit of old Epcot and Rafiki's Planet Watch. Maybe some people's kids found it boring, but others did not. The California Adventure that we could have gotten with the right budget, might be something incredible to fantasize about.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I was born in 2000 so I have a lot of found memories of going to California adventure when I was kid (along with Disneyland of course) so I have a lot of nostalgia for the park even though looking back on it now, yeah it was pretty cheap.
Regardless I’ll still remember the day I was first tall enough to go on California screamin during the time they had Red Hot Chili Peppers music On the coaster
@FN-1701AgentGodzillaRangerPrime Ω
Yeah.. they uh... learned the wrong lesson there.
@FN-1701AgentGodzillaRangerPrime Ω How exactly did it "fail"? It's still open and popular and profitable.
@@PoseidonEntertainment California adventure would've been great in disney world because it isn't in a california
I read Bob Iger’s memoir recently and I came to the conclusion that Disney leadership at some point in the last decade forgot it is the people behind the brand that are what make the brand valuable and not the brand itself. Iger’s decision to buy Pixar was because the creative team and the culture was a valuable asset that could reinvigorate Disney Animation. Marvel was bought because they thought the characters would fold nicely not because Kevin Feige and his team were responsible for the MCU. Star Wars was another IP led acquisition. Iger calls their strategy “branded storytelling.” When I read that I started to understand what Scorsese was getting at.
I liked the scene in Iger's book where Steve Jobs went off on him for how crappy & cheap-looking the Art of Animation resort is. Iger argued that it was really inexpensive for guests, but now that's no longer true.
Iger’s thought process wasn’t “how can this complement Disney”, but “how can we make up for our own lack of ideas”
Yes! And with covid stripping away most of the extras ie entertainment, nightime spectaculars like fireworks, ticketed events, fast pass, character meets, true parades, and experiences like bibbidi, it is REALLY apparent and a bit depressing.
It was fine when the parks reopened because they were so dead that it was a great experience in and of itself, but now where it's overly crowded every day? If I didn't have a pass, I wouldn't pay for a ticket right now with the experience that it is. I have a strong feeling that many of these experiences won't come back once they resume normal operation either. A lot of streetmosphere will be permanently cut, and I wouldn't be surprised if fastpass comes back as a paid system (which I would be in favor of, because I hate the system that they had in place), but the pandemic has definitely been an opportunity to make significant changes, many of which will continue to cheapen the experience.
I think Disney doesn't really care about COVID. They're just using it as an excuse to pinch pennies and either delay the return of services they absolutely could have kept (social distancing isn't possible on open air trams? Really?), or remove them altogether and hope you don't notice.
While you were describing the lackluster nature of Galaxy's Edge, you perfectly hit my main problem with almost all of Disney's projects. They don't feel like fan-made projects, visions brought to life by someone that you can tell loves it with all their hearts, it feels like a checklist is completed in order to bring in as much money as people. And I don't fault the creators behind it, because there are good people who enter Disney who want to make incredible things, but I do think higher ups stomp on creativity in the name of profits.
Oh man thank you, thank you, THANK YOI. Someone who finally gets it. I’ve given up on so many Disney fan forums because any time anyone brings up the same concerns as this video they get shut down by people saying “you just don’t like change!” Or “If you hate it so much then don’t go!” Ugh such toxic Disney fandom. .
Aye, it's pretty bad. The constant excuses and apologizing for an experience that continues to just degrade is astounding. I'm not sure why people wouldn't want to hold Disney to a standard worth paying for.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Yeah it seems like critical thinking is just not a thing amongst all these fans. Or it seems like a lot of them seem to interpret criticism towards Disney as “I hate Disney.“
The other excuse I constantly hear is “Disney is a business and they have to make money.“ I am of course very well aware of that a lot of people don’t seem to understand that it’s a balance between creative artistry and commerce. Disney has been leaning far too much to the latter.
@@spinlok3943 what they hear is their own voices telling them to wake up but they are so invested in the lie they can't. I'm like, people, yes it WAS amazing. WAS. no one like realising they are getting ripped off and that whats happening to the pixie dusters.
I really wish Disney would step up. And I really wish Galaxy's Edge were the original trilogy. If only they listened
I think it really goes beyond that though. My argument for that video essentially boiled down to: "If you're going for merchandise sales, you made the mistake of not going OT". Galaxy's Edge has a lot of fundamental problems that a retheme wouldn't necessarily fix.
@Rosamund Powell They no longer know how really think big when they have the opportunity. That is why they did not get the Harry Potter franchise in the park. They could have created a whole separate gate for Harry Potter buy they did not want to spend the money just like Star Wars.
I wish they did that as well. Why couldn't Disney have chosen Mos Eisley on Tattooine with touches of the sequel episode characters? Why was it their main focus? The movies were very unpopular, whereas older fans love the OG trilogy and wanted that nostalgia.
@@rhaenyralikesyoutube6289 they used the sequel trilogy as the theme bc they want that one to make money because its new, regardless of what the fans think.
Such a great video. Everything said was 100% true. I think Chapek and Iger just lack a fundamental understanding of what separates Disney from the rest
Indeed, and it's extremely frustrating to me. For most of my life, I always held the idea that Disney's theming and attractions were unbeatable and top tier, especially when Universal went on their screen binge. Now though, they seem to have definitely learned from their mistakes and are going in such a dramatically different direction. All the videos for the new Secret Life of Pets ride blow me away with how good it is. Disney and Universal haven't built a dark ride like that in decades.
@@PoseidonEntertainment yeah I just watched the vid for that ride and was blown away. I also just think uni has just been innovating more lately and their rides are just more interesting which is sad for me cuz I’m a huge Disney fan but it’s just the way it’s going
@@largol33t1 i think youve hit the nail on the head. IP isnt everything, it helps but its not everything. i LOVE universal, but i dont care for any of the IPs aside from harry potter, and my favorite ride was not ever the forbidden journey or escape from gringotts tho, it was rip ride rock it, a completely generic ride. now my favorite ride is velicocoaster, because its an amaaaazing rollercoaster, and the animatronics in the queue are to die for. but i dont care about jurassic park at all, if im being honest i dont think ive actually even watched one of the movies the whole way through, but that ride is fucking great and i ride it every time i can. i think the rides and general Jurassic park area have given me more nostalgia for that series than (trying to) watch the movies ever has lol. thats some successful theming and entertainment.
Remember that scene in Wreck It Ralph 2 where they enter the Disney part of the internet and it was full of Marvel, Star Wars and Disney IPs? Thats basically what they are turning the parks into
We will watch your career with great interest
100% spot on. When New Fantasyland opened that’s when I realized Disney was creatively bankrupt. When it comes to the Little Mermaid, how is this one of the new rides to answer Harry Potter. A dark ride that just retells the story from the movie in animatronic form. I thought we were past that. I was able to give Disney the benefit of the doubt before that, but after seeing the lazy tech demo that is Little Mermaid, it was tough ignore their flaws considering what Universal was doing next door.
I respect your opinion, but I actually disagree. I think that Under the Sea, while not really my taste, is very much in the spirit of the classic dark rides that define Disneyland's Fantasyland and that the Magic Kingdom has been getting away from. I enjoy that it uses a lot of practical effects and doesn't shy away from using lower level animation like in the "Under the Sea" song scene. I prefer the lower level animatronics of many older Disney attractions that really help to flesh out scenes, rather than blowing all of the budget on something high tech, but ultimately inconsequential like the River Shaman. I also believe that New Fantasyland was in the works long before Disney saw Universal's success with Hogsmeade, as that opened in 2010 and New Fantasyland in 2012. The rest of the land though, doesn't really deliver. 7DMT isn't a great attraction, having only two real show scenes in the mine and the cottage. Otherwise, it's just all rockwork, which isn't compelling theming by itself. I also despise how the expansion is so heavily focused on meet and greets, rather than attractions. There was no reason to get rid of Snow White's Scary Adventures to meet princesses other than merchandising opportunities.
Maybe merchandising opportunities or a theater show would be much better!
@@AXander1978 chill it’s his opinion, but yeah it’s boring.
Oh God the Little Mermaid is so awful lol.
This video is even more meaningful now, especially since hundreds of imagineers have been let go due to forced relocation to Lake Nona. We all know that the "relocation" is a cost-cutting way to downsize the imagineering department. They know that no one can make 2,000 people, uproot their lives and move their families across the country. Asking a few people, sure, but asking 2,000? Chapek knows thats an easy way to cut down the number.
Great video. I have a feeling that once Universals Epic Universe is completed it is going to be far superior to anything Disney has been doing lately. Heck, most of the newer stuff at both of Universals Florida parks is superior to what Disney is doing. No to sound too much like a Universal "fan boy", because I have been to both Disney and Universal several times over the past 5 years, I am so glad Universal got Harry Potter not Disney. Modern day Disney would have dumbed down Harry Potter so bad it would be only a shell of itself. Thank goodness JK Rowling stood her ground. Anyway...I still love Disney World, I just really want Disney to "step there game up" and prove they are worthy of being the leader in the theme park competition.Come on Disney, you can do better.
I agree, I'm in the same boat as you. It looks like I definitely favor Universal, but I'm really just interested in seeing these parks produce the best attractions that they can. I know that the original version of Potter for Disney was something like Space Ranger Spin but with wands? The new Spider-Man attraction is feeling a lot like that. Obviously Universal used these IPs a lot more creatively, and their recent attractions are feeling a lot more creatively inspired after Hagrid's opened. Even the videos for the Secret Life of Pets ride is blowing me away with how good it is.
@@PoseidonEntertainment Yes, based on the limited videos I have watched of the new Disney Land Spider-Man ride, it does not look near as impressive as the Universal Spider-Man ride that opened way back in 1999, and still holds up in 2021. I watched a video of the complete ride through of Secret Life of Pets and it looks really cool for a simple family dark ride. Just feels like Disney is "phoning it in" in the US parks, which in turn, is treating it's "guest" (customers) like we are idiots and will accept anything they produce. It is like current day Disney has totally forgotten what makes many of us long time fans (my 1st trip to Walt Disney World was in 1978 (I was 10). My kids have been a lot, but not sure they have the same long term affection for Walt Disney World as those of us who were fortunate enough to be able to go in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. Anyway...lets just hope Disney steps it up.
I agree with you as a Disney Vacation Club member I go to Disney quite regularly and for the last few years I much prefer the Universal Parks much more. The water taxi's to and from the hotels are great and I generally like the layout of the parks and rides better. The only exception being The Fast and The Furious which is sort of new and it really would have to improve to stink! Overall I like Universal better but my wife is a Disney girl all the way. I cannot wait for the new Epic Universe Park to open!
I feel like it's incredibly telling that people's favorite Disney attractions were made in the 60s through '90s my personal thing is Disney stuff doesn't look like Disney stuff anymore they had a certain style with their animated characters that were incredibly charming but nowadays they're going for more realistic look that I think doesn't work
What do you mean by that? Are you talking about the fluid movements of the Na'vi River Shaman or the Kylo Ren animatronics? In that case, I definitely agree. Animatronics like the Pirates Auctioneer or the Wicked Witch were noticeably more advanced, but not so in a way that they stuck out stylistically when compared to the other animatronics of the attractions. Disney had a pretty extensive history of animatronic figures that all emulate the same style, and I've seen them definitely moving away from that. Off-hand, I would consider the following attractions all stylistically similar in how they portrayed human figures:
Pirates of the Caribbean, The Haunted Mansion, Fort Langhorn, Spaceship Earth, Horizons, Journey Into Imagination, World of Motion, Maelstrom, The American Adventure, The Hall of Presidents, Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln and The Great Movie Ride. I also associate other attractions that don't feature people with many of these, such as The Universe of Energy, Country Bear Jamboree or Splash Mountain. I can't quite place my finger on what it is, but something about their movements and style fit into what I perceive as a distinctive Disney style in attraction design.
@@PoseidonEntertainmentI think it's just the amount of detail that was put into them. Blaine Gibson's work is incomparable to anyone else. And just the detail put into the mechanism itself you look at some of the maintenance manuals and they're just gorgeous. I also think Garner's work in the park reminds me of classic Disney with the mystic Manor ride, nightmare before Christmas overlay, and the new yeti all look to me like a natural evolution to what Disney animatronics should be.
@@Robotmaker Oh yeah for sure. I didn't think about those attractions in that way but I see what you mean now that you've pointed it out.
My 3 favorite rides at Disney are and always will be Haunted Mansion, Tower of Terror, and Space mountain.....
Don’t forget expedition Everest!
i've never been to toy story land in any park, but i *have* seen bugs land in california adventure before that closed. it seems to have the same sort of energy of generic rides with the charm of "hey look! you're really small!" that wears off quickly and maybe just a singular better ride you bother to go to the area for to begin with because it's slightly less generic than the others. and honestly, i love the whole shrunken down feel even if it does wear off quickly, but i wish the rides felt just as big as all the random props.
I agree, in that I like the aspect of feeling "shrunken down". I've only been to DCA once and it was after Bugs Land was torn down, so I never experienced it, but I do very fondly remember the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set" play area of MGM Studios. I probably wouldn't like it as much if it were around today because it's so kid focused, but it does a much better job than either Bugs or Toy Story Land, and while those are obviously in much larger spaces, it doesn't mean that they couldn't have done more with the theming.
despite that, A Bug's Land was still better than Avengers Campus, bc at least there was a theme. Avengers Campus is just.... buildings with superheroes in them. sometimes.
I was at Bugs Land a lot. The rides sucked but I believe the land itself had an awesome feel.
not related but my very first/oldest memory was waiting in line at a bug’s life when i was like 3 or 4
I agree with a lot of what you're saying, but the reality is that the parks are jam packed full of guests, even as the prices go up. They're so packed that people are willing to pay $15 to skip the line on a single ride. Leadership is very openly giving the middle finger to their guests, and the parks are still packed to capacity. So what reason is there for them to change anything? Until attendance actually drops, this is how it's going to be. And I don't see that happening any time soon.
I still have very fond memories of visiting Epcot as a 5 year old, way way back in 1988, and it was *fun*! And I've grown up to have a love of science and history, thanks in part to Spaceship Earth and Horizons and The Living Seas. It's kind of scary how the concept of encouraging people to use their imagination is being replaced by static IPs.
I definitely agree with you. As a little kid, Epcot was my favorite park because of how fascinating the different experiences were to me and that wasn't even "classic Epcot" as we know it. The pivot away from edutainment is a huge mistake. What made Disney parks so popular was the artistry that went into the experience and people definitely notice those types of things. When Disney isolates their most dedicated fanbase by bringing in shallow experiences, then how does that bode overall? Will vacationing families still come when they're told it's not worth the time or money?
Ip’s are people creativity, so if implemented correctly it can be great. Take Harry Potter areas and even avatar.
So, I'm only 12 minutes into the video but I already agree 100%!! Creative Bankruptcy is the perfect description for Disney. Also, Florida's Twilight Zone Tower of Terror will always be the best version ever.
With every new Disney experience, I can't help but compare whatever it is to the equivalent nostalgic greatness I remember and current Disney almost always loses.
I'll admit, I have quite a bit of nostalgia for the old and extinct attractions but I've seen it blind people to a lot of new experiences. For example, I would replace Mission: Space with Horizons again in a heartbeat, but I still think it's actually a bit underrated as an attraction. I also understand that it's intense and so therefore limits its audience, but as an attraction, I think it's inherently creative and entertaining.
However, what I've seen is a lot of people criticize others for having "nostalgia blindness" when it comes to new attractions. I don't dislike Runaway Railway because it replaced The Great Movie Ride. I dislike it because it feels like corporate cynicism and is underwhelming, even though the entire experience is just kind of okay. The Great Movie Ride, for all of its flaws and age, stood as a testament to the creativity of the imagineers and respect for the intellectual capacity of the guests who rode it.
@@PoseidonEntertainment oh I very much agree!! And I'll admit to occasional nostalgia blindness. I've yet to ride Mission: Breakout, but I'm fairly certain if I ever do, it will be with a critical eye because I love Tower of Terror so much, even though I felt California Adventure's version paled in comparison to Florida's original. But that might be a bad example... I don't care as much about the overlay at CA for that reason. Were they to change Florida's, I'd be angry! Still I think overlays (mostly) speak to the issue you brought up in your video about Creative Bankruptcy - you might want to trademark that because I'll be using that brilliant phrase a lot now. An exception to the overlay issue would be Haunted Holiday Mansion, which is creatively brilliant, but also seasonal, so we still get to see Haunted Mansion in its regular form off season. But say a family goes for the first time and only gets to see the Holiday version, they're still getting a great show! Yet, when the doors open on Mission: Breakout, all you see is a screen, compared to the actual sets you saw on ToT. That retheme doesn't work for me...
I try to give attractions that replace nostalgic ones with a test of is the replacement an upgrade from the original? Does the replacement merit the removal of the beloved nostalgia? Sometimes yes, but in the case of Disney, more often not.
I like what you pointed out in your video about Runaway Railway...if the ride broke down and all the project mapping effects were turned off, what would you see? A LOT less than what you saw when Great Movie Ride broke down, that's for sure.
@@busdriver1275 I have conflicted feelings on Mission: Breakout. I think that the Hollywood Tower Hotel fit in perfectly with the California theme, and that the new tower is ugly, not even complimenting the new Marvel expansion. However as you said, it was always an inferior clone to the MGM/DHW Studios version and so it kind of left a bad taste in my mouth because it was another cheap decision from the late Eisner era (it opened in 2004 I believe?). I definitely take your point about how screens replaced set dressing, but in this case I feel that the actual ride experience is actually pretty fantastic, so I'm willing to excuse it. I was skeptical about it until I actually rode it, and I can see why my fears were misplaced. Like Pandora, Joe Rohde took on a strong role in the development and turned an IP dump into an actual creatively inspired experience. I feel that the queue is incredibly well done, full of fantastic easter eggs. The preshow itself is also entertaining, with the Rocket animatronic being exceptional. The ride experience itself is also an interesting contrast with the Tower of Terror. The original theming made sense, as a drop tower is a scary and exhilarating experience, right? To embellish that with supernatural theming makes sense. However, because of the silly nature of the Guardians theming, the top tower becomes fun, rather than terrifying. It's a strange flip in context for a drop tower, but is interesting to experience.
@@busdriver1275 I'm currently writing the script for another video and I'd like to mention your comment and the point that you made about The Great Movie Ride/Runaway Railway. Do you mind if I mention you by name?
@@PoseidonEntertainment not at all!! Kind of feel honored to be asked haha.
Take a sip every time Poseidon Entertainment hates on Demolition Derbys
Wow, I didn't even realize the Moana addition to the planned refurbishment for Spaceship Earth. What a strange addition that I can't imagine will satisfy fans of the ride, nor will add anything for those experiencing it first time. It's almost literally a sticker that says, "here's some IP!"
These people are obsessed with tie-ins, synergies, and its destroying the theming. Its like, we paid for this IP, now we have to milk it for all its worth. What it creates is basically a senseless mess.
I recently read the book "Console Wars", a book documenting the battle between Nintendo and Sega in the 90s, and what Disney is doing now sounds so much to Nintendo at the start of that conflict. For years, Nintendo was the undisputed industry leader. They WERE video games, owning more than 90% of the market. It was so bad they were accused of being a monopoly multiple times.
They were so content with their place and power, they were all to happy to rest on their laurels, reaping in the rewards and not feeling the need to change a thing. And so while they did this, competitors rose up, snatching away their power and market share bit by bit while Nintendo did nothing. It got to the point where Nintendo went from owning 90% of the market, to less than 50%, all in the span of a few years.
This is what Disney is doing. They've been the top dog for so long, they're perfectly happy to put out crappy attractions and raise the price for everything to ridiculous heights, while doing nothing new or innovative. I mean hey, they're Disney! Who can compete with them, right?
Only NOW, they aren't the only game in town. Universal is pulling a Sega and beating them at their own game, and badly. Disney needs to step up, or fade away.
Disney is paying influencers like mad to keep the dream alive. Deserves a video on its own imo.
I went to Disney World recently and was very underwhelmed by galaxies edge, however, I loved pandora and I couldn't tell why these two themed areas gave me two different feelings, and that's because I like star wars more than pandora. After watching this video I now know why it's so disappointing to see Disney become this and also devastating that Joe Rohde has quit, he was a legend and expert at capturing that Disney magic.
Universal Orlando has been doing great work with the new veloceraptor, Harry Potter rides and hopefully the new epic universe will forge Disney to stop coasting off of past great IPs
I also comment for the algorithm. I agree with everything you said in this video. Toy Story land was completely underwhelming. And all my favorite rides have nothing to do with IP. The Haunted Mansion, the Matterhorn, Tower of Terror. You're right it's like they think we're stupid.
The Tower of Terror includes elements from The Twilight Zone, which is an IP. But my personal theory is that the attraction is fantastic because the inclusion of IP came from actual creative desire rather than management orders (the imagineers who designed ToT specifically sought out Twilight Zone)
Yeah I realized that as I was typing, but I decided not to mention it because disney doesn't own it.
Thanks, I appreciate the support! Adding to the conversation though, I think Star Tours was an incredible attraction when it first opened because like the Tower of Terror, it was a creative vision that added to the IP. I never really felt it fit in well with Disneyland's Tomorrowland, but it made perfect sense for MGM Studios. Even when it became the new version, it was great for a while until Disney decided not to care anymore and turn it into a promotion for its new films. Going to Jakku and time jumping back to Naboo in the same ride? Bleh. I don't like Disney's sequel films, and the lack of care resulting in thematic inconsistency, has also made me now dislike the ride.
Yeah I don't like the sequel films either. In fact I really miss the original star tours where you go though that giant crystal thing, and join the rebels on the death star in the end. So classic!
@@largol33t1 Lol not the "Mouse Mafia"
My gosh you are exactly right! When I visited Disney world last time it started to dawn on me the push for merchandise and stepping away from what made Disney so unique back then. It’s sad the creative projects that were released as I grew up in the early 2000’s like the expedition Everest was something that had me so excited! I miss the creative genius of many of the new attractions in the Americas with the likes of cars land and toy story land- which I feel doesn’t coincide well in Hollywood studios but that’s my personal opinion. Anyway I love your videos I love the fresh perspective and explaining the real problem with this new era of Disney parks
There's apparently plans in place to remodel the stores on Mainstreet to look more like the sleek World of Disney. It's astounding to me that they would compromise theming in favor of a boring store-front, believing that it will sell merch better.
@@PoseidonEntertainment oof that’s just awful. Admittedly I went to Disney world during Christmas and I saw firsthand that “updated” look in the future world at Epcot and I don’t know man I don’t like what’s happening. There’s no more art and creative like there used to be
@@hunky-dory2735 What part are you speaking about specifically? I know that the new Mouse Gear location is temporary, though if you do look at the concept art for the new location to open, it's exactly in that same style.
@@PoseidonEntertainment oh yeah I understand for mouse gear but I felt like there is indeed a need to update future world ever since the closure of electric umbrella and the other pavilions in the area. I felt like that really does need an update since it’s a bit too in the 90’s and there should be an opportunity to revitalize that and bring back at least the imagination plaza
Spaceship Earth and Horizons were two of my most favorite attractions beginning when I was 4 years old. It may seem odd to some, but my brother and I were the kind of kids who would (and did) beg their parents to go to EPCOT because it was already amazing as it was (this was in the mid-90's). We always cherished the fact that in the same vacation to Disney, you could experience the classic fantasy (Haunted Mansion, Snow White) and also see an idealized world at EPCOT where past, present, and future came together.
A large strength of the Disney parks was the distinct variety that each offered. I never experienced classic Epcot, but I still appreciated how different the park felt from Magic Kingdom. The movie making aspect of Disney MGM Studios was also distinct and of course Animal Kingdom has its own distinct identity as well. As the parks continue to “evolve”, they’ve become far less interesting and distinct.
Iger had tons of ideas but Rohde was the real imagination. Chapek is just trying to do great stuff without putting too much thought into the new attractions
Ah, you can definitely tell that I fundamentally disagree with that. It's apparent to me that Chapek perceives that parks as a merchandising opportunity and not much more.
Yea, that’s true but Disney fans are going to DEMAND rides if they don’t announce anything in the next 2-5 years. Every possible ride that could return or come, like Horizons or Maelstrom, and rides based on movies like Pinocchio and Jungle Book. I go to WDW, otherwise I would not be complaining at Pinocchio not having a ride
Commeting for the algorithm. This is a great video and agree with all your points
Oh well thanks, I do appreciate that!
I feel like something that holds Disney back is their insistence on being a family park. What it does is it puts everyone in direct competition for the same rides. If Disney parks had a bunch of big coasters, that splits the crowds into two groups who are now competing with eachother less.
I actually think that Iger has done an excellent job. He has overseen some amazing projects (Pandora, Cars Land, etc.). However, the minute Bob Paycheck came in, that's when the decline started.
Thank you for uploading this. I a Shanghai Disney vlogger, and it's been sad to see the state of the new expansions and ideas lacking creativity and vision. Bring back unique non-IP experiences!
It almost feels like Disney had this reputation of high caliber rides and attractions and Universal the copycat, lazy, and uninspired rides. Yet in the past few years the parks have somehow completely swapped places and it’s sad to see. Hopefully Disney sees what Universal has in store and finally get back to their roots.
I feel that unfortunately, Web Slingers is very telling of Disney's future with Chapek in charge. Rise of the Resistance is as good as it's going to get (when it comes to modern Disney rides) for a looooooong time.
Well to be fair Disney also copied Unuversal by opening a studios park.
im SO happy i found your channel! THANK YOU for being one of the only people ive ever heard talk about how important it is to preserve the Epcot countries, and how IPs go against the original point of being able to explore them and learn the culture! (i am praying we dont lose donald's boat ride to Coco)
Don't give them ideas! 😂
Disney keeps ignoring that the majority of guests who attend are people without kids! WTF are you trying to make Epcot more kiddie
If you are ever in western europe and want to visit a theme park but dont want to go to disneyland paris, go to the Efteling (Netherlands). In many ways its Disneyland but without all the cashgrabs. The stories behind many of the rides are based on fairytales or local legends, and and its also just a fun park to walk through with great designs and space for nature. And its also quite a bit cheaper (though still expensive) than disneyland.
Yes, the Efteling has its flaws too, but at least it still aims to please customers.
I am a CA native and went to DL since I was in a stroller. My husband and I refused to step foot into SW Land because we knew it was overhyped, wasn’t based on the original trilogy and just pushing merch. Like what’s the point?? Really sad to see one of my favorite places be turned into something so scummy. Disney has lost its way.
I loved WDW when I first visited in 1985 from Amsterdam.
We even owned a home in Orlando for 11 years but we saw the decline at the start of Iger's reign.
I keep following what the company does, hoping they get back to their old glory but nothing makes me want to go back (theme park and movies wise). In the end I think the uber fans who blindly hands over their wallets and don't expect quality are to blame. My new theme park resort is Universal Studios Orlando and it pairs great with Efteling at home.
I think the Studios itself needs some dramatic improvements, but overall I agree that Universal as a resort delivers more than Disney right now. It's a bit unfair that Islands seems to be getting all of the good attractions. I fear that the Studios will suffer for a while longer because of the focus on Epic Universe, despite being excited for that project.
It's interesting how Universal went through its darkest years with crappy screen rides like Kong and Fast and Furious and is now making quality rides that put Disney to shame
Fantastic video. After watching a few other videos of yours, this one really takes the cake both with the thesis and the production value.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback and I'm glad that you enjoyed!
Phenomenal video!! Couldn’t agree more. Which also makes me sad...
I created this video to evoke discussion around this issue. I think it's an issue that a lot of people have with new Disney attractions and leadership, but don't necessarily know how express that frustration. Even though I'm a small RUclips channel, I think my argument in this video is effective enough that people can relate to it. If you really want to see change within the Disney company, then I think just by engaging with the video, you've proven that there's a lot of people who also feel the same way. Therefore, when people start speaking out and start agreeing that there's a problem, then it puts pressure on the company.
I have gone on a multi-hour binge on your videos, as I’m on WDW property right now for the 50th, and they put an exceptional voice to my thoughts on where Disney currently stands. I have nothing more to say except they’re going to have to fail again, like in the mid-90’s under Eisner (sans Frank Wells), for any significant directional change to occur. It’ll be dark for a bit before we see that magical sparkle again.
Thanks for saying it so well. For long-time Disney park fans, the current state of affairs is just sad.
The “ASS” ride at HS seriously pissed me off! I went on opening day and expected so much from this land and was HIGHLY disappointed! After waiting in line for 45 min and finding out how crappy this ride was so disappointing. They charge way too much for shit rides like that one. I am no longer a pass holder after the last few lands openings. It’s not worth the money anymore.
I haven't been to a Disney Park since 2015, and we are scheduled to go this October to WDW. I won't judge the new lands of Toy Story, Star Wars, and Pandora until I experience them myself in person. However I definitely agree with a lot of points of this video. A lot of the creativity does seem to be not there, or perhaps it is a management decision to block that creativity because it is not a fast cash attraction. What is the last really good non IP attraction at WDW? Expedition Everest? That is a really long time for another non IP attraction.
Yup, and I consider it to be an Eisner attraction because that's when the development started. It's not like Iger didn't see the success that it brought to Animal Kingdom, so why double down on the cheapness? I wouldn't fault you for having fun with the new experiences that the parks offer, but I also don't think that they rise to the Disney standard. These are for the most part, expensive projects though and are more difficult to replace. Primeval Whirl might be a quick demolition, but Smuggler's Run not so much.
I oddly feel like we are returning to the Paul Pressler Era. We need a creative in charge of the resorts, but until the parks start either leveling off or losing money that's not going to happen.
These have been my exact sentiments for the past several years, but I never realized just truly how bad it has become until I finally had the opportunity to go back to WDW in December. I really hope they can find a way to turn things around, but I think it will take a massive hit to 'wake them up' so to speak, and it will break my heart to see it when it does happen. I have high hopes for Universal, especially with Nintendo World looking as amazing as it does, and being so immersive.
I think the wake-up is going to be Epic Universe, but people have had these problems with the Disney parks for a while now. I just don't know if they really knew how to articulate it, and neither did I until I sat down to write the script for this video. The Magic Kingdom alone sees about the same attendance as both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure combined, but Universal is absolutely killing it with their new attractions. They've listened to their guests and are moving away from screens towards more physical and creatively inspired attractions and people are noticing. I've made the argument before in another video, but even Galaxy's Edge wasn't pulling in the attendance that it was expected to. Obviously the pandemic has really thrown a wrench in things on really assessing how successful it is as an addition, but I think it's shortcomings are clear.
Also, do you mind elaborating a bit more about how you feel about these additions? If you haven't been in a while, did the change seem dramatic?
@@PoseidonEntertainment I hadn't been to any park since 2014, but follow four different Disney news channels, so I had been keeping up with the changes by word/pictures all that time.
Went with my family in December 2020 and saw just for myself how bad the quality had dropped.
Of course attendance was down a certain percentage due to pandemic restrictions, but even through that veil I could see how empty/lifeless the lands were beyond that. The new attractions are all IP themed, but they lack any real life themselves either. Neither the newer rides/lands seem to convey any sort of true story that, say, the Fantasyland dark rides, or Haunted Mansion/Pirates are able to. By that I mean they push you through things, but don't seem to have any real cohesive flow.
The 'true' Disney storytelling that, at least I, perceived to be one of Disney's strongest points that made the parks work is seemingly gone. They lose that "you are the focus/part of the ride" element, and seem shifted to a 3rd person perspective if that makes any sense.
They also have been letting go of a lot of the extra features that had been included with tickets/passes/hotels, while increasing the costs of those things, replacing almost none of them, and when they do, they tend to be lower quality versions.
As for how dramatic of a change things seemed, part of it I know is me now being a lot older, and wanting to go to the Parks not so much for the "entertainment" but more to see how it all works, what makes the magic happen type stuff, that certainly skews how I viewed it all. But, even through that I could tell that when losing a lot of the little things that clearly seem to be out of the CEOs minds, even if it was really cheap things like a lot of what Toontown was, has really made a significant difference. The life felt drained, even out of mainstays that hadn't been updated/replaced since I had last been.
@@ToysforLife35 Thanks for sharing, definitely an interesting perspective on things. It's not really something I talked about, but I see you pointed out that they've been doing a lot of cuts, while also increasing prices. For example, I knew that people were quite upset a few years ago when bottles of soap and shampoo were replaced at the resorts with dispensers in the shower. For continuously raising prices, it's noticeable when the penny pinching like that takes place. It's also astounding to me that they're cutting the Magical Express and true early park admission, while also renovating the rooms to be as generic as possible. I guess guests will decide to just stay off-site for much cheaper then? What kind of poor business decisions are these? I suspect it's the arrogance of: "Hey this is Disney, people will stay and spend no matter what we do".
@@largol33t1 I have high hopes for Universal going forward with Nintendo signed on. The theming and dedication to Harry Potter but especially now with Nintendo is practically unmatched, and the foods and merchandise to boot in similar quality and theme. I don’t expect our Nintendo Land to be half as good as Japan’s for one reason or another (license, cheapening out, land behind the scenes contract disputes outside of Universal’s hands etc) but even then, I see it really giving Disney permanent competition. Just need to see them revive the original Universal park now since Kids Zone/Seuss and that entire half basically is 30 years old and all but falling apart. Unless Disney shakes things up behind the scenes, I don’t know what they’ll do.
@@largol33t1 just saw a video that theorises up to 4 coasters and a Ministry ride (elevators!)
Wow this video is so true its actually scary Its like you read my mind on all of this. Such a good video man. Great work. ...
If I only had one minor dispute would be that even flat rides have a SMALL place in the parks to assist in capacity...BUT with that said, they require a lot more depth to them than just a simple cut and paste or cheap theme effort....I do see where your going on the rest though. I see them trying to anchor a new land or park with a single E ticket ride and several carnival types.
Please keep your series into Disney's issues going. I would love to see one on transportation and the second part maybe of this video being lackluster refurbishments of rides and being down to do these refurbishments for months and years sometimes. The refurbishments seem more like an excuse to do standard maintenance tasks to avoid doing work during park closed hours. Example would be small world, space mountain, pirates, country bear....etc. all down for long time frames and what we got when reopened was small tweaks fresh paint and speakers. Nothing really to dazzle.
Maybe even a video on the constant breakdowns Disney world is having and the slow phase out of existing details. Example being the falling rocks in thunder mountain or other effects like in Muppets that don't exist much anymore like the bubbles and more
Great work though
Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoy!
You have a lot of interesting ideas that I might be able to roll into other videos. I appreciate the suggestions!
You explained how I feel perfectly. I don't hate adding IP's to EPCOT, I hate how EPCOT has no magic. Also the Toy Story Lands remind me of how they used to decorate the malls at Christmas in the early 90's. That kind of level of theming isn't enough for a Disney land, to me.
I went to Disney World a lot as a small kid in the early ‘90s. Epcot was great back then Space Ship Earth, Horizons, the other Pavilions, the future and the World’s Fair aesthetic, and all the different countries. I really thought this is what the future would be like. The Magic Kingdom still had the fantastic 20000 leagues under the sea submarine ride and Splash Mountain had that new paint smell. MGM felt hastily slapped together, and it would feel that way until The Tower of Terror opened a little later, but at least it had the classic Great Movie ride. When I go to Disney World now, I can’t help but feel sad. I wish the current management at Disney would would at least stop bleeding the parks.
The last great non-IP attraction a Disney park got was Mystic Manor in Hong Kong. Tokyo Disney got a badass original story for their Tower of Terror. We need more original characters and storylines.
This 100 %
Thank you for speaking out of my soul !
Disney IS treating their guests like idiots… I’ll never forget how condescending Disney Parks video was for Genie+.
2021 was the year the magic died and this is officially Disneys Damaged Decade
Thank you for making this! I’m a huge Disney fan and my last trip was in 2019 to Disneyland and DCA. I was sorely disappointed to see ToT re-themed to GoG because I don’t care for the MCU. Surprisingly well done on the reskin but still felt it was cold and corporate. I did feel something was off and couldn’t really figure it out on my last trip… but it’s become apparent now the Disney magic has slowly stripped over the years. Thank you for putting it in words. The creativity that made Disney parks miles above the rest has now largely gone, and they’ve just been pumping new IP acquisitions to bandaid that lack. Honestly it goes hand in hand with the live action junk remakes they’ve been churning out. Instead of making something new, they’ve become complacent and relied on the work of others.
And this is why I love Universal so much. It's CREATIVE and EXCITING, and it isn't extremely expensive, unlike some parks that make you pay $100+ for ONE DINNER for 3, *cough cough* EPCOT *cough.* Sorry, I've had something awful stuck in my throat for a while, needed to let it go.
Seriously though, my family went to WDW a few years back, and it was WAY to expensive for what we got. They just milked every dollar from us they could. Never went back. Honestly, Universal offers more for a better price, so if you don't have any really little kids, I'd recommend it over WDW.
Even if you have little kids, it is fun when I was four is as able to enjoy at least half the rides in each Park in Universal.
i so agree with you on this. older Disney rides were a completely different breed than what we get now, all these newer rides are boring and completely uninspired, and i’m glad to know that i’m not the only one who feels that way. this is exactly why i subscribed to you
Disney parks has been unable to deliver with 2 of the hottest IPs they have-- SW and MCU. If Universal actually does something with the rumor of a Pokemon land, Disney will be in serious trouble.
lol the ending was sublime, well done well done
This video made me subscribe. You're spot on with everything you said!!
Galaxy's Edge is little more than a Star Wars themed shopping mall, but themed around the Star Wars movies that only half the fans like....and having roller coasters and characters in EPCOT is definitely not keeping with the original vision of the park.
The original vision for EPCOT was an actual town where people lived and raised families.
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The comment about the lightsabers vs wands really made me LOL. And I wasn't aware they had removed the Boardwalk clown from the slide. Completely agree that just epitomises the lack of creativity being shown by Disney right now.
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You compare Galaxy's Edge to a shopping mall and I couldn't agree more - you've finally given me a good way to describe how I feel about the land. When I went the first time, I loved it, but I felt it would've been better as a separate experience completely detached from the Disneyland park itself. I even mentioned to a CM that they could probably make more money if they sold tickets for just Galaxy's Edge (or even a free entry area like Downtown Disney). A star wars themed park with the level of immersive theming Disney is (at least historically) known for is something I've wanted to see for a long time, it just sucks locking it behind the paywall that is the ever increasing price of admission.
After the 2012 DCA expansion the park was decently themed. Paradise Pier worked as a 1920s boardwalk. Even the Ariel ride kept the theme as an aquarium. Grizzly area was improved as a 1960s road trip. Buena Vista Street was a worthy entrance to the park. Cars of course isnt really CA but its still a great unique land that cant be experienced anywhere else. Pixar Pier and Marvel campus were 2 huge steps backwards.
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
I definitely want Disney to do more immersive theme parks and lands to help compliment its rival Universal!
I agree on this. I'm European and unlike some years ago, in many cases people won't say that their favorite park is DLP anymore. Disney just expects it to be the big one because it has 'Disney' in its name and has the Disney characters in the park. Europeans are becoming increasingly more demanding when it comes to quality at the theme parks, and well, Disneyland Paris really hasn't added any exciting things the recent years (unlike many other parks) and the parks are currently heavily relying on the rides that opened years ago and are supposed to be - the - reason to visit Disneyland Paris. Think of Phantom Manor, Big Thunder Mountain, Star Wars: Hyperspace Mountain etc. Most of these rides have been around for a long time and while they are indeed nice rides, they're having a hard time keeping up with the worthy competition from other European parks. I find the new projects that Disney has announced for Paris very mediocre since the new areas are fully based on Disney characters and movies and the creativity and originality is minimal. If Disney wants to secure their status in Europe as one of the greatest theme parks, they'll have to step up their game in the upcoming years.
Been saying this for years. I could see Universal taking a large chunk from Disney once the new park opens.
We had annual passes for many years. Once the locksdowns hit, we pulled for a refund, figuring we'd renew when the parks reopened. We've not done that. Genie+ was the final straw, but there were many things beforehand which caused us to even consider it.
Besides the forced IP everywhere, all of the new rides generally were much worse than what they replaced. To add insult to injury, all of the new rides were about 2-3 minutes, replacing rides which were 15-20 minutes long. So now you're standing an hour or more in line for a 2 minute ride. No thanks.
Then there's all of the cost cutting and constant price hikes. I get that inflation is a real thing, BUT, these hikes were on top of already grossly inflated prices.
At the end of the day, for what a family spends on a Disney vacation, they can go on a European vacation and see *real* castles and see things they'll truly never forget. Probably even cheaper too.
2 years later, still relevant and accurate af
Walt would cry if he could see his park now
He’s probably rolling in his grave
I just discovered your channel and I agree with a lot that you are saying. Especially after reviewing your video on EPCOT (which despite its current state still holds a special place in my heart), I’ve realized that I don’t think very critically about Disney’s choices in their parks. However, I should, because it’s the original rides that really create the spark for me. The Carousel of Progress, Spaceship Earth, Pirates, & others.
I wish they would stay true to creativity and wonder that Disney parks once held.
Oddly enough, it’s the Galactic Starcruiser and the failures surrounding its launch- plus thoughtful video essays like yours- that inspire me to demand more of Disney. It’s a premium price for very little experience (except for Disneyland, which I think is pretty perfect despite missteps).
I completely agree with your assessment. I was watching another Disney vlog last night and the host mentioned the new Disney vacation club hotel that’s being built . OMG , really ? Another way to suck money off of people. Meanwhile the Paradise Pier hotel completely sucks now . It used to be my family’s favorite Disney hotel but there’s no f’ng way I’d pay the ridiculous rates they’re charging to stay in a hotel where there’s no place to eat . No restaurant, no lounge/snack bar … nothing … probably not even room service any more . A sign in the lobby suggests if you want food , go to Downtown Disney .. good job to that ever popular chode Chapek . I cannot stress how utterly disappointed and disillusioned I’ve become with what was to me and my family , genuinely, “The Happiest Place on Earth.. Mr Disney is rolling over in his grave at what’s become of his vision ..😢
I just discovered your channel and am binging it ever since. I fully agree. I think a thing that really points this out is that you earlier posted a video praising Efteling park who saw one of it's main designers leave to Disney (Michel den Dulk). He created one of the Fairy Tales you showed and which usually is praised as the most beautiful of all portraid fairy tales. He went to Disney (brought there by Tony Baxter who liked his work) and created.... Frozen ever After. Like you say, the problem isn't in Imagineering but in the leadership over it. I hope when Epic Universe opens that will shake them up and let them realize that they have to put more effort in.
Super Nintendo World looks pretty awesome. It helps that I like Nintendo and Mario infinitely more than Marvel or Star Wars. Hope we see more Nintendo franchises besides Mario get introduced like Kirby. But Zelda is a lock. Lol Meet n Greet Ganondorf.
I've always liked Nintendo but I don't like to judge attractions and lands based on their IP. Part of the reason I really like Super Nintendo World is because it just looks ridiculously well done. It definitely takes things a step farther than the Wizarding World and I'd like to see them continue with the interactivity when the Donkey Kong expansion opens.
@@PoseidonEntertainment I was just saying is all. I’m just impressed by all the work that went into the land. And yes, Donkey Kong Mine cart roller coaster!
iirc Universal Japan is planning on having a Zelda transition next. I can’t remember where or when I heard this but I remember it from somewhere!
Things I want next: Zelda and Metroid. And maybe Kirby.
Now that I notice, there is a lot of potential. Imagine a rollercoaster themed after kid Icarus. An adventure Splatoon style.
if they put pokemon in there, im sold. and hey, i'd give 'dorf a hug!
I love your channel! I'm watching all your videos like I'm binging a netflix show lol.
I agree with everything you said except for Rise of the Resistance. It's theming and immersiveness are on par with the best that Disney and Universal have done. It feels like you're in the movie itself. The cast members acting as imperial officers add more depth to the ride whereas in other rides they're just trying to usher you into the next room. The pacing of the main ride is perfect since you are trying to escape the Star Destroyer after all, so it wouldn't make sense story wise to linger in a specific room too long. And as others have commented, ROTR successfully incorporates all these different elements and ride mechanics into one cohesive experience.
Comparing it to Hagrid is apples to oranges. They are very different types of rides from each other. Both are themed very well. ROTR is more like an exciting story-driven rpg while Hagrid is lighter on the story but has more thrilling elements due to it being a rollercoaster. It would be like comparing Matterhorn Bobsleds with Peter Pan's Flight. Both were very immersive for their time and became instant classics but are just different kinds of rides.
ROTR is basically carrying Galaxy's Edge. Thankfully I was able to ride it a couple months after it opened and all the special effects were working. I'm worried with Disney's cheapness of late, that they'll just cut the less reliable special effects instead of actually trying to fix them and new guests will never get the full experience (think of all the effects that they never fixed on Indy).
Well done - another clear exposition of everything that is going wrong with Disney - Talking of poor quality new attractions - Cars Road Trip at DLP is a prime example of how to completely fail - even at the expense of the IP. They certainly spent more money on landscaping than on the content - a few 2/3 scale models completely out of proportion to their surroundings, entirely static apart from the odd poorly engineered eye movement, a lot of fencing with some sign writing, a couple of gaudy posters and a 're-imagined' catastrophe canyon, now cunningly re-named CARStastrohe canyon! I imagine the continued creativity at Tokyo is more to do with its owners the Oriental Land Company and Shanghai the Chinese government's overriding managerial influence on the park. Thank you for avoiding the sugar coated reporting that appears on some Disney sites.
Cars Road Trip is the worst. They would have been better off just closing the attraction than reopening it like this because it's just downright embarrassing. When the videos started coming out, I remember one comment went something like: "I could have made this in my backyard".
This video is awesome!
It's so depressing to see that the Disney World of my childhood is long gone. On the bright side, Universal recaptured that magic, and even improved on it because I didn't need an Excel spreadsheet schedule to see everything. I stayed there for five days and managed to see everything I wanted to see and had time to wander around and notice small details in the theming, watch a few little shows/performances, check out the different places to eat, and even watch a movie at the nearby movie theater. In Disney, I went for a week and all I was ever to do was go on a few rides once, maybe stop at one restaurant during the trip and rely on prepackaged meals so I could eat on the run, and have just enough energy to shuffle back to the hotel and sleep. I still had a lot of fun and made special memories but I also didn't have time to really absorb the atmosphere.
I am so glad that i was young during the creation of Disneyland. My children grew up with WDW growing into a spectacular theme park. We went to the opening of Epcot, MGM and then Animal Kingdom. Now I am sad to say "should I take my grandchildren?" I saw the build up of Disney dreams but now I see the destruction of Walt's dreams. I can no longer defend the cost verses value of Disney. So sad.
Another Great critique on the current Disney experience!
Thanks, I'm glad that you enjoyed!
Found your videos. Great stuff! These hit all the points I've been talking/writing about for some time and I'm glad that at least some people younger than me can see through the current leadership's bullcrap and IP madness. It feels like lots of people in the upcoming generation view those of us who grew up in the 80's and 90's as just complaining that things were better because, y'know, nostalgia. It goes a lot deeper than that. Most every attraction back "in the day" (especially at EPCOT) was designed with deep immersion and continuous quick loading ride systems. Hoping for brighter days when Chapek and his cronies are out and someone who remembered Walt's philosophy on true guest relations comes around.
Great video- I wish you would’ve talked about how DCA was on the path of bringing back that Disney quality storytelling and cohesiveness, but then just a few years after the facelift, they gave up on it (thanks Chapek) and gave up on the whole California story.
That would probably be an interesting video itself. I’ve always thought that the theming of DCA could have worked if given the right care and budget, but you make another really good point with that argument. I’m going to Disneyland in March to shoot a bunch of B-Roll, so perhaps after that I might pursue some version of a video like that.
*aggressively mediocre*
Welp, adding that to my insult list
Ha ha, indeed.
Keep epcot weird!!!, I used to be a huge Disney fan because of Epcot, I started to love science and technology because of that park, I can’t believe how much they’ve ruined it
I completely agree. There's a vocal minority of people out there who find Epcot "boring" when for the longest time, it was the most interesting of the Disney parks. I understand Eisner's desire to put more thrill rides into the park, but I don't think that needs to come at the expense of the edutainment. A Swiss pavilion with a new version of the Matterhorn would have been the perfect addition, checking both boxes if implemented correctly.
@@PoseidonEntertainment that would have been awesome, but sadly instead they built frozen and guardians, which I find appalling, they are forgetting the essence of epcot and building another magic kingdom, it’s so sad to watch the new direction of this company.
I highly agree with you except on Rise of the Resistance. The fusion of everything into such a singular experience was phenomenal. From actors/cast members to the combination of ride mechanics, it was the most immersive ride I’ve ever been on. So I’m giving Disney Imagineers a pass here but not Disney executives for making it the most infuriatingly difficult ride to actually get on in the history of amusement parks.
So that sums up how I feel about Disney. Even when they hit a home run they mess it up these days.
Regarding Epcot, I’m also really upset with a lot of the changes and raged against Frozen Ever After. But then I met a Norwegian who worked in that pavilion for years and got a new perspective. Apparently while he was there Norway decided to stop being involved and when it was time to update the pavilion totally washed their hands of any involvement. He personally likes the new ride because while absolutely a loose connection to the pavilion, it’s done so much for it by driving interest, including but not limited to the restaurant and food there.
I still greatly wish rides like the new coaster were placed in Hollywood Studios as it’s based on The Guardians of the Galaxy and that Disney showed true diversity by creating amazing rides that actually connect to the countries they’re in. Like in France, at least Ratatouille is a story based in France. A Chinese pavilion top tier ride based on Mulan would be great and so on and so forth. It’d strike the IP balance alongside the cultural exchange that these lands are supposed to foster. Mexico “kind of” does this but it’s a re-skin and nothing innovative. It’d be nice to see Disney really give everything to each pavilion in the form of an amazing experience with or without its IP attached. They could use the increased profits to truly invest in the purely cultural parts of these countries and fulfill the mission it was intended for in a fun way that got kids excited. Though, they have tons of top tier IP that does represent so many of these cultures to draw from. They could in essence create a top attraction for each section between original ideas and IP based attractions and turn the World Pavilion into more than a drinking game during the Food and Wine Festival.
For the record, I’m a huge coaster fan and Disney doesn’t deliver there outside of Space Mountain in my mind, which is just a classic. But my favorite most ridden ride is Living With the Land. By a mile! If they ever touch that I’ll outright refuse to ever return despite having 2 young kids and being former out of state season pass holders. But I suppose “former” sums up my dissatisfaction nicely. From 4-5 visits a year to now once every couple of years and shrinking.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE KOTOR 2 MUSIC YOU USED FOR TALKING ABOUT STAR WARS THAT IS ALL THANK YOU !!!!
Universal should bring out a movie about a bunch of crooks who take over a theme park and completely run it into the ground.
I've recently discovered this channel, and as a long-time visitor of both Disney and Universal properties very much appreciate the perspective. Here's one anecdote that I believe exemplifies the weakness of over-reliance on IP. My children and I fondly recall seeing the "Great Bird Adventure Show" in Animal Kingdom soon after it opened. The recent addition of IP from the movie "Up" adds nothing, and actually cheapens the underlying message.
I haven't seen the new version, but I've only heard negative things about the IP inclusion. I actually think that Up is a fantastic film, but needing to put it into the show is ridiculously tacky. I'm unsure if this is true or not, but I've heard from quite a few people that the characters were removed or put into a reduced role because they were unpopular.
@@PoseidonEntertainment "Tacky" is a good word. If an attraction is intrinsically based on IP (such as Peter Pan's Flight,) then IP is, of course part of the immersive experience. But if an attraction is supposed to be educational (like this bird show) or a simulation of some plausible real-world experience (such as flying to the moon, or visiting an underwater base, or travelling to Mexico..) shoehorning-in IP immediately destroys that immersive illusion. And it becomes tacky.
I saw a short disney video... I think it was on the first movie Frozen extra bluray the women who design the 'It's a Small world after all' he was also the widow of the artist Marc Davis. When Walt Disney hired her to work on the costumes for the ride, she said in the interview this retelling the story She had asked him what was her budget for the doing the work & he gave her a look & told her "When you are working here, all you need to think about the people's experience & the enjoy they are going to get." Also in the movie Saving mr banks Tom Hanks as Walt when he tricked PT into coming to the park he told her that he went behind his brother Roy's back repainting the tops of the castle really gold when Roy (in order to save costs) just painted them yellow. So I do get what you are talking about!