Disneyland Resort (DL, DLR, DCA) Discussion Thread

[Hilltopper39]

On 10/21/2020 at 7:31 PM, KBrylczyk said:

As a theatre industry professional (backstage, design, management), I'm gonna have to disagree with you there.  Here's an non-exhaustive list of reasons why -

 

That was a pretty interesting perspective from a theatre professional. This thread probably isn't the appropriate place but I'd love to see your thoughts on some other Disney parks stage shows. Lion King, Little Mermaid and the old Beauty and the Beast show at Studios, the Frozen Sing a long. I've never like the Nemo show even though it looks great but the theatre always seems to be full. Anyways thanks for sharing that.

[Animal]

Screamscape posted a picture of the progress on Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway and it looks like construction is moving right along. The show building looks massive and it’s great to see in the midst of everything that’s going on Disney is moving full steam ahead on this project. After all the fallout from being closed for over a year after this is all said and done Micky and Minnies may be the only new attraction we see at DLR for a long long time! I really hope that the new Avengers E ticket for California Adventure doesn’t get the Axe!!

 

http://screamscape.com/html/disneyland.htm

[COASTER FREAK 11]

On 10/21/2020 at 4:31 PM, KBrylczyk said:

As a theatre industry professional (backstage, design, management), I'm gonna have to disagree with you there.  Here's an non-exhaustive list of reasons why -

• Let's get this out of the way right out in front.  Too many goddamn video/projection-based effects.  This is a stage show, so use some stagecraft.  The constant projections instead of the multitude of better, prettier illusions that could be used are a slap in the face to any stage tech worth their salt.
• Speaking of video and projection reliance, most of the "sets" are not sets at all, just a video with a large open stage.  This is a story set in castles (stone and ice), forests, etc, yet they refused to populate the stage with anything but open space.  Those three stupid doors are the entire set for the kingdom of Arendelle.  You kidding me?
• Holy hell the choreography.  Someone was called up from Carnival Cruise Lines for that crap.
• The Let It Go dress transformation.  My god.  I've seen more convincing quick changes in elementary school productions.  How does the Broadway version of this gag kick all kinds of ass, yet the park version equates to literally turning the lights off for a second while Elsa pulls a zipper?  Awful.
• The wolf chase sequence would have been incredible if they spent more than five minutes rehearsing it.  The lighting is on point and the sled is very well made with the motion base, but the cast is far too slow and not nearly as urgent as one would think while being chased by wolves.  Also, the final "Jump, Sven!" and all three characters flying into the air?  Again, it would be fantastic if they choreographed it to happen faster than a snail taking a sunday stroll.
• The trolls are...not good.  The costumes are a train wreck themselves, but you'd think a theme park show would skip over the bad songs and stick to what people enjoy, right?  Not here!  You're gonna hear Fixer Upper from front to back and you're gonna damn well like it!
• The finale.

And here's a list of good things -

• Elsa's staircase.  That thing is a wonder to behold as a tech.  A full-size, cantilevered staircase that rotates over the audience with only one point of contact?  Holy crap!  Damn shame that's the only part of Elsa's castle that actually exists outside of the screens.
• The idea and half of the execution of the wolf chase sequence.  See notes above.
• Sven's puppet was much better than the Broadway nightmare-fuel version.

It's an amateur, half-baked, rush job that had no reason to be as bad as it was.  Frozen on stage had the potential to break new ground and really go hog wild with illusions and set design.  Instead we got what we got.

Somehow, I missed your response!

 

There is nothing that you listed that I disagree with. But, overall, it was a nice attempt at a complicated show, and that's just my opinion. And, it could be that me having a handful of friends that worked on the creation and production of it skewes my opinion, But, I know that what ended up on that stage is not what was intended to be there.  

 

As for the cast... poor things, haha. They always had such a hard time getting the cast to show up, or even getting people who wanted to audition. It's probably better that it was retired. 

[coasterbill]

2 hours ago, Animal said:

Screamscape posted a picture of the progress on Mickey and Minnies Runaway Railway and it looks like construction is moving right along. The show building looks massive and it’s great to see in the midst of everything that’s going on Disney is moving full steam ahead on this project. After all the fallout from being closed for over a year after this is all said and done Micky and Minnies may be the only new attraction we see at DLR for a long long time! I really hope that the new Avengers E ticket for California Adventure doesn’t get the Axe!!

 

http://screamscape.com/html/disneyland.htm

Their rumored plan on their WDW attractions is to basically finish the exteriors and then put the projects on pause. That may be what happens here too...

[A.J.]

Disney has announced that Buena Vista Street inside Disney's California Adventure will be open for shopping and dining!

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/10/more-shopping-more-dining-coming-soon-downtown-disney-district-at-disneyland-resort-extends-to-buena-vista-street/?fbclid=IwAR2Zds_emU_DAYRWwHcV5ig-hFfsRkueP8wFosEbRKr0qCrCeJ-EdC0Mk0I

More Shopping, More Dining! Coming Soon: Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort Extends to Buena Vista Street

Beginning in November there will be even more distinctively Disney dining and shopping for you to enjoy at the Disneyland Resort, when the Downtown Disney District extends to Buena Vista Street!  

Recently, we introduced Downtown Disney guests to the Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop at Stage 17. This store is currently showcasing an array of seasonal merchandise for you to browse. With Buena Vista Street soon opening select shopping and dining experiences, you can find even more places to enjoy a memorable meal or a fun shopping excursion during your visit.  

Here’s what you can discover – be sure to put these places on your shopping and dining list:

• Holiday shopping? Head to Elias & Co. The store is divided into distinct sections for men, women and children, so you’ll find something special for the entire family! At Julius Katz & Sons, peruse even more holiday merchandise and Disney-themed home décor. At Kingswell Camera Shop offers great gift-giving ideas like frames, photo albums and more. Buena Vista Street stores have a variety of your Disney favorites!
• If you are looking to tempt your taste buds with a snack, Trolley Treats offers classic candies, old-fashioned confections and all kinds of freshly made treats. Vending carts will offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other “must-bite” treats.
• Swing by Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe for the enchanting sights and sounds of Buena Vista Street—and a cup of coffee or scrumptious artisan sandwich.
• Sit-down dining options include Carthay Circle Lounge, where you can unwind in our expanded outdoor seating area featuring an all-new menu of cocktails and dining. Smokejumpers Grill is serving up tasty American classics for lunch and dinner with a streamlined menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and craft beer, located just around the corner from Buena Vista Street. The primary way to place your order at this dining location is through mobile order on the Disneyland App.*

Only the shopping and dining experiences along Buena Vista Street will be accessible from the Downtown Disney District at this time, as Disney California Adventure park is currently closed.

[KBrylczyk]

7 hours ago, Hilltopper39 said:

That was a pretty interesting perspective from a theatre professional. This thread probably isn't the appropriate place but I'd love to see your thoughts on some other Disney parks stage shows. Lion King, Little Mermaid and the old Beauty and the Beast show at Studios, the Frozen Sing a long. I've never like the Nemo show even though it looks great but the theatre always seems to be full. Anyways thanks for sharing that.

It's a weird thing to break down because Disney is so wildly inconsistent with their theme park show quality.  Some are incredible, some are good, and some downright suck, and what's funnier is that budget doesn't seem to come into effect for any of it.  I honestly think they just throw everything at a wall and rather than seeing what sticks they just blindly grab at whatever is leftover and implement that. 

Now, I worked as Production Manager and Tech Director for a 500-seat professional theatre outside Philly a few years ago and we operated on very tight budgets as we were non-profit.  We still put on Beauty & The Beast, Newsies, and other large-scale shows to rave reviews.  Most of the time my set budget was $5K, sometimes it was only $2K, but I never had more than $5,500 to play with for the set.  Costumes, lighting, and audio all had less budgeted per show, so you can imagine the kind of money we were working with.  I designed a three-story set for Newsies, a 40-foot by 20-foot rolling house (with a second floor!) for A Christmas Story, a multi-level MC Escher-inspired set for Next To Normal, etc, all on less than $5,000.  The $5,500 came when we said screw it and rented the castle set for Beauty & The Beast, haha.  My point is people can make excellent, fun, compelling entertainment for very little money.  Disney, on the other hand, has money to burn and they still manage to be all over the place in terms of quality.

The Lion King show at Animal Kingdom was fun because it was trying to be fun.  The Little Mermaid I can't give an honest take on because I've not seen it since I was maybe 12 years old back in the mid-90s.  Beauty & The Beast's show next to Tower of Terror was middle of the road but still definitely on par for a theme park revue.  Frozen failed, IMO, because it tried to tell the exact story from the movie in 2/3's of the time (60 vs 90 minutes) rather than truncate it to a manageable narrative.  Aladdin did it wonderfully.  They still had all of the hits, all of the humor, but it was 45 minutes and the audience was satisfied.  Frozen is 60 minutes long and sucks because it's too confused for its own good.

[Garet]

Something to lighten up this thread a little, someone designed a Rise of the Resistance management sim:

 

http://willby.info/projects/rise_of_the_resistance_js.php

[coasterbill]

Cool, I'll fire it up and not open it for the first 4 hours of the day for realism purposes...

[KBrylczyk]

7 hours ago, coasterbill said:

Cool, I'll fire it up and not open it for the first 4 hours of the day for realism purposes...

[PKI Jizzman]

On 10/23/2020 at 12:49 PM, A.J. said:

Disney has announced that Buena Vista Street inside Disney's California Adventure will be open for shopping and dining!

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/10/more-shopping-more-dining-coming-soon-downtown-disney-district-at-disneyland-resort-extends-to-buena-vista-street/?fbclid=IwAR2Zds_emU_DAYRWwHcV5ig-hFfsRkueP8wFosEbRKr0qCrCeJ-EdC0Mk0I

More Shopping, More Dining! Coming Soon: Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort Extends to Buena Vista Street

Beginning in November there will be even more distinctively Disney dining and shopping for you to enjoy at the Disneyland Resort, when the Downtown Disney District extends to Buena Vista Street!  

Recently, we introduced Downtown Disney guests to the Disneyland Resort Backlot Premiere Shop at Stage 17. This store is currently showcasing an array of seasonal merchandise for you to browse. With Buena Vista Street soon opening select shopping and dining experiences, you can find even more places to enjoy a memorable meal or a fun shopping excursion during your visit.  

Here’s what you can discover – be sure to put these places on your shopping and dining list:

• Holiday shopping? Head to Elias & Co. The store is divided into distinct sections for men, women and children, so you’ll find something special for the entire family! At Julius Katz & Sons, peruse even more holiday merchandise and Disney-themed home décor. At Kingswell Camera Shop offers great gift-giving ideas like frames, photo albums and more. Buena Vista Street stores have a variety of your Disney favorites!
• If you are looking to tempt your taste buds with a snack, Trolley Treats offers classic candies, old-fashioned confections and all kinds of freshly made treats. Vending carts will offer popcorn, churros, ice cream and other “must-bite” treats.
• Swing by Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe for the enchanting sights and sounds of Buena Vista Street—and a cup of coffee or scrumptious artisan sandwich.
• Sit-down dining options include Carthay Circle Lounge, where you can unwind in our expanded outdoor seating area featuring an all-new menu of cocktails and dining. Smokejumpers Grill is serving up tasty American classics for lunch and dinner with a streamlined menu of burgers, fries, onion rings and craft beer, located just around the corner from Buena Vista Street. The primary way to place your order at this dining location is through mobile order on the Disneyland App.*

Only the shopping and dining experiences along Buena Vista Street will be accessible from the Downtown Disney District at this time, as Disney California Adventure park is currently closed.

That's awesome, hooray forward progress 

[A.J.]

Disney Parks has put out a new video showcasing all the projects they currently have in development, including new snippets of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway and the Avengers Campus. Check it out!

More here: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/11/updates-on-new-disney-parks-attractions-entertainment-offer-glimpse-of-exciting-future/?fbclid=IwAR3fuHFXhgPfV_hWL-bzwxKpZZTqbpIIsJdTPLrqCy2N8vvXA1fLLT8aLhU

[jedimaster1227]

The Disney Parks Blog has shared a new update on the reimagined Snow White's Scary Adventures attraction at Disneyland Park. The updated attraction, now titled "Snow White's Enchanted Wish" will debut with refreshed visuals, new technology and added scenes!

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2020/12/first-look-of-snow-whites-enchanted-wish-at-disneyland-park/

As we’ve previously announced, Snow White’s Scary Adventures has been undergoing a magical reimagination. Today – on the 83rd anniversary of the premiere of Disney Animation’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” at the Carthay Circle Theatre in Los Angeles – we’re excited to share that Disneyland park’s only ride-through princess attraction has been reimagined and renamed as Snow White’s Enchanted Wish!

While Disneyland park has been closed, Walt Disney Imagineering has been putting the finishing touches on this cherished attraction, which will be ready to welcome guests when we reopen our theme parks at a later date. While you may recognize some familiar elements in the attraction, you’ll be surprised to discover enhanced story details and all-new scenes. Take a look at the sneak peek below!

Imagineers have updated this classic Fantasyland attraction with new magic inside and out. Using state-of-the-art audio and visual technology, including new music, LED black lighting, laser projections and a new animation system, the attraction brings to life Snow White’s “happily ever after.” 

You will delight in new appearances of beloved characters, including Snow White cheerfully dancing and twirling with the Seven Dwarfs in their cozy cottage. You may even notice the scent of Doc’s handiwork – a baking apple pie ­– wafting through the air, before heading “off to work we go!”

Vibrant new shadow projections bring to life the dwarfs as they march happily off to work in the mine singing “Heigh-Ho.” The most dazzling scene is the mine, which sparkles with shimmering lighting effects and glittering jewels all around.

There are more surprises to discover and we cannot wait for you to experience the magic of this timeless fairytale, and Snow White’s enchanted wish coming true at last!

[Nrthwnd]

^ Looks great! No mention of the wicked you-know-who, I see. Wonder how that's (still?) being worked into the new story line of the ride?

[SharkTums]

I'm just happy for all the terrible Disney anti-fan boys who will have something to complain about once the park reopens!

[coasterbill]

I like the Fantasyland Dark rides as things to ride quickly if the lines are short because they’re kind of cute (except Peter Pan which is ass), but they’re also clearly not up to modern Disney standards and they feel like something you’d see in a family owned regional park. 
 

I enjoy them because they’re old and fun for what they are but yeah... anything they can do to plus those attractions is a good thing.

[tinaalsgirl]

I'm thinking one of my best friends is gonna be very happy about this, although Scary Adventures is still there in WDW. When we went to MK a decade ago (OH MY GOD I can't believe it's been that long!), we made a deal that if she had to go on Scary Adventures, I had to go on It's a Small World. It was a good deal.

As much as I am not fond of IASW, I've always loved its façade at DL and was super sad to see how puny the ride looks at MK.

Edited December 22, 2020 by tinaalsgirl
editing a typo

[Nrthwnd]

^ Scary Adventures isn't in the MK any more. It was turned into a Princess Meet & Greet (yes?), and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster was the replacement for it's Snow White. I think the only places it is now, is in Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

[Jew]

People didn’t understand that you were Snow White in the story to begin with. 

[cfc]

14 hours ago, SharkTums said:

I'm just happy for all the terrible Disney anti-fan boys who will have something to complain about once the park reopens!

This had crossed my mind, as well.

[tinaalsgirl]

10 hours ago, Nrthwnd said:

^ Scary Adventures isn't in the MK any more. It was turned into a Princess Meet & Greet (yes?), and the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train coaster was the replacement for it's Snow White. I think the only places it is now, is in Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.

Ah, see, you can tell how long it's been since I was last at MK (2012)! Thanks for the correction!

[aueft]

I guess "Enchanted Wish" is a way better fit for the massively popular princess brand than "Scary Adventures".

I wonder what they are going to do to the other parts of the ride as they'll probably want to remove all of the appearances of the witch, which is like half of the ride.

[COASTER FREAK 11]

But what is Snow White's story without the witch..? They can't just remove part of the story and have it still be the same classic story that Snow White is.  I do not believe at all that this will be some washed out version, but a rebalanced story that has us the the observer. Instead of the original concept that "WE" were Snow White. 

[Nrthwnd]

^There's also the dungeon and the haunted forest to consider, too.

Actually, in the very original version of this ride, and I remember it as a scared ten year old (1963), there was a skeleton shackled to the wall of the dungeon. And as you moved towards it, the head suddenly moved forward towards you, saying "Go Back, Go Back."  And those trees in that forest did overhead 'swipes' with their branchy arms, much closer (and taller) than the cleaned up version had.

Ah memories. But this was all part of my "Snow White Experience," heh. Hopefully, they've figured out ways to keep some of this in the new version of the ride, including the Evil Queen/Witch.

[Garet]

Quote

California's Disneyland theme park is set to become a massive Covid-19 vaccination site this week, county officials announced on Monday.

The "happiest place on earth" is one of several large distribution sites opening up in the state as cases soar and hospitals near capacity.

The most populous US state has lagged behind in its vaccination rate, doling out around a third of its doses so far.

The state reported just under 40,000 new cases on Monday and 264 deaths.

California ranks 42nd out of 50 states in its vaccination rate per 100,000 residents, according to Centers for Disease Control data.

The Disneyland resort in Orange County will become the region's first "super" distribution site, Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do said on Monday. It will have the capacity to vaccinate thousands of people daily.

The park has been closed to visitors since mid-March - unlike its sister resort, Walt Disney World in Florida, which has been open to reduced numbers of guests since July.

California Governor Gavin Newsom announced similar vaccination sites would be opening up as early as this week at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium, Cal Expo in Sacramento and Petco Park in San Diego.

"We recognise that the current strategy is not going to get us to where we need to go as quickly as we all need to go," Mr Newsom said.

"That's why we're speeding up the administration not just for priority groups but opening up large sites to do so."

Source

 

[coastercoaster5]

So when do we think Disney will rename California Adventure? It seems like they have been abandoning the california theme, which im honestly okay with. Its nostalgic since I grew up with that but it is way more marketable to do what they are doing. Any thoughts on when they might finally change the name and to what to? Feel free to disagree id love to know why