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Now, I know some will disgaree with me on this. But, I think it is a valid point when viewed against most (not all) popular attractions.
I think the most successful attractions in Disneyland itself are the ones with implied danger. The two perhaps top rated "E-tickets", Pirates and Haunted Mansion, are rife with rather morbid imagery, and in Pirates, the threat of potential bodily harm (cannons, guns, fire, etc). They are memorable, exciting, and fun especially for these morbid touches.
If it stopped there, I would agree, I might have nothing. But let's move on shall we? Indiana Jones Adventure. "Danger" stamped all over it, from the human skeletons lining the waiting area and triggered booby traps, to the famous giant rolling ball out to crush you and Mara's super-fun room of skulls of human sacrifices. Wheee! In Jungle Cruise, there are several morbid and dark visual gags, though played for laughs.
The Matterhorn (sudden appearances of Harold and general aura of mysteriousness/danger coupled with bumpy roller coaster) and Star Tours (exciting battle against the Death Star) continue on, as being big-name attractions somewhat centric on danger/adventure aspects.
Even Splash Mountain gets in on the act, with the singing happy cast of animals giving way to the ominous lift hill and menacing, wise-cracking vultures, more menacing score, and somewhat dark in tone scene of Brer Rabbit held captive, pleading not to be thrown over the hill into the Briar Patch.
I admit, readily, there are plenty of non-danger/adventure attractions (Alice, Casey Junior, Tiki Room, Mark Twain, Storybook Land, etc) from the days of Walt and the early years, prior to 2000. These however are not the big ticket attractions discussed as "Disneyland classics", for the most part. Some that are considered classics, Peter Pan and Small World, buck the trend solely on charm and design. However, let's look at those added basically to Disneyland after 2000.
Country Bears (always whimsical, but in later years, not as well attended), was replaced by Pooh Bear. Zero threat there, and general lukewarm reviews, if not outright dislike. Buzz Lightyear...zero peril/danger beats. Pixie Hollow...really?. Not one major attraction added to the park since roughly 2000 has balanced correctly the "threat/action" mood so integral, I feel, to Disneyland being enjoyable for everyone. Tower of Terror does it marvelously well, but I am exempting it from this conversation, due to being in DCA.
Furthermore, efforts have been made to reduce the threatening or dark aspects in some cases (burning cabin going away, Haunted Mansion Holiday cartoon overlay with more whimsical tone), or the prime example, Stitch evicting the very well designed and genuinely scary concept Alien Encounter in Florida.
Ghost Galaxy was a breath of fresh air, at least, in the park showing it can and is somewhat willing to do outright "scary" content. What do you think, is adventure and the safe sense of "danger" a thing of the past for Disneyland? Have the cartoons truly taken over, ensuring all will only be light, cheery, and forgettable fluff tied to new animated releases? At least with the Sleeping Beauty castle re-opening and overhaul, the menacing elements of the film were kept, along with the ominous portions of the original attraction. Not so with Buzz, Pooh, and their ilk. And that is a shame. Bring on the danger and adventure, I say, and let the cartoons take a backseat again for a while. The balance is tipping too far into "safe" or "watered down for kids" territory, I feel, without enough nods to the adventurous Disneyland of old.
Your thoughts?
I think the most successful attractions in Disneyland itself are the ones with implied danger. The two perhaps top rated "E-tickets", Pirates and Haunted Mansion, are rife with rather morbid imagery, and in Pirates, the threat of potential bodily harm (cannons, guns, fire, etc). They are memorable, exciting, and fun especially for these morbid touches.
If it stopped there, I would agree, I might have nothing. But let's move on shall we? Indiana Jones Adventure. "Danger" stamped all over it, from the human skeletons lining the waiting area and triggered booby traps, to the famous giant rolling ball out to crush you and Mara's super-fun room of skulls of human sacrifices. Wheee! In Jungle Cruise, there are several morbid and dark visual gags, though played for laughs.
The Matterhorn (sudden appearances of Harold and general aura of mysteriousness/danger coupled with bumpy roller coaster) and Star Tours (exciting battle against the Death Star) continue on, as being big-name attractions somewhat centric on danger/adventure aspects.
Even Splash Mountain gets in on the act, with the singing happy cast of animals giving way to the ominous lift hill and menacing, wise-cracking vultures, more menacing score, and somewhat dark in tone scene of Brer Rabbit held captive, pleading not to be thrown over the hill into the Briar Patch.
I admit, readily, there are plenty of non-danger/adventure attractions (Alice, Casey Junior, Tiki Room, Mark Twain, Storybook Land, etc) from the days of Walt and the early years, prior to 2000. These however are not the big ticket attractions discussed as "Disneyland classics", for the most part. Some that are considered classics, Peter Pan and Small World, buck the trend solely on charm and design. However, let's look at those added basically to Disneyland after 2000.
Country Bears (always whimsical, but in later years, not as well attended), was replaced by Pooh Bear. Zero threat there, and general lukewarm reviews, if not outright dislike. Buzz Lightyear...zero peril/danger beats. Pixie Hollow...really?. Not one major attraction added to the park since roughly 2000 has balanced correctly the "threat/action" mood so integral, I feel, to Disneyland being enjoyable for everyone. Tower of Terror does it marvelously well, but I am exempting it from this conversation, due to being in DCA.
Furthermore, efforts have been made to reduce the threatening or dark aspects in some cases (burning cabin going away, Haunted Mansion Holiday cartoon overlay with more whimsical tone), or the prime example, Stitch evicting the very well designed and genuinely scary concept Alien Encounter in Florida.
Ghost Galaxy was a breath of fresh air, at least, in the park showing it can and is somewhat willing to do outright "scary" content. What do you think, is adventure and the safe sense of "danger" a thing of the past for Disneyland? Have the cartoons truly taken over, ensuring all will only be light, cheery, and forgettable fluff tied to new animated releases? At least with the Sleeping Beauty castle re-opening and overhaul, the menacing elements of the film were kept, along with the ominous portions of the original attraction. Not so with Buzz, Pooh, and their ilk. And that is a shame. Bring on the danger and adventure, I say, and let the cartoons take a backseat again for a while. The balance is tipping too far into "safe" or "watered down for kids" territory, I feel, without enough nods to the adventurous Disneyland of old.
Your thoughts?
I think we're on the same wavelength here. Luckily, there are even people at Disney who are, too. Here's a photo that someone else took at a convention or something and then posted here a while back - I saved it because I get a kick out of this slide, which is part of a presentation that a major Imagineer frequently does in a variety of venues.
:lol::blush:
:bow::yea::sleep::thumbup::captain::clap::geek::im theone::meet::ap::squeeze::smart::angel:dMom
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