After the Test Track redo

[PSUMark]

Re: After the Test Track redo

That's funny, because whenever they decide to buy up a rival which stole their thunder by being more creative (Pixar, Marvel), suddenly they have billions to throw around at the drop of a hat.

Don't believe it when they plead poverty; that's an excuse for slashing budgets. This is a company that earns billions. This is a company that builds cruise ships, new hotels, and new theme parks all over the world (Shanghai is just the latest).

They're not earning enough at WDW to pay for upkeep? Then why build and expand all over the place? If the parks weren't paying for themselves, why add to their losses by building more?

Because if they reinvested in WDW, they wouldn't be able to use it as an ATM for the rest of company!

[disneyfann121]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Disney is a multi-billion dollar company, yes, but if you look at all the assets the company has right now, it takes billions to run them. Sponsors pay Disney money for the advertisement and in return the attractions have proper funding for refurbishments (or at least they are supposed to). A lot of money doesn't go far when you're a big company. It's not like they have money just to throw everywhere.

That's funny, because whenever they decide to buy up a rival which stole their thunder by being more creative (Pixar, Marvel), suddenly they have billions to throw around at the drop of a hat.

Don't believe it when they plead poverty; that's an excuse for slashing budgets. This is a company that earns billions. This is a company that builds cruise ships, new hotels, and new theme parks all over the world (Shanghai is just the latest).

They're not earning enough at WDW to pay for upkeep? Then why build and expand all over the place? If the parks weren't paying for themselves, why add to their losses by building more?

[Disneytwins]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I've got another question: why does a monolithic, multi-billion dollar corporation like Disney even need corporate sponsors for their rides? Last time I checked, they were still raking in tons of $$$ from park tickets, food/souvenir sales, on-site hotels, etc.

Disney is a multi-billion dollar company, yes, but if you look at all the assets the company has right now, it takes billions to run them. Sponsors pay Disney money for the advertisement and in return the attractions have proper funding for refurbishments (or at least they are supposed to). A lot of money doesn't go far when you're a big company. It's not like they have money just to throw everywhere.

[Dapper Dan]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Secondly, can you tell me any rides that have recently debuted without a character tie in or thrill ride on both coasts? Besides the Red Car Trolley, I cannot think of anything new that was not a character tie in or thrill ride.

Star Tours, Expedition Everest, Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Toy Story Mania, Little Mermaid - all of these are character rides and thrill rides.

Maybe it is not the public, and not only TDO as you stated, but it is the WDC in general who does not have faith in building rides like POTC anymore.

That was pretty much my whole point. You can't really say that all people want are character and thrill rides when that is all they are given. Depending on your definition of what a thrill ride is the most recent one I can think of is Soarin'. If that's too thrilling I guess you have to go back to um... Kilimanjaro Safari?

I don't think the problem is a lack of faith in original dark rides, though that may be part of it when it comes to the character aspect. I think the bigger turn off is that those types of rides are very expensive to build and maintain. A lot more expensive than a dressed up roller coaster. The fact that Disney used to emphasize dark rides instead of joining the thrill ride arms race every other park was engaged in was what set them apart from the competition. Other parks just couldn't afford to create anything on that level and it looks like now Disney can't either.

Sure, I can see why they would want a sponsor. My question was why do they NEED one. And obviously, the answer is that they don't. And when a sponsor doesn't step up, then sometimes Disney just decides to let their guests down. Is that acceptable?

The other big question is what does the sponsor get from them? Sure they get their logo plastered all over a pavilion that's seen by millions of people a year and possibly a memorable ride that's vaguely associated with their product, but is that really a better investment than a few internet and TV ads? Disney used to have a reputation of being a trustworthy and friendly company. This was primarily because they used to put out very high quality products and is a company that started out making cartoons. What if in addition to being able to advertise their stuff in an Epcot pavilion, sponsors also get Disney to help advertise their products? It seems to work for Snoopy and MET life. Why can't it work for Chevy and Donald Duck?

[disneyfann121]

Re: After the Test Track redo

So they don't have to budget the upkeep for the attraction. When GE dropped thier Horizons sponsership in 93', it was closed. When World of Motion closed to become Test Track and Energy to become Ellen, they re-opened it for capacity issues, with little to no upkeep.

Because of lack of sponsership, Eric Idle still roams Imagination, Energy is uninteresting, and Nemo is lifesupport for the Living Seas.

Sure, I can see why they would want a sponsor. My question was why do they NEED one. And obviously, the answer is that they don't. And when a sponsor doesn't step up, then sometimes Disney just decides to let their guests down. Is that acceptable?

[LordVader]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I've got another question: why does a monolithic, multi-billion dollar corporation like Disney even need corporate sponsors for their rides? Last time I checked, they were still raking in tons of $$$ from park tickets, food/souvenir sales, on-site hotels, etc.

So they don't have to budget the upkeep for the attraction. When GE dropped thier Horizons sponsership in 93', it was closed. When World of Motion closed to become Test Track and Energy to become Ellen, they re-opened it for capacity issues, with little to no upkeep.

Because of lack of sponsership, Eric Idle still roams Imagination, Energy is uninteresting, and Nemo is lifesupport for the Living Seas.

[disneyfann121]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I've got another question: why does a monolithic, multi-billion dollar corporation like Disney even need corporate sponsors for their rides? Last time I checked, they were still raking in tons of $$$ from park tickets, food/souvenir sales, on-site hotels, etc.

[clockworkmonkey]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Did the addition to Soarin' in Epcot help attendance? It's certainly a popular ride that I wouldn't call a thrill ride, and despite a brief appearance by a certain fairy, it's not character-based.

[WDW1971]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Why are thrill rides the only things that can get big publicity? If that's the only thing their marketing department knows how to promote, they need to get a new marketing department.


Where is there any evidence of this? Are there any examples of a new E Ticket dark ride not drawing crowds? Those types of rides just aren't built anymore, but it's not because they aren't popular. Not everyone wants big thrills all the time, and those that do have Six Flags or any number of other roller coaster parks.

First off, do not be rude.

Secondly, can you tell me any rides that have recently debuted without a character tie in or thrill ride on both coasts? Besides the Red Car Trolley, I cannot think of anything new that was not a character tie in or thrill ride.

Star Tours, Expedition Everest, Mission: SPACE, Test Track, Toy Story Mania, Little Mermaid - all of these are character rides and thrill rides.

Maybe it is not the public, and not only TDO as you stated, but it is the WDC in general who does not have faith in building rides like POTC anymore.

[PSUMark]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Guests won't come for a new ride like Pirates or American Adventure anymore unfortunately. They only come for massive thrill rides or character tie ins.

I don't believe this is true, and the fact that Disney tried to boost attendance at DAK with something as paltry as TriceraTop Spin would seem to suggest that they don't either. Guests come for all different reasons, but I would argue that quality is chief among them.

[LordVader]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Why does every attraction need some stupid character tie-in. I mean if the attraction is based on some movie, it's fine. However, when the attraction had absolutly no characters and then they add a character, ala Tiki Room UNM(thank god for that fire), and Pirates(this one not as big an issue to me, but to each his own) just to boost attendance for about 2 weeks or less. Why bother??

[Dapper Dan]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I am thinking that Imagination Pavilion will suffer the same fate as Horizons and World of Motion and get gutted and turned into a major E Ticket ride.

Horizons and Imagination were major E Ticket rides.

It would be amazing if they added a new World Showcase pavilion but if they do I am guessing they would need to build some thrill ride so they can get big publicity and lure guests in.

Why are thrill rides the only things that can get big publicity? If that's the only thing their marketing department knows how to promote, they need to get a new marketing department.

Guests won't come for a new ride like Pirates or American Adventure anymore unfortunately. They only come for massive thrill rides or character tie ins.

Where is there any evidence of this? Are there any examples of a new E Ticket dark ride not drawing crowds? Those types of rides just aren't built anymore, but it's not because they aren't popular. Not everyone wants big thrills all the time, and those that do have Six Flags or any number of other roller coaster parks.

[Disneytwins]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I'm also betting on the demo of Imagination. I'm not really going to cry about it. It's outstayed it's usefulness.

[WDW1971]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I am thinking that Imagination Pavilion will suffer the same fate as Horizons and World of Motion and get gutted and turned into a major E Ticket ride.

Epcot has been having a lot of changes being done to it in the past couple of years. There has not really been a period of no changes for the park recently. It would be amazing if they added a new World Showcase pavilion but if they do I am guessing they would need to build some thrill ride so they can get big publicity and lure guests in. Guests won't come for a new ride like Pirates or American Adventure anymore unfortunately. They only come for massive thrill rides or character tie ins.

[PerrySimon]

Re: After the Test Track redo

That is true.

[Santana]

Re: After the Test Track redo

Lets hope they restore the Imagination Pavilion, update the Universe of Energy show, rid Nemo from The Seas, and do something to the Wonders of Life pavilion but don't get your hopes up on any of these until they actually start the project. By the way, Duffy is the stupidest idea for the World Showcase.

I get that a lot of people on MiceChat hate the Nemo overlay in The Seas pavilion but expecting it to ever be removed isn't just getting your hopes up, it's incredibly delusional.

I think an update for Universe of Energy isn't far off. They just put in a new ride vehicle a few months ago, so replacing the rest of the ride vehicles and putting in a new film seems like a relatively cheap and easy solution for repairing a horribly dated attraction.

And call me crazy, but I think we'd see the Imagination pavilion gutted and turned into an E-ticket before Dreamfinder would ever make a return. Wonders of Life would probably be completely demolished and replaced with an E-ticket as well.

[PSUMark]

Re: After the Test Track redo

It would be great to see more love for Future World, but the only reason we're getting the Test Track refurb is because someone else is paying for it. If the other pavilions had sponsors who actually cared, we might see good stuff happen, but it's a long shot. HP has been talking about pulling their sponsorship from Mission: Space for quite a while.

This. Don't get your hopes up, kids. TDO still doesn't like/understand/care about/know what to do with Future World at all. Chances of TDO investing any serious cash into Future World absent sponsorship are somewhere between slim to none.

[mickdaddy]

Re: After the Test Track redo

In this age a sponsorship just becomes a comercial for the sponser I wish Disney would get rid of all of them and just make quality attractions without the product placement. I am sure they make enough money to put some back in to the park (i know they don't)

[Bronco21]

Re: After the Test Track redo

I'm honestly suprised that EPCOT has any sponsors anymore... I'll be suprised if Test Track doesn't have a very blatant advertisement for Chevy at the end since otherwise it makes no sense for most companies to sponsor stuff these days.

If anything happens to EPCOT it will probably involve a Disney character based on their recent additions to the parks in the US.

[DancinBelle]

Re: After the Test Track redo

It would be great to see more love for Future World, but the only reason we're getting the Test Track refurb is because someone else is paying for it. If the other pavilions had sponsors who actually cared, we might see good stuff happen, but it's a long shot. HP has been talking about pulling their sponsorship from Mission: Space for quite a while.