DCA, Future Expansion
Topic: Why Walt Disney Plaza?

#	Author	Message
1	sgttibs Fri 5/16/2008 2:21a	Two weeks ago, I was thrilled with the plan for DCA's new entrance. But now that I've had my first visit to DHS, I'm worried that Disney's cut-and-paste approach to the DCA re-do won't be successful. Hollywood concept isn't exotic enough for the West Coast. As beautiful as LA's streamline moderne buildings are, they're completely taken for granted by us locals. We think of them as offices and convenience stores. The Carthay Circle Theater is also one of the less attractive buildings at DHS. It seems like a strange icon for a park. Why go through all this work to create a redundant park?
2	WorldDisney Fri 5/16/2008 6:15a	To be honest, at the end of the day, the theme is really only as important as the execution and attractions that it's in. The problem with DCA was never the theme (although yes, dull and repetitive to the people that live in it and ironically the majority who visits the park), truth is no one really cares WHAT the theme is as long it's well developed and the rides are worth the admission. DCA strated with a bland theme, with bland rides and a bland execution all rolled into one....and they wonder why 7 years later they still can't get attendance up to more than half it's capacity on a good day? But, the new additions gets me excited. Besides the fact they are actually putting in worthwhile themeing, the rides actually look good ;). By all accounts thus far, TSM sounds like a winner even though I admit the style of ride doesn't interest me all that much, but I always ride Buzz lol. But with Little mermaid, cars attractions, World of Color and others we probably don't even know about coming, it just completes the theme in a more appealing way, even if most of it got nothing to do with California lol. And yeah, the Cathy Circle IS a strange icon lol, but it beats a hundred foot hub cap any day ;). To this day, I always liked the idea of Union Station being the park's icon and a more defined way of stating what California is and that you are now about to begin your 'travels' through the state. But I'm sure people can argue that is kind of understated as well for an icon (hell it's not exactly a volcano like TDS has lol).....but then I direct your attention to the hundred foot hub cap again ;). Anyway, DCA just needs to be a fun park where people can justify the admission price first. Saying how its 'redundant' will be a faaar second in most people's minds considering people have accepted cloned Disney rides and entire Disney theme parks in the past no problem, so taking a little and there for this 'new' park won't be much of a stretch I guess.
3	sgttibs Fri 5/16/2008 8:55a	I can't argue that the new attractions will be welcome additions to the park. But I still think the plaza is the most important change at DCA, as the face of the park. If the new entrance just has to "[beat] a hundred foot hub cap," it'll serve well. But if the plaza has to be the Main Street of DCA, I worry that the concept is too common for such nostalgia. The postcard, on the other hand, is a completely unique approach to park design. In the last year, I've taken four first-timers to DCA and they've all been impressed by it. If the bridge and hubcap are the problem, why not simply re-do those elements? They could add the water feature in the original concept art, which was planned for the center of the esplanade. San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Avalon, etc. would also make nice backdrops in lieu of the sun. I just hate to see the park's icon replaced with... nothing. We'd just end up with a giant novelty hat by 2022.
4	dshyates Fri 5/16/2008 9:30a	One thing you have to remember is that the DHS version is a smaller scale version of the theater. How about they put that state of the art digital theater in the the Carthay theate, use it for Premiers as hard ticket events and during other times run Snow White once a day and other Disney classics alternating with the current Disney or Disney/PIXAR release. Make it a real theater palace with crystal chandaliers, leather stadium seating, gourmat snacks and make the daily features ticketed yet free (with park admission) to greatly discourage wandering tourists. At night light the place to the hilt with search lights and make each night look like a premier. It wouldn't have to be a giant theater, and just one screen. You could stop by the box office anytime during the day to get your tickets. Play a classic Disney Cartoon before each feature. Sort of an Extreme Main Street Theater.
5	dshyates Fri 5/16/2008 9:35a	I should add the whole movie premier every night completely in the 30s style with doorman in costume. It would be very ToT feeling in the lobby. Only before everyone was sucked into the TZ. Maybe even have a 1928 limo out front.
6	sgttibs Fri 5/16/2008 10:42a	The problem is, we've seen all of this from Disney before. It's called the El Cap. Hearing that the park is getting DHS's streetmosphere also worries me. Will they also start the day with the crowd screaming, "Lights! Camera! Action!"? All of that stuff is way to cheesy for the locals. I don't know anyone who heads out to Universal to see Charlie Chaplin or Frankenstein. (Then again, I don't know anyone who's been there in the last five years, and I live twenty minutes away from the place.) It's also strange that DCA would be filled with movie stars and talent agents, while Disneyland lacks a single Main Street citizen. You'd think DCA would get a decent venue for a second show. Something near the level of Finding Nemo, to really make the park stand out. But I guess the plaza's fine, if only because AMC's prompt departure will mean more room for a club or themed restaurant in Downtown Disney.
7	mawnck Fri 5/16/2008 10:52a	>>Make it a real theater palace with crystal chandaliers, leather stadium seating, gourmat snacks and make the daily features ticketed yet free (with park admission) to greatly discourage wandering tourists.<< Since we're not permitted Perrier icecubes in our lemonade, I would even go so far as to suggest that a standard-issue theater, with bathrooms (amazing that I'd even have to say that) and minus all the nighttime froufrou would still be a pretty smart addition. Beats a big empty building, keeps a whole slew of guests entertained and air-conditioned for 75 minutes, cross-promotes other Disney properties, cheaper to run than Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, easily removed if they come up with a "real" attraction to put in that space ... what's not to like? The concession stand alone would make a killing.
8	alexbook Fri 5/16/2008 11:10a	>>But I guess the plaza's fine, if only because AMC's prompt departure will mean more room for a club or themed restaurant in Downtown Disney.<< Okay, I missed something here. The AMC is closing? When? Why? Is there a link to this?
9	sgttibs Fri 5/16/2008 11:39a	The theater "beats a big empty building," only there isn't one. Sunshine Plaza is as close as WDI will get to a blank slate. Why waste the opportunity on a theater and an area that's less exotic than a DVC resort? And visitors already get more than their fair share of advertising. The TVs have less-than-basic cable and a slew of Disney promotional channels. Look for an eye-twitch whenever "Casey" is said, and you'll know you've seen a resort hotel guest. Going to DCA to see Camp Rock or High School Musical 2 won't help. And here I was thinking that the Prince Caspian "pre-parade" was a lazy promotion for a park. If the theater actually became the full-fledged, working theater proposed earlier, with admission built into the cost of the ticket, why would AMC stand idly by and see Disney cannibalize their already lackluster ticket sales? I'm sure they generate far more revenue at their 30-screen theater at The Block at Orange, just a few miles away. There'd be no reason to be in Downtown Disney, if the movie premieres moved to DCA.
10	dshyates Fri 5/16/2008 3:55p	Yeah, but all the nightime frou frou complete with the 30s costumed doormen would still make it feel like a Disney theme park. Fit the area. There really wouldn't be all that much to it. I wasn't talking about streetmosphere with fake movie stars and such. Just the search lights. And some velvet roped red carpets on the way in. Have some 30s music playing in the ornate lobby and out front. We are the VIPs. The concession stand would be flavored gourmet popcorns, specialty coffees, pastries, some personal wood fired pizzas, Hand dipped ice creams.

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