DCA, Future Expansion
Topic: Is DCA worst theme park created over past 50 years

#	Author	Message
41	Spirit of 74 Mon 5/19/2008 11:00a	<<It also had "Eureka" -- the best theme park parade ever prematurely killed.>> So true. Just a kneejerk move by godawful management trying to save their own behinds.
42	ni_teach Mon 5/19/2008 12:26p	I would agree that "Eureka" was very, very good but I will still have to say that the Lion King Parade was the best Disney has done to date. I also agree with Spirit of 74 that it was awful that the management did such a kneejerk reaction to the parade. It was a "people don't like the park, quick change the parade."
43	dshyates Mon 5/19/2008 1:48p	"It was better than MGM. At least it had Soarin' (better than anything at MGM), a great coaster in Screamin', (way better than RNRC), a better animation building, the best 3D show (Bugs), a fine water ride, a better live show than anything at MGM (Blast at the time) and themeing that was sometimes lame/sometimes good, but at least more diverse than studio sound stages. To this day, MGM is the weak link in the US parks." I like ToT better than Soarin". I'll take RnRC over the themeless/showless Screamin'. I'll take the original Animation walk-through at MGM over DCA's, but nice lobby. And I agree that ITTBAB is better than Muppets. But Muppets at DCA was a waste of space. Blast is good, but 1. DCA didn't open with it. And 2. its not Disney. Anyone can buy a show to stick in a theater. And at WDW Blast was at EPCOT. And the themeing at MGM is well detailed and has very few soundstage looking buildings. As a matter of fact all the soundstages are backstage. The themeing is far superior to DCA. It is cohesive and well thought out.
44	Hans Reinhardt Mon 5/19/2008 2:32p	I don't get why people are amused by Rockin' Rollercoaster. I think that ride is the single biggest let down I've ever experienced with a so called E ticket ride at Disney. Sorry, but it's lame.
45	Kar2oonMan Mon 5/19/2008 2:50p	>>I think that ride is the single biggest let down I've ever experienced with a so called E ticket ride at Disney. Sorry, but it's lame.<< Oh man, I second that emotion. After waiting forever in the standby line, I couldn't believe that was it. I was certain that when the coaster stopped, it was the halfway point, and we'd go backwards or something. Nope. LOL! I can't believe the love for that ride. And that weird filmed pre-show with Aerosmith? What's up with that?
46	RollenMac Mon 5/19/2008 2:57p	My heart will always belong to DLR. I live in Sacramento and my family drives down there a couple times a year. While I love DL, I also really enjoy DCA. It has fun things to do there, like Soaring, screaming, TOT, Grizzly, Alladin, etc. I think it is really fun to experience since I am there visiting DL anyway. That said, I don't know if I would drive 6 or 7 hours just to go to DCA, just like I wouldn't just to go to Knotts. But I would drive that distance just for DL.
47	mawnck Mon 5/19/2008 4:23p	>>I think that ride is the single biggest let down I've ever experienced with a so called E ticket ride at Disney. Sorry, but it's lame.<< Yep!
48	Dabob2 Tue 5/20/2008 9:12a	"It was better than MGM. At least it had Soarin' (better than anything at MGM), a great coaster in Screamin', (way better than RNRC), a better animation building, the best 3D show (Bugs), a fine water ride, a better live show than anything at MGM (Blast at the time) and themeing that was sometimes lame/sometimes good, but at least more diverse than studio sound stages. To this day, MGM is the weak link in the US parks." <I like ToT better than Soarin".> Really? Okay. To each his own. <I'll take RnRC over the themeless/showless Screamin'.> Really? Okay. To each his own. I'm with HR, 2oony, and mawnck - RNRC is about the lamest "themed" coaster I've seen, and short as hell to boot. <I'll take the original Animation walk-through at MGM over DCA's, but nice lobby.> Really? Okay. To each his own. I much prefer not only the lobby, but the Sorcerer's Workshop evokes more of a sense of wonder than anything at MGM. <And I agree that ITTBAB is better than Muppets. But Muppets at DCA was a waste of space.> The Muppets movie to me has outlived its shelf life, but to non-Disney freaks who don't visit WDW, it was something new. <Blast is good, but 1. DCA didn't open with it. And 2. its not Disney. Anyone can buy a show to stick in a theater.> And they chose well. Disney or not, it was part of your DCA day, and better than any live show at MGM. As is Aladdin now. <And the themeing at MGM is well detailed and has very few soundstage looking buildings. As a matter of fact all the soundstages are backstage. The themeing is far superior to DCA. It is cohesive and well thought out.> I disagree. MGM, with the exception of the TOT area, at its best looks like a studio. That's cohesive, but boring. There's nothing in MGM to me that is as evocative as the GRR area or even the Wharf. DCA was a mishmosh and had poorly themed areas, but at its best had areas better than anything at MGM.
49	dshyates Tue 5/20/2008 10:34a	"RNRC is about the lamest "themed" coaster I've seen, and short as hell to boot." Tell me with a straight face that the themeing on Screamin' is better than RnRC. I do wish RnRC was longer. But longer doesn't make better. I personally think Screamin' is great.....for little girls and grandmas. I'll take a themed coaster with a story, a pre-show, detailed themeing, and three corkscrews in the dark. Over a coaster themed to be a coaster with a lame queue, no story, no pre-show, 1 vert and some bunny hops. Color me radical. As far as Soarin' goes. I much prefer the Epcot version where the theme is clear and concise. The DCA version is a thematic mess.As far as comparing it to MGMs ToT. I feel I have had a btter, more Disney experience before I even sit down on ToT. What with the approach to that really cool building, the sign, the gardens, the lobby, library, and boiler room. I like that kind of storytelling is more than the modern Cinema 360. As far as the animations go. There is nothing in DCAs that has given me a trill like being able to watch them work on Mulan, Brother Bear, and Lilo and Stitch. Getting to see real live Disney Animators working on an actual Disney Feature and getting a glimpse at the artwork and characters before anyone else was very, very cool. And as far as Blast, yes they did chose well. As a former member of a drum and bugle corp you have no idea how thrilled I was to get to see some of my friends from the old Star of Indiana corp. And yes Aladdin is better than any stage show at MGM. But I'll put Fantasmic! up against DCA nightime spectacular, the short lived "Luminaria". But neither Blast or Aladdin opened with DCA. That was steps in time. Not that that really matters. But BaTB still really packs them in though. And as far as themeing park wide, MGM did look like a movie studio. Thats probably why they called it Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park. Just a guess. And it did look like movie sets, not soundstages. Hollywood and Sunset Boulavards both look better than HPB. And I will agree that MGM didn't have anyhing that looked as good as Grizzly peak area including the hotel. But MGM never had anything as bad as the farm, Rt. 66 area, or the stark stucco of the piar complete with carny games and rides.
50	Dabob2 Tue 5/20/2008 10:52a	<Tell me with a straight face that the themeing on Screamin' is better than RnRC.> I don't consider Screamin' to be a themed coaster. Yeah, it's a steel themed to be a woodie, but to me that doesn't count. So I'm not saying that the theming is better, I'm saying the experience on Screamin' is better ANYWAY, because the theming on RNRC is so lame. Put it this way. I prefer any of DL's coasters to Screamin' because the theming allows them to transcend just being a coaster. But I prefer Screamin' to RNRC because the theming on that one is so lame, I just to with the (far) better ride that Screamin' provides. <As far as Soarin' goes. I much prefer the Epcot version> We were comparing DCA to MGM as parks, not EPCOT. <As far as comparing it to MGMs ToT.> I've said why I prefer DCA's TOT in detail elsewhere. Basically, the 5-D room and having to slot into another shaft and check and recheck for safety ruins the flow. Yeah, the grounds are better at MGM. The ride is better at DCA, and that's always the meat for me. <Getting to see real live Disney Animators working on an actual Disney Feature and getting a glimpse at the artwork and characters before anyone else was very, very cool.> It kinda was, but after a few minutes the appeal was over. And by "before anyone else" you mean you and the few million people who visit MGM? ;) <But I'll put Fantasmic! up against DCA nightime spectacular, the short lived "Luminaria".> Sure, Fantasmic is better than Luminaria was, though a pale shadow of what I can walk across the esplanade to see at DL. Yes, that's a different park. But parkhopping is so much easier at DLR it almost feels like one big park at times. Also, Fantasmic didn't open at MGM, though it was there by the time DCA opened... my head is starting to hurt. <And as far as themeing park wide, MGM did look like a movie studio.> Yes. As I said, it was a cohesive theme. Also a boring one. <Hollywood and Sunset Boulavards both look better than HPB.> I'm in the minority here, but I dig HPB's "is it real or is it illusion/what is real in Hollywood anyway?" vibe where there's a real blurring of the lines, more than the literalism of MGM. <And I will agree that MGM didn't have anyhing that looked as good as Grizzly peak area including the hotel. But MGM never had anything as bad as the farm, Rt. 66 area, or the stark stucco of the piar complete with carny games and rides.> I'd argue that the soundstage buildings and the whole "tour" area and prep area for it, was just as bad. Well, maybe not as bad as Route 66.

All times are Pacific Time (US)

Note: Information on the discussion boards is sometimes based on rumors or incorrect information and should not be assumed true. Messages do not necessarily reflect the opinion of LaughingPlace.com or its editors.

More messages:	1-10	11-20	21-30	31-40	41-50
	51-60	61-70	71-80	81-90	91-100
	101-110	111-120	121-130	131-140	141-146

< Previous Topic

Next Topic >

You must be a registered user to post messages.
Click here to register.
After registration you will automatically be brought back to this topic

Laughing Place Podcast
The LPP discuss the return of Captain EO, Alice in Wonderland, the new ESPN Wide World of Sports and ESPN the Weekend, their recent Disney Cruise, Listener Mail and the Rocket Rod Round. Sponsored by MouseEarVacations.com and HoJoAnaheim.com.

What's on
The Latest
Video: World of Color paper animation
THR: Chris Evans Offered Role of Captain America
Catch Special Primetime Handy Manny Episode on Disney Channel 3/20
The Worlds of Fairies and Humans Converge for the First Time in an All-New Magical Adventure
Radio Disney and Nintendo Team Up to Offer Oceans of Fun at Georgia Aquarium
Disneyland Resort Expansion Continues with New Parking Lot Opening
EW: Captain America Possible Starring Roles
Mediaweek: Flash Forward Return to ABC Respectable
Fess Parker who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on TV, dies at 85
StarWars: Star Wars Weekends 2010 guest list

Click here for The Latest