So now's the time for fans to lobby for a favorite. We'll offer a few options in this week's vote, and we invite you to make the case for your favorite idea, in the comments.
The obvious place to start is to replace Cars with one of the many other popular Pixar animation franchises. Toy Story's already in Hollywood Studios' Pixar Place, and a Monsters Inc. door room coaster ride long has been suggested for the old soundstage area next door to that. Could the rest of the studio tour space be converted into Monstropolis? Disney's built two other dark rides based on the franchise: one in Tokyo Disneyland and one in Disney California Adventure. Bringing one of those over to join the door room coaster could be an easy way to plus this area.
As for other Pixra franchises, Disney's building a Ratatouille dark ride at DHS' sister park in Paris. And The Incredibles would give Disney the opportunity to build a superhero-themed land even though Universal owns the Orlando-area rights to Disney's Marvel characters.
If not Pixar, Disney now owns several other popular franchises that could slide into what would have been Cars Land's space. How about a new Muppets theater and/or dark ride? And maybe a Muppets-themed play area to replace Honey, I Shrunk the Kids?
Looking for something with more thrills? How about relocating Indiana Jones? Disney probably wouldn't want to bring the Indy ride from Disneyland or Tokyo DisneySea to DHS, as its the same ride system and layout as Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur. But there's an Indy-themed coaster at DisneySea, as well as at Disneyland Paris. That'd fit nicely in DHS' old backlot, next to a new home for the stunt show in the old Lights, Motors, Action facility.
Disney could "pull a Universal" and license someone else's property, too, as it has for James Cameron's Avatar at Animal Kingdom. The top film properties, in all-time box office, that aren't being used in active licenses in major U.S. theme parks include James Bond, Lord of the Rings, and (wait for it) Twilight. Yes, we know that Universal's been after Lord of the Rings. But if Universal could sign Harry Potter away from Disney, maybe Disney could return the favor with an upset signing of the J.R.R. Tolkien classic. (Hey, we're dreaming here….) And I'm suggesting Twilight merely because I want to see some heads explode in the comments.
The final option? Forget bringing anything new. Let Disney load up Hollywood Studios with even more Star Wars, creating a double-sized land that wraps around half the park.
Please tell us your dream scenario for an expanded and improved Disney's Hollywood Studios. And, as always, thank you for reading Theme Park Insider!
http://idealbuildout.blogspot.com/2012/08/illustrative-plan-dhs.html
If anything, I'd add an addition Star Wars attraction to that land, and maybe a walkthrough experience for Indiana Jones, though I'm not sure if there would be any room for them. In any case, I think it's a great re-imagining of the park that would put Disney on top of the movie theme park game. Because, as it stands, Universal is doing a lot to bring their parks into the modern age while Disney (particularly at DHS) has been content to rest on their laurels.
With all the hug zones in MK this park needs one and I want a Jessica Rabbit hug zone in a toontown land. The Roger Rabbit movie played in Hollywood and was about movies.
Btw I did the Indie coaster (backwards) at DLP and it was crap. That is not a ride you want.
I also wish they'll start removing the hat and the stage and put more small classy musical shows in that beautiful main street to make it more appropriate for the time it's reflecting and keep the load stomping sounds somewhere dedicated at the back of Rock'n Rollercoaster.
And finally I want them to make an app for the Beauty and the Beast stage show so I can start using my iPad with games and stuff to "enhance" the show (or in other words get me trough that boring old show).
But I'm surprised there isn't a Wall-E attraction yet (even something in tomorrowland would be cool)
Or there's Up. The balloon ride to Paradise Falls in South America could be something cool.
An Incredibles ride similar to the Amazing Spiderman at Islands of Adventure would be a lot of fun.
Honey I Shrunk the Kids should be re-themed to Bug's Life. And I think the "Streets" area should be turned into Monstropolis from Monsters Inc. Let that be a big Pixar area.
I actually wish they'd build an UP attraction at Disney Animal Kingdom, since they could have Carl's house in a South America themed area of that park. I think Ratatouille belongs in EPCOT in the France section.
I'd love to see a kids' area built around the Muppet Studios theme. I actually think the Great Movie Ride could be reimagined as a Muppets attraction...with the Muppets characters playing the roles of the famous movie parts. It would be a way to freshen up that attraction and also give the Muppets a new thing to do in the parks. It would also be great to have just all the Disney characters be put into the Great Movie Ride, with Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and (yes) Roger Rabbit acting out the movie roles. I just think this would be more interesting and fun than going past the current figures representing movie characters.
I think anything Indiana Jones should go in either Adventureland at MK or it should be used for Animal Kingdom (because an Indy ride could easily be built around him searching for some mythical creature on whatever continent he needs to be on). I don't think he's the best fit for DHS.
If I could think outside the box for DHS, I'd want a Wizard of Oz land that would be built concurrently with Star Wars Land. I think there's so much potential if they build the Emerald City: they could have several rides in there but also a very elegant restaurant and a children's area setup like the China Town village or Munchkinland. If Star Wars Land skews more to boys than a Land of Oz could skew more to girls. Though I think both genders will enjoy either land.
It makes so much more sense to me to put Oz at DHS than it does to try to cram Oz into Fantasyland at MK or Disneyland. All of that glittering emerald and gold would look gorgeous in the Florida sun. From the recent Oz movie with James Franco they'd have that balloon ride...and they could do a witch's ride on broomsticks or with flying monkeys from her perspective (or riding on bubbles like Glinda).
I think DHS needs to retheme itself to "the park where movies come to life"...and so the attraction would no longer be about taking people behind the scenes of movies but letting them step into the worlds of movies. Star Wars, Wizard of Oz, the Pixar Movies. The other thing I'd like to see more of are classic Disney movies represented...the older ones that people today forget about, like Cat from Outer Space or Escape From Witch Mountain. Maybe the Great Movie Ride could be remade with ONLY Disney movies represented. That would be a lot of fun, and a chance for newer generations to discover the old classics.
Personally regarding pixar I would love an Up ride similar to the Peter pan ride but on a larger scale with larger show sets. The movie was charming and I'm sure a ride would be aswell. Its never to late to make a ride based on a great film. Pinocchio in Fantasyland was built in1983, 43 years after that film!
I too agree that just because Indy at Disneyland is the same ride system as Dinosaur, doesn't mean it can't come to DHS. They are separate parks. Universal has Transformers at one park and Spiderman at the other, and no one is complaining. I wouldn't replace Dinosaur with Indy, wouldn't make sense, but I would love to see it replace the stunt show at Studios.
Personally my favorite idea is a Muppets land, because I hold them near and dear to my heart; there is no TV/movie franchise I love more than the Muppets. I would love to see the Great Muppet Movie ride idea rehashed. I just don't see this happening. Muppetvision 3D and the new Muppets movie are just not popular enough, which is extremely unfortunate and hard to understand, with Disney's key demo to make them greenlight much more than a refurb of Muppetvision.
So the most likely idea, and one I'd definitely be happy with, is Monstropolis. I've always wanted a door coaster ride, and they could bring the dark ride from DCA or Tokyo too. Plus New York Street could become Monstropolis itself, with lots of cool buildings and stores, and they could have an actual Harry Hausen's restaurant.
If not Pixar, I think a giant Star Wars land would be better than the other choices. Indiana Jones and the Muppets just aren't as big now as they used to be, and non-Disney properties do not belong in a Disney park. However, I'm fine with just about anything provided it isn't a clone of something in California.
Star Wars land is on the way and I dont know many detail, but assume there will be at least 1-2 major rides. It's time I think also for a major Indiana Jones ride.
DHS needs a minimum of 4 additional rides. Not replacements of existing rides - 4 more. At least 1 should be an E ticket ride and the others D ticket rides.
What I fully expect to see is a couple of new restaurants, a couple of next gen queues, and another couple of walk thru exhibits (probably to promoted Lone Ranger after it's epic box office fail!)
I have to say that basing anything on Star Wars is probably risky. Remember, Disney will be making the films from here on out. You know, the folks that brought you Dinosaur, the remake of the Parent Trap, The Lone Ranger and other smash hits.
Whatever they decide, Disney has to get off of their collective butts and *do*. Promises of amazing things to come in 5 or 6 years just don't cut it. While I know that many of the folks on here are die-hard Disney fans who discount what happens in other parks, Universal is running circles around Disney these days. And they deliver instead of making far distant promises. I have annual passes to both and Universal is seeing more of me and Disney less.
Besides, the prequels (under Lucas & Fox) weren't exactly critically acclaimed or loved by the fans......and the franchise is as strong as ever.
In a way, you could almost say Star Wars is critic proof. There's such a rich history with the merchandise, films, books, series, conventions, characters, etc.
It's a part of pop culture......and as long as Disney doesn't stray from the formula (I.e., turning the franchise into something it's not, like a gross out comedy or an urban dance series), Star Wars will be fine.
Anyway, as mentioned already, having Incredibles in the parks lets them satisfy that superhero itch without utilizing Marvel. Sad to say that they can't use Marvel, but hey.
There's my idea, now let's get on board, TDO!
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