It's not just the Chinese theme parks we discussed that do this. Even Disney itself has ripped off others' attractions in the past — sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Few would argue that Disney's Splash Mountain didn't improve on Knott's Timber Mountain Log Ride, the original log flume mountain attraction that Disney's Imagineers have conceded "inspired" their attraction. Heck, that "inspiration" flows both ways, as Knott's just dropped more than a million bucks on new animatronics and show scenery for its Log Ride, to make it more "Disney"-like.
But Disney blows it on occasion, too. Consider Disney's current obsession with rolling out a variety of foam-topped sweet drinks in its theme parks.
Clearly, Disney's trying to capture the success that Universal's had with Butterbeer in its Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
But in copying the form — a sweet drink topped with a flavored foam — Disney missed the essential function of Universal's Butterbeer. Harry Potter fans didn't love Butterbeer just because it's a tasty drink that leaves a silly foam mustache on your face when you drink it. They've order millions of these drinks over the past three years because it provides one more physical connection between them and the world of Harry Potter and his friends.
As the other attractions in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter engage visitors through sight, sound, and touch, Butterbeer allows visitors to connect with the world of Harry Potter books and movies through taste and smell — two senses too often overlooked in the creation of themed entertainment experiences. It's not the drink itself that provides the appeal (though it's certainly tasty!), it's the fact this is a convincing recreation of something from the books and movies that Harry, Ron and Hermione drank, too. You're not just standing in Hogsmead where your beloved characters stood. You're drinking the same drink they drank, too. That's an active connection with beloved characters, beyond the passive connection one gets from watching a film or riding a ride.
Obviously, if Butterbeer tasted terrible, it wouldn't have the same appeal. (Which is why Universal didn't make the Krusty Burgers in Universal Studios Florida's Springfield USA the foul creations referenced in so many Simpsons TV episodes.) But the ginger/butterscotch flavor and foamy top on are secondary forms to Butterbeer's essential function of actively connecting visitors to the characters of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. To get way too deeply metaphorical here, Butterbeer serves an almost "communion"-like role in bringing visitors into the Wizarding World.
All the foam-topped drink variations in the world won't allow Disney to recreate that, because Disney lacks the context that makes Butterbeer so special. What would Butterbeer be like without Harry Potter? It's be Le Fou's Brew. And who would care?
But here's the irony. Disney does have a food-and-beverage product available to it that could serve the same function in its parks for fans of one of its movies that Butterbeer serves in Universal parks for Harry Potter fans.
It's "The Grey Stuff" from Beauty and the Beast. When Lumiere sang "try the grey stuff, it's delicious," in "Be Our Guest," millions of Disney fans became curious about what "the grey stuff" might be and just how delicious it might taste. When Disney announced its plan to build a "Be Our Guest" restaurant in its New Fantasyland in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the first question many Disney fans asked was: "Will they have 'The Grey Stuff'?"
Yes, Disney does serve The Grey Stuff at Be Our Guest. But rather than embrace it as a Butterbeer-like attraction in itself, Disney's hidden the dessert off the menu, making available only to selected visitors celebrating a special event at dinner.
What a missed opportunity! How many Beauty and the Beast fans would queue to buy The Grey Stuff it Disney made it widely available? Conversely, how much less popular would Butterbeer be if Universal had hidden it as exclusively as Disney has The Grey Stuff? Would the Wizarding World of Harry Potter been as intense a hit without widely-available Butterbeer?
When Disney tried to copy the form of Butterbeer while ignoring its function, it falls into the same trap as those cheap Chinese theme parks that roll out creepy knock-off versions of It's a Small World. It's not what something looks, feels or tastes like that matters in the theme park world. It's how it makes us feel that matters, and how that feeling connects us with a beloved world we long to visit.
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I think the other big thing about Butterbeer was that, as fans, we'd spent a decade reading descriptions of it and dreaming what it might taste like. Upon Harry's first taste in "Prisoner of Azkaban," Rowling writes "Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside."
How many fans have wondered what that taste, what that feeling was like? Now, they know.
My thought would have been a specialty root beer. The 'beer' part fits with the tavern theme, you keep the MK alcohol free (at least people walking around with it), you can serve it frozen or normal and you can put vanilla foam on it (since that was the look they were going for). It would have been perfect. It still doesnt have the function that Butterbeer does but I think it would be a lot closer then the Le Fou's Brew.
I can think of a Dole Pina Colada.
How about a Little Mermaid tropical punch drink?
Maybe Starbucks is good enough. The frappucinos are selling well.
The cars drink is okay, but I haven't ordered it. Last time I was there, I got the marvelously tall soft cream cone. There needs to be a Cars' beer. Beer goes with cars, although not while driving. Another thing that goes with cars is a Coca Cola Slurpee. They should offer the slurpee drink.
There's no one like that at Disney. There's no Walt anymore. So executives say something will be too expensive to develop and so it never happens. The executives are so stupid.
"The Gray Stuff" could have been a lot of things. In the cartoon, it's clearly pate because it appears in a savory course of h'ors deouveres. Clearly that would not have worked for a them park...so the Gray Stuff could have been either a custardy dessert or a milkshake type thing. I think having it be some kind of super delicious milkshake would have been amazing...and make it nondairy and no nuts so that everyone can enjoy it.
They could have sold it not only in Be Our Guest but also in little stands in New Fantasyland, similar to how Butterbeer is sold in Three Broomsticks and also from carts in Harry Potter's Wizarding World.
I don't know if Disney will ever learn from its mistakes. They leave a lot of money on the table all the time. The Gray Stuff is a missed opportunity...and also they generally have such crappy merchandise for sale that no one wants and is so generic. I think the executives are just so stupid and can't think of good things...and they don't have someone like JK Rowling around to tell them what to do or insist they get it right.
THAT might be the real problem come to think of it. Disney and Universal executives might both come up with lackluster ideas...but at Universal they have Rowling approving all the Potter stuff and she might be telling them to go back to the drawing board and make things better. But at Disney, there's no one ensuring all opportunities are seized like that.
How many fans have wondered what that taste, what that feeling was like? Now, they know."
Have to admit I found Butterbeer anything BUT the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. Sickly, sweet. Couldn't even finish the glass... I understand exactly why Universal created it and kudos to them for doing as Robert highlights, but not for me thank you.....
I liked it & thought the name was a clever play on the "snow white apple" bit.
As somebody who likes Lefou's brew (and Butterbeer), I think Disney would have been served better if they actually served Beer at Gaston's. Heck, get somebody to make them some!
Then again, isn't Butterbeer Universal's response to Dole Whip (which was copied off of something else, etc).
This poses the question: Whats with all this whipped concoctions?
At Harry Potter they let me have a sample of butter beer before buying it to help me decide between the cold and the frozen. Harry Potter also offers hogs head tavern beer which is a special brew for adults sold only there.
Gaston's had a strong chemical smell like planet smoothie and they offered no sample and the price is actually higher then butter beer and its only frozen. Plus the rest of the land was years from being done and it had no major E ticket ride. Most of the land is new bathrooms and a circus. Pack em in. Walt must be happy that Disney now has a circus carnival.
>>
Did the concept of a single singing Chinese nightingale animatronic + giant crooning flowers below, in the Efteling themepark (Netherlands, 1952...)
SEE :
Concept drawing from Anton Pieck :
http://verzamel.vijfzintuigen.nl/photos/509_big_1.jpg
Just build :
http://verzamel.vijfzintuigen.nl/photos/665_big_1.jpg
(Now replaced by a dragon protecting a treasure coffin)
...inspired Disney to have a full orchestra of singing birds + crooning flowers (Tiki room, 1963 ... ) ??? ;-)
(The technology jumped forward gigantically, in 10 years time, but concepts are timeless... )
Then, indeed, later (1999) Efteling did the Chinese Nightingale story all over, with full storytelling, many animatronics, Pepper's ghost effect etc etc... everything (even sea breeze fragrance when entering the show building ! ;-) ...)
http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/21632061.jpg
http://www.animaatjes.nl/plaatjes/e/efteling/DSC05418.jpg
... much like in a Tikki room style atmosphere :-) (Colorfull, and any corner of the space can come alife)
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