Disney fans encountered this several years ago, when Walt Disney Imagineering completed Toy Story Midway Mania at Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney California Adventure. However, advertisements and press releases for those carnival-inspired shooter rides called them "Toy Story Mania" instead, dropping the word "Midway."
To this day, the disconnect continues. The marquees above both rides use all four words, but Disney World's website references both versions of the ride's name on the same page.
Now it appears that Universal is embracing the same type of confusion with its newest attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood. For months, we've been watching the construction of USH's version of Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, which Universal is building on the old Terminator 2: 3D site. The construction signage and new attraction marquee have used the same name as the original version of the attraction, from Universal Studios Florida.
However, this week, ads started appearing online for "Despicable Me: The Ride."
So which is it? "Minion Mayhem" or "The Ride"? As we did with Toy Story Midway Mania, we defer to the ride designers over the PR people when there's a conflict over the name of the attraction. So long as the ride marquee and the Universal Creative people use "Minion Mayhem" instead of "The Ride," that's how we will list it here on Theme Park Insider.
It's understandable that a park would want to use a new attraction's name to tell people what to expect. Let's not forget that Universal's new Transformers ride debuted in Singapore as "Transformers: The Ride" then became "Transformers: The Ride 3D" when it opened next, at Universal Studios Hollywood. For whatever reason, Universal executives decided that the ride needed that "3D" element in there to appeal better to American fans.
But there's got to be a limit. After all, Disney didn't call what's probably its most popular attraction "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Singing Animatronic Indoor Boat Ride." (Which, one supposes might now be called "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Singing Animatronic Indoor Boat Ride, now with Johnny Depp!")
Let's play focus group for Universal. What do you suggest Universal should call this ride?
Tell us how you'd like to rename some popular theme park rides, in the comments.
In DCA: The Little Mermaid - Ariel's Under Sea Adventure
In MK: Under The Sea - Journey of the Little Mermaid.
And with the exception of the queue, the rides are exactly the same.
DCA's problem is the rides are 3 words or longer, while Disneyland's rides are usually 2 words. What's wrong with calling it the Toy Story ride? Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is tongue twisting. Just call it Tower of Terror.
Disney's California Adventure is most wrongly named. Not only is it three words, it is three multi-syllable names. They had a chance to change it during the premiere of Carsland. It came and went. Call it Disney's Adventure.
As for DCA, I'd kinda like to see Disney go with the name "Disney's Hollywoodland" for DCA, DHS and Walt Disney Studios Paris. But I don't know that it could get the trademark.
"Journey into Imagination with Figment" should just be "Figment"
"Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain" becomes either "Everest" or even "Expedition Everest"
"Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey" should be "Harry Potter"
Fixed.
I think for some of the other rides, and this is just my opinion, is the "long ride title" is simply a way of making the attraction sound more exciting & enticing.
Looking at the examples listed by Anon & DPCC Inc, it's true, those ride names can easily be shortened. Spider-man, harry potter, toy story, Everest, Buzz Lightyear all work.
But I think by adding words like, "journey", "adventure", "legend" or other adjectives, it's meant to convey a specific feeling or objective.
Regarding Despicable Me, either PR folks think we need everything explaining... OR there's plans for tie-ins with The Minions Movie out next year, and those attractions could have similar names.
and TH Creative Presents: Jungle Cruise - The Ride
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