Has the time of Non-IP rides & attractions come and gone?

[Liljo22]

I remember it being mentioned on Reddit. but even that was mostly speculation on what the new name could be, nothing nailed down.

It was more than speculation. Iger himself last year said that HS was getting a new name. He was answering a little girls question at a Q&A and said he spilled the news too soon.

 

[Sugart]

You guys do realize that the parks where built to promote Walts movies and tv shows. This is nothing new.

 

[ToliBera]

You guys do realize that the parks where built to promote Walts movies and tv shows. This is nothing new.

you are correct, but not everything had name characters connected to it. pretty much all of epcot was to promote futurism and innovation for example.

 

[jknezek]

you are correct, but not everything had name characters connected to it. pretty much all of epcot was to promote futurism and innovation for example.

Uggh. Walt had nothing to do with EPCOT in the implementation. His EPCOT was a livable city, not an amusement park.

 

[Dfan79]

Sure, Walt wanted to promote his movies and shows with his original park. But he didn't make rides just to sell t-shirts like they do today. Many of the DL classics were not IP based like "It's a Small World", "Jungle Cruise" and "Pirates".

He had at least some rides that stood on their own. Today it seems like everything that is done is based on a movie.

 

[AngiTN]

Sure, Walt wanted to promote his movies and shows with his original park. But he didn't make rides just to sell t-shirts like they do today. Many of the DL classics were not IP based like "It's a Small World", "Jungle Cruise" and "Pirates".

He had at least some rides that stood on their own. Today it seems like everything that is done is based on a movie.

Because that's what it seems like the most of the people want. They have to appeal to the majority

 

[luisov]

Seems unlikely in the case of the American parks. Asia seems to have better luck in that regard.

 

[Josh Hendy]

The danger of changing the focus into a purely IP-based (i.e. promotional) atmosphere is that the parks will start to feel more like a Wal-Mart with rides than a place of novelty and imagination.

People can smell the profit motive behind what's presented to them from a mile away. Like when your favorite star is waving around a trendy brand of wristwatch during a movie scene. People literally roll their eyes when they're dumped into a gift shop at the end of a ride. How about when it's the same stuff they saw at Target a week before when they were shopping for shorts and beach towels for their trip?

And if gift-shop dumps are a fact of life, won't non-IP based merchandise sell better in a theme park than IP based? I can find all the Anna/Else/Moana stuff I want in my local stores, but I only see Haunted Mansion and Yeti merch when I'm visiting Orlando.

 

[Dfan79]

And if gift-shop dumps are a fact of life, won't non-IP based merchandise sell better in a theme park than IP based? I can find all the Anna/Else/Moana stuff I want in my local stores, but I only see Haunted Mansion and Yeti merch when I'm visiting Orlando.

Good point and I agree 150%, I understand the positives for both Movie based IP's and Non IP rides. And I think both can survive and prosper if given the chance.

Non IP rides like "Everest" are fun to have because they are very unique. Some rides are so great it doesn't need the usual IP sticker slapped on it. Plus like you said Billy Bob and Mary Sue can't walk into a Wal-mart and find a Yeti tank top that says stuff like "I screamed like a girl, but you cried like a baby".

IP rides are fun as well though because we love the characters so much. People want to feel like they are in the worlds of their favorite movies. I still feel like a kid when I go on "Peter Pan's Flight". Plus you can still find some really cool merch in their shops as well. But I usually wait to see it at an outlet because I'm... 1. not rich and 2. cheaper than Scrooge Mcduck.

 

[Lee Matthews]

Haven't non IP rides like Pirates, small world and jungle cruise become exactly that... an IP? Jungle cruise movie is on the way. pirates is huge and I'm shocked there isn't a small world TV show on the Disney channel yet.

Give it a few years and Everest will probably be rethemed to the abominable snowman from Monsters Inc. I guess it's just the way things are going to be, not that I'm thrilled about it.

Ratatooie in France Pavilion though I do love as it's great in Disneyland Paris

 

[icesk8abc]

I think another reason we are seeing the uptick in existing IP usage is simply the availability of it. Producing a movie has become so much easier/faster. In the beginning, Disney had a hit movie every 1-3 years. Now, they are releasing at least 4+movies a year (not including Marvel, Star Wars, etc). At least 2 of those usually do well enough to at least consider giving them space in the park.

While it would be nice to see some new attractions not based on movie/tv IP, especially at Epcot and AK, I'm not holding my breath.

 

[a4matte]

...Those that are currently Non IP's will eventually all become IP based (ala Pirates, Haunted, Country, etc, etc) as well.

Pirates is I *think* the only one that did that successfully so far. NO one acknowledges that the Country Bear movie happened - I don't think it even gets randomly played on TV. The Haunted Mansion movie at least gets that from time to time. Even Tomorrowland as a whole got a movie and things like It's a Small World and Space Mountain (the building is part of the city) are in that. Now to wait and see how the Jungle Cruise movie ends up. Tiki Room could possibly work as a movie.

This isn't just with the rides though. Very little originality is coming out in many areas. Just look at the movies in theaters anymore - everything is a reboot, based on a game or book, or a sequel.

 

[mcjaco]

Sure, Walt wanted to promote his movies and shows with his original park. But he didn't make rides just to sell t-shirts like they do today. Many of the DL classics were not IP based like "It's a Small World", "Jungle Cruise" and "Pirates".

He had at least some rides that stood on their own. Today it seems like everything that is done is based on a movie.

Versus: Pinocchio, Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White, Story Book, Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups, Peter Pan, Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, Dumbo.... DL's first line up was way more heavy in IPs.

 

[ucfknight]

Versus: Pinocchio, Toad's Wild Ride, Snow White, Story Book, Alice in Wonderland, Mad Hatter's Tea Cups, Peter Pan, Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, Dumbo.... DL's first line up was way more heavy in IPs.

Plus the park's centerpiece icon was named after a film that wasn't even released yet to try to help promote the upcoming movie.

 

[ToliBera]

as a note, I'm not saying IP rides are bad, I just wonder if we'll get stand alone ones in the expansions.

 

[BLLB]

IP?

 

[Tyler Chapman]

I think the interesting thing is how the originals have been made into multiple movies. Especially the Pirates franchise! But yeah I highly doubt there will be much that is original nowadays. Kind of a shame, but they have so many good movies that they can work with I can't blame them.

 

[rteetz]

IP?

Intellectual property

 

[disneydreamer781]

I'm not concerned if an attraction is IP or not just as long it's exclusive to WDW but not just another coaster or continuously rehashing attractions from other parks. Hopefully some of what is coming to Epcot hopefully will be unique to the park and WDW itself. I would much rather see the Imagineers put some creativity into some dark ride attractions than coasters. DAK's Pandora is not their IP and, maybe I'm wrong, but I don't feel that Disney will go that route again unless it's their own. I personally would love to see Zootopia, even if it is IP, come to DAK eventually.

 

[RangerPooh]

Which does being up something that was mentioned what, at least a year ago, that HS would get a new name. Is that still happening? Anyone know? Seems nothing more had been said that I've seen

Haven't heard of this, but if you recall it did go from Disney's MGM Studios to Disney's Hollywood Studios.

I did find this article from 2015 that hinted at a new name beyond the change to DHS. This article form June 2017 hints that it might become Disney's Hollywood Adventure.