Land of the Rising Mickey
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Marc: Were you involved with the Tokyo Disney Resort (monorail) Line?
Eddie: The station in front of the main gate of TDL. It evolved from the immense scale of the monorails and their needs, and utilized many details from DLP (Disneyland Paris) Main Street. We tried to keep it optimistic and light even for its size..
Marc: It’s beautiful. And finally TDL has a Main Street Station (of a sort).
Were you involved in the development of Ikspiari?
Eddie: No... that was all OLC.
Marc: What is your impression of DisneySea Park?
Eddie: It will be an awesome achievement. The detail will rival if not outdo DLP. The introduction of a hotel and booze in the park will change its dynamic. The amount of entertainment scheduled to be around every corner is unprecedented. My only concern is that the attractions themselves could have been creatively pushed further. Technically, there is no "Spiderman" or it's "one up" in TDS. I'm sure they will add one or two, but when you have to design anything 5 years in advance, you are faced with technology moving faster than you can.
My sense is that it will be a huge hit. Mysterious Island from Tomorrowland
Mysterious Island from Tomorrowland
Marc: How do you feel TDL will compare after the opening of DisneySea?
Eddie: Very tired. Especially that Tomorrowland. It will look so "not the place to be." It's classic small fry target audience will keep it vital for sure, but it will pale in detail and freshness. Attractions like Pooh help keep TDL ahead with "wow" rides, but they will need a boost soon after.
Marc: Just curious about your impression here... There's been some debate as to whether OLC is actually spending too much on their new theme park. Do you think OLC is making a reasonable investment?
Eddie: Who knows what a "reasonable" investment is? The original Disneyland was considered to be an idiotic investment. Most say in this business it is one where there is at least a scenario where if it is a huge hit you can get your money back..someday. This audience is more loyal and spends more than any other. OLC operates their park more efficiently too. I hope they can do it. Sometimes by not investing you are taking a larger risk by losing your audience with a bland product. Is there detail for the sake of detail? That's a hard call. If you look at Japanese tour books they are filled with photos that are only the details..the trash cans, signs, placemats, etc. This time the detail may be the most pleasing part of TDS. Perhaps by US standards there is too much, but hey...I'll be there! It's Disney..
Discuss It
-- Marc Borrelli
Marc Borrelli has been visiting Disneyland in California for over thirty years and has had the opportunity to observe many of the Park's onstage and backstage workings. He is an entrepreneur who alternates between working obsessively and having way too much time on his hands. In the past few years he's spent much of that time exploring his hobby of trying to figure out just what it is that makes the people who design, build, operate, and go to Disney theme parks tick. He is now living in Tokyo, Japan and has turned his attention to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the unique culture in which it exists. He also created and maintains his Tokyo DisneySea Preview website.
Land of the Rising Mickey is normally posted on the first Monday of each month.
The opinions expressed by Marc Borrelli, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.
© Marc Borrelli and LaughingPlace.com. All rights reserved
-- Posted April 16, 2001.