DLP announcement last week of an upcoming third theme park did a tremendous effect in fans community but it is DLP CEO Philippe Gas quote that the 3rd park might be a Marvel Super-Heroes park who keep the fans discussing if it's a good idea or not. Personally i've already told you my feeling: although there is enough material in Marvel's mythology to build attractions for an entire park i still think they should do no more than a land with it, even a big one, but not a full park. But that's just my vision...
However, this announcement had other consequencies and one of them is to let us know that previous DLP third park projects are now dead. What do i mean? Well, if you would ask almost anybody working at DLP if the addition of a monorail or an Epcot theme park has ever been planned for the resort they would probably tell you that, no, never.
Hmmm...may be, except, that ONE rendering exist, a very rare one, in fact the only one i ever saw showing both a monorail AND an Epcot "Spaceship Earth" icon.
If you look well at the artwork, you will see the facade of the Newport Bay Hotel, and in the background the one of the Disneyland Paris Hotel. But the silver silhouette of the Epcot icon is located exactly in that piece of land reserved for the third park. I remind you that the land for this third theme park - well kept since 18 years - is in front of the Newport Bay and Sequoia Lodge Hotels. DLP announcement of a Marvel Super-Heroes theme park certainly means that DLP will never have its own Epcot and even more certainly no monorail, but one thing is sure: somebody at WDI, many years ago, though about building it.
I've also read on the DCP forum that a Marvel theme park could be a good idea as the three parks would have a different "target", i.e DLP Magic Kingdom for families and children up to 12 years old, the Walt Disney Studios for teens between 13 and 20, and the Marvel park for people over 20. On the "paper" it may look like a brilliant marketing argument but the problem is that reality doesn't work like that...
When they opened the WDS back in 2002 DLP marketing office already used the same kind of argument: the WDS was a park for teenagers or people loving "strong" thrill rides. And guess what happened? That's right, families with young kids came at the WDS just like they go to DLP Magic Kingdom. The result? When DLP executives understood that reality was stronger than anything including intellectual fantasy they knew that all they had to do was to create as quick as possible a whole WDS area for children under 10. And that's what they're doing since then with Toon Studios, Toy Story Playland this year and the Ratatouille ride in 2012-13.
Do you want to know why DLP Magic Kingdom didn't had a new E-Ticket since 15 years - since Space Mountain opened? This original mistake is, for a big part, the reason why. Simply because the park must fix this pathetic mistake and spend all its funds in the creation of a land for kids at the WDS. You will understand better now why i hope they're not going to do the same mistake twice. Although a park entitled "Marvel Super-Heroes" means more obviously that we're not talking here about fairy tales it will not stop families with young kids to come, at least to see how will look the new park. And of course they will come back very frustrated - if not angry - if there is no attractions for kids.
Also, this 3rd park is not supposed to open anytime soon and may be in ten years from now super-heroes movies will be less popular than now for teens, who knows? And if they're still popular in 2020 - when this Marvel park is supposed to open - DLP executives should pray that they still will be popular for, at least, 15 more years, i.e until 2035 (!) to make sure the investment will be successful... Using Marvel Super-Heroes in a theme park is not stupid, they're is a lot of great rides that can be created out of the heroes mythology but they should built it as soon as possible, let's say in 3 or 4 years from now while the super-heroes hype still exist.
Your thoughts?
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You can see some inside pages of the book on this D&M page HERE and to order the book please email me at: lawrence55@wanadoo.fr
Paypal payment can be sent to: lawrence55@wanadoo.fr
Artwork: copyright Disney Enterprises Inc
All my thanks to the excellent Webcot web site who kindly provided me the artwork.
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