I was watching the Disneyland: Secrets, Stories, and Magic DVD last night, and it struck me that Main Street has not had any major changes or enhancements in a long time. Is it time to give it a face lift?
For me, Main Street brings back my Disneyland nostalgia when I first enter the park, but after a minute, I just want to hurry through it to get to the "real" attractions. It's a good place to come back to later in the day for parade watching, food, and shopping, but there's nothing else in the way of entertainment or attractions that makes me want to linger there.
What would make this section of the park better? One thought I had is to update the look to the 1950s. This would bring back the same time differential it had on opening day in 1955, and the retro stuff from that period is pretty popular. Of course, there would be some logistical issues, such as the different transportation used in that decade compared to 1900.
In terms of entertainment, what about keeping the same movie theater facade but showing 3D versions of animated movies like Up, Bolt, and Chicken Little?
Would you like to see a revamped Main Street, or would you choose to leave it alone? Is there another land that deserves/needs an upgrade first? If it were to change, how would you want it to change?
Main Street USA in Need of Update?
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goofystitch
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I would not like to see Main Street changed at all. Main Street was built to resemble Walt's hometown, Marcelline, MO, at the turn of the century, the way he remembered it from childhood. It was never intended to be full of attractions because it is the only way in and out. If they put attractions on Main Street, then you will get people congregating there for lengthy periods of time rather than entering the park the way they were intended. Main Street isn't supposed to thrill you and it's not supposed to be a land you would spend the bulk of your time in. It was always intended for shopping and parade viewing.
In Disneyland, they have one attraction at the Opera House, which is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. It is returning this Fall after being absent for almost 5 years. It is an attraction with a large capacity and one that doesn't generate lines, which is how a Main Street attraction should be.
As for the movie theater being changed, it would lose its charm if they showed films in 3-D. It's meant to be an old fashioned silent film theater.
I don't think Disney ever will, or should, change the time that Main Street takes place. They have thought about it when building their foreign parks, but in the end they stick with turn of the century America. Heck, the one park that doesn't call it Main Street, Tokyo Disneyland, still has practically the same thing, only there it's called World Bazaar. There is something undeniably charming about the late 1800's.
In Disneyland, they have one attraction at the Opera House, which is Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. It is returning this Fall after being absent for almost 5 years. It is an attraction with a large capacity and one that doesn't generate lines, which is how a Main Street attraction should be.
As for the movie theater being changed, it would lose its charm if they showed films in 3-D. It's meant to be an old fashioned silent film theater.
I don't think Disney ever will, or should, change the time that Main Street takes place. They have thought about it when building their foreign parks, but in the end they stick with turn of the century America. Heck, the one park that doesn't call it Main Street, Tokyo Disneyland, still has practically the same thing, only there it's called World Bazaar. There is something undeniably charming about the late 1800's.