IP in the Disney Parks: Is It REALLY That Bad?

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IP. Intellectual Property. Is it good? Is it maybe bad? The age-old question continues to be asked to this day. I'm trying to answer it.
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Video Credits ▶
Epcot Center Opening Day, RetroWDW, • 1982 EPCOT Center - RA...
MGM Studios Walkaround, RetroWDW, • 1992 Disney-MGM Studio...

[@gamberlane]

My issue with IP is that it feels like those who enjoy those IPs are the only ones who are going to enjoy the ride/attraction fully. As someone who loves the parks but isn't super into movies, it feels like I am being left out on rides based on Star Wars or Avatar when I don't have much interest in those movies. I think those rides have a place, but it it's particularly hard when they take a place like EPCOT which was unlike any other park in the world, and IPify it.And I know I was a weird kid, but EPCOT was always my favorite park, if you asked 10 year old me what their favorite ride was across all parks, I would have said Horizons. Rides that if they had never seen a movie before, they could enjoy. Rides grandparents can ride with grandkids and have a good time. Isn't that was Walt wanted? A place where he could enjoy WITH his daughters?

[@mariadebord7349]

Idk, i have not seen either of the avatar movies and flight of passage is still one of my favorite rides. I have no clue whats going on but its still a very fun, innovative ride. In comparison to navi river journey, the only thing i can really appreciate is the animatronic.

[@therobotdevil2284]

Couldn't agree more!!

[@HeartlandHunny]

I was also a weird Epcot is my favorite kid. Although, I will say that if a ride is good, it’s good, whether you care about the IP or not. I have zero interest in the Avatar movies, but Flight of Passage is one of my favorite rides! I don’t care much for the new Star Wars movies, but I loved Rise of the Resistance and how Galaxy’s Edge is so alive. Meanwhile, I thought Frozen was a pretty good movie, but I didn’t like the Frozen ride in Norway. But I get what you’re saying. Star Wars in particular I can see a lot of people never visiting Galaxy’s Edge because they don’t like Star Wars, not realizing that they might enjoy it anyway.

[@sirtristanwilliamforsterth1993]

I just miss when Disney made an original attraction for the pure spirit of embracing art and creativity. When coming up with an original idea wasn't so much of a risk of profit and more of a challenge to venture off into what the creative mind can really come up with. I believe when people are faced with an artistic idea or concept that is brand new to them it is one the most inspiring things that can spark the imagination like nothing other. In a 2003 documentary on Pirates of the Caribbean, Tony Baxter explains how when it's your first time riding a ride (specifically an original attraction) everyone creates their own script, for instance, we don't know that's the mayor, or we don't know that's the captain or the auctioneer. He said we can interpret these things and make up our own story while riding, and this is why he believes these sort of rides continue to delight over and over again. I'm not saying abolish IP or anything because it can be used wonderfully, I'm just saying I miss when Disney really felt like Disney.

[@Givemepeacealone]

And most of those were financial mistakes

[@juanitajones6900]

@@Givemepeacealone What were financial mistakes?

[@stanfordite1]

@@Givemepeacealone No they weren't.

[@outatime8560]

The problem isn’t ALL IP’s in the rides the problem is when and where they are used and the fact that they no longer make rides without them (the treehouse isn’t a ride) Small World shouldn’t have IP’s because it doesn’t make sense with the theme of the ride. If you think about the overall favorite rides in the parks most of them have nothing to do with IP’s and it’s kind of sad that Disney won’t make original attractions anymore. I think the last one was Expedition Everest and it was fantastic and still my favorite ride in Animal Kingdom even if the Yeti doesn’t work. I also think it’s important to make rides that fit in the lands they’re putting them in instead of them being shoehorned somewhere. For example Frozen doesn’t fit in Norway and Tiana’s doesn’t fit in Frontierland so I don’t support those IP’s being used where they are.

[@writerpatrick]

It's not so much the use of IPs as it is the lack of original park IPs. Pirates of the Caribbean was a park IP that they turned into a movie. But not having the movie tie-in gave it a charm of it's own. There's also an imbalance of IPs. There's a lot of Disney films without even character meet-and-greets. Yet they use IPs like Lion King whenever they can.

[@tny1757]

Or their recent obsession of shoving Moana everywhere, even back on the big screen with a live action remake.

[@imaginefun13]

I'm starting to get sick of seeing the lion king everywhere and in everything music related in the parks. It's a real shame :/

[@WaltWalnuts]

I can't even watch Lion King or Toy Story anymore because of how overexposed they are, especially in the parks.

[@liamlennon3316]

Bro Lion King doesn't even have a ride haha

[@CharleneCTX]

Supposedly one of the considerations of what IP to put in the parks is how often they're watched on D+.

[@TheOtherBlue]

I like the way that Small world implements IP. They are kinda like little references and not the main focus.

[@kristenhanisch8508]

I do like that. It's not in your face, it's more like a game of hide and seek while still keeping the emphasis on respecting all cultures.

[@arcondpvp]

What's funny is that when those were first implemented it made people really mad

[@TheOtherBlue]

@@arcondpvp really? I always found it charming to see lilo and stitch in the hawaii section

[@Timelord42192]

@@TheOtherBlue Yeah, there was practically a riot over it online at the time 😬 In the end, I think the figures ended up being generally tasteful, but it did sort of embody the company's shift from using the Disney brand to promote good ideas to hijacking good ideas to promote the Disney brand.

[@ttintagel]

It still subverts the entire theme of the ride.

[@bdchiaccio]

As a seventies and eighties kid, it used to bother me when my favorite attractions were taken over by the latest IP craze. It still does, but some of the new stuff isn't half bad. That being said, I would give anything to get original Epcot Center and MGM Studios back to their formal glory!

[@timschultz2806]

Horizons was, and always will be, the best Epcot ride ever made, hands down.

[@disneygirl5577]

As a Gen Z kid, I have been interested in history. I must agree!! Bring back the old Epcot! I'm a Disneyland girl. I would love to see Epcot the way it was is still my dream

[@Project-Jaden]

Cosmic rewind may be one of my favorite rides, but I heard imagineers were already working on a concept for a rollercoaster based on the Big Bang and the creation of the universe - so when I ride cosmic rewind I try to ignore the IP aspect and try and focus on the original concept of the amazing coaster

[@martidodger7106]

Honestly, I really wish they would lose the GotG theming and put it back to the Big Bang concept of a rollercoaster with set pieces. Esp since the ride now stands on the site of Universe of Energy it would have been cool to have them recycle the dino animations and other props, . The GotG theming is really not done well and it's just a reminder that EPCOT keeps taking away the weird 80s Edutainment rides that made EPCOT, EPCOT. If they had to put GotG into FL, it should have gone into HS or tomorrowland with a better experience. Instead Cosmic Rewind is another example of "Big large room with screens and no theming" and it's disapointing considering that Mission Breakout is an IPdriven retheme that actually plused up what was there before (ToT fans do not come fore me, DCA's ToT was low budget-ToT and it showed. Nothing holds a candle to the original in FL, and it sucks that DCA couldn't replicate the experience in a way that lived up to FL's; Mission Breakout works so much better for DCA) and Cosmic Rewind could have done the same in terms of its theming and concept.

[@Project-Jaden]

@@martidodger7106 I 100% agree I want a big bang only coaster, I don’t care for guardians at all so I just try to ignore it

[@happiestplace3754]

This video is very appropriate to come out today, because last night (before this video was posted), I was out at dinner and in part of the conversation, I said, if I were currently in charge of Disney, I would put out a challenge to all of Imagineering to give me their best pitches for NON-IP attractions, mini-lands, or full new lands. I would want to know, what is the backstory of your idea, the storytelling, how it works, where would it be located in which park, and why does it make sense with your choice. I would hope to see dozens of new ideas, and I would pick the best idea and concept, ask them to further flesh it out, and then BUILD it. Anything new and exciting can be marketed and sold to Disney fans, even if it is a new idea. Remember, there was a time when Haunted Mansion and Pirates were a new ideas. If you build it, they will come.

[@Pixis1]

I like a mix of IP and non-IP rides. I don't really mind the influx of IP, I just hope they don't give up on original ideas entirely. Regarding the Adventureland Treehouse, wouldn't that technically be IP as well? The S.E.A. already existed on other attractions so it's tying in with an existing concept, just one unique to the parks.

[@BAM5636]

Agreed. A good balance between the two is best IMO.

[@josiahb24]

I think everyone can agree IP is fine as long as it’s properly balanced with original Disney stories. On top of that, IP should be used like it is on Tower of Terror. The tower is loosely themes around the twilight zone but is a completely brand new and immersive story that was created by imagineers. Not like frozen with some generic “oh we’re going to see Elsa, kids aren’t you excited!?”

[@TooningIn2008]

It’s perfectly fine for IP to be implemented into the parks as long as it fits the theme of the park it’s going into and is also a quality attraction. Though I do wish Disney take a break from the IP and make something original, they haven’t done that in over 15 years

[@NinthShinigami]

It’s not that bad when it’s used like Avatar in Animal Kingdom, the Disney princesses in Magic Kingdom, but it is bad when it’s used like Frozen and Moana in EPCOT, or Mickey and Minnie in Hollywood Studios. To fit the theming is one thing, but actual work and effort has to be put in for the IP to actually fit the themes of the park. Avatar does this splendidly, whereas Galaxy’s Edge… just exists. Frozen for example would fit better in Fantasyland, whereas in EPCOT, it’s a superficial tie in because the source material in which the movie was based on was a Norwegian tale. Disney still went and ran with it as it’s own thing, and neither the ride or movie actually teach anything about Norwegian culture. Hopefully I explained my arguments well enough. IP can be a good thing but it has to fit, make sense, and shouldn’t be overdone as Disney has the last handful of years…

[@Pixis1]

Frozen was based on a Danish story but Disney set it in Norway. Either way, it does feel like a weird fit for EPCOT. As for Mickey and Minnie, I thought they fit the theming of Hollywood Studios pretty well. We go into the Chinese Theater to watch a Mickey cartoon and then become part of the cartoon. I haven't been on Flight of Passage so I can't speak to how well that fits the theme. But I always thought Avatar was a weird fit for Animal Kingdom, considering that none of the animals in Avatar actually exist.

[@CharleneCTX]

@@Pixis1 The original concept for AK was animals that used to exist (dinosaurs), animals that exist, and animals in myth and fantasy.

[@CharleneCTX]

I hate how Frozen has pushed out the legitmate Norwegian aspects of the pavilion. The gift shop is mostly Frozen.

[@waltsapartment-105]

@@CharleneCTX All the best stuff in The Fjording gift shop is the very cool Norwegian ware that you pretty much can’t find anywhere else in North America. But then 1/3 is like the Disney section at target and another 1/3 is basic Helly Hanson ware you can find anywhere.

[@BAM5636]

@NinthShinigami Yeah, I agree with the over exposure of certain IP's lately. As for Epcot though, I don't know anymore. The whole countries sponsoring pavilions doesn't actually work as they learned. So, I guess this is just how it's going to be. It's also true that Maelstrom was a walk on ride for years before they replaced it. As was The Great Movie ride before it was replaced. I know, that one hurts me as well but it's still true. They want rides that can suck up as many people an hour as they can to keep crowd levels lower overall. We don't have to love it, but it does make sense as well in that regard.

[@AustinTX316]

Okay… but the idea of a Emperors New Groove log flume ride has been in my mind since literally forever. I’ve even planned out the dang think

[@chrismcdowell7138]

Disneyland, Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland all have the original, non-IP, Haunted Mansion’s. Disneyland Paris continued that non-IP concept, with Phantom Manor. Hong Kong Disneyland has the non-IP Mystic Minor. All doing quite well, without any IP branding. So, the original imagination is there, as long as they keep the Disney PR folks locked up, somewhere.

[@Princessmisery]

i'd like a mix of both IP and original. Tokyo disneyland seem to have original rides and those being popular on their own.

[@LeftCoastDrones]

Ummm, the best ride at Tokyo Disneyland is Beauty and the Beast, which is IP. I'd go as far to say it's maybe the best ride in all of the Disney parks depending on your relationship with Star Wars.

[@Princessmisery]

@@LeftCoastDrones Journey at the Center of the Earth and Sinbad’s Voyage would like a word with you.

[@LeftCoastDrones]

@@Princessmisery Journey to the center of the Earth is a lesser Radiator Springs Racers. Sinbad's Voyage is very good, I enjoyed that thoroughly, but it's no Beauty and the Beast. ANYWAY, those rides you mentioned are in Tokyo Disneysea where the best ride by far is Aquatopia.

[@kittymae335]

I will say 'no IP attractions at EPCOT', but every time I think about the possibility of a Wall-E dark ride I go 'okay, one exception', and then I remember the Three Caballeros is IP too and go 'okay, two exceptions'

[@aMondayMorning]

Wouldn't a WALL-E ride completely contradict everything EPCOT was trying to accomplish though? People seem to forget that movie partially took place on a dead Earth filled with trash, and humanity is now fat, space-faring lards with dopamine addictions. Seems pretty counter to the whole "The future is sweet and rad!" narrative of EPCOT.

[@DBbombed]

@@aMondayMorning Yes and No, The movie does at the beginning depict a humanity that has grown complacent with the hyper-consumerism that surrounds them and that the earth's future is lost, but the whole point of the movie is to not give up to not stop dreaming of building a better world that they can live in. So My opinion is if Disney had the drive to actually make it that a Wall-E ride specifically taking place after the events of the movie would probably not just fit but actively amplify the messages of original EPCOT of not just imagining a better future but avoiding and repairing a potentially disastrous one.

[@ttintagel]

Wall-E could fit just as well in Tomorrowland, which could really use another family dark ride.

[@stijill]

It doesn’t matter whether it was based on an IP nor an original creation. Was the ride done well?

[@megamoze]

I agree with this. Disney parks have had IP from the beginning. Peter Pan is one of the most beloved rides at the parks. What was hilarious to me was people complaining about them replacing Splash Mountain with IP, like Splash Mountain wasn't already IP. The ride itself will be the same, just with different music and characters. Also, Tron is one of the my favorite rides of all time and I don't really care for those movies that much.

[@loumoon7660]

I love your perspective on this. It does make you think more about the details of rides rather than if it’s IP or not. I loved the Viking ride in Epcot when I rode it as a kid and was so sad when they replaced it with those terrifying Elsa and Anna screens. I was scared of the pirates ride but loved the haunted mansion and soarin around the world.

[@fee-bleue]

I live in France, I can only talk about Disneyland Paris, but here, the favorite attractions are Phantom Manor, big thunder mountain , small world and space Mountain. For this last attraction, there's a huge demand to go back to the original version and get rid of the Star Wars theming. I love my Disney characters, we all do, but I think a good attraction will remain good, with or without them. And the use of IP can lead to massive disaster (the re-theming of our beloved rock'n'roller coaster is a shame). it's useful when it adds extra magic, beauty or an interesting storyline. But if it's just put there to sell t-shirts more easily, it's just wrong.

[@nnmin5229]

DLP c'est les pires question re-theming avec des IP 🤣 Juste Cars Road Trip c'est un scandale, alors que l’attraction de base était même pas incroyable

[@Bigthundrinmonutin]

I don’t mind ip if it is used effectively and well (toontown, fantasyland dark rides, Indiana jones in Adventureland, seas with Nemo, pirates in pirates, twilight zone, nightmare in haunted, etc) but when it is just thrown in for money like frozen it bothers me (three caballeros is fine in Epcot because the films showed off the culture from the 40s) because frozen doesn’t really show off the culture like three caballeros or ratatouille

[@corinneferrarolam5101]

“If You Had Wings” was my favorite attraction from when my parents took me to WDW as a kid. It’s literally the only ride I actually remember from that trip back in the 1980s!

[@ttintagel]

I remember my sister and I getting off and running right back around to get on again. The song has never completely gotten out of my head since then.

[@KirbyVolt]

Wait, isn't Mission Space technically IP? Like the whole Gary Sinise character is from the 2000 movie, Mission to Mars. Then again, looking into it, apparently that movie was BASED on the Mission to Mars attraction that used to be at Disneyland so... My head hurts. Wonder how many kids these days think the Pirates rides are actually based on the movies instead.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

It's a conundrum!

[@MattMcIrvin]

A lot of their technically IP rides were based on stuff that was or is now so old that the origin becomes murky--few people remember that a bunch of the original Frontierland and Adventureland attractions were tie-ins to the Davy Crockett TV show and the "True-Life Adventures" shorts.

[@Undrave]

IP isn't bad when it isn't just 'retell the story of the movie'. They should use those rides to expand the story of the IPs!

[@jch2269]

Used to work at Speedway, I've actually made concept art for a Sugar Rush retheme for the ride and I think the idea really has legs. If it doesn't fit Tomorrowland, the land can easily switch lands into Fantasyland. Speedway is right on the edge of Fantasyland and Tomorrowland

[@kdusel1991]

I really think that they should change the three caballeros ride in Epcot to a coco themed attraction. That would work better because coco is more in tune with Mexican culture whereas gran fiesta tour is just really outdated.

[@user-fe8uq9zp2g]

I mean Tomorrowland had Stitch and that had nothing to do with Tomorrowland or Buzz Lightyear. I think fitting the theme of Tomorrowland 100% is hard. I would love a Wreck it Ralph speedway idea.

[@user-fe8uq9zp2g]

@@kdusel1991yes and i do think honestly tho Coco deserves more than a boat ride but it’d be hard to change that cus of the space it’s in. It would be nice to have a show or mariachis around Mexico a huge part of Coco is the music

[@host_theghost507]

"If You Had Wings" was sponsored by Eastern Airlines. Delta sponsored the short-lived "Delta Dreamflight." "If You Had Wings" was a popular ride because 1) it didn't require a ticket, and 2) it was air conditioned. There was a moment where they literally just blew cold air in your face. As a kid in the 70s, I'd have watched a seven-minute commercial for cigarettes and napalm just to get a blast of that sweet chilly air.

[@TheWillMorris]

The KZbinr that inspired me to make a Busch Gardens video about the value of IP this week also uploads an IP video! Perfect timing!

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

I think it mostly boils down to how IP is applied in the parks, especially current Epcot. I'm an 80s/90s kid and have very fond memories of all the classic attractions (more so than most of the rest of WDW, except MuppetVision), and looking back I think that's partially where my longtime love of history and science and world cultures began. To this day I dream about going to Norway, because of Maelstrom.

[@camx607]

My two all time favorite Disney attractions are IP based. Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Indiana Jones Adventure.

[@trevorthesorcerer]

Tower of terror and Indians Jones adventure in away don’t feel like IP since it feels like your in the world while Mickey and Mine Run away railroad or Frozen ever after feel like it’s just a ride.

[@WasatchWind]

My problem with IP is cohesiveness and approachability. You cited that IP was there in the early days of the park. The thing was though, IP was only used where it fit. Davy Crockett's explorer canoes was in Frontierland, and people who hadn't watched the Davy Crockett series still knew who he was. Hence, importantly, people who have never been to Disneyland, and are unfamiliar with the show, can go on this attraction and feel that it is just as cohesive as it is for those who have. Fantasy land includes attractions around Disney animated films, but they are adapted from public domain works that you are probably familiar with if you haven't seen the Disney versions. More broadly, you see that in the history of Disneyland, while there were bumps along the way, like tomorrowland in the 90s, the park's central themes remained intact - you were entering a world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. And then Star Wars land came in. Lucasfilm properties had already appeared in the parks, but temple of the forbidden eye and star tours both went into places where they fit cohesively. Star Wars land I do not think is poorly executed or anything, but it does not belong in the park. It just disrupts the overall themes. If we move over to California Adventure, the problem is even worse. At its opening, I think we can pretty much agree it was a mess - but it did have cohesion. It was celebrating the environment, history, and culture of California. The Tower of Terror included Twilight Zone elements, but it was still for the most part original, and was again, cohesive. You looked around and when IP was used, it fit, or didn't disrupt things too much. I feel like things were best around 2012, where even when Cars land came, it still feels reminiscent of the southwest, which can feel representative of some parts of California. Now however, the park is just the IP dumping ground. Most people I think would be surprised that California Adventure is supposed to have any kind of cohesive overall theme. When I go there, I do not get lost in another world, I am reminded by how tired I am of Marvel, or how much I dread Toy Story 5. Disneyland gets less fun every time I go. Part of that is just being an adult. Part of it is the loss of rides I loved. Part of it is rising costs. But I feel the biggest reason is that I have a hard time getting lost in the worlds the park is creating anymore. I do not feel like I'm in another place, I feel like I'm in an amusement park.

[@anthonypecorara4346]

Waiting for that first Fresh Baked/OffHand trip through the new tree house.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Indeed! Gloriosky!

[@sheilaa1333]

Anxiously waiting for the SEA treehouse. Hoping they make it interactive with the magic bands and/or some sort of interactive game like the Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom.

[@NoSlow78]

I loved how I was distracted by your shirt getting green screen treatment. The "transparency" looked cool.

[@airsicklowlander7756]

“When I was 2 in the year 2000, feel old yet?” Yes 😢

[@hazelleblanc8969]

I was trying to think of what intellectual property might have been used for Superstar Limo when it originally opened, since Monsters Inc wasn't released yet. But unfortunately, the only idea I could come up with was a ride in Benny the cab through Toontown, and they already had that in Disneyland. My ride through Superstar Limo still haunts me. 😂

[@wesleyrussell8386]

S.E.A. -> Swiss Eamily Aobinson it all makes sense!

[@JohnS-ki2zf]

Ip has been in the parks for so long, but we are getting absolutely no original concepts anymore. It’s like they don’t trust the imagineers to have any creativity.

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Only because 'someone' ran most of them off...

[@marxdesign]

Opening day Disneyland... most were IPs.

[@nnmin5229]

The issue with IP rides I think is more due to the fact that it is easier to not put any creativity into it. You just make a mediocre ride with Frozen or Marvel characters and fans of those movies will be happy. However, with non-IP rides you have to be very creative to give an immersive experience and a good story. IMO, an IP ride is a good ride if you can enjoy it without having any interest in the IP (Forbidden Journey at Universal for example, or Cosmic Rewind.) But rides like Web Slinger, or Cars Road Trip and Fligh Force at Walt Disney Studios are just pure lazyness. You couldn't have rides that lazy without an IP, no one would like it.

[@ashtonstatesman6761]

i want to like runaway railway so bad but it replaced the great movie ride which was my favorite ride and i have nothing but spite for mickey and minnie now

[@MattMcIrvin]

My hot take: The golden age of non-media-IP attractions at Disney parks happened because Disney was shooting blanks at the movies through this period. The late 60s through the mid-80s were not great times for them, and tie-ins to their movies of this era would mostly not have been big draws, so they got creative out of necessity. Toward the end, Eisner started licensing IPs that Disney didn't even own. My personal favorite Disney rides tend to be non-IP stuff: the Haunted Mansion, Pirates (which spawned movies that then fed back into the ride, but the ride came first), Expedition Everest, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Space Mountain. But I don't have any illusions that Disney wouldn't have themed those after the big hit movie of the year if they had a big hit movie of the year. Even Expedition Everest was designed during that sort of fallow period after the Disney Renaissance when their animated features were not doing great and they hadn't yet bought Pixar.

[@stanfordite1]

And you are wrong. The late 60s through early 80s were much better than the Iger era and the parks were never meant to be advertisements for the movies. The parks were meant to be their own separate venture. When I take Disney over, there will be no more corporate synergy between the studios and parks. Instead there will be corporate segregation keeping the parks and studios apart.

[@scottmaxim8045]

Off topic...LOVE your shirt! The green screening in it is awesome! Seriously! It's cool!

[@arielperez3613]

This is why mystic manor in Hong Kong Disney is such a good ride. It created a new story without an ip attached to it

[@thedistorychannel]

11.00 look at the d23 panel sea timeline they shared. It says 1915 - Stella Shio is born. My current theory is that Stella is the daighter of unseen SEA member Sango Shio, and the Adventureland Treehouse will belong to the Shio Family 😀

[@jamiezsalmons]

If an effort is made to fit them into the parks properly (e.g. Pandora at AK) then got no problem, if it’s half baked like frozen in Epcot yeah no

[@GAvillain]

The other thing is that Disney overuses the same IPs. Like it's always Toy Story, Frozen, Star Wars, etc. And I get that those are the big money makers, but Disney has so many IPs that it just feels exhausting when you can find Toy Story or Frozen in almost every park, but if you're a fan of Hercules or Fantasia or Robin Hood or any other less recent or less overwhelmingly popular IP, your options are slim to none. And so it's frustrating hearing about the same IPs retheming over park original content or getting shoehorned in to another place again and again because it just feels like the same stuff is being shoved in our faces instead of Disney trying to create stuff for all of their fans to enjoy.

[@BLasherman]

Hasn't there always been IP in the park? Peter Pan, Snow White, Mr. Toad, it has always been there. The only reason they didn't do it during the 70's early 80's, is they didn't have popular IP.

[@stanfordite1]

That’s a lie. Disney imagineers didn’t make non-IP attractions because of lack of IP. They made original non-IP because they had vision. When I take Disney over and make it great again, you can kiss most IP goodbye. It’s what Walt would do and Disney under my rule will ask “What would Walt do?” again to make decisions like it did after his death.

[@ToliBera]

Favorite Ride By Park: -MK: Carousel of Progress -Epcot: Spaceship Earth -Hollywood Studios: Tower of Terror -AK: Never been (Family usually does Busch Gardens/Seaworld instead.)

[@monorail4252]

At 11 yro in the early 90s, my favorite park to go to was EPCOT, which I got to explore on my own in those days.

[@JRHickman]

Yo, am totally digging the shirt!!! Where did you get it?

[@Taydar]

Ah my favourite old chart. Very true.

[@cornerstonerailfanimation]

My first trip to Walt Disney World Resort was about 2008 (about more than a year after the Wonders of Life pavilion closed to the public), so I also was a young fella growing up back from 2005 onward. I like Epcot the most because of these things: - Unique modern architecture in Future World (or now World Discovery, World Nature, and World Celebration). - Historical significance to Walt's original idea for an experimental prototype community of tomorrow back when he was alive. - The celebration of culture and innovation - Imagination! (with the Imagination Institute, Figment, and ImageWorks). - The Land featuring Soarin', Living with the Land, and formerly the Circle of Life show attraction focusing on issues like pollution to the environment. - The Seas with Nemo and Friends, featuring (probably the best to me) the titular dark ride attraction, Sea Base Alpha, and the Coral Reef Restaurant. - The golden dome for Wonders of Life - The educational experiences that await on Spaceship Earth and in Project Tomorrow. - Mission: SPACE (since it has four actual centrifuges operating in Florida, the state that's home to NASA). - LGB garden layout at the Germany pavilion (the only place where I could find LGB and Marklin trains in person when visiting) - Japan with its unique store and restaurant providing good views of the fireworks at night during dinner (it's a shame they weren't able to fix their version of the Meet the World attraction copied from TDL probably wasting away to dust, rust, and decay). - Joffrey's stands around the park selling those big delicious donuts with chocolate icing and sprinkles (if you go to Epcot next time or visit for the first time, be sure to grab one). - The Food and Wine Festival (I don't drink by the way), where you can try out different foods from six continents (because Antartica is mostly desolate in terms of human population) all around the park while enjoying concerts featuring celebrity bands from around the world. (If Christian hits like TobyMac visit the festival, be sure to see him and listen to the praise music he performs in person. God can even use the Disney Parks for his purpose too, you know?)

[@inkwadnito966]

I wish something like “Strange World” could have been an original park ride that then could have been turned into an animated movie down the line based off the ride.

[@zachmiller8725]

My issue is more that Disney has spent so much of their IP real estate on things that don't feel strictly "Disney" to me (basically, Star Wars and Marvel). It dilutes the brand to me. And when they do give space to Disney Animation and Pixar, it's like Pixar Pier, where they just slapped stickers on everything and called it "theming." My Disney Park fandom came into maturity around the time of DCA 2.0 where they spent like five years just putting in more IP rides, and it worked really well. This was also immediately followed by them touching up the area around Soarin', which was non-IP development. They can obviously co-exist, but Disney needs to be thoughtful and deliberate in where they're putting their efforts.

[@tessawidenhofer]

Personally I don’t mind when IP is in parts of the park that it makes sense to be in and is sprinkled in with original attractions and lots of great theming. What I don’t love is the recent push to make specific IP-based lands where you’re stuck with a singular property. It’s better with these bigger iconic franchises like Star Wars or the MCU with lots of characters and almost everybody knows what’s going on. But like, in the past, if you hadn’t seen/didn’t like a movie, you could just skip it’s attraction. Now though, you’ll be missing an entire land. Side note: I also think that if there’s going to be all these IP based attractions and lands, Disney should make sure that the classics are being represented as well. So many of these properties they’re making huge lands for are less than a decade old and with a literal century’s worth of IP, it feels strange that we’re only seeing attractions for the very recent past.

[@erinfuller2271]

I love both IP and non IP attractions. I just want well made and themed rides. I think the reason non IP rides r so fun to me is cuz they present stories I only get in the parks, and with each trip I learn more and more of that story

[@ethanthornburg3586]

agreed

[@Murph2300]

My actual earliest memory is being scared by the puppets from the tapestry of nations parade and some lady with green face paint from the parade walking up to me and smiling. Those puppets triggered me gaining consciousness for the first time

[@BethCody]

I don't really get the dislike of IP in the parks especially when there was IP in the opening attractions of Disneyland (Snow White, Peter Pan etc). I'd understand a little bit more if all opening day attractions were all original ideas for the park but there were some based on existing IP. Plus isn't meeting characters based on existing IP? Which has also been there since opening day? It's DISNEYland, WALT DISNEY world, DISNEYland Paris etc. Why wouldn't they use their IP? I go there because I like Disney films and want to see other things about it (rides, shows, characters) so I really don't get the big deal

[@ttintagel]

Absolutely nobody is saying there should be NO IP.

[@jackdr20roblox29]

I agree when I go to a Disneyland I want to be immersed inside my favourite movie

[@Rick-vm8bl]

As someone who goes to WDW and spends most of my 2 weeks on Living with the Land, I prefer non-IP. That being said, there's some excellent IP rides. A mix of the two works well. I'd like to see more original ideas but get that it's an easier payoff to use existing IP.

[@BanazirGalpsi1968]

Could they change micky, minie and friends in runaway railway into classic early 70s Micky, minnie, etc?

[@BanazirGalpsi1968]

I like the mid 50s through early 80s drawing style, that's peak Micky and the early 70s was the best of that.

[@CinnamonGrrlErin1]

I'd much rather have it be based on 40s or 50s Mickey. I think the current "retro" style is not very good, I get what they were going for, but the early Disney cartoons were not as rubbery as Warner Bros. Runaway Railway looks like Mickey and Minnie went through a Cartoon Network filter.

[@ttintagel]

It's based on the versions of Mickey and Minnie that are in the new cartoons all the kids are watching now. It would look weird to them if it was based on older versions.

[@blacklikethesun]

The original ideas and theming are what always stuck in my mind.

[@burneyboys02]

I basically can go either way with these attractions. Non-IPs are stables for many of us like the Haunted Mansion. It's pure Disney classic and captures the imagination of being in a haunted house. Big Thunder Mountain gives the sense of being in the Old West and riding a runaway mine train. IPs is a tough debate but many can be done right. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway delivers on not only being the first attraction based Disney's most marketable characters, but also allows guest the feeling of being in a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Rise of the Resistance is considered to be the best attraction ever made cause it delivers on giving a unique Star Wars story and adventure. Plus it lives up for what Star Wars fans want from the movies. And then Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind also fits the bill. Of course not only being a superhero experience based on an interconnected franchise but also being one of the first innovative rollercoasters of its kind anywhere ever. So I think what we've seen an experienced over the past couple decades that it really depends on who you ask based on their preference. (And yes I will go to my grave saying without a doubt that Guardians fits perfectly in EPCOT. Ok? DEAL WITH IT!)

[@disneygirl5577]

Im so excited about the treehouse!

[@pillbugm8914]

I absolutely adore the tower of terror with the twilight zone IP.

[@tommyguerrera]

For me IP doesn’t make or break an experience. There are very few instances where the IP or original concept itself is what makes me like the attractions, it’s all about the implementation. For example, I never cared about Avatar but Flight of Passage is undeniably one of the best attractions ever. Also at Universal, I don’t care for Harry Potter or Jurassic World but Hagrids and Velocicoaster are two of the best roller coasters in the world. Conversely, while it has longer wait times now, Frozen Ever After I think has weaker theming than Maelstrom did. Also KiteTails was IP based. I don’t care if it’s IP or original as long as it’s good.

[@kdusel1991]

Flight of Passage is great! I also really really love cosmic rewind! It actually fits into the theming of Epcot, rather than runaway railway which I think should've gone to Magic Kingdom. I think they could've kept the great movie ride going as long as they kept it updated.

[@michaeltaylor1603]

Not really BAD. Just a lot of factors involved. Budget, time, project leadership + a strong design team. Other interesting aspects is when something IS popular (it can last decades!) Tiki just celebrated 60 years! Some whole parks don't last that long! Soarin' is a great example of something NEW that's been copied by competitors.

[@jeniferthienes7864]

I was wondering where did you get your awesome shirts?

[@chericrabbypelley9009]

I like both!

[@Chaogod1233]

People act like Walt didn't put IP in Disney before...

[@RipplyAnemone67]

Honestly one thing that makes sense is stuff like the tangled area in magic kingdom and it’s just an ip filling in an empty area/area not in a land really and just mainly a bathroom area

[@karend381]

I’m not sure if this is the particular video that I was watching just now or not but you mentioned some of the original concepts vs IP in tomorrowland Orlando and you mentioned “if you had wings” by Delta. But the original ride was sponsored by Eastern Airlines. Delta Delta probably came later when Eastern went bankrupt in 1989. Eastern even referred to itself as the official airline of Disney World.

[@MichaelTaylor-qp2xf]

My favorite Disney attraction for decades was Splash Mountain, which is based on an IP that I never saw and still haven't seen. That was only topped by Flight of Passage, which is based on an IP that I don't like, but I was impressed by the quality of the ride. The quality of the ride is the quality of the ride, whether or not an IP is tied to it... except for Spider-Man at Universal, that's a great ride based on my favorite ever IP, making it my overall favorite ride at any park.

[@earidescentgenie1166]

There was a theme park, Hard Rock Cafe theme park, that failed after 5 years mainly b/c it didn't have any IP.

[@stanfordite1]

False. And when EPCOT Center opened with zero IP it was and still is considered the greatest success in Disney park history. Without IPs EPCOT Center would still be successful. The Disney name is enough.

[@josephrusso3805]

The best ride at Disney is the American Adventure.

[@katym333]

Personally I like a lot of the non-IP and IP rides but I was always a bit disappointed as a child that some of my favourite disney movies at the time didn't have a ride. I would welcome a use of more varied IP from their wide catalogue of films

[@michaelsullivan3581]

Contrapuntal, psychedelic, muse-i-cal, histrionic, explorationally adventurous, historically futuristic... Offhand! Marvulous! And, we can actually see the entire cosmos through Dallin's shirts... I'm stunned. No. Really... stunned!

[@nepoleon92]

IP can be good but it often ruins the point of a land or park I find. Epcot was supposed to be a park for learning and exploring cultures now everyone goes there for frozen, tron, guardians of the galaxy, and ratatouille. Maelstrom is always far more interesting to me because it’s a fun ride that teaches you about another nations people and culture, frozen ever after is just “hey recognize this? That cool innit?”

[@JP-1990]

It astounds me that they havent tried to do anything with Treasure Planet and Atlantis.

[@dtcdragon7164]

IP isn’t necessarily bad, it really just comes down to where it is used. Magic Kindom with IP makes sense and works well if it fits that specific land and theme, as magic kingdom focuses on fiction and fantasy as it’s main theme. But the same can’t be said about places like Epcot and Animal Kingdom which leaves very little wiggle room to incorporate IP in a way that still fits with the theme of the specific land and park. frozen forever after is an example of it used terribly, as it’s a fictional film with no affiliation with Norwegian culture in the Norway pavilion. The real problem is Disney dependance on it, thinking any original idea won’t work rather than using it when it’s appropriate and works. It’s been this way since Iger became CEO, so I’m hoping with Disney’s new CEO after Iger is gone (again) will have a similar mindset to Eisner’s during the 80s and 90s which I felt balanced original and IP attractions much better.

[@jeffreycharles5035]

Plants of living with the land tier list!!

[@spicedch4i]

that thumbnail is bone-chilling. everybody on the left get behind me rn!!!

[@TheDisneyPastor]

Hot Take: i actually love what they did with Cosmic Rewind. Sure its an IP, but imo they keep the core of epcot in mind. I feel the same with Moana Journey of Water. But, there's got to be a balance. But yeah I would love some things to be rethemed (im looking at you autopia and speedway).

[@HeartlandHunny]

My only real problem with IPs is that all we’re getting now are movie tie-ins. It’d be nice to occasionally see some projects that are wholly original. But this is not a Disney issue, Universal is doing the same thing, and I can’t really blame them. What’s going to sell more tickets? Lands and rides based on something people already love and want to experience more of or something they’ve never heard of before? It’s easy to see how popular a franchise is, much harder to see how popular a new thing might be. And when you’re investing millions of dollars into a project, it’s a lot less risky to play it safe. So it makes me sad, but I get it. And to be fair, a lot of the new IP attractions have been amazing! But I will never forget that they replaced a great, slightly creepy ride about Norwegian folklore with an incredibly mediocre Frozen ride. Travesty. I mean, those animatronics still give the ride creepy vibes, but for all the wrong reasons. #JusticeForMaelstrom

[@AwesomeMooseSmile]

9:12 alright but if they ever do replace Dinosaur with a Zootopia or Moana retheme, I don't care how amazing of a job they do, I'd never be okay with it.

[@breakingtheicepogo]

“Are you Stupid dumb” sounds like something i’d ask my brother.

[@Rollermanfromspace]

I will say, the ride experience for guardians mission breakout is so much better, but damn the theming of HTH was unbeatable. I miss how creepy the line felt and the feeling leading towards the elevator. The rocket preshow is really cool though

[@j.r.shartzer]

My only opinion is that I love it when Dallin has green on his shirt.

[@plantgayforlife]

I'll never understand why so-called "Disney fans" get pissed when Disney puts Disney IP and Disney characters from Disney movies and Disney-owned franchises into their DISNEY PARKS for DISNEY FANS to enjoy. Some legit pointers too: Frozen and Ratatouille are in the back of their pavilions and don't take away from the integrity and beauty of those pavilions. You can include IP in educational attractions. Being a huge Wall E fan, I love the idea of Living With The Land reimagined to feature Wall E characters planting crops and caring for the earth (like shown in the movie credits) while the Axiom Captain or Sigourney Weaver (the Axiom computer) narrates the real life benefits of agriculture and everything else the current ride teaches us about. The truth is all you 'Disney purists' that want all-original rides don't understand we are living in a different era than when these parks were built. People FLOCK to theme parks for IP like Wizarding World, Star Wars, Pixar, Avatar, Jurassic Park/Jurassic World and more. When Disneyland first opened, they had a lot of original attractions because, while having a solid body of work, Disney did not have NEARLY as many beloved movies under their belt like today. And I'm gonna REALLY piss some people off by saying if Walt were around today, I bet he would WANT to celebrate his company's films and characters by featuring them in his theme parks. Great video as always!

[@kristenhanisch8508]

The complaint isn't necessarily IP vs. non-IP. A lot of us are unhappy with IP that is not done well at the expense of new, creative ideas.

[@stanfordite1]

Because Disneyland was not made to promote IPs. You've been brainwashed by corporate propaganda. I do not want to ever see a Wall-E attraction in a Disney theme park, ever. Disney purists are also the only guests who matter and when I take Disney over, I will cater only to them while treating those that want nothing but IPs as undesirables and unwelcome. I don't go to Disney theme parks for IP and generations didn't either. Walt would've not allowed IPs to flood his parks either as he didn't believe in synergy and selling toys. Disneyland was segregated from the studios and Disney under my rule will be the same. Disney shouldn't even be allowed to own so much IP either and thankfully is going to be broken up soon and lose everything it bought. Replace IPs with originality and parks-original IP and no one will cry foul. No one's going to be complaining about removing all things Star Wars, Pixar, , Marvel, Frozen or Moana.

[@plantgayforlife]

@@stanfordite1 this was hilarious! thanks for the laugh!❤

[@stanfordite1]

@@plantgayforlife Excuse me but you don't ever laugh at military personnel in the United States of America, civvie. I outrank you and you take orders from me. It's the law.

[@plantgayforlife]

@@stanfordite1 okie dokie your majesty ☺

[@KylertheDisneyandUniversalFan]

I think I am the only one to notice. The treehouse in Disneyland’s Adventureland was always IP themed. But now they are making it something non IP which I think is good,

[@lexiw.2177]

I was 8 when the millennium celebration happened and I was also afraid of the tapestry of nations parade 😅

[@hazeldavis3176]

I like both usually, the only area I get a wee bit hissy-fit about is Epcot. I wish IP was used to enhance the land it's located in, rather than be a stand-in for IP representation in the parks. Frozen ride- why can't they take a trip through Norway? Or explore the biome? Making a 'hey remember this movie?!' ride is lazy and I know Disney can do better.

[@mikebenda]

It takes away the immersion and “magic” and gives the feeling of being marketed to. That and selling Disney cruise vacations in the park - while I’m on vacation!

[@chrishintz1077]

Of course Walt relied upon ip (ip and Ub ;) )to open the park (dland). Fantasyland is acquired ips. But then imagineers didn’t just throw in the trowel. They riffed into new territory for rides: pirates, the mansion. I think that’s the main plaint these days: dream factory has been mostly quiescent.

[@jetsons101]

It will always be the "Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse."

[@VideoGamePhilosopher]

It’s weird that you cut to mission space as a moment of “this is worth it.” I was so excited for mission space when they were building it. I was more disappointed in that ride from the first time I rode it than I was when I rode the imagination replacement. I’m on a tangent but I just want them to replace mission space, make imagination better with more figment and illusions, and make magical express a paid option. I keep hearing about this Epcot refresh but Epcot still has gotten almost no attention over the last thirty years. All of the other parks have gotten more attractions and capacity while Epcot has added soarin and remy. Everything else is a replacement.

[@candycemonroe7345]

How did you miss riding living with the land over and over again with your friend Dan?

[@feathersblu]

My thing is why have a Moana ride at Epcot but then have a Moana land at animal kingdom. I think they could have did something else

[@criixt]

Walt's dream is being picked apart like vultures eating a carcass. Igar is tearing down his dream piece by piece.

[@stanfordite1]

And after my hostile takeover of Disney, "What would Walt do?" will be the guiding mantra again like it was for decades after his death. Walt's dream will be revitalized and reborn under my rule when I make Disney great again. I'll know I've done my job when the purists sing my praises as the hero who saved Disney and Iger supporters and those demand IP all the time declare Disney dead.

[@kdaddy310]

Imo all the best attractions are the original ideas, the ones where the imagineers actually get to create something. I don’t recall an original idea attraction since Everest, which is depressing.

[@VideoGamePhilosopher]

Figment is getting a movie too

[@Olschoolvidz]

tbh it's about mixing the both and the quality of their crafts