Tag: Industry

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LANDS OF LEGEND: The Curiously Intertwined Tale of Disney and Universal’s Mythic Theme Park Worlds

Once upon a time… So begins any epic tale of adventure and mystery, and for fans of both Disney and Universal’s parks, today’s tome may be one of the greatest theme park fables ever… The story of a single cancelled concept and the chain reaction it set off across Disney Imagineering and Universal Creative.

For years, we’ve been adding stories to our collection of Lost Legends – the full, definitive write-ups on rides, attractions, and experiences that changed the theme park landscape, and then disappeared. We hit the road to explore the beginnings of the original TEST TRACK, witnessed the interdimensional origin of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, pulsed through the bloodstream aboard Body Wars, and literally dozens more. 

But today’s entry is a mythological double-feature: the almost-believable story of how the epic plans for one of Disney World’s most famous never-built projects, Beastly Kingdom, might’ve inspired or even shaped the short-lived land of legends, The Lost Continent, brought to life just a few miles up the road at their biggest competitor. It’s a swirling, time-traveling tale of the potentially-intertwined creation of two of the leading theme parks on Earth, and the could-be classic that turned into a Lost Legend between them.

Could it possibly be that Disney accidentally designed, then indirectly lead to the destruction of Universal’s most incredible themed land? We’ll let you be the judge… But to tell the story of Disney’s never-built land of dragons and unicorns and how the concept may have been temporarily revived at Universal Orlando, we have a lot of ground to cover.

And before we head off, remember that you can unlock rare concept art and audio streams in this story, access over 100 Extra Features, and recieve an annual Membership card and postcard art set in the mail by supporting this clickbait-free, in-depth, ad-free theme park storytelling site for as little as $2 / month! Become a Park Lore Member to join the story! Until then, let’s start at the beginning…

Continue reading “LANDS OF LEGEND: The Curiously Intertwined Tale of Disney and Universal’s Mythic Theme Park Worlds”
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The Seven Modern Wonders of the Theme Park World

From soaring the skies to exploring ancient tombs; racing through space to escaping perilous peaks… If you’re here, it means you’re inspired by the spectacular places theme parks can take us. But when you peel back the sets, the storytelling, and the emotion, you’re left with the most integral and essential part of any attraction: the ride system that brings it to life.

So far, our Seven Wonders series has taken us across the globe as we’ve counted down the Seven “Natural” Wonders of the Theme Park World, exploring giant trees, canyons and mountain ranges that might just be too good to be true. Then, we witnessed the majesty of our Seven “Ancient” Wonders, exploring the temples, tombs, and ruins of the past brought to unimaginable life around the world.

But today, we’re going to peel back the scenery to reveal the Seven Modern Wonders of the Theme Park World. We’re counting down the technologies and innovations that truly redefined modern rides and the stories they tell. These modern, technological, ride system wonders are astounding examples of the engineering that goes into Imagineering, and the hard facts that create the worlds and rides we love.

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


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Four Types of Attractions Plucked from Disney’s “Playbook” That Universal Orlando Really Needs

Look – as tempting as the treatment may be, you won’t find many places on Park Lore where we pit Walt Disney World against Universal Orlando. Despite being Disney’s nearest competitor (in both proximity and quality), the sensationalized war between two themed entertainment titans is pretty unproductive…

… Except when it’s not. There’s no question, after all, that Walt Disney World and Disneyland are better because Universal Orlando exists, and vice versa! In that way, the existence of and competition between two mega-titans in the theme park industry (and within a taxi ride of each other, at that) is spectacularly productive! Thanks to Disney and Universal’s battle over tourist dollars, designers are able to flow between projects; new attractions come to market; the rising tide truly lifts all boats.

That’s why – if you ask us – it doesn’t hurt to see what works. Today, we wanted to “zoom in” on four “genres” of attractions that define Disney Parks, but are curiously lacking from Universal’s. Given that both operators have very different markets, audiences, and ambitions, it’s true that different paths and different histories have yielded different attraction lineups… but in at least a few places, we think borrowing from Disney’s playbook could be a brilliant way to fill some niche corners of Universal Orlando…

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


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GATORLAND: The Wild Story of Florida’s “Cold-Blooded” Theme Park

Florida existed long before Walt Disney World.

And if you can believe it, tourism even existed in Florida existed before Mickey set up shop in the formerly quiet wetlands of Orlando.

In fact, you don’t need to drive far from the entertainment epicenter of Orange County to find yourself in real Florida – a land of wildlife, mangroves, wetlands, wildflowers, beaches, and natural, spring-fed lakes. Even today, as Harry Potter and Star Wars battle it out behind the gated walls of corporate playgrounds, other worlds exists just a daytrip away… That’s exactly the reason our Roadside Wonders series took a detour from Disney in our in-depth look at Weeki Wachee Springs, where generations of tourists have come face-to-fin with real mermaids…

But before Weeki Wachee – and, in fact, before Florida was even called Florida – this part of the world has been home to something decidedly prehistoric. For almost seventy years, Gatorland has proclaimed itself the “Alligator Capitol of the World.” And for generations of travelers, this swampy animal park along Orange Blossom Trail – just 30 minutes from Magic Kingdom – has been as much an annual tradition as a ride on Peter Pan’s Flight…

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Gold and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Gold and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


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“Ride The Movies!” Disney’s Blockbuster-or-Bust Era of Attraction Design

Frozen Ever After. Jurassic World: The Ride. Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. TRON Lightcycle Power Run. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

The rising tide of innovation and storytelling is lifting Disney and Universal to new heights, with a seemingly limitless supply of cutting-edge and spectacular attractions debuting year after year. Still, it hasn’t escaped fans’ notice that nearly all of the projects in the pipeline for major U.S. parks have something in common… It’s enough to cause some fans to wonder aloud, Will we ever again see an “original” anchor attraction at Disney or Universal parks? Or is the future filled with E-Tickets backed by billion-dollar box office hits and popular intellectual properties alone?

When did Disney Parks exchange bold, original attractions crafted by Disney Imagineers for the chance to “RIDE THE MOVIES”? How have the “Content Wars” heated up the back-and-forth battle for the Butterbeer budget? And what, exactly, is going to happen next in the ongoing race keep guests at Disney and Universal parks coming back for the hot properties of today? Strap in as we dive into the history of “riding the movies” and see how this character-infused era has been reimagined as never before…

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Gold and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Gold and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


Log In ​or Join Now
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Mermaids Are Real. This Is the “Tail” of the Enchanted Florida Spring They Call Home.

Florida existed long before Walt Disney World.

Believe it or not, tourism in Florida existed before Mickey set up shop in the formerly quiet wetlands of Orlando, too.

In fact, you don’t need to drive far from the entertainment epicenter of Orange County to find yourself in real Florida – a land of wildlife, mangroves, wetlands, wildflowers, beaches, and natural, spring-fed lakes. Even today, as Harry Potter and Star Wars battle it out behind the gated walls of corporate playgrounds, other worlds exists just a daytrip away: worlds of alligators, dinosaurs, tikis, flamingos, parrots… and mermaids.

Before strip malls and outlets dotted the landscape, roadside attractions dating back to mid-century Americana littered the Floridian landscape, and while quite a few survive today, there may be none as fantastic as Weeki Wachee Springs, where mermaids are real.

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Gold and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Gold and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


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The Real Pizza Rat: How Chuck E. Cheese Revolutionized Video Gaming and Created Family Entertainment

He’s a cartoon, comedic mouse beloved by generations; a corporate icon endlessly adaptable to new ages through updated antics and fresh animation; an iconic character leading a pack of cartoon misfits recognized by kids of all ages. Know who we’re talking about? Okay, okay… What if we told you that the rodent we’re thinking of also loves pizza, arcade games, and redeeming prize tickets for pencils, sticky slap-hands, and Slinkies? 

If you had a child, knew a child, or were a child in the ’80s or ’90s, it’s nearly impossible that you avoided a trip to Chuck E. Cheese’s Pizza. In fact, for generations of themed entertainment design fans, this unexpectedly elaborate pizza parlor and arcade was a theme park close to home; a chance to play, win, and eat in an exploratory environment “where a kid can be a kid;” where an animatronic band of cartoon characters felt real and alive; where Entertainment was literally the host’s middle name.

Today, as part of Park Lore’s industry-examining, in-depth Special Features collection, we’ll explore the surprising origin of this local playground and how Chuck E. Cheese’s revolutionized video gaming and created the “family entertainment center.” For a moment, forget rats, pizza, or animatronics. The birth of Chuck E. Cheese actually begins with something unexpected…

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Gold and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Gold and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


Log In ​or Join Now
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DISNEY•PIXARLAND: Inside the “Pixarificaton” of Disney Parks

PIXAR. For a new generation of animation fans, that word appearing against a sky-blue backdrop is as comforting and familiar as “When You Wish Upon a Star’s” grand crescendo against a glowing Disney castle; a squeaking, bouncing, articulating desk lamp as recognizable and iconic as Tinker Bell; Cars Land as obvious, classic, and beloved as Frontierland.

But it wasn’t always that way… and increasingly, some fans are wondering aloud if Disney Parks are becoming Pixar Parks, favoring the computer-generated stars of Pixar’s modern classics at the detriment to Disney’s own animated favorites… So today, we’ll dig into the story of Pixar, its relationship with Disney (including some epic breakups and multi-billion-dollar make-ups), and – most importantly – trace the timeline of Pixar attractions joining Disney Parks. Is there too much Pixar in Disney Parks? That’ll be up to you to decide. But along the way, we’ll also uncover some surprising stories.

When did Disney’s connection to Pixar first begin? Longer ago than you might imagine… How many Pixar-themed attractions have Disney Parks hosted? More than you might think… How far will Pixar permeate into Disney Parks? Think, “to infinity and beyond…” 

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.



This article and hundreds more are available for Gold and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Gold and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.


Log In ​or Join Now
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