More props that need to become animatronics?
Yes please!
In this video we're going to discuss some more Disneyland props that need a revamp!
If you're interested in part four featuring animatronics from other parks, drop a comment
below.
Mostro
In the first installment of this series, we took a deep dive into various villains, but
we left out one of the most fearsome characters, at least visually - the gigantic Monstro.
This colossal whale has been an iconic part of Fantasyland ever since the park first opened.
And it's not just a landmark; it's a well-known figure in the submechanophobia community as
well.
Throughout its history, this prop has experienced several changes, from design adjustments to
the addition of a mechanical eye.
But wouldn't it be amazing to see this prop transformed into an animatronic?
You might think it's impossible, given that Monstro functions as a bridge in the Storybookland
Canals ride.
But hear us out; our idea isn't as wild as it might sound.
The exterior of the animatronic would look similar to the bug we see on the Men in Black
ride, with simple movements in the teeth and eyes.
The real magic, however, would be on the inside.
Imagine Disney using the space within Monstro to incorporate mechanical elements similar
to the display windows we see on Main Street.
You could see a scene with Pinocchio and Gepetto, and even some of the things Monstro has swallowed.
This new mechanism could fit on the right side, currently occupied by shrubs, without
interfering with the bridge's visibility or functionality.
It'd definitely be worth it, adding an impressive spectacle to the start of the ride.
So, what do you think?
Would you like to see these new mechanisms and a more lively Monstro?
Roger
Rabbit
Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin is one of our favorite dark rides in the world.
The music, the scenes, and the colors make this fun-filled dark ride truly one-of-a-kind.
With the recent renovation and storyline changes, we thought Disney might introduce a new animatronic
of Jessica Rabbit, but unfortunately, this did not happen.
Jessica Rabbit could easily be an A100 animatronic, but imagine her with the new facial technology
present in the A1000 animatronics from the Frozen ride in Japan.
They could even replace the existing Roger Rabbit props during the ride with animatronics
similar to the props we can see in Pooh's Hunny Hunt in Japan, boasting super-fluid
movements and a clean design that retains that 90s cartoon style.
This would undoubtedly elevate this classic ride to an entirely new level with just four
simple changes.
Grand Canyon Diorama Animals
One of the countless reasons why Disneyland outshines Magic Kingdom is due to the Disneyland
Railroad.
The Magic Kingdom's railroad can often feel empty and lacking spirit.
In contrast, Disneyland's railroad is steeped in history and features one of the theme park
world's greatest gems - the diorama.
Just before we complete our journey and return to Main Street, the railroad takes us through
an incredible diorama brimming with animals.
Moreover, it allows us to travel back in time with a Primeval World diorama full of dinosaur
animatronics.
These animatronics hold significant historical value as they were part of the 1964 World's
Fair in Walt Disney's collaboration with Ford, the Ford Magic Skyway.
After the fair's closure in 1965, sections of the attraction were relocated to Disneyland
and installed as a new extension to the existing Grand Canyon diorama on the Disneyland Railroad.
Audio-Animatronic Brontosauruses, Triceratops, a terrifying Tyrannosaurus Rex, and lush Paleolithic
forests became permanent residents of the dramatic Primeval World.
This view is fantastic.
But as theme park fans, we always believe there's room for improvement.
How so?
Well, obviously, with more animatronics for the Grand Canyon animal section.
Disney excels at creating animatronic animals, and they can be as simple or advanced as they
want.
They could be like the animatronics in Jungle Cruise, the extinct ones from Mine Train to
Nature's Wonderland, or as intricate in movement as the Phillipe animatronic from the Beauty
and the Beast ride in Japan.
Disney has countless options.
Star Traders Stormtroopers
Many of you have suggested that some of the stormtroopers we see in the queue for Rise
of the Resistance should be animatronics.
However, we believe they serve their purpose well, as these troopers need to demonstrate
discipline and truly intimidating stature, showing not even a hint of movement to demonstrate
how focused they are in case we try to escape.
But there are some Stormtroopers who could really use a bit of movement.
These are the little-known stormtroopers found in the Star Trader's store in Tomorrowland.
Upon exiting Star Tours, we can spot a group of 4 stormtroopers guarding the store just
in front of the cashier.
Imagine if these props were animatronics!
Visualize them interacting and making observations or jokes about the guests visiting the store
or giving quirky recommendations.
The optimal setup here would be to reduce this group to two stormtroopers, so they could
naturally deliver pre-set lines and also have an interactive function, much like the Roz
or Mr. Potato Head animatronics.
In terms of technology, they could be A100 animatronics or, even simpler, recycled animatronics,
as they wouldn't require any facial expressions.
Bird and Robot Autopia
In 2016, Disney partnered with Honda to refurbish Autopia, introducing ASIMO, once the world's
most advanced robot, and The Bird, the attraction's first official mascot.
Despite these updates introducing several scenes featuring these characters, there were
no advanced animatronics included, and that's rather ironic.
It seems only natural that these two characters should be complex animatronics for several
reasons.
Firstly, they reside in Tomorrowland, the land of the future, where we would expect
to see the world's most advanced robots.
Secondly, the robot character is based on ASIMO, so it's reasonable to expect a higher
complexity in its movements.
Thirdly, the ride speaks about mobility, so how can these robots be practically static?
Don't get us wrong, we love these new characters, but it would have been fantastic if they were
animatronics.
ASIMO could have been similar to any animatronic seen in retired rides like Horizons or the
original version of Living with the Seas at Epcot.
The Bird, on the other hand, could have been a robotic version of the birds from the Tiki
Room, serving as a magnificent easter egg and homage to Disney's first animatronics.
Autopia may be a ride many skip, but perhaps if it included animatronics, more people would
get to know these lesser-known mascots from Disney and Honda.
How cool would that be?
Hank and Angler fish
The last two animatronics on our list hail from the same ride: Finding Nemo Submarine
Voyage.
This ride has seen countless changes and renovations, many of which we've previously covered on
this channel.
It initially opened as Submarine Voyage, where visitors could see mermaids, fish, and, impressively,
a fantastic sea serpent—a favorite on this channel and in the submechanophobia community.
The ride closed in 1998 and remained unused for almost ten years until it reopened in
2007 as Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage with a new story, theme, and animatronics, including
the infamous seagulls.
This attraction has seen various updates, the most recent of which was in 2022.
The entire ride was fully restored and renovated, with better projections, updated props, and
refreshed animatronics while largely maintaining the original design.
This renovation introduced a new tenant to the lagoon, Hank, the octopus.
When first presented, it would have been natural to assume Hank would be an animatronic, but
sadly, that wasn't the case.
Therefore, the seagulls get the bragging rights as they indeed are animatronics while Hank
is not.
Disney missed a significant opportunity here.
Hank could have been designed similarly to Dolores, the octopus from the country bears
Jamboree, or like the octopus animatronic we see in the Pirates of the Caribbean transition
scene from skull to pirate.
This animatronic has very simple movements, and even the eye blinking could be projected
like Sebastian in The Little Mermaid attraction.
How amazing would that be?
With this renovation, we also thought that Disney would replace the anglerfish, one of
the most terrifying animatronics throughout the park.
This scene is already pretty scary, but imagine if these props had movement and appeared to
attack the submarine.
They could resemble the Jaws animatronics in terms of movement since these are robust,
aquatic animatronics.
This scene would be truly impressive, maintaining the static props while introducing some with
movement.
It would take the thrill of this underwater adventure to a whole new level.
Alien Pizza Planet
When we made our Props to Animatronics video California Adventure edition, we mentioned
many props that were added when Pixar Pier opened in 2018.
Well, not only did Pixar Pier bring these types of props to DCA, but also to Disneyland.
When Pixar Pier opened, it was announced that it would open along with the Pixar Fest celebration.
This celebration was not limited to California Adventure but was held at Disneyland too!
During this time, DCA and Disneyland swapped parades, so the Pixar Play Parade opened at
Disneyland, and Paint the Night came to DCA.
Also, the Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular fireworks debuted at Disneyland.
And another announcement was made.
The long-standing Redd Rockett's Pizza Port would be temporarily changed to Alien Pizza
Planet.
So on April 13, 2018, the overlay opened, and it was not what we expected.
The place's name was changed by just putting a banner overlaying the Redd Rockett's Pizza
Port signage held by two green aliens.
But the rest of the changes were pretty cool.
The rocket and aliens were added to the ceiling of the place.
Also, a vinyl of several aliens was added to the windows.
The Tomorrowland attraction posters were replaced by travel posters for locations that the aliens
themselves would find appealing.
And also, some pretty cool and yummy offerings were added to the menu.
And outside, the famous Robot Guards from Pizza Planet were added.
Of course, having Pizza Planet in this area made more sense, and so the change became
permanent.
In mid-2019, new permanent exterior signage replaced the overlay signage, and Alien Pizza
Planet has been there since.
Now this overlay was needed, and as we said, it entirely made sense.
And with the outside sign changed, it is pretty cool.
But it could be better.
Just imagine if the little green aliens in the entrance sign or the inside of the building
could move a little or at least maybe blink once in a while.
It could be great!
But the props that we think should become animatronics the most out of this area are
the Robot guards.
We know that it would be pretty hard to have the robots guarding the entrance like they
do in the movie, moving their spears every time someone enters the place.
But because there's only one robot in the Disneyland Pizza Planet, at least it could
move a little, talking and moving its spear from side to side.
We think that this could be pretty awesome.
Are there any more props that you think should become animatronics?
If so, let us know which ones so we can keep doing these videos!
And leave your Disney World props suggestions below!
Meanwhile, you can see all of these props while going to Disneyland or Disney World
when you plan your next magical vacation with our friends from pixievacations.com.
They will help you plan your perfect vacation to any Disney or Universal park specifically
tailored to your vacation style and budget, and working with a pixie is completely free.
So talk with them to make the best out of your next vacation.
See you next time!