"Mickey Mouse Rock'n Roller Coaster"????

[Josh Hendy]

It raises an interesting question though ... what good is a pop music based attraction when the specific music/band isn't popular any more?

Disney has almost no choice except to play down the Aerosmith angle and try to salvage some merchandise sales with a perennial character like Mickey.

Rip Ride Rockit has a cool approach because everyone chooses their own tune and can have a video made afterward. It's evergreen. The coaster is a lot longer and better too, except it's obviously a lot more scary and intimidating. Where it falls down is on the dumb blandness of the queue and preshow. What would be really neat is if they had random preshow videos featuring various pop stars. They could work out a deal to get them to participate, by offering them a bigger slice of the revenues from the video sales whenever their song is selected.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

It raises an interesting question though ... what good is a pop music based attraction when the specific music/band isn't popular any more?

Disney has almost no choice except to play down the Aerosmith angle and try to salvage some merchandise sales with a perennial character like Mickey.

Rip Ride Rockit has a cool approach because everyone chooses their own tune and can have a video made afterward. It's evergreen. The coaster is a lot longer and better too, except it's obviously a lot more scary and intimidating. Where it falls down is on the dumb blandness of the queue and preshow. What would be really neat is if they had random preshow videos featuring various pop stars. They could work out a deal to get them to participate, by offering them a bigger slice of the revenues from the video sales whenever their song is selected.

That Rip Ride Rockit beat tha heck outta me. I was glad when it was over (so was my teenaged son). The ability to select your music was cool though.

 

[Mouse of Mystery]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the name change eventually because they are dropping non-Disney IP like a hot potato. Yeah, Aerosmith isn't tearing up the charts anymore, but my kids are very young and they did like the music (they even liked it after we left DHS since they enjoyed the ride so much). Still... it's going to happen sooner or later.

Having said that, it seems doubtful it would be the MICKEY Rock n' Roller Coaster if they're, in fact, going to re-theme GMR to Mickey.

It looks like simple marketing to me. Mickey is on everything... so why not RnRC? Besides, if they start de-emphasizing Aerosmith now, maybe it won't be such a blow to everyone when they re-theme.

 

[mikepizzo]

Where are people reading "Mickey Mouse's Rock 'n Roller Coaster"? Everything I see on the page just says "Mickey Mouse Rock 'n Roller Coaster". Like...y'know...the description of the item...since it has Mickey Mouse on it.

"Mickey Mouse Rock 'n Roller Coaster Hoodie for Boys" is just a Rock 'n Roller Coaster hoodie for boys that has Mickey Mouse on it.

Am I missing something?

 

[beer dave]

Where are people reading "Mickey Mouse's Rock 'n Roller Coaster"? Everything I see on the page just says "Mickey Mouse Rock 'n Roller Coaster". Like...y'know...the description of the item...since it has Mickey Mouse on it.

"Mickey Mouse Rock 'n Roller Coaster Hoodie for Boys" is just a Rock 'n Roller Coaster hoodie for boys that has Mickey Mouse on it.

Am I missing something?

Maybe-- how about the post or thread a little while ago about someone on RNR at the end of the night who received the option to ride with a new sound track-- and Goofy as the MC...........otherwise I agree...

 

[mikepizzo]

Maybe-- how about the post or thread a little while ago about someone on RNR at the end of the night who received the option to ride with a new sound track-- and Goofy as the MC...........otherwise I agree...

Fair enough. I'm not saying it's out of the question that Rock 'n Roller Coaster gets re-themed, I'm saying that merchandise in and of itself is not a good indicator of a re-theme.

There's a "Mickey Mouse and Friends Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Mug" too...and we all know a Guardians of the Galaxy re-theme is more likely to happen before a Mickey Mouse and Friends Tower of Terror.

 

[Madonna3]

Have you ever actually seen the merch in the shop attached to Rock N Roller coaster? It sucks. I am sure this is just an attempt to sell merchandise associated with the attraction.

 

[maltdizzy]

I expect it does have a lot to do with having to deal with the Aerosmith license. Regardless of any royalties, profit sharing involved, using the Aerosmith logo and likeness almost certainly requires merchandise be approved by their management. Bands like Aerosmith are legitimately considered consumer brand names and they manage that carefully.

Aerosmith may go away one day. In Paris, they've rumored replacing them with Spider-man, but it never happened. But I don't think it'll be this year.

 

[beer dave]

Fair enough. I'm not saying it's out of the question that Rock 'n Roller Coaster gets re-themed, I'm saying that merchandise in and of itself is not a good indicator of a re-theme.

There's a "Mickey Mouse and Friends Twilight Zone Tower of Terror Mug" too...and we all know a Guardians of the Galaxy re-theme is more likely to happen before a Mickey Mouse and Friends Tower of Terror.

Agree and agree. I can't see RNR being a mickey ride either-- doesn't make any sense--

 

[Mel730]

I love this ride and the music really adds to the experience!! I really would be upset if the music went away, couldn't imagine that ride without it.

 

[AngiTN]

I don't get the point of the concern at all.
I've got a Rock and Roll Mickey that I bought in the gift shop outside the ride 2 years ago. Having Rocker Mickey stuff is not new at all. They've always had it.
And I think they have some of the best merchandise in their gift shop on property. We love the clothes they put in there. But we love the music angle on the items they select in there (pens with music notes) I buy something most every time.

 

[beer dave]

+1. This looks like "additional merchandise" to me. ...and I'd rather have a shirt with Mickey on it than Steven Tyler anyway.

The benefit of having a shirt with Steven on it would be if it was wrinkled no one would notice.

 

[cooldude4000]

I think it's a combination of a few things: one, there may be a licensing issue in which Disney has to pay Aerosmith an additional royalty for using their name/logo on merchandise. I don't know what their contract looks like, but if it needs to be renewed anytime soon, it's probably best for Disney not too appear too dependent on the Aerosmith name for the branding of the attraction. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney's just covering their bases in the event that they need/want to re-theme the ride down the line, probably with another band that has more youth appeal, although I guess a Mickey theme is always a possibility, however unlikely.

 

[MandyLee121]

Maybe with a Mickey retheme (not saying it's true just thinking of possibilities) they can change the music seasonally or monthly or even daily. Today it's Journey tomorrow it's Boston then Pink Flloyd. Though they would have to change the preshow a lot.

 

[VolvoManiac850]

Mickey sells. Unlike bands, which come and go, Mickey has stood the test of time. Find a band that was popular in 1928 and is still widely recognized today. Hmm...didn't think you'd come up with one.

There could be a royalty issue, but let's face it: Mickey can be placed pretty much anywhere and he will sell. Go next door to Tower of Terror. There are plenty of Hollywood Tower Hotel themed gifts, but also a good deal of Mickey items. Granted, the appeal of the Hollywood Tower Hotel is much wider than Aerosmith (the same can be said for Haunted Mansion or other themed attractions), but there are still folks who want a Mickey-themed souvenir. At Tower of Terror, a Hollywood Tower Hotel robe will sell. (In fact, a lot of the HTH stuff arguably has appeal because of our culture's fascination with the jazz age). So too will a t-shirt featuring Mickey entering an elevator. Aerosmith has somewhat more limited appeal, although I do know some under-30s who like the band (plus a ton of Gen-Xers).

Head to any of the other parks and you'll find Mickey merchandise at most of the attractions, most of which have nothing to do with him. Mickey is an icon in both Disney Parks and our country, so any chance to put him on merchandise, especially if it's a slow seller, will be good for the company.

 

[CounselorX]

I love Rock N Roller Coaster, but I'm pretty tired of Aerosmith. I'd actually be happy if it got rethemed to anything. I'm sure they will make the music intense no matter what the theme is (if it ever happens).

 

[DisneyPigFan]

Mickey sells. Unlike bands, which come and go, Mickey has stood the test of time. Find a band that was popular in 1928 and is still widely recognized today. Hmm...didn't think you'd come up with one.

There could be a royalty issue, but let's face it: Mickey can be placed pretty much anywhere and he will sell. Go next door to Tower of Terror. There are plenty of Hollywood Tower Hotel themed gifts, but also a good deal of Mickey items. Granted, the appeal of the Hollywood Tower Hotel is much wider than Aerosmith (the same can be said for Haunted Mansion or other themed attractions), but there are still folks who want a Mickey-themed souvenir. At Tower of Terror, a Hollywood Tower Hotel robe will sell. (In fact, a lot of the HTH stuff arguably has appeal because of our culture's fascination with the jazz age). So too will a t-shirt featuring Mickey entering an elevator. Aerosmith has somewhat more limited appeal, although I do know some under-30s who like the band (plus a ton of Gen-Xers).

Head to any of the other parks and you'll find Mickey merchandise at most of the attractions, most of which have nothing to do with him. Mickey is an icon in both Disney Parks and our country, so any chance to put him on merchandise, especially if it's a slow seller, will be good for the company.

1928 uhhh Louis Armstrong? Artie shaw? Glenn Miller? jazz and big band.

but that's not a fair comparison. 1928? rock bands didn't come into being until the 1950s. you could argue that our modern music culture didn't start until then. So of course people won't know "bands" from 1928.

But everyone still knows all the big names from the 1960s and on almost 60 years later!

 

[maverik85]

I agree with others that I wouldn't read too much into it right now. Apparently they had some complaints about Steven Tyler making an obscene gesture in the preshow video of the recording studio (parnets looking into stuff too deep). So despite it playing for over 15 years just they just recently edited it to show all of Stevens fingers extended on his head when he says "Wait, I've got an idea" or something like that. I don't think they'd go through the effort of changing the video if they would just be removing it soon anyway.

 

[ThemeParkGuru]

Not gonna happen if they went the extra mile to edit the pre-show

 

[VolvoManiac850]

I really don't think that edit was "going the extra mile". It's probably just a slight step up from censoring something, and it's something Disney definitely has the technology to do quickly. It's not like we're dealing with a local amusement park who would have to hire someone.

They could replace Aerosmith with Taylor Swift tomorrow and it wouldn't be a big deal that they edited it. Disney only did it to avoid negative press, maybe a phony lawsuit, complaints from parents' organizations, etc...all because a few squeaky wheels got the grease they wanted. Seriously, this was a pretty simple edit.