The subject of a joke is often mistreated and misrepresented as a negativity, leaching upon whatever host it can find. Commonly we see that in a perfect society, reality sets in and shows the public that some examples of less than perfect situations exist. Situations that are clearly negative, and serve only to shoot at a lowest common denominator. What must be understood is that many times the public rejoices at the sight of something targeted towards them. Despite a lack of effort or intelligent design, the simplest reference to nostalgia or any other positive stimulus generally invokes positive attention and feeling.
When one discusses blemishes with the Disney community, fans act like scavengers on a carcass. Not necessarily in a bad way, but in a fashion that is commonly described as nitpicking to the highest degree. People tend to neglect the importance of devoted fans, and their support of a company’s actions. The idea that there is a group constantly watching your every move, thinking exclusively in a fashion that aims to protect the interest of your company, must be in some sense comfortable. Fans know enough about the company and their source of revenue that they can easily provide a third person perspective for advice.
But what happens when the fans are wrong? What happens when the fans, and their outcry, lead to a change that has imploded on itself? What happens when we make a mistake and advocate for the removal of something that isn’t inherently flawed? Such is the story of Pizza Planet, and PizzaRizzo. The rise and the fall of a giant, and the realization that Disney pizza is just mediocre pizza without anything to curb it with.
Pizza Planet opened to the public in 1996. Following the success of Toy Story, and the ease theme parks have selling cheap tickets, the restaurant opened up to general acceptance from guests. What it lacked in food quality, outside decor, interior decor, style, and general value, it made up for with an assortment of arcade games.
While Pizza Planet in the film was a blue planet with a red ring, filled with arcade games amidst a dark lighting, the Pizza Planet in Hollywood studios was bright, colorless, and about as bland as the conveyor belt pizza they sold. Many frequented the restaurant mainly for nostalgic purposes. Whether it be the music from the Toy Story films, deep space imagery, or the arcade games spanning multiple generations, guests found something to catch their attention. Some of memories I still hold involve the aliens hanging from the ceiling, and the white tiled walls that clashed with the dark blue overtones.
As the years went on, the community grew in unrest over the quality of the eatery. Little had changed in the 21 years it was in operation. Same pizza, same surroundings, same everything. It is easy to neglect the backlash Pizza Planet had, but it is even easier to forget the outcry by the general populous when Disney announced its closure. The complaints mainly stemmed from the hardcore fanatics, while the restaurant still maintained high crowds and a positive buzz. Families still frequented the restaurant that was an easy time waster for their young kids. Children are easily distracted by video games and cheap pizza. Children love Toy Story. Children recognize modern pop culture icons like Buzz Lightyear and the little green men. What children do not care about is a dimly lit satire on New York pizza joints, referencing a franchise which maintains relevancy exclusively through nostalgia. The Muppets are not an icon like Toy Story is, which further defines the issue at hand.
In July 2016, the community was graced with concept art for a renovation. Surprised, the twitter-verse acted with positivity. Finally the joke that was Pizza Planet would be closed and no longer would guests have to suffer the atrocities that were Disney Quick Service pizza. Reminiscent of The Great Gonzo’s Pandemonium Pizza Parlor, an abandoned restaurant concept for a proposed “Muppet-Land” at Hollywood Studios, PizzeRizzo would open in the former location of Pizza Planet. Ditching the space style for one reminiscent of New York, and removing the arcade games in favor of satirical postings on the wall, the only similarity to Rizzo and Pizza is the double z’s. The restaurant is much smaller and more compact, with a service line similar to the quick service at the American pavilion in Epcot. Seating stays the same, with the same two level structure, but colors are much closer to that of the stereotypical Italian restaurant, The menu is exactly the same. Exactly the same.
This leads into an extremely important point regarding PizzeRizzo. The menu is quite literally, as previously stated, the exact same menu as Pizza Parlor. The renovation meant quite literally nothing at with this in mind. Years of complaining about the style and nature of Pizza Planet led to this renovation. Hailed as an action made for the benefit of the Disney community, the restaurant has arguably gotten worse. This becomes increasingly evident when you analyze crowd numbers. With the decreasing size of Hollywood Studios, it would be assumed that guests would make the trip over for Star Tours, Rock and Roller Coaster, and Tower of Terror and leave around lunch. Given the concentration of guests in the earlier parts of the day, or around dinner for the Star Wars Fireworks Show, a quick service location that contains video games and sci-fi would attract younger guests very easily. Essentially, Disney gave up one of the easiest cash-grabs in their history. With the “nerdy” developments coming to Hollywood Studios in the near future (Star Wars Land and Toy Story Land), a video game centered restaurant would garner crowds quicker than any other restaurant for children.
Replacing Pizza Planet with PizzeRizzo was an action that was made with the community in mind. Giving an IP that rarely sees popularity an entire restaurant is a move that aims to please the die-hard fans. I myself as a fan of The Muppets was overjoyed to see representation in the parks, but the pictures that have surfaced on the internet following the opening of the restaurant have been embarrassing. Barely anyone has shown up to the store, which is in a stark contrast to the bustling crowds of Pizza Planet. To see an eatery in the same location as Pizza Planet be empty in the early months of 2017 is a bit surprising.
This may serve as an indicator that the fans may not know best in all situations. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t know what to do. For years, people have yearned for the reintroduction of the Great Gonzo restaurant. A wish from the fans, but not for the general admission public. Anyone I ask about Pizza Planet seems to bring up the fact that they hold many childhood memories of their parents and siblings sharing pizza and playing video games. Every response I receive when telling the layman that Pizza Planet has been closed is generally negative. Many relive the memories in their head, reminiscing of a simpler time.
This isn’t a jab at fans, nor is it a jab at the company. It is extremely important to analyze a case study and understand the mentality of a company. Realizing that appeasement is not necessarily the best route to follow when a large group of people are begging for change. Sometimes it is necessary to analyze the possible solutions found when asking for change, especially as a community. In the coming months, we will see what the Disney company has in store for us. Whether it be a trip to a galaxy far far away, or reinvestment of old franchises, I hope that it is done with the fans in mind.
Ryan Dorman is a Columnist for the Boardwalk Times
