W.E.D. Enterprises

Walt Story

2011-12-15T09:09:00.000-08:00

Earlier this summer my Dad asked me if he'd ever told me the story of where he was when Walt had died. For some reason that story had slipped through the cracks. It's a very picturesque story, I had never thought about the effect Walt's passing would have on the generation that grew up with him as a persona first hand. My Dad has been kind enough to retell it again and I thought it fitting for today.

"As you know, my family moved to Anaheim when I was in the second grade (about 1952). Our little house was only a couple of miles from where they built Disneyland. We went to the park fairly often. Getting in the gate wasn’t a big expense (the original gate price was a buck!), because each ride required a separate ticket. From an A ticket to an E-ticket the coupon books were a passport to what was for me, indeed, a magic kingdom. One advantage of being a local kid was that we would often end our day hanging out near the exit gate, where people from out of town, or out of state, would often look into our little waif-like eyes and give us their left over cupon books! Tom Sawyer’s Island was a “cheap ticket” (I don’t remember which, but near the bottom in value) and so for a buck and one ticket we could spend the day playing on Tom’s Island! There was even a way to sneak into the park – but I’ll go to my grave with that secret! I’m sure the security is much improved these days, and I’m too old to climb fences.

I grew up as pretty much a poster-kid for the generation that “lived” the Mickey Mouse Club, the Disneyland TV show on Sunday nights, and “The Wonderful World of Color” a little later on. Spin and Marty, Davy Crocket, Mike Fink and his keel boats, and the Hardy Boys were my after-school fare. And while going to Disneyland was always special – it was also a normal part of my kid-context.

For my entire growing-up life, Walt Disney was there and a major influence in what I did, watched and loved. He was in institution, even though at that age I didn’t know what an institution was. He was an ever-present good thing in my life that I pretty much took for granted.

I shipped out to Viet Nam on November 3, 1966. Our troop ship arrived later that month and from going ashore through early December we pushed further north into the northern half of South Viet Nam. Needless to say, the adjustment from civilian life to a wartime environment, from American culture to a starkly primitive (where I was located) Asian culture, was a HUGE shift in my reality. We were also in the monsoon season and it was humid, wet, mud-up-to-your-butt, nasty weather conditions. Add to that my being assigned to a unit were all of the others were from Chicago and Philly and New Jersey! My southern-California-self felt as though I were a foreigner in my own “American” Army unit; in a strange land; with strange weather; with people trying to kill me. Not a real high point in my life. (Smile) There was a lot of adjusting, questioning, and wondering going on internally as I worked hard to do well externally.

As the Christmas holiday approached the weather worsened, the general conditions deteriorated, and “interior ponderings” deepened.

The military publishes a news rag called “Stars and Stripes,” that was delivered along with sundries packages (tooth paste, shaving cream, candy – that kind of stuff) that were air lifted in to us, or dropped from planes overhead if the landing conditions were non-existent.

That sets the stage.

It was getting dark one evening, I was literally up to my knees in stinking mud, soaking wet, dog-tired. Doing OK, but not especially great, and doing my best to make that adjustment to a world turned upside-down in general. It was Christmas Eve. Someone in our compound had put a couple of home-made Christmas ornaments on a very pathetic looking Charlie Brown, three foot tall palm-Christmas tree. It was more sad than either funny or cheerful. It was then that someone handed me the latest issue of “Stars and Stripes," and in it was the announcement of Walt’s death. I can still remember exactly where I was standing (rare for me) and how I felt. It was like someone had said that Santa Claus had died. Impossible to contemplate on the one hand, and tragic in a “deep place” on the other hand. It didn’t seem possible. I can remember thinking distinctly that, given the circumstances this was just about the bottom of life’s barrel. I was deeply sad for a couple of weeks. I’m still sad when I think of it . . . I had never really thought much about the man. I had always taken what he had provided to enrich my life for granted. And now he was gone. I felt as though I had known him personally, somehow, and the loss was very real. I suspect the same is true for many of my age."

Stay Tuned

2011-11-12T16:21:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy year! Work, family, kids, commute... I'm in total denial it's November already.

I plan to get back in the saddle a bit more, so for the one or two of you who still drop by- stay tuned. I have handful of posts that I never managed to finish (it's literally been years) as well as many ideas and thoughts I've yet to cover.

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow...

Oh Dear!

2011-07-14T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Disney releases the latest Winnie the Pooh movie. Now don't get me wrong, I love 2D, I love old school, and I will see this movie but I have to predict this thing is dead on arrival. It's almost as if there is a death wish for Disney 2D animation.

Winnie the Pooh vs HP7

Princess and the Frog vs Avatar

Oh dear!

Of all the movies you would want to avoid with in the last 10 years I can't think of anything worse to release against. Who in their right mind decides to put out Winnie the Pooh, a DVD offering as far as the public is concerned, the same weekend as Harry Potter? The idea that families will see this as an alternative is asinine for many reasons and so is the myth that it has to with maintaining the rights.

Designer Land-Tiki Room Sound Board

2011-06-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

If you haven't jumped over and and taken a look at Richard's DesignerLand site- do it!

He has a line called Retro 71' with all kinds of cool designs based around retro Disney World apparel. He does amazing case studies on the typography of all the parks and rides and he has soundboards for certain rides- something I've been wishing Disney would do for a long time. This is the exact type of thing Disney needs to start getting on board with.

Hey Disney hire this guy!! And have him redo your parks website while you're at it.

Hipsta-Magic

2011-05-07T15:31:00.000-07:00

Hipstamatic is one of the most fun camera apps available. It makes taking photos almost addicting. With the square format it's almost hard to take a bad picture, and it makes your photo look old school- what's not to love. Here are a few from Disneyland, I'll post some WDW ones later in the week...

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T14:34:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy New Year!

The Glorious Mr. Lincoln

2010-08-28T15:31:00.000-07:00

It's time to catch up on a bit of news that I haven't had time to post about...

Mr. Lincoln is back in his rightful home! Out with Mr. Martin and in with the Mr. Lincoln. The world seems to be back in its proper order now. It is as if we had been rotating off axis ever since a certain little birthday celebration. Things are now back to the way they should be.

I take it as a reassuring sign, in these days where I disagree with almost everything that is going on in the parks, that there are some within the bowels of WDI that still get it, still care, and that they have some degree of clout to pull off the preservation of these little things.

My "top hats" off to the team that put my Mr. Lincoln back where he belongs. He looks better than ever. Now- just don't touch him. Leave him alone. Don't change a gesture, a brow shape, a blink! Just leave a good thing be- for a long, long time to come!

Set It In The Past!

2010-08-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'm sure it's not news to anyone by now, but Mr. Guillermo Del Toro is set to direct a new incarnation of Disney's Haunted Mansion.

Given how hard the first attempt was botched, and lets not forget how it bad it was, heads should have rolled with some of the basic bad decisions that were made before it left development. I'm sure after the Pirates films hit there were many a Disney exec that had a severe bout of the shoulda-coulda-woulda's in regard to the franchise that Mansion could have been. Time has passed, transgessions and blasphemies have been learned from and the second go around seems to have the deck stacked!

The main character will be the Hot Box Ghost- slam dunk! The other thing I know Mr. Del Toro will not miss (besides not involving Eddie Murhpey) is to set the film in the past! It should be a cardinal rule that any classic Disney ride that is developed into a film be set in the past.

The rumors of Jungle Cruise movie still linger and I'm sure if Del Toro's HM is a hit it, the likely hood will dramatically increase. If that ever comes to light, please guys, set it in the past!! And get Christopher Walken as the skipper... oh and make sure Shrunken Ned gets in the script too! That's just gold.

“Dispatch from Disneyland"

2010-08-04T13:17:00.001-07:00

One of the first things I noticed when I started this blog was how kind and friendly everyone was in the Disney Blog community. People have been so helpful with sharing information linking posts etc it really is a fun little community of us geeks!

I love the idea of crowd funding and have seen it in action with animators getting their own short films funded, produced, and distributed. It's an amazing way of directly supporting unique projects. Which is why we need to support one of our own. John Frost over at the Disney Blog is crowd funding his new book "Dispatch from Disneyland: The Fireworks Spot and Other Tales.”

Jump over to John's post here for more info... or you can donate directly here. The best part is if you already have an Amazon account you can sign in and donate in about 1 second using your Amazon info.

Land of the Broken Yeti

2010-06-11T19:22:00.000-07:00

I’ve recently returned from the land of the broken Yeti- aka Animal Kingdom. It had been 8 years since I'd last been to WDW. There were a handful of new attractions I was very eager to see. And there were some attractions I found disappointingly still in existence. One of the biggest things I had been looking forward to was Expedition Everest.

The country regions of Animal Kingdom I find absolutely amazing. To me it hearkens back to the core feeling that Walt Disney intended in his parks -a wonderment of the world about us, of times and far reaching places that don’t need brands and tie-ins to justify their marketability. I’m sure there were some within WDI that would have much rather seen this:

But alas Joe Rhode’s vision was left alone and an unbranded creative vision emerged -the likes we have not really seen since!. An E-ticket ride with no tie-in, with no Pixar characters, with no 3d technology, no game element. A simple idea based on a mythical legend set in an intriguing local.... So you can imagine I was very enthused to get strapped in and take a whirl through the land of the ferocious Yeti. The ride, the surroundings, the detail were all exquisite- the structure and the line itself were a true reassurance that Imagineer’s, unobstructed, left to do what they do best- do their best!

The ride was absolutely amazing except for the fact that I never saw the alleged Yeti! I assume since the allusive Yeti wasn’t working the lights were kept off him? I did see his elbow one time when someone’s flash went off as they were taking a picture. I went on it three times and on three different days and he was never working. Talk about a disappointment. The Yeti is the star of the show, his size and ferocity is inferred with the destruction of the tracks and fleeting footprints, his silhouette is hinted at for a brief moment, you hear him grumbling around certain turns, and then… nothing! Maybe an elbow if you’re lucky.

So I asked around only to hear my Yeti is “…usually broken, more often than not!” How disappointing.

After the third and last time I gave the Yeti to show himself, to no avail, we headed around the back of the attraction. It was so frustrating to walk around a corner and see a giant jarring Cal-Trans orange Dinosaur and cheesy carnival game after cheesy carnival game with the mountebank like employee’s huckstering you over to play over load speakers. That corner transported me from the Himalayas to Camp Snoopy in 2.2 seconds.

It's no wonder it looked like a ghost town. I couldn’t help but think that the cost of design, construction, and day-to-day pay roll for this "land" could pay to fix the Yeti that people were waiting 2+ hours to not see. This is precisely the garbage Walt reacted to while sitting on that bench with his daughters that inspired him to make something better.

It’s a shame that one of Disney’s best additions runs broken most of the time. The Yeti needs to be fixed. "Fix the Yeti Campaign" anyone?

Change

2010-05-20T21:45:00.000-07:00

I was at the park this past weekend and I noticed a handful of recent changes. Some of the changes were a nice sign of things to come and others a not so nice sign of things to come.

-There are new gates/doors on the trams! Yeah! I don't know how so many people survived without these for so many years. They are really fun with strollers too since the doors don't stay open.

-The rails for the red cars are slowly being dropped into California Adventure. I'm utterly blah about the changes on the backside of DCA but the new Hollywood area I have high hopes for. Definitely a good sign.

-And there are Marvel toys on the shelves inside the parks. That didn't take long did it? This was not surprising but still disappointing to see. I wouldn't mind if they were in a store in Downtown-Not-So-Disney. But in the parks is a whole new can of worms!

The Sound of Music?

2009-12-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

This post is a little off the usual topic but...

I'm very excited to see The Princess and the Frog. It is Disney's return to 2D, to fairytales, and to musicals, which are the three main ingredients of the classic Disney films (assuming a good story). In essence, this is Disney's “return to Disney.”

The marketing department at The Mouse has done a great job of selling the return to 2D, as well as the fact that it is a "classic," "beloved," fairytale of old. But for me they have really dropped the ball in not pushing the musical side of this film. I don't watch a ton of TV, but it is hard not to see trailers for this film. And, every one that I have seen has no clips of any of the musical/singing sequences. You see the characters dancing, etc., but you never hear any of the music!

In my humble opinion, this is a big mistake. Music has, and always will be, one of the major draws to both the Disney parks and films. I remember all the trailers of the 2nd Golden Age of Disney animated films showing little bits of all the great music scenes. Showing the ballroom sequence in Beauty and the Beast, the Genie's singing antics in “Friend Like Me” from Aladdin, and Timon and Pumba singing “Hakuna Mata” in Lion King, were great ways of getting people excited about the movies.

Marketing departments usually never miss a beat. They sell it from every possible angle, and then some, which why it seems a little surprising the music hasn't really been emphasized for The Princess and the Frog – or, maybe it's just me…?

Still Kicking

2009-10-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

I know, I know its been awhile. I did have to think for a second about my login to do this post. But, despite emails asking "how the play was" I 'm still around and kicking. Stay tuned for some posts in the next few weeks!

Unheard Walt's Words- Money & Stockholders

2009-06-14T22:16:00.000-07:00

"There are some people that sit and worship money as something you've got to have piled up in a big pile somewhere. I've only thought of money in one way, and that is to do something with it. You see, I don't think there is a thing that I own that I'll ever get the benefit of except through doing things with it." -Walt Disney

"Well as far as my stockholders go I've felt we'll never pay these dividends until that company is right. Because, I felt that we must build it up and we can't borrow money to pay dividends. Just what to appease some stockholder who wants his dividend. I'm building him assets. Their stock is worth a lot more today than it was. Now that's what I feel is my obligation to them. My brother and I have been right together in that right from the get-go. And we've felt that assets is the thing that we are responsible for not appeasing some stockholder. We're not afraid of the stockholder coming in to us because we know we're doing what's right for the company." -Walt Disney

(From a 1961 Interview with Peter Martin)

Unheard Walt's Words- Sequels

2009-06-14T21:54:00.000-07:00

"That's one thing I've never believed in, is sequels to things. I've never believed in doing sequels. I didn't want to waste the time I had doing the sequel. I'd rather be using that time I had doing something new and different... they wanted me to make more (films) with the dwarfs in it, and I said no... and it worked out." -Walt Disney

(From a 1961 interview with Peter Martin)

Cryogenically Frozen

2009-05-23T20:24:00.001-07:00

Disney appears to have realized the potential of marketing merchandise outside the "slap a character on it and sell it to the masses" mentality. Case-in-point is the emergence of a more specific, younger and stylized target audience, as manifested by the Vault 28, Tren D, and D23 retail offerings.

I'm encouraged to see that Disney has realized the huge fan base it has and that they're channeling into it with D23. I still think there is a market that is untapped...and that is the uber Disney park fans.... "Permanecer sentados por favor" ... yeah you know who you are!

Here is an example from Cryogenically Frozen on Cafe Press showing the specific fan- based merchandise. D23 would be a perfect outlet to try something like this that is so specific that only the super Disney fans will get it. Come on Disney, take a stab at it you'll be surprised!

There are a lot more designs at Cryogenically Frozen make sure to check them out, and order your favorites!

And The Survey Says?

2009-01-17T22:01:00.000-08:00

And the Survey says... too many survey takers!

I visited Disneyland this week. After waiting a half an hour for the single tram that was operating, going through the security check point, and then finally getting through the main gate we were greeted by a swarm of survey takers. They started asking us questions about our "experience" before we had both feet in the park.

Having the survey people literally a foot and a half from the turnstiles, almost asking you questions before your ticket is even handed back to you is tacky. Walt and the gang at WED designed the main gate very consciously, utilizing the two tunnels under the Disneyland Railroad as a method of transporting guests out of the ordinary world. Entering the parks these days is arduous enough and having these survey takers pester you the second you're finally where you want to be is a little less than magical.

If you are going to be so blunt with your survey etiquette, then the survey takers should simply cut to the chase and just ask what they are really asking:

1. How little time did you spend at California Adventure?

2. How little time did you spend at Downtown Disney?

3. Do you think admission is over priced?

If you feel the need to ask these questions, you've probably already answered your own questions.

If the surveys help make the parks better, cool. But why not ask people about their experience after their experience? For example when they are exiting the park! Or better yet don't contaminate the park with them at all. Why not poll people if you must, when they are outside the gates and waiting 45 minutes for the tram to get back to their cars?

Meet Adolfo Procopio

2008-11-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

If you haven't checked out my link to Masked Avenger Studio by now... well you should have! Masked Avenger Studios is founded by my friend, and former supervisor, Ruben Procopio. Ruben has had a rich history with Disney Animation Studios as a sculptor, character designer, clean-up lead, animator... you name it he's done it. Ruben started working for Disney Studios at the age of 18 and was trained under Eric Larson, one of the "Nine Old Men."

I knew Ruben had a long history with Disney when I started working with him. But what I didn't know at first was that Disney is a family matter for the Procopio's. As it happens Ruben is a "chip off the old block," the proverbial "apple" that didn't fall far from the tree and Ruben's sister Vivian also worked for Disney for 16 years, first in the IRC (Information Research Library) at Imagineering and then at the ARL (Animation Research Library.)

Meet Ruben and Vivian's father Mr. Adolfo Procopio, master sculptor and Imagineer for over 35 years. The average Disney fan may not know it but Adolfo's creations have been literally staring you in the face for years. Adolfo started at Disney in the 1960's and has had a hand in the creation of Disneyland, Magic Kingdom, Epcot Center, MGM Studios, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris. Adolfo has contributed to almost every classic Disney ride that we have all come to know and love like the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, The Great Movie Ride (Humphrey Bogart) , American Adventures, America Sings, and Pirates of the Caribbean (just to name a few).

One of the highlights of Adolfo's career at Disney is a portrait of Walt Disney himself. It was created using an old art form where a slab of black granite is taken and using specially tipped tools the surface is hit and tiny molecules are broken off creating a white effect on the marble. The result is like a negative with tens of thousands of little points, all done by hand, that form the final image. The piece was intended as a gift for Walt Disney, it took almost a year to create, but unfortunately Walt passed away before its completion. The Disney family promised to put the piece in a prominent place and it has hung in the entry way of the original Animation building on the studio lot in Burbank ever since.

Our hat's off to one of the untold legends of Imagineering history- Adolfo Procopio. Thank you Adolfo for your amazing work and dedication to all the "Happiest Places on Earth." I know your work will continue to inspire and entertain for generations to come. If you'd like to see more of Adolfo's work there is a great slide show at the Masked Avenger Studio's website.

(Please be respectful of these unique family images that have been shared for this post. No images may be copied, removed, or reused without consent of Masked Avenger Studios. All characters are property of their respective owners.)

Inspired By The Past, Optimistic For The Future

2008-11-02T16:34:00.000-08:00

I usually don't do posts with links to other blogs, mainly because there are so many good ones and I can never keep up. But there are two posts I read this weekend, and although they are very different in content they seem oddly related. Both encapsulate many frustrations I have with the Disney Parks while also conveying optimism that things can be better.

The first post is from Cory over at Voyages Extraordinaires. It is the one year anniversary of his blog and he has a great post summarizing his goal for the site, you should give it a read:

"The loss of romance and wonder in the world is entirely a matter of perspective. We may opt to be cynical and jaded and believe that the world doesn't have a new trick to show us... or we may come to grasp the great truism that any place you have not actually been to is a blank spot on the map, any piece of information you have not learned is uncharted territory. In the words of our prophet G.K. Chesterton: "The world will never starve for want of wonders, but for want of wonder."

The second is from Epcot Central it's an "off-the-cuff list of the Top 10 Changes EPCOT Central would love to see at EPCOT -- presented with a hope that you'll share your own additions, and that EPCOT will continue moving forward into a brighter, more exciting future." Go give it a read as well.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

2008-10-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

Disney recently announced the successor to the "Year of a Million Dreams" (YMD) campaign with "Disney Celebrations" for 2009. I have been a frequent critic of the YMD campaign for various reasons, but with the new "Celebration's" campaign I have to give credit where credit is due.

The new campaign gets you into Disney World or the Disneyland Resort for free on your birthday. There are also other vacation packages/incentives for anniversaries, honeymoons, and graduations etc. Now this is a great campaign idea! It is quantifiable and will not only draw people through the turnstiles as a direct result, but will also lead to a rise in hotel bookings and food & merchandise sales as well.

I am also happy to hear that Disney has not left the annual pass-holders (AP's) high and dry on their birthdays. If you are an AP there are several celebration options:

-A birthday fun card in an amount equal to the price of a 1-Day/1-Park ticket for you to use on your birthday for merchandise, recreation or fun activities at select participating locations.

-A special birthday FASTPASS® ticket+ for certain attractions at the Theme Park you visit on your birthday.

-Or a 1-Day/1-Park ticket for you to use any time until your next birthday.

The only thing I would add is that there should be some sort of incentive for AP's to visit parks on the opposite coast of their annual passes. If you have a Walt Disney World AP and you want to visit the Disneyland Resort for your birthday, you not only get a free one day ticket on your birthday, but also some sort of break on a hotel or dining package. AP's are the biggest Disney fans and if Disney were smart they'd cater aspects of this promotion for AP's to take an even longer vacation (i.e. spend even more money) at an opposite resort .

While I fear we have passed the point of no return with these annual themed campaigns for the parks and that over time there is a huge potential for them to go down-hill fast, the new "Celebrations" campaign is a great idea and one that will be very successful. It should be a good year for the parks in 2009! I guarantee you it was intentionally not called the "Year of Celebrations" for the sole reason that it will be extended after it proves successful... I can already here it... "the celebration continues!"

And maybe after the Year of Million Dreams is over we will all get one last Dream granted... the return of the Disney Gallery!

Drawings From Imagineers: John Horny

2008-08-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Of all the "Drawings from Imagineers" posts I have done, John Horny is the only one that is still at Walt Disney Imagineering. I met him in the halls after one of the WDI life drawing workshop back in 95' and he was kind enough to show me some of his work for the Disney cruise line that was in development.

John is one of those guys who will go down in the Disney history books as one of the great Imagineers. The last I heard he resides in a certain corner office at WDI that used to belong to John Hench. Enough said... I think so!

Save The Adventurers Club

2008-08-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

An Adventure comes to an end, and I don't mean Indiana Jones 4.

I'm sure it's not news to most of you, but I thought it worth mentioning that the Adventurer's Club, along with the rest of Pleasure Island will close on September 28th. The club is themed as a "gentleman’s adventure club in 1937, and every night is 'open house' where they are recruiting new members. Mainly, you!" It is a one-of-a-kind Imagineering creation, and one that is worth saving.

Head over to Save the Adventurers Club ... they have some great photos as well as a petition to save the club. With enough voices maybe Disney will reconsider and integrate it into the shopping district that is currently on the boards to replace Pleasure Island, or re-imagine it into Animal Kingdom or some other fitting location.

For the west coast, I've always wished Disney would put in an Adventurer's Club into Downtown Disney. Or even better yet, if they are never going to bring back the Tahitian Terrace, they should replace Aladdin's Oasis with a restaurant version of the Adventurer's Club.

Happy Birthday Disneyland!

2008-07-17T11:06:00.001-07:00

Happy 53rd Birthday Disneyland! I hope when Mickey blows out those candles and makes a wish that he wishes for Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln to be brought back... Steve Martin you are 3 years over due.

King of the Castle... or Apartment

2008-07-04T15:02:00.000-07:00

Everyday at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom in Florida, "Merlin the Magician selects young squires and ladies from throughout the kingdom for this test of strength and courage. If you succeed in this seemingly impossible task, you will be crowned the new monarch of the realm." And accordingly, the King should get to stay in the castle... or Walt's apartment.

What better way to dole out the grand prize for the Year of a Million Dreams promotion (a stay in the Castle or Walt's apartment for a night) than to award it as part of the Sword in the Stone ceremony? It would be a much more creative, entertaining, and public way to implement the overly advertised yet rarely witnessed Year of a Million Dreams campaign- instead of just having a cast member walk up to and say "You've won a stay in the castle."

Resident Fortune Tellers

2008-06-02T23:29:00.000-07:00

I've been fascinated with the old coin operated fortune telling machines ever since I saw the movie "Big" where Tom Hanks pleads to Zoltar to make him magically grow up over night. These machines have a great sense of nostalgia, which is why it's no surprise that Disneyland is the home of two such fortune tellers Esmeralda and Shrunken Ned.

We all know how they work... you drop in a quarter, they read your palm or consult their cards, give you a little spiel and print you a card with your fortune. Both fortune tellers at Disneyland are really well placed and fit thematically within each land they reside. Esmeralda is an antique fortune teller that sits on Main Street in the Penny Arcade. The beheaded British explorer Shrunken Ned on the other hand, is an Imagineering one-of-a-kind found in the shops in Adventureland. You might even remember Captain Fortune Red who once resided in New Orleans Square?

I'd like to see Imagineering create custom fortune tellers for each land at Disneyland. In Fantasyland maybe the three Fairy God-Mothers from Sleeping Beauty grant you a wish, in Tomorrowland a droid may scan you and give you a piece of sage advice, and in New Orleans Square Calypso awaits to give you and eerie prediction (that you can hardly understand).

But these are Disney fortune tellers they should have greater powers than just prediction. For every hundred or so fortune cards dispensed the deck should be stacked with ones that are redeemable for something, like a fast pass for your entire party good on any ride in that land, a free trading pin, or a set of mouse ears! Or in other words all of the little prizes that are part of the Year of a Million Dreams (YMD) promotion.

I've griped about the YMD promotion before, but my issue is with the way the prizes are handed out rather than the concept itself. Utilizing Disneyland's resident fortune tellers would make winning some of these smaller prizes more surprising and entertaining for guests. It would remove the ambiguity of winning prizes under the current YMD promotion by making the who, what, when, where, and how quantifiable.

Please Remain Seated

2008-05-28T02:15:00.000-07:00

Howdie folks! Sorry there has been a lack of posts lately. I've been in a bit of a crunch at work for the last month or so. But, not to fear the worst is over and I promise a bountiful summer at WED Enterprises Blog. Stay tuned for more "Drawings from Imagineers," "Countries I'd Like To See in Westcot," "The Golden E-Ticket," "WED Life Drawing" and much more!

I also plan to start a recurring post-theme on Disney related restaurant ideas. So in the mean time I'll leave you with this amazingly fanciful image of the "Restaurant De La Reserve" in Nice, France- circa 1930 (I think?) It has nothing directly to do with Disney but I must say I wouldn't mind seeing it recreated in a Disney park or Hotel.

See you in the next few weeks.

Save the Rain Forest

2008-04-17T21:39:00.000-07:00

Most everyone who frequents the Disney Blog-o-sphere is familiar with the "It's A Small World" debacle. If you're not and want the long version, you can read up with the various links to all sides of the issue at the bottom of this post. The short version is that there are rumors of proposed changes to "It's A Small World" which include the adding of Disney characters, the removal or reduction of the Rain Forest scene, and the addition of a tribute to America scene replacing the original finale.

I have many issues with each of these rumored additions, and I don't have time to cover all of them to the degree they deserve. What bothers me the most is the mindset that the ride is irrelevant to younger generations, and that it is in need of being enhanced in order to resonate with people. I don't understand how the theme of children around the world uniting becomes more relevant to a child riding "It's a Small World" if there are Disney characters in it. It's a non sequitur, much like adding a figure of Captain Hook to Pirates of the Carribean- it's out of place and detracts thematically from the story being told.

Disney's recent history of making attractions more relevant by adding Disney characters hasn't been the resounding success they say it has been. To people like Disney archivist Dave Smith, who site such examples as the updating of the Tiki Room to the "Under New Management" version and the transformation of the "Swiss Family Tree house" to "Tarzan's Tree house," I would ask why haven't those upgrades been made to their various counterparts at the other parks if they are such relevant and successful changes? Is it because they don't want to change the original, classic version or is it because the change wasn't deemed worth adding in the end?

There is a certain percentage of the general public that will never like "It's a Small World" regardless of what is added or changed. You can't please all the people all the time. Case in point, my wife's cousins from Germany, whom, after we lured them onto the ride remarked, "that would have been fun with a shotgun." It's not for everyone, I understand. But to think that it needs a Disney tie-in to broaden the appeal and make it more popular than it has been is myopic.

To those who use the "Walt Was for Change" arguement... yes, yes, and yes. We all know Disneyland is and was a work in progress for Walt, and that he always wanted it to evolve and grow. But when Walt said those things about Disneyland there was only one Disneyland at the time. Today there are multiple Magic Kingdoms on many continents. There are various "Small World" rides amongst the parks world wide, some of which have already adopted these changes, but there is only one Mary Blair original. Isn't there some room, and value, to preserving some of the things that are unique to Walt's original sandbox?

If I were in charge at Disney I would use the fact that Disneyland is the original, and as such has many characteristics and attractions that are worth leaving untouched as historical centerpieces in the collection of their counterparts. I would use it as a selling point and even quite literally as a marketing campaign.

Related Letters, Articles, and Opinions:

-Animation Community Speaks from Re-Imagineering.

-World of Tears from Re-Imagineering

-Letter from the Blair Family.
-KCRW Interview with Imagineer Kim Irivine.
-Save the Rain Forest web site.
-Letter from Marty Sklar (courtesy of The Disney Blog.)
-Letter from Dave Smith at LaughingPlace.com
-"It's A Sacrosanct World After All" from Your Souvineer Guide.

iPhone Themepark

2008-02-20T23:19:00.000-08:00

You're probably already asking yourself what possible connection can there be with the iPhone and Disneyland? Give me one second... the iPhone is gaining popularity. As time goes by, and various versions are released, I'm sure sales will continue to grow and that the iPhone will soon be as common place as the iPod. Given the close relationship between Apple and Disney, here are four ideas utilizing the ingenuity of both companies: selling Disney themed iphone home-screens, a ride wait-time "web app" for the iPhone, down-loadable park guide maps and show times, and a park hours widget! Here we go in detail...

1.Disney Home-Screen Themes for the iPhone.

People have been unlocking the software on the iPhone and installing among other things, custom created home screens and icons. It's gaining popularity and the themes that people have been creating are very professional looking. Of course it didn't take long for the Disney enthusiasts to have a go at this. It's high time for Disney and Apple to make these available legitimately through iTunes. The character themes are a little much for me personally. However, a friend of mine showed me a theme he had modified from the 1920's "old time" home screen found at iph0nethemepark. I couldn't resist modifying his modification with some subtle Disney touches. Recognize the wallpaper? And who is that predicting the weather in the crystal ball?

2. Disneyland Ride Wait-Time Web App.

A what?? The iPhone and iPod touch have "Web Apps." Miniature internet bookmarks if you will, to loads of handy information like finding local movie times, checking Halo 3 stats, or tracking packages. All this information is updated live to the iPhone. So what's my idea for a Disneyland Ride-Time Web App? Simply put, this on your iPhone:

The capability to check wait times on your iPhone while anywhere in the park! Or anywhere else in the world wishing you were in the park when you see Pirates is only a 5 minute wait.

3. Down-loadable Park Maps.Although not officially put out by Disney, there is a Disney Magic Kingdom Map Web App that is very cool. It gives you maps of all four Walt Disney World parks, you can quickly navigate to attractions and restaurants and give it a tap to see the details. This is a great idea, a digital version of the park guide maps found at the main gate. If I was Disney I would get on this- and quick. I would even take it a step further and have docking stations in City Hall on MainStreet and in Tomorrowland (how appropriate) where guests could dock their iPhone or iPod-Touch and download maps and daily show time schedules straight to their iPhone while in the park.

4. A Park Hours Widget.

A widget, and or web app that gives you daily park operating hours and show schedules at the push of a button on your desktop. There is actually a version of this on the annual passholders portion of the the Disneyland website. Which, by the design of it looks like a wanna-be widget...

...but you have to be an annual passholder and also have to be logged in to get it in this form. Otherwise you're stuck with the general calendar they offer which is a real "site" for sore eyes. Disney needs to get on the widget bandwagon, it's the 21st century guys! Information should be a lot easier to get than that.

There ya have it, four very "techy" ideas I'd like to see on my iPhone someday. These ideas aren't that hard or expensive to do for a company like Disney... fingers crossed everyone.

Special thanks to J.J. McQuay on this one.

Monorail News I'd Like To Hear

2008-01-22T22:02:00.000-08:00

I was a little slow in hearing the news about Disneyland getting an updated and newly designed Monorail Mark VII, having just read about it on various websites a few weeks ago. The new Monorail designs are great and they really preserve the retro styling of some of the original versions from the fifties and sixties.

But here is some Monorail news I'd really like to hear... "We've connected the Monorail to the parking structure so people can use it for actual transportation!"

Ever since the off-site Mickey and friends parking structure went up, Disneyland has been faced with the task of getting guests to the park gates. It's absolutely crazy that they haven't connected the Monorail to the second level of the parking structure yet. You could have a security check area as you enter the line, board and then get whisked right into the park. No escalator to the tram, tram to the security check area, security check area to the butt of the line to get tickets (whether you need them or not) and finally to a line at the gates that's over 150 feet long. If you have ever tried to go to Disneyland in the summer months you know what I mean, it can take 2 hours to get from your car to Main Street. I'd rather spend a morning at the DMV.

When the Monorail was first introduced it was seriously considered and intended for transportation. There was no walk-way through Downtown Disney that went over Disneyland Drive, so people took the Monorail to get to the hotel. Today access to the hotel is walkable via Downtown Disney, (and likely even desired given the gauntlet of money spending opportunities) while access to the parking structure is anything but. So why not connect the Monorail to the parking structure?

Walt was thinking practically with things like the People Mover and the Monorail. Case in point is the Monorail system in Florida. A working and highly effective mode of transportation that is fun, unlike the cattle drive that is the tram system of Disneyland. "I said please stay behind the yellow line... PLEASE STAY BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE...STAY BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE!!!!... Driver you tram is all cle... PLEASE STAND....." And if you look at the original concept for EPCOT, ("the city" not the park) the People Mover was to be an actual means of getting people out of the urban working center to the residential outskirts of the city. So why not a people mover from the parking structure to the gates of Disneyland?

While I think it's great we're getting a new Monorail, I can't help but feel that it's just one more sign that whomever is making these decisions is very out of touch with the basic ideas Walt had in making Disneyland fun and functional. If the revamp of California Adventure boosts the resorts' attendance to the kind of numbers Disney hopes it will, the problem is only going to get worse.

The Monorail and the People Mover are ideas that have been around the park for some twenty or thirty years plus, it's amazing no has thought of using them to address one of the largest logistical problems facing Disneyland today.

Update 1-29-08: "Mayor of Anaheim Proposes Monorail Funding" this is Disney's chance if there ever was one!

Incognito Is Neat-O'

2008-01-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

For various reasons, that I won't bore anyone with, I've decided to go a little more incognito here- at least on the surface. Besides, some scoundrel took the name "Mr. Lincoln" as their XBox Live tag before I could get at it, (which I was highly looking forward to using.) Anyway, it gives me a chance to use it here instead, besides going incognito is kind of fun!

Remembering Marc Davis

2008-01-10T21:56:00.000-08:00

This Saturday January 12th, marks the passing of one of the greatest Imagineers and animators of all time- Marc Davis.

Marc Davis' work has withstood the test of time and his creations still hold out as the top attractions at Disneyland parks around the world. The Haunted Mansion is one of the most popular rides hands down. Only to be topped by Pirates of the Carribean, which some 40 years later inspired 3 films that are in ranks of Disney's highest grossing box office ever. Not too bad uh?

Before working for WED Enterprises/Imagineering Marc Davis was one of the "Nine Old Men," Walt's elite crew of supervising animators. He's animated a few characters you may have heard of... Maleficent, Cruella DeVille, Tinker Bell, Sleeping Beauty??

I had the chance to meet Marc Davis and his wife Alice back in 1999 about six months before his passing. He is the only one of the Nine Old Men I have had a chance to meet, but if I had to pick, he would be my first choice. He was kind enough to sign my sketchbook. Talk about an iconic signature to go along with a rich and iconic career!

Tour Walt Disney's Hideaway

2007-11-27T22:59:00.000-08:00

The L.A. Times reported last week that Walt's apartment above the fire station on MainStreet will be open for tours starting in January. The apartment is one of many legendary historical sites at Disneyland, "Disney built the 500-square-foot apartment, outfitted with red crushed carpet and velvety Victorian decore, in 1954. It was the park's second structure after the opera house, which doubled as a saw mill."

Tours are only available to selected guests as a part of the 2008 "Disney Dreams Giveaway," (aka the "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion, that hardly anyone knows about, only by a different name for 2008.) Although some of the ideas behind both of these promotions are great, as a whole I'm not sold on their success as a marketing tool. I'm not a marketing guy, but I have a hunch that these promotions are more of a success due to a relatively stable economy at the time being. But hey, timing is everything.

The "Dreams" promotions are funny to me. Aside from the fact that not many people even know these promotions exist, (and even if they did) I don't think it has a direct influence in getting people through the turn stiles. The random chance of getting to see Walt's apartment or staying the night in Sleeping Beauty's castle isn't going to draw anyone to the park that wasn't going to go anyhow. Are people going to the parks more often to increase their chances of randomly winning something?

The "Disney Dreams Giveaway" sounds like a used car lot gimmick, and no one knows how, what, or where this giveaway works or is awarded within the parks. How can it possibly boost attendance? Disney should get some of those survey takers that hit you for your zip code as soon as you walk in to the park to ask if anyone is visiting the park in hopes of winning the days "Year of Million Dreams" prize. At least some lucky random people will get to see some of these coveted Disney sites as a by-product.

This all brings me to something I've wished Disneyland would offer for a long time, and it's something that would actually draw people in. To keep in tradition with the overly used and cliche Disney marketing words that are slowly loosing... well... their magic, I'll call it "The Disneyland Magical History Tour."

A before hours (and for you marketing guys- yes, a separate ticket required) tour of some of Disneyland's legendary landmarks like, Walt's apartment, Club 33, and the Lilly Bell train car, and various other behind the scenes spots. Disneyland has so much history being the "original," you can't tell me this wouldn't have a waiting list backed up for months.

It would make more sense to use some of the history and sites that already exist, which are of no additional expense beyond a tour guide, to entice people who are genuinely interested enough to pay to see these locales.

(Photos: Alex Gallardo/L.A. Times)

Drawings From Imagineers: Topper Helmers

2007-11-18T09:46:00.001-08:00

In a sense, I have Topper Helmers to thank for all the "Drawing From Imagineers" posts. As you may know from previous posts these are all drawings that Imagineers have drawn in a sketchbook for me while attending the Life Drawing workshops at WDI. Topper actually gave me the idea of doing the sketchbook and it was Topper who introduced me to John Hench, who did the first page in the book. So an obvious and multitude of thanks to Topper!!

Topper worked for Imagineering from 1990-1998 and has won many awards for his work on Indiana Jones: Temple of the Forbidden Eye, Animal Kingdom, and the Animation Exhibit at California Adventure. Topper continues to do freelance for various theme park and animation companies, and more of his work can be seen at his website here.

AlunaTime at Epcot

2007-11-04T17:41:00.000-08:00

I saw this awhile back and thought it has an old school Disney educational feel that I think a lot of people miss about Epcot, but with a relavant and designy feel at the same time. Given Walt's "Clock of the World" timepiece that was originally in Tomorrowland, I think Walt would certainly have wanted one of these for FutureWorld in Epcot, or glowing out in the waters of the World Showcase Lagoon.

AlunaTime is a tidal powered moon clock. It's made of translucent recycled glass that has LED lights through out the entire piece. There is one being built in England and also one in Australia that mirrors the Northern Hemisphere, one moving clockwise and the other counter-clockwise. Visit the official site here.

You can tell the moons phase, position, and the tide by the way the three concentric rings are lit up at any given time. At night the rings are lit up with white lights and during the day the leading edges of the rings change to color.

The largest ring represents the Lunar Phase, or wax and wane of the moon. On a new moon the unlit ring gradually lights up over the next 29.5 days to become fully lit by the time of the full moon. It then works it way back, waning back to the next new moon.

The center ring is the moons direct position in relation to the earth based on a lunar day of 24 hours and 50 minutes. If the moon is below the horizon the ring is visible below your feet.

The inner most ring displays the tidal cycle. It is likened to the "heartbeat" of the piece, ebbing and flowing with the tide cycle every 12 hours and 25 minutes.

RymanArts: Affair Of The Art 2007

2007-10-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month the RymanArts Program held their annual art sale fundraiser entitled "Affair of the Arts." So, I thought would mention the program, the event, a bit about Herbert Rymans' legacy with Disney, and share some images of his personal work that was featured this year.

The program was set up upon the passing of Herbert Ryman, who had a long and rich career with Disney both in animation and at Imagineering. The program is based in Los Angles and is aimed at inspiring and helping promising young artist see the arts as a viable path. I'll let the RymanArts site speak for itself... "It was agreed by family and friends that the most positive way to commemorate the life of Herbert D. Ryman was to carry on his philosophy and commitment to teach and encourage young artists to reach their full potential."

The program continues to be heavily sponsored by Imagineering thanks in large part to the dedication Marty Sklar, Vice Chairman and Principal Creative Executive, Walt Disney Imagineering. For years the event was actually held inside the Imagineering building in Glendale. This years Patron event featured a talk with Imagineering Chief Designer Tony Baxter and Finding Nemo director Andrew Stanton discussing their involvement with the Submarine Voyage makeover.

RymanArts has also put together the best book on a single Disney artist entitled "A Brush with Disney." It is... "the story, in 252 pages of color illustrations, of artist Herbert Ryman's personal journeys around the world and through the "world of Walt."

And if you buy the book from the RymanArts site here, all proceeds will go to the program.

Disneyland FastPass Tip

2007-10-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Not sure why exactly, but the FastPass system for Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin at Disneyland will allow you to get a FastPass even if you have one out for another ride. I'm told the FastPass system that it runs on is seperated from all the others. Not sure how true it is but it does work. And if this isn't the nerdiest post to date, I don't know what is.

An American in Paris... Disneyland

2007-10-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the long delay, much going on and lots of pictures to sift through. Here are some random thoughts and pictures from Disneyland Paris. Disneyland Paris is a beautiful park, if you are ever in Paris go see it. It's a 45 minute ride from the heart of Paris and the metro literally drops you off on the doorstep of the parks.

Main Street is much larger in scale here and leads to the best castle of any park hands down. Discovery Arcade and Liberty Arcade flank each side Main Street. I'm sure their main purpose is to provide cover/access down Main Street during heavy rain but they are wonderful exhibitions of the Golden Age of Invention and the Statue of Liberty. And they also help tremendously with crowd flow during parades. If there was a way to work this idea into Disneyland Ca, it would be a huge help for this reason alone. Above is Dapper Dan's on Main Street... and yes you can actually get a shave and haircut there.

They also have an old fashioned Paddy Wagon that guests can get locked up in and go for a cruise down MainStreet (forgot to get a picture of that but it was a great idea.)

Frontierland is very spread out and it seems they have left a lot of room there for additions. The entrance to the land is a Pioneer Fort that is themed to the hilt. It was nice to see the Fort since the one in California has since been closed from Tom Sawyers Island - sniff sniff. Phantom Manor is very cool, I really like that it wasn't just a stamped out version of the Haunted Manison. It was done with a great western style but with some of the traditional touches that make the Haunted Mansion so unique.

The Castle! The landscaping is an Eyvind Earle painting come to life... I'll just let some of the pictures do the talking...

I was a little disappointed with Discoveryland to be honest. I really like the Retro Sci-Fi theme, and props for not calling it Tomorrowland. But the layout and feel of the land is really weird. Space Mountain, which is huge, is plopped right in the middle of the land. You have to walk around it to get to any ride. To me it really killed the flow and impact of the style.

Space Mountain Mission 2.0 itself is another story. Mission 2.0 is better compared to Rockin' Roller Coaster than Space Mountain of California or Florida. It is the best version of Space Mountain and all others should immediately be blown up and replaced with this one.

I wish I had time to share every picture and talk about all the little details, but there are just too many. All in all the park is amazing, make sure to see it if you find yourself in Paris. It's mind blowing to see what Imagineering can do with a little cash and a lot of space. My hats off to everyone who was a part of making it come to life.

Bonjour From Paris

2007-09-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

I'm on vacation that's why there hasn't been much to see here lately. Got a chance to see Disneyland Paris. Enjoy, more later!

Drawings From Imagineers: Marcelo Vignali

2007-08-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

This time we'll have to call it "Drawings from Former Imagineers." Marcelo did this drawing in my book when he had just left Imagineering for Feature Animation to do visual development on Mulan... but I first met Marcelo at the WDI figure drawing workshop. His figure drawings never fail to amaze me.

He is an extremely gifted artist and one of the nicest people you'll ever meet! I was a lowly Junior in High School at the time, and a rather... shall we say "under-developed talent" in comparison, yet Marcelo was always so kind as to go over my drawings and give me pointers.

I'm sure a lot of Disney fans will recognize Marcelo's designs for ToonTown and Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin, which are in most of the Imagineering related books. Marcelo also had a hand in such projects as: Blizzard Beach, Tokyo Disney's Winnie the Pooh ride, and the never realized "Disney's America" historical park. He also has a long list of credits with Disney Animation on films like Mulan, Lilo & Stich, Atlantis, and Brother Bear. Marcelo is currently an Art Director at Sony Pictures Animation. Check out his blog for more amazing images here. Thanks Marcelo!

Steampunk Sampler Platter

2007-08-18T16:11:00.000-07:00

In the "Steampunk: Nemo's Nautilus" post I mentioned that Disney has more opportunities than it may realize with the Steampunk style/genre in the parks. I'm sure when I use the term Steampunk it doesn't immediately bring to mind a specific visual reference the way mentioning Art Nouveau or Film Noir would. So this post is just a random sampling of Steampunk goodness to get the feel, more specific ideas relating to Disney next time.

-Weta Rayguns, Weta is the infamous Visual FX house based in New Zealand that is responsible for Lord of the Rings and King Kong. Greg Broadmore at the Weta Workshop has come up with this line of Rayguns, or as they have been branded "Dr. Grordbort's Infallible Aether Oscillators.

The Raygun website (linked above, make sure you check it out) is an amazing assortment of spoof advertising that is very creative and very Disney-like. They have created enough back story in selling these Rayguns for it's own film. Check out the "spoof-o'-mercial" they made below.

-The Sculptures of Stephane Halleux . I love these designs, they almost read as props right off the set of a stop-motion animation film. The vehicles and characters would easily lend themselves to be interpreted into a Steampunk like ride. There are a lot more amazing designs on the website, make sure to check out the link above.

Random "Objects de' Steampunk:" If it has lots of bolts, gears, gadgets, metal, is steam powered, or requires the use of cool looking goggles to operate- it's Steampunk! (Laptop image courtesy of MonkeyFarm.)

Top Steampunk-esque films... These would be near the top of the list: League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Wild Wild West, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, City of Lost Children, Back to Future 3, and certain aspects of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hallow.

- The Edison restaurant and bar in Los Angeles (website worth checking out if you can't get to the real thing.) Self described as "a lounge alive with artifacts from it's history as Downtown LA's first private power plant; a celebration of an era of invention and imagination- the blending of science, art, and industry."

There are a many angles that Disney could pursue with the Steampunk genre. There is enough latitude within the style to go in many directions, be it very dark and edgy, or whimsical and very family friendly. I think it's even rich and broad enough to have it's own land.

But, assuming a "Discovery Bay" actually does end up in the Frontierland land area, I hope Disney would at least sprinkle in some elements of Steampunk, if not actually going all out and really sink their teeth into some of the antiquated future themes.

Tomorrowland Part 4: Virgin Galactic

2007-08-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

Space travel and exploration always comes to mind when you think about the future. When Disneyland opened in the mid 50's the world was mesmerized with the notion of going to space. And this wouldn't be left out of Disneyland. In the 70's the Flight to the Moon/Mission to Mars attraction was added. Over fifty years later the attraction is long gone, as well as the awe and excitement of man's initial efforts into space exploration.

Although the novelty has worn off, there are things to be as excited about, if not more so, than our first steps into space. The means of going into space are quickly changing hands from superpower nations to the private sector, opening the next chapter, not only of space exploration, but also of consumer space travel. With hopes of Tomorrowland returning to its original focus it's time to once again have a ride that captures the imagination and wonder of space travel at Disneyland- Virgin Galactic.

In the not too distant future anyone with enough money will be able to board Virgin Galactic and take a trip literally out of this world. Richard Branson's Virgin Group Ltd is well on its way to making this happen. Commercial space travel is on it's way. Creating an attraction based on this inevitability is a natural fit for a revitalized Tomorrowland. As a woman in the intro video below says "I had two dreams growing up, to go to Disneyland and to go into Space."

If you combined being in a ship, like you are in Star Tours, but put that in a huge encompassing screen, as in Soaring Over California, you could create the most realistic simulation possible- without leaving the ground. Soaring Over California so captures the feeling of flight with it's large scale image, imagine an adaptation of that where you sit vertically in Spaceship One and can look back out of a window at the curvature of the earth.

The ride could be treated literally as Virgin Galactic, assuming a partnership between Disney and Virgin. The whole experience would be that the guest is a consumer space traveler. Maybe even hand out boarding passes and go through and fake x-ray scan while you wait in a line that is a fancy space travel terminal, "Domestic, International, and Orbital flights now boarding!"

Virgin Galactic created this video below to capture just this feeling it's offering future guests. Here it doubles as a perfect pitch for a ride, minus the zero-gravity bit. (Lenthgy video but worth the watch!)

Virgin Galactic really struck me as having the wonder and entrepreneurial spirit that Walt had. I think it would be a welcome addition to a new Tomorrowland. Virgin Galactic represents a bold, aspiring, and uniquely entrepreneurial look at what is possible in the future. Hopefully a ride counterpart would bring back that ideal for Tomorrowland as well.

Cafe DuMonde In New Orleans Square

2007-08-05T22:43:00.000-07:00

If you've ever been to the French Quarter in New Orleans, chances are you've been to Cafe DuMonde. It's a small cafe just off of Jackson Square, right on the bank of the Mississippi. It's one of many icons in the city, having been established in 1862. They are open 24 hours a day 364 days a year. They only close for Christmas Day or for a passing hurricane.

Cafe DuMonde serves mostly coffee, assorted beverages, and beignets- which are french style donuts covered with powdered sugar. Its just a quaint little place to hang out any time of the day, especially when its raining.

When I was in New Orleans a while back, I partook of Cafe DuMonde daily. It baffled me that Cafe DuMonde was not included when New Orleans Square was added to Disneyland in 1966. It would be as odd as the Italy Pavilion in Epcot having a restaurant that didn't serve pasta. New Orleans Square needs a Cafe DuMonde.

When Downtown Disney was added, Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen was one of many restaurants added as well. At the little Jazz Kitchen Express counter next door you can actually get beignets. They even sell Cafe DuMonde brand boxed beignet mix. Its nice to be able to get beignets somewhere at the park, but it would be more fitting to have an actual Cafe DuMonde inside the park at New Orleans Square.

Not all the ideas on this blog are huge blockbuster E-ticket rides. I'm actually more intrigued by the small things that can be added or changed. Its the little nuances and authenticities that are more or less exclusive to Disneyland, that contribute as much value and charm as the big attractions.

Steampunk: Nemo's Nautilus

2007-07-26T13:12:00.000-07:00

In previous posts I've mentioned that I like the Jules Verne antiquated future style that is permeating Tomorrowland. But not as "Tomorrowland."

The current, half Jules Verne half Futurism, mix in Tomorrowland leaves it feeling more like "Dichotomy-land." Having covered the idea of making Tomorrowland truly futuristic, the topic of the Jules Verne-esque theme remains. This retro-future idea has been more appropriately and successfully implemented as its own land in other Disney Parks i.e. Mysterious Island-Tokyo and Discoveryland-Paris.

There was a proposal by WED in the 70's called "Discovery Bay," it was to be added to the The Rivers of America and Frontierland area. Part of that proposal included an area entitled "Island at the Top of the World." It was a grandiose fictitious future with airships and whimsical inventions. I think this was the genesis of what we have seen shoehorned into Tomorrowland of late. But WED had it right the first time, it is a better fit in Frontierland.

There is some prime real estate back where the Big Thunder Ranch and Frontierland Stage are, hopefully a "Discovery Bay" type land or annex will be added to Frontierland. Creating a new, more fitting home for this style.

Disney may have been too far ahead of itself in realizing the potential of this new 1890's alternate future theme back in the 70's. But today, Disneyland ironically finds itself not only confused as to the location of such a theme, but also behind the curve of its emerging popularity. Disney, unknowingly I think, has hit the tip of an ice berg with this theme. Today there is a popular surge in what has been dubbed the Steampunk "pop-genre."

Wikipedia defines Steampunk as: a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction.... which denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used...usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian England...but with prominent elements of fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date.

The Steampunk genre is gaining popularity. There are several upcoming films utilizing this style, most notably "The Golden Compass," and to some extent "Stardust." I've also heard rumors of Disney doing a remake of 20,000 Leagues. There is a large online community of artists, model makers, comic books, and even fashion designers that are pushing this style in some interesting and more edgy directions.

I think there is great potential for this edgy/urban side of Steampunk to be included with the established elements and style of a "Discovery Bay" type addition. Although I think it begs its own high budget ride (more of my own ideas for that, as well as Steampunk in general, to be covered later) assuming this type of land or annex is ever realized in Frontierland. For now, small steps can be taken to slowly usher in this new land:

Imagine if every half hour or so, in the lagoon across from Thunder Mountain, huge bubbles started boiling to the surface! Loud bursts of steam started shooting out of the water, scaring the quack out of the ducks. Whistles and cranks clatter noisily as the Nautilus ominously emerges from under the surface, drawing the attention of everyone walking by.

Capt. Nemo's Nautilus has become sort of an icon for this misplaced futuristic style around the Disney parks. But 20,000 Thousand Leagues was set in the late 1800's. If you remember the films opening it looked a lot like Frontierland! In an effort to get this alternate-future theme underway, and out of Tomorrowland, I say we start by bringing Captain Nemo's Nautilus back to it's original home- Disneyland.

Drawings From Imagineers: John Hench

2007-07-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Most of the images I put up are just reference or supporting images. So, I thought I'd sprinkle in something original - I'll be putting up a "Drawings from Imagineers" post from time to time.

I have a sketchbook with drawings from other artists that I have either met or had the chance to work with over the years. While attending the life drawing workshops at Imagineering, I was lucky enough to meet John Hench. He was kind enough to contribute this to my book. He was very keen on doing Mickey in different styles and mediums... this one showing the gesture and flow of the character design... Enjoy!

iTunes + Disneyland

2007-07-14T14:29:00.000-07:00

The music of Disneyland, and all the Disney parks for that matter, available on iTunes! Disneyland has a musical catalog that is recognized globally. There is a huge market for this, from the vacationer who wants to pick up the "Small World Theme," that is still stuck in his head a week later, to the die hard Disney fan that just wants those hard to find tracks to complete their collection.

The company has been really good about promoting the park music, the 6 disc "Musical History of Disneyland" in particular. Also itunes featured some previously unreleased albums from Walt Disney Records for their 50th Anniversary. Definitely steps in the right direction.

The ultimate still remains the "music on demand" feature that was in the park awhile ago where you could compile your own CD from a really wide selection of audio from the park. The great thing about it was that it ranged from the obvious songs to the most obscure background music or ride spiel. A deal with iTunes could top it all!
Why stop at music? I also think there is a market for Park related video. There is a ton of attraction related media that is no longer a part of the parks that is literally sitting on a shelf. Why not make some money off it and make your fans very happy in the process. I'm sure the Disney fans would pay $2.99 to get "Captian Eo" or the "America the Beautiful" circle vision film onto their iPod.

Ah... if only Disney had an "in" with Apple!

The Galley Restaurant: Tom Sawyer's Island

2007-07-11T21:05:00.000-07:00

The new "Pirates Lair" is open on Tom Sawyer's Island. I know there is/was a heated debate about the addition and I can see both sides. However, that isn't the issue today. The issue is that Tom and his Pirate friends need some sustenance over on the island!

There used to be food service at the Old Fort on the Island. That has long been closed and there is currently no where to get any kind of food or drink, save for a drinking fountain. The updating of the island is obviously aimed to boost attendance. Why not throw in a place to eat?

Ideally it would be nice to a see a full service restaurant. There aren't enough full service restaurants in the park and this is one of the rare places where there is room for one. Many people without reservations at the Blue Bayou are turned away daily. A nice restaurant, if done well, has the potential to draw people to the island in and of itself. Maybe something in-between the Blue Bayou and Aunt Pauly's from the Magic Kingdom. If that isn't possible, for whatever reason, any kind of food vending will do for now.

It seems "Phase 2" of Pirates Liar is in progress, I don't now if any kind of food service is part of that plan, but I hope it is.

Tomorrowland Part 3: "Haute Car-ture"

2007-07-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

Cars!!!! But not the movie this time...real cars from the future.

A future minded Tomorrowland would not be complete without vehicles! When Tomorrowland was redone a few years back the most futuristic thing that went in was a few employees on Segway scooters roaming about. I don't mean to be negative but...come on! Transportation is, and will always be, a major part of our lives, so lets get on board!

I'll start with some small ideas first and work my way up:

1. Literal Transportation. Ways to transport guests throughout the new Tomorrowland area, the way the fire engine, omnibus, and trolly are for Mainstreet USA. How great would it be to see and ride a variety of these going down the street in Tomorrowland- maybe with some animatronic drivers?

2. Innoventions. An exhibit of actual concept cars by manufacturers. A permanent but continually updated Auto Show in other words. I would also include exhibits on new fuel technologies. Also the "Driving Experience of the Future," exploring how we will drive in the future, from driving with real time Google Maps projected into the windshield to automated freeways.

3. The People Mover. Ah yeah bringing it back!! The original People Mover was great aside from looking outdated. With all the new proposals for Tomorrowland from previous posts the People Mover would be a great way to explore all the new additions. I would also add some futuristic dioramas in some of the new buildings and more integration into some of the rides it would pass through.

4. An E-Ticket car ride...but not TestTrack!! (haven't thought of a cool name yet!) TestTrack is fun but face it most people only wait in line to hit those big fast G-Pulling turns outside the building. This ride would be thrills from start to finish. There would be five to six different models that run the track- no cookie cutters here, this ride is about the car. Each would be very futuristic inside and out.

For the take off a catapult like acceleration that shoots you down an underground glass tube straight through the new center of Tomorrowland with guests looking down from above (all beautifully lit up at night of course!) Then you pop above ground and take a sweeping left turn and race right through the middle of the line to the new Star Tours. Continuing on you race in and out of the new revamped buildings at break neck speeds, do a loop banked completely sideways around the exterior of SpaceMountain, dip underwater in a glass tube through the new Submarine Voyage and finally skid to a stop back at the start. Could be fun??

Of course this sounds expensive but what would the future be without a corporate tie-in? It's perfect. Walt was all about the corporate tie-in. I can't think of a major car company that wouldn't be interested. GM has already sponsored TestTrack so it shouldn't be hard and Honda seems a likely candidate given the existing tie-in of ASIMO the robot in Innoventions.

"Haute Car-ture" in Tomorrowland, if a Tomorrowland based on the future ends up on the boards, lets hope some great cars and vehicles are a vital part of it.

"The Disney Screening Room"

2007-06-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

I'll get right to it kids... The idea? A theater called "The Disney Screening Room," a single screen that only plays the classic Disney animated films. Playing each film for a run of two weeks to a month at a time.

I am always surprised by the number of people who sit and watch the clips from the various Disney films inside the lobby of the Animation exhibit in California Adventure. Adults and kids alike will watch for 20 minutes or more, the kids usually dancing to their favorite songs! It's captivating seeing these classics on the Big Screen, and most kids, and even some adults have never had the chance to see them on the big screen.

If done with the "Disney-Touch" it could be more than just a theater. It could be the experience of seeing a movie with all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood circa the 1930's, similar to the El Capitan theater today. Complete with a vintage marquee, old fashioned box office, velvet curtains, and some old newsreels and Disney shorts played before the film. Only the original movie poster artwork would be displayed (and available for purchase.)

I can see the Disney Screening Room fitting in well either inside the parks or out. But I think it would be best outside the park as part of DownTown Disney- but separate from the existing AMC theater. Allowing guests of the hotel, or locals who are there for DownTown Disney, but not necessarily for the parks, easy access. And for the people in the park it would be a great way to get away from the crowds and off their feet for a welcome break.

The operational goal of the theater would not be to solely make money per se (I can hear the "higher-ups" coughing as I write this) It would be more about offering a unique opportunity and less about profitability. Admission should be kept below normal movie ticket prices. And as Mr. Lasseter knows, the back end profitability will be made up in the quality of the experience and ultimately the return of the publics confidence to what the Disney name has to offer.

That said, there are other ways to "make money" while not diminishing the quality and integrity of the experience. In the lobby I would add a specialized shop offering various one-of-a-kind merchandise related to the films. I have a lot of complaints about Park merchandising (to be discussed in future posts) so I would be very selective. Here are some ideas:

-As mentioned above, reprints of the original movie posters and development artwork available for sale. Similar to the "Art on Demand" feature at the Disney Gallery.

-Corresponding the screenings to the DVD releases that are coming out of the vault and offering limited edition DVD's with covers that have original artwork and are ONLY available at the Disney Screening Room!

-High end reproductions of the original animation maquettes. This would be a similar idea to the Disney Classics sculptures, but a separate line. Images courtesy of Masked Avenger Studios:

Since John Lasseters' arrival at Disney one of his main goals has been to bring back the heart and warmth that was the Disney name. The idea of "The Disney Screening Room" fits in well with this aim. Allowing both young and old the charm of seeing their favorite Disney classics on the silver screen.

When Do I Get Mr. Lincoln Back?

2007-06-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

I'm going to proudly live up to my profile description of " a sucker for anything nostalgic or historical" here... BRING BACK MR. LINCOLN!!The "Happiest Homecoming on Earth: 50th Anniversary Celebration" show with Steve Martin is getting old. Almost two years old to be exact.

Tomorrowland Part 2: Modern Architecture

2007-06-08T15:09:00.000-07:00

Modern Architecture, the next step to a Tomorrowland based on the Future- not the past! There are some amazing modern structures out there that are awe inspiring. Some spaces almost feel Cathedral-like in their energy. Some make you feel like you're on a movie set because they're not of this world. The average American, or tourist not living in a major city, rarely get to see the type of structures I'm talking about. What better venue than Tomorrowland/Disneyland to change that.

Walt Disney used to hire talented artists like Mary Blair, Eyvind Earle, and even Salvador Dali from outside the studio and bring them in to create new styles and looks for his animated films. Making sure that a house style never got too established and that the look and feel of his films never got stale. This approach seamed to work rather well.

I would prescribe the exact same thing with regard to updating Tomorrowland, but with Architects this time. So here are a few to start with. I'll start with what might be the most recognizable. Frank Gehry, who, ironically, created The Walt Disney Concert Hall:

This building is amazing inside and out. To be technical here I've learned it may be better classified as "Deconstructivist-PostModern," but this isn't an Architecture blog! If anyone is ever in the L.A. area it is a must! I think Disney missed an opportunity when redoing SpaceMountain last year in not renovating the outside of the attraction as well. It would have been a great kick-off to start slowly changing Tomorrowland. And in my opinion it probably would have created much more buzz and attendance had the building had as unique a feel as the exterior of The Disney Concert Hall. And I'm sure Frank Gehry would have been happy to be involved seeing how he has created other structures for the Disney Co. in the past like the Team Disney Building in Anaheim and The Disney Village in Paris.

Next up, Santiago Calatrava. This guy is absolutely amazing! If you could "copy and paste" in the real world I would be tempted to grab all of his work and paste it right into Tomorrowland. But who could imagine what he would come up with if hired to specifically design for Tomorrowland. Here are some examples of his work at the "City of Arts" complex in Valencia, Spain:

This next one looks like it could house Mission:Space in California pretty well?

Let's hire this guy! And for his first project? How about a building for a new StarTours, based on the new films. Let's get ILM and LucasFilm in on it while we're at it. The advancement of 3D animation and ride capabilities since the original StarTours was created is astonishing. Trust me there is potential for a new StarTours ride inside and out that would put Tomorrowland more than just "back on the map!" What a perfect way to update a classic while integrating it into the new Tomorrowland v2.0!

Last but not least, Thomas Heatherwick. This borders more on Urban Design but it's still in the vein of Modern Architecture for our purposes. His work really gives character to functional necessities which would be great for the "ins and outs" of a new Tomorrowland:

One of the only complaints I can think of to updating with Modern Architecture is that it may be too cold. I don't think that's true of any of the examples given above but I agree that sometimes it can feel barren and maybe a little "institutional" if you will. This would definitely have to be guarded against. But I also feel that along with these modern influences that a certain Disney touch and flavor should still be added to make it feel Disney-like. You can see Eyvind Earle's influence in "Sleeping Beauty" but it's still Disney at the same time. With a merge of the Modern and the Disney touch, that only Disney can do, I think there is great possibility!

The only other down side? All of this will eventually get dated as well. But that isn't a bad thing. When these structures are dated I can't imagine what the latest and greatest would look like. And that's part of the spirit to keep moving along. Walt always said the park was a continual work in progress.

So lets wash our hands of the old and move on to the future!

Tomorrowland Part 1: A Brave "New" World

2007-06-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

I've heard rumors that Tomorrowland may be revamped in the next few years. To which I say great!! There are some large issues as to the basic idea of Tomorrowland to be addressed first, specific ideas will be covered later.

It's obvious that Tomorrowland it isn't so Tomorrow-ish anymore. But that's only part of the issue if you ask me. When Tomorrowland was re-done a few years back, it was changed with a style that wasn't aimed at being futuristic. It was modified with what, to me, is an antiquated view of the future. Sort of what the 1800's thought the future would be like. A weird mix of Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, and a Steampunk type wanna-be future. This new antiquated industrial style seems to have been integrated into the Tomorrowland of Florida even more than in California. I actually like this style and think it has huge potential in the Disney parks- just not as "Tomorrowland."

I don't know why this has happened exactly. Maybe it was easier to make it feel older and logistically more beneficial requiring little or no updating over time. The theming of the parks is usually based off of a historical period or fantasy with a specific geographical flavor. Maybe the rut of that mindset crept in some how. But I don't think that was what Tomorrowland was originally intended to be like. So if it is to be redone to any extent let's get "back to the future."

The first step: change the overall feel of the land. At present it is a jumble of buildings and styles that have no harmony, visually or practically. Tomorrowland needs to have a presence so that it's not just "the land that has SpaceMountian in it," but a place that offers an exciting vision of the future. Besides the updating of the buildings a simplification to the layout of the whole land is drastically needed.

It should be redesigned to have a main thoroughfare with a clear line of site leading to a center of interest, similar to MainStreet with the castle at the end. This "main drag" leading to the focal point can house existing attractions, with new exteriors, and use them to support the focus into the land. The focal point at the end could be a futuristic "Times Square-ish" hub that houses a new Innoventions and various restaurants, shops and new attractions that would need a new home. In addition to those large scale ideas here is a short, and hopefully obvious, laundry list of things that would make Tomorrowland better:

-Rockets/PeopleMover "hub thing": Remove it. Apart from the shade it provides, all it's doing is hogging up vital space with no return.

-StarTours & Innoventions: New buildings and a total redo of attractions. For Star Tours new ride technology and new theme based on the more recent films.

-Starcade: A sleek new building and update it with games from the 21st century. A StarWars shooting gallery would be nice too?

-Don't Add Test Track! I know it's tempting but don't do it. Besides the fact that it's starting to look dated already, most people only go on it for the big outdoor G-pulling turns. There are better ways of doing a car based thrill ride in Tomorrowland.

-Wall E: Don't wait to see what it does at the box office, just let the guys at Pixar make a cool ride and put it in!

All the lands of Disneyland transport us into the past to some degree, but Tomorrowland was specifically meant to inspire us to look forward "savoring the challenge and promise of the future." If changes are in store for Tomorrowland I hope the mind set of it being truly futuristic and optimistic change as well.

To all who come to this happy site...Welcome!

2007-05-30T14:29:00.000-07:00

"To all who come to this happy site... Welcome... May it be a source of joy and inspiration to all who read it."

I thought that an appropriately geeky way to kick off this blog. For those that may not know W.E.D. (Walter Elias Disney) Enterprises was what Walt Disney originally called Disney Imagineering, the division of the company that came up with and executed ideas for all things Disneyland.

So who am I? And what is this blog about? Let me start off by saying...this isn't an attempt to get a job at Imagineering. Although it would be a blast to be an Imagineer, I'm very happy as an animator.

I grew up in Southern California and frequented Disneyland from a young age. In High School I was involved in the Herbert Ryman: Living Masters Program, now called Ryman Arts. A program set up by the late Imagineering artist Herbert Ryman. Being enrolled in this program I was able to attend the life drawing workshops at Imagineering in Glendale. And let me tell you- that was cool! I was so inspired by all the things I saw going on in that building. And man did I learn a lot drawing next to those guys. I eventually ended up going to CalArts for Character Animation and then went on to work at Disney Feature Animation for 4 years. I've since picked up the 3D animation tool set and am a happy, well adjusted, 3D character animator!

So that, in a nutshell, is my very loose affiliation with Disney and even looser affiliation with Imagineering. Now what is this blog about? This blog is me, as a guy who has always loved the Disney Parks, trying to make them a little better, or at least a little more user friendly. So I thought I'd start this little blog and offer my own ideas for what they are worth. Believe me, as much as I wish I was another Marc Davis... I know I'm not. But I do see some things that could be better and I think I have some OK and relatively practical ideas for the parks.

So stay tuned and enjoy!