I have loads of respect for Marty Sklar. So when he pipes up about this Small World character overlay, you have to take notice.
Two things I'll point out...the most minor point first:
Point One (edited for brevity's sake): Marty says that in order, "to make 'It’s A Small World' even more relevant to our guests, Tony Baxter...and I arrived at the same place eight years ago...to seamlessly integrate Disney characters into...scenes in the attraction."
Wow. Really? You and Tony...the same characters behind the 1998 "To Imagination and Beyond" fiasco at Disneyland's Tomorrowland? That failed project that yielded a moldy paint scheme, a Rocket Rods ride that was shut down within two and a half years, and..what else? Oh yeah, a general consensus that the whole thing was a flop. Great to hear you guys are behind this!
The legacy of Tomorrowland '98...an abandoned ride, an abandoned paint scheme, and a big WTF in place of the old Rocket Jets.Point Two: Marty describes Walt as "the greatest 'change agent' who ever walked down Main Street."
I completely want to believe this! I want to believe the tales in which Walt is this guy who would rip out attractions wholesale if he had a newer, bigger idea. I want to believe Walt had no problem taking the ax to a just-fine, barely-one-year-old Viewliner because he stumbled across a slick monorail on a trip to Germany.
Walt may look happy in this 1957 image of the Viewliner, but he had no problem kicking this attraction to the curb when a flashier monorail came available.
This thing from Marty makes me sad. Just like the whole Small World character overlay, it is pointless, misguided, and demonstrates that too many people collecting a Disney paycheck just don't get it.
3 comments:
Sadly, I have to agree with you. WDI likes to try to hold up Walt's behavior as their shield. When in reality, they often completely miss the courage and constitution that Walt really had. Adding figures to It's a Small World that support the Disney brand? How about building on the Disney brand with something completely new? At one point, WDI was a Disney creative leader... now it seams they can only follow the folks over at the studio... and somehow they call following their lead "change." Worse, they say the public doesn't understand brand synthesis or reinforcement. That's really sad. Even more sad is the fact that they compare this behavior to Walt's. Sorry Walt.
THAT would be the fight I would loooove to see...as much as I, to this day, come off of "It's a Small World" smiling, it sure would separate the sheep from the goats from the tigers to have someone from Disney come out and say, "Instead of creating a deeper trough to drive your fat boats through or slapping Ariel in with the mermaids, we're tearing the whole thing down. AND THEN, we're coming back with something that will still communicate the same message of unity, only it'll be all new and we'll do it with the most stunning technology and amazing storytelling you've ever seen. And, after you've seen that for ten years, we'll tear THAT down, too!" To do that would take Balzac's bigger than the ones they sell at Epcot, not to mention the true vision of Uncle Walt. Disneyland is not a museum, as we are so frequently reminded? I have to agree- now prove it.
Hey AB... this is Marty.
I'm not sure what you have against me, but if you think you might have an idea or two that might be "better" than mine, let me know. We are currently working on a lunchtime show with singing food about good health and a dark ride for blind people.
Let me know if you've got any ideas.
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