tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3986827710912836922024-03-13T18:16:24.885-04:00Plausible/ImpossibleAracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-79865422717989894522010-06-27T15:53:00.015-04:002010-06-27T21:17:40.160-04:00The Most Vile, Unredeeming Hotels Ever Built—Ever!<div align="left"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCeyYqczlCI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/_hwmzuO-Mbo/%20%3Ca%20href="><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 199px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487550174270428226" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCexzyiFlEI/AAAAAAAAAWI/_yp5s5AWodI/s400/mgraves+2+copy.jpg" /></a>
<br /><p></p><div align="center"><em><em><blockquote><em><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Early concept drawing for the Dolphin
<br />(c) Disney
<br /></span></em></em></blockquote></span></em></em></blockquote></em></em></div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left">The Swan and Dolphin Resorts at Walt Disney World. For a couple of chain hotels, there’s certainly been a great deal written about these buildings.
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<br />Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, when Disney was on an expansion bender, the Swan and Dolphin were emblematic of the new way things were being done at the Mouse House. Michael Eisner and Frank Wells were on a mission. For six decades, Walt Disney Productions accumulated an amazing array of assets and then, inexplicably, allowed them to sit fallow. The new team was here to leverage those assets, pronto.
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<br />At Walt Disney World, that meant exploiting the thing they had plenty of: LAND! Disney had plans for that land and was building like mad. The goal was to keep its current customers longer and to attract a new clientele—all while wringing visitors’ pocketbooks tighter than ever before. An explosion of new hotel rooms was just beginning. It was a key part of the new regime’s money-grab strategy.
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<br />Of course, the description above is pretty snarky, if not downright cynical. It also isn’t fair. Because, in spite of the ugly way Michael Eisner’s time at Disney ended, there really was a lot of finesse to his expansion program. In the case of the Swan and Dolphin, that finesse came in two main forms.
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<br />The first is the most conspicuous: the architecture of the Swan and Dolphin.
<br />Unlike previous large scale hotels like the Polynesian Village or even the Contemporary—both of which plopped guests into hyper-realized fantasy locales in much the same way as the Magic Kingdom’s themed lands—The Swan and Dolphin refused a representational thematic approach. They also are not the “glass and brass” buildings found across from the Orange County Convention Center and throughout the United States (it’s worth noting that fact, as Tishman Realty’s original contract with Disney allowed them to build that sort of uninspired hotel structure as part of this development).
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<br />Instead, Eisner set himself on a hiring-spree, engaging the services of so many high profile “starchitects” that his mania warranted an <a href="http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,973490-1,00.html">article</a> in a 1991 issue of Time Magazine. For these new Florida hotels, Eisner chose an architect who was fresh off a previous Disney commission, Michael Graves.
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<br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCevvNAkpEI/AAAAAAAAAV4/YLbbKQK-mSA/s1600/mgraves+1+copy.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 322px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487547896455013442" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCevvNAkpEI/AAAAAAAAAV4/YLbbKQK-mSA/s400/mgraves+1+copy.jpg" /></a>
<br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Model of The Walt Disney Company corporate
<br />headquarters in Burbank</span></em></span></em></blockquote></span></em></span></em></span></em></span></em></blockquote></div><div align="left">Graves and his team conceived the Swan and Dolphin storyline* and custom-designed everything, down to the detail of the hotels’ carpet patterns and the plates used in restaurants throughout the complex. The end result was strikingly different to anything that had ever come out of Disney before. It had a different scale and a lavish attention to detail. And it had the gravitas of being praised by architecture critics—something unusual for a company whose very name was often used as a prejorative among the <em>Inteligencia</em>.
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<br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 234px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487550807755953186" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCeyYqczlCI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/_hwmzuO-Mbo/s400/mgraves+4.jpg" /></a>
<br /><blockquote><p></p><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Graves's designs for room furnishings in the hotels
<br />(c) Disney</span></em></span></em></blockquote></span></em></span></em></div></blockquote><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em></span></em>
<br />The second bit of finesse Eisner employed with the Swan and Dolphin is only slightly less apparent, but far more impactful: the hotels’ siting on Disney property and the subsequent development of this new expansion area.
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<br />When Walt Disney World debuted in 1971, it featured a Disneyland-style theme park buried deep within the Central Florida wilderness. This Magic Kingdom anchored a sprawling Seven Seas Lagoon that featured two large hotels, each one serving Disney’s guests and framing the Walt Disney World experience. This was Phase One, a world of its own, seemingly-complete, right down to the white sand beaches, man-made waves, and monorail-themed cocktails.
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<br />Flash forward eleven years later to the opening of EPCOT Center. For the billion dollars spent to create this massive project, absent was the peripheral development found along Phase One’s lagoon. For the entirety of the 1980’s, EPCOT Center, the harbinger of the world of tomorrow, stood alone in its swamp, miles distant from the Hawaiian luaus, buzzing watercraft, and hotel rooms that surrounded the Magic Kingdom and meant money in the bank for Disney.
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<br />The Eisner and Wells team wasn’t the first to acknowledge this omission and propose a remedy. Disney’s previous chairman, Ray Watson, had approved the Tishman Realty deal with the same objective in mind. But the new team’s approach was bold in the same way Graves’ aesthetic was bold. The location of the project would change. As Joe Flower noted in his Eisner biography<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Magic-Kingdom-Michael-Re-Making/dp/0471580651/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277655422&sr=8-2"> <em>Prince of the Magic Kingdom</em></a>, the new hotels would be placed at the physical center of the WDW property, its “center of gravity.” Which nestled it in between EPCOT Center’s World Showcase and the then-under construction Disney-MGM Studios.
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<br />When it opened, this new development—anchored to its south by The Swan and Dolphin and their shared Crescent Lake—transformed the EPCOT Center experience. No longer was the park some hard-to-access offshoot that committed guests to travel by automobile, bus, or a convoluted monorail exchange just to experience its offerings. In fact, EPCOT Center was in many ways now the most accessible park for the guests staying at the Swan and Dolphin. You could get to the park by a Friendship launch, or a tram, or even by foot. And you’d enter through an exclusive backdoor, cleverly positioned near the park’s many acclaimed restaurants.
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<br />Even more importantly, the entire Walt Disney World property was transformed by this new development. As the Yacht and Beach Club hotels and, later, the Boardwalk Inn opened as part of the same area, the Florida resort now had two bustling mixed use centers, each with its own unique attitude and offerings, and potential for growth. With the Swan and Dolphin’s enormous convention facilities and the unique EPCOT Center tendency to attract adults, Disney imagined building a second nighttime entertainment facility in the area, similar to Pleasure Island.
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<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCewz-5H6tI/AAAAAAAAAWA/s_3TVKqyDkM/s1600/map.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 285px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487549078076648146" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCewz-5H6tI/AAAAAAAAAWA/s_3TVKqyDkM/s400/map.jpg" /> <p align="center"></a></p>
<br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><blockquote><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Satellite view of the Swan and Dolphin Resort and the Crescent Lake development </span></em></span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">that today connects Epcot and Disney's Hollywood Studios. </span></em></span></em></div></blockquote></span></em></span></em></div></blockquote></span></em></span></em></div><div align="left">It was all so good. And it was successful to boot, attracting guests and keeping them at Disney just as intended. So why then the title of this article? Why are these the most vile, unredeeming hotels ever built—ever?
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<br />If you’ve read this far, you already know the answer. Because, for many Disney fans, these hotels represent a cardinal sin, an offense to a key tenet of the Walt Disney Methodology for Creating Entertainment Spaces. The Swan and Dolphin are distractions. They violate the rhythm, landscape, and illusion of EPCOT’s World Showcase. They are visual intrusions.
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<br />It’s pretty easy to find fault with the Swan and Dolphin, looming as they do over World Showcase’s southwestern attractions. There is no sense to it, no logic that explains why a stylized pyramid and a colossal gang of classically-inspired (but oddly cartoonified) water creatures would occupy the same horizon line with hyper-realized replicas of real-world landmarks. Japan’s castle, Morocco’s minarets, and even Eiffel’s Tower are all made diminutive, living like doll houses under the shadow of these post modern monstrosities. </div><div align="left">
<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCeuh5hfgKI/AAAAAAAAAVo/0odo2u-BjVE/s1600/mgraves+3.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 321px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487546568374452386" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCeuh5hfgKI/AAAAAAAAAVo/0odo2u-BjVE/s400/mgraves+3.jpg" /></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></div><div align="center">
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<br /></div><div align="left">It’s a collision between two worlds that do not belong together and it should never have happened. Themed spaces should be kept singular and uninterrupted by competing elements. Visual intrusions shouldn't exist in a well-designed themed attraction.
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<br />Actually, I don’t believe that. In fact, I think that reaction is far too prevalent in contemporary theme park design, especially at Disney. And I think it sucks.
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<br />Stay tuned for Part 2 and I’ll explain why…
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<br />*Werner Weiss unfolds the premise behind The Swan and Dolphin’s design in a <a href="http://www.yesterland.com/swandolphin.html">wonderful article</a> that reveals the truth behind one of my favorite WDW urban legends AND has a picture of a helicopter!</div></div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-90232473801941850852010-06-25T20:59:00.000-04:002010-06-27T21:15:39.647-04:00Unexpected Moments at WDWWhile enjoying a cup of coffee one morning at Bay Lake Tower, I caught one of the small motor launches emerging from the dock facilities on the north part of the lake. Soon, all manner of watercraft, from motor launches to patrol speedbooats to the massive ferryboats began a procession from this little canal. It was one of those quiet little things that you don't really expect when you plan a vacation, but it was really cool, really serene. I made a point of being up and ready (coffee always in hand) every morning after that.<br /><br />Hope you like these shots! <br /><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487623918742972338" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCf04SGcp7I/AAAAAAAAAWg/nkgPqZMKKEY/s400/IMG_1029.JPG" /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCf1NaLnHiI/AAAAAAAAAWo/vi9WZ4lXPBs/s1600/IMG_1051.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487624281689366050" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCf1NaLnHiI/AAAAAAAAAWo/vi9WZ4lXPBs/s400/IMG_1051.JPG" /></a><br /><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCf0jJznZYI/AAAAAAAAAWY/ZpJYu3XbM30/s1600/IMG_1133.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487623555739248002" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/TCf0jJznZYI/AAAAAAAAAWY/ZpJYu3XbM30/s400/IMG_1133.JPG" /></a> </div></div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-28029679791158524562010-01-12T20:05:00.014-05:002010-01-12T22:25:06.087-05:00Where Has All the Cool Gone?<div align="left">Like most people my age, I first knew Louis Prima not as a Las Vegas lounge act, or as a big band leader, but as a monkey.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 264px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426037313601066338" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/S00oMDc01WI/AAAAAAAAAUg/vBLEZ9l7t0s/s400/14093-10082.gif" /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">King of the Swingers</span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Image (c) Disney</span></em></div><div align="left"><br />When Prima was cast as the voice of King Louis in The Jungle Book, he probably didn't count on generations of kids associating his smooth, hep cat voice and improvisional stylings with an overweight orangutan. Today, that's probably how most people know him, singing that <em>Ooobee Doo, I Wanna Be Like You-oo-ooo.</em><br /><br />Of course, if you go looking for Louis Prima the man, you'll find one of the most refreshingly cool performers of all time, ever.<br /><br /><br /></div><p align="center"><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vJ2AtyfYKfM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vJ2AtyfYKfM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p><div align="left">Prima was billed as "The Wildest." Along with his buddy Sam Butera, their band, The Witnesses, and his fourth wife, Keely Smith, Louis defined Las Vegas entertainment in the fifties. While Sinatra and the Rat Pack were performing their antics at the Sands, Prima was knocking them dead in the lounge at the Sahara.<br /><br />It's a shame that there isn't the kind of cool today that Louis Prima created for his audiences forty years ago. Sadder still is that there are so few of his performances available for those who go looking.<br /><br />Louis Prima was famous for singing "I'm Just a Gigilo." And for as fun as that little number can be, I've never regarded it as the throwaway that David Lee Roth tried to spin it into years later. There's a little bit of sadness and a little bit of truth in those lines:<br /></div><div align="center"><br /><em>When the end comes I know, they'll say 'Just a Gigilo.' </em></div><div align="center"><em>Life goes on </em><em>without me.</em></div><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">We're all just hustlers, looking to get paid for our own little dance. Best we can do is do it like Louis. Classy and cool.</div><br /><div align="left"></div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-70435573385478109942010-01-12T15:05:00.000-05:002010-01-12T15:06:04.437-05:00Yo Gabba Gabba's got NOTHING on this!Sublime!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9aDVlFzF5Kk&rel=0&border=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9aDVlFzF5Kk&rel=0&border=1&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="349"></embed></object>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-54710028457024350772010-01-10T18:39:00.014-05:002010-01-11T07:56:05.102-05:00A Really, Really GOOD Film<div align="left">So, I finally got around to seeing Disney’s latest animated feature The Princess and the Frog.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425261499863772626" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/S0pmlwD7rdI/AAAAAAAAAUQ/eJLEgS_ZV_c/s400/Princess-and-the-Frog.jpg" /> <p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">image (c) Disney<br /></p></span></em><div align="left"><br />Let me start off by pointing out that it is January 10th. I am an acknowledged Disney fan (or in Katzenberg-speak, a “Disnoid”). I have two kids, 5 and 4. And I had more than a week off between Christmas and New Year. And here I am, seeing this major release, almost a month after it opened wide.<br /><br />Why is that? Well, all sorts of reasons. Perhaps the biggest: my kids didn’t want to see it. Let me restate that: my 5 year old son and my 4 year old son didn’t want to see the latest Disney feature because “a princess movie is a girl movie.”<br /><br />I never thought I would be the dad whose sons would be so impressionable by gender role hogwash that they would actively reject something on the grounds it was girly. And for years I thought I’d succeeded. My boys have no problems doing the whole pretend play in a kitchen, or hanging out with girls their age and playing dolls, etc. They even dress up as women and make naïve, sometimes uncomfortable, commentary on breast feeding and the like.<br /><br />But for these little dudes, a princess cartoon crosses the line. Further thoughts on that later. Here’s my take on The Princess and the Frog:<br /><br />I thought this was a really, really good movie. Great? Not so much…but really, really good.<br /><br />The story is a fun concoction, with what feels like a fresh setting—New Orleans set in some non-specific, old timey, jazz age that seems like it <em>should </em>have happened. The principal characters are on the money, including a plucky, working-class heroine, a vain prince with a heart of gold, and a conniving bad guy with supernatural talents. And the plotline is a classic fairy tale thread with just enough of a twist to add a sense of clever freshness.<br /><br />The songs are vibrant and move the plot. And the animation is, truly, top notch. So why is this just a really, really good movie?<br /><br />Well, in the end, and in spite of all its originality, this flick feels like it is just going over familiar ground. The design of the movie feels too much like so many other animated films, that sort of early 1950’s Disney animation with the 1990’s Ashman-Menkin Broadway style layered on top. Everything feels a little too cute and too rendered and too similar to stuff I have seen before.<br /><br />Added to that is the structure of the thing, which is the same three act plotting, the same pacing with the requisite “yearning moment” and the “quiet moment of realization” and the “fast paced chase” that culminates in the villain’s demise. Oh yeah, and the same awkward exposition used to transition between musical set pieces and add narrative points overlooked by the songwriters.</div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">But, in spite all of that, this movie had its high points. Almost any screen time featuring the villain, Dr. Facilier, was delicious. As mentioned previously, the music breathed real life into the film. Likewise, the film’s New Orleans setting is often rendered as a glowing fantasyscape that this viewer wanted to get lost in, similar in some ways to the Italian village in Pinocchio.<br /><br />And, surprisingly, I fell for many of the supporting characters. I would say the most surprising was Charlotte, the spoiled little princess wannabe (is this some commentary by Disney on what may be its biggest consumer base?), if not for the lightning bug Cajun stereotype, Ray. I love the little guy, in spite of the fact that I regarded him as an all-too-easy bit of a throwaway character; in the end, Ray buzzes right into the heart of this film. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><p> </p><p><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 227px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425262289431568146" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/S0pnTtbkHxI/AAAAAAAAAUY/dK-esSWzNH4/s400/princess%26frog-ray-icons-227x135.jpg" /> </p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>Ray...seriously, this guy bugged me when he was first introduced. Image (c) Disney</em></span><br /></p><p align="left"><br />So, what would have made this a better movie for me, a real Disney classic, perhaps? I can think of three things, at least:<br /><br />1) Find a new design aesthetic. For far too long, hand-drawn Disney films have looked the same, and that’s really not a good thing. Visually, The Princess and the Frog is tired. It's design speaks to the 1990’s, not the second decade of the 21st Century. Today’s world is a virtual buffet of distinct graphic styles. Some are like nothing ever seen before. Others are contemporary homages to past (often lost) movements. The best offer some commentary on the time we live in.<br /><br />And, for what it’s worth, this isn't an argument to change just for change's sake. Walt’s artists were constantly mixing up their design, in part to add new visual pep to their pics. Compare Bambi to Cinderella to One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Those films were made between 1942 to 1961. In that span of 19 years, you have everything from Bambi’s impressionism to Cinderella’s spare Mary Blair-influenced alternative to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to the very-Modernist approach to Dalmatians.<br /><br />Now compare the Disney product from 1989 to 2009. What, really is different between the styling of The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, and The Princess and the Frog? Colors are more saturated (thanks, computer!) and, well, what else? Very, very little, at least from a general audience’s perspective.<br /><br />2) Invest FULLY in music. For all of the early Disney innovations and trademarks in creating animated product, it’s too easily forgotten how much music influenced these films. Hell, every time I watch Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs I’m surprised how much of that film is set to verse. Characters used to move to a musical beat, action was staged against it.<br /><br />So why does The Princess and the Frog toss all that aside and, transition out of these sparkling musical passages and into these exposition-filled, lead balloon scenes where so-and-so is explaining to whatsherface that Old Man blah-blah-blah will be king of the hoo-haw. Such forced, uninspired story-telling is beneath the better qualities of this films.<br /><br />3) This is for the Marketing folks…PLAY UP THE DATE NIGHT ANGLE. Look, there’s a place for princess films. I’ll be the last person to say that just because little boys don’t like girls in gowns this company should abandon the princess flick. Hell, princesses are part of the DNA of the company (as well as one of its current revenue crack pipes).<br /><br />But these things need to be events, like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin were a decade and a half ago. Disney’s Marketing team needs to make a film like The Princess and the Frog <em>the</em> film to see with a squeeze on opening weekend.<br /><br />And to support this, the Mouse should have added a little more sex to this flick. Not out and out doing it, but heat. The kind of heat that permeated films like Tarzan and Spider-man. Visceral freedom mixed with should-I-kiss-her anxiety. Face it, if you’ve found yourself splashing around in the water with someone attractive that you only kinda know, well, there’s a certain arousal there. Nothing wrong with playing that up a bit.<br /><br />So...all that said, I can't wait to see The Princess and the Frog again. I hope it has a long life after it's theatrical run, and I really hope to run into Tiana and Dr. Facilier at Disneyland for years to come. Let's all hope this is a toe in the water for Disney Feature Animation and that the big splash is just lining up at the diving board!</p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-36902929094728340392009-12-01T19:07:00.001-05:002010-01-10T19:12:30.669-05:00MUST BE SANTAAll my life, I have dreamt of hosting the perfect Christmas party, with just the right blend of love, mirth, and decadance. Who knew Bob Dylan had already gotten there?<br /><br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qVs6X9yIM_k&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qVs6X9yIM_k&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-62424392503579862622009-02-22T12:41:00.013-05:002009-02-24T07:52:59.116-05:00Science Centers, The Future, and FUN...<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SaGcqtyABZI/AAAAAAAAAT4/gha6FSlykPI/s1600-h/video+telephone.jpg"></a><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><p><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SaGcF3Ro7HI/AAAAAAAAATo/B5zu-GEsWAw/s1600-h/bonestell_450.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305693460570369138" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 327px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SaGcF3Ro7HI/AAAAAAAAATo/B5zu-GEsWAw/s400/bonestell_450.jpg" border="0" /></a><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Chesley Bonestell's visions of space travel were big, sweeping visions. Who <u>wouldn't</u> want to live to see that Future?</span></em><br /><br /><br />I worked for a science center for almost a decade. Even now, they remain a part of my life.<br /><br />So needless to say, I have a stake in these places. It comes down to my belief that science museums can be vibrant, influential places. They can change perceptions and lives. How, you might ask?<br /><br />Well, when I was young and working in science centers, there was that day's dogma--things like turning girls on to science, creating exhibit platforms that embraced the then-burgeoning Internet, and doing something with "the environment" (no one ever knew what that meant). Follow those prescriptions and that is the path to making a real difference.</p><p>Today, I'm older and the dogma is different-ish. Science centers now think they should do things like serve as a model for early-childhood learning, showcase hot-topic technologies like energy and medicine. Oh yeah, and keep doing something with "the environment."<br /><br />There's nothing wrong with any of those ideas. They can become foundations for exhibitions or they can be infused into other exhibit concepts. But they are transient ideas, falling in and out of favor based on the technology, concerns, and consultant-speak of the day. There is nothing big, nothing lasting. Here's an example: the 1990's ideas of internet-based exhibits have been chased and, in so many ways, fizzled on delivery. In 2009, the Internet isn't an exhibit thing so much as a marketing thing. So, ask yourself: in ten years, how relevant will today's energy or medicine exhibits be?<br /><br />Here's my premise: Science centers in their heyday and at their best sold two things better than anyone else: The Future and Fun.<br /><br />Today's science centers miss that way too often. Instead they become corporate mouthpieces, chasing checkbooks by telling potential Big Money sponsors what they want to hear in the words they like hearing.<br /><br />When I was a kid, it was a real treat to visit the original COSI. The place was a veritable funhouse. Experiences ranged from hands-on interactive things to funky dioramas to shows that you wouldn't find anywhere else.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305693535082265778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 308px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SaGcKM2qPLI/AAAAAAAAATw/ik-IeeIh3zg/s400/video+telephone.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Sure it was pure Leave It To Beaver...but it was also a projection of something cool. Where do you get these kinds of visions today?</span></em><br /></p><p align="left"><br />And even in my youth, I knew the place was selling something more than amusement park-style escapism. There was a message there. I was a kid and all of this stuff was pointing to the future. An OPTIMISTIC future. One that would not only employ new technologies but one that would learn from the accomplishments and hardships and grit of people that had come before.<br /><br />To my way of thinking, science centers today are devoid of that Future. One that is made fun based on BOTH the nature of the activities--the interactives, demonstrations, etc.--and an encompassing position of OPTIMISM.<br /><br />The world we live in is cool. The people who have either explored or revealed or invented or (in some cases) dreamed up all the amazing things we know--they are themselves amazing. And tomorrow's world, the world of today's kids, is right there--ready for all kinds of new amazing things created by new amazing people.<br /><br />That sentiment is at the heart of all the best science centers. Those are the places that inspire tomorrow's inventors and explorers, the engineers and researchers.<br /><br /><br /></p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-3038774941140362442009-02-19T23:46:00.009-05:002009-02-24T08:00:46.259-05:00One More Squirt Left in HRP!<em>"Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends" - Emerson Lake and Palmer</em><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304737667529899698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SZ42zYvA_rI/AAAAAAAAATY/MMa-2X4bgDk/s400/n1126573170_30316932_8714.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">These teats were made for squirtin' , and that's just what they'll do. AGAIN! </span></em></div><div align="center"><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Beware the Rock Cow Billy.</span></em></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Glad to see <a href="http://www.hardrockpark.com/">Hard Rock Park</a> has a second lease on life. Here's hoping for a great second season, and a long run after that!</div><div></div><div>See ya in July.</div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-77345474707082800492008-10-12T23:55:00.001-04:002009-02-20T00:11:53.805-05:00Tell Tale Signs<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SZ4682h4h0I/AAAAAAAAATg/TgOqHQWnb1w/s1600-h/8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304742228193216322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 321px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SZ4682h4h0I/AAAAAAAAATg/TgOqHQWnb1w/s400/8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>A new Bob Dylan album is a blessed and anxious event inside my head. On one hand, IT'S A NEW BOB DYLAN ALBUM! On the other, Dylan isn't always the most accessible creature. Even with his newfound mainstream-iness and approachability, the man's works remain deep, nigh-imprenetrable. It has taken me years to appreciate some of Dylan's songs. There are many others I just to this day don't get.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>So, a new Bob Dylan album. A collection of so-called bootlegs. And it is divine. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Marchin' to the City is worth the price of admission. From the moment it starts, spare piano and a weary singer "lookin' for nothin' in anyone's eyes" you know this will be a treat. There's a pretty girl, she'd done the man wrong, the lost hopes of "drinking from life's clear streams" and "dreaming life's sweet dreams." All big, powerful, and yet tender and small and, like so much of Dylan's great works, so human.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Add in The Lonesome River and Red River Shore, this album is over the top. Get it!</div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-39688853203928566582008-07-22T13:05:00.013-04:002008-11-05T06:58:20.322-05:00WALL*E or The Movie Disney's Lawyers ForgotI loved WALL*E. Saw it for the second time this past weekend.<br /><br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225893307444352946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIYaRnBP17I/AAAAAAAAAOc/z-gEpNq2wH4/s400/walle_movie_image_pixar.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">(c) Disney</span></em></p><br />It is a gorgeous film. At times it is sublime. The first act is brilliant, ranks among the best animation I have ever seen.<br /><br />After that, well, it's not that the film flags...it's more like it starts to get "important" or "relevant" but doesn't (or can't) actually get around to saying what's on it's mind. Loads of folks, from Frank Rich to The Lord Obama, are imposing their own super-smart reading onto this film...but I am not so sure the guys who made the movie really knew what to make of it.<br /><br /><br />That's really not a big beef...it is still a really enjoyable escape.<br /><br />But I do have to ask WHAT WERE THEY THINKING when it comes to this scene:<br /><br />WALL*E, the precocious garbage compactor with a mind of his own, has been busy for hundreds of years mashing trash in an effort to tidy up an Earth overrun with crud. Along the way, the android with a heart of gold has developed an affinity for old stuff that he finds and begins collecting this stuff in his shipping container-esque hovel. Its full of Rubik's Cubes, old silverware, and bobblehead toys. Think of the Little Mermaid and all her thingamabobs. Then think of some Ebay sicko. That's WALL*E.<br /><br />THE DISTURBING PART comes when WALL*E meets EVE and attempts to court this strangely hot floating ipod. WALL*E shows EVE his junk (meaning the stuff he's collected in his little robo shack). Among the light bulbs and sporks, WALL*E finds one extra-special little toy to share...a lighter.<br /><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225890140147746226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIYXZP65BbI/AAAAAAAAAOM/2RIgFcEywcM/s400/walle2_h.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><em>??? <span style="font-size:85%;">(c) Disney</span></em><br /><br /></p>That's right, a lighter. Those things that kids from 2-8 are already fascinated with. Those things that toddlers are notorious for getting their paws on and setting fire to their mama's mattress.<br /><br />So, that's an appropriate thing for a Disney character to be playing with, showing off to his lady. Right?<br /><br />The really confusing thing for me is that, I understand that there was some kind of metaphor or symbolism at work between "fire" and the weed that WALL*E discovers on the otherwise desolate Earth, but it was really tenuous. I didn't really get it.<br /><br />Hopefully, no kids will see this tomfoolery and take it upon themselves to do some Polynesian fire dance with Daddy's Zippo. Even so, how in the heck did Disney's lawyers give this a pass?<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIYZB3yO3JI/AAAAAAAAAOU/nVlqWT6LCjo/s1600-h/walle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5225891937555242130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 129px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="307" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIYZB3yO3JI/AAAAAAAAAOU/nVlqWT6LCjo/s400/walle.jpg" width="197" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Brighter indeed. The world will burn! </span></em></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">(c) Disney</span></em></p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-45159821597123234632008-07-19T07:00:00.002-04:002008-11-05T06:59:46.313-05:00Remember When These Places Used to be FUN???<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIEAa4lm36I/AAAAAAAAAOE/GIeCbd-Fbdw/s1600-h/Sanforde.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224457504593207202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIEAa4lm36I/AAAAAAAAAOE/GIeCbd-Fbdw/s400/Sanforde.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">I just ate fourteen <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">churros</span>, two turkey legs, and a Toll House ice cream cookie. And now I have a tummy ache. This is all your fault, you BIG DUMMY!</span></em></p><p></p><p></p><p>The State of Florida just released <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-themeparks1608jul16,0,2894048.story">a report</a> that summarizes injuries in the Orlando-area theme parks. Let's see here: </p><p>OH MY GOD! Two people got broken ankles walking around in theme parks! AND HOLY <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">GEEZ</span>! Some middle aged lady had a heart attack! AND <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NUH</span> UH! Someone "inhaled water"...AT A WATER PARK!!!</p><p>The worst: someone got nauseated on the Mummy. I wonder why that might have happened?</p><p>Seriously, though, safety is such a huge priority for these parks. It has to be...why would people shell out 70+ clams a day just to risk their necks? These reports are just stupid. When these trusted public officials aren't off creating a panic about some crazy, out of control ride that should never have been built, they publish these "idiot chronicles."</p><p>And speaking of crazy, out of control rides that should have never been built, check out the number of reported incidents at Epcot. ZERO. Guess that maniacal Mission:SPACE got all the killing out of its system.</p><p></p><p></p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-37304107748988193972008-07-18T13:55:00.002-04:002008-07-18T13:58:51.169-04:00Are the French People Ready for This?<a href="http://%3cdiv/"><object height="339" width="420"><param name="movie" value="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x656x6"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x656x6" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="339" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object><br /><b></a></b><a href="http://www.dailymotion.com/swf/x656x6">Ratatouille Rémy living character</a><br /><br /><br />Hard to tell what is happening here, but definitely a funny idea. What's up with his arms?<br /><br />Thanks to the cats at Photosmagiques.com!Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-57403289026359037722008-07-18T07:39:00.004-04:002008-07-18T07:51:09.741-04:00I Know You, I Walked Thru You Once Upon a DreamThe Sleeping Beauty Castle Walk Thru (one of the funkiest Disneyland attractions I ever visited) is officially going to reopen! Hoo-Ray! Just in time for BlueRay!<br /><br />Now, this was never any E-Ticket attraction. No, this was one of those small "surprise" experiences that gives Disneyland the richness that no other park can even approach.<br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224319130879543394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SICCkeVaSGI/AAAAAAAAAN8/3r_-Z_tQ0OY/s400/sbcwalkthrough02_original.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"><em>Must have been watching Conversations with Michael Eisner. Zzzzzzz.</em></p><p align="left"><br />And I'm glad to see Tony Baxter's comments that they are modeling this redo off the original Eyvind Earle design, not the window-display version that took over in the seventies.<br /><br />Here's the <a href="http://www.disneylandnews.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=308">press release</a>. </p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-88645418879076579722008-07-16T18:46:00.000-04:002008-07-18T07:55:32.113-04:00Bob says....<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIB0oAkBC8I/AAAAAAAAAN0/C1wZy3YVvE8/s1600-h/bdhead.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224303798444428226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIB0oAkBC8I/AAAAAAAAAN0/C1wZy3YVvE8/s400/bdhead.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"><em><blockquote><div align="center"><em>An' here I sit so patiently</em></div><div align="center"><em>Waiting to find out what price</em></div><div align="center"><em>You have to pay to get out of</em></div><div align="center"><em>Going through all these things twice.</em></div></blockquote></em></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">Thanks, Bob. </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">You can find that kind of poetry throughout <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blonde-Bob-Dylan/dp/B0000024OG">Blonde on Blonde</a>. Go git it. </div><div align="left"></div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-38320983069787027622008-07-15T18:00:00.000-04:002008-07-18T07:56:01.745-04:00Does InBev Know What They Have?<div align="left">The Sea World parks have always fascinated me.<br /><br />My first Sea World experience was back in the mid-seventies, at the now-defunct Sea World Ohio, near Cleveland. A little history lesson: that park was a real jewel among the Sea World properties, outperforming expectations from day one. You want some background on it, check out Geoorge Millay's biography <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wave-Maker-Creation-Seaworld-Education/dp/1893951081/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216375530&sr=8-1The">The Wave Maker.</a></div><br /><br /><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224299150211329618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" height="293" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIBwZci4rlI/AAAAAAAAANc/EWmHFzwcmMU/s400/seaworld.jpg" width="255" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">The Super Friends were performing ski shows at Sea World during my first visit. </span></em><em><span style="font-size:85%;">It was my first exposure to Mera, Aquaman's wife. Meee-Yow!</span></em><br /></p><br />While you have your nose in that really great history of the theme park business, read up on George's thoughts regarding the Marine Mammal Protection Act. That little bit of legislation had a big impact on the theme park industry, and Sea World in particular. Why?<br /><br />Well, cutting to the chase, when the MMPA was passed in 1972, it prohibited Americans from harassing, hunting, capturing, or killing marine animals in United States waters or on the high seas. The upshot: companies couldn't go out and snatch a bunch of killer whales and dolphins, just 'cause.<br /><br />Ah, but Sea World already had these beasties, and there was nothing preventing them from continuing to display them, or make them jump through rings of fire, or dance to Village People songs. Thing was, Sea World became one of the only games in town with that little law.<br /><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224300143735305346" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIBxTRtddII/AAAAAAAAANk/LxvMriiLLLE/s400/200803-SeaWorld-SpringNight1.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">That's what she said...</span></em><br /></p><p align="left">So, InBev grabs up Anheuser Busch and there's all this talk about selling off the parks to pay down the debt on that deal. But maybe those parks are more valuable than folks give them credit for, just because they have those assets.</p>Add in the deal that the Busch parks have in place with the Sesame Street characters here in the United States, plus the agreement with Nakheel in Dubai...well, you hate to see these parks dismantled, but it sure seems like you could maybe make more money by <em>not</em> keeping all these parks lumped together.<br /><br />What would Disney or Universal do if offered the chance to buy Sesame Place and also snatch up the rights to use the Sesame characters here in the United States?<br /><br />What would Merlin Entertainment or Oriental Land Company do if they were given a chance to own the three Sea World parks here in the United States, moving them from foreign players to immediate contenders in the Orlando, So. Cal., and (oh yeah) San Antonio markets?<br /><br />Seems like there are a lot of cool possibilities. Also some scary ones. Here's hoping that whatever happens, these parks aren't tarnished in the process.Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-25902624625937761232008-07-15T02:00:00.000-04:002008-07-18T06:45:15.465-04:00Random Sketch<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIBz2u7zAqI/AAAAAAAAANs/RyBo04Ja-2c/s1600-h/meeting+notes.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224302951898743458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SIBz2u7zAqI/AAAAAAAAANs/RyBo04Ja-2c/s400/meeting+notes.bmp" border="0" /></a> too many meetings<br /></div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-65047260560084666202008-07-03T17:57:00.000-04:002008-07-18T07:56:48.864-04:00What Disney's Hollywood Studios Doesn't Need......is another show. Good lord, you spend a day at this joint and it's hurry-hurry, scurry-scurry from one scheduled event to another. Guess it wouldn't be so bad if the shows ran all day--like they do at Sea World--but most of Disney's shows shut down just about the time that the Florida sun switches from <em>Atomic</em> to <em>Something Tolerable</em>.<br /><br />If Toy Story Mania proves anything, it's that the Studios need(s) more rides to fill out the guest experience. Especially family rides.<br /><br />So, as Jim Hill provides this <a href="http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2008/06/23/monday-mouse-watch-inside-the-american-idol-experience.aspx">news</a> about the new American Idol attraction--one more big show--I just gotta think this is another misguided Marketing-driven attraction that throws this park even further out of balance.Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-57941791386516812572008-07-01T15:25:00.008-04:002008-07-01T21:20:16.170-04:00Million Dollar Spud<div align="left">Just back from a ridiculously-long vacation to the sunshine state and the Vacation Kingdom of the World. While there, we made sure to visit Toy Story/Midway Mania ride at Disney's MGM Hollywood Studios Theme Park. More about the ride below. This entry begins with a recounting of our second visit to this attraction.<br /><br />Anyway, we took the Standby line which was posted at 65 minutes but was chucking along so quick, it seemed like our wait would be maybe half that. Of course, the idiot who thinks that way jinxes himself. And sure enough, the line just stopped.<br /><br />I used this time to take in the queue (nothing really special, big toys on a thin budget) and the much-lauded Tater Head animatronic (NOT visible to Fastpassers). So we stood watching the Potato. Pretty soon, he started acting weird. He'd freeze. Then he'd hit the wall. He took his ear out (nice). When he went to shove it back in, he kind of just lobbed it onto the floor (ooops!).<br /><br />Below is a suboptimal, blurry shot of the unfortunate Cast Member who had to walk the gauntlet of grumbling Standby guests so he could replace the giant spud-ear using a highly-themed aluminum stepladder. </div><div align="left"> </div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">(Seriously, I'm totally embarrassed at the quality of this shot.) </div><br /><div align="center"><br /><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SGqFCKm7FRI/AAAAAAAAAL0/PAROTwOkz5k/s1600-h/DSCF5244.JPG"><em><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218129390515983634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SGqFCKm7FRI/AAAAAAAAAL0/PAROTwOkz5k/s400/DSCF5244.JPG" border="0" /></em><br /><p align="center"></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>"Hurry up, ya hockey puck! Bob Iger spent more on my nose than you'll make in a lifetime!"</em></span> </p><p>Tater Head continued to sputter and whirr as we stood in place for 90 minutes. Once, he went haywire when an irritable guest used an emergency exit near the spud...seemed like some proximity sensor killed the show. </p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218152225619702178" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SGqZzV_58aI/AAAAAAAAAL8/UDOEGNWIxRE/s400/DSCF5253.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Panic Bar versus Tater Head. Panic Bar WINS!</span><br /></div><div align="left"><br />Eventually though, we did ride (after a 130 minute wait...STOOPID Fastpass). And it is a very well done attraction. Insanely addictive.</div>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-35947847532769356472008-06-30T15:11:00.001-04:002008-07-01T21:22:18.491-04:00THE FUNMEISTER IS DEAD!LONG LIVE THE FUNMEISTER!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SGqBoI_KKmI/AAAAAAAAALs/mODrXF1gUOQ/s1600-h/71d322f0.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218125644869282402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/SGqBoI_KKmI/AAAAAAAAALs/mODrXF1gUOQ/s400/71d322f0.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I can't figure out whether I should be sad or resigned to the idea that Pleasure Island wil officially be shuttered this September. The memories of great times are there, but it has been way too much work to pretend that PI was fun for, oh, maybe the last decade. Seriously, how many times can you sit through the same show at Adventurers Club and pretend the old yarns are still funny, or even interesting?<br /><br />What I do mourn is the fact that Pleasure Island never lived up to its potential and now never will. There was always this nugget inside me that hoped the Mouse would someday see that PI could be "grown up" and still every bit as rich and fanciful as the best Disney attraction.<br /><br />Instead we say goodnight to Merriweather Adam Pleasure, his idiot sons, the canvas factory, the pigeons from Sandusky, and the Balderdash Awards. We loved you when you were young. But we'd rather see you dead than have you living as some gibbering, drooling old fart.Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-85987094075763318262008-04-05T21:12:00.007-04:002008-04-05T21:49:10.726-04:00Marty's Small World<div align="left"><br />I have loads of respect for Marty Sklar. So when he <a href="http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID10029590.asp">pipes up</a> about this Small World character overlay, you have to take notice.<br /><br />Two things I'll point out...the most minor point first:<br /><br />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."<br /><br />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!<br /><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R_gqpgF7z2I/AAAAAAAAALI/eFTwc0E0Q5U/s1600-h/rocketrods-sep99.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185941863394955106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R_gqpgF7z2I/AAAAAAAAALI/eFTwc0E0Q5U/s400/rocketrods-sep99.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><em><span style="font-size:85%;">The legacy of Tomorrowland '98...an abandoned ride, an abandoned paint scheme, and a big WTF in place of the old Rocket Jets.</span></em><br /><br /></p><p align="left">Point Two: Marty describes Walt as "the greatest 'change agent' who ever walked down Main Street."<br /><br />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.<br /></p><div align="center"><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R_gpNwF7z0I/AAAAAAAAAK4/ANFi-6v70yI/s1600-h/viewliner_1957.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185940287141957442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R_gpNwF7z0I/AAAAAAAAAK4/ANFi-6v70yI/s400/viewliner_1957.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">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.</span><br /></p></em><em><p align="left"></em>But in believing this I have to believe that guys like Marty are either deluded or only half-honest if they think a bunch of robo-Beasts and animatronic-Ariels represent Walt Disney-caliber change. What WDI is doing is putting lipstick on a pig. Walt would have eaten that pig at a luau and replaced it with bigger bacon than anyone had dreamed of before.<br /><br />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. </p><p align="left"><br /></p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-82385402203251252102008-04-05T12:05:00.006-04:002008-04-05T12:51:25.887-04:00Something Completely Different<div align="left">Sad news from Cowtown...<a href="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/04/05/skybus_quits.ART_ART_04-05-08_A1_S89RB8M.html?sid=101">Skybus Airlines is dead.</a><br /><br />Lots of folks had questions about how this thing could work, based on a model of minimal service, routes to "say wha?" destinations, and $10 fares on every flight.<br /><br />Me? I took advantage of the cheap rates and enjoyed the direct flights to Oakland and Burbank.<br /><br />Most of all, I was rooting for Skybus. I wanted it to succeed. This was not just because I was benefitting...I admired the pluck involved in starting a new carrier based on a novel business model...all in the middle of Ohio.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R_esYgF7zzI/AAAAAAAAAKw/jIgYoRrEhOI/s1600-h/108014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185803032872079154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R_esYgF7zzI/AAAAAAAAAKw/jIgYoRrEhOI/s400/108014.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Well, golly, if Ohio Governor Ted Strickland doesn't look as pleased as punch in this photo. </em></span></p><em><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></em><p align="left"><br />Now, Skybus is no more. I'd like to say I'm happy just to have known Skybus. But, really, I'm pissed off. Not with the Skybus people (though I am sure none of SB's saavy investors lost any money in this scheme). But with our disinterested government and the opportunities it's costing the folks who live in the struggling Midwest.<br /><br />I hate regulation in general, but there are a few places it seems necessary. Air travel is one of these exceptions. Safety is involved. So are countless individuals and businesses that trust that they will actually be able to travel on the flights that they book.<br /><br />The FAA grants these carriers the right to fly in the Unites States. They should also mandate an orderly process should an operator elect to close up shop.<br /><br />Instead, Skybus employees are suddenly jobless. Customers are stranded in places like Greensboro and Gary. Other carriers like Southwest and JetBlue, responding to Skybus's presence, have limited their operations, leaving communities like Columbus with reduced airline capacity. And gobs of tax dollars got spent on red carpets that were rolled out for a bunch of carpetbaggers that skipped town.<br /><br />It's hard to tell what guys like Columbus's Mayor Mike Coleman were told, formerly or otherwise. But before he or Ohio Governor Ted Strickland exposed their citizens to this kind of risk, they owed it to the people who elected them to ensure Skybus was in this for the long haul and would not pull up stakes with no announcement. And the feds should be mandating the same thing with every carrier.<br /><br />AB<br /><br />PS - I just rebooked a trip to Florida this morning on Southwest (an airline that offers service that is INFERIOR to any Skybus service I experienced). My original flight was going into St. Augustine, now I am headed to Orlando. Mickey wins. Ponce de Leon, not so much.</p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-17646899104595271952008-04-03T07:01:00.001-04:002008-04-03T07:04:52.188-04:00More DubailandHere's an interesting <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-parks3apr03,1,6308721.story?page=1">article</a> on Dubailand. <br /><br />Interesting...40,000 people a day? Sounds like a single attraction's attendance in Orlando.Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-38665206613707917322008-04-01T13:06:00.000-04:002008-04-01T13:07:48.347-04:00Sublime...<object width="425" height="373"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9aDVlFzF5Kk&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9aDVlFzF5Kk&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&border=1&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="373"></embed></object>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-74741383272492070852008-03-24T13:44:00.006-04:002008-03-24T13:51:42.461-04:00Nothing to Worry About...Have no fear, folks...WDI knows what it is doing when it comes to introducing characters to It's a Small World.<br /><br />I mean, just look at this masterpiece that'll soon be going into Honky Tonk Disneyland.<br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R-fo9AF7zvI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/zLaIAsXmFSs/s1600-h/stitch.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181366031007600370" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R-fo9AF7zvI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/zLaIAsXmFSs/s400/stitch.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Didn't McLeach shoot one of these in Rescuers Down Under?</span></em></p><p align="left">Ick. Let's hope this atrocity won't be surfing its way to Anaheim anytime soon.</p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-398682771091283692.post-43146174994555265892008-03-23T14:31:00.008-04:002008-03-23T15:08:14.522-04:00Small World hub-bubLots of grousing going on about these rumored additions to It's a Small World. You can read Al Lutz's original Miceage.com story <a href="http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al022608a.htm">here</a> and some huffing and puffing that the Re-Imagineering guys have going on <a href="http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/">at this link</a>.<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R-apBgF7ztI/AAAAAAAAAKA/Kk53r0Cvgrs/s1600-h/fears.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181014264596123346" style="CURSOR: hand" height="326" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R-apBgF7ztI/AAAAAAAAAKA/Kk53r0Cvgrs/s400/fears.jpg" width="310" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>What was Mary Blair thinking? This picture needs Stitch in a hula skirt!</em></span></p><em><span style="font-size:78%;"></span></em><p align="left">My take? Well first off, the ride IS old and COULD stand for some serious reworking. But adding Disney characters isn't the fix...that's just Disney's brand-nazis at work.<br /><br />In all likelihood, adding Blair-ish characters will just be ugly. Screw the trumped up stories that are already circulating about Walt considering just such a move when the show arrived at Disneyland in '65. Even if that is true, it's a skewed truth. Disney had a whole different approach to its characters in the sixties. It was certainly more restrained. Heck, I have a 1968 souvenir guide that doesn't feature a character until page 6. Imagine that today.<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R-amLQF7zsI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/BMFihRzLG4Q/s1600-h/tikimiki.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181011133564964546" style="CURSOR: hand" height="237" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_nEKqwuLGsiA/R-amLQF7zsI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/BMFihRzLG4Q/s400/tikimiki.jpg" width="228" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;"><em>This is Disney's interpretation of a Mickey-tiki. If the "talents" at Disney can manage to take a playful "Polynesian" approach and churn out this gack, image how hideous their Mary Blair-inspired work could be. Yikes!</em></span></p><p align="left">It's a Small World is a treasure, an attraction that was loved-on by some of the very best artists Disney ever employed. It doesn't deserve to be monkeyed with by punk-talents who are simply doing the bidding of their corporate masters.<br /><br />Still this attraction is showing its age. No doubt if the Old Man were still running the joint, this show would have been gone a long time ago. I wonder what Walt would have done to top this classic. I wonder if anyone at WDI has the talent to answer that question.<br /></p>Aracuanbirdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01922471534891857342noreply@blogger.com0