Sunday, September 30, 2007

When September Ends...


Well here it is my fellow Disney fans and friends...

The end of September is here. Over the next several weeks keep an eye out where you walk or you'll run into a wall...

Somewhere/everywhere. October is a wonderful month and Fall is my favorite season. This year, it has even more meaning than it normally does.

Don't expect it to happen all at once... but do expect it to start.

See you next month...

Disney's Kingdom Beats Universal's Kingdom...


In a bit of a surprising move Disney's "The Game Plan" starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson beat out Universal's big political actioner "The Kingdom". The PG rated family film surprised many by grossing an estimated $22.7 million from 3,103 screens. It could be that "The Kingdom"'s R rating limited its appeal to parents wanting to take their kids to a movie for the whole family. Still, the Peter Berg directed film starring Jaime Foxx grossed an estimated $17.7 million from 2,793 screens. Not bad for second place, but considering everyone felt that "The Game Plan" was going to be taking that spot it's a little more disappointing for Universal.

Bob Iger has got to be the luckiest CEO ever... He's been doing a lot of the right things, but he's also had an incredible amount of good luck on projects he's had little if anything to do with. That's ok though... it helps to have luck every now and then... Maybe he's just the beneficiary of some good ole' Disney Magic?

The Bomb That Wasn't...


Oh, it's going to make less than the last film...

Oh, it shows that there is a downward spiral for the last few Pixar films...

The domestic box office for it is going to be way below what it was for "Cars"...

This is clearly Pixar's first flop...

These are all variations on statements made about "Ratatouille".

What we are talking about here is a movie that has grossed over 400 million dollars. And it still has quite a few territories to open up in. When it's finished the grosses should match or exceed that of "Cars"...

The domestic take will come in under what "Cars" had, but the international take will come in over that. Remy was a hit in America, but it's a much bigger one overseas.

There was a term coined decades ago by a Senator from New York named Daniel Patrick Monahan... he wrote a book that used the term: "Defining deviancy down". What it basically meant was that we were taking crimes and decriminalizing them so as to make that behavior less of a stigma and while doing so making it appear the reduction of crime was taking place. It was a way of dealing with problems by avoidance... if you legalize it, you don't have to address it's societal impact. To me, this way of dealing with Pixar films of late is a form of this.

When you have to change the definition of film being a disappointment or even in some cases a bomb/flop to be a film that makes upwards of close to half a billion... well, you're pretty much defining success downward.

Where does it say that every film has to make more than the last? They're all different and appeal to varying groups of people. It simply is ridiculous to think every one will make more than the last. It's expecting disaster even when it doesn't appear. It's being excessively negative about something for the simple sake of it. I realize that the last couple films the Lamp has made have made less than the previous ones. My response...

So???

When they have a real stinker come out. One that doesn't generate hundreds of millions of dollars, one that sucks more cash than it takes in, one that is overwhelmingly abandoned by the critics... well, then give me a call. Otherwise, you're simply participating in a form of incestual "Pixar Bashing"...

I've said it before, but it always bares repeating. Life is difficult. Being negative is EASY. Being positive is hard... The more you work at being negative and miserable, the more it will reflect on you and your outlook of life. Don't be part of this. Don't fall victim to it. Live life. Enjoy it. And go see "Ratatouille" again just to see that even a rat knows how to live life better than most human beings. That was one of the messages I found in the film that was so positive... be yourself. Don't conform to what society wants you to be. Don't let others define you. And most of all...

Enjoy the world around you. It's actually fun to do so. Imagine that...

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Tim Burton Returns To The Mouse?


Over at Aint It Cool News they have a report from a student on an advance screening of "Enchanted" that is pretty positive. The reviewer thinks it's definately the right direction Disney should be going.

But the big news is what was said afterwards...

Dick Cook let loose some surprising info the reviewer said: "He said that the project would be helmed by the creative mastermind behind the majority of stop-motion pictures in the last decade. Our Dean looked at him slyly and asked, "This guy has never worked with Danny Elfman before has he?".

Sounds pretty exciting... I wonder if this was in the works before Tim had his meeting with Pixar a while back? Maybe he got along well with Uncle John. Hmmm...

The Difference Between Electrical Outlets: Convergence Part 3...


So here we are with another example of convergence. Today we're going to take a look at the Main Street Electrical Parade, which is now known as Disney's Electrical Parade. This entertainment parade was created by Bob Jani and debuted in 1972 at Disneyland. It lasted for the most part of two decades and was finally retired in 1996. After the bad performance of DCA's opening it was decided to bring it back to bolster attendance at the new park. It was re-branded as "Disney's Electrical Parade" since DCA doesn't have a Main Street(yet... hehe). The rides are basically the same as the Main Street version, minus one float. The ride is simple and yet magical, but is clearly not on a technological level with other parades and attractions. The DCA version is simply the old Disneyland version brought out of mothballs...

While certain attractions have had major overhauls, the beloved EP has not. While I know this may anger some Disney Geeks, the current show is fun, but painfully long in the tooth. It would be nice if the Mouse updated it...

Could it really be improved?

Yes, actually... it could. I'm not saying that we replace everything, but the floats could/should be updated to reflect modern technology like... well, like Tokyo Disneyland's version. Actually its second version. TDL's original version of the Electrical Parade ended in 1995. The new version they have has been running since the park was turned into a resort back in 2001. Now I don't want you to get the idea that everything is great in Tokyo, but they are an example of a park which spares no expense and has lavish, extravagant rides and attractions that in the past could never even be thought of for state-side parks. With Uncle John in charge the possibility for such things is not only doable... but probable based on the rumblings around Glendale water coolers.

So what exactly is so wonderful about TDL's version?

Well, it's called "Tokyo Disneyland Electrical Parade: Dream Lights" and it has the basic setup that ours has... only the rides are, uhem... here we go again. They're more detailed. If you've ever got a chance to see EP's floats in daylight you'd understand how ugly and plain they are. Yes, they have provided countless children, young and old much joy... but I'd like to see them update the floats. Maybe add a new one or two... like TDL. They've got several new floats they've added to the older, but extremely detailed other ones. The new floats are Pixar floats, mostly from Nemo and Monsters, but are beautiful to watch. Another thing that the parade at TDL has is the music is synced to the lights. So many floats have the lights flashing to the music... which can be quite striking. The Cinderella float is amazing as you watch her gown dance to the music and change colors right before your eyes. The technology shows what WDI can do if given the green-light and greenbacks to go with it. While our snail can barely move his head, the one in Tokyo can blink his eyes and have facial expressions that create quite a dramatic affect.

I know I could go on describing it, but the old adage: "a picture is worth a thousand words" seems to be the best way to convey what I'm trying to describe.


Now a picture may be worth a thousand words, but a video has to be worth an entire story. So let's tell that story...

Here is a video of Tokyo's Electrical parade from the beginning.

Now this is the Electrical version at DCA, not bad but somewhat dated. I know it doesn't show it as much with these small videos but hopefully the point can be made effectively enough for the time being.

Here is another video of TDL's EP with some more of the highly detailed floats. Not the detail and design of the "Alice in Wonderland" float.

Now compare that to this video of our own "Alice in Wonderland" float. Alice appears around 1:17 seconds into the video so you can know when to expect it.

Let us remember that these parades and attractions were designed by the Mouse... so this isn't a knock on their ability to be creative. It's a call to the Suits to cut the restraints. Break the chains and let WDI show the world why Disney has always been well above the rest of the theme park business. When given the ability to imagine, Imagineers can do great things... we shouldn't settle for ok. We don't have to...

We won't.

Now, if the current crop of Suits will understand that then class can be dismissed.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Pixar Reveals "Wall-E" Teaser Poster...


Pixar, through Disney's own Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures(formerly, Buena Vista International) has released the teaser poster for the animation studio's 2008 theatrical release: "Wall-E". Not bad... not bad at all.

Hat Tip goes to Upcoming Pixar.

Disney's Game Plan This Weekend...


Walt Disney Pictures "The Game Plan" starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a self-absorbed superstar quarterback opens up today against Universal's "The Kingdom". While it's likely "Kingdom" will be on top, it remains to be seen if "The Game Plan" can pull in strong numbers at number two this weekend. The last Disney movie that came out during the summer was "Underdog", which seriously underperformed(I was worried about that one from the moment I saw the stills and knew it was doomed upon seeing the trailer).

Another movie that's in limited release right now, opening up last Wednesday is "Into the Wild", directed by Sean Penn and based on the best-selling book by Jon Krakauer. I hear this one is amazing and plan on seeing it next week.

So tune in Sunday and see if an egotistical professional football player can overcome terrorists fighting FBI agents. Can you smell what the Mouse is cooking?

Jay's Baby Is A Sophomore...


The second "Year Of A Million Dreams" kicks off its second year on October 1st during Good Morning America's broadcast. The Mouse is going to try and use its cross-promotion with its own ABC network to try and get people excited and insprired about the marketing campaign that most people really don't know much about. You'd be surprised at the people that brush off the Dream Squad when they try to award them a prize because they think it's somekind of promotion to get them to buy something... not nearly as bad as it was last year, but Jay Rasulo and Michael Mendenhall's love child is still a pour substitute for "The Happiest Place on Earth"...

Now there is a marketing campaign Disney Geeks could get behind and love. I wonder if they have any plans to bring that back? Hmmm...

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Walt Frees Fun...


Walt Disney Productions releases its ninth animated feature on this date, sixty-years ago today. The movie, "Fun and Fancy Free" features two classic animated shorts, "Mickey and the Beanstalk" and "Bongo The Bear". Also of importance is this being the debut of Jim Macdonald as the voice of Mickey Mouse.

A Guide To Blue Sky Disney-Speak...



Well, I've gotten a few e-mails over the summer that have asked me what certain terms I used meant or for a clearer explanation of something. Some of you will remember my post on "Creatives Vs. Suits" that was published a while back... I guess it was time I created a mini-dictionary... a guide sort of. One that explains terms used on this blog so that visitors new to Blue Sky DIsney can catch up...

Here we go:

Battle For Pooh - The long, ongoing fight between the Slesinger family and the Walt Disney Company over the rights to the billions-of-dollars-generating characters.

Blue Sky Alert - A Blue Sky Alert is when we publish a detailed account of the goings on in Glendale(read: WDI)... it most likely will refer to things happening at the Disneyland Resort, but periodically we'll have Alerts about Walt Disney World, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong. There are no specific times that these are published, it usually happens when my Bothans have gotten/given sufficient information to make a post worthwhile...

Bothans - Speaking of the Devil... Bothans are my sources throughout the Walt Disney Company. Some are Corporate, Animators, Imagineers and a few Cast Members. Oh, and the term for you that aren't Sci-Fi Geeks comes from "Star Wars: Return of the Jedi" where Mon Mothra was describing how "many Bothans died to bring us this information"...

Convergence - This is a term used only recently to describe a coming together of information, technology and the ability to have action to create a change. Basically, it's the power of the new media(read: blogs, YouTube, cable and other sources) to influence and educate people... in our case, Disney Geeks/Fans.

Creative, A - The ones within the Walt Disney Company that believe in creativity. Art is the highest achievement. The creation of something noble, something entertaining that captivates the observer. These would be the Imagineers, the directors, writers and other storytellers with in the company.

Disney Geek/Fan - If you are new to this site, please take a moment to go to the mirror, look in it and then come back. Are you back? Chances are you now know what one of these is...

Eeyore, A - A person that is exceedingly, unnecessarily negative. Even if there heart is pure, they forecast doom and gloom without noticing it.

Forgotten Mouse Tales - Movie projects that were under development at Walt Disney Studios that were never made for a variety of reasons.

Fun Factories - An endearing term used as a nick-name for Walt Disney Parks across the world.

Glendale Kingdom, The - Blue Sky Disney's description of the business complex in Glendale that houses Walt Disney Imagineering, DIsney Toons and Walt Disney Animation Studios(Walt Disney Television Animation is located on the studio lot in Burbank).

Golden Age, First - This is the time usually referred to the period from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" through Bambi and basically includes the first five Disney films: Snow White, Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi.

Golden Age, Second - This is the time usually refereed to the period from "The Little Mermaid" through "The Lion King" and from Blue Sky's view actually includes these DIsney films: The Great Mouse Detective, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King.

Lamp, The - Slang for Pixar Animation Studios.

Mouse, The - Slang for the Walt Disney Company.

Mouse Traps - Originally a description of the new off-site properties and entertainment centers that Jay Rasulo has planned for the company. Usually used to refer to projects/attractions that Disney planned on building to seperate guests and their cash.

Nerdvana - Slang used to describe the San Diego Comic Con. If you've ever been there... you know why we use it.

Old Maestro, The - Not a term we came up with, but one used periodically here at BSD. It was a nick-name given to Walt referring to his ability to grasp creative talent and play it like a symphony.

Owl, A - Someone who bloviates on and on about a subject... hey, whatayoulooking at?

Pooh, A - Someone who is exceedingly, unrepentantly positive. A person who always sees the bright spots and is contagiously optimistic without noticing it.

Rabbit, A - Someone that is a pragmatist. One who goes about their belief that good can happening, but preparing for the worst and expecting it.

Suit, A - These are the people whose main concern is the bottom line. The essential part of the company where cost is all that matters. Everything has to be looked at through the prism of how it affects the bottom line. You've heard the term "Money is God"... well, these are the true believers.

Uncle John - Our endearing term for John Lasseter... a homage to the dear founder of our obsession, your host... Walt Disney.

Virtual Shareholder - A term used to describe the internet community of Disney Geeks/Fans that use their keyboards to display love and affection or hatred and venom toward the actions of the Walt Disney Company and its Executives.

As time goes by I'm sure we'll develope more to add to this short list...

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

A Mickey Mouse Joint...


The Mouse and KB Home are teaming to turn your house into your very own Disney themed home. Through Disney Consumer Products, a unit of WDC, they plan on offering design centers that let you customize your house to reflect you Disney obsession... This service will be offered to eager Disney Geeks and home owners come 2008.

A "Solsbury Hill" Moment...


This is a reflective post. You see, a couple days ago was the anniversary of Michael Eisner being voted in as Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company. I deliberately chose not to report it. I've had a great deal of post that reflected negatively on him and the Suits he brought with him so I felt like it would have been piling on unnecessarily if I had mentioned it.

Now as much as I criticize Mr. Eisner, I have mentioned the good he has done, but probably it bares repeating so that people don't get the idea that I'm trying to bash him for the sake of it. I want to get across the fact that I believe the success that the Mouse has had over the past two decades wouldn't be possible without Michael Eisner and Frank Wells...

My gripe has always been that Eisner overstayed his welcome and basically lost his balance in 1994 when Frank Wells died in a helicopter crash. During his first decade, I feel he got eighty to ninety percent of what needed to be done right. The problem was he spent the next decade doing the exact opposite and doing eighty to ninety percent wrong. If he would have retired by, oh say... 2000 he would have gone down in history with a much kinder record. I believe he'll still be remembered rather well... just not as high on the ladder as he could have been.

Sometimes people have to know their limitations. Sometimes people have to know when it's time to leave the party. Sometimes it's necessary to call the game and head home. That takes humility and perspective... these are two things missing from Eisner once Frank Wells exits the stage in this play.

Now, what does this have to do with the title of this post? Solsbury Hill? Well, it refers to a song. My favorite song by my favorite solo artist. Peter Gabriel.

The song has a very colorful and interesting history. You see, he wrote it after going insane... alright, that's the politically incorrect way of saying it. The PC term would be that he had a mental breakdown. He lost his wife because of an affair he had with someone... presumably, Kate Bush. He realized that he'd made a mistake and the world around him was crumbling because of his own mistakes, his own stupidity and his mind just snapped. He was put in an insane asylum... oops, sorry. A mental institution, I mean. And he spent some time reconstructing his mind, going over the details of his life and trying to piece it back together until one day it was over. Someone famous came to take him home. Now the song was written about his experience being there... supposedly, he used to look out the window and see Solsbury Hill and it became a symbol for him. It became his freedom. Not so much from the place he was at physically, but where he was emotionally. For when he could finally get out and go to it... well that meant that everything was back to normal. Everything was fine.

Now, I'm sure you're saying... "nice story, but again, how does this have anything to do with Disney? Well, as I said at the beginning of this post... this is a reflective post. I'm just in that sort of mood so bare with me a bit.

See, I tend to use a lot of analogies(and if you don't know that you've not been reading the blog very long)... what this has to do with the Mouse is in how it mirrors the time of Eisner's reign. See Eisner was riding high at the company, its stock was high and the success was making him feel like he could do no wrong. Like he could do what he wanted and nothing bad would come of it. Like Peter Gabriel when he cheated... he wasn't thinking clearly. Anyway, the disaster for Gabriel was the infidelity and destruction of his marriage. The disaster for Disney and Eisner was EuroDisney.

Eisner's first mistake was in locating the park in Paris instead of where it should have gone, which was Barcelona. This was the location that the park was originally going to go. The area was good and the weather was much closer to the American parks so that the company wouldn't have had to deal with the harsh winters that made them design certain things for the Paris theme park. Well, France dangled all these goodies... all these financial incentives in front of Disney and Eisner gave into temptation and took it. Just like Gabriel... he then started building far more hotels than the resort could fill effectively. Eisner indulged in his excesses the way Gabriel continued his affair not thinking of the repercussions and not believing he would get caught.

When it all started coming together... when the park was a hit, but the hotels weren't being fill, the realization of overspending took place. And everything... EVERYTHING Eisner had planned to come after it would suffer from the bitter sting of EuroDisney. Port Disney with it's DisneySea park... gone. WestCOT with it's immersive worlds... canceled. The "Disney Decade" that Eisner announce earlier... dramatically cutback. Several other projects fell by the wayside. Everything afterwards was overly cautious... dealing from the sting of his excesses... Eisner now did the exact opposite and the results of that fruit are DCA, WDSP and HKDL...

This was Eisner's mental breakdown. And the company's as well... and of course I'm being metaphoric in using these things. You see, for Disney and it's fans... well, to see the return to glory we've been wanting? That would be us looking out on Solsbury Hill, wanting to be free again. The symbolic nature of the Mouse being alright again comes with Eisner realizing it was time to go and moving on. Essentially the process of knowing what has to be done. The rebuilding that has to happen so that we can go back to a better time when everything was well. That's where we were last year and today. We're in a state where we know what is right, we know what went wrong and as Iger himself has said about knowing what went wrong so we don't repeat the mistakes of the past. Now some of you will take this analogy as a stretch... that's understandable. But I like it... it's good for me and that's all that really counts right now. I hope you got an understanding of what I was trying to convey though...

It's good to finally have the Mouse be in a position where it knows what was done right, what was done wrong and what needs to be done over the next decade or so to bring about some form of sanity. For the Mouse, the Shareholders and the Fans.

Now does that sound crazy?

Suing Is What Tiggers Do Best...


Well the Walt Disney Company has won another round in the "Battle for Pooh". A California Appeals Court declined to reinstate a long-running case against the Mouse over royalties it paid for ther Winnie the Pooh characters.

The Slesinger family has been in a fight with The Walt Disney Company for decades over money from a beloved cartoon figure that brings in over two billion dollars a year for the company. You can read more of the legalees here.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Goofy Sightings...


It appears that with the new Goofy short finished, Walt Disney Animation Studios is moving on to its other productions and people in the know are starting to get a look at the final product.

Jerry Beck over at Cartoon Brew has seen Goofy's comeback vehicle and has a review of it over on the site. What's his verdict? Well, go read it and see... but let's just say that directors Kevin Deters and Stevie Wermers-Skelton have done for Goofy what Quentin Tarantino did for John Travolta.

I can't wait to get a look at this and hope that Disney announces soon which film they plan on releasing it with... I hope my sources are right about which one it may be attached to.

Pooh In Motion: Convergence Part 2...


Another ride we've talked about and even showed you still pictures of is Tokyo Disneyland's "Pooh's Hunny Hunt" ride... well for those of you that can't yet afford to go there and would like to see it we have a special treat.

Here is the video for Pooh's Hunny Hunt... take a look and compare it to our very own "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" here in Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom. The quality difference isn't just noticeable... it's staggeringly different. Just take a look at the incredible detail that WDI did with this ride. There is a reason this is the number one ride in Tokyo Disneyland...

To get an overall impression of the ride just take a look at this slickly put together piece...

And here a video that centers on the middle of the ride showing quite a bit of detail... or this one which compliments the previous video...

And then we have another which is the least favorite of riders because it occurs at the end of the ride meaning it's over and they're going to have to get in another two hour line if they want to see it again...

WDI had originally proposed this type of project for the American parks, but the Suits weren't willing to pour this kind of money into it. The Oriental Land Company was, though... which is why they got the ride we all deserved and why we got the ride Eisner thought we would except. The reviews for "The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh" ride were lukewarm at best. Ironically, the lines for this ride are lukewarm at best as well. There were no four or five hour long waits for this attraction and there never will be. If this has been built in Disneyland we'd probably still have long lines to ride it just like in Tokyo. Now, we have to hope that Uncle John has taken a ride on "Pooh's Hunny Hunt" when he was at Tokyo Disneyland... and cross our fingers over a future rehab of the Anaheim or Orlando versions.

Let's not loose sight of the fact it was WDI that designed the ride in Tokyo. Many of the people that designed this breathtaking ride are still around. If only they could be turned loose; unleashing the talent they have within them...

Something quite beautiful could emerge....

Monday, September 24, 2007

Number 224...


On this date, seventy-three years ago...

Frank Thomas, whom I'm sure many will remember from previous posts on Blue Sky Disney, joins Disney to start animating shorts as employee number two-hundred-twenty-four... he will go on to become Legend.

The Art Of The Poster...


I'm a huge fan and collector of posters, Disney and all others. One thing I've found out is that even though a movie can turn out as a disaster, it doesn't mean the poster isn't a success. The same can be reverse, a successful movie can have an unimaginative poster.

Posters in and of themselves can be a form of art.

There are posters I have for movies that I would never watch, but there is something more in the poster that conveys what the movie failed to get across. What's great is when a movie is great and a poster displays that as well.

My favorite poster is one for "Apocalypse Now", a movie I think is brilliant btw. It happens to be done by a man named Bob Peaks, my favorite poster artist, that sadly has now passed away. The most well known poster artist is a guy named Drew Struzman who has done hundreds of famous movie posters.

I thought it would be nice to look at some Disney posters that are beautiful, while not all of the movies they represent are of the same caliber.

Some are from good movies that weren't hits...


Others from movies that were disappointments...


Even some hits had posters better than the film...


Then there were movies which were better than you remember and the art was beautiful...


Lastly, we have great posters for movies that are forgotten gems...


There are many, many more you can find if you're determined to mine the vaults of Google. You might try looking around it, or find a poster shop near you... or one that is online. Sometime even a bad movie can create art... and sometimes you can frame that art on your wall. Good things come even in bad packages it appears.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

The Beginning Of The Convergence...


Remember how I was talking about with the World Wide Web it was going to be difficult for Disney to hide what it designs for the Oriental Land Company? I got a ton of e-mail related to that. Most of it was positive. Well this is sort of a continuation of that... only more of a practical demonstration. I call this the beginning of the convergence. Basically when a tool comes along that gives you knowledge and ability and is combined with action... there is a meeting, a convergence so to speak of forces that creates a form of "social corporate activism".

With fan websites and blogs you can get a better perspective of what is going on in the world outside America. Not just Disney, but everything. Of course, this being a Disney blog we're going to focus on just the Mouse. Years ago, the Suits could have gotten away with providing top-notch design work for TDL and then giving the American parks a sub-par version because we had very little way of seeing or hearing what was over there. It's with this in mind that I felt a demonstration was in order.

Fellow Disney Geeks and fans I give you...

YouTube.

Yes, I know most people have heard of this website, but it's a living, breathing textbook example of what I was talking about. Go over there and type in something you want to know about Disney and hundreds of videos instantly pop up. Sure many of them are crude and the quality is bad or the sound is horrible. But you have to look beyond the trees to see the forest. This is in its infancy. By the end of the decade, many of these people will have hi-def cameras with better sound and professional editing systems. Many of these people will be making ads or infomercials for the Mouse without any blessing from Burbank. They'll be making highly critical videos as well. This is another example of the "Virtual Shareholders" philosophy that I talked to you about a while ago. We may not own shares of the company, but we can shine a spotlight on parts of the company that we feel don't measure up to Walt's exacting standards. We may not have a tangible vote, but we can influence how those that do vote. We can shine a light of truth on things... keeping them honest, so to speak.

Now I'm going to posts several articles over the next couple of weeks that will provide you with samples of videos that show what the Mouse can and should do. Some are bad, most alright and a few are almost professional. But all are informative and enlightening as to where we stand in terms of the quality trail of WDI. Since I've talked quite a bit about it before, I felt it appropriate that I show you some videos of Tokyo DisneySEA. I've broken them down into several sections.

Enjoy.


Rides & Ports...


Now here is a fansite video that someone made which shows the promise of what the future holds. This showcases the rides in TDS's Mermaid Lagoon area. I think this is my favorite that I've found so far.

One of the most popular rides in the park lies in Mysterious Island. It's the Journey To The Center Of The Earth ride. And this is a video a fan made of the ride done to the Beatles "Getting Better"... it's pretty good. This is a brief panoramic view of Mysterious Island. And least we forget Mount Prometheus... this is a very active volcano.

Here is a rough video of the Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Crystal Skull.

Least we forget the Tower of Terror ride that is in Tokyo.

Some of TDS's shows are simply amazing and can be seen in these videos, but none of these will do justice to actually seeing them in person... that being said, it's really impressive to wathc these shows because it shows you the quality of productions they put on in Japan.


Entertainment & Shows...


Here is a video showing the beginning of the BraviSEAmo! show. And this one shows BraviSEAmo!'s finale.

This is one showing the TDS Water Carnival ETERNO.

And now one showing Tokyo DisneySEA's Fireworks Show.

Oh and let's not forget that the OLC makes commercials for it's parks. Here's one.

And we have one displaying the entertainment in the Mediterranean Harbor.


Christmas in Tokyo DisneySEA.


Christmas is a great season to celebrate anywhere... it's even better at a Disney Resort and best at someplace like TDS's Christmas events... take a look at last years Christmas Celebration.


Tokyo DisneySea 5th Anniversary


This is a commercial made for the 5th Anniversary of TDS.

This is just a sampling of what one can find and how as I've said before... quality or mediocrity, have no place to hide.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Once Upon A Time...


Once upon a time, things were going really well in the land of Disney.

Really.

I get accused at times from some e-mailers of wearing rose-colored glasses, of viewing the "Disney World" through Poliannish eyes and while it is true if bad decisions were being made so much like back in the late 90's/early 2000's... I'd have a lot less posts and lot less optimism.

But what can you say? Things are going very well for the Mouse right now. The only blemish is the park in Hong Kong with the negativity that's been attached to it since opening. That will take care of itself in time... wait till it's been around as long as DCA and see if it has the same problems. I have a feeling it won't, but time will tell. It's interesting that Disneyland Paris is not the albatross around Mickey's neck right now, hmmm?

For the most part things are going splashingly good. I mean, films, the internet, television and well, the parks. Take for example that little report Yahoo news has posted that talked about how more people had visited Disney's American theme parks in the last 12 months than any previous year in history! Now that's good news for sure... maybe the Suits will stop making excuses for why they don't build rides as elaborate as OLC's because of Americans spending versus Japanese spending?

Here's one quote I like: "The company said attendance numbers this year will likely surpass its record-breaking 2006 totals that were given a boost as the parks celebrated Disneyland's 50th birthday". Not that some of that isn't news to we on the web, since Blue Sky and others have been reporting how the parks are doing better than the 50th... but it's nice to see someone in the MSM do the same and elaborate on it.

See what happens when quality is a great business model. Wait a minute... where have I heard that before? Someone said that recently... hmmm.

An Opening For The Mouse...


It looks like Paramount buying Dreamworks has started to turn sour according to an article in the Los Angeles Times by Claudia Eller. This is mere speculation, but Iger has been trying to woo back talent that was alienated by Eisner... the George Lucas brown-nosing that's been going on over in Glendale is a prime example of it. I know that many inside TeamDisney Burbank would love to work with Spielberg again so hopefully they're going to go after this incredibly big fish.

One of the key parts of the article the author notes: "Smarting from sellers' remorse, the DreamWorks principals are expected to bolt as soon as they are free to late next year. Already, Geffen has been telling people in Hollywood that he and Spielberg plan to look for a new financial backer and studio home".

Could Mickey find room on the lot for Steven Spielberg should he call it quits with Paramount? Who knows for sure, but as long as Iger is doing the wooing, he should spread a little bit of it around and aim it in Steve's direction. Get Uncle John to invite him over to dinner... talk, discuss, eat. But this is an opportunity the Mouse hasn't really had in over a decade to heal wounds inflicted by Eisner. Better hurry before he gets invited back to Universal.

What are you waiting for Mickey?

Friday, September 21, 2007

Visualize, Growing Pains...


For all of you that are wondering what the new Grand Californian DVC units will look like? Here you go... now, I didn't steal this... the Mouse actually let this image go into a recent DVC guide. I've seen several pieces before, but hadn't seen them published yet. And so begins Disney's campaign to woo Anaheim voters over the next year.

Let the bribery commense!

Now, if we can get them to put out some of that cool artwork I've seen for the makeover of the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim then we can get some Disney Geeks excited enough to make reservations for the completion around 2010 or so...

thanks to David for the Hat Tip.

The Mouse Gets More Expensive...


It appears that Disneyland has now raised it's prices like WDW has.

New prices take affect today. Looks like whoever bought their annual passes yesterday got a bit of a discount. Here's the rundown if you're interested...

Single Day Tickets:

Single Park...$66, $56 for kids 3 - 9 years old. ($3 increase)

ParkHoppers... $91, $81 for kids 3 - 9 years old. ($8 increase)


Multi-Day Park Hopper Tickets:

A 2 Day ParkHopper, $132 for Adults, $112 for kids 3 thru 9 years old. ($10 increase)

A 3 Day ParkHopper, $189 for adults, $159 for kids 3 thru 9 years old. ($10 increase)

A 4 Day ParkHopper, $214 for Adults, $184 for kids 3 thru 9 years old. ($5 increase)

A 5 Day ParkHopper, $234 for Adults, $204 for kids 3 thru 9 years old. ($5 increase)


Annual Passes:

Premium $379 ($20 increase)

Deluxe $259 ($20 increase)

Southern California $169 ($15 increase)

Southern California Select $129 ($5 increase)


No word as to if you will have to sign over the life of your newborn child yet...

HalloweenTiming...


A lot of people have been writing in complaining about the lack of detail in DCA's "HalloweenTime" decorations. While Disneyland Park is getting some additions to the successful displays they had last year, many are noticing that DCA doesn't seem to be getting an equal share of the theming... even more so, some areas seem to be getting less theming than last year.

There's a simple answer to this...

The main reason that it's not getting more "HalloweenTime" decorations is purely a financial decision. Does this mean, Iger and his Suits have morphed into Einser? No, not really. It simply makes economic sense really... I happen to agree with the reasoning as well.

You see, DCA is about to undergo a dramatic transformation. One that will last at least five to six years and if that part proves successful then we can count on another four or five years more of even more dramatic changes. Now in the middle of all this, would you create a bunch of expensive decorations only to have them be obsolete and useless in a couple years? It wouldn't be smart to do this. If you're looking for an elaborate expansion of the "HalloweenTime" theming it won't be coming to DCA before the 2010/11 timeframe. By then, enough of the changes will be established so that the can use some truly creative designs that won't fit into the current layout of the Park.

Until then, you'll just have to watch DCA's older sister get all the attention as the details get lavished on it over the next couple years and the new Halloween fireworks show gets underway next year. But enough about that... if I keep talking and my next Anaheim Blue Sky Alert won't be more than a sentence long! Let's just suffice to say that DCA isn't trying to "Trick" anyone...

They're just going to be giving out those "Treats" over the next few years.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Mouse Has Nine Lives...


Sorry to disappoint, but we're not talking about a sequel to "The Aristocats" here...

Jerry Bruckheimer has gotten the Mouse to lay out $1.75 million in a deal for the Jonathan Hensleigh action pitch "Nine Lives" which will be written by Hensleigh and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer through his company for Disney.

The story is about a Manhattan detective nick-named Nine Lives because of how many times he's survived shootings while on the job. Hensleigh has worked often with Bruckheimer, including "The Rock,""Armageddon,""Con Air" and "Gone in 60 Seconds"... but we won't hold that one against him.

The project has been in development for years. The Scribe first sold the original script back when he flew out to do an interview with George Lucas as a writer on "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles." The deal lapsed before anything happened on the project... Hensleigh pitched the project to Bruchheimer and he bought it up... this time I feel it has a better chance of seeing daylight.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Growing Pains...


Well, Bob Iger finally announced that addition to the Grand Californian that everyone on the internet already knew about. It's going to be 200 new hotel room and 50 DVC units... most people thought it was just the Vacation Units, but the designs were way too big and extravagant for just those 50 units. Plans also call for an additional 300 parking spots for guest. These plans will bring the hotel rooms, which currently are at 750, to 1000 room... counting the DVC units.

The expansion of the only Disneyland Resort hotel actually designed by Disney will be open in late 2009. Hmmm... late 2009. What could be happening then? Paradise Pier should be fairly close to being done... a new water show would be there that could be seen from the roof of the expansion and then there's that...

Whoa. That's enough speculation for now... we'll have to save some stuff for our next BSA. Hopefully by then, the folks over at TeamDisney Burbank will have let a little more information slip. They could have dropped it all at once, but I feel they want to have a continual peppering of items so that it looks like every few weeks to a month or so, the Disney company will be letting Anaheim voters know that they have ambitious plans for the Resort and would like them to check the box accordingly duing next years ballot.

There's going to be a great deal of construction over the next four to six years that will be a pain to a lot of people visiting the Resort... but after it's all completed, most people will realize it was worth it. And if they show their appreciation by spending more nights in those hotel rooms and spending more money at the parks you'll see the next five years filled with even more creative works... works which will be topped off by an amazing Disney announcement. But that won't come for quite a while. Until then...

Watch out for walls. They seem to be popping up everywhere...

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

What's In A Name?


On this date, seventy-nine years ago... Walt Disney is granted a trademark application for the name "Mickey Mouse" by the U.S. Patent Office. Aren't you glad he didn't go with Mortimer? Can you imagine "Who's the leader of the band that's made for you and me... M-O-R... Well, you get the picture.

And the world of entertainment would never be the same. From this one, tiny little character, an empire would grow...

The Illegitimate Son Of Carl Barks...


Now if you're a true Disney fan then you know who Carl Barks is. And if you've been reading this blog for very long you should definitely know who he is since I've posted a few things about him over the past year.

For those new to this world of Disney Geekdom, Carl Barks is the most famous Disney comic book artist... he started work at Walt Disney Productions in the animation department, but then started drawing Disney Comics and made some of the best stories concerning Donald Duck. He essentially created a lot of the mythology that revolves around Donald... from his home town of Duckburg to his foul relatives. One of these relatives is his greatest creation: Scrooge McDuck... one of the most popular Disney Comics characters and later in the late 80's/early 90's the star of his very own show "Ducktales", which was based on Carl Barks stories.

Whew... that was a long set-up for something that is not about Carl Barks. Anyway, Carl was irreplaceable... no one could take his place and certainly, no one could equal him. Now for the longest time Disney fans held this as one of the self-evident truths of Disney lore. Back in the 80's along came an artist by the name Don Rosa. Don not only drew great, highly detailed art for his stories, he actually wrote the stories as well. And they were not good stories... they were great stories. Barks himself would have been proud. It seems no one was as much of a Carl Barks fan as Don Rosa was... he could quote you from specific issues and had every story, every character down pat. Over the last decade his stories have earned him a very loyal following amongst Disney Comic Book fans(his largest following is in Europe). It's widely felt that the successor to Carl that never could exist actually did!

So who is Don Rosa?

Gioachino "Keno" Don Hugo Rosa was born in Louisville, Kentucky on June 29, 1951. An extremely talented comic book writer and illustrator known mainly for his stories featuring Scrooge McDuck, Donald Duck and other Disney characters. Don started working for Gladstone Publishing in the mid 80's after editor Byron Erickson received a phone call from Rosa asking to draw comics for them. Erickson told him send a story and he'd see if it was good enough for publication. Not thinking much else about it, Erickson went about his work until the day the story arrived that Don had written and drawn featuring Uncle Scrooge. The skeptical editor opened up the envelope and read the story Rosa had sent. It was a tale called "Son of the Sun" and the editor was amazed. Elated even at reading this fresh, smart and entertaining story from someone out of nowhere. Needless to say, he published it. The story became a huge success and was nominated for a Harvey Award.
Eventually Don stopped working for Gladstone because of creative differences, but as luck would have it he found work writing and drawing stories for the Dutch publisher Oberon, the publishers of an American Disney children's magazine called DuckTales (based on of the animated series) . He didn't work for them for very long and left soon after over financial disagreements.

Eventually, Rosa was contacted by Danish publisher Egmont, who had been publishing reprints of his stories. They wanted more of his stories. Thankfully for them, Don wanted to write and draw more of his stories as well. He joined Egmont in 1990 as a freelance writer/artist and has had a successful relationship with them ever-since. It was just after joining Egmont that he started work on what was to be his most famous work: "The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck", a twelve chapter story featuring his favorite character, Uncle Scrooge. The series was extremely successful and won an Eisner Award(the Oscar of comics) for best continuing series in 1995. If you've never read this series and are a Disney Geek or fan... shame on you. Go out and purchase a copy right away.

Eventually the success of this series spawned a sequel known as "The Life and times of Scrooge McDuck Companion". Unfortunately, Egmont didn't want any additional chapters so the French publisher Picsou picked up the initial run and Rosa started freelancing for Picsou as well as Egmont.

Don Rosa still writes and draws stories for Egmont to this day. Fans of his work look forward to each and every new issue that comes out. Although he is mildly popular in America, he is highly regarded in Europe by Disney fans across the continent. Slowly, he is achieving more notoriety here in the States and his stories and artwork are prized possessions for Disney Geeks everywhere.

Take a break from your normal routine tomorrow and go into a comic-book shop. Ask the large man with the long hair and goatee behind the counter if they have any issues of Don Rosa there. If he's worth his salt in terms of having knowledge of Disney Comics, then he'll direct you to the Disney section and let you fall in love with with Uncle Scrooge all over again.

Just like we did with Carl Barks so many, many years ago...

Monday, September 17, 2007

Time For a Staggs Party?


The Walt Disney Company's Chief Financial Officer, Tom Staggs... aka: the Suit in charge of all spending for Disney, was quoted talking about the Mouse in an article in the International Herald Tribune today. He talks about the Company's ability to withstand the feared economic downturn and appears pretty upbeat and positive. He also mentions a little blurb about they will "likely increase capital spending to beef up its lagging second park in California"...

Well, that's as open as they've been about spending the $$$ for the park so far. I wonder why they released that tidbit right before the financial start of the new fiscal year? Could an announcement of somekind be imminent? Hmmm... I guess you Disney Geeks will just have to keep yer eyes peeled real closely over the next few weeks, huh?

Nation Treasure Found Online...


Somehow I missed this...

The official website for "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" went live over the weekend. I guess I can't notice everything Disney out there.

Captain Barbossa's Pirate Life...


Geoffrey Rush talked to ComingSoon.net about his future in the Pirates franchise. It sounds like he's open to reprising his role as Hector Barbosa, the disputed captain of the Black Pearl. Take a looksie...

Bragging Rights To Ghosts...


The Orlando Sentinel has an article online that talks to Imagineers Eric Jacobson and Kathy Rogers about the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion makeover(no, that's not a new variation on the ride like our own "Nightmare" makeover). Head over and read it by clicking here.

Disney Finds Comfort At The Bottom Of A Glass...



Walt Disney Studios has bought the rights to the pitch "Southern Comfort" by screenwriter Gren Wells. Described as a romantic comedy, the film will be take place in Kentucky and focus on the values of life, friends and family.

John Strauss("The Santa Clause 2 & 3"), collaborated on the concept with Wells and will produce through the Frontier Pictures production company he heads. Louanne Brickhouse will be the Suit for Disney on this film.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Sign Of The Times...


The Sunday Times of London has an interesting article that attempts to dissect the success which is Pixar. Although trying to discover what makes the Lamp a success has been been talked about many times before, this article is an interesting view of the House that John built from a decidedly, British point of view.

Enchanted International...


I've always liked many international movie posters better than the domestic versions. I even have a French version of the movie "Gladiator" framed and in my house... very artsy and much better than the version theaters had displayed in America. Here's one of the foreign posters for Walt Disney Pictures "Enchanted". Very "Snow Whitish", don't you think? I like the dark tone of the poster.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Admit One...


As a counter-balance to the "Forgotten Mousetales" columns we post here at Blue Sky, I thought I'd go through a list of films in various stages of production that actually have a good chance of making it into a theater near you. Most of these projects have been committed to and are heavily in pre-production or actual production so there is much less a chance of them going into "Turn Around". For those of you that don't know what that term means, it's when a studio gets cold feet when a movie is about to be made or is in production and pulls the plug. Sometime those movies die and sometimes a studio will foot the production cost and take over the project. The big hit "Home Alone" was one such production... now wouldn't you like to be the Suit at that studio that put that one into Turn Around? Didn't think so...

Here are a list of films that the Mouse or its other studios will be releasing over the next couple of years.

BEDTIME STORIES (Walt Disney Pictures, 2008) - Adam Sandler will star as a real-estate developer/architect whose life is turned upside down when the bizarre, outrageous bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew suddenly become real. Havoc, then ensues... The script is written by Matt Lopez and Adam Shankman directs.

BOLT (Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2008) - Bolt, a German Shepherd, has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers becomes separated from the studio by accident, he meets Mr. Mittens (actually a female cat) and a hamster named Rhino. Along the way, he learns that he doesn't have superpowers and that the show is not realistic. First time feature director Chris Williams took the reigns of this project from Chris Sanders(Lilo & Stitch).

BOY SOLDIER (Touchstone, 2008) - Not much is known about this project other than that Oliver Higschbiegel(Invasion) is directing.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN(Walt Disney Pictures, 2008) - The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to once again help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land's throne, Prince Caspian. The film will be directed by Andrew Adamson(The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Shrek).

CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC(Touchstone,2009) - Based on the novel "The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic" by Madeleine Wickham under the pseudonym Sophie Kinsella. The story of Rebecca Bloomwood is a financial journalist (just like her creator). When she is not telling others how to manage their money, she is spending her own on shopping. The film will be directed by PJ Hogan(2003's Peter Pan).

DOUBT(Touchstone, 2008) - John Patrick Shanley directs the adaptation of his own play, set in 1964, Doubt centers on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him abusing a black student. He denies the charges, and much of the play's quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality and authority.

ESCAPE FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN(Walt Disney Pictures, 2008) - Andy Fickman(The Game Plan) directs Dwayne "The Rock" Johnsonas a Las Vegas cab driver who picks up a pair of tween siblings with mysterious powers on the run from ominous forces. Andrew Gunn produces through his Gunn Films shingle, and Ann Marie Sanderlin is the Suit in charge for the Mouse. The remake is written by Matt Lopez.

HERO (Miramax, 2008) - A heroic young officer returns home from the trenches during WWI, but is pursued by a mysterious deserter who plans to kill him. Directed by Julian Farino.

HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3 (Walt Disney Pictures, 2008) - This haunting action-adventure involves an undercover cop at a high school... wait, that's not it. If you've seen HSM1 and 2 then you already know what this is about. The only thing I can add is that it involves graduation. The film will be directed by Kenny Ortega who did the first two films.

THE RESURRECTIONISTS (Miramax, 2008) - based on the best selling Michael Collins' novel with acclaimed director John Madden(Shakespeare in Love) attached to direct.

SNOW (Walt Disney Pictures, 2008) - Also known as "Snow and the Seven", it's an adaptation of the classic story "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" only set in China with the princess guarded by seven Monks. The film will be directed by Francis Lawrence(Constantine).

WALL-E (Pixar Animation Studios, 2008) - The tale of a lone robot left on earth to clean it up 700 years after humanity trashed the place. Andrew Stanton's follow-up to his mega hit "Finding Nemo".

ADVENTURELAND (Touchstone, 2009) - In the summer of 1987, concerns an uptight recent college grad who's forced to take a minimum-wage job at the local amusement park: "Adventureland", after realizing he can't afford his dream European tour. The experience helps him to loosen up a bit as he finds first love, forms new friendships and matures just in time to enter the real world in the fall. The film is written and directed by Greg Mottola(Superbad).

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Walt Disney Pictures, 2009) - Director Robert Zemeckis, having become tired of directing actors, has another animated motion capture film ready for the holiday season two years from now. This one is based on the classic novel, adapted too many times to count, "A Christmas Carol". And no, I wasn't kidding. He really has grown tired of dealing with actors which is why he likes MO-CAP... he has to deal with them for just a few weeks and can spend the rest of the time working on the film not having to pamper egos.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER(Walt Disney Pictures, 2009) - Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world. The film will be directed by Michael Apted(The World Is Not Enough, Amazing Grace).

G-FORCE (Walt Disney Pictures, 2009) - The live-action/CG family feature follows an elite group of government trained super-intelligent animal commandoes who set out to stop an evil billionaire from taking over the world. Special effect supervisor and legend, Hoyt Yeatman is directing. Of note, Disney's Secret Lab, the Mouse's old special effects house was co-founded by Yeatman.

JUNGLE CRUISE(Walt Disney Pictures, 2009) - An adaptation of the classic Disneyland ride, the story involves a journey down a jungle river for a magical cure. No director is attached as yet. The screenplay is being written by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar(Smallville, Shanghai Noon,The Mummy 3).

PRINCE OF PERSIA (Walt Disney Pictures, 2009) - The story, based on a best selling video game, follows an Arabian Prince that must avenge the death and betrayal of his father all while being framed for the crime and hunted down by his own kingdom. While it's been reported that Michael Bay would direct this film, there is no confirmation of him signing so he may have decided to continue working with giant robots.

PRINCESS AND THE FROG(Walt Disney Animation Studios, 2009) - Set in the 1920's New Orleans jazz era, the story follows the tale of Disney's first black princess. Directed by legendary directors Ron Clements and John Musker(The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules).

THE PROPOSAL(Touchstone, 2009) - Not much is known about this project other than that director Robert Luketic(Legally Blonde) is attached.

UP (Pixar Animation Studios, 2009) - The story of a 70 year-old man that teams up with a wilderness ranger to fight ferocious beast and dastardly villains while still making it home in time for dinner. This film is Pete Doctor's follow up to "Monsters, Inc.".

ALICE (Walt Disney/Touchstone, TBD) - Another live action interpretation of the classic novel by Louis Carroll. No director is attached and it is unknown who will be writing the screenplay.

LIBERTY (Touchstone, TBD) - No information is known about this project at this time.

Of course, as we all know, things can change... but this should give you a clearer picture as to what the Mouse has planned for your local theater in the near future.

Reserve those tickets now...

Mary Poppins Seen In London...


The Bristol Hippodrome opens up with previews of the musical "Mary Poppins" three years ago today. This production, by Disney and Cameron Macintosh has since come to America to play on Broadway. It's a jolly day with Mary...

Enchantingly Cool?


The folks over at Aint It Cool News have posted a review of one of the first test screenings of Disney's "Enchanted". It's an interesting opinion without any real spoilers... Go over and have a looksie...

Friday, September 14, 2007

ABC Getting A Middleman...


ABC Family is about to purchase "The Middleman," as a one-hour pilot for it's network from writer/producer Javier Grillo-Marxuach(Medium).

Javier created the graphic novels himself, which is illustrated by Les McClaine and published for Viper Comics. "Middleman" is the story of a struggling, twentysomething artist recruited by a secret agency to fight comic book-type villains. Javier wrote the script as a spec.

New Book Of Mountains And A Mystery...


I've gotten lots of e-mails from people asking me about the new book: "The Disney Mountains", regarding some artwork inside that depicts Condor Flats with the makeover of it as an expansion of the Golden State area we all know is coming. Yes, that art is one of many blue sky pieces done for pitches to the higher ups. And while that pic is headed in the right direction, it's not exactly what will be happening to Condor Flats... it's close, but not quite there based on artwork I've seen.

Expect to see somekind of official press release about expansion later in the month, more than likely before the holiday season gets underway. When the walls go up in a few weeks, things should really start to get exciting. Stay tuned... stay patient.

Disney Caught In Traffic...



AdWeekMedia's Digital Hot List has ranked "Disney.com" as one of its top five websites based on the number of unique visitors to the site, a record 23.03 million! Wow, that's even more that we get here at Blue Sky. That was a joke for those of you born without a sense of humor. The hits on its webpages were the highest it's ever had. Cross programming with shows like "High School Musical 2" had a great deal to do with it, but other factors were involved as well.

The Mouse site has had a 24 percent increase over August of 2006. Paul Yanover, Executive Vice Suit of The Walt Disney Internet Group and head of Disney Online was quoted as saying: "We believe these traffic milestones are evidence that the site is delivering on our goal of providing an immersive entertainment destination for kids and families,”... I love how Suits turn everything successful into a canned response. It's good news for the WDC, but common Paul... liven it up a little. Be more human in your response, instead of acting like a... a mouse?

Bob Iger is a big believer in the future of DIsney over the internet, as witnessed by his partnership with Apple,Inc. He had "Disney.com" overhauled its website and launched the new Disney.com in February 2007. The site showcased new themed "channels" based on classic characters, Pirates of the Caribbean and Disney Princesses, among others. It also debuted Disney XD, a customizable Disney fan page where registered users could add Disney videos, music, games, graphics and other interactive items.

It seems Iger is talented and lucky... since taking the reigns of the Mouse he's had an incredible run. Let's hope it continues over the next decade for us Disney Geeks, huh?

Thursday, September 13, 2007

More Cobwebs, Better Dust...


Today the Magic Kingdom in WDW reopens the Haunted Mansion after an extensive makeover. While not nearly as extravagant as it's older sister in Anaheim, it's an important example of the quality level of the park post-Pressler Era. Hopefully, as this year ends and the new one begins, we'll begin to see even more emphasis regarding upkeep in the MK in particular and WDW in general... one never knows what exciting things one will encounter in the new year.

Does one?

Regarding Bothans...


I've received many e-mails asking me about the Bothans. Some questions are serious, other simply inquiring and a few just down right... uhm, how do I put this... silly? Something like that...

Some people have demanded I name who my sources are. That if I don't then it proves I have no credibility and if I have an ounce of integrity I'll name names so that my post can be validated.

To those people I say sorry, but I'm not going to jeopardize someone's job for a little ole' blog like mine. If you choose to not believe what I write I won't be offended. As a matter of fact, I tend to tell people to take everything I say with a grain of salt... this is "Blue Sky" Disney, after-all. I can guarantee that everything you read here is something that has been proposed, not everything will get made, because the majority of projects that go through the pipeline eventually die of their own weaknesses... either of design or bureaucratic weight. So if someone doesn't want to believe me I have to say... there's an off button on the TV that you can turn off... wait a minute, that was soooo Twentieth Century. Let's try that again... if you don't believe me, you don't have to come here. Simply delete Blue Sky Disney from your favorites list and you'll never have to be bothered by me again. Promise.

Some people have expressed genuine concern over the health and safety of my Bothans. Fear not. So far, none of them have been fired... several have gotten in warm(not hot) water, but all are safely accounted for.

Other's have sent me e-mails with specific Imagineers that they want to know if these are my sources. Uhm... now even if these particular people were my sources, I would not tell you. That being said... No, and you know who you are... No, your friend is not one of my sources. I don't care what he says about sending me e-mails, I don't know him, never have talked to him and apparently he's not even an Imagineer. There. Enough of that.

Finally, many of you have asked about the Blue Sky Alerts, wondering why there are so many Anaheim updates over all the rest. The answer is really, really simple. Most of my Bothans are working on Anaheim projects... by a three to one margin I'd say... it simply takes longer to get information about Orlando(not as much as the rest, though), Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong. And yes we do have several BSA's coming up... so keep yer shirt on.

Well now, I nope that clears up some of your e-mails regarding those sneaky Bothans. Just so the Suits know, no Bothans were harmed in the making of this post.