Experiment Turns Twenty-Eight...

Ok, so EPCOT didn't turn out to be the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow" that Walt envisioned. But it still has his spirit, his sense of optimism and wonder. It is still something for the Mouse to be proud of... even if over the last decade or so they've not treated her well.

Today she turns 28. And she looks much nicer than she did a few years ago since having that plastic surgery to remove the wart... I mean wand from her nose. I figure we should start seeing greater attention to the details of the Second Gate over the next few years (I only hope that they approve getting rid of the graveyard below Spaceship Earth). The Suit in charge happens to be an Epcot employee, which is good. The focus on the words; "EPCOT Center" are a good sign...

The Walt Disney Company spent 1.4 Billion dollars to build it... I want to sound like Dr. Evil saying that. In 1982 that was a lot of money. Well, it's still a lot of money, just not near as much as it was then. The Mouse hasn't spent anywhere near that amount on a theme park since. The only company that has spent those kinds of numbers to create elaborate Disney attractions is the Oriental Land Company... the only company other than the Mouse with the right to build Disney attractions. When WDW's Third Gate, Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) was built in 1989 at a cost of less than 800 million. The fourth gate, Disney's Animal Kingdom was around 800 million(after cutting the "Beastly Kingdom" section) when it opened in 1998. The Second Gate in California, Disney's California Adventure was 650 million(after Pressler ordered Braverman to cut the budget by a third) in 2001 and Disney's investment in Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005 which cost 3.5 billion was in the hundreds of millions... 314 million dollars to be exact, with the Hong Kong Government footing the rest of the bill . I won't mention Walt Disney Studios Paris which opened in 2002, because I don't consider it having a budget, especially if you've seen it (granted, it's slowly improving and in a few years will look much more nicely themed). But enough of that... that's old hat. We're in a new time with lots of exciting things happening to the Mouse.

The future of the Second Gate at America's Second Disney Resort's is positive and full of promise with the Thirtieth Anniversary around the corner. I'm sure Staggs, unlike Rasulo, won't let Epcot go by without some TLC and a few surprises. Happy Birthday, EPCOT Center!

Now, let's work on covering up those bad show areas around the World Showcase...

The Last Dream...

Thirty-four years ago today Walt Disney Productions announces its plan to build the "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow aka: EPCOT... Walt's last dream.



It will not be exactly what he envisioned, but truthfully, even Walt wasn't completely sure of what it would be. He had several ideas, but it wasn't fleshed out completely or exactly what it was to be. This is why Imagineers had such a difficulty coming up with a workable design...





It will come to fruition sixteen years after his passing. The Mouse's commitment on completing his final wish reassures fans across the world that the magic of Disney(the company and the man) will go on.







Even after his life had ended...

The Ending Chapter...

Marty Sklar, long time Imagineer and one of the last people to actually work with the Maestro himself has announced his retirement from WDI and the Walt Disney Company...

There through good times and bad, Marty was a true symbol of Imagineering. Blue Sky Disney wants to wish Marty the best in whatever endeavor he takes on. He was part of Walt's dream and now he's going on to pursue his own dreams.

Dream on, Marty. Dream on...

Happenstance (Part One)...

"The sky's the limit right now... We haven't had this kind of positive feeling around here in well over a decade." - A Bothan from deep inside the bowels of WDI


I thought I'd take a bit of time and go over(in summary) exactly how the Disney Empire of theme parks could/would look in a few years time...

If you're a regular reader of this blog then you'll have noticed I've mentioned a lot about 2011. "There goes that year again..." is a statement I've said in many of my updates that people have wondered about. Well, it's truthfully "2011/2012" because a lot of things won't be done when that year is done and over. But it is an important time for the Mouse and should the economy keep going some, if not most of what I say will come to pass...

Let's travel the globe, shay we? Starting in our own backyard...

America



In the place where it all started we'll find the most activity. Come 2012 the Disneyland Resort will still look much as it does today. There will be some changes that are obvious. Like the New hotel(not necessarily a Disneyland Hotel) that Disney is operating. There should be at least one other hotel under construction by then(maybe two). Downtown Disney will be almost twice as large if expansion plans have moved forward by next year. The Resort's Second Gate should look dramatically different in 2012. The small, little McPark that Eisner and Pressler put together will still have problems(which will start to be fixed in Phase 2 starting in 2013, economy upholding), but for the most part it's going to be a much more "Disney" experience. As everything keeps changing, one thing that has bothered Disney Fans all along will finally go down in 2011... Malibooomer. That's right, it's not leaving next year as some have thought. It's going to be one of the last things removed before construction finishes on this phase of the resort.

The new theming and attractions, particularly "The Little Mermaid" should be bringing them in creating long, long lines(the center room in Mermaid is almost as big as the entire Golden Dreams building!). But in 2012, when the Cars Land(please change that name!)opens up this park is going to see crowds like it has never, ever had. It will truly make this park a destination of its own. The fact that it's 20% of the park when it opens up alone will create a dramatic difference for those entering the gates. Most who showed up on DCA's opening day will find most of the park unrecognizable. All who show up will find everything more enjoyable.

The park that started it all should see the Star Tours update done in time for the anniversary in 2010, while plans for a remake of Tomorrowland won't be done by then, the plans should have already begun to be completed by the 2012 time frame. Another E-Ticket is in line to be built by then, but hasn't gotten to an approval phase so I don't know which ideas will make it through the Blue Sky phase yet. Rest assured, what is proposed will dazzle Disney Fans/Geeks far more than anything proposed during Pressler's tenure.

Once all this is done and the Resort is firing on all cylinders then, and only then, will the embryonic focus on a Third Gate move forward.



Across the country in that humid jungle known as Florida, the Walt Disney Resort will look somewhat different as well, just not as dramatic.

In the Magic Kingdom, work on the renovation of Fantasyland will have been completed. Should all the proposals get approved the area will look quite different from today. At the very least the addition of the Little Mermaid ride will have visitors to WDW experiencing something they haven't seen before and giving this park the most amount of new attractions it's had since opening in 1971.

Epcot will be receiving at least one new E-Ticket by 2012, but my Bothans say that the choice hasn't been finalized yet and we may see a couple smaller tickets as well. There are proposals to add at least one new Pavilions by this time should attendance at the parks continue to remain at current levels.

The park getting the most love and attention, of course will be Disney's Hollywood Studios. Although the amount of money is a little more than half of what DCA is getting it will be put to use giving this park a more definite theming change than any other. Gone will be the Studio Tram Tour(it leaves by 2010), and in its place will be an expanded "Monstrously Big" Pixar Place. The park should have it's own updated version of Disneyland's Star Tours revision up and running by then. There is at least one new E-Ticket that's slated for construction and several smaller attractions. An update is planned for the Great Movie Ride and at this time there is the possibility of a new E-Ticket based on a very big film to combat Universal's opening of Harry Potter. You didn't think they were sitting around twiddling their thumbs, did you? Alas, no news yet as to if/when they will remove the Hat from in front of the GMR. Not that I hate the hat, I hate the placement... it blocks view of the parks one true weenie. Here's hoping it gets moved by then to a, uhm.... more appropriate(new) location.

By 2012, Disney's Animal Kingdom should have the area for that the Pocahontas show replaced up and running, delighting many a fan with the new theming that's been put around this new attraction. Hopefully, by then plans will have gone forward with moving the Lion King show where it really belongs: Africa. There is supposed to be one new E-Ticket in addition to this and talk of a new land to buttress the current Asia and Africa is well, progressing...

All those rumors you've heard about a Fifth Gate are True. While I don't think this strategy would work at Disneyland, it should do well here where there are many more international travellers willing to fork over that kind of cash. When Disney's Jungle Trek(a name I don't like, btw) opens it will cater to a more discriminating clientele(read: loaded). Almost like a luxury extension of DAK, it will offer fans of this wild kingdom a little closer look at the uhm... well, wild.


Europe



Across the pond, Disney's European Kingdom will be experiencing a much needed growth as well. After the upswing in attendance and growth from the fifteenth anniversary of Disneyland Paris, things have never been brighter.

The original European Mouse park, Disneyland Paris is scheduled to receive it's own additions by 11/12 and it shows that the "If you build it, they will come" principle works. The Paris resort has had a great year and the additions to the WDS have really helped that. Four years from now we may no longer be talking about this park losing money, it may actually turn a profit for a change. I know that's a funny thing to say, isn't it? But people are asking about Disneyland Paris and when/if it will get a new attraction...

There are several proposals right now and it appears that there will be at least one D-Ticket or possibly an E-Ticket by the time it celebrates the twentieth anniversary. I know that many people are focused on getting a version of the Indiana Jones ride, but my Bothans don't see that happening(not impossible, just improbable). If it does wind up being Indy there's going to have to be a redressing of the Indiana Jones roller coaster as WDI and park management have no desire to have two attractions in one park focusing on the same theme. The most probable ticket would be in the expansion of Fantasyland with a certain clone of a clone that I'm selfishly against(remember?)... Should the good times keep rolling expect the E-Ticket to get the nod. There are several projects in the Blue Sky phase and nothing is permanent so we won't know for another year or so what they'll approve... so your "Guest" is as good as mine...

Most of the focus on the resort will be Paris' Second Gate because it is the Walt Disney Company's weakest park. Most of what we see over the next few years will be on bringing this park closer to the detail of Disneyland Paris. This is a hard problem since the DLP park is so rich in detail compared to its ugly sister park. WDI has several attractions planned for WDS, with at least two C/D Tickets definitely planned for the next few year and one really nice E-Ticket(possibly another).

The one ride I can tell you that the park is getting for sure is the one that's been most discussed. The "Ratatouille" attraction is coming. It's going to be a very nice ticket, with technology similar to the "Pooh's Huny Hunt" attraction's "trackless" vehicles in Tokyo. Guest will be involved in a chase right out of the film... many have talked about this being a clone of the Crush Coaster, but the attraction will not involve drops so much as it will twists and turns. And it will be a highly detailed attraction(The beautiful queue alone will be amazingly cool!), which used to be a rare thing to say about a Disney attraction in the late 90's, but will become common over the next four years. As well as this there is talk of expanding the Pixarification throughout the park, specifically an area of the park devoted exclusively to the Lamp's creations. I know this will please many of you that complain about that in the domestic parks, but you have to remember Pixar is now a part of Disney and it will reflect so in the attractions we see at the parks both here and abroad.

By the time we see the twentieth anniversary of this park comes around the complaints we have about the Paris Resort will be mostly answered... mostly.

Later this week I'll have part two of this report focusing on Asia. It's an interesting time for the Mouse and its world... Stay tuned.

Walt's Dream Becomes Disney's Prototype...

Thirty-three years ago today Walt Disney Productions announces its plan to build the "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow aka: EPCOT... Walt's last dream.

It will not be exactly what he envisioned, but truthfully, even Walt wasn't completely sure of what it would be. He had several ideas but it wasn't fleshed out completely or exactly what it was to be which is why Imagineers had such a difficulty coming up with a workable design...

It will come to fruition sixteen years after his passing. The Mouse's commitment on completing his final wish reassures fans across the world that the magic of Disney(the company and the man) will go on... even after his life had ended.

Disney Stirs Up A Storm...

Twenty years ago today, the "Maelstrom" attraction opens up at the Norway Pavilion of EPCOT in Walt Disney World...

Open Spaces...

On this day four years ago, EPCOT welcomed its newest attraction: Mission: SPACE. The ceremony is overseen by Michael Eisner, Hewlett Packard chief Suit Carly Fiorina and the head of NASA, Sean O'Keefe. A collection of legendary American Astronauts were in attendance.

The ride which cost north of $200 million when research, design and construction are totaled is one of the Mouse's most expensive projects...

The ride simulates astronaut training for the first human mission to Mars aboard an X-2 Deep Space Shuttle in 2036(The year 2036 can be figured out from plaques in the attraction's queue celebrating 75 years of human space flight, including two fictional milestones in the future.) Riders become "trainees" at the International Space Training Center where they are arranged into crews of four before boarding. Actor Gary Sinise does the introduction.

After several cases of people complaining about the intensity of the ride the Mouse decides to have two versions of it... the original ride and one slightly less intense.

Mission: SPACE is one of the last big budget attractions ordered by Eisner... work is proceeding ahead on the last large project he approved: Forbidden Mountain(which will become Expedition Everest).

The Family Guy...

Congratulations to Jeff Pepper, our friend over at the 2719 Hyperion blog and his kin for being chosen as the "Family of the Day" at the 25th Anniversary of EPCOT Center...

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

The Florida Project's Gem Turns 25...

Ok, so EPCOT didn't turn out to be the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow" that Walt envisioned. But it still has his spirt, his sense of optimism and wonder. It is still something for the Mouse to be proud of... even if over the last decade or so they've not treated her well.

Today she turns 25. And she looks much nicer than she did a few weeks ago since having that plastic surgery to remove the wart... I mean wand from her nose. I figure we should start seeing greater attention to the details of the Second Gate over the next few years. The Disney Geeks made a big stink about no anniversary and some Suits took note. Uncle John took note. The new Suit in charge happens to be an Epcot employee, which is good. The focus on the words; "EPCOT Center" are a good sign...

The Walt Disney Company spend 1.4 Billion dollars to build it... I want to sound like Dr. Evil saying that. In 1982 that was a lot of money. Well, it's still a lot of money, just not near as much as it was then. The Mouse hasn't spent anywhere near that amount on a theme park since. The only company that has spent those kinds of numbers to create elaborate Disney attractions is the Oriental Land Company... the only company other than the Mouse with the right to build Disney attractions. When WDW's Third Gate, Disney-MGM Studios was built in 1989 it cost of less than 800 million. The fourth gate, Disney's Animal Kingdom was around 800 million(after cutting the "Beastly Kingdom" section) when it opened in 1998. The Second Gate in California, Disney's California Adventure was 650 million(after Pressler ordered Braverman to cut the budget by a third) in 2001 and Disney's investment in Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005 which cost 3.5 billion was in the hundreds of millions... 314 million dollars to be exact, with the Hong Kong Government footing the rest of the bill . I won't mention Walt Disney Studios Paris which opened in 2002, because I don't consider it having a budget, especially if you've seen it. But enough of that... that's old hat. We're in a new time with lots of exciting things happening to the Mouse.

The future of the Second Gate at America's Second Disney Resort's is positive and full of promise. Ironically, just like Walt was. Fitting, don't you think? Happy Birthday, EPCOT Center! I like saying that... I really do.

Blue Sky Alert-America (Orlando): Special Forces...

Much has happened since our last update on the little property in Florida that Disney owns. As I've said in an earlier post, WDW moves at a pace of about 18-24 months behind it's older sister in Anaheim... and while not as much is happening in Orlando there is a great deal of activity happening.

The situation at the Resort is more fluid than it is at Disneyland as Tom Fitzgerald and the Imagineers under his charge have still yet to finalize some of their plans. Even though Uncle John's main focus is the original park, he is watching what Fitzgerald is doing and making suggestions as to where he'd like them to go. Tom and company tend to know where their bread is buttered and are taking many suggestions as orders... not suggestions. This could turn out to be a good thing in a few years. There is much planning going on right now and we won't really get to see the results until January of 2008. Over the next three to four years there are plans to dust off some of the theme parks assets and fully use them without adding anymore gaudy(cough, wand, cough...) decorations.





THE MAGIC RETURNS...

The original park in Walt Disney World has a few plans prepared for it. While the Monster's Inc. Laugh Factory hasn't been the blazing hit everyone expected it to be(thanks, Tom)... it hasn't dimmed the Imagineers ideas when it comes to proposing new rides based on Pixar films. There is at least one proposal for a Pixar ride, most likely a "D" ticket attraction that is making it's way through the halls of WDI. There are plans over the next three years to have at least one new "E" ticket ride... possibly two if things go right. This all depends on how much progress is made getting those hotel rooms filled of course.

There are plans involving a new parade show as well, but it's in the early phase and won't be seen for some while now. Some Imagineers have been complaining about the general upkeep of certain areas of the park in the hope that Lasseter will make more suggestions to Tom about the overall comparison of quality between Anaheim and Orlando's attractions. It's not known yet if all the tugging on Uncle John's ear will wield early results, but he should be paying more attention to the parks as Tony Baxter and Bob Weiss takes over much of the control of Disneyland/DCA. While he will be active in the planning of the DL Resort it will free up more of his time next year so he can concentrate a little more on Disney's other parks.




FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION...

There are plans in place to have everyones favorite purple dragon make a return engagement. Several proposed plans include bringing back a new version of his old attraction... parts of the old show along with new enhancements have been proposed. Several Imagineers are hoping this plan gets signed off quickly so work can begin.

Many people are overjoyed at the removal of the wand. This is just a small sign of what will come over the next couple years as we see Spaceship Earth have a much needed makeover completed by the beginning of the new year. Some of the tacky tarps that are supposed to provide shade are scheduled for removal... not all are supposed to go, but the plans are still not final. There is clearly a plan that involves taking Epcot and removing some of the mistakes of the 90's.

The story of Epcot over the next few years is one of renewal more than anything else. There are proposals in the blue sky phase of course. Two prominent ones that WDI are working on are making their way through the process... we can expect to see at least one new E-Ticket by the end of the decade at Epcot, with a modest D-Ticket possible depending on funding next year.

A small faction within the walls of the Glendale Kingdom still wants to do something about the eyesores that exist around World Showcase. While it would be nice to see something done so that the Dolphin and Swan are not seen, it'll be a while before this is dealt with since it's much hard to hide. The Canadian pavilion is where some Imagineers want to focus by bringing out the old plans for a Canadian Rockies structure behind it to cover the Soarin' building and add a water ride like DCA's Grizzly River Rampage. It's unknown yet if they've been able to tug on the ear of Uncle John on this matter though, as he has a full plate. Time will tell...





NO KINGDOM IN SIGHT...

Sadly, I've heard no rumors of Beastly Kingdom returning. If WDI plans on bringing this dream project for Disney Geeks back, it's being held close to the vest, which wouldn't be a surprise given all the tight security these days with voluminous non-disclosure agreements being signed just to go to the bathroom... I'm kidding about that, but just barely. The good news is there is a proposed attraction being designed for DAK, it's not known yet if it is a D or E-Ticket, but my Bothans say it's a great addition to the park. Don't expect to see this for at least a couple of years though...

Right around the time that the new night-time show appears. That's right, I said night-time show. But it won't appear before fall 2008/summer 2009... by then there will hopefully be enough activities to keep people in the park past the sunlight. DAK's "Rivers of Light" is a show that has been being worked on concurrently with DCA's "Disney's World of Color" show. Both should appear around the same time unless some scheduling delay happens.

By 2009, DAK should have a couple new restaurants(one of which is being built now), a night-time water show, the new DAK-DVC units and a new ride either done or in the final stages of construction. Joe Rodhe is working hard to deliver a full day experience by the end of the decade and will most likely make it. Now, if he'll just tug on Uncle John's ear about Beastly Kingdom...




RETCHED HIVE OF SCUM AND VILLAINY...

Disney's Hollywood Studio, or as it was going to be called literally up until the week before the announcement, Disney-Pixar Studios is the park that has the most in store for it over the next four years. By the beginning of the next decade this park will be the one that looks the most different. Not as much as DCA will look to us in California... but much different than it does today.

As far as the question everyone asks about... will the hat go away? There's a growing presence in WDI that would like to see this happen... the higher-ups have made no decision yet. But the talk is going in the right direction.

Now DHS will not be getting 1.2 billion dollars to spend, but it will be getting a much healthier share than the other three parks. The decision to go with the new name over the Pixar name has everything to do with focusing the park on movies in particular and Hollywood in general... the Pixar brand, while a gold standard in animation caused too much confusion with visitors and it was decided to avoid this entirely with a different name.

We will see the Pixar area of the park start to have more attractions/activities over the rest of the decade. There are proposals to liven up the area as well as various other sections with a renewed focus on theming. Some of the drab areas will get a much needed spruce-up by 2010.

There are plans in the works for one new E-Ticket, in addition to "Toy Story Mania" and at least another C and D-Ticket by the beginning of the next decade. The focus on Hollywood will be emphasized much more, at least in the blue sky plans that are currently heading along, gathering steam.


The other big news, mentioned here a couple months ago and also bandied about the web lately is the new coziness that the Walt Disney Company has with George Lucas. There will be a big expansion of the Lucas properties at both DHL and Disneyland(more on that in a later report). This focus will include Star Wars(Movies), Indiana Jones and the new Clone Wars/Star Wars television shows if Bob Iger has his way. While Eisner ruffled the feathers of just about everyone from Lucas, Spielberg, Jobs, etc., it appears that Iger is doing a great deal of damage control. After making friends with Jobs and buying Pixar, it appears one of Bob's main goals is to bring Lucas back into the fold of Disney. Does this mean buying Lusasfilm? No, not really... although that would be an interesting acquisition for the Mouse to make in the future. Top Lucasfilm execs have said they wouldn't rule out taking the company public in the future. This happening would cause many entertainment companies to drool at the opportunity to own a piece of the force. But at this point, George isn't quite ready to do that. What he is ready to do is work with Disney, which he's always had a great fondness for. As well as a much more detailed Star Tours ride, new Indiana Jones events to correspond with the new film next year and a few things that will involve Indy later in 2008... Iger is also asking Lucas to help in other areas that don't have to do with Vader or Jones. There is talk that the folks at WDI are excited about getting Lucas' input on another, top-secret E=Ticket... one that is in the early stages and could make its debut at the start of the next decade. Uncle John is also involved in this as he recognizes the value and potential of George Lucas.

And you know what?

George is friends with this guy named Steven. He hasn't really worked for Disney since his tiff with Eisner. Could it be that Bob and Uncle John may want George help bridge the gap and smooth the feathers with Steven now that Eisner is gone? So this new friendship could turn out to be a two-for-one thing. And DHS could be the first of many Disney theme parks to benefit from this.

Remember, in Hollywood it's all about relationships... Eisner forgot that. He let his ego blind him and the company and the parks really suffered because of it. Not anymore.

Well, that's all I could get out of my Bothans for Florida... at least all I can tell you without getting them thrown over into the dark side. Stay tuned for more updates soon.

What Would Walt Think?

You've all seen those hats and shirts with the WWJD on them. The "What Would Jesus Do?" statement that some people make to ask what the moral ramifications of peoples actions should be.

Well, we Disney fans/geeks are always hearing stuff like "Walt would never do that" or "Walt would hate that". So it made me wonder...

What would Walt Think?

About what, you ask?

Well, I wondered what he would think about how Walt Disney Productions became the behemoth Walt Disney Company.

And also what he'd think about his beloved EPCOT and the realization/bastardization of it that finally came to be.

And then there's what he'd of thought of the original Disneyland. The expansion of it. DCA. The general Anaheim area around the park and how it's different today than when he drove down daily from Burbank.

Now granted, this is pure speculation. Other than looking into a crystal ball, hiring a physic to contact his ghost or pulling his head out of the mythical cryogenic freezer there is really no way of knowing truly what he'd of thought of these questions. We can only base it on our general understanding of who he was and relate it to the context of where he was and the time in which he lived.

With that out of the way, let's go...

Walt Disney Productions went from a small company that made Oswald the Rabbit cartoons to Mickey Mouse cartoons... slowly he worked up to features with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Within a decade he would start prepping WDP for it's entry into live-action with "Treasure Island", "20,000 Leagues" and several others. Then came television which was really just to fund his construction of Disneyland. All this time Walt had licensed out the Disney characters to merchandising companies. By the time he passed away, Walt and Roy Disney had turned WDP into a very large entertainment company. When Michael Eisner came to power in 1984 he knew the potential the corporation had and turned it into an even larger empire, finally changing the name to the Walt Disney Company. Bob Iger is now in charge of a global behemoth that's only entertainment rival is Time-Warner.

Walt would be surprised at how large his company had gotten. From the movies made for families(Walt Disney Pictures, Pixar) or adults(Touchstone, Hollywood, Miramax) to Disney no longer letting others handle it's properties(Disney Consumer Products), the company is an amazingly diverse collection of every facet of entertainment. I think Walt would be happy with most of what the company does... he'd especially would like the Disney Cruise Line I think. Having seen pictures of him traveling to Europe aboard luxury liners of the past I think he would have been pleasantly surprised at the cruise line.

I think Walt would take a look at the Disneyland Resort, as it's called now, with a bit of wonder. He'd be amazed at how it's grown. The park would definitely be something he would be proud of. I can't say that he'd be totally happy with Tom Sawyer Island, but the spirit of Disneyland changing continually reflects on the timeless nature of the park.

To say that he wouldn't like DCA is unfair because the park is still evolving and by the time it's ten it will be a much rather different place... as will be the Resort, with new hotels under construction, the original hotel rethemed(and now actually owned by Disney) and an expanded Downtown Disney. I'd say he'd even be surprised at the surrounding area which doesn't look near as tacky and cheap as it did when Walt made the decision to build a Disneyland on the East Coast.

Walt Disney World would be a mixed bag as well. The sheer size of it with it's four theme parks, two water parks and voluminous hotels would surprise and astound him. The fact that one of these parks would be called Epcot and bear little resemblance to his dream would probably be heartbreaking. EPCOT was Walt's dying dream and I believe he knew no one could pull it off but him. Still the fact that it's not a working city would be the most disappointing thing for him.

The expansion across the world would most likely give him a reflection on how much of an affect he's been on the world in addition to America. Having parks in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong are an example of the American dream extended internationally, Disney being the perfect representation of this. The deal that Walt Disney Productions made with the Oriental Land Company would most likely anger him. Walt was about control and letting another company handle the parks and characters would have never been an option. The deal that created Tokyo Disneyland would more than likely never have happened had he still been running the company.

As I said in the beginning of this article, this is all just speculation based on what we know about the Old Maestro and what we believe he would think about the life his company took on after he passed on... there's a great deal to be proud of. There's a good deal to be embarrassed by. There's even a small amount to be ashamed of. But of the totality of it all... it's a great gift he gave the world. It continues to delight fans all across the world so many, many years after his death.

And we should all remember, it's Disney's world after-all...

Blue Sky Alert-America (Orlando)...

Much has happened since I posted out Anaheim report. The most important of course being the shake up at WDI. While this is a good thing, it also puts several projects into limbo. Most of these proposals are making it through the design or approval phase anyway and with a new regime it calls into question everything. The new leaders will want to look at most of these proposals before going ahead... so I don't want anyone e-mailing me about "creating from thin air" what is mentioned in this article. If what is mentioned doesn't happen... don't blame the messenger. Things change fast at WDI...

That being said, I like what is happening with the restructuring within the walls of 1401 Flower Street. As some of you may have already heard, former Research and Development Vice President Bruce Vaughn is now in the position that Chief Creative Executive Tom Fitzgerald. Vaughn is well liked within the company and a strong advocate of the creative process over the bureacratic process that has built up under Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald will still be working at WDI focusing on the oversight of show development, story integration and uh, um "blue sky" brainstorming process.

Craig Russell, former Vice President of Environmental Design and Show Engineering is now Chief Design and Delivery Executive at WDI. The former WDI President Don Goodman moves out of WDI and into his new role as executive Vice President for resort development. His position is something akin to recreating the Disney Development Company that designed the hotels for the company in the 80's before Eisner combined it with the rest of Imagineering. It appears that it will still be part of the company, but a seperate unit ran by Goodman and the very well liked, Wing Chao. The role Goodman had as President will not be refilled. Some people think that John Lasseter will partially take over this job in an unofficial capacity.

The new structure is great because it will do for WDI what Lasseter and Catmull have done for WDAS, with is to eliminate the layers of bureacracy and middle management that the creatives have to go through to get something done. From now on, Tony Baxter, Joe Rohde and Joe Lanzisero along with other Creative Executives will report directly to Vaughn. As Jim Hill reported, one of Vaughn's comments were "we are no longer going to design rides we don't build". This could be great news since WDI literally designs hundreds upon hundreds of attractions that literally never see the light of day. Unless the Oriental Land Company builds them, of course. This offers a light of hope on projects that got stuck in the approval process over the years because of political back stabbing, but the road ahead is not yet clear so we'll have to wait and let the dust settle. A whole new world may have opened up for Walt Disney Imagineering though...

A lot is going on at the Reedy Creek Improvement District, aka: Walt Disney World. The Walt Disney Company is trying to maximize it's profits without having to put a great deal more expense which is why we heard the announcement of those two projects that would be on the property, but not created by the property. With the Four Seasons at WDW and the Westward Way expansion, they intend on getting as much out of partnering with others while not having to incure the expense associated with the new hotels, shopping centers and developed co-ops.

As for what Disney themselves are doing, we have the progression of the DVC units being build near the Animal Kingdom Lodge and the new addition to the Contemporary that some have dubbed: the Watergate Tower. While I may not be estatic about the look of the tower, I don't take as much offense as other to the design. The Animal Kingdom DVC expansion is something I absolutely love, on the other hand.

There are two other properties being looked at for DVC opportunities, but it's in the early phase and will likely not see any announcements until late 2009.

A new, third themed water park is making its way through the approval process. It still has a long ways to go but the plans right now will have it tie the park in with some of Disney's cinematic properties if all is approved. Don't expect to hear anything publicly about this till sometime in mid 2008 at the earliest.

Despite everyone being depressed about the company announcing no current plans for a "Fifth Gate" in the current future, that doesn't mean ideas aren't being discussed. There is plenty of land for future use. Enough in the southern section for at least two full size parks if they are ever approved. There are "blue sky" proposals for a new park. Actually, three have been seen in the halls of WDI. These projects that are in the embryonic proposal phase and could wind up as a fifth park or serve as inspiration for Hong Kong's second gate or even Tokyo. Should the economy keep firing on all cylinders, the proposals will be narrowed down and one could look for an announcement near the beginning of the next decade. That puts the completion of a fifth park somewhere in the ball park of 2014-2015. Just in time for the preperations for the 45th anniversary of the park. How coincidental? Hmmm...


The Magic Kingdom is the park with the least going on. At least from my sources at WDI. This could all be thrown around now that the new structure is being put in place over on Flower Street, but the full effect of the reorganization won't be clear until summer is over. As for now, there are proposals for a new parade that would corrispond with some additional entertainment, but otherwise the next "E" ticket isn't planned for at least 2009. Lasseter and crew have a couple propsals that are being pitched about but nothing is concrete at the moment. As far as it being a Pixar ride, I'm sure some of you are thinking of asking... well, as of now the proposal's don't involve creations from Disney's Emeryville branch. In fact, of the two proposals my sources know of, one involves a "classic" Disney character and the other is something entirely different. Hopefully, if Disneyland's new Christmas overlay works out well it will be applied to Orlando's castle as well, but we won't know for sure till early next year.

By now, everyone knows that Epcot's Spaceship Earth will open next year with a brand new interior and from what people have seen so far it's a great redo. From one of my sources, the new attraction will really entertain guest in the best "Epcot" way. Talk continues about "THE WAND" coming down. The decision hasn't been made official, but signs are good that it could come down by next year... so cross your fingers. There are a couple prominent ideas for Epcot's next "E" ticket, but within departments, it won't see daylight till 2010 probably.

Over in World Showcase, there is a faction within WDI that wants to address some of the eyesores that disrupt the view of the lands. No, I'm not talking about the Dolphin and Swan... that requires more radical surgery. But there is momentum from a group of Imagineers to reintroduce a proposal to retheme the back of Soarin' to the Canadian Rockies which would hide the show building and give the area another "E" ticket ride simular to DCA's GRR. Other areas are supposed to be addressed if the plan goes through, again... these are "blue sky" proposal's so it'll all depend on the new management and how much they desire to fix the mistakes of the past.

Disney-MGM Studios, or as we may soon be calling it: Disney-Pixar Studios has the most promising future ahead of it. With the park meandering as to what it's identity has been over the last few years it is slated to get a good deal of attention over the next couple years. Whatever it's called, the name will not be the only rebranding in the park. A direction as to what kind of park it is will begin in the fall with the expected announcement of some form of name change. Once that is done there will be some major changes in theme and design in various parts of the studio. Lasseter himself has expressed an interest in refocusing the park towards a much more family friendly movie experience. Expect at least one and possibly two "E" tickets and two to four "C" or "D" tickets to be approved in the next year or so that will focus on making the experience one has when entering the former MGM park, a truly memorable one. Some of these projects will have a direct impact on WDW's sister park in Anaheim. What projects am I talking about. Well let me just give you their innitials... ST 2.0 and IJ4. How's that for a tease? These will be a huge draw for the studio when all this is said and done around... 2011. There's that year again. Sorry, my lips are sealed. There'll be nothing else for now...

The results of Epedition Everest are a great sign for Animal Kingdom. However, the high expense of the ride itself has been an inhibitor in bringing forward that most holy grail of DAK projects: Beastly Kingdom. There is still a small group within WDI that wants to do BK, but the amount of money it will cost has many managers hesitant to put that much capital into such an attraction. The wildcard in this is Lasseter. While it is not known if he will champion BK, he is much in favor of creating rides that immerse the guest and doesn't seem interested in throwing out mediocre attractions to simply have WDI keep busy. There are Imagineers who have been trying to get one of several small scale theming proposals for Dinoland approved, but under the old management the approval was moving at a snails pace. Perhaps the new leadership will allow these blue sky proposals which would take away the gharish, carnival atmosphere and give the area a more atmospheric touch to move forward? Clearly the days of Paul Pressler are over. The recent changes in WDI and the rising stock of Joe Rohde could bring BK out of the shadows and onto the fast track. At the very least, Joe's position means DAK will be receiving a disproportional amount of attention over the next few years.

Well, that's all I can relate without getting caught in Disney's dragnet or having my friends shot. Hope you enjoyed it and have a great Memorial Day weekend. Stay tuned for more updates later in June...

Epcot's "Other" Anniversary Date...

A great many people have complained about the lack of a celebration for EPCOT's twenty fifth anniversary and I would count myself among them. But there is another aniversary that most people are overlooking. One that happen on this very day.

May 15, 1974

Card Walker, Disney president and chief operating officer, announces to a meeting of the American Marketing Association that Walt Disney Productions will be moving ahead "in a phased program" with the development of Walt Disney's concept for EPCOT. The process of taking Walt's EPCOT (a real city) apart and concocting something different with the pieces has begun.

No one quite knew exactly what it would be, including Card Walker, but it was the start of something new, something big and the first time a Disney park would have a second gate... although they probably wouldn't have called it that in those days.

There are exciting times ahead for Epcot, not as much excitment as MGM will be getting... but there are things ahead that will create a stronger future for Epcot with Lasseter guiding the way. Hopefully, we'll be able to talk about it in our upcoming Orlando update of Blue Sky Alert. If not this time, maybe the next one depending on what I can say without getting some people fired.

Let's just say Epcot's future is bright, a little fella named the Dreamfinder told me.