tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post1837082408987030780..comments2024-02-08T07:33:49.907-08:00Comments on Re-Imagineering: Be YourselfMr Bankshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12952506736745891323noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-72184202202068223182008-05-31T16:55:00.000-07:002008-05-31T16:55:00.000-07:00When I was growing up...I went to Disneyworld 30+ ...When I was growing up...I went to Disneyworld 30+ times and Disneyland in California, Once... so I have a large heart full of magical memories at Walt Disney <BR/><BR/>World in Orlando and of all those memories I cherish those of The Enchanted Tiki Room with Jose and company leading the show... even a 41 years of age I know <BR/><BR/>all the song tunes and many of the words...I cannot tell you the many times I have even parodied the "Its time for you to Go" ending song to people visiting <BR/><BR/>and its truly time for them to go :) lol .... In the mid 1990s I was forced to stop visiting WDW like I used to because I found out I needed two total hip <BR/><BR/>replacement surgeries but that I needed to wait a few years before having them...NOW they are complete and I am ready to return to Disney again and the first <BR/><BR/>place I intended to go was The Enchanted Tiki Room...I had heard there was an update at WDW so I wanted to preview it BUT after viewing a YOUTUBE version of <BR/><BR/>Under New Management I must admit shedding a few tears of sadness... No more Jose leading the flock, No "In the Tiki tiki tiki room" no "When the Flowers <BR/><BR/>Sing".. NONE OF IT IS IN THE WDW SHOW. What the Disney Imagineers were trying to do was Noble, BUT they missed the mark by a million miles... The show <BR/><BR/>actually insults those of us (quite directly and verbally by the new characters) who enjoyed the old show... My brother just purchased a DVC (disney <BR/><BR/>vacation club timeshare)membership for all of us to enjoy, so now I can see a long happy future of visits to Disney in our midst... And while yes the <BR/><BR/>original Enchanted Tiki Room lives on in Disney Land, it is very expensive for us when you consider that we live on the West coast of Florida and only 2 1/2 <BR/><BR/>hours now from Walt Disney World! The Enchanted Tiki Room has always been the first thing I see in my mind and feel in my heart when I think of WDW... Those <BR/><BR/>birds are alive to me (and yes I understand the robotic technology).... If I had a chance to have my picture with any Disney character, I Love Mickey, Goofy, <BR/><BR/>etc...BUT my choice always was and always will be with a picture of Jose...<BR/><BR/><BR/>If any Disney Imagineers read this... Please change it back or as a compromise perhaps design the show to alternate at different hours between the new show <BR/><BR/>and the old show...I know it can be done with a little adjustment.<BR/><BR/>Disney wants to grant us a Million wishes...I do no want money, nor some special hat, or anything, Just PLEASE consider returning Jose and the Tiki Room to <BR/><BR/>us at WDW before I get to go there in November (right after thanksgiving). <BR/><BR/>Bob from Punta Gorda, FlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-21357757486152112522008-03-29T06:31:00.000-07:002008-03-29T06:31:00.000-07:00On my first trip to WDW I remember being horrified...On my first trip to WDW I remember being horrified by the changes to the Tiki Room. I kept having the feeling that the "older" characters were humiliated by the additions.<BR/> In my childhood I had a copy of the Jungle Cruise, Tiki Room soundtracks and feel in love with both attractions long before I ever went to either park. It is my heartfelt belief that as long as those experiences are kept in tact then Walt's heart is still beating. <BR/> Yes update the technology, yes improve the soundtrack but why oh why would you ever think that people have changed so much that adding rude behavior would ever be percieved as entertainment?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-75244894381165272642008-02-21T21:05:00.000-08:002008-02-21T21:05:00.000-08:00Never loose the essence! That's the secret! Disney...Never loose the essence! That's the secret! Disney is Fantasy! Disney is feeling and acting like a kid with no censorship! Disney is where any dream can come true! Disney does not admit violent rides where people can die! Parents bring their kids to play in a safe environment and return home happy! NEVER LOOSE WALT DISNEY'S REAL ESSENCE DESPITE WHAT YOUR COMPETITOR IS CREATING NEXT DOOR!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10319880220778746861noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-33131276562519713802007-06-09T15:41:00.000-07:002007-06-09T15:41:00.000-07:00I hate to dredge up the old thread, but I was read...I hate to dredge up the old thread, but I was reading through the comments and noticed something.<BR/><BR/><I><B>Digital Jedi said:</B><BR/>I recently heard a rumor (so I'm taking it with a grain of salt) that The Three Caballeros were being overlaid onto the Rio Del Tiempo.</I><BR/><BR/>Sure enough, that revamp was indeed made. And from what I hear, not very well liked.<BR/>At least you can use that grain of salt for your margarita when you ride the Gran Fiesta Tour.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-36032702205880890452007-03-12T21:57:00.000-07:002007-03-12T21:57:00.000-07:00Well, while Disney’s management DOES pay some atte...Well, while Disney’s management DOES pay some attention, ARE THEY LISTENING? Sometimes it feels like they are often just taking steps to do damage control instead of truthfully taking suggestions to heart and actually making corrective measures.<BR/><BR/>Currently, the creative capabilities at Imagineering remain bogged down. Real creative initiatives are being strangled by financial restrictions. This seems counter to many of the other divisions, which appear to get all the financial support they need. Pirates of the Caribbean wouldn’t have been the success it was if the studio had been under the same sort of budgetary constraints. <BR/><BR/>Corporate management just doesn’t appear to have the same level of support for the various business units. The parks are a major segment of the company’s foundation. Keeping them in top condition and their attractions at the cutting edge of creativity and technology should be at least as important as a movie, TV network, cruise ships, “niche parks” or resorts.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-2905277690294522542007-03-09T12:36:00.000-08:002007-03-09T12:36:00.000-08:00"Imagine if It's a Small World had characters in i..."Imagine if It's a Small World had characters in it dissing the ride as you went along. Or maybe the Hall of Presidents could have W make some off the wall remarks. Is that an enhancemenet, or a mockery?"<BR/><BR/>I love the sweet, innocent, even corny true-Disney ethos, and wouldn't attend D-land otherwise -- but even I have to say the examples given above would be hilarious. To an adult.<BR/><BR/>What Disneyland ought to have is a kind of Mardi Gras, where *everything* gets mocked, and no sacred cow is spared the A-1 sauce. Computer technology provides tools for unprecedented flexibility. There ought to be a "Brooklyn Comic" night, after hours, for a couple of weeks per year. (Heck -- have it during the actual Mardi Gras.) During the day, families get to enjoy the classic sweet Disney presentation. After hours, a separate, paying crowd of People Who Wear Black can show up and be treated to Iago trash-talking Fritz, GWB mangling language at the Hall of Presidents, and the cowboy and Indian at the end of "It's a Small World" getting into a fistfight. <BR/><BR/>Would never happen, but it's a fun daydream.Thomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02283204126758018145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-23018407926354563162007-03-08T11:45:00.000-08:002007-03-08T11:45:00.000-08:00Thank you for this insightful post on the truly he...Thank you for this insightful post on the truly heinous nature of the "Under New Management" Tiki Room. As a former DL cast member who was delighted to see the care lavished on the Anaheim Tiki Room, I was thoroughly appalled this summer when I finally got to witness "Under New Management." I'd heard it was bad, but I wasn't expecting bad Gloria Estefan covers, or an Iago who was both twice the size as the Tiki Room parrots (they're supposed to be the same species!) and who resembled a sack of potatoes with eyes. <BR/><BR/>After the show, I kept telling my mother, who didn't really remember the original Tiki Room, just how horrible this update was (all I kept thinking was for Iago to shut up so we could all "sing like the birdies sing" already). Thank god I had a copy of the original soundtrack on my iPod back at the hotel to help erase that travesty from my mind. <BR/><BR/>This isn't to say, however, that I would be opposed to a tasteful and relevant update to the Tiki Room's repertoire. I think it might be intriguing to integrate either or both of the lovely songs from "Lilo and Stitch" ("Hele me no Lilo" or "Hawaiian Rollercoaster Ride") into the show, with or without the film's characters. However, if they're going to involve Stitch, it needs to be in a limited manner, and with the tempering presence of Lilo as well. I heasitate to suggest such things simply because I can clearly envision how such ideas could so easily go wrong. (Tarzan's Treehouse, anyone?)Janehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12606590813731460036noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-72988362076288179022007-03-08T00:41:00.000-08:002007-03-08T00:41:00.000-08:00GENIUS post, Tangaroa!GENIUS post, Tangaroa!Kevin Kidneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06401940509568134621noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-82715521842089004692007-02-26T01:44:00.000-08:002007-02-26T01:44:00.000-08:00"Tenants?" It's "tenets." Pet peeve of mine."Tenants?" It's "tenets." Pet peeve of mine.Adam Villanihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10694072629634740634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-69683922589409290932007-02-25T12:39:00.000-08:002007-02-25T12:39:00.000-08:00Two decades of riding Star Tours and I always wish...Two decades of riding Star Tours and I always wished I would get in the Starspeeder that actually visited one of the planets promised in the line. Piloted by a wookiee or Wedge maybe?<BR/><BR/><BR/>Let us not forget Lucas' hand in the ride. Since Return of the Jedi he has had complete control and droids, aliens, and creatures have nyuk, nyuked, broke wind and burped since.<BR/><BR/>I wonder if the Enterprise ride in Vegas plays it straight or the Mudd guy wreaks havoc or maybe a Farengi has to much Romulan Ale?<BR/><BR/>I do not like Aerosmith but I love every inch of the R and R Rollercoaster. Lets get to the show quickly. Fun! Ok, I can live without the gift shop.<BR/><BR/>Mission Space ends with a crash land. Talking about cynical. I could think of better endings sitting here. Land next to the Pathfinder, take a soil sample and have it dispensed to you in the cockpit, with a little red rock souvenir. Exit through a Mars simulated atrium with rovers diggin for the water or ice in the soil. Instead its Apollo 13, jr.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-18380858690752866962007-02-21T21:01:00.000-08:002007-02-21T21:01:00.000-08:00I think that even worse than the misguided attempt...I think that even worse than the misguided attempts to create "hip and edgy" attractions (and all the built-in obsolescence that comes with them) is the cynicism. Nothing is more un-Disney than cynicism.<BR/><BR/>In its most blatant form (the ugly corporate greed in the Alien Encounter, Iago <I>mocking</I> both the guests and a beloved Disney attraction, etc.), it's overtly grating and out-of-place, but there is a more subtle form of it that seems to run through many Eisner era attractions. Many of them insist on coming up with an elaborate "excuse" for anything fun that happens.<BR/><BR/>I am completely sick of the "Oh no, something has gone wrong!" premise. It's only surprising once, and even worse, it robs you of the experience of just having an adventure for adventure's sake.<BR/><BR/>The classic attractions don't need any depressing plot devices about mechanical failures ("Hooray, in the future stuff will break all the time!"), they just set you about your way, flying over London, through dark jungles, spooky mansions, etc.<BR/><BR/>Space Mountain was an exciting trip based on the simple premise that space travel will be cool and fun. The excitement from Star Tours only comes about because your guide is an idiot.<BR/><BR/>Rather than past attempts to simply present amazing and engaging entertainment, the HISTA show continually apologizes for itself and explains the only reason you had any fun is because your host is a dumbass. ("Oops! Sorry about amusing you!")<BR/><BR/>As has been said, Disney is all about having a good time without self-conscious worries that you might look like a dork riding a flying elephant or (God forbid) having an emotional reaction to a thrilling piece of entertainment. It's about legitimate connections, not "meta" crap that gives you a cheap out by encouraging you to distance yourself from the material.<BR/><BR/>And it's also about optimism...who has any use for a pessimistic Disney?Captain Schnemohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15112333068173312142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-37341332552578129012007-02-20T10:39:00.000-08:002007-02-20T10:39:00.000-08:00I just had to comment on anon. down there talking ...I just had to comment on anon. down there talking about Space Mountain 2 at Paris Disneyland. I know it's off-topic, but I couldn't agree more, and it put into words the disappointed feeling I had when I rode it after the change. It has to be hip and edgy is not a good enough excuse for most of us anymore. It was a far superior ride before it became "hip and edgy."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-21701481767889912442007-02-18T16:45:00.000-08:002007-02-18T16:45:00.000-08:00bsdb said.."As I've read Imagineering posts over t...bsdb said..<BR/><BR/>"As I've read Imagineering posts over the years, the cry which I've heard all too often recently has been "the 1st priority of your innovation and ingenuity is COST. If you want make it as an imagineer you must look at the COST of something before you propose it. The boys upstairs (meaning the Accounting Dweebs) don't take kindly to wild unpractical expenses." <BR/>I'm not going to disagree completely with this argument. But I'm not fully buying into it, either. Otherwise, Imagineers like Tony Baxter would have been kicked to the curb, years ago. And rehabs like Monsters Inc in DCA or Pooh in DL would have cost one-third as much and sucked twice as hard."<BR/><BR/>Imagineering management sometimes sets reduced budgets or scope reductions even before presenting to corporate management. Thus, they are essentially reducing the quality of attractions before letting corporate management have their say (Iger/Lasseter might have been willing to spend the money if the concept was worth it.)<BR/><BR/>But, even within that environment, some completely fallacious concepts get green lit, even when they are potentially financially unfeasible and/or creatively flawed, just because they are conceived by “favored” Imagineers. And WDI management will aggressively promote them to corporate management <BR/><BR/>As for Baxter, he HAS, over the past decade, essentially “been kicked to the curb.” The only reason he’s still with the company and hasn’t been dumped by the current political management is that, if he were let go, it would expose the idiotic management structure that remains in control. But, he’s pretty much just been sidelined. Any of the truly creative ideas he continues to develop can, and have, been taken and given to more cooperative (less passionate for quality/more subservient management favorites) teams. Some of those concepts have been REALLY ground breaking, but under the “direction” of others, fail to realize their full potential.<BR/><BR/>The Kirks were a little less high profile, but even there, laying them off after one of the most successful Imagineering projects – Tokyo DisneySea, while promoting the “creative force” behind Disney’s California Adventure, just further exposed the absurdity and politically motivated hostility of WDI’s management.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-48113033942274322952007-02-17T09:54:00.000-08:002007-02-17T09:54:00.000-08:00A couple of thoughts I’d like to add based on the ...A couple of thoughts I’d like to add based on the posts above...<BR/><BR/>Regarding WDI Anaheim & Maintenance making lemonade when they are handed lemons: The extra TLC that was given Pirates, and will presumedly be given to TSI, is wonderful. They should be applauded for their efforts. But the purpose of “Be Yourself” was not to address maintenance issues. The purpose was to discuss the creative content generated out of Glendale (the lemons). <BR/><BR/>Regarding the vilifying of MBAs and blaming all the park’s problems on them...well I’m guilty. I’ve done it...for years. But the truth is, when you have an organization as dysfunctional as WDI, which produces multimillion dollar failures on a regular basis, there is plenty of blame to go around. It is human nature to ask “what is the problem?” The question however presumes that there is only one problem. Yes the MBA mentality is a problem, but so is the current “creative” mentality at WDI. And (as /bsdb said) those with no spine who allow the MBAs to steamroll in and destroy what Walt and his team built, are just as guilty as the steamrollers themselves. <BR/><BR/>One could make the argument that the “creatives” are even more guilty. The business folks have always fought to keep the costs down...that’s their job. But it is the creative folks who need to fight for higher quality...that’s their job. <BR/><BR/>And some do fight, but too few. <BR/><BR/>It’s easy for people outside of Disney to say “Disney does this,” just as it is easy or for people in Anaheim to say “WDI does this” or “Florida does that.” The truth is... there is no group, park, resort or business unit that is all good or all bad. There are business practices and mentalities that are destructive to “Disney.” The mentality that Disney should be hip and edgy is destructive; the business practice of not conducting a post-mortem on an attraction (so the “creative” team can learn what they did wrong) is destructive. And the business practice of promoting people who subscribe to these destructive mentalities is downright corrupt.Tongaroahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01456743904698992536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-46012586402838698722007-02-16T09:59:00.000-08:002007-02-16T09:59:00.000-08:00If you think that's bad you should head to Disneyl...If you think that's bad you should head to Disneyland Paris. Two years ago the classic E-ticket that saved the resort, re-invented Disney thrill rides, and introduced the much used onboard rollercoaster soundtrack had its soul completely ripped out of it. Space Mountain- De La Terre A La Lune became Space Mountain- Mission 2, and its never been the same since.<BR/> It tried to be hip, cool and modern, which is bad enough for a Disney attraction. But made all the worse by the fact that it was in Discoveryland, the land of the future envisioned from the past. You enter a huge Victorian building through a queue full of modern sattelite photos. Then into a Victorian station, before being loaded into a Victorian cannon, while a modern radio system plays a countdown. The timeless, romantic adventure soundtrack played by a full orchestra was replaced by a 'hip' upbeat techno soundtrack. All of the charm was taken out of the attraction to be replaced by unimpressive special effects. <BR/> Where Mission 2 really misses its mark is the vital difference between excitement and thrill. The emotionally detached Mission 2 could no way reach the heights that the original took us.<BR/>In the old queue, you came into a room with a domed ceiling painted with a wonderful starfield on a blue background. For Mission 2, Disney simply got black paint and went right over it. This pretty much sums up Space Mountain- Mission 2.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-78557381686570669942007-02-16T08:55:00.000-08:002007-02-16T08:55:00.000-08:00anon tossed down the gauntlet:Keep in mind that La...anon tossed down the gauntlet:<BR/><BR/><I>Keep in mind that Lasseter said he would only take the Job if he reported DIRECTLY to Bob Iger. John doesn't report to ANYONE in WDI... His boss is THE boss. That was a smart step and I think it will help a lot.</I><BR/><BR/>Yeah, I used to believe that as well. But most of John's time is being utitlized in "fixing" WDFA, and managing Pixar. Just how much time is he spending in "fixing" WDI? I'm guessing, not that much.<BR/><BR/>My view of John's role as Principle Creative Advisor is to keep the executive stupidity inside Glendale from going nuclear. The fact that he directly reports to Iger and not Goodman or Rasulo has no significant relevance to bean counting, since he's bound by the same "keep it cheap" mantra as are the Imagineers. Putting John directly under Iger just gets him out of harm's way with regard to WDI execs who seem to view his input as "meddling."<BR/><BR/><BR/><I>Also, I think we should keep in mind that this whole problem isn't so much Imagineering's fault as the MBA dweebs who control their pocketbook strings.</I><BR/><BR/>Only applicable to those Imagineers with spines. Those who promoted up the food chain by kissing MBA brass are just as guilty as those keeping the pocketbook strings shut.<BR/><BR/><BR/><I>Its VERY difficult to be told something like "we want a ride that is Hip and Edgy, No fairytail antics, and you must not spend much more than the park's alloted maintenance budget to build it."</I><BR/><BR/>Of course it is. Unless you lack the inherent talent to effectively produce the fairytale environment in the first place. Which is probably why the fairytale designers continue to get the boot. (Just ask Steve Kirk and his family.)<BR/><BR/><BR/><I>As I've read Imagineering posts over the years, thecry which I've heard all too often recently has been "the 1st priority of your innovation and ingenuity is COST. If you want make it as an imagineer you must look at the COST of something before you propose it. The boys upstairs (meaning the Accounting Dweebs) don't take kindly to wild unpractical expenses."</I><BR/><BR/>I'm not going to disagree completely with this argument. But I'm not fully buying into it, either. Otherwise, Imagineers like Tony Baxter would have been kicked to the curb, years ago. And rehabs like Monsters Inc in DCA or Pooh in DL would have cost one-third as much and sucked twice as hard.<BR/><BR/>Cost is a MAJOR factor in the decision of which projects fly and which ones die on the vine. But the political climate has much more to do with project selection and execution. <BR/><BR/><BR/><I>What do you when you're told to "think big but keep it small". What does that even mean?</I><BR/><BR/>It's simply a conundrum utilized by overpriced accountants to justify their lame decisions. As long as the budget stays beneath a certain price point, they get to keep their jobs. Which is all they actually care about. <BR/><BR/>If the final product for the theme parks turns out to stink like a skunk, well, that's Creative's problem, not theirs. At least, that's what they keep telling themselves and leadership, over and over and over again.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, Iger continues to buy it.judihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15415067631504911897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-27325002183371248882007-02-15T21:26:00.000-08:002007-02-15T21:26:00.000-08:00There is a factor here that no one seems to consid...There is a factor here that no one seems to consider. The reason some of these attractions get enhancements is not just the marketing angle, it's a sustainment issue. The Park management looks at every square inch of real estate and calculates it's value in throughput and ability to generate revenue. Tom Sawyer Island for example is a low capacity problimatic chunk of ground from an operational standpoint. It's expensive to maintain and from their point of view, a loss leader. There is no incentive to maintain it. And they don't. Look at the condition of the island and surrounding landscaping, the animation and special effects. It's an embarrassment to the Walt Disney Company. WDI knows that the only way to get these type of attractions restored to anything close to the original quality is to apply a new project over the top of it. This generates a flow of resort resources toward the attraction to work alongside the Imagineers to get long broken hardware replaced. It's good business to fix as much as you can as long as the attraction is down for an extended period. And frankly, it becomes a labor of love. To a maintenance guy that has struggled for years just to get enough lamps to keep something lit in "his" attraction, seeing all the momentum of an enhancement restores a little pride. They end up giving a little extra to get as much fixed as possible. A little enthusiasm goes a long way. Pirates didn't end up looking as good as it did because of the movie overlay. It was two years of planning and hardwork on the part of the Anaheim Imagineers who worked hand in hand with a small team of Disneyland engineering and FAM people who understood the value of doing as much as possible during the downtime. Contrast that to their Florida counterparts who had a similar opportunity and completely blew it. The WDW resources that were applied to their Pirates rehab was pathetic. They pretty much left WDI Florida holding the bag and ended up with a cheeseball 50% fluff and buff "Unhancement". Then again, Florida does not give their regular guests the same level of consideration the California park does. The scary thing is that it's this Florida maintenance organization that now directs the California resort and it's show sustainment strategy. Trust me, if it wasn't for Imagineering trying to enhance exisisting attractions, very little would be done to sustain what is there already. You may not like an overlay to a classic attraction and bitch and moan about it all over the intenet but you are also the ones who post pictures of peeling paint and bad show conditions. At least someone is trying to do something about it. Yes, it's an end run around a crippled maintenance division but it is effective. At least on the West Coast. For now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-79672531981893196492007-02-15T13:07:00.000-08:002007-02-15T13:07:00.000-08:00"/bsdb said... tim proclaimed:Thank God John Lasse..."/bsdb said... <BR/>tim proclaimed:<BR/>Thank God John Lasseter's in charge now.<BR/><BR/>If only that were true! <BR/><BR/>Last time I checked, the top tier of the WDI food chain has not changed in over five years. Ditto for Parks and Resorts."<BR/><BR/>Keep in mind that Lasseter said he would only take the Job if he reported DIRECTLY to Bob Iger. John doesn't report to ANYONE in WDI... His boss is THE boss. That was a smart step and I think it will help a lot. Also, I think we should keep in mind that this whole problem isn't so much Imagineering's fault as the MBA dweebs who control their pocketbook strings. Its VERY difficult to be told something like "we want a ride that is Hip and Edgy, No fairytail antics, and you must not spend much more than the park's alloted maintenance budget to build it." As I've read Imagineering posts over the years, thecry which I've heard all too often recently has been "the 1st priority of your innovation and ingenuity is COST. If you want make it as an imagineer you must look at the COST of something before you propose it. The boys upstairs (meaning the Accounting Dweebs) don't take kindly to wild unpractical expenses." What do you when you're told to "think big but keep it small". What does that even mean?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-7602935414057952302007-02-14T12:42:00.000-08:002007-02-14T12:42:00.000-08:00It's important to remind everyone that 'edgy' does...It's important to remind everyone that 'edgy' does not equal 'good' or, for that matter, 'entertaining'. It's also important to remember these re-dos were partially done to counteract the approach Universal Studios took and the initial success of those attractions. (Not to mention the crowds that flocked to see them.) I think Techno touched on this subject but it bears repeating.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01089551498853338032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-32661243503036167702007-02-12T10:20:00.000-08:002007-02-12T10:20:00.000-08:00"The good-natured humor at the Jungle Cruise was, ..."The good-natured humor at the Jungle Cruise was, and is, a winner. The abrasive crude humor of Iago (and Stitch) is, well, abrasive and crude. Who out there enjoys having a huckster parrot call them suckers for 10 minutes? And for that matter, who really wants to smell Stitch’s chili-dog breath or the odor of synthetic skunk in the Imagination Institute? A comic relief character like Iago, without any drama to require relief from, is pointless. Stitch without Lilo is heartless. And Figment without Dreamfinder is just sad."<BR/><BR/>Amen. I find myself nodding along, and in this case shouting Yes! when I read your comments. Excellent points, put excellently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-32637751305661005592007-02-11T21:35:00.000-08:002007-02-11T21:35:00.000-08:00PaisinJune, I never thought of the “I’m going to D...PaisinJune, I never thought of the “I’m going to Disneyland” commercials as being part of the “hip and edgy” trend. I think they were clever and cute and now feel like tradition. Kudos to Jane Eisner on a good idea. <BR/><BR/>As for TSI, I could go for days on that subject, and summing up my thoughts in short statement will probably not do justice to the issue, but since you asked...<BR/><BR/>I love Tom Sawyer Island and see no need for additional characters to take up residence there. It would be great if the island were enhanced, improved, or plussed (whichever term you’re fond of) with new technology, new adventures, new details and new places to explore. It would be great if the island got the TLC it deserved and the fort were rebuilt and re-opened. But it seems that is not the way at Disney these days. Marketing drives everything (except Pixar*). And that’s the problem here. The pirates aren’t coming to the island because it is a natural evolution of the place, they’re coming because someone in Burbank thinks it’s marketable. The tie-in with the original Twain story about Tom, Joe and Huck playing pirate is a convenient excuse--an excuse they chose to use only after the internet-inspired public outcry.<BR/><BR/>The TSI problem is not a part of the hip-and-edgy trend (which is waning now...I hope). It is part of a different problem at Disney. Marketing rules everything now. Those hip-and-edgy guys and gals who created Under New Management, Journey into YOUR Imagination and Stitch’s Great Escape are still around and they realize that they have a new master. Jane’s hubby is gone and now they must bow to the idol of marketing--which they are more than happy to do. Same people...new problem. <BR/><BR/>...or from another point of view the people themselves are the problem. <BR/><BR/>* NOTE TO PIXAR - When the Disney Marketing people come knocking, don’t let them in.Tongaroahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01456743904698992536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-85796859950966831932007-02-11T15:49:00.000-08:002007-02-11T15:49:00.000-08:00Agree 100% (s I usually do)If I want hip and edgy,...Agree 100% (s I usually do)<BR/><BR/>If I want hip and edgy, I'll go to Universal, and I do, quite often when Im looking for that, but I don't go to Disney looking for that. I go to Disney looking for classic, memorable fun.TechnosWorldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11850462427929398917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-1066409340192444302007-02-09T09:50:00.000-08:002007-02-09T09:50:00.000-08:00I found the new Tiki birds to be really, utterly a...I found the new Tiki birds to be really, utterly and totally annoying. I wanted to yell "shut up" at them so we could just get on with the Tiki Bird show, which I used to like a lot. <BR/><BR/>Yes, they are just fake little birds but it is still very rude to call people "suckers" when they have just plopped down an entire mortgage payment to get their family into the park and maxed out their credit card to buy dinner and some souvenirs. At these prices we should receive some love from the animatronics, not insults.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-70021716591965796532007-02-09T08:29:00.000-08:002007-02-09T08:29:00.000-08:00tim proclaimed:Thank God John Lasseter's in charge...tim proclaimed:<BR/><I>Thank God John Lasseter's in charge now.</I><BR/><BR/>If only that were true! <BR/><BR/>Last time I checked, the top tier of the WDI food chain has not changed in over five years. Ditto for Parks and Resorts.<BR/><BR/>Rasulo still there? check<BR/><BR/>Goodman still there? check<BR/><BR/>Fitzgerald still there? check<BR/><BR/><BR/>So what exactly is Lasseter <I>in charge</I> of?judihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15415067631504911897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22576594.post-64646569800933694652007-02-09T07:10:00.000-08:002007-02-09T07:10:00.000-08:00PolyesterRage said:>>>I think it all just depends ...<B>PolyesterRage said:</B><BR/>>>><I>I think it all just depends on the things you find amusing. If you're someone who gets offended when an animatronic bird is mean, well, you can't please everyone. For everyone who is offended, there is another person who is amused.</I><<<<BR/><BR/>How much you want to bet there are more then a few people here who find South Park ridiculously funny? Maybe the Simpsons or Futurama or even Family Guy and yet, were still offended by the New Management attraction?<BR/><BR/>No one is taking the insults of the bird personally. What the problem is, is what place did it have in Disney World? This show started out as a charming, simple show with some entertaining music and whimsical fun. Now the show goes from charming to brash in 5.2 seconds. <BR/><BR/>Imagine if It's a Small World had characters in it dissing the ride as you went along. Or maybe the Hall of Presidents could have W make some off the wall remarks. Is that an enhancemenet, or a mockery?<BR/><BR/>It is true that you can't please everyone's sense of humor. But this current incarnation of the attraction not only ignores the nostalgia people had for the original Tiki Room, but mocks them for good measure. I'm certain they could have come up with some Iago style humor without, effectively, calling those people that loved the old one, stupid for feeling that way.Digital Jedihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02374739586203788564noreply@blogger.com