Disneyland Resort Introduces The Master Plan

It seems everyone who is anyone has been talking about Disneyland Forward and what is really on line post Coco, Avatar / Pandora, and the Avenger's Campus expansion. (Notice Walt's park is left out of much of the discussion. Hmmm.) Almost immediately, I remembered  the original and perhaps grander plans for Anaheim's second Disney park- long before the suits under Michael Eisner (with Robert Iger, by the way. ) cut the very heart out of the expansion project once the 2 billion dollar amount to build it was realized. Mind you, this was just for the park, and it did not include any resort hotels or what would become Downtown Disney. (I wonder where Josh D'Amaro was at this point in his Disney career. Anyone know?)

As we all know by now, in its place, Disney built the much cheaper and ultimately disappointing California Adventure 1.0- a Disney park disaster equivalent to Disney's quick and dirty direct to video animated classic sequels. Simply said, the park stunk. For me, the first visit anticipation of a new Disney park was ruined by the final product- and I was not alone in that assessment.

Fans knew it stunk, and deep down, I believe suits knew it as well- even if the folks working with them and the Imagineers weren't bold enough to stand up and say so. The hip and edgy contrived sibling was a test tube baby created by sharp marketing folks loaded up with charts, facts, and figures. In other words, it was a heartless disaster playing on the loyalty of Disney fans for a quick buck. (Want to see just how cheap the first version was? Go to my multi-part series here to see the concept art for the original park. It's truly "Bargain Basement Imagineering" at its worst / best. You'll be shocked at what the suits passed off as a Disney quality experience.) As we all know, eventually, the suits under Iger admitted the failure and approved a huge investment to make the park one which was no longer an embarrassment. 

In contrast to the opening day version, I love California Adventure 2.0. Mostly. The whole Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into Guardians of the Galaxy mishap aside, I see it becoming a pretty wonderful and complete Disney worthy park in another half decade or so. Oh wait! There's also the Pixar Pier mess, and the cheap Big Hero 6 overlay. Well, going forward, once the Disney Imagineers continue to add great attractions as well as remove the remnants of what was first created, seen mostly in the Hollywood Land, the park should look terrific and be filled with unique must-see adventures. Maybe. Yet, along with many other hard core Disney park fans, I've never forgotten the park we should have seen built: Westcot.

Let's now dig into what surely would have been an instant fan favorite as well as bring even more lucrative park festivals to the West Coast.   

This piece highlights all of the planned expansion.

Lots to see, so click on it for the largest size.

Could they pull off an Epcot type park in California? In Florida, the Imagineers had "the blessing of size". This clearly was not the case in overly crowded, slam packed Southern California, particularly in the neighborhood right around Disneyland. The great enduring success of the original Disney kingdom brought with it lots of cheap motels and services, fast food restaurants, and traffic that overwhelmed the streets. Available land was snapped up by investors as soon as the new park was a huge success. This meant almost immediately, the area became a blistering eyesore Disney and the City of Anaheim tried to remedy ever since.  

When trying to expand Disneyland, it speaks to the ingenuity of the greatest Imagineers that they embraced these tight space restrictions as a design challenge, using it to spark creativity towards a greater goal. This is the exact thinking encouraged by Walt himself. It all makes Disneyland just so charming. The park is full of attractions, shops, and restaurants in layers to be discovered all around by park visitors. 

In Florida, the extra land certainly allowed wider walkways and larger gardens, easing guest flow and making for a showier presentation, but it also created a park environment where large, iconic buildings almost seem to float relationally disconnected from one other. All that space became a huge plus for a park design as ambitious as EPCOT Center, but in contrast, it became a crutch of sorts, a pretty serious detriment when it came to the overall design and feel of the Magic Kingdom.  

Original site plan model for the Anaheim expansion project.

The site plan map. 

Take notice of the original plan for the lake.

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Disney in California had to expand to accommodate its ever increasing crowds. How do you build an all encompassing Downtown Disney, new hotels, and a brand new theme park with so little room? That "blessing of size" didn't exist in Anaheim, so the key question had to be asked: Could that fairly compact slice of land available for the second EPCOT type park build out actually become an advantage? Clearly, that's up for debate as Westcot was never built, but I would say unequivocally, the answer is yes. As with the expansion to "Walt's park", the tight space limitations for Westcot ultimately demanded a very unique and exciting version of Florida's second Disney theme park.

By necessity, the design of this park would have to be different than its older brother, and it was. Anytime people look backwards, things could be done better. So it was this time as well. The Imagineers had learned from the past as well, listening to feedback given as EPCOT Center had been around a few years. The issues regarding families with young children and those seeking thrill rides would be addressed this time around. Not with a character infusion, however. The whole park would feel fresh and different- and in at least one very significant way that would make today's money hungry suits at Walt Disney Company wish they would have followed through and built it. I won't tell you what that is right now, but trust me, you'll surely recognize it when you read it.

As seen above, this wouldn't be the first time

Disney Imagineers considered a golden hued

Spaceship Earth.

As with EPCOT Center, the Imagineers planned the new Anaheim park would include two main segments blended together. Future World would be complete with a new golden version of the iconic Spaceship Earth- here called Spacestation Earth. The new name and color of the icon wouldn't be the only twist from the original. This time, the giant 300 foot sphere would be in the center of a small lake with the international focused World Showcase regions of the park encircling it. 

Not only would this huge building be the centerpiece of the park, it would be seen from all over Orange County- something that didn't occur with Disneyland's larger structures. Aside from the viewing the Matterhorn, no structure could be seen from outside the park. This grand vision for Westcot's icon would become a focal point of a bigger battle with the city of Anaheim, its residents, and the Company all waging war against each other with different opinions and angles on what should and shouldn't be built. In fact, Disney also played the city of Anaheim against the city of Long Beach with its plan for the proposed California version of Tokyo's rightly acclaimed DisneySea park... but that's another story to be told at a different time.

A vision in gold.

Many local residents and Anaheim government officials weren't too thrilled with this design choice as it was viewed by them as the company celebrating and showcasing its dominance over the city and the surrounding neighborhoods. Nightly fireworks were an issue for some already. This would be too much Disney in their face for them to handle.

The residents of the surrounding neighborhood fought against Disney's plans, with the giant golden spherical icon only providing a focal point for the community build its case. The epic and much publicized battle eventually assisted the Walt Disney Company in ditching their more expensive plans- something they were happy to do after overbuilding hotels at Disneyland Paris- to build a different kind, a cheaper kind, of theme park. And the city got Disney California Adventure instead.

Westcot's icon would have dominated the skyline, but on the plus side, the glittering, golden sphere would have been an instantly recognizable advertisement for the larger than life new park. In an effort to address those concerns as well as the growing building costs, the sphere was later replaced by a large spire. Certainly less inspiring and definitely less majestic, the spire was more in line with what both sides truly wanted. Cheap, quick, easy to build. In other words, it reeked of the Sun icon for California Adventure 1.0. (That park once had a spire proposed as well!) But back to the Westcot and the attractions that were supposed to be...

More ideas on how to make this new Spaceship Earth unique.

Naturally, this portion of the park would highlight the future. The prevailing idea here was to build a park that glanced at the future but intentionally would be constructed without shows or attractions that had to be updated to represent an ever-changing world. Again learning from the past, the Imagineers had already discovered how difficult it was keeping tomorrow in Tomorrowland. Or Future World in Epcot.

In this new Epcot, there were Future World type pavilions to be found, but the topics were generic in nature: the Land, Living, and Science, making it easier to present an entertainment focused approach. More difficult topics such as energy and transportation have been left behind in favor of considerably lighter, fantasy-based fare. Some attractions and Future World environments were based on ideas once proposed but discarded for Florida, particularly those of Imagineer Tony Baxter. This included the content of the original glass based towers for The Land. (I've got it somewhere on the blog but can't find it. The man has always proposed great projects! Look at his unbuilt concept art for Fantasyland here.)

Additionally, in stark contrast to what was built in Florida, California's forward looking area would view what was to come through much more whimsical eyes- including those of Figment and Dreamfinder in a newer take on the classic Journey into Imagination. For good measure, the Imagineers would also toss in a shimmering version of Horizons and a fresh presentation of the Wonders of Life. Now looking backward, those beloved signature attractions would be very welcome in California where the Disney theme park fanbase is much stronger, more nostalgic, and more receptive to old school attractions.

Beautiful, golden, and expensive.

"FuturePort" is what the concept art named it.

From the base of the park's centerpiece was Ventureport, guests could explore these attractions and smaller exhibits, but it was also the main departure point into a newly reimagined World Showcase, now known as the Four Corners of the World.

A spire in place of Spaceship Earth.

The nighttime view.

The initial success of EPCOT Center gave the Imagineers a chance to objectively look at the park from a constantly changing guest dynamic. The original thought in design was that adult park visitors would be the core audience. In World Showcase, guests would be enthralled with the opportunity to explore other cultures through food and drink and travelogue films without the need for Disney character meet and greets or a large number of theme park rides. As Disney looked at the facts, they soon discovered families with younger kids were almost as much a part of the park's guest roster as the Magic Kingdom. This meant kids were more easily bored with watching travelogues than adults and need something else. More rides - including those for children as well as some thrill rides- were part of the order for the new Westcot.

                         

Latin America in World Showcase.

Space restrictions also forced a new look at this portion of the park, and in the process, something entirely new and interesting came together. Instead of individual countries being represented, now they were clustered together into continents. There's pros and cons to this newer approach. The pros are fairly easy to describe: more countries can be represented within a smaller space. The cons? It's not as easy to get "lost" in an individual country, feeling the full depth of the place.

One of the very best aspects of World Showcase in Epcot is the ability immerse deeply in an experience. Getting lost in the back streets of Morocco, the quiet hidden nooks of France and Japan or the lush backwoods of Canada would be much more difficult to accomplish at Westcot. There would always be new cultural icons acting as lures to the next area, and the inherent risk of sensory oversaturation would be a concern. 

According to Imagineer Tony Baxter, who once gave a lengthy talk on the project, (look here for the transcript), it was more than a best of recreation of what worked well in Florida. Much more. One of the most exciting parts of the Four Corners was a major attraction called The World Cruise. Imagine getting on board a boat at 5 various ports of the world and experiencing a bit of culture, mystery and romance on a 45 (yes, 45!) minute journey on the park's waterways. This excited me, as Disney boat ride attractions tend to be my favorites in any park, be it Pirates of the Caribbean, It's A Small World and the watercraft in the castle parks, El Rio Del Tiempo in Epcot, and Na'vi River Journey at Disney's Animal Kingdom. (Wow- Could this be a hidden reason why Disney's Hollywood Studios is my least favorite Disney park in Florida? Never thought of that before! Bring on Coco for California Adventure- can't wait!)

Back to the World Cruise. Along the journey in between ports, boats would enter a series of colorful, rich, indoor panoramas talking about the culture and history of the continents explored. Think about the show scenes of Spaceship Earth, the now-defunct World of Motion, mixing in Audio-Animatronic actors depicting historical events and references important to that society. The epic nature of this attraction cannot be overstated. This was Disney Imagineering going above and beyond what they had already accomplished at Walt Disney World. It'd be something unique and compelling. 

All of Asia in one easy to access area.

Red Square and Paris next door to each other- only in Westcot- 

or in Putin's dreams.

Kids rides would be cleverly incorporated into the park's landscape via smaller "B" and "C Ticket"level attractions. Travelogues to highlight regions of the world? Of course, those would make the cut. 

What about thrill rides for the teens? A roller coaster in the form of a slinking dragon moving through lovely Chinese mountains was on the agenda. That would scratch that itch. Then, they tossed in handfuls of smaller exhibits to be explored, numerous and varied artists providing traditional cultural entertainment, smartly designed children's play areas, and a simulator attraction or two. You now get the idea of what the Imagineers planned to fill out the park's roster of major "E Ticket" type attractions. This clearly re-Imagined version of World Showcase wouldn't be met by the cries of "There's too few rides, no thrills, and nothing for my kids to do!" There was even talk of an attraction or two based on the three major religions of the world in their own version of the Middle East- complete with a reflective "peace garden". This is something Disney wouldn't have the guts to do now in our politically correct but extremist charged, global neighborhood. Even if they pick us this park idea for the previous strawberry field acreage, that peace garden would never see the light of day.

There was one other discovery to be found at Westcot- one I found delightful once I got past the cash grab aspect - was the ability to stay overnight in the country or region of your choice.(Yes, there it is. I know you see it now!) Popular buildings posing as landmarks during the day (and blocking out the city of Anaheim just beyond the park) would not just house new attractions, gift shops, and pricy restaurants, they would also be the home to expensive premium hotel rooms, making this the first Disney park to truly allow guests to stay within it. 

I'll close this article with some back and white pieces of rarely seen concept art for the Westcot park created by Conceptual Design Group in Irvine, (now in Trabuco Canyon) California. (One more is at the top of this post.) These tell only part of the Westcot story, but it's a good place to end.

Would the brand new Westcot have been the hit Disney needed in order to successfully expand the Disneyland Resort and keep the cash flow moving? Without a doubt, but Michael Eisner and his suits (including Robert Iger) got cold feet and opted for California Adventure instead. Will fans ever see Westcot on that third plot of land down the street on Harbor Blvd.? Of course not! The Walt Disney Company that created EPCOT Center is gone. At least in the U.S.A., the company is more interested in shoving its latest acquisitions and film characters into the parks, hoping our wallets will thin out as we purchase cheap souvenirs. They've proved what they think by changing the iconic Twilight Zone Tower of Terror into just another attraction to sell their latest film and by placing the incredible looking Star Wars Land in Disneyland versus in the third park where it belongs.

Even though a new version of Epcot was once planned but vetoed by the suits for Disneyland Paris (the concept art is here on the blog somewhere), it could eventually end up in China. Maybe even at Shanghai Disneyland, where the always present Chinese government could proudly show the world why they are supreme. Or perhaps in the upcoming Disneyland Abu Dhabi where oil money is always plentiful so costs won't get in the way. Again, that's a story for another time and place- just as Westcot as we know it is a piece of history and an opportunity missed.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The Charm of the Magic Kingdom's Rivers of America

When it came to color design and creating a mood, there were a few standout Imagineers of the first generation. You'd have to add artist Herb Ryman to the top side of the list! This concept art captures the simple beauty and charm of a Frontierland now long gone. The Rivers of America delivers a serene landscape of dreams as several folks sit by on land watching the world go by. The originally named Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat sails on.

This being a theme park means contrasting buildings exist. At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, the beautiful Cinderella Castle in her glorious original color scheme is seen in the distance and the lower level buildings of Liberty Square peacefully co-exist with everything else. 

The vibe was definitely chill. While Piston Peak and the world of Cars will bring a different energy, I'll be curious if the charm factor will still exist. What do you think?

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

You ARE Being Watched!

You are being watched at all times, but not always in a creepy way like this! So, I write this today to a friend in need, (but it may apply to those of you reading here as well)- I read this today and thought of you: 

“You are the God who sees me.” He KNOWS you and where you are at. He cares for you and even if it may feel like you’ve been forgotten or tossed aside or wounded as a byproduct of someone else’s problem or sin, He - our wonderful personal God- loves you deeply and will take care of you.

                            Genesis 16:13

Charlie Puth Grows Up- and He Makes His Best Album Ever

Charlie Puth is far from washed up! Those who thought he lost his edge, his talent, his marketability are dead wrong. Whatever's Clever! may be the best thing he's ever put out. By placing his instantly recognizable vocals against a backdrop of bright piano playing and arrangements that can remind you of the best of Phil Collins and the decades before him for that matter, Puth has created a winning collection that will gain him new fans and reclaim those lost. 

From the bright glistening Changes to the biting but beautiful Don't Meet Your Heroes and beyond, no punches are pulled. There's a new man on the scene and he says exactly what's on his mind without losing his pop sensibilities and his ear for a great melody. Not a single selection on the album feels like it's a throwaway cut. The upbeat but lyrically unexpected Washed Up includes some Herb Alpert style horns to good effect. One particular collaboration, Sideways with Coco Jones, pops and sizzles along. The last 30 seconds or so, the whole production of slides into a sophisticated wind down with a Motown feel- and it works so very well. Just gorgeous. 

Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins join Charlie on Love in Exile for a sure to be hit single. Until It Happens to You pops with a spoken vocal by Jeff Goldblum with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra providing the swing. Kenny G is also around proving once more the old guys can still mix it up. On the other end of the age spectrum, there's Hikaru Utada and Ravyn Lenae each bringing their own style and charm to the disc.

Puth pokes hard at himself in I Used to Be Cringe. But the last laugh is on everyone else. He's made an album that he wanted to make. Charlie has grown up, and his new album's a keeper!

Indeed!

This was impossible. Were the women really seeing what was right in front if them? Early in the morning as the sun broke, they had gone to the tomb. Unexpectedly, what they found there startled them, scared them, and filled them with joy they never expected to have. "Don't be afraid." what an appropriate thing for this heavenly being to speak to the ladies. Quite fitting actually as many times, angelic beings began with these words before sharing something significant to humans. The next words out of his mouth stunned them: Jesus has risen from the dead and is going into Galilee. You'll see him there. In these days, the testimony of women was not considered reliable. The very fact that God continued to share incredible truths with women as well as men generation after generation was one more proof of their value. As they headed out from there to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen, they encountered him on the road. What they did next is what all mankind should be doing- they fell at his feet and worshiped him. Jesus, the one fully God and fully man had conquered death on a cross, proving he was who He said. His words, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." He wasn't being exclusive; He was being inclusive- making sure everyone had a chance to hear the truth when he knew false prophets would broadcast lies. Jesus told it straight up. No one will get to heaven without believing, having faith that He is who He says he is. Jesus has Risen. Indeed! 

 

Olivia Newton-John Cleaned Up

This one is for my friends on the Steve Hoffman music discussion boards.  Particularly for those friends reading the Olivia Newton-John Appreciation thread. Seems this photo was added in that thread but it had a lot of distortion and fuzziness. I tried to clean it up just for fun. Honestly, she looks a bit like Farrah Fawcett and that famous hairstyle... Now only if Olivia had flashed her famous smile too.

The Unexpected Silence

The absolute silence was so loud it was deafening. Could this really be happening? Even if things went on as they always did, the truth was that the man they looked to was dead. He had promised so much. A new life. Hope. Peace. Joy in the midst of pain. And an eternity with God the Father. He said He alone was the path to heaven. He said following Him was a very narrow path but He was the only truth. The self-proclaimed king promised He was the one to give real life when the world only offered a counterfeit in an attempt to steal their lives and their future. Shockingly, the very people he'd come to love and care for betrayed him. At the direction of the authorities, the soldiers beat him to a bloody pulp. He was so weak, so broken, so physically shattered, that a man pulled out from the crowd was "recruited" to carry his cross. The very cross that he would hang on next to two common criminals. All he had done was challenge the system and offer freedom. But people didn't like that, so he paid the ultimate price. Spikes were pound into his hands and feet. Then he was raised up as if on display to those watching. Both his mother and his best friend watched with a mix of deep sorrow and confusion. The weather shifted, and the sky blackened as if in response to what was happening on the earth below. As he bled until the end, he asked his Heavenly Father to forgive them. His famous last words seemed odd: "It is finished." Those who followed him went home broken hearted. 

(Copyright Mark Taft.)

Disney-MGM Studios at Opening in 1989

When the initially named Disney-MGM Studios opened in 1989, one of the highlights- and one of the few attractions available- was the Studio Tour, a combination of a tram and walking tour. Back then, The Great Movie Ride reigned supreme because there was no Twilight Zone Tower of Terror or Rock N Rollercoaster or Fantasmic! to soak up the crowds. Or any other rides to speak of. This vastly designed and built park was put together on the original Universal Studios Hollywood model. This meant the tram tour was intentionally lengthy to help fill the day. There were not a lot of rides then, and there are still not enough rides years later. The park is woefully under built. One whole half of the park has not much to see other than shops and some dining options. It's pretty, but that's about it. That has to change! But for now, back to the story.

During the walking portion of the tour, selected guests were invited to take part in the flying bee scene from the popular Disney film "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids". This nice piece of concept art shows the bee in the back and an ant in the front, which became part of the playground instead. On the tour, I was lucky enough to be chosen to board a bee, and a few years later, my nephews were also picked. It was a lot of fun! 

If you want to see my photo journey from our 1989 opening year trip, go here.

Over the years, the now named Disney's Hollywood Studios took on a new persona with a few thrill rides and even more shows. In the last decade or so, it has been a park without a champion, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge aside. It's changed quite a bit, but the number of rides has not kept pace with the decades. 

The full history of the park since creation and opening has been chronicled by me here. It's full of concept art and now vintage maps and photos.

With 27 years coming up May 1, isn't it time for some expansion plan besides a Monsters Inc. land? Maybe something on the other aside of the park in the Indiana Jones neighborhood?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Waves of Sadness

I had such hope for reconciliation between some folks I know. Their conflicts seemed endless, and the misunderstandings between them went on and on. Didn't expect the impact on me. But it is real. I know the Lord will heal me as I pray and wait and watch. My heart wishes that each person involved could see the other just like God sees them: imperfect but forgiven and worthy of love. If they could only let go of offenses. Then maybe forgiveness could flow, and they would be free instead of held captive by bitterness. In the meantime, it hurts them, and it hurts me.

Pimping Out Dreamfinder and Figment

OF COURSE THEY WOULD! But we park fans knew that already. The suits of the Walt Disney Company merchandizing are once again dragging out Figment and Dreamfinder to bring in some quick cash. EPCOT Center's great Journey Into Imagination was an "E Ticket" classic from opening day. Imagineering Legend (yes, someone who is really deserving of the title!) Tony Baxter created the classic characters and led the team in crafting a modern day must-see attraction. Now, new CEO Josh D'Amaro, it's time to show your true fan colors and get a great new version of the attraction green lit. Make this a D23 to remember!

Back When Disney Adventure World Was Walt Disney Studios Paris

Disney Adventure World  in Paris has its grand opening today. It is truly the grand re-opening as the place was originally named Walt Disney Studios Paris in 2001. Three Disney Parks opened that year, this place, Disney's California Adventure and Tokyo Disneysea. Only one was incredible. The French park was the worst of the lot, making Anaheim's second park look at EPCOT Center in comparison. Let's go back in time to our first visit to Paris' second Disney park...

Visiting the Walt Disney Studios Paris was on day two of our agenda to this resort, and we allotted only half a day. It was much more than enough! It goes without saying that this park suffers from sitting next door to the most beautiful Magic Kingdom ever created. I won't lie and say we didn't enjoy a few items during our visit there, but we promptly returned to its older sister only after a few hours of touring. Here is a quick review- befitting a park that was thrown together quickly as well!

Crush's Coaster is one of the few small gems to be found here. It had opened a couple of years prior to this trip, so we were very curious as to how it impacted the park. Simply said: the coaster is just fun! The theming is minimal on the ride itself, but the track is laid out in such a way to evoke a good amount of laughs. The indoor queue sets the mood for what lies ahead. It's fairly basic, on par with an old "C" ticket attraction as in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Nothing special but it does set the pace. The line is understandably long for this attraction and was our first ride of the day. This is the one place where we found crowds, showing just how badly this park needed something of substance.

From a firsthand look, the newest attractions from Cars are smaller than they seem from viewing them in photos. Minuscule, actually. Very cute, highly detailed, but disappointing in scope, scale, and just about every way. It does provide a very small taste of what California Adventure's Cars Land. However in California, everything is grander and more fully realized. It remains the premier land at the park even though it was completed 14 years ago back in 2012.

The newest additions to the park are the most highly themed of the attractions. It is almost as if Disney discovered that its guests like themed environments after all. This is 180 degree change in direction in terms of detail is most welcome at this bare bones park. However, it also makes the Studios shortcomings more obvious than ever. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. But I guess you do have to start somewhere.

Many attractions are repeats from Florida, but Tower of Terror was not yet open at the time of this trip- and this high thrill attraction was really needed to flesh out the park a bit. The real highlight of the few hours we spent were the original attractions- especially the effects-laden Armageddon. The tram tour, stage shows, and even Rock 'N' Rollercoaster had an overcast of cookie cutter boredom, as if Disney's Imagineers were themselves disinterested designing these attractions. Add to this, big box architecture, lack of greenery, and vast expanses of concrete. Not a winning combination. 

We will not return to the Studios next trip- at least not until there are more unique attractions to be found- but we will certainly make a stop in the neighboring park and take one day out of our Paris visit. This Magic Kingdom continues to be magical but also badly needs new and original attractions. Hopefully, Disney is hearing this message from its theme park fans... and listening.

-----

After concluding this trip report, things began to change for this disaster of a park. As I wrote- "Maybe I called it too soon on this one." 

The more recent additions like Ratatouille: L’Aventure Totalement Toquée de Rémy (Remy's Ratatouille Adventure) to Paris' Walt Disney Studios have successfully brought in the crowds. It also made the park a more appealing experience. When added to The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Crush's Coaster, the opening of Avengers Campus, the park's line up has begun to look more impressive. Every change has been well planned to introduce charm, appeal, and yes, Disney magic, to a park that had none.

I wholeheartedly welcome the newly renamed but rather generic sounding Disney Adventure World! There's not too many attractions added to the park as the main restructuring was expansive and will only set up what the Imagineers and the Disney suits have planned for the future. Perhaps there will be no more cheaply budgeted parks in Disney's future. Maybe they have learned it costs them years of profit and goodwill to do something poorly at the beginning. Also, maybe they have learned that the decades of minimal park investment is not the way to go either. Walt Disney considered his Anaheim park a gem. It's about time the new team takes on a similar perspective. Does Josh D'Amaro have Walt's perspective and DNA? We shall see.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Indy's Temple Takes Shape

Thanks to Bioreconstruct, we can see that Countdown to Extinction aka DINOSAUR at Disney's Animal Kingdom is quickly becoming the temple entrance to the new Indiana Jones Adventure. This will be the next in a series of temples in Walt Disney World. First, there are those in the Jungle Cruise at the Magic Kingdom. Next we have the pyramid and interior temples at the Mexico pavilion at Epcot. Now, this. We can debate whether or not Encanto and Indy fit, but the look and feel of Tropical Americas aligns perfectly with the park. Is it just my vivid imagination or is Disney's Animal Kingdom becoming the new World Showcase one step at a time?
 

Trio of Artful European Signs

When I get a chance to slow down and photograph the places I travel to for work or for pleasure, I seem to discover my eyes are drawn to the signage I encounter. Big city, small town, shop around the corner, it just doesn't matter. So today, I've got three signs for you. Two from Italy and one from Cardiff, Wales.

This top one was taken at one of the world's most magical cities: Venice. There really is nothing like this anywhere else on the planet. Layers of Italian craftsmanship are everywhere you turn- and then it's all surrounded by water everywhere you look. Trees are few and far between, but the residents of the city find a way to add greenery to their narrow streets.

Next up, Cinque Terra. Five towns of various sizes and shapes and offerings. We stumbled upon this in Vernazza, the largest of the five and the one with the swimming area most loved by the locals. This sign was right around the corner from a small cave everyone was using to change into their swimwear. I wasn't prepared to go into the water, but I realized I had on a pair of dark nylon shorts that would easily make it possible. What a beautiful half an hour enjoying my time with the locals while my wife relaxed on the shore.

Cardiff, Wales may be one of the coolest towns I never expected! The citizens are intent on keeping the Welsh language alive, so every sign is in English and then Welsh. Once you get the hang of the alphabet and what sounds the letters make, it's quite fun to try your hand at speaking out the names. Locals must be very, very patient as well as having a great sense of humor! One of my favorite stops was at a coffee house named "A Shot in the Dark". The old place was filled with books- but only detective and mystery novels. It was also open until late in the evening where the place took on an almost eerie mood. Do you get the play on words? Coffee/ Shot; Murder/Gun, etc. So clever!

I'm sure as I post this, I'll run across even more sign photos and stories to go with them...

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Years Later My Family Will Laugh at This

I am NOT a cook. Not by any stretch of the imagination. I can count on one hand the number of times I have thrown something together that is edible. I am known to help in the kitchen from time to time, although our daughters have each turned out to be excellent cooks and our sons are quite proficient as well. (Our oldest is in love with his rice cooker!) That said, I was inspired a couple of weeks back to make the Pasta Queen's Lemon Peel Pasta. It turned out pretty tasty even if I made a huge mess. Maybe it's the beginning of a new career? No, it is not. 

The Very First Walt Disney World Resort Map

Ever heard of Blackbeard's Island? Yes sir, it is there to be found on the very first report map of Walt Disney World back in 1971. There's a few other unique features as well depicted by the artwork: the original and great 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Submarine Voyage attraction in Fantasyland and the Gulf Car Care Center. You could even surf on the Seven Seas Lagoon back in the day. The whole thing just fills the senses with its retro / vintage goodness!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)