Journey Into Imagination: Stepping Tones Concept Art

For all the pieces of concept art I have and have seen, this one was a new one to me. But what a find! EPCOT Center's Journey into Imagination was one of the most beloved attractions of all time and certainly without a doubt, an Imagineering masterpiece. Tony Baxter and team pulled off something not done all too often. They created a brand new ride filled with different moods, everything from charming to suspenseful. I could go on and on about this adventure, but this post is about the concept art for the Image Works and its fun little area, the Stepping Tones.

As with Epcot itself, what guests find in today's Image Works is a shadow of what once was. Imagine if you will dancing and jumping around brightly colored stones in the floor that light up a dimly lit room and play musical notes. Back at the park opening, there was always a crowd waiting to play. And what fun it was! 

Thankfully, the rest of the area was filled with creative games like this. So, unless you wanted to spend hours in the "aftershow" of Figment and Dreamfinder's adventure, you didn't linger too long in any one place. 

If it is done well or even opens at all, I can see the proposed Play pavilion being the spiritual successor to the Image Works. It may be too IP character heavy for my tastes, but it will appeal to today's young kids, especially those who can't ride the nearby Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. But only time will tell.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Explicit: The Man Who Loved Boys

Now that the years have gone by, I want to share with you a true tale that is rather chilling. Stop reading here if you have sensitive ears or minds or have children with you.  

I'll never forget this conversation: A man had recently read my blog post "Kevin Spacey Deserves to Die", and he was very, very upset. (To be fair, I also wrote that "Harvey Weinstein Deserves to Die".) 

This was back in the day when my contact information was easily found, so I did not know what to expect. I'd had people call my home in the past to either ask me to take down my groundbreaking post (with artwork) on Dubai Disneyland or to comment on other articles I'd written. But I expected nothing like this!

After a long list of expletives and cursing me, the man blurted out that he was actually one of those men that enjoyed and pursued sex with pre-teen to early teen boys. In a stream of consciousness, he spewed out what he liked to do to them.

I was in shock that he was so blunt and open about it. But now that I'm thinking about it, this is the direction our world is headed. There is no shame now about any of this- and there is no privacy either about what men and women do in the privacy of their homes. 

Many major companies and entertainment industries are, in effect, grooming young children to be sexualized. And it has to stop. From Billboard music artists to the Walt Disney Company and more, content and marketing to confuse and expose children to sex and sexuality is everywhere. Since when is it someone else's right to talk to your kids about their sexuals mores? That is the right and responsibility of the parents and no one else- and you'd better do it well because we will have to answer to God one day for how we have parented our children.

Back to the main story. This man was mad as Hell at me for calling out his sexual preferences and actions as sin. I did so lovingly but firmly. Bottom line- he wanted to do what he wanted to do. And he was in a social and financial position to pick up all the young boys he wanted. Even if he had to pay for them. Of course, he was very careful not to mention his location or contact information.

I explained to him that Jesus loved these boys and that his treatment of them - among the most vulnerable- offended God, placing him in grave eternal danger. The very beginning of the book of Matthew Chapter 18 reads

"At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them  and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

“Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."

It was no use. I tired to explain that God loved him as well and offered Jesus Christ as the only pure, true, sinless, and complete sacrifice for his sins. That believing in Him and following Him would in exchange give him eternal life. And full forgiveness of his sins, trading off inner turmoil for peace, joy, and hope. It was a love so great that Jesus submitted himself to torture no human should ever endure.

Isn't it his body to do with as he wishes? No. Our very bodies were created by and belong to God, and they are not our own to do with as we please. The Apostle Paul makes that very clear in his letter to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians chapter 6:

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,  nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.  “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.  Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

But it was no use. He ended our conversation with a few more uses of a vile word directed to me. But at least he now had heard the truth. He was responsible for what he knew. 

As hard as it was, I was faithful to speak truth in love, knowing all have sinned and fall short of God's glory and His plan. Him, Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, you and me. Thank God his plan for full forgiveness and for our eternal life is also offered to everyone- him, Kevin Spacey, Harvey Weinstein, you and me. The choice to accept God's plan or not is ours to make.

The Road Ahead

Take a moment and think about all the good things God is doing in our world, in China, in Latin America, in Europe and Africa- hopefully maybe even in your church.  Really! Stop and think about it. 

 

What made you decide to gather together with other believers? Perhaps a desire to learn more of the Bible or to come together to worship Him in spirit and in truth. Maybe it was your need for community and care that drove the decision. Perhaps it was sheer obedience to God’s commandment. Whatever it was, in the process, we discover who God is and who He made us to be, individually and collectively. Of course. we want to see many others discover new and eternal life found in Jesus Christ alone. 

Our focus sounds just like what we read about in the book of Acts! Here’s a Quick Summary:

·       Jesus Ascends and Matthias is Chosen to Replace Judas (Chapter 1)

·       Pentecost Happens and God Empowers the Believers (Chapter 2)

·       Peter preaches - 3,000 saved and baptized. (Acts 2:41)

o   Real Community- Deep teaching and fellowship established with food & prayer

o   Wonders and miracles from the hands of the Apostles

o   Believers shared what they had    

o   People added daily   (Acts 2:47)

·       Persecution comes- (Acts 4)  But more believers are added!  (Acts 4-6)

·       Stephen becomes the first Martyr- (Acts 7). And through this, the church spreads

·       Saul’s conversion – Don’t Miss this:  Ananias, a common believing man- is used by God to heal Saul (Acts 9)

·       The church was strengthened, encouraged by the Holy Spirit and continued to grow (Acts 9:31)

·       Signs and wonders continue, including Peter raising Dorcas from the dead, and more people come to faith (Acts 9- on)

·       The Holy Spirit continues to fall on those who hear the Gospel – (Acts 10:11, 11:15)

·       Teaching, conversions, miraculous signs, and persecution continue (Acts 11-Acts 17)

·       Paul’s Ministry takes off as he travels the world. (Acts 18-28)

 

Thinking about all this makes us ask the question:

“From a practical perspective, what exactly fueled this movement?” 

Of course, it was God, but He uses humans. Humans that were all together, in one accord. In the Greek it means they were all of one mind. Even with their unique personalities and gifts, they had a singular focus, a singular mission.

Acts 1:14  “All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”

Acts 2:1  “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.”

Acts 2:46  “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts”

Acts 4:24  “And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them”

Acts 5:12  “Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico.”

 

What happened next? Where did they go from there? And what happens to us next?

Unfortunately, all this success in furthering God’s Kingdom creates a problem.  When God moves in power and people are being impacted, Satan notices and takes action. Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan (I John 3:8), but spiritual warfare did not end when Jesus conquered death. It will continue until Satan and his demons are thrown into the fiery pit of Hell (Revelation 20:10).

 

But we’re not unaware of his schemes! Bringing the temptations of self-focus and self-reliance, our enemy proactively looks to destroy God’s work, bringing human self-interest into play. It manifests itself in pride, suspicion, demanding our own way, fear, and even legalism instead of the freedom we have in Christ. These easily can divide if we let it. One of the first things to be tested is the unity of believers. Why?  Because we are in a spiritual battle that impacts eternity, and if Satan can destroy our unity, our focus is shifted to the temporal versus the eternal!

 

Jesus’ prayer to the Father for all believers stresses the importance of unity.  Look at John 17:20-23-

 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Jesus is saying two things here: First, a break in unity stops the powerful witness of the believers and growth in the kingdom. He’s also reminding us that people are the ministry. Organizations- whether church or parachurch- are only the structures that support the real ministry that takes place.

When Satan successfully breaks unity, the focus then becomes internal. The story changes as God’s people pursue what they want versus what God desires. The mission becomes secondary as people take their eyes off the goal. If it happened with the early believers, you can be sure we are susceptible as well.

How did they move forward and regain successful ministry and unity? Here’s four examples straight out of Scripture:

1-     If wanting to look good is an issue, God Himself brings discipline, sometimes severely. Think of Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5:1-11. Notice verse 14, His discipline brought growth. What about suspicion and the demanding our rights that bring division?

2-     Factions and grumbling began when the Grecian Jews thought their widows were being overlooked in the distribution of food – Acts 6:1-7 – but more came to faith after the Elders took action to solve a problem.

3-     Suspicion of others, particularly of those new to the congregation, can be one way to halt God’s work. Saul converts but the disciples are afraid of him (Acts 9:26). Barnabas steps out in faith and defends him. Saul/Paul is eventually accepted and begins to preach. The church once again grows. See verse 31.  Growth comes when we invest in each other and are not threatened by the gifts god has given them! 

4-     The issue of circumcision threatened to divide the church. The need for wise decisions and government in the ministry also brings growth (Acts 15 thru 16:45). Legalism and the stronghold of traditions that may not be Biblical can hold back a church from being all God intends.   

It’s often taught and rightly so that persecution brings growth to the church as the Gospel spreads, but here in the New Testament we see that godly discipline and problem resolution also brings growth. A break in unity stops the powerful witness of the believers and growth in the kingdom- but once restored, it begins again!

It has been said that the Jews turned the gospel into a religion, Romans a philosophy, Europeans a tradition and Americans a business. We are to be none of these!  Instead, God has called us a family (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 1:5; Hebrews 2:11).

When we function like a family as God intended, we will bear fruit as a family would: Peace, love, joy etc.- all the Fruit of the Spirit will be evident. People will be valued and honored, and God will be glorified. Others will want to give their lives to Jesus as they see real community, and God’s eternal purposes will be fulfilled.

May God give us wisdom as we continue to chase after His Heart and His purposes! There are great things ahead for us! As Paul encourages the church in Ephesians 4:1-3 - “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Dine or Ditch: Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at Universal Orlando's City Walk

We've heard it said many, many times that you don't go to Universal Orlando's Toothsome Chocolate Emporium for the food, you go for the desserts and incredible shakes. We thought it was time to check it out for ourselves- and it was the Number One dining destination for our stay over the days at Walt Disney World's fast growing competitor. 

Let me say in advance, this is our first Dine or Ditch for Universal, but it won't be our last. We had some great meals there!

Unlike the mess that dining has become at Disney World, we found reservations at Universal's beloved restaurant easy to come by. We only booked a month or so in advance because we wanted to make sure we got in. During our son's previous trip with one of his best friends, it was to be the dinner spot for his birthday celebration, but an unexpected electrical blackout made eating there impossible. When power came back up an hour or two later, they had already chosen another location. Unfortunately, they had to go home the next day. So, for this trip with dear old Mom and Dad, we wanted to make sure we got in. It was our top dining priority at Universal.

 

 

There's two easy approaches to Toothsome, and each one brings different views. The restaurant is right next door, about a three minute walk actually, from the entrance to Islands of Adventure. It is probably seven or eight minutes from the Studios. This makes it the perfect place to go for a meal midday or after a park visit.

 

We first saw it as we entered Universal's City Walk for the evening. Our first park visit wouldn't be until the next day, so we'd set aside the shopping and eating district for the first night. The place had a nice vibe! Think Disney Springs but for a younger, hipper crowd, with much more moderately priced restaurants (about a third less in price than those at Disney Springs and as good as all but the high end chef run locations such as Morimoto's), a slew of shops and even a couple of booze stands. Oh yeah, there's a great looking set of miniature golf courses nearby. We've got to try those out on our next visit.

 

We chose to walk around the lagoon to take it all in. Later, we took a launch (seen above) to the Loew's Royal Pacific Resort, an absolutely stunning hotel with a Southeast Asian theme. The resort's grounds are gorgeous, and the eateries look worth exploring. Perhaps next trip.

So far, Toothsome sounds pretty good: easy to book, great convenient location, and an inviting Steam Punk inspired exterior. How did it hold up to closer scrutiny for what you really go for? Well, we'd discover that the next evening after a day in the parks. (I'll cover our first meal at Universal in another Dine or Ditch post.)

After a fun-filled and exhausting day at the parks, I was anxious to finally eat there. We checked in about 5 minutes early. The place was packed with adult couples and lots of families. It was upbeat and fun, not tense or high strung. That contributed much to the experience as a whole.

The bakery/treat area at the front of the restaurant was filled with delicious and very fresh looking delights, making it a great stop when you are touring City Walk and want to pop in for a midday snack. Be warned, you could pay as much as a full meal for two or three of these items. Would it be worth it? Hmmm...

We bypassed the cases, finding we were seated rather quickly once we checked in.

 

In a bit of a disappointment, I found the atmosphere inside to be not nearly as magical as the front of the building would lead you to think. It was dark and elegant, but most of the scenery was provided by video of the "factory" at work. But the walk around character shown above was an unexpected addition, and kids eating there were delighted to get a peek at the old school Jules Verne styled robot. Seeing him made me miss Epcot's old classic Horizons. If you were among those who got to ride it, you get the reference. 

Time for drinks and the food. I had a Vanilla Chocolate Cocktail- strong but good. Mostly chocolate, as was to be expected. My wife had a glass of wine, my son a straight up whiskey. 

Our whole dinner was just excellent! My Classic Flounder Amandine was absolutely melt in your mouth perfect. The accompanying green beans and potatoes were perfectly prepared and tasty. Like the other items on the menu, my selection was well priced. My wife tends to order well, and her Chicken Bourguignon brought everything together that she likes. My son is a beef lover, and he was thrilled with his New York Strip Steak. 

Dessert. We were so stuffed, that we ordered one dish to share. Since this was his birthday dinner, our server delivered a slice of Flourless Chocolate Cake. The cake itself was topped with Nutella ice cream. Yum!

We left more than happy with our choice. By the time we finished, the sun was setting, and the warm glow on the water made for a very nice evening view. The buildings of City Walk were lighting up, and music was filling the air. For us, it was a perfect Florida night.

So... is The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen a Dine or Ditch?

If you are looking for a uniquely Universal Orlando Resort dining experience, and one with a kid friendly atmosphere that still feels grown up, this is a definite dine! And the price won't kill your vacation budget. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Why on earth would you ditch it? Perhaps a couple of reasons. Maybe you want a different type of cuisine than your excellently prepared but mostly American styled dinner. There's many other great options at City Walk if that's the case: Mexican, Italian, and more. If you're in the mood for live music or want a busier Friday night bar crawl feel, this is definitely not your place. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, if you're a huge fan of the Steam Punk aesthetic, The Edison at Disney Springs may be more to your liking- but you're going to pay much more for the experience. Much more.

Would we eat there again? Yes, and next time we'll definitely save room for dessert!

Want more Dine or Ditch?

Check out these other reviews:

Raglan Road at Disney Springs

Sci-Fi Dine In at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom

Garden Grill at Epcot

San Angel Inn Restaurante at Epcot

(Photographs copyright the Mark Taft.)

Cinderella's Castle Should Look Like This!

It's not as bad as the birthday cake castle the Magic Kingdom had for its 25th birthday, but the current color scheme is just not right. It does look better in person, though. That said, it is not even close to the elegance and majesty of the original castle colors. Take a look at this poster from the Walt Disney Travel Company. This is the Walt Disney World castle I remember most fondly.

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Attraction Equations: Disney's New Math Doesn't Add Up

What's an Imagineer to do when the suits at the Walt Disney Company issue a mandate for a popular attraction to receive a layover using one of the company's seemingly endless, hot, new Intellectual Properties? Be it Marvel the latest Pixar movie, or just a savvy move to be more politically sensitive, those Imagineers have to take on the project to stay employed. They try to do the best they can do even if it is usually with a limited budget and a lot of pressure. A lot of pressure.

The suits see the end result of these projects as fresh visibility and marketing potential at a lower investment than designing a whole new attraction with the sum potentially equaling much greater income from the turnstile clicks and sale of plush toys, apparel, trinkets, and gadgets. 

Looking through the lens of the accountant's very popular Bargain Basement Imagineering mindset, why create new and fresh when you can fall back on the incredible artistic expertise of those who came before you? (Or the suits force their design teams to go in the opposite direction and create a park so cheap it take billions of dollars to correct the mistake. California Adventure and the Walt Disney Studios Paris prove that the public is smarter than Disney gives them credit for. It's always better to do it right the first time. Look at DCA's Bargain Basement Imagineering in detail here.)

Even the Oriental Land Company is not immune to the temptation!

But the new math doesn't always add up! Sometimes, what came before it was greater and better designed than the newer end result. From Disneyland to Epcot, California Adventure to Disneyland Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland to Tokyo Disneysea, no park is immune to the temptation to engage the question of the equation. 

Does a layover strengthen or lessen the image and the brand of the Company compared to what came before it? Or, from a guest and theme park fan perspective, which attraction version is better?

Let's take a look at some Disney Math. We'll travel around the globe in no particular order. We'll start with an easy one...

Enchanted Tiki Room > Under New Management

One of the Magic Kingdom's earliest "improvements". The new version was crass instead of classy, charming, and elegant. Aladdin's Iago is not a lovable character. Pretty straightforward. In this case, the old is clearly better than the newer.

Swiss Family Tree House > Tarzan's Treehouse> Encanto?

Imagineer John Hench's art for Disneyland's tree was stunning and mysterious. The reality was an all time old school favorite. Tony Baxter saved the tree from Disneyland's one time President Paul Pressler's shop, but it just wasn't as charming. How will the new rumored Encanto makeover be received? Will it matter?

Submarine Voyage > Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

Almost the same story as above it seems. What did Pressler have against Disneyland?

 

Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout = Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

I hate to admit this one. I love the original and best version at Disney's Hollywood Studios but... the Audio-Animatronic Rocket sets the bar pretty high, making up for the characters on a screen. The flavor of each is so different: one is irreverent, one spooky and mysterious. In each of the California versions, the building is equally unappealing. I call it a tie.

Journey into Imagination > Journey into Imagination with Figment > Journey into Your Imagination 

Along with Peter Pan's Flight, the original is one of the most beloved adventures ever created. Many of the attractions in this competition might be worth arguing about, but if you don't agree here, I may have to consider your sanity. What's the hold up on a new version? Apparently, no, they cannot imagine, too.

Pirates of the Caribbean > with Captain Jack Sparrow > Redd's Auction

For what it is, the addition of Captain Jack was as good as it could get. Redd, on the other hand, was an embarrassment. Chalk one up to pirates that pay for what they plunder. Ridiculous.

Countdown to Extinction > Dinosaur

The new generic name should say it all. Now with broken effects and underwhelming lighting. Can anyone say Disco Yeti?

Goofy's Sky School > Mulholland Madness

Theming goes a long way but not too much in this reimagined wild mouse carnival coaster from California Adventure's opening day. A definite placeholder in either version. Unfortunately, in any form, it is a new low for Disney Imagineering. 

California Screamin' > Incredicoaster

Take one great unthemed coaster and force-feed an overlay of one of Pixar's best movies. Go all the way or leave it alone, but do not insult us with babies on a stick and call it themed.

The Living Seas > The Seas with Nemo and Friends

Say goodbye to "edutainment" and hello to the cutest clownfish ever. The replacement for a great attraction should have been a separate dark ride within the pavilion and not its replacement.

Disney California Adventure 2.0 > DCA 3.0 > DCA 1.0

Version two was a theme park worthy of the Disney name.  Yes, there was still room for improvement, but the Imagineers were given freedom to create something pretty special. Somewhere along the line, the suits moved backwards. Will the park bounce back? Avengers Campus is a neutral at best, so it's hard to say.

Monsters Inc > Superstar Limo 

When you get off a Disney attraction and can't really help but wonder what the Imagineers were thinking, you know it's a mistake. Superstar Limo is the poster child for a park everyone rightfully made fun of. Eisner's folly. But not his worst misstep.

Haunted Mansion = Haunted Mansion Holiday- The Nightmare Before Christmas 

Personally, I prefer the Marc Davis/Rolly Crump/Yale Gracey original version over the Tim Burton inspired makeover.  Yet, it's hard to deny that the holiday version is wonderfully inspired and executed with wit and elegance. When a holiday layover feels like a brand new and excellent attraction, it's a win for park guests.

Space Mountain> Hyperspace Mountain > Ghost Galaxy

Version one of the Tomorrowland classic is beloved for a reason and duplicated the world over. It's especially difficult to appreciate Disneyland Paris' Hyperspace Mountain/Mission Two in light of the fact the Jules Verne inspired journey in Discoveryland was one of my favorite attractions ever.

Jungle Cruise > Jingle Cruise 

Floating Christmas presents does not equate to excellence or worthiness of a holiday makeover. Next. 

 

Tom Sawyer Island = Pirates Lair 

Pirates Lair. Hmmm. Intriguing idea and very well done, but after visiting the Magic Kingdom's version of the island, I prefer the original Disneyland attraction back when the fort and everything else was maintained and opened. The Imagineers did some excellent work on the revision, however.

 

El Rio del Tiempo > Gran Fiesta Tour 

There was no turning back it seemed after the conversion to a Donald Duck focused attraction. World Showcase and all of EPCOT Center  lost its soul when the characters invaded. There had to be a better solution. 

Frozen = Maelstrom

So, I'll follow that with a contradiction. Frozen Ever After has grown on me. What's not to love about Olaf? On the other hand, I hate projected face animatronics- and I'm sure Tokyo Disneysea's Frozen attraction will far outshine what's been done Stateside for Disney's biggest moneymaker in decades. Maelstrom was an original. And who doesn't love trolls?

Universe of Energy > Ellen's Energy Adventure

Let's pander to the lowest common denominator and lose the quasi scientific angle. What is this, an attraction from Disney's Hollywood Studios? I like Ellen, but not in this.

Test Track 1.0 > 2.0 

True to Epcot Center edutainment, if something had to replace World of Motion, this was a good fit as any. The "test dummy" crash scene was a piece of perfect Imagineering meets educational aspect. It's fun and fully in theme. A must do every trip. Tron Track is just not as good.

Flik's Flyers > Inside Out: Emotional Whirlwind

New rule of thumb: The longer the name, the more recently it was created. The surrounding area of Flik's Fun Fair was sweet and charming. Not so at Pixar Pier. Someone once suggested this ride should have been named "Mood Swings". Perfectly describes DCA 2.0 to what the park is becoming under current leadership.

Soarin' > Soaring Over the World

The California original was created by those who loved the Golden State. The newer version seems to clearly be one created by management. Less heart, less charm, and an awkwardly bent Eiffel Tower.  That had to be painful. 

               Buzz gave way to Ant-Man in Hong Kong. Exclamation included to convey excitement!

Buzz Lightyear> Ant-Man and Wasp Nano Battle!

Let's force a Marvel property anywhere we can. How about Hong Kong where we're free to do anything. Who doesn't like Paul Rudd? But something else could have been created with one of the more humorous Marvel superheroes.

 

Snow White's Enchanted Wish > Snow White's Adventures

It was time for Walt's first major animated hit to have a ride with cutting edge special effects. It was once dark and brooding. Now, there's light at the end of the tunnel- and it's not the train from Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. A success with minor quibbles. 

Stormrider> Nemo and Friends Searider Tokyo Disneysea

The character infusion hits the world's most luxuriously themed and respected theme park. Was it even necessary?

----

In the long term, these lesser products cheapen the Disney brand and relegate the often brilliant Imagineers to the lowest level of themed entertainment.   

The next big assessment will be whether or not Disneyland and the Imagineers can pull off a very culturally sensitive remake of a beloved attraction. Yes, I think Tiana definitely deserves her own brand new ride. But the question remains for now: Will The Princess and the Frog makeover of Splash Mountain be a home run or an also ran? 

One last and final equation for now:

Anything > Walt Disney Studios Paris 1.0

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Not a Good Look for Us

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,  treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Another Look at Disneyland's Unbuilt Discovery Bay

Every few years or so, it seems as if unseen concept art surfaces for Disneyland's unbuilt and abandoned concept Discovery Bay. Today, I present one more. Imagineer Tony Baxter (don't you wish he'd write a book?!?) worked with some of the company's best and brightest to get it just right. Here, this concept art by Harper Goff gives us a great picture of what the future should have held.

 In the area now occupied by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, this ambitious project would have hosted a variety of attractions, shops and great restaurants that would have bridged the theme between Fantasyland and Frontierland. A San Francisco of the Golden Age (think some steam punk here) would house a major E Ticket attraction based on the film Island at the Top of the World while another drew guests in featuring a little dragon friend of a blustering and lovable professor type character. Does this sound like Figment and Dreamfinder? Yes, it does- and find out more about the project here. 

I won't spill all the beans, but beyond this one article, there's many others on the blog that will help you fill in the picture. It's definitely worth your time! But be forewarned- it may make you wish that Discovery Bay was built instead! 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Every Now & Then and Again

"When I was young, I'd listen to the radio waiting for my favorite songs..." Ten bucks says if you've read this blog for awhile, you know the song and you know the artist! If not, it's Yesterday Once More by the Carpenters. The 1973 hit was a worldwide smash. Written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis, the tune is a classic- and so is the album from which it came, Now & Then. Back when the songs of the 50s and 60s seemed to be reemerging, Richard had the brilliant idea to record an album with one side being contemporary songs and the other to be filled with classics from years past. From covering the Beach Boys to the girl groups of the era, it's quite a listen.

You may not have seen this photo before. Carpenters historian Chris May - the co-author of Carpenters: The Musical Legacy with Mike Cidoni-Lennox included it as a bonus at the end of his video interview with musicians Earle Dumler and Gayle Levant.  

Articles on Karen and Richard and my collection of rare photos continue to be among the most loved and searched on this blog. Last count, there were almost 100 of them. If you want reviews of their albums, take a look at the current list below. 

Two fo the most popular ones seem to be The Last Hours of Karen Carpenter and The Night I Met Karen Carpenter. But there are so many other ones as well! Enjoy!

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Below is the list of my initial reviews and then my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews a decade later. 

My Initial Reviews of the albums:

Offering/Ticket to Ride

Close to You

Carpenters

A Song for You

Now & Then

The Singles 1969-1973

Live In Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage

The Singles 1974-1978

Christmas Portrait

Made in America

Voice of the Heart

An Old Fashioned Christmas

Time (Richard Solo)

Lovelines

Karen Carpenter (Solo)

As Time Goes By

My Revisited / Fresh Look at the albums:

Offering / Ticket to Ride
Close to You
Carpenters 
A Song for You 

Now & Then

The Singles 1969 - 1973

Live in Japan

Horizon 

A Kind of Hush (Coming soon!)