One Season Ends, A New One Begins

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for completing a long and very hard journey on our behalf! We are thankful for a new season!

Bet You've Never Seen These Pieces of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion Concept Art!

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion- a stellar attraction in New Orleans Square that has been bringing guests into the world of spirits since 1969. There's nothing like it! Imagineer Marc Davis created an enormous amount of concept art, and I bet you've never seen these two pieces. 

With their honor at stake, the two men above agree to a duel, and they're condemned to take action over and over again for all eternity. The Ballroom scene in the attraction may be the highlight of the whole experience, and it takes dozens of rides past it to see many of the details both large and small. 

 

Is this haunted room actually stretching? I thought I'd throw in this bonus piece of the original four posters just for fun.

Due to the investment of a very, very gifted team of first generation Imagineers- everyone from Claude Coats to Ken Anderson, X. Atencio, Harper Goff, Leota Toombs, Holly Crump, and perhaps many more unsung heroes, the long empty manor at the end of New Orleans Square continues to draw guests even after almost six decades. Incredible!

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Even Cosmic Rewind Won't Stop This Woman

My wife, God bless her, is the adventurous type! No, not at all, actually! But just like this photo of us at Epcot shows, trusting her husband by riding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, proves she is willing to live life to the fullest. All over the world. Even if she regrets it later. :) 

Happy Happy Birthday to the Woman I Love! YOU, my wife, are a treasure beyond treasures- and I'm thankful God brought us together. 

Perhaps the Cutest Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Ever

Let me get one thing straight: "Cute" is not a term I use often. That said, this exact word was the very first thing I thought when I saw this image of Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in front of a depiction of Cinderella Castle. I'm not even a big character guy, but there you have it. Where did I see this? Leave it to none other than Tokyo Disneyland to come up with the cutest Mickey and Minnie ever. Not only do they arguably have the two best theme parks in the world - and in top working order- they know how to make guest satisfaction priority number one. 

Where was this image? Inside the main queue area for It's A Small World. And that is just the beginning...

Disneyland Australia Again?

Here we go again! Plans for Disneyland Australia resurfaced a few years ago in a documentary that made a strong argument for Disney really looking to build Disneyland Australia or instead something like Disney Springs called Disney Wharf. Where? In Sydney's beautiful harbor. Which would it have been? A full castle park or a shopping and entertainment district or both? 

The top rendering shows just the wharf project. But directly above is piece of concept art shows a Magic Kingdom smack dab on the crystal blue bay next to a Pleasure Island type entertainment district. We've seen it before here.   

Although the video showing Disney is no long gone, I once found something on the WDWMagic discussion boards.  I think I posted it here somewhere, sometime awhile ago.

This is not the first time the Company planned a project focusing on Australia. Read this article revealing the plans for EPCOT Center's World Showcase version of the country right here. 

(Concept Art and model copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

I Am SO Busted!

Last night, my lovely wife started asking me questions about a great television show I was watching. I've been totally absorbed in this show as it deals with a group of people trying to make it big in the music industry. Of course it includes great music, sung and produced with excellence! 

As I continued to watch episode after episode, I began to realize it was also very focused on the main characters jumping from bed to bed. It was not a show I would have let my kids watch, that's for sure! Then I started thinking, "Why am I watching this?" But I let it slide, turned off the TV and headed off to bed.

Today, for my time of reading the Bible, praying, and reading a devotional designed to make me think about how I live my life, I uncovered the section shown above. Was I busted! Big time! I'm sad to have to skip the rest of the show, but I know enough to know that my wife was right and God wants more out of me. He is good- and boy, do I need Him!

A Day at Universal Studios Hollywood

Early 1990's at Universal Studios Hollywood. To say that my father is not a theme park guy would be an understatement. Yet to his credit, he took us to Disneyland often when we were kids and even to Walt Disney World once when it consisted of just the Magic Kingdom. He and my mom even sent us two kids, our spouses, and our kids to Florida for a week. He's a generous man.

I'd say all this made the visit to Universal with the grandkids even more special. My folks were in their 50s by this point- very young grandparents- and they were busy traveling on their own. Europe, Mexico, and Hawaii were favorite lifelong destinations. So, a day at a theme park? Not his cup of tea, but nothing was too good for the grandkids. 

The Gun Show

I got a good laugh the other day when a friend told me I had "big guns". It just goes to show we really don't see each other as we really are! These days, all I see is an ever increasing waist size, a higher hair line, and wrinkles on my face. This photo is not me! There's only one person who sees us as we really are, and about him it is said, "But the Lord said to Samuel (about soon to be King David), “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” Oh Lord, find me worthy in your eyes- regardless of what I look like on the outside!

Soarin' Across America Attraction Poster is Here

We all love Disney attraction posters, so here's the one for Soarin' Across America. I love it! It's at once patriotic and non-political- an impossible balance to achieve but Imagineering pulled it off. Can't wait to see it at Epcot! (I know it's at Disney California Adventure as well, but it's still not enough to bring me back.)

Soarin' Across America

I did not see this coming at all- even if I knew something had to be in the plans! But what a great way to celebrate 250 years of the United States of America. Yes, Soarin' Across America, a brand new excursion celebrating the States is coming to Epcot and Disney California Adventure. Shades of the classic Disneyland Tomorrowland attraction, America the Beautiful but brought into the new century. Way to go, Disney! 

A New Kingdom for Abu Dhabi- and the World

"زیرا خدا جهان را چنان محبت کرد که پسر یگانه خود (عیسی) را داد تا هر که به او ایمان آورد هلاک نشود، بلکه حیات جاودانی داشته باشد. نه به این دلیل که خدا پسرش را به دنیا فرستاد تا جهان را محکوم کند، بلکه به این دلیل که جهان ممکن است از طریق او نجات یابد. (کتاب مقدس یوحنا)

آنگاه مردی تحت ستم دیو که نابینا و لال بود نزد او (عیسی) آوردند و او را شفا داد، به طوری که آن مرد سخن گفت و دید. و همه مردم متحیر شدند و گفتند: "آیا این می تواند پسر داوود باشد؟" اما چون فریسیان آن را شنیدند، گفتند: «فقط به وسیلهٔ بعلزبول، رئیس ارواح پلید، این مرد دیوها را بیرون می کند.» دانستن افکار خود را, او به آنها گفت, "هر پادشاهی تقسیم شده در برابر خود ویران گذاشته شده است, و هیچ شهرستان و یا خانه تقسیم در برابر خود ایستاده خواهد شد. و اگر شیطان شیطان را بیرون کند، علیه خود تقسیم می شود. پس پادشاهی او چگونه خواهد ایستاد؟ و اگر دیوها را به وسیلۀ بعلزبول بیرون کنم، پسران تو به وسیلهٔ چه کسی آنها را بیرون میکنند؟ بنابراین آنها داوران شما خواهند بود. اما اگر به وسیلهٔ روح خدا است که دیوها را بیرون میکنم، آنگاه ملکوت خدا بر شما آمده است. (کتاب متی در کتاب مقدس)

(یوحنای رسول گفت) آنگاه آسمان جدید و زمین جدیدی دیدم، زیرا آسمان اول و زمین اول از بین رفته بودند و دریا دیگر نبود. و من شهر مقدس را دیدم, اورشلیم جدید, آمدن از آسمان از خدا, آماده برای شوهرش مانند یک عروسی به خوبی آراسته. و من صدای بلندی از تخت شنیدم, گفت: ببین, مسکن خدا با انسان است. او با آنها ساکن خواهد شد و آنها قوم او خواهند بود و خود خدا به عنوان خدای آنها با آنها خواهد بود. او هر اشکی را از چشمان آنها پاک خواهد کرد، و دیگر مرگ، ماتم و گریه، و درد دیگر وجود نخواهد داشت: زیرا پیشینیان از دنیا رفته اند.» (کتاب مکاشفه کتاب مقدس)

New Animal Kingdom Attraction Poster Misses the Mark

LOVE Disney attraction posters! Classic Disneyland to those designed for the reImagined California Adventure and beyond. But this brand new one for Animal Kingdom's new Zootopia: Better Zoogether! just misses the mark. Lacking imagination and flair, it's a pretty bland offering. I hope the new attraction in the Tree of Life theater is better!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

Birthday Salute to Richard Carpenter, A Musical Genius

The musical genius Richard Carpenter was born today back in 1946. With his beloved sister Karen, the Carpenters duo made a sound never duplicated before or since. Richard was not only a vocalist, and arranger and producers he was also a pretty talented songwriter. When Karen Carpenter sang these songs penned by Richard and songwriting partner John Bettis, the results were nothing but magic: Goodbye to Love, Yesterday Once More, I Need to Be in Love, Top of the World, Only Yesterday, and Those Good Old Dreams- among many others. Thanks, Richard, for bringing such great music to the world. Happy Birthday!

The Original Opening Day California Adventure Attraction Posters

The premier of DCA 2.0 in 2012 brought Disney fans a new slew of attraction posters. But did you ever see the ones designed for the opening day of Disney's California Adventure? Here they are! Do you remember Condor Flats, the Golden State, and Paradise Pier? 

Nowhere in the park was the theme of California more convincing than in the collective area known as the Golden State. With Grizzly Peak as the park's centerpiece, guests were drawn into separate areas celebrating the state's key experiences with unique attractions fans were sure to love... like agriculture and bugs. I kid you not. The desert themed Condor Flats honored the realm of aviation. In the later re-imagining of the land, desert gave way to the forests of California since Cars Land made the original desert area redundant. Soarin' Over California survived, at least seasonally.

One of the park's most disdained lands was Paradise Pier, a seaside carnival that never belonged in a Disney park. Cheap, tacky, and plain ugly, the lone star attraction was California Screamin', now the lesser Incredicoaster. There was a season of time when the San Diego themed overlay to the land actually made it more attractive. But now, it's Pixar Pier, an even tackier overlay than the original mess. 

Hollywood Pictures Backlot continues to disappoint. But it will soon give way to a Pandora / Avatar themed attraction in a park honoring California. That's modern Disney for you! 

If you'd like to see the next set of attraction posters for this park, you can take a look here.
 

Living Out My Inner Indiana Jones

One of my favorite parts of being a private tour guide is taking people to new and exciting, even exotic places. As you can tell from this latest photo, I had a chance to live out my inner Indiana Jones. The desert air was crisp and clean, but it certainly was very hot! 

My granddaughter asked if the camel was smelly. He was not. In fact, this gentle animal allowed me to stroke his neck and pat his hump. Normally, I don't post too many photos of my tours as they include other people. I won't invade their privacy. But this rare solo photo was one I had to include just for my personal satisfaction. Hope you don't mind the indulgence!

Rarely Seen Space Mountain Concept Art for the Magic Kingdom

Buried deep in my "Disney Imagineering Concept Art" files was this little gem of a design for the Magic Kingdom's Space Mountain by Imagineer George McGinnis. As much as I love the new smooth track found at Disneyland, I've always enjoyed Florida's lift hill and the upside down astronauts. The stage is beautifully set by their presence. The outer space adventure of a lifetime is one that other theme parks cannot fully duplicate. 

Well, that's not entirely true. Isn't Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind the new century version of Space Mountain? Yes, and it's proving once again that the best parts of the Epcot redo is when Imagineering took inspiration from the past.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Images of Disney's Israel Showcase at Epcot

An Israel pavilion in World Showcase at Epcot? There's been talk for decades and images and plans and models. But it will never happen. Is world politics getting in the way? Are fans disinterested in this kind of edutainment? As far as politics go, unfortunately, this is no longer the kind of world where people can act sanely. I mean, if you sit in the Hall of Presidents, you get people who curse and vocalize their disdain to Audio-Animatronic robots. Not even real live people. I can only imagine how the same kind of folks would react to a pavilion based on Israel, Iran, or somewhere else that seems to be a hotbed of controversy.

Disney's Unbuilt Western River Expedition Comes to Life!

Just imagine that the Disney suits had ignored the outcry of "Where is Pirates of the Caribbean?" when the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971. What would have happened if they would have trusted their instincts and stuck to their plans? Imagineer Marc Davis'  Thunder Mesa in Frontierland and its star attraction, Western River Expedition, would have been the signature Walt Disney World experience for decades. 

Through the magic of AI technology, we can imagine what could have been. Much like the results of taking the concept art for Tony Baxter's unbuilt Discovery Bay for Disneyland (look here), the results are quite striking!

The original plans from Mr. Davis included the Western themed version of Pirates, a Big Thunder Mountain Railroad coaster, and so much more. Think hiking trails, a log flume ride that would pre-date Splash Mountain by two decades, and tons of design detail that would make Florida's Frontierland the greatest themed land of its time.

Best of all? Following through with these plans would have given the castle park an identity all its own and probably saved the Rivers of America. Gone would be the upcoming Piston Peak and the Cars invasion where it doesn't belong. Sure, Villains Land would eventually come. The concept is too rich to ignore. 

The benefits would have continued: Tiana would have received her own custom designed attraction with a much better story line in a brand new mini-land, Tom Sawyer Island would still be the much needed escape from the crowds, and the thematic consistency of this whole side of the park would not be ruined. But what do I know?

I say, look at these what could have been images again, and then tell me Pirates of the Caribbean was a worthy replacement.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)