Seldom Seen Disneyland Star Tours Art

Star Tours was a groundbreaking flight simulator attraction! When it opened at Disneyland, I was there for the grand celebration. The queue lasted seemingly forever but worth the wait. Disney Imagineering was on a roll under Michael Eisner. The concept art isn't much to look at, but then again, the bare bones of a 1955 Tomorrowland does not make for a compelling facade. No matter. The older ride is every bit as fun as Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run or Rise of the Resistance. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Days of Disney Past: Videopolis at Disneyland

On this day in 1985, Videopolis opened at Disneyland. When the new team of Michael Eisner and Frank Wells took over the leadership of the Walt Disney Company, job number one for the duo seemed to be "Make Disney cool again". The concept art here certainly worked!

This super high technology dance club was the most quick and easy addition of the new projects. It brought the crowds into a little used space in Fantasyland, but it was only the first move in a succession of big time hit attractions. Captain Eo starring Michael Jackson would open in 1986 and the first ever attraction based on Star Wars, the incredible Star Tours, would open in 1987. The next big splash was the fan favorite Splash Mountain. With almost one new attraction a year for the first four years, it seemed as if the gifts from the suits and the Imagineers would never slow down. But it did. The next big attraction was the Indiana Jones Adventure (and I was there opening weekend).

Will Disneyland see another season of heavy investment under Josh D'Amaro? Here's hoping! 
 

When Is Your Imagineering Book Coming Out, Tony Baxter?

Journey into Imagination, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Star Tours, Indiana Jones Adventure, Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, and yes, Splash Mountain. The list of these incredible attractions make super fans lists of Disney Imagineerings's greatest park hits. Recognize the face? Of course, you do! It's Imagineering's legend Tony Baxter. He remains one of the best old school or new school Imagineers ever. Period. 

Look- Bob Gurr and Rolly Crump have done it.  Marty Sklar and Bob Weis jumped in. Randy Bright wrote one of the best long ago. Even the legendary John Hench dove in with an amazing one. Of course, others have written about the greats in Imagineering. All said, it's time for Tony to spill.  Don't you think?

Unbelieveble- Our Last Trip to Disneyland

An era has ended, and so a new one begins. But it is difficult to leave the past behind even if we will always carry it in our hearts. With our entire family together, we ventured off to Walt's park as a way to honor my mother in law who loved taking us there as often as she could. She's the last parent in Orange County, and my wife's siblings are all spread out, so who knows when we'll be back.

Funny, but I just can't believe it- I'm writing about our last trip to Disneyland.

Disneyland meant something to our family from its earliest days. It wasn't about intellectual property. It was about being transported to another place and time together, having fun, relaxing, and hanging out enjoying the beautiful California weather. 

I remember the opening weekends of everything from the Haunted Mansion to Star Tours and the Indiana Jones Adventure. Yes, the crowds were epic, but so were the experiences. It could only happen at Disneyland.

Our visits weren't about rushing from ride to ride. It was about exploration and discovery, taking the time to notice the details and love put into each area. The way things are not with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes, you just can't do that anymore.

Now, there's no real reason to go back. Unless we specifically decide to plan a trip. Maybe DisneylandForward will bring something must-do, but based on the last visit to California Adventure, there's nothing coming of interest. 

Disneyland itself seems complete and relegated to updates of smaller attractions, aside from Splash Mountain's conversion to Tiana's Bayou Adventure.  But we can see that at Walt Disney World. 

I'll end with a few family photos as a way to sign off on this article. 

Her last ride on Splash Mountain- her favorite ride ever!

Off to a real galaxy far, far away.

The cousins explore Galaxy's Edge.

Child swap on Rose of the Resistance.

First rides on the world famous Jungle Cruise!

Boat 1 of 2. :)

(Notice the retro Kodak t-shirt.)

YO HO!

At the entrance to Frontierland.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is a Taft family favorite!

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

Rare Star Tours 30th Anniversary Attraction Poster

When Star Tours opened at Disneyland in 1987, I was there. What a phenomenal weekend! The iconic Star Wars attraction has been a hit ever since. Next, it premiered at Walt Disney World's then named Disney-MGM Studios, Tokyo Disneyland, and EuroDisney aka Disneyland Paris. 

Back in 2017 at Disneyland, Imagineering celebrated the beloved, groundbreaking thrill ride with this special anniversary attraction poster. 

I wondered what would happen to Star Tours when Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opened, but it stayed put. Good thing! It is an entirely different experience than Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run and some folks would say the original movie attraction is equal to if not better than the newer flight simulator ride. What do you think?

Want more Disneyland attraction posters? Look here for the full collection, beginning with Main Street U.S.A.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

THIS is What I Wanted from Disney+

Here's the big announcement directly from the Disney Parks Blog:

Go ‘Behind the Attraction’ in a New Original Series Coming to Disney+ on July 16

A new series is coming to Disney+ on July 16 that gives an exclusive peek ‘behind the curtain’ of the most beloved attractions and destinations at Disney Parks and Resorts around the world, from Jungle Cruise to “it’s a small world” to the Haunted Mansion to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. 

“Behind the Attraction” is a 10-part series narrated by Paget Brewster that  delves into Disney Parks’ rich, amazing history using archival and never-before-seen footage and photographs to unveil how the attractions came to be and how they’ve been refined over the years as new ideas surface and technology evolves.

Hear the unique story behind each Castle at the Parks and learn how Disney Imagineers designed and built them and discover the intricacies of the transportation systems at each park, and how the iconic Disneyland Hotel came to be.

Including rare interviews with Walt Disney, each episode also features exclusive interviews with Disney Legends and dozens of past and present Imagineers, including Bob Weis, Jeanette Lomboy, Kim Irvine, Scott Trowbridge, Tom Fitzgerald, Scot Drake, Carmen Smith, Joe Rohde, and others who divulge insider secrets of the parks and how iconic Disney attractions were brought to life.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker- A No Spoiler Review

As a very, very casual Star Wars fan- is there even such a thing? - mixed feelings seemed to be the order of the evening before, during, and after viewing the latest outing for this epic, decades long outer space Western saga. Not a good sign, but as a man who loves my little grandkids, I wanted to share this adventure with them. They were going to see this Star Wars film on the big screen. All others had been viewed at home. 

I've not seen all the films. Not the original trilogy or those that have followed. Give me an earthbound adventure story (the Indiana Jones series), a murder mystery (Castle or Criminal Minds) or even a romantic comedy (Fools Rush In), but popcorn movies focused on imaginary space characters and aliens are rarely an interest. Sorry, E.T.! But I am a first and foremost a Disney park fan, so when the mammoth entertainment company I mostly enjoy owns it, I want to fully understand a new property's content to better enjoy the attractions they will inevitably build. 

How could I catch up on forty years worth of film? In order to understand the entire storyline for the series and to be able to follow the whole finale more easily, I happily absorbed all the spoilers I could find. I'm not sharing them here for one very good reason: This film is better than you might think, and at the same time, it is in parts sappy and full of expected clichés. 

Not a buddy flick.

What can I say about the film? It is Rey's story, and it's a good one. Unfortunately, Poe and Finn are backup players as are just about everyone else in the film. These guys could be dynamic and inspiring, but they are not due to no fault of their own. Don't get me wrong. Daisy Ridley shines throughout most of the film, but I'm a man who is naturally more drawn to stories about men. (You can crucify me later.) Wasting two could be interesting characters and relegating them to minor players is a disservice to the fans and the series. Lost potential. To slightly balance this out, Adam Driver's Kylo Ren is much more interesting than I thought possible. This may be one of the film's biggest triumphs.

How will this finale affect the theme parks and particularly Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attractions? That's a tough one. Certainly, folks will still want to pilot the Millennium Falcon, and Rise of the Resistance will remain a new century iconic attraction, but the feel of the land they inhabit could change as the story is further incorporated.

Should you see the film? Absolutely. Will you leave the theater with mixed feelings about it? Most assuredly. Folks will be arguing about this film for years to come, keeping interest alive for the next chapters in the story to be told. Successful marketing for sure.

A Trio of Tokyo Disneyland Posters

Since opening of the park in 1955, Disneyland attraction posters have been an instant hit with guests. In fact, they are some of the most coveted pieces of artwork found in the park. 

It was soon expected that every addition to the park would have its own matching poster. The tradition continued when the company opened the Walt Disney World resort in 1971 and its beloved Magic Kingdom. 

Overseas parks would soon have their own matching set of posters, and here are three of them from Tokyo Disneyland: Star Tours, Snow White's Adventures and the Castle Carrousel. 

The first two closely mimic those found in the U.S. parks, while the carrousel poster is a unique beauty. There are many more to be found! The elegant world class Tokyo Disneysea offers their own as well.

With brand new attractions coming based on Tangled, Peter Pan, Frozen, and of course, Beauty and the Beast, you can be sure that equally impressive attraction posters will be created. At least this author is looking forward to them!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Could Muppet*Vision 3D Leave Hollywood Studios?

Hmmm... Looks as if Muppet*Vision 3D could be going away. Regardless of how often the Disney suits try to reboot Jim Henson's beloved characters, things fall flat. 

Take a look closely at the construction going on for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge (courtesy bioreconstruct). What do you see? I see the Muppets backlot area stuck in the middle of the Galaxy and the existing Star Tours / Tatooine Traders complex. Now, we now the store is going through an extensive remodeling of its own. 

From another angle.

The second photo shows how possible this really is. Would the suits really tear down the newly opened BaseLine Tap House on Grand Avenue? No, but they could cleverly close off the Muppets area and reuse it with a new entrance for more room to expand. Or provide additional access for the Star Wars themed hotel. Odder things have happened. Don't think so? Who would have ever guessed The Great Movie Ride would disappear? Now, anything is possible.

(Photograph copyright "bioreconstruct".)

Miracles from Molecules Indeed

Isn't this a beauty? Perhaps you've seen this in person or maybe you weren't fortunate enough to personally ride Disneyland's iconic attraction Adventure Thru Inner Space. And this great piece of concept art is only a look at the exit platform of the journey. Yes, the exit. Hard to believe. (Click on it in order to see it in a very, very large size.)

With no question, Tomorrowland 1967 was the best incarnation of the land. 

Everything before- and certainly everything after- pales in comparison to what Walt Disney and his Imagineers put together. As with Pirates of the Caribbean, the genius didn't get to see this at opening. Individual attractions may have been terrific since, thinking Space Mountain here, but the sum of the whole was never better than what guests found in the Spring of '67. Toss in the eye catching Peoplemover and the Carousel of Progress, and you've got the core of an incredible land on the move. 

Perhaps when Star Tours goes by the wayside after Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge opens, the suits can let the space it occupies revert to something far better- by looking backward as they look forward.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.) 

Fly Me to the Moon

Tomorrowland really was once a "World on the Move". At least it was during the first re-Imagineering of the land in 1967. Walt Disney had to cut some corners due to budget restrictions during the planning and execution of Disneyland. But he's to be forgiven for that decision because what he did had never been accomplished before. Not so with todays suits who have had the audacity to pass off the original Disney-MGM Studios, the Walt Disney Studios Paris, and Hong Kong Disneyland as full day Disney quality theme parks. Never before was the arrogance of the suits more obvious as when Michael Eisner, Robert Iger and company debuted California Adventure 1.0, opening the same year while giving the Japanese Tokyo Disney Sea.  But I digress.

Imagineering concept art has been a long time favorite of this blog. If you look at the piece above, not only will you see the People Mover, Carousel of Progress, and Rocket to the Moon, but you'll notice a shiny new Space Mountain part of the image. Yes, it had been in the planning stages for that long before it came to be in the 70s. 

With the glistening submarines, the skyway buckets, and even the train running through the land, Tomorrowland was once a place of action. Nowadays, it's really just disjointed, a pathetic shell of its former self. Perhaps the opening of Star Wars Land / Experience - or whatever it will be named- will give the suits the guts they need to totally reimagine, even demolish, large sections of the land, and create something stunning. Aside from die-hard Disney park fans, it's a pretty well kept secret that the original magic kingdom now has the dullest and worst Tomorrowland of them all. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Iron Man Experience On Ride Video

Get it quick before it disappears! We all know this Marvel based Iron Man attraction at Hong Kong Disneyland needs to be a big hit- 

and I must say, even though it's similar in some ways to Star Tours, I think it stands on its own pretty well! See for yourself...

(First found on WDWMagic. Video copyright Hong Kong Disneyland, Disney and Marvel.)

The End of Adventure Thru Inner Space

Long before Star Tours made its debut at Disneyland, the deepest, darkest, most mysterious attraction to be found at the brand new Tomorrowland 1967 was a corporate sponsored presentation, Adventure Thru Inner Space. The Monsanto company was on the leading edge of bringing science into everyday life making them a great choice for sponsorship. 

Notice the Peoplemover overhead 

and the same general building shape as the current Star Tours. 

Due to the fact it was at the entrance to Tomorrowland, crowds were instantly drawn to it. Peeking inside the building, the display of a larger than life snowflake made for a compelling piece of eye candy, while the giant microscope at the end of the queue seemed to devour guests. 

Actually, it really did devour guests! The reason Inner Space had great numbers of riders was due to its innovative, continuously moving vehicles. Guests journeyed into the world of a snowflake in the Atommobile, the first use of the Omnimover, a vehicle designed by Disney Imagineers.  It not only kept the crowds moving, it was also used to direct the sightless of visitors as the car itself turned to specific show scenes. 

Nice piece of WED concept art.

This thrilling journey into the world of an atom was a fan favorite for a variety of reasons- including the opportunity to travel with the one you loved to a cool, dark, and relatively private place. All under the view of the Mighty Microscope, of course! 

The actual ending of the attraction is shown in the top rendering. On the right side, drops of oil flowed down hundreds of strands of Monsanto fibers creating a striking piece of art. Smaller exhibits surrounded guests exiting the attraction in an area much smaller than but similar to EPCOT Center's Communicore / Inventions.

Crowds packed out Inner Space for about 15 years. By then, it seemed to be time for a change. Disney Imagineers and George Lucas joined together to bring the Star Wars universe to Disney. It was the end of the beloved attraction.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

The World Awaits the Force Awakens

One movie house at a time. Sold out theaters and waiting in line to snag a seat. Here it comes! It's like the beginning of the series all over again. Will it be worth the wait?

Star Wars, Star Tours, and a Galaxy in the Making

Another Len Yokoyama photo and a great one at that! Star Tours is arguably the key attraction at the currently very broken Disney's Hollywood Studios. With Star Wars attractions coming big time and plenty of smaller place-holders open now, the public can only get a taste of the future by flying off to Endor or a dozen other locations.

The exterior of this attraction has always intrigued me. It's a far better representation of what Disney can and should do than the boxlike reuse of the Tomorrowland building at Disneyland. Can't wait to see what the Imagineers have cooked up. 

Stay tuned for more coming from Len very soon.

(Photographs copyright Len Yokoyama.)

First Ever Visit to Disneyland: Trip Report

As I mentioned a few days ago, my daughter took her husband to Disneyland for the first time. It fell during the 60th anniversary celebration, so I was curious to find out what he thought, knowing it would be crazy crowded.

It was a morning to night affair, where they covered just about every attraction that could- minus the ones that they would ride with their children. The focus would then be on those with height limitations- the "Mountains" etc.

My son-in-law is not a man of many words, therefore, this is presented in a positive / negative winners / losers response. Get ready for some surprises.

Winner:  Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Runner Ups: Space Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Indiana Jones Adventure, Splash Mountain.

Loser: Star Tours (and he's a HUGE Star Wars fan) 

The evening fireworks show and parade were well liked, but the crowds made it a less than great experience. 

The evening before the visit to the park, dinner was had at Ralph Brennan's. Verdict- good but very noisy and too expensive for the money. 

Now the Million Dollar Question- Would he go back, and would he bring the kids? Answer: Absolutely. Enough said.

(Photograph copyright Allison.)

Tomorrowland 1966 Map

This is an absolute kick! Picture if you will what Disneyland's world of the future looked like prior to the grand opening of the incredible 1967 revisioning. Tomorrowland was quite a spectacular blend of the "now" and the future that would be. The beloved and often malfunctioning Flying Saucers was found here, as was the Matterhorn Bobsleds, which flipped back and forth over the years between being in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. 

A closer look reveals two Autopias, the Douglas Rocket to the Moon, plus a few free exhibits. It is interesting to note that ticket designations are not found on this page. It's something they would add later, making even easier for guests to use the guidebook land by land and decide how to spend those precious coupons.

The most interesting fact of all to be noticed is that the buildings which form the basic entrance of Tomorrowland have remained in place since the opening in 1955. From Monsanto's original Hall of Chemistry on to Adventure Thru Inner Space to Star Tours v1 and v2, the building structures have endured. Same story across the way with the space moving from its early use onto America the Beautiful to the entry for Rocket Rods and now Buzz Lightyear's home. 

Count me in the group that says it's time to totally re-Imagineer the land. What would you design for it?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Star Wars Attractions: Big, New, Better?

In an interview with Variety magazine, Robert Iger confirms that the Star Wars attractions planned for this Disney parks will not be from a mix of old and new films. He directed the Imagineers to focus on the new films coming, starting with The Force Awakens. Fair enough. 

What's really intriguing is this little tidbit:

“I keep telling J.J. Abrams this is a $4 billion movie,” Iger said, in reference to the Lucasfilm deal, not the actual budget of the film. “We need to treat this very special. It’s an unbelievable privilege and unbelievable responsibility to take a jewel and treat it in a way that is respectful of its past but brings it into the future.” “I keep telling J.J. Abrams this is a $4 billion movie,” Iger said, in reference to the Lucasfilm deal, not the actual budget of the film. “We need to treat this very special. It’s an unbelievable privilege and unbelievable responsibility to take a jewel and treat it in a way that is respectful of its past but brings it into the future.”

We'll believe it when we see it, Mr. Iger.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Riding Out the Storm at Tokyo DisneySea

Among fans of Tokyo DisneySea, there seems to be a debate about the attraction that forms the centerpiece of Port Discovery: the flight simulator attraction, StormRider. Some claim a fondness for this new use of flight simulator technology with in cabin special effects. Others believe it to be a second rate version of Disney's popular Star Tours. One thing is certain however. It has an absolutely terrific attraction poster! And here it is in full color and in great scale and size. Click on it to make it even larger.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disneyland: Toontown Out, Star Wars Land In

Goodbye Toontown at Disneyland. Hello Star Wars Land. Really. We expected it at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but Star Wars land right next to It's a Small World? Perhaps a recreation of Endor could easily back up to the pine trees of Frontierland pretty easily. Regardless, the news is just shocking.

The news is too hot to not spread the word. The very reliable industry insider WDW74, known commonly as Spirit, dropped the news bomb last night over at the WDWMagic Boards. Right here.  It may just be the biggest real piece of Star Wars news in the last few months.

And I quote: "First, I am no tease, except with fanbois, so I've played enough: the current WDI plan for Star Wars at DLR involves a complete removal of ... Toontown. Don't know what this means for future DL pyro shows, but that is a huge chunk of land that is considered very 'underutilized'."

Why not in Tomorrowland where Star Tours already exists? No one knows but the suits and the Imagineers. Wonder if Marvel plans have anything to do with it. 

I love Roger Rabbit and his Car Toon Spin. Yes, all of Mickey's Toontown could be better utilized with more attractions besides bounce houses and lightly themed roller coasters. So, I do not understand the choice.  But I will say this: Spirit's sources are usually spot on, 100% accurate- and we've all seen Disney make the oddest of choices. I'm mean, a California themed park in California?