(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)
Showing posts with label star wars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label star wars. Show all posts
November 7, 2024
The Latest Addition to Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge
October 23, 2024
Release the Superheroes!
As for me, when it comes to comic book fantasy, I’m a big Captain America fan! He was a hero before he was a superhero! His heart’s desire: do the right thing and serve people by serving a cause bigger than himself! Who is a fan of Star Wars? Star Trek? Indiana Jones? Sherlock Holmes? Maybe you have a hero in the sports world or business world?” Any American Ninja Warrior fans?
Why do we love these heroes? They are always overcoming an obstacle of some sort! We love the Marvel universe, DC Comics, Star Wars and Star Trek movies, and athletic competitions because they are exciting and fun- and the good guy eventually wins!
We live vicariously through characters/people that make a difference and move in power. Powerful stories capture our attention. We get a rush watching the good guy win! It’s only a temporary fix, because life goes back to normal. But we can get addicted to this! There lies the danger!
"On the tombstone of America, the inscription will read: they entertained themselves to death." - Leonard Ravenhill
Let that sink in. This quote above, by the renowned English pastor, applies not only to America as a nation but us as individuals. Christians are susceptible, but according to the Bible, those who don’t know Jesus are imprisoned!
The risk is we can get our adrenalin fix this way- and ignore the truth:
In real life, we are in a battle for our souls! One with eternal consequences. And Jesus is returning soon! (War in the Middle East, Microchipping humans? Natural disaster after natural disaster? The earth growns. Not a good thing- and right out of Revelation 13 and 14 and 20.)
With its marvelous fantasies, the world tries to copy what God has already designed. But why accept the counterfeit? The best imitations of God’s reality fall short when compared to the real thing! You’d be right if you expect me to say this:
Jesus is the ultimate superhero! Only he could accomplish what he did! Conquering death (the last enemy) and paying the price for our sin.
Ephesians 2:1-10: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 all of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 but because of his great love for us, god, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 and god raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.8 for it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of god— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 for we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
God has designed us to be drawn to something greater than ourselves (eternity in mind). God has designed us for adventure because he has designed us for his work. We live in a world that promises freedom but delivers bondage- Isn’t that the great lie?
Setting the captives free is true superhero work!
People are held captives of the enemy. They are not the enemy! See 2 Timothy 2:25-26. Here, Paul is writing this towards the end of his life to Pastor Timothy in Ephesus (Modern Turkey). About 67AD – just before he was beheaded for his faith in Jesus. Important words here from someone at the end of their life!
"25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that god will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”
What’s our lesson here? Whether they are false teachers or non-believers, we must learn to see people as God does!
Mistakenly, we can view them as the enemy instead of captives of the enemy!A very big difference! We shouldn’t treat captives like enemies! When we do this- the enemy wins- and people Jesus loved and died for are on the road to an eternity without him!
Are we ready to risk reaching out, building relationships and loving them so we earn the right to speak the truth into their lives? We need love, discernment and wisdom.
Where would you be if someone in the church treated you as the enemy?
Even as believers- we can be in bondage to the ways of the world! Isn't it funny how we can play around with sin, justify it, get as close as we can to it- and before we know it, it has power over us. But we can also be caught thinking like the world. It's very subtle.
Colossians 2:8:
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”
Note: Christians are at risk too- Paul is speaking to the church here!
Fear- that’s not of God! Racism- that’s not of God either! Hatred- do I even need to go there? The devil and his demons are at work here too. Not just in 3rd world countries! Anywhere sin is prevalent, the enemy is given an opportunity and moves in power.
Humanism? Materialism? Nationalism? Idolatry? Are these of the kingdom of God? These are demonic strongholds in our world and in the church! Let me ask you- Isn’t the enemy just as successful when he is subtle as when he is obvious?!!!!
What is our mission?
I think we can all agree: According to the Apostle Paul, we've been given The ministry of Reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:14-19)
"14 for Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 and he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 so from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! 18 all this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
We are compelled by Christ’s love to share the message everywhere we go.
• What do I want? What I’ve been told / trained / wanted to do?
• What will my family think? What will my friends think?
In our culture, we’ve made a big mistake:
We’ve made our hobbies extreme and our faith sedate!
The believer’s mission issue has always stayed the same: Love your neighbor, proclaim the gospel and go out into the world! Go where he leads you! Now as then, submission and obedience to the Lord is the issue. Will I fail? Is it safe? Since when are these issues that stop us?
Dietrich Bonheoffer, the famous- German pastor: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” He lived his words. He was tried and hung during World War 2 by the Nazis!
Romans 12:1-2
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of god’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to god—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
In context of the previous chapters, Romans 12 is not about sexual purity- although that is crucial- it’s about sacrificial living for the sake of the kingdom. It’s followed by discussion on spiritual gifts and then persecution and overcoming evil with good. Do we think like the world by living by our cultural traditions and common sense? Instead let’s live by the commandments given in the word and the leading of his Holy Spirit! Let’s not just read about our Christian heroes, let’s imitate them!
Sure, we can all fall flat on our faces! Every superhero has a weakness or area where they are susceptible:
SUPERMAN – KRYPTONITE
IRONMAN- HIS EGO AND HUMAN AMBITION
HULK- HIS UNCONTROLLABLE ANGER
CAPTAIN AMERICA- HIS PATRIOTISM? (ETHNOCENTRICITY?)
BATMAN – DEFINED BY HIS PAST
DAREDEVIL – BLIND
GREEN LANTERN – THE COLOR YELLOW (OR IS IT JUST A BAD MOVIE?) ;)
What’s your Kryptonite? Focus on God and not your weakness!
"The first thing a pastor or any leader needs to do is to start living a life that terrifies him."
Erwin McManus, pastor and author
But I would change it to: "The first ANY BELIEVER needs to do is to start living a life that terrifies him."
Like any superhero, once you choose to accept the mission, the challenges come! Afraid of the challenge? That’s ok- you should be! - but don’t let it stop you- you go out equipped!
Jesus is the only superhero who gives his power to those who follow him.
God gives us his great power for his purposes. It is written in Ephesians 1:15- 22 15:
"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the lord Jesus and your love for all god’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the god of our lord Jesus Christ, the glorious father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come."
What is power given for if it’s not to be used? Paul says as we wait for Jesus to return, we are not lacking in any gift. Without God’s power and his gifts, we will be limited in our effectiveness because we will be dependent on our own human strength and strategy.
The Creator of the Universe has given us his power and his gifts to do his work. An eternally focused and real work that should overshadow the marvelous and creative but imaginary worlds designed by Hollywood. Love is faith in action - We go out in power and in love!
We serve a good God and a loving Father who sends us out ready for the battle!
We’ve got the armor of God as our defense against the work of the enemy- And we’ve got the gifts of the Holy Spirit to advance the kingdom of God, to draw others to Jesus and a life that makes an eternal difference!
(Here, Peter and John stand before the authorities.)
"8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “rulers and elders of the people! 9 if we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: it is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom god raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 when they saw the courage of peter and john and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Jesus is the source of our power!!
• It’s impossible to remain the same person when you draw near to Jesus!
• The Holy Spirit doesn’t bypass our brains- but we must discipline ourselves to apply what we read.
• The religious leaders of Jesus’ day knew the scripture but had no relationship with the author!
As we read and study the Word, do we interact with Jesus, asking him what he wants us to learn and how it applies to our life?
We have a living relationship with the Eternal God!
• His “ministry of presence”, being with us, changes us- your ministry of presence with others changes them.
Do you ever wonder why Jesus called the twelve first- and then later, the schooled intellectual Paul? Maybe he wanted to make a statement that god uses all people- beginning with us ordinary folks….
God chose the foolish things of the world... (I Corinthians 1:27)
It’s our love for him and our thankfulness for all He’s done that motivates us! We acknowledge the truth we’ve found by joining Him in his work!
Lastly- God goes out before us! This is the best news of all!
Not only does God give us work to do and empowers us to do it,
He also goes before us preparing the way.
Here are Jesus’ words before He ascends to Heaven days later, in John 16:7-11:
"7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 when he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned."
1- He will convict the world of sin 2- He will convict it of righteousness 3- Judgment is coming
All this is setting the stage in people’s hearts to prepare them to receive the message of the Gospel! The Good News that Jesus died for the sins of the World, offering freedom and eternal life in Heaven for all who would choose to believe in Him.
You are called to be a superhero! The mission is real.
As Christians, we’re called to set the captives free. We’re sent out in the power of the word and the power of the Holy Spirit!
If you’re led by God, you will never regret stepping out and taking risks as he leads.
Who will you serve?
His Holy Spirit lives in you (empowering you) and should be controlling how you live.
We must:
1- Accept our place in life
2- Adjust to our unique design
3- Understand our mission
Can you hear him speaking and drawing you to his purposes? Are you listening for his voice? Is it time to release your inner superhero? There’s no age limit! Don’t get your adrenaline fix on the imaginary!
Be led by the spirit. Don't be a slave to fear. Be willing to share in his sufferings (his will for your life instead of yours). (Romans 8:12-18)
Are you tired? If you have been serving God, if you have been reaching out, if you consider yourself “on mission”, know this: God is pleased. Keep going! The race isn’t over yet!
Or want to step out? Feeling God’s call to you?
Wanting more than what you’ve known? Know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (I Corinthians 15:58)
Maybe you’ve never come to the place of allowing Jesus to take control of your life and wash away your sin? He’s been calling you and it’s time to respond.
“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:12) He not only shares his power with us, he shares his victory over death with us- it’s a gift!
Are you ready to release your inner Superhero?
(Art copyright Marvel, Star Wars, etc.)
July 14, 2024
Disney's Hollywood Studios- The Worst Disney Park in Florida?
From one of the best days of our trip to one of the worst: The mess that is Disney's Hollywood Studios. "Wait!" you say in protest. "It's got Star Wars Rise of the Resistance, Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and Rock n Rollercoaster!" Yes, that's true. And in response to you, I say, "1- Down for the day. 2-Still great and 3- Closed for Refurbishment." That was our day in a nutshell when it came to our favorite attractions in the park. Ddi we have fun? Sure, but it was "different".
Since we couldn't get virtual queue for Rise, took our own sweet time getting there. Even at almost an hour before official opening, it was a pretty light morning. When we entered the park, we headed straight for Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. Immediate 40 minute wait. What? So the problems began. The dang park is just under built, and it shows. More on that later.
I do not get the complaints on Runaway Railway aside from the Great Movie Ride question. That is one I totally get and really wished the suits would have upgraded the opening day classic and put Mickey and Minnie in the old Animation Courtyard where it belongs.
Cute, Classic Disney, and full of charm. Imagineering at its best. It's a near perfect family friendly ride that hits all the right elements. Had it been around during Walt Disney's day, I'm guessing he would have been very proud of it. Sweet, funny, and something everyone young and old can ride together. No height restriction, a massive people eater, and it is all much more reliable than that other big trackless ride in a galaxy far far away. What a great ride to start our day!
Checked the Disney Parks app. Rise was still down. Off to Star Tours. Why is it the older ride can pull you into the story and seems to have more action and energy than an entire land just a few steps away? Like Mickey and Minnie's, we walked off with a smile on our faces.
Now that we'd been bitten by the Star Wars bug, we walked over to Batuu. Slowing down, we checked out a few shops more than the previous trip, took some photographs, and decided it was time for a Ronto Wrap. I love these things! Yes sir, mine was cold and it did not have a fresh flavor. It wouldn't be the worst meal on our trip, but it was close to the bottom.
What should we do next? Walking by, Millenium Falcon: Smuggler's Run had a decent wait, so that was our sign. It may not be the star of the land, but I have to admit, this one is growing on me. Perhaps the working together as a team aspect is the one repeatable thing that never tires. We had a blast, and Hondo Onaka is one incredible Audio-Animatronic.
App check. Nope, still closed.
This is the part where the park shows its weaknesses. We are not stage show people. Rubberheads are not our thing, nor are sing a longs. We have carnival rides at home, so that eliminated Alien Swirling Saucers. The line at Toy Story Mania was over an hour wait. Even longer for Slinky Dog Dash. The coaster is more fun than you'd think, but no and no.
We'd seen Vacation Fun Madness or whatever it is called, and that was a bust. How could they pass off as an attraction a splicing of Mickey cartoon segments we'd all seen multiple times? Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy is awful- but we're not its audience.
My wife was happy to sit down for a bit, so my son and I decided to bite the bullet and embrace the wait for The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror. We are never disappointed. It's just all over so fast. Then, it was back to looking for something else to do.
By now, it was hot. Really hot and muggy. Time for a Mickey bar and a short visit to Dinosaur Gertie for some photos. Why? Because it's my tradition! Next, with a 5 minute wait because we timed it just right, we gladly took in Muppets 3D. Hadn't seen it in years. Hadn't missed much. The gimmick of 3D no longer plays well and neither do the Muppets, regardless of how much Disney tries to reboot the franchise. Time for it all to go. There, I said it.
One more ride in Star Tours. New scenes, new destinations, still fun.
We regrouped by grabbing a seat inside the BaseLine Tap House. A wise stop. There's no meal to be found here, just some trendy bar snacks to go with the beer. Nice environment but nothing too themed or special. People watching was the order of the day there. I spied with my little eyes something fun. You'll have to look for the Disneyland reference yourself. I might save it for a Design Detail post, though.
App check (again). Rise was still down. The waits for Slinky Dog and Toy Story Mania were even longer than before. We had a 35 minute wait for the Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular.
In an instant, our decision unanimously made. No debate, no second thoughts. Booking a late afternoon reservation for La Hacienda de San Angel restaurant, we walked out of the park and hopped right on the Skyliner to Epcot. Our day instantly was 100% better.
Disney's Animal Kingdom would be tomorrow. Given the day's events, I was more than a bit nervous.
I'm calling it now. Disney's Hollywood Studios better get their act together. As it currently stands, unless we are traveling with others who insist differently, this will be the Disney park we skip over in order to go to Epic Universe.
The latest hot rumor mill says Universal is demanding guests buy a three day park ticket in order to get into the newest park once it opens- but the catch is you can only go to that park one day. That leaves the other two days of a vacation on their property for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios and City Walk. If you're adding it up, that's a total of three days out of a week's vacation spent at Universal vs. Disney. Throw in two days for travel, and watch out. Things are about to change big time. People were initially mad to have to buy a two park ticket in order to ride the Hogwart's Express. But they got used to it. Now, Universal is a two day experience, Soon enough, they will get used to three days at the Universal Orlando Resort as well.
Come 2025, long after D23 has come and gone and plans change or get cancelled once again, people will start saying what our son is saying now: "Going forward, I can't imagine a trip to Central Florida without spending days at Universal Orlando."
February 10, 2023
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.)
November 21, 2022
Bob Out, Bob In
Well my phone lit up last night when the news of Bob Chapek being replaced by Robert Iger was announced. Beyond a temporary jump in stock price, what will this bring? From a theme park lover perspective, what we need is a man with the interests and skills and vision of a first decade Michael Eisner. The same hold true for Disney's live action film division.
I have less hope for Disney animation as they've been churning out good but not great features for years now- both Disney branded and Pixar. Marvel's not much better and Star Wars seems to struggle as well. Creativity is what fuels the company, but that's been lost.
Elsewhere, Imagineering needs freedom to create and a huge boost in morale. But the old second generation pros are mostly gone, leaving a team that needs much work to excel. Will Walt Disney World begin to be magical again? It better do something with Epic Universe on the way. Disneyland remains the heart and soul of the parks. Honestly, Shanghai Disneyland was a vanity project that's now biting them where it hurts. Epcot's a mess, and California Adventure is moving backwards.
Next year should prove very interesting.
September 12, 2022
Mickey's Magic at D23
September 3, 2022
Under a Blood Red Sky
May 17, 2022
Fresh Concept Art for Marvel's Avengers Campus at the Walt Disney Studios Paris
It's Captain America and the facade of the reskinned Rock N Rollercoaster, Avengers Assemble Flight Force! They are the focus of this brand new concept art for Marvel's Avengers Campus at the Walt Disney Studios Paris. Opening this summer, it's the next step in the transformation of the park that made the dismal Disney California Adventure 1.0 look like an Imagineering masterpiece. Hopefully, it's great- and here at the Disneyland Paris Resort, Web Slingers: A Spider-Man Adventure (or its supposed new name, Spider-Man WEB Adventure) does not have to compete with the popular Toy Story (Midway) Mania. Now, bring on the next phase with that grand centerpiece lake and Frozen and Star Wars attractions! Thanks to the DLP Report for this piece.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
December 17, 2021
The Mandalorian Visits Oakland
Our 7:00am non-stop Southwest Airlines flight left Denver for Orange County California, so you can only imagine our surprise when we landed in Oakland and then Las Vegas and finally onto the O.C. for an arrival at 4:30pm. We were dismayed not delighted as we circled Ontario Airport and could have landed there, but who understands the airlines industry these days?!?
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
October 6, 2021
Walt Disney World vs. Universal: September 2021 Trip Report, Day One- Rise of the Resistance and More
It took much more than pixie dust to get this boarding group!
Follow the link above and see how we did it.
Once we were all ready to go, we walked to the main area and stopped at our resort's snack stand, Goods Food to Go, for a quick jolt of java - decent but not great- and a brief look around the resort prior to getting that early bus to one very busy park. I was surprised that even at 8:00am, the air was already quite muggy. Denver, this is not.
For the record, Old Key West is a lovely resort. The rooms are quite large, the common areas are low key, and overall, it seems to be an undiscovered Disney resort. But beware, it is huge. The bus service between complexes is good, but if you choose to walk, be prepared. We had to make a quick stop at the temporary lobby so that our son could link his personal credit card to his Magic Band. The cast member was friendly and efficient. In contrast to our Magical Express experience, it is exactly what you'd expect from a world class resort.
Taking the time to walk from our DVC room
... and the view on the right side.
Here in Florida, it seems as if this land has a bit more energy and sense of place than at Disneyland. I'm not sure why. But this I can say, with the natural light different than in California and the positioning of the land and its slightly different color scheme, it just feels more alive. Not as sterile, grey, and cold.
OOOH- there's shade about a quarter mile away!
"Nothing Can Stop Us Now".
A little extra construction would have made more sense.
Two days later, and this was wrapped up for refurbishment.
Quite good but a one and done experience.
The new Disney means having to pay a premium (in cash or time or both) to get the fullest themed experience in the parks. Very elitist! Want to eat inside that beautiful building at the end of Main Street (The Crystal Palace)? Pay for a premium priced character meal. See a Star Wars cantina? Pay a lot of money for drinks and plan months in advance to reserve a spot. Same goes for limited seating inside the Polynesian Village Resort's exotic Trader Sams Grog Grotto. Join a team to build a light saber? Pay to build one and bring only one guest with you. (Why should a kid have to choose between parents?) Want some decent shade and air conditioning? Better get ready to fork out the dough for a sit down restaurant. These are Bob Chapek's theme parks- and unfortunately, we Disney park fans had better get used to it. If Bob really did visit Walt Disney World every year with his family, he certainly walked away learning the wrong lessons.
Park hopping certainly has its pros and cons. When visiting Hollywood Studios, it can be a plus... aside from the fact you currently have to wait until 2:00pm in order to do so- and there's not nearly enough to do at the Studios even in its fully operative state.
gave us this gorgeous view.
Back when it opened in 1989 as the Disney-MGM Studios, our young family was there just about a week later. We've seen so many changes over the years. (Here's a 30 year retrospective of the park with my personal photos and more as I recount its history.) Our favorite attraction back then was The Great Movie Ride, an epic and innovative attraction bringing guests into classic movies of multiples genres. Sadly, this is now replaced by Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. The newer attraction was my personal choice for second place in what I just had to ride. I love those new cartoons. They're fresh, fun, and irreverent while full of references to classic Disney park attractions.
How would the new ride compare to its predecessor? Would I be disappointed? Well...no, and yes. Keep reading.
The Studios park is really delightful to look at! There's so much detail everywhere you look. Now that the big old Sorcerer's Apprentice hat has been removed, the view down the street to the reproduction of Grauman's Chinese Theater evokes all the charm and wonder that a Disney theme park should. The Imagineers of old and their direct descendants knew how to design places that scream for us theme park geeks to stop and take a photo or 100! And I did! (Why is it when the Imagineers go back to the original designs, the parks are better for it?)
On the left side as you enter the park...
You can see where the Imagineers who worked
on California Adventure 2.0 got some inspiration.
While we were waiting for the official opening time, I walked up and down the boulevard photographing the original buildings that remain from the opening of the park. It is really the soundstages and false backdrops seen on the Studio Tram Tour that have disappeared. The recreation of Hollywood in its heyday remains intact. These areas have plenty of charm and a nice reassuring, nostalgic warmth that's missing from modern Disney at large. In the other lands here, it's a mixed bag which along with the majority of blockbuster attractions found only on one side ultimately gives this park a split personality.
Every trip I take a photo of Gertie.
What is it about this lumbering green dino?
Directed by cast members to go around the Echo Lake side, we had to stop and queue to enter the home of the park's must-do latest hit. I soaked in the views of old familiar places now redone. Anyone reading remember Monster Sound Stage? It's now home to a "new" cartoon of Mickey and Minnie, Vacation Fun. Even the building is painted to match his main color scheme- and it looks pretty good!
Once the park officially opened, we had some time to walk around Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge aka Batuu aka Black Spire Outpost. In fact, we were able to almost walk right on Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run without a wait.
I just like this early morning photo!
This day seemed dedicated to deluxe Star Wars activities as we had late afternoon reservations at Oga's Cantina and a light saber building reservation. When I was booking these appointments on line, I thought it would be good to lump them all together in one day just in case we saw everything we wanted in the Studios. That strategy actually worked out very well. (Planning tip- unless your main priority is to ride Ratatouille, make Epcot your second park hopping location for the day. The park is huge and most certainly the last one to close due to capacity. The downside with park hopping is the inconsistentcy in the feel of your day as you jump from one place to another.)
Smuggler's Run was fun, but if truth be told as we'd find out awhile later, it was the original Star Wars attraction that was a blast and far superior of the two similar attractions! Star Tours still has it- and even better, it was a walk on. The random sequencing of scenes made it a must do twice, and each trip, we came off the ride with a smile on our faces.
Really like this, but where are all the other
galactic citizens that we're supposed to see?
A really nice clear morning.
The blues of the spires really stand out in Florida.
It was finally time to cash in our Boarding Group pass for the one we'd all been waiting for. Walking back to the rather barren side of the land, the atmosphere all made sense once I explained to my wife that the Imagineers thought it best to have the First Order in charge of the busy town while the somewhat hidden rebel base hiding on the opposite side. That said, a few spires of rock in front of the entrance would have conveyed a bit of mystery to its location versus being out in the open. If you're going to go full bore with a theme, go all the way.
Armchair Imagineering aside, the very first ride on any new major "E Ticket" is a thrill, and I certainly had that same rush walking the queue. It was a balancing act between trying to take it all in, grab some photos, and not be a burden to others in line behind me.
Of course, I'd seen the spoiler videos. I can't resist those, especially since it takes quite an investment to visit the parks and is a luxury trip. But let me say that video viewing does not come close to giving the thrill of riding it in person. No comparison. You've truly got to see it to believe it. Really.
The big bad in his lead role!
The multiple preshows and the simulator ride set the stage for the final escape from our capture. The cast members stayed true to character without exception. Most all the effects seemed to be working, but the big "Wow!" moment for me was entering the room with the very large AT-ATs. As designed, from this point, the ride really rocks, taking it up one step at a time until the exciting conclusion. Admittedly, I didn't cry at the conclusion of this epic adventure, but I did get a little misty eyed. When the Imagineers are at the top of their game, well, the end result is epic.
Confession here: I'm not a big Star Wars fan. I can't remember most of the new character names or plot lines, and it doesn't matter to me. Nor should it matter much to riders. Regardless, Rise of the Resistance ranked as the top attraction we experienced this trip. From all three of us. (If you're reading and concerned about the thrill element, don't be. If you can ride Star Tours, you can ride this.)
Was Rise of the Resistance worth getting up very early for and trying to snag a limited spot? Absolutely! Should guests have to do that for any Disney park ride? Definitely not. This is vacation, but working within Disney's modern constraints, it often feels too much like work.
Stopped for a quick bite at Ronto Roasters as we hadn't had breakfast yet. The place continues to be a pretty fair value for a good, quick, and tasty meal. The other options seemed to be colored popcorn and a soda or a tumbler of blue or green milk. Neither seemed the right choice at 10:00am. For this and many other reasons, an expansion for Batuu has to happen and soon.
Seeing so many people waiting for a place to sit, it was hard not to feel rushed. The idea of relaxing over a bite is not possible if you're at all considerate of others. Mobile ordering is not a friend here or anywhere else in the World. This style of service leaves large crowds waiting for food and then for a table with some frustration for all. There's got to be a better way.
Leaving Batuu, we entered the land of Woody and Buzz, taking in the lengthiest queue of the day to ride Slinky Dog Dash. The 40 minute wait went by fairly fast as we were still high on Rise and had much to talk about. Our son agreed the bare bones, lightly themed attraction had more zip and thrill than he expected. By now, the crowds were thick, the temperature was rising, and there was no shade to be found. We'd do Toy Story Mania later just before leaving the park.
What were the Imagineers thinking when they designed a sure to be popular land without an adequate amount of covering in a park that is saturated with hot Florida sun? There's also a lack of indoor quick service type food options. I'm sure the barbecue restaurant planned will help that, but here's to expecting another expensive meal option.
Nice 20K tribute!
Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is the kind of charming, old school attraction that this park desperately needed. With a song that's hard to get out of your head, this replacement for The Great Movie Ride brings the family together without having to choose whether to please adults or kids.
Walt Disney himself would have been very, very, pleased. It is a solid "E Ticket" attraction of old embracing all the latest technology with its own very effective queue surprise. Yet, without a doubt, the attraction is in the absolutely wrong location. Mickey's should be anchoring its own land. The charm and strength of Disneyland is there because few shortcuts are taken. The extra time and effort and expense to give this family friendly crowd pleaser its own building while updating The Great Movie Ride would have been the wisest long term solution. In fact, it would have been a clean and honest representation of where the Disney Company currently gets its biggest popular franchises- buying other people's successful intellectual properties.
The original Disney drop ride is still the best!
While my wife is not a fan of extreme thrills in theme parks, she graciously rode both Twilight Zone Tower of Terror and with some major coaxing, Rock 'N' Rollercoaster. She did this for our son. I was so proud of her! No one had to coax my son or I to ride, although I probably wouldn't do them back to back again with little to no wait.
The original Tower and its story and technology remains my favorite. I have yet to ride Tokyo Disneysea's incarnation. Disney California Adventure's Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT! is lively, but I still favor the original drop tower for many reasons. It is this park's Haunted Mansion, with superb execution of its theme from any way you look at it.
Even after all these years, the high speed cruise with Aerosmith ranks towards the top of my Hollywood Studios attractions. It's still smooth, fast, and one I would ride over and over again if I could. Just a blast!
An expensive keepsake and an impressive but rather short show.
As I said earlier, this day was our Star Wars day, and after the 1:00pm rush for Boarding Groups (in case we couldn't get one at 7:00am), we booked a 1:45pm reservation for my son to build his light saber. My wife was a good sport as always and let me experience this with him. It was a slow process from checking in to show time. Again, next to no shade in the waiting area or elsewhere, hence the abundance of plain, unthemed, afterthought, umbrellas both here and at Disneyland. What is it about this? Is Batuu a desert planet?
Back to the light saber build. Once inside, the cast member telling the saga was just excellent (seen in the photo above), but the in room special effects of a simple well designed lighting package seemed like a let down for the overall price of $200+. A surprise appearance of Yoda would not have been all that difficult to pull off, and it certainly would have been a crowd pleaser. And made the price more worth it. These extras were what once set Disney apart- or at least used to. (Universal is giving their guests some extras in service, experience, and design detail, so Disney has some new competition in this area, but we'll get to that soon enough later on in this trip report.)
C3PO rocks the universe!
RX-24, or Rex, rocks the cantina.
This was my third attempt in the last few years - made on each coast- to get into Oga's Cantina. As the old saying goes, third time's the charm. We arrived exactly 10 minutes before our 4:45pm reservation- again, no shade. When our name was finally called, we received a very curt "45 minute maximum visit" reminder before we were ushered in. I'm sorry, but we are paying their salaries, and it certainly wouldn't have hurt to be treated with a bit more courtesy and respect when dishing out a good amount of money for three (very good) drinks and one bowl of "Batuu Bits".
In preparation for the Epcot's Food and Wine Festival, we all agreed to order different dishes or drinks and share. This way, we'd be able to taste many different items. We did this at Raglan Road and continued on throughout the trip.
Our time in the cantina- almost exactly 45 minutes, thank you very much- was a welcome respite from the sun and its scorching heat. The time of air conditioning, a place to sit and talk in a unique environment that is distinctly Disney, and the quality of the food and drinks perked us up. Our server was excellent- funny, charming, knowledgeable and totally in character without being over the top. The bill- and our tip- reflected our experience.
Will we do it again? Not unless we were with someone who hadn't and wanted to. It's fun, but it is not that special for the price.
The Skyliner was just what we wanted.
Riding it was a breeze!
We ended our visit to the park with a Mickey bar but had to walk to the Echo Lake area of the park to get away from the massive crowds. Sitting at a table with an umbrella, we discussed what was next. Should we stay in the park for dinner and then even later for the nighttime show? No. The dining options were not what we were looking for, and the fireworks and light show seemed unappealing. After considering Disney Springs but discovering the places we really wanted to eat at were already booked solid, the Food & Wine Festival won us over for an evening at Epcot.
In reality, Disney's Hollywood Studios has a relatively small roster of attractions. The theater shows are old and tired, and there is little on the other side of the park to draw people in and disperse the crowds that gather in Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land. The park needs "C Ticket" dark rides to even out the mix and give guests a greater variety of attractions for their families. Even with five new rides in the last two years and one new Cars themed show with an Audio-Animatronic Lightning McQueen, savvy longtime guests can tell this park has been neglected for decades. I'm afraid COVID and its effects will only further delay any additional growth.
I was planning to end this post with a transition to our evening at Epcot and our time there. But as I wrote, I realized it really needed to be its own separate piece. It's part trip report, critique of the state of the expansion and its plans, and partially a love letter of sorts to the park I once knew and loved. Stay tuned.
(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)
September 17, 2021
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