Pimping Out Dreamfinder and Figment

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

Mickey Mouse Enters Public Domain

Apparently today is the day that Mickey Mouse enters the public domain. Can it be that Walt Disney's friend is now fair game to anyone who can exploit him by plastering his image on everything from tobacco to toilet paper? Seems to be true. Little did he know that the star of Steamboat Willie and Fantasia would one day be promoting all sorts of merchandise incongruent with his carefully crafted image. It's a sad day, folks. Yet, know that I think about it, Disney has already tarnished their image, so why not?

When Disney Does Something Right

Let's be honest: Disney deserves much of the criticism sent their way. Robert Iger and the corporate leadership has lost its direction and forgotten its roots and what made them great. However, Imagineering (again) did something right. Very right. Working with the Make A Wish foundation, they granted this young man's dream to become an Imagineer.

So, kudos to the team for doing something beyond themselves. Well done, Imagineering! Well done!

(Video copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

NOT a Dave Barry Notable and Quotable

"The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we all believe that we are above-average drivers." 

                            Dave Barry, Dave Barry Turns 50

For multiple reasons,  it seemed right to begin this post with this quote by the famed humorist. But this isn't a "Notable and Quotable". You have to wait for the punch line until the end of what I write today. But trust me, it will be worth it.

When the Apostle Paul came to faith in Jesus Christ- meaning after his spellbinding encounter with him on the Damascus Road-  it changed his life. Once upon a time, the formerly named Saul incited fear at the very mention of his name. He was a persecutor of what was thought of by some as a new Jewish sect. Believers were searched for, jailed, and executed under his command, including the first Christian martyr, Stephen.

If you've read this far, you know this man who hated the faith became one of the most powerful and influential of believers in Jesus. I mean, c'mon, the guy wrote a huge portion of the Bible's New Testament.

Once encountering Jesus, Paul spends 14 years working in the field and sharing the truth- Jesus Christ is the only way to life and truth, and the great gift of eternal salvation vs. damnation is trusting in Him and his accomplished work on the cross. Dying for the sins of all who would believe. 

Truth be told, to say he angered the Jews and was considered a traitor would be an exaggeration. They believed it took adherence to all those Jewish laws and customs to achieve pardon from God for their sins. High up on the list was the practice of circumcision, the cutting of the foreskin of a man's penis as a symbol of his commitment to God. (In itself, not a bad idea as it reminded each man that the use of his body was meant for God's glory and purposes.) "Measure twice, cut once" has never been a more important thing to remember.

When Paul later writes to all the churches in the region of Galatia (Modern day Turkey), he opens Chapter 1 by establishing his credibility as a true apostle. After all, the man once persecuted believers, and now he was one of them. They had reason to be skeptical!

Chapter 2 is Split into Two Important Sections:

• Verses 1-10       The Apostles Affirm Paul is Sent by God

• Verses 11-21     Paul Confronts Peter to Preserve the Truth

When we pick up reading the second chapter in the book, we find some amazing truths in these 21 simple verses. So, read with me the following, Galatians 2:1-15:

"Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me.  I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 

But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you." (We will get back to this last statement.)

In these opening verses, we get to see a very real and human side of Paul. Even he had to defend his credibility. Even he had doubt at times. Even he needed validation and wanted to know if his work mattered. Can you imagine Paul thinking he'd run his race in vain. He's so human!

I love that the Bible shows the humanity, the weaknesses and strengths of its heroes. They are not perfect. Just like you and I. They are just obedient to what God wants- even if it took a life changing event to get them to do it.

Notice here in verse one that Paul worked for 14 years doing what the Lord told him to do. That’s a long time of unrecognized obedience!

Maybe you’re like that- Doing what you know to do- whether or not anyone notices. Bless you for your faithfulness! You are blessing the Lord by persevering in what He gave you to do.

It's always best to look to Jesus for direction!

Don't miss that Paul says he went to Jerusalem because of a revelation (verse 2). God speaks through the Word and also through dreams, visions, prayer, and through the counsel of others. Yes, even today!

Paul had to be seeking God regularly to gain direction and instruction. That's a great plan for success, though. God knows what He wants to accomplish and what will stand the test of time. It's better to seek Him out and do what He wants rather than just offer up our own good ideas. (It's one reason prayer is so important and much more than just asking God for the things you want.)

With a few unitalicized notes from me, let’s continue on and read verses 6-10:

"And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised (Those not born Jews), just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (Those born Jews) (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do." 

FINALLY, we see that the leaders of this new found Christian faith recognize Paul's calling and his role! But still, the guy remains very human. Paul wanted- even needed- to check in with those deemed over him. He finally receives validation as one who should be reaching the Gentiles (those non-Jews).

Did you catch the last line “Remember the poor”? In God's kingdom, the reality is that caring for “the least of these” pleases Him and opens their hearts to the Gospel, the message that Jesus is the only way to God and the only way to eternal life.

Again, Paul is just so human! he's like us in so many ways. How often we can get caught up in thinking what someone else is doing is more valid than what God has called us to!  Or maybe that someone else’s work is LESS important than what we are doing! Isn’t obedience to the Lord the main issue? We all have a part to play in God’s Kingdom! 

You can almost hear in Paul’s words- “Peter, James, and John? They have one thing to do, I have another. Let’s do this!” Reminds me of that Home Depot ad! Maybe after today, each time you see this on the television, it will act as a reminder that we all have a meaningful part to play in God's kingdom. Who knows what the ripple effect will be from your obedience? 

What can I say?

I enjoyed Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny too!

Up til this point, things seem to being going pretty well for Paul. Don't sit back and relax yet. Here comes BIG conflict in these next few verses.

Read verses 11-14with me:

"But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas (Peter) before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Paul is just SO gutsy! Can you imagine doing what he did? It would be like being invited to the executive board meeting of the Walt Disney Company (or insert your own here) and telling Robert Iger that he is a hypocrite and a fool for doing what he's doing.But then asking for his blessing and endorsement.

There's just not a confrontation of hypocrisy There's also confronting the fact that Peter seems to be endorsing another gospel – a false teaching- his silence as an endorsement that it takes more than faith in Christ alone (in this case, circumcision), and his work on the cross to atone for our sins. 

This issue had to be addressed. There was a very young church that was vulnerable and need to be protected and taught the truth.  

We might view the issue of circumcision is a case of majoring in the minors. But not at this time in history. It was a huge issue. The Jews thought that obedience to all their laws and customs was a requirement for salvation from Hell and into the gift of eternal life.  

These people pushing circumcision were called Judaizers. On one hand,  they professed Jesus but adhered to Jewish customs, believing salvation was not complete without obedience to them.  

For every good reason, Paul's language was strong here. He pulled no punches. In fact, he uses his strong language which a good dose of sarcastic humor to make his point later. Don't believe me? Stop now and read Chapter 5 verses 7-12. 

The Judaizers had a variety of motives, and Paul reveals their them later in Chapter 6. They were afraid of being persecuted for their faith in Jesus and they wanted to be recognized by proving their loyalty to the Jews. But it gets worse. Looking deeper into this, you discover many of them just did not want to socialize with the Gentiles.  

In truth, these folks were pushing a form of legalism. A falsehood that rears its ugly head from time to time in the church. (And in other places too. Like political parties, media organizations, and social groups.)

If you've read this blog long enough, you know I am all in for the 100% absolute truth of God's Word. No compromise whatever. But legalism misrepresents God, and that is why it's so dangerous.

Let's put it in bullet point form.  Legalism is a form of bullying that accomplishes things contrary to God's heart and His ways:

• Legalism drives away people who are really seeking God.
• It creates two classes of people- The Haves and the Have Nots.
• Legalism misrepresents God's truth his theology.
• Legalism is a form of manipulation and control.
• It is an excuse for arrogance, bigotry, and partiality,
• Lastly, legalism creates an ungodly fear that God never intended.

Let me challenge you here- Are your preferences for worship styles, church government, service style and length, or baptism type really 100% founded in God's Word. Or are they a tipping of the hat to what you like and want? When we push for our preferences and get mad when we don't get what we want, we are not displaying God's heart. Furthermore, if we do it, it is a sin against God and misrepresents Him. Stand typo for the absolute truth of God's Word, but be humble enough to differentiate between theology and personal preference. 

Begin equating works to circumcision.

You really want to be free! Don't go there. :)

Moving on to the last six verses (verses 15-21)-

"We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. 

But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 

For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose."

Obviously, Salvation by Faith instead of Works was the core doctrine that prompted the Protestant Reformation of 1517AD. Martin Luther. It is as important today as it was then and in Paul's lifetime. The law has its God-given purpose: It is to reveal to us our sin and therefore point us to Christ. Jew or Gentile (those not born Jews), God extends himself to all of us.

Did you see the order here in verse 16? First faith, then justification- just like first faith then renewal and cleansing and a formation into Christlikeness. Faith is the opposite of self-dependence. It's God-dependence. And the core, the heart of the Bible’s message is God desiring relationship with the people He created, and the efforts He goes to see this- so that all the earth will know Him and glorify Him!

You might be wondering about the term "Justification. It is a Legal term.

God declares that in response to our faith in Him:

• Our sins are forgiven.

• We are righteous in his sight.

• In other words, we are declared “Not Guilty!” Not condemned (Lots of Romans Chapters 3-8, especially 8:1)

• We’re not just forgiven, we’re righteous. (Based on Jesus’ righteousness! Acting in accordance to what is right)

• Not just innocent of our crimes but seen as holy, pure, clean!

• Do you see yourselves as holy pure and clean?  REJOICE!

Salvation is the result of the work of Jesus, Nothing that we can do, nothing that we've earned. 

Here, I want to stop and bring in a very subtle but important point.

The importance of conflict, discipline, and correction cannot be overstated. Whether we want to admit it or not, conflict often brings true motives to the forefront. We‘re human. We’ll disagree at times. We’ll act imperfectly. We may even believe something unbiblical at times. Often we’ll ignore conflict, avoid it, do it poorly or perhaps maybe , occasionally,  do it well.

But did you know that God uses conflict resolution as a way to further His Kingdom?  We often mention how God uses persecution to bring growth to the church as the Good News of Jesus spreads. But here, we see that conflict, problem resolution, and godly discipline brings growth as well. It's an effective form of sharing the message.

A few quick examples I want you to remember:

• Ananias and Sapphira – Acts 5:1-14. This couple lied about bringing all their money to the Apostles. When asked about it, each one lied, and God struck them dead. Notice more folks came to Christ after their Ananias and then Sapphira die because of their lies? 

Here's verse 14:  “And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women”

Discipline comes, then growth.  God deals with our pride.

• When the Grecian Jews thought their widows were being overlooked in the distribution of food – Acts 6:1-7.  Accusations of bigotry came to light within the church. What a disaster this could have been. But the Apostles prayed and assigned a godly man to take over, solving the problem and maintaining unity. Once the issue was resolved, more people came to faith. 

Verse 7: “ And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.”
 
God deals with suspicion and the demanding of rights.  

Here's the next one and the last example for today. It applies directly to what we've been discussing.

·       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. 

Verse 31:   “So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied.”

Growth comes when we invest in each other and are not threatened by the gifts God has given them! God deals with our fear.

 

A break in unity stops the powerful witness of the believers and it halts the growth in God's kingdom. But once unity is restored, God's kingdom grows again as people respond to the message Jesus delivered and lived out. 

The truly best state ever is to be in Christ!

We started with question by humorist Dave Barry about us all thinking we are above average drivers.  Now, I have my own question for you- “Are you an above average sinner?”  Me, too!

But the Apostle Paul has us all beat. In his own words, 

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”  (1 Timothy 1:15).  

If God can forgive, save, and use the Apostle Paul, imagine what He can do for us!

"For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose."

Rejoice brothers and sisters! God is for us! We need nothing in addition to the accomplished work of Jesus on the cross. Now, all the things we do are because of His great love not to earn His great love. Rejoice, again I say rejoice!

D23 2022: Much About Nothing?

Will the Disney Parks and Experiences presentation at this year's D23 be something work our excitement? Will the planned displays for Tiana's Bayou Adventure and the "new" Epcot make us beyond excited? Most importantly, will these additions be significant even to compete with Epic Universe down at Universal Orlando Resort? 

  

In a word, "NO!" Walt Disney Imagineering may have very grand plans for each of the parks, but let's be honest- they are not running the ship that Walt Disney built. Bob Chapek is, and it seems he has little desire to really stay competitive by building the attractions that blow away guests expectations. He'd rather just increase profits by taking advantage of guests and offering less for more money. Disneyland, Walt Disney World or in any other of their resorts, fleecing the faithful is his course.

At this stage of things, I'm not liking what I'm seeing. The Bargain Basement Imagineering a la California Adventure 1.0 is about to begin again. 

(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.

Oriental Disneyland Feasibility Study

A rose by any other name? Were the plans contained within this feasibility study really for a new Disney Resort in Asia to be named Oriental Disneyland? 

Clearly, the study was deemed a success as Tokyo Disneyland was an out of the box hit! Originally the Imagineers were given the direction to make the park as close to the original US kingdoms as possible. That meant a duplicate of Cinderella Castle from the Magic Kingdom, California's version of Pirates of the Caribbean, and an assortment of hand picked attractions that became a "best of" / greatest hits collection of the American parks. 

In the piece of concept art above, World Bazaar remains covered but the main entrance street inside the park bears more than a little resemblance to original and very different plans for Florida's World Showcase. That was once going to be a standalone park with Future World being its own as well. Of course, we all know EPCOT Center would eventually combine both. But is in interesting to think that at one point parts of the first act would in fact take guests into different areas around the globe, mini-pavilions if you will. Thankfully, smarter minds prevailed and the concept was saved for Walt Disney World's second and once groundbreaking theme park.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Disney's Dirtiest Secret of All

The Walt Disney Company has a dirty little industry secret. It's certainly not one they want people to know about. Guests and consumers have to be kept in the dark about it all, so they are very careful not to share it. Discretion is of the utmost importance.

Want to go overseas - say to Shanghai Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Resort, or perhaps go to Hong Kong Disneyland or Disneyland Paris - to photograph Disney Parks and get paid to do it? This happens more often than you would think! 

It goes beyond invitations to special events and lots of giveaways. Owners of key websites, bloggers, and other influencers are often paid, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars, to travel and tell others about the great times they had at the parks, what the latest food trends are, and how newer expansions are just the most exciting events to happen in the World. Sure, some folks do this work all on their own as a true labor of love, but others have the Walt Disney Company bankrolling it.

How can you tell who they are? It's tough, but I'd look for consistently positive reviews in new movies, park events and merchandise as a place to begin. There's also little objective criticism, and praise is doled out for each and every new product. Is Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge the best thing Disney Imagineers have ever built? Is the newest cupcake, T-shirt, or $200 piece of merchandise worth its cost? What about that overseas trip to experience it all? These well paid folks will tell you all about it and provide photos to boot. 

Not this guy- no strings attached here.

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

New Disney Entertainment Center

A brand new, sparkling, Disney Urban Entertainment Center. Is this Philadelphia? Chicago? Or just a non-descript city with nowhere particular in mind. The planned expansion of the theme parks in smaller form was part of the 2006 Walt Disney Company annual report. It was hidden among a couple of slices of concept art for Shanghai Disneyland, this little gem was overlooked and perhaps long forgotten about. Anyone know more?

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Home to the Magic

Admittedly, this is a difficult thing to say, he said tongue totally in cheek! I have never seen the front gates or the outside of the Walt Disney Company. 

Thanks to "Forever Anna" on the WDWMagic discussion boards, now you can see it too. The building above is a pretty famous one. Built during the 20 year reign of Michael Eisner, it was a time from creativity was at an all-time high as far as park expansion. We all know Robert Iger is more interested in purchasing intellectual property vs. development of them. It hasn't been an unsuccessful decision, but it is a very different one that what the focus of Walt Disney himself and the company he founded for decades.

So, there you have it. Now you've seen the "Home to the Magic".

(Photographs copyright "Forever Anna".)

Another Look at Disney's Struggle Between Art and Commerce: 2014 Edition

Back in the early years of this blog, 2009 to be exact, I took a look at The Walt Disney Company's tug of war between creative expression and the overwhelming and dominant drive to offer big returns to investors- and company CEOs. (You can find it here.) 

There's a reason these two are photographed together.

Back then, the article came about because of the departure of Dick Cook, the former chairman of the Walt Disney Studios, but truth be known, it has been going on since the very origins of the company. However, there is a huge difference between how Walt and Roy struggled then- and their goals- and what's happening now until the short sighted, openly power hungry, leadership of Robert Iger. (By the way, the disappearing article criticizing his handling of Shanghai Disneyland and the ignorance and arrogance of the company with regards to the Chinese people is found here. There's a reason why the image on top is no longer the U.S. Dollar image I used in the original article.)

My main love and focus is on the Disney theme parks and secondarily on the animated films. At some level, I couldn't care less about other divisions nor am I any kind of expert on any of these. I'm just a hard core fan who grew up by Disneyland and developed a love for the art of Walt Disney and his Imagineering and Animation teams. That said, knowing I'll focus on the parks, consider this article of "Part Two" of sorts.

---------

From a park perspective, even the slightest cursory look at the parks should tell you a couple of important facts:

Shanghai Disneyland's Tomorrowland

1- Building an overseas (read "Chinese") presence is priority Number One

Did Jay Rasulo really stand a chance?

2- Walt Disney World is really only seeing investment because guests are changing their vacation patterns and spending more time at Universal Orlando.

This is only the beginning of the Star Wars invasion.

And Marvel...

... and hopefully a remake of this Indiana Jones film.

3- Recently purchased intellectual properties are the main reason overall investment into the American parks is being made.

Much the same can be said of the upcoming and sure to be popular changes to the park across the way. In California Adventure, we'll see the addition of Ariel's Undersea Adventure and Carsland and its Radiator Springs Racers. Are they in theme? That will be debated for ages. Terrific attractions for this poorly designed park? Sure looks like it. As I mentioned earlier, the astounding disaster of California Adventure and its poor reception from the public punctuates the struggle. Disney tried to put one over on its hardcore Anaheim fans by building a second rate second park. The wiser public voiced its opinion by not spending the money to go, and it was back to the drawing boards again to find the balance of quality and financial success.

This art and commerce tension is not limited to the West Coast. In fact, I would guess it is even more pronounced than in California.

The plans for the recently announced Fantasyland expansion in Florida's Magic Kingdom look terrific and are correctly in theme. The princess franchise and experiences and The Little Mermaid are preciously where they belong. For the company's arguably flagship park, Fantasyland needs to look more like something out of a realm long gone versus its current and tired incarnation, and the decision to make it stunning is long overdue. Disney management (and those amazing Imagineers!) gets an "A" here, even though it would be a nice touch to include something for the guys!

Epcot is another story. Any lover of this park, and anyone who saw EPCOT Center at its opening, would have to give a failing grade to the most recent changes. Detailed long ago on this and many other blogs, the changes to the World Showcases of Mexico and Canada are dreadful. The Nemo and Friends overlay to the once elegant Living Seas gets a slightly better grade, yet it has brought activity to this once empty attraction.

Disney's Hollywood Studios gets a pass, as the designers and accountants can throw just about anything in this catch-all park and make it "in theme".
The lush and gorgeous Animal Kingdoms suffers from the art and commerce struggle. It's been this way since its opening. Before the addition of Expedition Everest, the park relied on its artistic touches and lots of foliage but lost big points with guests for lack of beautiful new attractions due to shortage of cash.
Plans were quickly put in place, resulting in the horrible Chester and Hesters Dinorama. Thankfully, this cheaply built mess was followed up by the exquisite but expensive journey to discover the yeti. Next came Finding Nemo- The Musical. Beautiful, surprising and artsy, but it is another animated character addition. The mix of new additions to the park pack in the crowds as well as bringing added capacity.

The Walt Disney World Resort Hotels also display this art/commerce tension. Compare Pop Century with The Grand Floridian. There are more than "Guest Needs" in consideration here when the plans for expansion are made. It was shocking to realize the same company could design both!

Beyond the United States, the situation remains much the same. The tension is a worldwide phenomena.

Look at the world's most beautiful Magic Kingdom, Disneyland Paris. The innovative and distinctive Le Visionarium had to give way to the popular Buzz Lightyear, just as Captain Eo eventually gave it up to Honey, I Shrunk the Audience. The park needed new attractions but was short on cash. The same can be said for the minimally themed Temple du Peril. At least this park has enough theming to made up for the mistakes!

Not so fortunate next door, where the very ugly younger sister resides. Following the California Adventure business plan, The Walt Disney Studios Paris opened entirely void of charm and warmth. Tepid reaction and again, loss of incoming cash, made the company rethink its plan. Just like its California counterpart, Imagineers tossed in the cheaper version of Tower of Terror and a couple of off the shelf attractions: the highly themed carnival ride Cars Race Rally and the not quite as highly themed Crush's Coaster. The park's next steps will be telling. If the newest Parisian addition is the Ratatouille attraction that has been detailed on Disney and More, the future looks much brighter even if coming after its recently acknowledged and very cheap looking Toy Story Land.

Above image perfected by Disney and More.

In Asia, Hong Kong Disneyland is a delightful park to view. The greenery is lush, the detail evident. Yet its shortcomings include a carbon copy castle, minimal "E" tickets, and a variety of character meet and greets in place of attractions. Thankfully, the incredible looking Mystic Manor is on its way- but so is Toy Story Land, a bare bones addition that inventive concept art cannot disguise!

Even in Tokyo, the art/commerce struggle grips the suits. Even the most unique of all Disney parks, Tokyo Disney Sea, has made steps to increase capacity and attendance at the price of dumbing down this elegant place. The Tower of Terror is a masterpiece, new theme and all. Raging Spirits? Not so much. Further, does this park really need Toy Story Mania or Turtle Talk shoehorned in? Absolutely not! But it is being done anyway. New attractions come at too high a price.

Things do come full circle. It seems the executive branch at the Walt Disney Company finally understands that quality will bring both crowds and profit. Maybe the success of the recently announced additions at the D23 Expo will flood the coffers, making investors happy and realigning to something Walt Disney always knew: Don't shortchange the customer- give them the best- and they will love you for it.

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Photos copyright Mark Taft.)

First Look Inside Shanghai Disney Store

It may be large and it may be generic, but it is the first Mainland China Disney Store! These photos show exactly what citizens of Shanghai can expect when they first walk in.

Of course, regardless of the merchandise purchased, the goal is two-fold: 

1- Help the Chinese recognize the Disney characters and get acclimated to the "Disney Brand" and "Disney Lifestyle".

2- Guarantee a huge perpetual turnout to the Shanghai Disneyland park.

Well, regardless of the pitfalls and many shortcomings of the way the Disney Company has handled itself, (read that infamous article here), it is a beginning.

Going Hardcore

Don't you love it when folks go hardcore? I mean when they put everything into what they are doing- heart, mind, and body. 

Every time the Walt Disney Company steps up and goes all in on a project, they please fans and stockholders alike. Cars Land shows full commitment. Tokyo DisneySea brims with excellence, and you can almost see every yen spent in creating it. 

When a musician pulls off an excellent and celebrated album, they have a chance at superstardom versus just being popular when the public purchases the disc in droves. Michael Jackson's Thriller stands above most.

And let's talk sports here- a gifted athlete with a powerful team behind him/her can bring results on the scale of a Michael Phelps slam at the Olympics or a winning Super Bowl team. Hours of investment can yield incredible return.

This "win at all costs" mindset is what I love about Jesus Christ. Far from the whimsy blonde haired victim some portray him as, he accomplished the most difficult thing ever done: completing the job given to him by God the Father. Choosing to follow through and die for the sins of all men who would change their ways and embrace him- and then, when all hope seemed lost, raising again to life on the third day. 

He gave it all. His was a life devoted to pleasing God the Father. Nothing else mattered. Pleasing men never entered his mind, only saving them from eternal damnation. Religious leaders of the day were threatened by His passion, his boldness, his unearthly wisdom, and his unconventional manner. The crowds loved him.

Jesus pulled no punches and always spoke the truth, and He paid the price for it with his life. One day they are praising him in the streets during the most rustic of parades. The next, they are chanting for his crucifixion, mesmerized and manipulated by the authorities. Little did they know that this all played right into God's hand. 

Days later, the miracle of all miracles took place- and sin was conquered for all time. Hid body broken, bloodied, and scarred beyond recognition all for our benefit. Never the victim. Always the victor.

Totally hardcore.

It's Incredible- Sequel Finally Announced

At today's shareholders' meeting of the Walt Disney Company, Robert Iger finally announced that Incredibles 2 was in the making! It's been a long time coming for fans of the popular superhero Pixar film. Also announced was Cars 3 (no surprise), but the news of the return of Pixar's favorite empowered family means Brad Bird will return to the helm and bring viewers another great adventure. Now, if that proposed but never built attraction based on the film would come to California Adventure...

(Art copyright Disney/Pixar.)

Disneyland's Summer of 1969

You just have to love Vintage Disneyland Tickets! Blogmaster Tim does an incredibly great job of finding undiscovered gems both from the Walt Disney Company's own artists and Imagineers and from outside sources such as old magazines and newspapers.

Today's post on the site shows one of my favorite things about his blog: old Disneyland guide books and maps. Here, the summer of '69 shines brightly. Go here to see the entire guide. It's enough to make Bryan Adams sing...

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Comfort Food for the Entertainment Soul

Vintage is on a comeback at the Walt Disney Company these days. It is most seen at the theme parks as classic Disney characters from the early days of the studios invade California Adventure as well as attraction posters that remind us of the old days at the oldest Disney park. Goofy and Snow White make a major appearance at Florida's new Fantasyland at the Walt Disney World complex. There's a return to classic Winnie the Pooh coming the theaters, remakes of old animated films are de rigour, and retro designed souvenirs with EPCOT Center are front and center in that Florida park.

What's it all about? My hunch is it reminds those with the most income and those longing for simpler days that Disney, not Universal or any other group, is part of our American history and our quickly lost way of life. It's comfort food for the entertainment soul. Whenever times are hard, and they are Stateside, we long for what used to be. For an entertainment company, it is not a bad strategy for the short term, but the Mouse House had better have some great new fresh and creative ideas up their sleeves soon. Nostalgia only goes so far, and then there is nothing new to be considered old and valued again.