The Amazing Disappearing Article That's Worth Reading Again: Disney CEO Fumbles Entry to China

Here's an article that appeared- and then was quickly removed- from the Huffington Post. A powerful piece that criticized Robert Iger and the Walt Disney Company's plan for their entry into the Chinese market, and its potential effect on Shanghai Disneyland. It must have angered him so much that Iger used his wife's influence to have it yanked. I hate that kind of corporate or governmental power play!  So, here it is below, courtesy Google.  Thanks to the WDWMagic Boards where the article was originally resurrected. What will happen to Disneyland Abu Dhabi? Will there be lessons learned from the past?

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Sorry Mickey, they're just not that into you. Minnie, you either.

For that matter, you can take the whole stable -- the "Fab Five" of Walt Disney's animated creations -- and, despite a media machine that churns a very different story, China has largely been a land where the fabled wishes, dreams and magic of the Walt Disney Company and its brand have virtually no connection with the consumer. As valued as that consumer is in the economic theater of globalism, the iconic brand synonymous with America has little appeal and less traction among the newly seated audience in the Chinese mainland.

To its 'vanilla on toothpaste' helmsman, Robert A. "Bob" Iger, who has shown himself to be an able cobbler of assets but a less than visionary leader of the media colossus that is the Walt Disney Company, this troubling if known and growing headwind threatens to undermine the content-heavy but culturally aloof purveyor of demographically unshackled product. For in his zeal to expand its library of content, Bob Iger has drop-kicked the Disney moniker to enter new and expanding marketplaces only to position a product that runs well afar of the expectation of the Disney bounce.

In so doing, the once unrivaled status of the Disney brand has become a catch-all for entertainment and its associated byproducts that are increasingly a strange and sometimes conflicted ragbag of franchised acquisitions presented as some sort of media mélange for all ages and all palates. Or, as John Dreyer, the longtime and immediate past head of corporate communications for the Walt Disney Company, said upon the publication of the column Disney CEO Readies Magic Carpet for Exit, "Disney losing its Disney way."

With the company making its grandest play for a market that dwarfs all others, Disney has found itself adrift in a crisis of identity that breaches the foundation of the castle upon which an empire was built. For as turrets were raised, wings were added and a moat of meticulously positioned whimsy was filled in to expand the Disney footprint, something that looks decidedly more pedestrian than the fantastical inspiration for one of the world's most coveted brands has emerged.

Leverage has become the arch of entry into the Disney-verse, while the brand has been marginalized into a holding vehicle for assets that are worth more separately than that vested in the castle itself.

As Mr. Iger said at the 2013 Fortune Global Forum held in Chengdu:

I think the first thing you have to do is you have to obviously be aware of what your most significant brand attributes are. What makes your brand your brand? Why is it great? You have to focus on quality and on those attributes that, again, created the value in the first place. You can't look to cut corners. You can't look to make something with your brand on it that's any cheaper simply because it's going into a market that may not be able to afford it the way another market may have. You can't compromise in that regard. So it starts with what I'll call quality and a respect for an allegiance to the very brand attributes that created the value in the first place.

Now, considering Shanghai Disney is preparing to make its 2016 debut as Disney's first foray into the renminbi rich Chinese mainland after a less than stellar arrival in the former British colony of Hong Kong in 2005, there are lessons aplenty to learn from that delayed embrace and the long stalled entry into the single largest consumer market on offer to the world -- the whole of China. 


Under Mr. Iger's stewarding, Disney has partnered with the Shanghai Shendi Group, an umbrella name placed on a panoply of government-owned companies created to facilitate Western investment as a massive anti-graft campaign is just now rattling Beijing and beyond, to introduce a Disney 'branded' park to those consumers. A flag in the ground for Disney. A flag that has been in the works since the prime of Michael Eisner's reign at Disney and one that nearly collapsed entirely by the summer of 2006.


Indeed, Mr. Iger had to leave the annual Herb Allen retreat for media moguls, tech tycoons and other scripters of society in Sun Valley for an unscheduled trip to Shanghai that day in 2006, scrambling to save face and leading to a denouement worthy of great scrutiny by any company -- especially those entities whose trade is in intellectual property -- wanting to enter China.

Or, as Dalian Wanda Group Chairman Wang Jianlin, whose real estate and entertainment empire is building its North American headquarters adjacent to the Beverly Hilton at 9900 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, said on the same panel at the Fortune Global Forum:

[W]e have so many Western companies in China, but you cannot simply replicate the Western ideas and philosophies in China. They need to adapt to the Chinese realities... So for Fortune 500 companies in China it's very important, it's imperative for them to learn traditional culture in China and how is it interrelated with the modern business culture.

Curiously though, the world beyond the berm is told the 330 million or so Chinese within a three-hour trip to the site on the other side of Shanghai's Pudong International Airport cannot wait to queue up for a boat ride on "It's a small world"or whatever Disney is offering up for its reported $5.5 billion marker. As, no, there will apparently be no attraction of that name at Shanghai Disneyland.

Not in China. Not in a country where Mickey, Minne and the rest of the gang are barely known. In a country where Disney might as well be Smith or Jones or Johnson. Well, maybe not that last one as Johnson & Johnson is actually a reasonably well-known brand throughout China.

The Walt Disney Company has a history of stumbling if not outright tumbling in its efforts to export Disney's brand of Americana. For reference, look no further than Euro Disney -- now known as Disneyland Paris -- and Hong Kong Disneyland. Of the latter, it is worth note that Disney has been known to Hongkongers from the early days of the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. Yet, to this day, with a direct link by MTR line to points throughout Hong Kong, Disney is barely able to keep up with the brand devoid, geographically hemmed in and animal exhibit heavy Ocean Park in Aberdeen.

Over lunch earlier this month at Neptune's in the Grand Aquarium, Ocean Park Hong Kong CEO Tom Mehrmann, who began his career as a street sweeper at Knott's Berry Farm just up the road from Walt's original Disneyland, said, "Disney still has to explain to some of its guests exactly what a 'Disney Park' is. We don't have that problem."

To further illustrate this point, visit Disney's outpost on Lantau, a parcel of reclaimed land near Hong Kong International Airport, and you will notice a different Disney. Some call it 'Disney-lite'. Others refer to it as 'McKingdom'. Regardless, there is a definite feel of a diminished product -- of a diminished brand -- on stage for the public's consumption.

For, on a spit of land with an audience topping seven million attached by subway line having a familiarity and a kinship with the West, sits the real experiment of Disney's entry into the Chinese market. And there, on a recent day, at a performance of The Lion King in a theater designed for Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando dropped into the Walt Disney Company's first Disney branded park in China, the actors sought to lead the audience in a rendition of the hit tune from this classic of Disney's second golden age of animation: Hakuna Matata.

Hakuna Matata. 
What a wonderful phrase. 
Hakuna matata. 
Ain't no passing craze.
It means no worries. 
For the rest of your days. 
It's a problem free philosophy.
Hakuna matata.

Arms raised high in the air, cast members -- on stage and off -- encouraged the capacity crowd to sing the infectious chorus. With lyrics blasting through the speakers and flashing on screens in the theater, they sought a simple singalong to the catchy and commercial hit written by Elton John and Tim Rice. Unmoved, the audience sat stone-faced. Child and adult alike.

Considering most individuals reading this are likely humming the tune or hearing it play as part of the soundtrack of their lives, that speaks poorly of Disney's penetration into the far less foreign landscape of Hong Kong. As for Shanghai, Mr. Iger continued on at the conference in Chengdu:

We're a brand that is viewed as good for me and good for my family. There are values to the Disney brand and what it stands for that have interested people all over the world. But, it's very, very important that while we bring Disney to a market we make sure that in that market it feels like, for instance, China's Disney.

In leaving the park on that recent evening, the dressed by and for Disney MTR cars filled with tired visitors exposed to, saturated in, that which is the Disney Parks experience offered up in Hong Kong. Looking to the left, to the right, all around, not one visitor had that uniquely American rite of passage positioned upon their head. Mickey ears. Not one.

And, in the second largest market for its product and the largest consumer market on the planet, Disney's Frozen, the highest grossing animated film ever having delivered over $1.27 billion in ticket sales and the fifth-highest grossing film of all time, earned little more than $48 million. Less than four percent of its global box office.

Welcome to China, Bob.

Gary Snyder is a member of the Redstone family, whose company, National Amusements, owns Viacom and CBS, among other media assets. He is an advisor on Western media and culture to China.

The Original Walt Disney Studios Animation Courtyard

Gotta give the Imagineers and the Budgeteers props when its due! The new Walt Disney Studios Courtyard looks absolutely fantastic! As you can see, there's brand new life in this area that was once a fast and cheap Star Wars Launch Bay experience. The nighttime photo here by the great folks at WDWMagic shows just how magical a little effort can be!

It sure looked different back when we were there in 1989...

In the opening days, the then named Disney-MGM Studios were designed to be part theme park, part actual production facilities. There was a bit of both, making for an odd mix that has made it difficult for expansion and planning in later years. Honestly, there was not a lot to do, but what was there was charming. Never intended to be more than a partial day experience, when the suits decided it needed to be a full fledged theme park, planners had to think creatively and truly out of the small sized box they placed it in. There's a reason the park feels a bit thrown together. It was! 

Wanting to one up their neighbor in California -and soon to be competitor in Florida, Universal Studios- the centerpiece attraction for the production half of the park would be a studio tram tour past sound stages, wardrobe warehouses, and outdoor sets. It was an odd combination of sites, but at the beginning, it seemed to be enough.

The star of all the backstage studios facilities was the Animation section. This is the heart of The Walt Disney Company, and the park did its best to honor their legacy. 

Beyond the gateway into the area celebrating animation.

A fairly bland entrance to such an important aspect of Disney film making!

The entrance gate would also be the way to get to The Art of Disney Animation. This attraction would be the first time Disney animators would be on display working on real upcoming theatrical releases.

"I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way!"

The idea of showcasing animators and animation was not new. In fact, this attraction was a greatly expanded concept from the much smaller "The Art of Animation" exhibit housed in Disneyland's Tomorrowland during the first half of the 1960's. The real highlight for fans of the art was watching the animators. I couldn't get enough- and the nearby store was the perfect spot to allow me to come home with some animation related treasures. 

Inside the complex was also a very clever film, "Back to Neverland" with Robin Williams and Walter Cronkite,  to be found here. (Years later, when the Company was doing things cheaply, the film was also presented in the Animation attraction at California Adventure. It was later removed when Turtle Talk with Crush took over the space.)

Back then in 1989, it didn't seem that Disney had saturated the parks with present day celebrities, so to do so here seemed a much better fit for the new park than Epcot putting in Ellen's Energy Adventure or Gary Sinese in Mission: Space.  (I hated that move to add celebrities where they don't belong. And still do! Much respect to Gary Sinese, however, for his pet project- look here.) The animation, the characters, the celebrities all belonged at Disney-MGM. You'd expect this at a park called "The Studios". Their absence would create an obvious void. The attractions gave a nod to the true stars of old as well as promoting the latest stars and starlets. 

It was this attention to honoring the past as well that made the park a place for families of all ages to appreciate. A very wise choice, and it made for good marketing. Changing the area to Launch Bay years later was a lazy move, and the public burned out on it quickly. Once Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge showed up, the area was finished. 

But here we are once more. Animation is honored again! It's about time for attractions like this that build on the past instead of tearing it down. (Looking at you Josh D'Amaro and the destruction of Rivers of America!)

Disneyland Australia Again?

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

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

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

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

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

Metro Line and Omnibuses for Epcot's World Showcase

A discussion on the boards of WDWMagic got me to thinking of days of EPCOT Center past. Wow. Now, here's a photo for you. This old omnibus used to travel between the end of Future World and World Showcase. Giving guests wonderful views of the country pavilions, these busses added some kinetic energy, charm, and an opportunity for visitors to rest their feet. Now, the crowds are just so big for each of the year round food festivals (Flower and Garden is our favorite!) that the busses would be fighting an uphill battle to get from one country to another. It's just too bad! Transportation within the park is now limited to boats on the World Showcase Lagoon.

Wouldn't this real life Metro station with a working train been great if it were added 

to France's World Showcase?

In my fantasy build of the park, there would be a Metro/Tube line that deposited guests to the back of a few separate countries. Imagineering could make it seem like it went underground, but it wouldn't have to. Think of it as the in-theme Peoplemover or Railroad. The countries known for such transportation would have to have been relocated (France, U.K., Japan), but to alternate bus stops, boat docks, and metro stations would have created plenty of enjoyable ways to navigate a very large space. All this would have taken is some imagination and a lot more money!

Here's The Ride System for Magic Kingdom's New Cars Attraction- It is Not Like Radiator Springs Racers!

This is not a Radiator Springs Racers vehicle! Per Josh D'Amaro at Disney during the D23 convention, this crazy Cars themed addition to Florida's Magic Kingdom is something entirely different. Now, here is what the ride vehicle is: It is an off road all terrain vehicle, but it is in fact a theme park ride car. Who is the manufacturer? None other than Dynamic Attractions. Take a look: 

 

Now, I'm not the one that found this. It's my friends at WDWMagic that uncovered it all on the discussion boards, but I had to share it. (If the link doesn't work, go here.)

No, I'm not thrilled that Frontierland is continuing to devolve from a celebration of America's history, but I'm trying to make the best of it. Imagineering can still do incredible work if given the right budget. That's said, Tiana's Bayou Adventure should have been much better. So what do I know?

This isn't my favorite announcement at D23...

(Concept art The Walt Disney Company.)

A Look Backwards at a Different Epcot Design from Harper Goff

The EPCOT that never was- and the Epcot that could have been. All we've got is the Epcot we have, but it wasn't always like this. There was once a great vision for Disney's second park in Florida. Leave it to those original Imagineers to come up with the best ideas... and here is one of the ones that's still great even if it din't make the cut.

So much detail to be seen here in this concept art.  Imagineer Harper Goff created this beautiful rendering of an EPCOT we will never see. If you click on this huge piece of concept art and look at it closely, you'll find the Netherlands and other unbuilt and interesting design choices. 

The B&W version.

This is a water based Epcot, if you'd like. And I do! It's even more of an urban style showcase than what was eventually built, focusing on classic, romantic architecture as the centerpiece of each pavilion. There's lots of side streets and nooks and crannies to explore. Certainly, the park would have a bustling but very intimate feel with its contrasts of open plazas and smaller courtyards and walkways to explore. 

The downside of it all? It is very Eurocentric- I can only see China and perhaps Japan in the upper right hand side of the park, perhaps that is Morocco slightly south of those. What I don't see is a U.S.A. pavilion. Do you? Aside from the Mexican temple, I do not see anything for South America or Africa- nor can I find Canada. Maybe you can. Front and center in the middle of the large lake, the classic architecture you'd come to expect looks seamlessly blended into more modern structures. 

The once planned Costa Rica pavilion would have been a nice fit!

Venezuela too!

Back to the water features. The great designers of the past always incorporated water features to give guests the impression of cooling off on the intense Florida sun. Instead of just World Showcase Lagoon, you find a main lake plus a smaller one that hosts a Romanesque amphitheater for an evening show. There's canals as well. No, not for Venice gondolas like Tokyo Disneysea but for a different kind of attraction. If you look closely, it's an early version of what looks like a World Cruise attraction where there looks to be show scenes built under the bridges. (If it sounds like what was planned for California's Westcot, it does to me as well! Look at that article including Tony Baxter's ideas here.)

The man was clearly inspired and quite successful at what he did, but I do not see much room for expansion aside from what could be easily removed structures on the West and East sides of the park. Perhaps this is why the design that was finally built was chosen. (I really do have to finish that "If I Built Epcot" article. I have one great idea that no one seems to have used yet... But I'm pretty sure another Epcot/Westcot will never come to be.)

A simple monorail station seems to sit at the entrance of his park with a large square plaza beyond the entrance gates. Inspired by or vaguely reminiscent of what is now found at the end of the Future World path to the lagoon. 

Would Harper's EPCOT work? Most likely it would. I'm sure there's a fascinating story to be told as to why this version of the park was bypassed in favor of what was built. Could it be the suits had plans for massive expansions and many more countries to be represented? History- and Disney's own documents and concept art seem to give us an affirmative answer. I just wish today's Imagineers had the guts to look backward before building something new in this park.
 
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Could Disney's Wish Movie Finally Bring Spain to Epcot?

Could Epcot's World Showcase finally be getting a new pavilion? I'm placing my bets that Disney's new Fall 2023 film Wish finally gets the gorgeous and never yet built Spain to finally come to Walt Disney World. Will Imagineering be given the go ahead by Josh D'Amaro? I thin so- and here's why.

I'd like to say that the original plan for Epcot included plans for many more countries for World Showcase is the reason. But it is not true. Most all those masters of Imagineering 1.0 have passed on. Many of the recent greats with ties to the old masters and their ways of doing things have moved on. So, we know this is not the reason. It boils down to three main issues:

1- The EPCOT transformation has not been seen as "that" successful by die hard fans or the public. After many years and too much wasted money, folks are seeing that Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, and the minor add Journey of Water Inspired by Moana is just not enough and definitely not compelling enough to build a trip or. Nor will it be enough to compete with Universal's upcoming Epic Universe. Other plans announced or hinted at- Mary Poppins, the Spaceship Earth redo, PLAY! and the Brazil showcase- have fallen by the wayside or deemed vastly unpopular and taken out. What, again, was the name of that monstrous failure of a nighttime water show? 

A new country to explore with an attraction that could hold promise based on the movie's storyline would give more for the little ones to do while providing additional dining and shopping opportunities. Spain has already proven to be a beloved and successful stall at the Food & Wine Festival. Why stop there?

Once planned, never built.

2- The Intellectual Property mandate. Like it or not, and I'm not fond of it for Epcot, this is the course all four parks are headed. Enough said on that, right? I'd rather have the Future World and World Showcase of old but it seems the suits are pandering to the old Universal model of being parks about their movies instead of individual, highly themed parks that include some movie related attractions to strengthen the focus. An individual Intellectual Property themed land would not fit in this park, but one that highlights a culture (fictitious or "close enough to a real one) certainly would.

3- The Money. Perhaps the ultimate bottom line. The leaders of the Walt Disney Company finally realize that making significant investment to the parks brings in the most revenue for a consistent amount of time is a major driver for investors. Something is needed to fill all those Disney Vacation Club additions. Disney+ is a bust, and something must change to bring in the bucks. It's time to go back to the business model that worked- and one that made theme park fans happy.

Now about the movie itself.

The upcoming Wish film takes place on the Iberian peninsula. Spain as a new pavilion location is a perfect fit. As you can see from this concept art above, the flavor of what was once proposed fits in perfectly with art from the movie as seen at the top of this post.

Main heroine Asha fits the mold of a likable lead, and my hunch is she is rightful heir to the throne of villain King Magnifico. So you can add in another princess promotion. Toss in a lovable sidekick, a beautiful landscape, a handful of magic, and perhaps most importantly, plans for a pavilion that already exist, and you have all the makings of a fresh take on an old once planned addition to a park that needs something new on the lagoon skyline.

Is it the best plan? Absolutely not. Is it one that would fit the original Imagineering model for this park? Not even close. But these days, a Wish inspired Spain may be the best we get. 

Ready for some paella? I just think I might be ok with this. Maybe.

(Art and photographs copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

 

Something to Make EPCOT Center Purists Drool

Are you an EPCOT purist? Do you need a bit of a break from Moana Journey of Water walk through videos? Or maybe even something different than the opening of California Adventure's new (sort of) San Fransokyo? Keep reading.

There's a lot of talk about Imagineer Zach Riddley's promotion on the WDWMagic discussion boards. Whether you think Zach has deserved it or not, it's happened. His time of redesigning Epcot has come to an end. But look through this blog, and take a look at what the classic EPCOT Imagineers built in real life, in real time. The photographs rock- and they show just how clean, crisp, and inviting a real future forward looking Future World could be, taken early into the parks opening years. 

Those Imagineers knew what they were doing! This almost looks like a Herb Ryman concept art come to life. It's from the terrific Futureport 82 site. Is it a photo or a simulation of what was built? They love Classic EPCOT Center over there, so check them out and seek out the answer!

Visiting Disneyland After 35 Years: My 81 Year Old Mother Does It All

Since we would both be visiting our parents at the same time, on a bit of a whim, my sister and I asked our 81 year old mother if she would go with us to Disneyland.  Would it be the "Happiest Place on Earth"? What would she think of Walt's park after not being there for 35 years? Were we wasting our time and money? Turns out, our concerns were unfounded. (For the record, not only would my father fully abhor the crowds, he would not be all that excited to pay the admission prices and deal with the standing in line. So we knew better than to ask.)

I know myself. Even though they encouraged me to decide, I told she and my Mom I would not be telling them when I wanted to leave. I did say, however, that the later we left, the longer the lines would be- and I left it up to my sister to decide. Surprisingly, she knocked on my door at 4:45am, and we were out the door by 5:15. Right into traffic filled highways ten minutes from departing the house.

 

After a two hour plus drive from Palm Springs to Anaheim, we arrived at the Disneyland Resort parking lot at 8:15- and were ready to get going.

 Looks terrific in person!

Checking the app, it looked like Rise of the Resistance was not yet open. Haunted Mansion Holiday it was. Neither woman had ever seen it. The verdict: My sister liked it better than the original Haunted Mansion that plays off season (blasphemy I say!), and my Mom just enjoyed it. I'm still impressed that Imagineering could give it a layover that makes it feel like an entirely different attraction.

 

I learned something quite eye opening this trip: Everyone enjoys the parks differently, and all too often we hard core park purists / Disney Imagineering fans get our panties in a wad over the smallest and most minute details when we need not be all concerned.  Sometimes, it is justified however, and certainly I have to agree with the old Kevin Yee descriptor "Declining by degrees". The parks are not better under Bob Chapek or even Robert Iger before him.

Walking directly past Splash Mountain with an already 40 minute wait, we decided we'd get on later and passed up the classic flume ride for a shorter wait for Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge stellar attraction. It was both a good and bad decision. In contrast to the wait time for the most popular adventure at Disney's Hollywood Studios, the wait was never more than 75 minutes throughout the day. Certainly this is due to the greater number of rides in the first California park. The second, third, and fourth parks in Florida are woefully under built, especially the Studios. I'm always surprised at how little there is to do there even in contrast to the more than fair comparison to California Adventure.

 The land is impressive, but it does feel a bit lifeless when there's no characters around.

The good decision was a relatively short wait for the truly incredible Rise of the Resistance.  My only complaint about it came at the very beginning. The in cabin effects of the turntable were not working at all. I had told my Mom to hang on and brace herself for the rougher ride in the universe, but she could have very well gone hands free. We smoothly moved on long before we were caught in the tractor beam. I was honestly shocked how the lack of a rougher voyage was a definite downgrade in the experience and in setting up the thrill factors of the rest of the attraction. I was also very surprised that the ride was having a major effect broken this early in its existence. 

 

Perhaps Rise will go the way of Indiana Jones Adventure with effects never repaired after a couple of years. I wouldn't put it past this greedy corporate leadership team under Bob Chapek where, sadly, profits reign first over show and guest satisfaction. Disney historians will rightfully remember him as the black mark of all Disney CEOs to date.

 

We followed up joining the Resistance with a ride on Smuggler's Run.  Not much to say about it, actually. It is a good but not great attraction. Walking out of the newest land in the park, we bypassed the shops, Oga's Cantina (which already had a wait), and any food - including blue milk. Neither lady was interested in taking in anything else in the area, so we moved on. The area felt lifeless unless you were on the attractions. Was it lack of music, movement, characters or all of the above? Probably.

The bad part of our decision to go right to Rise of the Resistance? Due to the later extended wait, we never made it back to Splash Mountain before Tiana's Bayou Adventure takes over. It may be a good move and perhaps a fine attraction when its finally completed, but there are parts of what's planned to showcase the Princess and the Frog film that feel a bit like Bargain Basement Imagineering. Don't agree with me? I want to remain hopeful, but take a look at this.

 

 Is it too much to ask for working effects? We are paying a lot for a day at Disneyland!

Speaking of Indy, neither my Mom or sister had ridden it. They didn't know what they were missing, but I did: I had taken on the four hour wait on opening day when I unexpectedly won a large award for my work with AT&T and found myself in California. The options for one day's activity was a free round of golf on a championship course, or a day at Disneyland. No contest! I rode twice in one day. Yes, pulling the bamboo pole in the queue did what it was designed to do. Three doors meant three options, and yes, I saw the rubble fall from the ceiling a la the dyed ice effect. Rats scurried, multiple darts were blown, and the giant once realistic looking snake moved menacingly toward me. Not so much now with modern Disney upkeep... at least in the States.

 

Of all the effects not to be functioning for their first ride, the rolling boulder finale was absent. Unbelievable! They came off the jeep journey singing its praises... that is until I told them what was missing in action.  

 

Still- there's nothing like it. No, Animal Kingdom's Dinosaur aka Countdown to Extinction in its current state is not nearly as powerful an attraction. It used to be so much stronger and a much better experience when all the effects were working.

 

It was now time for lunch. Since reservations at the Blue Bayou were unavailable and I wanted to get my Mom that Monte Cristo sandwich she remembered, we went to Cafe Orleans. Surprised that the wait would be 40 minutes when I joined the standby reservations, I took the advice of Cast Member Lisa. She mentioned even with a wait of that length, she'd often seen seating take place within 10 minutes. True to her word, I had barely sat down when our names were called.

 

Our long and leisurely lunch included that Monte Cristo and Caesar Salad, soup, drinks, and a shared Mint Julep for all of us to try. It was terrific to be out in the sun but under the shade of a nearby tree on the patio. Jack Skellington and Sally could be seen greeting guests across the way.

 

Wandering through the back streets of New Orleans Square was next, and it is something I never tired of. California Adventure's landmark Cars Land is terrific, Galaxy's Edge very impressive, but neither hold a candle to the work of the old school Imagineering team that designed this part of Disneyland. It is still the finest piece of theme park design work done by the Company in the States. 

 

I do miss the open courtyard with the winding staircase, but this part of the park is the closest thing Disney fans have to rival Universal Orlando's show stopping Diagon Alley at the Studios in Florida. (Read my reasoning in this post: Why Every Disney Imagineering fan should see it for themselves. )

 

Snow White's Enchanted Wish... coming later.

Decades after its arrival at Disneyland, It's A Small World continues to be a family favorite. It's charm and innocence drew us all in, and the attraction was in great shape. I'm always happy to see the classics get the care and respect they deserve.

A hard earned life lesson: 

Just because the government and its leaders may be corrupt 

or even evil doesn't mean any nation's people are less than kind and friendly.

 

Disneyland's setting for the beloved attraction is iconic- the beautifully designed facade and clock tower with marching toys is a piece of art. In Walt Disney World with its blessing of size, the attraction's big box design and placement in the Magic Kingdom continues to disappoint me. Thankfully, this major design flaw was corrected in Tokyo, Paris, and Hong Kong!

 

Tangled is a favorite of all the recent Disney / Pixar movies, (only surpassed by the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. For the record, Ratatouille is in third place.) For one set of grandkids, the adventures of Rapunzel and Eugene (also known as Flynn Rider) make it one of their favorite Disney+ television series. As I was leaving Small World plaza, I saw the duo walking by just past me. I called out saying, "You're my grandkids' favorite! I have to get a photo!" They stopped, and in perfect character, Eugene yelled out, "Wait! I want to give them the smolder!" Afterward, the not in character cast member standing by remarked, "You're going to be the hero grandfather!" with a big smile on her face.

 

You have to love all this. At Disneyland, you don't (currently) need an appointment to see the characters; for the most part they just walk around greeting guests and seem like others in the crowd. (Jack and Sally were an exception.) With the abundance of actors and actresses in Southern California, you get the best of the best and the interactions with guests tend to be top tier. This builds great and memorable experiences that sell themselves and the parks as stories are shared back home. Old school Walt and team at its best. Whoever you are in real life, Eugene, thank you. And yes, the grandkids loved it.

 

The Wildest Ride in the Wilderness is a must do anytime I find myself in a park where Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is on the attraction list. And it's a necessity to take a photo of us on it or nearby and send it to my youngest daughter when she isn't with us. It's her favorite coaster and doing this - and rubbing it in a little- has now become a time honored family tradition. I didn't include the photo here, but mission accomplished.

 

Unexpectedly, my Mom got in the train and used the safety bar to guide her into her seat, thereby locking it in place. Since time was short, my sister jumped in front with me. So, Mom's riding alone, but no worries, she laughed all the way through the ride. Had the wait been shorter, I'm sure we would have ridden again.

The afternoon sun was hot, so we hopped into Red Rose Tavern for some water and a taste of the Grey Stuff. taking in the air conditioning gave us a chance to talk, rest, and regroup. Ordering was quick and easy with it being delivered quickly. The cast member asked where I was from and thanked me for coming to Disneyland. Wow.

 

Since the wait time was less than ten minutes, I ran next door to Snow White's Enchanted Wish. It's a nice, clever update. I'm not a fan of adding in pieces of the animated film. It's a update that was needed. Was it worth all the on-line chatter? Only to us geeks. Then, I took in Pinocchio. I'm not sure why it gets the flack it does. It fits in well with the other dark rides around it even with its more serious tone.

 

Eventually, we all took the  Horseless Carriage to Town Square as the ladies wanted to do some shopping. I took a few minutes to talk to the two cast members driving and asked about the Tree House. Neither had heard anything and said there has been no official announcement. 

 

There's been some chatter on the WDWMagic boards about the many changes in Cast Member grooming and all the tattoos. Yes, I saw many cast members and many with more than one display of ink art. Much more facial hair on the men as well. Obviously colored hair and such. There was no discernible change in the level of service, but visually, it was different. The classic, ultra-clean cut Disney look is a thing of the past.

 

As my sister and Mom continued to shop, I popped into the Disney Gallery or whatever its called now. My sister then ran back to the car for something, and my Mom and I took in the Enchanted Tiki Room. What's not to like about 10 minutes of Hawaiian music and more air conditioning? I truly do enjoy this attraction. The lighting effects are some of the best in the park, and the music instantly takes me back to the islands. We sat for a moment at the Refreshment Corner and listened to the piano while we waited for my sister to catch up with us. I took a view of Main Street and people watched for a bit as well.

 

Nice to see these two! It had been way too long!

Once my sister returned, a train ride around the park was a perfect way to end our perfect day in the park. We ended up meeting my nephew and his wife at 7:00pm for dinner at Ralph Brennan's (the only place available with less than an hour and a half wait on a Thursday night). 

 

We said goodbye at 9:45pm and headed home to Palm Springs. Within ten to fifteen minutes, my Mom was asleep in the back of the car. This gave my sister and I a chance to catch up. A rare opportunity as we do not live in the same state. She told me she prefers Walt Disney World over Disneyland. This didn't surprise me as it is a much more relaxed time spread usually over several days instead of one day crammed with activities. As far as I'm concerned, they are two different animals, with each one having its own strengths and weaknesses. Walt feels very present at Disneyland, and these days, Corporate Disney feels very much in charge in Florida.

 

My mother had a blast and kept up with us easily. She is amazing- fun, upbeat, and easy to be with. She enjoys life and is strong, healthy, full of faith in the Lord Jesus, and young at heart. What a blessing! As they say, a great day was had by all, and I will remember this day for years to come. 

 

(Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)