Time of Death...

Please tell me it isn't true! I mean, I know it is, but No!!!! Is this year really the last?!? Scrubs has got to be the funniest television on the air at this point in time. What is it's secret weapon? This show successfully incorporates heart and quirkiness, caustic outlooks with quiet optimism, and then adds a huge dose of respect for life with gobs of bellylaughs.

From J.D. to Dr. Cox, the characters are engaging and memorable, the storylines consistently good. We all have our favorites but "My Musical" of Season Six sparkles in a way never expected- and you can't help but love the later seasons and its focused and funny jabs at "Grey's Anatomy". R.I.P. Scrubs.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

The price of my cup of coffee is normally $1.89- Panera Bread's unlimited refill (and wonderful) Hazelnut blend. My stops at Starbucks or Caribou cost more. But it can buy even more than satisfying my need for liquid caffeine.

For the price of my daily coffee, my wife and I also provide almost 2 days worth of medical care, clothing and shelter to our Compassion International child in Bolivia! This Sunday is Compassion Sunday, when this agency focuses on gaining additional folks who are willing to literally "Put Their Money Where Their Mouth Is." (That's my saying, not theirs.) 

Please check out the agency and consider making a difference that lasts longer than the time it takes to drink your favorite brew (or the length of your next trip to Disney). You'll be glad you did. Thanks.

The Italian Job at Tokyo Disneysea

An elaborate fraud has been perpetuated! A bank heist? An unauthorized transfer of funds from a multinational company? No. This eleborate fraud has been pulled off by the Walt Disney Company. Most of us in the United States will never know of it.


No, these are not more photos from our trip to Europe. These are shots of Tokyo Disneysea taken from their 5th Anniversary souvenir book. (As usual, all copyrights belong to the Walt Disney Company.)


Just look at the care put into their recreation of Venice, known here as Mediterranean Harbor. I can tell you first hand, that this looks like Venice- it even has the sometimes maddening crowd problem, as the annual visitor numbers consistently hit the 8 to 10 million mark.

This terrific park opened in later in 2001, the same year that California Adventure became a laughing stock of a reality. My hunch is this is why the passionate on-line Disney community was so upset with getting DCA. Even a comparitive glance between the two parks reveals who lost in the battle of the second gates. The good news? Tokyo Disney Sea also proves what the company is capable of when given the time, freedom, and budget to design a theme park. Or in the case of DCA, enhancement and redesign of a park.
Count me among the hopeful.

The Wild West Lives Again in Frontierland

Love these old souvenir books! This great little map is from my 1957 Disneyland guide. Doesn't this Frontierland look like Davy Crockett's (or wannabe Davy Crockett's) dream? (Even without Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.)

One aspect I really enjoyed about the younger years of the park is that Disney allowed you to create your own adventures. Sure, stories were told- and often times they were of a company film- but especially in Frontierland, we were encouraged to exercise our own imagination a bit. There we could explore caves, an old fort, the Indian village, or even an entire western landscape by mule or train. Paddling a canoe or taking a cruise on an old steamwheeler took us places where we didn't know what lay ahead. Great fun!

Anyway, the graphics on this map are great. I'll be posting more of this souvenir book in weeks to come. Enjoy!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Detailed Report: Animal Kingdom

The old saying goes "The Devil is in the Details", but I'd rather not give him the credit for the magnificent work found in Disney's Animal Kingdom! In fact, the very hard working Imagineers produced a stateside park that hasn't seen this much elaborate theming since Disneyland. This combination trip report and photo shoot covers my last three visits. Make sure to look at the images in their largest form for the full impact.

Just like the Earth it celebrates, this newest Florida gem is lovingly created and intelligently designed. Nothing is left to chance- it is a work of art. It is a fully immersive experience, a wonder for the eyes, very satisfying to the soul. 

The entry gardens set the pace for the park: there are multiple paths to explore and animals and birds all around. The vegetation is lush and green with tropical flowers, streams, and small waterfalls to be found. Nooks and crannies to be discovered contain animal exhibits quietly hidden for the folks who choose to take the time to find them. All this adds a sense of mystery. The chattering of birds and small creatures is intermingled with the sounds of human laughter and anticipation. What lies ahead may be low on attraction count, but it does not disappoint!

Let's start with the Tree of Life found in the first land, Discovery Island. This mid range shot only gives you a glimpse of the abundance of care put into the design and execution. Even if this structure did not house the 3D production, "It's Tough to Be a Bug", it would still be worth the land use. Surrounding the tree are gardens, streams, and footpaths for exploration.

In spite of the surroundings, it is the tree itself that pulls in the interest. In fact, over three hundred animal carvings are found in the trunk. The next shot shows one of the animals on display, a chimp. Impressive, huh?

My last Tree photo is filled with animals- made possible by zoom lens. The detail is enough to make adults and children scream with delight upon each animal discovery- and it does.

Moving away from the Tree of Life and onto Dinoland, U.S.A., we see rather quickly that the theme changes but the attention to detail does not. I am not a big fan of the mini-land found here, Dinorama, but there is still a lot of thought and planning put into the area in general. The next two shots are of The Boneyard, a children's play area themed to a dinosaur bone dig. I intentionally cropped the first shot to show the beautiful bougainvillea. It is not just the man-made areas that are wonderful here: the foliage adds so much to the park, and in fact, is another reason this place is more than a zoo. The second shot shows a jeep in the play area in more detail.

The artistry extends to the theater productions as well. Two of Walt Disney World's best shows are found at the Animal Kingdom: Finding Nemo: The Musical, and The Festival of the Lion King. This Nemo photo shows fine detail- and this shot was taken 3 rows from the back in a theater that holds several thousand people for each performance.

In recent years, one of the most anticipated additions to Disney's Florida resort is Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain. It was worth the wait! Here are three images I am very proud of taking: the mountain range from afar; a close-up of the attraction sign; and a shot taken at the top of the mountain before the extremely fun backwards portion of the ride. Take time to look at each photo for all the show elements.

The rest of Asia, is not lacking for detail either. A simple ice cream stand resides inside this piece of art, a truck, and an elaborate carpet announces the Flights of Wonder bird show.

The tiger and bat habitat trail, Maharaja Jungle Trek, is another fine example of the commitment to design in this park. Contained along the trail is this full length mural- just an extra piece of eye candy as your adventure takes you to the ruins of this once opulent palace overtaken by nature.

The last stop on our tour is Africa and the town of Harambe. The hand posted advertisements notify us of what is available here, including the Tusker House restaurant. The local telephone system may be old, but it gets the job done. The layering of detail upon detail makes it difficult to remember that this park was created from nothing and opened only ten years ago.




Aside from the safari tour, a nature trail takes us through a small valley filled with gorillas. These animals are majestic! The Greatest Imagineer must have found much pleasure in creating these regal animals.

As you can tell, the combination of lush landscapes, detailed structures, thrilling adventures, and live creatures, makes Disney's Animal Kingdom one wonderful park. This is the kind of park that sets Disney above its competitors. Surely, more is planned for Animal Kingdom in the years to come- and I can promise you, if given the chance, I will return.

(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)

Site-ing Worth a Look

Gotta check out this blog: http://vintagedisneylandgoodies.blogspot.com.

Why? If you are looking for tons of vintage Disney stuff- including a scan of Walt's invitation to visit his new magical kingdom in Anaheim, this is the place. There is so much more here, too. Just like the name says, you'll find Disneyland tickets, guidemaps, and more. Trust me on this one, it is worth a look!

Idol Flashback

Gotta love Simon. He does tell it like it is, even though he is not always kind. After six and one half seasons of "American Idol", he clearly has the best ear for music and the most polished taste. This year's finalists are somewhat interesting. That said, due to lack of compelling contestants, I skipped 2007's American Idol altogether. The year before, 2006, was an entirely different story.

Chris Daughtry was compelling, Taylor Hicks nice, sometimes annoying but always quirky, and Mandisa big and beautiful. But a young man with a cropped haircut and warm heart captured alot of well-deserved attention: Elliott Yamin.

About this time two years ago, Yamin really began to stand out from the crowd. An amazing and confident version of "Moody's Mood for Love" was followed by a variety of interesting and varied performances, including a powerful version of Queen's "Somebody to Love". From 40s standards to Old School R&B, Elliott could sing it all. Even though he was not crowned as the year's Idol, it was his rich and soulful performance of "A House is Not a Home" during the finale that showed America this kid had "it"- charm, talent, and heart.

His debut album was a solid effort earning credibility beyond the Idol world. His Christmas album was honestly not my favorite piece of work, but I believe Elliott will wow me again. I believe it to my soul.

Westward Ho!

Here's the index of the 1957 Disneyland Souvenir Guide. A detailed look of what is on it is pretty revealing. Lots of corporate sponsors to be sure. But it is offset by probably the greatest incarnation of Frontierland to date!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Learner's Permit

With summer coming up, I thought it would be fun to post this image from MiceAge. Just print and cut! This is an opportunity for all the parents out there to give their young ones something fun during a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Disneyland's Autopia- a classic!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Time Passages

Aloha Airlines just let its employees know it will no longer continue operations. Really too bad as almost 3,000 people drew their income from this inter-island Hawaiian carrier. Families are in shock and trying to reevaluate their lives and their future.

This closing impacts two good friends of mine, pilots who have served this airline and its passengers for many, many years. I do not know what they will do and how this will affect their families in the long term. I do know this, the God they serve will be present in this hard time and will give them hope and direction in the midst of it all. They have placed their faith in Him long ago- and now, again, it is time to have this faith tested- and for it to be proven true.

The promise of life in Jesus doesn't mean things are easy. It just means He is true when He says He will never leave us or turn away from us. That is where our peace and our comfort remains, not in the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

Pleasure Island's Past

During our first trip to Walt Disney World in 1982, we really enjoyed the peaceful and serene Disney Village. Seven years later, journeying with three kids to see the month old Disney-MGM Studios, we discovered Pleasure Island adjacent to the Village.

Below are two pictures from that trip- one of the now defunct Merriweather's Market and the other the Fireworks Factory. The Factory was home of some terrific and varied barbeque, and the Market, if memory serves me right, was the place to go for deli sandwiches and snacks.


The last photo below is from 1992: the Rock N Roll Beach Club. Even with a pretty cool logo and some fine design touches, at this point in time, the place was pretty empty and soon on its way out. Rollerskating here was a thing of the past as well.
Downtown Disney became the name of this complex once the West Side was added. Surely, Disney's plans for this ever growing piece of real estate will continue to change and evolve as the years go on. The T-Rex Restaurant is on its way and a rumored Apple Store, too. Hopefully, Disney will see fit to save one of the original nightspots- the truly original Adventurer's Club.

(Photos copyright Mark Taft.)

Diva

Annie Lennox never fails to surprise.

Pairing with Dave Stewart as the Tourists but later finding fame as the Eurythmics, Annie crafted some of the most haunting songs of the era: "Sweet Dreams", "Would I Lie to You?" and "Here Comes the Rain Again" to name a few. Just when we think we've got her figured out, Annie makes us hear her afresh, dueting with Aretha Franklin- and easily holding her own with the Queen of Soul.

Her solo career is also full of the unexpected: It's a gutsy move to cover the Clash's "Train in Vain" and change it into a new pop masterpiece, add new emotional depth to Paul Simon's "Something So Right" or a sing along vibe to "Walking on Broken Glass". Previewing an inspired concert pairing, she and Sting brought new life to his classic "We'll Be Together". With both of them working it out, it's a brand new song.

Her voice strong yet vulnerable, her songs choices bold and inspired, and her image ever transforming, Annie Lennox has carved out a place in pop history- one that will not be easily replaced.

Our Future in Colors

Still on my Tomorrowland kick, so here is another piece of Disneyland history. This map comes from the 1957 souvenir book. After an introduction by Walt, each land has a color map, an introductory description and then a detailed list of shops, restaurants, attractions (many labeled "rides"), exhibits and services. To top it off, all this is followed by some great period photographs.

If you enlarge this piece, in addition to the "nifty" graphic artwork, you'll clearly see an empty space where the Matterhorn now sits and a section labeled "International Land (Future Development Area)". Major additions like the Submarine Lagoon, the Carousel Theater and Space Mountain have yet to be added as well. Interestingly, most of the core buildings in place then are still around today.

As we speak, Tomorrowland continues to evolve. Internet rumors say change is on its way. What will the future hold? Only the Imagineers know for sure, but I bet it will be colorful.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Happy Friends Reunion

Didn't you smile just seeing this picture? Can't you hear the Friends theme song now? We welcomed this very lovable group of misfits into our home on a regular basis, and we quickly discovered we couldn't stay away. These folks were kind and warm, quirky, funny, and 100% dedicated to each other. Though they were far from perfect, we cheered for them to succeed, laughing most of the time, crying others.

As much as we loved them, their eccentricities reminded us of people we knew and hurt with: Chandler and his rotten self image and unfortunate childhood; poor abandoned Phoebe, trying everything and anything to find peace and purpose; Lovable, childlike man-whore Joey, who thought the solutions to his problems were to be found in endless sexual escapades; the ever popular Rachel- rich and spoiled, she struggled when things didn't go her way and she had to live within limits; and our majorly disfunctional siblings Monica and Ross- one such a control and neat freak that she drove most men away and the other so controlled by his emotions that he jumped from marriage to marriage to find value.

Thankfully, at the end of a decade, we got to see them grow up! Still far from perfect but now making more healthy adult choices. If they can do it, there's hope for all of us. Gotta love them- and I do- at least enough for late night TV reunions.

Broken

The last few months I've seen an increasing amount of marriages fall apart. Shattered lives and dreams, broken kids and broken people. Most of these marriages could have made it, but there were a few recurring themes that caused each of these to fall apart.

Forgiveness is at the top of the list. It's to be expected that two people sharing lives are going to hurt each other, sometimes seriously. I've seen forgiveness heal the toughest of circumstances and lack of it turn a small offense into the root of destruction. Please don't let your hurts build up. Work it out.

Secondly, selfishness is a huge culprit in destroying love. Grow up a bit, buckle down, and learn to prefer the other partner. Focus on meeting their needs. If both do that, each person's needs are met and love grows. It is not all about you.

Lastly, please talk. Good communication builds love and respect. Gentle honesty adds to trust and reassures commitment. It amazes me how the simple art of talking, which caused love to grow in the first place, becomes relegated to drudgery. This issue goes all the way back to the first marriage. Had the residents of the garden practiced talking before action, chances are that forbidden fruit would have stayed on the tree. Somewhere, somehow, we need to learn these lessons or we'll pass on a heritage of pain.