Beach Getaway

Snapped this photo years ago while in California. It just seemed so iconic, so SoCal! I can almost feel the ocean breeze and the sound of seagulls. The full size version sits as my desktop photo right now. 

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

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!)

Happy One Year Anniversary of Epic Universe Opening!

This can't be true! Can it? Florida's Epic Universe has been open one whole year? No way! Yes, it absolutely is true. The third full sized theme park at Universal Orlando Resort is a smash hit, and I can't wait to see it for myself. But I have agreed to let my youngest son and soon to be wife a first crack at it. 

As big Harry Potter fans, it's on the top of their list next to Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. Regardless, congratulations to Universal Creative. They knocked it out of the park!
 

Coffee Shop Wisdom

Here's some real coffee shop wisdom! When stopping into the local Starbucks or Caribou Coffee, I rarely expect to be confronted with this kind of real truth. But I found it in an unexpected place when I went to meet a friend in the Metro Denver area. You know, anytime someone attaches the name of Jesus to something, I have to think twice. This time, the message was so strong, I couldn't just walk by!

The Extraordinary Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant

 One of the most beautiful photos of Disneyland Paris' stunning castle, Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant left in the largest size possible! Makes for a perfect screensaver or desktop photo. Whoever the photographer was- Walt Elias somebody- deserves an award for this exquisite piece of art!

How does this castle rank compared to those in other Disney parks? Take a look at the ranking here.

Perhaps the Rarest Photo of the Magic Kingdom's Haunted Mansion

Welcome Foolish Mortals to perhaps the rarest photograph of Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion. Taken around 1971, this is a rare promotional sheet from the Imagineering files. Giving the viewer the perfect look at the attraction from the now long lost Tom Sawyer Island. Plying the Rivers of America, these beautiful canoes and a trip into the wilderness was an opening day attraction not to be missed. Liberty Square was a perfect setting for the old abandoned mansion. Guests couldn't stay away once they discovered the 999 Happy Haunts in residence. The Imagineering masterpiece has drawn in unsuspecting visitors for over 50 years now... much longer number of years than those Cars at Piston Peak will ever reach.

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Soarin' Across America Attraction Poster #2

This attraction poster is even better than the first one we saw months ago! Soarin' Across America is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Whether you're in Epcot at Walt Disney World or out in Anaheim at Disney California Adventure, the film is a worthy and memorable addition to the attraction line up. How long will it stay around? Probably for decades. :)
 

Slapped Around By God

Have you ever felt like God has your number? Like He is paying attention to you and wants you to wake up to some awful thought or practice in your life? Boy, oh boy. This morning's message from the great Oswald Chambers and his classic My Utmost For His Highest hit me square between the eyes! So, let me share my personal correction from God with you:

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 He has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature.— 2 Peter 1:4

Through God’s promises, we participate in the divine nature. But if we want to express the divine nature in our human nature, we must form habits—and the very first habit we must form is the habit of recognizing God’s provision.

Do you often find yourself saying, “I can’t afford it”? One of the worst lies is tucked up in this statement. It’s considered bad taste to talk about money—how much you have or don’t have—and the same is true of spiritual riches. We talk as though our heavenly Father has cut us off without a cent. We think it’s a sign of modesty to say, “It was a real struggle, but I got by.” Meanwhile, all of God Almighty is ours through the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we obey God, he will tax the last grain of sand and the remotest star to bless us. What does it matter if our external circumstances are difficult? Why shouldn’t they be? If we indulge in the luxury of misery and give way to self-pity, we banish God’s riches from our lives. No sin is worse than self-pity, because it erases God and puts self-interest on the throne. It opens our mouths to spit out streams of complaint, and our lives become constantly craving spiritual sponges, with nothing lovely or generous about them.

When God is beginning to be satisfied with us, he will impoverish every source of phony wealth in our lives, until we learn that true wealth lies only in him. If we aren’t consciously aware of the fact that his majesty and grace and power are being manifested in us, God holds us responsible.

“God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Learn to lavish the blessings of God on others, and his blessings will come through you all the time.

Olivia Newton-John Back to Basics Again

Hopelessly Devoted to You makes up only a single slice of the hits of Olivia Newton-John. Benson Boone's mega single Magical Mystical steals Olivia's Physical record for its backbone. Her Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992 was filled with all the hits you'd expect plus four new selections that recall her past. I Want to Be Wanted summons Hopelessly Devoted; I Need Love brings a sultry dance number with its rather blunt sexual lyrics; Not Gonna Be the One recalls her country tunes but with a fresh take; and lastly, Deeper Than A River is smart enough to have been a big hit. Unfortunately, her breast cancer returned and a supporting tour was cancelled. If you liked my earlier post last month that "cleaned up" Olivia, you're sure to like this photograph as well. 

The Unexpected Disneyland Trip

 When we lived in Northern California, I would have never expected a trip to Disneyland would be part of my workday, but it was exactly what happened. As a sale rep for AT&T, I was given large accounts in Southern California, so every quarter or so, I would fly down to the O.C., meet some customers and return home by the end of the week. One afternoon, my sales manager (in the Minnie ears in the upper left hand corner), suggested we plan a team building exercise for two days. She chose to celebrate a year of wild success by taking us all to Disneyland. What a kick! It was certainly unexpected!

A New Idea Beyond Electric Autopia Cars- And It's a Perfect Fit for Disneyland's Tomorrowland

"Don't bury the lead!" This is the old newspaperman's wisdom that has lasted for centuries whether the content was put on paper or in digital form. News has broken that Disneyland, the one, original, Walt's park, will not only be keeping the Autopia in Tomorrowland, but it will be converted to electric vehicles. I think this is an excellent move for multiple reasons, but I will miss the smell of the fuel. It brings back so many great memories of when I'd visit the park as a kid! 

Can I say I hope they use the cars from Hong Kong Disneyland? And could they certainly make the track and surrounding areas look as inviting as that Chinese park? I hope so. 

This all led me to think there is a perfect addition to Tomorrowland that I've heard no one else mention yet. So, here it is:

Move Aquatopia from Tokyo Disneysea to the old Motor Boat Cruise lagoon next to Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage! It'd bring fresh energy to a land that was once " a World on the Move" and fill in a very dead space in the park. Not every addition needs to be an "E Ticket" to fit or to be successful- or even beloved. Just look at the Fantasyland Dark Rides at Disneyland! 

A move such as this would be unexpected, appreciated, and filled with charm. Go ahead, Imagineering. Pitch my idea! D23 is just around the corner!

Shanghai Disneyland's Train Station That Isn't

Like most Disney Imagineering projects, theme park fans have much to say about the outcome. And Shanghai Disneyland is no exception. While I find the castle itself a monstrosity, I do in fact find other parts of the park charming. Treasure Cove feels like old school, excellent Imagineering in its thoughtful design. In contrast, Fantasyland seems to be a misguided attempt at merging the past with newer Disney offerings. It fails miserably.

These pieces of concept art by David Damron reveal a charming take on the railroad train station that wasn't. A landmark designed to feel familiar but would hold nothing of real interest. Well, I guess it is mission accomplished. 

There's no doubt his pieces are beautiful, and the end result is lovely. Mickey Avenue is a surprising turn for those guests expecting Main Street U.S.A., but that is the way things are for this Chinese park. Things are unexpected: Fantasyland flops hard, but Tomorrowland shines brightly. Nothing is quite as it should be, but it is also the most unique of all castle parks. 

(Concept art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Death City and the Zombie Invasion!

They're coming! Clear the way! This is the real thing! More real than Death City! Universal Studios popular Halloween Horror Nights is coming faster than you can say, "Really! But Summer hasn't even started!" Ever been fascinated with zombies, vampires, and the occult? Boy, I have! Even going back to Dark Shadows television show of the 1960s. Looking back to a popular television series in the early part of this century, I found there's a lot of learning to do about zombies. Just check out The Walking Dead.

Poor Sheriff Rick Grimes! The long-standing hero of AMC's The Walking Dead, loses one beloved person after another to the zombie invasion. With almost four seasons under his belt, you think he'd be a bit tired from this zombie invasion...and become a walker much sooner than later.

Truth is, we're all prisoners or walkers. In the Bible's book of Romans, the Apostle Paul tells the readers we are all dead in our sins, doomed for eternal damnation without God. In a sense, we are prisoners of our own making. Think of what you have done in your past that brings you shame, that has hurt others, that has been dishonest or lacked love. If you're like me, that is quite a bit of things to regret and can be a heavy weight to live under. We're prisoners of our own doing!

And yet, Jesus! Thankfully, Jesus, the Son of God, paid the price Himself for our sin- my sin, your sin. And those that would put their faith in Him and live for Him, believing Jesus was raised from the dead for our benefit, would be given a new life. A life that begins anew here and one that will last for all eternity. Can I hear an "Amen!"?

But- and this is a big one- even those of us that know and love and trust Jesus- can act as if we are the Living Dead. How does this happen? It happens in a few ways: 

1- We can choose to live like we used to. Living a life that only pleases us, therefore we look and act no different than when we encountered Jesus. And the darkness in us grows stronger than the true light over time. 

2- We can insulate ourselves from the dying world around us. In the church, this is sometimes referred to as "the Christian Bubble". What happens is we hang out only with those who think as we do. The problem is, this kind of living creates a dullness in our souls. Why? Because we are made for more! We are made to love others and share the news of Jesus with them. 

3- We can live our lives as victims instead of as those victorious in Christ. I see this happen all the time. Let's face it- crap happens to all of us. Betrayal, deceit, disappointment, illness, misfortune, death. Jesus never did promise us an easy life- and He sure didn't have one. If believers in Jesus begin to own that as their identity, instead of realizing they love and serve the Living God, bitterness and sadness rule their lives instead of joy and peace. 

There's a Zombie Invasion in our world. People of all types are lonely, discouraged, and disappointed. The church itself has even taken on a victim mentality. (And I'm not saying it should be all wealth and health and prosperity- that's not a godly viewpoint nor one that is supported by reading the Bible as a whole.) What I am saying is that too many people who say they believe do not live as if Jesus has really overcome. 

Let's not be satisfied to live as a walker or a prisoner. Let's embrace new life in Jesus Christ- the only one who can give it- and live in freedom, joy, and peace- with a great eternity ahead as we persevere!

Disney Film Travel Posters Hint at Future Park Attractions

Travel posters of places home to Disney movies' animated characters. What's not to love? As you'll see, there are some similarities to the original Disneyland attraction posters that everyone loves. At top is Atlantis, from Atlantis: The Lost Empire. The cool blues and greens and purples call out to me. Part of me wishes this was for an attraction based on the film. Real concept art for an attraction at Disneyland exists, and the new version of the Submarine Voyage was teased. You can see it all here. A guy can dream, right?

Ah, the islands! The next two here are for Moana and Peter Pan. Both very good movies, and the latter one is one of my all time Disney favorites. Makes for a great Fantasyland attraction or one at Tokyo Disneysea's new Fantasy Springs area. Will a Moana flume ride make it to the Magic Kingdom's Adventureland? Maybe one day. Those Imagineers are always up to something.

Zootopia's staying power has surprised me. Even though the first was a lot of fun, it was really the second movie that made me appreciate the franchise even more. Will I go to Shanghai Disneyland to see the park's land? Probably not, but it seems Disney California Adventure could get its own version if the rumors are true that this is what new Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro wants. Goodbye Pandora West.

It could work in California Adventure- 

the park where theme goes out the window.

Big Hero 6 gives us San Fransokyo. While I think the film is great, the land doesn't seem as well done. There's no real attraction. I mean, as fun as it may be, a meet and greet with Baymax is just not enough. But again, this is Disney California Adventure where the bar gets lower and lower each time an addition is added. 

This is not a precursor to Villain's Land! But it very well could be as the underworld of Hades would make a compelling but very dark backdrop to all those bad guys. 

This next one could be a real life location in Italy! We've been to the Cinque Terra, the inspiration. And it is lovely by any definition. Luca is a clever film that enchants with its atmosphere. Its main characters Luca and Alberto are best friends, much like the Bible's David and Jonathan. You can read into their relationship however you want. I prefer what's really there in the film over what's not. 

Disney Adventure World in Paris is getting the world's first Lion King themed land. The old studios park needs something like this. Frozen is beautiful but the main attraction is not an "E Ticket" by any definition. The new park layout looks beautiful, however. 

Hopefully, this is part of a new and ongoing poster series!

Disney's Country Bears and Pixar's Cars Take Over Colorado

Count this Colorado man very surprised to see Disney characters in Audio-Animatronic form outside of one of the theme parks. And not just a Country Bear Musical Jamboree bear but a "Car" as well! They both had as much motion and expression in their eyes as any of the characters in the parks. Surprising? Absolutely! Where was this whole thing? We were in Scheels Sporting Goods store in Colorado Springs, Colorado- and this was their shooting gallery. Just goes to show Disney inspiration is everywhere!