Rare Haunted Mansion Concept Art

Sometimes digging deep into my Disney files can yield buried treasure. Such is the case today with this piece of concept art filed years ago, here depicting the Haunted Mansion as it would have appeared at the end of Main Street U.S.A.

If my memory serves me correctly, it was the early 1960's and the great early Imagineer Ken Anderson crafted this piece at the request of Walt Disney himself. It's quite a piece of art!

There's a detail not so easily seen in this size, but if you click on it for the largest version, you'll find two young boys eyeing the decrepit old house with a strange mix of fear and intrigue. Just the right mix of emotions, I'd say. 

As with so few iconic Disney attractions, the Haunted Mansion is/was a perfect candidate to be placed in different locations in each castle park. Of course, in Disneyland, it's home is New Orleans Square and in the Magic Kingdom in Florida, it's found in Liberty Square. Disneyland Paris places Phantom Manor in Frontierland, and in Tokyo the mansion is found in Fantasyland. Should another Magic Kingdom ever be built with a Main Street U.S.A., I'd vote for the suits to resurrect this original idea and bring the project full circle.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Josh Duggar Deserves to Die

Josh Duggar, reality television star of 19 and Counting, has come out and admitted that he inappropriately touched his sisters when he was a teenager. This alone is worthy of a scandal. But when the molester is a self-professed Christian and part of a large Baptist family, it is the kind of stuff tabloid writers dream about. It's even juicer when the man has worked for the Family Research Council, a conservative Christian lobby group. Now everyone gets to point to someone they can easily call a hypocrite.

I can only imagine the pain this caused, including his parents. How could they help their daughters? What could be done about their son? Short of losing a child, having one that is sexually taken advantage of has to be one of the most difficult experiences to parent through- aside perhaps, having a child who is the offender.

Josh Duggar deserves to die. He has probably wanted to, and perhaps his victims have processed the same kind of feelings. It is inexcusable. It's monstrous. It's human. Yes, I said it. The human condition is one of brokenness, one of evil, one of sin. You and I both are just as guilty as Josh of breaking God's law. Law given out of love to protect us and protect each other. Have you ever lied? Ever stolen something? Cheated? Are you a gossip? Do you slander folks? Have you ever disrespected your parents or even wished what someone else had was yours? Ever gotten drunk? Ever cheated on your spouse? How about the issue of lust and using another person? (Ever spoken against doing and saying these things but done them? Then you're a hypocrite too.) If so, welcome to the club we're all in. Reality is no Disney World. That's a fantasy. These offenses are against people and God Himself. All my family members belong to this same club as well. There's just about everything from a child molester to adulterers to drunks and thieves and more. 

It's easy to write off the Duggars as holier than thou because they speak about living a moral life that pleases God. But let's be honest- just because you know the truth doesn't mean you always choose to live it. I know I don't. And I would bet you don't either. Sometimes we are swept away by desire and do the wrong things. Some of us even make it a regular pattern in our life and try to justify it away. 

Truth is, in God's eyes we are all sinners and deserve death. But by God's goodness and His great Love for us, He chose to send Jesus to earth to die for the sins of all men- so that those who would choose to believe in Him, that he died and rose again, would not be destined to life in Hell forever, but would instead live with Him in Heaven for all eternity. God knew we couldn't pay the price on our own by being perfect, so He sent his Son because of his love- making it clear He is the only way to eternal life in Heaven. 

So, yes, Josh Duggar deserves to die for what He did. And so do you, and so do I.  Thank God, Jesus paid the price on our behalf- and through Him, we can all have a fresh start as well! You get to make the decision or not to follow Christ and walk life out following him, in spite of your sin, your life, your mistakes. Josh made his choice. I made mine. What is your choice?

Disney's Downward Spiral

There are many reasons that I have found it difficult at best to add articles to the blog lately. Why? The photograph above may tell the story best of all. "Disney Hand Sanitizers"- How low can the Walt Disney Company go in fleecing its fans but all the while continue to downgrade the East Coast theme park experience?

Shuttered attractions at Disney's Hollywood Studios have made it a half day park at a full fare rate. (That is an article in itself that I almost published two weeks ago.) Epcot continues to fall apart, but restaurants (again) continue to increase. Yes, Animal Kingdom is improving, thanks to the success of Harry Potter at Universal. But the yeti is still dancing and Dinosaur is missing most of its more powerful effects. Depending on how you view it, the Magic Kingdom is now a mixed bag. Granted, there's New Fantasyland, filled with things that should be so much better than they are- unless of course it is a restaurant or shop. But it is without a doubt beautiful to look at! Balance that out with many broken effects and animatronics on Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, and It's a Small World. All Magic Kingdom must-sees!

To be fair, some of that same downward spiral is also happening on the West Coast. There, Disneyland is celebrating its 60th Anniversary but without a single new attraction added to its roster. That's an unfortunate choice that reveals the suits are only interested in milking their cash cows instead of offering up something new, something that entices, something that is worth the overpriced entrance fees. 

The best way to combat this spiral is to only spend your money where you are getting real value. It's why I haven't been to the World since 2009, why Disneyland Paris still dazzles me enough to visit, and why Cars Land and Radiator Springs made me pony up the cash to go to California Adventure again- twice. But Disney Hand Sanitizers and the like bring me back to earth on the company's true motives: Cash at any cost for the least amount of investment possible. Shades of Shanghai Disneyland, Mr. Iger?

Before I am so quick to dismiss the company and its money hungry  leaders, I have a confession to make. I'm probably on my own downward spiral of sorts- and maybe you are as well. For me, the evidence looks like this- I'm getting sucked into the television more and more these day. It's harder to get my butt off the couch (or off the web) to go to the gym. I'm tired, I'm frustrated, and I'm likely to not do anything about it. Spiritually, I'm not in the best of places, although I am trusting God will once again see me through this bout of quasi-self-induced sloth and depression as I press into that relationship through reading the scriptures and prayer. Surprisingly, every Sunday I am tempted to sleep in, I go to church anyway, and end up refreshed and encouraged. Obedience to God and what is said in His Word really pays off. 

Perhaps it's just a sign that I need some time off. I really haven't had a vacation since December. Much too long. So, I think I'll do that. But I won't go to Disney World. Not until they wow me once again. So I guess that means new articles will focus on the past of a once forward thinking company.

Discovery Depot

(Art copyright Roger Cousins, concept Mark Taft.)

One Less Day at Disney, One More Day at Universal

Count me in as one more person who will be taking his family to Universal Orlando Resort! This means one less day at Disney, but with the coming Volcano Bay, and all the new attractions found at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, I'll just have to give up the day at too-many-attractions-closed Disney's Hollywood Studios and still-a-half-day Animal Kingdom. The incredible streak of hits from Universal Creative continues to transform Central Florida.

(Art copyright Universal Creative.)

Disneyland Paris Tricks- See It All in One Day

You get to travel to the world famous city of Paris. Although time is relatively short, you've convinced your spouse to give you one day at Disneyland Paris to indulge your Disney side. How can you see and do it all in one day? Let me show you what to hit, what to miss, and how to do it.

After three visits in three different seasons, I noticed a few trends that should help make a visit to this most gorgeous of all "Castle Parks" a delight. Be it Summer, Fall or Winter, the plan is strikingly the similar and should bring the same result. Let's begin.

1- Go Early with Pre-purchased Tickets.
This cardinal rule of theme park visits holds true in Europe as well.  You'll be tempted to stop and admire the gorgeous gardens right in front of the Disneyland Hotel (and the park entrance) - along with everyone else. Don't take photographs now. Resist and head directly to the turnstiles. Make your way down to the end of Main Street U.S.A. and wait for that rope drop.

2- Go straight to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.
The layout of the park is different than the Stateside ones in this regard. Frontierland is found in the same place as Adventureland in the States. Turn directly to your left from the hub, walk through the Fort and turn right. Follow the crowd the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. If there's no line for a Fast Pass, get one for later- and then get in line for the most popular attraction in the park. Trust me, you'll want to do it again. Beginning your journey by traveling under the river to the mountain is a unique thrill all its own.

3- Proceed to the Fantasyland dark rides of your choice.
Other than the language differences, these attractions are newer versions of the beloved classics but mostly the same. In the case of Peter Pan's Flight, there is a larger seating capacity. Snow White is told in German and Pinocchio in Italian, so unless you're from Florida or just have to see these attractions for yourself, these are generally ok to skip. If you're okay with bypassing the dark rides, spend the time elsewhere. Save the castle for the busy part of the day (approximately 1-5pm), but make sure to explore its depths and heights, see the dragon in the dungeon, and discover the secret passageway through Merlin's Shoppe. 

Actually, there are many attractions which are good choices for the busier part of the day. In addition to the castle, there's Aventure Isle, a combination Swiss Family Treehouse and Neverland version of Tom Sawyer's Island; the Frontierland fort can be explored; Aladdin has his own walk-through attraction; the Nautilus submarine can be toured; and of course, the two interesting arcades which line the backs of both sides of Main Street- the Liberty and Discovery arcades.

4- Indulge in a nice meal.
This is Paris, after all. Even if it is not a coveted seat at Walt's or Aventureland's Blue Lagoon, do take the time to find a restaurant with nice atmosphere. Favorite and cheaper locations include the Hyperion Cafe in Discoveryland and for fish and chips, Toad Hall in Fantasyland. Stop, eat, and people watch. It's a nice rest and will keep you going for the remainder of the day.

5- Keep an eye on Space Mountain.
If you think you've seen it in the States, be prepared for something new. As with most "E Ticket" attractions, they are completely reimagined by the old school top-of-the-line Imagineers. The exterior of the mountain literally shines and watching the cannon shoot off riders into the interior of the mountain never gets boring. The lines will be long all day, but since this is not necessarily a family coaster, the queue length can vary drastically. Whatever you do, make sure you ride this one.

6- Notice the details. They're everywhere.
The park itself is the ultimate "E Ticket". 

7- Do not park hop.
Even with the inclusion of the new Ratatouille ride, the Walt Disney Studios park is just not worth your time. The park was created by a different design team with a different goal, and it shows. Especially with only one day, stay in the beautiful Disneyland Paris. Tower of Terror is the California version and 85% of the park looks like the original Hollywood Backlot section of California Adventure 1.0- in other words, very ugly. 

8- Watch the Nighttime show.

9- Stay until the park closes.

10- Lodge at Val d'Europe.

Disneyland's Only A Theme Park

Recently, I was helping my daughter and son-in-law plan their first trip to Disneyland. They are traveling during the 60th Anniversary and in, potentially, the busiest time of the year, Christmas aside. 

We discussed possible trip plans, the best ways for first time visitors to see the most they can. Indy first or Space Mountain? How to do Star Tours without much of a wait. When to ride Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean. What if they don't want to arrive at opening or stay late at night? Fast Pass, single rider lines, the special Paint the Night parade, fireworks, best and worst restaurant options, etc. On and on.

And it hit me again: Disneyland is just a theme park- nothing more but nothing less than a slice of Americana now long gone, designed in a world where patriotism and pride in country was still important. In the big scope of things, compared to starving children, ongoing executions of Christians in the Middle East and Africa, tales of continued corporate greed and graft, and even more important things like what happens after life on this earth, it's only a theme park. It's an enjoyable diversion, a hobby, a sidebar to life, not life itself. It's good for me to have my views checked again and again, keeping things in perspective.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

For God and Country

Thank you to all the veterans who gave their lives in service to our country. And God bless the families impacted by the loss. This ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our freedom is something I do not take for granted.

Top Ten Insights: Most Popular Blog Articles- Disney and More

With Disneyland's 60th Anniversary quickly approaching and the kick off to the summer celebration happening yesterday, I thought I'd take a look and see what articles on this blog had the most reads. I expected the results to be all Disney- and some were- but many were not. So here are the Top Ten Insights read on this blog - just ten among the almost 2,000 posts since I began writing over seven years ago:

Tangled Review

Frozen may be the reigning film among Disney fans of late, but back when Tangled was released, many viewers loved the film, especially the lantern scene. Here's my look at a great Disney animated film, one which opened the door for more to come.

Disney Park Countdown

I've been blessed to travel a bit around the world, and in the course of business and pleasure travel, I've gotten to experience Disneyland Paris in three different decades and in three different seasons. When I thought about my travels to many Disney parks, I started out writing a Top Ten Disney Park list of my own. The most popular is this post on the French Magic Kingdom. It's a park that is truly the "Theme Park as a Work of Art". Worth the read to see one of Imagineering's greatest pieces. 

The 650lb. Virgin and Chris Powell

This one surprised me. So many people love reading about the journey of David Smith (the virgin) and his rescuer / friend  / celebrity Chris Powell. The initial television show was riveting. The transformation of David into someone new and back again is a compelling story worth thinking about. Two parts.
Part One
Part Two

Thirty Years Without Karen Carpenter

It's somewhat ironic that the next popular article is about a beloved singer than suffered and died from anorexia, Karen Carpenter. Long my favorite songstress, I wrote this piece when she had been gone for way too long. Her legacy lives on- and it lives on in this blog as well. Over the years, I've reviewed each of her albums as part of Carpenters and also her solo disc, and I'm in process of adding new images, advertising pieces, and taking a fresh look at each disc. There's also plenty of one off posts with rarely seen photographs and more. Very befitting the 20th Century's most gifted female vocalist.

Disneyland Attraction Posters

It's taken me years to gather this collection! I've listed each individual post so the reader can search by each separate Disney land. Make sure to click on each image for a very large version. The combination of history and pieces of art make for a fascinating read.

Main Street U.S.A.
Adventureland
New Orleans Square
Critter Country
Frontierland
Fantasyland
Tomorrowland

Amazing Disappearing Disney

I hate corporate politics and big government where folks in charge think they have the right to pull a fast one over investors, citizens, and people they deem "smaller" than themselves. Here's a link to an article that has been pulled from the media. Robert Iger, head of the Walt Disney Company, was challenged by the writer regarding the Company's handling of their first theme park in Mainland China, Shanghai Disneyland. I'm proud to repost the piece as a protest to this kind of manipulation. Enjoy- and pass it on.

Jesus Scum of All

Let me say it upfront: This may be considered a controversial article. Jesus is the one person who most changed the history of man, so it may be considered blasphemous to depict him this way. If this article seem unbalanced to you, search the blog for other pieces under his name. Discover who he is for yourself.

Disney Dark Rides

For all the hits on this piece, I'm ashamed to say that right now, it is the only piece in the series. These small Fantasyland rides have a huge fan base (and I'm one of them). I'll get to finishing my post on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride one day, but for now, here's an in-depth look at Peter Pan's Flight- pre 60th anniversary upgrade.

Westcot

Three complete articles but also several other random pieces of concept art to be found throughout the blog. Just do a quick search.
This should have and could have been Anaheim's second Disney theme park in California. That is before the suits got scared and gave guests the cheap California Adventure. The Westcot park would have taken the best of Epcot, added the necessary fixes for better show and flow and brought new elements all its own. A grand and beautiful but missed opportunity. Thanks, Michael Eisner. You did some fantastic things in your first decade but clearly lost it in the second half.
Original Plan 
Asia
Europe

Dubai The New Pleasure Island

The eye-catching photo aside, this was another post that surprise me by its ongoing popularity. Dubai Disneyland could have been a reality (and yes, I pulled the concept art I had, but it's still out there on the web), but the rest of the country like all others, has a steamy backside that is rarely told. 

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These articles are just by the numbers, but runners up in the Disney category include my look at Space Mountains all over the world, a similar look at Indiana Jones attractions, an anniversary tribute to Pirates of the Caribbean, the 25 year history of the Disney Hollywood Studios theme park, the compelling story of the creation and evolution of Disney's Animal Kingdom, and the concept art behind California Adventure 1.0 and its ongoing transformation into a Disney quality theme park. Each has tons of concept art by the brilliant but often hands tied Disney Imagineers.

Beyond Disney, there's album reviews and histories of popular music, trip reports of visits to Europe, California and more, and various odds and ends. It's been a pleasure. Thank you for reading!

Original Disneyland Submarine Voyage Concept Art

Just a quick Friday post as we head into the weekend...

This piece of concept art for Disneyland's Submarine Voyage is found as part of a preview of coming attractions page at the back of a late 1950's souvenir guide. Although it's a bit faded, a little photoshop work brings the colors closer to its original shades.

I do enjoy what was done to save the subs from extinction- meaning that Finding Nemo overlay spearheaded by Imagineer Tony Baxter- but I'll be quick to confess that the original voyage through liquid space aboard the Nautilus was much more mysterious and engaging. Do any of you out there remember it? Hopefully, there will be more art on display at the Innoventions building soon...

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Chinese Wisdom

With all the talk of the opening of the Shanghai Disney Store and the soon opening of Disneyland itself, here's a little wisdom from the other side of the world:

"Life is just a field of newly fallen snow, and where you choose to walk, every step will show."

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.

Disney's Unbuilt Urban Entertainment Center

Unbuilt Disney attractions are like urban legends. They grow in scope and potential as the years go by. Some earn their reputations and actually exceed them. This category includes Imagineer Tony Baxter's unbuilt Discovery Bay for Disneyland and Marc Davis' epic Thunder Mesa which included the now legendary Western River Expedition for Florida's Magic Kingdom. Others in this realm are Beastly Kingdom at Disney's Animal Kingdom and of course Westcot, the proposed second park for Anaheim before the suits cheaped out with California Adventure 1.0. (You can find many posts on these attractions with concept art on this blog.)

Smaller projects that have been abandoned are less celebrated but perhaps carry just as big an impact had they been built. In this category we sadly find Disney's "Urban Entertainment Centers". These regional centers were designed to offer a taste of Disney parks. Just enough to get folks took to book that longer extended vacation to Walt Disney World. Imagine a building of several stories, perhaps 5-7 of them, filled with unique dining experiences, shopping aplenty, and a couple of smaller scale but still Disney quality impressive attractions. A Downtown Disney of sorts, if you will.

This very real, fairly advanced idea was discarded around 2008. Yet, as you can see from the art above, it could have been an impressive projects that would have broadened the Disney experience across the country. Perhaps the failure of Club Disney, their beautifully designed but discarded kid's entertainment center, (we had one in Denver), led the Disney suits to dropping this Urban Entertainment Center. Too bad. Would have been a great way to spend an evening.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Torn Between Worlds

In a new season where I find myself torn between two worlds: the one I live in most of the time and the one I live in temporarily as I am working. The problem is, having a new job at home means trying to fit in all over again. It's not something easy to do, particularly in a world that is already established with little room for anyone new. It's part of having two jobs that are heavy in the emotional spectrum of life; jobs where you serve others but also must fit in to be produce good results. The tension is choosing to persist in both- one, because I feel drawn to both worlds, and two, because I see no way around the tension between them. It's living out the life of faith in a new way. Many times, I need the world of the Apostle Paul to remind me that I am actually a citizen of a third world: one which belongs to God and that this earth is my temporary home. The struggle remains because how I live my life here and who I impact has eternal results. Not exists in a vacuum. It's doesn't work that easy in my life. Or in yours.

Grizzly Peak Airfield Opens

I'll cut to the chase: The new Grizzly Peak Airfield looks terrific! California Adventure's original Condor Flats has been rethemed into a beautiful expansion of land that now connects Soarin' Over California to the rest of the wilderness. With Grizzly River Rapids nearby, the whole transformation of the area just settles so well.

The photos are not mine- and are labeled unknown- but go right to this link at MiceAge for a few pictures.

If you're looking for a "Minty Fresh" update, head over to Magic Eye. As always, Mint Crocodile's photo essay is one of the best on the web! Enjoy!