An Evening at Epcot, A Look at Our World

Spaceship Earth is a beautiful icon! World Showcase is just stunning- especially at night! Not only is it the focal point of what once was Future World at Epcot, it stands as a symbol of discovery and optimism. Not the discovery of Disney intellectual properties and characters but the discovery of the world around us. The great original Imagineers that designed this place believed in the ability of man to make the world better if he chose. The place has been inspiring folks since its opening.

Let me repeat myself. Here are the hard, cold facts: EPCOT Center ceased to exist years ago.

The character invasion of of Epcot's recent years is here to stay, be it Ratatouille in France, Guardians of the Galaxy in the old Universe of Energy building, Coco in Mexico, or even more Disney film characters in Future World to go alongside Nemo in the Living Seas. The two true unique characters designed specifically for the park, most interestingly, Dreamfinder and Figment, are being left to rot in the now embarrassing Journey into Imagination with Figment. (Sorry, Mr. Tony Baxter.)

Fans are blaming the suits at the Walt Disney Company for this change, and in many ways, they would be correct in doing so. Always responsible to shareholders of the company to turn a profit, they must act to ensure that should grow much larger year after year. Guest experiences are now added in ways that are designed to extract cash from the buying public, from the lowest end customer who can afford a single day at the theme park of their choice to those on the other end of the spectrum, rich guests needing the ill-advised cabanas in the Magic Kingdom (thankfully now long gone) or the $15k meal at Disneyland in the former Disney Gallery space. 

Satisfying investors is the new bottom line of the last 40 years or so. Altruism no longer exists, at least in the corporate world, unless its to gain favor in the minds of consumers. Granted, Walt Disney himself ran a company as well and had to account for his sound business practices to brother Roy, but he kept the satisfaction of the guest foremost in his mind. Certainly, a respected form of altruism.

Still, the business folk are not the only reason change is coming to Florida's second Disney theme park. In addition to the changes in corporate America, I assert that we primarily have ourselves to blame. 

Yes, it is our fault Epcot is changing. Why? As a people, we've changed. We've wandered from the original vision which was established for the park as inscribed on the dedication plaque:

To all who come to this place of Joy, Hope and Friendship - Welcome.

EPCOT is inspired by Walt Disney's 

creative vision. 

Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise  and concepts 

of a future that promises new 

and exciting benefits for all.

May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire

 and above all, 

may it instill a new sense of belief and pride 

in man's ability to shape a world

that offers hope to people everywhere.

The EPCOT Center that opened in 1982 was built to educate, inform, and inspire and instill pride in man's ability to shape a hopeful world. What was the inspiration? The wonders of this incredible world. Wonders of exploring not only what could be designed by the most gifted of human minds (Transportation, Energy, Communication) but also of those designed by an even bigger creator, worlds created by one infinite in wisdom and power (The Living Seas, The Land, The Wonders of Life, Space). An exciting world awaiting exploration laid out by the Ultimate Imagineer. A world also given to us to nurture and steward.

Now, bear with me here. Especially those of you who have not explored any world of faith or who have and have rejected the thought of a Creator. (I'm not going into that argument. I'm sticking with my original point that it is because of us that the park must change, so please keep reading.) Here's the logic:

The Disney suits follow the dollar. That's their job. It's what we pay them to do. Yet the changes at Epcot all begin with us. Every time we enter the parks, buy merchandise, or view the latest slice of filmed or live entertainment, we are telling the suits at Disney what we want and how much of it we want. When we stopping buying, they rethink their approach and their products. It really is that simple. And what do we want now? We want to be entertained. 

By and large, we no longer want to be the investors in our world and contributors to making it better. We just want to consume. We have looked away from our intended purpose which began with God in stewarding His beautiful creation. Boy, lest you think I'm pointing fingers, I want you to know I struggle with this! It's way easier to kick back and relax than it is to work hard to make a difference. It goes even deeper.

Since you and I have moved away from giving God the credit for His creation and/or accepting the roles He gave us, we instead look to man for fulfillment and answers. We're no longer fascinated by the fact we can have 1- Infinite worlds to explore, 2- An opportunity for a relationship with the Infinite Creator God, and finally, 3- a responsibility to positively impact the world we live in. This covers the gamut from caring for creation to protecting the rights of the most vulnerable of people. We have shifted our focus, so business has shifted their focus in order to make a profit from us.

We humans (park guests and the Imagineers that create attractions) have moved from being inspired by God's creation and the gifts He has given mankind. Instead, we rely on broken and selfish people to fill us and make us happy. Eventually, this brings us to a place of discouragement and general hopelessness when our plans fail or when the people we look to let us down. 

It's even more of a downward spiral when it comes to purchasing products. The goal of the advertising agency is to get us to buy and keep buying. Isn't this the true goal of marketing? To make us unhappy without the product they are selling? Then to also make sure that we are never thankful for what we do have, keeping us prone to buy more. It's a vicious cycle.

When people or products fail to create long term fulfillment, we look for something else or for something within ourselves. We begin idolizing our own capabilities, strengths, and seemingly limitless potential, instead of giving the honor to God who created us and the world we live in. The trade off is emptiness because we often disappoint ourselves. Sometimes that is the worst of all to handle.

Due to our self-focus and our humanism, despair engulfs us as we look around and see man's plans fail. Even men with good solid other-centered goals. Why? Because men desire different things. Even good things can be in conflict with each other because priorities are different from person to person.

Rulers of nations view life differently, some good and some evil. Common people have differing values, so my plans may conflict with your plans. The result of all this tension? We get frustrated, angry, and burned out. Or on a global scale, war replaces peace as men strive to get what they want. Everyday there are new battles being fought in the streets among conflicting groups and ideologies. All this tires our souls and damages our spirits.

Sooner or later, we decide we've had enough. Our desire for comfort becomes the primary focus of our lives, bringing with it increasing desire to just be entertained and taken into worlds different than the one we have (talking Cars, magical princesses, Star Wars, etc). The Walt Disney Company has data compiled over generations telling the suits what we want so they can sell it to us. 

You and I can go into a movie theater after a grueling day, and we can walk out a few hours later feeling happy and fulfilled because we've forgotten our real life situation. Isn't this true? I know it is for me. For some of us, we go even further and decide we want to live there full time. It's why we love the theme parks. It's why a place like EPCOT Center has an incredible fan base from folks that experienced its greatness in the early years. We left the park not only happy but hopeful for that great big beautiful tomorrow. Who wouldn't want to experience that again and again?

The problem with this phony lifestyle of entertainment is It only temporarily satisfies us. So we lavish high praise on what man has created and desire to live in that place, keeping the real world safely, quietly, in the background.  When addicted to it, our entertainment becomes our prison because we trade in a very real and exciting world for one that is imaginary. We trade what's best for what is less than what we can have. 

A constant life of fantasy (or Fantasyland) is good for no one.

"On the Tombstone of America, the inscription will read: They Entertained Themselves To Death." - Leonard Ravenhill

Let that sink in. This quote above, by the renowned English pastor, applies not only to America as a nation but us as individuals. 

Back to Epcot. All our love of and addiction to entertainment and imaginary worlds is why the park is changing.  We're no longer enthralled with science and nature and new discoveries. Nor are we fascinated by the God that created it all- which leaves us looking to ourselves and others. The cycle of emptiness continues as looking to others will never fulfill our human hearts. 

It's too late for the direction of Epcot, but not for us. When we honor Him and reflect on who He is and what He has done, our world becomes filled with wonder, joy, thankfulness, and hope. The more we look to God, the more we become who we were intended to be- beautiful and unique individuals all reflecting His glory. With this freedom and true self, we become inspired. We want to go deeper with Him, know more about Him and the world He created. 

(Photographs from ResortTV.)

Coming to Peace with Amy Grant Even If I Disagree with Her

This is almost like a gift. Years back, we had tickets to see Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith in concert, and then my father was scheduled for emergency heart surgery the same day. Out of state. We gave the tickets to some friends. I flew out to see him, and we moved on. I haven't had a chance to see her again.

Even longer ago, when Amy came through town on the House of Love tour, we had great seats! Gary Chapman opened for his wife and was quite good But I waited for the title song. The hit song with now husband Vince Gill is still one of my favorites- and truth be told, when the Building the House of Love video came out on A&M Records, my wife and I could easily recognize the spark and chemistry between she and Vince. Little did we know what was going on. 

Amy is no stranger to controversy. Now, her affirmation and support of her niece's wedding to another woman is just somewhere that I can't go. We've had many family members whom we love deeply who are gay- but for the life of us, we cannot find references or a consistent support in the Bible for same sex relationships. Our lives belong to Jesus Christ, and if we're going to carry his name, we've got to be 100% willing to die to everything that God's word says is unholy. Everything. 

I was more than disappointed in Amy. I was angry. Very angry. 

Some say she's abandoned her faith, others say she never had it. I say Amy is still growing in it, and like many of us, have chosen to believe things that are not true- or worse, failed to align their beliefs with what God deems clean and pure. But let me state clearly- she is wrong in this approval of those living the LGBTQ lifestyle and professing Jesus. To support what God deems evil is wrong. There is deception going on here. The truth is always loving. The presentation of it must be loving as well.

We're all broken. We're all imperfect. Even if you side with Amy on this issue, look deep within and admit there's still a lot of work left to be done in you. If you disagree with her on this issue, remember you like I am not perfect. There's still work to be done, and if God's spirit is in us, we must choose to disagree peacefully and civilly. That attitude reflects God's heart to a world that needs to know Him. Not pride and ego, arguing and fighting. We all - believer in Jesus Christ or not- can come to God imperfect and broken, but we must yield to Him and His ways to continue to show Him that he is loved. Sermon over. 

Pray for Amy to come to the truth in humility and to be willing to stand up for it- lovingly, kindly, but bravely. Many will fall away from Jesus. The Word tells us that. Is this the beginning of Amy's total move away from the Lord? I hope not.

It's still hard for me to listen to her now- sadly, even her Christmas albums- which I love.

Now... here's a great concert where Amy performs hits both secular and sacred, and she tells many stories along the way. Human stories that reveal brokenness in her own family and God's enduring faithfulness. 

Thanks to 7th Stone Media for publishing this concert for 2023:

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!

Imagineering Plans for the Villains Makeover of California Adventure's Paradise Pier

Yes, it was a real project. Yes, I've seen the artwork, and so can you! The re-Imagineering of California Adventure's Paradise Pier into a Villains themed area was not just rumor, it was truly planned with tons of concept art and practical elements to show just how this makeover would be achieved. The Disney Imagineers worked hard to pull this off and it shows. But with that said, it was a project doomed from the start, replaced with the cheap (but very expensive) makeover into Pixar Pier instead. The piece of concept art above is real. I won't spill all the beans, but thanks to Cabel.com, you can see it for yourself. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Ed Sheeran Rocks the City

Taylor Swift has done so much to benefit musical artists and fans that you could write chapters upon chapters about her as an artist and businesswoman. Music editors and sociologists will be talking about her impact for years. But I know very few of her songs. I'm not her target audience. 

I'm not Ed Sheeran's target audience either. That said, there are a few hits I own and know well. Apparently, the folks of Denver are more than aware, as the beloved red headed entertainer filled the field of the Denver Broncos football team last night.

Although delayed by a lightning storm until 10pm, Sheeran played for 2 hours with a set list of 27 songs. Everything from Thinking Out Loud to Shape of You to Sing to Perfect- one of my very favorite songs. Pretty impressive. I'm sure his forthcoming and much talked about "Autumn Variations" album will contain many more songs I'll be adding to my collection. This time, it's on his own custom label, "Gingerbread Man Records". Gotta love the name!

Due to a variety of reasons, I did not go to this concert. These photos are from my youngest son who is quite the fan- long before Ed became well known. He paid quite a bit of money to go. Was it with it? He'd definitely say yes.

Nothing "Bout Me

This morning, one of my very favorite songs popped up. One I hadn't heard for awhile and fits how I'm feeling today. So, I present to you in video and lyric form, Sting's terrific "Nothing 'Bout Me" from his musical masterpiece Ten Summoner's Tales on A&M. 

Nothing 'Bout Me

Lay my head on the surgeon's table

Take my fingerprints if you are able

Pick my brains, pick my pockets

Steal my eyeballs and come back for the sockets

Run every kind of test from A to Z

And you'll still know nothin' 'bout me

Run my name through your computer

Mention me in passing to your college tutor

Check my records, check my facts

Check if I paid my income tax

Pore over everything in my C.V.

But you'll still know nothin' 'bout me

You'll still know nothin' 'bout me

You don't need to read no books on my history

I'm a simple man, it's no big mystery

In the cold weather, a hand needs a glove

At times like this, a lonely man like me needs love

Search my house with a fine tooth comb

Turn over everything 'cause I won't be home

Set up your microscope, and tell me what you see

You'll still know nothin' 'bout me

You'll still know nothin' 'bout me

You'll still know nothin' 'bout me etc.

You'll still know zip a-bout me

Elsa's Frozen Ice Palace Shines at Night!

For the first time in forever, Elsa's ice palace is lit up!Thanks to this photo by HKDL Fantasy, we can see it in all its nighttime glory. As part of the new World of Frozen opening in Hong Kong Disneyland, this will be the mountain that sets the smallest but perhaps the most charming park in China apart from Shanghai Disneyland. Bigger is not always better! Yet, compared to the measly attraction in Epcot, this land will also draw guests in with Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs, its own version of Frozen Ever After, and a slew of shops and restaurants set around a sparkling Norwegian lake. Is it enough on its own to make you book a trip there? No. But throw in Mystic Manor, the Disney kingdoms largest Adventureland, and the beautiful city of Hong Kong itself and you might have enough reason to go!

A&M Records Jerry Moss Passes Away at 88

The "M" of A&M Records, Jerry Moss passed away at 88 years old today. Along with musician Herb Alpert, the duo created a fabulous record label that brought many, many beloved artists to the radios and homes of those all over the world. Jerry's pictured here right in the center of two of the label's most successful artists, Richard and Karen Carpenter. (One time producer Jack Daugherty is on the far left, Herb on the right.) 

Jerry was a solid Rock and Roll guy, but gave the duo its due when the Carpenters elegant Horizon album was released with its beautiful renditions of the hit Only Yesterday,  I Can Dream Can't I and Solitaire. Enlarge the image above and read his letter to Richard. Definitely a classy thing to do!

Rest in Peace Mr. Moss... and thank you.

The Thrill is Gone

Boredom, indifference, being tired. I don't know which one it is, but this I can say: The thrill is gone. No, I don't mean the classic rock song by B.B. King. I mean I just don't seem to care much about many things. My travel business is losing its luster, the new discoveries in my local record store don't bring a rush, I certainly am not all that interested in this blog right now, and definitely anything having to do with the Walt Disney Company is just not bringing it. I'm sure it will all return at some point, but for now, it's just not there.

Build Your Own Ultimate Disney Castle Park Game

After the latest earnings call and no news of investment into the U.S. parks, I think we could all do better with the theme parks. Wanna try? Based on the classic Disneyland hub and spoke model as Walt Disney and the original Imagineers planned it, you are the lead designer in this new theme park game. Disney theme park fans will especially love the capability of building their own dream castle park. Now, you get a chance to do just that. 

The goal of the game and the rules are pretty simple: 

The Goal of the Game:  

Create the most balanced Disney castle park. You want epic attractions of all types, great shows, and very inviting places to dine and shop. Your park should appeal to fans of all ages.

Choose your perfect entrance land, a whimsical Fantasyland, a bold and futuristic Tomorrowland, a rustic Frontierland, and a very exotic Adventureland of your own. You can focus on any castle park to make your selections- the Magic Kingdom, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland or Shanghai Disneyland. Don't worry about the area that surrounds the park. Just focus on designing it.

The Rules of the Game:

1- When you choose a land from a particular resort, you must retain every aspect of the land and cannot swap out individual elements, nor can you add to them. However, if an attraction, show, shop, or restaurant is found in two different lands that you have selected, you may eliminate one of them.

2- As the lead Imagineer, you may also pick one additional land to add to your park, making a total of six themed lands. What choice would you make? Mickeys' Toontown? Liberty Square? Mystic Manor? New Orleans Square? Toy Story Land? Maybe Tokyo's Critter Country with the only remaining Splash Mountain.  Perhaps you'd pick one of two lands unique to Shanghai Disneyland: Treasure Cove or Adventure Isle. 

3- Bonus Decision #1- Choose whichever castle you want as the icon. You are not limited to choosing the castle which is connected to your choice of Fantasyland. But you are limited to keeping the attractions, shops, and restaurants that are part of your castle of choice.

4- Bonus Decision #2- Choose any attraction from any park you'd like, and place it within an existing land. Fill the that attraction gap. Not enough thrills rides? Need more theater based attractions or rides for children? Now is your chance to round out the roster.

Explain your choices and convince other players your design deserves to win. Ready, Set, Go!

Here are my choices for the Ultimate Disney Castle Park:

Main Street U.S.A.-  Disneyland Paris

The opening scene of any park must set he stage for what lies ahead.

 

Yes, this too is Disneyland Paris!

This one was much, much harder than I thought it would be! If I didn't choose Disneyland, could I exclude Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, one of Walt Disney's personal favorites? If I chose Tokyo Disneyland and its covered main thoroughfare, I'd have to forego the Railroad- and certainly that is a standard must-have aspect of any castle park. But what about the Crystal Palace? It's one of my favorite pieces of architecture. Could I choose Shanghai Disneyland's Mickey Avenue in lieu of something celebrating America? That answer was "Absolutely not!" 

Ultimately, I decided upon Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland Paris.

Imagine an elegant look at America at the turn of the 20th Century with a touch of French elegance. Dine at Walt's for a signature meal set in rooms filled with Imagineering art. Take an excursion about the railroad but glance up at the stunning stained glass windows that frame a part of the train station. Each represents a different land. Main Street Motors is just one of the beautifully designed buildings that take the art of Imagineering to the next level. The ceilings of the most visited shops match the appeal of famous Parisian department with domes of leaded glass. Stop to get a haircut at Dapper Dan's. Stroll the gracious arcades on each side of Main Street with each one telling a unique story about America. 

Adventureland- the original Disneyland

What means a land of adventure in your park? Think it through and choose wisely.

In contrast to the previous land, overall, this decision was a much easier one to make. I'm very partial to the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House at the Magic Kingdom, but the inclusion of the very out-of theme Magic Carpets of Aladdin meant I'd pass on picking that one. Tokyo Disneyland's included a mini New Orleans Square and its Pirates of the Caribbean, but that seemed like an easy cheat.  Although a fresh concept, I passed on Adventure Isle in Shanghai as in my mind, a Soarin' attraction doesn't seem to fit a castle park. Hong Kong Disneyland held promise as the biggest Adventureland with much room for expansion even though it's currently under built.

Epic, classic, and a must-have aspect of my Adventureland.

As much as I love Adventure Isle at Disneyland Paris- I mean a full-sized Skull Rock, a Captain Hook Pirate Ship and a junglely take on Tom Sawyer Island!- without a version of the Jungle Cruise, it just could not be a contender.  I decided against the Parisian area as an off the shelf Indiana Jones coaster can't come close to competing with a wild, off road jeep excursion. So, Disneyland won the competition.

Yes, it is the smallest and there's no room for expansion, but inch for inch, it is difficult to beat the original Adventureland in Anaheim, California. Tree House? Check. Jungle Cruise? Yes. Enchanted Tiki Room and The Tropical Hideaway for a taste of the islands? Perfect!

Angry deities abound in two attractions here. 

The Indiana Jones Adventure seals the deal! Its small temple fits the scale of Disneyland and masks the mega-adventure within. A nice surprise. 

Stuffed with attractions that span generations, this Adventureland's filled with almost 70 years of growing trees, shrubs, and flowers, making it a hidden gem in the middle of suburbia.  All proving once again, that size doesn't matter. It's what you do with it.

Frontierland- Disneyland Paris

The Wild West. Is it cartoon and Intellectual Property filled or is it based on American history- or a combination of both? The choice is all yours.

From difficult choices to the easiest one, there's no Disney castle park on earth with a more compelling and better designed Frontierland than the one found at Disneyland Paris.  Here's Thunder Mesa -a nice tribute to Imagineer Marc Davis- in all its glory. All that's missing is Western River Expedition.

With a full grown fort at the entrance, the whole land is worthy of exploration. Going up to the arcades, you're blessed with the view like the one shown above in my photo. The steamboat rounds the bend as the trains of Big Thunder Mountain Railway circle the island. Going under the river is an unexpected, thrilling, and totally unique way to begin the journey! But trust me, you'll want to ride time and again.

Disney's official photo capturing a summer day at the Manor.

My photo from a dreary winter afternoon.

Particularly after dark, the old and dilapidated Wild West version of the statesides' Haunted Mansion scares up some nightmares. The storyline of the entire land is tied together in a way that will give you the chills long before you enter Phantom Manor. Be sure to investigate the graveyard and notice one bit of naughty humor that only the Parisian parc could get away with.

As the railroad cars pass the perimeter of the park, riders get a great view of the geysers that dot this wilderness settlement during the gold rush. Imagineer Tony Baxter and his team lavished detail everywhere you look in this land and all the lands which make up the Disney location in France.

The official Disney photo shows Thunder Mesa in its haunted splendor.

The Lucky Nugget Saloon serves up piping hot fare, but it does miss a great opportunity to bring in the full blown cancan show- which originated in France- that was once a mainstay of California's park. Ooh la la! The shooting gallery gives young gunslingers a chance to practice while a great BBQ barn around the bend gives those traveling the frontier a chance to refresh and regroup. There's lots of open land on the frontier for growth and expansion.  

Fantasyland- Tokyo Disneyland 

Some people would say this is the very heart of any castle park. Just thinking through the list of classic Disney animated films and their matching attractions gives you plenty of options. 

Welcome to Beast's Castle! Official Disney photo.

Back to a difficult choice. The charm of Walt's park would bring a European style village and a great assortment of dark rides to the park including the lovely Storybookland Canal Boats and Casey Jr.'s Circus Train. Choosing Magic Kingdom would add Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Ariel's Undersea Adventure, and the Be Our Guest and Cinderella's Royal Table Restaurants. Voyage to the Crystal Grotto may be at Shanghai, but it is as overrated an attraction as the land is misdesigned. Fantasyland in Paris has its Alice in Wonderland maze and combines many attractions, also adding the Toad Hall restaurant.

Pooh's Hunny Hunt from Disney Photoblography.

A closer inspection really meant one clear winner: Tokyo Disneyland. Not only is the beloved Pooh's Hunny Hunt to be found here, you've also got the brand new Enchanted Tale with Beauty and the Beast. Just imagine a second full sized castle set in the forest by the film's iconic village. The ride's full of the film's music, charm, and suspense- as well as dozens of Audio-Animatronic characters. 

In Tokyo, you can in Wonderland! The Official Disney photo.

The Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall is a fan favorite right next to It's A Small World. The original attraction facade is found here in a new array of pastel colors and Mary Blair styling. 

Around the castle courtyard lie the classic dark rides: Snow White's Adventures, Peter Pan's Flight and the original Pinocchio's Daring Journey and even Philharmagic. The land's setting may be old school pre-1983 Disneyland, but it is 100% maintained and upgraded. Certainly, more updates are due here next, but as it stands now, the attraction line up cannot be beat!

Tomorrowland- Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom

Science fiction or science fantasy. What does your land dedicated to tomorrow look like? This make be the most difficult land of all in which to choose.

From themeparktourist.com

The Land of the Future. Every park has its weakest cohesion of theme found here as the future keeps becoming the past, leaving each park with a mix of old and new as well as some Intellectual Property thrown in. Which park has the Tomorrowland that I'd add to finish off my park? 

The original has its strengths- Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, the only real water submarine ride in existence, and wait for it... Oh yeah, let's forget it. Disneyland's land of the future is a wreck. The once great Matterhorn Bobsleds are just painful, and it seems the entrance is in a perpetual state of confusion. In Tokyo, Monsters Inc. Ride and Go Seek! is a unique entry in the land of the future line up. But it's neither futuristic or educational. Over in China, Hong Kong Disneyland is either cutesy or infused with Marvel. No thank you. Farther east in Shanghai Disneyland, this area looks incredible, but it is very short on attractions. The Jules Verne theming of the land in Paris is too specific a look for my choice, although I absolutely love it as part of the whole.

These two photos of mine represent aspects I love and put up with 

in the world of the future.

What about over in Walt Disney World? As with so many others, it's a curious mix, old, new, and filled with toons. But somehow it works.

Space Mountain is a must for my park, and I'm riveted by the chance to ride a Light Cycle in the world of Tron. The land of the future here also holds one of my very favorite attractions, one I look forward to riding multiple times every visit: The WEDWAY Peoplemover.  Sure, the toon invasion is here as well, but it is balanced out by a bit of retro Disney history with the Carousel of Progress. All said, this is not my favorite land, but it is the one that works for me to flesh out this park.

Castle Icon- Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant,  Disneyland Paris

The classic castle park icon. So many choices! What will push your decision over the top?

Gorgeous by day. Both photos here and below are mine.

Park purists hold to Disney's original and smallest castle as being the best. It's charming and sentimental for obvious reasons- who cannot be moved by the famous photo of Walt walking through it- but it does not represent the magnificent accomplishments of what a Disney park entails. The walk thru is nice, though.

The Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland share a castle architecture, but with different paint color schemes. Tokyo's got its own walk thru and Florida has Cinderella's Royal Table, a terrific place for a special meal. With its darker bottom tones, it's Tokyo for the win between the two. The pink paint job in Florida is just a disaster. 

Hong Kong's new remodel is 100% better than what they had, but there's really nothing inside it. In contrast, they threw everything into Shanghai's castle, but the end result is boxy, clunky, and just too much. Sometimes bigger is not better.

Breathtaking at night.

Bonus photo from arjwdwgirl.

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Paris best captures the magic and charm. The ground floor very expensive restaurant is not in its favor, but the ability to walk the upper regions past beautiful stained glass and tapestries among stone pillars that look like trees is a treat. The lovely balcony overlooks Fantasyland and the castle courtyard. Of course, the dungeon's giant dragon is an attraction on its own. The whole area is beautifully executed and magical in the best sense of the word. A nifty little bonus is the secret passageway into the dungeon found in Merlin's shop. 

Bonus Land- New Orleans Square,  Disneyland

Every Disney park expands throughout the course of its history. In your park, there's a special land from opening day. What will it be?

By any measure, Disneyland's elegant New Orleans Square is an artistic triumph and a fan favorite. Certainly, it is one of my most beloved themed lands in any park. Removing the seediness of the real life city from the Imagineer's recreation, and what is left is the area's history, flavor, and charm. In abundance.

The winding streets and courtyards allow guest to wander and almost forget they are in the middle of a very busy city or even a theme park. Live music is to be found as well as some of the best places to dine. Cafe Orleans holds less expensive fare, and the waterside dining at the iconic Blue Bayou is unmatched in atmosphere. Mint Julep and a beignet anyone?

The mother lode of Imagineering genius is here.

There's nothing new that can be said by me about the original Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. For a decade, the French version was my favorite, but after several rides recently on the California original, I've come home. The more leisurely pace and timing gives the attraction time to breathe and immerses guests in an adventure unlike no other. 

(In this park challenge, there's a duplicate attraction to deal with, so I  have to remove two of three Haunted Mansions. In order to keep the story flowing, I'm going to keep Phantom Manor in Frontierland, and forgo both the New Orleans Square mansion and the Fantasyland one in Tokyo. Each of these two lands are so strong, they can hold its own without it.)

I probably have more photos of this attraction than any other.

And more blog posts- for good reason!

More recent changes to the pirate attraction are a mixed bag at best, but at its core, Pirates of the Caribbean remains Disney Imagineering's finest achievement. All new hires into Imagineering should be required to take a course and learn what makes this one so uniquely Disney and the company's crowning achievement.

Bonus Attraction- Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid

Pick an attraction to fill in any gaps in your attraction line-up.  It's harder than you might think to pick just one and leave others behind.

Let's be honest- Splash Mountain would be the most obvious choice here. Perhaps even Star Tours or Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. But each of these would require big changes to the park that night even feel out of theme. Ariel fits in pretty easily, and certainly the fortune changing 1989 animated film deserves its place in Fantasyland. It's not a great attraction, but for the most part, it works. Replacement location would be where Tokyo Disney's Haunted Mansion resides. 

The Final Land Breakdown and the Attraction Line-Up

There's two lands from Walt's original park: Adventureland and New Orleans Square. There's one land from the Magic Kingdom in Florida: Tomorrowland. Fantasyland comes from Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris brings its amazing castle, Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland. The Chinese parks had no entries. (In my mind, this points to problems with each park. In Shanghai, there's a few very good original attractions but a weak supporting cast. The opposite holds true in Hong Kong: the park is beautiful and filled with great second tier attractions but few true headliners.) 

Here's my very poor mock up of the new park.

In this game, my entry reveals what I think is a pretty impressive line up for beloved attractions from various eras. 

Traditional "E Tickets" include Pirates of the Caribbean, Phantom Manor, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Indiana Jones Adventure, the Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, TRON Lightcycle Run, It's a Small World, Pooh's Hunny Hunt, Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast.  (10 total)

Traditional "D Tickets" include the Disneyland Railroad, Enchanted Tiki Room, Molly Brown Steamboat, Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover, Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid, PhilharMagic, Carousel of Progress. (7 total)

Supporting attractions: Three traditional dark rides (Snow White, Peter Pan, Pinocchio), La Tanier du Dragon walk thru, La Galerie du Chateau walk thru, the Tea Cups, Dumbo, Carousel, Swiss Family Tree House, Frontierland Playground, Rustler Roundup Shootin' Gallery, Frontier Arcade walk thru, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, Speedway, Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, Astro Orbiter, Horse Drawn Streetcars and other vehicles, Main Street Discovery and Liberty Arcade exhibits. (19 total)

Theater Show locations: Fantasyland Forest Theater, Frontierland Theater, Tomorrowland Stage. (3 total)

Dining Locations of Note: Walt's, Silver Spur Steakhouse, Blue Bayou, Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall, Tropical Hideaway.

So, there you have it! Have I won the Build Your Own Ultimate Disney Castle Park game? What does your entry look like? 

Maybe one day, I'll piece together my dream castle park with no restrictions...

(All photographs unless noted by Mark Taft.)

Another Look at Marc Davis' Imagineering Art for Pirates of the Caribbean

When The Walt Disney Company currently seems to be holding still or actually moving backwards when it comes to the theme parks- at least in the States- it's nice to have concept art from the old school Imagineering masters to look at. Marc Davis was such a master! Here's one of his pieces of concept art for an enduring fan favorite. 

Pirates of the Caribbean stands the test of time decade after decade as one of the finest pieces of theme park art ever brought to life! There's a reason: Incredible setting in New Orleans Square, full sized sets, thrills, dozens of Audio-Animatronic characters, atmosphere galore, mystery and the incredible theme song Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me) which ties it all together. There's no convoluted back story, no forced Intellectual Property integration. It's just pure adventure and fun upon the high seas. Once again, Disneyland was at the forefront of what defined a theme park.  

Once again, Walt Disney was right. Give guests more than they expect and treat them with respect, and you'll win fans that return again and again.

Straight Talk Delivered- The TED Talk

Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”

They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “God’s Messiah.”

 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”

Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels."

Luke 9:18-26

Making the Best of It

Everyone in the family knows the beach isn't his favorite place, but one of the things we love about our youngest son is his ability to have fun anywhere. It was a rather windy and cool day in Huntington Beach, but he made the best of it. So today, on his birthday, I want to say how blessed we are to have him as part of our lives. He was a joy as a little boy, and he's a joy to be with as an adult. Happy Birthday!

New Look at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad- the Wildest Ride in the Wilderness

After two posts in a row about Universal Orlando Resort, I wanted to make sure my Disney Bloggers membership card wasn't pulled from me, so I have a pretty great piece of concept art for today's post. Look at this very cool rendering! What you're seeing is a rare Big Thunder Mountain Railroad illustration. Check it out in its largest form for all the details- broken track, canyon gorges, and water features. 

When Imagineer Marc Davis' original plan for Thunder Mesa with its Western River Expedition, a cowboy and Indian version of Pirates of the Caribbean were cancelled, the runaway mine train attraction as part of the larger complex was saved. Young Imagineering protégé Tony Baxter jumped on the chance to elaborate on the original design. The end result? An instant classic built in multiple parks and our family's very favorite mountain attraction. 

The "Wildest ride through the Wilderness" is very good at Disneyland, even better at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, and just plain fantastic at Disneyland Paris where the riders begin their adventure aboard by going under the river. In fact, Frontierland in France is the best of them all with an expansive, thematically consistent area rich in detail, story, and top notch execution. You've got to see it to believe it.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Anyplace you ride it, you'll find one great attraction in the old school, Disney Imagineering tradition. And what a great thing that is!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Universal Orlando's Monster of the Deep

Is this terrifying enough? Universal Orlando Resort has a great series of attraction posters for their Velocicoaster at Islands of Adventure. There's a few other ones on this blog, but this may be one of the best. While you're waiting in line for this incredible coaster, these line the queue. Are they posters of what's to come in the future for the Jurassic Park themed land? Certainly dinosaurs and more dinosaurs are the order of the day. We all love them. Except at Disney World apparently.

The money minded suits and the Imagineers at Disney look to be caving big time to Universal's dominance in the dinosaur market. By planning to bring Zootopia to replace Animal Kingdom's jeep ride, it certainly seems there's a Countdown to Extinction for Dinosaur. In the old days, they'd never let their main competitors win without a fight. These days, seems the suits roll over. The big beasts deserve a place in a theme park devoted to dinosaurs, don't you think? I know those folks spending their hard earned money tend to think so.

(Art copyright Universal Creative.)