A Spirited Valentine ...

ford91exploder

ford91exploder

Resident Curmudgeon
Goob said:
I, along with all of us, would love to find out Disney's end game with this ToT/ Mission Breakout fiasco. I'm sure it's for the upcoming Marvel land, but It's very interesting to me why they did it so hastily and just threw it up. Why? They haven't announced anything yet. I'm betting they spill the beans at D23 this year to settle everyone down. If they don't, that makes this even more strange.
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It's really simple Iger wants MARVEL in the parks, And does not care about the effects on the parks.
 
HMF

HMF

Well-Known Member
ford91exploder said:
Like most executive ego driven things I'm sure much money was spent to ensure that a switch back was not possible as if it was switched back it means executive was wrong. And that can never happen.
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The Executive will never publicly get the blame that's true but I think the Tom Staggs situation is proof that privately that might not be the case.
 
disneyC97

disneyC97

Well-Known Member
Absimilliard said:
When they modified Space Mountain at Disneyland Paris to turn it into Mission 2, only one prop was removed: the moon sweeper. The rest was either upgraded or for the physical sets not needed, covered up in black tarps. When they did the huge refurb in 2016 on it, they uncovered all the hidden props and effects, fixed them up and then recovered them... I wonder what for now?
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There is a rumor the original version will return after Hyperspace ends...
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
njDizFan said:
What suggestion could you offer that would bring themed entertainment into the world of high art( I would imagine the original Epcot Center came the closest to this status)? Could you ever see a theme park that did not pander to children and was designed for a more progressive/adult audience? Because I think that is the crux of the matter and the mindset of many people. Theme parks are for children and it's fantastical. Which is also a big issue with taking any type of speculative fiction seriously.
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At some point, artists want to stretch their wings. I think we are already starting to see signs of a weariness with constant dictates to copy this and copy that. I also think we are at the start of the end of the days of the accidental themed entertainment designer. One can now get a degree in themed entertainment design. I find it hard to believe that as the people who grew up wanting to be Imagineers and went to school specifically to get into themed entertainment become the industry veterans that there won't be a desire to do more than just movie franchises (even if they are very excited now to be working on their favorite franchises).
 
the.dreamfinder

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
lazyboy97o said:
I find it hard to believe that as the people who grew up wanting to be Imagineers and went to school specifically to get into themed entertainment
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Are you referring to a program like SCAD's MFA in Themed Entertainment or Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center? I bring this up because I'm very skeptical of SCAD as an academic institution.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
the.dreamfinder said:
Are you referring to a program like SCAD's MFA in Themed Entertainment or Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center? I bring this up because I'm very skeptical of SCAD as an academic institution.
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Both and both have also been relatively recent hosts of the TEA SATE Conference. It's definitely early, but the SCAD program seems to be doing well in getting people into the industry.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
TalkingHead said:
Interesting post. I've been toying with the idea of writing on this subject. But I'm curious about a couple of things in your post.

For both modernism and most versions of postmodernism, the text's willingness to critique is a crucial element. There's no reason that theme parks as texts couldn't perform that work, but to this point they typically haven't. I'm not even sure that EPCOT, which was certainly the most ambitious concept in park design, did that effectively. It tended to voice a pro-corporate agenda that seems opposed to the kind of critique valued by modernism and postmodernism.

Doesn't that lack of critique have a bearing on how these places are viewed by the critical establishment? Without critique, these places do struggle to move beyond echoing nostalgic and romantic attitudes, which can be comfortable but also shallow.
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While there is a lot written, Architectural Modernism is dominated far more by a particular aesthetic style than the theory that is supposed to underpin that image. I don't think any single axiom better defines Modernism than Louis Sullivan's "form [ever] follows function." This simple statement does embody many of the criticisms of theme parks and it is all based on a fundamental misunderstanding of both Sullivan and themed entertainment. To Sullivan, function was not limited to just mundane, utilitarian tasks but also, most importantly, included an emotional reaction. The function of a theme park is not just be a store, restaurant or warehouse to hold a building; the function of a theme park is to tell a story. Everything in a good themed experience is there to support the story and anything superfluous to that aim is removed as much as possible.

As for an actual critique presented by the parks, my argument would be that what Joh Hench called the "Architecture of Reassurance" is the critique offered by the parks. An undying optimism and belief in the power to shape a better world. Unfortunately this notion is in opposition to the popular, even among fans, notion of theme parks as escapism. Being an escape is what makes theme parks the sinister force at the heart of something like Variations on a Theme Park: The New American City and the End of Public Space. And while I would definitely recommend people give the book a read as it does rain interesting points, I do think it is emblematic of not only the negative view of themed entertainment but also of this notion that one is only freethinking by being mired in negativity. Reading through Variations on a Theme Park and similar texts, it seems as though only being surrounded by and constantly reminded of blight and misery is acceptable (because we all know that Professor Architecture in the Ivy League is the truest example of the plight of the proletariat). As the Architecture of Reassurance, the Disney parks counter that sort of view that the world has to be miserable.
 
U

UpAllNight

Well-Known Member
Few more random Orlando thoughts from this trip. As I mentioned before I don't visit as frequently as many, so this may offer a bit of a different perspective;

- I thought Kong was good, but I can understand negative reactions if you queued ages for it. We waited several times less than 15 mins. Like Soarin, your experience depends vastly on your seat. Story was wierd, and the AA at the end was a bit random in the context of the screen-fest which preceded it...but the queue/concept/3D was well done.

- Fallon was daft as anything, but I did find myself smiling my way through it, so I'd rate it an overall succes.

- Universal Studios is a complete and utter mess in general. My head was battered by 11am. Since my last trip Twister, Disaster and ET were down/ closed leaving literally no none head battering rides other than MIB, which was ok.

- I'd rate Universal Studios as the worst park in Orlando, despite having some of the best rides. It's taken a step backwards the past few years, despite investment. There's issues here with the direction they've taken and I hope it's corrected before I return. I always rated Uni very highly, but something is off here.

- On a more positive note Gringots gets better every time I ride. Seriously impressive concept/experience/implementation. It didn't hit me with the initial wow of FJ but it has grown and grown on me to become a favourite.

- Islands too has some of the greatest rides you'll find anywhere, but Toon Lagoon, Marvel, J Park are showing their age and are looking jaded, especially when put up against Potter, which stands head and shoulders above any of their other work.

- Toothsomes is an absolute delight. Good atmosphere, good food & I'd argue it's decent value. More of this please.

- Blizard Beach was ok. My first visit here in 5 trips to Orlando. Never fancied it above Typhoon, wet n wild or Aquatica. There's some highlights here, the lazy river and wave pool and the general theming are really fun, but it's several slides short of being great.
 

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