Walt Disney – A Magical Life

[Yidsid2020]

President Biden looked pretty good outside of the missing eyes.

A comment that was recently mentioned was the artistry is not taking top priority as it did when Walt was watching over the completion. You mentioned President Binden's appearance in your post, attached are two photos to show just how far off the artistry has been for a while. Sorry that I couldn't supply a better pic of President Obama, I was distracted by the appearance of a number of the other presidents posed before me (and I didn't bring the Nikon). I wonder who are they using to achieve these results? It's almost as if the powers that be request that the artists make similarities on each head with just enough to make the person recognizable. Yes, there are traits on the heads, but why not do it right to honor these men who were representing the USA? Why make them almost 'cartoon characters' for the throngs to view with every performance? They still have President Lincoln's casting from Blaine Gibson (as well as most likely the positive needed to make future masks). Why did they make 'sitting Lincoln look like he does? At one time, having the idea of all of those presidents in one room, coming to 'life' was going to be the performance that stood out with every guest who sat in the audience. As it appears, the place is on the back burner, the cartooned characters are getting far more attention, and presenting a Walt Disney presentation to be proud of, has been demoted to the advancements of AA. They should stand hand in hand. This presentation should have been 180% the best they could produce for the future generations. Instead, they got their advancements, they gave AA Walt in his wrinkled suit and pants, pants too long, coat not flowing, and tie not up to the proper apex. The advancement with this AA is superior.

As a possible 'next step', maybe those in charge could program the left hand to have minute, slight extra movements after the lines, "...You know there's a lot of satisfaction in developing ideas into realities...". At this time, the left hand is near static. As the speech continues to, "...new paths..." the hand raises and lowers up through the words, "...it was all started by a mouse...". The right hand/lead hand is more natural compared to the left. There's a good chance these movements are available in this hand. It is just a matter of programing them.

 

[Phroobar]

FX guys would make a life cast of the actor when they needed to make a head to sculpt a mask over. I assume the President doesn't have the time to have latex poured over his head so an accurate mask can be made. They aren't going to have a 3D scan made either. They just don't have the time for that. So Disney is left with sculpting from picture references. Disney is lucky to have the President read a speech. Disney doesn't get the corporation they need to make a quality head.

 

[Yidsid2020]

FX guys would make a life cast of the actor when they needed to make a head to sculpt a mask over. I assume the President doesn't have the time to have latex poured over his head so an accurate mask can be made. They aren't going to have a 3D scan made either. They just don't have the time for that. So Disney is left with sculpting from picture references. Disney is lucky to have the President read a speech. Disney doesn't get the corporation they need to make a quality head.

You're right, today's Disney imagineers are working more closely with the advancement animation and all the possibilities rather than creating a mask that looks like the presidents. That's gone on for decades. There are talented artists 'out there' that can take the photos of each president and create the positive. Theses artist's creations are so good, you would think the clay up was going to speak. It is just a matter of searching for talent (as well as assuring them of a proper payment). Those appropriate people in Disney's employment need to take the time for the sake of the future guests who will visit. Or, the public will continue to see what is being seen at every performance. It's an insult to Walt Disney's memory and to everything he did while he came to work.

 

[Phroobar]

That is the whole reason why the Hall of Presidents should become a look at American history hosted by the Muppets.

 

[Yidsid2020]

You are not the first person to suggest the Muppets possibly hosting a look through American history in that hall. It would allow selected presidents to appear and then maybe Disney could spend their funds from McScrooge's vault and hire artists who have the talent to actually bring available photos to life by sculpting the masters AA requires.The difference would be, the artists would make each president actually look like the individuals. Good call! P.S. Miss Piggy would be mad!

 

[Stevek]

I thought you came in kind hot on your first post back. Anyway, we don’t suffer from amnesia. Today it’s the ride through. Yesterday was ugly Walt. Last year was misspelled Disney 100 signs all over the resort. Or the lackluster Tiana overlay. Now does most of this stuff affect my time in the park? Nope, not really minus the Tiana conversion but I’m always going to call a spade a spade when I’m discussing in a Disney theme park forum.

Which is what we do here. Do I think Disney should get a pass for poorly kept up animatronics or attractions? Never. But I still stand by that the non-message board fan isn't going to notice or probably care.

 

[BigRed98]

I was lucky enough to be there on the 70th anniversary and see the show on opening day. When this show was first rumored I was always supportive of it because it allows the casual guests to learn more about Walt and allows the die hards to see Walt come to life. When media members and Disney posted the first looks at the Walt AA I thought it looked awful and immediately had regrets about this attraction. I decided to not watch any more videos and to hold final judgement when I got to see the show in person with my family. The Opera House exhibit is an absolute treat and I wish I had more time to browse but I knew I wouldn’t because it was opening day. The show starts and One Man’s Dream is always great even though I’ve seen it countless times but Iger’s narration is atrocious. They need to put Julie Andrew’s narration back. Once they showcased Epcot, my stomach sank because I knew the moment I have been waited for is coming. The curtains rise and I immediately got teary eyed. In that moment I forgot about all of the AA’s imperfections and just enjoyed a moment where at times it felt like Walt was there. Now I don’t think the AA is perfect and there are times where it doesn’t look exactly like him but I suspended disbelief and got chills the entire moment Walt was on stage. My favorite moment was when Walt cracked a joke about his brother Herbert being the “happy one” and the “smart Disney” and the audience lightly chuckled like Walt was actually there talking to us. Moments like that humanized Walt and it felt special. I do hope over time that WDI will continue updating the face sculpture but being able to see the show with my family who has taken me to the Disney parks since I was a little kid was a special moment I’ll never forget. I criticize Disney a lot (especially of late) but I will admit they got me in the feels here.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I got to experience the new attraction over the past few days and I don't quite know what to make of it.

On one hand, it is incredibly earnest. You can feel the good intentions of the piece, that on some level some care was taken to put this together. While the loss of the capitol model in the lobby is lamentable, it is cool to have demo-ing animatronics in its place, and hopefully that model will return eventually, as I doubt the AAs will stay there forever. Audience response seemed positive; people were laughing along at some of Walt's quips throughout the show and cheering when it was over. Theater attendance topped out at about half full during my two shows. There is some fluidity in Walt's movements that is impressive.

On the other hand, there were odd moments where the show didn't transition between moments at all, particularly as the end of the film was reached. There isn't really a transition from "here's Walt talking about his life" to "here's Walt Disney, the animatronic," and it's baffling. Walt starting the show leaning on the table (and them making a big deal out of it) is weird, given that Lincoln has been rising from his chair for about as long as my father has been alive and it still strikes me as a more impressive motion than rising from a lean. Is there a long archive of Walt leaning against his desk on his TV show that I'm just not familiar with? Whatever. As mentioned, the sound quality is a little weird. Bob Iger simply is not a charismatic narrator. Walt's set honestly feels too small; I'm not sure why they didn't replicate his full office here unless there were concerns relating to the turntable. Either way, there's a lot of space and very little set decoration. And then the show just ends. Walt's death is not touched on at all, even though that's extremely Googleable information at the very least, and it would have been very easy to say something to the effect of "While we lament the loss of Walt Disney, we have continued to build out his company and keep moving forward." My mother's comment at the end of the show she saw was that she was impressed with how AAs have evolved and gotten more lifelike, she didn't really notice that the faces didn't match at all. I imagine much of the audience is leaving with a similar opinion.

To me, thinking of Lincoln vs. Waltatronic is a bit like Mary Poppins vs. Mary Poppins Returns, in that much like MPR, whoever is responsible for WD:AML clearly cared about the project, and clearly looked at Lincoln as a model, as the shows mirror each other and follow many of the same beats. There's a certain passion for their subject and a reverence for what came before. The difference is, much like with Mary Poppins vs. Mary Poppins Returns, in the details. On the whole, like Mary Poppins Returns, WD:AML nails the big stuff, but it is the lack of care in the little details that keeps it (and MPR) from reaching the heights of its predecessor.

Now, all of this is fixable. Getting a more consistent audio and a more accurate face would do wonders. Putting in a more charismatic narrator. Adding in a few more details and transition pieces and giving the show a proper ending would make it more satisfying. I certainly hope the 8 PM closing times are being used to that effect, because I find it otherwise ridiculous, and I never got to explore the full lobby area during my visit. Of course, that is if they recognize and are willing to admit that these are problems, something they haven't shown much willingness to face in the past. Maybe they feel like it's close enough, since even if they do go in and make improvements, this thing is going to be playing to Lincoln-level numbers very soon and they know it. But given that they went so far as to push this project into life, I sure hope they would truly honor it by giving it the improvements it needs.

 

[waltography]

...Walt's set honestly feels too small; I'm not honestly sure why they didn't replicate his full office here unless there were concerns relating to the turntable. Either way, there's a lot of space and very little set decoration...

I found it odd they chose the smaller of the two desks in Walt's office to have him lean against, especially when the figurine they released on the 17th features the bigger one. Perhaps they really wanted to highlight there's nothing behind him supporting the animatronic and he's free-standing, but I prefer the solid desk.

 

[Yidsid2020]

Thank you for writing an excellent evaluation of what you saw as well as thoughtful words that maybe someone at Disney will review (one can dream, right?). Like you mother's comments; those words she said will be repeated again and again as this display 'lives on' in the park. Will they improve it? Hmmm, most likely they will watch to see it doesn't stall and they will keep the AA's appearance as it is now, as it is now. Unless someone at the top looks at that head and asks, "Who is that supposed to be?" The face covering will still go on looking like it does now. It is a 40-45% attempt to capture Walt (Missed it by...that much...). Will they improve the movements to make both upper limbs more natural? Maybe in time. Will they correct the suit? Maybe in time. Will they do as you commented on develop a beginning, a complete middle, and an ending? Maybe in time. If you remember back when "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" opened decades ago, the narrator (great voice by Paul Frees) acknowledged that after years of preparation, the artists, the engineers, and many others presented to the audience –Mr. Lincoln. Back then those involved with Walt knew how to 'put on a show.' As west in recent days, those in charge brought together the right people to decorate the 'static' areas, they hired the engineers and masters of AA to create the working parts, but when it can right down to creating the master for the head, I suppose they looked at Presidents Kennedy, Ford, Nixon, Obama, Clinton, Bush, Bush, and all of the head being used in the Hall of Presidents. I guess they figured the audience doesn't matter, they have been accepting these cartooned versions; will create the voice, put a suit on it, make it sit up from a desk, do a some new advancements of movement, and they won't even think twice that the mask isn't 100%. If any of this is even close to the truth...it's a shame. Those of us who have been going to Disneyland or Disney World over these many years look to Disney to continue to be the lead park and to keep the memory of Walt Disney alive. Thy should have gotten it right before opening it to the public. They should have tested it in front of a test audience of different ages, and like you said, they should have created a script to give the importance to all that Walt did by giving him an introduction and a finale.

Great job. I hope others will respond to your post.

I got to experience the new attraction over the past few days and I don't quite know what to make of it.

On one hand, it is incredibly earnest. You can feel the good intentions of the piece, that on some level some care was taken to put this together. While the loss of the capitol model in the lobby is lamentable, it is cool to have demo-ing animatronics in its place, and hopefully that model will return eventually, as I doubt the AAs will stay there forever. Audience response seemed positive; people were laughing along at some of Walt's quips throughout the show and cheering when it was over. Theater attendance topped out at about half full during my two shows. There is some fluidity in Walt's movements that is impressive.

On the other hand, there were odd moments where the show didn't transition between moments at all, particularly as the end of the film was reached. There isn't really a transition from "here's Walt talking about his life" to "here's Walt Disney, the animatronic," and it's baffling. Walt starting the show leaning on the table (and them making a big deal out of it) is weird, given that Lincoln has been rising from his chair for about as long as my father has been alive and it still strikes me as a more impressive motion than rising from a lean. Is there a long archive of Walt leaning against his desk on his TV show that I'm just not familiar with? Whatever. As mentioned, the sound quality is a little weird. Bob Iger simply is not a charismatic narrator. Walt's set honestly feels too small; I'm not sure why they didn't replicate his full office here unless there were concerns relating to the turntable. Either way, there's a lot of space and very little set decoration. And then the show just ends. Walt's death is not touched on at all, even though that's extremely Googleable information at the very least, and it would have been very easy to say something to the effect of "While we lament the loss of Walt Disney, we have continued to build out his company and keep moving forward." My mother's comment at the end of the show she saw was that she was impressed with how AAs have evolved and gotten more lifelike, she didn't really notice that the faces didn't match at all. I imagine much of the audience is leaving with a similar opinion.

To me, thinking of Lincoln vs. Waltatronic is a bit like Mary Poppins vs. Mary Poppins Returns, in that much like MPR, whoever is responsible for WD:AML clearly cared about the project, and clearly looked at Lincoln as a model, as the shows mirror each other and follow many of the same beats. There's a certain passion for their subject and a reverence for what came before. The difference is, much like with Mary Poppins vs. Mary Poppins Returns, in the details. On the whole, like Mary Poppins Returns, WD:AML nails the big stuff, but it is the lack of care in the little details that keeps it (and MPR) from reaching the heights of its predecessor.

Now, all of this is fixable. Getting a more consistent audio and a more accurate face would do wonders. Putting in a more charismatic narrator. Adding in a few more details and transition pieces and giving the show a proper ending would make it more satisfying. I certainly hope the 8 PM closing times are being used to that effect, because I find it otherwise ridiculous, and I never got to explore the full lobby area during my visit. Of course, that is if they recognize and are willing to admit that these are problems, something they haven't shown much willingness to face in the past. Maybe they feel like it's close enough, since even if they do go in and make improvements, this thing is going to be playing to Lincoln-level numbers very soon and they know it. But given that they went so far as to push this project into life, I sure hope they would truly honor it by giving it the improvements it needs.

 

[Incomudro]

That is the whole reason why the Hall of Presidents should become a look at American history hosted by the Muppets.

Please no.

 

[Yidsid2020]

Please no.

Ditto!

 

[Animaniac93-98]

To me, thinking of Lincoln vs. Waltatronic is a bit like Mary Poppins vs. Mary Poppins Returns, in that much like MPR, whoever is responsible for WD:AML clearly cared about the project, and clearly looked at Lincoln as a model, as the shows mirror each other and follow many of the same beats. There's a certain passion for their subject and a reverence for what came before. The difference is, much like with Mary Poppins vs. Mary Poppins Returns, in the details. On the whole, like Mary Poppins Returns, WD:AML nails the big stuff, but it is the lack of care in the little details that keeps it (and MPR) from reaching the heights of its predecessor.

That kind of sums up Disney as a whole in the past decade.

A lot of talented people trying to imitate past successes (sometimes literally with the remakes) and always falling short.

 

[Parteecia]

The current AAA Westways magazine has an article about it but they used the original illustration (the one in the first post). Some people who think that's what they'll see may be in for a shock.

 

[CaptinEO]

The issue I think is that Disney doesn't listen to guest feedback with any of their attractions. Some pretentious high up WDI manager ok'd this Walt sculpt a long time ago likely to the dismay of their own colleagues and I expect their ego to be too fragile to change this.

The same goes for Iger's narration, think anyone's going to tell him he needs to redo his lines or even better yet, be cut from the show?

It'd be great if Disney tested and adjusted their attractions to actually meet guest expectations but time after time they prove they just don't care.

 

[Yidsid2020]

You are probably correct. For years they have allowed the Hall of Presidents to have heads that don't come close to the quality of what Blaine Gibson created. The time and care he took to make sure the sculptures he made looked like each president either close up or from the back chair in that room. They can create an AA for any cartoon, that's far easier because it is a cartoon image a street drawer can create. Look what they did to Mr. Lincoln. There was nothing wrong with the Gibson creation. As far as the narration, the 'lay' audience had no idea who that is at all. Mr. Iger is known to those in the 'know'. As far as the lines being spoken, they need more caring and more feeling. There's really no introduction as there was when the original "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" was shown.

Sadly, there was a test audience (most likely all employees of WED/WDI). Like you said, If they would have had an actual test audience with a mix of those who have visited any of the parks for years and have the occasional visitor; they would have gotten an actual review.

They will tweak the presentation over time and who knows, maybe someone in 'the future' WDI will say something to the effect...."The Emperor has no clothes!"

 

[Phroobar]

Please no.

Is the thing even open now?

I guess it did reopen. Trump looks far better now. Bidden looks much better too.

 

[mickEblu]

LMAO. Bob Gurr tells cosplay Walt “you look a lot better than the one over there.” Referring to the new Walt AA. (Second slide)

 

[PiratesMansion]

LMAO. Bob Gurr tells cosplay Walt “you look a lot better than the one over there.” Referring to the new Walt AA. (Second slide)

I caught Bob at the park the day before the anniversary. He was very polite as I tried-but-failed to not be the awkward fanboi in his presence (probably a good idea in retrospect that the last time I was at Scary Farm I saw Tony Baxter sitting on a bench, but decided to just let him be with his group rather than Say Something). He's such a gem.

 

[mickEblu]

I caught Bob at the park the day before the anniversary. He was very polite as I tried-but-failed to not be the awkward fanboi in his presence (probably a good idea in retrospect that the last time I was at Scary Farm I saw Tony Baxter sitting on a bench, but decided to just let him be with his group rather than Say Something). He's such a gem.

lol I’m going to need a transcript of the entire interaction please.