News Blue Sky Cellar has reopened for Pixar Pier Exhibit. And TDA gossip.

[VJ]

Do you guys remember Blue Sky Cellar? The Beauty and the Beast restaurant in Fantasyland? Same tarp-signs. Same cheapness.

This isn't new.

 

[TROR]

Do you guys remember Blue Sky Cellar? The Beauty and the Beast restaurant in Fantasyland? Same tarp-signs. Same cheapness.

This isn't new.

Red Rose Tavern isn't THAT bad tho

 

[Disneylover152]

Thanks, wasn't sure what this was considered with is starting so early? Spring Break has been over in Canada for about two weeks, is this the last weekend of Spring Break in the states?

My spring break was Easter week...
Yet my cousin's Spring Break was the week of March 18...
and my younger sisters spring break is the week of April 29...

Spring Break in the states is literally any time from ~March 10-May 10

 

[TP2000]

Here's the full length video playing in the theater room of the Blue Sky Cellar.

It's the typical artsy corporate propaganda, with lush music and slo-mo soft-focus photography of carefully curated "Imagineers" working hard to bring your Pixar dreams to life so you can love your children even more.

There's also some stuff about remodeling theme park rides. But no mention of John Lasseter.

 

[Deleted member 107043]

It's the typical artsy corporate propaganda, with lush music and slo-mo soft-focus photography of carefully curated "Imagineers" working hard to bring your Pixar dreams to life so you can love your children even more.

I can be fairly cynical when it comes to Disney "propaganda", but I think behind all the sophisticated props and editing the tone and message of this film is sincere. I really do think the creative people working for Disney Parks believe they are doing something more noble than just entertaining people for a dollar.

My biggest takeaway from this film is that the storyline of Pixar Pier is the same as Paradise Pier - a seaside amusement park in California. I'm going to need a moment or two to wrap my head around this.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It's the typical artsy corporate propaganda, with lush music and slo-mo soft-focus photography of carefully curated "Imagineers" working hard to bring your Pixar dreams to life so you can love your children even more.

Every time you roll your eyes at WDI propaganda, you push your children farther away!!

 

[__r.jr]

Here's the full length video playing in the theater room of the Blue Sky Cellar.

It's the typical artsy corporate propaganda, with lush music and slo-mo soft-focus photography of carefully curated "Imagineers" working hard to bring your Pixar dreams to life so you can love your children even more.

It's essentially Imagineers talking about their personal lives because there isn't really much to discuss in regard to Pixar Pier.

In terms of design, it really sounds as...

“We got paid to get drunk at California piers and designed the whole thing by photoshopping images we found on Google."

 

[Ismael Flores]

the more i look at the diferent concept art the more i wish that they had gone with the spinner in the east helix themed to Incredibles and the small ride in the west helix that looks like an updated heimlich. The way the track shows it going up and over the walkways and then through the helix into the building that is closest to the helix would have added a multi layered ride for the families

 

[bluerhythym]

I can be fairly cynical when it comes to Disney "propaganda", but I think behind all the sophisticated props and editing the tone and message of this film is sincere. I really do think the creative people working for Disney Parks believe they are doing something more noble than just entertaining people for a dollar.

My biggest takeaway from this film is that the storyline of Pixar Pier is the same as Paradise Pier - a seaside amusement park in California. I'm going to need a moment or two to wrap my head around this.

The problem is that it's not the creative people deciding what to build. They're only tasked with the how.

I'm sure most of the imagineers grew up on attractions like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion, and now they're stuck doing things like adding Nemo to ferris wheels. Its too bad we'll never see what modern WDI can come up with if not limited by executives making all the creative decisions.

 

[Phroobar]

The problem is that it's not the creative people deciding what to build. They're only tasked with the how.

I'm sure most of the imagineers grew up on attractions like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion, and now they're stuck doing things like adding Nemo to ferris wheels. Its too bad we'll never see what modern WDI can come up with if not limited by executives making all the creative decisions.

That is the way it has always been. You never let creative spend as much time and money as the want on a project to decide on the what to build. They must be given direction. Otherwise you end up with some kind of overpriced, overly complicated artsy fartsy thing that you are bulldozing a year later. We have seen recently what WDI can do with bigger budgets (ie Mystic Manor, Grizzy Gultch, Pandora and soon GE). Not everything can be huge. That is just not how business works.

 

[mickEblu]

That is the way it has always been. You never let creative spend as much time and money as the want on a project to decide on the what to build. They must be given direction. Otherwise you end up with some kind of overpriced, overly complicated artsy fartsy thing that you are bulldozing a year later. We have seen recently what WDI can do with bigger budgets (ie Mystic Manor, Grizzy Gultch, Pandora and soon GE). Not everything can be huge. That is just not how business works.

While true the big difference was the man in charge was a creative.

 

[Phroobar]

While true the big difference was the man in charge was a creative.

That rarely happens anymore. Business schools don't teach creativity. A Disney or Jobs or Bushnell are few and far between. If you were creative you wouldn't be working on your MBA anyway.

 

[mickEblu]

That rarely happens anymore. Business schools don't teach creativity. A Disney or Jobs or Bushnell are few and far between. If you were creative you wouldn't be working on your MBA anyway.

I know. I thought we were comparing Disneyland’s early years to today.

 

[TP2000]

I can be fairly cynical when it comes to Disney "propaganda", but I think behind all the sophisticated props and editing the tone and message of this film is sincere. I really do think the creative people working for Disney Parks believe they are doing something more noble than just entertaining people for a dollar.

My biggest takeaway from this film is that the storyline of Pixar Pier is the same as Paradise Pier - a seaside amusement park in California. I'm going to need a moment or two to wrap my head around this.

I agree that the tone here is sincere, or at least the attempt at tone was sincere.

But this video seems to be getting uncomfortably close to crossing the line into self-absorbed pablum and corporate propaganda. The self awareness the Imagineers now have that their work enables some lofty goal of creating family happiness is getting a bit heavy handed.

For example, as much as I love Disney theme parks (see my ridiculous post count here as proof), I think a park ranger working for the National Park Service has a more noble and important career and calling than an Imagineer working in Glendale. And the park ranger is probably making $50,000 per year and drives an old Corolla, while the Imagineers in this video are in the six figures and drive Teslas and BMW's. Sad but true.

But then, when you are trying to produce a 15 minute video about re-themeing a roller coaster and remodeling a gaggle of snack bars and gift shops in a theme park cause your new Chairman told you to, you have to stretch that out with filler material somehow. It just seems to be getting too close to crossing the line into smarmy corporate propaganda with this video. They need to be really careful with that.

Or at least save this We Do Important Work tone for the truly important projects, and not waste it on Pixar Pier snack bar remodels.

 

[Disney Irish]

While true the big difference was the man in charge was a creative.

But that man was only in charge for 11 years. We have 52 years of him not being in charge.

 

[Phroobar]

I agree that the tone here is sincere, or at least the attempt at tone was sincere.

But this video seems to be getting uncomfortably close to crossing the line here into self-absorbed pablum and corporate propaganda. The self awareness the Imagineers now have that their work enables some lofty goal of creating family happiness is getting a bit heavy handed.

For example, as much as I love Disney theme parks (see my ridiculous post count here as proof), I think a park ranger working for the National Park Service has a more noble and important career and calling than an Imagineer working in Glendale. And the park ranger is probably making $50,000 per year and drives an old Corolla, while the Imagineers in this video are in the six figures and drive Teslas and BMW's. Sad but true.

But then, when you are trying to produce a 15 minute video about re-themeing a roller coaster and remodeling a gaggle of snack bars and gift shops in a theme park cause your new Chairman told you to, you have to stretch that out with filler material somehow. It just seems to be getting too close to crossing the line into smarmy corporate propaganda with this video. They need to be really careful with that.

Or at least save this We Do Important Work tone for the truly important projects, and not waste it on Pixar Pier snack bar remodels.

We want to create magic for the little people and their failed and useless lives.

 

[mickEblu]

But that man was only in charge for 11 years. We have 52 years of him not being in charge.

Ya true but POTC and HM are still the height of Imagineering IMO and that came under Walt’s guidance and those he directly worked with. Plus is it wasn’t like he just died and then the next day they said “ to hell with what Walt wanted.” Changes happen gradually over time.

 

[lazyboy97o]

That is the way it has always been. You never let creative spend as much time and money as the want on a project to decide on the what to build. They must be given direction. Otherwise you end up with some kind of overpriced, overly complicated artsy fartsy thing that you are bulldozing a year later. We have seen recently what WDI can do with bigger budgets (ie Mystic Manor, Grizzy Gultch, Pandora and soon GE). Not everything can be huge. That is just not how business works.

The issue isn’t budget. Walt Disney Imagineering is no longer tasked with coming up with the best stories.

 

[SuddenStorm]

While true the big difference was the man in charge was a creative.

This. 100 times this.

The MAN in charge was a creative. Not the long list of corporate leaders who each have their own political agenda.

When Walt was running things, he could do what he felt was right- since it was his park, his money, his company. WDI was tasked with pitching to Walt, and Walt alone- and creating stuff that Walt would like.

Now, Disney is a far more convoluted company. A lot more hoops have to be jumped through to get anything done. There has to be a justification for everything, and it can't be a risk.

 

[mickEblu]

The issue isn’t budget. Walt Disney Imagineering is no longer tasked with coming up with the best stories.

At this rate they need to start adding a “cheap overlay 101” class to the curriculum at Cal Arts.

Chapter 1: Look around for scrap parts from the TL 98 redo