Captain EO final show on 12/6 - Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival to be the replacement

[ford91exploder]

That isn't even close to an accurate timeline. Strategic Planning was well in place before Eisner's death and Pressler's meteoric rise was also before 2001. Eisner wasn't the romantic creative you're trying to reprint him as being.

For crying out loud Walt had a 'strategic planning' group, The nucleus of MDE's 'Strategic Planning' existed almost since Eisner became chairman yet they had no power until Frank Wells died.

Eisner was a hard nosed businessman. Yet he understood that the creatives and their work product was essential to Disney's success. In the studios his strategy was 'Singles and Doubles' i.e. lots of movies produced at a low cost BUT backed with plans to celebrate them if they went big. This is vastly unlike Iger's tentpole strategy, IF EP7 is not the biggest box office in history TWDC stock is going to tank.

Compare that to the 'sharp pencil boys' now running the show, They have an accidental HUGE hit and it takes them a YEAR to figure out how to capitalize on it, They would rather buy IP (Marvel + Lucasfilm) than take the risk in creating their own.

Back in 2006 I was part of the 'Save Disney' movement, Initially I thought Iger was a good hire because he made peace with Pixar (Eisner's Long Haired Hippie war with Jobs).

However it soon became evident that Iger was the wrong person to head a creative company.

 

[ford91exploder]

What I'm curious about is what prompted this change in the first place. Clearly, Disney was content with running EO for years after the craze around Michael Jackson's death ended. And it's also clear that the shorts are just a temporary change until they can come up with something more permanent. So they're replacing one sad attempt to utilize the building the building with another one.

So why spend the money to make a change in the first place? Were there guest complaints about EO or something?

Perhaps licensing issues with the Jackson estate?

 

[wdwfan4ver]

What I'm curious about is what prompted this change in the first place. Clearly, Disney was content with running EO for years after the craze around Michael Jackson's death ended. And it's also clear that the shorts are just a temporary change until they can come up with something more permanent. So they're replacing one sad attempt to utilize the building the building with another one.

So why spend the money to make a change in the first place?

The reason Disney make the change with Captain EO now in Epcot is because they are a phase of getting a rid of Captain EO in all their parks. Disney started to close Captain EO in all their theme parks that have that attraction starting last year and Epcot's version, I believe was the last version running.

Tokyo Disneyland closed Captain EO last year for Stitch Encounter, Disneyland Paris closed Captain Eo on April 12th of this year, and I believe Disneyland closed their Captain EO for good earlier this year also.

 

[PhotoDave219]

You could see the beginning of the end of George Lucas' genius with all the kid-friendly gags in this film. Its not hard to find where Jar-Jar could come 10 years later.

Best part of this was Angelica Houston.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The reason Disney make the change with Captain EO now in Epcot is because they are a phase of getting a rid of Captain EO in all their parks. Disney started to close Captain EO in all their theme parks that have that attraction starting last year and Epcot's version, I believe was the last version running.

Tokyo Disneyland closed Captain EO last year for Stitch Encounter, Disneyland Paris closed Captain Eo on April 12th of this year, and I believe Disneyland closed their Captain EO for good earlier this year also.

That doesn't make any sense. The parks aren't coordinated in that sort of manner.

 

[ford91exploder]

You could see the beginning of the end of George Lucas' genius with all the kid-friendly gags in this film. Its not hard to find where Jar-Jar could come 10 years later.

Best part of this was Angelica Houston.

Yes there were a lot of gags which were designed to appeal to the under 10 set, Even Lucas noted that Jar Jar was supposed to appeal to children. Not to mention the Ewoks but at least they had an edge to them, Cute teddy bears who kill... Almost as good as the Rabbit of Caerbannog Or Bunnicula...

 

[marni1971]

Strategic Planning was well in place before Eisner's death

Huh?!?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Huh?!?

Wells'. I'll go fix it.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Sadly the focus of Epcot is as a ticketed food and drink venue.

And with Disney Springs improving as construction completes, Epcot will simply continue to devolve in both relevance and overall usefullness. There's only so much Frozen and Soarin' can do to encourage people to come back.

As for me, I'm done with the park. It's not terrible, just not worth it when I consider the cost of getting in for what you get out of it.

 

[xdan0920]

Wow, what a boring life you must have.

Or she could be using hyperbole to make her point, that she's happy EO is gone. And you might just be a jerk?

 

[*Q*]

Or she could be using hyperbole to make her point, that she's happy EO is gone. And you might just be a jerk?

I'm not a jerk, I just have a fully justified superiority complex. Although I know it's difficult for some of the lower sentient species to tell the difference.

 

[George]

I'm not a jerk, I just have a fully justified superiority complex. Although I know it's difficult for some of the lower sentient species to tell the difference.

Are you posting "in character" vis a vis the avatar and username? There is a certain amount of misinterpretation that will happen if that is the case.

 

[George]

I've given up hope. EPCOT is a great memory now. That is all. At least there's one less Giant Theme Park of Orlando that I have the urge to visit.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Can't Pixar just make a few Figment shorts?

That would be a placeholder that would satisfy everybody. The shareholders, merchandise, John Lasseter's ego, the toon crowd, the princess horde, and even us EPCOT bitter-enders.

 

[*Q*]

Can't Pixar just make a few Figment shorts?

That would be a placeholder that would satisfy everybody. The shareholders, merchandise, John Lasseter's ego, the toon crowd, the princess horde, and even us EPCOT bitter-enders.

Maybe that will be the next step from the Marvel comic books.

 

[Nmoody1]

I'm not sure if this has been posted... but a film festival in EPCOT... when a park that celebrates films and is lacking in attractions, even more than epcot, is just down the road!

 

[dizda]

My concern is that this "short film festival" becomes permanent and they just occassionally (as in every five to ten years) rotate the films.

 

[dizda]

I guess we can only hope this is a placeholder for something better one day soon. I'm not holding my breath though sigh

Meanwhile universe of energy needs a major redo as well and we have expansion pads in world showcase or need something new (maybe a ride in one) that isn't frozen

It seems all of the other parks are getting attention, but not Epcot...hopefully that'll change down the road

They could add the original ride planned for Germany and that would at least be a non-IP boat ride to compensate for Frozenstrom.

 

[RSoxNo1]

How imaginative...


Per minute of final film, Captain EO was the most expensive movie ever made.

At the time it was made, this is true. I'm sure this is now surpassed countless times annually.

 

[RSoxNo1]

People said we couldn't move it's a small world to Epcot? Why not? They just moved the Main Street Cinema.