DAK interview with Joe Rohde

[4 Park Central]

Just finished reading a fascinating interview with Joe Rohde about the creation of DAK - it is probably the most insightful piece I have ever read about the development of the park (perhaps even more so than even the Making of DAK book):

The real insight is that:

1) The Tree of Life wasn't the original design for the icon - it was a much smaller tree from a section of the park called Nature's Headquarters. The Tree didn't move into place until the original icon (a giant carousel was moved);

2) The entrance sequence was originally going to be either a series of empty cages (to reinforce the fact that DAK wasn't a zoo) or giant toyboxes full of stuffed animals;

3) Beastly Kingdomme is a mantra rather than a specific concept (there is great concept art of BK in the piece); and

4) Joe loves DinoRama - his justification for this section is actually very compelling.

Overall a great read and a great companion piece to the previous issue which talked about the development of Epcot Center with Marty Sklar.

Anyone else subscribe and take anything else from the article?

 

[Jerm]

Some how I don't think the nice people over at Laughingplace.com would be to fond of you post pages from their mag. If you want a lot of insite into AK you should get the Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423103203that came out last year, it is great and has a lot of concept and background on the park.

 

[4 Park Central]

Some how I don't think the nice people over at Laughingplace.com would be to fond of you post pages from their mag. If you want a lot of insite into AK you should get the Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423103203that came out last year, it is great and has a lot of concept and background on the park.

Hopefully they wouldn't mind. :wave: If I was writing a review it would be hugely positive - the issue is outstanding.

I have the three existing Field Guides and haven't really found anything new in them to be honest. Okay but a little light and fluffy (I guess that is only to be expected when they are Disney-produced). There is no mention of Beastly Kingdomme if I recall in that Field Guide and there just isn't a great deal of honesty or information about how the park evolved over time.

I don't know if the Laughingplace.com folks have just great connections but the interviews always seem a lot more candid in their magazine than anything else I've ever read - a real dose of honesty throughout. It was just so refreshing to read about how the park evolved over a decade prior to opening and how it is so much of a political issue - how to keep within the budget and still deliver a quality product.

 

[Spike-in-Berlin]

Just finished reading a fascinating interview with Joe Rohde about the creation of DAK - it is probably the most insightful piece I have ever read about the development of the park (perhaps even more so than even the Making of DAK book)

There IS a book about the making-of DAK? What's the title? Is it sold at amazon?

 

[4 Park Central]

There IS a book about the making-of DAK? What's the title? Is it sold at amazon?

It was a book that came out in '98 for the opening of the park. It was written by Joe Rohde's wife - Melody Malmberg - I think it has been out-of-print for a number of years. You might be able to find it on eBay - to be honest it a good book without being great - there wasn't much artwork and the book concentrated on the animals rather than the attraction etc.

As the other poster noted the only other book currently in print is the Field Guide by Alex Wright.

I don't know if E-Ticket magazine ever covered it - otherwise Tales from the Laughing Place magazine seems to be the only publication to have covered the park's development.

 

[brkgnews]

You should be able to find copies of Melody Malmberg's book at alibris.com (or other used book sellers like abebooks). It is a very good read, and has a fascinating little table of facts & figures in the very back.

 

[4 Park Central]

You should be able to find copies of Melody Malmberg's book at alibris.com (or other used book sellers like abebooks). It is a very good read, and has a fascinating little table of facts & figures in the very back.

I really like her writing style (she writes for local press in Pasadena that I've seen). I managed to pick up her Making of Hong Kong Disneyland book and whilst it was very light on details it was still well-written. It is a shame that the book didn't make it into mass circulation.

I just wish those Disney Edition books weren't so sanitized.

 

[4 Park Central]

There IS a book about the making-of DAK? What's the title? Is it sold at amazon?

Actually the used prices are pretty reasonable - it is only 160 pages though. One to add to the collection but definitely not the best book if you are interested in artwork etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Disney...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217889336&sr=8-1

I'm surprised no-one else seems to have heard of this Laughingplace magazine though.

 

[Matpez]

I uploaded all of Joe Rhode's talk from Animal Kingdom's 10th anniversary to youtube if you haven't seen that...

Part 1 of 5-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR65SxY6Lq8

:wave:

 

[brkgnews]

Actually the used prices are pretty reasonable - it is only 160 pages though. One to add to the collection but definitely not the best book if you are interested in artwork etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Making-Disney...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217889336&sr=8-1

I'm surprised no-one else seems to have heard of this Laughingplace magazine though.

I've heard of it. Or I guess I have... I've been a subscriber to it at least. :lol:

 

[paul436]

4) Joe loves DinoRama - his justification for this section is actually very compelling.

I would love to hear the justification. That is one area in all of WDW that I really feel out of place in.

 

[marni1971]

It was a book that came out in '98 for the opening of the park. It was written by Joe Rohde's wife - Melody Malmberg - I think it has been out-of-print for a number of years. You might be able to find it on eBay - to be honest it a good book without being great - there wasn't much artwork and the book concentrated on the animals rather than the attraction etc.

We talking about the same book? It has loads of concept art and construction photos. 192 pages, ISBN 0-7868-6402-8

So, Joe loves Diorama? He does know it is temporary for a reason? The only hard lines in the area infrastructure wise are data lines. The actual structures can be removed within a month as needs be.

 

[brkgnews]

So, Joe loves Diorama? He does know it is temporary for a reason? The only hard lines in the area infrastructure wise are data lines. The actual structures can be removed within a month as needs be.

Of course they can... they all came in on trailers, just like at the county fair. :lookaroun

 

[imamouse]

I've heard of it. Or I guess I have... I've been a subscriber to it at least. :lol:

Do you still subscribe to Tales from the Laughing Place? If so, why. If not, why not?

 

[brkgnews]

Yep, I still subscribe to LP, along with Orlando Attractions. And of course a pending sub to the new one as well, Celebrations or whatever.

I enjoy LP's graphical layout, photography, etc. The images / concept art in the EPCOT anniversary edition were phenomenal, including a few pieces I hadn't seen before.
But beyond that, I'm such a Disney "completist" that I like to keep my library well-stocked with the periodicals. :lol: I still have my DVC magazines, too.

 

[Fade_to_Blah]

And what exactly does Joe like about Dinorama?

 

[brkgnews]

And what exactly does Joe like about Dinorama?

I don't remember specifics... but I seem to remember someone talking about how difficult it was to make the "fake" parking lot on there. You've got to admit... whether or not you LIKE the theme... it is extremely-well themed to the theme that was chosen.

 

[LetsGoAgain]

I uploaded all of Joe Rhode's talk from Animal Kingdom's 10th anniversary to youtube if you haven't seen that...

Part 1 of 5-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xR65SxY6Lq8

:wave:

Thanks for posting... but, I couldn't pay attention to Rohde because I was staring at his dangling ear lobe thingy. Ick! :hurl: It is so distracting as it swings back and forth when he talks.

 

[krankenstein]

I would love to hear the justification. That is one area in all of WDW that I really feel out of place in.

I felt the same way until I read the Imagineering Field Guide to DAK. Once I read the whole backstory on the land, I now understand what they tried to do. Admittedly, it still isn't my favorite area, but it really fits into the area now to me. I don't harbor hardly any bad feelings for Dino-Rama anymore.

 

[sarabi]

I don't remember specifics... but I seem to remember someone talking about how difficult it was to make the "fake" parking lot on there. You've got to admit... whether or not you LIKE the theme... it is extremely-well themed to the theme that was chosen.

Actually, last time I went was the first time I saw Dinorama and that's exactly what struck me... the parking lot looked so... real. Everything in disney is so perfect. When you see cracked and resealed pavement it's intentional and I thought it was awesome. I took me right back to the county fair when I was a kid. I kept pointing at the pavement to my mother who was with me. She didn't get it.
I wanted to linger longer in Dinorama just being a kid again, but my mom wanted to move along. I can see loving it. I can also see something better themed to Dinoland going where it is now, but I can't say I mind it.