Eddie Sotto's take on the current state of the parks (Part II)

[invader]

Wow! That's a thought, a hot air balloon for a ride vehicle, though it would be hard to pull off in terms of details, unless you had a Soarin' over Oz type ride, though that might work if you combined screens in addition to some real scenes. A fake bottom part of the balloon could hide ceiling mounted lights, a sight line problem on Mermaid.

http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-patent-application-flight-motion-simulator-vehicle-18796/

Things that make you go hmm...

 

[RSoxNo1]

It would make a good ride, especially if you were in a balloon. The only challenge with making these films into rides, is that the "worlds" and the animatronics can seldom live up what you saw in the movie. You are forced to have a large distance between the vehicle and the sets, and the AA figures are limited as well. I just ride Indiana Jones the other day and it was a shame to see so much of the show turned off. The ball was off (among other effects) and had been since my last visit. The AA of Ford was not as good as Depp was in Pirates, so there are risks to trying to pay off these CG extravaganzas (unless you do it Transformer style and use 3D).

The Ball was working a couple of weeks ago, but the fire effects where definitely hit or miss.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-patent-application-flight-motion-simulator-vehicle-18796/

Things that make you go hmm...

Interesting read. Cables......

 

[Eddie Sotto]

The Ball was working a couple of weeks ago, but the fire effects where definitely hit or miss.

If I was George Lucas, I'd beg for an enhancement of the ride and see if there wasn't something big enough to market that could be added. If they are making another Indy film, maybe he can wrangle something new into the ride. Star Tours 2 was really good. There are some emptier areas that were subject to budget that would be great opportunities for enhancement.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

This.. my friends is turning a big page in Disney history. Garner certainly has a Cinderella story here.
http://micechat.com/8026-disney-garner-holt/

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Thanks for answering my last question Eddie, my next one would be: Why a restaurant and not a ride for Mr. Toad in DLP?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Did Garner do all of the AA's in Radiator Springs Racers?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Thanks for answering my last question Eddie, my next one would be: Why a restaurant and not a ride for Mr. Toad in DLP?

Probably $$$$$.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Did Garner do all of the AA's in Radiator Springs Racers?

I don't know the answer offhand, but may be able to find out.

 

[HMF]

Did Garner do all of the AA's in Radiator Springs Racers?

Probably, considering Iger just killed MAPO.

 

[flynnibus]

I'd wager no if the questions is 'all of them' since wdi had been previewing the cars aa figures at expo previously. But I bet they did a lot of it and probably was a collaboration for most else.

The cars aa mix in a lot of new concepts. The video/physical blends, the very flexible mouths like mater's, and some seriously large and fast moving aas

 

[Eddie Sotto]

That's my suspicion as well. They probably did some of them, like the tipping tractors, but not all the new stuff. Lots of R&D in those new pieces.

 

[Pixiedustmaker]

I bet they build another Cars ride somewhere, the animatronics pull off the effect so well as you can exactly replicate what the characters look like as they are pretty unchanging shapes being cars, and you only need relatively simple movement in the "bumper lips" of the cars to animate them in addition to moving the piece around as needed, everything else is done with screens. A lot of new R&D, especially with getting the flexible parts right, but overall less complex than Lincoln when it comes to range of motion and facial expressions.

I bet they could use similar flexible material for stuff like the fish in Nemo, Monsters Inc. characters, Toy Story characters, humans in Ratatouille etc . . .

 

[Eddie Sotto]

It would be funny if they replaced just the Bears with a "Mater's Jamboree" with Cars performing on the stage and Mater as the host. (Almost as shocking as changing Spaceship Earth into a Death Star.)

 

[flynnibus]

I bet they build another Cars ride somewhere, the animatronics pull off the effect so well as you can exactly replicate what the characters look like as they are pretty unchanging shapes being cars, and you only need relatively simple movement in the "bumper lips" of the cars to animate them in addition to moving the piece around as needed, everything else is done with screens. A lot of new R&D, especially with getting the flexible parts right, but overall less complex than Lincoln when it comes to range of motion and facial expressions.

I bet they could use similar flexible material for stuff like the fish in Nemo, Monsters Inc. characters, Toy Story characters, humans in Ratatouille etc . . .

Don't trivialize this. You say 'relatively simple movement' - yet you need to account for the entire area for the expression, not just some piece moving up and down. The credibility comes from the way the expressions seem natural and blend in. Nevermind the material science about the materials that flex without deforming inappropriately and then do this tens of thousands of times a day - for a very very very long time.

Disney had to work with something as 'relatively simple' as fabric, and had to work it in ways that it wouldn't wear itself out almost constantly due to the repetitive motions.

In a lot of ways, larger is often more difficult, because it's more visible and there is more mass in play. Small and large each bring their own sets of challenges.

Yes, a car's expressions are likely more simple than a humans - but that's because we are conditioned so strongly on what human expressions are supposed to look like.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

You make very valid points and the flexible material you mention is quite a breakthrough. the note that expression is a system of movement that is not confined to the face is a good one. The body of the car gestures and so forth to give a total impression. I know that the effects of just moving a large mass quickly is really hard to do and do well, especially when it needs to stop. This kind of thing is what happens when you are trying to recreate what you've seen in a movie in real life.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I'm have a big feeling Autopia is on its way out, since they didn't bother to renew their contract with Chevron. I guess I don't want the attraction to go, due to nostalgia. I don't ride it as much as I used to but if it's going, I'll just have to suck it up.

If all three go (Autopia, Innoventions, and the Subs), that'll be tons of space to work with. Honestly, I wish they'd use a different ride system and out the Rocket Rods back. I loved that ride.

I've been hearing rumors about a supposedly Oz land. That just seems odd to me. What I want to see are these plans for a Marvel park. I want to see what they've come up with.

Agree on Autopia. No sponsor, land hog, and there is another "Car" ride in the other park.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

You're kidding me, right? You have to be kidding. The occult? Come on. They're cartoon characters. They're not even that scary. Captain Hook is harmless and Ursula is so cartoonish she's practically the embodiment of camp. How about you let your children live a little? Don't coddle them so much. Expose them to new things, new facets of life (even if those facets are a tad unsettling). Let them ride 'Snow White's Scary Adventures' or meet Cruella de Vil, and if they don't like the experience, guess what? They don't have to do it again. Believe me, they'll live. But at least give them the opportunity to experience something different or unfamiliar before condeming it as witchcraft and paganism. Jeez! If people with your old-fashioned sensibilities were running Disney World, there would be less variety in the parks than there already is:

"So long, Pirates of the Caribbean! Sayonara, Haunted Mansion. Those attractions were just far too pagan. We didn't want our guests stepping off those attractions with a sudden hankering for drinking chicken blood and wearing Pentagram necklaces. No, Disney World will be a much better place if every park is dedicated to harmless, banal princes and princesses."

Oh, and there are plenty of good Disney characters who practice versions of the sinful occult that you're so fiercely opposed to (Mama Odie--"Princess and the Frog", Mushu--"Mulan", the various fairies).

Just what you would expect "Villians" to say.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Probably, considering Iger just killed MAPO.

In a way, by ending MAPO and perhaps trying to make the figures more affordable, they may end up in more shows. In that sense, he could have saved the medium. WDI still develops new animation, so the money can go into that.

 

[Villains0501]

Just what you would expect "Villians" to say.

Everything I said is true. They are harmless. I've never understood why people fear the Villains (and this is coming from someone who's been singing 'Be Prepared' under his breath since the age of four). I've always found them too cartoonish, too campy, and far too funny to be truly scary. That's why I've never understood why people are so afraid to see anything Villain-related within the parks, aside from Captain Hook, of course; but he's so lame I hardly consider him a villain. I mean, the reason the Villains are an integral part of MNSSHP every year is because they are "not-so-scary". Ah well, what can you do besides lodge the occasional complaint to Guest Services and start a new Villains thread on WDWMagic every so often?