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

[Eddie Sotto]

I love good books!
I am reading one now Titled "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larsson. It is about the Chicago Worlds Fair Architects and designers (among other things ). Fun to here about early "people mover" stuff on this thread while I am reading about it in the book!

I read that book quite some time ago. What stood out to me is how similar the politics and challenges were back then in getting something built to how they are today. The concept of the plaster white city being a reaction to some of the challenges they have in building and painting was very interesting. The whole issue with finding someone to do the landscaping was another great story. To me, the whole murder thing was the least interesting part about it and I really enjoyed the evolution of the fair.

 

[Darth Sidious]

Yup, I was going to add that he has a way with writing non-fiction that makes it very interesting. I'm reading his Oyster book, has a lot of great history for anybody who wants to know more about New York City.

You gotta love the title too, "The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell".

Apparently New York City was a big oyster producing region of the U.S. before the waters got polluted, and there are massive piles of oyster shells buried all over the city.

Moreso Long Island... The Great South Bay and Ouster Bay are where oysters used to be abundant and some of the best in the world. I believe they still are but not at the levels of the past due to pollution. The Great South Bay is actually right here in my backyard... It is still a beautiful area. Some of the shores were altered by Hurricane Sandy though.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Bob Iger and Steve Jobs..How Bob dealt with Steve's blunt manner and won him over.
http://www.cultofmac.com/212118/steve-jobs-wasnt-afraid-to-tell-disneys-ceo-their-films-sucked/

 

[bcoachable]

I wonder which movie made him pick up the phone the next day??
I watched Hercules the other day with my kiddos for the first time. If I would have had the number, I would have been brutally honest too!!

 

[flynnibus]

That's an odd article.. I believe those same story and quotes were used back in the Disney War book ages ago.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I wonder which movie made him pick up the phone the next day??
I watched Hercules the other day with my kiddos for the first time. If I would have had the number, I would have been brutally honest too!!

Agree. We should name the top 5 movies SJ could have called about!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

That's an odd article.. I believe those same story and quotes were used back in the Disney War book ages ago.

Probably. I just thought it was a good example of Bob Iger being a skilled executive and being a peacemaker with difficult personalities. Imagine where they'd be without Pixar, having Fox and Pixar against them and only relying on the WDA films?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Now I really wanna go to "Buck's of Woodside" for breakfast. Maybe BSDB has been there and can report to us?

http://www.cultofmac.com/212065/nos...le-steve-jobs-photo-youve-never-seen-feature/

 

[flynnibus]

Probably. I just thought it was a good example of Bob Iger being a skilled executive and being a peacemaker with difficult personalities. Imagine where they'd be without Pixar, having Fox and Pixar against them and only relying on the WDA films?

Yeah, the context of the quotes are during the time when Eisner had already ed off Jobs and Pixar. Jobs was basically going around Eisner and didn't want to deal with him (typical Jobs). Iger was willing to placate to the way Jobs operated.. with his walks, his outburts, etc. That behavior helped Iger heal the relationship later once Michael was out of the way.

I just found it odd cultofmac would be posting about this now as if its new revelations. They should read more Disney books!

 

[Omnispace]

Now I really wanna go to "Buck's of Woodside" for breakfast. Maybe BSDB has been there and can report to us?

http://www.cultofmac.com/212065/nos...le-steve-jobs-photo-youve-never-seen-feature/

Been to Buck's many times -- it's a good place to stop on the way back from a day on the San Mateo coast. Nice selection on the menu, interesting atmosphere, very "local" oriented, fun stuff to look at. Brunch on the weekends can be a madhouse. Another interesting spot further up Hwy 84 at Skyline Drive is Alice's Restaurant. All the motorcycle enthusiasts stop there on the weekends. It can also be a madhouse but you get a good burger.

Is this turning into a restaurant review thread?? Can I add Pann's and Bob's Toluca Lake to my favorites??

 

[bcoachable]

Hey Eddie-
As I looked at the picture of "Bucks" I thought to myself "how does one accumulate enough stuff before a restaurant opens to make it cool like that?" I figure that there must be stores that specialize in eclectic junk like they had hanging around that cool looking restaurant??? I am sure Disney can create or make most of what you guys wanted or needed to decorate a location with. Did you ever get to go hunt in shops for stuff they couldn't get for you? I have seen you post web sites of places that put out certain style fixtures or furniture, but what about other more eclectic stuff...
Would they give you a checkbook so in case you were out and about one weekend and saw something that you must have as a prop in place x, you could grab it then and there?
And more fun to know... Where did you go to find stuff???

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Hey Eddie-
As I looked at the picture of "Bucks" I thought to myself "how does one accumulate enough stuff before a restaurant opens to make it cool like that?" I figure that there must be stores that specialize in eclectic junk like they had hanging around that cool looking restaurant??? I am sure Disney can create or make most of what you guys wanted or needed to decorate a location with. Did you ever get to go hunt in shops for stuff they couldn't get for you? I have seen you post web sites of places that put out certain style fixtures or furniture, but what about other more eclectic stuff...
Would they give you a checkbook so in case you were out and about one weekend and saw something that you must have as a prop in place x, you could grab it then and there?
And more fun to know... Where did you go to find stuff???

I did do a lot of specialized buying for my projects. At Disney they do have buyers to go out and buy props and know where to hunt. There are stores that kind of specialize in restaurant decor so you can pick up some things like that directly. Sometimes there's one special item that you're designing around and so you end up having to build that custom versus trying to find one that's the perfect size to fit in the space. Today you can do a lot of online shopping and for my clients that is where I spend most of my time because it's the most efficient way. You also have relationships with antique buyers that go to various outdoor shows and you can tell them what to look for and they just kind of get to know the kinds of things that I will buy for my clients and contact me if they see something incredible.

Sometimes you want to look for collectors that are liquidating their collection of something. Auction houses if you have the budget also are easy targets because they specialize in certain items. In Los Angeles there are auction houses that just liquidate estates. For Main St., Disneyland Paris we bought lots of antique furniture that was used in the old retail stores at the turn-of-the-century. That is highly specialized and something you go to an auction for. The one thing I wish the parks would do, or any client for that matter is to give you a budget to buy things as you find them versus deciding one day you want to go out and buy all the props and they're not there for you. Theme parks should be collecting in a reasonable way exciting and interesting things as they are advantageous to buy. I run across all kinds of incredible deals on all kinds of things you could design the facility around and never afford to build new.

Just for fun I'm going to post a couple of links to some specialized places you can look for Victorian or interesting things. Some of these places are where we found things for Main Street 20 years ago. So I do have my sources even today!
http://www.antiquariantraders.com
http://www.andythornton.com
http://www.radio-guy.net
http://www.fiddlersgreenmodelships.com
http://www.urbanremainschicago.com

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Been to Buck's many times -- it's a good place to stop on the way back from a day on the San Mateo coast. Nice selection on the menu, interesting atmosphere, very "local" oriented, fun stuff to look at. Brunch on the weekends can be a madhouse. Another interesting spot further up Hwy 84 at Skyline Drive is Alice's Restaurant. All the motorcycle enthusiasts stop there on the weekends. It can also be a madhouse but you get a good burger.

Is this turning into a restaurant review thread?? Can I add Pann's and Bob's Toluca Lake to my favorites??

Why not try Rivera downtown LA?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Big ideas in Dubai. Underwater Disc Hotel...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...or-dubais-first-underwater-hotel-8467823.html
Norman Bel Geddes did it first..

 

[Californian Elitist]

Why not try Rivera downtown LA?

Is the food that good? I live in LA, maybe I'll try it. What kind of food do they offer?

 

[bcoachable]

I did do a lot of specialized buying for my projects. At Disney they do have buyers to go out and buy props and know where to hunt. There are stores that kind of specialize in restaurant decor so you can pick up some things like that directly. Sometimes there's one special item that you're designing around and so you end up having to build that custom versus trying to find one that's the perfect size to fit in the space. Today you can do a lot of online shopping and for my clients that is where I spend most of my time because it's the most efficient way. You also have relationships with antique buyers that go to various outdoor shows and you can tell them what to look for and they just kind of get to know the kinds of things that I will buy for my clients and contact me if they see something incredible.

Sometimes you want to look for collectors that are liquidating their collection of something. Auction houses if you have the budget also are easy targets because they specialize in certain items. In Los Angeles there are auction houses that just liquidate estates. For Main St., Disneyland Paris we bought lots of antique furniture that was used in the old retail stores at the turn-of-the-century. That is highly specialized and something you go to an auction for. The one thing I wish the parks would do, or any client for that matter is to give you a budget to buy things as you find them versus deciding one day you want to go out and buy all the props and they're not there for you. Theme parks should be collecting in a reasonable way exciting and interesting things as they are advantageous to buy. I run across all kinds of incredible deals on all kinds of things you could design the facility around and never afford to build new.

Just for fun I'm going to post a couple of links to some specialized places you can look for Victorian or interesting things. Some of these places are where we found things for Main Street 20 years ago. So I do have my sources even today!
http://www.antiquariantraders.com
http://www.andythornton.com
http://www.radio-guy.net
http://www.fiddlersgreenmodelships.com
http://www.urbanremainschicago.com

These were very fun to check out! I bet you could spend months looking for just the right piece to fit a certain theme or look. I really enjoyed the andy thornton site. As I perused it, we saw a prop that is used in one of my kids favorite tv shows (the chef holding the apron and chalk board). The Radio-guy site is a little out there!!!! Very interesting to say the least! Thanks so much for sharing!

 

[bcoachable]

There is a documentary based on the book out.

the chicago's worlds fair was an inspirattion for walt i take it?
and i agree the book was fascinating

If my memory is correct, Walt's dad possibly worked on a construction crew that did work on the fair...
so, maybe???
I will keep an eye out for the documentary, sounds interesting!

 

[Darth Sidious]

@tfrog if you're interested in how they get cool stuff, I suggest watching American Pickers on History Channel. It follows two guys, who do this for a living. It's cool to see the old school signage and furniture. Funny thing was on my way to WDW a few weeks ago I watched this on the plane and it made me think immediately about the props used in Tower of Terror.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Wow... 200 pages!

 

[lazyboy97o]

There is a documentary based on the book out.

the chicago's worlds fair was an inspirattion for walt i take it?
and i agree the book was fascinating

Elias Disney was a carpenter for the Exposition, but it was before Walt's birth. These fairs were bigger events in this country during Walt's lifetime (they continue to the present day) and several were held in the US as well during that time.