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

[scout68]

This is a little off topic, but couldn't help notice some recent pictures of the state of some of the animals around DL's river. There's a bird's nest which has a blue wire frame! Maybe Eddie or somebody else knows why they went with blue wire, would figure that you'd want to make the frame brown in case any of it is visible. (Or just use un-insulated wire which will rust and turn brown anyway . . . )

Amazing that the bird next to the nest is sitting on a "rock"!

Also, with the blad eagle, they glued or somehow attached real feathers onto the bird. Hard to believe they maintain animatronics in the Jungle Cruise, yet the Mark Twain's scenery gets so much less love . . . maybe they're just temporary and they plan on expanding Frontierland in five years.

Did the bird find somebody's blue sweater and make it part of her nest?

I believe the "rock" is a fish. As for the blue wire there is a bird called the satin bowerbird that collects blue items to attract or impress his potential mate. I'm not an expert on these birds (I give a thank yee to google for the quick info) and I'm fairly sure the bird in the picture above is not the satin bower but maybe the wires are christmas lights to spruce up an otherwise dull holiday look.

 

[Wikkler]

I like it. Mickey Mouse in front of the train station looks very round and happy.

Oh my god. It's a Mickey that doesn't look like a scary clown with a Mousketeer hat!

 

[Wikkler]

I believe the "rock" is a fish. As for the blue wire there is a bird called the satin bowerbird that collects blue items to attract or impress his potential mate. I'm not an expert on these birds (I give a thank yee to google for the quick info) and I'm fairly sure the bird in the picture above is not the satin bower but maybe the wires are christmas lights to spruce up an otherwise dull holiday look.

Said Satin Bowerbird lives in Australia. Figure out how it could be on the Rivers of America...

 

[scout68]

Said Satin Bowerbird lives in Australia. Figure out how it could be on the Rivers of America...

Yikes.

 

[Wikkler]

It's also a ground-dwelling bird, it appears this bird is in a tree.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Oh my god. It's a Mickey that doesn't look like a scary clown with a Mousketeer hat!

Wow. What happened? The Mouse from Bandini Mountain.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I still think the great advantage of the LPS isn't really the ability to move people, but the ability to move figures, should you put one on its base. That really opens up a lot of possibilities, freeing animatronics from having to always be static, having them interact with vehicles, scenery, each other, crossing the path of the vehicle...you could have an animatronic "follow" or "guide" you throughout, which could make for interesting storytelling.

Pooh's Hunny Hunt has the one figure that is able to move around. The figure's actual movement is limited (it just rocks back and forth), but it's really cool how it roams and mingles. I don't think there's been a ride yet that really takes advantage of this concept.

Agree. And we ran with that notion. We presented many different ways to use that system and my bet at the time was that we had started a revolution in dark rides. Nothing happened. No one seemed to see the potential. Now they are doing things so that's great.

 

[Wikkler]

Wow. What happened? The Mouse from Bandini Mountain.

This is the Mickey Mouse floral design in front of the Disneyland train station as of 2013...

 

[Darth Sidious]

 

[Wikkler]

Yeah, that's what I used.

 

[Omnispace]

Agree. And we ran with that notion. We presented many different ways to use that system and my bet at the time was that we had started a revolution in dark rides. Nothing happened. No one seemed to see the potential. Now they are doing things so that's great.

Funny how that happens -- or doesn't happen -- but it's consistent with the time period. Horizons was being torn down, Imagination was into it's second incarnation with "Honey I Shrunk The..." being the hot I.P., California Adventure was going to be a blockbuster.... The projects happening in Japan seemed to be the only shining stars. Fortunately, like you said, things seem to be picking up -- hopefully for the right reasons.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

What do you think of the Stars Wars brand (vs. Tron or Marvel) being the new Tomorrowland direction? Rumor has it...

http://micechat.com/37890-miceage-tomorrowland-starwars/

 

[lazyboy97o]

It seems like the same sort of piecemeal updates and changes that have plagued Tomorrowland for so long. If you are going to make Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land then it needs to be completely and with total conviction. Every other attraction being Star Wars creates a string of attractions loosely held together, not an encompassing experience.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It seems like the same sort of piecemeal updates and changes that have plagued Tomorrowland for so long. If you are going to make Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land then it needs to be completely and with total conviction. Every other attraction being Star Wars creates a string of attractions loosely held together, not an encompassing experience.

Agreed. This type of project would work better at DHS than Disneyland. DHS can have a Star Wars land that would make sense. It's inappropriate in Tomorrowland (beyond the fact that it is very clearly set "a long time ago...".

 

[muteki]

As much as I like the idea of a Star Wars land, I don't think it should be done as a replacement to "Tomorrowland" (at DL or any other park). The fact that we have to turn to a film tie-in, instead of exploring our real future, to make a themed land appealing to the masses is quite depressing.

 

[Californian Elitist]

What do you think of the Stars Wars brand (vs. Tron or Marvel) being the new Tomorrowland direction? Rumor has it...

http://micechat.com/37890-miceage-tomorrowland-starwars/

I absolutely hate it. The new additions for Tomorrowland need to be a mix, not all Star Wars. It makes no sense and I hope it doesn't happen.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I'm not so sure that Tomorrowland will go wholesale as Space Mountain, Buzz, etc. would have to go. It seems like they might do something that allows both to exist or one leads to the other. Just my speculation. I did not get the impression from the article that Tomorrowland is completely gone...

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Could you imagine if they did the Star Wars area with Disney characters (Mickey Jedi, Leia Minnie, Goofy the Hut, etc.) instead of the real characters from the movies? There would be mass hysteria.

 

[HMF]

Could you imagine if they did the Star Wars area with Disney characters (Mickey Jedi, Leia Minnie, Goofy the Hut, etc.) instead of the real characters from the movies? There would be mass hysteria.

It would likely tick off an awful lot of people.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm not so sure that Tomorrowland will go wholesale as Space Mountain, Buzz, etc. would have to go. It seems like they might do something that allows both to exist or one leads to the other. Just my speculation. I did not get the impression from the article that Tomorrowland is completely gone...

I did not either but it is what I would prefer if my choice was a great presence or a complete take over. I just don't see Kinda Mostly Star Wars Land working much better than what we currently have.