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

[Eddie Sotto]

Speaking of design and frequently discussed topics, here is an interesting article on Steve Jobs design philosophy. Interestingly, they use the word skeuomorphic in it.

http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_new...the-6-pillars-of-steve-jobs-design-philosophy

Great article. I'd say it's required reading. i especially agree with the idea of anticipating customers feelings and over delivering on their perceived needs. Making technology friendly is also something with looking into.

 

[ChrisFL]

It's wise to do so, but it's ironic when you have to study your competitor to find out how to do the very ethics you pioneered, but strayed from. Especially in food and merchandise being closely tied into the total experience.

Right, and step 1 is admitting (even behind close doors) that they have a problem.

Focusing specifically on WDW, there are SO MANY things going on at one time, between the parks, hotels, etc. that its difficult to me, to keep up with the ebb and flow, whether things are getting better or worse, or if its a wide span of both.

On the operations side, I was surprised back in 2007 as a contractor with what I saw. I worked with the outdoor foods department (ODF) of all 4 parks, and came very quickly to the realization that they work almost completely independently of one another. Some things were done much better at Epcot than MK, for example, and when I mentioned what ODF had done at Epcot, the MK ODF people were surprised.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Right, and step 1 is admitting (even behind close doors) that they have a problem.

Focusing specifically on WDW, there are SO MANY things going on at one time, between the parks, hotels, etc. that its difficult to me, to keep up with the ebb and flow, whether things are getting better or worse, or if its a wide span of both.

On the operations side, I was surprised back in 2007 as a contractor with what I saw. I worked with the outdoor foods department (ODF) of all 4 parks, and came very quickly to the realization that they work almost completely independently of one another. Some things were done much better at Epcot than MK, for example, and when I mentioned what ODF had done at Epcot, the MK ODF people were surprised.

It's true. Running a show that enormous is a huge challenge and we cannot expect them to all share each other's strengths or weaknesses for that matter. A bit of "slack cutting" is on order from time to time. Good point and worth discussing.

 

[trs518]

I've been wondering. Does Disney try to theme the walkways to represent the land they're in? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember a lot of asphalt at Disney World.

With all the things that they can do with stamped concrete, I would have thought they could have done more theming. Maybe stamped and colored to look like cobblestone in Fantasyland. In Frontierland and Adventureland they could roughen it up and make it dirt/sand colored.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I've been wondering. Does Disney try to theme the walkways to represent the land they're in? I could be wrong, but I seem to remember a lot of asphalt at Disney World.

With all the things that they can do with stamped concrete, I would have thought they could have done more theming. Maybe stamped and colored to look like cobblestone in Fantasyland. In Frontierland and Adventureland they could roughen it up and make it dirt/sand colored.

Yes Disney does "theme"" the walkways to a greater or lesser degree. Stamped concrete is used to simulate stone or brick in some lands and colored asphalt called slurry, is what was originally used. Back in the late 90's we began programs to replace the slurry asphalt with colored and richly themed stamped concrete. Fantasyland in DL was a recent improvement along with Frontierland. I'm not sure what gets replaced in WDW. MSUSA in Paris was the first main street to have brick pavers for the street, so it's been a priority for about 20 years.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Mantiques ebay store.

If you want an $8.99 WDW 1971 "time travel" experience look at this bad boy on ebay. Back then even the monorail was gold! "Now thems is souvenirs!"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wal...ultDomain_0&hash=item336d4ff270#ht_780wt_1180

 

[Eddie Sotto]

This just in...

Bob Iger joins Apple's Board of Directors.

This is significant as in Bob was the one to mend the relationship between Disney and Jobs and allow the Pixar deal to happen. The accusation from some was Disney solved it by giving away the store and overpaying for Pixar, but so far Pixar has been picking up the tab for the lackluster performance of WDA. Cars merchandise alone is worth a fortune to the company.

 

[thehowiet]

If you want an $8.99 WDW 1971 "time travel" experience look at this bad boy on ebay. Back then even the monorail was gold! "Now thems is souvenirs!"

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Wal...ultDomain_0&hash=item336d4ff270#ht_780wt_1180

I actually have one of those in my collection! I love vintage WDW merchandise. They had some really cool stuff in the early years.

 

[wdwmagic]

Bob Iger joins Apple's Board of Directors.

This is significant as in Bob was the one to mend the relationship between Disney and Jobs and allow the Pixar deal to happen. The accusation from some was Disney solved it by giving away the store and overpaying for Pixar, but so far Pixar has been picking up the tab for the lackluster performance of WDA. Cars merchandise alone is worth a fortune to the company.

Can you ever see Apple getting involved in the parks somehow, Epcot perhaps? When Steve Jobs was on the Disney board there was hopes of that, and nothing came of it. Could this be different?

 

[hoke2007]

Can you ever see Apple getting involved in the parks somehow, Epcot perhaps? When Steve Jobs was on the Disney board there was hopes of that, and nothing came of it. Could this be different?

I'd love to see Apple get involved in the Imagination pavilion. New sponsorship, huge overhaul, increased popularity. That's what I'd love to see happen.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I'd love to see Apple get involved in the Imagination pavilion. New sponsorship, huge overhaul, increased popularity. That's what I'd love to see happen.

What kind of area in the pavilion could you imagine Apple doing? or would they just sponsor some sort of forward looking technology exhibit?

 

[jt04]

Can you ever see Apple getting involved in the parks somehow, Epcot perhaps? When Steve Jobs was on the Disney board there was hopes of that, and nothing came of it. Could this be different?

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Appleland

I had hoped Apple would just take over Tomorrowland. The funny thing is that Apple has a very high end and minimal design ethic that would have to be considered if you were going to add them into a theme park. I'd love to see Apple (or Porsche Design for that matter) bring back the People Mover with a beautiful industrial design, interactive maps and enhanced reality, etc.

They should do their own AppleCore as the Communicore, gut that whole Innoventions thing and do it in glass and make it a statement, not so much about products, but the work ethic of Steve Jobs and other great designers that took us further. Preview the Applehome of the Future, but better yet, teach us how to approach the future and regain product supremacy by designing for people and showcase other great designers as well. What is design? How does it change our lives and what is coming? This could be a great show hosted by Apple. How to think about technology and it's role in your life. Do you really want robots and everything to be artificial? Is there a balance? How is design making a difference in solving the worlds problems? What do we want the next revolution in design to be?

If I was there, I'd be pitching the Pavilion of Design.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Mini Golf at Disneyland Hotel.

Yesterland does it again and this time they are creeping me out.

http://www.yesterland.com/hotelgolf.html

One of my all time favorite things to do as a 12 year old was to get my parents to take me to the DH Miniature Golf course because it it was themed to Disneyland. I absolutely loved this course and it had its own Matterhorn, Main Street Station, Monstro, and more. The holes were really inventive, especially for that time period. Back then, the courses were pretty generic with a windmill and so forth, but this was Imagineer quality and right next to the park. If you cannot afford to go but once or twice a year, the idea that you're playing golf and can see the Columbia masts moving through the trees and hear the steam whistles of the Trains was a thrill in of itself.

So why does this creep me out? Because the scorecard they show in the article has me and my Dad's name on it. Eddie and Ed. My dad was Ed. Could it possibly be? I wonder where they got that card?

 

[HMF]

I had hoped Apple would just take over Tomorrowland. The funny thing is that Apple has a very high end and minimal design ethic that would have to be considered if you were going to add them into a theme park. I'd love to see Apple (or Porsche Design for that matter) bring back the People Mover with a beautiful industrial design, interactive maps and enhanced reality, etc.

They should do their own AppleCore as the Communicore, gut that whole Innoventions thing and do it in glass and make it a statement, not so much about products, but the work ethic of Steve Jobs and other great designers that took us further. Preview the Applehome of the Future, but better yet, teach us how to approach the future and regain product supremacy by designing for people and showcase other great designers as well. What is design? How does it change our lives and what is coming? This could be a great show hosted by Apple. How to think about technology and it's role in your life. Do you really want robots and everything to be artificial? Is there a balance? How is design making a difference in solving the worlds problems? What do we want the next revolution in design to be?

If I was there, I'd be pitching the Pavilion of Design.

I would rather not see Epcot turned into a shrine to Steve Jobs.

 

[bstiles]

Well EPCOT is not even close to what walt envisioned.

 

[WDWGoof07]

They should do their own AppleCore as the Communicore, gut that whole Innoventions thing and do it in glass and make it a statement, not so much about products, but the work ethic of Steve Jobs and other great designers that took us further. Preview the Applehome of the Future, but better yet, teach us how to approach the future and regain product supremacy by designing for people and showcase other great designers as well. What is design? How does it change our lives and what is coming? This could be a great show hosted by Apple. How to think about technology and it's role in your life. Do you really want robots and everything to be artificial? Is there a balance? How is design making a difference in solving the worlds problems? What do we want the next revolution in design to be?

If I was there, I'd be pitching the Pavilion of Design.

Wow, I love this idea.

 

[invader]

I would rather not see Epcot turned into a shrine to Steve Jobs.

Like it or not the way Apple is going they'll be in first of the technology race for many years. Not only that but Apple could help Future World tremendously.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

No shrines..

I would rather not see Epcot turned into a shrine to Steve Jobs.

Agree. No shrines. (I guess if you did something for Jobs you'd have to do Steve Ballmer's Zunetown) I chose Apple here as a host sponsor because instead of preaching to us that we should be doing this and that, they are leading the world of tomorrow by example.

If you read my post carefully, it is not about deifying Jobs, but Apple hosting a "Pavilion of Design", what design is, where it's headed and why great design needs to be part of the future. Guests would learn that design is about solutions and each of us in our own way is a designer. Apple may have an "iHouse" of the future in the post show exhibition and design fair with other famous products past, present, and future from around the world. WIRED may be there, the MOMA from NYC, the DIY Make Magazine would have designs from kids. I'd even do a funny show of failures of design. The insights of many great designers would be explored in a American Adventure scaled presentation about what inspires designers to solve for us, beginning with lessons from the ultimate sustainable design, the Earth and our universe. We would leave inspired by not just designers, but in fact, that the solutions we seek in many ways lie in the world around us and it's up to us to look close enough to discover them. There is so much more to design!

To me, Jobs was more of a visionary who hired designers and sometimes lifted their work. In any case, his passion for great design changed things.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Well EPCOT is not even close to what walt envisioned.

So he has left us with a challenge, which is to do what he meant as we cannot do exactly what he said. EPCOT was to be a "lead by example" place or model environment, so we can in our own way try and inspire by demonstrating the future by applying good design solutions (as Progress City was intended to do).