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

[Eddie Sotto]

Thank you so much for the heads up - I just pre-ordered a copy for myself. I was a little hesitant, but I've heard so many excellent things about this book, that I decided to bite the bullet and go for it. I visited DLP just for a day back in 2000 and would dearly love to get back there at some point. Absolutely gorgeous!

You won't regret it, they did a really great job. I might have to buy an extra copy myself! Who knows if they'll ever do another run?

 

[dagobert]

I'm pretty sure no one will be disappointed by "From Sketch to Reality". I got one of the last copies at Disneyland Paris a few years ago.

The book is amazing and since it covers only one park, it has a lot of stories and informations to tell. I also learned from that book that WDI went to Vienna and Innsbruck for shooting some scenes for "Le Visionarium".

The Disney Imagineering books are also great, but since my homepark is Disneyland Paris, I prefer Alain's book.

A documentation about creating SHDL would be a wonderful idea. It's a shame that there are no good documentations about the Disney parks. I have some Travel Channel DVDs but none of them covers the whole process of building the park.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

WDW making of.

The best documentary film on WDW (that i'm aware of) is little known and not on DVD. Here it is in it's low rez, 3 part glory on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeeJl5jwfaI&feature=related

Then this in the 80's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u10u4rjdta4&feature=related

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Knott's Promo film

Here's a video piece from my private collection on Knott's Berry Farm. This captures what it once was like and the cool Calico Mine Ride that inspired the DL Indiana Jones track layout and Temple and the caverns in BTM.

http://gallery.me.com/boss_angeles#100509

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Looking beyond the expected

In the course of "Imagineering" you realize that original or breakthrough ideas can come from anywhere, not just refining what you've seen or done. I was watching this video on how snakes move across land and water and it is very unique. It made me wonder if you could ever create a trackless computer controlled ride system that leverages the unique use of forces and motion that Serpents do?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEto1-ZTbd4

 

[Cosmic Commando]

With the reprinting and talk of Disneyland Paris: From Sketch to Reality, I found myself leafing through my copy of Art of Walt Disney World Resort today. I saw this quote from John Hench himself that closely echos some discussion here from a while ago. I guess great minds really do think alike!

Color is a very critical thing. I've found that architects don't like colors. Engineers, too. And so somebody has to stand in. Because this is the finish of it. It is the emotional part of a structure.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

With the reprinting and talk of Disneyland Paris: From Sketch to Reality, I found myself leafing through my copy of Art of Walt Disney World Resort today. I saw this quote from John Hench himself that closely echos some discussion here from a while ago. I guess great minds really do think alike!

Well. I was schooled by those guys, so it originated with them, so true! Thanks for finding and sharing that great quote. I recommend reading John Hench's book as well. Lots of good advice in it.

http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Disney-John-Hench/dp/1423119150/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1

 

[Nemo14]

The best documentary film on WDW (that i'm aware of) is little known and not on DVD. Here it is in it's low rez, 3 part glory on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeeJl5jwfaI&feature=related

Then this in the 80's.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u10u4rjdta4&feature=related

Here's a video piece from my private collection on Knott's Berry Farm. This captures what it once was like and the cool Calico Mine Ride that inspired the DL Indiana Jones track layout and Temple and the caverns in BTM.

http://gallery.me.com/boss_angeles#100509

Those are awesome - thanks for posting them!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

New Ride Systems

This series of hubless wheel images reminded me that back at WED I tried to pitch a simulated hubless wheel ride system for the abandoned Peoplemover beam way. Big hub less wheel with floating seats inside of it.


They would be really futuristic, but two or more guests would sit just outside the wheel. We did lots of really cool art on it too. Wish i had it, as the wheels banked really far and were very thrilling. Almost gyroscopic. There were some technical issues with clearance with the existing beam way or something that stopped us, but on a clean slate you could do it for sure.

As you can see, every "new" idea has been done elsewhere!
http://www.retronaut.co/2012/01/the-dynasphere-1932/
http://www.toxel.com/tech/2009/10/18/motorcycle-with-hubless-wheels/

 

[Eddie Sotto]

New Main Street Music loop.

A live recording of the loop.
http://soundcloud.com/cooltomorrowkid

 

[CBOMB]

This series of hubless wheel images reminded me that back at WED I tried to pitch a simulated hubless wheel ride system for the abandoned Peoplemover beam way. Big hub less wheel with floating seats inside of it.


They would be really futuristic, but two or more guests would sit just outside the wheel. We did lots of really cool art on it too. Wish i had it, as the wheels banked really far and were very thrilling. Almost gyroscopic. There were some technical issues with clearance with the existing beam way or something that stopped us, but on a clean slate you could do it for sure.

As you can see, every "new" idea has been done elsewhere!
http://www.retronaut.co/2012/01/the-dynasphere-1932/
http://www.toxel.com/tech/2009/10/18/motorcycle-with-hubless-wheels/

Interesting concept. What was being consider for the propulsion system?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Interesting concept. What was being consider for the propulsion system?

It was propelled by maglev between the tracks and the outer wheel turned from touching the beam way, something like that.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Recycled Animation.

We tend to deify the Animators, but I saw this article that raised my eyebrows and showed that some of the later films had an all too familiar look to them. Check this article out on how they boldly traced and recycled scenes from one movie to another. History literally repeats itself. Disney Deja-Vu.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1172316/Scene-How-Disney-recycled-classic-cartoons.html

The video is here. 2 parts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSt6QMIaIQQ

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Interactivity in the Parks

Kevin Yee reviews the beta level of the new interactive "Sorcerer's" Card Game.

http://miceage.micechat.com/kevinyee/ky013112a.htm

The challenge with any of this is getting beyond the novelty of it and making something that builds on the immersion of the land you are in. the intent is clearly to melt down the barrier between you and the environment by making the "world" respond to you. If we merely are exporting home gaming techniques into the park, then it may not last and be an asset. Interesting article and great to see what they are up to. The final version will no doubt be different.

 

[RSoxNo1]

As someone that collected baseball cards and even Magic the Gathering cards (yes kids, I was that cool) at one point, I'm more interested in collecting the cards then the game itself.

Having said that, I'll certainly give it a chance - and I do like how it seems to be somewhat out of the way from high traffic areas.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

As someone that collected baseball cards and even Magic the Gathering cards (yes kids, I was that cool) at one point, I'm more interested in collecting the cards then the game itself.

Having said that, I'll certainly give it a chance - and I do like how it seems to be somewhat out of the way from high traffic areas.

You raise an interesting point, there are built in behaviors that are involved here, like collecting. Good point.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Smartphones

You are the Imagineer. Here's a fundamental question WDI is no doubt wrestling with. We see people distracted by their phones in line and in the parks. Heads down instead of heads up enjoying the environment. Families are individually distracted as well. Do you ignore it and accept that that's where we are? Engage it with these games as we see in NextGen? or try and fight it externally with entertainment or other things that make you put the phone down, like an interactive queue? All or none of the above? (Maybe you are not reading this as you are texting your friends)

 

[RSoxNo1]

You are the Imagineer. Here's a fundamental question WDI is no doubt wrestling with. We see people distracted by their phones in line and in the parks. Heads down instead of heads up enjoying the environment. Families are individually distracted as well. Do you ignore it and accept that that's where we are? Engage it with these games as we see in NextGen? or try and fight it externally with entertainment or other things that make you put the phone down, like an interactive queue? All or none of the above? (Maybe you are not reading this as you are texting your friends)

They could embrace it with in park apps that can function on certain (or all) smart phones. The main thing is, if it bothers Disney that people are on their phones instead of appreciating the queues - the queues need to change. They've started doing that.

Personally, while I think the interactive queues are a nice addition, many feel that it cheapens the experience in some cases. Highly themed queues are often lost on people, things need to be interactive to maintain someone's focus now.

Unfortunately, for us purists this strips away the substance in favor of stuff that is often more flashy and superficial. But that's what we live with today. It's hard to create something with substance that can still have that appeal to the masses. This is part of the problem with coming to the fans to play "Armchair Imagineer". Most of our ideas aren't good ideas.

Disney hasn't always listened to the fans demand what they want. They listen to the fans when the fans aren't speaking. Personally, I think that's a much better way to do it. Observe that fans are bored in queues... enhance the queues. Recognize that the demand for Turtle Talk with Crush far exceeds capacity... move it to a larger theater. I know Disney reads forums like this, but how many true fan suggestions on new attractions, themes, or grandiose ideas are ever applied?

 

[burgess]

I don't know if there's anything TO do except live with it. People these days will whip out their phones in the middle of a face to face conversation. Some people use them while driving! I don't know what Disney could do beyond confiscating them or constantly splashing the park guests with water (and then selling Disney brand waterproof smartphone cases).

 

[KevinYee]

You are the Imagineer. Here's a fundamental question WDI is no doubt wrestling with. We see people distracted by their phones in line and in the parks. Heads down instead of heads up enjoying the environment. Families are individually distracted as well. Do you ignore it and accept that that's where we are? Engage it with these games as we see in NextGen? or try and fight it externally with entertainment or other things that make you put the phone down, like an interactive queue? All or none of the above? (Maybe you are not reading this as you are texting your friends)

Initially, your choices are keep themed queue, or build lame cheap queues that no one looks at, since they are on their phones, and you save money. It's not just smartphones, it's also FastPass. Look at Soarin in Orlando - cheap lame FP queue, but they spend no time there, so it's fine. The Standby queue is so long and unmoving, though, it needed interactivity (whether that attraction's "game" is interesting is another question, though).

The new Pooh queue is more interactive for the Standby line, and utilitarian for FP as well.

WDI using digital technology (Kim Possible phones, RFID sorcerer cards, etc) is really them "fighting fire with fire." The Pooh queue fights fire (digital distraction) with water (real world objects and games). KP and SotMK fight fire (digital distraction) with fire (digital distraction). Except unlike the latest iPhone app, SotMK is a) Disney branded, b) theoretically something the whole family can do together.

If I were an Imagineer or Jim McPhee, I'd be doing the same thing. There's little sense in fighting fire with water anymore. The horse has left the barn! (to mix metaphors)

What they could do, though, and I hope they are, is pushing the envelope. Want to get people talking about how awesome the lines are at Walt Disney World? Then inject them with augmented reality devices that have a real 'wow' factor, like the ability to see "through" a wall. Or surface-touch computing (think minority report). If the technology is advanced enough, people will chatter excitedly. I like to think that the $1 billion on NextGen is going to bring us real 'wow' stuff soon. If done right, it really could make people excited about standing in line.