Eddie Sotto's take on the current state of the parks

[Eddie Sotto]

I think an Indiana Jones subland was planned for the area where Peril is now, which would have had the EMV ride from Disneyland pushed up against Pirates. There's still a lot of room there now.

Similar to this, Eddie, do you know if there was a plan for a Toontown entrance on that sometimes open/sometimes closed path between IASW and Star Tours? It always seemed quite a coincidence to me that a large area of open land was left just outside the berm there, and that it matched up to where Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Toontowns were.

It would make sense and in the decade that has passed since I quit, there may have been plans.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

So who did the Florida version of Casey's Corner? I take it by the statements you have made and the video and drawings I have seen that the Paris Main Street was done with more of an Americana angle than the US versions.

It was. We took the approach that it was a bit of a museum of American culture that was rich beneath the surface. Europeans love musuems and expect to have richness and depth in their entertainment. Not propaganda. "Americana" is Baseball, Gibson Girls, Ragtime music, San Francisco, Hot Dogs and so forth, so it's culturally based and less political or patriotic. The other parks have absorbed the color schemes and design of DLP quite literally. I was surprised at how much effect it has had on the other Main Streets over the years.

 

[nemofinder22]

Oh, made my first and second trips ever this past year and when I didn't see her floating, I didn't think she actually did.

Hmm if I remember your trip reports, you saw the regular and the holiday version? It seems the effect hasn't been working much this year, she also dosn't float during the holiday overlay as the room is to bright from all the extra lighting.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I'm thinking that as of the first, we should call it a year and wrap this up. What you say? It seems to have slowed down, so that tells me we've run the course and done it well.

It's been a great thread and thanks for all your comments, i've enjoyed responding to every post!. Maybe I'll start another one when I get fired up about something. Here's hoping we all see great things in the parks in the coming years. Stay tuned!

 

[designingdisney]

A very kind Disneyphile, Maxime from Belgium contacted me about a new site he is doing that dives deep into the design of the individual storefronts of DLP Main Street. He really gets into the origins of the art, like where the source material for the attraction poster came from, and then shows it! Max even links historical info that inspired the show, great touch and seldom done. I agreed to help him out with some insider info on the project. The first of many articles is on "Casey's (Coke) Corner". Let's all give Max some "hits and clicks" on the new site for all of his hard work!

Welcome Max from the thread, great job!

Here's the site.
http://www.designingdisney.blogspot.com/

Threadster Bonus. (One thing not in the article is that the facade actually has hidden home plates, baseballs, and bats as it's ornament!)

Holy cow, I loved that cartoon! Never even thought about a connection. If it weren't for these blogs (and this thread) a lot of great stuff would go unappreciated, or at least not appreciated enough. Very cool stuff.

Hi everyone,

Last week, I received a lot of positive feedback on my new blog 'Designing Disney'. This is my first 'Disney fan project' online and it took time and effort to design the blog & to do the research.

Thank you so much you have taken the time to read my post 'Imagineer Eddie Sotto talks about design Casey's Corner'. I'm very happy you liked it.

For this week's blog post, I did some serious research on the history and design of the Main Street / Disney's Electrical Parade. I found some very rare pictures / video's of the Main Street Electrical Parade:

- Performed during the 'Orange Bowl 1978 Half Time Show' (first performance outside 'the berm').
- Performed in New York City (second and last performance outside 'the berm').
- Performed at noon (!) during the 1999 total solar eclipse (Disneyland Paris).
- It's construction and design explained step by step (through pictures).

I hope you like the newest post / my blog.

You can find it here.

See you soon.

Designing Disney Max.

 

[PhilharMagician]

I'm thinking that as of the first, we should call it a year and wrap this up. What you say? It seems to have slowed down, so that tells me we've run the course and done it well.

It's been a great thread and thanks for all your comments, i've enjoyed responding to every post!. Maybe I'll start another one when I get fired up about something. Here's hoping we all see great things in the parks in the coming years. Stay tuned!

Thank you Eddie for all of your responses throughout the year. It has been wonderful hearing your view on the projects you had been involved with. I hope to hear more in the future. Happy Holidays!! :wave:

 

[MarkTwain]

I'm thinking that as of the first, we should call it a year and wrap this up. What you say? It seems to have slowed down, so that tells me we've run the course and done it well.

It's been a great thread and thanks for all your comments, i've enjoyed responding to every post!. Maybe I'll start another one when I get fired up about something. Here's hoping we all see great things in the parks in the coming years. Stay tuned!

Thanks for talking with us Eddie! :wave: It's been great to hear about Imagineering from someone who was so close to Disney. Happy New Year!

 

[jt04]

I'm thinking that as of the first, we should call it a year and wrap this up. What you say? It seems to have slowed down, so that tells me we've run the course and done it well.

It's been a great thread and thanks for all your comments, i've enjoyed responding to every post!. Maybe I'll start another one when I get fired up about something. Here's hoping we all see great things in the parks in the coming years. Stay tuned!

Hey Eddie, not trying to get you to take sides I'm just looking for your professional opinion. It appears to me the new FL is rooted in European folklore. And that the overall theme and backstory is to create mini-lands that fit that storyline. I see a major theming contradiction with adding tropical foliage to the LM area. I've always assumed the area depicted by the architecture was northern Europe. Anyway, would you install palm trees that could easily seen over Belle's village or Cindy's Chateau from the castle walls? I mean, it seems to me this would be a real dumbing down of Disney standards to this date for the Magic Kingdom parks. Sorry to rant but this issue is bugging me. Thanks.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Hey Eddie, not trying to get you to take sides I'm just looking for your professional opinion. It appears to me the new FL is rooted in European folklore. And that the overall theme and backstory is to create mini-lands that fit that storyline. I see a major theming contradiction with adding tropical foliage to the LM area. I've always assumed the area depicted by the architecture was northern Europe. Anyway, would you install palm trees that could easily seen over Belle's village or Cindy's Chateau from the castle walls? I mean, it seems to me this would be a real dumbing down of Disney standards to this date for the Magic Kingdom parks. Sorry to rant but this issue is bugging me. Thanks.

Hmmmm. What makes you think they would do that? Is it in a rendering? Usually renderings are not that well researched. I'd wait to see more.

 

[jt04]

Hmmmm. What makes you think they would do that? Is it in a rendering? Usually renderings are not that well researched. I'd wait to see more.

Yes the original artist concept released at D23 shows palm trees that could easily be seen from the castle courtyard apparently. They released a 2nd more refined version that toned the palm trees down but one or two were still there. So, possibly the issue has been dealt with. I have not been able to find the newer version of the artist concept lately. Perhaps someone else has it.

 

[jt04]

Here is the original version....

http://www.indigofrost.com/etc/fantasyland_conceptart-lrg.jpg

 

[MiklCraw4d]

I'm thinking that as of the first, we should call it a year and wrap this up. What you say? It seems to have slowed down, so that tells me we've run the course and done it well.

Aw shucks... I hate to see it go. I haven't been able to be around a lot, and I know there's a lot that I missed. I always wish I could spend more time keeping up with things. Maybe I'll just go back through the thread and find things I have nit-picky questions about Anyway, it's great for you to contribute and I hope we see you around...

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Here is the original version....

http://www.indigofrost.com/etc/fantasyland_conceptart-lrg.jpg

Don't worry, it's marketing art. I would take this image with a huge grain of salt. I guarantee you that there was no prior meeting with the landscape architect. It was a "make it look pretty" level of direction.

 

[jt04]

Don't worry, it's marketing art. I would take this image with a huge grain of salt. I guarantee you that there was no prior meeting with the landscape architect. It was a "make it look pretty" level of direction.

Thanks.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

End the year look at the glass half full.

Kevin Yee takes a look at all the things that were added at WDW this year. It's quite a list and I'd say, knowing what you have to go through to get anything done, quite an accomplishment. Not all big things, but each one needed attention and gives us a glimpse as to what a huge workload there is even in design and production. Now go out and enjoy it! Thanks!


http://miceage.micechat.com/kevinyee/ky122909a.htm

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Kudo's to Kevin for a nice "different" approach to his assessments!

 

[Master Yoda]

Kevin Yee takes a look at all the things that were added at WDW this year. It's quite a list and I'd say, knowing what you have to go through to get anything done, quite an accomplishment. Not all big things, but each one needed attention and gives us a glimpse as to what a huge workload there is even in design and production. Now go out and enjoy it! Thanks!


http://miceage.micechat.com/kevinyee/ky122909a.htm

Thanks for the link. I thought that weird little twisted up light string looked like The Flying Spaghetti Monster! Good to know that there are some Pastafarians working at WDW.

 

[RandySavage]

Thank you, Eddie, for taking the time to interact and answer questions over the past year. It has been a fascinating and enlightening thread - one of the most substantive on the Disney net.

I hope you'll return one day in future.

 

[Giraffe Lounge]

I'm thinking that as of the first, we should call it a year and wrap this up. What you say? It seems to have slowed down, so that tells me we've run the course and done it well.

It's been a great thread and thanks for all your comments, i've enjoyed responding to every post!. Maybe I'll start another one when I get fired up about something. Here's hoping we all see great things in the parks in the coming years. Stay tuned!

It's been great hearing your take on such a variety of topics. Hope you have a happy and exciting 2010!

 

[_Scar]

Eddie, I always love this thread and hearing what you have to say! Thanks for answering my questions, and I hope to see you again over here!