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

[HMF]

Hi Eddie, I have a question I hope you can help with!

I recently found out that during the design of California Adventure, Imagineering hired an outside company, Karma Creative (now World Creative Supply), to name a large number of the attractions shops and restaurants that appeared in the park (their website lists such names as Paradise Pier, Burger Invasion, San Joaquin Volley, The Souvenir Itch, Taste Pilots’ Grill, Maliburritos, S.S. rusthworthy and lots more). I certainly realise that coming up with effective nomenclature requires an aptitude and flair for language, but I would have thought the Imagineers possessed those skills in-house.

Essentially, it’s got me interested in where the names in the park come from. Is (or was) it a common practice at Imagineering to outsource this role, or is it more generally done by the Imagineers (I do know in one particular case with Animal Kingdom it was the show writer that come up with ‘Beastlie Kingdomme’, and specifically insisted on the spelling as it was historically accurate to the style of medieval England). I also suspect it will be the marketing department that have a huge influence on names (especially with murmurings that Cars Land took that name over Radiator Springs or Route 66 because it would be easier to communicate through commercials what was being presented), is this right?

I’m also interested in your own personal involvement in nomenclature. Did you come up with Pooh’s Hunny Hunt, Sci-fi City, Cybermid, or any of the other project names you worked on? What do you think makes a good attraction name, and are there any techniques Imagineering uses to find them? I imagine it’s a lot of brainstorming, but I wonder who holds the final say, and what sort of things need to be communicated in the name.

And for anyone else, I’d love to hear which attraction names people like best (it’s an area that I really don’t think gets much thought!). Personally, my favourite attraction names are Space Mountain: De la Terre a la Lune (perfectly combing the imposing ‘Space Mountain’ with the wonderfully elegant ‘from the Earth to the Moon’), Countdown to Extinction (has any other ride name conjured up so much tension?!), and even the simple yet massively evocative Pirates of the Caribbean – straight to the point, but what more else needs to be said.

They even outsourced nomenclature. WOW!

 

[flavious27]

All great thoughts and right on. Most all of your suggestions in one form or another are being considered, tested, or perhaps even being implemented in the "Next Gen" program at WDI. My previous tech company (Progress City) was hired several times over the years to look into things like this for them.they look at the whole experience, from online to reservations to customer relationship management. The entertainment piece is just a small part of how they think. You should be working on this kind of thing as your mind is pre wired for it!

Thanks for the reply back. I would like to work at WDW in their IT Dept, yet I live in Delaware. Also, I am sure that being on any team that is tasked with projects like this one will require atleast a 4 year computer science degree, 5- 10 years years of experience and also a background in coding.

This line of work though interests me. With the current technology that we have, there are still endless possibilities that a company like Dinsey has to make the experience better for their guests while their is tangible roi for it. If there is an app enabled tv in each hotel room on property, every movie that disney was produced can be rented. Disney owns the content and they would not have to give up the revenue to another company that is handling the delivery side.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Thanks for the reply back. I would like to work at WDW in their IT Dept, yet I live in Delaware. Also, I am sure that being on any team that is tasked with projects like this one will require atleast a 4 year computer science degree, 5- 10 years years of experience and also a background in coding.

This line of work though interests me. With the current technology that we have, there are still endless possibilities that a company like Dinsey has to make the experience better for their guests while their is tangible roi for it. If there is an app enabled tv in each hotel room on property, every movie that disney was produced can be rented. Disney owns the content and they would not have to give up the revenue to another company that is handling the delivery side.

I think WDI has satellites in other states that are doing R&D, like at MIT, etc. All of that stuff you mention is exactly the kind of thing they are exploring or have been. I worked on in-room TV several stuff years ago so they must still be on it..

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Eddie, thanks for your detailed post on choosing names and its importance. Fascinating stuff- and I wonder if beloved attractions would achieve their status without this part of consideration.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

"Camo on Crack"- or Imagineering in the real world.

Our good friend HBG2 has posted on his blog a terrific series of images on how US airfields were disguised by camouflage during WW2 to disappear from the gunsights of enemy bombers. Hollywood art directors (like Harper Goff) were asked by the gov to use their skills in this "special effects" effort. The result is astounding. (Thinking BIG) If only they could fool Google street view!

http://longforgottenhauntedmansion.blogspot.com/

What does this have to do with his usual HM discussions? Not exactly sure, but I don't care. It does celebrate the low tech ways of performing seemingly impossible tasks (making entire airfields disappear!) and these former Imagineers were not afraid to mount these types of projects. I guess daring to trust "forced perspective" and other time honored tricks lived at the heart of creating attractions. Thanks HBG2!

Your thoughts?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Jack Lindquist

Jack was the king of marketing at DL for many years and really understands what the parks are about. He invented Grad Night, the Disney Dollar and other great things we have come to know as part of the experience we love at the parks. His upcoming book (In service to the Mouse) is excerpted in this interview and the chapter he selected discusses the death of Walt. A moving and great read about how the sudden death of Walt changed the company forever.

http://miceage.micechat.com/suekruse/sk111510a.htm


Thoughts?

 

[ChrisFL]

Interesting read. I didn't know much about the history of Card Walker. My father worked at EPCOT Center when it first opened and didn't seem to like him very much.

It's still sad whenever I read about any of Walt's employees discuss the time after his death...I can't imagine the feeling that everyone must have had back then

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Interesting read. I didn't know much about the history of Card Walker. My father worked at EPCOT Center when it first opened and didn't seem to like him very much.

It's still sad whenever I read about any of Walt's employees discuss the time after his death...I can't imagine the feeling that everyone must have had back then

Walt was the brand, much as Steve Jobs is Apple or Jim Henson was the Muppets. Disneyland was very much based on Walt's serendipity and sense of humor, he comes back from a Swiss vacation and you're building a Matterhorn. He sees a Monorail in Germany and you're doing that too. The Train from his backyard becomes the thread that holds the lands together. How do you replace that when he goes? What a sense of loss. Rudderless. To me it would feel like "the party" of creating Disneyland is over as you were doing it all for him. Kind of his backyard. Of course, it's very much "in the tradition" of now. Imagine when he was alive coming down to inspect your execution of his ideas. I love the way Walt would pitch an idea with the motivation of "let's give them a REAL show!" and then propose something outrageous.

Steve Wynn is similar to WD in that they are showmen that love to exceed the expectation of the guest and feed off of the reaction. Without that drive to create value and innovate, it's what you call... a business. Walt's business mantra was "give them everything you've got and they'll repay you" (most of the time). So you lose the creative point of view, the leader, and eventually the DNA of the business as it evolves away from it's real reason to exist until it is led by another of like mind driven by that mantra. John Lassiter is the closest thing to that kind of guy IMHO. Bob Iger, to his credit, knows the company needs that kind of DNA and that the Movies instill it from the top down. It's incredible that the Disney reputation was so well entrenched as a quality brand that it could withstand countless lukewarm movies (the Miller 70s) and changes in management and still be revered as it is.

 

[HBG2]

It's incredible that the Disney reputation was so well entrenched as a quality brand that it could withstand countless lukewarm movies (the Miller 70s) and changes in management and still be revered as it is.

It's an interesting phenomenon. There have been a few other examples of "indestructible" brands. I think of Harley-Davidson. I'm not a biker, but my understanding is that in the 70's their quality was allowed to deteriorate to the point of embarrassing shoddiness, and the only thing keeping the company alive against fierce Japanese competition was the magic of the name itself. Eventually, the company got new ownership/management and recovered its quality, so that today they're good bikes once again. Seems to me Disney followed a similar arch.

Oh, and thanks for the plug! Someone is definitely reading this thread, because traffic spiked pretty sharply.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

It's an interesting phenomenon. There have been a few other examples of "indestructible" brands. I think of Harley-Davidson. I'm not a biker, but my understanding is that in the 70's their quality was allowed to deteriorate to the point of embarrassing shoddiness, and the only thing keeping the company alive against fierce Japanese competition was the magic of the name itself. Eventually, the company got new ownership/management and recovered its quality, so that today they're good bikes once again. Seems to me Disney followed a similar arch.

Oh, and thanks for the plug! Someone is definitely reading this thread, because traffic spiked pretty sharply.

It should, that collection of airfield images is really astounding. Great blog. I think we're close to 500k views here. Thanks to all of you silent readers out there. We'd love to see you post and join the discussion.

Harley kind of over merchandised themselves as well. HD had it's name on practically everything. It stands for freedom and the maverick outsider, so it still has the base of bikers and they are the real deal, so they cannot kill that.

 

[ChrisFL]

While on that subject of "indestructible" brands, there's a great new book out called "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek.

It talks about how to build a brand image that makes it unique from the competition. He does mention Disney briefly in the book about how it's a trusted name in children's movies.

Here's a TED speech where he discusses the main ideas, I think anyone in business should watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

 

[Eddie Sotto]

While on that subject of "indestructible" brands, there's a great new book out called "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek.

It talks about how to build a brand image that makes it unique from the competition. He does mention Disney briefly in the book about how it's a trusted name in children's movies.

Here's a TED speech where he discusses the main ideas, I think anyone in business should watch it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

Will ck it out, most appreciated. I used to be a TEDster in the past and the conference is always stimulating.

 

[wdwmagic]

Eddie, would be very interested on your thoughts about the new Hyperion Wharf area.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...-new-waterfront-district-"Hyperion-Wharf".htm

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Eddie, would be very interested on your thoughts about the new Hyperion Wharf area.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/Attractions...-new-waterfront-district-"Hyperion-Wharf".htm

Well, I do think it's great that the new development will be more family oriented. It claims that there will be "innovative restaurants" and so we'll see what that means. "The Adventurer's Club" was the big loss over at Pleasure Island and I hope there will be something at least that creative and not default to strictly chains. By the way it reads, there seems to be a move to be less the "landlord" mentality and more the "Entertainer". That's good. Let's hope the outdoor lego displays and other fun freebies for the guests keep coming. I'd love to see one big themed "wow" someday.

So it's great to see things happening over there and that even in this economy they are dedicated to renewal in a family direction of PI. The West side seems to me to be the next big thing to focus on as it seems to need more interest and energy. I'm sure they will get to it.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

Well, I do think it's great that the new development will be more family oriented. It claims that there will be "innovative restaurants" and so we'll see what that means. "The Adventurer's Club" was the big loss over at Pleasure Island and I hope there will be something at least that creative and not default to strictly chains. By the way it reads, there seems to be a move to be less the "landlord" mentality and more the "Entertainer". That's good. Let's hope the outdoor lego displays and other fun freebies for the guests keep coming. I'd love to see one big themed "wow" someday.

So it's great to see things happening over there and that even in this economy they are dedicated to renewal in a family direction of PI. The West side seems to me to be the next big thing to focus on as it seems to need more interest and energy. I'm sure they will get to it.

I still mourn the loss of the Adventurer's Club. I believe that many on the boards including myself are waiting for the day when it might make a return in one form or another.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I still mourn the loss of the Adventurer's Club. I believe that many on the boards including myself are waiting for the day when it might make a return in one form or another.

Agree. So do I. It was the primary reason I'd stop at PI.

I'm sure there are many at WDI who feel the same way. There was something magical about it and was such that as a "member" you could come back at any time and be made to feel welcome as part of the club. The cast was great, weren't they? I heard that there were plans to reopen it somewhere else (I'd vote for the Poly or AK Hotel) but till then, Kongaloosh!

I wonder if they will put Duffy into the CBJ?

 

[HMF]

I wonder if they will put Duffy into the CBJ?

Don't give them ideas.:fork:

 

[ChrisFL]

Agree. So do I. It was the primary reason I'd stop at PI.

I'm sure there are many at WDI who feel the same way. There was something magical about it and was such that as a "member" you could come back at any time and be made to feel welcome as part of the club. The cast was great, weren't they? I heard that there were plans to reopen it somewhere else (I'd vote for the Poly or AK Hotel) but till then, Kongaloosh!

I wonder if they will put Duffy into the CBJ?

Although I haven't heard much about it lately, Disney was planning to build an Adventurer's Club in Hong Kong Disneyland.

 

[Lee]

Although I haven't heard much about it lately, Disney was planning to build an Adventurer's Club in Hong Kong Disneyland.

As I understand it, the Club in HK was just going to be a food location with Adventurer theming. Sort of like the old Explorer's Club at DLP. All the story and characters were being dropped, only a lot of the props making the move.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Adventurer's Club

It's funny that there is no end to the number of character breakfasts, but you can't get live talent into restaurants for other concepts. I loved it when the street talent used to go into the Brown Derby, but that's just scratching the surface. The Adventurer's Club proved to me how powerful an experience can be and that it's repeatable.

Part of the reason you don't see talent is that the way things are financially justified. The restaurant's balance sheet has to "pay" for the talent and it is not seen as "profitable" so they don't do it. AC sold alcohol so that probably covered the costs better. In my day, they used to see each facility as it's own "business", not sure if they still do that. Character breakfasts are surveyed and guests will stay in a hotel that has them so they can measure that. Of course, inside the park is different. The guest has paid a huge admission so what does that cover? Shows can be measured as to you coming to the park just to see it so they can justify it, or if you pay a ticket above the admission for the dinner show, they can measure that. Everything in between is harder to rationalize. How much show is enough?

Interesting business models sometimes determine how things are justified.