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

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HMF

HMF

Well-Known Member
Eddie Sotto said:
It looks like they ended the "magical driveway pavers with your name on it" program. What will happen to them? Will they be there forever? Will they be relocated to the All Star resort pool area? Or the dog run at the pet care center?

I always "saw dead people" when waiting around and noticed them. "The Farkles from Deerstank Ohio" etc. A cool idea but en masse they seemed to be overwhelming. Just my take as it felt like tagging. I'm sure guests love them and visit them like a gravesite. Exec Paul Pressler's paver was pretty abused so they are a kind of symbol. EPCOT had the picture thing.
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Leave a Legacy sure looks like a graveyard.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5DNV3sjzX9M/R5_T8ujUjKI/AAAAAAAAAU8/71sXPRBWe6M/s1600-h/Leave+a+Legacy.jpg
 
Eddie Sotto

Eddie Sotto

Premium Member
T-1MILLION said:
I agree in some instances but the show overall is a welcomed thing because it seems to only be a plussing experience at night time and it does not replace or remove anything. I think it is a nice preshow or separate entity to Wishes and armchair imagineering for a moment, it would be really neat to see them try something at Animal Kingdom. I keep thinking that the animals coming to life on the Tree of Life would be amazing for a night time speciality. Also with Everest a harsh snow storm and avalanche could appear to happen before our very eyes. This would be safe for the animals as it inolves no pyro and could be a great idea for that upcoming special event.
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Great idea. I know Kevin Yee loves the Castle show. His article is really positive and it's something new. If the pictures are just colors in a mosiac, etc I guess the show can stand on it's own.
 
Eddie Sotto

Eddie Sotto

Premium Member
RunnerEd said:
I've seen the brick pavers/tiles done at High Schools and Colleges as a fundraising idea but I never understood it at a Disney Park. I'm a huge fan of the parks and try to look beyond the obvious but this one, I never understood. It just seemed like a very expensive way to say that "I was here" but, especially in the case of Leave a Legacy in Epcot, a distraction from what was intended.

By the way, I've lurked on this thread for a while and have greatly enjoyed it. Thanks for your insight, Mr. Sotto!
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Welcome. Glad to hear you chime in, keep it up.
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
Eddie Sotto said:
I don't usually comment on other threads, but this one WDW1974 launched about Michael Colglazer's interview on AK was worth adding one little thought. (To be fair- I do know MC and like him.) I don't want to debate dress code or anything like that, just what it is like to be an Imagineer being interviewed. It's scary.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=699593
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Now, c'mon Eddie ... if you're gonna comment on something in my thread you could help me pump up the numbers by putting it in said thread!:ROFLOL:
There's no competition for you here as undisputed numbers champion anyway!

And why not talk about clothes. I've heard you a very spiffy dresser!:)

Eddie Sotto said:
When you do an interview with the press, they usually already know what they want the "angle" or "slant" of the article to be and are pretty much waiting for you to say something that they can use to support their point of view. It's usually slanted against you and of course, the company. This one looked like a "puff piece". When you see the finished article and it's what you said but supporting the wrong point of view, you want to crawl under a rock. No one wants or gets a bonus for leaking or discussing dirty laundry.
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While I agree that reporters often enter interviews with a direction they want/intend to follow, I will disagree that it is usually designed to paint the subject or his/her company/organization in a bad light. Can it be? Sure. I just wouldn't paint all reporters with such a broad brush at all.

I think some folks are nervous to talk to the press to begin with and can come off in a way they didn't intend to.

I know many reporters, but not Jason Garcia. But he does have a pretty good reputation. And since I do read him regularly, he seems to be very fair and balanced in what he writes. The thing is ... and you know this well ... that Disney (like most major companies) doesn't want anything that could be construed as negative out there. Jason writes nine nice things about the Mouse, but one negative and that's all TDO (and possibly Burbank) are looking at.

There's no way to please that kind of company except by being a shill.
Even if WDW was run perfectly, and that's far from the case, things are going to happen that aren't magical, be they CMs arrested for child , accidents on property that hurt or kill people, or people getting sick from dining etc ...


Eddie Sotto said:
The reporter's job is to extract that or paint your words to make their point. You are taught to not answer questions and avoid that stuff. Not lie, just avoid it. My goal as an employee was to get out of the interview alive with as few dings as possible. I think MC answered the vague questions he was given very well albeit in marketing speak. WDW1974 wanted real answers to real issues like pricing and upkeep (good q's), but you'd never go there and if so you'd say something unsatisfying like "we are always looking at pricing and of course in these intimate experiences that are costly to mount, pricing is partially based on demand. So far we've seen little price resistance and the guest exit reviews give it high scores for value. In fact, we are experiencing such a great demand, the guests tell us we are undervalued, so there may be a price increase, so I'd book now".:fork: No way is he gonna ding the pricing or open those doors.
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Eddie, you just gave a better and more fair answer to the question than Michael did.

There are ways of saying nothing (or nothing that can bite you in the ) that have you coming off professional and polished and not simply a corporate spinner.

And, FWIW, I have noticed that most Imagineers are much more able to pull this off than the execs are. Not sure what can be read into that, but a little bit of sincerity can go a long, long way.

Eddie Sotto said:
As fans we are always hungry for content and truth, but if you're the one being interviewed, unless you have a press release you avoid issues. Interviews are seen as free publicity, not town hall meetings. His job is to use it to sell tickets, the press wants to keep your eyeballs on the page. It's not a blog. The interviewer didn't ask him anything that mattered so he gave an interview that didn't. Just a thought.
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That's true. And despite all the attention this has garnered online, this wasn't a large piece. Just a small business story. But since Garcia had brought Disco Yeti to the masses, it makes both Michael and him look bad for not addressing it.

He could have simply asked ''Michael, any word on the status of getting the Yeti up and running.''

And ...

Michael could have simply avoided the ugly truth by saying ''It's something that we're actively working on while not affecting guest enjoyment by shutting the attraction down for a prolonged period.''

This doesn't take much by either of them.

Anyway ... thanks for reading the thread!:)
 
WDW1974

WDW1974

Well-Known Member
ChrisFL said:
That reminds me, I watched the new castle show over the weekend...the technology is cool (but isn't new) but I thought seeing random pictures of other guests detracted from the experience...and many of the pictures didn't work too well due to the way the castle is built.

I think it would have been just fine without the pictures, but I know it's in their promotion now.
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The technology (projections really) would be the only positive I can say about the show.

It's BAD. VERY.

I can't recall whether I first called it LAUGHABLE on anotherdisneyplace.com or Tales publisher Lee MacDonald did, but that is my opinion on it.

Just a mess.

Bad music, blurry images and those awful guest photos/videos.

I know people visit Disney Parks for many reasons, but I've yet to hear one person say it was to see images of other guests placed up on the Castle (or Small World in Anaheim) at night.

When I saw it a week ago Saturday, about two minutes in a girl (about 5) on her mom's shoulders asked 'Mommy, why don't they just show the fireworks?'

This is an example of the reverse Imagineering that has been in vogue over the past 10-15 years where they come up with an idea/technology/ride system/marketing campaign and then create something to fit it ... instead of creating a great story and building the experience around it.

Like I said ... bad.
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
Eddie, I wanted to ask about your take on Maelstrom, we're having a discussion about the ending movie (if you recall it).

The movie has never been updated since it first opened (and it shows)...now it's not even a closed off theater, they leave the doors open for guests to walk through, or they can sit and watch the 5 minute portrait of 80's Oslo :p

Two questions, do you think that having the theater open all the time is a bad idea (even for such an old movie)? The problem is seeing guests walking by all the time, when people are watching the movie.

Also, do you think, thematically it would be wrong to have the movie (let's say updated in a few scenes) watched by guests before the ride? My thinking is that on the ride you're moving forward from ancient to present times and watching the modern Norway at the end.
 
Eddie Sotto

Eddie Sotto

Premium Member
ChrisFL said:
Eddie, I wanted to ask about your take on Maelstrom, we're having a discussion about the ending movie (if you recall it).

The movie has never been updated since it first opened (and it shows)...now it's not even a closed off theater, they leave the doors open for guests to walk through, or they can sit and watch the 5 minute portrait of 80's Oslo :p

Two questions, do you think that having the theater open all the time is a bad idea (even for such an old movie)? The problem is seeing guests walking by all the time, when people are watching the movie.

Also, do you think, thematically it would be wrong to have the movie (let's say updated in a few scenes) watched by guests before the ride? My thinking is that on the ride you're moving forward from ancient to present times and watching the modern Norway at the end.
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Wow. I have not been that pavilion in many years. I'd guess they leave the doors open because the film must be so boring guests probably try and walk out. As they say, "the audience has spoken" so if the film is really dead, and guests vote with their feet or lack of attention, then you probably need to fix it and make it entertaining for them. Forcing you to watch a bad movie probably isn't a great idea in any location. the other option is to make it terraced in a way that guests can flow by behind the viewers who opt to watch and do not interrupt the movie. Make it obviously optional.

Usually when a ride is over it is REALLY tough to slow guests down with a film or any post show, they just race out of there. The pavilion post shows have most guests streaming right out to the next ride. The movie is so comparatively passive that it would have to be incredibly good to compete with the ride. You are right, that in the early planning the film should come first and usually does to build toward the ride.
 
T

T-1MILLION

New Member
Eddie Sotto said:
Wow. I have not been that pavilion in many years. I'd guess they leave the doors open because the film must be so boring guests probably try and walk out. As they say, "the audience has spoken" so if the film is really dead, and guests vote with their feet or lack of attention, then you probably need to fix it and make it entertaining for them. Forcing you to watch a bad movie probably isn't a great idea in any location. the other option is to make it terraced in a way that guests can flow by behind the viewers who opt to watch and do not interrupt the movie. Make it obviously optional.

Usually when a ride is over it is REALLY tough to slow guests down with a film or any post show, they just race out of there. The pavilion post shows have most guests streaming right out to the next ride. The movie is so comparatively passive that it would have to be incredibly good to compete with the ride. You are right, that in the early planning the film should come first and usually does to build toward the ride.
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I would love for them to make a path by taking a few rows of seats out maybe so I do not disturb the people watching because when I noticed this last week I was doing my best with a friend to avoid walking in front of others it is near impossible with the last row. Even then there is a very small number of people watching. Disney themselves I feel is to blame on this one. They have a promotional film for the country showing that is the same one it opened with in 1982.
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
T-1MILLION said:
I would love for them to make a path by taking a few rows of seats out maybe so I do not disturb the people watching because when I noticed this last week I was doing my best with a friend to avoid walking in front of others it is near impossible with the last row. Even then there is a very small number of people watching. Disney themselves I feel is to blame on this one. They have a promotional film for the country showing that is the same one it opened with in 1982.
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Actually it opened closer to 1988
 
Eddie Sotto

Eddie Sotto

Premium Member
T-1MILLION said:
I would love for them to make a path by taking a few rows of seats out maybe so I do not disturb the people watching because when I noticed this last week I was doing my best with a friend to avoid walking in front of others it is near impossible with the last row. Even then there is a very small number of people watching. Disney themselves I feel is to blame on this one. They have a promotional film for the country showing that is the same one it opened with in 1982.
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That's the idea, make it easy to choose to watch without disruption.
 
flavious27

flavious27

Well-Known Member
WDW1974 said:
The technology (projections really) would be the only positive I can say about the show.

It's BAD. VERY.

I can't recall whether I first called it LAUGHABLE on anotherdisneyplace.com or Tales publisher Lee MacDonald did, but that is my opinion on it.

Just a mess.

Bad music, blurry images and those awful guest photos/videos.

I know people visit Disney Parks for many reasons, but I've yet to hear one person say it was to see images of other guests placed up on the Castle (or Small World in Anaheim) at night.

When I saw it a week ago Saturday, about two minutes in a girl (about 5) on her mom's shoulders asked 'Mommy, why don't they just show the fireworks?'

This is an example of the reverse Imagineering that has been in vogue over the past 10-15 years where they come up with an idea/technology/ride system/marketing campaign and then create something to fit it ... instead of creating a great story and building the experience around it.

Like I said ... bad.
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exactly, there can be other ways to show an end of day slideshow. There could be large e ink displays that would look like posters mounted on main street and the train stations that would show pictures during the day. Also displays could be mounted inside the monorails and buses that would show the pictures of guests that are on that vehicle.
 
flavious27

flavious27

Well-Known Member
Eddie Sotto said:
We proposed using it in a reboot of TDL HM (an interior painting of it was in a HM issue of D23), and some other far reaching uses of the technology. We were asked to look at "Scream" the ride based on the Miramax films ( I know.). This was for something outside the berm. Of anything I worked on at WDI, I'm proudest of what we did with Pooh because it broke new ground in dark rides, which is a Disney staple. It's true, "Universe of Energy" is trackless too, but uses a wire in the floor for guidance. Pooh could have done that, but the vehicles spin and also run in reverse, so it is very dynamic. Future uses of that system will likely use a wire.

The ironic thing is that breakthrough came out of the restriction of not being able to invent. Oriental Land Company (TDR owners) did not want the risk of new ride technologies to be developed so we had to use systems that "existed" or had been tried. The Aquatopia ride system for TDS kind of "existed" as it had been developed, so I proposed that system, but used indoors. By the time we were done with Pooh we had abandoned the optical tracking from Aquatopia in favor of something that worked better for an interior ride (lasers don't go through walls!), so it ended up being an invention anyway. But had they not insisted on "existing" technology I would not have proposed combining a "dark ride and the free roaming Aquatopia". Being in the "creative box" does strange things to ya!
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It is kind of sad that this tech hasn't been used in more disney attractions. Would it be possible to use that tech in a refurb of the tl speedway?
 
TestTrack

TestTrack

Active Member
Epcot has a few issues currently imo:

1. Living seas with Nemo - First of all, I don't like character themed attractions at EPCOT as it just doesn't seem to fit in. Second, it all feels very dated and the tanks to me seem unkept.

2. Universe of Energy - Just dated as can be. Needs to be gutted and replaced imo. Sorry to any UoE fans out there.

3. Mexico - It has donald....see #1

4. IMAGINATION - Do it right

Now I love Epcot...probably my favorite park, but it just seems a bit too slow to change.
 
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