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

[DisneyNut2007]

Ah, well then don't forget to add Honey, I Shrunk the Audience.

If you want to go old school, Body Wars was wrong on so many levels it could be considered anti-educational.

Other than those additions, I think you are dead on.

You might as well add Magic Journeys and Captain EO to that list as well. :hammer:

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Also, Mr. Sotto, please stop trying to be as bad, stupid and hateful of WDW as all-too-many of the members here are!

 

[jt04]

Also, Mr. Sotto, please stop trying to be as bad, stupid and hateful of WDW as all-too-many of the members here are!

What are you talking about?! :veryconfu:veryconfu:veryconfu:veryconfu:veryconfu

 

[MiklCraw4d]

Also, Mr. Sotto, please stop trying to be as bad, stupid and hateful of WDW as all-too-many of the members here are!

Irony? Performance art?

 

[jt04]

Irony? Performance art?

There someone over in the new FL thread doing the same thing.

So I have a question. Why does the talk of a major add coming to WDW, real or not, get so many people filled with what can only be described as rage? It's all very strange.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Also, Mr. Sotto, please stop trying to be as bad, stupid and hateful of WDW as all-too-many of the members here are!

Hugs Disneynut2007. I'll do my best to try to control myself only if you promise to do the same.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

The WEDway was intended for the LBV village as late as the 1980s, I know, and was included in the first version of World Showcase from 1974 as well as (if I'm not mistaken) being intended for EPCOT Center.

Don't forget FW and CCore! That would have, and still would have worked great!


I wonder if it's possible?

 

[HMF]

Just today I was reading Tony Baxter's story about Eisner wanting to put a Daryl Hannah animatronic waving to guests at the end of Splash Mountain - "getting it" is a very important thing.

We really need more people like Tony in WDI. People who are passionite about their work and not followers like some Imagineers.

 

[janoimagine]

We really need more people like Tony in WDI. People who are passionite about their work and not followers like some Imagineers.

I will second that. I hope someday Eddie will return to WDI.

 

[janoimagine]

What I'm liking about this discussion is that you are getting into the kinds of issues, fundamental roadblocks and processes that ideas have to go through to get developed. It's a puzzle for sure, but I'm addicted to this kind of stuff. Once the idea finally becomes possible, then you get to go through the "Finance Dept" to see if they think it's feasible. Ahh, those were the days

That happened to me all the time in Advertising, first you had to sell your idea to the Creative Director, then he had to sell it to the Client, then the cost consultant would get involved and ruin everyones day.

 

[HMF]

I will second that. I hope someday he will return to WDI.

Tony never left' In fact he is Creative Lead for Disneyland Park now.:animwink:

 

[janoimagine]

Tony never left' In fact he is Creative Lead for Disneyland Park now.:animwink:

My bad ... I misread that, been a long day ... I thought it said Eddie. But yes, Tony B is an incredible creative that WDI is lucky to have.

 

[HMF]

I will second that. I hope someday Eddie will return to WDI.

I think it depends on weather they want him back or if he wants to go back.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Tony Baxter.

The funny thing is that Tony has taught many of us, so in a way, there have been quite a few that have had the "Baxter Factor" rub off on them. He has a big effect over the years so he is in a way, viral. So there are lots of "Tonys" at WDI now. I learned so much from him and he needs to pass that on. IMHO He's the best man for DL.

What's the "Baxter Factor"?

I'd come in and say to the estimator, "Hey, why is this project estimate so high? I could do this on the outside for half that!!! AND take my wife to Tahiti, are you NUTS!!" and throw a hissy fit or something to get the price down.

When we had quieted down and the yelling stopped but the numbers went unchanged.. They'd lean forward and in a hushed voice say "we had to add the Baxter Factor". What?
"We know you'll make lots of changes after the fact and add stuff, so we have to stash some money away for when that happens." I got a laugh out of that. There's a shred of truth in that changes do happen and design evolves. I'm sure that before I left they were quietly dumping an extra 20% in and calling it the "Eddie factor"!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I think it depends on weather they want him back or if he wants to go back.

Truth be told, I'm going back to WDI this Thursday!

(Marty is having his retirement party on the patio)

 

[MiklCraw4d]

Don't forget FW and CCore! That would have, and still would have worked great!

Ah, that's what I meant when I said EPCOT Center, but I should have been more clear! I would love to see artwork for that - I've never seen any! And I wonder where else it was intended to run besides Communicore. Where's Martin?

I too have often wondered if that would still be possible to engineer in... It would be a boon for EPCOT, which is really quite large.

We really need more people like Tony in WDI. People who are passionite about their work and not followers like some Imagineers.

Indeed.

When we had quieted down and the yelling stopped.. They'd lean forward and in a hushed voice say "it's the Baxter Factor". Baxter? "Yeah, you get us to agree to a low number and then you change it all later. We know you'll spend it, so we have to stash some money away for when that happens." I got a laugh out of that. there's a shred of truth in that changes do happen and design evolves. I'm sure that before I left they were quietly dumping an extra 20% in and calling it the "Eddie factor"!!!

That's hilarious. Kind of like Scotty on Star Trek, always adding an extra percentage to the time estimate. At least they were planning ahead - what project doesn't go over budget?

Truth be told, I'm going back to WDI this Thursday!

(Marty is having his retirement party on the patio)

Oh that's great. That should be a blast. Although Marty retiring blows my mind - I always figured he'd outlast us all.

And if you get bored while you're there, just drop my name as many times of possible and maybe scatter my email address around randomly - I'm trying to avoid having to climb over the fence when I'm skulking around Flower Street in September.

 

[Missing20K]

To be fair, the Heathrow system is really a cutting edge prototype. I am quite certain that people all over the world will be watching how it performs. I very clearly remember Eisner talking about just such a system for WDW so I know it has and probably is still being considered. When you look at it you get the feeling capacity would be an issue, but the more you research it, the more you realize what a great system it is. It has a very high capacity and is incredibly efficient.

There is a PRT system already in use in Morgantown, WV. What I find amazing, is that it went into use in 1975. Not sure of the exact differences between this system and the one being implemented at Heathrow.

A few links:

http://transportation.wvu.edu/towing

http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/morgantown/

And a picture or two for the visual types:

 

[MiklCraw4d]

There is a PRT system already in use in Morgantown, WV. What I find amazing, is that it went into use in 1975. Not sure of the exact differences between this system and the one being implemented at Heathrow.

Holy cow, that's amazing. I have to read up on that. EPCOT needs to step it up!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Thanks Missing2ok, missed you for a while!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Ok. Who misses Smart1, "the astuter computer" from the Sperry Univak show? I used to have a little wind up of him.