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

[Brian_WDW74]

Just dropping in (been on the road) to say that I agree with those who value the proposed Fantasyland "placemaking" efforts in MK. I did not go to D23 or any of that stuff, but looked at the art online.

Hi Eddie.

Marty Sklar mentioned you during the "Imagineering Legends" panel at the D23 Expo. He told a quick story about how you approached him with an attraction idea that eventually became Mission: Space. I don't recall the details, but didn't it involve you lying down on the floor and kicking your legs in the air?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Hi Eddie.

Marty Sklar mentioned you during the "Imagineering Legends" panel at the D23 Expo. He told a quick story about how you approached him with an attraction idea that eventually became Mission: Space. I don't recall the details, but didn't it involve you lying down on the floor and kicking your legs in the air?

Yes. He has told that story several times in the press. I was pitching the MS aspect of being inside a tiny capsule with real G forces upon you. That consisted of making the all the sounds of the comchat while "struggling" against the intense G Forces to press the buttons and blow the tanks, etc as if in the Capsule. (you'd have to have been there). I had made lots of sound effects while suspended between two office chairs in a business suit with my black shoes and white legs sticking up in the air prone for vertical liftoff. This was to show how the guest orientation would be. Looking back on it, it was pretty insane, I got kind of carried away. Or at least garnered enough pity to get the funding to go to the next level and build the capsule mockup.

The moral of all of this is, if you believe in what you want to do enough to be able to experience it in your head as if it's already there, why not try and demo that "wow" for others? They may not even understand what you're doing but they know that YOU do. I just wanted Marty to see that I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve, that it would be great, and would go to any length to pursue it. To his credit, he went for it.

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Thanks for saring Eddie! Cool to see you back!!

If you were working on this project what would you add (besides cnal ride) and take away?

Never Never Land. That way you get Tinker Bell and Pirate stuff.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Thanks for your thoughts on the expansion, Eddie.

Since you've graced us with your (highly appreciated) presence again...


A few hundred pages ago the arcades in DLP came up. When I was in Paris last month, I was wondering about something. Are the themes of both arcades meant to make a transition between Main Street and Frontierland and Discoveryland?

The little...'invention machines' on the East side made a mental transition for me, taking me from MS to 19th century inventors to Jules Verne to Discoveryland.

To a lesser extent, so did MS west. The Statue of Liberty expositions correspond not with the era of MS, but with the time of Frontierland, the 1880's.

Is that all deliberate?

I felt that DLP solved a__puzzle of DL and WDW: how to make a transition from Main Street to Tomorrowland.



Also, you asked me a question that I never got to answer: no, I did not notice that the East arcade paid heavy attention to female and immigrant inventors. I must check that out next time!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

A few hundred pages ago the arcades in DLP came up. When I was in Paris last month, I was wondering about something. Are the themes of both arcades meant to make a transition between Main Street and Frontierland and Discoveryland?

The little...'invention machines' on the East side made a mental transition for me, taking me from MS to 19th century inventors to Jules Verne to Discoveryland.

To a lesser extent, so did MS west. The Statue of Liberty expositions correspond not with the era of MS, but with the time of Frontierland, the 1880's.

Is that all deliberate?

I felt that DLP solved a__puzzle of DL and WDW: how to make a transition from Main Street to Tomorrowland.

Also, you asked me a question that I never got to answer: no, I did not notice that the East arcade paid heavy attention to female and immigrant inventors. I must check that out next time!

Yes it is deliberate and very much so. The "Discovery Arcade" as it is called, features patent models of inventions and fanciful posters of how American cities would look in the "Vernian" future, setting you up for Discoveryland. It was not intentional at first, but we realized that many of the inventions in the patent model collection were submitted by women. Not sure how many models are displayed. The Gaslight brackets in the Discovery Arcade feature the "Measures of Man" by DaVinci, and those living in the west arcade feature "Lady Liberty". As Frontierland was about the westward expansion, the "Liberty Arcade" celebrated the first leg of that journey, coming to the US through Ellis Island. We have a map of NY Harbor in mosaic in the floor at the halfway point. I do think that the SOL era does work for Main Street as we are looking back at the subject. So yes, the interior stories relate to where they lead.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

It all sounds so simple and straightforward when you explain it like that. Marvellous.

The effect is really quite subtle and intricate. A great piece of thematic cohesiveness.

Which brings me to another question, hopefully (or not) keeping you from work a bit longer:

In the MK, I marvel at the transition from one land to another. Between MS and Adventureland stands the Chrystal Palace, which makes sense both in turn of the century America and the tropics. The 'Spanish' architecture of Carribbean Plaza blends into the 'Spanish' Southwest' of Frontierland. From Frontierland there is a very gradual, perfect transition North East, all the way up to where Liberty Square blends into Fantasyland. It's perfect, an architectural and thematic marvel to behold.

The only part where this transition is abrupt, is Tomorrowland. From MS to TL, and from FL to TL. With the new expansion of FL, do you see a way in which it could improve the transition? That is, do you think it will, or do you have some long-harboured visions of how it might be achieved?

In DLP, the transition between MS and Discoveryland is solved, very subtly. Between FL and DL it remains abrupt. Rather, non-existent, since the entry to DL is via the hub. (Plus that one, presumably unintentional, back road)

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Never Never Land. That way you get Tinker Bell and Pirate stuff.

Ooooh, Pirates's cove/rock from DLP/DL?

 

[_Scar]

Never Never Land. That way you get Tinker Bell and Pirate stuff.

Oooh, aaah. What would they do about the dark ride a few hundred feet away though?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Oooh, aaah. What would they do about the dark ride a few hundred feet away though?

If it were I, we'd make it the means of getting to the new all indoor air conditioned realm. You may want to increase the capacity or have several ways to get there. You'd get off your galleon in Mermaid Lagoon. After all it's "Never Never land". Would not that be cool?

 

[Eddie Sotto]

The only part where this transition is abrupt, is Tomorrowland. From MS to TL, and from FL to TL. With the new expansion of FL, do you see a way in which it could improve the transition? That is, do you think it will, or do you have some long-harboured visions of how it might be achieved?

Trees, lots of trees. Lose the conflicting vistas so you only get to make those choices from the Hub. MK has lots of land to lose those merged worlds so it can be done. If you get too literal, how do you deal with a big Castle at the end of the Street?

 

[_Scar]

If it were I, we'd make it the means of getting to the new all indoor air conditioned realm. You may want to increase the capacity or have several ways to get there. You'd get off your galleon in Mermaid Lagoon. After all it's "Never Never land". Would not that be cool?

That would be pretty neat.

If you ever do something for Disney again, make sure you tell someone how much WDW fans want Mystic Manor :lol: the conept art is to die for!!! AHHH, hong kong is going to be a great DL once all there new stuff comes in (minus TSland)

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Been awhile. Merchandising News, and it's good.

(Hiya.Dropping in but leaving town again shortly.)

Since merchandise and its banality has been a hot topic around here with some of you, I thought I'd pass on some good news from Anaheim, strategically speaking. I noticed that DL made a decision to allow an outside vendor, "Houdini's Magic", to run the Magic Shop on Main Street. That place had creatively eroded for years till it hit rock bottom. The fun of knowing you'll see a crowd of kids eagerly watching a trick demo has been lost for some time. Now magic lovers will run the magic shop and i'm sure breathe new life into it. Kudos to both the park and WDI for coming together on this decision. Tony must be pleased. I hope that they find the right fit for other outside vendors that can bring something unique to the retail experience.

http://micechat.com/forums/blogs/in-the-parks/1267-changes-parks-but-not-column-plus-much-more.html

 

[SirGoofy]

(Hiya.Dropping in but leaving town again shortly.)

Since merchandise and its banality has been a hot topic around here with some of you, I thought I'd pass on some good news from Anaheim, strategically speaking. I noticed that DL made a decision to allow an outside vendor, "Houdini's Magic", to run the Magic Shop on Main Street. That place had creatively eroded for years till it hit rock bottom. The fun of knowing you'll see a crowd of kids eagerly watching a trick demo has been lost for some time. Now magic lovers will run the magic shop and i'm sure breathe new life into it. Kudos to both the park and WDI for coming together on this decision. Tony must be pleased. I hope that they find the right fit for other outside vendors that can bring something unique to the retail experience.

http://micechat.com/forums/blogs/in-the-parks/1267-changes-parks-but-not-column-plus-much-more.html

Very cool news. I had seen that in our Disneyland section.

I'm all for outside vendors if they'd do something like this at WDW's Main Street.

 

[Iceviper123]

Thanks for your excellent posts on the Fantasyland expansion.

What do you think WDI should do to fix Tomorrowland in MK, DL and TDL?
They seem to lack a complete thought.
Unlike the Paris, it has a strong cohesiveness as did the DL in 1998.

 

[HMF]

(Hiya.Dropping in but leaving town again shortly.)

Since merchandise and its banality has been a hot topic around here with some of you, I thought I'd pass on some good news from Anaheim, strategically speaking. I noticed that DL made a decision to allow an outside vendor, "Houdini's Magic", to run the Magic Shop on Main Street. That place had creatively eroded for years till it hit rock bottom. The fun of knowing you'll see a crowd of kids eagerly watching a trick demo has been lost for some time. Now magic lovers will run the magic shop and i'm sure breathe new life into it. Kudos to both the park and WDI for coming together on this decision. Tony must be pleased. I hope that they find the right fit for other outside vendors that can bring something unique to the retail experience.

http://micechat.com/forums/blogs/in-the-parks/1267-changes-parks-but-not-column-plus-much-more.html

I swear I like Tony more and more every day. I was a little angry with him and Kim Irvine about It's a Small World but their track record before or since have me convinced.

 

[HMF]

as did the DL in 1998.

I have to disagree with you there DL98 was a disaster.

 

[Iceviper123]

I have to disagree with you there DL98 was a disaster.

I agree it wasn't the best design ever but, it did have a complete thought. :shrug:

 

[Eddie Sotto]

I swear I like Tony more and more every day. I was a little angry with him and Kim Irvine about It's a Small World but their track record before or since have me convinced.

I'm proud to say that I worked for Tony directly for about 8 years. After being rejected by WDI twice, Tony saw what I could do for the company and hired me into an executive job. A risk on his part as I did not come up through the ranks but came in as a designer/producer on a major park and was the youngest one to do so. He spent time teaching me his philosophy on ride design and that was invaluable as he learned from the original Imagineers. It was his take, but of great value. No one I know is as sincerely driven and as knowledgeable about DL as he is. You may not agree with or love everything he does, but he is tireless in his passion to make that park as good as he thinks it should be and fights for that.

The mistake people sometimes make about Tony, is that they think he is a guidebook thumping Disney fundamentalist, he's not. He loves the company and Walt, but with respect to that tradition, dares to take risks with the park and I think he wins more than he loses. But that's the Imagineering game. You can't just be in the "restoration" business, you have to stick your neck out and try things, and within a very complex web of decision makers I'm sure. Disneyland needs Baxter and I for one am glad he's there. The DL team that works for him is very dedicated and will follow him anywhere.

If he's reading this, hang in there, we need you!

 

[Eddie Sotto]

Thanks for your excellent posts on the Fantasyland expansion.

What do you think WDI should do to fix Tomorrowland in MK, DL and TDL?
They seem to lack a complete thought.
Unlike the Paris, it has a strong cohesiveness as did the DL in 1998.

Each park has it's own issues and needs so it's hard to say. I think the high road is to get corporate to adopt a basic philosophy as to what the company's position wants to be on "the future" and it's ultimate role to lead or not. And then slowly inject that strategy into the parks. T'land can even be a promotional tool if its promoting things that are exciting and fresh enough. I think the company at the higher levels has not decided to have a clear mission in this area that we can see, so when they do, it would be great to have the lands slave to that.

 

[HMF]

I'm proud to say that I worked for Tony directly for about 8 years. After being rejected by WDI twice, Tony saw what I could do for the company and hired me into an executive job. A risk on his part as I did not come up through the ranks but came in as a designer/producer on a major park and was the youngest one to do so. He spent time teaching me his philosophy on ride design and that was invaluable as he learned from the original Imagineers. It was his take, but of great value. No one I know is as sincerely driven and as knowledgeable about DL as he is. You may not agree with or love everything he does, but he is tireless in his passion to make that park as good as he thinks it should be and fights for that.

The mistake people sometimes make about Tony, is that they think he is a guidebook thumping Disney fundamentalist, he's not. He loves the company and Walt, but with respect to that tradition, dares to take risks with the park and I think he wins more than he loses. But that's the Imagineering game. You can't just be in the "restoration" business, you have to stick your neck out and try things, and within a very complex web of decision makers I'm sure. Disneyland needs Baxter and I for one am glad he's there. The DL team that works for him is very dedicated and will follow him anywhere.

If he's reading this, hang in there, we need you!

I really hope he is still there if/when I get in. He would probably be a great mentor as he mentored under Claude Coats. BTW' Eddie just some advice' avoid micechats new Disney Gallery thread. It is probably one of the most childish things I have ever read.