I agree that the 50th castle is fine. Indeed, it’s the very definition of fine. Just like some small, almost hidden gold statues are fine. But I kind of want more then fine, especially for the 50th. I’ve seen the 50th castle in person. It made me think, “yup, that sure is the castle.”
The old signs were the very definition of following a trend. They hired a star graphic designer from outside the company to create the system and put her personal stamp on it, a stamp that was very much of its time. It's the signage and wayfinding equivalent of bringing in Graves to design the Swan and Dolphin. Your argument that the update could stand to be more playful makes sense, but the idea that the old signage represents a lost ability to set trends and exist outside of contemporary fashion is just wrong.
Colors a la Discovery Zone?
The earidescent stuff is a completely different thing from the new design language for the arches, TTC, and road signs. The earidescent motif is a temporary thing that is specific to the 50th anniversary and will generally disappear once the celebration is over. That can totally be defined as a fashionable thing for the moment, but the blue and yellow for the stuff around property is a permanent change with a design that'll hopefully turn out to have a little more longevity behind it while still being a touch more colorful than your average signage. Do I think WDW was more fun in the '90s, absolutely, but that doesn't mean every single artifact of that era makes the modern experience there better.
"Whimsical" isn't exactly a trait that made me fall in love with Walt Disney World as a whole. That original Happy Meal McDonald's was a little tourist trappy. Much more suited to International Drive than The Vacation Kingdom of the World. The new one is still unique and eye-catching without falling on the garish end of things.
I was thinking both of Disney setting trends in a lot of different ways, from the very opening of Disneyland up to, admittedly, constructing structures like the Swan and Dolphin. I'm not an architectural or design historian, but my understanding was that Eisner's "starchitects" were brought in to do innovative, cutting-edge work, the kind of work that appeared in both industry journals and the mainstream press and was studied in higher education classes, all to enhance the reputation of the company and CEO. This is in sharp contrast to modern structures like the Riviera, which looks like a generic I-drive hotel and is unlikely to pop up in any doctoral programs.
It’s funny because I’m going for my bachelors in hospitality right now and this weeks reading was all about the swan and dolphin and how Eisner was trying to show Disney knew how to do more than fibreglass mountains. I live in Celebration now and everyday I drive home through town I can’t help but think how without Eisner this would never exist, the bobs would never take such a creative risk, we really need a daring CEO again.
I agree but not one that kept tripping over his own ego. As a resident you must realize that Celebration is not what it started out to be. It was Eisner's attempt at a mini EPCOT because of his perceived identity with Walt. It was completely predictable that a company owned city was not going to have a long haul desirability. Just as it was just as likely that Walt's EPCOT wouldn't have worked either. Chance takers need a reality anchor.
True, but just think about how much we wouldn't have at all if dreamers didn't shoot for the stars, like Walt did.
I think they should shoot for the stars but not without someone that could ground them. I completely feel that had Walt lived to start building EPCOT it would have dragged Disney under and we wouldn't have had any of it at all. Even Walt was capable of tripping over his ego. He was creative, but also had Roy to ground him. That time Roy could not stop him from his biggest dream and only death was able to do that, so I have to ask the question... what would we have if he had lived to follow through on EPCOT? I think nothing. All his life's work would have just been a memory. Notice how soon after the Magic Kingdom opened that even Roy died. I don't know if Roy would have attempted to follow through on his promise to Walt, but that is a moot point now.
My point being that Walt and Roy's partnership is where the magic happened...the dreamer balanced out by someone rooted in the business itself. The BoD needs to realize that a corporate type alone (and no, Iger isn't a "creative", never has been, never will be, regardless of whether he likes to call himself that) isn't what will keep Disney at the top for the long term...true leadership and innovation need the balance of a partnership.
I don’t consider Celebration a failure. Could have been better, but it still is what it was set out to be isn’t it?
How do you define success? It was supposed to be a pedestrian oriented development and it most definitely is not one anymore. It has very much become just another sprawling housing development.
With very strict covenants
The layout is the same as it was and the buildings are the same for the most part, but now it is a high end development. Originally it was a mini version of Walt's Epcot. Owned and operated by Disney. Now you have a direct say in what happens and can even own the property your house is sitting on from what I understand. As a totally controlled area it was a failure. Who wanted to pay that kind of money for some place they had very little say in. In that sense the original plan was a failure. The community is doing fine now, but it wasn't the utopia that was promised.
That was never part of Celebration. Land was sold from the beginning and Disney’s involvement was always going to diminish.
Could be, I never inquired directly. I was told that the land was leased to the home owner originally sort of like a very expensive mobile home park. You own the building and pay to have it sitting on the land. I'll take your word for it. But, it was promoted as being a utopia managed by the same people that gave you the Magic Kingdom secure in massive dustings of pixie dust and happily ever after.
If you look at Lake Nona, Winter Garden, Winter Park condos , the prices of selling condos are not much different from condos in Celebration. One thing is for sure when you exit Celebration and travel on 192 Kissimmee in front of Celebration , reality of living in that part of Central Florida sets in. Watching actor Willem Dafoe nominated for an Oscar in the movie " The Florida Project " is an eye opening look into this.
That's more my point. It's not that the prices are necessarily higher. Rather, the experience you get in other planned communities (I would argue Lake Nona and Baldwin Park are better comparisons - though Winter Garden and Winter Park have some similarities) is better. You highlight one of several reasons why I'd say that.
Forgot about Baldwin Park, formerly the boot camp area for Navy recruits. Minutes from downtown Orlando and the pros and cons of living near those areas. Maybe Windermere area near WDW too?
