News PHOTOS - Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom to receive enhancements this summer

[tirian]

Frozen has wonderful art direction, but it’s essentially an Efteling attraction with Disney IP. Yet its “storyline” is dull, corporate, and uninspiring, and of course it’s in the wrong park.

@yensidtlaw1969 I’m quoting myself because I realized another point of discussion.

Have today’s WDI/Parks-Resorts-Plastic Toys projects become the new Walt Disney Production movies c.1970s?

During the ‘70s and early ‘80s, most of the company’s movie output wasn’t completely bad, but it was mediocre. For every Rescuers or Great Mouse Detective, there was a Boatniks or Condorman. But they also made Pete’s Dragon, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Black Cauldron, Freaky Friday, and other movies that were just kinda okay.

It’s not a gleaming moment in their company’s history, and we all know how it led to Eisner-Wells.

Are we seeing this played out again with WDI? Most of the decisions aren’t outright awful like the DCA era, but they also don’t reach the Imagineering heights of the ‘60s–‘90s. Today’s WDI is mediocre with a few hits here and there—just like WDP films in the ‘70s—just kinda okay.

The rose gold/tan/orange-ish castle is the latest example.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

@yensidtlaw1969 I’m quoting myself because I realized another point of discussion.

Have today’s WDI/Parks-Resorts-Plastic Toys projects become the new Walt Disney Production movies c.1970s?

During the ‘70s and early ‘80s, most of the company’s movie output wasn’t completely bad, but it was mediocre. For every Rescuers or Great Mouse Detective, there was a Boatniks or Condorman. But they also made Pete’s Dragon, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, The Black Cauldron, Freaky Friday, and other movies that were just kinda okay.

It’s not a gleaming moment in their company’s history, and we all know how it led to Eisner-Wells.

Are we seeing this played out again with WDI? Most of the decisions aren’t outright awful like the DCA era, but they also don’t reach the Imagineering heights of the ‘60s–‘90s. Today’s WDI is mediocre with a few hits here and there—just like WDP films in the ‘70s—just kinda okay.

The rose gold/tan/orange-ish castle is the latest example.

That's an interesting observation, and a parallel I hadn't considered before. I think it is fair to say that projects like Frozen Ever After, Mermaid, Runaway Railway, and even Na'vi River Journey are sort of equivalent to the films of that era. There will be people who grow up loving them, for sure, and they're not entirely without their endearing qualities, but you can tell they're bunting.

I had hope that Rise of the Resistance would be a watershed moment, much like The Little Mermaid was in ushering in the Disney Renaissance, though I suspect the pandemic has probably put the kibosh on any plans that had the potential to fulfill that sort of destiny. And even then, as we said earlier, Rise is built on the back of someone else's success from 40 years ago. Mermaid (the film, and decidedly NOT the ride) stands much more on its own two feet, ironically. Of course Hans Christian Andersen lent a hand, but I think it's fair to say the success of that film has more to do with the music, characters, retooled story, and visuals that Disney built on top of that than what they took from him. Much less the case with Rise, which follows a blueprint pretty literally (to thrilling effect).

It makes you wonder what it'll take for things to turn the corner. The answer in the 80's seemed to be New Management. I can't imagine the New Management we've just come into is going to usher in an era like The Disney Renaissance in any facet of the company, especially Imagineering.

Let's hope I'm wrong?

 

[Father Robinson]

There's really no arguing that the final product is not what was promised. This is almost giving me the fail-vibes of when Disneyland painted Space Mountain brown. I'm curious to see what public opinion is and if this ends up being a very short lived color scheme.

Hopefully VERY short lived!!!

 

[Father Robinson]

The worst thing is I’m sure many people will like it which in Disney’s eyes will be an incentive to keep it.

Oh I hate to say it (total sarcasm)..but I will anyway. Guess that same concept doesn't apply to Splash Mountain

 

[nancyburkeink]

it looks like the castle has a sunburn...lol
Maybe Coppertone will sponsor the 50th Celebration...

Exactly! Looks like a sunburn!

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Can't find an official source from Disney. The 189' measurement is from the moat's surface. I'd assume Tokyo's is the same. Comparing your photos, it looks like the majority of the extra height is in the very base in WDW. Though all the "parts" are there in both your shots, the castles look significantly different in terms of how they are positioned in relations to each other.

This is a graphic included in an interview with Bob Iger from The Hollywood Reporter.

In-Depth With Disney CEO Bob Iger on China Growth, ‘Star Wars’ Reshoots and Political Plans: “A Lot of People Have Urged Me to [Run]”

In an exclusive sit-down, the exec who tops the THR 100 also talks 'Indiana Jones,' ESPN and cable's future, what happened with heir apparent Tom Staggs and who will succeed him after he leaves in 2018.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Giss Neric]

Actually looks way better from ground up.
Note: Photo is altered.

 

[Disney4family]

Actually looks way better from ground up.

 

[Otamin]

Anyone who’d ever studied color theory could’ve looked at that concept art and said the colors would be harsh in the Floridian sunlight. Remember when Disney used to brag how when they built the Grand Floridian, they had carefully selecting the correct off-white to appear gleaming white in the sun?

Definitely. They certainly used to care more about it.

If they wanted to add some gold elements to the castle for the 50th, fine, but the way they’ve approached every aspect of this has been wrong. Subtlety was what was needed, not this.

Actually looks way better from ground up.

That’s an old photo with the colours altered.

 

[Giss Neric]

Definitely. They certainly used to care more about it.

If they wanted to add some gold elements to the castle for the 50th, fine, but the way they’ve approached every aspect of this has been wrong. Subtlety was what was needed, not this.

That’s an old photo with the colours altered.

Yes, it's an old altered photo. I'm just showing the perspective from ground up cause most likely it will look like that anyways.

 

[TJJohn12]

This is a graphic included in an interview with Bob Iger from The Hollywood Reporter.

In-Depth With Disney CEO Bob Iger on China Growth, ‘Star Wars’ Reshoots and Political Plans: “A Lot of People Have Urged Me to [Run]”

In an exclusive sit-down, the exec who tops the THR 100 also talks 'Indiana Jones,' ESPN and cable's future, what happened with heir apparent Tom Staggs and who will succeed him after he leaves in 2018.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

View attachment 480450

I’ve used that one when scale modeling before, but I take it with a grain of salt and don’t consider it an “official” source because I assume it was created by HR’s graphics department and not WDC.

 

[tirian]

That's an interesting observation, and a parallel I hadn't considered before. I think it is fair to say that projects like Frozen Ever After, Mermaid, Runaway Railway, and even Na'vi River Journey are sort of equivalent to the films of that era. There will be people who grow up loving them, for sure, and they're not entirely without their endearing qualities, but you can tell they're bunting.

I had hope that Rise of the Resistance would be a watershed moment, much like The Little Mermaid was in ushering in the Disney Renaissance, though I suspect the pandemic has probably put the kibosh on any plans that had the potential to fulfill that sort of destiny. And even then, as we said earlier, Rise is built on the back of someone else's success from 40 years ago. Mermaid (the film, and decidedly NOT the ride) stands much more on its own two feet, ironically. Of course Hans Christian Andersen lent a hand, but I think it's fair to say the success of that film has more to do with the music, characters, retooled story, and visuals that Disney built on top of that than what they took from him. Much less the case with Rise, which follows a blueprint pretty literally (to thrilling effect).

It makes you wonder what it'll take for things to turn the corner. The answer in the 80's seemed to be New Management. I can't imagine the New Management we've just come into is going to usher in an era like The Disney Renaissance in any facet of the company, especially Imagineering.

Let's hope I'm wrong?

A “thumbs-up” doesn’t seem strong enough, but the heart eyes are too much. Imagine I applauded you.

 

[tirian]

This is a graphic included in an interview with Bob Iger from The Hollywood Reporter.

In-Depth With Disney CEO Bob Iger on China Growth, ‘Star Wars’ Reshoots and Political Plans: “A Lot of People Have Urged Me to [Run]”

In an exclusive sit-down, the exec who tops the THR 100 also talks 'Indiana Jones,' ESPN and cable's future, what happened with heir apparent Tom Staggs and who will succeed him after he leaves in 2018.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

View attachment 480450

Yes, it’s also in official Imagineering books, but since I’m not at home to crack one open and quote the numbers, I didn’t chime in.

 

[UNCgolf]

Yes, it's an old altered photo. I'm just showing the perspective from ground up cause most likely it will look like that anyways.

Why would you think that? Both the pink and blue are different colors. They aren't going to change just from perspective.

 

[Supreme Leader]

Meanwhile, in the land of "If it Matched The Concept Art":

View attachment 480256

An imperfect Photoshopping, but squint and you get the idea.

Wow this would've looked way better. I was going to try and be positive about the color change of the castle but yeah it's just kinda ugly.

 

[_caleb]

I know others have mentioned this, but it does seem like they were meant to apply a coat of lighter color to create depth and that gradient effect that we see (where they try to mimic an aged/weathered effect). When I look at the lower/darker areas of the concept art, it looks like the same shade they painted the entire castle with.

 

[999th Happy Haunt]

found on instagram, looks much better here than previous photos we’ve seen of it inside the park

 

[UNCgolf]

found on instagram, looks much better here than previous photos we’ve seen of it inside the park

That does look much better than some of the other photos because the pink looks significantly paler. It still doesn't look nearly as good as the colors used a couple of decades ago, but it's not hideous like it's seemed in other pictures. Still won't really be able to tell without seeing it in person though; too reliant on camera settings etc.

 

[wdwmagic]

The color of the pink in pictures is very much part of the lighting and camera settings/adjustments. I think it needs to be seen in person to really make a judgment on it. You will see radically different pictures over the next few weeks.

 

[Supreme Leader]

found on instagram, looks much better here than previous photos we’ve seen of it inside the park

Ok this is much better. WOW my taste is all over the place with this castle and it's paint jobs.