Spirited Spring Break News, Observations & Thoughts ...

[NoChesterHester]

Not saying it outs him in the slightest (and I agree about the age), but you do realize a majority of those who have come out over the years have had girlfriends and denied being gay? Many actors and actresses are more or less "encouraged" to stay in the closet.

I remember, say, Lance Bass dating women. Just saying ...

Fortunately things have changed a lot in the past decade in regards to that.

 

[Kman101]

Well, true, but many still remain in the closet. And a young leading man girls fawn over won't be coming out of the closet anytime soon. But yes, things have changed a lot. I've still read and heard Hollywood isn't as accepting as they want everyone to believe.

 

[Omnispace]

Tom for years (and reasons unknown to most of us) was Marty's little pet. And Tom got moved far ahead of other more senior -- and definitely more talented -- Imagineers. He is a quality showwriter and he knows film-based attractions, but seems to have a fundamental disconnect when it comes to attractions that Disney fans would call iconic (many developed by his favorite foe in Glendale, Tony Baxter).
............

Based on Tom's career/history, there is no obvious reason why this would be viewed as good news.

Marty Sklar has a strong literary background for his creative process so that could explain his affinity for someone who has strong script skills like Fitzgerald. Unless one is an extremely versatile individual, there's not usually much of a crossover between the literary way of creating and the more hands-on visual approach that Tony Baxter does well. Of course that illustrates the importance of bringing the proper people together so that one gets the best of both worlds.

It seems that Epcot's biggest issue over the decades has been the loss of its cohesive "Message". Without that overriding concept tying things together, the park has become a collection of unrelated experiences. Perhaps someone with the story skills of Fitzgerald will be more able to restore that aspect of the park and bring greater meaning to the shows. And I don't mean some sort of convoluted and obscure backstory but something that is fundamentally relevant.

 

[Absimilliard]

Is the noise only related to the tires that push the cars along? Electric motors can make quite a bit of noise as well when they require a lot of torque.

Linear induction and Linear Synchronous magnetic motors make noise, but it is different. Best example is this video. Hear the screaming noise at the beginning? It is the linear induction motors getting powered up and then accelerating the train from 0 to 54 mph at the start. The ride itself is like Rock n Roller Coaster, but with one more inversion and a soundtrack that is played in the show building. No props or scenery, but a nice light show that WDI "inspired" themselves from to make the Paris version of Rock n Roller Coaster. This is a Premier Rides LIM coaster and Revenge of the Mummy at Universal make the same noise when you are launched up the hill into the gravity portion.

 

[aladdin2007]

The commercials have started running locally on tv here in cent fl for Gringotts.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Marty Sklar has a strong literary background for his creative process so that could explain his affinity for someone who has strong script skills like Fitzgerald. Unless one is an extremely versatile individual, there's not usually much of a crossover between the literary way of creating and the more hands-on visual approach that Tony Baxter does well. Of course that illustrates the importance of bringing the proper people together so that one gets the best of both worlds.

It seems that Epcot's biggest issue over the decades has been the loss of its cohesive "Message". Without that overriding concept tying things together, the park has become a collection of unrelated experiences. Perhaps someone with the story skills of Fitzgerald will be more able to restore that aspect of the park and bring greater meaning to the shows. And I don't mean some sort of convoluted and obscure backstory but something that is fundamentally relevant.

A cohesive message - like "what is the idealistic future?" What a glorious idea.

Our vision of the hopeful future has evolved in the past 30 years. I know they can come up with some more viable and timeless concepts.

 

[Omnispace]

Linear induction and Linear Synchronous magnetic motors make noise, but it is different. Best example is this video. Hear the screaming noise at the beginning? It is the linear induction motors getting powered up and then accelerating the train from 0 to 54 mph at the start. The ride itself is like Rock n Roller Coaster, but with one more inversion and a soundtrack that is played in the show building. No props or scenery, but a nice light show that WDI "inspired" themselves from to make the Paris version of Rock n Roller Coaster. This is a Premier Rides LIM coaster and Revenge of the Mummy at Universal make the same noise when you are launched up the hill into the gravity portion.

Exactly! That sounds like a 60 Hz hum...

It's interesting how noisy even some of Disney's rides can get. Omnimovers can be pretty noisy and I am always surprised by the sudden quiet there is with an e-stop. Adventure Thru Inner Space seemed especially noisy, perhaps because it was the first one built and the sides of the track were exposed, but they cranked up the soundtrack in there to cover the screech of the tires and rumbling of the cars on the track. It just echoed off all the hard surfaces. One was lucky to hear the audio in the cars.

 

[Omnispace]

A cohesive message - like "what is the idealistic future?" What a glorious idea.

Our vision of the hopeful future has evolved in the past 30 years. I know they can come up with some more viable and timeless concepts.

I doubt there will be anything like the Epcot Future Technology Conferences of the 1970's to guide this effort. You are right that people's expectations of the future have changed, ranging from the extremely shallow (like what the next new cell phone is going to be), to some pretty harsh cynical views based on current world events. Coming up with any message is going to be suspect in someone's mind.

I know that the 1982 message from the corporate sponsors, "this is what your future will be, trust us", is not even plausible in today's public. A wonderful new future brought to you by Exxon -- really??! That was barely palatable even when Disney was supposedly pushing the message. So perhaps the message now needs to be, "here is what your future can be, you can help make the difference" or something similar that places the ability into the hands of the guests? I don't know -- I'm just writing off the cuff here.. Right now they are pushing after-park-hours tequila sampling as an educational experience. (I know that was a part of my educational experience in college.) Unfortunately, that's currently where the thinking is with the folks at Epcot -- well-intentioned, but off the mark.

 

[Cesar R M]

Is the noise only related to the tires that push the cars along? Electric motors can make quite a bit of noise as well when they require a lot of torque.

most of the noise comes from the banging and the tires screeching.. the engines makes a "hum hum hum" but nothing serious (they are all electrical)

 

[NoChesterHester]

I doubt there will be anything like the Epcot Future Technology Conferences of the 1970's to guide this effort. You are right that people's expectations of the future have changed, ranging from the extremely shallow (like what the next new cell phone is going to be), to some pretty harsh cynical views based on current world events. Coming up with any message is going to be suspect in someone's mind.

I know that the 1982 message from the corporate sponsors, "this is what your future will be, trust us", is not even plausible in today's public. A wonderful new future brought to you by Exxon -- really??! That was barely palpable even when Disney was supposedly pushing the message. So perhaps the message now needs to be, "here is what your future can be, you can help make the difference" or something similar that places the ability into the hands of the guests? I don't know -- I'm just writing off the cuff here.. Right now they are pushing after-park-hours tequila sampling as an educational experience. (I know that was a part of my educational experience in college.) Unfortunately, that's currently where the thinking is with the folks at Epcot -- well-intentioned, but off the mark.

Perhaps the message needs to be more individualistic for this self obsessed society. Even through all this narcissism the importance of social responsibility has rung through. People care. Perhaps they just care because they want others to notice that they care, but there are some powerful teachings there.

What if Epcot starts to embody more about what we want the world to be rather than what it is? Rather than an industrial message of progress it is a message of unity, sustainability, conservation, energy, and how technology makes our lives better.

Replace stark brutalist facades and landscaping with the pasture. Mix the industrial with the softness of examples of living in the next century. It can become more of a showplace rather than an expo and I believe that will stand the test of time far better.

As we get more urbanized and more densified we want; clean, green, and safe. Show how we want to live, not necessarily how we will.

 

[WDW1974]

Very interesting piece of PR that will no doubt help Michael become CFO of Disney down the line:

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/colglazier-610577-disney-says.html

Can't believe I missed this until last night and no one brought it up.

 

[WDW1974]

OK, this one is just ... well, because it has been the subject of so much rumour and because I actually was interested in video games back then and owned this horrible, terrible, awful game:

https://games.yahoo.com/news/diggers-ataris-e-t-games-landfill-193256509.html

 

[WDW1974]

Which does show that regardless of individual design talent if the right team is put together quality can still spring forth. These things aren't designed by one person scribbling on paper or waving their arms. More like an army.

If the right team is on Epcot, and it gets the proper attention, maybe they can at the very least stop taking on water.

Absolutely true. The question is: Does the new team inspire you (all) and, if so, what do you base those feelings on?

I have watched Disney systematically, and with purpose, destroy the place that inspired me the most in my youth and encouraged me to do so many things. That began close to two decades ago ... I'd love to have some hope for the future, but see no reason to.

 

[WDW1974]

There is only one reason I feel positive about this ......it is not the status quo.

I get that.

But it's like anything in life, things can always be better ... but they also can be worse.

 

[WDW1974]

It always amazes me how these multi million dollar attractions get designed and someone seems to forget about one little thing like the noise from motors that could ruin the immersiveness of an attraction. Unfortunately this seems to be a common problem in modern ride design. Thinking about the big picture but forgetting about the little things. I bet Bob Gurr would have figured this out early in the design process and found a fix.

Yeah, and I think Gurr wouldn't have overlooked the fact the new coaster that SWINGS needs to be far enough away from sides, stairs, props etc to safely do so.

But Gurr's Disney isn't today's.

 

[WDW1974]

Anyone find the shirt he is wearing interesting?

I think there's an underlying message there.

I wish fanbois would 'get' what Michael is doing with social media as much as those of us who have known him or simply those in the business. ... It should still be pretty obvious that he is having FUN above all and maybe sending messages (sorta like what I do here, I just want Michael's money!)

 

[WDW1974]

Not saying it outs him in the slightest (and I agree about the age), but you do realize a majority of those who have come out over the years have had girlfriends and denied being gay? Many actors and actresses are more or less "encouraged" to stay in the closet.

I remember, say, Lance Bass dating women. Just saying ...

Yeah, there was a time when being gay wasn't deemed cool, especially in show business, which is hilarious because ... well, just because!

 

[WDW1974]

The commercials have started running locally on tv here in cent fl for Gringotts.

They have been running in SoFla for months now.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Yeah, and I think Gurr wouldn't have overlooked the fact the new coaster that SWINGS needs to be far enough away from sides, stairs, props etc to safely do so.

But Gurr's Disney isn't today's.

So, so painfully true.

 

[Phil12]

I get that.

But it's like anything in life, things can always be better ... but they also can be worse.

But when you assume that change will be for the worse, it can often become a self-fulfilling prophecy.