Like many of you, I’ve ridden Soarin’ a number of times. I’m talking Peyton-Manning-to-Marvin-Harrison number of times. Cher-Cosmetic-Procedures number of times. Maybe not Rednecks-on-COPS number of times, but certainly Jessica-Simpson-Attempts-Fourth-Grade number of times. I’m telling you, I can recite every line of dialog in the movie word for word (that’s a little Soarin’ joke. Some […]
The most evil buzzword in the theme park industry today is “interactive” (followed closely by “guest experience,” and rounded out by “Potter-killer.”) I’m a traditionalist, darn it, and I prefer my theme parks shaken, not stirred. If I have to hear about another “living character initiative” or “NextGen project,” I think I’m going to have […]
The actual Indiana Jones tank scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade can be found at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, now better than ever.
Audio Animatronics have evolved a lot since their debut as multicultural stereotypes. Jose, Michael, Pierre, and Fritz were pretty darn cool. They could move. They could talk. They could do both at the same time (something Al Gore never learned). But even Isaac Asimov couldn’t imagine what they’d do next. Answer: Activate Skynet. We’re a […]
Apparently, Pixar’s success has nothing to do with their awesome stories. Google (no pun intended) the phrase “Pixar eyes” and you will find scores of tutorials, white papers, literary criticisms, journal articles, and Masters theses — all dealing with the awesomeness of Pixar eyes. You’d think that the entire art form begins and ends with […]
I may not be the biggest fan when it comes to turning Disney theme parks into a shopping mall. I still miss the days when the shops actually carried unique, one-of-a-kind items. It was a simpler time, when the experience meant more than spreadsheets, spending trends, and maximizing ROI (which I think stands for “Roy […]
Every now and then I’ll run across something straight out of the haunted past of Disney World, before it was overrun with FastPasses, princesses, and those awful parade performance stops. I’m sure you’ve had similar experiences. Maybe not with Disney World, but other things from childhood. Like a familiar smell that triggers a memory of […]
Today we have a story in which a young child learns about other cultures. He also learns about friendship, togetherness, and world peace, but not until EPCOT Center opens. No, this story takes place way in the past, and the young child is me. Let me ask you a question that I think I know […]
So last week I posted a picture of the Hidden Jafar at Animal Kingdom, and some of you — including my fellow resident parkeologist Teevtee — doubted its veracity. To be honest, I don’t blame you. I have been known to come up with some half baked notions and crazy conspiracy theories from time to […]