As I talked about in my AVATAR opinion post, Lou Mongello had a few good points in his newscast video, so I thought I would share it with those who have not watched his newscast before. Make sure to check out all of Lou's videos and mass amounts of information on his site, www.wdwradio.com.
Showing posts with label animal kingdom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label animal kingdom. Show all posts
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
My Say on "Avatar Land"
I've had people ask, so here it is, my opinion on yesterday's big announcment:
......................................
Yes, that's right, I don't have an opinion as of right now. Why you might ask? Well, for starters, I have never seen the movie Avatar! (Yea, I know, cone of shame and all that jazz) I just never found it over the top appealing or had a need to watch it. This announcement has certainly given me the motivation to watch it, and I plan to, hopefully as a group, but I will get to that later.
For those of you who are upset, I pose a question to you.....why?? It is not like groaning about it is going to change anything, Disney is going to do what they want and what they feel will be best overall for their park and company. A few griping guests is not going to change their mind. And besides, even if you decide to never set foot on "Avatar Land", it's not like you will stop giving them money in other ways.
The addition of this land to Animal Kingdom completes the original plans of the park. Creatures of the past, present and fantasy were to be represented within the park and, while many have said they would have rather seen the originally planned Beastly Kingdom, "Avatar Land" does fit the bill for this category.
Ok, before I continue, I do have to give my one actual beef with the whole announcement. I am really, REALLY hoping that "Avatar Land" is a working title for the project and not what it will actually be called, because it's kinda lame and WDI can do better than that.
Ok, moving on...
For those griping about Disney pulling ideas from outside sources, Lou Mongello pointed out that Disney has been doing this FOREVER! Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, it's not like those are original stories from the mind of Walt, he just put his spin on the classic story. Disney has found a story they believe will stand the test of time and have come up with ways to incorporate the story into the parks. Lou also made the point that Cameron, like the people at Disney, is a story teller and will do what he can to stand by a story. We must remember, this is not just some ho-hum director getting with a mediocre theme park, this is James Cameron and his imagination getting with the talents and imaginations of the Disney imagineers, the guys who get paid to imagine! Combining these elements and getting a ho-hum result just seems illogical. Once Lou gets this week's newscast up, I will post it here for you to enjoy and hopefully to help some see the pros and optimistic side of this endeavor.
A practical reason for putting this update in Animal Kingdom? It needs it BADLY! This park is considered by many to be merely a half-day park with very few E-ticket attractions. Guests have been calling for an addition to this park for a long time now it has finally come to be! This could even open the opportunity for extended park hours in Animal Kingdom, especially if the plans for the land call for some kind of glowing forest! They could close the safari earlier so that the animals will be taken care of, but leave the rest of the park open later for more experience. Plus, the opening of this area will give the E-ticket potential and distraction needed to put Expedition Everest under refurb and allow for the much needed fix for the Disco Yeti problem! (For those unaware, the short of it is that the Yeti in the attraction was way cool until his foundation broke causing him not to be able to function properly and the only way to remedy the situation is to shut the entire ride down for months in order to break through the main foundations to the Yeti foundation, repair it and fix the other foundations again.)
Why was this not announced at the D23 Expo last month? This is all merely speculation by the way, but my first idea was that they did not want to cause major outrage at the Expo like what was seen at the announcement and through social media. I don't think they were prepared for a riot at the Expo. Another thought, and one I actually stand by moreso, they were going to announce it, but pulled it out of the show at the last second. They were prepared to announce it during the Parks and Resorts event, but there were negotiations going on still, so when the Expo came up ad they negotiations were not finished, they pulled the announcement. This would explain the sudden cut of the Parks and Resorts program by a half an hour days before the Expo.
I know there is a lot here, I am just trying to help people see what could be the positives of this announcement, even if they are not fans of the movie. As soon as change is announced, people tend to immediately get upset about it, but we really have nothing to get upset about right now. There are no plans, we have no idea what they are going to start building since they wont be moving any dirt until 2013, so there is plenty of time to be calm and think about the possibilities before having to freak out. Remember Magic, Memories and You; people freaked when that was announced, talking about how dumb it was and being negative, but now it is really a beloved feature of the parks and a great show of technology.
The biggest realization of this whole thing: This is Disney we are talking about!! Haven't they earned our trust by now? Yes, the Pepto-Bismol castle, Stitch's SuperSonic Celebration and the second iteration of Journey into Imagination were a few dark spots, but I think they're positive decisions FAR outweigh the negative ones. For now, I am putting my trust in Disney to plan something spectacular.
......................................
Yes, that's right, I don't have an opinion as of right now. Why you might ask? Well, for starters, I have never seen the movie Avatar! (Yea, I know, cone of shame and all that jazz) I just never found it over the top appealing or had a need to watch it. This announcement has certainly given me the motivation to watch it, and I plan to, hopefully as a group, but I will get to that later.
For those of you who are upset, I pose a question to you.....why?? It is not like groaning about it is going to change anything, Disney is going to do what they want and what they feel will be best overall for their park and company. A few griping guests is not going to change their mind. And besides, even if you decide to never set foot on "Avatar Land", it's not like you will stop giving them money in other ways.
The addition of this land to Animal Kingdom completes the original plans of the park. Creatures of the past, present and fantasy were to be represented within the park and, while many have said they would have rather seen the originally planned Beastly Kingdom, "Avatar Land" does fit the bill for this category.
Ok, before I continue, I do have to give my one actual beef with the whole announcement. I am really, REALLY hoping that "Avatar Land" is a working title for the project and not what it will actually be called, because it's kinda lame and WDI can do better than that.
Ok, moving on...
For those griping about Disney pulling ideas from outside sources, Lou Mongello pointed out that Disney has been doing this FOREVER! Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, it's not like those are original stories from the mind of Walt, he just put his spin on the classic story. Disney has found a story they believe will stand the test of time and have come up with ways to incorporate the story into the parks. Lou also made the point that Cameron, like the people at Disney, is a story teller and will do what he can to stand by a story. We must remember, this is not just some ho-hum director getting with a mediocre theme park, this is James Cameron and his imagination getting with the talents and imaginations of the Disney imagineers, the guys who get paid to imagine! Combining these elements and getting a ho-hum result just seems illogical. Once Lou gets this week's newscast up, I will post it here for you to enjoy and hopefully to help some see the pros and optimistic side of this endeavor.
A practical reason for putting this update in Animal Kingdom? It needs it BADLY! This park is considered by many to be merely a half-day park with very few E-ticket attractions. Guests have been calling for an addition to this park for a long time now it has finally come to be! This could even open the opportunity for extended park hours in Animal Kingdom, especially if the plans for the land call for some kind of glowing forest! They could close the safari earlier so that the animals will be taken care of, but leave the rest of the park open later for more experience. Plus, the opening of this area will give the E-ticket potential and distraction needed to put Expedition Everest under refurb and allow for the much needed fix for the Disco Yeti problem! (For those unaware, the short of it is that the Yeti in the attraction was way cool until his foundation broke causing him not to be able to function properly and the only way to remedy the situation is to shut the entire ride down for months in order to break through the main foundations to the Yeti foundation, repair it and fix the other foundations again.)
Why was this not announced at the D23 Expo last month? This is all merely speculation by the way, but my first idea was that they did not want to cause major outrage at the Expo like what was seen at the announcement and through social media. I don't think they were prepared for a riot at the Expo. Another thought, and one I actually stand by moreso, they were going to announce it, but pulled it out of the show at the last second. They were prepared to announce it during the Parks and Resorts event, but there were negotiations going on still, so when the Expo came up ad they negotiations were not finished, they pulled the announcement. This would explain the sudden cut of the Parks and Resorts program by a half an hour days before the Expo.
I know there is a lot here, I am just trying to help people see what could be the positives of this announcement, even if they are not fans of the movie. As soon as change is announced, people tend to immediately get upset about it, but we really have nothing to get upset about right now. There are no plans, we have no idea what they are going to start building since they wont be moving any dirt until 2013, so there is plenty of time to be calm and think about the possibilities before having to freak out. Remember Magic, Memories and You; people freaked when that was announced, talking about how dumb it was and being negative, but now it is really a beloved feature of the parks and a great show of technology.
The biggest realization of this whole thing: This is Disney we are talking about!! Haven't they earned our trust by now? Yes, the Pepto-Bismol castle, Stitch's SuperSonic Celebration and the second iteration of Journey into Imagination were a few dark spots, but I think they're positive decisions FAR outweigh the negative ones. For now, I am putting my trust in Disney to plan something spectacular.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Counting to the Magic: 41 Days
What am I most looking forward to today? You may be surprised to believe that its Animal Kingdom! After reading some books on Animal Kingdom and doing some research about it, I have discovered a new-found love for this park and am really excited to explore and look more in depth at the great details.
Interested in what it is about Animal Kingdom that makes it so cool?? Interested in learning more about the park and, hopefully, appreciating it more? Then check out my book review of the Imagineering Field Guide to Animal Kingdom, on my book site WaltsWriters.com! After reading this book, you will see Animal Kingdom in a whole new light!!
Interested in what it is about Animal Kingdom that makes it so cool?? Interested in learning more about the park and, hopefully, appreciating it more? Then check out my book review of the Imagineering Field Guide to Animal Kingdom, on my book site WaltsWriters.com! After reading this book, you will see Animal Kingdom in a whole new light!!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Counting to the Magic: 43 Days
Today, my excitement is aimed towards the roar of a creature, the scaling of a mountain and a high speed adventure only found in Asia! Yes, I am talking about Expedition Everest! I went on this coaster for the first time in June of last year and wow what a thrill! I fell completely in love with it and it is my favorite coaster on property! Plus, it's a great way to cool off on those hot Animal Kingdom summer days!
These are pictures from my first time on the attraction with Chris and Marc Lorenzo from the Mom's Panel:
These are pictures from my first time on the attraction with Chris and Marc Lorenzo from the Mom's Panel:
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| Taken by Marc |
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| Taken by Marc |
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| Got front car for my first ride!! Marc took the picture |
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| I was a little nervous |
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| Loved it so much that we went on it again, and Chris loves posing for pictures |
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| The mountain and it's temple...heey, i recognize that shape! |
Friday, April 1, 2011
Interactive Queue Ideas: Animal Kingdom
Kilimanjaro Safari – This line can be sooooooo long and hot and there is only that one area with a few televisions with Wilson on it. Those videos are good and I enjoy watching them, but it should be mixed in with Animal and Conservation trivia. There also needs to be more televisions in different parts of the queue, not just that one shaded area. Use the queues to both teach and occupy the time.
Finding Nemo- The Musical – Now, I know interactive for this queue may not be an option because of the way it is built, but I would at least love to see some kind of street performers in the area to help pass the time. Whether it be musicians or cast members who go around asking animal/fish related questions and pass out prizes to people who guess it correctly, it would be a positive change. Interactive does not always have
to mean computers and digital magic.That is actually all that I have for Animal Kingdom. Some people may say Expedition Everest or It’s Tough To Be A Bug, but to them, I say “Are You Kidding?!” There are so many details in those queues, I wish the queues were an attraction of their own!!
This completes my list of queues in the four parks that could use some interactive magic. As always, if you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
unKNOWN Actors: Cheech Marin
Yes, I know, when you see the name Cheech Marin, there is a good chance you think of something quite different from Disney, and probably something that is not very Disney like. You may be surprised to know though that Cheech has done several parts in Disney films. Cheech also brings a first to the unKNOWN Actors series; he is the first actor that I am covering that is still alive! Born in Los Angeles July 13, 1946, he is still acting today.
Cheech’s first appearance in a Disney related project was for Mickey’s 60th Birthday in 1988. You can see Cheech in a Disneyland segment as a janitor.
The same year, you hear Cheech providing the voice for Alonzo Ignacio Julio Federico de Tito, also known as Tito in Oliver and Company (1988).
The Lion King provides him with his next opportunity in a Disney film, voicing one of the three main hyenas in Scar’s posse, Banzai. He also comes back in 2004 to voice Banzai in The Lion King 1 ½ and even does his voice in the Playstation game, Kingdom Hearts II.
Cheech is heard once again in 2006 in the Disney/Pixar movie Cars, lending his voice to the artistic body shop car, Ramone. He also does the voice for Ramone in the short Mater and the Ghostlight.
After hearing his voice in these movies, you can even go to Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World and hear him. Cheech’s voice was used in the 4D movie attraction It’s Tough To Be a Bug as the deadly Chilean spider, Chili.
Hey, just realized that Cheech allowed me to have two firsts in my series; the first actor still alive and the first actor in a Pixar movie. Pretty cool stuff! Make sure to check out Cheech Marin in these films and who knows, maybe we will be able to hear him in more Disney creations in the future!
Cheech’s first appearance in a Disney related project was for Mickey’s 60th Birthday in 1988. You can see Cheech in a Disneyland segment as a janitor.
The same year, you hear Cheech providing the voice for Alonzo Ignacio Julio Federico de Tito, also known as Tito in Oliver and Company (1988).
The Lion King provides him with his next opportunity in a Disney film, voicing one of the three main hyenas in Scar’s posse, Banzai. He also comes back in 2004 to voice Banzai in The Lion King 1 ½ and even does his voice in the Playstation game, Kingdom Hearts II.
Cheech is heard once again in 2006 in the Disney/Pixar movie Cars, lending his voice to the artistic body shop car, Ramone. He also does the voice for Ramone in the short Mater and the Ghostlight.
After hearing his voice in these movies, you can even go to Animal Kingdom in Walt Disney World and hear him. Cheech’s voice was used in the 4D movie attraction It’s Tough To Be a Bug as the deadly Chilean spider, Chili.
Hey, just realized that Cheech allowed me to have two firsts in my series; the first actor still alive and the first actor in a Pixar movie. Pretty cool stuff! Make sure to check out Cheech Marin in these films and who knows, maybe we will be able to hear him in more Disney creations in the future!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Centralized Fastpass Distribution- A promising addition?
Recently a new way to receive Fastpass for rides in Animal Kingdom was implemented - a centralized Fastpass distribution system. This means that instead of running all the way around the park to get to Expedition Everest and get a Fastpass, you can just go to one convenient location and not only get the Fastpasses for Everest that you want, but you can also get the ones for Primeval Whirl that the less thrill-seeking members of your party might want.
This idea of a "one-stop shop" for all of your Fastpass needs is a great concept, but some seem to be finding some glitches in the system. For instance, you are not able to see what time you are signing up for Fastpasses for prior to receiving them, but this I feel will be remedied once a more permanent home for the Fastpass distributions is created. Other concerns include long lines for Fastpass machines and lack of movement of people around the park. The truth to these fears will be revealed as the testing continues in Animal Kingdom.
Feel free to leave your comments on this page and let me know what your opinion on this new system is. Is this a good idea? Will this be the start of a new era at the parks? Or will this be a complete disaster? Let me know what you think and stay tuned for more details as the testing continues.
This idea of a "one-stop shop" for all of your Fastpass needs is a great concept, but some seem to be finding some glitches in the system. For instance, you are not able to see what time you are signing up for Fastpasses for prior to receiving them, but this I feel will be remedied once a more permanent home for the Fastpass distributions is created. Other concerns include long lines for Fastpass machines and lack of movement of people around the park. The truth to these fears will be revealed as the testing continues in Animal Kingdom.
Feel free to leave your comments on this page and let me know what your opinion on this new system is. Is this a good idea? Will this be the start of a new era at the parks? Or will this be a complete disaster? Let me know what you think and stay tuned for more details as the testing continues.
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