Epcot: Urban Design and Future World

Future World has been compared to a World’s Fair and for good reason. The basic design principles are the same. They both feature monumental pavilions with each one focused on a single concept. The pavilions are tied together by highly detailed, well-designed public spaces. To create a memorable and meaningful experience, the public spaces integrate landscaping, water, sculpture, light, motion, and scenic vistas.

When you enter Future World you are entering a time machine. The arrival experience is designed to transport you from your car, a bus or the monorail, and drop you into the future. You and your party will share the humbling experience of passing under the iconic Spaceship Earth. The bottom of this first of its kind geodesic sphere is only 18 feet from ground and feels almost close enough to touch.

The portal under Spaceship Earth funnels you into the Millennium Plaza. The Innoventions buildings create a strong boundary and frame the plaza. At the plaza’s heart is the Fountain of Nations, which was dedicated by Walt Disney’s widow Lillian in 1982.

Go left and the east side of the park is devoted to the left side of your brain. This is the home to rational, objective thought, science and math and features the themes of energy, space exploration, and mechanical engineering. The planters and pathways are geometrically shaped, rigid with sharp angles, plantings are precise and formal, and public furniture is functional and uses technology to overcome environmental challenges.

Go right and the west side is focused on the right side of your brain. This is where holistic thinking, music, the arts, and creativity thrive. The circle of life, both on the land and the sea, is celebrated in two of the pavilions. The Land pavilion pops up out of the ground as if from a split in the earth and the Seas pavilion is shaped like a wave or a huge shell. The Imagination pavilion requires you to suspend your disbelief as you pass through a magical garden and the pyramidal structures have been described as a “symphony of volumes, forms, tonal nuances.” The pathways are gently curved; the plantings are less formal, there is lots of water, and seating areas are under shady spots covered by a canopy of mature trees.

Book Review: Updated Imagineering Guides to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot

2005

2009

2005

2010

Back in 2005, Disney released an excellent book called The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World. Alex Wright and the Imagineers put together a handy book that is sized to fit in a pocket or backpack that fills in the gaps between what you can see and experience and how it got that way. The success of the first book led to a sequel and The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World was released in 2006.

Things don’t stand still and that is certainly true at the theme parks. Disney has now released an update to the Magic Kingdom and the Epcot books. Let’s take a look at what has changed.

MAGIC KINGDOM

2005: It is the details. Look for the piece of gear from each land up on a shelf.

2009: Guess that detail is gone. Or not that important.

2005: Let’s talk about the huge screen in the Hall of Presidents.

2009: Let’s talk about changing the storyline to “one of us.”

2005: Some really cool Marc Davis drawings from the Haunted Mansion.

2009: Gone are Marc’s drawings and the 2007 additions (the Escher Stairs, wallpaper, floating Madame Leota, etc.) are highlighted.

2005: Get a break from the heat and watch Timekeeper, the Circlevision film with in theater effects, and an audio-animatronics Robin Williams and Rhea Pearlman.

2009: The addition of Monsters Inc. Laugh Factory is featured. Learn about the changes to Space Mountain.

EPCOT

2006: The cover has changed. Remember the giant Mickey hand holding the wand? I have tried to forget it but it comes back to haunt me every time I grab this edition. And there it is again on a two-page spreads at the beginning and end of the book plus in the Quick Takes section.

2010: The wand is gone!!! The great national nightmare is over!

2006: Sit back and enjoy the history of human communication.

2010: Sit back and enjoy the history of communications technology. Enjoy the glimpse into your future on the backside.

2006: Cool water fountain that talks, little Tom Morrow, signage, and the Wonders of Life pavilion.

2010: All of the above are gone. Replaced by a solar bench, the globe in the Project Future Spaceship Earth post-show (a balloon?), and Kim Possible

2006: Welcome to SeaBase Alpha.

2010: Say hello to Nemo and friends. Sorry, I don’t know the directions to SeaBase Alpha.

2006: A gentle boat ride through various locations in Mexico and then we can crawl all over that Viking ship.

2010: I’m exhausted looking for that damn duck! Catchy tune. And I guess the ship has sailed. Not here anymore.

Throughout both books a few photos have been flipped out, mostly those that show attractions or spaces that no longer exist.

I purchased the updated Guides from Amazon.

Randy Pausch Tribute

Sometimes it is the little things that you remember most while touring the parks. For example, every time I visit the Magic Kingdom I make it a point to stop by the Randy Pausch tribute. You don’t know about the Randy Pausch tribute? The next time you walk by the Mad Tea Party look closely and you will find this plaque:

Randy Pausch (1960-2008) is best known for co-writing a book called The Last Lecture. After being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September 2006, Randy put together a lecture called The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. He gave the lecture on September 18, 2007 and it became an instant hit on YouTube, which lead to other media appearances. Hyperion, a publishing company owned by Disney, paid Pausch $6.7 million for the rights to publish a book based on the lecture. The book went on to 400,000 copies in its first printing and has been translated into 46 languages. It spent more than 85 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. To date, the book has sold more than 4.5 million copies.

Pausch was a professor of computer sciences and human-computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, PA.

Book Review: Disneyland Through the Decades

Disneyland Through the Decades

A Photographic Celebration

Jeff Kurtti

Disney Editions

2010

160 Pages

Deluxe Edition $99.95

Standard Edition $24.95

The Deluxe Edition comes inside of a special slipcase. It is the same book with one difference that you will soon see.

The Deluxe Edition is limited to 1000 copies. Each copy comes with a special page and is signed by the legendary Marty Sklar. This is an image of the very first ticket, given to Roy, which is in the Disney Archives. During the D23 tours, Archivist Dave Smith showed this ticket to our group.

Along with the slipcase, the swanky version also come with eight, high quality glossy miniatures of Disneyland attraction posters. Not only do you get the big E-Tickets but the collection includes the long lost Casa de Fritos. Put a nickel in the slot, listen, and wait until the bag comes down the chute....

One last bonus in the Deluxe Edition is a copy of the first newspaper produced for the park. If you are going to have a small town, you needed a small town newspaper. This is especially fitting since this is how Marty Sklar got his start.

I purchased this book at Disneyland.

As Jeff Kurtti notes in his introduction, there have been a million different Disneyland history books. This is one picked over subject. Since he was challenged to write another one, he talked with Marty Sklar for inspiration and came up with a book that is perfect for the first time visitor who is now hooked but had depth for the veteran. In that quest, he succeeded. This may be the best balanced book between history and nostalgia that is out there at the moment.

Marty Sklar provided the Foreward and retells how he found himself at Disneyland on Day one. The book is organized around decades. Each chapter has an essay that provides context of the times outside the parks as well as documents the changes within the berm. The book has wonderful photos with many that I have not seen before.

Within each chapter are essays written at the time from various sources or current essays by writers such as Tim O'day. In many respects, the author is pulling from the best original sources instead of saying the same thing again. This is a very positive quality.

The basic history of the park is retold as well as the original Disneyland Park Proposal. I found these guiding principles of special interest. Once again, the photo of the park back in its earliest form made me stare.

The book provides glimpses of attractions that are no longer in the park.

The book includes a tribute to some of the Imagineers who made Walt's dreams a reality. By the time you get to the 70s, the book takes a frank look at how the park tried to stay relevant. Special focus is paid to the walk around characters, Autopia, and the costuming department.

The book continues with the Resort expansion including Disney California Adventure (DCA) and the new hotels. Julie Andrews contributes some thoughts and you get some pictures of what DCA used to be.

For the fan, it is the drawings of what DCA will become that are most noteworthy. The book has concept artwork and models of the new entrance, Carsland, World of Color, and other parts of the revitalized park. As an avid map collector, the Sam McKim-like map of DCA in the future would be a treasure for my collection.

If you miss my Daily Dose of Disney, you can get a bit of a fix with the chronology of the major attraction openings. Not the deepest book about Disneyland. Not a lightweight photo montage either. This book fits somewhere in between.

Riding in the Mark Twain Pilothouse

If you are reading this blog, you recognize that Disneyland is a very special place. Imagineer Rolly Crump compared Disneyland to a wonderful salad. Instead of a simple salad with lettuce, tomatoes, and a dressing, the Disneyland salad has virtually every wonderful thing you can think of. That way, there is something there for everybody to love.

I have two experiences that way up on my list. I have written about riding on the tender car of the Disneyland Railroad. One day I will write about the Lilly Belle. But recently I got to go on one of my favorites that I thought was gone. Piloting the Mark Twain around the Rivers of America.

I can understand why Walt mortgaged his vacation home at the Smoke Tree Ranch so he could afford to build a real live steam paddle wheeler. There is a relaxing spot on the second deck that I run to when I need a break.

But the idea of riding in the Pilothouse, high above the Texas Deck, was something that went away about the time Princess Tiana took over the ship. The Pilothouse is where the Captain pilots the ship. To get there, you first enter through the Captain's quarters. Of course, since the ship is 5/8 scale, the bed is pretty small. King of Mickey sized.

Up the steep steps (more on that later) and you will see one of the best views in all of Disneyland.

Here is controls for the ship. The power is driven by an engineer on the lower deck right between the steam pistons. However, it is the responsibility of the Captain to make sure they are not running over canoes or rafts going to and from Tom Sawyer Island.

Old fashioned communication tools like the bell and steam whistle work alongside the modern radio system. This next statement is passing along a rumor from a couple of sources but I cannot confirm this to be fact. The reason the Pilothouse was closed was somebody took a tumble down the steep steps. The solution was to construct a small gate that make tight quarters even tighter. However, it seems to do the trick and it makes the lawyers happy, which makes the magic happen, which makes me happy.

The view is something to behold. You get a 360 degree unobstructed view. Lean out the window and wave to the crowds below. Do the puppy dog eye thing and maybe you will get to ring the bell or pull the steam whistle.

Take lots of photos and be sure to sign the logbook.

Care to go for a ride?

Once you ride had ended, the fun doesn't stop. Sometimes you are able to walk away with your very own Mark Twain Pilots license. I plan on using mine when I retire.

Samland changes

As you probably have noticed, Samland has a different look. Expect more changes like the directory of recent series on the sidebar and the elimination of the Daily Dose of Disney series. Comments welcome.

Thanks

DAILY DOSE OF DISNEY

1957 - Monsanto House of the Future opens at Disneyland

1975 - The Walt Disney Story Featuring Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln opens at Disneyland

DAILY DOSE OF DISNEY

1993 - The Motor Boat Cruise Closes at Disneyland

2007 - Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage opens at Disneyland

DAILY DOSE OF DISNEY

1960 - Pack Mules Through Nature's Wonderland opens at Disneyland

DAILY DOSE OF DISNEY

1975 - The Mission to Mars opens at the Magic Kingdom

1999 - Bear in the Big Blue House - Live On Stage opens at Disney-MGM Studios

The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail: The Kenai's Spirit Cave

Toward the back of the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is Kenai's Spirit Cave. Themed after the animated film Brother Bear, this little spot adds a bit of magic to your visit.

It is said that you can discover the secret bond between animals and humans by entering the cave. For the ancient legend suggest that once inside, you can touch a paw print and you will discover the animal whose qualities you share.

It seems there are two paw prints on the walls. One up high for adults and the other at the perfect height for children.

Go ahead and touch the paw print. It doesn't hurt. Not exactly happy with my results but this is obviously from a much higher power.

Once upon a time you crossed a stream to get into the cave. The entire area is padded to protect little ones from falling and the little water feature added a nice sound and a subtle challenge. To cross, one only had to use the stepping stones. Your shoes would be dry. But they turned off the hose and now the stream runs dry. But what could this be....

DAILY DOSE OF DISNEY

1975 - The Mission to Mars opens at the Magic Kingdom.

DAILY DOSE OF DISNEY

1959 - The Submarine Voyage opens at Disneyland.

1959 – Fantasyland Autopia opens at Disneyland.

1987 – If You Could Fly opens at the Magic Kingdom.

Disneyland Resort Trip Report for June 4, 2010

I took advantage of a beautiful day to take a walk through the parks, get caught up with what was new. and to purchase the new book Disneyland: Through the Decades by Jeff Kurtti. They have a swanky limited numbered edition with Marty Sklar's signature, a nifty box, and miniature attraction postcards. The book is in the stack for a review. It is my understanding that you can only purchase this book at the park. The normal version is a steal at $24.95 and well worth adding to your collection.

The big magnet was the combo of a lunch with Billy Hill and the Hillbillies (well, I ate lunch and they sang and they made me chuckle quite often) and a ride on the Mark Twain. I went fairly early when I had the second deck to myself and then later, when I got a chance to ride in the pilothouse.

A ride is the pilothouse has not been available in awhile. I am glad to see it is back. I am preparing an article with a short video. This experience, along with a ride on the tender car of the Disneyland Railroad, are some of my favorite moments.

I really like the plussing done during the recent rehab. Much of the stuff along the shore is oriented toward the big boats (the Mark Twain and the Columbia). But there are a few things that just make more sense and reward those who are paddling a canoe. These guys are a good example.

But sometimes there is a swing and a miss. This used to be a pretty clever joke. The little boy is fishing and facing one way. His dog was facing the other way because that is where the jumping fish were. Now the kid is just unlucky and the fish are taunting him.

I hate when this happens.

It is obvious that the cast member is more afraid of the big cats along the shore than any of the guests. Toss in beavers, moose, an eagle feeding her family, real live horses in the Native American village, and herds of deer and the River has come back. There is much more but I don't want to spoil all the surprises (yet).

It seems that Mike Fink has made a reappearance along the river. His keel boats were a popular, if not dangerous method of travel. The boats were designed for a movie but repurposed as a theme park attraction. When the boats were retired, one went away on eBay.

The other boat seems to have been properly outfitted and found a new home. Hey, keep down the noise!

A now for a Zen moment. Enjoy the views along the banks of the Rivers of America.

Another quiet corner in the park is the Big Thunder Ranch area. The ranch is feeling a patriotic vibe and is decorated in a way that is probably worrying the national turkey.

Alongside the cabin is this pile of old horseshoes that are slowly melting into one another.

And now time for the next parade. First up, the Mayor.

Members of the City Council preparing for their turn.

Over at Disney California Adventure (hehe) the hype for World of Color continues. Even the planters have gotten into the action.

The park is a nice addition. There is a misting feature on the kid bather fountain that was pretty cool. The Little Mermaid building is going to really make this "outdoor" room stick. A strong border will really define this area. How they missed on the capacity issue for the park is curious.

Okay, I guess I will accept this one.

What a difference.