SamLand's Disney Adventures

Chutes Amusement Park

2012-01-30T08:17:00.000-08:00

While doing research for Walt and the Promise of Progress City I was struck at the amount of empirical data that Walt and his team collected as part of the creative process. Walt and his team spent a lot of time in the field studying how others did business. From the book:

"Once Walt became focused on building an amusement park, he began to study everything he could about the subject. He visited dozens of parks to see what worked and what did not. On one trip with Art Linkletter, they visited Tivoli Gardens, built in 1843 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Linkletter said, "As we walked through it, I had my first experience of Walt Disney 's childlike delight in the enjoyment of seeing families and in the cleanliness and the orderliness of everything. He was making notes all the time about the lights, the chairs, the seats, and the food." Linkletter asked Walt what he was doing and Walt replied, "I'm just making notes about something that I've always dreamed of, a great, great playground for the children and the families of America." Walt liked how Tivoli Gardens was kept clean, was decoratively lit with popcorn lights outlining the buildings, and had outdoor entertainment. It was a park for both adults and children."

It was not uncommon for Walt to be found hanging out at some of the local amusement parks. He would spend hours observing how the children interacted with the activities.

"In doing his research he often visited the Bradley and Kay amusement center at La Cienega and Beverly boulevards in Los Angeles. During his frequent visits, he observed how the children used the facility. He knew the owners, Dave and Bernice Bradley, and was constantly quizzing them about their operations. He wanted to know how the rides worked, what people ate, and how people lined up in the queues. Bernice Bradley remembers, "Our park was very tiny. There was a carousel, a little train ride, and another little boat ride for children...Walt was out there almost every day, sitting on the end of the bench, watching how children enjoyed the rides." She added, "He also talked to a lot of the children, which is what he enjoyed the most. He challenged them. 'How was that horse you were riding? What color was it painted? Did you like it?'" Another nearby park where he could often be found was Beverly Park in Beverly Hills also owned by the Bradleys. Walt also visited Coney Island, Knott's Berry Farm, Travel Town in Griffith Park, the Los Angeles County Fair, and Oakland's Fairyland. His team studied fairs, zoos, and even Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Glendale-at the time the most popular tourist attraction in the Los Angeles region before Disneyland was opened."

This week I would like to revisit one of those great, lost Los Angeles theme parks that predated Disneyland. These parks inspired Walt Disney. He knew he could do it better. With the help of noted amusement park historian Richard Harris, this is the story of one such park. We are about to visit Chutes Park.

According to Richard, more than 65 years before Walt Disney would build Disneyland in Anaheim, Downtown Los Angeles would be the site of its first major 35-acre amusement park. At the height of its popularity, Chutes Park would feature attractions such as a roller coaster, a water slide, a large manmade lake, and a small miniature railroad.

Let's let Richard take it from here.

Chutes Park started off as a trolley park. Trolley Parks started in the 19th century along or at the end of their streetcar lines in some of the larger cities. The streetcar companies created trolley parks to give people a reason to use their transit systems on the weekends. They usually consisted of a picnic and recreation area and would feature events such as dances, concerts and shows. Some parks also had swimming pools, carousels, Ferris wheels, roller coasters, sports fields and boat rides. The parks were the precursors to amusement parks as we know of them today.

One of those companies was the Los Angeles Improvement Company who owned the Second Street Cable Rail Road Company that consisted of 1.6 miles of road. In December 1899, acquired the old Washington Gardens site at Main and Washington Streets near downtown Los Angeles and in August 1900 they unveiled plans to create an amusement park on 12 to14 acres. A Los Angeles Times article, reported that the new Washington Gardens would offer fun galore.

The highlight of the plan was to be Paul Boynton's Shoot the Chutes Ride, named for an inventor and world-renowned diver who had built similar attractions on the East Coast. Boynton's toboggan-like boats began their ride from a 75-foot tower and had descended down a 300-foot greased wooden ramp skipping across a lake at the bottom. An on-board ride attendant then pulled the boat back to the ramp.

J.P. Newberg built the first of this type of amusement ride in 1884 down the side of a hill at Watchtower Park in Rock Island, Illinois. This ride was copied over and over and "Chutes" rides were to be found at many amusement parks throughout America, and even became the name of several amusement parks in the United States. While the original form of the ride is largely obsolete, modern log flume rides like Splash Mountain work on similar principles.

Some of the other attractions in this amusement park were to include a Merry-go-round, Shooting Gallery, Bowling Alley, and a Japanese village and tea house. There would also be a kids playground with pony rides and goat carts, a zoological building, a 4,000-seat modern theater for vaudeville plus fields for baseball and football.

The Chutes Theater was among the first of the new attractions to open when it was used for vaudeville shows by December 1900. The following summer, a fishing pond, a small circus, daily hot-air balloon rides, the Catalina Marine Band and a small railroad that followed the outer perimeter of the park, joined the rides and theaters. A newspaper article from September 1901 said 7,000 people had visited the park on Labor Day.

The facility was state-of-the-art for its time period; its merry-go-round was electric powered at a time when most competitors were still using horse drawn equipment. The engine that pulled the boats back up from the lake to the tower was electric.

The name Chutes Park was applied to the baseball park, which opened around 1901, and was the original home of the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League as well as the Vernon Tigers. After the ball games, a gate in the center field fence was opened and the fans were to be allowed to enter the theme park.

By October of 1903, the operators of the park had announced they would spend up to $40,000 to build a steel-framed figure-eight roller coaster. It would replace the hot-air balloon rides on the south side of the park near Main Street and Washington Boulevard. Within three years, the roller coaster and the water slide were in place.

By 1907, the park basically had the look it would carry until its end. Within the 10-foot wooden fence that surrounded the park were the major rides, animal pens, including a seal pond; the two-story Chutes Restaurant; a cigar store; a dancing school and skating park; a billiards hall; and a photo studio. There were other features like Tony Ryder's Monkey Circus. One of his animals was half chimpanzee and half orangutan, which did many difficult feats. Also included was Sheik Hadji Tahar's Famous Arabian Horsemen, Billikin's Temple of Mirth and the Cave of the Winds, in which those who entered met sudden gusts of wind.

In the end, none of that would be enough. Faltering gate receipts prompted the sale of the park to new owners in October 1910. They promised to spend $200,000 - about five million by today's standard to upgrade the park and add new attractions.

On June 10, 1911, Chutes Park had reopened as Luna Park, sharing the name of the hugely successful facility at Coney Island in New York. The most successful new attraction was Nemo's Trip to Slumberland, named for "Little Nemo in Slumberland," a popular comic strip of the time about a boy with magical powers who fights evil through his surreal dreams.

The record shows that 16,000 people had turned out for opening day. They came to see Dick Stanley and Hoxie's Congress of Rough Riders and Wild West Show. Others were likely drawn to see Madame Schell's Ferocious Lions or the diorama of the battle between the Monitor and Merrimac. But it was the 600-foot-long Nemo ride that drew the longest lines. Riders looked out and saw tunnels - anything from panoramic vistas to dark chasms - as they climbed and descended. It could accommodate more then 30,000 people on a weekend.

Other changes came to the park. A diorama depicting the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor to start the Spanish-American War replaced the Monitor and Merrimac, and, on the Fairy Gorge ride, people rode large washtubs down a hill.

The new owners wanted to bring more kids to their park so they built a Niagara Falls-themed attraction and Children's Half Acre filled with slides and smaller rides. For whatever reasons, it didn't work. Luna went downhill faster than the Nemo ride and the park was sold again in September 1912 to a group who wanted to turn it into an attraction for African American customers but that new concept never opened. By 1914, all the buildings and rides had been torn down.

The site was sold to British film pioneer David Horsley, who operated a zoo on the site for a time. Horsley built the first movie studio in Hollywood. Today, most of the site of Chutes Park is a parking lot for the nearby L.A. Mart.

IF I WERE KING - PART 1

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

With this column, just for the fun of it I have decided to challenge myself and to ask the question, “If I were king of the North American Disney theme parks and I could do just about anything I wanted. I didn’t have to worry about politics or budgets. I just have to do the right thing as I see it. What would I do?”

This column is my response. I challenge to you with the same question. What would you do?

Let’s start with the Mothership – Disneyland.

READ THE REST AT MICECHAT

WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM EVENT SNAPSHOTS

2012-01-24T15:05:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, January 21, I had the great privilege of hosting a conversation about the proposed Mineral King ski resort with Ron Miller, former CEO of Walt Disney Productions and one of the founders of the Walt Disney Family Museum, and David Price, son of the legendary Buzz Price and an outstanding architect in his own right. I will have a more complete wrap up soon but I wanted to share some photos.

All photos are courtesy of Joseph Titizian

(l to r) Sam Gennawey, David Price, Ron Miller

The following photos are courtesy of Frank Teurlay

(l to r) Werner Weiss, Frank Teurlay, Sam Gennawey

Prior to the event was a book signing in the conference hall. Museum members got a chance to chat with Disney historian Jeff Kurtti, Yesterland Curator Werner Weiss, and myself. Joining us were authors Pam Burns-Clair and Don Peri.

THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM INTERIOR

2012-01-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about The Walt Disney Family Museum is you are not bothered by people constantly taking flash pictures while you are trying to enjoy the various exhibits. However, one of the frustrating things is the inability to take photos of the beautiful interior. There is nothing quite like visiting the place and I strongly urge you to do so. If you cannot make it, you can order a splendid book online at waltdisney.org that will give you a sense of the place. So here I present, courtesy of the fine folks at the Museum, a selection of interior shots.

The downstairs theater is an excellent place to take in a vintage movie or to attend one of the talks given at the museum.

Gallery 7 is a multi-media presentation of Walt post World War II production. You could literally spend hours going through each of the films.

An original animator's desk from the Burbank studio is featured. Imagine what happened at this desk.

The first gallery on the second floor focuses on Walt's arrival to Hollywood before he makes it to the big time. A very creative period.

Yes, that is the original, real Lilly Belle locomotive that used to cruise through Walt's backyard.

Here is a special Oscar charm bracelet that Walt had made for his wife, Lillian.

In this gallery we learn about Walt's early success and failure from Oswald the Rabbit. You can also see what must be one of the most important documents in Disney history - the very first drawing of Mickey Mouse.

To demonstrate how the animation process works, this wall represents just a few seconds of screen time. Some of the panels come to life to explain the process. You can see just how much work goes into the process.

Walt's True-Life Adventures series is highlighted in a corridor at the back of the new addition to the old
Army barracks. On one side are TV monitors with scenes from the shows. On the other side is one of the most beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge in all of San Francisco.

Gallery 5 focuses on the post Snow White feature films. If you are a fan of Fantasia then you will be in heaven.

You can get a sense of the scale of the Disneyland that never was and always will be model. A ramp wraps around the model with little TVs embedded showing scenes from the opening day ceremonies.

This bank of televisions shows clips of virtually all of the 1950s and 1960s Disney hits. Grab a seat and enjoy the complete loop. The TV array works wonders in presenting a lot of information in a short period of time.

Gallery 9 = Disney Geek Heaven.

Panorama: The UK Pavilion

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

Chutes Park

2012-01-19T01:30:00.000-08:00

While doing research for Walt and the Promise of Progress City I was struck at the amount of empirical data that Walt and his team collected as part of the creative process. Walt and his team spent a lot of time in the field studying how others did business.

It was not uncommon for Walt to be found hanging out at some of the local amusement parks. He would spend hours observing how the children interacted with the activities.

This week, I would like to revisit one of those great, now lost, Los Angeles theme parks that predated Disneyland. These parks inspired Walt Disney. He knew he could do it better. With the help of noted amusement park historian Richard Harris, this is the story of one such park. We are about to visit Chutes Park.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Whoops

2012-01-17T01:30:00.000-08:00

I recently picked up this 2012 promotional piece for the Disney Resort. I had to chuckle because the featured attraction, the Matterhorn Bobsleds, is going to be closed for big chunk of the year and they are showing the now obsolete sleds. And is Mickey standing?

Panorama: Maharajah Jungle Trek

2012-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

Disney Podcast Online with guest Sam Gennawey

2012-01-14T13:21:00.000-08:00

Happy to announce that I was a guest on the Disney Podcast with Dave Kennedy and I invite you to download a really fun discussion.

Why I Love the Matterhorn

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Matterhorn Bobsled attraction at Disneyland opened to much fanfare on June 14, 1959. I entered the world a couple of months later to far less attention. In my head, I feel a special connection and I am reminded that I am as old as a mountain. As some of you may know, I will be speaking at The Walt Disney Family Museum, along with Ron Miller and David Price, talking about Walt’s vision for a ski resort called Mineral King. Because of this, I have the Matterhorn firmly placed in the front of my mind.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

SOON....

2012-01-11T03:30:00.000-08:00

Disney's Hollywood Studios - Hollywood and Sunset Boulevard

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-08:00

I have always been fascinated by Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DHS). The idea for this park was launched in 1985 and for the first time a Disney theme park was opened merely to fit a business need. The park would be a model of controlled growth in reaction to anticipated demand.

DHS opened in 1989 and was originally known as the Disney-MGM Studios. It was designed to be a half-day experience and to compliment a visit to Typhoon Lagoon and Pleasure Island. Disney CEO Michael Eisner took a look at what the Imagineers were up to and noticed a large-scale pavilion that was going to celebrate the cinema for EPCOT’s Future World. That pavilion would have been located between the Land and the Imagination Pavilions. He encouraged his Imagineers to expand on the idea and create a third gate. What they created was a tiny park with a handful of attractions. DHS is only 85 acres or the size of Disneyland. This would be a much smaller park then the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT. The Imagineers wanted to capture Disneyland’s “human scale, warmth, and feeling.”

The facility would also function as a real production studio with three sound stages, production offices, and a postproduction audio and video facility; its own wardrobe, property, camera, and lighting departments. The production facilities featured glass walls so that visitors could peek inside a working movie-making facility. Projects shot on the back lot include Honey, I Blew Up the Kids, Passenger 57 and TV shows like The Mickey Mouse Club and Wheel of Fortune.

Most of the Disney theme parks are based on the Disneyland model. You go big. As big as you can afford. Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris, and Tokyo DisneySea are directly related. DHS represents a new formula for designing and operating a theme park that has had significant influence on the Disney empire.

The placed was packed on day one and it became necessary to expand the park rapidly. The immediate success of DHS set the stage for such parks as Disney’s California Adventure, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Walt Disney Studio’s in Paris. Instead of fully realized, immersive environments, with monstrous budgets, the Studios pointed toward a sort of MBA solution – a just in time theme park. Build it small and quickly add capacity as necessary. You see evidence of this even as you arrive to the front gate.

DHS was the first park built with the bus system in mind. At both the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, the buses are tucked away to the side. At DHS, the buses are prominent and at the entry plaza and the auto-parking shuttle further complicates pedestrians’ access. You can also arrive by one of the slowest moving boats known to mankind.

The main axis orientation is not true to north south like the other parks. I find the first impression to be a mess that only sorts itself out once you are standing at the turnstiles. Walking through the main gates feels like a period Hollywood postcard coming to life with the bonus of a time travel tour of iconic Los Angeles architecture. Inspired by the early filmmakers who used the real Los Angeles as the background for their movies, the Imagineers used the impressions from real building facades and billboards to tap into what Imagineer John Hench said was a “glamorous, dreamlike Hollywood of the collective consciousness.”

Thematically, DHS represents “not a place on a map, but a state of mind” the “Hollywood that never was - and always will be.” A visual trick that is used throughout DHS is called “shrink and edit.” They take a real building as inspiration and then they change the scale, color or details in order to support the story they are trying to tell. Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards are filled with such examples.

Once you step on to Hollywood Boulevard, you become immersed in an environment that is as rich as the Main Streets at Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. The first structure you encounter is a scale model of the entrance to the Pan-Pacific Auditorium. This iconic building was Los Angeles’s primary convention center from 1935 to 1972. The Pan-Pacific Auditorium was where all of the big shows, conventions, the circus, and other exhibitions were presented. It is a wonderful example of the Streamline Moderne style. Walt’s good friend designed the building, architect Welton Beckett. Sadly, in 1989, just 3 weeks after DHS opened, the Pan-Pacific Auditorium burnt down in a spectacular fire.

The front plaza is at the intersection of Prospect and Hollywood Boulevards. This perfectly describes the optimistic spirit of Hollywood during its heyday and the theme park that lies beyond. On the right, after entering, is Oscar’s Service Station. This facility is named after the famous Hollywood statue and this is where you can rent your wheeled vehicle, naturally. A fan favorite is the 1938 Darkroom Building. Once again, a real life structure is the inspiration for what Bob Gurr calls “California Corny.”

In the middle of the plaza is a kiosk based on the Crossroads of the World building. The original was built in 1936 and is considered America’s first outdoor mall. The DHS version is much, much smaller and is topped by a 5’3” Mickey with one copper ear that works as a lightning rod.

Sid Cahuenga’s One-of-a-Kind is an excellent example of the California Bungalow done in the Arts and Crafts architectural style. It is inspired by the true story of the Janes House. The homeowner was offered a chance to sell his home to a shopping mall developer but the guy held out and didn’t want to sell. Frustrated, the shopping mall developer went ahead and built the mall around his house. He decided to cash in by selling souvenirs. The house and mall are still around.

By the way, the reference to Sid is a tribute to Sid Grauman of Grauman’s Chinese Theater fame. The Cahuenga refers to a pass through the hills near the Hollywood Bowl that connects the Los Angeles basin to the San Fernando Valley (and the Disney Studios).

Other buildings on Hollywood Boulevard include an electric substation (1907) from Culver City that is now a performance space, the Blaine Building (1926), a J.J. Newberry (1928), a bank on Wilshire Boulevard (1929), the Chapman Market (1929), Max Factor Building (1931), Owl Drug Store (1933), the Darkroom (1938), and many, many others. A highlight of the area is The Hollywood Brown Derby (1929), which is a treasure inside and out. Werner Weiss of Yesterland became obsessed by this and went through a lot of trouble to identify each of the building here, here and here.

The Imagineers use billboards to support a mythology of the Southern California experience promoted by real estate developers. Rarely has the region lived up to the hype.

If you look on top of the bank façade you see a billboard celebrating the Pacific Electric Railroad “Red Cars.” This rail network was a vast system (see the map on the back side of the information booth) that connected all points within the Los Angeles area well into the early 1960s. Evidence of the Red Cars can be found on Sunset Boulevard as well. Notice trolley tracks left half uncovered below your feet. These were laid in anticipation of a major Roger Rabbit themed expansion that would have included the Toontown Trolley Ride, Herman’s Runaway Buggy Ride, and the Benny the Cab attraction that ended up at Disneyland. As you recall, the demise of the Red Car system was at the heart of Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Across the way are two more billboards. The billboards establish the architectural timeframe for Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards as well as Echo Lake (1923-1945). The Hollywoodland billboard refers to an early residential subdivision that opened in 1923. This date has special meaning, as it was the year Walt Disney moved to California. Nearby is another billboard for the 1945 Hollywood Canteen. This entertainment palace was an oasis for soldiers fighting in World War II.

Sunset Boulevard and Echo Lake are based on the same design principles as Hollywood Boulevard. Those areas have been restricted to facades of historic buildings from Los Angeles built before 1945 with one exception. One of the most important is the Carthay Circle Theater (1926) where Snow White and Seven Dwarfs premiered in 1937. Down the block, the spiral marquee belongs to the Academy Theater (1938) in Inglewood. There are two building from Pasadena, the Winter Garden (1940) and a bar called the 35er. Sunset Ranch Market is based on Los Angeles’s famous Farmers Market (1941).

Throughout the front part of DHS you will tend to find buildings based on two styles of architecture, Art Deco and Streamline Moderne. Deco uses geometric designs, bold colors and modern materials and combines them to be elegant and make an optimistic statement. Streamline Moderne is a style that celebrates the machine age and is influenced by modern aerodynamic designs. Sweeping curves, symmetry, and repetition are part of the design language. Imagineer John Hench said the use of these distinctive and familiar architectural styles gives the park “archetypal truths.” The stylized buildings are out of context and the scale is different but you accept that you could be in Hollywood set in the 1930s because all of the visual clues add up and create the underlying emotional appeal.

Here is a piece of trivia. Once upon a time, DHS was home to the world’s largest hidden Mickey. Echo Lake was one ear, the large circular plaza in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater was the head, and there was a matching circular plaza to the east. Planters gently suggested the eyes. If you get a chance to see an aerial photo it become quite obvious. The addition of Sunset Boulevard and Mickey’s hat destroyed this bit of fun.

Imaginerding: Walt and the Promise of Progress City, a Book Review

2012-01-09T09:37:00.000-08:00

Imaginerding: Disney books, history, links and more!: Walt and the Promise of Progress City, a Book Revi...: Walt and the Promise of Progress City by Sam Gennawey. 2011. 374 pp. Since 1966, the world has been captivated by the vision that Wa...

Panorama: The French Pavilion

2012-01-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

Sam Gennawey on WEDWay Podcast - Adventureland in Disneyland

2012-01-08T17:18:00.000-08:00

Thank you Matt and Nate for inviting me to be a guest on the excellent WEDWay Radio Podcast. We took a detailed look at one of my favorite spaces - Disneyland's Adventureland. You can download the episode via the link below or on iTunes. A fun recording.

GO HERE TO LEARN MORE AND TO DOWNLOAD

2012-01-06T15:25:00.000-08:00

I will be selling and signing copies of Walt and the Promise of Progress City at the

ALL DISNEYANA SHOW AND SALE

Hope to see you there.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2012

9:00a FOR DFC MEMBERS

10:30a FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD

Open until 5p

Anaheim Crowne Plaza Resort

12021 Harbor Blvd.

Garden Grove

Go here for tickets

MICECHAT: THE RETURN TO MINERAL KING

2012-01-05T08:05:00.000-08:00

Today we go back to Mineral King one more time in anticipation of the presentation at The Walt Disney Family Museum on January 21. Should this resort have been built?

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Notable Walt Quotes

2012-01-04T01:00:00.000-08:00

"Disneyland is a thing that I can keep molding and shaping. It's a three-dimensional thing to play with. But when I say, 'play with it', I don't mean that. Everything I do I keep a practical eye toward its appeal to the public."

Ralph Steadman Visits Disneyland

2012-01-03T01:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR (2005)

2012-01-02T03:00:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR

MICKEY MOUSE

ROSE PARADE GRAND MARSHALL

2005

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

"I've never believed in doing sequels. I didn't want to waste time I have doing a sequel; I'd rather be using that time doing something new and different. It goes back to when they wanted me to do more pigs."

The 2007 International Pow Wow

2011-12-27T01:00:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there is nothing more fun then digging into the boxes of stuff that I have collected over the years. Such inspiration. For example, somebody asked me once what was the most unusual event I ever attended at Disneyland. For me it had to be the 2007 International Pow Wow.

The International Pow Wow is a huge event put on the U.S. Travel Association. This event is described as the “premier international marketplace and the largest generator of Visit USA travel.” Representatives from more than 1,000 U.S. travel organizations meet with more than 1,500 buyers from more than 70 countries. The Pow Wows have been taking place since 1969 but this was the first time it was held in Anaheim. That is because it was Disney executive Jay Rasulo was the President of the organization that year and he wanted to show off the resort.

The conference took place at the Anaheim Convention Center and the opening night event took over the entire west side of Disneyland. It was a cold and drizzly night on April 22, 2007. According to Jason’s Disneyland Almanac, Disneyland closed at 4:00 pm in order for them to prepare for the event. The attendance was limited to less then 4,000 people. I can’t imagine what the food and beverage bill was but it must have been huge.

Disneyland put on quite a show for the opening night party. We had access to an exclusive party in three lands: Frontierland, Adventureland, and New Orleans Square. All of the attractions were opened and plussed just for the event. For example, when I went to the Haunted Mansion I was the only guest in the stretching room and throughout the attraction, ghostly butlers silently moved along the edges. It was very surreal and still haunts me to this day.

Guests walked down a deserted Main Street toward the Frontierland arcade. Once through the gates we were greeted by dozens of servers handing us glowing drinks, those obnoxious lighted necklaces, and a small treat. Billy Hill and the Hillbillies were kicked out of the Golden Horseshoe Saloon to a stage out front. Not a big crowd. It was drizzling. There was myself plus a couple of travel agents from Japan in the audience. The band kept commenting about the real alcohol that was being served in the Saloon. It was sort of the adult version of a Billy’s show and that is something quite special.

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was open and the banks of the Rivers of America were lined with tents that featured an unlimited quantity of food and drink. The menu for each of the lands was chosen to reflect the culture being projected upon the environment. Frontierland featured Grilled Beef Short Ribs with Smoked Chipotle BBQ Glaze, Thunder Ranch Prime Rib Chili and Miniature Corn Muffins, and Mini-Blue Corn Chicken Tamales with Mole Sauce. Dessert consisted of a selection of Fruit Empanadas, Tia Maria Shooters and Miniature S’Mores Pies.

Over in Adventureland they turned Aladdin’s Oasis into a very comfortable club and café. A wandering band provided the area entertainment. The Jungle Cruise and Indiana Jones Adventure were open. Only the best skippers were allowed so it was like a floating comedy club. As you would imagine, the food was a bit more exotic with Pankot Palace Lamb & Beef Souvlaki Served Rotisserie Style with Fresh Naan Bread and Tzatziki Sauce, Shankara Ostrich Spear Grilled on a Sugar Cane Skewer with Chili Anise Glaze, and Mola Rama Grilled Lobster Tail Served with Thai Tamarind Sauce. One had to try the Chocolate Fountain with Exotic Fruits, Macaroons and Hand-Dipped Berries.

One of my favorite moments was the visit to the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square. Pirates of the Caribbean was open as well as The Disney Gallery. What a view from the Gallery balcony. Am I the only one who really misses this space? Raise your hand if you do as well. The Dixieland band sounded sweet, which help to balance the bitter that came with the “Blue Bayou Karaoke.” Think drunk international guests entertaining each other with the Disney hits. The food was a whole other thing. They served Crayfish Fritters with Cajun Remoulade, Louisiana Blue Crab Cakes with Fire Roasted Garlic Aioli, and Po’ Boil Shrimp with Spiced Bourbon Barbeque Sauce. You finished this off with Bananas Foster Flambe with Pound Cake, Southern Peach Crisp, and miniature Key Lime, Pecan & Sweet Potato Pies.

At 9:30 pm, guests were invited to stand in the hub for a private fireworks show. Of course, we were loaded down with drinks and food. There have been many special private events at Disneyland over the years. What was one of your favorites?

2011-12-26T08:11:00.000-08:00

[Sam has] captured much of the attitude and events of the times and hits on much of Walt's drive and inspiration. [His] research into materials and people who were important in one way or another is exemplary. The notes from Buzz Price, John Hench, and Marvin Davis for example...the apparent influence of Victor Gruen's theories...a relationship that developed with James Rouse - all insightful. It is clear, well researched, useful, and thoughtful to anyone studying urban planning.

Disney Legend Marty Sklar

A Walk Through the Walt Disney Family Museum

2011-12-26T01:00:00.000-08:00

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM

Fans of Walt Disney had two destinations where they could get closer to the magic– Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Now there is a third - The Walt Disney Family Museum (WDFM) in San Francisco.

The WDFM opened to critical acclaim on October 1, 2009. The museum is located in the historic Presidio near the Golden Gate Bridge. The former military base has been around for over 220 years and guards one of the most beautiful spots on earth. The architects for this imaginative award-winning project, Page & Turnbull, reimagined one of five identical Army barracks built in the 1890s that flanked the parade grounds. The refurbishment of the building was done with great care, elegant but not pretentious, much like the man. In addition to the museum are a gift store, small café, and a movie theater. Additional display and conference space and the administrative offices are located in separate buildings. You can take public transportation or park out front on the former parade grounds.

You enter the museum through a large lobby with plenty of seating to gather your party. Along the walls are some of the 900 awards given to Walt Disney including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964). On display are some of the thirty-two Academy Awards® given to Walt including the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs statue with one large Oscar and the seven miniatures. The furniture from the family apartment above the fire station at Disneyland is also on display.

The museum is organized around ten galleries that take you chronologically through Walt Disney’s professional and personal life. In each gallery we hear Walt’s own voice telling us his story. Researchers have clipped from hours of interviews to find relevant material that support the graphic displays.

We start with Walt’s “Beginnings” in Gallery 1. There is the Disney family tree; his memories of his boyhood home in Marceline, Missouri, and his earliest artworks. A reproduction of the ambulance Walt drove in Europe during the end of World War I is on display and a reminder that this experience fueled his ambitions and when he returned to Kansas City he partnered with Ub Iwerks to form Laugh-O-Gram. After learning about the early history of animation, including books by Eadweard Muybridge and animated cartoons by E.G. Lutz, you move to the next chapter in Walt’s young life.

It is this elevator ride to the second floor galleries that provides an early, emotionally powerful moment. The elevator is dressed as the interior of a railroad passenger coach on the way to Los Angeles from Kansas City. Walt’s company went bankrupt and we hear him talk about the need for a good hard failure when you are young. But he would not be stopped and was motivated to move to Hollywood with $40, a “coat and a pair of trousers that didn’t match,” and his 1923 film Alice’s Wonderland.

The elevator doors open to Gallery 2 and you enter “Hollywood” from 1923 to 1928. Walt moved Los Angeles, founded the Disney Brothers Studio, got married, and tasted his first drink of success with the Alice shorts and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. The Oswald series was successful but it was the loss of the character to his distributor that taught Walt and Roy many lessons. The fateful telegram from Walt to Roy telling him DON'T WORRY EVERYTHING OK WILL GIVE DETAILS WHEN ARRIVE is on display. Talk about the ultimate optimist. Most men would have been crushed. Walt became inspired.

These events led to the creation of Mickey Mouse. From this point forward, Walt would always be in control of his intellectual properties, which has been at the core of the Disney organization success. The gallery features the earliest documented drawing of the future superstar and corporate symbol. Along one wall is a cell-by-cell reproduction of a scene in Steamboat Willie. Also included is Walt and Lillian’s wedding certificate and the beginning of the great love shared between them.

Walt was exploring “new horizons in the 1930s” with the success of Mickey Mouse. Mickey was quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s brightest stars (just look at the display with all of his merchandise) and the Disney roster kept growing with the addition of characters that display true personality such as Minnie, Pluto, Goofy (aka Dippity Dog), and Donald.

The gallery explores the world of the Silly Symphony series. Walt would use these new cartoons to expand the vocabulary of the art, experiment with the nature of color, and depth. Many of the artists who made this magic possible are featured. One powerful exhibit is the side-by-side comparison of two versions of The Ugly Duckling, one from 1931 and the other from 1939. This is also the time when Walt was blessed with two new daughters, Sharon and Diane.

The focus of Gallery 4 is the “Move to Features” with the box-office smash Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, a defining moment in Walt’s life and career. Walt suggested that when you are going to take a risk, go big and do it right. If the film was going to be a failure it needed to be a spectacular one. Everything about the concept and production of the film is detailed.

The success of Snow White allowed Walt to design and build the ultimate animation studio in Burbank and he said now, “We were in a new business.” Gallery 5 takes a close look at the studio facilities as well as the production of Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi. There is an original animation desk as well as one of the original multi-plane cameras, which allowed for added depth and reality.

But not everything would be golden. After such incredible success, Gallery 6 tells the story of “the toughest period of my whole life.” Walt was dealt the double blow of his animators going on strike and World War II. He did adapt and the studio turned to help the war effort by producing the most incredible training films. There were also bright spots including Dumbo and the “El Grupo” expedition to South America that gave birth to The Three Caballeros and Saludos Amigos.

Gallery 7 is focused on the “Postwar Production” period. This was one of the most productive times at the studio. The gallery is filled with innovative interactive technology and multimedia displays. The upper perimeter is wrapped in a wavy video screen. There are video stations with “bubbles” projected on a desk-like panel that you touch to manipulate. Tap a bubble and it expands and an image is projected on a screen in front of you. Fans of Mary Blair and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea will find much to enjoy.

One of the most dramatic architectural moments comes when you enter Gallery 8 “Walt and the Natural World.” As I stated earlier, the museum is contained within the old Army barracks building. However, Gallery 8 and 9 are part of a new 20,000 square foot addition. As you enter the gallery the familiar globe from the True-Life Adventure series greets you. Along one wall are televisions playing clips from the series. On the other wall is a floor-to-ceiling glass window with one of the most spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge you will find anywhere.

For me, the highlight of the museum is Gallery 9; “The 1950s and 1960s: the big screen and beyond.” The gallery contains a long ramp that leads from the second floor to the ground floor. Along the way you see the building blocks that led to the creation of Disneyland. It begins with Walt’s backyard railroad with the original Lilly Belle model steam locomotive on display. His fascination with miniatures is highlighted. His early involvement with television is also on display including Zorro, The Mickey Mouse Club, the Man In Space series, and Davy Crockett.

However, the real highlight is at the bottom of the ramp. Here you will find the model of the Disneyland that never was and always will be. It contains virtually every idea Walt had for the park including existing attractions, extinct attractions, and the ones that never got off the drawing board. The model is rich in details and many of the elements are animated. It is packed with eye candy including John Hench’s original concept for Space Mountain, the 1967 version of Tomorrowland, and the Conestoga wagons riding over the berm in an expanded Frontierland.

The gallery goes beyond Disney with displays for Sleeping Beauty, The Shaggy Dog, Toby Tyler, Old Yeller, Darby O’Gill, Mary Poppins, the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, and the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair featuring models, sketches, and artifacts. The EPCOT display was very special to me. During this period, Walt’s family also grew with two sons-in-law and seven grandchildren.

For many, making it through Gallery 10 entitled “December 15, 1966” is going to be tough. We begin with Walt talking about his final project – the Mineral King Ski resort high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. He looks old and tired in the press conference video. Nearby are personal objects that were collected by his children and grandchildren.

In the next room is a television playing the announcement of his death while the adjoining walls are plastered with editorial cartoons covering the event. Just about the time you bring out the tissues you enter the final room; a brilliant white chamber with video screens displaying all of the things Walt accomplished with quotes from those who knew him best.

The entire museum is a fitting tribute to the most influential entertainer of the 20^th Century and a must do for any Disney fan.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-25T01:00:00.001-08:00

Eyvind Earle #4

2011-12-24T01:00:00.000-08:00

Eyvind Earle #3

2011-12-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

Eyvind Earle #2

2011-12-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

Eyvind Earle #1

2011-12-21T01:00:00.001-08:00

The Table Phones at the Brown Derby

2011-12-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

Whenever I am at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, I always like to take a peek inside of the Brown Derby. If nothing else, the restaurant has great bathrooms. But I like the dining room and like dining there even more.

Like any Hollywood diva (well Pasadena but it is close), I have my traditions and want just what I want the way I want it. This is Hollywood, right? I insist on sitting in a booth, preferably one of those in a corner. Sing my chaueffer is driving (the bus) I feel comfortable cruising through the wine list. And I must finish off the meal with that healthy California treat – a slice of Grapefruit Cake. It can’t be fattening because it is made with Grapefruit, right? Must remember the camera adds 10 pounds.

When most people think of the Brown Derby in Hollywood they think of a building that was shaped like a, well, big brown derby hat. That restaurant opened in 1926 and was located on Wilshire Boulevard. The one inside of the park is modeled after a second restaurant that opened in 1929 and was near the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

Covering virtually all of the walls of the dining room are portraits of famous Hollywood celebrities. The portraits were part of a grand bargain between an artist named Vitch and owner Bob Cobb. When Cobb wanted to add somebody to his “Wall of Fame” he would commission Vitch to draw a caricature and trade him for a meal. The tradition continued with other noted artists such as Zel, Pancho, and Jack Lane.

Along with everything else, there is one cool little fantasy I like to play when I dine at the Derby. Just like today, there are times when somebody that is as important as I am is desperately wanted on the telephone. Since cellphones did not exist back in the day, it would be inconsistent to pull the phone out of my pocket. The Brown Derby has a solution. If you are sitting at a booth notice the little telephone jacks. Your server can bring you a rotary telephone. This meant it had a dial where you stuck one finger inside of the dial and turned it all the way to the stopper. If the number had a lot of zeros you just grinned and bared it. Like today, time is money and if you can combine a bit of business with your meal all the better. More importantly, in those days talking on the phone while eating was very rare and meant you must be doing something very, very important for the server to walk all that way and plug in the phone. Just ask your server and you may get to talk with a celebrity. Of course, I was talking with my agent at the time…

Panorama: Main Street USA

2011-12-19T01:00:00.000-08:00

Samlandica III

2011-12-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Every now and again I find a bunch of stories that are fun to retell yet don’t really add up to a full column on their own. The brilliant minds that run this site came up with a clever solution they call the Encyclopedia Samlandica. Today I present the third installment of this endless series of random thoughts. As always, I enjoy hearing what you think.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-12-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

"When I started on Disneyland, my wife used to say, 'But why do you want to build an amusement park? They're so dirty.' I told her that was just the point - mine wouldn't be."

Book Review: The Dark Side of Disney

2011-12-13T01:00:00.000-08:00

THE DARK SIDE OF DISNEY

Leonard Kinsey

172 Pages

2011

$2.99 Kindle

$14.95 paperback

Winner of the most provocative Disney book cover ever – a topless tattooed young woman wearing only unzipped short shorts and Mickey ears with an anarchy symbol smoking something while holding a large liquor bottle. Kinsey promises an “Utterly Unauthorized Tips, Tricks & Scams for your WDW vacation” by being “The anarchist cookbook of Disney travel guides.” The book promises to show you “the best places in the parks to have sex, do drugs, and see a gritty rock show, complete with women throwing their underwear on the stage.” Right up front the author wants to remind us that he really does love Disney. The author visited WDW more then a hundred times as a boy and he still goes back every year. However, if you are into the light and happy family escape that is Disney you may want to steer clear of this book.

Some of the tricks are a bit odd and something you probably never thought about. You learn how to scam a day pass for the VIP lounges at the airport, how to buy DVC points really cheap, how to sneak into the parks through non-public entrances, the perils of timeshare presentations, how to cut in lines, and where to buy drugs or to have public sex (including photos of his choice locations).

Some of the advice is just stuff you would find anywhere else. He is not thrilled with the Dining Plan, tells you how to eat cheap by splitting food or making a salad from the Pecos Bills toppings bar, recommends Giordano’s off property for pizza, laments on how the stuff in the stores is all the same, and how to do a proper monorail pub crawl. He even slams Winnie the Pooh for having a fetish for honey.

He also details other hazards such as bed bugs, bacteria or alligators.

The book is a breezy romp through the resort that promise much debauchery but delivers very little. His advice is public sex will get you in trouble. Buying drugs will get you in trouble. Using improper tickets will get you in trouble. And sneaking down into the Utilidors used to be fun but will now get you in trouble. As an e-book it is really cheap and a fun read but don’t get your hopes up too high.

I purchased this e-book on Amazon.

Panorama: Fantasyland

2011-12-12T01:00:00.000-08:00

Disney's Hollywood Studios Arrival Experience

2011-12-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

I have always been fascinated by Disney’s Hollywood Studios (DHS). The idea for this park was hatched in 1985, and for the first time, a Disney theme park of limited scale was intentionally opened to the public. The park was intended to be a model of controlled growth in reaction to anticipated demand.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Firehouse 5 + 2 play Jingle Bells

2011-12-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-12-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

"A lot of people don't realize that we have some very serious problems here keeping this thing going and getting it started. I remember when we opened [Disneyland], if anybody recalls, we didn't have enough money to finish the landscaping and I had Bill Evans go out and put Latin tags on all the weeds."

Book Review: DISNEYLAND HOTEL 1954-1959:

2011-12-06T01:00:00.000-08:00

DISNEYLAND HOTEL 1954-1959: The Little Motel in the Middle of the Orange Grove

Donald W. Ballard

136 pages

2011

$35.00

www.Magicalhotel.com

Many of you probably have a copy of Don Ballard’s Disneyland Hotel: The Early Years, 1954-1988 in your collection. This is a great book and a demonstration of when you do something right you can be rewarded. You see, Don did such a wonderful job that he was flooded with new information. So much information that he penned a new book that focuses on the really early years and called it Disneyland Hotel 1954-1959: The Little Motel in the Middle of the Orange Grove. The author has provided us with the definitive history of this hotel during this time period. The book has been written. We historians need to find something else to work on.

We learn early on that the Disneyland Hotel was as revolutionary to the hospitality industry as Disneyland was on the amusement park industry. It started with hotel owner Jack Wrather who had a clear vision for his facility. In an Annual Report he said, “While some hotels didn’t take children at all, some frowned on them and others accepted them with a grain of salt.” He added, “For the first time in hotel history, the Disneyland Hotel would offer the whole family things to do and places to stay.”

The original project description called for a 650-room “distinctive resort Hotel and Motor Hotel” with restaurants, shops, and recreational amenities. The budget was $10,000,000. The facility would be as unique as its eclectic neighbor across the street. Pereira & Luckman designed a hotel complex that fits within a distinctive, logical, rigid geometry. From on high, the hotel elements to fit nicely into an imaginary grid that is expressed by the space age girders.

Throughout the book there is an aerial of the entire property taken after major milestones have been completed. It is easy to witness the transformation of the orange grove into a first class resort hotel. Speaking of orange groves, they would be incorporated throughout the landscape design. Each garden patio room had an orange tree. Much of the adjacent groves were left intact.

The hotel was on the leading edge. The author notes, “Each guest room had a television set which was unique for hotels at that time.” The rooms were designed to sleep four people so that kids could stay in the same room as their parents. The bathrooms were child friendly and “ideal for the small fry” with fixtures built lower then traditional hotels and electrical outlets located away from prying hands. Another example is was the infrared heat lamps in the ceiling, which eliminated the possibility of burns. Each room door featured a special high-tech “Yale” lock that prevented people from entering the room and acting like a do not disturb sign for the staff.

Not only was the Disneyland Hotel the first major hotel to be built in Orange County, it was the first major resort hotel to be built in Southern California since the early 1940s. Plus, the Disneyland Hotel was going to be a “year around resort” at a time when there were very few hotels claiming that title. In addition to Disneyland across the street, Wrather built convention and banquet facilities to attract local business.

The book does an excellent job of telling the life story of Jack Wrather. Not only did he own hotels but also he was a television producer, media mogul, and oil wildcatter. The man lead an interesting life worthy of a book and was cut from the same cloth as Walt Disney; a risk taker, visionary, family oriented, and one with the right stuff to overcome any obstacles.

One myth that is shattered by the book is the story of how Wrather got the contract to build the hotel. The popular story was that Walt had run out of money and begged Wrather to participate. Apparently Walt had many suitors but he chose his friend because he knew Wrather understood Disney’s quality standards.

The book is loaded with photos and artfully laid out. At times, multiple pages of graphics will interrupt the narrative. Historic documents are present with key text elements extracted for the book content. I hope Don keeps his implied pledge at the end of the book that this will become a series because I want the complete history at this level of detail. This is an excellent book.

I received this book from the publisher at no charge for the purpose of this review.

Panorama: Echo Lake

2011-12-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Jim Hill Reviews Walt and the Promise of Progress City

2011-12-01T08:44:00.000-08:00

"Walt and the Promise of Progress City" covers an awful lot of Disney-related real estate

2011-12-01T01:00:00.001-08:00

Happy Holiday's everyone! With any luck, your Thanksgiving turkey was delicious and you successfully dodged the pepper spray on Black Friday. Here at Samland, we are thankful for having the best readers in the world. . . you really are! Today, I've got a grab bag of items for you. We'll take a look at a book about the Walt Disney Family Museum which contains an introduction by Diane Disney Miller. We'll also discuss why you might benefit from Touring Plans when in the parks, what the Disneyland Almanac is all about, and I make a personal plea about a favorite charity. And, hopefully, you'll stick through to the end for a link to my own book (which is just perfect as a stocking stuffer).

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Sam Gennawey Hosting a Conversation at the Walt Disney Family Museum

2011-12-01T01:00:00.000-08:00

Mineral King: Walt’s Lost Last Project

Speaker: Sam Gennawey with Ron Miller and David Price

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Program Time: 3:00pm – 4:30pm

The Walt Disney Family Museum

104 Montgomery Street

The Presidio of San Francisco

San Francisco, CA 94129

Urban Planner and Community Engagement Specialist SamGennawey hosts past Disney CEO and Museum Founder Ron Miller and architectDavid Price to discuss the innovative (and now-forgotten) year-round mountainresort that was one of Walt’s last major projects. This fascinating programgives context and detail to a remarkable and imaginative destination resortproject that Walt assumed was a fait accompli upon his passing, and explainsthe forces and opposition that led to its ultimate abandonment. It will also offer insight into Walt’s vision at the height of his final career phase. Illustratedwith rare images, art, photos, archival documents, and film clips; this programoffers insight into Walt’s vision at the height of his final career phase.

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-11-30T01:00:00.000-08:00

"Disneyland is like a piece of clay. If there is something I don't like, I'm not stuck with it. I can reshape and revamp."

A Late Thanksgiving Program Gift

2011-11-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

I was looking for something in my files and came across this. Perfect for last week.

Preview of Universal's New Transformer Ride

2011-11-28T17:35:00.000-08:00

Panorama: Flag Ceremony

2011-11-28T01:00:00.000-08:00

More Book Reviews

2011-11-27T13:08:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! I hope you are having a wonderful time doing whatever it is you are doing right now. Since the gift-giving season is just over the horizon, I thought I would take a moment and write about a few books that would be perfect for the Disney theme park fan in your life. And since I am still in the process of plugging my own book - Walt and the Promise of Progress City – I figured why not. By the way, thank you to everyone who has picked up a copy.

Today’s column will feature the popular Hidden Mickey books, a terrific trip back in time to the early days of the Disneyland Hotel, and a couple of e-Books I wanted to mention.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Leave It to Lillian

2011-11-26T19:24:00.000-08:00

I went to visit The Walt Disney Family Museum again on Friday and found this quote from Lillian Disney. Leave it to the person who would know him best. I also found this display in the gift store. I like it.

"Enthusiasm and optimism together. Walt was enthusiastic about everything. He never thought anything would turn out badly."

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-11-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

"Whenever I go on a ride, I'm always thinking of what's wrong with the thing and how it can be improved."

SAMLAND GUIDE TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD – Part 2

2011-11-22T01:00:00.000-08:00

Last week I presented the first episode in the Samland Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood (USH). This week we are going to leave the entry plaza area and actually start to see the shows and go on the rides.

As you recall, the basic touring plan for USH is to start with the Studio Tour, cross over to the Lower Lot for the thrill rides, The Mummy and Jurassic Park. Then spend the rest of the day taking in all of the shows and atmosphere on the Upper Lot.

The Studio Tour

The Official Line: This tour passes through several attractions, which contains loud explosions, large flame effects, fog effects and tidal wave effects. The vehicle rocks aggressively from side to side and up and down during certain attractions. Certain effects may be too intense for children.

The world famous Studio Tour is the whole reason why USH exists in the first place. In 1961, in order to gin up business in the Studio Commissary, legendary movie mogul Lew Wasserman decided to let tour buses drive through the back lot if the drivers agreed to drop people off for something to eat. It worked.

It worked so well that in 1964 Wasserman decided to take over the tours himself and hired Disney Legend Harper Goff to design the iconic GlamorTrams and Edith Head to design the tour guide costumes.

The Studio Tour experience has changed a lot over the years. The current version lasts about 45 minutes and features guest host Jimmy Fallon along with a highly trained, live tour guide. Because the tour has to traverse through a real working studio there is a high level of randomness and repeatability. Every tour is different depending on what is being filmed on the backlot or what show element is working that day. The Studio Tour is great and the must-do attraction within the park.

The custom built trams consist of 4 cars. Each car is huge and comes complete with hi-def video monitors. My preferred seat is toward the back of car 2 and anywhere in car 3. As we shall see, this will afford you the best view for most of the little adventures you are about to experience. If you have Gate A privileges, they will guide you toward the first car but it is worth asking to sit farther back.

Our tour begins with the tram descending down a steep hill behind The Simpsons Ride. Once upon a time this is where you got caught up in the middle of Battlestar Galatica or a bunch of rubber rocks before that. As you continue down the hill you will see the backstage side of Jurassic Park. On both sides of the tram are movie posters reflecting the history of the studio. Once you are on the Lower Lot, the tram will drive past the haunted Stage 28, home of the set from Lon Cheney’s Phantom of the Opera.

Over the years, USH realized that just driving by some movie sets would not make for a very interesting tour. So they started to add little sideshows that represent a particular film or demonstrated movie making technologies. This is the peeling back the tinsel I talked about last week.

The best immersive experience is also the newest addition to the park - King Kong 360 3D. I have encountered many guests who think this is a stand-alone attraction and they are surprised to learn that it is part of the Studio Tour. You grab a pair of 3D glasses at the beginning of the tour and awkwardly hang on to them the entire way. However, once you have experienced King Kong you are bound to agree with me that it was well worth it.

Your tram grinds its way up a hill just below the old Collapsing Bridge and waits (and waits, and waits, and…). Once it gets a green light it enters a portal protected by skulls. Peter Jackson guides us into the tunnel and then tells us we can finally put on our glasses. The room goes black and then we find ourselves rolling along in Skull Island. You sense that you are moving and you get caught in the action but that is just movie magic consisting of a giant fans and a tram that is mounted on a gimbal.

The screens on both sides of the tram surround the vehicle and create a very convincing illusion. This is why sitting toward the back is better then toward the front. More screen therefore more action. The battle between dinosaurs and King Kong is very intense and may freak out the little ones. Kong has a habit of crossing over the roof of the tram and you will get used to being splattered with dino blood. At least that is what I think that was. Even the last car of the tram gets caught up in the action in a grizzly way (sort of). Once you escape you need to find a place to stow those glasses because you won’t be needing them again. As you walk around USH notice how many 3D glasses are orphaned on trashcans or in corners. Amazing.

I especially enjoy driving through the very large sets of through New York Street and Courthouse Square. The ever-changing facades are a reminder that real movies are made here. Due to production schedules sometimes much of the area is block off. Good luck.

We continue along encountering more immersive experiences. An old favorite, the Mexican village, is still being ravaged by flash floods every few minutes. The shark from Jaws still lunges at you and then does the backstroke. A couple of the shows need a bit of TLC including the BART station that suffers from the earthquake as well as the Mummy’s tomb. My hope is that at some point the Fast and Furious dancing cars and the fossils left over from Jurassic Park will be retire and something worthy can take their place. According to a proposed master plan of the entire property, this is an area slated for theme park expansion.

Placing The Grinch Who Stole Christmas next to the Bates Motel from Psycho is rather inspired and driving through the War of the World crash scene is a powerful moment and reminds you why the neighbors may hate living next to this theme park.

Jimmy Fallon replaced Whoopi Goldberg as host and it is a refreshing change. His bits are quite funny and I wish there were more of them. Not sure if “have a tramtastic day” has reached deep into the popular culture but USH is trying.

Now let’s go back up the escalator, past the giant clown head and head down one of the longest esclator systems to the Lower Lot. Enjoy the amazing view (most of the time) of the San Fernando Valley. Off in the distance is Warner Brothers studio as well as the Disney Studio. The planes you see are flying in and out of Bob Hope Airport. The golf course below is the very exclusive Lakeside Golf Club. This view is one of the most underrated features in the park.

THE LOWER LOT

Jurassic Park – The Ride

The Official Line: This ride is a water journey on a touring raft. The raft will suddenly and dramatically accelerate, turn and drop. Riders will get wet. 42” height limit.

A common storyline used at theme park attractions from Disney and Universal goes something like this. You step into an exotic vehicle and you plan on taking a leisurely trip from Point A to Point B. All of sudden, something goes horribly wrong and then you are plunged into an adventure that will surely result in nothing less then certain death.

This is a ride that makes a great first impression. For me, the best part of is the opening sequence when your boat flows through the iconic gates and you enter the first dino enclosure. We see dinos munching away peacefully and then, say it with me, something goes horribly wrong. Somehow we are pushed backstage were all of the bad dinos live. Not good. The tour boat before did not fare well. Look closely for the floating Mickey Mouse hat in the debris.

Every turn brings about another horror and it just keeps getting worse. You are pulled up hill and then… You see for yourself. The drop sounds ferocious and can get quite wet, especially in the front row but during the cooler months you will be surprised how dry you can stay as long as you avoid the first row. During this past summer water cannons were added and you were sure to get soaked. Really soaked.

This ride also exists on the east coast at Islands of Adventure. Most bi-coastal park goers prefer the Hollywood version but just slightly.

Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride

The Official Line: Plunge into the immortal horror of the The Mummy on the world’s first psychological thrill ride. It will hurtle you screaming through the darkness, forwards and backwards, with special effects at every turn! 48” height limit.

If you have experienced The Mummy in Florida prepare to be extremely disappointed. The east coast version is an amazing coaster with a solid, believable backstory. In Florida, you are going to be used as an extra in an upcoming sequel to the Mummy series. However, something goes horribly wrong (where have I heard that before?). You are trapped in your mine car and the Mummy is trying to suck out your soul. That version contains a false ending and some amazing effects that combine to create a great indoor coaster. The west coast version…not so much. In Hollywood, they had to shoehorn the coaster into a much smaller building and the editing was brutal. The pre-show is abrupt and just a room with a video screen yelling at you. You step out of the coaster and walk right into a non-theme hallway toward the exit. Over!

Get ready to board the mine cars. The seats are cramped and the lap and knee restraints are incredibly uncomfortable and I am not a big person. The train leaves the station and you crawl through some very detailed creep scenes. A very cool audio-animatronics character tries to make you an offer you can’t refuse but you do. The coaster is launched into the blackness while swordsman fall out of the ceiling to cut your head off. Blacklight demons haunt you as you spin about in the dark. You come to a very sudden (and for many a painful) stop and get attack by scarab beetles. Oh joy. Then you go backward. Luckily the return trip is mercifully smooth and short. My biggest disappoint comes at the end. The ride’s climax has been hacked into nothing over the years. There is sometimes a single rider line that is sometimes open.

The NBCUniversal Experience

The Official Line: Go behind the scenes of Universal’s films legacy in this interactive exhibit featuring authentic props, wardrobe and artifacts from past, present and upcoming Universal productions.

The NBCUniversal Experience is well worth a brief visit. This little museum is often overlooked, especially since nothing is at that end of the Lower Lot right now. Props from movies past and present are behind glass. Each artifact is well documented. A small area is dedicated to the theme park and tour.

Over the past summer I noticed that the air conditioning was set so low that you could store meat in the museum. This space will no doubt become the prime waiting area for those not riding Transformers. The area is scheduled for some changes to accommodate the large crowds expected for Transformers once it starts running early next year.

THE UPPER LOT

For most visitors, the Upper Lot is where you will spend most of your time. This is where the majority of shows are located as well as lots of shops and restaurants. Just a reminder that the best way to get around the Upper Lot without getting lost is to walk around the perimeter pathway. For the purposes of this tour we will start at the front entrance and make a counter-clockwise loop. Once you enter go straight and stick to the right. To the right you will pass the Waterworld entrance, Shrek 4-D, The Adventure of Curious George, and the Studio Tour entrance. Continue around the loop and there is The Simpsons Ride, the escalator to the Lower Lot, Special Effects Stage, Universal Animal Actors, T2:3D, The House of Horrors, and the exit.

WaterWorld

The Official Line: Experience death-defying stunts and breathtaking feats as we enter the midst of a live sea war spectacular. There are loud explosion noises, pyrotechnics, large flame effects and performers in close proximity to the audience.

WaterWorld is the must see show at USH. I hold this opinion even after seeing this show hundreds of times. I worked in Show Control for this show and, along with the Special Effects Stage, this is the show I saw the most. Along with I still think it is a fantastic show and well worth seeing each time you visit.

The stunt show is based on the odd film Waterworld with Kevin Costner. In some ways this show picks up where the film leaves off. Well, sort of. For the 12 or 13 of you who saw the original classic, Helen does find “dry land”, ditches the little girl and comes back to the Atoll where all of her buddies live. However, what she does not realize is the Deacon, the bad buy who dies in the first film but is reincarnated for the stunt show, has followed her. Madness and mayhem ensue and by the end just about everybody is dead with most dying in a grizzly way. What could be more entertaining then that?

You have to admire the real who make up. All of the cast work as professional stunt people and are frequently featured in movies and television. For many, they use this show as a steady paycheck between film projects and to keep up their skills. They are all extraordinary athletes that are very experienced and can really hurt themselves if something were to go wrong. The crew and stage managers also highly trained since they are carting pyrotechnics all over a hot metal set. I had a chance to see the pool when it was drained and it is an amazing piece of architecture. Some spots go down a low as 30 feet below the surface.

The queue is designed for guest torture. The places you are most likely to stand if you get there early are not in the shade or near the misters. If you open an umbrella, even in the rain, a show controller will hurl their bodies upon yours and tackle you, beat you senseless then take it away from you. There is a front door that goes through the tower and a back door. Both get you to the grandstands and excellent seats.

There are two types of seats. The green seats are within the “splash” zone and you will get wet. How wet? In some cases you will want to buy a souvenir towel on the way out. The one spot where you will generally get really blasted is the first couple of rows at aisle 2, grandstand 3 all the way around to the other side. Those seats are not protected by any of the set pieces and the guys on the jet skis have a certain something about making a point to those sitting in that section. Another good spot include the lower rows at the intersection of grandstands 1 and 2.

If you want to stay dry sit in a silver seat. I prefer the seats toward the top of the grandstands. And it is best to avoid going all the way around toward grandstand 3. Late in the afternoon the sun can be blinding.

One request. Please do not ask the Show Control folks if you can leave your sleeping baby inside of the stroller while you go to watch the show from the grandstands. Yes, this does happen more often then you can possibly image. With all of the explosions, your kid would not be sleeping for very long. Plus, if you are sitting in a wet zone with an infant be prepared to have one angry baby when you get splash with water fired at you at the velocity of a jet ski.

The Stuff Between

Two hidden treasures exist between WaterWorld and Shrek 4-D. During certain times of the day a couple of people who are very much from New York hang out of the windows above and talk with passing guests. The actors are excellent improv artists and get off some pretty funny lines. Not easy to find a seat but if you can relax and take in a bit of the show. Just beyond is an interactive Donkey audio-animatronics that is also good for a few laughs.

Shrek 4-D

The Official Line: This is a 4-D movie presented in theatre-style seating. The presentation will involve strobes and other localized effects. The seats will exhibit tilting and jarring movements coordinated with dramatic action-packed events of the movie.

Shrek was a big hit and it must have seemed obvious that there was a lot of merchandise to be moved if the park had the right attraction. So, when in doubt make a 4-D experience. 4-D combines a 3-D film with in-theater effects. In the case of Shrek 4-D this includes a very funny well made film, weird moving seats, and water tossed occasionally in to your face.

The storyline for Shrek 4-D bridges the gap between the first two Shrek movies. The posters around the queue area are some of the funniest bits and well worth taking some time to scout out. You grab a pair of 3D glasses as you pass through the turnstiles and funnel into a dark dungeon. Dark. Come in from the daylight and you will be tripping over people.

Hanging on the wall are the three little pigs, Pinocchio, and the Magic Mirror. What comes next is a very clever, rather funny pre-show set up. One thing that Universal does do much better then Disney is Post-Modern humor. When Disney tries to be hip and clever it never seems to work out. Universal is best when tongue is firmly planted in one cheek. This pre-show is a great example.

I can see it now. During a meeting at Universal Creative the boss turned to his minions and said, “Folks, Dreamworks wants a 3-D movie for the Shrek franchise. We know we are going to squirt water at them and I want to do something unique but I don’t really what else to do.” Somebody from the back shouted out, “Make the seats move! We have the technology and it really doesn’t fit anywhere else.” And the idea of featuring moving seats at Shrek 4-D was born.

The movie is very entertaining and the digital projection is crisp and bright. The script if very funny and the action wonderfully rendered. They take full advantage of 3-D filmmaking, even poking a bit of fun at the genre. The moving seats are more of an annoyance as they are a benefit. The movement reminds me of being a small child sitting on the knee of an adult who thinks they are being playful by bouncing you up and down on their knee but what they are really doing is just being irritating.

The show does not run continuously most days so be sure to check your show schedule. The identical attraction in everyway exists in Florida as well.

Next week we will wrap up our tour of USH with the rest of the Upper Lot. What are your thoughts?

New Book Explores Walt Disney and His Prized EPCOT Project

PASADENA, Calf.–In the middle of Central Florida swamplands and ranch property, Walt Disney aspired to build the greatest American city ever conceived--EPCOT. While Disney would die before realizing this epic achievement, he still left behind the blueprint for one of the boldest and most unique projects ever proposed on American soil.

Walt and the Promise of Progress City is an amazing new book that explores how Walt Disney—the master of fiction—was determined to bring new life to the non-fiction world of city design and development and, in doing so, fundamentally improve the Great American way of life.

This 374-page paperback by Sam Gennawey explores Walt Disney’s vision for a city of tomorrow, EPCOT, and how this great city would be a way for American corporations to demonstrate how technology, creative thinking, and hard work could change the world. Quite simply, Disney saw this project as a way to influence the public’s expectations about city life, in the same way his earlier work had redefined what it meant to watch an animated film or visit an amusement park.

Gennawey, a professional planner and highly-respected theme park and attractions industry expert, also breaks new ground in detailing the process through which meaningful and functional spaces have been created by Walt Disney and his artists as well as how guests understand and experience those spaces.

Gennawey has spent years researching the history of EPCOT and Walt Disney’s love for city planning while interviewing a wide variety of key players familiar with Walt and his vision for EPCOT.

"Walt and the Promise of Progress City explains how the architecture and design of Disney theme parks is so successful,” explains Len Testa, Co-Author, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. “Far from being a lucky accident, Sam Gennawey shows that Walt's interest in urban planning led Disney Imagineers to draw upon established architecture theory to build one of the most popular, successful urban landscapes of the 20th century."

Walt and the Promise of Progress City (ISBN 978-0615540245) is published by Ayefour Publishing at a list price of $19.95 for the book version and $9.95 for the Kindle version. More information can be found at www.ayefourpublishing.com.

Panorama: Disney's Hollywood Studios Hub

2011-11-21T01:00:00.000-08:00

Theme Park Insider Interview

2011-11-18T12:35:00.001-08:00

Had a chance to speak with Robert Niles at Theme Park Insider and the result was a very fun interview. Go here to read Part One. Part Two will run on Monday.

The Samland Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood - Act III

2011-11-18T12:31:00.000-08:00

For the last two weeks, we've been taking a look at Universal Studios Hollywood (USH), and my guide to making the most of your visit. If you are catching us at the end of the series, please start with Part One of the Universal Studios Tour HERE. This week, we'll wrap things up by heading down to the attractions on the Lower Lot as well as the world famous Studio Tram Tour.

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-11-16T01:00:00.000-08:00

The more I go to other amusement parks in all parts of the world, the more I am convinced of the wisdom of the original concepts of Disneyland. I mean, have a single entrance through which all traffic would flow, then a hub off which the various areas were situated. That gives people a sense of orientation - they know where they are at all times. And it saves a lot of walking."

18th Annual Thea Awards Recipients Announced by TEA

2011-11-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Buzz Price Thea Award - Recognizing a Lifetime of Distinguished Achievements

(formerly the Thea Lifetime Achievement Award)

Joe Rohde, Walt Disney Imagineering

Joe Rohde is a 30-year veteran of The Walt Disney Company, starting his career as a model designer on Epcot, and continuing with projects for Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif.; Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla.; and Disneyland Paris. Joe led the team that conceptualized, designed and built Disney's Animal Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. He continues to oversee new attractions for that park and is also responsible for the creative design and content of Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa, at Ko Olina, O'ahu, Hawai'i, which debuted in August 2011.

The challenge of creating Disney's Animal Kingdom, a park with a strong wildlife conservation message, involved years of research and negotiation with constituents from the scientific community, the world of zoos, and representatives of indigenous communities involved in the stories created in the park. In the process of developing the park itself, Joe was instrumental in the development of the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, which has supported more than 180 nonprofit organizations in 111 countries totaling nearly $18 million.

Joe speaks regularly about design and narrative and has appeared at NASA, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the TED conference, Portland Creative conference, and has been the keynote speaker at SIGGRAPH in Boston and Yokohama, Japan, as well as many other venues. He is also a member of the Explorers Club.

Star Tours - The Adventures Continue at Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World (Attraction Refresh)

This nomination recognizes the complete reimagining of Star Tours, the first simulator experience installed in a themed environment. The original attraction had been in operation since 1987; new technologies were available that could enhance the experience. At the same time, the Star Wars mythology has remained ever relevant to succeeding generations of fans. The challenge was to remain true to the vivid stories while making use of new technical tools and guest interactive capabilities.

The refreshed attraction has succeeded both operationally and with the extremely loyal Star Wars fan base. For the guests, the most compelling feature is the variable content that affords multiple storylines, locations and characters. This element of surprise is driving multi-generational audiences to return again and again to get a shot at exploring different vistas into many realms of the Star Wars Galaxy.

Comments from the Thea Awards Committee:

Today's audience expectations for a high tech science-fantasy world as renowned as Star Wars far

Star Tours - The Adventures Continue

surpass the analogue entertainment world that existed back in1987 when Disney originated this granddaddy of simulators that became an industry template. To achieve a breakthrough experience, all new "state of the art" 3D digital media systems were a given, but what really brings Star Tours-The Adventures Continueto life is a unique branching story structure employing multiple destinations and characters. This non-traditional storytelling device evokes curiosity by providing 54 potential show experiences resulting in a dramatic increase in attraction repeatability. To bring a layer of personalization and relevance, image capture systems are used to integrate riders into the varied story branches. All of this is fed into multiple motion programs designed for each random sequence, creating a multiplicity of kinetics for the 54 distinct profiles and unique real-time guest integrations. While the major components create the guest "wows", every nook and cranny along the pre-show queue likewise received new story elements and advanced special effects. This has extended the experience of this "galaxy far, far away" way beyond the doors of the Starspeeder 1000 and repositions the total experience firmly in a new century.

The Magic, The Memories, and You! at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom (Show Spectacular)

A new nightly show at Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom, Florida. "The Magic, The Memories and You!" is a richly emotional and spectacular 10 minute show presentation. Using classic Disney icons and images, the show uses "mapped projection" to transform the castle into an ever-changing and magical canvas. In preparation for this nightly event, photographers have spent the day out in the park, capturing thousands of images of that day's guests having fun. Five hundred of these images are selected and incorporated into the show that night. The result? A show that is different at every performance and engages the audience in a unique way, and at a whole new level.

Comments from the Thea Awards Committee:

This show demonstrates excellence for the artistic and creative way that technology was utilized to create a memorable and compelling experience. Impressive as the technology is, the show is

ultimately successful because it uses that technology, along with visual creativity, adept directorial pacing and showmanship together with a stirring musical score in an innovative and compelling way to create a most memorable, unique and emotionally fulfilling experience for its audience.

Animation Magic in the Animator's Palate Restaurant aboard Disney Cruise Line's Ship - Disney Fantasy (Ingenious use of Technology)

Animator's Palate on the Disney Fantasy brings the visual joy of Disney animation into the dining room with a new show called "Animation Magic." Guests are invited to draw a character of their own using a simple template on their placemat. After dinner, animated curtains are opened on screens and Sorcerer Mickey conjures guests' drawings - now fully animated and brought to life side-by-side with characters such as Mickey Mouse, Jiminy Cricket, Cinderella and Snow White in scenes from beloved Disney movies. At the conclusion of the show, Mickey returns to say "so long" to the guests and, as he does, credits roll onscreen showing each guest's name listed as a guest animator.

Comments from the Thea Awards Committee:

Delightful image capturing and video magic have made it possible for a guest's sketch to come to life moments after being drawn. The amazing animation, from a simple face expression to a complicated dance step, is made possible in this ingenious use of technology. Everyone from Grandpa to a child can be an "Animator" and see their drawings come alive. A refreshing new take on "interactive" without the typical monitor screen.

SAMLAND GUIDE TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD – Part 1

2011-11-15T01:00:00.000-08:00

Although I generally write about the Disney theme parks, I have been known to stray on occasion. This time I thought it might be fun to try and create a guide to Universal Studios Hollywood (USH). For a few months I worked as a minion in Show Control department as well as a few days as a Stage Manager for Terminator 2:3D (T2:3D). Now that my theme park career and I back writing about the places and I have learned a lot of great tricks and tips that might make your next trip to USH more enjoyable.

Welcome to the Samland Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood.

For almost 50 years, Universal Studios Hollywood (USH) is where local Southern California residents took out of town guests to see “Hollywood” instead of visiting the very real, sometimes scary, place along Hollywood Boulevard. Since 1964, millions of visitors have boarded the world-famous Harper Goff designed custom built trams. Along the way, the tourists get to see a clever blend of the Hollywood myth mixed with dose of moviemaking reality.

USH is unique because it is built with a different DNA then the Disney parks and Universal parks in Florida (Universal Studios Orlando or Islands of Adventure). All of the other parks are based on one of Disneyland’s organizing principles; by eliminating the visual contradictions that are contrary to the story and might unsettle you, the environmental design lulls you into conformity and comfort.

USH doesn’t care. It primary mission is to remain a profitable working movie and television production studio that features the largest backlot in Hollywood. It just happens to have an almost 50-year old studio tour and theme park shoved inside its borders. Visual contradictions are less important then efficiency and the ability to “redress the set.” USH is as random as the creative process. It is a hodge podge of disconnected environments with everything turned up to 11. Like an actual movie set, everything seems temporary. That is the charm of USH. It does “hip” and “edgy” very well.

As you visit, you will quickly learn that the park has been cobbled together over many years with seemingly no real rhyme or reason. The park has grown over the years in a pretty random fashion and it is easy to get lost. Visitors get lost so often the management has started to specially train employees to look for people staring at a map with glazed eyes and try to assist them.

Even though USH is within a working studio, I noticed that they did not adopt the use of the theatrical language that is at the heart of the Disney parks. For example, Disney has attractions and adventures while USH has rides. Disney has Cast Members while USH has employees (sometimes called Team Members). Cast Members wear costumes and play a role “in the show” while employees at USH were uniforms and do their assigned jobs. One difference that I found emblematic was the policy at Disney to force its Cast Members to go “backstage” and use the restrooms while USH figures what is good enough for the guest is good enough for the employees.

A walk through a Disney park is an invitation to find a bench and take a rest. At USH you won’t want to be sitting in one place very long. You will be bombarded by very loud music, sometimes with more then one soundtrack. One day, somebody asked me where there was a quiet spot to make a phone call. I paused. I asked my co-workers. We could not think of one spot where you won’t have to plug one ear. USH doesn’t really have those quiet spots that you find at other parks by design. However, there is one area that comes close. If you head back toward the smoking area behind the T2:3D building you will have one of the most spectacular views of the San Fernando Valley. This is a view worth seeking.

I believe USH works best when it is doing one of two things; creating an illusion that completely immerses you as if you have entered a scene from a movie or peeling back the tinsel to let you see the real Hollywood tinsel underneath.

OPTIONS

One thing you will quickly learn is USH is constantly giving you upgrade options that offer real or perceived benefits. Working through these options can make or break a trip.

You first decision is how you plan on getting to USH. The facility is right in the middle of a very dense part of Los Angeles and is truly urban theme park. One transit option is the METRO Red Line subway. The station is just across Lankershim Boulevard from a shuttle bus that will take you up the very steep hill where the USH entrance is located. My only complaint about the subway is how

If you plan on arriving by car you will be offered to upgrade to the Preferred parking section at the tollbooth. Preferred parking allows you to park close to the entrance of the theme park generally in a surface lot that is adjacent to the mall or into the top levels of the Frankenstein parking structure. The regular fee will relegate you to one of the parking structures that flank CityWalk. Remember, you have to make this decision while you have dozens of other cars lined up behind you. No pressure. In my opinion, CityWalk is a shopping and entertainment center that is a key part of the USH experience. Therefore, save the money and use it for Sparky’s Donuts or Popcornopolis for the ride home. There is also valet parking available.

You have many options when it comes to buying your admission ticket. Of course, the easiest way is to purchase your ticket online. With the online ticket in hand you can proceed straight to the entrance turnstiles.

If you must buy your ticket at the front gate then I suggest you look for any ticket booth that has a flashing light and a short line. They are usually to the right after you have gone through the security check. Often there is a roving employee who can help you find the shortest line in the morning. Most people are not listening so you can quickly get the edge and get your day started.

Now you have to figure out which of the many ticket options will best serve your needs. If you are a collector of Coke Rewards points they currently have an offer for a free ticket. The one-day ticket can be upgraded to two days or an annual pass with block out days. Annual passes are inexpensive and there is one level that gives front of the line privileges for the Studio Tour. There are even options for prepaid parking.

If you got enough money, you can buy a pass that lets you skip the lines or to gain special access. The USH Front of the Line pass allows you to enter virtually every show or ride through a specially marked door (Gate A), usually located near an exit. Keep in mind that there is a limited number of Front of the Line passes allocated every day. For the shows, you will be the first to enter the venue and you will receive preferred seating. During the busy months the Front of the Line option can save a guest a lot of time and waiting. There are times when the Gate A section really attracts a crowd but it is better then the stand by line. On a really busy day, it is the only way you can really see everything. The preferred seating areas are the best in the house.

During the slow season USH realizes that cutting to the Front of the Line is a pretty weak incentive when everything is a virtual walk on so they plus the pass with a backstage peek at three shows; Universal Animal Actors, T2:3D, and Waterworld. Members of the cast from each show are your hosts. The backstage talks give guests a better understanding of the complexity that accompanies each of the shows. The post-show for T2:3D gives you a peek at the virtually invisible mechanical effects used to integrate the performers and the movie. You also get a chance to have your picture taken with one of the robots. You will learn about sound effects, stunt fighting, and fire diving during the Waterworld post-show. The post-show for Universal’s Animal Actors is an upclose look at some of the stars of the show including a chance to take a photo of your kids with a dog!

Is the Front of the Line Pass worth it? On a very busy day, if you are trying to see everything once, then yes. On a slow day the package is a big jump in the ticket price so consider the backstage experiences and determine if that is worth the price. My general impression is no, it is not worth the extra money unless you are entertaining out of town relatives and want to make an impression. Just having the pass around your neck and entering the shows and rides through the back door may make you feel extra special.

For the high rollers there is the VIP tour. If you can afford it, I highly recommend the VIP tour. The tour will be customized toward your interests. You will have somebody at your beck and call. That guide knows the park inside and out and will make your experience seamless. You will be treated like a VIP, have a nice lunch, and get to see things that the average guest would not be able to experience. To learn more, you can find a complete run down here on MiceChat.

THE BASIC USH TOURING PLAN

What is the most efficient way to tour USH? Like any theme park, I recommend getting there early. Arrive at least one half hour before the scheduled opening time. Sometimes they will allow guests through the gates and queue just inside the park. This is very important. Be sure you pick up a map and show schedule guide. The park has a high number of shows that you have to navigate so you cannot just wing it. If you forget to grab one at the turnstile, you can find both documents at a display board just inside the park.

Here is a fun fact. Usually 90 minutes or so before the park opens, they really do roll out the red carpet.

Here is the Samland tour in brief: Go to the Studio Tour first. Then head over to the Lower Lot and enjoy the two (soon to be three) thrill rides (The Mummy and Jurassic Park). After you are done with the Lower Lot head back up one of the world’s longest escalator systems with a tremendous view to the Upper Lot for the rest of the day.

To get to the entrance for the Studio Tour take the righthand path and aim for the giant shark that is hanging from its tail. Just across from the shark is the entrance to the tour. Remember the tour is 45 minutes plus wait time so best to visit the restroom just beyond the tour entrance upstairs.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

While the environmental design for the Disney parks and Islands of Adventure goes to great lengths to create an arrival experience that allows the guest to decompress and transition from the real world to the fantasy that lies ahead. That is not the case at USH. You enter a compact courtyard surrounded by all sides with things shouting at you. Guest Relations and lockers are to the right, a big store is to the left, and then you make your way through a gauntlet of people peddling photos and credit cards. The architecture is uninspiring and for background only.

At the end of this short corridor is…well it is a giant sign for a “value” ticket booth. Unlike the other theme parks, there is no “wienie” or beckoning hand to draw you into the park. However, there is a digital display with show times, wait times, and early in the day, a helpful employee who can answer questions.

The display board is part of the central plaza area. This undefined space acts as the distribution center for the entire park. Originating from this space are multiple paths that lead to every destination. What the area lacks are spots where families could comfortably gather themselves to figure out what they are going to do. This space represents a fundamental difference between USH and the other theme parks. Characters and performers constantly bombard this area and during certain times of the year shows are schedule pretty much back to back. The area can become very congested. There is an opportunity to create a meaningful and functional space at relatively little cost by just paying attention to the details.

Any Samland reader will know that I tend to go on and on about the way the Disney parks are physically organized. Heck, I just wrote a book on the subject. So how do you make sure that you won’t get lost at USH?

USH follows the “hub-and-spoke” pattern of distribution pioneered at Disneyland. For example, there is only one way in or out of the park and that corridor leads to a central space where all of the pathways radiate out toward the rides and shows. Now this may seem logical but it isn’t. Like cow paths, the walkways just meander and it is easy to get lost. Remember, this is a movie studio and everything is temporary so USH is not laid out in any deliberate way. You will find the park map to be of no help. Of course you can always ask for directions.

However, I think I have figured out a way to make sense of the random chaos that seems to be part of the physical plan of this park. The park is divided up into three major areas. There is the Upper Lot, the Studio Tour escalator and the Lower Lot escalator. Everything is accessed via the Upper Lot.

Think of the Upper Lot as a giant loop with the entrance plaza as the starting point. Just stick to the perimeter and avoid the middle paths unless you want to get lost or explore.

The best touring plan tends to take you in a counter-clockwise direction. Once you enter go straight and stick to the right. To the right you will pass the Waterworld entrance, Shrek 4-D, The Adventure of Curious George, and the Studio Tour entrance. Continue around the loop and there is The Simpsons Ride, the escalator to the Lower Lot, Special Effects Stage, Universal Animal Actors, T2:3D, The House of Horrors, and the exit.

Of course, your touring will vary due to the show schedule. There is only one “ride” in the Upper Lot and that is The Simpsons and The House of Horrors is a walk through. Everything else is a show with a scheduled start time. For T2:3D and Shrek showtimes can vary from one show per hour to three. With so many shows, usually running at the same time, you can see why the show schedule is so important.

The one must-see show is Waterworld and it worth organizing your Upper Lot visit around one of the performances. I prefer CityWalk for lunch instead of the in-park options. Be sure to get your hand stamped.

Next week the tour will continue and we will actually go on some rides and see some of the shows. What do you think when you walk through Universal Studos Hollywood?

New Book Explores Walt Disney and His Prized EPCOT Project

PASADENA, Calf. – In the middle of Central Florida swamplands and ranch property, Walt Disney aspired to build the greatest American city ever conceived--EPCOT. While Disney would die before realizing this epic achievement, he still left behind the blueprint for one of the boldest and most unique projects ever proposed on American soil.

Gennawey has spent years researching the history of EPCOT and Walt Disney’s love for city planning while interviewing a wide variety of key players familiar with Walt and his vision for EPCOT.

Panorama: Canadian Pavilion EPCOT

2011-11-14T01:00:00.000-08:00

SAMLAND GUIDE TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD – Part 2

2011-11-10T15:36:00.000-08:00

Last week was the first installment of the Samland Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood (USH). I provided some basic information, what to expect when you arrive and how to buy tickets. Today, I will be strolling through the Upper Lot. For most visitors, this is where you will spend most of your time. The Upper Lot is where you entered. There are lots of shops and restaurants on the Upper Lot, none of which I will talk about. This series is focused more on the core of your Universal experience, we'll have to save the shopping for a future article.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-11-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

"There are many ways that you can use those certain basic things and give them a new decor, a new treatment. I've been doing that with Disneyland. Some of my things I've redone as I've gone along, reshaped them."

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-11-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

"We are not trying to entertain the critics. I'll take my chances with the public."

Panorama: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

2011-11-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

SAMLAND GUIDE TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD – Part One

2011-11-03T17:52:00.001-07:00

SAMLAND GUIDE TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD – Part One

Although I generally write about the Disney theme parks, I have been known to stray on occasion. This time I thought it might be fun to try and create a guide to Universal Studios Hollywood (USH). For a few months I worked as a minion in Show Control department as well as a few days as a Stage Manager for Terminator 2:3D (T2:3D). During that time, I learned a lot of great tricks and tips that might make your next trip to Universal Studios Hollydood more enjoyable and I thought I would share the info in a series of articles called, "The Samland guide to Universal Studios Hollywood."

Just Because

2011-11-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

Notable Walt Quotes

2011-11-02T01:00:00.000-07:00

This is a magical place. The important thing is the castle. Make it tall enough to be seen from all around the park. It's got to keep people oriented. And, I want a hub at the end of Main Street from where the other lands will radiate, like spokes of a wheel. I've been studying the way people move at museums and other entertainment places. Everybody's got tired feet. I don't want that to happen in this place. I want a place for people to sit down and where older folks can say, 'you kids run on. I'll meet you here in a half hour.' Disneyland is going to be a place where you can't get lost or tired unless you want to."

Adventureland in Disneyland - Part 2

2011-11-01T01:00:00.000-07:00

ADVENTURELAND IN DISNEYLAND – Part 2

Last week I took some time to visit Adventureland in Disneyland. The tour continues.

In 1963, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opened to the public. The Tiki Room would be Crump’s next assignment. Master scuplter Blaine Gibson was first assigned the task to create the tikis that would populate the attraction but he was too busy on other projects. So he asked Rolly to do the job. Rolly’s attitude of doing whatever he asked proved to be handy considering he never sculpted before but that didn’t stop him. Today his work not only resides at the Tiki Room but his icons have found their way to Florida’s version of the attraction and they can also be seen throughout the Polynesian Resort. Rolly was also responsible for the bird mobile in the Tiki room.

Another 1963 addition to Adventureland was a bit of humor to the Jungle Cruise. Animator Marc Davis penned a number of scenes that help to move the attraction away from being serious to the comedic. These additions include the African Veldt and the Safari having a close encounter with a rhinoceros.

Then there was nothing until 1976 when seven new scenes were added to the Jungle Cruise. In 1985, the Jungle Cruise received a much-needed major rehab. Sadly, in 1993, the Tahitian Terrace was closed and the space reappeared as Aladdin’s Oasis.

Big changes came in 1995, just in time to celebrate the park’s 40th anniversary. Indiana Jones Adventure – Temple of the Forbidden Eye, a brand-new, state-of-the-art thrill ride was installed. Plus, the Jungle Cruise was significantly changed with new boats, boathouse, and a thematic overlay consistent with Indy’s 1930s time frame.

The boathouse was given a backstory. Some say that this part of Adventureland was first discovered by French soldiers and became part of a European colonization effort. Because of the surrounding dangers, the soldiers began a business that evolved into a water safari for tourists. Since French was the international language before World War II, you will frequently find French words scattered about the waiting area. The structure was designed to imply that nature has overtaken the building. It looks like it is sinking on one side and the gaps in the rooftops and railings are damaged by tree branches. Upstairs there are dangerous insects and a cobra in the rafters. The boathouse featured music from the era plus the costumes and spiel were modified to fit within the elements of the setting.

The boats also underwent a redesign from bright colored excursion boats to something a bit more distressed. To accommodate the Indy queue, a portion of the Jungle Cruise River was moved.

Reminders of the Indiana Jones films are scattered throughout the land. A prime example is the big military truck at the exit of the Indiana Jones Adventure – Temple of the Forbidden Eye. Hardcore fans will recognize that this was the vehicle central to one of the most memorable scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark. As Indy is fighting off the bad guys he hangs on to and ultimately crawls under this truck as it is speeding along. Yes, this is that truck. The golf balls you see sticking out of the bumper were used for the car chase stunt in the film and not standard issue. Today, the truck has changed missions and is part of the "Lost Delta Archeological Expeditions."

Above the Tropical Imports store are some of Indy's findings. Hmmm. Wonder if they will make it back to the University? For a brief period in the Summer of 2008, Indiana came to life and performed in a stunt show utilizing the various building throughout Adventureland.

By 1999, the Swiss Family moved out of the Treehouse and Tarzan moved in. The 50th anniversary of Disneyland in 2005 provided an excuse to give the Jungle Cruise some major TLC. New scenes were added including the piranhas and the gun happy gorillas.

It is common knowledge that key people involved in the development of Disneyland are honored with their names on a window along Main Street. There is only one such tribute in Adventureland and that goes to one of the most important influences on the theme park industry – Harper Goff.

The Harper Goff window is just beyond the storefronts on the right hand side. You will come upon a small set of stairs. Look up at the windows on the upper floor (or walk up the steps up to the gate) you can see one stenciled with “Oriental Tattooing by Prof. Harper Goff.” On the lower pane you can see he also offers “Banjo Lessons.”

Who is this mysterious Harper Goff? Was he a character in a forgotten film? After all, isn’t the rule that everything needs to tie into another Disney property? Not in this case. Harper Goff was one of Walt’s first Imagineers and had a huge influence on the design of Disneyland. If anybody deserves to be recognized, it is Goff.

Harper Goff was born in Fort Collins Colorado in 1911. His family moved to Santa Ana and he went to the Chouinard Art Institute. From there he worked at Warner Brothers as a set designer with credits ranging from Casablanca to Sergeant York to The Adventures of Don Juan.

But it was a fateful day in England in 1951 that would change everything. Goff absolutely loved model steam trains. These miniature workhorses were very popular at the time. He was at Basset-Lowke, the place to buy a model locomotive, and spotted an engine that he wanted. He was told the locomotive was on hold for a gentleman but if he came back and the other guy did not want it, Goff could buy it. To Goff’s surprise the other guy was Walt Disney. Walt got the train and Goff got a job.

Walt assigned Goff the task of sketching out a True-Life Adventure short that was going to be called 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Goff had other ideas. He was a huge Jules Verne fan and he bravely ignored Walt’s direction and drafted sketches for a live action action drama instead including the amazing Nautilus submarine. Walt was impressed, changed directions, and produced the classic film we enjoy today.

His background as the Art Director for the movie African Queen came in handy in designing the land. Goff was the designer of the Jungle Cruise. He drew the path of the waterway with a stick in the sand and the construction people followed his direction. Goff’s influence on Adventureland cannot be overstated.

After Disneyland, he went back to films and worked on Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Voyage. He returned to Disney and thought up the way the World Showcase would be organized plus he worked on the Japan, Germany, and United Kingdom pavilions. Tokyo Disneyland was his last project before his death in 1993.

But why banjo lessons? Like many of the legendary Disney creative types, they had many passions. Along with model railroading, Dixieland music was another and he spent many years as the banjo player for the Firehouse Five Plus Two.

People like Disney trivia questions and here is a good one from Kevin Yee’s 101 Things You Never Knew about Disneyland. What is the oldest object in Disneyland? According to Yee, the answer would be the petrified tree in Frontierland. Although it was only installed in 1957, the tree itself is ancient.

But there is another object that could also claim the prize if we are limited to something that existed on the site. As a planning historian, I am always looking around cities to try and find that thing, that one thing that was there and has stood the test of time through all of the changes. In Disneyland, one of those objects is the Dominguez Tree in Adventureland.

Ron Dominguez was a young man when Walt Disney bought his family's farm. He grew up on ten acres that were along Cerritos Avenue. Cerritos went east to west between Harbor Boulevard and West Street. The street was vacated by the City of Anaheim so that Disneyland could be built. West Street later became Disneyland Drive.

The original property contained citrus groves, a house, and some mature trees. The house was moved and became construction offices. Many of the non-fruit trees were integrated into the park. Today, that orange grove is now the land beneath Cafe Orleans, Pirates of the Caribbean, the rain forest portion of the Jungle Cruise, the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, and the Mark Twain dock.

However, there was one tree in particular that held special meaning to the Dominguez family and they asked Walt if he could preserve it. This particular tree was a Canary Island Date Palm and it was planted in 1896 as wedding gift to Ron's grandparents from the area's first horticulturist.

Ron Dominguez got a job at Disneyland as a ticket taker and was there on opening day. He was a tall fellow and one day was asked to portray Davy Crockett and walk around Frontierland. He enjoyed his time for a while but the constant attention got to him and he transferred to other duties. He continued to work at Disneyland and rose to the position of Executive Vice-President at Disneyland. He retired in 1994. Dominguez was honored on Main Street with a window for “Orange Grove Property Management.”

To find the Dominguez Palm walk to the Indiana Jones Fastpass entrance. Look for the fat tall tree trunk that punches through the building. They had to build the boathouse around the tree. Next time you are in the area give it a knowing nod and think of the Dominguez family.

Exploring MORE Wilds of Adventureland - Part 2

2011-10-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Adventureland has seemingly changed little since it first opened. On opening day, the Jungle Cruise was the only attraction. By 1962, the area was freshened up with two artificial trees. One was in the Tahitian Terrace, a Polynesian style restaurant with a hula show, and the other was the Swiss Family Treehouse. You could also bag some big game at the new The Safari Shooting Gallery.

In 1963, Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room opened to the public. The Tiki Room would be Crump’s next assignment. Master scuplter Blaine Gibson was first assigned the task to create the tikis that would populate the attraction but he was too busy on other projects. So he asked Rolly to do the job. Rolly’s attitude of doing whatever he asked proved to be handy considering he never sculpted before but that didn’t stop him. Today his work not only resides at the Tiki Room but his icons have found their way to Florida’s version of the attraction and they can also be seen throughout the Polynesian Resort. Rolly was also responsible for the bird mobile in the Tiki room.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Adventureland in Disneyland - Part 1

2011-10-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

ADVENTURELAND IN DISNEYLAND – Part 1

Over the next couple of weeks I will be exploring one of my favorite spots within Disneyland – Adventureland.

Once you pass over the bridge and walk through the gateway of Adventureland, you will be transported to an exotic, fully immersive environment. This cramped corridor at the edge of civilization is loaded with texture and layers of history. So join me for a journey into the deepest darkest corners of this mysterious port of call. Let’s explore the world of Adventureland.

Adventureland is unique amongst the themed areas in Disneyland in many ways. It has a different layout than the other lands, is the smallest “non-ride” public area at Disneyland, and it has a very special history which has influenced what we see today.

I cannot quite pinpoint why Adventureland is one of my favorite spaces. Maybe it is the land’s diminutive size, which makes the details all the more interesting. It could be the influence of collecting Hawaiian shirts as a hobby. More likely it is the architecture and landscape treatment that blends African, Asian, and Polynesian influences without representing a specific place. Adventureland is the Hollywood ideal of an exotic place through the lens of the early 1950s.

The art direction for the environmental design recalls exotic ports of call that don’t really exist except in the movies. The movie African Queen and the True-Life Adventure The African Lion are frequently cite as major influences in the design of the space. The extensive plantings obscure the edges and make the land seem larger than it really is and adds an infinite horizon that is necessary for the illusion of adventure.

Let’s start our trip from the Partners statue of Walt and Mickey in the center of the Plaza Hub. Look around at the entrances of each land. In filmmaking, a common technique used to establish the scene and provide context for the remaining feature is the long shot. The long shot works because your eye captures a glimpse of color and motion and soon organizes them into shapes. Those shapes should evolve into simple storytelling icons that set the stage for what is to come later.

To the east is Tomorrowland with the Astro Orbiter rockets spinning around and rising from a hole right out front. If you look north, toward Fantasyland, you can see the King Arthur Carrousel horses prancing through the gateway of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Beyond the stockade of Frontierland are the Mark Twain and the Columbia pulling into port. When you look into Adventureland, what do you see? Nothing.

There is a bridge, a gateway, and the entrance to Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room with its iconic Dole Whip stand but no spinning or moving object beyond the boundary. Why? Why is Adventureland different and does not have a beckoning hand to lure you. Pretty simple? It is Adventureland. After all, if you could see what lies ahead it would not be much of an Adventure, right?

Adventureland is different by design. The Imagineers used landscaping, typological architectural details, and an entry path that winds its way into the space. The obstructed views only heighten the suspense. Only once you turn the corner around the Adventureland Bazaar do you get a full view of the land. The use of a deflected view adds a sense of mystery and the path narrows so you get up close to the side of the Bazaar and makes the experience intimate and almost claustrophobic. The land is dense and the scale of the landscaping overpowers the buildings.

A “handmade” bamboo gate that integrates elephant tusks into the structure defines the entrance to Adventureland. To the left is the sweet smell of the Dole Whip pineapple stand. Let’s take a moment, pass through the turnstile, and you enter the quiet, peaceful Tiki Room lanai. It is a perfect spot for a break.

A Lanai is a Hawaiian term that means an open roofed porch or veranda. In urban planning, the front porch represents a sort of semi-public/private space where there is some interaction with others but that interaction can be limited.

There is a short wall that separates the lanai from the main pathway. Once inside the turnstile you feel distant yet connected to the thousands passing by. The sitting walls invite you to sit and relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of the constricted entrance into Adventureland.

Take advantage of the Dole Whip stand. Who among us can resist? Often the lanai side has a shorter line. I hear some of you asking, “What is a Dole Whip?” It is a legendary non-dairy dessert that comes on its own or with pineapple juice. It has a soft ice cream texture. It must be healthy because it is made with fruit, right? I am sure there are more places where one can get this delicious, cold treat but in my universe it is here, in Adventureland, a stand at the Magic Kingdom in WDW, or Cap’t Cooks at the Polynesian Resort.

Settle down in a shady spot and enjoy the short film on the big screen TV built in to the Dole Whip stand. The film has not really changed over the years and it teaches us everything we need to know about pineapple production back in the day when they actually grew pineapples in Hawaii.

My favorite spot is the sitting wall along the Tiki Room show building and is shaded by Tangaroa (the big tree with flowers at the end of the branches). Even if you are not going into the show, the lanai is a treat all by yourself.

Once the film ends the show really begins. Magic comes over the lanai and the Tikis spring to life. Well, spring might be overstating things a bit. Let’s just say that they talk story and have a few special effects?

Our introductions begin with Maui who roped the sun and created the concept of time. Toward the lanai entrance is Koro. Seems Koro tends to party a bit too much. On the other side is Tangaroa-ru, the Goddess of the East Wind. She hangs out with Kina Kuluua, the Goddess of Rain. Pele spouts fire out of her head and gets Ngendei, The Earth Balancer, so shaken up he does a handstand and rocks back and forth. Rongo just plays around with a kite all day. Finally, there is Tangaroa, Father of all Gods and Goddesses (and voiced by Thurl Ravenscroft) who provides the appropriate climax featuring multiple births.

Walt first envisioned the Tiki Room as a dinner theater. The building was designed with a kitchen nearby and for many years the seats were those bought for the dining room. They tried to test the show and had it mocked up at the studios. What they found was nobody wanted to leave. They just sat there in awe. So they gave up. This is the reason why you can find one of the best bathrooms in all of Disneyland here. Just do not tell anybody.

In the original plans for Disneyland, Adventureland was going to be located on the east side of the park, just south of where Tomorrowland is today. The land was going to be based on the popular True-Life Adventureland film series. Disneyland’s landscape artist extraordinaire, Bill Evans, decided that he could take advantage of a mature windrow of eucalyptus trees to create a natural backdrop for the Jungle Cruise. The trees still stand behind City Hall. To increase the density of exotic landscaping for the Jungle Cruise he improvised by taking orange trees and flipped them so that the roots were pointed toward the sky and buried the rest. Many of the oldest trees in the park were rescued from the construction path of the Santa Ana Freeway.

Imagineer and Disney Legend Marty Sklar said that “Bill Evans defined Disney theme park landscaping, and trained just about everyone who has created theme park stories in living environments.” In The Making of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Melody Malmberg explains Evans’ approach. She said, “The first consideration was guest comfort—shade and shelter. The second was screening visual intrusions—creating a berm, a ring of earth and vegetation surrounding the park to hide the real world; or using strategic planting that camouflaged a building or electronics or lighting. The third principle was telling a story through landscaping—creating the right look for the setting, from the mixed broadleaf forest of Tom Sawyer’s Mississippi River banks to the serene gardens of Japan.”

Another change from the original plans was Walt’s desire to have real live animals along the banks of the Jungle Cruise. He was talked out of it when he learned that they would probably be asleep most of the time.

In Disneyland’s very first guidebook, Walt said that Adventureland is “the wonderland of Nature’s own design.” He went on to say, “Here you can stroll through a Tahitian village lush in its exotic beauty, marvel at the unusual exhibit of South Seas products displayed at the Bazaar, or take an explorer’s boat on a journey through tropical rivers where life-like wild animals add thrills and excitement to your trip to the far ends of the world.”

Adding to the illusion were the shops. A 1955 souvenir book boasted, “The savage beauty of the tropics and the exotic wares of South Sea Island Shops are seen in superlative degree in this Tahitian village at Disneyland.” You could “buy items from India, carvings from a Kenyan tribe in Africa, and tropical ceramics are among the rarities, displayed in the Adventureland bazaar.”

The Adventureland Bazaar has been there since day one. To entice you to shop, the 1955 Picture Book of Disneyland in Natural Color promised that the store would be filled with “items from India, carvings from a Kenyan tribe in Africa, and tropical ceramics are among the rarities, displayed in the Adventureland bazaar.” The exterior has remained relatively consistent but the interior has gone through some major changes. At opening it truly was a bazaar with little merchandise stands competing for your attention. Over time, the room was opened up into large room.

The Adventureland Bazaar received a major revamp in 1962. A young Imagineer named Rolly Crump was put in charge, his first big assignment. Roland “Rolly” Crump is one of Disney’s Renaissance men and a Disney Legend. Crump said, “I was trained by Walt to try anything that he asked me to do.”

Rolly started in the animation department but his real passion was in kinetic sculptures. This hobby would be the thing that changed his life forever. Ward Kimball saw some of Rolly’s little propeller sculptures and encouraged Walt to take a look. That got Rolly and invitation to join WED in 1959.

His credits over the 40 years he worked for Disney is endless. Some of his most notable contributions include The Enchanted Tiki Room, the facade for its a small world, elements that were incorporated into the Haunted Mansion, the Land and Wonders of Life pavilions in Epcot and, of course, the Adventureland Bazaar.

As a side note, one of the best observations about why Disneyland works came from Crump in the documentary Disneyland Secrets, Stories, & Magic. To understand why Disneyland is so magical Crump compared Disneyland to a really great salad. In an ordinary salad you may have lettuce, a tomato, and some dressing. A great salad has so much more. Maybe there are cucumbers, croutons, onions, and other goodies. Disneyland is a like a glorious, well-prepared, robust salad. There is certainly something in there that everybody can find to love. That is what makes Disneyland so special.

Back to the rehab. Today, it takes years of planning to do a project at Disneyland. According to E-Ticket magazine, in 1962, Rolly had 6 weeks, 5 painters, 5 carpenters, and a budget of $38,000. Most of the design was done on site and on the fly. He did have access to the “Boneyard”, which was the backstage area where excess and cast-off materials are stored. It is still there and a lot of the items get recycled back into the park. Wouldn’t you like to visit that area?

Next week, I will continue the tour, both in space and time. Until then, “Wake up Jose!”

Panorama: China

2011-10-24T01:00:00.000-07:00

New Book Explores Walt Disney and His Prized EPCOT Project

2011-10-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

The official press release.

PASADENA, Calf. (October 22, 2011) –In the middle of Central Florida swamplands and ranch property, Walt Disney aspired to build the greatest American city ever conceived--EPCOT. While Disney would die before realizing this epic achievement, he still left behind the blueprint for one of the boldest and most unique projects ever proposed on American soil.

Walt and the Promise of Progress City is an amazing new book that explores how Walt Disney—the master of fiction—was determined to bring new life to the non-fiction world of city design and development and, in doing so, fundamentally improve the Great American way of life.

Gennawey has spent years researching the history of EPCOT and Walt Disney’s love for city planning while interviewing a wide variety of key players familiar with Walt and his vision for EPCOT.

Walt and the Promise of Progress City (ISBN 978-0615540245) is published by Ayefour

Publishing at a list price of $19.95 for the book version and $9.95 for the Kindle version. More information can be found at www.ayefourpublishing.com.

Exploring the Wilds of Adventureland - Part 1

2011-10-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple of weeks I will be exploring one of my favorite spots within Disneyland – Adventureland.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

Panorama: Animal Kingdom Lodge Room 2258

2011-10-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

Go East or Sam Visits WDW

2011-10-13T09:06:00.001-07:00

Like thousands of other Disney theme park fans, I made the pilgrimage to the Magic Kingdom to witness the Walt Disney World resort’s 40^th Anniversary. Kevin Yee, Werner Weiss, and the Orlando Parkhopper have done an excellent job reporting on the events of that weekend. Samland is going to take a left turn so get ready for a column filled with my random thoughts about my experiences and observations of the “East Coast Disneyland.” As Hunter S. Thompson famously said, “Buy the ticket, take the ride.”

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

MY NEW BOOK

2011-10-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

PREFACE

Walt Disney was not content to be the most influential entertainment figure of the 20^th Century; he also wanted to become the most influential urban planner of the 21^st Century. What was his motivation and how did he intend to implement his vision?

My obsession with these questions started long ago—but it was not until I was reading In Service to the Mouse that I fully understood why. The book is the autobiography of Jack Lindquist, Disneyland’s first president. He was fortunate to learn his craft directly from Walt Disney. One of those lessons was that the best solutions usually came after a great deal of observation. Lindquist began to notice a certain type of guest that came to Disneyland. He said, “In the early days of the park, there were a lot of people, particularly women with small children from six to ten years of age who drove up in the morning during the summertime and bought general admission tickets for about $2.50 a day. We started seeing the same people doing this day after day: Buying tickets and dropping off their children.” I realized I was one of those kids.

From 1967 through 1973, my mother would take my brothers and me to Disneyland quite often. This was during the period when you paid for general admission and tickets for attractions were a separate charge. We did not go on many attractions because that would cost a lot of money. However, we did enjoy Walt Disney’s beautiful park. Even better, there were a few attractions that were free, including Adventure Thru Inner Space, the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. My favorite was the Carousel of Progress.

The Carousel of Progress is a time travel story—a giant turntable takes the audience from the 1890s to the “near future” and beyond. In the 1970s, the show did not end when the turntable made its final stop Guests were invited to jump on to the stage and ride the Speedramp to the upper level to view the incredible 6,900-square foot model of Progress City. Every childhood trip to Disneyland meant another spin inside of the Carousel of Progress. I knew the script by heart and would quietly sing along with the chorus. By the time we got to the final act, the one with the super rich family celebrating Christmas, I would start to move to the edge of my seat. It would not be long before I could weave through the crowd and be one of the first to make my way to the Speedramp that would take me to the model of Progress City. That way, I could linger just a little bit longer than the rest of the crowd and just soak it all in.

The Progress City model was one of the most amazing things I had ever seen, and it made a big impression on my young mind. Every chance I got, I would stop and stare at the 115-foot diorama for as long as I could. I would listen to the narration as it promised that living in Progress City would mean a great, big, beautiful tomorrow where we would all lead rich and rewarding lives. It sounded wonderful, and I wanted to know more. What would life be like in Progress City? Was the project even possible? When can I visit? Let’s journey together as we attempt to answer the questions I have asked myself since I was a little boy.

NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

Panorama: Italy or Orlando?

2011-10-10T01:00:00.000-07:00

Loew's Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando.

Samland's First Book Now Available

2011-10-06T07:10:00.000-07:00

I have just released my very first book. To learn more, visit MiceChat and take advantage of a very special offer.

The Season Pass Podcast

2011-10-05T10:05:00.001-07:00

Recently, I was a guest on the Season Pass podcast discussing Walt Disney World's 40th anniversary. On the Panel was Deb Wills of AllEarsNet, Kevin Yee of MiceAge, and Chad Emerson. I encourage you to take a listen.

Disney's Animal Kingdom: First Impressions

2011-10-04T01:00:00.000-07:00

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM

First Impressions

There has certainly been a lot of talk within the Disney online community about Disney’s recent announcement that they have formed a partnership with director James Cameron to bring to life an immersive, multi-attraction environment that recalls the lush forest on the moon Pandora from the film Avatar. The location for this new land will be somewhere in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

So, just like any good columnist, I might as well follow the herd and put in my $.02 worth. However, I am going to lean in a slightly different direction and talk about how I tend to process the underlying guiding design principles of this very unique theme park. It comes down to two ideas: Contrast and Balance.

According to architect Christopher Alexander, one of the primary design building blocks is the use of contrast. In The Nature of Order, he said that one way to create powerful, meaningful places is to use contrast because “the unity is achieved with visible opposites.” As we all know, first impressions matter. When I arrive at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, my first impression is the use of contrast in the surroundings as a storytelling and urban design device. Contrast is used to hammer home the park’s organizing themes of life in balance and the need for conservation.

Those that have visited Animal Kingdom know that in many ways it is a different kind of theme park then the other three on property. I know a lot of people who tend to say some pretty negative things about this park. You’ve heard it; “Not enough to do”, “way too hot”, “half day park”, “what happened to the Yeti? (wait that is me!?)” etc. Some of this may be true (especially the Yeti).

There is only one way to truly enjoy Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You just have to recalibrate the way you visit to really enjoy this theme park. You have to turn the dial down to slow. The Imagineers have provided you a challenge and you have to decide if you are up for it. This is a park that is designed to reward the visitor who takes their time. If you rush through it like the other three parks, you will be missing out on the best bits. You cannot skim this environment.

After you have paid your parking toll and make that big right hand turn toward the main parking lot what unfolds before you is a giant patch of hot, barren, hard asphalt, devoid of any trees or landscaping. The pavement appears to be washed out and already cracking, especially at the edges. It is as if the parking lot is ready to be returned to nature but it can’t. Not a very inviting first impression. You exit your air-conditioned car and step out into what can only be described as a lifeless place. This is one miserable place and someplace where you do not want to linger. There is one saving grace. Off in the distance, at the far edge of the parking lot is a lush, inviting tropical forest. The contrast between the trees and the dead space of the asphalt parking lot is profound. By this point, you are motivated to get to the tram to the front gate as quickly as possible. By design you will go from a lifeless environment to a place filled with life. Contrast.

Another use of contrast is embedded directly into the park’s building code. The code does not allow for any structures to be taller then the tree canopy. There are exceptions. They include Expedition Everest, which is supposed to be a mountain, and The Tree of Life, which is supposed to be, well, a tree. The design objective was to have the tree canopy rise entirely over the roofs of the buildings. The buildings would become secondary to nature. The park’s design guidelines and building code took into account the natural changes to the landscape from the start. Over time, the iconic Tree of Life would be better integrated within the landscape, as it remains the same size while everything grows around it.

Contrast is used to demonstrate how to identify when people and nature are in balance. Some say that the conservation theme is delivered in a heavy-handed fashion. Some say that it is commendable that a corporation such as Disney is using a theme park to educate the public as well as entertain them. I am more intrigue by the clever use of contrast and the transect as a way to calibrate the urban design guiding principles of each of the different lands.

In all things concerning life, there must be a balance. The circle of life and the need for conservation is the central message throughout Animal Kingdom. In environmental design, this balance is best achieved when the edges are blurred and the environment is a gradient. In the field of ecology, naturalist use transects to describe the characteristics of an ecosystem and describe the changes in ecosystems over a gradient. Architect and planner Andres Duany, said of the transect, “Certain forms belong in certain environments. Ecologists use the transect to describe how each habitat supports symbiotic sets of mineral conditions, microclimate, flora, and fauna.” An example of a transect is the progression through a sequence of natural habitats such as a shore-dune-upland to a wetland-woodland-prairie. The original idea for taking a geographical cross-section of a region and used to reveal a sequence of environments goes back to Von Humboldt in 1790. When the Transect is severely disrupted, significant environmental impacts can be felt. Virtually every attraction in the Animal Kingdom and every land deals with the impacts of a disruption in the natural transect to move the story along.

As you leave the parking lot and head to the front gate, you come across architecture that is based on the American Arts and Crafts tradition. Arts and Crafts is a style that demonstrates how man-made structures can be made compatible with the natural environment. This is not the first time Disney has used American Arts and Crafts for architectural inspiration. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is also based on this style. Within this design tradition, the blending of indoor and outdoor space is blurred, natural materials are featured, and the machine age is shunned for hand-made. The difference between the coasts is the Anaheim resort takes the style and blows up the scale beyond any real building in that style. The gateway and ticket booths in Florida are at an appropriate scale and blend into the environment.

Once you have entered the park you enter the Oasis. Here, balance favors nature. This is a land that could only exist in this theme park. The Oasis serves the same function as Main Street USA (Disneyland and Magic Kingdom), Hollywood Boulevard (Disney’s Hollywood Studios) or walking under Spaceship Earth (Epcot). The job is to create a shared experience that sets up the adventures that lie ahead. For this park, the Imagineers were trying to slow you down. They described the Oasis as a “cool, green decompression zone”. People will always run toward the Safari or Everest, so this is a feat is rarely achieved on the way into the park. On the way out, it can be a different story. From the very beginning, the Animal Kingdom was a place where the best way to get from here to there may not always be the shortest path or the straightest line. At every other theme park, it is the destination that matters. At Animal Kingdom the best way to enjoy the park is to let the journey become the thing. This park is designed to reward the guest who takes their time.

The pathways in the Oasis meander and cross under a land bridge just like the train tunnels at the Magic Kingdom. This obstruction acts like a curtain that sets up the big reveal; your first view of the iconic Tree of Life. The wide walkway over the main bridge is designed to accommodate the large crowds who just stand there and gawk. Many visitors will not realize that from the parking lot to this point you have walked up a 20-foot hill.

Like the other Disney park entrances, the Oasis funnels you through single entrance and a narrow portal to separate you from the real world and allow you to enter the fantasy world of the park. Although it may not be obvious at first, the layout for Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom are very similar. In both parks, you walk through a narrow corridor that creates a shared experience with other guests and that experience transfers you from the real world and immerses you into a fantasy environment (the Oasis and Main Street USA). The only way to really see the park’s iconic structure fully (Tree of Life and Cinderella Castle) is to cross underneath an obstruction (the rock cropping at the end of the Oasis or the tunnels under the train). The best view of the park icon occurs when you cross over a slightly elevated, very wide bridge that stretches over a waterway. Beyond the bridge is a central area that acts like the hub of a wheel and the various lands radiate out like spokes (Discovery Island and the Plaza Hub).

Discovery Island is the hub. Here nature and people are in balance. The decoration embedded in the architecture is a celebration of animals. The trees tower over the structures. The focus is on the Tree of Life at the center.

As we travel clockwise, we come to Camp Minnie-Mickey which I will ignore as it was just kind of slapped into the park at the last minute. The next land is Africa. Here, urban life was beginning to carve its way into the wilderness and people were beginning to upset the balance. However, wisely, the community pulled back and has benefited by careful stewardship of the land and the constant search for balance. The contrast is the way the wilderness frames the very urban plaza at the heart of Harambe Village. Even the main attraction, the Kilimanjaro Safaris, was primarily a battle between passive exploitation of nature versus aggressive exploitation.

Next comes Asia. Throughout Asia we see the constant struggle between man and nature. It seems that nature seems to be winning in this case. The structures are covered in plant material, which seem to be slowly destroying what was built and returning them to the soil. The two main attractions are not-so-subtle hints that people are evil and will destroy what nature has brought merely for the sake of making money. Whether that is clear-cutting a forest like the Kali Rapids River ride or tromping through sacred ground like Expedition Everest.

By the time we get to Dinoland we see exactly where former Disney CEO Michael Eisner was heading when the Animal Kingdom project began. He told his Imagineers, “You’ve got to lead with your clichés! I want a Dinoland, and I want it to be called DinoLand.” This area is the contrast to Harambe Village. There, the community has slowly integrated itself within the surrounding natural habitat. At Dinoland, they just plowed down the trees, poured concrete, and viola! Instant tourist attraction. Whether it was the meteor the destroy all of the dinosaurs or Chester and Hector destroying the countryside, life is out of balance.

So, you must be asking by now what does this have to do with Avatar. After some thought, I feel the movie is a good fit. It is a simple, heavy-handed story of what happens when life goes out of balance. It has clearly defined good guys and bad guys. It is a beautiful environment that will be hard to duplicate. However, if the Imagineers succeed, it could be spectacular, especially at night. Disney does not need to worry about taking care of more real animals, thereby saving millions of dollars that would otherwise have to go backstage. Plus, stiltwalkers and very tall people throughout America will now find new employment opportunities. We shall see in a few years.

Panorama: Back of the Disneyland Monorail

2011-10-03T01:00:00.000-07:00

Quick Disneyland Trip Report

2011-09-26T01:00:00.001-07:00

Last week I took a trip to the Disneyland Resort and look what I brought back...photos! Now if you have some problems with the color orange, I would highly recommend that you stay away from Main Street USA. If you have to go to Disneyland, enter via the Monorail. I am just warning you. Orange overload ahead.

Here is a little noticed detail that you would notice if it were not there. As you enter Disneyland and look to the right at Town Square you see a building facade that has changed many many times over the years. This space would have been the portal to "International Street." Walt wanted to use the space behind Main Street and Tomorrowland for an expansion area. Over the years, a lot has happened but this space never became public. To mask the show buildings over at Tomorrowland, the Imagineers have used very gentle reminders of other American style Main Street buildings.

Very effective.

Another fun reminder of the past is this sign attached to the restrooms just outside of Fantasyland. Once upon a time guests would have a choice of two doors to enter and exit the facilities. However, kids were getting lost. So Disney closed off one set of doors and hung this sign to make sure people knew where the door was.

Just another beautiful day here in Southern California.

Inside the Blue Sky Cellar, they have update the exhibit to feature the new Buena Vista Street entrance to DCA. For a detailed look at the new exhibit, visit Andy Castro's wrap up at MiceAge. Complimenting the Partners statue of Walt and Mickey in Disneyland is a new statue of a much younger Walt. This sets the stage for the redo where we are entering Hollywood at the time of Walt's first arrival. I am sure miniatures will be for sale very soon.

Of course, what would an Imagineering display be without models. Here is a model of Buena Vista Street. A long cry from the suburban shopping center architecture that was there before.

Speaking of models, I am a big fan of just getting down there an looking from the pedestrian's point of view. Here is Walt walking out of the castle at the model on display on Main Street.

Still one of my favorite resting places.

Panorama: One of My Favorite spots in Walt Disney World

2011-09-26T01:00:00.000-07:00

The library inside of the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

Hello Fall

2011-09-23T01:00:00.000-07:00

MICECHAT: THE AMERICAN ADVENTURE

2011-09-22T08:35:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite attractions in all of Walt Disney World is The American Adventure inside of the United States pavilion at Epcot.

The American Adventure was originally planned for a different location within Epcot. The first location was right between Future World and the World Showcase in a modern structure described by Disney “as a sleek contemporary edifice, a mammoth ultramodern structure on stilts, somewhat akin to the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC.” The building would act like a bridge and a visual barrier between the two lands. Guests would pass underneath and the ride or show would be on the second level. The idea was to make a dramatic statement like the one you experience as you walk underneath Spaceship Earth. Your first view of the World Showcase would be revealed once you exit from under the American pavilion.

READ MORE AT MICECHAT

THE MAGIC KINGDOM: A GRAND ENTRANCE

2011-09-20T01:00:00.000-07:00

THE MAGIC KINGDOM – FIRST IMPRESSIONS

A few weeks ago I took a look at first impressions and the arrival experience for Epcot. This week, I will turn my attention toward the Magic Kingdom.

Getting to the entrance turnstile at the Magic Kingdom is no easy feat. You can’t just walk up to the front door. You have make decisions on how to get there. This is all by design. Why is this so? Well, we have to visit Disneyland in Anaheim to understand why. So let’s travel back to the Disneyland area before 2001.

For many years, Walt Disney was thinking and dreaming of building a family entertainment facility. To find the perfect location, Walt hired the legendary Harrison “Buzz” Price. Price ran the Stanford Research Institute, which would later become Economic Research Associates (ERA). You can learn a lot more about Buzz Price here and here.

To give Price guidance, Walt laid down only a couple of constraints. He did not want to purchase land that was near the ocean because people would be distracted and it would be more expensive to maintain the park. What he wanted was lots of flat land. He would create his own mountains, valleys, and rivers. After considerable research Price found the perfect property in Anaheim just one hour south of Los Angeles in rural Orange County. Ever the numbers guy, Price calculated that this area would be the center of the Southern California population within 25 years. By 1980, he was only off by 4 miles.

To Price’s trained eye, the Anaheim property had a lot going for it. Adjacent to the property was the right-of-way for the Santa Ana freeway, then under construction. This major highway would connect Los Angeles to San Diego. Price knew the City Manager and he felt Anaheim was a small city with ambition. The city was looking for new industries to balance out the tax rolls.

Walt convinced his brother Roy that he was really on to something with this Disneyland idea and the two of them gave Price the go ahead to purchase as much land as they could afford, which wasn't much. Just as Walt predicted, Disneyland would become an instant hit and millions of visitors would flock to Anaheim. As much as the Disney brothers wanted to acquire more property, they found themselves priced out of the market.

While speaking to Cast Members at Disneyland’s tenth anniversary in 1965, Walt said, “If we could have bought more land, we would have bought it; then we would have control of it, and it wouldn’t look like a second rate-Las Vegas around here. But we ran out of money, and by the time we did have a little money, everybody got wise to what was going on. We couldn’t buy anything around the place at all.” Former Disneyland President Jack Lindquist noted, “Harbor Boulevard, across from Disneyland, frustrated [Walt] tremendously. He was very disappointed in the city of Anaheim for not exercising greater control of the development that existed outside the park. Less than ten years after Disneyland opened, Harbor Boulevard was an example of ugly urban sprawl at its worst.”

In the early days, the first impression most guests had was not exactly magical. What they found was jumble of tacky roadway signs that tried to compete with the iconic Disneyland gateway marquee. You turned in to the parking lot line, drove under the high-tension power line towers that crossed the property, paid your fee, and then were efficiently guided to your spot by a friendly cast member. From there it would only a short walk to a parking lot tram (unlike the way the Mickey and Friends parking structure is set up today). The tram would whisk you to the front of the park where you bought your tickets. Once you past through the turnstiles, you experience the familiar process of spaces unfolding and begin the Disneyland experience.

When Walt decided to set up an east coast operation, he knew he wanted much more control over his surroundings. He had his team secretly purchase 27,258-acres of central Florida land for $5 million through an amazing process of dummy corporations. When he was done he owned 43 square miles, twice the land of Manhattan, and enough land that the City of San Francisco would fit comfortably within his borders. Walt always said that the Florida Project gave him “the blessing of size.”

Walt knew what he wanted and he instructed his Imagineers to put the theme park at the far north end of the property as far away from the main highway as they could go. This served two objectives. First, the theme park was a familiar concept and it would become the "wienie" that would draw guest in and take them through the property past his real dream - the City of EPCOT. The second objective would be to create an arrival experience that would be far different than the one visitors experienced in Anaheim.

Back when the Magic Kingdom first opened, once guests left the main highway they had to travel almost six miles. You had to leave the safety of the newly completed Interstate highway and drive north into a vast wilderness. The Imagineers knew that they needed to reassure the visitors that that they were not just driving into a swamp in Central Florida. The solution was Cinderella Castle.

The spires of Cinderella castle are visible up to two miles away. The castle in Florida is more than twice as tall as Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. The original idea for a tall structure came from Walt. He encouraged the idea of a tall iconic design element for Disneyland but the lack of money made that impossible and it was not until the Florida project that the concept could be fully realized.

In Since the World Began, Disney historian Jeff Kurtti said the Imagineers felt it was “critical that Cinderella Castle be seen from afar.” Disney historian Michael Broggie, wrote in Walt Disney’s Railroad Story, that Walt would remind his Imagineers that “this is a magical place. The important thing is the castle. Make it tall enough to be seen from all around the park. It’s got to keep people oriented.” The castle would act as a beacon that could be seen throughout the park and by all of the resort hotels, the monorail, and the ferries in the area. The height of the castle was not just an aesthetic issue. The design process was driven by functionality.

As I stated earlier, getting to the front gate at Disneyland was pretty easy. You either walked from your car or hopped on the free tram. For many of us, we would count the tram ride as our first of the day. For Walt Disney it was all too jarring. There was no transition from the real world to the magical world beyond the gates. Walt hated that. At Walt Disney World he knew it would be different. This time he had the land.

Getting to the front gate at the Magic Kingdom is a very different experience. The actual entry turnstiles are over a mile away and guarded by the Seven Seas Lagoon filled with bacteria, alligators, and the ever-present Disney security. After you have arrived at the parking tollbooth, you continue to drive a ways to a huge parking lot. The familiar parking lot trams await and you are whisked…to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). Here you buy your tickets and then you are confronted with a decision. Which method of transport do you take to get to the next destination?

In the beginning, you only had one choice. The monorail. However, ferryboats were soon added to accommodate the growing crowds. The monorail was sleek and futuristic. It gave you a preview of the hotels, especially the spectacular atrium of the Contemporary Resort. As one Imagineer said, without the monorail the lobby would resemble “a place where the Goodyear Blimp comes to mate.” Another way to get to the front was would be by a more traditional old-fashioned ferryboat.

Today, there is yet another option. Resort guests can take a bus to a depot along one side of the theme park. Even the resort buses have a magical moment courtesy of Admiral Joe Fowler, the construction genius for both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. As the bus gets closer to the Contemporary Resort you will notice how the road dips below a viaduct. If you pay close attention sometimes you will see the ferry from the Wilderness Lodge passing overhead. The road goes below the connection between Bay Lake and the Seven Seas Lagoon. The buses then skirt around the lagoon and drop you off in an exclusive area to the side of the Magic Kingdom’s entrance.

Since people who came from the movies designed the Magic Kingdom, it seems logical that they would unfold the sequence of spaces you have to travel through as if they were storyboarding a film. The show starts with a wide shot that provides a panoramic view of the adventures that wait. From afar, the first things you spot are the spires of Cinderella Castle or the great white dome for Space Mountain. Throughout your journey, the view is constantly deflected and sometimes removed just to tease you and heightening your anticipation.

From the long shot we move toward a close up of the train station that acts like the movie theater marquee. It also blocks your view of everything behind. Once past the security gates and turnstiles, you step on the red bricks (carpet) of the movie theater lobby. Instead of a curtain hiding the screen, the Magic Kingdom uses the tunnels that go below the railroad tracks to achieve the same effect. As you pass through the tunnel (the curtain rises) the show begins with two quick visuals. The first is the immersive environment of Town Square in Main Street USA. The second comes when you move into the space and see, for the first time, Cinderella Castle from the base to the crown. Throughout your journey you have been constantly teased by the spires and now comes the full emotional pay off. The Imagineers have controlled what you can see and when you can see it. This allows them to allow for the story to unfold at their pace.

Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom would be different from Disneyland in other ways. Disney wanted to make sure that people knew that going to Walt Disney World would be much more than just another visiting another theme park. They were very keen on selling the entire resort or vacationland experience. At the time of the Magic Kingdom’s opening, Disney did not have the rights to build any hotels in California. So the emphasis was always on improving the theme park. In Florida, Disney had a chance to get in to the hospitality business in a major way.

Early promotional materials highlighted the attractions that were unique at the Magic Kingdom including Liberty Square, Country Bear Jamboree, The Hall of Presidents, Space Mountain, the Mickey Mouse Revue, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. The materials were also heavy on pushing the amenities such as boating, golfing, and other resort activities.

As you have seen, by design and at great cost, the transition from the parking lot to the Magic Kingdom’s front gate is nothing like the Disneyland arrival experience.

What was your first impression when you arrived at the Magic Kingdom?

Panorama: Animal Kingdom Quiet Spot

2011-09-19T01:00:00.000-07:00

Book Review: DFB Guide to the 2011 Epcot Food and Wine Festival

2011-09-16T14:01:00.000-07:00

As frequent readers know, I am a big fan of the Disney Food Blog and find it a wonderful way to relive past culinary delights or to anticipate new finds for my next trip to the theme parks. For a while now I have been selling their excellent Dining Guide to Walt Disney World. They now have a new e-book that is very timely – the DFB Mini-Guide to the 2011 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. The cost is a mere $13.95 (full disclosure if you buy it through Samland you will be supporting my site as well).

Bottom line. If you are going to the Food and Wine Festival in 2011 then you should have already purchased this e-book. If not, but are a big fan of the event, you may want to consider buying it as it is one of the most comprehensive summaries of the festival with lots of photos. If you don’t care about the Food and Wine Festival this is not for you.

Taking advantage of the e-book format, there are plenty of internal links and links to the Disney Food Blog website. The book promised “in-depth descriptions of events, seminars, demonstrations, and tasting option at the festival.” It also provides you the nuts and bolts on reservations and everything else to take advantage of the event including a day-by-day schedule of events.

The information is legible and well organized. The introduction is perfect for new comers and provides a good overview of the various activities. If you need more information, press the link and you will be guided to the proper page later in the book. In many respects, the information is much more comprehensive and useful then official Disney sources. Everything is laid out from the big picture down into the details. There are lots of helpful tips on how to maximize your time and get the best out of the events. Just like talking to a friend who has been many times before.

Since I will be attending the event, I was very interested to read what was new. The Ocean Spray sponsored Cranberry Bog will be a highlight I am sure. This year’s new booths will come from Hawaii (a plug for a Disney resort no doubt?), the Caribbean Islands, Portugal, and Scandinavia. The book has a handy guide to the changes in the menus of the other booths. Veterans will find this list most useful. Already marking up my copy as my must-do list.

Although Food and Wine seems like something you just do on a spontaneous level, you just can’t. If you want to get the most out of this huge event a bit of planning will really make a difference. I am not a big fan of food fairs where you stand in a line, order a tiny dish, and walk around trying to find someplace to sit only to find a place to lean as the only option. Not really my thing. Go to page 41. Here are all the tips I need to make this a fabulous experience. Thank you AJ. If you are on the Dining Plan there is clear information on how to maximize that program while attending the festival.

Probably the highlight for many will be the detailed descriptions of each booth. Containing photos of the architecture and samples of the food, you will really be in the know.

By the time you review all of the (pricy) signature events, it is refreshing to read about low-cost seminars, demos, and activities. One of the strangest moments in the book is the Eat to the Beat concert section. Not only are the artists listed but there are links to their greatest hits available for sale on iTunes ad Amazon. Half-marathon fans also get a detailed description of their event.

I think for many readers the Touring Strategies are where this book pays for itself. Whether it be a one-day or two-day visit, you will have a great guidemap. For those on a budget, this will make the event something to remember.

For veterans, the various food and drink “crawls” could provide a bit of variety. Grab your copy and I will see you at the festival.

I received this e-book from the author at no charge for the purpose of this review. Samland also benefits from sales of the book made through the links on the right hand side.

The Legendary Puss In Boots

2011-09-16T11:42:00.001-07:00

I know this has nothing to do with Disney or the theme parks but I just love this character and very excited to see this movie.

MICECHAT: Book Reviews

2011-09-15T08:15:00.001-07:00

This week I will be taking a closer look at three very different books. The first is a sequel to a coffee table sized tome filled with incredible graphics from Walt Disney Imagineering. The second book is an intriguing tale of the Disney experience as seen through the life of Herb Ryman, one of Walt Disney’s favorite artists. Finally, I look at another nearby park that is near and dear to my heart – Knott’s Berry Farm.

TO READ MORE GO TO MICECHAT