On July 17, 1955, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California.
After 55 years, I think it’s safe to say to truly is a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.
Posts Tagged ‘Disney’
Happy Birthday Disneyland
Saturday, July 17th, 2010Happy Fourth of July!
Sunday, July 4th, 2010I was going to be patriotic today, but I’m not great at that. So instead? Disney lesson!
You might remember this chap below from a Newlywed in Dubai blog post two years ago today (see 4 On The 4th).
His name is Sam the Olympic Eagle, he was the mascot of the 1984 Summer Olympics, and was designed by artists at the Walt Disney Company.
What makes this interesting (at least, to me) is that there are two other Sam Eagles out there, both also owned by Disney.
From 1974 to 1988 Disneyland park’s rotating Carousel Theater was home to the America Sings attraction which was hosted by “Eagle Sam” who was voiced by Burl Ives.
Interestingly, once the attraction closed most of the Audio-Animatronic animals were reused in the then-being-constructed Splash Mountain, which opened the summer of 1989.
The other Sam character is Sam the Eagle the censor and cultural moderator of the Muppets, who are now owned by Disney.
My favorite Sam the Eagle line is from the Disney theme park attraction MuppetVision 3D. In charge of the show’s grand finale, Sam says he has planned “a tribute to all nations, but mostly America”.
Awesome.
Anyway, thanks for putting up with this lesson, and Happy Fourth!
Good Bye ESPN Zone
Thursday, June 10th, 2010It wasn’t a great concept – is it for kids or for drunk adults? – but it’s still sad: “Disney to close 5 ESPN Zone restaurants.”
They’re keeping the one at Disneyland’s Downtown Disney and one near the Staples Center in LA.
Nadal at Disneyland Paris
Thursday, June 10th, 2010My wife likes tennis, I like Disney. Put them together, you get Rafael Nadal at Disneyland Paris celebrating his fifth French Open:
New Logo for California Adventure
Tuesday, June 1st, 2010They released the new logo for Disney’s California Adventure park the other day on the Disney Parks Blog: “First Look: New ‘World of Color’ TV Spot.”
Check it out:
Here’s the old logo:
I’m not sure I like the new logo. It’s much too cartoony for the park. Sure, there are quite a few things wrong with the park, but the old logo was pretty classic.
Disneyland Hotel Pool
Friday, May 28th, 2010Yesterday the Disney Parks Blog released some concept art for the Disneyland Hotel Makeover. One of the centerpieces of the blog is the redesign for the pool that lies at the center of the hotel’s three towers. Currently the pool is themed to Peter Pan characters. Soon it’ll be a little bigger and splashier (excuse the pun):
Showing my age, as soon as I saw this I thought, “But they just re-did the pool the year I moved to California!”
Which was in 1998.
Yeah, I guess it’s time for a makeover, eh?
Star Wars Video
Thursday, May 20th, 2010Ha!
Star Wars Weekends kickoff tomorrow at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney-MGM Studios).
The Roy E. Disney Animation Building
Thursday, May 13th, 2010
You might recall my mentioning how Roy E. Disney, Walt Disney’s nephew, passed away back in December (see Roy E. Disney).
I forgot to tell you that, at a memorial service in January , the company announced they were renaming the animation building on near the Disney Studio Lot the “Roy E. Disney Animation Building”.
Wow.
I was legitimately touched when I read this, that was the building in which I worked for a good number of years around the turn of the century.
Of course, it might be confusing to folks in Burbank as there’s already a Roy O. Disney Building named after his father (who was Walt’s brother and business partner). It’s sadly the ugliest building in Burbank, a brute of a concrete 1976 mess, not unlike Boston City Hall, actually.
Anyway, apparently on Friday they had the official dedication of the building.
Here’s a photo:
Wow.
Suicides at Disneyland Resort Paris
Thursday, April 15th, 2010Poor Disneyland Resort Paris. It’s been the red-headed step child of the Disney family for close to two decades now, ever since it was known as “Euro Disney.”
Apparently three employees at the resort have committed suicide over the last few months: “Disney resort hit by staff suicides.”
While that’s tragic, I hardly think the working conditions could be “brutal”.
But then again, it’s all perspective. I’m sure there are cultural hiccups at play – what’s a fair practice to American workers might not fly in other places.
At least the article didn’t mention how the park didn’t allow wine when it opened in 1992. Criminy, they always seem to mention that. It’s like the go-to line for how culturally insensitive Disney was back in the day. But they never mention how the current Chairman and CEO is French. Never. Mais non!
New Disney Cruise Ship
Thursday, April 1st, 2010Here’s a light but interested piece on the new Disney Cruise ship that’s in the works – specifically from a technology point of view: “5 Ways Disney’s New Cruise Ship Will be Wired for Family Fun.”
Sounds kind of cool.
What’s Wrong with WDFA?
Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010Robert Foster’s Autobiography
Wednesday, March 17th, 2010I’ve been thinking about that new Disney book Project Future that I was telling you about yesterday (see New Disney Book).
I’m psyched for it, but there’s another book that I really want to read.
Sadly, it’s unpublished.
I swear I’ve talked about this before, but I can’t find the link. See, in the late 1960s when Walt Disney wanted to build what became Walt Disney World he sent a company lawyer to Florida to start buying up land.
And that lawyer, Robert Foster, wrote his story down.
From what I know it’s a story of pseudonyms and shell companies, determining who owned the land (and the mineral rights to said land) – probably all of the stuff in the new book above.
Sadly, Foster, who used the name “Robert Price” to keep his identity secret, never got his book published.
(And Foster/Price shouldn’t be confused with Harrison “Buzz” Price, whose Walt’s Revolution!: By the Numbers is a nerdy good read).
Foster/Price did, however, get a window on the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, USA as both “Foster” and “Price”, a rare feat.
New Disney Book
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010How have I not heard of this book?!
If this were any more up my alley I would have written it! Check out this Orlando Sentinel article: “Talking With Chad Emerson: A ‘spy-like’ start for Disney.”
It’s out now, and affordable for someone’s birthday two weeks from today … (cough amazon.com link cough).
Shermans Get a Window
Friday, March 12th, 2010Robert and Richard Sherman are the songwriters behind a host of tunes from Disney movies such as Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and The Aristocats as well as theme park attractions such as It’s a Small World, Carousel of Progress (both the original and the 1975 revamp), Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, and my personal favorite, Journey Into Imagination.
Well yesterday they received the highest honor that a Disney theme park can bestow – a window on Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A.
Check out: “Songwriting brothers get window in Disneyland.”
A Letter RE: Disney Remakes
Monday, March 8th, 2010February 8, 2010
Rich Ross, Chairman
Walt Disney Studios
500 S. Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Dear Mr. Ross,
Congratulations on recently being promoted to Chairman of the Studio! I have a few ideas I wanted to share with you, hope you don’t mind.
The first is the big rumor of the week – you probably saw it – from some obscure Austrailian website that Disney is going to remake 1989’s Honey I Shrunk the Kids. An odd choice, but I guess it’s possible. Look at Tim Burton and Disney’s Alice in Wonderland this weekend. Congratuations on that, by the way. People sure do like movies that they’ve seen before.
I honestly was hoping that Disney was getting away from the remakes, though. For a tear in the late 1990s it was all the rage – 1996 had the live-action 101 Dalmatians, 1997 saw Robin Williams’ Flubber, Christina Ricci’s That Darn Cat, Brendan Fraser’s George of the Jungle and Leslie Nielsen’s Mr. Magoo, 1998 had Mighty Joe Young and Lindsay Lohan’s Parent Trap, 1999 had My Favorite Martian, Tarzan and Matthew Broderick’s Inspector Gadget.
After a few years sans-remakes (I like to call them “The Years in Which Peter Schneider Tried to Bring Sanity to the Walt Disney Studios”) they were off like a photocopier machine making copies of old scripts again in 2003 – The Country Bears, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Freaky Friday with Lindsay Lohan, The Haunted Mansion and The Young Black Stallion.
It calmed down a bit after that shock – 2004 had Around the World in 80 Days, 2005 had Herbie: Fully Loaded again with the Lohan, 2006 saw The Shaggy Dog with Tim Allen, in 2007 nobody saw Underdog, and last year had Race to Witch Mountain with The Rock and A Christmas Carol.
What’s my point?
Am I trying to shame you guys into making an original movie by listing some of the worst films ever to grace the silver screen (yes, silver screen only – I left out remade-for-television movies, such as 1995’s Kirk Cameron gem The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes)?
Not really. And I’m sure you wouldn’t stop either, not when your predecessors thought we needed a live-action The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2010), another foray into the Swiss Family Robinson (2012) or Zemeckis screwing with the Beatles’ Yellow Submarine (2012).
But I know you’re not into it. Your into High School Musical and Camp Rock and Cadet Kelly stuff. I know.
But if you have to do these, why not Splash?
Why not remake the 1984 romantic comedy?
Of course, with a few changes.
The first thing we’d have to change is the name “Madison”. Remember when Daryl Hannah sees the “Madison Avenue” road sign and says her name is “Madison”? And Tom Hanks says, in his Hanksian way, “That’s not even a name!”
Well, it is now. In fact, it was the sixth most popular name for girls born in 2009.
So I think this time you go with something totally outlandish. What about Zalophus californianus? I can see “Zalophus” being a popular name in 2036 …
And there can’t be as much nudity as there was in the original, either. PG in 1984 is way different than PG in 2010. Remember when Daryl Hannah was walking up to the Statue of Liberty and you could see her entire naked rear-end? That’d be Rated X these days! You can’t do that!
And cut the swearing, too. I remember a few bad words that we can’t have in a Disney movie.
What if it was in San Francisico, instead of New York? Nobody wants to think of anything coming out of the polluted New York waterways anymore.
As for a lead, what if we switch it up? I’m thinking The Rock as the mer-man, and maybe Amy Adams as an organic wholesale fruit and vegetable shop owner.
Allen Bauer, meet “Allie Bauer”.
And the government has to be the bad guy. Scientists were bad guys in 1980, but now I’m thinking a power-hungry Homeland Security manager or – ooh, ooh, Senator (people still hate the government, right?). Eugene Levy could play Senator Walter Kornbluth who wants to control the mer-man for, I dunno, a weapon. And he doesn’t want to be a weapon, he just wants to cruise around San Francisco bay all day long.
The Jonas Brothers could play a song.
Zac Efron as the John Candy role. But less womanizing.
Zack and Cody from the Suite Life of Zack & Cody could be the wacky neighbors.
Selena Gomez could be the mer-man’s daughter (he’s a widower).
And I keep forgetting, is Miley Cyrus done with Disney, or not? If she’s still around, we could work a role (and a song) in for her. And if she is done with Disney, does she have any siblings? If not, can you talk to Billy Ray about getting another Cyrus or two?
What am I saying, he’s from Kentucky, he’s got to have a few more legitimate (or otherwise) kids around. Do some snooping. Find his high school, er, middle school girlfriend.
So what do you say? Are you with me? Splash, coming in 2013 from Walt Disney Pictures??
Have your people call my people.
Sincerely,
Josh Edwards
PS – Go Wildcats!
Disney Gets Bad-Ass
Friday, March 5th, 2010If you care about this sort of thing, you’ve probably already seen this. But on Wednesday, Disney Channel announced a 10-part Tron series for fall of 2011.
Disney XD (another channel, formerly known as “Toon Disney”) confirmed Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes for this fall. Check this out:
Dumbo on Broadway
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010Annnnnnnnnnd the worst idea I’ve heard this week is that Walt Disney Theatrical Productions, or Disney Theatrical Group, or Disney on Broadway, or whatever Tom Schumacher’s calling his cadre this week, wants make a Broadway version of Dumbo: “Disney’s ‘Dumbo’ bet.”
Ugh.
Stupid, useless, and a waste of money.
Imagine a chorus of blackface crows. In 2010.
Gee Tom, are you trying to ruin another corporate division?
What’s next, Song of the South?
Criminey.
Lost Theme Park Attraction
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010I have no idea what website this came from, or what a “PaleyFest” is, but this article popped up on my radar yesterday: “‘Lost’ Creators Want to Get the Finale Right – PaleyFest Report.”
Most of it was useless info, but then there was this bit:
the most exciting bit of news for series fans might be that Disney is considering turning the island attraction at Disneyland (once the ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ Tree House, later a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’-themed scene). Yes, ‘Lost Island.’ Theme park fans should stay tuned.
Awesome!
The problem is … it doesn’t make sense.
See, Disneyland (in California) had a Swiss Family Treehouse that turned into Tarzan’s Treehouse about a decade ago. No Pirates to be seen.
In case they messed up their coasts, Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdon (in Florida) has a Swiss Family Treehouse that’s still Swiss.
The Pirate Treehouse just doesn’t exist.
I think the attraction to which they are referring is actually Disneyland’s Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island.
In 2007 the island, formerly all Tom Sawyery, was invaded by Pirates for the release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. They still haven’t left yet.
It’d be relatively cheap to overlay Lost on the island, and it’d be a huuuugggggeee draw. Especially for the repeat crowd in Southern California.
Yep, Sawyer on Tom Sawyer’s Island? Let the in-jokes begin …
Where’s Katzenberg?
Sunday, February 28th, 2010This one is a half-percenter, but it’s the kind of thing the internet loves, so here we go.
Last week I talked about the trailer for the new documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty about Disney animation’s revival (see Waking Sleeping Beauty).
The image on the poster is old fashioned castle surrounded by dynamite and explosives with the plunger in the foreground:
I knew I’d seen the image before, turns out it was a goofy sketch that co-director Kirk Wise drew during Beauty and the Beast of then Disney Studio head Jeffrey Katzenberg:
Interesting how they removed Katzenberg from the movie poster.
Not surprising, considering he runs DreamWorks Animation, Disney’s main rival, but still, interesting.
Wide World of Sports Rebranding
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
While I guess the signs have been changed for some time, today’s the official relaunch of Walt Disney World’s Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex as the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Even though I’ve been to WDW several times since the complex opened in 1997, I’ve still never seen it.
Maybe next time …
