Escape from Tomorrow: a review

Last night, on Netflix, I watched the film "Escape from Tomorrow" (EFT), which takes place in the Walt Disney World resort. However, this is NOT a Disney movie, not even by a long shot. The director/writer, Randy Moore, shot this thing guerrilla-style at the parks sans the House of Mouse's permission which gives the whole film a very naughty feeling.

The naughtiness carries through to the story as well. As the film begins we see the main character, Jim, receives a phone call while enjoying the sunrise views of the Magic Kingdom from his balcony at the Contemporary Hotel. Unfortunately, the picturesque scene is shattered when it turns out the phone call is Jim's boss telling him he has been let go from his job. As Jim's day progresses, things spiral into the weird and surreal.

If you are one who enjoys surreal, drug-induced-hallucination-and-paranoia-type movies, this is right up your alley. Alas, I am not really one of those people. Some of elements could have been much worse, but still, a lot of what is in the film went beyond my taste.

The story really reminded me of Cory Doctrow's novel "Down and Out In the Magic Kingdom," which also featured a great deal of paranoia and several trippy elements. The setting probably influenced my familiarity, also. But Doctrow's story seemed to work better than EFT's which at times felt really forced.

The acting was not all that great, either. The only characters I could really get behind were the kids, although being kids in the Magic Kingdom playing kids in the Magic Kingdom probably wasn't all that tough. Especially because long days of secretly shooting a movie and not being able to enjoy your surroundings would make anyone grumpy enough to beliebably portray those children.

Overall, I would say I, personally, didn't enjoy EFT, but it isn't my type of movie, either. I would say if you enjoy campy, surreal, B-type movies, you would probably enjoy this. I'm just not one of those people.

King of the World: Hollywood Studios Addendum

With all of the rumors going around about the American Idol Experience and Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular at Disney Hollywood Studios, I have been thinking a lot about my two previous blog entries on what I would do to fix things.

First part: http://notestowalt.blogspot.com/2014/03/king-of-world-disney-hollywood-studios.html?m=1

Second Part: http://notestowalt.blogspot.com/2014/03/king-of-world-disney-hollywood-studios_10.html?m=1

Well, after some thought, I now feel this type of reorganization and re theming is a must at the studios. Why? Because it fits the current business plan for the parks, namely, synergy. If they were to theme each land in the Studios after on of their studios, then they instantly have an interactive area to promote new films.

New Star Wars film coming out? Head on over to Lucasfilm where you can meet the star of the day from that film. New Pixar film? Head over to Pixar Place where you can get your photo taken with the main character. Get the point?

The possibilities are endless! Any film from any Disney studio could be marketed and promoted right there naturally without the hassle of awkward theming. Plus, with the idea of a character or actor of the day tied directly to whatever film is being promoted, Disney can provide something guests want (fresh interactions) with a classic concept harkening back to the early days of the Studios. 

Overall, I feel confident that the core concept--re theming the Studios with lands based around each of Disney's film studios--would be just the shot in the arm DHS needs, all while maintaining the business model Disney seems to be after.

My Maleficent Review (SPOILERS)

SPOILERS! You've been warned!

Oh, "Maleficent". You raised all of our hopes: FINALLY Disney was going to give us a dark film, delving into the heart and soul of one of it's most malevolent villains. Why, oh, why did this twisted fairy wish such ill will upon the Princess Aurora and her parents? Here, we were to get those answers.

And answers we got, yes indeed. However, in order to truly enjoy "Maleficent," one had to be sure to remove his or her "Sleeping Beauty" lenses. To compare the two films--with their generation and stylistic differences--would be unfair. I can hear you now: "Why would it be unfair? One uses the other as source material and the characters are the same." To that I say, "read on!"

As I've said, "Maleficent" is based upon Disney's 1959 classic "Sleeping Beauty" about a young princess who is cursed at her official announcement ceremony by a wicked fairy (http://m.imdb.com/title/tt0053285/). "Maleficent" is billed as said wicked fairy's side of the story. Right off the bat, the audience is told this isn't the story we have heard before and, MAN, they weren't lying!

Through the story, we see Malevolent as a curious, loving young fairy, fall in love, grow to be a fierce warrior, be betrayed, and have her heart turn cold and vengeful--and that's just the first twenty minutes. Personally, I think more time could have been spent here, on the title character's backstory. Several aspects felt as if they came very quickly, like the emotions involved didn't have time to fully evolve and therefore lost their weight. With a running time of ninety-eight minutes, I think another five or ten could have been used here without hurting the film's pacing.

The whole backstory culminated with "the scene": the announcement ceremony at which Maleficent, twisted with anger and jealousy, curses the young princess Aurora. Large chunks or this scene seemed to be lifted word for word from the animated predecessor, all to the benefit of the film. This was clearly the most important scene for the filmmakers as it brought tied the audience in and told them "here is where the real story begins." What is interesting, is that one slight change was made to the wording of the curse which foreshadowed the softer version of Maleficent this movie portrayed.

The story goes on and we see Aurora growing up through the spying, ever-watchful eyes of Maleficent. That's right, huge change there, as in the source film, Maleficent spends sixteen years searching for the princess to no avail. And, not only does Maleficent keep watch over Aurora, she makes efforts to protect her. The two eventually even become friends. This was tough for me to swallow. In "Sleeping Beauty," Maleficent's goal in life was to destroy King Stephan and his family, and here she is in "Maleficent" being a guardian angel for Aurora. Something about it sat sourly in my stomach.

Frankly, most everything after this point sat sourly in my stomach. Here is where I thought the poor choices the filmmakers made really caught up with them. Certain things I was very excited to see didn't come to fruition because if said choices (the dragon). Other things which were necessary to the story seemed frivolous because of those choices (Prince Phillip). However, one decision they made (the kiss) was perfect FOR THE STORY THAT WAS TOLD. Clearly, someone high up on the Disney ladder has made a great decision about the future of Disney Princesses and it should be applauded--the message is getting out!

In the end, the hero saves the day, evil is vanquished and everyone lives happily ever after in a way completely and utterly different from the original "Sleeping Beauty." 

Overall, "Maleficent" was a good movie. The acting wasn't anything spectacular with the exception of Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. This was her movie and she reveled in it. Clearly, Maleficent represented that strong womanly character Jolie has been searching for in films like "Tomb Raider" and "Wanted," both of which failed to hit the mark. Maleficent hit the nail on the head, showing a strong woman who is loving and caring while at the same time powerful, vulnerable, and flawed. Fantastic work.

Here is my problem: this film didn't have to be called "Maleficent". It didn't have to be about Maleficent. They could have made a film about a fallen fairy out to fix the wrongs she has inflicted upon the world without using pre-existing characters. Instead, by choosing to use the "Sleeping Beauty" characters, the filmmakers open themselves up to criticism and fan scorn. Yes, we think we know the story and are therefore surprised when things don't turn out as expected, but doing that makes the ending feel hollow. I think I would have been more satisfied with all new characters and a similar story (dropping all the "Sleeping Beauty" references) than I was with what I received from "Maleficent." I will concede, though, that the name helped get me into the theater, so ultimately, I get why it was done.

I'd say, go see "Maleficent". You'll be entertained for a couple hours and hopefully your sons and daughters will come out believing true love does exist.

WDW Radio: Podcast Features #1

I've said it before (though not here) and I'll say it again (probably here) that my headphones are the only thing keeping me from losing my mind at work. Typically I'm not listening to music, but instead, I enjoy audiobooks and podcasts. Outside of Mugglenet Academia and Star Talk Radio, my podcast playlist consists of shows centered around love for Walt Disney World.

These podcasts helped inspire me to write this blog so, I thought I would do a series of features on various podcasts that I listen to and tell you how each stands out.

So, where should I start? I was thinking I should start with a feature in the podcast that got me started in my podcast craze: WDW Radio. 

WDW Radio is hosted by Lou Mongello, a former lawyer and IT director from New Jersey who decided to pursue his passion and love for Walt Disney and share it with the world. He started by writing two volumes of Walt Disney trivia before getting into podcasting. Since then, WDW Radio has become one of the most popular podcasts on the web and has been awarded the best travel podcast award every year since 2006.

What sets WDW Radio apart from the rest of the pack, is Lou's honest passion and desire to get as much helpful information into his podcast, as possible. Through his own personal knowledge, as well as a wide variety of special guests, Lou has helped teach people about ways to save money at WDW, what to do if you have special needs, various aspects of the park and greater Disney history, and any other question one may have.

However, WDW Radio is not just a stream if facts, oh no. Lou keeps things light and entertaining through fun segments like "Top 10 with Tim Foster", e-mail segments with travel expert Beci Mahnken, and walk arounds with Disney historian Jim Korkiss. All of this is enhanced by Lou's affable personality which shines whenever he is talking to a guest, whether they be reoccurring or a one-timer.

But that isn't enough for Lou. He takes things to a new level with his Dream Team Project, a charitable organization he runs to raise funds to bring children with terminal conditions and their families to Disney through the Male-a-Wish Foundation. Lou frequently run auctions or other projects to achieve these goals and uses WDW Radio to both promote and explain these wonderful endeavors.

All-in-all, WDW Radio is everything if sets out to be: entertaining, engaging, and informative. If you love Walt Disney World or are planning a trip there, I can't recommend WDW Radio enough.

www.wdwradio.com

King of the World: A Frozen Resort

I read a tweet the other day (follow me @notestowalt) asking the twitter-verse what they would do if they were an Imagineer and were tasked with making a "Frozen"-themed attraction. My mind raced to the rejected dark, boat ride themed after the Snow Queen called " The Enchanted Snow Palace" thought up by Marc Davis (http://mobile.dudamobile.com/site/jimhillmedia?url=http%3A%2F%2Fjimhillmedia.com%2Feditor_in_chief1%2Fb%2Fjim_hill%2Farchive%2F2013%2F01%2F03%2Ftitle.aspx#3122).

But then my mind started drifting and I started thinking about Disney's proposed Mineral King Resort, a development based in the Mineral King Valley of California. The resort was centered around skiing, nature activities, and shopping areas. Ultimately, the park was scrapped due to conservationalists' protests over the resorts potential impact on Sequoia National Park (http://www.yesterland.com/mineralking.html). My thinking is, why not try again, some place else?

I'm picturing a large ski resort in Colorado themed around the kingdom of Arendelle, with Elsa's castle as the centerpiece (the non-ice-crystal one). Various attractions themed around winter concepts would be found around the castle. Attractions like the "Enchanted Snow Palace" ride (imagined using Frozen characters), a bob-sled roller-coaster aka the Matterhorn, figure skating demonstrations, and a tea-cup-like ride featuring ice cubes spinning around on a sheet of ice, and the "Snowmen Serenade," among other attractions. Families could play together here as they would in the Magic Kingdom. However, I should say that I do not picture this "Frozen Kingdom" to be the same size as any of the other parks as this would be intended for people staying at the resort, not day visitors.

To one side of this play district, the town could feature shopping districts with a wide variety of shops and outlets. Imagine a place similar to Downtown Disney, but with a greater focus on stores. While all of the wonderful stores that can be found at DD would be here, I can also see more common outlet-style shops here.

To the other side of the play district, the greater town area would feature a water park in a manner similar to Blizzard Beach with lazy rivers, water slides, and wave pools. This would help attract families during the off-season when skiing is unavailable.

Behind the town would be one large, grand hotel which could feature a variety of amenities.  Various room sizes and capabilities would allow Disney to make this large hotel cover price ranges from value all the way up to deluxe in one facility.

Around the town could be nature walk spaces for hiking, horseback riding, and campgrounds. People would be able to appreciate the nature of the landscape away from the park areas.

When winter sets in, the resort could become a full-fledge ski resort catering to families looking for an all-encompassing resort with several ski-runs, spas, hot tubs, shopping, and several of the in-door attractions from the summer season.

All of this is right from the top of my head and heavily inspired by other ideas like Mineral King and the "Enchanted Snow Palace" but I still believe a Disney-themed winter resort could work and what better way to theme it than with the Mega-hit Frozen? 

Carl Barks' "Lost in the Andes": A Review

Just in case my idea for a fifth Walt Disney World park didn't tip you off, I would like to make something clear: I love Duck Tales! Since I saw it as a child, Duck Tales has struck a chord with me; nowhere else could a kid find that blend of humor, adventure, and good ol' Disney reliability.

As I got older, I became interested in comic books and was pleased to learn that Duck Tales is based upon the cartoon work of some guy named Carl Barks. It turns out this Carl Barks guy is pretty important. His techniques and styles are a major influence on today's cartoon styling, and his stories and gags have played a role in some major adventure stories we love today. Barks is generally recognized as one of the best cartoonists of all time.

Barks started with Disney as an animator on Donald Duck shorts before moving on to comic book cartoons during World War II. During his time as a cartoonist, he became known as "The Duck Man" and contributed a great deal to the Donald Duck mythos, most notably "Duckburg" and "Scrooge McDuck."

Armed with all of this knowledge, I sought out some of Carl Barks' work and was pleased to discover that Fantagraphics was in the process of publishing "The Complete Carl Barks Disney Library." I snatched up the first published volume--which was actually volume 11, I believe--"Lost in the Andes" and read it right away.

"Lost in the Andes," as I said, is actually volume 11 in the series. Fantagraphics decided to published the works starting at the peak of Barks' career and and working out toward the beginning and end of his work. This volume is part of the Donald Duck series and separate from the Scrooge McDuck series. Barks himself considered the story "Lost in the Andes" to be his best work, and I could see why.

That story in particular featured all of the things that Barks is famous for: great humor, lots of action, and fantastic art. It tells the story of Donald and his nephew's (Huey, Dewey, and Luey) trip to the Andes to find the birds that lay mysterious cube-shaped, rock-like eggs. What they find is a tribe of natives who speak with a southern accent and like in a cloud-covered tract of land unaware of the world around them. 

While this particular tale would probably be considered politically incorrect today, when taken in the context in which it was created, it was obvious why "Lost in the Andes" was so popular.

There were also several more stories in this volume as the book featured all of Barks' work from one calendar year (I believe). While most of the stories are not as good as the featured tale, each one contains all of those elements Barks' is known for.

Overall, I would highly recommend "Lost in the Andes" to anyone who likes Donald Duck or Duck Tales. I also recommend it to anyone who likes comic books, cartoon strips, or their history. Lastly, I recommend them to any fan of Disney history, as this really is a slice of that rich pie.

Fun Fact About Hubs and Spokes

Ever notice how, when you fly, your flight usually goes through Charlotte or Chicago or Dallas even though they are way out of the way?  Well, you can kinda blame Walt Disney for that.  Let me explain.

When WED (the predecessor to Walt Disney Imagineering) were designing Disneyland, they decided to lay it out using a "hub-and-spoke" system.  In the "hub-and-spoke" system, Guests are guided to a centralized part of the park, called the hub.  From there, they can choose one of several paths (or spokes) which will lead them to various areas of the park. Essentially, they chose to the design of a wheel to map out their park.  It is a very efficient system, making getting around easy for Guests.

The hub-and-spoke was not invented by Disney, but the application of the system in a theme park was revolutionary and showed on a nice scale how effective the system could be.

Soon after Disneyland opened, several executives from Pan Am (I believe, though it might be Delta) were touring the park and were amazed at how effectively the hub-and-spoke system worked and thought they could apply it to air travel.  

A few months later they had rearranged their flight patterns to have all of their flights go into a centralized hub airport where passengers could connect to other flights going to other parts of the country or even other parts of the world.  

So, when you are flying from Boston to Italy via Chicago, you can be cursing the man, the myth, the legend himself, Walt Disney and the "efficient" hub-and-spoke system.