Disneyland Park Update

Update for April 7 – April 13, 2008

Go directly to: News & Views | Current Refurbishment/Attraction Closures | Park Events | Discounts and Promotions | Park Schedule/Blockout Dates

News and Views

Marty Sklar speaks out about rumored changes to “it’s a small world.” | Mr. Potato Head goes to California (and Florida) | Julie Andrews event update | Mickey wants to know where you are… | Get ready for Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival| This and That

Marty Sklar speaks out about rumored changes to “it’s a small world.”

The Walt Disney Company usually avoids public debates about rumored or even confirmed plans for future development, so the company’s response to the controversy surrounding alleged proposed changes to Disneyland’s classic “it’s a small world” attraction was unexpected and surprisingly pointed. Media furor began in March when the ReImagineering Blog (link) published an open letter written by Kevin L. Blair, son of Disney artist Mary Blair, to the Walt Disney Company protesting rumored changes to the ride, in which he said, “As I understand the changes include the addition of the Disney Characters (Mickey, Minnie, Lilo & Stitch, etc.) to the ride in select areas, and the replacement of the “Rainforest” section with Mickey Mouse in a tribute entitled ‘Up with America.’ “

In a statement to the Los Angeles Times a day after Blair’s letter was published, Walt Disney Imagineering spokeswoman Marilyn Waters said, “No one approaches our classic attractions with more reverence than Disney Imagineers who take great care when refreshing beloved attractions. As with all our classics, any enhancements made to It’s a Small World will be in the original spirit of celebrating the children of the world.” A few days later the ReImagineering Blog posted an entry simply titled “With Utmost Reverence” (link), with Waters’ quote printed below a photograph of the much-maligned “Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management” attraction at Walt Disney World.

Disney’s next response came when Imagineering confirmed that an Alice in Wonderland figure would be added to the attraction’s England section, and used an Alice sketch by Mary Blair to illustrate the proposed addition (link). Fans rallied on discussion boards and protest sites like Savethesmallworld.com (link), and the controversy began to attract the attention of national media including TMZ.com and National Public Radio.

In an effort to perhaps put the controversy to rest and address the criticisms of those who insist Walt Disney would never have approved such changes, Executive Vice President and Ambassador for Walt Disney Imagineering Marty Sklar issued a public statement last week, flatly denying many of the changes Kevin Blair claimed the company was making to the ride:

“A MAGIC KINGDOM OF ALL THE WORLD’S CHILDREN”

A local newspaper reporter got it right when she wrote that, after we updated Pirates of the Caribbean last year, “many fans grudgingly acknowledged that… the additions may make the ride more appealing to young park goers.” Now, based purely on rumors that are mostly inaccurate, we are being criticized for touching another one of Walt Disney’s “classics.”

We all agree that “It’s A Small World” is a Disney classic. But the greatest “change agent” who ever walked down Main Street at Disneyland was Walt himself. In fact, the park had not been open 24 hours when Walt began to “plus” Disneyland, and he never stopped. Having started my Disney career at Disneyland one month before the park opened in 1955, I can cite countless examples.

Like all my colleagues at Walt Disney Imagineering, I was pressed into action to help make “It’s A Small World” happen at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. We were all working to complete and open Ford’s “Magic Skyway” and General Electric’s “Carousel of Progress” (I worked on both) as well as “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln” for the State of Illinois. But 11 months before the World’s Fair opening, Walt agreed to do “a salute to the children of the world” for UNICEF, and all the Imagineers somehow made it happen.

Mary Blair’s illustrations were, of course, the spark. But this was one of those great Disney “team efforts,” and many Disney legends joined her: Marc Davis; Blaine Gibson; Rolly Crump, Harriet Burns and numerous others. And, of course, Bob and Dick Sherman added that song we can’t get out of our heads. I interfaced with all of them to write and produce a 24-page souvenir book that was sold at the Fair, because Walt wanted to showcase and thank the team for an extraordinary accomplishment.

Now the rumors are swirling that we are “ruining Walt’s creation.” I’ve heard that we are planning to remove the rainforest, add Mickey and Minnie Mouse, create an “Up with America” tribute, to effectively “marginalize” the Mary Blair style and Walt’s classic (all not true).

In fact, just the opposite is true. We want the message of brotherhood and good will among all children around the world to resonate with more people than ever before, especially today’s young people. Our objective is to have everyone who experiences “It’s a Small World” understand (in the words the Shermans’ wrote 44 years ago) that “there is just one moon, and one golden sun, and a smile means friendship to everyone.”

To make “It’s A Small World” even more relevant to our guests, Tony Baxter (who created the concepts for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain and other Disneyland classics) and I arrived at the same place eight years ago. To accomplish our objective, we decided to seamlessly integrate Disney characters into appropriate thematic scenes in the attraction, and do it completely in the distinctive “Mary Blair style.” We spent many long months exploring ways to accomplish this.

We are not turning this classic attraction into a marketing pitch for Disney plush toys (rumors to the contrary). Between Tony, our chief designer Kim Irvine, and me, we represent 128 years creating Disney park entertainment and fun for literally billions of guests around the world. We are not “young marketing whizzes” trying to make a name for ourselves. We were fortunate to have trained, and worked with, all of Walt’s original Imagineers.

In the Shermans’ song, it’s the oceans that are wide, and the mountains that divide. Our goal was, and always will be, to bring people together, and keep this classic “the happiest cruise that ever sailed around the world” (words I personally wrote for that souvenir guide nearly half a century ago).

Or, as Walt Disney phrased it in his introduction to that guide, “a magic kingdom of all the world’s children.”

Martin A. Sklar
Executive Vice President
Walt Disney Imagineering
Imagineering Ambassador

Not to let Imagineering have the final word on the subject, ReImagineering has begun to post to their Web site a series of letters from Disney animators, artists, writers, directors and producers, including Pixar director Pete Docter (link). And while the timing may be entirely coincidental, the Los Angeles Times editorial board set its sights on Disney’s California Adventure with an editorial this weekend titled “Disney, we are not amused” (link).
 

Mr. Potato Head goes to California (and Florida)

The audio-animatronic Mr. Potato Head figure that will serve as the “Boardwalk Barker” for the new Toy Story Midway Mania attraction at Disney’s California Adventure made an early public appearance last Thursday, and videos of the performances have cropped up on YouTube. In the two videos below (the first is shorter, for those who just want a quick peek), Mr. Potato Head interacts with the audience and even removes and replaces his own ear. The Walt Disney World model was tested in Florida the next day. The DCA attraction expected to officially open the weekend of June 13-15, 2008, though cast previews and “soft-openings” are rumored to begin well before that date.

Julie Andrews event update

Signed copies of Julie Andrews’ new autobiography Home: A Memoir of My Early Years sold out in under 10 minutes when Disneyland began accepting online orders last week. Fans who could not get a copy of the book through the Disneyland Web site now have to decide whether to brave the crowds to purchase a copy tomorrow (Tuesday, April 8) when the actress appears at Disneyland for a book release and signing session. Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the Art of Disney Gallery on Main Street starting at park opening; the signing event will be held at the Main Street Opera House from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Please see the event Web site (link) for detailed information about wristband distribution and signing event policies. We expect that this will be a very popular event, so plan accordingly.

King Arthur Carrousel reopened last week after a lengthy refurbishment. Photo by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix.

MousePlanet columnist David Koening reported in his blog last week that Jingles, the lead house of King Arthur Carrousel, will be dedicated to Julie Andrews during a ceremony in Fantasyland earlier that day. The Carrousel reopened last week after a seven-week refurbishment (link).

Local fans who do not want to brave the Disneyland crowds—or pay for admission—can attend one of Julie Andrews’ other local appearances:

• Thursday, April 10 – Borders Books in Westwood from 7 to 9 p.m.
• Sunday, April 13 – The Wonder of Reading event at the Arclight Theatre in Hollywood from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Friday, April 18 – Writers Bloc in Beverly Hills from 7:30 to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, April 27 – Los Angeles Times Festival of Books (link).

Mickey wants to know where you are…

MousePlanet columnist Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix stumbled upon a test of new technology at Disneyland last week. From her MousePlanet blog (link):

Upon entering the fictional theme park in author Lincoln Child’s “Utopia,” visitors are given a small lapel pin that serves as their admission media and tracking device. As explained in the book, park management uses the device to track their movements through the park.

It’s been a while since I’ve read the book, but I recall thinking that the metrics possible through such a system are astonishing. How long does a guest really spend in line for attractions, waiting for a table at lunch, browsing the gift shops?

What little tweaks can the park do to alter pathing through the parks, to draw people out of congested areas and into less frequented attractions – or to get more of them into shops and restaurants?

The technology to do this sort of tracking has been available for years, but never implements on the scale Child suggested in his book. After all, people are already concerned that someone with a high-powered RFID scanner could determine what brand of razor they use without ever stepping foot into their home. It’s a tough sell to get consumers to agree to be electronically tracked and monitored while they visit Disneyland.

Certainly, most guests understand that there are video cameras everywhere. However, being caught on camera is a different experience than having something physically attached to you. At least with cameras there’s a perception that you can avoid them if you wish. Not so when your park ticket emits a constant “here I am!” alert to Mickey’s wireless network.

Yet, what if Disney offered this tracking device in the guise of a park guide? What if Disney handed the consumer a handheld device that would let them navigate through Disneyland? Something that would show their current location on a virtual map of Disneyland, give them estimated wait times of nearby attractions, show them which restaurants have open tables, alert them to the next showing of the parade, or invite them to a character meet-and-greet with Mickey?

Yesterday, Disneyland tested a device that does at least the first two. Some visitors were approached as they entered the park yesterday and given a portable GPS device to play with. I was not selected for this trial, but I saw them in action. So far the device seems to offer little more than a park map with a “You Are Here” icon, but everything else I described above could easily be added with existing technology, some of it already in the parks.

So, are you willing to let Mickey’s shadow follow you around Disneyland, if it means you can find out when the line for Finding Nemo gets under an hour? How many perks and features will it take to get you to shrug off your presumed privacy? And do you really care if Mickey knows how often you go to the bathroom?

Get ready for Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival

Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival begins this Friday, April 11 at Disney’s California Adventure, and tickets are still available for the Chappellet Winery dinner on April 11 and the Festival Wine Receptions on April 11 and 12. Make reservations on the event Web site (link).

The complimentary events kick off with the Delicious Desserts demonstration at 11:00 a.m. in the Bountiful Valley Farm area. Chef Jamie Gwen hosts demonstrations at 2:45pm and 4:45pm in the Bountiful Valley Farm area. A complete list of the complimentary events for the weekend is available on the event schedule page (link).

The first cookbook signing event of the festival is on Saturday from 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Festival Gift Shop, and features Chef Cat Cora. A detailed schedule of signing events and artist demonstrations is listed in the Events section below.