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A special talkin', blinkin', name changin' and swan boat ridin' edition of Why For

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Jim Hill

A special talkin', blinkin', name changin' and swan boat ridin' edition of Why For

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7 Sep 2006 9:00 PM
  • Comments 17

First up, Roger A. writes in to ask:

Jim,

We just went to see Disney Live!, the new touring magic show this weekend, and were very impressed that Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, and Daisy all had mouths that moved in sync and their eyes blinked.


Copyright 2006 Disney/Feld Entertainment

Do you know if there's any plans to use these impressive new heads in the parks, such as during the parades and stage appearances?

Roger

Roger:

Actually, the Walt Disney Company has had character costumes that are capable of doing the whole mouth-moving-eyes-blinking thing for at least 10 years now.

I remember how -- back in October of 1996 -- my ex, Shelly Smith, came back from this gala event that the Mouse had held at the Orlando O-rena in honor of WDW's 25th anniversary. And she was just raving about how -- as part of this elaborate indoor pageant -- the mouth of the Mickey rubberhead that was featured in this show had moved in perfect synchronization with the dialogue that Wayne Allwine had pre-recorded. Which gave the impression that this walkaround version of Mickey Mouse could really speak.

Mind you, this talking-walkaround-character idea actually dates back to the 1960s. In his wonderful behind-the-scenes-at-the-Mouse-House book, "Justice for Disney," Disney Legend Bill Justice describes how he experimented with strapping a portable reel-to-reel tape recorder to Disneyland cast members. And on this tape recorder would be pre-recorded dialogue for a particular Disney character. Which (once this Disneyland cast member put on the appropriate costume and then turned on the tape recorder) would give the impression that this walkaround character could actually talk.


Illustration from "Justice For Disney" showing how
Bill Justice would create character costumes for the parks
Copyright 1992 Tomart Publications

Unfortunately, the only character costume that was actually big enough to hide the bulk of a 1960s era portable tape recorder was Brer Bear. So the in-park test for this pre-recorded voice track featured this "Song of the South" character saying things like "Howdy!," "Have you seen Brer Rabbit?" as well as singing "Zip a Dee Doo Dah."

Which (admittedly) sounds pretty cool. Unfortunately, due to the weight & the thickness of the Brer  Bear costume, this pre-recorded voice track (even when it was played loud enough to almost deafen the Disneyland cast member who was inside the costume) came through as ... Well ... muffled. So, basically what you got was -- from your up-close-&-personal encounter with this experimental talking-and-singing "Song of the South" character -- was the impression that Brer Bear mumbled.

So Bill Justice's idea was tabled for about the next 20 years. Mind you, the Imagineers would periodically revisit this talking-character concept. And -- in the end -- the wizards of WED would eventually come up with a working prototype. The only problem was ... The technology involved with making this talking/blinking character head work was so delicate that it would repeatedly break down. Which meant that it just wasn't practical to use these heads on a day-to-day basis in a theme park environment.

Which is why these talking-blinking character heads wound up being reserved for special occasions. Moments when the Mouse really wanted to wow people. Like Disney World's 25th anniversary gala.


Copyright 2006 Disney/Feld Entertainment

Now as to why this technology is now being used as part of a Feld Entertainment show ... Let me be blunt here: The folks at Feld still  pride themselves on putting on a quality show. Which means that they're willing to spend the money to make sure that these talking-blinking character heads work on a daily basis. That's why they've hired technicians to travel with the "Disney Live! Mickey's Magic Show" whose only job is to keep these heads in good working order.

Of course, to be fair, Feld only needs these talking-blinking character heads to work for three shows a day. Which is the typical weekend performance schedule for "Mickey's Magic Show." On most other days, these heads have to be in good working order for just a single performance, sometimes two-a-day. Which is hardly the sorts of conditions that this technology would be exposed to were these talking-blinking heads to be used at the Disney theme parks.

Still, one hopes that -- with the advancements that are made annually in various technical fields -- that a sturdy theme-park-friendly version of this talking-blinking-character-head technology will eventually become available. More importantly, affordable.

So hang in there, Roger. You may yet get the chance to chat with Mickey Mouse at your favorite Disney theme park and then have that Mouse talk directly back to you. Here's hoping that this technical innovation arrives sooner, rather than later.

Next up, Jonathan W. from the U.K. writes in to say:

Jeff M

Just the quickest of quick emails. I know Disney have recently acquired Pixar, but with the pixar studios chruning out great films such as bugs life, nemo, monsters, incredibles, toy story, these films would be fitting for any studio park. We have seen some of these films already turned into rides.

How about Disney changing the Florida park to Disney - Pixar studios, to replace MGM?

Just a random thought and out of all the cool fan sites i follow, thought i was best placed to share it with you.

Jonathon W.
England

Jonathan --

You wouldn't happen to be a member of the Psychic Friends Network, would you? The reason I ask is that -- just as Mark Goldhaber mentioned in the "Quick Takes" section of his Walt Disney World Park update column over at MousePlanet earlier this week -- there have been an awful lot of talk coming out of the studios lately about a possible upcoming name change for that theme park.

Why a name change? More importantly,why now? Well, you have to understand that the Walt Disney Company's original licensing agreement for use of the MGM name in a theme park setting actually expired last year. On June 27, 2005 to be precise. And given that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer now plans to lend its name to a studio park that will be opening in Busan, South Korea in 2010 ... Well, they'd kind of like their name back now.

Sooo ... For the past 15 months, Disney has been taking advantage of a grace period that was reportedly built into the original MGM licensing agreement as the Mouse carefully reviewed its options. And given that the company just spent $7.4 billion to acquire Pixar ... It seems like sort of like a no-brainer to try & recover some of those costs by rebranding MGM as the Disney-Pixar Studio theme park.


NOT the official new logo for the soon-to-be-renamed theme park
Just a little Photoshop fun by Nancy Stadler

As for a possible timetable for this name change ... I'm told that Disney is now looking at the Fall of 2007. With the actual name change supposedly happening on or around October 1st. Which typically is when WDW Press & Publicity holds its annual press event.

Mind you, Disney would allegedly use this same press event to open Disney-MGM's newest attraction, "Midway Mania." Which -- not-so-co-incidentally -- will be themed around characters from the two "Toy Story" films.

And about this same time, a version of Disney's California Adventure's "Block Party Bash" (Which -- as Disneyland publicity so aptly describes this street party -- " ... stars your Pixar Film Pals") would reportedly begin rolling through the studio theme park each day. And the characters from "Cars" would supposedly start making cameo appearances in the "Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show."  With the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" Movie Set Adventure then being rethemed around the characters from "A Bug's Life."

So as you can see, over a relatively short period of time (More importantly, not for a huge pile of money), Disney-MGM could quickly become the theme park that every Pixar fan has to visit whenever they vacation at Walt Disney World.  

Ironically, the one man who allegedly has some real reservations about this plan is Pixar's own John Lasseter. "And why would John Lasseter be against the idea of renaming MGM the Disney-Pixar Studio theme park?," you ask. Well, the way I hear it, given that -- over the next 12 months -- Epcot will be opening its newly rethemed "The Seas with Nemo & Friends" pavilion ...


Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises

... And "Finding Nemo -- The Musical" will be opening at Disney's Animal Kingdom ...


Copyright 2006 Disney Enterprises

While the Magic Kingdom gets the Laugh Floor Comedy Club. Meanwhile out in California, Disneyland gets the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage while DCA gets its very own version of Midway Mania. And let's not forget overseas, where Tokyo Disneyland will soon be getting a "Monsters, Inc." -themed "Hide and Boo Seek" attraction. While Disney Studios Paris will be getting two Pixar-related attractions: the "Cars Race Rally" and "Crush's Turtle Twister."

This -- in addition to the various Pixar-related shows & attractions that already exist (I.E. The "It's Tough to Be a Bug" 3D movie at both DCA & Disney's Animal Kingdom, the interactive "Turtle Talk with Crush" show at both DCA & Epcot, the five versions of "Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin" that can be found operating around the globe ... Not to mention DCA's newly opened "Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue" ride as well as "A Bug's Land)" ...

*Whew*

That's an awful lot of Pixar-related stuff opening at Disney theme parks worldwide over a relatively short period of time. Perhaps too much. Which is why Lasseter has supposedly expressed some concerns about a possible Pixar backlash.

Should this backlash actually occur, WDI's new Principal Creative Advisor may (at least temporarily) put the kibosh on the whole renaming-MGM-the-Disney-Pixar-Studios-theme-park plan.

But either way, look for a lot of Pixar-related stuff to start popping up over in WDW's studio theme park over the next few years.

And finally, Natalie R. writes in to ask:

Jim:

I was just visiting at the Magic Kingdom. And while I was walking around the Hub, I noticed this odd path that meandered down to the moat around Cinderella Castle. Being in an adventurous mood, I followed that path. Which first took me through a sparse looking rose garden before eventually leading me to this green metallic awning over a couple of empty park benches.

Given the amount of time & money that was obviously spent to create this path & awning, I'm sure that there used to be some sort of attraction here. But for the life of me, I can't figure out what it could have been.

Could you please clear up this mystery for me?

Natalie:

Actually, what you discovered at the end of that path was the old dock / loading area for the Magic Kingdom's Plaza Swan Boats. This Main Street U.S.A.-based attraction was in operation (on a seasonal and often-quite-sporadic basis) from May of 1973 through August of 1983.


Copyright 1975 Walt Disney Productions

Obviously, the Swan Boats weren't a thrill ride. What they offered Disney World visitors instead was a temporary respite from the crush and the crowds at the Magic Kingdom. 26 people at a time could clamber aboard one of these natural-gas-powered vessels. Which would then take these WDW visitors on a leisurely cruise around the center of the park.

Most people think that the Plaza Swan Boats just traveled in a circle, making one quick trip 'round the moat in front of Cinderella Castle. Truth be told, your voyage on the Swan Boats included a side trip into Adventureland. Where you circled the base of the Swiss Family Treehouse before heading back into the heart of the park.

Again, we're not talking about heart-stopping excitement here. Just a gentle 17-minute-long voyage aboard an old fashioned vessel that was named after one of the three fairies from "Sleeping Beauty."

In short, the Plaza Swan Boats were charming. But as the 1980s arrived and the Imagineers felt the need to shoehorn more thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain into the Magic Kingdom, there was less & less room for charm in the park. And given the boats were notoriously difficult to maintain & keep in operation ... It was really only a matter of time 'til the Plaza Swan Boats were eventually shut down.

All that remains of this Main Street U.S.A. -based attraction is the loading dock. Which nowadays is used for private parties and/or as an extra-special spot to stage an Enchanted Engagement.

Me personally, I wish that the Plaza Swan Boats were still in operation. After all, charm is in pretty short supply in today's world.

And speaking of things that are in short supply ... I'm out of time for this week. So you folks have a great weekend, okay? And (hopefully) we'll see you all again on Monday morning.

j

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  • 8 Sep 2006 1:29 AM
    "That's an awful lot of Pixar-related stuff opening at Disney theme parks worldwide over a relatively short period of time. Perhaps too much. Which is why Lasseter has supposedly expressed some concerns about a possible Pixar backlash.
    Should this backlash actually occur, WDI's new Principal Creative Advisor may (at least temporarily) put the kibosh on the whole renaming-MGM-the-Disney-Pixar-Studios-theme-park plan."
    ---
    Whew, so it isn't Lasseter's fault, after all--Thought -he- was the one who was promoting "We could design a Cars ride in time for the movie to come out!", along with the rest of the Pixar-centric new attractions.  (Or was that Steve Jobs who was saying that?--Have to look it up.)
    Pixar's fine and all, but a lot of Pixar, all at once, smells of the Pressler days when if an attraction looked like it was in trouble, bulldoze it in favor of a current movie tie-in.  And frankly, I'm not -that- much of a Turtle Talk fan that I want to see every attraction turned into it.

    Fortunately, history's been that in 90% of the rehab ideas, Movie Fever eventually passes, in favor of a more sensible Imagineered idea...Pixar just doesn't fit the 30's Grauman's Chinese decor.
    The whole point of "Disney/MGM" was that it was going to be both studios' production facilities--And unless Emeryville plans to move part of its studios to the Animation Building, there's no point for Pixar's name to be up front, EXCEPT for the coat of Pressler Paint, slopped on with a last-minute brush.
    (And it's not like we haven't had loopy "What happens after MGM?" rumors about the park before.)
  • 8 Sep 2006 3:28 AM
    DerekJ said:
    "We could design a Cars ride in time for the movie to come out!"
    I'm still waiting for the Tomorrowland Indy 500 to be turned into a "Cars" ride.

    This was an excellent edition of Why For, Jim!  I had "wow"s coming out of my mouth the whole time.  I had never heard of Disney Live, but I went on the website, watched the short video, and saw a snippet of the characters talking...couldn't hear what they were saying because of the music, but wow.  So cool.  I'd love it if the characters at the parks could talk to us.

    Would Disney just make the Disney-MGM Studios the Disney Studios?  Or are they positively sure that they want a partner?  I think, if there is to be a partner, Pixar would be the right one, since it's in-house.  Is the Toy Story ride only going to be where Millionaire was?  I heard a while ago, not sure where, that the The Little Mermaid show would be affected...I hope not, and I haven't heard anything more about it.  I miss Millionaire...I was in the hot seat once, and it was awesome (lost on the 64,000 question, but I got the pins, hat, and shirt!!!).  There are so many Disney movies that could inspire great rides, and even though the same can be said of Pixar, what about some older Disney films getting recgnition, not just the newer ones?  I think that the Great Movie Ride should be redone and feature moments from only Disney films.  Will the Great Movie Ride be affected by MGM leaving?  

    And, I'm not sure if I've ever noticed the loading dock for the Swan Boats, but I'll have to remember to look for it.

  • 8 Sep 2006 6:29 AM
    Ah, the Swan Boats. I remember visiting the MK a couple times when they were in operation, and the lines for these things were always awful. The number of riders was very limited, and id they had mechanical problems, that would explain a lot.

    I never went on them because the lines were always too long (and, quite frankly, as a pre-teen and teenager, they looked rather boring and dull to me - but I guess it still would have been better than that awful Radio Disney boat curuise that Animal Kingdom had for a little while).
  • 8 Sep 2006 7:16 AM
    I hope they don't rename it DISNEY/PIXAR.  DISNEY STUDIOS is fine. I don't have anything against Pixar, or there being so many attractions based on the films. I just think that Disney needs to remember who's park it is. DISNEY's. Something that has always bothered me in Disney/MGM was fact that we have 2 very NON-DISNEY prpoerties there(as Well as at Disneyland) STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES. While I LOVE the attractions, and love that they are at Disney for me to enjoy, I always think it's a bit of a slap in the face to the company to have these popular attractions based on non-Dsiney material.  It makes sense in the GREAT MOVIE RIDE.  The pixar stuff was fine because Disney was associated with Pixar and actually owned the characters.  But Star Wars?  Indiana Jones?  They weren't even MGM properties.  One was FOX and the other was PARAMOUNT.  And why isn't INDY at a PARANOUNT park?  Wow, that got off topic. Anyway, Great stuff this week Jim. Just thought you deserve a pat on the back instead of our teeth knashing!
  • 8 Sep 2006 8:09 AM
    Destino, if Indy and Star Tours was a slap in the face to Disney, it was a slap that Disney asked for. Disney went to George Lucas and proposed adding attractions based on his properties to the Disney parks.  At the time, a lot of folks in the Company felt they didn't really have any strong properties to base attractions on and figured that the Lucas properties would provide that. To quote someone at Universal when they were interviewed about the opening of the two movie studios parks in Florida, "What (were) they going to have, the "Three Men and a Baby" ride?"

    That said, I'd rather see then change the name to just plain "Disney Studios." I'm already about Pixared out here with all the attractions based on their properties...
  • 8 Sep 2006 8:11 AM
    "Disney-Pixar Studios"
    Over my dead body.
    1) There is too much Pixar all around the Disney parks (as stated by Jim). The thing about Disney-MGM Studios is that all MGM/non-disney related attractions were kept  to that park. With that change, it just wouldn't make sense.
    2) Disney-Pixar Studios just wouldn't accurately describe the park. Considering that the most famous attractions have to do with neither (ToT, RnRC, GMR, ST, etc).
    3) Did I mention Pixar overkill?

    The other name I would be flat out against is "Walt Disney Studios." If they must change the name, either have it be "The Disney Studios" or "The Studios." But in the end, this will be a case of I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it.

    As for the costumes, that would be rather cool if they could have a talking character in the parks.
  • 8 Sep 2006 9:18 AM
    I don't think ti should be Disney-Pixar Studios either as Pixar is mixed in all the parks.  It just wouldn't make much sense.  I think they should go with Walt Disney Studios and they can include all the Walt Disney Company's properties like ABC/ESPN, Pixar, Muppets, Touchtone, and of course Disney.  Disney-Pixar really limits the park with the name as there are Muppets and so many non-Disney things there as stated before.
  • 8 Sep 2006 11:41 AM
    blackcauldron85 said:
    Would Disney just make the Disney-MGM Studios the Disney Studios?  Or are they positively sure that they want a partner?
    ----
    I've read the article again carefully, and can't find where it -actually- says they're thinking of calling it Pixar:
    We've known there was going to be a name change for several years now--it's been "Disney Studios" on the maps and t-shirts for a while--but think Jim may have Photoshopped the "Pixar" suggestion into the article along with the graphic...Not  "They're going to", but, yet again, "Wouldn't it be NEAT if they did??"
    Well, I don't go around asking that N-word.  Fanboy armchair-Imagineering let loose is how we got Stitch's Escape, and that Monster's Inc. overlay on Limo.  We should know better by now.

    (And looking at the links, Jim, did AL LUTZ actually manage to scoop you on a specific description of Midway Mania, back while you were having your Cars fits?--I mean, that's gotta be pretty embarrassing...  ;)
    From the description, sounds like they took Buzz Lightyear a few steps closer to Uni's Men in Black, with a bit of Frontierland Shooting Gallery around the edges...Time to start making up for lost articles!)
  • 8 Sep 2006 12:01 PM
    Speaking of those special heads!

    If any of you go to Disneyland Paris anytime son, you MUST see the Lion King stage show. Not only is it thoroughly entertaining, but Timon has THAT kind of head! My friends and I were blown away by how perfect it looked!
  • 8 Sep 2006 6:38 PM
    A couple of quick follow-up notes about the "talking characters".  As an active member of the Hollywood puppeteering community as well as a Disney Park freak, I have been following this saga for many years, and a couple of points were left out of the story.

    I remember well seeing Minnie Mouse performing on "The Merv Griffn Show" promoting her "Totally Minnie" album, complete with moving mouth, eyelids and eyeballs, and sporting a "Miss Piggy"-type flocked face, yet still looking as though she had just stepped off of Main Street.  The head, (I believe) was developed for Disney by puppeteer/builder Tony Urbano most noted for M.I.B.'s "wom guys".

    In a similar vein, The original "Sesame Street Live" touring show (also produced by Feld) used costumed Muppet characters with mouths that were not computer-controlled, rather performed "live" (in syinc with a pre-recorded voice) by the performer in the suit.  My understanding was this concept, developed by designer/builder Mae Canega, was strongly considered by Disney as well.

    Finally, the reletive success of the A.B.C. T.V. show "Dinosaurs", prompted  Disney to consider doing a children's show for The Disney Channel based on Mickey's Toontown, and using character suits identical to ones seen in Anaheim, but using the Henson technology and the "official" character voices. I was considered to perform Mickey Mouse's head from off-camera to a vocal playback and using an adapted "waldo" system.  This concept  was one of the many that disolved with the Micheal Eisner/Brian Henson fallout that cost a lot of needy puppeteers and body suit performers a lot of work, opportunity and money.

    What might have been.
  • 9 Sep 2006 12:26 PM
    I love how everyone was blaming Lassiter for all the Pixar attractions.  In reality though, most of the Pixar attractions were completed or in progress before Pixar was bought by Disney and Lassiter was officially on board.  I'm sure he'd like to see some Pixar attractions but as a HUGE Disneyland fan, and former Jungle Cruise skipper, I'm sure he'd like to see some original attractions made too.
  • 9 Sep 2006 7:26 PM
    In the mid- to late-1980s Sea World Orlando had a stage show with an underwater theme (I can't remember the name it's been so long, but I do remember it predominantly featured a talking turtle that brought a little girl underwater) that featured costumed characters with synchronized mouths and eye blinks. They did at least six shows a day and as an annual pass holder I saw the show numerous times and the costumes worked flawlessly.

    If they could do it 20 years ago, they could certainly do it now.
  • 9 Sep 2006 9:42 PM
    I don't really mind that so many Pixar attractions are on the drawing table, but it would be nice if some one in the Mouse Factory would remember that there are plenty of non-Pixar films, characters etc that would make fine attractions.  If Lasseter is worried about Pixar backlash he is a wise man.  If every new attraction happens to be based on a Pixar film (and lets remember that their library is not THAT large yet) I could see folks being a little turned off....

    Apparently on the Mermaid 2 disc set there is a simulation of the attraction they never built.  How nice.  See how cool this ride would have been?  Yeah..wow...cool huh?  Ah but we decided not to build it....
  • 10 Sep 2006 12:26 AM
    MGM would become a hodgepodge in my opinion. How do you keep consistancy in a park thats themed old hollywood? Where do Tower of Terror and Rock N Roller Coaster have a place in a DIsney/Pixar Park?

    Its so aggravating because theyve done the same thing for Epcot.

    Scrap that whole city of tomorrow plan, lets get in as many thrill rides as possible, so people dont realize its educational.

    And now... scrap that whole movie studios plan, lets get as many cushy cartoon character rides to cram those people in there.

    I understand wanting to be current... but wheres the originality in any of it. We all saw how Stitch played out into a theme park ride.

    And as for the swan boats. Yeah id love to see them back.. but even more, I'd love to see the awnings painted. They look TERRIBLE.

    see ->http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h218/stepheniebday/Disney82006/y.jpg

    Ugh
  • 10 Sep 2006 12:57 PM
    I'm going to see the magic show by the end of this month :D.  Can't wait to see the characters now.  I'm sad that I can't video record it though :(.  I think in Disneyland's "Plane Crazy" show, Baloo & Fat Cat's mouth moved (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPtS54MEumk).  Then in Disneyland's "Lion King Celebration parade", Rafiki's mouth moved.  Sounds like a great future for park characters.

    Adding the Pixar offerings in the Disney-MGM park sounds good.  But I agree, changing it to "Disney-Pixar" with so many other Pixar influences else??  I'm mixed on that.  Someone suggested "Disney-ABC Studios".  It'd be interesting because you get movies AND television...  A lot of people associate Pixar as Disney anyways...

    I'd love for the Swan Boats to come back.  Sounds like a neat boat ride that tours the park to give you a glimpse at what you could do for the day.  And indeed it does sound charming.  Didn't something like this, a gentle boat ride through the park, also close at DAK?
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