First up, Marni’s Mom writes in with a question about Winnie the Pooh:
Jim – I was surprised to learn recently that Disney is ending production of “My Friends Tigger and Pooh.” My daughter really enjoys watching this educational Playhouse Disney series as do many of her friends at daycare. Which is why I was so startled to hear that the Disney Channel would be shutting down production of this CG show after just two seasons. To borrow your catchphrase, Why For is Disney pulling the plug on what I understand to be a very popular program? Marni’s Mom
Jim –
I was surprised to learn recently that Disney is ending production of “My Friends Tigger and Pooh.” My daughter really enjoys watching this educational Playhouse Disney series as do many of her friends at daycare. Which is why I was so startled to hear that the Disney Channel would be shutting down production of this CG show after just two seasons. To borrow your catchphrase, Why For is Disney pulling the plug on what I understand to be a very popular program?
Marni’s Mom
Dear Marni’s Mom –
This wasn’t actually the Disney Channel’s call. Truth be told, the decision to shut down production of “My Friends Tigger and Pooh” doesn’t have all that much to do with the show itself. But – rather – Disney Consumer Products’ recent decision to try & reposition its Winnie the Pooh franchise.
Copyright 2007 Disney. All Rights Reserved
Long story short … Mothers of infants and toddlers are the primary consumers of Winnie the Pooh merchandise. And at least when it comes to “My Friends Tigger and Pooh,” these super-important shoppers never really seemed to embrace this new take on A.A. Milne’s classic characters. Which is why you can walk into your local Disney Store and pick up a Darby Plush (which was originally priced to sell at $25.00) for just $3.00.
So – with the hope of recapturing this key consumer – Disney is now refocusing the Winnie the Pooh brand. To be specific, they will be retiring the “Super Sleuth” personas that Tigger & Pooh portrayed in this Playhouse Disney series and then returning that Silly Old Bear to his roots. Turning Winnie the Pooh back into the character that people around the world (but especially mothers of infants and toddlers) used to know and love.
Mind you, there’s still be some “My Friends Tigger and Pooh” –related product making it through the pipeline (EX: A new DVD – the “My Friends Tigger, Pooh and a Musical Too” – which is due to hit store shelves on April 7th). But once that stuff makes it makes out through distribution channels, look for Winnie the Pooh (at least as far as the Walt Disney Company is concerned) to revert to looking & behaving just as he did in “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.”
Copyright 2009 Disney. All Rights Reserved
FYI: This coming Wednesday is Winnie’s 43rd anniversary as a Disney character. “Honey Tree” (i.e. Pooh’s first featurette) debuted in theaters back on February 3, 1966 on a double bill with “The Ugly Dachshund.”
Next up, SidKnee writes in to say:
Jim, I’ve just discovered your website, and have spent the past week digging down into the JHM archives and reading through all of your old articles. I notice, though, that as I read through your stuff that you don’t seem to have a lot of love for Epcot. Why is that?
Jim,
I’ve just discovered your website, and have spent the past week digging down into the JHM archives and reading through all of your old articles. I notice, though, that as I read through your stuff that you don’t seem to have a lot of love for Epcot. Why is that?
SidKnee
I’ll admit that I’m kind of bass-ackwards when it comes to this particular Disney theme park. Unlike most Disneyana fans, I’m actually quite fond of some of Epcot’s newer shows. To my way of thinking, “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” ride-thru is far more entertaining than “The Living Seas” ‘s original pre-show. Likewise I consider “Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros” to be a huge improvement over the Mexican pavilion’s tired old “El Rio del Tiempo” boat ride. And as for “Soarin’” at The Land … I’ll take that DCA clone any day over those two AA shows that used to occupy this spot in the Park, “Kitchen Kabaret” and “Food Rocks!
As for the assortment of attractions that EPCOT Center originally opened with back in October of 1982 … I’ll grant you that a number of them were extremely ambitious & beautifully designed. But – to my way of thinking, anyway – most of those Future World pavilions were more earnest than entertaining. Far too corporate & safe when it came to their take on the future.
Which is understandable. Given that the Imagineers had to cut deals with some of America’s then-largest corporations (ex: Kraft, GE, AT & T) in order to come up with the cash necessary to make Walt’s dream a reality.
Speaking of Walt’s dream … That’s another bone of contention. For me, anyway. When Walt initially proposed EPCOT back in the 1960s, it was supposed to be this really-for-real city. A place where people could live, learn & work. Not some camel of a theme park (i.e. half science fair, half internationally themed shopping & dining district).
But that said, I can still understand why hardcore Disney dweebs still jones for the early 1980s version of this Park. Back when EPCOT Center had truly epic attractions like “Horizons” …
Photo by Jeff Lange
… which promised us all a future that was full of limitless possibilities … Plus flying cars!
To be honest, I have some problems with the storytelling aspect in this Future World attraction. I mean, as a father of a 14-year-girl, I think that it’s great that Disney chose to depict the Mother in “Horizons” as being the one who ‘s in charge of that huge hydroponic orange grove (Remember how that artificial orange scent used to waft out of this pavilion’s then state-of-the-art smellizers ?) ‘way out there in the desert.
But to then follow this scene with that toothless old gag which shows Dad in the kitchen, struggling to finish decorating Junior’s birthday cake ? How lame & predictable is that? I mean, that sort of joke stopped being funny back in the early 1950s when Ozzie first put on a frilly apron and then tried to serve Harriet breakfast in bed.
You see what I saying? In “Horizons,” the wonder of the future was constantly being undercut by these stale sitcom moments. Never mind about how cool it might be to actually live under the sea. Here’s a guy promising his girlfriend (for the umpteen millionth time) that he won’t be late for a family party.
And as for the beauty & majesty of the infinite cosmos? It’s upstaged by a Dad who struggles to retrieve his child's teddy bear in zero G.
And then “Horizons” wraps up with this ham-handed attempt at a heart-warming moment. Where it doesn’t really matter if our futuristic family is scattered to the four winds. Thanks to holography, they can still all be together (albeit artificially) for important moments like Junior’s birthday.
Okay. I admit it. “Horizons” did have a very cool ride system. Not to mention those two amazing Omnimax projection rooms that you rode through, where the enormous images on those screens just seemed to envelope you. And it is worth noting here that – thanks to this Future World attraction’s you-pick-the-finale feature – that “Horizons” was Disney’s very first interactive attraction. Sort of.
But beyond that … Me personally, I found this Future World pavilion to be too safe, too predictable. And to be honest, that's pretty much how I felt about the rest of this theme park back in 1982. That EPCOT Center had a lot of great design and showcased some amazing technology. But beyond that the place was just too bland, too corporate back then.
And I can’t have been the only one who felt this way. Given that EPCOT Center’s attendance levels plummeted in its second year of operation. The word clearly got out among would-be WDW visitors that the Resort's newest theme park was something of a snooze. Which is why – in order to get those turnstiles turning again -- Disney’s new management team was forced to bring temporary, high profile attractions like the Daredevil Circus Spectacular.
Mind you, WDW’s PR staff really struggled to come up with a way to justify setting up what was obviously a contemporary circus right in the middle of Communicore. Which is why press releases from that era described the pachyderms who appeared in this new EPCOT Center show as being “Martian Mastodons.”
Of course, your mileage may vary when it comes to Epcot. And if you really are fond of the original version of this WDW theme park ... Well, then you might want to go check out this auction. Which features an actual chunk of the 70MM film that was used in this Future World pavilion. Or at the very least head on over to JeffLangeDVD.com. Where Mr. Lange recently put together a terrific 3-disc set that pays tribute to “Horizons.” Plus – just today – Jeff posted a great selection of images from the EPCOT Center Daredevil Circus Spectacular. So if you'd like to see what this short-lived show really looked like, click on this link.
And – finally – one JHM reader who wishes to remain anonymous wrote in to say:
I find it incredibly offensive when you refer to JimHillMedia readers as “dweebs.” I, sir, am not a dweeb. I come to your website for the entertaining & informative stories, not to be insulted. If you continue to call your readers “dweebs,” I – for one – will stop coming by your website. And I will then tell all my friends who are interested in reading about Disneyana to avoid JimHillMedia as well.So you’d best heed my warning. Stop calling JHM readers dweebs.
Okay then. You're not a dweeb. Are you an overly-sensitive, humorless jerk who takes himself entirely too seriously? Absolutely. But let me state for the record that you, sir, are not a dweeb.
Look, before anyone else chimes in here and pretends to be mortally offended, let me explain: Me personally, I consider "Disney dweeb" to be a fairly innocuous way to describe someone who's just a tad too obsessive when it comes to The Walt Disney Company. You know the type. That guy who won't let you get a word in edgewise because they're determined to prove that they know 'way more than you do when it comes to the World of Walt.
And -- yes -- I'll admit it. There are days when I am a big, honking Disney dweeb. My only saving grace is ... Well, I don't take myself all that seriously. More to the point, I at least know when to shut up.
Speaking of which ... It's time that I wrap up this week's Why For column. But before I go, I just want to remind everyone about New York Comic-Con. Which is being held next weekend at the Jacob K. Javits Center ...
... because no self-respecting Disney dweeb is gonna wanna miss out on this year's event.
Have a great weekend, okay?
And remember -- if you want your Disney-related questions answered as part of this weekly column -- you need to send them along to jim@jimhillmedia.com.
Haha, Jim, you're such a grumpy old codger these days.
I'm mortally offended that there are legions of people out there whom you are not calling dweebs.
Now how about you give us a real story for a change and tell us why Disney canned the Virtual Magic Kingdom property back last May. Surely you must know the reason for that by now.
Oh how I miss the futuristic circus. The martian animal hide costumes were very effective too in creating the realism of it all.
I wonder, am I a "dweeb", since my username comes from the name of the little computer animated guy that you used to be able to animate in a class at the Disney Institute, back when it was its own self-contained resort complex (I actually went there twice, and spent 4 nights each time doing only Disney Institute things - I wonder if they still have the tapes of me as a radio DJ?). I guess step one in any good twleve step program is to admit you have a problem. "Help me! Help me!"
At least all the dweebs will be happy to see the little girl disappear from Pooh, and probably end up with Christopher Robin once again.
Lessee... I could be a Disney dweeb, or fan(atic), or enthusiast, or buff...
Whoa. Let's go for being Disney buffs. As someone who spends far too much time on the web, it's likely to be the only time "buff" appears in the same sentence as my screen name! : )
BTW Jim -- Is it true that Fox Searchlight will continue the Narnia series with Walden media? Is Adamson and the original cast staying on? Personally, my money was on Dreamworks & Jeff "Anything Disney can do, I can do better" Katzenberg...
Dweebs come in so many varieties. It's just that most people wouldn't label someone like my sister a fashion dweeb but oh, she is one. She may not be taking delivery of the latest Skeletor action figure but she collects clothes the way I do with toys, comics, books and DVDs.
Dweebs rule... And I am proud to be one. A Disney Dweeb, a Musical Theater Geek, a Comic Book Nerd... I fit the bill.
Dweebs of the world unite!
"Okay then. You're not a dweeb. Are you an overly-sensitive, humorless jerk who takes himself entirely too seriously? Absolutely. But let me state for the record that you, sir, are not a dweeb."
I know it's only January, but I think we have a winner for quote of the year on JHM. I agree, will people please stop taking themselves too seriously? I think the person is a dweeb not because they are on this cite, but because they actually took the time to email a complaint about being called a dweeb.
I for one am glad that WINNIE-THE-POOH is going back to his roots. Though the latest incarnation was a good program for little ones it altered who the pooh bear really was - a sweet and innocent bear who just wanted to be loved.. by CHRISTOPHER ROBIN not some gal named Darby. I look forward to seeing what happens to the denizens of Hundred Acre Woods.
As for EPCOT, out of all the theme parks it was the one that warranted, just by its concept alone, to constant updating. Just like TOMORROWLAND should reflect the future, so should the "future city" with its look at science and culture need to change with the times & technologies that develop. It is an evolving park and one that I watch closely.
As for "dweeb" ? --words can never hurt me.
I love the irony of Darby being undone by Consumer Products. Long live CHRISTOPHER ROBIN!
Ah yes, the infamous Jim Hill apology.
"I'm sorry I bumped into you... but you deserved it." And then he punches you in the face.
Anyway, I do miss the old EPCOT but I enjoy the new stuff too. I do wish they still had Cranium Command and I will admit (for the first time publicly) that I loved me some Kitchen Kabaret!
Great! Now I will be singing "Veggie, veggie, fruit, fruit" for the rest of the day!! Argh!
PS - For those who are new here, Jim Hill needs to rile people up in order to boost hits and comments. He runs a 95% Disney content site and then mocks his target audience. His use of the word 'dweeb' is meant to be offensive and not in jest or affection as we use it to describe ourselves. Plus, please keep in mind that Jim pretty much only uses the term to describe people who disagree with his take on something Disney related.
Just relax, breathe, and wait for the other unbiased writers to contribute stories. God bless folks like Floyd Norman, Ron Schneider, and Jeff Lange!
Jim, as to EPCOT... the "internationally themed shopping & dining district" actually WAS part of Walt's plan for EPCOT, and it's my favorite part of the show. Fine dining and shopping was to be part of that real city. I do miss the authentic restaurant L’Originale Alfredo Di Roma in the Italian pavillion.
Since I'm a movie dweeb as well as a Disney dweeb, I must comment about the tone of your reply to the person who sent you the email of complaint by quoting Jimmy Durante in the movie, "Two Girls and a Sailor:"
"Tell me, Mr. James, now just what did YOU accomplish?"
@captainhook91
But surely you remember the good old days, when Jim wasn't always a jerk, and when he wrote fantastic stories about the inner workings of WDC and projects that never were, etc.?
"As for EPCOT, out of all the theme parks it was the one that warranted, just by its concept alone, to constant updating. Just like TOMORROWLAND should reflect the future, so should the "future city" with its look at science and culture need to change with the times & technologies that develop."
I would interpret "update" as "improve", rather than "gut a good ride and put in something cheap and crappy" (RIP Journey Into Imagination). Or, rip out an entire pavilion because they can't shove the costs onto anyone else (RIP Wonders of Life). Disney wouldn't have half the problems in the parks if it would just step up and pay for this stuff out of its own pockets. Actually, I'm quite amazed they were able to trick suckers into paying for this stuff in the first place. Maybe I should try that the next time I go househunting: I'll let you pay for my house, and though I won't let you actually live there I will put your name on the mailbox, okay?
And would you rather have a "city of the future" portray an idealistic '50s view of jet packs and flying cars or the dystopian view that came into vogue right as EPCOT was opening of robo-hookers, neon-lit grime and junkies shooting memory implants in the alleys?
Dweeb: an unattractive, insignificant, or inept person (Merriam-Webster).
Based on the definition, I, too, would not like to be called a dweeb.
The syntax and word choice of the so-called "letter from Marni’s Mom" leads me to believe that Jim Hill actually wrote this letter himself.