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I wonder if Walt would have liked this week’s “Why For”?

It never fails. At least once a week, I get an e-mail like this one from Jane P.

Message:

My family and I just got back from a trip to Disneyland. Which we really enjoyed, by the way. The park looks great these days.

But still I couldn’t help noticing how expensive everything seemed to be. From the price of admission tickets to the cost of food in the park to even the souvenirs. It seemed like every five minutes, I was having to open my wallet to buy something else.

I used to think of Disneyland as a place for family fun. But now when I think of Disneyland, I picture Mickey picking me up by my ankles and shaking me ’til all the money in my wallet falls out.

And judging by what I read at your site as well as other Disney websites out there, I know that I’m not the only person who feels this way.

So what do you think, Jim? Do you think Walt would be happy with the idea that people have begun to equate the theme park that bears his name with being nakedly greedy. I’m pretty sure that Mr. Disney wouldn’t approved of the way the current management team runs Disneyland. Where they try & get every penny out of every guest.

I’ll be intrigued to hear what you have to say about this e-mail. Thanks for running such a fun site.

Jane P.

Dear Jane P.

Look, I’ll admit that things do seem pretty expensive at Disneyland. But — then again — I think the same thing everytime I go to my local multiplex and have to take out a second mortage just so I can buy a box of Goobers.

But when you start asking me questions like “Do you think that Walt would be happy …,” that’s when I have to politely bow out of the conversation.

Why for? Because I honestly don’t think I can say what Walt would have said or felt. After all, I never met the man. I mean, I’ve certainly read a lot about Mr. Disney, watched various interviews that the guy gave over the years and have even talked with a large number of folks who worked directly with Walt … But — that said — that still doesn’t give me the right to pretend that I actually know what Walt Disney would have said or done in any given situation.

This is why it always makes me a little crazy to see other webmasters out there making these definitive-sounding pronouncements about how “Walt would have wanted the ‘Carousel of Progress’ to remain open forever …” and/or “Walt would have never taken the Dreamfinder out of Epcot’s ‘Journey into Imagination’ ride …” As if these guys somehow have a direct line to Mr. Disney in the other realm. Where Walt — from beyond the grave, no less — is telling them specifically what he would and would not have done in the theme parks.

Now me? The only thing that I’m actually comfortable with doing is saying something like: “Based on my own observations, I think that Walt might have done this or might have done that.”

Take — for example — this statement: Based on what I’ve observed in a number of motion pictures that Walt Disney himself put into production prior to his death in December 1966, I believe that — had he lived just a few years longer — Walt might have done some very interesting things by mixing Audio Animatronics and film.

The first time that Disney combined these two technologies was the studio’s 1964 release, “Mary Poppins.” How many of you recall that scene where the practically perfect nanny — as she was tidying up the nursery — noticed a pair of robins outside ” … feathering (their) nest”?

Copyright The Walt Disney Company

And the next thing you know, Mary Poppins has one of these birds on her finger. And the two of them are happily warbling “A Spoonful of Sugar” together.

Copyright The Walt Disney Company

As you might expect, Julie Andrews wasn’t really working with a live bird here. But — rather — a mechanical robin that was being controlled by several WED technicians who were just off camera. Ms. Andrews — in interviews that she’s given about the production of this particular Robert Stevenson picture — recalled how the Imagineers had to run the wires that actually controlled the robin up the sleeve of her blouse and then down through Julie’s dress so that they’d eventually reach the control console.

Of course, sometimes their efforts at concealment weren’t quite as successful as others. Me personally, I’ve always been amused by this moment in “Mary Poppins” …

Copyright The Walt Disney Company

… where it seems like Mary’s index & middle fingers seem to have suddenly become grossly enlarged & discolored. Obviously what we’re looking at here is some sort of temporary rig that the Imagineers cooked up that would allow the Audio Animatronic robin to appear to be perched on Julie Andrew’s hand. So that these two songbirds — one human, the other mechanical — could then warble together.

And — given that this particular scene in “Mary Poppins” went over like gangbusters — I’m told that Walt said: “Well, we’ve got to do that again. Only bigger and better this time.”

Which is why — in Walt Disney Productions’ June 1967 release, “The Happiest Millionaire” — Fred MacMurray and Tommy Steele got to perform with an Audio Animatronic alligator. (Which — the way I hear it — was only slightly less temperamental than the real gators that were on that set.)

And for the studio’s July 1967 release — “The Gnome-Mobile” — Walt really upped the ante. He envisioned a scene where Jasper the gnome (I.E. Actor Tom Lowell in miniature form) had to act out a scene with a quartet of mechanical creatures: An Audio Animatronic racoon, owl and a pair of blue jays.

Copyright The Walt Disney Company

Speaking of those blue jays: Do they look familiar? They should. They’re actually the same Audio Animatronic figures that were used in the “a robin feathering his nest” scene in “Mary Poppins.” Only this time around, they’ve got a new coat of feathers as well as different beaks.

Copyright The Walt Disney Company

So obviously, what with Walt inserting AA figures into two pictures that he had Disney Studios produce for 1967, mixing-mechanical-creatures-with-movies was really an idea that the Old Mousetro was enthusiastic about. So one wonders what Walt would have done with combining these two technologies if he’d have just hung in there another couple of years.

But — as I mentioned earlier — Walt sadly passed away in December of 1966. And given the great expense involved with creating AA figures that could be used in front of a camera, Walt Disney Productions executives weren’t all that enthusiastic about continuing this practice. So — after this handful of films in the 1960s — Disney stopped using Audio Animatronic figures in their films.

Mind you, I’ve spoken with a number of people at the studio who wish that Walt Disney Productions had kept up this practice. That way, Disney would have been a better position in 1979 when they started getting panicked calls from Malta. Where Robert Altman’s “Popeye” (Which was a Paramount Pictures / Walt Disney Productions co-production) was being filmed.

It seems like the device that were supposed to have powered the giant rubber octopus that was to have menaced Olive Oyl in the film’s finale broke down as soon as this fake sea monster was exposed to salt water. So here was the “Popeye” production team, down by the edge of the Mediterranean, with a broken octopus and no way to film the end of their movie.

I’m told that it was Robin Williams himself who said: “Look, Disney’s got all those Imagineers. You know, those guys who make the dolls dance in ‘Small World’? So why don’t you have Disney fly a few of them over to Malta to come fix our octopus.” So the film’s producer — Robert Evans — called Disney Studios and begged Ron Miller to put a couple of technicians from WED on a plane to Spain. Only to have Mr. Miller say: “Our guys only do theme park stuff.”

Which is why — in the end — Robert Altman and his actors had to improvise. Which is why — the next time you see “Popeye” — keep a close eye on Shelley Duvall in the film’s finale. Notice how she’s got the octopus’ tentacles in her hands and is frantically waving them about herself. That’s to give the audience the impression that this sea creature is actually alive and menacing Ms. Oyl and her friends.

Ah, the magic of movie-making.

Next up, Thomas writes in to ask:

I’ve read that Disney has plans for monorail expansion and it’s too expensive But what about other forms of transportation to Studios, Animal Kingdom and resorts? Has Disney given any though into light rail, boats to Animal Kingdom, etc.?

Sorry, Thomas. But I’m afraid that I don’t know all that much about what’s up with WDW’s transportation system. So why don’t I turn this question over to Scott Liljenquist of Mouseketrips and see what he has to say?
Scott?

Thank you, Jim.

Monorail expansion? It’s a popular topic (just do a Google search on Walt Disney World Monorail expansion to see for yourself) that’s been rumored for years. As anyone who has been to WDW recently can attest, something needs to be done to fix the overworked transportation system and reduce the vast number of smelly and slow buses that are the mainstay of WDW Transportation.

A monorail expansion is always everyone’s first wish, due to the novelty and history that this unique transportation method has with the Walt Disney Company. What most folks don’t realize, however, is just how close we came to enjoying a vastly expanded and improved WDW monorail system.

You see, an expansion of the monorail system to reach the two newest theme parks, Disney-MGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, as well as the Downtown Disney district, has always been in the long-term plan for the Florida property. Costs, budget crunches, economic recessions, and other factors have all had a hand in preventing that expansion over the years.

However, during the late 1990s work on a complete overhaul of the transportation system really started to pick up steam. In addition to expanding the monorail system, options for additional boat service, bus service, a light-rail system, and even an ultra-futuristic customizable mass-transit system similar to this one and this one were all considered and in the mix. In addition to those plans, a high-speed rail line from the airport and a new transportation hub were planned and designed.

Anyone lucky enough to visit the interior of the monorail service barns during this time, and attentive enough to notice, could have seen the design plans posted on the wall for two additional monorail lines connecting Animal Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios, and the Downtown Disney area to a new transportation hub.

So exactly how close was this revamp of the transportation system? In a speech given in early 2000 to Cast Members, Al Weiss, the president of the Walt Disney World Resort, said “in two years, we are committed to drastically reducing the number of buses required to fulfill our internal transportation needs.” He forecast a “transport system which will whisk guests from the airport to a new hub on property in five minutes.”

In fact, according to company insiders, this ambitious plan was to have been announced to the public during the company’s annual media event in October of 2001.

But then nothing happened. Why For? If you note the date of the proposed announcement above and subtract a month and a few days, you end up with 9/11. The tourism crash precipitated by that event caused Disney to immediately switch to survival mode. The rumored $750 million price tag of this transportation expansion was just too much to spend when visitors to the property were staying home with their money in droves. It just wasn’t wise, at that time, to spend so much on something that did not generate any revenue.

But wait, you’re saying. Aren’t things better now? Aren’t people returning to WDW en masse? Haven’t I heard that bookings at WDW are approaching and even exceeding, in some cases, pre-9/11 levels? Doesn’t that mean we can get the project back on track?

Well, yes and no. The entire project has been pulled back in for re-evaluation. Many readers, I’m sure, have been stopped in the past 18 months by the Disney survey takers at the entrances to the parks and asked their opinion on the transportation system. Disney is right now gathering data and will use it to decide if the old proposal still works or if better alternatives are now available.

No current time frame has been set for this, and I wouldn’t expect to see anything announced anytime soon regarding this massive project. Among other things, Disney has to wait to see what will happen with the proposed high-speed rail system before more concrete plans can be made.

Anyway, I guess that was a long way of saying that while it’s still possible, and as much as we’d all like to see it happen, it’s unlikely that any expansion of the monorail system is coming quickly.

That’s it for this question. Now let me hand the rest of the questions for this week’s “Why For” back over to Mr. Hill. Jim?

Thank you, Scott. It’s always nice to bring the guys from Mouseketrips to answer those travel-specific questions. They really know their stuff when it comes to the Disney resorts.

Now where were we? Ah, yes. Robert B.’s question. Who writes in to ask:

I really enjoyed Jeff Lange’s story about that new Soda Fountain that Disney built next to the El Capitan. But — as part of that article — he mentioned that you’re supposed to get some sort of commemorative button if you & your friends finish the restaurant’s signature sundae, “Mickey’s Masterpiece.” But because the soda fountain had just opened when Jeff initially visited the place, they didn’t have any buttons to give out yet. Which is why the manager promised to mail Mr. Lange & his friends their buttons.

So my question is: Did Jeff ever get his button? And — if so — what did it look like?

Robert B.

Dear Robert B.

Jeff did actually get his button. Which you’ll see pictured below:

Pretty snazzy, don’t you think? Though I’m thinking that this probably wouldn’t be the smartest thing to wear the next time you attended a Weight Watchers support meeting.

And — finally — BlackRose writes in to say:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for running those pictures of the ABC “Fun in the Sun” event at Fanieul Hall. I really wanted to get down to the city that day and see my favorite soap stars from “All My Children” and “General Hospital.” But getting in and out of Boston is such a hassle that I eventually talk myself out of doing it. But based on your article, it sounds like I missed out on a really good time.

So could you please post a few more pictures from last Saturday’s event? So I can see some more of my favorite hunks?

Thanks,

BlackRose

Ask and ye shall recieve …

Nancy picked out a couple of additional shots that I hope all of you ABC soap fans out there will really appreciate. First up, here’s a close-up on “General Hospital” ‘s newest heart-throb, Matt Marraccini …

Photo by Jeff Lange

… Followed  by kind of an artsy-fartsy shot …

Photo by Jeff Lange

… which has a sea of hands reaching out to snatch an autographed 8 by 10 away from Forbes March, who plays Nash on “One Life to Live.”

 But this picture — out of all the shots that Nancy took last Saturday — has been my absolute favorite. Just look at the faces in this photo:

Photo by Nancy Stadler

That’s Jeff Branson of “All My Children” cradling a newborn that some soap fan has just shoved into his arms. Please note the face of Jeff’s handler (I.E. The guy in black directly over Hanson’s right shoulder). Whose facial expression seems to be saying “Please don’t drop that baby!” While right next to Jeff is the official ABC photographer for this event. And his expression seems to be saying: “Boy, I bet I could get a really great shot if this soap star would just slip up and drop that baby.”

Anywho … That’s pretty much it for this week, folks. Here’s hoping that you have a great weekend and that we’ll see you all again here at JHM come Monday.

Til then, you take care, okay?

jrh
 

 

 

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