General

Why For?

Jim Hill’s back with … well, an apology, then some info on the upcoming “Alien Encounter” change-out, a Glen Keane quote, why certain pavilions in Epcot’s World Showcase got rides and others didn’t as well as an update on the next set of JHM Disneyland tours. Also … a somewhat embarrassing plea for contributions.

Published

22 years ago

May 22, 2003

Jim Hill

First, an apology: In the introduction that I wrote to Jim Korkis’ debut column this past Tuesday, I mentioned that Jim had written several books. Among them “Cartoon Confidential,” “Encyclopedia of Cartoon Superstars,” “How to Create Animation,” and “The Animation Art Buyer’s Guide.” What I neglected to mention was that Korkis actually had a co-author on each of these literary projects, the equally talented and esteemed John Cawley. Soooo … my sincerest apologies to Mr. Cawley for this unintended slight on my part.

That completes the groveling portion of today’s program. Okay. Moving on now … Brian K. writes in to ask:

Dear Jim,

Thanks again for all of the wonderful stories about the goings-on in the House of Mouse. It’s always a pleasure to visit your site.

My question concerns the Alien Encounter attraction at WDW. I just read over at wdwmagic.com that AE is being closed in April, 2004 to allow for a complete overhaul that would include inserting Stitch into a new storyline. Is this true? I always enjoyed the AE attraction, as it had all of the Disney attention to detail, while exploring territory not usually found in a Disney theme park, namely a truly scary experience. Any scoop on this?

Thanks!

Brian K.

Dear Brian:

Thanks for the kind words regarding JHM. As for the “Stitch” themed redo of WDW’s “Alien Encounter,” my sources at Walt Disney Imagineering tell that this project really is a go. WDW Guest Relations is reportedly tired of dealing with the constant customer complaints about how terrifying “AE” is to children. So the Imagineers are hoping — once they load this much lighter, funnier, kid friendlier show into the old “Mission to Mars” theaters — that these complaints will stop.

To back up what the nice folks over at www.wdwmagic.com have been saying, I too have heard that WDW’s “Alien Encounter” will be closing sometime in the Spring of 2004. The current (extremely tentative, mind you) timetable calls for three to four month long rehab. The revamped attraction will have a soft opening sometime in the late summer. August at the earliest … September at the latest. With the all-new “Alien Encounter with Stitch” having its official grand opening as part of WDW’s annual October birthday bash/press event.

I know, I know. Some of you thrill monkeys out there will be sad to hear that this scare-filled sensory thriller is actually going away. But Disney’s in the process of turning WDW’s Tomorrowland into a more family friendly environment. Building on the success of “Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin,” so to speak.

So look for “Alien Encounter” to get “Stitch”-esized sometime in 2004. And WDW’s “Carousel of Progress?” Well, that’s still being eyed as the possible site for an all-new enclosed version of that old Disneyland favorite, “The Flying Saucers.” And — if the clone of the Hong Kong version of Space Mountain that’s going into Anaheim is met with lots of guest enthusiasm — you can bet that WDW’s version may go under the knife as well in the not-so-distant future (2006 or thereabouts).

Beyond that … if you’re even remotely nostalgic about this version of “Alien Encounter,” now might be a really good time to rack up a few more visits to the Tomorrowland Convention Center. Better yet, if you’d like to make a killing on eBay in a few years, now might be a good time to drop by the Magic Kingdom’s “Merchant of Venus” shop and/or “Once Upon a Toy” at WDW’s Downtown Disney and pick up a few “Alien Encounter” toys. I mean, who knows what this stuff will be going for in 2014 … long after Chairman Clench, Dr. Femus and the rest of XS Tech crew have beamed back to their home world?

Next, VikM — on the JimHillMedia.com discussion boards — asked:

Where/when did the Glen Keane interview, that was mentioned in (your “Is Disney Feature Animation Ripe for Another Revolution”) article, appear?

Thank you,

VikM

Dear VikM,

The info that I cited for this week’s article (I.E. how Keane had been quoted in a recent interview as saying that he’d never seen a film that was as seriously micro-managed as “Treasure Planet” was) actually came from the December 13, 2002 issue of “Entertainment Weekly” magazine. To be specific, the “Man Who Drew Too Much” article by Steve Daly.

In this piece, which details much of the fall-out that happened at Walt Disney Feature Animation when “Treasure Planet” under-performed at the box office last November, Keane is quoted as saying that the production of this particular animated film was marked by ”the most belt-tightening, bottom-line-oriented, paranoiac kind of penny watching” he’s ever seen by management at Walt Disney Studios.

You can read the whole article (which I highly recommend, by the way) by going to the “Entertainment Weekly” website. Though — if I remember correctly — the only way you can get access to the ew.com archives is if you are a subscriber to the magazine.

Hope that answers your question, VikM.

Next, Wayne G. writes in to ask:

Dear Jim:

Love the site. Thanks for all your wonderful investigations.

I’ve always been curious about … Epcot. Who or what decided who got an attraction (in World Showcase)? France has an attraction but Italy doesn’t … I’ve (also) read that Spain wants a killer attraction (for its proposed pavilion for Epcot). Why? Who benefits? Spanish tourism? I’ve always been curious to know these types of things.

Sincerely,

Wayne G.

Dear Wayne,

Thanks for the kind words regarding JHM as well as the articles that I do for the site. Now, regarding your questions concerning attractions at World Showcase area: whether or not any rides get built for the pavilions in Epcot’s international area largely depends on whether or not the hosting nation is willing to foot the bill for an attraction.

Take for example, Germany and Italy. Both of those World Showcase pavilions were supposed to have featured elaborate boat rides as part of their opening day assortment of attractions. Italy was to have taken Epcot visitors on a romantic gondola ride through a miniature version of Venice. While — over at the German pavilion — tourists were supposed to have boarded a scenic launch for a simulated cruise down the Rhine.

But — as EPCOT Center’s construction costs began to soar in the late 1970s / early 1980s — corners inevitably got cut. So — while World Showcase’s Italy did end up with a gondola or two tied up in front of the pavilion in World Showcase Lagoon — they’re strictly there for decorative purposes. Those boats aren’t going anywhere.

Whereas Epcot’s German pavilion … well, there was always this understanding (at least in the early-to-mod-1980s) between the Imagineers and the sponsors of this World Showcase pavilion that they’d eventually get around to building a Rhine River ride. The Mouse seemed so confident that this project would actually eventually go forward that it actually allowed author Richard Beard to write about the proposed Rhine Boat ride in his 1982 book, “Walt Disney’s EPCOT: Creating the New World of Tomorrow” (Harry N. Abrams, Inc. Publisher).

Here’s an excerpt from Beard’s book that describes this proposed World Showcase addition:

“The future River Ride promises to be as enjoyable as it is informative. An early concept has visitors boarding a ‘cruise boat’ for a simulated ride down the Rhine and other rivers, the ride offering a visual impression in miniature of the cultural heritage of Germany’s past and the highlights of its present. Among the detailed models envisioned are scenes in the Black Forest, the Oktoberfest, Heidelberg, the industrial Ruhr Valley … The possibilities are limited only by the planners’ imagination.”

Or — to be a bit more truthful here — on the amount of money that the sponsoring country is willing to spend. Once EPCOT Center opened in October 1982 and proved to be a bit of a disappointment with the public, the German companies who had covered most of the construction costs for this World Showcase pavilion lost all enthusiasm for expanding this Epcot attraction beyond its original footprint. So that “future River Ride” that Beard wrote about was never meant to be.

Ah well …

Anyway, Wayne, you asked why the sponsors of Epcot’s proposed Spain pavilion were insisting that this WDW addition has a “killer attraction.” Well, perhaps those Spanish businessmen have heard what happened in Norway the year after that country’s World Showcase pavilion opened in May 1988. The Norwegian Tourism Board claimed that it saw a 500% increase in tourism from the United States as thousands of Americans journeyed across the Atlantic just to check out that nation’s fjords.

The Norwegians believe it’s the travelogue that WDW guests are forced to watch in the post show area of that pavilion’s “Maelstrom” ride that compelled so many Americans to come check out their country. Which is why the Spanish want a thrill ride to be a prominent feature of their World Showcase pavilion. Which not-so-coincidentally would also feature a film that showcased Spain’s beautiful scenery.

The Spanish sponsors of this proposed Epcot addition are — of course — hoping that lightning will strike twice. And that — once this new World Showcase pavilion is open — Spain will see a similar surge in American tourism.

You want to know the real irony here, Wayne? Norway’s “Maelstrom” would probably have been twice as popular as it already is if the Imagineers had been allowed to build the finale sequence for this World Showcase attraction as they originally envisioned it.

How would the “Maelstrom” would have been different if WDI had been allowed to go forward with the ride’s original finale? Well, you know where you float past that large model of an oil rig in a simulated storm in the North Sea? Well, picture what it would have been like if you were thrown in the middle of a real-as-it-could-possibly-be simulation of a storm at sea.

I’m serious, people. WDW guests — before they boarded those faux Viking longboats — would each have been issued a yellow rain slicker and hat. That way, when you entered the North Sea section of the ride, you would have stayed somewhat dry as heavy rain poured down from above and waves washed over the sides of the boat.

It would have been pretty cool (not to mention refreshing — particularly on one of those brutally hot summer days in Orlando). But sadly, once the Imagineers broached their idea for “Maelstrom”‘s original finale to EPCOT Center’s operations staff, their real-storm-at-sea concept quickly got nixed. Just the projected cost of continually bailing out the longboats proved to be prohibitive. Not to mention the cost of dry cleaning all those rain slickers daily.

Which is how this World Showcase attraction ended up with its somewhat limp finale. Which is really too bad. Me personally, I’ve always wondered what the “Maelstrom” would have been like it actually hard some “strom” left in it.

Finally, TerryToon writes to ask:

Jim:

I really enjoyed Tuesday’s story about your tour of WDW’s Magic Kingdom with Jim Korkis. Do you think you guys will be schmoozing your way around that theme park again anytime soon? If so, can I sign up to take part in a tour like that?

TerryToon

Well, Jim Korkis and I HAVE been (rather informally, mind you) talking about him possibly doing some tours of the WDW theme parks as part of his new duties here at JimHillMedia.com. But — as of right this second — we’re not actually ready to formally announce that Korkis will be giving Disney World tours in the not-so-distant future.

So TerryToon … let’s just consider the above paragraph a very broad hint of things yet to come. But sure! If I happen to be in town while Jim is leading a JHM group through the park, I’d love to tag along and periodically throw in my two cents.

Speaking of tours (nice segue, don’t you think?), I am pleased to announce that — due to the overwhelmingly positive reaction to March’s beta test of the JimHillMedia.com tours of Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure — on Saturday, June 7th and Sunday, June 8th Chuck Oberleitner and I will be holding a second set of JHM tours.

The tentative schedule is:

Saturday June 7th
10 AM to 12 PM — Disneyland Tour
2 PM to 4 PM — Disneyland Tour

Sunday June 8th
10 AM to 12 PM — Disneyland Tour
2 PM to 4 PM — Disney’s California Adventure Tour

This time around, we’re going to be touching on a lot of material that wasn’t covered during the initial sets of tours. As in: How much did it actually cost the Walt Disney Company to build various attractions in the park? (We’ve got the hard numbers!) Entire lands that never made it off WDI’s drawing boards (I.E. Mythia, Big City U.S.A., World Holiday Land, etc.). Stuff that you’d never ever get to hear on the official Disneyland tour. Plus … Who knows? This time around, you might get a surprise cameo appearance by the Fabulous Disney Babe. (AKA my ex-wife Michelle Smith. Who’s also giving some semi-serious thought to doing some theme park tours for JimHillMedia.com readers in the not-so-distant future.)

Plus Chuck (a guy who’s always looking to work the angles) wants to try out yet another idea: “Lunch with Jim.” A lunchtime Q&A session with yours truly that would be held on Saturday, June 7th from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. (Me personally? I’m not entirely sure that this “Lunch with Jim” project is such a hot idea. After all, how entertaining can it be to listen to a fat man yammer about the Walt Disney Company while he eats a salad? But DizBiz wants us to try this idea out … so we’re trying this idea out.)

Anyway … space for the Disneyland and DCA tours (as well as “Lunch with Jim”) is extremely limited. If you’d like to get in on the fun, drop me a line at my stadlerhill@mindspring.com address as to which tour you’d like to take part in and I’ll sending along the appropriate pricing info.

Oh — and to answer a question that popped up on the JimHillMedia.com discussion boards this week — Yes! That floral print polo shirt IS my official uniform for the JHM theme park tours. Now, if I could only come up with a hat to complete that stunning ensemble.

Okay. That’s it for this week, kids. David Gasior — JHM’s tech guy — tells me that we’re not updating the site again ’til Tuesday morning. (Which is fine by me. I know that the hard working crew here at JimHillMedia.com could use a long weekend off.)

So have a happy Memorial Day, people … and we’ll talk again early next week, okay?
jrh

Oops … Michelle just informed me that (unfortunately) it’s that time again. That it’s time once more for me to rattle the tin cup and ask for your kind contributions so that JimHillMedia.com can stay in the black.

Look. I won’t lie to you folks. I don’t really like asking for hand-outs (which is why I haven’t put the bite on you since ‘way back in February.) But running a website — even one with as few bells and whistles as JHM has — costs money.

So if you could please (pretty please?) toss a few shekels in that Amazon.com honor box that you find on the JimHillMedia.com home page … well, you’ll make my ex-wife happy. Which will make me happy … which means that I can get back to hammering together new Disney-related stories.

Thanks in advance for your understanding and generosity.

Talk to you on Tuesday,
j

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…

Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).

Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.

Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.

Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.

Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."

Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.

General

Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

10 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.

Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.

Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.

Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.

Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.

Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.

Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.

Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.

Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.

Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.

Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.

Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.

Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."

Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."

Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

10 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015