First up, Cameron writes in to say:
Hi Jim,
Last year when Wall-E came out I was looking forward to
visiting the park(s) and getting to meet an actual Wall-E. I thought this would be part of the Living
Character Initiative and would be a grand opportunity after seeing Dr Bunsen
Honeydew and Beaker. I saw some
publicity of Wall-E on the red carpet and making visits to the studios and
science museum appearances, but so far haven’t seen him at the parks. Any chance I might see an actual rolling, talking
and interactive Wall-E on my next visit?The Living Character Initiative version of WALL•E hit the road last year, at one point stopping in Seattle to visit that city’s science museum. Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
Thanks very much.
Have a happy!
Cameron
While Lucky the Dinosaur, Muppet Mobile Labs and the Living
Character Initiative version of WALL•E may
make for great photo ops … From an
operational point of view, these incredibly complicated machine are kind of a
nightmare.
Take – for example — WALL•E. The Imagineers really did an
amazing job of recreating the title character of this Academy Award-nominated
Pixar film. The only problem is … Because of all of the machinery necessary to
run the thing, the Living Character Initiative version of WALL•E weighs 700 pounds. So were WDI to send this cute little robot out into the Parks
to do meet-and-greets with the Guests and were WALL•E’s tread to accidentally roll over some child’s foot … Well, we now exit the Magic Kingdom and enter LawsuitLand.
Then when you factor in how delicate these Living Character Initiative
machines are (more importantly, how truly difficult they are to operate). I was
on the Disney lot late last summer and I remember overhearing this protracted
negotiation between the Studio’s Marketing staff and the folks who run the
Tokyo’s International Film Festival. The people behind TIFF really wanted the
Living Character Initiative version of WALL•E to roll down the red carpet at
this Pixar film’s Japanese premiere.
But before Disney’s PR officials
would allow this to happen … Well, they needed to know exactly what the WALL•E robot was expected to do, who this Living Character Initiative creature would be interacting
with. In short, Disney wanted to see the full script in advance to that it
could then ensure that this cute not-so-little robot didn’t malfunction and/or
misbehave in front of the entire Tokyo press corps.
As you can see by the photo below, WALL•E’s red carpet appearance at the Tokyo International Film Festival back in
October seems to have gone okay.
(L to R) Takahiro Suzuki, “WALL•E” producer Jim Morris, director Andrew Stanton, sound
designer Ben Burtt and Toshikazu Miura at the closing night of the Tokyo
International Film Festival. Photo by Sarah Cortina
But as for the Living Character Initiative version of WALL•E turning up in the Parks on a regular basis anytime soon and mingling
with the public … I wouldn’t count on that, Cameron. Just the insurance issues
involved here make Disney’s lawyers queasy.
Mind you, there’s been some semi-serious talk lately about WDI creating
a WALL•E–themed attraction for the Parks. Some
sort of ride-thru that would then be dropped into various Tomorrowlands around
the globe. But we’re still a number of years away from that particular Blue Sky
project becoming a reality.
So – until that happens – I guess that we’ll just have to make do with
these WALL•E–themed
photo ops that you find around the Parks.
Next up, Andrew from Phoenix
writes to ask
Jim,
I loved last week’s “Why For” article. So I
decided to write and ask a question of my own. All of us Disney dweebs know
that the Yeti on Expedition Everest has been broken for quite some time now.
But there seems to be no plans on fixing the poor guy. Any idea what’s going
on? (I) can’t imagine (that) Disney is just gonna let its pride and glory that
they hyped so much sit there broken!Thanks for your time,
Andrew from Phoenix
Sadly, it’s going to be quite a while before this enormous AA figure
takes any more swipes at tea trains.
What’s the problem? In short, the Imagineers – back when they were
designing the Yeti – didn’t take in account what the long term effects of continually
operating an Audio Animatronic of this size might be.
For all your engineers and physics fans out there, let me throw out a
few quick stats. So that you can then get a rough understanding of the issues
that WDI is dealing with here:
- This 22-foot tall AA figure weighs 20,000 pounds
- Because of the dramatic positioning of the Yeti (i.e. this fearsome
creature literally hangs down from the ceiling as it takes swipes at passing
trainloads of tourists) , in order to keep this AA figure airborne, the Imagineers
could had to attach a structural boom to its back.
- Every 40 seconds, the 19 actuators that actually drive the Yeti have to
move this huge Audio Animatronic 5 feet
horizontally and two feet vertically … and then quickly reset for the next
trainload of tourists - To give you some idea of the amount of power we’re talking about here …
Just the thrust of the Yeti’s arm has the equivalent amount of force to a 747
jumbo jet taking off - The amount of power necessary to drive this 20,000 AA figure? Slightly
over 259,000 pounds force
Now picture a heavy-duty yet sophisticated machine like this – the
largest, fastest moving AA figure in history — having to work non-stop 10 – 12
hours each day, 365 days a year. With the vibrations caused by all those pounds
force being used repeatedly resonating up through that structural boom that
supports the Yeti and then down through the sled that actually drives this AA
figure’s back-and-forth movement.
In short, it’s the very force that drives the Yeti that caused this AA
figure to break down. In the Imagineers’ quest to create a machine that looked
& moved like this wild, living creature … Well, they built a robot that was
almost destined to rip itself to shreds.
That’s where the folks at Disney’s Animal Kingdom find themselves
dealing with right now. Expedition Everest’s Yeti has multiple operational
issues. In order to bring this AA figure back on line, get the Yeti once again
performing in A mode (i.e. so that this enormous robot dramatically lunges at
each tea train as it passes, lashing out with his arm at WDW Guests) is going
to take months as well as a ridiculously large amount of money.
Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
And given that “Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain”
is still a heavy attendance driver for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park,
there’s just no way (particularly in this troubled economy) that WDW is going
to be willing to take this thrill ride off-line for a lengthy repair.
I mean, if you’re willing to overlook this one element of “Expedition
Everest,” this DAK thrill ride is still wildly entertaining. As is evidenced by
the 1800+ Guests who whiz around its 4,424-foot track every hour that this
theme park is open to the public.
So sorry if I’m the bearer of bad news here, Andrew. But it could be
quite a while before this AA figure is back in A mode.
And — finally — Madelyn writes in to ask …
Hi, Jim,
I’m Madelyn. You know
how there is a Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida. Will there
ever be a Disney in New York, like a theme park ?Madelyn
Well, The Walt Disney Company came awfully close in the
past. Perhaps the first time that the Mouse toyed with doing something of size
in and around NYC was back in early 1961. When the owners of Freedomland allegedly
approached Roy O. Disney and asked if Walt Disney Productions would be interested
in taking over the then-troubled theme park. In essence buying these folks out.
As I understand it, Roy O. at least went through the
motions. He reportedly asked to see Freedomland’s books as well as sending a
veteran Disneyland official to the Bronx to go check out the park itself. Though
– given that, at this time, Walt was talking with Robert Moses about possibly doing
something for the New York World’s Fair –
I think that the real reason that Roy O. met with the Freedomland folks was that
he was on a fact-finding mission.
I mean, Roy O. was a numbers guy. Which is why Walt’s
brother wanted to see information on Freedomland’s attendance levels. How much
visitors to that park spent on food and souvenirs. So that he could then share
this information with his brother. So that Walt would then at least have some
realistic expectations as he began working on the ’64 World’s Fair with Moses.
Mind you, Walt himself once toyed with building something of
size in New York State. But this wouldn’t have been in or around the Big Apple.
But – rather – in the westernmost portion of the Empire State. Niagara County,
to be exact.
Based on what veteran Imagineers have told me over the
years, what Walt envisioned building near Niagara Falls wasn’t exactly a theme
park. Sure, it would have had a few shows & attractions. But this project’s
main purpose was to celebrate the natural beauty of this area. To give Guests a
real appreciation of the power & the majesty of the Falls.
So why didn’t Walt go forward with this project? I’m told
that the over-built area around Niagara Falls itself reminded Disney of Anaheim’s
urban sprawl. Which is why – even though
Niagara County already had strong enough tourism numbers that it could have supported
a Disneyland-type park — Walt eventually abandoned this idea and went off in
search of a blank piece of canvas. Which is why he wound up in the swamps of
Central Florida.
Had The Walt Disney Company gone forward with its 1995 era plan, it would have built a 47-story hotel right on this corner
Speaking of urban … Back in the 1990s, Disney’s then-CEO
Michael Eisner once actively toyed with building a resort / indoor theme park
right at the edge of Times Square. At that time, The Walt Disney Company held
the option to build on a piece of property on the corner of 42nd
Street and 7th Avenue. Right next door to the New Amsterdam Theatre.
And the Imagineers … They came up with quite the ambitious
plan for this project. A 47-story building that would have been Disney’s DVC property
for NYC. Guests who visited this resort
would have be able to book special packages that would have then gotten them
primo seats to Disney’s Broadway shows. Not to mention taking special
Disney-hosted tours of the City. And did I mention the smallish coaster that
was supposedly to have rolled along the rooftop before plunging down the side
of the building?
So why didn’t Disney go ahead with construction of this
Times Square structure? The way I hear it, in the wake of Euro Disney
under-performing, Michael got cold feet and eventually allowed Disney’s option
on that piece of land at 42nd & 7th to slip away in
late 1995 / early 1996. Though I have also heard that – given NYC real estate
exploded in the late 1990s / early 2000s – it is now allegedly Eisner’s
greatest regret that he didn’t allow the Company to go forward with this
particular project.
So will Disney eventually do something in NYC? Well, as
recently as last fall, the Company was exploring the idea of building an entertainment
/ retail complex right in the heart of Times
Square. Taking over the space that the Virgin Megastore currently occupies and
then changing it into this weird hybrid of the World of Disney on 5th
Avenue and the El Capitan & Soda
Fountain on Hollywood Boulevard.
Unfortunately, given what’s going on with the economy right
now, The Walt Disney Company has lost its taste for adventurous &
experimental. Which is why the space that the Virgin Megastore occupies in
Times Square was recently snatched up by the people who run the Forever 21
retail change.
That said, just because that spot on Times Square got away
doesn’t mean that the Mouse isn’t looking for another spot in the City to set
up shop. Especially when you take into consideration that Disney’s lease on its
5th Avenue flagship store is up in 2010 … Well, it’s only a matter
of time ‘til Mickey takes Manhattan. Again.
Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
And speaking of time … I’m out of time for this week. But if
you happen to be down in the City this weekend, be sure and swing by the Jacob
K. Javits Center and check out the third annual New York Comic-Con. Which (as I
mentioned earlier this week) will feature cool Disney-related events like that
preview screening of the first 50-minutes of “Up.”
Speaking of Disney-related crud … If you’d like your
Disney-related questions answered as part of this weekly column, please send
them along to jim@jimhillmedia.com.
That’s it for this week. See you next Monday !