Have you seen that clip on YouTube? The one that shows how the Mr. Potato Head AA figure that you find in the queue area of Disney’s “Toy Story Mania” can actually pull off its own ear?
Well, that’s nothing. Wait ’til you hear about how the Imagineers are now pulling out their hair as they try & get the Disney’s Hollywood Studios version of this new attraction to work properly.
Copyright 2007 Disney. All Rights Reserved
“So what’s the problem?,” you ask. Long story short: This is perhaps the most technologically sophisticated attraction to ever be installed in the stateside Disney parks. And — as of yesterday morning — the Imagineers have yet to be able to to get this $70 million addition to the Studios to work properly.
This is why WDW officials have quietly cancelled the Cast Member Previews that were originally scheduled for this coming weekend. With the hope that — with a little extra effort — “Toy Story Mania” will then be able to pass its 72-hours-of-continuous-operations test. Which would then allow WDI to officially hand this new attraction over to Ops.
Copyright 2006 Disney. All Rights Reserved
Now please note that no one at the Walt Disney World Resort has hit the “Panic Button.” Not yet, anyway. Which is why — even though the Cast Member Preview of this new DHS attraction has been temporarily postponed — everything else that’s associated with the launch of “Toy Story Mania” is still right on schedule.
This includes next Wednesday’s B Roll shoot. In fact, if you live in the Orlando area and want to be among the first to actually experience this ride, you should check out this ad over on Craigslist. Where they’re attempting to recruit ” … volunteer families, kids, and people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds to come and experience Disney’s newest 4-D attraction.”
Copyright 2007 Disney. All Rights Reserved
WDW officials are also pushing forward with their plans to hold a huge after-hours party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on May 8th. Where the movers & shakers in Central Florida’s hospitality industry will first be wined & dined, and then have exclusive access to this brand-new attraction.
This sort of stuff — the last minute delays, the B Roll shoot, the after-hours party for hospitality industry types — is typically part of the launch of a brand-new attraction at the Parks. So why are the Imagineers tenser than usual with “Toy Story Mania” ?
Well, that’s because this hi-tech shooter attraction is the first collaboration between Walt Disney Imagineering and Pixar since the Mouse acquired that animation studio back in 2006. And given that there’s already been something of a culture clash when it comes to these two very different divisions of the Mouse House … Well, WDI doesn’t want to risk further aggravating John Lasseter & Co. by bobbling its first assignment.
“What culture clash?,” you query. Come back to JHM next Monday and I’ll tell you all about it.
Your thoughts?