Aug 30, 2011

Backstage Tickets

Yesterday Disney California Adventure closed off the Sunshine Plaza to begin the process of turning it into Buena Vista Street. Guests entering the park are routed backstage behind Soarin' instead.

Pictures of this path that showed up on twitter and fan-sites were not at all what I was expecting. Disney put a lot of work into this. They carried the fin motif of the Pan Pacific Auditorium styled entrance through the area. Lots of artwork and ride posters adorned the walls. Landscaping and short railings lined the path. A temporary building for guest relations.

Disney certainly didn't have to go to this level for something that will be gone this coming summer. If this path is any indication of their level of commitment to bettering the park, next summer should be quite amazing indeed.

Aug 29, 2011

Permanacer Sentados Por Favor

Following Disney can be quite a wild ride. They like to keep things secret as long as they can so that they can surprise people. They frequently change plans right up until the moment of announcement and even after that. A project that has been greenlit one moment can be cancelled or put on hold the next. It is definitely an e-ticket ride.

Disney, and specifically the theme parks, has fascinated me for quite some time. I love figuring out how various attractions and effects work. At the same time, I appreciate the pure artistry of the parks and the very simple joy that can be had just being there. Living in the Western US I tend to favor Disneyland more heavily. You'll probably hear a lot about it here. But I'll try to talk about other parks as well as films and other Disney business units. I may even mention non-Disney things from time to time as they catch my attention.

So climb on in, pull that seat belt all the way across and snap it in on your left. Tug on the yellow strap and remain seated, please.