UOR Permit Update 3/4/2013: Universal Studios Store Expansion

Universal filed for a new Notice of Commencement today, indicating that the Universal Studios Store at the front of the park will be receiving an expansion by JK2 Holmes Constructors, who constructed the current entrance way of USF.

As always, stay tuned to Parkscope for updates.

Thoughts on Disney Springs

Ok everyone, time to get some bourbon, time for another talk.

Bitter Storm at Napa Rose. It has bourbon in it. And it's Disney.

The next round of leaking Disney Springs has occurred, with WDW1974 and WDWNT dropping new information and concept art today.

The news is very similar to what Park Rumors spilled a few weeks ago, with new divisions, parking garages, and fountains detailed. WDWNT adds to the knowledge by leaking nice, water color concept art. WDW1974 adds to this on WDWMagic by breaking the bad news there will be no I-4 ramps or additional on site transportation to the village.

Raven also adds some photos of a slide show presentation highlighting the concepts of who they want in the Disney Spring (HINT: Think expensive, think fancy, and think Apple).

Disney Springs is a re-concepulaization of Downtown Disney. Disney has learned a lot since 1971, 1989, and 1998, with the pinnacle of the concept being DTD Anaheim. This shows in the Disney Springs concepts, as water, trees, and vertical height are added back into the warehouses and fake mountains acting as restaurants. But this is only half of Disney Springs.

Disney Springs, simply, is keeping foreign tourist dollars on property, especially Brazilian. User Skyway gets this concept across well: while I might have a Gap, Apple Store, and Brooks Brothers within a 30 minute drive of me, many 'coming of age' and 'destination teen trips' by those from foreign countries do not. It is not uncommon for Millennia Mall to be swarmed with Brazilian teens, cold cash in hand,  buying up computers, printers, iPads, iPhones, clothing, shoes, and more. It's not simply an access issue either, Brazil has a massive electronics import tax. This is money NOT on Disney property. So it shouldn't be a surprise that the concept pitches Team Disney Orlando heard had Apple, Brooks Brothers, Coach, and more on their 'concept' list.

Disney's response to Church Street and mom & pop stores is dead. Drinks can be had at the resort and you can buy fancy soap can be bought at home. The angle Disney wants now is Destination Shopping, not unique, not themed, and not entertainment. There's no room left for Emil Bleehall from Sandusky or vintage slides.

The good ole days. From George Thomas.

The momentum introduced by the Eisner era and Pleasure Island isn't thought. Everything must have a backstory, a reason, and a purpose. Theming isn't simply a design choice or visual style, it's a STORY, a BACK STORY, and non-functional decorations. And Disney Springs has them all, from the forced concept to the non-functional train tracks.

Image from rowanb73.

Despite my pessimism and nostalgia, I think Disney Springs is a nice project. I would be more receptive if this amount of money was put back into the parks also, but beggars can't be choosers (so I'll just end up going to ride Transformers). What Disney Springs is the continuation of Disneyland's emergency support system: a well decorated destination mall for big brands.

Here's a picture of Darth Vader in the old Village Marketplace. Note the dude in the back left with the awesome white sport coat. Image thanks to Alison at Walt Dated World.

The New Walt Disney World Guide Maps

NOTE: Thank you to Attractions Magazine and The Dis for their high quality old and new maps. Visit these sites for more examples.

Click for larger version.

Ground Zero for how the parks are advertised, perceived, and their tone is the Guide Map. The elaborateness of the maps corresponded with the scale, direction, and focus of the Walt Disney Company at that time. Sure, that's somewhat crazy to think, but where else does factual information, direct guest satisfaction, advertising, and park operations meet in a non essential manner?

This coming week starts a new age of Walt Disney World Guide Maps, one that seems to have learned from the mistakes and problems of the previous, while embracing new design and technology.

Issues

• Death By Labels

Magic Kingdom, November 2012. Click for larger version.

Last generation of WDW Guide Maps decided the best way to vomit out labels on an over designed map. Can you even tell where some of these things are? Most can't. The numbering and lettering schemes are confusing and hap-hazzard. What is the logic in the flow? Letters, numbers, and symbols are so prevalent they block out important features and designs of the park, ignore their actual locations, and focus on what should be there and not what actually is. Look at the Magic Kingdom park hub, which alone has 3 icons where the Partners statue is!

•  Unimportant Features

Disney Hollywood Studios, November 2012. Click for larger version.

Last generations of park maps added unnecessary 'action' points and features that did not aid in park guidance at best, and offered visual confusion at worst. See the DHS map above, how does it help a guest trying to find where Hollywood and Vine is that Indy Stunt Show; Lights, Motors, Action!; Catastrophe Canyon; AND Fantasmic! are all exploding with fire at the same time? The hat blocks out one of the park's biggest ride, and it has an unnecessary glow. The Muppets area, with one attraction, two shops, two restaurants, and one of the most popular meet and greets, is small due to forced perspective. Yet we have detailed trees and pavement designs in the foreground that do not help with guest travel in the park.

The AT-AT in the room here is the focus on eye candy and action over visual guidance.

• Up is Down, Cats and Dogs Living in Harmony

Epcot, November 2012. Click for larger version.

Where is Innoventions East or West, without trying to find the badly placed labels? Based on the old Epcot map, well... who knows. By choosing an isometric view, not only are important landmarks hidden and backs of buildings focused on, with Epcot, it doesn't show true north and south. This usually isn't a problem (see Disney Hollywood Studios), but when you start labeling and directing people based on compass directions you're setting yourself up for failure. (To be fair I think Disney attempted to change the West and East to Green and Blue, but it never took on.)

• Scale

Animal Kingdom, November 2012. Click for larger version.

The running theme of my criticisms and qualms come down to the use of artistic license of scale. Important features are over scaled and highlighted, while minute details that might not directly be an attraction but do help with navigation get muddled. Everest is not the actual size of nearly every of land, but it is the 'biggest' attraction at Animal Kingdom. The hat doesn't look 300 feet tall, so why should it be on the map.

Improvements

Animal Kingdom, March 2013. Click for larger version.

As an extension of the My Disney Experience mobile app, the new maps are a step into the new decade of design. The new philosophy seems to be on physical information (this is what the buildings look like and are located) over label based information (FIND MICKEY HERE! EXPLOSIONS!).

• Logical Labels 

Magic Kingdom, March 2013. Click for larger version.

Numbers only! Reduction on unnecessary icons and symbols! Only restaurants and attractions are numbered and the amount of symbols used is drastically reduced to life saving devices, restrooms, smoking areas, and characters. Photo spots, PhotoPass, parade parking, and more are cut adrift for a more cohesive visual theme.

• Reduction of Clutter

Disney Hollywood Studios, March 2013. Click for larger version.

Okay okay, there's still ONE explosion. A significant amount of visual clutter has been removed compared to the old maps. Trees are textures & tall structures are viewed from an overhead perspective and not highlighted to stand out. Visual stimulation for stimulation's sake has been removed. Tacky fonts and logos have also been removed or scaled down (ex: no New Fantasyland in Magic Kingdom map).

• True North & Scale

Epcot, March 2013. Click for larger version.

True north allows for directional reference; that's good for Epcot. And by getting rid of isometric views and sticking with a straight down perspective, what you see is what you get for scale and location. The scale no longer is skewed for features deemed more important. Whole attractions are not the size of lands, icons don't stand 300 feet tall, and walkways and their locations are accurately depicted. Distances and sizes are no longer obfuscated, allowing for easier traversal of the parks.

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The new WDW Guide Maps are an improvement compared to the style-over-substance last generation of maps. My Disney Experience app is integrated and embraced for those looking for more information and a personalized experience (though Mickey's index finger does look freaky ET like). Overall, it's an improvement, and hopefully one signifying a shift in how the parks are viewed and advertised; less surpufulbous fluff, more what the parks actually offer.

UOR Permit Update 2/19/13: Potter Show Sets

Universal filed a Notice of Commencement with Orange County today for "Interior Improvements" to be done by Nassal in USF.  

Further inspection of the NoC elaborates that agreement is for the installation of "Project 722 Show Sets."

This comes as no surprise as Nassal seems to be Universal's go to company for facades and show elements.  Nassal themed the new lagoon wall last summer for Phase 2 of Wizarding World, did the new City Park lagoon wall, and is currently working on the controversial Transformers facade.  They also were responsible for Phase 1 of Wizarding World.

As always, follow us on Twitter for up to the minute updates @Parkscope and @CaptMichael87

Web Roundup: February 16th, 2013

Sesame Street Spaghetti Space Chase

Universal Studios Singapore's new family dark ride is in Annual Passholder Previews and reviews, photos, and some video are coming in. The ride is getting positive, if somewhat reserved reviews.

Dejiki.com has a review of the attraction up, so go and read that instead of my rehash.

User sonikbyte has uploaded a YouTube video. It appears to truncate the attraction half way through. 

I find this attraction incredibly interesting as it's the first true family dark ride Universal has built since ET. It'll be interesting to see how the public reacts.

Vintage Project Florida Videos

The fantastic Disney and More blog has a great post on rare, vintage videos of Walt Disney World circa 1971. It's worth a watch to see the preview center and what the park looked like Day 1.

Death of a Moonwalker

My crude mashing of the keyboard continues to be shamed by Passport to Dreams. Her newest post, Death of a Moonwalker: Captain EO, destroys nearly all other themed entertainment writing. Foxxy looks at the concept of camp, 'fiascos', creative failure, and why Captain EO stands out despite all odds. Get over there and read this if you haven't already.

Disney Springs

ParkRumors.com reports rumors on Disney's plans for the Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island/West Side re-conceptualization. If true, I'm very excited for what I see, Disney seems to have learned from the highly successful Disneyland Resort Downtown Disney and is applying it the original. And I know several Disney historians will be happy to hear "The Marketplace" name will be coming back.

The Future That Never Was

My childhood lined up with the opening of the 1994 re-theme of Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland. I was exposed to the idea of having a cohesive theme through a large area. While I saw Adventureland as simply some buildings and plants, Tomorrowland's tongue in cheek nature showed me how to look more into details. I agree with some that the planetary hub of the galaxy theme should have extended beyond Rocket Tower Plaza, and that some elements where heavy handed, but it was MINE.

Brice over at the ProgresslandBlog writes a fantastic piece on Tomorrowland, it's meaning, and the bizarre Alien Encounters TV Special.

Apology

I apologize for my absence from the site. I have been slacking off and figuring my life out. I have several posts planned, and am excited to get back to writing.

Universal Permit Update: New Lasers for USF Lagoon

Looks like Universal will be adding even more lasers to Cinematic Spectacular in the coming weeks and months, as they have filed a new notice of commencement for them, which can be seen below.

Thanks, Tony

Listen, I know I'm the guy out there that is often snarky and sarcastic. Probably to a fault most of the time. But that's not what I want to do today. In fact, I really don't have it in me. Not after the news of last night and today. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Tony Baxter, Senior Vice President of Creative at Walt Disney Imagineering and legend in the truest sense of the word, has retired from Imagineering. I know some of you will say he's still a consultant, but let's be honest with ourselves, that means he's retired.

I would be kidding myself if I told myself Tony would have been around for longer anyway. And largely, his talents have been wasted at WDI since the mid 90s. For the past decade it seemed like he couldn't get anywhere near a legitimate blockbuster attraction.

But Tony leaving is still probably the saddest thing that's happened in the Disney world for me as long as I've been alive, or aware, of what was going on. I'm not going to go into what this means for Disney or WDI. This isn't a day for that. Today's a day for celebrating this man's accomplishments.

When I think of Mr. Baxter and his projects, I think of my family. More than any other WED/WDI member, aside from maybe Marc Davis, Tony's projects have given my my family and I our most lasting memories. Whether it was laughing together on Big Thunder Mountain or screaming on Splash Mountain, his rides have always planted smiles on our faces.

Mostly, however, his rides make me think of my dad. Most of you probably don't know this, because I don't like talking about it, but my dad passed away a little over four years ago. The man was my best friend bar none, and losing him was incredibly, incredibly hard.

But after a while, you forget the hard part and remember the good times. And thanks to Mr. Baxter, I have some of the best "good time memories" of my old man than I could have ever hoped for. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was my first "big kid" roller coaster, and I was seated firmly next to him, as I would be each trip after that, even until our last trip together a few months before he passed. I remember our first plunge down Chickapin Hill, and then a few years later having my sister seated safely between us as she took her first splash down. Eventually my sister and I got to big for all three of us to share a seat, but we all continued to ride multiple times every trip, and even managed to sneak my scaredy cat mom on for a few rides.

Most of all, though, I remember Journey Into Imagination. I was first introduced to Figment and Dreamfinder during my first trip when I was almost three years old. Little did my mom and grandmother know then that one ride would become an obsession. For the next 8 years I would want anything and everything Figment that I could get my hands on, and every trip meant going to see my buddy Figment...eight or ten times. My mom would usually peter out around ride three or four, but Dad would stick with me until I had filled my Imagination fixation. He would laugh, sing, and even help me hide during the "scary part" in my early years. The ride and those experiences made me want to become an Imagineer, a dream that wouldn't come true, but would lead me to work at the Magic Kingdom as a Jungle Cruise skipper for a few years. And for all those terrific rides and experiences, I will be eternally grateful.

Since Dad moved on, I've been lucky enough to see more of Baxter's work, including his redo of Disneyland's Fantasyland and his beautiful park sitting in Marne-la-Vallée. But even being in Disneyland Parc Paris, I was still brought back to those days when I was a kid in Magic Kingdom. Even whipping under the Rivers of the Far West in Paris's Big Thunder Mountain made me think of that first plunge into the dark and sitting next to Dad on my first Big Thunder ride all those years ago. That's just something money can't buy.

Now, Mr. Baxter, I'd like to speak directly to you. I know you'll probably never get to read this, and I doubt I'll ever meet you in person to tell you it, but I want to thank you for all you've done for Walt Disney's theme parks these past 47 years. Many people to this day ask me why I continue to go to Walt Disney World and Disneyland as the trips become more expensive or as I grow older, and I just smile because they can't understand. I continue to go back because of the memories I made with my family. Memories that you helped me make with your works. And I know thousands upon thousands of people feel the same way as I do.

So thanks, Tony. Thanks from my family, me, and all those theme park fans who feel the same. Enjoy your time off. You've earned it.