Prologue: Destination D: 75 Years of Feature Animation

On August 11 and 12, The Walt Disney Company and D23 celebrated 75 years of Feature Animation with their 2^nd Destination D at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

On Friday August 10^th, after dropping my lovely wife off at work and quick stop to top off the gas tank, (No, you don’t have to worry; Pam got picked up from work Friday evening by our youngest.  J)  With a full tank and the trays loaded with a Book on CD in place, I hit the freeway and started motoring south.  About 8 hours later, after hitting a couple of choke points along the route, and the requisite traffic jams inherent to the L.A. driving experience, I was pulling up in front of the Disneyland Hotel.  A half hour later, after checking into the hotel and a very nice room overlooking Downtown Disney, I was in the check-in line for Destination D.  One of these days I will learn to read all the signs behind the check-in desk.  After giving with the gal in line for A-to whatever my name and not finding it on the list, she ask if I was a Diamond level guest?  With my yes, she point me the nice young lady (Karen) sitting in front of a sign with a great big diamond on it.  Doh!!!  Checked in for the next day’s event, and sufficiently merchandised, it was off to the room to drop off my booty and on to DCA.

For those of you who may not know, Disney California Adventure has been undergoing a major retrofit for the last couple of years.  I won’t go into my deeper thoughts on the subject, but, suffice to say that, to me, DCA has never really felt that much like a Disney Park.  Yeah, there were a few things in there that I liked, but we never spent a lot of time in that park.  Well, this is the first trip ever, mostly because of the short time I was there and my commitments elsewhere, which I actually did not make it into Disneyland.  A real bummer, but, I will survive; I wanted to see the new additions to DCA, and my beloved Corn Dog Castle was back in operations.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the Red Wagon at Disneyland too, but, a stop at the Corn Dog Castle has been a tradition since DCA opened.  It was one of the things that drew us to DCA in the early day.  So, after renewing my annual pass at the ticket booth, it was off to the DCA turnstile.

Approaching the entrance to DCA, you’ll immediately notice the absence of the C*A*L*I*F*O*R*N*I*A letters.  Next, one see the new turnstiles which have a similar design to those of Disney Hollywood Studio in Florida, and a more 30’s feel to them.  Also now missing is the Golden Gate Bridge which I’d always felt looked a little out of place.  As I walked into the park, I was fortunate to have one the new Red Car Trolleys stopped at the end of its run near the gates adding to the ambience of walking onto a 1930’s styled Los Angeles street, with its stucco storefronts.  As I came around the corner, gone was Sunshine Plaza with its brass disaster of a sun, replaced by a beautiful recreation of the Carthay Circle Theater – home to Walt Disney’s 1937 world premier of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  This rendition of the Theater houses a new Disney Dining experience called Club 1901 on the second floor with a Lounge on the first.  On what is now know as Buena Vista Street, in front of the entrance to the Hollywood Backlot, sits the newest sculptural addition to the Parks, the Storytellers statue.  This is another statue of the Walt and Mickey, with Walt appearing to the dress in an attire of his 1920’s arrival to Los Angeles and Hollywood.  But, unlike the Partners Statue, raised and fenced in, in the hub over at Disneyland, the Storytellers Statue is at ground level and accessible for guests to have their pictures taken with it.  All in all, my impressions of Buena Vista Street are wonderful, with the shops along the street well themed to that of the 1930’s.  A future trip will be need to give review to the new restaurant in the Carthay Circle Theater, but, the reviews I have read are very good and give my experiences with Disney’s other fine dining offering, I would expect nothing less than excellence in 1901.  Since it was still well before dusk, and I was hungry, I bypassed Cars Land and headed off to the Corn Dog Castle to satisfy that craving that had be building for the entire drive down.  I’ve had corndogs at many places around the country and we have a Dog On A Stix here locally, but, nothing is quite the same as a Disneyland corndog – dark, crunchy, and about 10 inches in length.  Fresh and hot, dipped in mustard, it is pure nirvana.

Corn dog fix satisfied and dusk rapidly approaching, it was off to Cars Land.  Standing at the entrance, I was immediately reminded of the many trips we took from San Jose to Camarillo when I was a kid.  How many of you remember that the 101 we know today was but a future notion.  The highway ran through every little town between here and Los Angeles – Morgan Hill, Gilroy, Salinas, King City… billboards advertising all the great little roadside attractions and cafes along the route.  But, looking down this Main Street, I was immediately transport into the Radiator Springs of Cars.  There’s Fillmore’s and Sarge’s, Flo’s and Luigi’s, and at the end of the street, the Cadillac Range looms in the distance… the tailfins of several years of 50’s caddies jutting out.  And then as the darkness of night began to envelop us, what I was really there the experience this evening.  The speakers came alive with “Live Would Be A Dream”, and slowly as the music played the lights and neon of Radiator Springs sprung to life from one attraction to the next.  Again, I remembered with great fondness, those many trips south, most often in the evening hours, and all the neon signs as we transited one small town to the next.  Remembering the movie and being a child how came of age in the 60’s, I had been anxiously awaiting this moment since I first learned of the building of Cars Land – I was not disappointed.  After the 400+ miles on the road, and the fatigue that often accompanies elation, it was time to turn in and prepare for the early morning events of Destination D.  Arriving back at my room, I was in time for the nightly fireworks display at Disneyland.  With the music piped into the room through the TV and a room on the 8^th floor of the Disneyland Hotel Adventure Tower – Downtown Disney side, the only place better to watch the fireworks would be in front of Sleepy Beauty’s Castle.  It was an interesting perspective to watch the show from a side angle.  If you’ve experienced the fireworks in front of the Castle, or even from the Esplanade between the parks, you would probably think that the colorful bursts in the sky were coming from directly behind the castle.  Not So… the smaller bursts do launch from the castle, but the large starbursts come from a backstage building behind ToonTown. Just an interesting side note.

So, Cars Land, done… corn dog, done… fireworks, done… time to head off to Neverland and a nights rest for a busy day to come.  One last surprise for the evening, the lights on the nightstands have two switches, one for the light and the other...  well, flip the switch and you hear “When You Wish Upon a Star,” I could be wrong on the music but, as you listen to the music, especially if the other lights are out, you notice the headboard begin to light up with fiber optic firework bursts.  There’s that special Disney touch, and a really wonderful way to slip off to Neverland for the evening.  Nighty Night Tink.

Next, Day 1 of Destination D…

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

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D23 Expo Day 5

So this report has little (okay, nothing) to do with the D23 Expo, the Expo ended on day 4.  But, how could any Disney fan be that close to Disneyland and not spend at least a day in the park?

Walt, you just finished 3 day at the D23 Expo, what are you going to do?

I’m going to Disneyland!!!

Up early, well sort of early…  after 3 days of walking the Expo, the bodies just melted away into sleep and rest to restore the tired muscles, including that large one between the ears, and out the door.  Instead of going the long way around to Downtown Disney and the Esplanade, the short cut from the Paradise Pier Hotel is to cross the street and go through the Grand Californian.  No matter how many times I walk into the lobby of the Grand Californian, I am awestruck.  The open expanse of about 50 by 50 feet and 6 stories of craftsman styling is a sight to behold.  As we move to the GCH entrance to DtD, there was some work going on and the Disney requisite wall surrounding it with a Disney security cast member on his post.  As I passed, I commented (as I do) or asked if we were to “don’t pay any attention to that man behind the curtain?”  Must have been to early for him, as all I got back was a blank stare.

Out to Downtown Disney and on our way.  But wait, we had eaten anything yet.  So next stop was the La Brea Tarpit… err Bakery… for a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs, potatoes, and bacon, nothing special, but good.  The day’s excitement starts almost immediately, as a woman with her daughter approach the open table next to us and hits a small patch of water on the patio.  Slick wet concrete and flip flops are not a good match, so down she went, rather hard.  As I started to get up to help her, she waved me off saying she was fine which she appeared to be even given the force of the fall.  Fortunately for them, the daughter was carrying the tray of food so that made it to the table unscathed.  Not exactly the kind of excitement I like to start my day with, but, at least nothing, but the woman’s pride, was injured.  And it’s off to the Park.  It seems these days to be a guarantee, so if you are with me, pick a different line…  the one I’m in is always going to be the one with issues.  Three little princesses, Dad, and Mom in front of us, can’t seem to find the right tickets in their package and the turnstile CM is really trying not to get frustrated.  As I’m standing there, I notice the package Mom is hold has the “Make A Wish” logo on it and understand the CM’s extra care.  Okay, we can be patience here too.  After the CM Supervisor arrives, the family ushered in and the line continues to move.  And, we’re in!

HERE YOU LEAVE TODAY

AND ENTER THE WORLD

OF YESTERDAY, TOMORROW

AND FANTASY

That plaque could easily be posted above the entrance to my mind.   J

Stepping on to Main Street, there is that sensation that keeps bringing me back to Disneyland, and one that I get nowhere else…  the youthful EXUBERANCE and EXCITEMENT of a 5 year old experience the park for the first time.  Other than the love of my family and friends, it is large part of what has sustained me over the last 20 twenty year and most especially the last 10.  There are very few things for which I’d consider trading that feel

First stop… the Main Street Train Station.  There are few things that are a must do at Disneyland, riding the Disneyland Railroad is one of them.  I ask the station conductor if I could get a ride on the tender, one of the things I have never done before.  I am told that these are the first runs of the morning and they don’t allow tender rides until the trains have made a few trips around the park.  DRAT!!!  Oh well, I’ll have to do that later, but it will be done.  So, it’s into one of the cars and once around the park.  As we come to a stop at the New Orleans Station, I hear the clickety clack of the station telegraph ringing out, and a little knowing smile crosses my face.  Any real Disney fan knows this, but how many others who pass through that station know what is being tapped out in that telegraph in a continuous loop?

”To all who come to this happy place: Welcome. Disneyland is your land.”

Yup, it’s the first two lines for Walt Disney’s opening day dedication speech.  On every visit to Disneyland, I find something I’ve never spotted or knew before.  This visit was no different.  As we sat in the New Orleans Station while the engineers took on water, I noticed a plume of steam rising up out of the trees behind the station and wondered what piece of equipment Disney might have back there producing that column of mist?  Then it struck like a DOH! moment, it was the locomotive blowing off the steam in the boiler before they took on more water.  Don’t know if it OSHA, or just Disney thinking ahead to safety, but there is grated small brick structure right in position where the engine stops next to the water tower.  This little structure lines right up with the steam vent on the engine, and is actually a small tunnel that extends several yards out past the tracks.  When the train stops and needs to take on water, this tunnel becomes a secondary vent to funnel steam away from the train and possible issues with the guests or cast members.  Very clever!!!  After filling the water tank, we were on our way again on our trip around the Magic Kingdom, and relaxing and enjoyable trip it was, as we arrived back at the Main Street Station, and debarked.  At street level we began our meandering trip down Main Street.  With the exception of sauntering down the middle of the street and far more inhabitants then you might find, it is very much little visiting any number of small town Main Street across America.  I was immediately reminder of a nice I had recently with a friend in Livermore, whose main drag is not all the different then where I was at the moment.  I wonder how many others on the Main Street today are taking the time to truly experience all that Disneyland’s Main Street really has to offer, or rather, rushing off to experience one thrill ride or another.  My advice, no matter what you do, remember to take the time to experience the moment.  Good memories beget good memories, and if we are always anticipated the next one, we miss so much.

First thrill ride of the visit is for Sam.  She loves Pirates… has since the first time rode it when she was 7.  Bonus, we in the park early enough, the wait is only 15 minutes.  Thank you Touring Plans, and your Android app for Disneyland.  With your help, I knew that before we arrived what we were looking at for a wait time.  So this was my second ride on Pirates in as many days, and wouldn’t know it…  I got soaked again!!!  I do hope this is not a harbinger of things to come, cuz’ I not really a water ride kind of guy.  I don’t like squishing around the Park, even for a little bit on a hot day.  Fortunately, getting wet on Pirates is not as traumatic as, say…  Splash.  J  Now on to the Haunted Mansion where my favorite part of the ride is really the stretch room, I always get a kick out of watching the portraits grow.  Time for a short rest and b-room break for the girls, over by the New Orleans Square train station.  As I look to my right, who is standing there next to me but Mousetalgia’s own – Dave.  In a moment, Becky shows up with Button.  Guys, Sam got a really good picture of her that I’m going to have to get to you.  After a couple of minutes we were off again.  A trip through Adventureland and, of course, a visit to the “back side of water.”  Yes, it’s time for a cruise on the Jungle Boats.  Where else can you transit the great rivers of world, the most notable exception being North America, in the matter of a few minutes? 

It was getting to be lunch time and since we were only going to be there for one day, I had bothered to make any reservations.  Note to self:  Don’t do that again!!!  Well, we decided to try our luck and the Carnation Café, and were lucky enough to only have a 25 minute wait.  Well worth the wait for Chef Oscar’s “Loaded Potato Soup”, YUMMMMM…  After lunch we headed over to the Main Street train station; I AM going to scratch the tender ride off the bucket list, TODAY.  The Conductor at the station has me sit on the bench inside the station while he checked for the next available tender ride.  Turns out, that one, not all the locomotives have a tender that can be ridden in, and two, they don’t take riders on all runs for reasons that will become clear.  So, we can sit a wait for a few minutes.  Shortly thereafter, the E.P. Ripley rolled into the station the conductor came in and said, “Follow me please.”  Sam and I exited the station and down the ramp to the locomotive, my heart all a twitter.  Sam looked at me and just started laughing as we boarded the tender; I guess my 5 year old was showing.  I was so besotted just sitting there, that I don’t even remember the names of our Engineer or Fireman, but they were really nice.  I had told the conductor on our earlier ride that she had one of the coolest jobs in the park.  Sitting there between these two gentlemen, I changed my mind… they have the coolest job in the park.  In reality, aside from the costumed characters, they probably have one of the hottest jobs in the park, sitting behind a several hundred degrees of burner and boiling water.  But, they enjoy their work and had no problem telling me that fact.  The Fireman told me that he looked forward to coming work every day since he’d gotten this job.  Being so excited, I didn’t take many pictures, but then I haven't been able to figure out how to include pictures with my blog reports yet, so it probably doesn't make that much difference.

As we were sitting on a hold at the New Orleans Station, the Fireman confirmed to me that I was right in my earlier AH HA moment.  This station is where they take on more water, but before they can do that, they have to blow out the sediment that develops at the bottom of the boiler.  Each locomotive uses between 40 and 50 gallons of water per trip, and can make about 3 trips before needing to take on water again.  That’s why they don’t allow tender rides on every trip, for safety reasons, they don’t want passengers up front when they have to clear the boiler.  Next time down, I’ll try to do this again, and I’ll be much more attentive.

After the tender ride, Sam wanted to take some pictures with her new camera.  So, she and Mom took the fire engine from the Main Street station down to the Hub, and then back, while I checked out a few things in the Disney Gallery.  I needed a replacement for my Mouseketeers shirt that I got at last year’s Destination D, and I found a tin of Mary Blair postcards.   It was late enough in the afternoon that we decide it was time to return to the hotel for short rest before we tackled DCA.  Interestingly, we did not hit Frontierland, Fantasyland, or Tomorrowland on this visit, so I missed one of my other usual must do’s…  Peter Pan’s Flight.  I’ll have to do that one twice next time.

After a short rest, it was through GCH again and this time over to the GCH entrance to DCA… EIEIO.  J  Didn’t know there was a second entrance into DCA?  Well there is, right next to the Napa Rose.  And to clear up something that I’ve heard on several of the fan boards.  The common claim is that the GCH entrance is only for those guests staying at the Grand Californian.  Not true, I took the time to read the board this time, and it clearly states that the entrances is for guests stay at any of the Disney Resort hotels.  So that would include Paradise Pier and Disneyland Hotels.  So it’s over to the recently reopened Corn Dog Castle for, what else?  A corn dog!!!  Yes, I love the Disneyland Corn Dog, and it’s been a tradition of mine to get at least one during each visit, at either the Corn Dog Castle in DCA or the Red Wagon in Disneyland.  Since the Corn Dog Castle has been closed to the last couple of visits, it got the nod this time.  Then it was off to check out the new food offering where the old burger joint was before.  Sam and Pam aren’t corn dog fans.  For park food, the new place is okay.  After dinner, we walk over to the Paradise Pier section and a ride on Mickey’s Funwheel, well Sam and I rode it, Pam wouldn’t be caught dead on anything that looks like a Ferris wheel.  We got to look out over DCA at how things were developing, mostly the new Carsland area.  Carsland is taking shape nicely, and it looks like it going to be a lot of fun when it opens next year.  Then it was off to use the special fast passes we’d gotten to try out the new Little Mermaid ride.  The fast passes were a good thing because the wait time was over an hour.  By this time we were all starting to fade fast, and we still had to walk back to PPH, so we decided to skip the Wonderful World of Color.  It is a great show, but it we didn’t feel we’d really enjoy it as tired as we were, and we had a long drive home coming in the morning.

So there you have it, Disneyland in 1 day.  Definitely not enough time to do everything, but what we did do was a lot of fun.

Watch next week for my report on the special event happening and the Walt Disney Family Museum on Saturday.  It’s going to be Disney-rific event.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

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D23 Expo Day 4

Day 4 of our D23 Expo trip, but Day 3 of the Expo, and the final day, on the agenda for this morning, the Marvel presentation in the Arena.  Don’t tell anyone from D23, but I cheated.  Yeah, I know me cheat?  Well, the only presentation of the Expo that Sam really wanted to attend was this session with Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer – Joe Quesada, so Mom and Sam switched tickets for the morning, so she could go in with me and get good seats.  Having listened to Joe on Episode 146 of Mousetalgia, I too was looking forward to this session and more from Joe.  We went in and got seats in the third row center stage.  About 20 minutes later, we were allowed to move up to the front two rows because the seats were not filling.  Sam got a seat in the front row and I was in the row right behind her.  Being of the vertically challenged nature, a front row guaranteed no one was going to obstruct her view.  For this, she was very happy.

The session opened with a video message from Mr. Marvel, himself – Stan Lee.  He told us that he was locked away in a secret bunker protecting the world, but that he had sent us a special emissary in Joe Quesada.  Since this was Marvel’s first real exposure to the Disney fan base, Joe gave us a bit of history lesson about Marvel, how it developed and it arrival in within the Disney fold.  At the tender age of 16, Stanley Martin Lieber joined Timely Comics as an assistant.  He filled inkwells, got the artists their lunch, proofread, and basically did anything they needed.  In 1941, Stanley Lieber made his comic-book debut in Captain America Comics #3.  With a childhood desire of writing more literary works and wanting to safe his given name for that purpose, Stanley the comic-book writer became Stan Lee, later which he took as his legal name.  Stan later became the Editor at Timely comics and eventually became Publisher of what we now know as Marvel.  Joe went on to explain how he came to the position he currently holds, and about the Disney acquisition.  I think the most important take away I got was that Disney wants Marvel to keep doing what they do well.  There doesn’t appear in Joe’s mind any effort to Disney-fy Marvel.  That, to me, is a good thing.  The last part of session, he dedicated to what he has been doing at many other presentations – A Cup of Joe.  Since he found it difficult to get answers and time with people in the business, this was his effort to make himself available to people trying to get into the business.  So, Cup of Joe is a Q&A session where the audience can ask any question they want.  Since this was my first Cup of Joe, I don’t have anything to judge by, but, I found almost all of the questions to be most people trying to get scoops on storylines, or why their favorite character was or wasn’t be developed.  But, all-in-all it was a fun experience.

After a Cup of Joe, another troll around the Expo floor to see if there was anything we might have missed.  Several of the Stores had be several hours waited to get into, so walked the floor to them out.  Disneystore.com, still a bust, there was at least 50 people waiting in the queue.  Next down to the Expo Dream Store…  What do you know; nobody in the queue, the lines here had been miserable before now.  After walking around the store for about 10 minutes, and being the tightwad that I am, turns out the only piece of merchandise I was really interested in was the Noah print that was commissioned for this Expo.  The original was, of course, priced far beyond my finances, but there were smaller litho’s available, so one walked out the door with me.  Now a stop at the Park and Resort Pavilion, yes we’d seen the presentation days before, but, it was a chance to actually see some of the models being mocked up to show what some of the new developments looked like.  The highlight for me was seeing what the new main street of California Adventure is going to look like when it’s finished, and the new statue of Walt and Mickey planned for the new hub.  There’s another miniature I’m going to have watch out for in the near future.   Though I didn’t get to try it, the new audio-animatronics fortune teller looked pretty interesting.

Leaving the pavilion, we saw the entrance for the Mickey’s of Glendale store – this is the store associated with the company store at the Imagineering Headquarters in Glendale, the line here was still, long, long, long…  So it was off to the Collectors’ Forum for one last look around.  Darn good thing we decided to do this…  as we were roaming the collectors’ forum, I ran across my Museum buddy Heather, and she told me Noah was in his booth there and signing things.  Thanks Heather!!!  So I head over and was able to get my print signed, and may I say Noah is a very friendly guy.  Side note: when I was back at the room I decided to go looking for the name of the piece, so I did a Google search and found a signed copy of “Remember… It All Started with a Mouse” on eBay for $295.  Funny thing, you can still get a signed copy at Noah’s web store for $50…  Go Figure!  Either way, mine’s not for sales.

Those of you who know me, know that there is a fan board that I’m not real fond of, and one that I hit at least once a day to check the happening.  Well both boards had a presence in the Collectors’ Forum, so I just kind of cruised by the unpopular one, and it appeared that I am not the only one not really interested in their drivel.  During the three days I never saw more than 3 or 4 people milling around, and they appeared to me to me mostly the same people every time.  My fav board usually had 10 or so people around the booth, with new traffic rotating through routinely.  All I can say is, “It serves you right, Yertle.”

Luckily, I stopped by the MiceChat booth for a final look, only to discover Don Ballard there doing a meet and greet.  I got to stop and talk to him about his Disneyland Hotel presentation from the first day.  I have a copy of his new book, but it wasn’t with me, so Don was gracious enough to sign a card that I know have on the inside cover.  Thank Don and thanks MiceChat for hosting him.  Another short visit at the Walt Disney Family Museum booth (what can I say, I really like the place) and it was time to head back to the hotel room for a rest before D23’s closing night soiree for the Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Premiere pass holders.

Pam and I returned to the Expo later in the afternoon to be on hand for the Sorcerer’s Apprentice/Premiere closing party in the lounge that had been set up for us to use during the Expo.  During the Expo, we were treated to water, soda, and coffee… with cheese, crackers, and sweet treats and a place to rest our weary feet after walking the large convention center. There was even a massage service available, of which Pam treated herself to 10 minutes of work on her shoulder.  During the closing party there was the addition of a bar for beer and wine, and the staffers were circulating with a variety of different treats.  In the end, the head of D23 – Steven Clark, and Event Planner – Laura Sanchez came out and talked with us for a few minutes, thanks us for attending and hoping that we all had a good time.  After mingling with friends for a while, it was back to the hotel to rest up for the final day of our Expo trip before we head home.

All-in-all, the Expo was a really good event, but I was left with a few issues which I will run through now:

First, when I purchased the Premiere ticket package, I (and I learned, many others) was under impression that this ticket level was going to have some sort of reserved seating arrangement for all the presentation venues.  After attending the first Expo and spending hours on end in line, queue waits is one of the things that made this package so attractive.  As it turned out, the only reserved seating was for the Arena presentation.  We did get a sort of head of the line privilege for the first presentations in the morning at the other venues, as we were allowed into the Expo early before regularly ticketed members.  Over three days that amounted to three additional presentations, only one of which I was really interested in, over the 7 scheduled for the Arena.  The additional cost of the Premiere ticket might have been worth it to me had I had the choice of which 10 presentation I wanted to attend. 

Next, there seemed to me to be a lack of communications among the staff working the Expo.  Now, I do understand that the vast majority of the people working the Expo were not Disney Cast Members, but rather temps hired to work the Expo.  However, there didn’t appear to be enough people with accurate information available for attendees, particularly on day one.  As I said, I missed the Legends Ceremony because I could find the location for Sorcerer/Premiere ticket holders to enter the Arena.  It took me 5 individuals and over ½ an hour to just find someone who knew.  This is also out of Disney’s control, but, I encounter and couple of incidents and heard for others who encountered some very rude ACC employees and Security personnel.  Since Disney is actually footing the bill for these people, they should have some ability to demand a certain level and at least civility and courtesy, and in future, I hope they exercise it.  Also in the line of communications, on the Thursday evening check in, Sorcerer/Premiere attendees were allowed on to the Expo floor to access the Expo Dreamstore.  We arrived, we were told that only Sorcerer’s Apprentice attendees had access at the moment, and no one seems to know when the Premiere attendees were going to gain access.  I will admit my own falling in this one; the check package did detail the hours the store was going to be available to what level, and I didn’t read it.  But, I would venture a guess that most, if not all, Premiere attendees fail to read that sheet.  Since there was a notice in the check-in package, it would seem logical that someone manning the entrance of the Dreamstore should have known as well.

My final complaint is with the process Disney appears to have taken with the Sorcerer/Premiere ticket sales.  I have not been able to confirm this claim, but, I heard from several attendees that Disney also additional Sorcerer and Premiere level tickets after the initial allotments where sold.  To my best of my memory D23 claim, when these special tickets were announced, that the original allotments were going to be 75/500 respectively.  My sources claim that those numbers where at least doubled, and some claimed tripled.  Know I don’t know how Disney decided to make these tickets available, but, I know that I was never notified that there was a possibility of upgrading, let alone that additional tickets were available.  So, I am a little ticked at that one.

For my closing thoughts on this Expo and D23 in general,  I have written before that I think Disney’s intent with D23 is to let it grow and develop more organically.  They could throw large sums of money and many cast members at the club, and pretty much overwhelm the other clubs that have grown over the years, with their own in-house efforts.  I do applaud Disney for what I believe is their intent, but, come on guys and gals, you are masters at logistics, and guest experience, you’d think you’d be able to apply that better to the D23 experience.  One suggestion that I think would be of benefit in the future; if you’re going offer special access tickets to future Expos, something like the Premiere pass should come with be ability to select the (stay 10) presentations that you want guaranteed seating, just a thought.  And finally TWDC, I not really sure what you’re real intent for D23 is, but, there are quite a few members out there that think it only ‘dollar and cents.’ 

I have had the pleasure of attending a number of D23 events over the past couple of years, and the joy of meeting several of the staff members.  These are some of the nicest and passionate Disney people I have ever had the delight to meet, and every one of the smaller events have been the most fun.  But, by my understanding, there are less than 10 people actually tasked to D23 and few of whom have other responsibilities as well as their D23 duties.  For most of the events, they do a fantastic job, but for an event as complex as the Expo, I don’t think that staff is adequately staffed to the task.  Even at every two years, I’d think that would take a dedicated staff of 5 to 10 to really pull off the Expo with the traditional Disney flair.  It would appear to me, that the D23 effort lacks a clear vision.  If you have a real vision, you need to communicate it better and adapt the operation to it.  If don’t, you need to find one and build the organization around it, or you are ultimately going lose the momentum you’ve created to this point, and you are going to lose members.

Just a few thoughts, but, I have more if anyone is interested.  J

Coming next…  Expo Day 5.  Can’t go down to Anaheim without at least one day in the Parks.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

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D23 Expo Days 2

I’ll be posting an overall view of how the Expo ran later, but for now, here are the highlights.

Well the Disney Geekfest, known as the D23 Expo got underway on Friday.  Three lines had already formed up when we arrived at 6:30 for an 8:00 AM early entry for D23 members.  One for the Sorcerer’s Apprentice ticket holders one Premiere people, and one for General D23 Ticket holders.  The line for the general D23 members was already stretching from the front doors of the Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) down to the end of the building down towards Katella.  With no one yet in place to direct the queue, people chose their own directions and the line began doubling back on itself up the sidewalk toward the ACC entrance until it started to interfere with the line positions for the Sorcerers and Premieres.  Enter security staff to direct the attendees out through the ACC plaza on Katella.  As the line for these D23 devotees continued to grow, it zigged and zagged across the plaza in a serpentine mass of bodies out to the fountain.  It was just barely 7:00AM.  Poor… poor Sam was attending on a general ticket, while Mom and I had Premiere tickets, so we were keeping her company in the general line.  Being the social butterfly that I can be, I left Pam and Sam in the general members’ line and charted off to see if I saw anyone else that I knew.  Stopped to talk with a few people I’ve met up at the Museum.  Got a chance to walk and talk with the Disney Geek for a few minutes, and generally walked up to the entrance to the convention center.  That’s when I spied the fourth line, the general admission line off by themselves on the other side of the entrances.  Guess, someone didn’t want to sully the pre-ticketed members gathering with the unwashed masses (said with tongue in cheek J )  So it was back to the pair I left in the other line.  When I arrived back, this line had grown to encompass the entire plaza out to Katella and down the street some.  The girls told me to go ahead and head up to the Premiere line so I could get something to eat and get us a spot in line for the first presentation of the day.  I of course complied.  The 8:00AM early entry time came and went, finally close to 8:30 we were allowed in.  Not a great start to this day, but the first presentation of morning was really good.

First presentation of the day was that on Don Ballard’s “History of the Disneyland Hotel.”  I recently met Don online through another friend’s Facebook group, and it turns out Don and I only live a few miles apart in Northern California.  Don has amassed a great deal of knowledge about the Disneyland Hotel and the Wrather’s who built and own it.  I’m not going to go into details about Don’s work, he done a far better job in his books than I ever could, beside… he has pictures!  J  But Don’s presentation was peppered with rarely seen video footage highlighting the Hotel and the Wrathers.  Again, my word pale in comparison to witnessing these videos.  But, if you have interest in the little 5 Star resort that sprang out of an orange grove, I highly recommend Don Ballard’s work, “Disneyland Hotel 1954-1959: The Little Motel in the Middle of the Orange Grove.”  Also, thank you to MiceChat for hosting Don at their booth in the Collectors Forum; otherwise, I’d have missed meeting him in person.

Sam head off to do her own thing and we headed down to attend the Legends ceremony which we wound up missing because of some miscommunications, more on that in a later post, so we head up to Christmas in August – a preview of this seasons Prep and Landing.  If you’re as big and fan of Christmas as me, and Disney fan to boot, you’re going to want watch Lanny, Wayne, and the Prep and Landing team do their thing for this Christmas.  The session was hosted by the Disney Geek – Jeffrey Epstein.  After a few sneak previews, Jeffrey was joined on stage by the directors; Stevie Wermer-Skelton and Kevin Deters (also the writers), and producer Dorothy McKim, later to be joined by Musical Director; Micheal Giacchino, and the voice talents of Chris Parnell and Dave Foley, to discuss the making of the latest installment of Prep & Landing.  All the panelists pretty much agree to being influenced by the great Rankin/Bass animated Christmas special from their childhood.  I too remember those fondly and still pull out the DVD’s during the Christmas season along with other classic like the Disney Santa Clause movies.  Prep & Landing will be added to this collection of holiday viewing, which reminds me…  Yikes!!! That Holiday Season rapidly approaches.  At the end of the session everyone was instructed to check under their chairs for a possible special surprise…  Pam won!!! NOTHING???  turned out to be a leftover from some other event.  L  More on this in my upcoming overall impressions post.

Finally presentation of the day for us was the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.  It was a great presentation, but it started about 30 minutes late and finished on time, so I kind of wonder what got left out?  We heard about the reboot of Fantasyland and Walt Disney World, and I looking forward to seeing it someday.  The concept art looks really interesting.  But, it’s not my home park.  We heard about the groundbreaking for Disneyland Shanghai, but, it’s not my home park.  Heard some great things about other resorts news, and some kid won a trip for 4 to the new Aulani resort in Hawaii.  COOL!!!  But, what about Anaheim?  Disneyland resort, that’s home.  Carsland is cool, and the concert art is great.  The progress video was neat.  But, I can’t see new for Disneyland.  Fantasy Faire, sure, but what about Tomorrowland?  Tomorrowland is in need of serious attention.  Somebody get Tony Baxter on the phone and give him a budget.  Presentation was good, but nothing exciting or that I didn’t already know about.

By the time the Parks and Resorts presentation let out, the Ultimate Disney Trivia Tournament queue was filled and closes, and there were informal lines forming for the next event in that venue.  Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastics, no surprise there was big demand for that one.  So we head back to the hotel to rest up for next day, hearing rumors that the Expo had sold out for Saturday as we were leaving.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

D23 Expo – Day 1

Here we are at the end of Day 1 of the D23 Expo.  Yeah, I know the expo starts tomorrow, but, I’m counting the travel day as Day 1.  My story… my rules.  J

Day started by hitting the road at 6 AM.  We actually got out 10 minutes ahead of schedule…  WOW, how’d that happen?  To the guy on 101 southbound in the Coyote Valley, who had to apply his brakes rather quickly…  You’ll find that happening frequently when you tailgate 4 feet off my bumper at 70.  Dude!!! Learn to back off.  Other than that, it was clean sailing all the way to Paso Robles and our traditional breakfast stop at Jose’s – damn those sausage patties are big, double quarter pounder has nothing on Jose.

By now you’ve all realized, I don’t use I-5 to make my transit to Disneyland.  I prefer the coast route, as its more scenic, and it doesn’t take me all that much longer.  Besides, my grandparents and cousin resident permanently at Conejo Mountain Cemetery, and as I am the only one the travels south regularly, I use the opportunity to stop, visit, and place flowers on just about every trip.  Love you always Nana, Grandpa, and Sean.  So, score first real bonus of the day…  I stop at the same florist on every trip – Camarillo Flower Shop.  Pam called ahead just outside Ventura and ordered our normal three little bouquets.  While Pam was getting some sandwiches next door, I went in to get the flowers.  The gal that owns the shop was working to today and running a little behind.  So, while she was finishing up we were just shooting the breeze, talking about Disneyland, yup, she knows by now where we’re head, and a recent trip with her young  ones, and how she likes that I take the time to stop a visit the family…  not many people do that these days.  Anyway, as she comes out from the back she hands me the flowers, and tells me these are on the house.  She said she was sorry for making me waiting…  really it was that long, but I really appreciate the gift.  I think a little Mickey and Minnie are going to make a stop on the way home.  AND, if you ever find yourself in Camarillo and in need of Flowers, may I strongly recommend Camarillo Flower Shop, 77A Daily Drive, 805-482-2320.  They’re right off of Las Posas Road.

After a nice visit, it was back on the road to Anaheim, and really uneventful, which when driving is pretty good.  Since I’ve started taking 405 down to Katella, its much shorter, time wise.  Have I mentioned I’m not fond of I-5?  Through the central valley or L.A.!!! J

We get to the Paradise Pier Hotel at about 2:30, get the bag, park the car, and check-in.  After waiting about 10 minute for our room to be finished, we head up to the 8^th floor.  Who should get on the elevator right behind us, but ¼ of Mousetaglia, truthfully, it was 2/5’s.  It’s always a pleasure to see Becky, and little Button looked to be plum tuckered out.  But, it was great to see them.  After resting for a few minutes, we headed over the Convention Center to do our Premiere ticket check-in and check out the shopping.  DreamStore was a bit of a bust because we weren’t schedule of admittance until 5:30, and I, nor the girls, want to hang around until then.  So, I trucked it up to the 2^nd floor and checked out the Archive Treasures Store.  Not a couple of nice things.  If anyone shows any interest, I may down a pictures page for the blog???  As I was headed to the escalator, I ran into Don Iwerks.  How do I know this?  I’ve seen him a few times up at the Walt Disney Family Museum.  Very Cool!!!

Just finished watching World of Color from our room, couldn’t see any of the projections, but the fountains and lights are really color sync’d to the music pipe in to our room.  The one thing that stuck me was how amazingly well timed the music is to the water show.  It escaped me when I first saw World of Color, but, seeing it from up high and not seeing the projections made it very apparent, and very cool!

Something new at the Paradise Pier Hotel, maybe at the others too, but, I’m just noticing it.  The shower has a rotating head on it.  As you stand there, the water spray kind of massages your body, again… VERY COOL!

Well, I’m off to bed to get rest for a very busy day to tomorrow.  I’ll try to post as the Expo progresses, but, may well be too tired after very full days.

Hope everyone else is having as Disney-rific days as I am experiencing.  J

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

You can find us on Facebook at:  Discovering Disney History on FB

The Mouse under Attack revisited

First off, thank you, thank you, thank you, to my buddy and Museum Volunteer – Joseph!!!  “Storming the Magic Kingdom” is a marvelous account of the attempted hostile takeover of Disney in 1984.  So again Joseph, THANK YOU!!! 

Side Note:

After some travails with one of Amazon’s affiliate sellers, they came through on the second attempt to acquire to the book.  For those who use Amazon’s affiliate sellers frequently, I’d be cautious buying anything from Charleston Wholesale.  While they have a good rating on Amazon, I find the seller to be unreliable, temperamental, with somewhat questionable ethics, and an extreme dislike of the Postal Service.  Buy from them at your own risk.

                                                                                                                                                          

I have been asked by a few people if studying the history of The Walt Disney Company from the management angle destroys the magic for me?  It doesn’t, in fact it actually enhances it.  At least for me, when you learn of the dysfunctional executive management throughout its history, I am in reality more impressed by the “magic” that the company manages to create.  I seem to be someone who has been able to separate the appreciation and enjoyment of fantasy with the need for, and understanding of, reality.  When I’m seeing a Disney movie, or am in one of the theme parks, I don’t give a second thought to how the companies are run, or the personalities of the individuals involved.  If they can allow me, even for a few moments, to escape the bonds of reality and experience enjoyment, I am great with that idea.  But, that doesn’t discount the amazing story of how Disney to where it is today, or how it almost didn’t…  I find that part of the magic very interesting as well.

“Storming the Magic Kingdom” by John Taylor is an account of the individuals who attempted and in some cases succeeded in exploiting the effects of dysfunctional executive management of a company, and management’s efforts to thwart hostile takeover.  Any account of the many hostile takeovers, that have occurred, would be the same.  Some of you may be thinking that I’m being overly negative when I assert the claim of dysfunctionality, it’s not intended to be negative, but rather matter of fact.  Whether it be family, friends, non-profit or for-profit business, any where there are parties great than one involved in control, ego and personal agenda becomes involved.  Dominant egos tend to take or try to take control of the situation.  Supported by “Storming the Magic Kingdom” and several other tomes (check the side bar links for these resources) I have read about Disney management the following is my conjecture:

So what led to this attempted siege of Magic Kingdom’s castle?

The groundwork of this siege was actually laid when the company was started.  With the co-founders being brothers there was, at its inception, a dynamic to the company operation not found in most business.  Add to that, the personalities of the two brother being so diametrically opposed.  Walt Disney, the very gregarious, effusive, and the creative part of the relationship.  Roy Disney, the quiet, reserved, behind the scene, financial mastermind of the business.  To paraphrase Walt, he was a little bee, flying from garden to meadow pollinating the flower (the company’s creative project).  What hasn’t been clearing communicated was Roy’s position of rather quietly following behind Walt, creating and managing the financial requirement needed to allow these flowers (projects) to blossom.  This worked, and worked quite well, as the company began to experience success and grow, but the company grew to the point where this relationship began to create strains on the brothers’ relationship.  Had the brothers been just friends instead of family, we can speculate that the friends would just part ways, and what we have come to know as The Walt Disney Company would have most likely ceased to exist.  But, instead, the brothers soldiered on; Walt building and mentoring his cadre of creative people, and Roy doing the same for his operations people. 

Any hard core Disney fan has heard the company classifications of Walt’s Boys and Roy’s Boys.  Unless someone produces some, as yet unknown to me, recordings or personal notes between Walt and Roy, we will only have the recollections of the people around Walt and Roy to rely on.  I’m not knocking any of these people, but ask any attorney; some of the most unreliable evidence in a court case is eyewitness testimony.  You may see or hear something, but have no idea of the context of the situation.  With that in mind, one simple little comment may have been the catalyst which ultimately became the event and theatrics of 1984.  It is well publicized that Card Walker claimed that Walt once referred to Roy E. Disney as his “idiot nephew.”  Was Walt making a little joke at his nephew’s expense, was he taking a jab at his brother during one of their squabbles, did he really believe his nephew was an idiot.  If he were still with us today, I relatively sure that Card would say he knew Walt well enough to know his intent, but did he, really?  I don’t know of any of Walt’s other boys who have made similar claims to have heard Walt make comments like this about Roy E.  What I have learned about Walt from my research is that he was not a person to filter his feeling that much.  As far as I can tell, if Walt did make reference to his nephew’s intelligence to any of his other boys, they had the discretion not to repeat it to anyone else, a short coming, in my opinion, in Card’s character.

One of the key points I took from “Storming the Magic Kingdom” was Ray Watson acknowledging that Disney had no acknowledged corporate plan in place when he became the Chairman of the Board.  Not surprising, given what I’ve address in the previous paragraph, and Walt’s Boys and Roy’s Boy trying continue management as they’d been mentored by their respective co-founder.  What I don’t think was understood was that Walt and Roy, as brothers, had (my conjecture) an unspoken and therefore un-communicated plan under which they operated.  Even as the rife open and grew between them, this unacknowledged plan allowed the company to continue to flourish.  Unfortunately for the boys, this is something that can’t really be mentored.  Once Roy passed away, after the opening of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, the unique dynamic of the Disney Brothers intuitive relationship at the helm was completely lost.

Don Tatum as CEO and Card Walker as COO, lacking the co-founding brothers relationship and without any real plan, where handicapped from the start.  By all accounts, Card became the dominant force in Disney leadership, and with the oft heard mantra, “What would Walt Do?”  …established himself as the protector of Walt Disney’s legacy.  Unfortunately, in my opinion, in protecting his mentor’s legacy, he lost touch with Walt’s forward looking philosophy.  While Walt had, in effect, move on from the studio, to the development of his theme park in the early 50’s, even though the studio was in capable hands he continued to monitor and inject his creative input when needed.  If you look at the movies produced by the studio in 50’s and 60’s, under Walt’s guidance, I see offering, that while rather formulaic and holding to his family entertainment values, were in fact evolving as the audiences began to change.  A look at movies produced after Walt’s death in 1966, and you find a listing of offering that, while holding true to Walt’s legacy and the Disney brand, failed to evolve with changing family entertainment demands, resulting in declining revenues and hence reductions in offerings, and ultimately the perceived importance of the studio to the overall success of the company.

As much as I don’t like to do it, and find it hard to fault the man, in the noble effort to protect and preserve Walt Disney’s legacy, Card Walker almost destroyed it.

When next we meet, I’ll be revealing how I still think Ron Miller is someone how deserves much more recognition for his contributions to The Walt Disney Company then he has received, and how two rather introverted family members played roles important roles in the outcome of the siege on the Magic Kingdom.

In-between now and then watch for a couple of trip reports for upcoming events.

Have a Disney-rific Day!!!

Your comments or questions are always welcome.  If you have a correction or something you think I should look at in my research, please feel free to contact me at mr.grumpyguy@gmail.com

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