This last week Slate magazine featured a pictoral look at Celebration, FL with commentary and photos by architect Witold Rybczynski. His conclusions are mixed (generally good residential and poor commercial) and his observations about the direction Celebration has taken rings very true. Although Disney is no longer involved in this town, the story is worth… Read More »Celebration, a new look.
It may be gone from Disneyland, but The Country Bears attraction still has a serious following. Done In The Dark has an excellent tribute to the show including clips from the Toyko and Orlando versions. One of the most collectible postcard series is a set of sketches done by Animator and Imagineer Marc Davis showing… Read More »A Country Bears Tribute!
The Osceola County Tourist Development Council wants you to know that the area just south and east of Walt Disney World is ready to receive your tourist dollars. As such, they’re launching an advertising campaign to draw tourists away from the higher end resorts of the Disney World and International Drive areas to their more… Read More »Kissimmee-St. Cloud, where’s that?
Getting off of one ride at Animal Kingdom I was approached by a worker who calmly asked me if I would mind turning my shirt inside out, confusing the hell out me. I was wearing a lounge shirt over a standard T, but she informed me that it may be inappropriate in a family park.… Read More »Reflections on Disney World
LaughingPlace.com’s Latest includes info on the next Pirates film (titled: Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest) direct from Dick Cook’s mouth. Reports of work on the backlot at Universal Hollywood and sightings across the Bahamas have already begun. [ ttags: potc, pirates, depp, film, disney, orlando, bloom, knightly ]
The Orlando Sentinal considers the documentary film "Dream on, Silly Dreamer" that captured the final days of hand drawn animation at the Walt Disney Studios. The article also has a look at some of the personal stories that arose from the closing of the Disney Animation Studios in Orlando. For instance, Project Firefly Animation Studios… Read More »Dream On, Animation Funereal Dirge
Despite improved attendance numbers, apples to apples profit numbers reveal that the parks are having their worst years since the 80s. I’m sure the number crunchers up in Burbank have better models than me, but since you asked… the company is now reaping what it has sowed. The 90s were supposed to be the Disney Decade at the Themeparks. Instead we saw cuts in attraction budgets, a reliance on the cheaper (sometimes! remember the expensive mistake that was Light Magic) entertainment, cuts in training, and an across the board slashing of maintenance budgets. Not only has this resulted in death and injury at the theme parks, but it affected Disney brand as the top quality family entertainment vacation destination.
Scott visited Epcot this last weekend and the result is this fabulous collection of photos. Have a look. Cory Doctorow, author of Down and Out at the Magic Kingdom, has also been visiting Orlando recently. His photos are up on Flickr. And LaughingPlace.com has pictures up of the Holidays at California Adventure.