What do you find to be "non-Disney" at Disney? - Page 3 - The DVC Boards at MouseOwners.com - the place to talk DVC and Walt Disney World

mouse junkie · 12-02-2011, 02:34 PM

I'm pretty much a Disney junkie, so how is it that I don't know ANYTHING about Duffy the Disney Bear? I did a double take when I saw him walking to his autograph spot. It left me scratching my head, and I cannot bring myself to accept him as "Disney."

onehecticmom · 12-02-2011, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mouse junkie

I'm pretty much a Disney junkie, so how is it that I don't know ANYTHING about Duffy the Disney Bear? I did a double take when I saw him walking to his autograph spot. It left me scratching my head, and I cannot bring myself to accept him as "Disney."

I still have not gotten his autograph or even taken a pic with him. My kids are trying to collect all autographs & have yet to ask to see him, or to go inside his store

homerdance · 12-02-2011, 03:23 PM

Behind the scene tours.

PecosBill · 12-02-2011, 03:30 PM

What I consider to be a “Disney Attraction” is first and foremost an attraction with a great story. Secondly it is a show - from the stage, to the set, to the props, to the music and sound effects, to the costumes, to the ‘cast members,’ and every last detail needs to support that show and contribute to the suspension of disbelief. As such it is a completely immersive environment. Third, it is innovative in an attempt to push story telling to new heights. Fourth is the obsessive attention to detail (read anything by or about John Hench), and the authenticity. It is original and unique*. Finally they are professional and well executed

* This requires some clarification. Obviously every story told by a Disney Attraction isn’t original and unique to Disney. Many of the stories have been borrowed from The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Lewis Carroll, J. M. Barrie, P.L. Travers, A. A. Milne, and many others. But how Disney interprets and re-tells these stories has been original and unique.

What is NOT Disney are the off the shelf carnival attractions in Dinoland and in much of DCA. And I know I’m going to get blasted for this, but neither are the Muppet, Power Rangers, Nina Turtles, Marvel Heroes, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, or Avatar. I’ll give exceptions to the previous in DHS which is designed to be somewhat non-Disney. However these non-Disney properties do not belong inside a Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or even Animal Kingdom regardless of how well executed they are. And in contract to my previous statements with the exception of not being unique Disney stories, Star Tours is one of the better executed “Disney Attractions” in recipient history, and meets most of the other qualifications for a good “Disney Attraction.”

Other things that are NOT Disney include:
- The various sound and voice tracks used throughout the park. There is the Stave Church/LOTR example above. There is the new music in Liberty Square, which used to be authentic fife and drum instrumentals of the revolutionary period, now it various patriotic music from the revolution to the 20th century. I appreciated it more when the sound track was tied to the story and the period of the land. Then there are the voice tracks on the buss in various parts of the property. Why not have a pioneer or frontiersman narrate the ride to/through/from Ft. Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge, and have a New England Sea Captain narrate the ride to/through/from Yacht & Beach Club, etc.
- There is the obtrusive Swan and Dolphin hotels destroying the views inside EPCOT and in and around the other Crescent Lake resorts (Boardwalk, Yacht & Beach).
- There are the generic food and merchandise push carts in Adventureland and Frontierland. They distract from the show, the story, and destroy the suspension of disbelief. A little teaming, prop dressing, and costuming could go along way here.

There is a great website/blog with contributions by Disney and Pixar employees that go into detail of the very subject posed by the original post. http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/...le-things.html

TW1 · 12-02-2011, 03:31 PM

The most un-Disney thing?

The coffee.

PecosBill · 12-02-2011, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerdance

Behind the scene tours.

Walt took us on a behind the scenes tour every week during the Walt Disney anthology television series - Disneyland (1954-1958), Walt Disney Presents (1958-1961), Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color (1961-1969), The Wonderful World of Disney (1969-1979).

Presley · 12-02-2011, 03:43 PM

Reading this is making me homesick for the old Disneyland from when I was a kid. As far as I can remember, the only rides that were tied into Disney movies were in Fantasyland. All the other lands felt so magical. It really felt like I was in that time and place. Ah, the good ole days........

PecosBill · 12-02-2011, 03:48 PM

Just about anything on the Disney Channel or the Family Channel. The Hallmark Channel is more Disney then either two of the previously mentioned Disney owner networks.

The Disney Channel and the Disney Studios are currently being run by Geraldine Laybourne the guy that built Nickelodeon. And as a result there is a very Nickelodeon look and feel to many of the shows being produced for the Disney Channel. Kim Possible in my opinion is one of them. And although its one of my favorite shows so is Phineas & Ferb. Beyond that they are buying off the shelf kid shows that are being produced for the BBC and CBC, not that Little Airplane doesn’t produce some cute little shows, they just aren’t Disney.

Modan · 12-02-2011, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ckporter

There is rarely anyone playing those carnival games. That obnoxious coaster is loud and tinny sounding, just like you said.

Plus, that is on the blacktop which feels like my flip flops are going to melt any minute. The heat coming up from there is horrific.

Why don't they ever ask us first before the Imagineers start these crazy projects that don't match the rest of the park?

It is almost always empty and it doesn't surprise me at all.
Disney didn't really think this through. It's not that it's not fun, and it's not that kids wouldn't have fun playing the games. To me it's that these games belong in carnivals where there isn't a $50+ admission charge just for the privalege of spending another $5-$10 to throw a ball at some bottles. Prizes aside it kind of feels double dipping.
Old Disney had a pay as you play ticket approach. This migrated over time to an all inclusive "pass". The Dinoland carnival feels an awful lot like paying for both the old system and new. To be perfectly honest I've never played any of the Dinoland games, mostly because I grew up with a dad that refused to pay for carnival type games insisting that they were for throwing money away. Maybe being Disney the prizes are eaisier to win but traditionally carnival games are a bad bet, like "minimum 3 people required" to pay $5 each to shoot water at a target and see who wins the $2 prize.

PecosBill · 12-02-2011, 04:14 PM

Back to the original post about the Kim Possible Scavenger Hunt. For years I walked past the boots without any interest in participating, I thought they were out of place and bad show. I’ve never seen Kim Possible and had no connection with her, and felt she was out of place in EPCOT, non-Disney.

And after several years and several trips, my 6 years old son requested the opportunity to play. He didn’t know who Kim Possible is/was (as he has never seen the show and its no longer on the air) but he saw other kids running around playing a game. So as a family we embarked on this new adventure. Without going into a full review and critique of the experience, I’ll conclude by saying that there are pros and cons to this attraction. But over all I was pleasantly surprised with the overall experience. With a few exceptions this is a good ‘Disney Attractions’. I possessed many of my presious mentioned requirements to be considered a ‘Disney Attraction’…
1. It has an immersive story. Not necessarily a great one, as the characters are already out dated and irrelevant. But this is easily fixable. They could lose the outdated tie-in (see the problem with Tie-ins) and create a new characters unique to Disney/Epcot. Or if they must have a tie-in go with Perry the Platypus (but this too will soon run its course).
2. It is a show, and best of all you are part of the show interacting with characters on your phone, and with real live cast members in various countries. The complete suspension of disbelief, not necessarily.
3. This is one of the most innovative Disney experiences I’ve ever encountered. Using a piece of current pop culture technology (a cell phone) to interact with characters and cast members, go on a guided adventure, see areas of an attraction that you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. Make a volcano erupt; send smoke (real live smoke) signals; view audio animatronics that are interacting directly with and responding to you; revealing hidden treasures such as sunken monkeys, toy trains, nutcrackers, glockenspiel, etc.
4. It is professional and well executed.

With the exception of the Kim Possible characters (which include the zombies) I would say that this is a very “Disney Attraction”. And a must do for any Imagineering freak/geek.

12-02-2011, 02:34 PM	#21
mouse junkie Studio Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Texas...in the country! Posts: 185	I'm pretty much a Disney junkie, so how is it that I don't know ANYTHING about Duffy the Disney Bear? I did a double take when I saw him walking to his autograph spot. It left me scratching my head, and I cannot bring myself to accept him as "Disney." __________________ ME & DH DS(2) The felines: Julian & Leo The canines: Harley, Baxter, and Mimi Joy 10/2010 ~ Joined DVC - BLT 6/2011 ~ First trip home to BLT 2/2012 ~ BWV

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12-02-2011, 03:23 PM	#23
homerdance Studio Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 90	Behind the scene tours.

12-02-2011, 03:30 PM	#24
PecosBill Grand Villa Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,473	What I consider to be a “Disney Attraction” is first and foremost an attraction with a great story. Secondly it is a show - from the stage, to the set, to the props, to the music and sound effects, to the costumes, to the ‘cast members,’ and every last detail needs to support that show and contribute to the suspension of disbelief. As such it is a completely immersive environment. Third, it is innovative in an attempt to push story telling to new heights. Fourth is the obsessive attention to detail (read anything by or about John Hench), and the authenticity. It is original and unique. Finally they are professional and well executed This requires some clarification. Obviously every story told by a Disney Attraction isn’t original and unique to Disney. Many of the stories have been borrowed from The Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen, Lewis Carroll, J. M. Barrie, P.L. Travers, A. A. Milne, and many others. But how Disney interprets and re-tells these stories has been original and unique. What is NOT Disney are the off the shelf carnival attractions in Dinoland and in much of DCA. And I know I’m going to get blasted for this, but neither are the Muppet, Power Rangers, Nina Turtles, Marvel Heroes, Indiana Jones, Star Wars, or Avatar. I’ll give exceptions to the previous in DHS which is designed to be somewhat non-Disney. However these non-Disney properties do not belong inside a Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or even Animal Kingdom regardless of how well executed they are. And in contract to my previous statements with the exception of not being unique Disney stories, Star Tours is one of the better executed “Disney Attractions” in recipient history, and meets most of the other qualifications for a good “Disney Attraction.” Other things that are NOT Disney include: - The various sound and voice tracks used throughout the park. There is the Stave Church/LOTR example above. There is the new music in Liberty Square, which used to be authentic fife and drum instrumentals of the revolutionary period, now it various patriotic music from the revolution to the 20th century. I appreciated it more when the sound track was tied to the story and the period of the land. Then there are the voice tracks on the buss in various parts of the property. Why not have a pioneer or frontiersman narrate the ride to/through/from Ft. Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge, and have a New England Sea Captain narrate the ride to/through/from Yacht & Beach Club, etc. - There is the obtrusive Swan and Dolphin hotels destroying the views inside EPCOT and in and around the other Crescent Lake resorts (Boardwalk, Yacht & Beach). - There are the generic food and merchandise push carts in Adventureland and Frontierland. They distract from the show, the story, and destroy the suspension of disbelief. A little teaming, prop dressing, and costuming could go along way here. There is a great website/blog with contributions by Disney and Pixar employees that go into detail of the very subject posed by the original post. http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/...le-things.html

12-02-2011, 03:31 PM	#25
TW1 Founding Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Philly and/or HHI Posts: 5,059	The most un-Disney thing? The coffee.

12-02-2011, 03:43 PM	#27
Presley Grand Villa Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 1,057	Reading this is making me homesick for the old Disneyland from when I was a kid. As far as I can remember, the only rides that were tied into Disney movies were in Fantasyland. All the other lands felt so magical. It really felt like I was in that time and place. Ah, the good ole days........

12-02-2011, 03:48 PM	#28
PecosBill Grand Villa Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,473	Just about anything on the Disney Channel or the Family Channel. The Hallmark Channel is more Disney then either two of the previously mentioned Disney owner networks. The Disney Channel and the Disney Studios are currently being run by Geraldine Laybourne the guy that built Nickelodeon. And as a result there is a very Nickelodeon look and feel to many of the shows being produced for the Disney Channel. Kim Possible in my opinion is one of them. And although its one of my favorite shows so is Phineas & Ferb. Beyond that they are buying off the shelf kid shows that are being produced for the BBC and CBC, not that Little Airplane doesn’t produce some cute little shows, they just aren’t Disney.

12-02-2011, 04:14 PM	#30
PecosBill Grand Villa Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 1,473	Back to the original post about the Kim Possible Scavenger Hunt. For years I walked past the boots without any interest in participating, I thought they were out of place and bad show. I’ve never seen Kim Possible and had no connection with her, and felt she was out of place in EPCOT, non-Disney. And after several years and several trips, my 6 years old son requested the opportunity to play. He didn’t know who Kim Possible is/was (as he has never seen the show and its no longer on the air) but he saw other kids running around playing a game. So as a family we embarked on this new adventure. Without going into a full review and critique of the experience, I’ll conclude by saying that there are pros and cons to this attraction. But over all I was pleasantly surprised with the overall experience. With a few exceptions this is a good ‘Disney Attractions’. I possessed many of my presious mentioned requirements to be considered a ‘Disney Attraction’… 1. It has an immersive story. Not necessarily a great one, as the characters are already out dated and irrelevant. But this is easily fixable. They could lose the outdated tie-in (see the problem with Tie-ins) and create a new characters unique to Disney/Epcot. Or if they must have a tie-in go with Perry the Platypus (but this too will soon run its course). 2. It is a show, and best of all you are part of the show interacting with characters on your phone, and with real live cast members in various countries. The complete suspension of disbelief, not necessarily. 3. This is one of the most innovative Disney experiences I’ve ever encountered. Using a piece of current pop culture technology (a cell phone) to interact with characters and cast members, go on a guided adventure, see areas of an attraction that you otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. Make a volcano erupt; send smoke (real live smoke) signals; view audio animatronics that are interacting directly with and responding to you; revealing hidden treasures such as sunken monkeys, toy trains, nutcrackers, glockenspiel, etc. 4. It is professional and well executed. With the exception of the Kim Possible characters (which include the zombies) I would say that this is a very “Disney Attraction”. And a must do for any Imagineering freak/geek.