Catching Up: Fantasyland Refurb

I don't get my Disney news like a lot of other fans do. I'm not one to hang out on the Disney websites for very long, as I'm very much into other things besides Disney and I have to bide my time carefully. Don't get me wrong, I'm very interested in what's coming up at Disney and with the theme parks in particular. But in the last few years, Disney hasn't exactly been a land flowing with milk and honey. About the only good news I was getting was hints and suggestions from anonymous insiders that good things were coming. That things were going to get better, and that we just had to hang in a little longer. I have to admit that for a time, with the force fits of characters in every nook and cranny and the random, and meaningless, celebrity apperances in the theme parks, I wasn't exactly feeling hopeful.

The first good news I got in a long time came when Re-Imagineering posted this Photoshop masterpiece with nothing more than some uplifting West Side Story lyrics beneath it. I have to say, I still get chills when I see it. Never before had the removal of something from EPCOT Center, given me so much joy. Much more recently, these same insiders indicated that the Godforsaken hat was coming down from Golden Age Hollywood Boulevard. More good news for sure, but again, we were talking about removal. And while the Bad Show of both of these monstrosities needed to go, we were still talking about taking stuff away from the parks that shouldn't have happened to begin with. It remained to be seen if anything new would be the source of something uplifting.

Then I started trying to catch up on my Mousestation podcasts. If you've never listed to the Mousestation you should give it a go, as Mike and Mark have taken their networking seriously over the years and have an impressive set of interviews to show for it. A recent discussion on Episode 346 with Steven Ng brought some of the best news I'd heard in a long time. Obviously, I'm pleased with the news about Star Tours II. I wouldn't be worth my screen name's sake if I wasn't. Without a doubt, Star Tours is showing its age, so a revamp is more than welcome. But if you can believe it, I find myself strangely more entranced with the Fantasyland refurbishments in Orlando than most anything else.

On the podcast, Mark says that he doesn't think they're gearing anything up for boys, as the changes are mostly drawn from the Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Pixie Hollow and Beauty & the Beast mythos, so they'll likely spend most of their time over in Adventureland. As much as I admire what Mark and Mike do on the Mousestation podcast, I have to respectfully disagree. Not so much with the point that boys aren't interested in princesses and fairies, but I think that it's the wrong way to look at it.

Disneyland didn't open in 1955 targeting any specific demographic, other than the kid at heart. Disney's animated films, while heavily themed towards princesses, weren't targeted to just Disney's girl audiences, either. If your son is a Disney fan, like you, just how may "Disney Princess" movies has he refused to watch because it was too "girlie"? Does he refuse to pick a favorite if you asked him for that same reason? Children's gender bias is partly the nature of youth and partly what they're exposed to in their everyday life. But when you're talking about "The Happiest Place on Earth", that dynamic dramatically changes.

After listening to the rundown of the additions to the new Fantasyland, I was taken by one thing. How when distilled to describing this in everyday conversation, you basically wanted to use the word "awesome" a whole lot. Awesome attractions, awesome thematics, awesome show pieces. (And yes, I count restaurants as attractions when their theming is great and nonstandard.) From the rose effect at The Beast's Castle to the "transformation" of Cinderella before your eyes, at least on paper, it sounds like an incredible spectacle, one worthy of bearing the name Disney and Imagineering. It sounds like they intend to make incredible attractions, base them on existing properties, and then just open the door for people to come see them. Not only that, but it seems like great effort is being made to do something Disney had forgotten how to do. They're sticking to theme.

They said nothing to specifically indicate that some of these new features were intended just to draw in the girl crowd. Granted, Pixie Hollow is more than likely to draw young girls then most areas, but until we see the entirety of the refurbishments completed, I think we'd be jumping the gun to conclude that's all we're looking at here. I don't fault people for thinking that way, though. We've been trained to think it couldn't be any other way. Disney is partially responsible for that. Over the last few years powerful emphasis has been placed on a little line of merchandise called "Disney Princesses" and some sort of female creature known as a "Tween". But again, I got the sense that this area of Fantasyland wasn't designed with them exclusively in mind. It was deigned to be interesting. To everyone. A principle that resulted in a decidedly "girlie" object being the centerpiece for every flagship Disney park. I know for a fact that a boy in Disney will go where it seems interesting, whether it's Belle, Beauty or Babette, they're not going to care, as long as the theming captures they're imagination and the attraction is entertaining. Even Mark, on a previous episode of his podcast, was commenting on a discussion he and his ten-year-old son were having about his son's favorite effects in Snow White's Scary Adventure.

I don't blame anyone for thinking of this in terms of gender, other than previous Disney antics and marketing schemes. But the one thing those were, that this isn't, or at least doesn't carry that same vibe, is that those were blatant, pandering attempts at marketing. There's nothing subtle about a Ariel, Jasmine and Belle in a collection of dolls dressed as pop stars. Nor is there anything subtle about the target demographic of The Disney Channel. But now were dealing mostly with characters from classic Disney features, not because there's a DVD, or a popular live-action remake, or because Pixar did a better movie again to tie it in to. In fact, this feels very much like a nice mix of, to borrow a trapping from the comic book industry, the Golden, Silver and Modern Ages of Disney animation. For once, it doesn't feel like pandering, just good business. The kind Walt was famous for.

As with all things, I'll reserve the final judgment on the finished product. I'm sure some things will be better, worse or simply different than I imagined. But for once in a great long while, I feel very hopeful about Disney. That's not to say there still isn't a mile long list of things that are wrong with the place. A lot of damage was done during the previous administration and from what I hear, the old internal politicking still festers in Disney's ranks. EPCOT's Future World and both Disney's Tomorrowlands still languish. EPCOT's World Showcase runs the risk of becoming the world's most elaborate Disney Store. There's still plenty of campaigning against the system to be done. But I have to say, it's nice to have a sense of what I'd feared we'd lost over the last couple of decades. Its nice to feel that sense of what Walt used to instill in his Guests, even after he had passed away. In short, it's nice to feel the Magic again. It will be even better to experience it.

"Get it?" "Got it" "Good"

Well, this is a big deal to me. Pretty much my favorite blog out there, Disney related or otherwise, needed some guest writers for a little while and they let little ol' me take a shot at it. Yes, the Re-Imagineering folk's desperation is my luck. This article addresses the reasons why blogs like Re-Imanineering are important, needed and not just like those run of the mill byaaaaatch please blogs out there on the interwebs. In short, it give the reasons Why We Whine and explains how this is not just grumpy old guys complaining for the sake of complaining. There's real concern and love of Disney at stake here.

For those unfamiliar with Re-Imagineering (http://imagineerebirth.blogspot.com/), the blog is a site for former and present Pixar and Disney pros to shine a light on the myriad number of mistakes made in the Disney Theme Parks over the last few decades. The blog is critical, much like I am, of some of the outright tasteless and crass efforts made by Disney to simply turn a profit, but also points out where Disney, even in modern times, has been getting things right. The hope is that future management can see where Disney has missed the mark and restore some of the magic that the parks have been missing for so long.

Re-Imagination would like to wish condolences to Austin Wuennenberg's family, the monorail pilot who died this morning in as yet unexplained monorail crash near EPCOT Center.

More information can be found at the Orlando Sentinel's website.

Watch What You're Saying

It's been suggested that maybe the reason I don't get a lot of responses on my blog posts, is because I don't post that often... or ever.

It's a valid point and I'm sure the primary reason I don't get too much feedback. But I'm afraid it's something that wont change any time in the near future either. Other then the article length comments I leave on Re-Imagineering and EPCOT Central, I pretty much don't like saying anything, if I don't have anything to say. When I do say something, it's novel length, true, but at least it's substantive. I'm also not a frequent park goer, living three states away from the Sunshine State and even farther from California.

That's not to say I don't have strong views on Disney, nor is it to say I have only a few things to say. But I like to articulate my views, so there is little to no room for confusion. And you don't have to see the Sphere from your house to have a sensible, educated view of Disney while still giving your perspective as just one of the foamers.

I hope to have a couple of articles started during the week, and hopefully my obsessive need for perfection won't delay their publishing egregiously. But in any case, thanks for reading and keeping up with me if you have.

Tomorrow is Forever

"The best way to predict the future is to invent it."

-Alan Kay, Computer Scientist

In this technological age, it is not uncommon to find that "the latest thing" becomes ripe and falls of the techno tree in a very short period of time. That astounding gadget that gripped the media's attention yesterday already has a successor in heavy development for release the following season. Though I'm sure there are some technologies that have truly endured the test of time with little to no revision, I'm hard pressed to think of more then I can count on one hand.

Some would suggest that for this very reason, Tomorrowland and its big brother, Future World, face a terrible theming dilemma. They submit that technology is progressing faster then Imagineers can keep up; that by the time they implement a concept of tomorrow into the parks, tomorrow has already arrived. But are we really living in that rapidly developing a technological age? Are we living in such a technologically Utopian society that all we have to do is dream it, and it's suddenly here? And if so, does this mean Tomorrowland will perpetually be a victim of circumstance?

The Future is Nowadays
Does this line of reasoning make any sense to you? Depending on your way of thinking, it does. Close your eyes after reading this paragraph and imagine yourself in a place where the latest cutting edge technology is right at your fingertips. Around every corner you see things that are so new and pushing the limits of technology, that you can't help yourself. You want to touch, hear and experience as much as you can. Friendly people are all around and ready to explain to you the details of these wonders. You find yourself imagining what it would take for you to bring these wonders into your home or community. Will you have the money? Will it be out soon? Will your community or family invest in it? When, oh when, will this fantastical idea be a part of my life?

Now open your eyes. Look around. You were just in a Sharper Image.

Now lets imagine that same experience, only this time, we're walking though the avenues of classic Tomorrowland. The same experiences seize you. The wonder, the contemplation, the eagerness is all there and, naturally, you find yourself experiencing these things on a much higher level. But beyond the magnification of these experiences, there is something else that makes this different. It's no one thing. It's not the rockets or the People Mover or the Sky Lift or even Space Mountain that make this different from a day at a technology store. It's the fact that these concepts are far flung, perhaps so far flung into the future as to be even considered far-fetched. Your not just looking into a window of what will be, your looking into a dream of what could be.

What people often forget is the concepts and ideas presented at Tomorrowland and Future World had always been about far more then that which was just around the corner. It was also about what we could make the world be once we banked that corner. A trip to a technology store is little more then that; a preview of the latest gizmos and gadgets soon to be at your local Wal-Mart. But a trip through Disney's techno themed lands took you beyond the technology, and into optimistic views of what we could do with it. It dared to dream big, beautifully and ideally. It dared to think impractically, trading pragmatism for what at that time might even have been considered Science Fiction. But it did so, with the tenet that thinking this way will not only leave a good feeling in the hearts and minds of its Guests, but inspire them to dare dream as big, beautiful and ideally.

Somewhere along the way, this mentality slipped out of Future World and Tomorrowland design, and the inclination to make it a simple presentation of what's under development (a "Super Sharper Image", if you will) slipped in. This, I believe, is where both future themes falter.


A Chair is Still is a Chair. But a House is Nemo...
Another area where both Tomorrowlands and Future World fall short is in loose associative theming. Buzz Lightyear's fictional TV persona (which, interestingly, is fictional even within the Toy Story universe) is a cartoon about the future, so he was added to Tomorrowland on that basis alone. Star Wars, although supposed to have taken place "long ago" and in a galaxy "far, far away", is "futuristic" in appearance, so why not add it in too? The Living Seas was about the ocean, and Finding Nemo took place in the ocean, so even though there is no futuristic connection, there's the ocean connection, so why not? Soarin'...well, we fly over dirt, and food is grown in the dirt.... Monster's Inc.?... Need I go on?

At times this type of theming is biased in the connection wanting to be drawn between the latest Disney film project and the parks. Other times it's a blatant attempt to appeal to a younger demographic, forgetting that all kinds of people visit Disney parks, both young and old.

But that's not where Tomorrowland should be going. Why? Quite often when I make this argument, Disney's recent financial successes and the average park Guest's lack of knowledge about Disney history is sited to me as a valid reason for park management to think this way. But I consistently make this comment: The popularity of a thing is not tantamount to the success or correctness of a thing. Success isn't always measured in dollars and cents. It can also be measured in longevity, connectivity and lovability. Where one ride can make millions of kids drag their parents to a park, a solid theme can create unbreakable connections with millions of families for generations to come. You tell me which is more lucrative in the long run?

Getting My Fix
The overall theme of Tomorrowland and Future World is broken, but could be "easily" fixed. A former Imagineer once used an interesting term with regard to Walt's creation of Disneyland. "Entertainment Balance." And what an elegant and functional tenet that is. What is wrong with current future thematic is that their out of balance, not out of date. What we need less of is the drive to pull in young ones and make connections to feature films, and more drive to balance out the "lands" so that they offer something for everyone. And ironically, sticking to their theme can do just that. How so? Let's consider the perfect balance that existed in classic Tomorrowland.

The People Mover was an easygoing, straightforward imagining of futuristic transportation, that in addition to accommodating Guests with any kind of physical limitation, also served to keep Tomorrowland crowds down with its high capacity and short, almost non-existent lines. It catered to no one in particular, but created an opportunity for both the aggressive ride-everything Guests and the casual take-your-time Guests to relax and wind down for the day. It provided an escape from all the usual park hubbub into something peaceful, yet also interesting and thoughtful.

Space Mountain served two functions: sating the appetites of all those speed lovers and thrill seekers out there, and at the same time, playing upon the excitement and adventure that the Tomorrowland theme brings, perhaps even generating it. While most of the land's rides where not genuine pulse pounders, Space Mountain provided that release for those that needed it. It also served as a point of triumph for some. It's interesting to note the number of people who don't like coasters, but each time they approach Space Mountain check their resolve to see if that's changed. The testament to its designers is that Space Mountain is so unique and enigmatic, from its architecture to its queue to the on load, that even those fearful of the ride will either attempt to build up courage to try it this time around, or be gradually lured in by its powerful theming.

The Rocket Jets, another straightforward, but classic attraction, set the tone and ambiance for classic Tomorrowland. The eye catching familiar shape of space age vehicles rounding a even larger rocket ship set the stage for the future thematic you were entering. It wasn't intended to be a complex or fantastical ride. But in its own way, it served more theming functionality then any of the structures around it. Rather then being a static or lifeless rotating sculpture, the Rocket Jets were alive with people, making it a very organic "weenie" and different from the often austere portrayals of what the future might be. In addition, a seeming traditional ride was given subtle "edge" by being so far off the ground as to create the illusion of flying. That subtle twist greatly demarcated it from it's Dumbo counterpart, which was precisely the same technology, to where it could actually be considered a preference over Dumbo. Somewhere between the thrills of a coaster and the freedom of the People Mover, the Rocket Jets provided a kind of escapism in its freedom for those too timid for Space Mountains thrills, but wanting a little more juice then the easygoing People Mover could provide.

Autopia, originally, was intended to foreshadow the multilane highways of the future. While that theme shifted over the decades, the actual charm of the ride remained. Now, not only did we have another easygoing, laid back attraction, but we also had the first example of an interactive Disney attraction. It wasn't just another ride through with automation at the wheel. This time YOU were the one in control. Of course, limitations were necessary for safety reasons, but you still were very much the driver of your very own ride. Interestingly, no other current attraction at Disney Theme Parks can make that claim.

The Disneyland Monorail System was the perfect complement to the escapism of the Tomorrowland thematic. Originally just a way to tour the park, the track was eventually lengthened to carry Guests to and from the Disneyland Hotel. This significantly altered the functionality of the vehicles and the impression it gave to Tomorrowland. Rather then just a glorified People Mover, the Monorail was now a practical, functional operating system of the park. Becoming a part of park operations made it more the just futuristic eye candy. It was the future incarnate, working for the enjoyment and in the service of the park and its Guests.

Adventure Thru Inner Space went one step beyond practical application of future technology and took us on an adventure we never knew we wanted to go on. The Omnimover (which I have always personally felt should be standard at least one time in any land or pavilion) took us into those realms in a way that we had not imagined we could, and in a way that even future generation may never actually do. It forewent technical practicality, developing technologies and current movie tie-ins with the simple prospect of going somewhere we had never gone before. And it took it seriously enough that Guests never felt they were simply being "taken for a ride".

Tomorrowland was an example of a perfectly balanced theme park within a theme park. Careful consideration for the thematic created seamless integration of the land experience; it all fit together and complimented each other. But that consideration also created an unspoken set of rules that required all the attractions to be distinctive, and thereby expanding the land's overall appeal. If you stick to your theme, you have to be broader in your attraction design, otherwise your just creating the same thing over and over again. Failure to consider the theme is why we've lately seen ideas creeping into the parks that just seem like rehashes and forced fits of recent cartoons and movies.

"From His Armchair, He Exclaimed..."
I would submit to Imagineering that restoring that entertainment balance to Tomorrowland, and even to the parks in general, would fix all the problems with its design and functionality. In addition, it would enhance its popularity, giving it longevity, rather then just making it fanciful for the decade.

The future that Walt Disney dreamed about is here in many ways. Robot servants and pets are already items available on the market, as are trips to the outer reaches of our atmosphere. People are already living in space for months at a time in permanent orbital space stations. And computers are as much a part of daily life for most of us as the refrigerator or the electric oven. With that vision of tomorrow so very much resolved or negated, it's time to look with that same farsightedness, ingenuity and optimism into our new future. We can use current technology to better demonstrate and theorize what that dream is, but we shouldn't be displaying the technology like a presentation at an Apple convention. It's time to think one to twelve steps beyond Steve Jobs and into those realms that even Science Fiction isn't really considering anymore.

Whatever happened to the research on matter/energy conversion as a form of transportation and shipping? We've been to the moon, and sent probes to Mars. Why don't we find out what's on the other end of that Black Hole? We have computers in the dashboard of our cars that are light years ahead of what was in the Apollo lunar modules. What would it be like when computers one thousand times more powerful as ours can fit on the head of pin? What about the day when computers become obsolete? What could possible replace them? What kind of world can we make if we really could build a better place?

These ideas are not anachronisms. They are the inherent evolution of thoughts that come to bear in the minds of every generation. Perhaps we're a bit more cynical then our 1950's counterparts, and perhaps we're a bit more sophisticated and want a little more "edge" to our experience. That doesn't mean Tomorrowland cannot be optimistic or fire the imagination. And that certainly doesn't mean that we need a celebrity, a cartoon or a movie persona to satisfy that edge. It simply means that a new Tomorrowland would need to be smarter, bigger and better then it was before. And I have every confidence that, given the freedom to do so, Imagineering could make it happen.

To say Tomorrowland and Future World are dated concepts is to say that tomorrow is dated. Only the vision changes, but not the intent. Even a cynical generation hopes for the best, and Tomorrowland and Future World should be the flagships of that hope. With the spirit of the originals in mind, the cutting edge technology of today and the creative genius that helped build or was inspired by the original, I believe all the Disney parks can return to that special kind of greatness they once had. Stick to that theme, and the entertainment balance becomes a necessity. Balance the entertainment, and you create a feeling in your Guests that brings them back to the parks for reasons of nostalgia and not marketing. Help to restore the dream and help our critics, the ones who complain about the complainers, see exactly what it is they've been missing all this time. Remind them that Tomorrow is forever, and that dreams are eternal. And as Walt Disney once said, be curious, as curiousity will keep leading you down new paths.

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."

-Eleanor Roosevelt

Captain EO 2.0

Plot Synopsis

The Great-Great-Granddaughter of the original Captain EO has been trying to live up to her Grandfather's legacy her whole life. Having failed to live up to the expectations of the Corp and her family, EO abruptly resigns and takes her vessel to a remote sector of the Cosmos to live out her life, if not fulfilled, then at least in peace. Little does she know, a tiny friend has stowed away on her vessel. A former furry member of her crew named Flit.

Not having really charted a definitive course, Captain EO finds herself and Flit in a dangerous, uncharted region of the Cosmos known as the Badlands. A red, nebulous glowing cloud quickly consumes them and her ship crash lands on a desolate desert-like world with three suns.

While looking for supplies, EO stumbles upon another set of wreckage, clearly older and weathered by the harsh desert suns, and bearing a striking resemblance to her Great-Great-Grandfather's legendary starship. Upon further investigation, she finds someone has been living in the wreckage for many years; a small blue pachyderm-like creature named Captain Hooter.

Hooter, a little bit older, but just as clumsy (and hungry), immediately recognizes his former captain's progeny and begins to tell her of the ancient evil that cruelly governs the life forms of this planet. It's during the course of his story that he realizes that EO has the ability to administer the "Gift". He excitedly jumps up and runs to what looks like a scrap heap, but is actually a powered down Major Domo (and Minor Domo), a robot who is more then thrilled to meet a descendant of his old captain.

The two try in vain to convince Captain EO to go to Capital City and administer the "Gift" to the evil creature that rules this planet. But before EO can formerly say no, three shark-like creatures burrow out of the sand and capture them all, except Flit, who flies to safety.

The creature that controls the planet is an ancient, weathered old giant, that looks like he hasn't moved in thousands of years, his skin is a cross between cracked stone and centuries old tree bark. He appears to have no appendages, other then what look like large roots buried into the earth. He is essentially a mountain with allusions of a face.

The creatures speaks to the three captives in a deep, booming voice that knocks Hooter over. He accuses EO of trespassing and mistakenly believes she's been sent here by the Corp to overthrow his rule.

EO tries to explain what really happened and how she's not with the Corps anymore, but Hooter can't seem to accept what's she's said (or didn't hear her) and begins going into an awkward, but familiar, spiel about how beautiful the creature is and how he only needs the key to unlock. He then queues Major and Minor Domo, who begin transforming into a series of instruments and a beat starts playing. Hooter, who seems to be carefully watching his steps, grabs a guitar and expectantly tells EO: "Let's Go!"

EO is completely taken aback, and looks around confused and unsure what to do. She keeps telling Hooter that she can't do it. That she just doesn't have what it takes. At this point, the creature groans loudly knocking everyone and their instruments over , and more shark-like creatures rise from the ground in response to his cry. They surround EO, seize Hooter and begin trying to disassemble the Domos, who are more then a little resistant to the whole idea. It's then that EO's little friend, Flit, soars down from the rafters, making a familiar triumphant noise and sweeps up Hooter's guitar. Flit carries it up to the rafters and locks eyes with the stunned Captain EO. The look he gives her is resolute and he jams on the guitar that sends a beam of energy directly into her body. EO is, again, taken aback and regards her hand as energy dances about her fingertips. She smiles at Flit, realizing for the first time that there are people that not only depend on her, but believe in her. At this moment she's piled upon by the sand-shark guards.

Flit and the rest all gasp as EO disappears under the pile, fearing the worst. Until suddenly, a huge burst of light sends the guards flying in all directions. When the flashpoint clears, we see EO standing, legs in a wide stance, with one hand in the air and a determined, confident look on her face that we had not seen before. She turns to her "crew" and calls out in an echoing voice: "Gimme a beat!"

The opening to We Are Here to Change the World begins playing and EO begins dealing with with the returning shark guards. We are treated to a single rotating camera shot of her zapping the guards, sometime while their in mid-jump, and transforming them one-by-one into handsome male and female dancers. The dancers all gather behind her as she approaches the creature (who is clearly disturbed by the whole course of events) and thrusts her palms out to the sand all around them, blasting it with beams of radiant energy. The sand superheats and becomes a shimmering, strobing tiled glassy surface, or more accurately, dancefloor. That's when the dancing begins.

After a few seconds of synchronized dancing, EO begins her song, much to the chagrin of the clearly displeased rock creature:

In Case You Forgot

We're on a mission
In the everlasting light that shines
A revelation
Of the truth in chapters of our minds

(So long, bad times)
We're gonna shake it up and break it up
We're sharing light brighter than the sun
(Hello , good times)
We're here to simulate, eliminate
An' congregate, illuminate

(We are here to change the world)
Gonna change the world, Hee
(We are here to change the world)
Gonna change the world, Ooo

So do surrender
'Cause the power's deep inside my soul
Sing it

(We are here to change the world)
Gonna change the world, Sing it
(We are here to change the world)
Hee, Gonna change the world, Ooo

The creature is clearly irritated by what's transpiring, and a terrible overpowering groan rattles the ground and jars everyone off their balance. Even more terrifying, he begins to rear his entire mass back and forth as if maneuvering his unseen arms under the earth. Then suddenly, root like tentacles burst from under the dancefloor and begin wreaking havoc among the dancers and crew. EO is struggling to maintain her balance, when a tentacle bursts from the ground below her and in one rapid motion grabs her and jerks her violently skyward.

Her crew gasps as EO is swung about helplessly in the tentacle's powerful grip. Flit tries bravely to help EO, but the grip of the creature is too strong and he's bumped aside. That's when Hooter grabs a shattered piece of dancefloor and begins hacking at the tentacle. It's not enough to distract the creature, but Flit and the Domos begin to realize it could be, and they grab sharpened fragments and begin joining in. The hacking doesn't appear to do much damage, but it must be enough of an irritant to warrant another tentacle bursting from the ground to sweep them all side. In the meantime, the minor distraction allows EO to wriggle free both her arms. She places both hands on the tentacle and begins sending energy into it.

The effect is nominal and she calls out to her crew, telling them she needs their help. A bit shaken, Hooter, the Domos and Flit gather themselves together and begin playing again, sending a bright beam of energy her way. The energy strobes in EOs eyes and she channels one long powerful burst down the length of the tentacle, directly to the heart of the giant creature.

The creature rocks and cries out and an earthquake again shakes the ground, but the band stays steadfast and keeps playing. The creatures eyes being glowing and shaley layers begin to fall off like slag. As sections fall of, enormous beams of light burst from the openings and the creature continues to crumble. His mass begins to quickly get smaller and smaller and he begins to gradually take on a more humanoid form. With a massive burst of light, the remaining form and the tentacles crumble. EO, still emanating power, angelically floats to the ground with a satisfied, confident look on her face.

There's a glow that takes a moment to fade around where the creature had been rooted. As it does, we see a silhouette of a man slowly take shape. He's bald and bowing down on one knee. He rises, his clothing Romanesque and regal, and stands proud and tall. He smiles at Captain EO with finely chiseled features as his subjects gather all around him. He gives a slow and approving nod to her, and she returns the gesture.

Proud of herself and her crew, with her unscheduled mission accomplished, EO gathers her new crew singing a different song and leaving behind a celebratory new Capital City. Flit flies close to you, acknowledging the audience for the first time, and says goodbye.

As we see EO's ship leave the planet's atmosphere, we also see the desert world behind them gradually being overtaken by a lush green and/or aquatic surface. We're treated to another view of the planet from far as the final transformation takes place and the planet takes on a more hospitable appearance. The red nebula that concealed it is now dispersing and a set of sparkling rings are also taking shape around the planet.

The song continues as we fade to black and credits.

______________________________

Cast & Crew

Captain EO: For the role of our Main Character were going to cast someone, who at least in my mind, is the most obvious choice. Janet Jackson (Poetic Justice, Nutty Professor II, Why Did I Get Married?) can easily reprise the spirit of the character without all the fuss Disney and others would likely make over Micheal's return to the role. She's got a great look and the necessary moves that many youngsters over the last ten years have been trying to duplicate, but never quite capture. Her relevance is non-important, she is a cultural icon at this point. She is a name without being a name. She's good at what she does, and fits the bill because of that, not because she's "what's hot" at any given moment. Plus, we get one more heroine to add the pantheon of Disney females. And an ethnic one, at that.

Hooter: While an updated version of Hooter would no doubt be computer generated, the route we need to take is Motion Capture. Put Paul Shaffer (Blues Brothers 2000) in that bulbous suit with all the motion sensors and let him have at Hooter's futuristic keyboard. Paul will not only give Hooter that necessary sense of ridiculousness, but also the musical edge and realism he'll need while on the keys. Shaffer is one of those sideline characters who doesn't get a lot of different things to do besides music, but when he does, he does it well. He's also one of the most talented musicians out there having contributed to America's musical heritage in many ways the general public isn't aware of. He would make a fantastic consultant or music producer for the project.

Major Domo: Easily comparable to Tic Toc from the Ozma of Oz novels, Domo needs the voice of a refined Englishman. And you don't get much more refined, or English, then Ian McKellan (X-Men movies, Lord of the Rings Trilogy). I don't know why, but quips are much funnier when their said with an British accent.

Flit: No doubt about it, Flit should be the CGI version of the original Fuzzball. But not too reminiscent. We want Flit to be his replacement "in spirit". While retaining the values of the original, we can utilize today's technology to expand upon the concept. While I can't seem to find the voice of the original Fuzzball, it makes sense to me to bring him/her back for that added touch of nostalgia that Disney Imagineers like to work into every project.


The Creature: For our unnamed living lump of shale, we need a voice that's going to be big and scary. You don't get a much bigger or scarier voice over actor then Micheal Ironside (Starship Troopers, Total Recall and the upcoming Ice Planet), the man who gave the Superman and Justice League animated series' Darksied his chilling timber. (He also did the caped crusader's voice for the Batman: The Animated Series version of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns)

The King: And for the creature's chiseled featured alter-ego, you don't get much more chiseled then Christian Bale (American Psycho, Equilibrium, Batman Begins and the upcoming The Dark Knight). Much like Angelica Huston's brief, but memorable role, Christian's appearance in the film will be one or two shots only, with his only "line" being a simple and approving nod. But the look is definitely what we need barring a few minutes alone with Britney Spears and and an electric razor.

Score: John Williams has been doing some amazing compositions since long before the Internet was a gleam in Al Gore's eye. The 75 year old composer is responsible for such memorable movie themes like Jaws, Star Wars, Superman, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park. (Themes that are a big part of the Theme Park experience already) John has still got some great years ahead of him, let's give him a project that will further enhance his legacy.

Director: Who to get for this particular extravaganza? While George Lucas is probably one of the most likely suspects, I think we should partner him with one of his longtime partners in cryme, Stephen Spielberg. Putting prejudices aside, they've proven they can make magic whenever they work together, and I still have a great deal of faith in their ability to do it again.

Re-Imagining Imagination

With all due respect to Professor Nigel Channing, the Imagination Pavilion is one in desperate need of re-imagination. My initial visit to the pavilion in the early eighties was one of complete and utter disbelief. No one had ever seen anything like it. The sights, the sounds, the interactivity was one of complete and total immersion into a fantasy world of wonder and technology. There were no movie tie-ins, no recognizable Disney characterizations, no ride.

What you did have were interactivities that, while somewhat antiquated by today's standards, were immensely addictive, intriguingly compelling, and significantly different from any interactive playground out there (not that there were many to compete with). The luminescent rainbow tunnel that reacted to those who traversed it, blue screen movie sets that put you in the center of a wild west film, virtual orchestra pits with touch sensitive instruments that let you be the conductor and a stirring 3D motion picture were all part of a series of activities that, while today may seem mundane, were new and innovative for the time. And a welcome variation on the traditional milieu you would find in a theme park. The addition of the Journey into Imagination ride was only the icing on the cake for this already outstanding pavilion, as you now had the pavilion's two memorable representatives take you on a one of kind journey that featured some of the most elaborate set designs of any Dark Ride in EPCOT Center.

Captain EO, while certainly an attempt to capitalize on celebrity affiliation (both in Micheal Jackson's and George Lucas' case), was a unique and outstanding achievement in visual storytelling, and certainly a step up from the original Magic Journeys, which, after so many views, would quickly begin to loose it's luster. Captain EO proved to be an addition that could hold its popularity even over the test of time (albeit a much shorter time compared to some classic Disney attractions).

So what happened?

Well, Journey into Imagination was "renovated" and neutered to become Journey into YOUR Imagination, a decidedly less imaginative, abbreviated and economized version of the original. Though little of the original remained. The entire floor where ImageWorks featured most of those outstanding interactive stations was closed down and the bottom floor's interactivities became largely a giant commercial for the pavilion's sponsor. Once again, your filtered through another "themed" gift shop upon exiting the building. And Captain EO was replaced with a definitive movie tie-in that was destined to loose it's luster after its progenitor's first couple of sequels.

The whole purpose behind the Imagination Pavilion was to foment the notion of creativity and imagination, but it was sundered in favor of simpler, cheaper effects and a movie overlay. While the pavilion once kept you so engaged that you had to tear yourself away so you wouldn't miss out on seeing the rest of the park on your no doubt limited vacation day, it's now a sad and seldom visited feature of the park, that patrons rarely spend more then a half hour in.

So how do we fix it?

I'm glad I asked. MiceAge posted a remarkable article on the new technologies that Disney may be considering utilizing in their theme parks in the near future (as of this post anyway). One of the fantastic ideas they featured, is a new technology being developed by Microsoft called surface computing:

This should be a no-brainer. The potential implementations for this technology expands far beyond use in the Imagination Pavilion alone, but into countless other aspects of the park experience. For now, lets focus and theorize on where we could go in the Imagination Pavilion.

A fantastic implementation of this technology is a throw back to one of the old ImageWorks stations from the 80s. In this old imagination station, you could manipulate photos using touch screen technology and an interface very similar to Microsoft Paint. In an updated version, Guests could snap pictures of themselves and apply pre-designated image effects to their photo. Options could include the typical Paint/Photoshop-like interface, as well as a series of filter effects, backgrounds and scenes for folks to play around in and imaginate. In addition, Guest could be given the option of placing their phone/device on the screen and "magically" moving the image to their phone using the technology's wireless interface (standard messaging rates apply) or even integrating the feature with Disney's existing Photopass system. Conversely, Guest's could be given the option of uploading their own images from their phone to the station for manipulation. The possibilities for these are endless.

Another possibility that shows great potential, is an interactive wall with a series of informational and entertaining activities for Guests to simply approach and start playing around with. Here, Imagineers creative juices should soar thinking of the possibilities. Imagine a wall of water where sea life responds to your touch commands, even being able to resize the fish, and as you do, they change to something completely different and alien in appearance. Imagine a wall with geographical locations that Guests can approach and seek out their home town or visit far off lands. Imagine a room, with walls of fluttering spectrums of light, that warp and dance according to a Guest's touch and manipulation. Imagine what an Imagineer could imagine, that I couldn't.

Photos could also come into play here, as Guests could place their devices on interactive cash registers and have them developed or have their content saved to DVDs. A "magical" way to maintain a merchandising venue, keep it applicable with the business of the sponsors, without sacrificing the spirit of the attraction.

To throw one more idea into the pot, I also envision a floating photo wall. Imagine an animated wall where hundreds of Guests' photos gently float like clouds across the screen. Guests simply place their device against the wall and their pictures seemingly fly out of the device into the sea of pictures for anyone to view for the rest of that day. Other Guests can approach the wall and "grab" your photos, resize them, twist and turn them and even flick them to the side just for fun. Videos are also amongst the floating pics and other Guests can view your videos with the touch of a Play arrow. What a great way to get Guests to share and be interested about their fellow Guests' experiences.

Lastly, I'll leave you with the videos below. This technology is right in line with the spirit of the original attraction, giving you an opportunity to just play, act silly and not think too hard about it. Yet your imagination will still keep you captivated for far longer then you'll realize. Hopefully, with the changes going on internally at the Disney company, the folks with the creative and intuitive sensibilities will restore the Imagination Pavilion's original principles, and bring us new technologies that help us Find our Dreams and stir the Figments of our Imaginations.