Six Years Of Dreaming Beyond Imagination...

Six years of posts...

It's hard to believe that it's been that many years.  Over 3200 posts.  Wow.  When I started this website, this blog, it was just with the intention of filling time with one of my many loves.

Disney.

It has blossomed and become far more than I could've ever imagined. I have met many people because of it. I have experienced the joy of readers literally across the world from it. And I must thank all of you for the enrichment that you have given me.  Over the years I've become friends with many of you, and friendly with most of you, and I wish to thank all of you for your patronage, for your comments, and for your compliments.

Unfortunately, as I've mentioned before sometimes the real world takes precedence. And this is one of those cases. Over the past couple of months it has been very difficult to publish post on a normal basis.  Sadly, I don't see that improving anytime in the near future with personal life tending to take more more of my time.  So it is with that in mind that I have come to a difficult position. One that I don't like, but have chosen nonetheless.

In a few weeks I will be taking a break from Blue Sky Disney for the foreseeable future.   I don't know exactly when it will be that I would return and start posting again; it might be a while.  The website should still be up and you have a vast trove of articles that you can choose to look through for a rumor, history and love of all things Disney, entertainment, and beyond.  If you do have trouble accessing the site simply go to the original site where it all began six years ago: www.blueskydisney.blogspot.com and everything should be fine there.

Hopefully, there are still a few more post to come, but much of what I wanted to write and many rumors and secrets I wanted to reveal will unfortunately have to wait.  I leave you with a collection of work that I've loved, and I hope that you will always love it as well.  I simply want you to know that all of you have my deepest appreciation for every click you have made to create what Blue Sky Disney has become.  I hope to return to writing in the future, but I don't know when that will be and I don't want to make any promises I can't keep.  When will this happen?  I'll give my standard answer.

Time will tell...

Seven Ports, Twelve Years...

A dozen years has past since the unveiling of a beautiful jewel...

On this day in 2001, the Oriental Land Company introduced the world to Walt Disney Imagineering's masterpiece of theme park design: Tokyo DisneySEA.  It was a prime example of what can happen when you let brillliant Imagineers dream, and dream BIG.  This park is what happens when ideas win out over bean counters and unimaginative Suits.

For those that have never heard or seen this magical place, you can check out Blue Sky's extensive catalog of articles on the Park and the Project that was its inspiration: Port Disney - The Long Beach Project.  If you want to see what is possible, and not improbable, check them out.  

For someone like myself that loves the ocean as well as Disney, it's a magnet of adventurous fun.  Of only more Disney Suits would not only go see this place, but embrace its philosophy.  It redefines what a theme park, not just a Disney theme park can be.  So, from everyone here at Blue Sky I want to wish DisneySEA happy twelfth birthday.  It doesn't need any gift though, it's a gift to you.

May I suggest you go there, open it up and enjoy...

Parisian Dream...

It's hard to believe it's been two decades since Euro Disneyland opened...

Disneyland Paris, which is what the park became is celebrating it's Twentieth year celebration throughout the year and has many things planned, but one of the most surprising is the water show that takes place in front of Le Chateau de la Belle au Bois Dormant at night time.

It's called Disney Dreams and it's very much like if you were to see an elaborate World of Color show on the castle.  It's a lovely show, combined with those interactive mouse ears it makes for a magical display.  If you'd like to learn more about it check out this NewsParcs article on the creation of the show.  It's filled with a lot of information about the preparation and detail that go into the development of a show like this.  This is part of the Mouse's celebrating it's growing presence in Europe.  Don't worry, they'll be some more special magic over the next few years.

There are a lot of interesting things happening in the Parisian parks over the next decade...

Short From Krypton...

Zach Snyder is teaming with the incredibly talented Bruce Timm to honor Kal-El's beginning...

Superman's Seventy-fifth anniversary is marked by the new "Man of Steel" film, and Warner Bros. has teamed the director of that film with the producer of "Superman: The Animated Series" for a short that will pay tribute to the character and his history in film and comics.

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision reports that Snyder envisions the short as one continuous take that explores the character's history and impact on comics.  Snyder and Timm will be joined on the project by Jay Oliva (storyboard artist on MOS), Geoff Johns (DC creative head), Mike Carlin (DC writer), and Peter Girardi (WB Animation).  The finished product is supposed to debut at Comic-Con this year.

The short is one of many events that will coincide the anniversary of the first superhero...

ReTurning Thirty...

Thirty years ago today we were introduced to Ewoks...

And although it's the most flawed of the bunch, "Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" is still part of the Original Trilogy.  And it's far better than the Prequels.  There are moments of greatness in the film (The arrival of the Emperor, the duel with Vader.), but there are scenes of unnecessary repetitiveness (Another Death Star, really?  Ewok, instead of Wookies, really!? A final battle on the Moon of Endor instead of a full scale assault on Coruscant, really!!?).

But it also marked a closing.  There was no way of knowing if George Lucas would ever get around to making the original films he had told us about.  And sadly, when he did get around to them they never quite lived up to what we expected.  "Revenge of the Sith" almost rises to the quality of the original, but falls just short.  If they'd started out like that particular film and got better then most of of us wouldn't be complaining I'd like to think.

There have been a lot of changes to the film since then.  Most were done for the wrong reasons and we've been over those arguments before.  George could do with them what he wanted.  And now he's wanted to move beyond his creation, letting it live past him into a new future.

I'll still remember sitting in that darkened theater as a kid watching the opening scrawl come up and just felling giddy about the prospect of seeing another Star Wars film.  And then the sadness that it was all over when the credits starting rolling.  So even with all its bumps and warts Jedi still retains that innocence of the thosel films we watched as innocents.

You know, before the dark times...

Twenty-Six Years Of Star Tourist...

I wanna go to Hoth... 

Twenty-six years ago today, Star Tours opened to the public at Disneyland...


For two and a half decades the Star Wars universe has been a part of the parks.  Today, many kids think of Darth Vader as much Disney as Mickey Mouse.  For decades guest have enjoyed being transported to that galaxy far, far away as if it were another adventure by the Mouse.

After the surprising announcement last October of the Walt Disney Company purchasing Lucasfilm, you can expect to see a lot more Star Wars in the parks.  From films, to television, to rides, to lands, to merchandising, there will be a lot more star touring.

And with any luck, someday an entire theme park...

Building A Mystery Vs. Building An Adventure...

Dream a little dream...





Lucky number eleven...

That's how many years ago it opened. The most beautiful, and amazingly conceived Disney theme park to be created swung wide its gates on this day. Eleven years ago Disney fans across the world had their eyes rewarded with a glittering jewel of unprecedented, glorious imagination. It's the most stunning theme park you will ever lay eyes on. It's an incredible accomplishment of creativity over commerce and an unquestionable success.

Tokyo DisneySEA.

Two theme parks opened in 2001. One in the spring, the other in the fall. One in the original park, the other in the first country to have an expansion of a Disney park. On February 8, 2001, the Disneyland Resort opened up its second gate: Disney's California Adventure. It was born of no original thought and no clear direction. It had no purposeful meaning; it was simply a bunch of attractions in search of a theme. THAT was it's problem and the Suits in Anaheim and Burbank were the problem, not the Imagineers in Glendale. On September 4, 2002, the Tokyo Disney Resort opened up its second gate: Tokyo DisneySEA. It was born of an old, unused idea, but a very unique one. It had a purpose, a meaning and a direction. It was a theme park that was born full grown. Simply put, it was the best thought up park since the original.

Since then it has expanded and gotten bigger, gotten better (for the most part), and well rounded. This park is great for chiropractors because you'll spend so much of your time looking up and walking around in wonder that you'll get neck pains. I always wished that it had been built here, but since it was built in Japan I don't want a clone of that one. There are too many things that are cloned. Each park, Disney or not, should be unique. And while I wish that when I walk across the Esplanade at Disneyland, I could look up and see the entrance to DisneySEA, I won't, can't and now really don't want to see it there.

We here in California have our own park, and DCA has finally found it's own identity. It took a decade, but it finally found a place it belongs. So while I love DisneySEA, I only want original parks, no clones please. Disney parks aren't McDonalds and don't/shouldn't be. So the next park that the Mouse creates will hopefully be an original, not a clone. No matter where the next park is, be it in Hawaii, India, or South America (hmmm), there is no limit of ideas left in the minds of WDI, and shouldn't be. We deserve that and so do Imagineers. They deserve to work on projects that hold their heart and appeal to their creativity. We will all be the better for it.

But if you ever get the chance to travel to Japan and go to Tokyo, please buy a ticket to this park and see what a dream is capable of being.

Dreams should all look this wonderful...

55 & 57...

To all that come to this happiest place on earth...






A dream was born Fifty-seven years ago today...

Walt Disney opened his version of what a theme park should look like on this day, and in doing so he reinvented it. It was the first, the original and unheard of at that time. Disneyland became the park that all others would emulate. Doesn't look too shabby for being born all the way back in 1955, does it?

Through most of his life Walt struggled to get money for his projects, from shorts to films... he very often gambled the fate of his studio on projects that if they were to fail, would have doomed his own company to bankruptcy. And when it really counted, like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" or "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" he came through more confident, more strong and more able than before. But after Disneyland opened he never ever had trouble getting financial backing again for anything.

Anything...

35 Years Ago, In A Galaxy Far, Far Away...

Sell the darn thing dude...










That's right, it's been that long...

Thirty-five years ago today, "Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope" premiered. I want to celebrate the future acquisition of Bob Iger/Tom Staggs on that achievement and have some advice for George Lucas: Sell it! Sell it now! Go make your personal, esoteric films, Master Lucas! You still have time. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest.

Do, there is no try...

Ten Years Out, Forever In...

We will prevail...

A Tenth Of The Tenth...

There were so many events and ceremonies celebrating the anniversary of Tokyo's Second Gate...

No way we could cover them all, but I thought it would be nice to look at a few of them. If you can't be there, at least YouTube can take you there.

Here is the opening ceremony to commemorate the tenth year of the park with the heads of the Oriental Land Company and Walt Disney Company head of parks, Tom Staggs (Take a look around Tom, this is what we expect!).

The musical celebration on the water in the Mediterranean Harbor yesterday. Again, nothing is as good as actually being there with the sights and sounds, but you can get some of the flavor of what it is to see this magical place at this magical time.

Before everything begins, custodial has to be make sure everything is up to the high standards of a Disney Park, but take a look at how much the Japanese Cast Members get into their jobs.

Some of the bizarre musical renditions (with Chip & Dale) you can find at Port Discovery during this time.

And speaking of music. Here's the official song of the 10th anniversary. Now, can you imagine if Disney California Adventure had an anniversary song?

And here are some of the decorations outside the entrance to the park.

If only the tenth of DCA could have been celebrated in such a tradition. We do have another one coming up in five years so perhaps they can take some tips from these celebrations and make it a memorable one. By then the Second Phase will be done if everything works out smoothly, or at the very least will be deeply in development.

And one can only imagine what will be up in Tokyo's Second Park by then...

Coming Magic...

Believe...

It's almost been a decade since the Japanese showed Disney how to be Disney...

The anniversary of the most amazingly beautiful theme park is just around the corner and the publicity is starting to ratchet up. Take a look at this commercial reminding everyone what is coming.

And what Disney can do when it lets itself be free to dream...

Fifty-Six Lovely Memories...

Happy B-day, DL...







Hard to believe the dream was born Fifty-six years ago today...

Walt Disney opened his version of what a theme park should look like on this day, and in doing so he reinvented it. It was the first, the original and unheard of at that time. Disneyland became the park that all others would emulate. Doesn't look too shabby for being born all the way back in 1955, does it?

Through most of his life Walt struggled to get money for his projects, from shorts to films... he very often gambled the fate of his studio on projects that if they were to fail, would have doomed his own company to bankruptcy. And when it really counted, like "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" or "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" he came through more confident, more strong and more able than before. But after Disneyland opened he never ever had trouble getting financial backing again for anything.

Anything...

Happy Birthday to the one and only!

The Beginning Of Second Chances...

The ground work for what would come...





It's hard to believe that it was twenty-five years ago today, Walt Disney Productions put out what would be the subtle beginning of the Second Golden Age of Disney Animation...

"The Great Mouse Detective", based on Eve Titus book, "Basil of Baker Street" was released in America a quarter of a century in the past. It was directed by four great animators, Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, Dave Michener and John Musker. Clements and Musker would go on to define the films that this animation Renaissance would be recognized as over the next decade. And now, the Hat Building is slowly working towards a Third Golden Age.

Time will tell...

Thirty Years After The Greatest Adventure...

I hate snakes...





Thirty years ago today the world changed for me...

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg opened up a film that would define action for decades. It introduced one of the most iconic characters in the history of cinema: Indiana Jones.

"Raiders of the Lost Ark" was a film that I had no idea what to expect, or what it was about. I actually saw it earlier than opening night. Paramount Studios actually had test screening of it all across small town America a couple of weeks before it came out. My small town was one of those places where an advance screening took place. And I went. Not really knowing what to expect, I when as a little kid that loved the movies these two guys made and went in on that blind faith alone.

I came out blown away.

I actually stayed through the entire credit run; something I had never done before, but do quite often now. I left feeling as though Spielberg and Lucas had taking something from my mind and pulled it out and thrown it upon the screen. I can remember watching all that fun, all that action and saying to myself: "Wow, this is intense." After each one of the films action set pieces went on, I'd think that this must be it, the last one, no more action, no more story. This must be the end. But the story and action continued. It was a delightful roller coaster ride. I loved it. I went home and looked up the Ark of the Covenant, because I thought it was such a marvelous device. And I was surprised to find that it was real. So as well as entertaining me, it taught my ignorant mind a little unknown history.

Growing up in the lazy little suburbs of my quaint little city, there was little to do. I was a book reader, a comic reader and a movie-goer. I watched an ample amount of television consisting of a lot of escapist testosterone driven episodes of late 70's/early 80's cheese. One Sunday afternoon, I also happened to stumble on to a little PBS show entitled: "Super Serial Showcase." I watched it and marveled at the delight of these continuing adventures. How everything was fun and filled with action, great heroes and really nasty villains. I wondered to myself why Hollywood didn't make a movie like this. And then one day as I entered adolescence they did. They DID. For all their faults, for all the ranting I do here on Lucas or Spielberg, I have to give them my deepest respect and gratitude on this day.

For they opened another world to me...

The DisneySEA Decade...

The great blue sea opens up to beachgoers tomorrow...





Tomorrow, Tokyo DisneySEA reopens its beautiful gates...

With the tragic situation of the earthquake/tsunami we have rightfully been concerned about other, more important things. But with each passing day the nation of Japan pulls itself out of this unfortunate event. Each day life becomes more and more normal, if that is really possible. Economic experts think it will take at least five years before the Japanese are back to a where they were. The Tokyo Disney Resort was not damaged very badly. In fact, very little was done to the actual parks. The majority of the damage was in the parking lots, which resulted in a condition called "liquefaction." The main problem with opening the parks has been power. It has been inconsistent throughout the last few weeks and waiting for an acceptable level has been time consuming.

The Tokyo Disneyland park opened last week and thankfully, Tokyo DisneySEA will finally join her sister tomorrow. And if that weren't enough, the Japanese version of "Fantasmic!" will premiere tomorrow as well. So with the opening of my second favorite park, I think it's time we focused on the fact that it a celebration. Not just one of opening, but one of having been open for a noteworthy amount of time. It's hard to believe that it has been a decade since this park opened.

Ten Years.

Ten years since WDI showed Disney Suits what could happen if they took the shackles off. If they let them dream to dream. And some of the people in Burbank have been trying to live it down every since. There were those agreements that were put in place to make it so that the Oriental Land Company's Tokyo Disney Resort couldn't advertise outside the country. That was supposed to prevent most from seeing what this place was like. That way there would be no comparisons to the other parks. But those agreements were right as the Internet was taking off. No one could realize back then that the Web would be the gateway for those that didn't know about this place. The Net would be the key to this place and no agreement could stop it.

The secret was out.

Although the official anniversary isn't till September 4, 2011, the Resort will be taking a year long celebration of the park, the start date has been postponed. A revised schedule will likely be announce as we get closer to summer. While DCA's celebration of a decade came with little fanfare, it's not going to be the case with Tokyo's Second Gate. It's going to be lovely and spectacular. It will be not only a celebration of Disney, of exploration and adventure, but of perseverance of the Japanese people and life itself.

And that's something fantasmic, uh, I mean fantastic to realize...

The Planting Of The Tree...

Thirty-five years ago today, the seed that became Apple Inc. was born...

Started famously, in a small garage by two Steves, Wozniak and Jobs, it grew from a small business that turned a computer into something anyone could use, to a revolutionary computer named after an apple, to a fading niche player, to the phoenix-like rebirth with the return of Jobs. It's hard to believe that it's now the second most valued company in the world and that it's revenue will come close to IBM's this year, and possibly Hewlett-Parkard's next; moving toward being a $200 billion dollar a year company by the end of next year. Wow. A lot has happened since the time those programmers in Palo Alto showed Steve that little hobby they were working on called a GUI.

Disney's largest shareholder helped create a little fruit company with a very big shadow...

Experiment Turns Twenty-Eight...

Ok, so EPCOT didn't turn out to be the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow" that Walt envisioned. But it still has his spirit, his sense of optimism and wonder. It is still something for the Mouse to be proud of... even if over the last decade or so they've not treated her well.

Today she turns 28. And she looks much nicer than she did a few years ago since having that plastic surgery to remove the wart... I mean wand from her nose. I figure we should start seeing greater attention to the details of the Second Gate over the next few years (I only hope that they approve getting rid of the graveyard below Spaceship Earth). The Suit in charge happens to be an Epcot employee, which is good. The focus on the words; "EPCOT Center" are a good sign...

The Walt Disney Company spent 1.4 Billion dollars to build it... I want to sound like Dr. Evil saying that. In 1982 that was a lot of money. Well, it's still a lot of money, just not near as much as it was then. The Mouse hasn't spent anywhere near that amount on a theme park since. The only company that has spent those kinds of numbers to create elaborate Disney attractions is the Oriental Land Company... the only company other than the Mouse with the right to build Disney attractions. When WDW's Third Gate, Disney-MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios) was built in 1989 at a cost of less than 800 million. The fourth gate, Disney's Animal Kingdom was around 800 million(after cutting the "Beastly Kingdom" section) when it opened in 1998. The Second Gate in California, Disney's California Adventure was 650 million(after Pressler ordered Braverman to cut the budget by a third) in 2001 and Disney's investment in Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005 which cost 3.5 billion was in the hundreds of millions... 314 million dollars to be exact, with the Hong Kong Government footing the rest of the bill . I won't mention Walt Disney Studios Paris which opened in 2002, because I don't consider it having a budget, especially if you've seen it (granted, it's slowly improving and in a few years will look much more nicely themed). But enough of that... that's old hat. We're in a new time with lots of exciting things happening to the Mouse.

The future of the Second Gate at America's Second Disney Resort's is positive and full of promise with the Thirtieth Anniversary around the corner. I'm sure Staggs, unlike Rasulo, won't let Epcot go by without some TLC and a few surprises. Happy Birthday, EPCOT Center!

Now, let's work on covering up those bad show areas around the World Showcase...

Thirty-Nine And Growing...

Wow, it happened thirty-nine years ago today...

The very first guest descend on a new plot of land outside Orlando, Florida for the grand opening of Walt Disney World. The new park, the Magic Kingdom, the first since Walt Disney's original Disneyland is built on land that is twice the size of Manhattan, with its own police force, its own fire department and its own working government. The Walt Disney World Resort as it will be called, opens up with two hotels, the Contemporary and the Polynesian and a world of possibilities. It's still so today, just a wee bit bigger is all. And it's still growing.

I just hope that Tom Staggs puts his stamp on the resort and his own Suits...

Five Years Out In Hong Kong...

Five years ago today Hong Kong Disneyland opened it's first park in China...

Although a lovingly designed park with lush theming and classic Disney attractions, the park was under built, like its sister park, DCA. It wasn't as ugly as that park, but like California's Second Gate, this park lacked the magical Disney attractions that the world has come to expect. The Suits tried to pass off the castle as a homage to the original in Anaheim, instead of the real reason: the ability to not have to put any money into designing a new, original castle (a mistake that will likely not be made in Shanghai).

With the Extreme Expansion that is going on right now, HKDL will have several new features to boast to the world by late 2013/early 2014. Especially the first Chinese version of the Haunted Mansion, Mystic Manor. There are several other minor attractions and projects that are being worked on that will likely open between next year and the opening of Manor. And if the economy craws out of this hole soon enough, there will be a nice retail complex to join the resort as well. Happy Birthday, baby. It's been a difficult time, but you're looking lovelier everyday, Honk Kong Disneyland!

It's going to be an interesting 2014...