Monday, July 18, 2011

The Happiest Birthday On Earth

Disneyland Dedication Plaque


56 years ago yesterday The Happiest Place On Earth was opened to the public and changed the entertainment industry forever. It wasn't too long after opening that every other entertainment complex on earth to begin emulating the principles and design that have kept Disneyland so timeless and wonderful.

The place doesn't look all thats shabby for 56 does it?



Happy Birthday Disneyland.

Kong: The Eighth Wonder Of The World!




While riding the brand new Kong 360 Experience at Universal Hollywood for the first time late last week, I was suddenly hit with an idea for an all new attraction that would give the most famous ape ever to climb the empire state building a new home at Universal Orlando. I call the attraction, Kong: The Eighth Wonder Of The World.




Peter Jackson's King Kong 360



Location: The ride would replace the current Twister experience at Universal Studios in Orlando, and would probably require a bigger show building. With the ride would come a refurbishment of the entire New York area, giving it a 1930's theme (which also fits Revenge of the Mummy better).

Ride Type: A 3-D show, with effects similar to Muppet Vision. The screen would have to be HUGE, maybe half the size of Soarin's, to accomadate the size of Kong.

Guest Experience: The attraction is finally here. The anticipation for the show has been building inside you since the attraction was announced last year, and you now finally have the opportunity to experience it for yourself, and you can't wait. Kong: The Eighth Wonder Of The World is supposed to be an amazing HD, 3-D experience combined with top of the line special effects that puts the worlds most famous ape right in front of your face, and you just know it will be incredible. Walking through the Studio gate, you realize that things in this park have changed. For starters, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit has been hiden behind facades of a Great Depression Era New York, and what was once a representation of a 1980's New York has now also been redone to appear as though you've been sent back in time to the year 1933.





New York as seen in Peter Jackson's King Kong



In the distance stands the majestic Empire State Building, practically begging to be climbed, as the city comes to life around you. Towards the end of the street stands a tall, proud beacon of light, a big, beautiful Broadway theatre, glowing with what appears to be thousands of lights and a marquee that reads, "KONG: THE EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD".
"That's it!", you shout to your friends and family, "That's where we're going!"
You make your way to the queue, which wraps itself through a very ornate and detailed loby of a period-appropriate Broadway theatre. Eventually, you grab your theatre glasses and make your way to a pre-show room, where (similar to the way Christopher Walken is brought to life in Disaster!) Carl Denham's assistant comes from behind a door to prep you for the wonder you are about to witness. After going through a quick saftey speil (no flash pictures, don't put your theatre glasses on until after you've been seated, etc), Jack Driscoll (Adrian Brody) storms into the room warning guests that they cannot go in there, and that everyone's life is in danger. Carl's assistant laughs off the warnings and begins applauding Jack's "acting" as if it's all part of the show, and security carries Jack away. Then it's time to stand behind the yellow line, as your theatre doors open.


Once everyone's been seated (with their theatre glasses on) in the highly ornate and beautiful theatre, the show begins. A first set of curtains open, revealing Carl Denham (Jack Black) at center stage, who sets the premise of the story as our narrator.



Carl Narates the epic tale to an audience


Suddenly, following a big Orchestration, the second set of curtains open behind Carl, revealing Kong: The Eighth Wonder Of The World, chained, captured, and defeated. Natives then storm the stage, dancing wildly and chanting, "Kong! Kong! Kong! Kong! Kong! KONG!," as the ape just sits there. Suddenly the chanting stops, and then a "SHREIK!" of terror. Natives from off stage drag a blonde-haired damsel in distress to an alter, where she will be offered to the "ferocious beast". Screaming the entire way, she catches Kong's attention, and we see hope come to his eyes as he begins to wonder if perhaps this blonde could be Ann Darrow...that hope is short lived though, and that hope quickly turns to anger as Kong begins grunting. Some more theatrics go on while Kongs arms are lifted and he's made to look fierce and as though he's about to snatch the damsel in distress. Suddenly, our hero, the very famous Bruce Baxter (Kyle Chandler) swings in on a rope to save the day. He fights off natives, makes his way to the alter, and rescues our blonde-haired beauty. The audience erupts in Applause! As we begin to see more and more annoyance filling Kong's face, he begins grunting and growling and thrashing his chains around.


"Nevermind the Beast," Carl reassures us. "These chains are made of the finest and strongest steel in the world. There's no way he can escape!"


The audience lets out a sigh of relief, just as Baxter and our damsel pose for pictures in front of the extremely angry ape. Photographers rush to the stage, taking flash pictures as Carl rushes to stop them.


"You'll anger him! Stop! STOP," Carl warns.


But Carl's too late. Kong's finally had it! He begins thrashing so violently and growling so loudly many of the actors begin clearing the stage in terror! Carl trys reassure everyone that it's all part of the show and everything is under control, when suddenly the chain snaps! With one arm free, Kong lets out a ferocious ROAR as reaches for a native and throws him across the room. With the audience trapped in the theatre, Carl makes a dash for the exit as Kong snaps the other chain in half, freeing his other arm, and begins reaking havoc on the theatre, throwing set pieces, tearing balconies off of the walls, grabbing theatre-goers and eating them whole! Lights flicker and the room shakes as Kong continues to go on his rampage. Finally, with one final ROOOOOAR!, Kong jumps through the wall behind the stage, allowing the audience to catch a glimpse of the chaos that begins outside on the snowy streets of New York.


With another ROAR a car flies into the room as Kong continues his angry rampage on the innocent bystanders frantically fleeing the streets outside the theatre. The curtains then close as Carl's assistant (now a little bit banged up) takes center stage to appologize for the danger that the audience has been put into, but before he can finish, there is one final and loud Roar! Kong's arm reaches through the curtains, tearing the poor assistant from the stage. We hear shrieks of terror and pleas for help, until finally, "GULP!" And with that, the lights shut off, and darkness ensues for a few seconds until the lights are brought back up and guests are asked to exit the theatre.
"WOAH," you think to yourself. It was everything you'd hope it would be and more. In fact, the show was so good, you think you may just get in line to experience the attraction again, right after ride on Revenge of the Mummy of course.

Friday, July 1, 2011

The Enchanted Kingdom

"Star light, star bright,
first star I see tonight.
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
We'll make a wish and do as dreamers do,
And all our Wishes, will come true..."

(click here to enhance the magic with music as you read...I suggest starting at 0:42)

Welcome to a place where the most marvelous and magical things can happen, and it's all because of a wish...Where just around the corner you'll encounter a house full of 999 Happy Haunts, then turn around to discover a river frozen in time, enhabited with beasts that haven't roamed the earth for more 65 million years...Where pirates still sail the Spanish Main in search of burried treasure, adventure lurks within a tower guarded by a dragon, and a maid can become a princess with the kiss of a frog. A place where each day closes with a happily ever after, and all your dreams come true...welcome to the Enchanted Kingdom, Disney's newest themepark based on the Disneyland model Walt perfected more than fifty years ago.

Sparks of Inspiration invites you to join us on a journey through the worlds of Yesterday, Tomorrow, and Fantasy like you've never seen them before. Over the next several weeks, we'll be working to bring a touch of Disney magic to your computer unlike any you've ever experienced. Please keep all hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the vehicles at all times, and remember, wishes can come true.

Collecting Sparks...

Blogs are hard. I'm not sure how to explain them. I mean, when I first started this blog, I was so excited it's not even funny. I was going to have my own place to share and create and expand on my very own ideas! It was gonna be great! I never imagined it to be so much work...it proved to be way too much for during the school year. But now school's over and I still don't update or post articles regularly. Summers here, and I'm letting this once great idea sit alone, left to gather dust and cobwebs, and why? Because I'm a bum. It's true, my name is Cody and I have a problem...I hate work. But right here and now I'm setting a goal for myself in front of all of you out in internet-land...I'm going to start posting at least once a week for the rest of the summer...hopefully more. This is only the begining, I promise. Thanks for your patience, now lets Spark some Imagination...

Friday, May 13, 2011

I SWEAR, I'M NOT DEAD!!!!

For those of you out there in Internet-Land that were actually visiting and reading this blog, I'm still here. Life's been busy and crazy over the last two months, and I've just had absolutly no time to post anything. I'm sorry about that. I do want you to stay tuned this week though as I plan to introduce a brand new weekly segment known as, "What If". "What If" posts will look at how a park may have progressed if every idea pitched would've made it through the development stages and into the park. The first park to be receiving the "What If" treatment will be The Disney Studios! (To avoid confusion, we're gonna go with the park's unoffical name...Boy, I've got some work to do if I'm gonna get this done this week!



WHAT IF???


Friday, April 1, 2011

Happy Birthday Fred & George!

A very Happy Birthday to everyone's favorite tricksters, Fred & George Weasley, on this April Fools Day! If only I were witty enough to come up with a trick...oh well, there's always next year!

Thursday, March 31, 2011

A Little Spark--007: License to Thrill

Be sure to check back soon for a Spark of Inspiration update on this wonderful piece of concept art!

Prepare to get shaken, but not stirred (see what I did there?), in 007: License To Thrill, an all new action packed ride that puts you in the seat of a stunt driver for the newest James Bond movie, coming soon to The Walt Disney Studios Park!


FYI: The name is not original (as you can probably see above). It actually comes from an old Paramount Parks attraction that was released to correspond with the opening of Tomorrow Never Dies (great movie by the way). From what I understand, the attraction was a bummer, but the name was great, so I decided to borrow it unless I can come up with something better...


007: License To Thrill will replace three attractions in the current park (an article I should probably post soon haha), Soundstage 1, The Improve Theatre, and the Sound Attraction in what is currently The Attraction Studios, leaving the I Love Lucy Tribute Show and Studio P&G the last remnants of what was The Attraction Studios. With the opening of the James Bond ride comes a new name for the area, The Action Studios. Eventually those two attractions will be replaced as well, with what though I’m not quite sure yet…but that’s a story for a different day.


Using Test Track technology, the ride will put guests in the seat of James Bond, where they'll dodge explosions, speed through oil slicks, and crash through walls. In order to make it appear you're actually chasing someone, the vehicles will be timed so that they are "chasing" the vehicle in front of it. In other words, if there are 10 vehicles, then vehicle 1 will "chase" vehicle 10, vehicle 2 will "chase" vehicle 1, vehicle 3 will "chase" vehicle 2, and so on. This timing will be done by having the cars load as if they're a Peoplemover attraction (the vehicles never stop). If for some reason the vehicle did need to stop, for a handicap person, etc, there'd be a pit stop over to the side where that person would be able to load, and the attraction wouldn't be stopped.


Walking up to the ride, you’ll find pretty much what you see in the above concept art, the only difference being a soundstage behind the façade (much like Star Tours in DHS).


-The Queue-

Once inside of the soundstage, guests will find themselves on set of the latest Bond picture, standing inside the lobby of MI6 headquarters. On overhead monitors throughout the queue, a director preps guests for their big role as double-O agents working alongside Bond in his big blockbuster picture. Throughout the queue, guests will see agents and other MI6 employees going about their business, some CM’s, and some AA’s. After winding through the Lobby and hallways, guests will finally find themselves in the Briefing Room. Entering the room guests will find that giant screen seen in the picture below (from Quantum of Solace) and a M animatronic (played by Judi Dench) standing in front of it.


-The Preshow-The director will come on screen, explaining that this is everyone’s first shot and making sure everybody’s ready. From the right side of the room you’ll hear, “QUIET ON THE SET…AND ACTION!”, and suddenly the room will go dark, with a spot light shining on M, who will begin to debrief your mission: to stop a group of terrorists with bio-weapons from reaching their destination, London Heathrow Airport. Suddenly a James Bond animatronic (played by Daniel Craig) will enter the room through a door on the right. M will say something along the lines of, “You’re late 007”, to which he will respond, “Sorry, I was just getting to know Ms. Money Penny a little better”, or something along those lines, though I’d want it to be more humorous (haha yeah, I know, I’m reeeeally bad at writing scripts lol). She’ll explain how we’re going to be working along side Bond, and will then tell us to move along to the Q-Branch Labs.


-The Load Area-Entering the Q-Branch, a large, bright, warehouse looking-room, guests will find a Q animatronic (featuring the late Desmond Llewelyn) on a platform above the empty Aston Martins that drive into the room (the cars will have 2 rows of seats, sitting 3 across). He explains the special features of the cars, how they’re controlled from MI6 via GPS Sattellite, bulletproof, and include a grenade launcher inside of the headlights. Of course, once guests are buckled up, Q will, as always, beg of the agents to, “...Please return the car in one piece this time (sighs)…”


-The Ride-

Zooming out of the Q-Branch Labs and onto the streets of London, Bond comes over the radio, explaining that the car guests’re tracking is right in front of them, and how he’s a street away so as not to give up our cover and make it appear obvious that the car is being followed. Weaving around corners and zooming through alleys and back streets, still keeping their distance, the car you’re following suddenly zooms into the old abandoned (enter sponsor’s name here) warehouse. Speeding after them into the warehouse, the car is nowhere to be found, but whispering can be heard from over some crates and boxes. Suddenly, henchmen pop out from behind the boxes, firing away at your car (which can be felt/heard through holes in the car shooting air just as in GMR on the walls during the gangster scene). “We’ve been caught! Quick, get out of there!”, Bond shouts as guests crash through a warehouse wall and back onto the London streets. From there, the chase is on, and the real fun begins. Guests follow the car out of London and into the British country-side, dodging past pedestrian cars, hitting other bad guy vehicles and flipping their car over, slipping through oil slicks, etc, until guests reach the final straightaway with the car they’ve been playing tag with right in front of them, but about to go into a tunnel. Bond comes over the radio, “Now’s our chance! Q, use the grenade launcher, quick, we won’t get a shot like this again, they're speeding into the tunnel!” “Alright, alright 007, we’re locking onto the target…now! Aaaaaaaaand, FIRE!” All of a sudden, the car in front of guests appears to go up in flames! Of course, it doesn’t really, as the car in front is holding the load of guests in front of us. In order to create the illusion, two separate unload areas will be created, and when the car is “blown up”, guests will have really zoomed into the unload area, where a steel door has slammed shut behind them just as quickly as they zoomed in. Most of the effect will be created with smoke, though Flames will be included. When your car is “blown up”, you will have zoomed into the unload area over. Does that make sense? Haha I suppose it is kind of confusing. Once inside the tunnel, everythings pitch black, then the director yells, "AND CUT!" and suddenly, the lights turn on, and you're back in the soundstage. The director, along with Daniel Craig, tells you what a great job you've done, thanks you for your hard work, and to be sure and enjoy the rest of your day at The Walt Disney Studios Themepark.


Well, there you have it! Any comments, critiscims, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully you get a pretty good sense of what I'd want this attraction to be like.