In and Around New Orleans
The Original Royal Street Bachelors, doing what they do best, out in front of the One of a Kind Shoppe, on Royal Street.
From a Disneyland Panavue Slide
To many people, New Orleans Square is their favorite area of Disneyland. Hands down, no question.
And why wouldn’t it be? You have arguably, the best of the best of Disneyland attractions located here. Both Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion are attractions that anchor the area. Food and beverage. Some of the best for guests and more here. From Cafe Orleans, to the French Market to the Blue Bayou. Not to mention Club 33 and 21 Royal Street. And music. New Orleans jazz of all eras just fits so well into a day at the Park.
Give me that Disneyland style Mint Julep, some beignets, and some of that jazz. Not to mention the passing parade of the west side with the Disneyland Railroad and on the east, all the river traffic passing by on the Rivers of America. I can just sit and take it all in for hours and hours.
So, being away from the Park for a while, it seems a good idea to share a few images from over the years. As the name of a great compact disc from the past by the Side Street Strutters (a band that called the area home for many years), says “In and Around New Orleans“. Enjoy this look back!
When it first opened, “The One Of A Kind Shoppe” is said to have been a favorite of Lillian Disney.
Over the years, the merchandise sold here has become decidedly more generic in nature.
From A Disneyland Panavue Slide
The foyer of The Haunted Mansion has this classic Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper to set the proper mood.
The entrance to 21 Royal Street is through the Thieves Market.
A busy day with plenty of foot traffic along Royal Street.
Decorations for the seasons here are some of the best in Disneyland.
Yes, indeed… one busy river.
The original Frontierland station of the Disneyland & Santa Fe Railroad, now sits across the tracks from New Orleans Square. Based on an original station design from the film, “So Dear To My Heart”.
If there was one person who was New Orleans Square is was Ernie McClean. Claimed to have been hired directly by Walt Disney, his brand of quiet jazz was a treat for guests of all ages.
The Court of the Angels was a guest favorite for many treasured photographs. It still exists today, but is now part of the lobby for Club 33 and closed to the public.
A quiet corner of a hectic place. Just made to sit back and relax, in and around New Orleans Square.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
It is undeniable that the universe of all things Star Wars has found its place on this planet. The creation of George Lucas marks the latest last chapter in the nine episode saga as “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” opens in theaters on Friday, December 20th, 2019.
My own connection to this universe began in May of 1977 as I was gifted with a copy of the two-disc record album of the soundtrack several weeks before the first film opened in theaters. With the epic poster included of the desperate battle above the Deathstar, I was hooked and but good before I ever saw a frame of the film. And I wore out that copy of the album listening to it over and over and over. And made a pest out of my high school self letting everyone know they couldn’t miss this film.
My first viewing of “Star Wars” (no extra title added at that point) came on the night of Friday, May 27, 1977. A date night, with the girl who would become my wife some nine years later. Theater One at the Festival Cinemas in Walnut Creek, CA. And front row seats, because even though the film had been in theaters only three days at that point, it was a sold out crowd.
From that first moment the Star Destroyer chased the Rebel Cruiser across the orbit of Tatooine, oh yeah… it was on. I don’t know exactly how many times we watched the film that summer, but it was a lot. Even to the point of watching it play at a local drive in from across a flood control channel. We saw it so much, we knew the music and dialogue by heart and didn’t need the sound.
It is safe to say that this little movie (which some including the director did not expect to add up to much) was, no pun intended, a force to be reckoned with. It certainly helped theater owners by doing a healthy business for a much longer than anticipated run. And marketing, although missing at the start, kicked off big as anything with a Star Wars connection was a top seller. With phrases from the film making their way into every day conversation, the cultural impact was firmly established.
Along the way through this universe, there were plenty of great moments with family and friends. Special was the screening of the first trilogy at the Coronet in San Francisco, all in one day and night. Yes, it was a lot of Star Wars at one viewing, but it was well worth it.
And I managed to make my way through the first three episodes, painful though they were at times. Even as we knew Anakin had the fate to become Darth Vader and be defeated on Mustafar by his friend and mentor, Obi Wan Kenobi, we all went to see the tale unfold before us on the big screen.
So when this last trio of films began, we went to theaters to see what lay ahead. It was nice to see the heroes back at it, still keeping the dark forces at bay. With new faces adding their own chapters to the story.
Tuesday, December 17, 2019, I was lucky enough to view the last chapter in Episode IX, “Star Wars; The Rise Of Skywalker”. At a preview screening in a Dolby Atmos theater, I watched as the story begun over 42 years before reached its conclusion. I am sure there will be more viewings as well as a Blu-ray disc purchase ahead.
Not to worry, as I offer no spoilers today. If you have followed the story through all eight episodes previous, then by all means do so again. I will say that I was emotional to the point of tears several times, but part of that is just the fanboy in me, getting sentimental. And worries to the contrary, J.J. Abrams did well covering his bases. The additional footage of Carrie Fisher, from “The Last Jedi” is well used to good effect in keeping the story moving.
Beyond that, if you enjoyed the prior 8 episodes (even with Jar Jar), you will find this one satisfying as well. While folks at Disney plan for other ventures into the Star Wars universe, I think it is safe to say this one is a nice conclusion to the previous films.
When Fandom Becomes Obsession
This column first appeared here on the Blue Parrot on 4/25/2014.
Let me start by saying that Disney is only one thing amongst many that draw my attention. Sometimes, and I am not ashamed to admit this, the line between fandom and obsession is one all too easily crossed.
If such a moment is a rare thing, it can be accepted. We all have had those experiences, moments when we were star struck. Carried away to be there. Fanboy or fangirl gushing over someone, something or someplace. And that is okay. Really.
The problem? It is when momentary becomes primary. For example, why do people spend good money to go to the Disney theme parks in search of peeling paint or burned out light bulbs? Is that to be the highlight of their day, experiencing joy in not only finding such, but sharing it with others similarly concerned?
I think if one had the chance to ask Walt, that kind of experience would be rather low on the scale of what he hoped that people would enjoy during a day at Disneyland. And to be fair, I am sure Walt would not tolerate some of the lapses in quality either. Yet if one looks back on how the Park operated during his lifetime, those moments when guests were not in the Park on stage were opportunities to address issues such as peeling paint and burned out light bulbs. Especially on days when the Park was closed. Work could be done without fear of prying eyes. And yes, I agree that the company can do better at paying attention to the details at theme parks, all around. Not just for special occasions.
Another point raised by someone recently was what Walt would have thought about the Internet and social media. Being interested in technology and communication, it wouldn’t surprise me if Walt would have been a lurker. Just as he liked to go out in the Park and be anonymous (when he could), I think he would have been out there listening and even responding to discussions to see what folks had to say. (And if one thinks Disney does not have people being paid by the company to do this, think again.)
It isn’t just the Disney fandom with this kind of mania. For example, the Union Pacific Railroad is in the middle of moving one of it’s Big Boy steam locomotives from Southern California to Cheyenne, Wyoming. The railroad had decades earlier donated the locomotive to a historical society for display. Corporate policy today had decided that the railroad would take on the project of restoring one of these locomotives – of which there were only 25 built; the biggest steam locomotives world wide.
Now for same railroad fans, this is the closest thing to the Second Coming that they could ever imagine. Something they never expected to see now or ever. So much so that for months, these railfans have been chomping at the bit for even the tiniest bit of information on this project. You name it and those tiny bits have become the focus of the obsession. Fans of this have watched by webcam from around the world as the locomotive was moved from it’s display site across a parking lot to the connection with the mainline railroad. And that will continue as the locomotive makes a very slow trip back to Wyoming.
Other examples? How about fans of the Star Wars films? Since production began on this series of sequels, rumors of this and that have been the stuff of big news. Even the smallest details were shared across the planet. And now, with filming under way in Abu Dhabi… well, let’s say that for some people it is just too much. They have to be there to see it as it happens. Even though they won’t actually see anything, they have to buck up and be there. On that off chance, they might.
If you try to understand why that line between fandom and obsession is so easily and so often crossed, you can get about as many opinions as stars in the night sky. I won’t take up space here adding to those. But I will say that on some level, I understand. Yet on another, I also can see the reality. The unvarnished side of the coin, if you will. Folks who create the products that give fans interest are just doing what they can to pay the bills. Disney, steam locomotives or Star Wars, all the same.
So if you enjoy something, good! All the better to have anything that gets you involved. Go Sports Team!!! But when you have that moment where the line is crossed between fandom and obsession? I hope you can step back and enjoy what it is really all about.
Sharing any experience makes it all the more enjoyable because of those you share it with. Be it Disney theme parks, steam locomotives or science fantasy motion pictures.
Main Street Cinema – both sides of the coin
It seems like anything that happens at Disneyland manages to generate some strong feelings that manage to find their way onto social media. Perhaps the most notable recent example was the decision by some in management at the Park to move merchandise sales into the Main Street Cinema. While the installation was temporary in nature, it may have signaled a more permanent change in the thinking of some.
Let’s go back to 1955 and look at what Main Street USA was meant to be. A turn of the 20th Century Main Street in a mythical city some where in the United States. Familiar to many people, yet a thing more of memory than of modern day. To be sure, there were indeed shops where guests could spend more of that disposable income. Many of the spaces up and down the street were filled with concessionaires. But the overall idea was to find shops that fit into the theme. There was a pharmacist, a general store, the cinema, a tobaccanist, a magic shop, an emporium with all kinds of theme park souvenirs, a china shop, a womens lingerie shop. and more. All with merchandise that was related specifically to those individual shops. In short, it was meant to be the downtown street just as Walt once enjoyed in Marceline. And it didn’t hurt the bottom line of the Park if it helped generate revenues above and beyond those tickets sold at the Main Gate.
Now in the 60 odd years since then, Main Street has changed and evolved. Almost all of the shops now are part of the Park, with (as far as I am aware) only one remaining concessionaire. Call it Main Street if you will, but it is more akin to a shopping mall than a downtown. And much of the merchandise sold in the various shops is the same as is sold elsewhere in the Park or at World of Disney. It ceased to be the collection of individual shops and simply became various locations, identified by names on cash register receipts or work reporting spots.
So, when one of the last quiet places on Main Street that goes back to 1955 comes into the 21st Century with the addition of t-shirts and mouse ears on sale, you can guess that some of the faithful will raise up and cry “foul” to anyone who will listen. Which in this case, strikes me as a bit odd. The Main Street Cinema has always been a spot easily overlooked by many guests. Even back in the ticket book days, it was much of a lesser attraction, requiring one of the lowly A Tickets to enjoy. In today’s world of big screen blockbusters with bigger and louder explosions and computer generated graphics where audience attention spans are limited to the next shiny screen moment, how can black and white silent movie cartoons hope to compete with Youtube videos on an iPhone? In short, they can’t and don’t.
Disney has a great vault with all kinds of silent content that could be shown here. From Alice cartoons to Oswald to Mickey and more. Maybe a way to freshen things up a bit is to change out the clips and add more from the vaults? That might help bring a few more guests to visit, especially on warm Southern California days/
In an era when those sharp pencil Accountanteers are doing their best to squeeze every cent out of a guest experience, how long before the quiet corners of the Park like the Main Street Cinema come under scrutiny and the questions are raised to see if opportunities can generate revenue? Back in the ticket book days, the use of those A tickets for admission to the Cinema could show revenue as the surrender of the ticket proved guests valued their time inside. With the end of ticket books, that was lost, and revenue was counted at the cash register instead.
Personally, I enjoyed the days when Disneyland had merchandise specific locations. When you could find souvenirs that were attraction or area related. Not the same t-shirts and pins everywhere you looked. And while there are still such opportunities at the Park, they are less and less available. At one time, the Frontierland Mercantile sold items that were more area specific in nature. Lots of items with a western theme. Today, it’s all much the same items found at other locations. I miss places like Le Gourmet in New Orleans Square. You could find all kinds of kitchen items there. Now, you are lucky if it’s more than a coffee cup or maybe some Mickey shaped pasta. In today’s world of online shopping, there are plenty of opportunities to find those little items that once were the things specialty shops at the Park once sold. I can understand how Disney didn’t see competing and having all that stock taking up space in storage instead of turning over through strong sales.
One has to wonder if some advance customer focus might have helped bring merchandise sales to the Cinema in a better way? If instead of more generic merchandise, what if the merchandise had a tie in to the Cinema? Maybe some Oswald items and more of the classic Mickey and Minnie merchandise? Some DVD sets of those classic cartoons, pins of those character designs or even t-shirts that were special to the Cinema? Vintage movies do have an attraction for some folks. Take advantage of that instead of just more of the same…
Those of us who visit the Park on a more than once in a lifetime have come to treasure the little quiet moments inside Disneyland. And yes, the Main Street Cinema is indeed one of those. Much like other areas of the Park, the way to show you appreciate them is to visit them. Like the Sleeping Beauty walk-through, spend a few minutes out of your day at the Cinema. Guests do get counted as they visit. Help drive those counts up and show your appreciation. That’s the best way to keep the Cinema you know and love.
And a kind word of appreciation to City Hall now and then helps, too!
Content is king…
Don’t get me wrong.
I love a good story. Some of the best have made the leap from tales told by a camp fire and making their way from generation to generation; then onto the printed paged to be read and enjoyed; and perhaps onto the stage with actors (and actresses) bringing the tale to life in their own way with each new performance; maybe in song instead of just the spoken word; maybe the tale is told cinematically, shared among the viewing by audiences in yet another new experience; perhaps animated films drawn and colored by artists, with voice talents adding to the story in another medium; or even with the aid of the latest tools in computer visualization bringing us to places we have never seen before.
At the core, it is the telling of a story to an audience, even an audience of one.
I understand that the authors of a tale carefully craft that from first to last. In the end, that tale goes forth from those creators to stand on its own. Be it any medium you wish, that’s pretty much the way it used to be. Walt Disney commented once how a film was released to an audience and that was the end of the process. You couldn’t go back and make changes. That’s one of the things he looked forward to as Disneyland grew and evolved. He could make changes, reacting to guest preferences. Even something as simple as a path could become a walkway if that is what guests wanted.
In the world of film (and even television), once upon a time, when the product was complete it went forth and stood on it’s own merits. Either audiences liked something or they didn’t. Stories have been retold time and again. Films have had different versions of stories produced. Some better than others, finding favor with the audiences in ways that seem new and fresh. Some worse and leaving audiences wondering why they spent their money after all.
In recent years, technology has allowed what I think best called “tinkering”. First it was colorization of black and white films; some less successfully than others. Then with the growth of digital imaging came the addition of effects to create what may not have been possible when the film was originally created. George Lucas gets a share of blame for his digital editions of Star Wars. Cleaning up scenes to eliminate some of the limitations of 1970’s film making tools, I get. But to change plot points (Han shot first) and add sequences to fit an updated vision seems gratuitous at best. Yet I also understand how technology can help. Star Trek The Motion Picture was a disaster with special effects not completed in time for the film’s premiere. Instead sequences were slowed down to take advantage of what effects they did have. When director Robert Wise was allowed to go back and tighten the film in a Directors Cut with modern effects, the final product is improved. (Even though it still relies on a lot of model porn…)
I know, I am a curmudgeon. I like what I like. “Casablanca” with Bogart and Bacall. Other versions? No thank you very much… While I appreciate work that goes into films today, I find myself often asking, “Why the remake?” Take the current fad at Disney of making live action versions of animated films. Yes, they may find an audience, but at what cost? Once upon a time, the company would release films every seven years back into theaters. New generations enjoyed films and the company only had the cost of promotion and distribution along with a few new prints as needed. Costs were lower than a new film and profits were money easily made.
Understand this was all before home video and video on demand. With Disney finally opening the vaults to it’s upcoming streaming service, all of that content will now generate income and continue to generate income as product is enjoyed on all kinds of platforms beyond the theater.
Yet, I wonder why Disney as a leader in entertainment will not look for more original content?
Remakes may seem cheap with little or no investment in development costs on one side. And I know that the company has history of recycling, as animation from one film would find it’s way into another. A few projects in the 70’s had entire sequences recycling drawings.
Part of the success of services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and others is that they do go with original content. They do something new that takes audiences off in different and unexpected directions.
One can’t overlook that Disney has invested in properties like Star Wars and Marvel that they know audiences like. Franchises like the Pirates films draw movie goers. But within those stories, there are other stories waiting to be told. And you can’t accuse Disney of not going out there. Star Wars has had some very successful animated projects. Marvel has had some good television as well, such as Agent Carter and Agents of Shield. So, while I doubt the last will be seen of either, I do wish for more originality
Every day, folks are out there pitching what they hope may be the latest and greatest, hoping against hope that someone will come along with funding to bring the project to production and distribution. As audiences, we help make that happen by watching new shows and new films on one of the myriad of available platforms. You can help by supporting that new content. Be it film, television, printed page, live performance or streaming service. Your conspicuous consumption does make the difference.
All I can say is, keep it up folks. As long as you consume it. the product will keep coming.