Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Kill Refurb Marry - Disney Partners



Well, first of all, if we're talking Partners and Walt Disney World, I'd be remiss if I didn't include the following hilarious incident I managed to capture on film a few years ago.

"What?"

Walt Disney World has been the site of many memorable partnerships throughout the years.  Some of them worked, some of them... did not.  Brace yourselves, I'm going to harp on Dinoland USA again.

Kill: Disney and McDonalds

This was just a bad, weird time for Disney in general, and I never even visited the parks while it happened, but there's something that hurts my heart when I look at this page in Yesterland.  It does go a ways in explaining why Dinoland is the way it is, and at the very least we got some badass William Stout art out of the whole mess.

Refurb: Michael Eisner and Michael Eisner's Obsession of the Week

If there's one thing to notice while touring Disney World these days, it's that nearly anything that makes you say, "Why...?" is thanks to Michael Eisner having a seemingly sudden and momentary obsession with something. Sometimes, that'd work out for the best (Touchstone Pictures, Disney/MGM Studios, the Disney Institute in theory), and sometimes it would not (the Swan and Dolphin, the Disney Institute in practice).

Marry: The Original EPCOT Imagineers

Need more be said?  They pulled off a lot of amazing effects and shows pretty much while flying by the seats of their pants and repurposing bits from never-built rides.   I'm just sad that so much of what they accomplished is gone, when I know I'd appreciate it more as an adult.

Next time: Extinct Attractions.  Oh boy...

Addendum: Boy did I ever go in a completely different direction from everyone else on this one...

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Sketch of the Day!
I don't know the original context for this but it's fascinating nonetheless.

3.22.15 - "Let's Play" Doodles