Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Latest.asp?I1=ID&I2=3881" target="_blank"><b>Latest: Alice Davis on the new Small World</b></a> <p>Jim Hill talks to Alice Davis about the new version of "it's a small world" with Disney characters. Davis is the wife of famed Imagineer Marc Davis and an accomplished Imagineer in her own right having designed the costumes for the original "it's a small world". <a target="_blank" href="http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2009/04/07/still-bothered-by-the-changes-that-were-recently-made-to-disneyland-s-it-s-a-small-world-attraction-get-a-key-and-open-your-minds.aspx">Click here</a> for the article on JimHillMedia.com.</p>
Originally Posted By danyoung I thought this was the key quote from Ms. Davis: "Kim Irvine did a wonderful job here and the general public needs to understand & appreciate that. Sure, this was a project that was started by a committee. But that committee was smart enough to hand this project off to an artist who actually understood this attraction and really respected the people who originally created 'it’s a small world.' Which is why this redo turned out as well as it did." On the negative side you have the FAMILY of Mary Blair - not Mary Blair herself. But here you have Alice Davis, in person, with a direct statement. Of course, Jim Hill reframes her words to fit his usual odd style, which is something I've never liked. But the statement speaks for itself.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 Yes that quote was telling and also the beginning of her statement. She is saying shes NOT for it but shes NOT against it either. And she blantly lays the decsion at the "committee" IE: TDA, Consumer Products, Rasulo. But yet she also says that it was handed off to the person who would LEAST Screw it up and execute it in a style worthy of said attraction.
Originally Posted By Bellella To Kim Irvine- I take my hat off to you for at least trying to make the new additions fit. But some just won't wash, like Stitch, the Toy Story characters, and the Three Caballeros. Also, the movie theme additions to the Small World soundtrack are quite a bit superfluous. And the pamphlet- well, we can already easily see the characters on the ride. We don't need a treasure map.
Originally Posted By Bellella Mrs. Davis is a true Disney legend. She designed all the costumes in the original ride. Most of the new characters fit in nicely. But Stitch, the Three Caballeros, and the Toy Story characters definetly don't. If they were removed, along with the various movie themes in the background, I'd be willing to let everything else go.
Originally Posted By jmuboy I'd be happy to loose the garbled Disney movie songs that were dropped into the soundtrack.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Yet another shining example of why Alice Davis is such a classy lady. Kim Irvine indeed did a fabulous job considering all of the limitations and restrictions placed on her and her team in Anaheim. It turned out better than I expected, although I still believe the characters should have never been put in to begin with. The America scene at the end with Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye is simply painful to look at. It's time to stop the procrastination and give this woman her due. Is Sklar still the gatekeeper for the Main Street Window bestowment process? I would like to see Alice get her window while she's still with us to receive it. But if Marty is still in control of that decision making, it will never happen on his watch. Maybe Pete Docter can get John Lasseter to put a bug in Iger's ear and FINALLY get this woman her Main Street Window. We, the fans of Alice Davis and the marvelous work she did for Imagineering, are sick and tired of waiting. ENOUGH!
Originally Posted By Bellella jmuboy, skinnerbox, if the characters have to be in the ride (they don't) I at least hope they take out the new soundtrack and put back the original, completely restored. And the America scene works fine- without the Toy Story characters.
Originally Posted By DlandDug "Get a key and open your mind." Alice's advice is not just good for looking at the small world changes, it's a good motto for life.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Yet another shining example of why Alice Davis is such a classy lady." She's classy because she said something nice? What if she had not enjoyed the new additions and spoke out against them, would she not be classy anymore?
Originally Posted By oc_dean Let me tell you all of my own experiences with creative people through T.E.A. .. and who've done projects for Disney .. and just about any contract with any place for that matter. It's a small network. Essentially .. a "family" unit. Everyone knows everyone. They work together .. and don't speak badly of them on a public level, pretty much never. And lets also remember Kim Irvine is the daughter of two imagineers Alice worked with closely throughout her career with Disney. You're not going to hear a bad word about one creative person to another in this industry. Creative people band together. Almost "protect" each other. Especially in this small industry.
Originally Posted By oc_dean I would have to be a pretty special friend of Alice ... to find out what she really thinks. And then I would have to be sworn to secrecy to never quote her. And that's pretty much a standard, in this industry, regarding anyone!
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan In reading Mrs. Davis' comments, it sounded like she was not saying she was for this idea (the Young Turks references) but that given what the assignment was, she was pleased with Kim Irvine's handling of it. That isn't the same as saying she's all for it. It is interesting that one is closed-minded if they don't care for the concept of populating the attraction with Disney characters. I am open minded to all-new versions of "it's a small world" or, for that matter, leveling it and coming up with something entirely new and different. So, my mind is not closed. I just personally don't care for the concept of adding characters to the attraction, no matter how nicely it is done. If the old small world needs a fresh look, go for it, come up with something fresher, better, innovative, compelling. Disneyland isn't a museum.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones I believe that Alice Davis' remarks are genuine. I don't believe she is pulling any punches. My response to her comments is this, some things she said I like and some things I don't like.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<She's classy because she said something nice? What if she had not enjoyed the new additions and spoke out against them, would she not be classy anymore?>> She's classy because she didn't have to compliment Kim Irvine, but chose to do so, anyway. She could have described those parts she liked and those parts she didn't, which merely would have been a reflection of her own personal tastes. Instead, Alice discussed her respect and admiration for how Kim and her team handled this difficult assignment of shoehorning in the characters which were never part of the original attraction. She took the focus of the interview off of herself (which many in Disney have great difficulty doing) and placed it where it rightfully belonged: on the Imagineers who brought the rehab to fruition. That's classy.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan You know, the more I think about it, there is this running theme of Imagineers telling anyone who dislikes something that their either too dim to "get it" or that they (in Jim Hill's view) need to "get a life." It's a rather insulting way to treat a guest. I don't personally know Alice Davis, I am sure she's a wonderful person and she clearly is an important Disney legend. But my goodness, does it automatically mean that one's mind is "closed" if they disagree with a particular project? This is in keeping with the line of reasoning that it is the guest's fault for not "getting" DCA as a concept (and I say that as one of the original defenders of the joint). I get that some people take it too far in their opposition, and that there are even perhaps a few Disney fans who never want anything to be changed. But I need no key to open my mind, thank you very much. It IS open. I just happen to think the changes don't fit the spirit or the intent or the message of the attraction, and are more of the ongoing trend of everything becoming all about Disney characters rather than something a little more expansive. Again, if the message needs to be changed or updated, do it. But enough with shoehorning stuff in. Is the Sun Wheel a better experience with a Mickey face on it? If so, why?
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "She's classy because she didn't have to compliment Kim Irvine, but chose to do so, anyway." What if she had nothing good to say about Kim Irvine? What if she had something negative to say about Kim Irvine? Would she not be classy anymore? Why are we only allowed to say nice things about people when our opinion is solicited? If I am asked about the Haunted Mansion upgrades, I say positive things. When I am asked about the Small World additions, I say negative things. Am I only classy when I speak positively of Haunted Mansion? Again, I believe everything she said was genuine, but I don't understand why she gets extra points just for being nice. She gets points for stating her honest opinion. That's all anyone should expect from her, whether she liked the changes or not. "Instead, Alice discussed her respect and admiration for how Kim and her team handled this difficult assignment of shoehorning in the characters which were never part of the original attraction." I don't believe Kim and her team handled this assignment of shoehorning in characters well. Does that make me a bad person?
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "But my goodness, does it automatically mean that one's mind is "closed" if they disagree with a particular project?" Yes. The classy thing to do would be to shut your mouth.
Originally Posted By Hans Reinhardt The uproar over these changes was simply not justified. I'm with Alice Davis on this. I don't like the addition of Disney characters, but all things considered this appears to have been handled in a way that lives up to Disney's tradition for detail and quality. In a sense it's a compromise, but it's one that I'm able to live with.
