Originally Posted By dl1956 Two questions that I'm most curious about: 1) what technical changes/improvements are there, and 2) any changes in the timing of those pesky announcements?
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance Can I just say that I loved the Tangled movie? I'm glad they added that.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros I watched the full loop last night, and I'm not sure if the content is much of an improvement on the original. It seemed like about every other segment was Pixar, which theoretically I don't mind, but they managed to not pick memorable parts from the scores for most of them (Ratatioulle and Finding Nemo for example have a lot of great recognizable music, but the clips just had some generic-sounding parts from the films). I also noticed that it seemed like they didn't include any actual animation from most of the Pixar films, and instead showed only the story reels and character concept art. They had the story reels moving around on the screens, but a lot of them just felt really static (especially Nemo). What is immediately noticeable about the new loop is the transitions between segments. Instead of the direct cuts between segments before, most of them now suffer from "World of Color Syndrome". All of the screens go dark, and then there's a bit of dialogue (only one or two lines, not the entire scenes that got replicated in WOC), and then the new music starts. These have been tacked onto new and old scenes alike, and really do nothing for the loop. Instead of being all about the music and art, now it's all about character and brand recognition with recognizable catch phrases. Part of what I really liked about the original loop was that it sometimes took a little bit to figure out which movie it was (especially if you had your eyes closed, which made for a fun little game). I think that the pacing of this new loop actually feels slower than the old one, since there is so much extra time between most of the segments. Some are still back-to-back, but there's also a lot of downtime scheduled into it. Another thing that I noticed was that there seemed to be a lot more in-production art than I remember, especially with the Pixar films. Some of it is pretty cool (like the partially-animated lantern sequence from Tangled with the multi-colored lanterns that mawnck described on the Animated Films section of the boards a year ago), but a lot of it just looks like they didn't want to show the film (Cars and Nemo come to mind). I'm not sure what all was cut, but there were a few that we noticed: Hercules, a bug's life, The Emperor's New Groove, Atlantis, Toy Story foley segment with the dog, and the Malifacent segment from Sleeping Beauty (where she yells "all the powers of hell"...I guess that's a naughty word now). I did seem like of the ones that were cut weren't the cool "in-crowd" of current movies, but had some of the best music featured in the original loop. From what I could tell, the technology has been upgraded, and they're not using traditional slide projectors any more. I only heard the slide-changing-sound once or twice, which makes me think I was actually hearing something else. The projectors for the small screens clearly got upgraded, and look pretty nice. They also upgraded the lights that shine down, so they now move around and can project logos (like during the Incredibles). They're used in several sequences, and kids seemed to enjoy chasing them around the floor, so that's kind of fun. There were a couple screens that seemed to only work about half of the time, but hopefully they're still working out the bugs in it (though it would seem like they've had plenty of time to do that already). Sadly, they did nothing about the announcements. They still just play directly on top of the loop, which keeps showing visuals but goes silent while the announcement is played. I'm sad that they didn't take advantage of this down time to do this the right way. Overall, I still like it, but I don't think it's as timeless as it was before, even if some of the pieces chosen were more dated in that loop. The transitions really kill it for me (much like WOC), and it's a shame that they didn't figure something out for the announcements. There is a LOT of Pixar in it, but those segments don't seem to be about the animation, the music, or the art; they seem to be about branding. I still enjoyed it (it's a tough concept to screw up), but I don't think I'll be spending as much time in there as before.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>like the partially-animated lantern sequence from Tangled with the multi-colored lanterns that mawnck described on the Animated Films section of the boards a year ago<< That's in there? YESSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Yep! As soon as the segment started, I immediately thought of what you had said and started to look for it. It's mixed in with the final version of the animation, along with some random bits from throughout the rest of the film, but there are several 2-3 second shots of it.
Originally Posted By DlandDug OK, here's the complete list of clips that are currently played in the Animation lobby: 1. The Little Mermaid 2. Beauty and the Beast 3. Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 4. Bambi 5. Finding Nemo 6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 7. The Incredibles 8. The Jungle Book 9. Toy Story/Toy Story 2/Toy Story 3 10. Cinderella 11. Mulan 12. Monsters Inc. 13. Ratatouille 14. Lilo and Stitch 15. Tarzan 16. Pinocchio 17. Alice in Wonderland 18. Up 19. Lady and the Tramp 20. Tangled 21. Dumbo 22. The Lion King 23. Cars 24. Pocahontas 25. SLeeping beauty 26. Aladdin 27. Peter Pan 28. Finale: When You Wish Upon a Star The original, installed in 2001, consisted of the following: 1. The Little Mermaid 2. Beauty and the Beast 3. Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 4. Bambi 5. Aladdin 6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 7. Atlantis 8. The Jungle Book 9. Toy Story 2 10. Cinderella 11. Mulan 12. Hercules 13. Tarzan 14. a bug's life 15. The Hunchback of Notre Dame 16. Pinocchio 17. Alice in Wonderland 18. The Emperor's New Groove 19. Lady and the Tramp 20. Sleeping Beauty 21. The Lion King 22. Pocahontas 23. Sleeping Beauty 24. Aladdin 25. Peter Pan 26. Finale: When You Wish Upon a Star In the new loop, there are nine additions: Monsters Inc. Ratatouille Lilo and Stitch Up Tangled Dumbo Cars Finding Nemo The Incredibles Eight of these were released since the opening of DCA in 2001 (exception: Dumbo). Six of the remaining are by Pixar (exceptions: Lilo and Stitch and Tangled). The Toy Story 2 clip (Buster) has been replaced with a new one representing all three Toy Story films. To make room, seven clips were removed: Aladdin (Arabian Nights) Atlantis Hercules a bug's life The Hunchback of Notre Dame The Emperor's New Groove Sleeping Beauty (Maleficent) Two of these (Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty) are still represented with single clips. One (a bug's life) is a Pixar film. The Pixar count has gone from two to seven.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >> It seemed like about every other segment was Pixar...<< I found this true only in the early part of the cycle: 5. Finding Nemo [PIXAR] 6. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 7. The Incredibles [PIXAR] 8. The Jungle Book 9. Toy Story/Toy Story 2/Toy Story 3 [PIXAR] 10. Cinderella 11. Mulan 12. Monsters Inc. [PIXAR] 13. Ratatouille [PIXAR] After that we have Up and Cars at 18 and 23. >>...most of them [the transitions] now suffer from "World of Color Syndrome". All of the screens go dark, and then there's a bit of dialogue...<< I wouldn't say "most" are like this. And this was also done in the original loop. >> Instead of being all about the music and art, now it's all about character and brand recognition with recognizable catch phrases.<< I didn't get this at all. There's still a wide variety of presentations. Monster Inc., for example, is just sketches of monsters and doors. The Incredibles focuses on Dash's run. Up is kind of nifty-- juxtaposing the "growing old" sequence with the storyboard sketches. And so on. I can't recall any "catch phrases," although there may have been one or two. >>They also upgraded the lights that shine down, so they now move around and can project logos...<< These lights always moved around and projected animation. The new ones with logos are Monsters Inc. and The Incredibles, which lend themselves to this type of presentation. >>...I don't think it's as timeless as it was before, even if some of the pieces chosen were more dated in that loop.<< The only "dated" piece removed was the Maleficent sequence from Sleeping Beauty. And Dumbo has been added in the new loop. >>There is a LOT of Pixar in it, but those segments don't seem to be about the animation, the music, or the art; they seem to be about branding.<< Totally disagree. I mention Monsters Inc., The Incredibles and Up above. The Ratatouille and Finding Nemo segments are almost entirely beautiful pieces of concept art. Only Cars seems to focus closely on the characters. >>I still enjoyed it... I don't think I'll be spending as much time in there as before.<< After ten years of experiencing this lobby in a very specific way, I agree it is odd to see changes. It will take some getting used to.
Originally Posted By TP2000 Doug, thank you. That was an amazing couple of posts that offered up some great info, and shed some much-needed light on the subject. I don't understand the discomfort some Disney fans have for Pixar. Pixar is a wildly succesful entertainment addition to the Disney library. They've given the world fabulously succesful and emotionally meaningful movies, and spawned some very popular theme park rides along the way. All at the same time that Disney's other animation divisions were offering up Treasure Planet, Home On The Range, and Mars Needs Moms. On a few other message boards, in addition to this one, I get the feeling that some fans would have been more happy to see DCA's new Animation Courtyard loop include The Apple Dumpling Gang, The Cat From Outer Space, and Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo rather than anything that dares to be created by Pixar. ;-)
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I like Pixar, and do consider them as Disney. But I am always saddened to read of Treasure Planet displayed as a bad film. It is actually my favorite Disney animated feature, and I think is visually Disney's most spectacular.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt ^^ In my opinion Tangled is far more visually stunning, and much better film too.
Originally Posted By cheesybaby Of the sections that remain from the original loop - are those sections exactly the same as before? Or were those re-edited with some art changed out? Thanks, can't wait to see it myself.
Originally Posted By DlandDug As far as I could tell, the clips are the same as they were before, although a few transitions were tweaked. Also, there were definitely a few images replaced in the finale images of castles.
Originally Posted By cheesybaby ^^Thanks Dug! Do you agree that the entire loop feels shorter? I forget who said that... which sounds odd if there are more films represented than before.
Originally Posted By TP2000 The new loop is actually 10 minutes longer. The loop playing since 2001 was 20 minutes long, and this new loop that debuted last week is now 30 minutes long. Makes sense, since now so many DCA visitors are AP'ers who hang out in the park for a few hours every couple weeks, and would probably just like to sit and chill and watch the newly lengthened Animation Courtyard show. When the original loop debuted in 2001, they didn't even sell an Annual Pass for DCA, remember? DCA was going to be a smash hit catering exclusively to big spending tourists only. 20 minutes was enough time, and I think the original intent was to simply offer some eye candy and music to the throngs waiting in the extended queues for Art of Disney Animation and One Man's Dream. Oops! ;-)
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Were the two parts of the Lady and the Tramp music combined into a single segment before? The current version starts with the opening background score, and then goes immediately into He's a Tramp. I don't remember He's a Tramp being in the loop before (but this was actually my first time seeing the whole cycle in a single sitting so it's possible I just missed it every time), but my friend remembered it being two separate segments, like what Aladdin and Sleeping Beauty had. I did feel a little strange to have the two right next to eachother, since they have similar visuals but very different sounds, but it could work too.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>When the original loop debuted in 2001, they didn't even sell an Annual Pass for DCA, remember?<< Just a minor correction-- they did sell a DCA annual pass, but they capped the number available. I am a holder of a two park AP from the very opening of DCA, to the present. And it is quite correct that by opening day, Disney was no longer selling DCA annual passes, thereby forcing guests to "settle" for Disneyland.
Originally Posted By DlandDug >>Were the two parts of the Lady and the Tramp music combined into a single segment before?<< Yes. Here's the complete original loop (in two parts) on YouTube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh_jykeTQ90&NR=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...Q90&NR=1</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=016k7gIPqXk&feature=related" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...=related</a> Go to 1:25 in the first link, and you will see the Lady and the Tramp medley. Actually, viewed in reverse order, you will get the complete loop in order, except that Little Mermaid, the first clip, is at the end of link #1, the second half of the complete loop.
