Originally Posted By mapleservo ˆ Seems like good logic to me. We rented Raimi's Oz and reaaaally did not like it at all. Seemed like a decent cast but most didn't show up for the shooting. And I didn't find anyone in the movie likeable (except for maybe the china doll.) I think I would have been open to an Oz land prior to the movie. Now notsomuch.
Originally Posted By LVdisneyfan I think we will definitely see a Star Wars Tomorrowland, considering the chunk of money that was paid out to George Lucas. Tying the movies into the park is a win/win for Disney.
Originally Posted By Brad It's a no-brainer - old fuddy duddies here be damned! The values of Lucas and Disney go together like bacon and eggs. Bring in the wrecking crew for TL in DL and get to work!!!
Originally Posted By believe You don't need a megahit movie to have a great attraction. Look at the Cars movies. They were just mediocre. And Carsland is a great hit. And, of course, Cars merchandise sold billions of $.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>He was given an ultimatum - take retirement or get kicked to the curb. There wasn't any trade-off. He has spent the best part of a decade working on his own agenda with little interference - none of that has seen the light of day beyond the small changes at DL. It was very sad to be at his retirement party at Club 33 - not a single member of the WDP&R or WDI exec team made it down. It was just a collective of former imagineers and his clique from Flower Street. Really sad for a man that created such an enduring legacy at Disneyland and Disneyland Paris.<<< Why did Tony have such a bad standing inside WDI and WDP&R? Was it just because of the new TWDC leadership under Iger? I mean under Eisner and even before he was responsible for so many great attractions and of course for DLP, which is still, despite some maintenance problems, the most beautiful Magic Kingdom park. Disney made a big mistake by letting all the talented Imagineers, who were responsible for Euro Disney, go. Only Tom Morris survived.
Originally Posted By Brad Tony became the scapegoat for all of the financial problem of EuroDisney, this being despite the fact that Eisner MASSIVELY over-invested in hotels that, in the early days were ghost towns. Tony's insistence on creating the beautiful infrastructure that now exists as DLP became what Eisner's minions fixated on, rather than their own foolish spending. That and the fact that he was seen as a bit of an outsider because *shock horror* he ACTUALLY loved the product he worked on and with - he was seen as a bit strange because Disney was ACTUALLY his passion. Well, that and the fact that, at the time several imagineers were also busy creating his beautiful home in the hills(Anybody who has ever been in his bedroom knows just how much he LOVES Sleeping Beauty!) I know that at one point Eisner was heard to say something along the lines of "Have Imagineering finish Tony's (flip)ing house so he can get back over to France and finish EuroDisney!!!" I have always loved that story and Tony says it was a devilish grin - the least he can take from years of being(literally)shunned in the halls at WDI. A DISGUSTING way for adults to have treated one of the greatest living Disney legends. He deserved SO MUCH better.
Originally Posted By dagobert I know about Tony's love for Disney. I think thare was a story in one of the D23 magazines about his passion for Disney and his lovely house. I also know Tony was the head of the Euro Disney Project, but he wasn't really responsible for the bad management decisions, especially for the hotels. I still want to know why Disney built so many hotels. I mean one park, but seven hotels. WDW had three parks at that time and about ten hotels. Additionaly Americans were already big Disney fans, while Europeans had to establish a relationship with Disneyland first. I really liked Tony and what he did in Paris. The whole WDI team for DLP seemed so much more committed to the parks than Imagineers today. It doesn't matter if you read or hear something from either Tony Baxter, Eddie Sotto or Tom Morris, they all really enjoyed creating DLP. They were more like a family. I may be naive, but at least I got that impression from all their interiews and stories. Tony should get a window in Anaheim and at HIS park in Paris. He, and of course all other DLP Imagineers, should also have become a Disney Legend in Paris. I think in 1997 there was a Disney Legend ceremony held at DLP. There's a statue in front of Fantasia Gardens. The 20th Anniversary of DLP would have been a good opportunity.
Originally Posted By Brad The one time I got to visit Tony's house he had just received a copy of the large DLP book filled with pictures of the park(shows you how long ago it was!). Tony took us into the kitchen and proudly showed us the book, pointing out things he was immensely proud of. His love of DLP was palpable! Just a shame others in the WDC don't share a love for quality product, otherwise the Stateside parks(Florida)would not be in the condition they are in!
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>His love of DLP was palpable!<<< Last year he did a presentation about creating DLP during the festivities of DLP's 20th Anniversary. I didn't attend that event, but there was a video on YouTube and it seemed that he still loves the European Magic Kingdom a lot. Would it be possible that ED SCA would hire him? I know it wouldn't happen, but having Tony overseeing DLP would be fantatstic.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Those were physical sets? Oy vey.>> Incredible, huh? They built a lot of sets at the studios in Michigan. The production designer Robert Stromberg also prefers physical sets wherever possible. I guess he is doing the same for his directorial debut - Maleficent.
Originally Posted By leemac <<As somebody who slated Baxter quite meanly here a few months back, I wonder why you would've attended?>> Long story short - I was there at the beginning and at the end. I wasn't able to stay for dinner as I was only in town to meet with one of our consultants. I've said before and I'll say again - Baxter was a great art director - exceptional skills when it came to realising setpieces - however he also thought he was a great story guy - he isn't. Not by a long shot. I've always been vocal about that.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Is there anything firm about Wicked making it to the big screen? If so, do you think they will get it right?>> AFAIK Marc Platt and Uni still don't have a director - let alone a workable screenplay. Uni have always owned the musical property so I can't fathom why it has been such a tortuous route to the big screen. I think one of the challenges will be creating an Oz for the movie that is distinct enough from the two previous movies. That will be difficult as much of the musical takes place indoor - particularly in Act I. I'm one of the grouches that really didn't care much for the musical. I didn't like Eugene Lee's scenic design at all - it just didn't work for me. However I did like the book (I've still never read one of Maguire's novels) and although I don't think it is Schwartz's best work it is passable with some real gems.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Why did Tony have such a bad standing inside WDI and WDP&R? >> He hitched his wagon to the wrong folks. He always had a beef with Tom Fitzgerald going back a long way - Tony was always very critical of the influence that TPP had around WDI. Tony genuinely believed that he would be Marty's successor - everyone else knew it would be Tom. So when Tom replaced Marty Tony was effectively kicked to the curb. He got DL when portfolios were put in place but it was always going to be the case that DL was to see little investment. So he saw out the last 12 years with the company working on either small fixes like Lincoln and the Castle Walk-through or trying to push his agenda like the rebranding of DCA (that included the infamous "DCA needs to be given away for free" mantra). I have sympathy for Tony. He tried to keep out of the politics of WDI but ultimately he felt he had to get his hands dirty. He picked the wrong side and lost. WDI turned him into the frustrated creative that he became though. Plenty of folks don't play the politics game - Tom Morris and Eric Jacobson are two - but those that have succeeded recently play it very well - Vaughn and Kathy Mangum come to mind.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Tony became the scapegoat for all of the financial problem of EuroDisney, this being despite the fact that Eisner MASSIVELY over-invested in hotels that, in the early days were ghost towns.>> That is a myth. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that he held any responsibility for EDL. He wasn't responsible for delivering the project from a construction POV. He took some months off after EDL and then launched right into IJA for three years. He rolled straight off of IJA and on to TL'98. He was very busy for years after EDL. The writing on the wall in terms of his career was when he pitched for - and didn't get - an executive producer gig on DCA. He had been very critical about the genesis of the second gate and then he wanted to work on it - Marty would never allow that. He also tried to get involved in HKDL but was firmly rebuffed.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Disney made a big mistake by letting all the talented Imagineers, who were responsible for Euro Disney, go. Only Tom Morris survived.>> Chris Tietz lasted a long time - he was another Baxter guy though. I guess he has retired now as I've not seen him for years. Eddie Sotto thought he could do better being on the outside so left of his own accord. I think Jeff Burke also left of his own accord.
Originally Posted By leemac <<That and the fact that he was seen as a bit of an outsider because *shock horror* he ACTUALLY loved the product he worked on and with - he was seen as a bit strange because Disney was ACTUALLY his passion.>> I'd love to know where these myths come from - the ENTIRE EDL executive producing team were WDI lifers and the majority had grown up in SoCal with Disneyland. Tim Delaney was born and raised in Glendale. Tom Morris was another kid CM at the park. Eddie grew up in Hollywood and was also fixated by Disneyland (I think he built a scale model as a kid). Others that contributed to the park like Tom Fitzgerald also had their own Disneyland stories from being kids. That entire generation of imagineers consisted of those that were fans first and foremost.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>I'd love to know where these myths come from - the ENTIRE EDL executive producing team were WDI lifers and the majority had grown up in SoCal with Disneyland. Tim Delaney was born and raised in Glendale. Tom Morris was another kid CM at the park. Eddie grew up in Hollywood and was also fixated by Disneyland (I think he built a scale model as a kid). Others that contributed to the park like Tom Fitzgerald also had their own Disneyland stories from being kids. That entire generation of imagineers consisted of those that were fans first and foremost. <<< And you can see the love for Disney at DLP. As I mentioned before you should listen to the Season Pass Podcast with Tim Delaney about Epcot, DLP and HKDL. Tim was very passionate about Discoveryland and Space Mountain.
Originally Posted By leemac <<Just a shame others in the WDC don't share a love for quality product, otherwise the Stateside parks(Florida)would not be in the condition they are in!>> There are plenty that are devoted to a quality product. The problem is that they don't have the same budgets to work on as Tony did. The original budget for EDL was $1bn - it ballooned to $5bn in the end. No other imagineer in history has had that amount of money to pay for (EDL as a park cost more than EPCOT Center did). Both Splash and IJA were high watermarks as far as budget - IJA was the most expensive attraction ever built until Everest came along. He even burnt through $100m for TL'98. WDP&R is far more conservative these days about park investment. That isn't the fault of WDI - that is just TDB. Unless it is a hotel or cruise ship they won't release the purse strings.
Originally Posted By dagobert >>>Unless it is a hotel or cruise ship they won't release the purse strings.<<< But even then it doesn't mean something nice comes out. AoDA doesn't look that good, granted it's a budget hotel. We have to wait what SDL brings, but the 8 shaped TS hotel looks boring and is just based on another franchise. Maybe the SDL hotel will be nice. All other NEW hotels at themeparks were built under Eisner or OLC. Aulani looks wonderful and really beautiful, but it isn't very successful. >>>Both Splash and IJA were high watermarks as far as budget - IJA was the most expensive attraction ever built until Everest came along. He even burnt through $100m for TL'98.<<< However IJA and SM are considered to be one of Disney's best rides. For me even EE is a wonderful attraction.
