Interactivity – it’s the big new buzzword for theme parks these days. Spurred on by the rising popularity of video games and the changing nature of how we consume media, the new wisdom is that it’s no longer enough to just be a passive observer, instead, one must be an active participant. The problem, however, … Continue reading Legends Never Die – The Unappreciated Importance of LEGENDS OF FRONTIERLAND
With Disneyland’s “Legends of Frontierland” set to end on Labor Day, the past week or so has been a bittersweet one for me. A new semester of school started last Monday, and being unsure at the time how often I’d get to head down to Disneyland during the week, I’ve already shared a few sentimental … Continue reading What’s in an Ending? – Thoughts on “Legends of Frontierland’s” Extension
Dear Walt Disney Imagineering, Team Disney Anaheim, and whomever else it may concern, Over the past several weeks I have been playing “Legends of Frontierland,” and despite an initial suspicion that this was all going to be a spectacular mess, the game has far and away exceeded anything I could have dreamed of. You guys … Continue reading On the Issue of Monetizing “Legends of Frontierland” – An Open Letter to Disney
When looking at theme parks, I feel as though there has never really been a sufficiently good explanation of what defines them as an artistic medium*. When looking towards other media, it’s easy to define what they are. Literature is words on a page, collected into sentences and paragraphs to inform, enlighten, or entertain. Film … Continue reading Defining Our Medium, a.k.a. What the Hell is a “Theme Park” Anyway?
I read an article on MiceChat recently which suggested that part of the reason Universal’s recent aggressive expansion in theme parks has been working is because fans of Universal are less particular about “thematic intrusions” or the “appropriateness of intellectual property,” than Disney fans, who are far more vocal about such things. There may or … Continue reading On the Subject of “Theme” in Theme Parks
Today, the great people at Extra Credits released their 200th episode. If you’re not familiar with these guys, PLEASE go check out their website. Their series of videos discussing all manner of topics relating to video games are not only entertaining but hugely important to our discussion of video games as an industry and as … Continue reading What Theme Park Fans Can Learn From the Success of Video Games
So many of the great effects in Disneyland are based on the idea of a reveal. Turning a corner in almost absolute darkness, hearing screams and a disembodied voice up ahead before you round the turn to see the source of the voice: a ghostly Jolly Roger above a dark archway. Emerging from the inside … Continue reading Reveals in the Haunted Mansion or: How it Took Seeing an Effect Broken to Realize That I Didn’t Like it.
David Daut 