The Cat Came Back...and Has the Report to Prove It!

[Cantus Rock]

Hey All,

Okay first off, I did not get to catch the parade this time, but I did see it a few months before I became an active member here. Very cool indeed. I need to see it again though, being that I only vaguely remember it.

As for the Spiderman ride, I forgot to mention that after I talked about liking the Marvel Island. Yes, I thought that Spiderman was basically the only really good ride in the park. Amazingly good, and as apposed to the first time I rode (yes, I've suffered Islands of Adventure more than once), it didn't break down. Rocking, really.

Yeah Chris, I hear ya bro. I doubt Disney could ever get to the all out "BUY ME" signs everywhere you look status. There is a timelessness that Disney has captured that draws people again and again, so much that they buy what they want, and that's enough for Disney. Don't even get me started on Universal Studios, that place is just plain hidious. Islands of Adventure is a step up for them, and since that sucks so bad, I guess you can grasp how I feel about Universal.

Oh grail calm yourself, you get a danish too. Actually I had a question if you've ever been to IOA. If so let me know, its an animation question, so I thought you'd be the guy to turn to.

Now that thats done, get your danishes! Served hot, served cold, get em and get em NOW!

-Matt

 

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Did you go in The Haunted Mansion and the Extra TERROR-Estrial Alien Encounter and The Swiss Family Treehouse?

Huh, huh? Did ya? Huh?

 

[Cantus Rock]

Well FO YO INFOMASHUN!

We did go to the Haunted Mansion...I mean that's just a must every trip. As for Alien Encounters, ya know, that literally was the only thing with a line! Its crazy how people will line up for that over Space Mountain, but whatever...as Rizzo says "They're tourists! Whadda they know!" LoL We didn't do the Swiss Family Treehouse (not to be confused with "Muppet Family Christmas"), besically because its nice, but not really worth it to us any more. Cute to walk through if we've got absolutely nothing else to do, tho.

*Awards Byron with a Bronze Danish*

Ooo...I think we've got rival pastries goin on here..

-Matt

 

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

The Swiss Family Treehouse

Aww...I'm sorry y'all feel that way, Matt...

To me, the SFT is one of the most true-to-film attractions the parks have, and one of the most enjoyable. I mean, I looooove the movie (except for whiny, annoyin' Francis, lol), and i--it's so---well---hard to put into words, lol.

To me, it just makes you feel like you are in the movie, that you do live in that island paradise. And I love to use my imagination when I'm walkin' through it, too...like picturin' animals around throughout the vegetation, and I LOVE to go through at NIGHTtime---a li'l secret not many people realize, I think.

It's so dark and "adventuresome" at night with only the here-and-there placed lanterns to light your way, and I looooooooooove to gaze out at the black jungle river below in the night air, and just imagine crocodiles, pythons, and goodness-knows-what-else lurkin' in the murky water beneath...

*sigh*

So, in essence, no "ride-ishness", no special gadgets or effects, but just a wonderful recreation of the Disney spirit of adventure, which blots out the rest of the kingdom when you're deep inside, and you truly feel like a native of the island of Tobago off of the West Indies...

 

[Cantus Rock]

Addition!

Aw By, don't take it like that! I think the movie is cool, and so it the attraction. Its just one of those things that is kind of colorfast in the sense that it never changes, and when you frequent Disney as much as we do, you kinda have to gloss over that kind of stuff (at least we do...I'm sure if you lived in FL that would be the first thing you'd hit every trip..)

I'm glad I'm here again though, I forgot something huge to add to my trip report:

Dave Goelz is: "The Figment" (The New Imagination) - Well, what can I say really. I hate the Imagineers for taking away the original, and I always will until they bring it back (which of course they wont). I loved the original "Journey Into the Imagination" SO MUCH. I mean, its like taking acid without actually taking acid...not that I've ever taken it before or anything...Well anyway, I do think its an improvement on the original revision of the ride. I really didn't like that one. But the only problem is this; yes there is Figment...just too much! In the attempts by the Imagineering staff to bring back the lovable purple dragon fans adored turned out to be an all-out bumbardment of him. I don't think they got the fact that Dreamfinder was a big part of Figment. They didn't understand that (like in Sesame Street), Figment needed a straight-guy as a counterpart. Dreamfinder was so fun and happy, its a shame these new Imagineers don't understand. Well anyway, Dave did a pretty good job with Figments new voice, no real complaints from me (I can be very nit-picky about things like that ). I liked the integration of some old things into the new ride (like the disappearing butterfly and the space hitch-hiker Figment). Over all I'd like to say this: If I was a tourist coming to see this ride for the first time, it'd be cute. But knowing what it once was, I cannot feel anything but a subtle liking for it. Also one note; Eric Idle is in it. He's still pretty cool.

So that's the scoop folks, enjoyus!

-Matt

 

[grail]

Originally posted by Cantus Rock
Oh grail calm yourself, you get a danish too. Actually I had a question if you've ever been to IOA. If so let me know, its an animation question, so I thought you'd be the guy to turn to.

WOO! bring on the pastries!! (my dad's an ex-cop...it's in my blood)

sadly, i've never even been to WDW. the closest i've ever been to florida is some "quality time" i got to spend with the now-ex fiancee in louisiana almost two years ago

feel free to ask though...i may know the answer.

 

[Cantus Rock]

Rockin', here's a cherry one for ya

Well actually my question is about one of the only good things that was at Islands of Adventure, which was the wait area film for the Dr. Doom ride. It was an animated thing, but it was a series of different styles for different scenes, which made me assume different studios did each different part. Well I recognized the Marvel Animation stuff (I mean its kind of obvious which parts they did), but there was one part of the loop which was called (I think) "The Big Picture," and the animation style looked to be that of the same studio that does the Powerpuff Girls. I was just wondering if you might know who did the work on that. I looked and asked around after the ride, but of course those idiots didn't know anything. Also, if there is no Marvel private studio, who does their animation? I'm pretty sure they have an animation division, but just making sure I'm not mistaken. Also by the way, if you ever end up thrown into IOA, hang out on the Marvel island for a while. The Hulks waiting area had a really really good anim. film to watch also.

I'm a DC man myself, but when ya got a whole area of comic book stuff, you can't help but fit in there too. I was flashing my knowledge of comics to my mom who seemed genuinely interested...eh, probably not. She knows I don't get to impress people with that knowledge often, so she plays along.

-Matt

 

[grail]

as far as i'm aware, Marvel themselves do not have an "animation division", though they do have people who's job is to oversee any thing that is done...Avi Arad's in charge of that kind of stuff, but he does mostly the movies himself, don't know who oversees the animation. i used to be able to tell you who did some of the studios that did the past stuff, but i don't remember anymore. the reason most of it looks the same is because at the end of the day, the characters belong to Marvel, and Marvel is going to dictate the look. remember all those discussions with Ken about the coloring of the Muppet figures? yeah, same thing. there are going to be subtle differences, but mostly, Marvel has wanted a pretty uniform look over the years.

think the Paul Dini look for Batman: TAS that has carried on into Superman, Batman Beyond, Zeta Project, Justice League, and soon Teen Titans...DC liked what they got to start out, so they made everyone else use the same thing.

(hopefully, no one will notice that i just threw useless knowledge at something i didn't have an answer for)

 

[gymkatarules]

It's time for word association with Chris:

Q: Journey to Imagination?
A: Captain EO.

-Chris

 

[Cantus Rock]

Hey Grail, thanks for the info. I liked the TAS style...at least more than the Batman Beyond style (that semi-anime stuff never sat well with me). I'm always keeping an eye out for developments as well, so I guess we can just keep eachother up-to-date as stuff happens.

Oh EO...don't even get me started. I love Captain EO so much. It is a shame I can hardly remember seeing it on the big screen. I have it on video though, so thats cool. I actually do something called the "Midnight Show." Guess what happens...you'll never guess...okay, heres what happens: I watch Captain EO...AT MIDNIGHT! Woooo! Heh, I bring over my plush Hooter and watch it in all its glory. Truely an amazing production.

-Matt