E.111 Captain EO Theater

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Today on the Obscure Disney Podcast, we are making up rumors about the Captin EO Theater in most of the Disney Parks. We talk about the history of Captain EO and the creation of the original attraction, then get super excited about our own ideas on how to update the idea to appeal to modern park goers.

Captain EO is a 1986 American 3D science fiction film starring Michael Jackson, written by George Lucas and directed by Francis Ford Coppola (who came up with the name “Captain EO” from the Greek, cf. Eos, the Greek goddess of dawn) that was shown at Disney theme parks from 1986 through 1996. The attraction returned to the Disney Parks in 2010 as a tribute after Jackson’s death. The film was shown for the final time at Epcot on December 6, 2015.

The film’s executive producer was George Lucas. The film was choreographed by Jeffrey Hornaday and Michael Jackson, photographed by Peter Anderson,[3][4] produced by Rusty Lemorande and written by Lemorande, Lucas, and Coppola, from a story idea by the artists of Walt Disney Imagineering. Lemorande also initially designed and created two of the creatures, and was an editor of the film. The score was written by James Horner and featured two songs (“We Are Here to Change the World” and “Another Part of Me”), both written and performed by Michael Jackson.

The Supreme Leader was played by Anjelica Huston. Cinematographer Vittorio Storaro was the lighting director during much of the principal photography. Captain EO is regarded as one of the first “4D” films (4D being the name given to a 3D film that incorporates in-theater effects, such as lasers, smoke, etc., synchronized to the film).[5]

Captain EO was the first professional collaboration between Coppola and Lucas since American Graffiti (1973) and marked the end of a professional and personal estrangement between the two men following Lucas’ decision not to direct Apocalypse Now

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E.110 Pinocchio (1940 film) Review, Obscure Disney Podcast

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On this episode of the Obscure Disney Podcast, we are going in on classic 1940 film, Pinocchio. This is part of our series of watching all Disney films from the beginning of the Disney catalog. We talk about first impressions of the movie and the lasting effects on children and society. Naturally, we bring up some things that we loved and made us laugh or think, along with things that don’t make sense or seem out of place.

Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and based on the Italian children’s novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It was the second animated feature film produced by Disney, made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937).

The plot of the film involves an old wood-carver named Geppetto who carves a wooden puppet named Pinocchio. The puppet is brought to life by a blue fairy, who informs him that he can become a real boy if he proves himself to be “brave, truthful, and unselfish”. Pinocchio’s efforts to become a real boy involve encounters with a host of unsavory characters. The film was adapted by Aurelius Battaglia, William Cottrell, Otto Englander, Erdman Penner, Joseph Sabo, Ted Sears, and Webb Smith from Collodi’s book. The production was supervised by Ben Sharpsteen and Hamilton Luske, and the film’s sequences were directed by Norman Ferguson, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, and Bill Roberts. Pinocchio was a groundbreaking achievement in the area of effects animation, giving realistic movement to vehicles, machinery and natural elements such as rain, lightning, smoke, shadows, and water. The film was released to theaters by RKO Radio Pictures on February 7, 1940.

Critical analysis of Pinocchio identifies it as a simple morality tale that teaches children of the benefits of hard work and middle-class values. Although it became the first animated feature to win a competitive Academy Award-winning two for Best Music, Original Score and for Best Music, Original Song for “When You Wish Upon a Star” – it was initially a box office disaster. It eventually made a profit in its 1945 reissue and is considered one of the greatest animated films ever made, with a rare 100% rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes. The film and characters are still prevalent in popular culture, featuring at various Disney parks and in other forms of entertainment. In 1994, Pinocchio was added to the United States National Film Registry for being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

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E.109 Christopher Robin Review – Obscure Disney Podcast

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On today’s episode of the Obscure Disney Podcast, we are giving our thoughts on the Christopher Robin movie. What we loved what we liked and what we didn’t.

Christopher Robin is a 2018 American fantasy comedy-drama film directed by Marc Forster and written by Alex Ross Perry and Allison Schroeder, from a story by Perry. The film is inspired by A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard’s book Winnie-the-Pooh[4] and is a live-action/CGI extension of the Disney franchise of the same name. The film stars Ewan McGregor as the titular character alongside Hayley Atwell, as well as the voices of Jim Cummings and Brad Garrett. The plot follows Christopher Robin as he has grown up and lost his sense of imagination, only to be reunited with his old stuffed bear friend, Winnie-the-Pooh.

Plans of a live-action Winnie the Pooh adaptation were announced in April 2015, and Forster was confirmed as director in November 2016. McGregor signed on as Christopher Robin in April 2017 and principal photography began in August of that year in the United Kingdom, lasting until November.

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E.108 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Obscure Disney Podcast

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In this fun episode of the Obscure Disney Podcast, we are discussing, the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This 81-year-old classic was Walt Disneys first full-length movie and yet, one among us has yet to see it. Tune in for our quick recap.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and originally released by RKO Radio Pictures. Based on the German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, it is the first full-length cel animated feature film and the earliest Disney animated feature film. The story was adapted by storyboard artists Dorothy Ann Blank, Richard Creedon, Merrill De Maris, Otto Englander, Earl Hurd, Dick Rickard, Ted Sears and Webb Smith. David Hand was the supervising director, while William Cottrell, Wilfred Jackson, Larry Morey, Perce Pearce, and Ben Sharpsteen directed the film’s individual sequences.

Snow White premiered at the Carthay Circle Theatre on December 21, 1937, followed by a nationwide release on February 4, 1938. It was a critical and commercial success, and with international earnings of $8 million during its initial release briefly assumed the record of the highest-grossing sound film at the time. The popularity of the film has led to its being re-released theatrically many times, until its home video release in the 1990s. Adjusted for inflation, it is one of the top-ten performers at the North American box office.

At the 11th Academy Awards, producer Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Oscar, and the film was nominated for Best Musical Score the year before. In 1989, the United States Library of Congress deemed the film “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry. The American Film Institute ranked it among the 100 greatest American films and also named the film as the greatest American animated film of all time in 2008. Disney’s take on the fairy tale has had a significant cultural impact, resulting in popular theme park attractions, a video game, and a Broadway musical.

E.107 The Incredibles 2 and the Incredicoster at Disney’s California Adventure

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On this episode of the Obscure Disney Podcast, we are taking a look at the movie, The Incredibles 2 talking about the love we have for Jack-Jack, Edna and the whole family. We are also diving deep into Incredicoster on Pixar Pier at Disney’s California Adventure.

Incredibles 2 is a 2018 American 3D computer-animated superhero film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Written and directed by Brad Bird, it is the sequel to 2004’s The Incredibles and a second installment of the film series. The plot picks up directly after the events of the first film and follows the Parr family as they balance regaining the public’s trust of superheroes with their civilian family life, only to combat a new foe who seeks to turn the populace against all supers. The voice cast includes Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell and Samuel L. Jackson, who reprise their roles from the first film.

Incredicoaster is a steel roller coaster located in the Pixar Pier section of Disney California Adventure in Anaheim, California. Opened on February 8, 200,1 as California Screamin’, it is one of the park’s original rides, and is the only roller coaster at the Disneyland Resort to feature an inversion. Its top speed of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) makes it the fastest ride at the Disneyland Resort. California Screamin’ closed on January 8, 2018, and was re-themed to the Incredicoaster, inspired by The Incredibles, which opened in the new Pixar Pier on June 23, 2018, in conjunction with the release of the film Incredibles 2

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E.106 World of Color Discussion on Obscure Disney Podcast

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On this episode of the Obscure Disney Podcast, we are talking all about our love for Disney’s California Adventure World of Color and a bit of Pixar Pier.

World of Color is a nighttime show at Disney California Adventure, part of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Conceived by Vice President of Parades and Spectaculars, Steve Davison, and designed by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment, the show has nearly 1,200 musical water fountains and includes lights, fire, lasers, and fog, with high-definition projections on mist screens. The show is inspired by Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color anthology television series, as evidenced by the use of its eponymous theme song written by the Sherman Brothers.

The process of assembling, installing, and testing the show’s numerous components and equipment in Paradise Bay spanned a period of approximately 15 months. The original version of World of Color premiered on June 11, 2010, as part of the “Summer Nightastic!” promotional campaign. The entire show cost $75 million to design, manufacture and build.

The show transpires at the lagoon of Paradise Bay, while the audience watches the performance at the Paradise Lagoon Amphitheater area in front of The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure attraction. Other nearby attractions such Mickey’s Fun Wheel and California Screamin’ become part of the performance as they undergo various forms of lighting and projections throughout the show. The effects utilized in World of Color (water fountains, mist screens, fire, lasers, lighting, and fog) are choreographed to work in synchronicity with the featured music and image projections.

In June of 2018 during a refurbishment, an electrical vault flooded in the center panel causing a delay of several months.

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Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress E.105 Obscure Disney Podcast

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On this episode of the Obscure Disney Podcast, we discuss Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress as it was on opening day and as it became America Sings and later Innoventions in Tomorrowland at Disneyland.

Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is a rotating theater attraction located at the Magic Kingdom park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida just outside of Orlando, Florida. Created by both Walt Disney and WED Enterprises as the prime feature of the General Electric (GE) Pavilion for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, the attraction was moved to Tomorrowland at Disneyland in Anaheim, California as Carousel of Progress, remaining there from 1967 until 1973. It was replaced in Disneyland by America Sings in 1974, and reopened in its present home in the Walt Disney World Resort’s Magic Kingdom in 1975.

Steeped in both nostalgia and (in the past) futurism, the attraction’s premise is an exploration of the joys of living through the advent of electricity and other technological advances during the 20th century via a “typical” American family. To keep it up with the times, the attraction has been updated five times (in 1967, 1975, 1981, 1985, and 1993) and has had two different theme songs, both written by the Sherman Brothers (Disney’s Academy Award-winning songwriting team).

Various sources say Walt Disney himself proclaimed that the Carousel of Progress was his favorite attraction and that it should never cease operation. This can be somewhat supported by family and friends, who knew of his constant work on the attraction. Of all the attractions he presented at the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair, Disney seemed especially devoted to the Carousel of Progress.

The Carousel of Progress holds the record as the longest-running stage show, with the most performances, in the history of American theater. It is one of the oldest attractions in the whole Walt Disney World Resort. It is also one of the only attractions at Walt Disney World to have been touched by Walt Disney himself.

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Discussion E.104

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On this episode of Obscure Disney Podcast, we discuss Disney’s Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. We talk about Hat Box Ghost and the Fantom Manor in Disneyland Paris.

The Haunted Mansion is a dark ride attraction located at Disneyland Park (Disneyland Resort), Magic Kingdom, and Tokyo Disneyland. The attraction, although differing slightly in every location, places riders inside a haunted manor resided by “999 happy haunts”.

The Haunted Mansion features a ride-through tour in Omnimover vehicles called “Doom Buggies”, and a walk-through show is displayed to riders waiting in the line queue. The attraction utilizes a range of technology, from centuries-old theatrical effects to modern special effects featuring spectral Audio-Animatronics. The Haunted Mansion has inspired two similarly themed attractions, Phantom Manor and Mystic Manor, which exist at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland, respectively.

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Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens Park Vs Paradise Pier: Changes to Disney’s California Adventure Park E. 103

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On this episode, we discuss Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens Park Vs Paradise Pier along with other changes to Disney’s California Adventure. How Flix Flyer becomes the new inside out ride.

Pixar Pier and Paradise Gardens Park are themed lands at Disney California Adventure, based on that of Victorian boardwalks that were once found along the coast of California. Despite its name and the presence of a nearby man-made lake, Pixar Pier is not actually a pier, but a waterside area of the park. Incredicoaster sprawls across much of the area, with various other attractions and forms of entertainment scattered around it.

The area opened as Paradise Pier in 2001 along with the rest of the theme park. A new attraction, Toy Story Midway Mania!, opened on June 17, 2008. The attraction was the first in a series of theming upgrades to the land and park as a whole. This was followed by changes to the Sun Wheel to become Mickey’s Fun Wheel, removing the ears of the Mickey head behind California Screamin’s vertical loop, and new Games of the Boardwalk in 2009. In 2010, World of Color and Silly Symphony Swings were added. To complete the Paradise Pier makeover, Disney opened Goofy’s Sky School and The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure.

Part of Paradise Pier was re-themed as Pixar Pier, which opened on June 23, 2018. The area that includes Paradise Gardens, Goofy’s Sky School, Silly Symphony Swings, Jumpin’ Jellyfish, Golden Zephyr, and The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure was renamed Paradise Gardens Park

Ant-Man and the Wasp E.102

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On this episode, we talk about all things Ant-Man and the Wasp. We also talk about theaters located in the parks at Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure.

Ant-Man and the Wasp is a 2018 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics characters Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne / Wasp. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the sequel to 2015’s Ant-Man, and the twentieth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film is directed by Peyton Reed and written by the writing teams of Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, and Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari. It stars Rudd as Lang and Evangeline Lilly as Van Dyne, alongside Michael Peña, Walton Goggins, Bobby Cannavale, Judy Greer, Tip “T.I.” Harris, David Dastmalchian, Hannah John-Kamen, Abby Ryder Fortson, Randall Park, Michelle Pfeiffer, Laurence Fishburne, and Michael Douglas. In Ant-Man and the Wasp, the titular pair work with Hank Pym to retrieve Janet van Dyne from the quantum realm.

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