Why is it so personal?
So, if you have been reading these pages for a while, you may get the idea that a lot of the content is centered around my own interests. That’s not a bad thing, but at times, especially at oh-dark thirty when I’m casting about looking for a topic, I tend to wonder why it is that folks like myself take all of this so personally.
Note: This column first appeared here on the Blue Parrot on Monday February 16, 2009.
I can accept that on some level there is therapeutic value in setting down my thoughts on a variety of subjects to share with the world. It’s probably a healthy thing to do, to a point. And maybe I’m different in that I’m not seeking large numbers of folks reading this for validation. I do understand why for some folks that is important. Numbers of hits drive ad revenue in many cases.
Yet, there seems to be something more personal in all of this. I’ve been part of a number of groups that focused their passions for a shared interest. Call them fandoms, if you will. Star Trek fans (I won’t use the “T” word) may be the most noted, but Disney fans far outnumber them with all age groups, backgrounds and ethnicities well represented.
There’s probably a good thesis or five that could be written on why Disney has been so successful in making the connection with consumers on so many different levels. Be it movies, television, theme parks or collectibles, the passion to enjoy any or all of those products from Disney in something undeniable.
Passion can be a funny thing. It’s easy enough to share, but it can easily become misplaced and move to the higher level of obsession. I know because I’ve gone to that level before and it’s just not a pretty thing for anyone.
A case in point: Disneyland’s recent renovations of the It’s A Small World attraction. Even before the plans for the project were complete, someone (intentionally or otherwise) leaked the information to folks that would take it and run with it. And that they did. Word of how Disney was planning to make drastic changes to a much beloved favorite of many would result in disaster, the end of all things as we know them. Webmasters warmed up sites dedicated to preserving as much of the 1964 attraction as still remained. Online petitions and letter campaigns directed the faithful to let Disney know that they were displeased and did not want any of the proposed changes to be made.
Disney heard their cry and took extraordinary steps to let the public know that they had. Imagineers stepped up and publicly made statements of how this project would remain true to the vision of those who brought the attraction to life for the Worlds Fair and Disneyland. Yet, some of the faithful continued to object. So Disney went a step further and brought in some of their old-timer’s to see for themselves what was ahead for the attraction. And those folks went out among the faithful sharing, giving their opinions. For some of the faithful, fears were calmed. Yet there still remained many who just would not accept the changes.
And sure enough, when the attraction reopened, some folks spread the word of just how bad it actually was. Mind you, they hadn’t been to Disneyland in person to check it out for themselves. But all of the photos and videos posted online just confirmed what they had been saying all along.
Or did they?
Without naming names, one of the most vocal sites in opposition to these changes was right in the forefront of letting the rest of the world know how bad things were. After posting a blow-by-blow photo report, comments by registered posters to the web site were in the overall opinion that the changes were not as appalling as some people were saying. Some folks who rode the attraction felt that the addition of the Disney characters was well done and mixed into the rest of figures with little confusion. And much to their surprise, only Donald Duck appears out of the Fab Five characters. That’s right. No Mickey, Minnie, Goofy or Pluto.
So, I can hear you asking, “What’s the conclusion?”
If I had that answer, I would have an office in Burbank and be making six figures or better. What I do believe is that Disneyland especially is a place that many people want to see as it was on their first visits. That magical feeling of finally being somewhere that you have only dreamed about before is something that they want never to end. I get that, too. It is part of why Annual Passes are so popular. They offer the chance to relive that special moment, what ever it may be, any time that you happen to be in the neighborhood. And I know that if some folks had the chance, they would do so every one of those 365 days that the Premium Annual Pass allows.
Disney has succeeded in ways that other businesses can only dream of. Making a personal connection with your customers is indeed an art. After reading and watching many interviews with Walt Disney, I tend to think that even he didn’t completely understand it. But he did see that universal appeal was something that he could make use of in telling any story. Finding something to appeal to everyone and making the best use of it. Sounds like a pretty good plan to me…
I’m sure that many folks will keep right on seeing Disney and it’s products on such a personal level. If I were a stockholder, that would make me happy.
Yes, sir, there’s a thesis lurking about this topic. Here’s hoping someone has the time to write it and then shares it with the rest of the faithful.
And no, I haven’t had time since to explore this… someone should, though.
Adventure lies ahead!
With luck, we won’t see this much snow on the ground in the high Sierra for a few months yet.
However, time calls the private rail car Two Rivers and a whole lot more out on the road in late September/early October. The 2013 Annual Convention of the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners or AAPRCO calls at Napa, California this year. If all goes according to plan, a 28 car train departs Seattle on Thursday, September 26th and arrives into Los Angeles on Saturday, October 5th.
You can follow along as the Two Rivers makes the complete journey. Blogging along the way, you can read all about it at the Private Car Service web site. It should be a grand time with plenty to see. You’ll also see and learn about the other cars that make up the full consist of this year’s AAPRCO special.
More than a few guests have commented that travel by private rail car is the equivalent of cruising. The main difference being on land versus at sea. The route of the train travels along a number of lines that normally do not have passenger trains. So the rare miles will add up for the folks who count that kind of thing.
The list of our “port’s of call”? Seattle; Richland, WA; Bend, OR; Klamath Falls, OR; Oroville, CA; Napa, CA, San Luis Obispo, CA and finally Los Angeles. Regrettably, the convention train will not be open to the public during this trip. But as promised, I will be sharing photos of the cars and tales from along the way.
Be sure and check in as we roll the miles by!
The Ultimate Collectible?
Somewhere online, someone recently posed the question as to what would be an idea of the ultimate collectible.
Now considering that my interests are all over the proverbial map, this poses quite a challenge to come up with an answer. Could be something from a film, perhaps the parrot’s perch (seen above from Casablanca) probably lost for the ages in the prop department at the Warner Bros studio in Burbank. Or would it be some arcane bit of Disney history? Maybe some piece of the Star Trek world like an original television series item. An autograph from a sports star.
It could go a bit further. Maybe something big. Say perhaps my own locomotive or a passenger rail car? Not out of the question. Both have been done by folks. Like this one, owned by a friend. Certainly won’t fit that into a small closet.
Or maybe it is a bit of clothing. A vintage sports jersey. A costume from a film? Dorthy’s gingham dress from the MGM production of The Wizard of Oz recently changed hands at auction for $300,000. How about some jewelry? Maybe that rarest of the rare Disney theme park pin. Is there such a thing and won’t you find it for sale on eBay?
Speaking of Disney and eBay, how about this lot of Disneyland tickets? Over 500 pieces, selling for $7,300 and not meeting the item reserve yet?
Perhaps you need something that it closer to the mark like a Disneyland attraction vehicle? More than a few for sale, including on auction at the upcoming D23 Expo.
The true nature of any collection is in what it means to the person collecting. Why does it have value? Not just the price of an item but what is that which makes it attractive in the first place. I can’t speak for everyone, but I collect things that tie me back to a place and a time. Back to the people and the moment.
Take for example my Disney cloisonné pins. By no means do I even come close to having every last pin issued by the company. I don’t even have all of the pins issued at Disneyland. What I do have, is the memories associated with the times that the pins represent. In some cases, time spent with friends and family. Some time spent with those who are no longer with us. Others tie into special events or other memorable moments.
Some of the best advice on collectibles is that you should collect what you like. Never plan on an item as an investment. Ask these folks, who spent over $100,000 on Beanie Babies and now regret that decision. Or folks who own box after box of comic books or sports cards that are not worth what they spent to buy them initially. Dollar values of collectibles are fickle things. Only as good as the person willing to pay something on any given day. Yes, those values on the Antiques Roadshow or other television shows? Only good for a reference. Maybe, for insurance values. But don’t count on getting the same price mentioned for your little diamond in the rough.
In the end, your ultimate collectible should be something that has significance for you. It shouldn’t matter what you paid for it. And is this something you can share with others? Why collect it if it is hidden away never to be shared? You should be proud to let others see what makes you happy. Because in the end, that is what collecting should be all about. If you are not happy with an item, why do you have it? Don’t know about you, but this certainly is the case on this side of the screen.
Surely, we all have too much stuff. And yes, it can be quite the task to reduce that collection. Focusing on essentials can be frustrating. But rather than have somebody go through box after box of your treasures once you’re gone, only to put most of it out for the trash or at a garage sale for fifty cents, it makes sense for you to take the time and cull the herd. And yes… I am guilty of this in more ways than I would like to admit. I have boxes of boxes, many of which need just to be recycled. But going through things, you never know what lies in wait. A friend recently going through some items found some complete Disneyland ticket books. Treasures indeed!
The moral of today’s story? Collect what you like, within reason. Just don’t expect to get rich and famous while doing so. Such fame has certainly eluded me…
Too little time and so much to choose from
So, what’s it going to be? Comicon in San Diego, Star Wars Weekends in Florida, D23 Expo in Anaheim or one of the other events that vie for your attention and more importantly, your disposable income. If you are at all interested in pop culture, the summer months are just chock full of things calling for your attention. One has to wonder if there is just too much of a good thing going on.
In today’s world of instant gratification, consumers have become more Vercua–like than we would care to admit. If you have it to spend, more opportunities to separate you from that disposable income exist than have ever before. When you toss in everything from film festivals to pop culture conventions and get-togethers around the world, the calendar never seems to stop. Another extended weekend, another event going on some place. Fanboys and fangirls can get their fill of every kind fandom and then some.
I get that to many follks, it all seems to have started with Trekkies and their gatherings. Soap opera fans took up the guantlet and music genre groupies ran with it. Professional sports would not think of holding an event without some kind of fan fest tied into it. The fans of the Bard make annual pilgrimages, to Ashland or elsewhere. And lovers of the stinking rose have been to Gilroy for the last 35 years. Harvest festivals and county fairs, let alone state fairs used to be the big local attractions. People made the trip to see or show the best around. From livestock to home goods, there was plenty to see.
Maybe that’s the real key to all of this. We want to see the elephant. Take it all in, if we can. Sure, there are the things we manage day in, day out. All those daily chores around the house or at the job; that never seem to go away. If we can change our focus for a while to something else we enjoy, parting with hard earned cash doesn’t seem so hard to do. And if it brings us that much closer to an interest, be it for a few hours, days or more, we will surrender and gladly join in.
For the record, I have never been to San Diego for Comicon. Been to Wondercon, both in San Francisco and Anaheim, too. Never been to D23 Expo, but have taken in some other events such as NFFC gatherings here and there. Been to regional sci-fi conventions, a few special tv show events, and more Star Trek events than I would like to admit. I’ve seen the other side too, worked as a volunteer and as paid staff at events. Covered a bunch for media outlets, too.
Scott Bakula once said that “Events like this were nice because he got to meet some of the folks who paid for his house.” I’ve spent enough time around guests at such events to come to know them as real people. More than the characters they portrayed. In some ways, that makes my experiences all the richer for knowing these folks in such a way. Even if only for a while. More than just another fan, glazing over at the eyes and foaming at the mouth. Meeting an idol, glimpsed often from afar or the other side of the screen. Finally in person. It can be overwhelming to some. I get that.
But, in most cases (I’ll save the stories for another time), these folks are just like you and me. The difference may just be what they do to make a living. Going to events or conventions, may make a few bucks now and then. And who can’t use a little extra cash…
Here’s hoping that where ever your travels take you in search of that diversion, you get something to carry you through to the next diversion. And that it doesn’t suck too much of that disposable income out of your pocket or put too much of dent into that plastic.
Upstairs, Downstairs – A Disneyland Conundrum
Should you happen to find yourself in Anaheim, and visiting Disneyland, you might notice that for the most part, the second story of buildings are usually not open to the public.
Earthquake considerations aside and long before ADA compliance became a thing of concern, when it comes to visiting the second floor, it seems that designs just overlooked the use of the space above the ground floor. For example, the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Fantasyland was not designed to allow guests to take in any views from above the ground. Those sharp Imagineers designed a walk-through attraction that made use of the empty space inside. Tomorrowland is the one notable exception as it takes advantage of that extra space. Maybe not well, but more than the rest of the Park. And that design dates well after most of the rest of the buildings. In Fantasyland, some attractions may nest one atop the other, but the guests do not really notice.
In a world of forced perspective, where upper floors compact in size, practical design may not allow opening up all that space. Not to mention getting guests up and down. If you think about it, just how does Disney manage to move people up and down? Waterways are one, as in Pirates. Elevators (a.k.a. stretching rooms at the Haunted Mansion) and speed ramps (as once fed the Peoplemover, the Monorail or the Starcade in Tomorrowland, and still funnel guests out at the exit at the of Haunted Mansion) also work. Rely on old fashioned, traditional stairways? Not in today’s world of handicapped accessibility. About the best we can hope for is the sloping ramps that guests can walk up, ride up in ECV’s or be pushed up in wheel chairs.
So given all of that, it is hardly surprising that at best, second story use at the Park has been somewhat limited. Limited to offices and storage. Even some of the most prominent spaces is guest memories have been used in that fashion. When the Carousel of Progress changed over to America Sings in Tomorrowland, that second floor which one housed the much admired model of Progress City (or EPCOT if you prefer) gave way to what else? Offices and storage. Space once set aside for a suite of apartments for the Disney family above New Orleans? Offices and storage. Seeing a pattern here?
And even when that latter space became the Disney Gallery, it always suffered the issue of access. The usual way in and out? Climbing a set of stairs over the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean and through a small doorway in a balcony. Handicapped access? Came via an elevator that was re-purposed as need be. An elevator that was for service use between a kitchen down stairs and a kitchen upstairs. Even when that space was rebuilt into the Disney Dream Suite for the Park’s 50th, the plans included a new elevator to provide a better entry for the guests who might use it. One less intrusive, off to the side. Away from public viewing, most of the time.
Now one of the most exclusive of spaces inside the berm is the fabled Club 33. As originally envisioned, it was to have been only part of the overall use of the second story above the streets of New Orleans Square, above the Cafe Orleans restaurant. With a kitchen shared with the Disney family apartment, a drop in lounge (now known as the Trophy Room) known as the Pub and the main dining room, it was to be the home of an exclusive club for members only. A place that VIP’s and guests could be wined and dined. Above the usual Park guests, enjoying their hot dogs and Coca Cola.
Remember that the New Orleans Square project allowed use of space that previously had not been enjoyed by the rest of Disneyland. You had space below the street level as well as above. For more offices and storage, as well as kitchens and back stage spaces for cast members. Even a break area and dining area.
But things did not stop there. There was one more space that was to complete the use of the second story. The space above the French Market restaurant. Accessed from a grand stairway. A guest favorite for many great photographs and events over the years. (Yes, the site of many a wedding proposal.) At the end of Orleans Street, just off of Royal Street. The Court of the Angels. Sharp eyes may note a wall plaque that tells of music lessons offered. This was to have been the location of a small jazz club. The kind of place where a trio of musicians might have been playing in the style of many similar small jazz joints once found in New Orleans.
But just as with the space which was to have housed the Disney family apartment, what did it become? Offices and storage. To this day, it performs that function. For a bit longer…
As with many things at Disneyland, change is coming. After the success of the additional space (known as the 1901 Lounge) to the Carthay Circle restaurant in California Adventure for the exclusive use of Club 33 members, plans seemed to have gelled for a long dreamed of the mother ship back at Disneyland. Although formally yet to be announced, it seems that the long dormant plans for the Jazz Club will come to fruition as Club 33 undergoes some major changes. Kitchen expansion into the Trophy Room as well as the relocation the Club’s famed “lift” with a new entrance off of the Court of the Angels and the renovation of the space above the French Market into more dining space and a drop in Jazz Club for members and their guests, seems finally at hand.
Of course, all this will remain out of the public view. While members and guests of Club 33 are wined and dined upstairs, usual Park visitors will continue to enjoy their hot dogs and Coca Cola as they always have.
And some day, the folks who design new and exciting things for Disneyland? They might just overcome some of those issues with second stories, and make use of “air” space in places yet to be imagined. Or maybe funded when that next line of improvements come along. Count me as ready to enjoy some of those moments.