Since it was announced a few months ago, we have wondered exactly what will take place in the interactive queue for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at the Magic Kingdom. Well, wonder no more. In this video, Disney Imagineers take us behind the scenes at Big Thunder and show us the props and backstory that make up the new interactive queue:
So, what do you think?
ANNEMARIE
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JAY GRUMET
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JAY GRUMET
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THE PENGUIN
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ANNEMARIE
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JUSTIN MARSHALL
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JIMMY ROGERS
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JOSH EDWARDS
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STEPHANIE CASSATA
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JIMMY ROGERS
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MARK HOFFMANN
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CESAR DIAZ
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CHRIS FREITAG
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ANDREW TUCKER
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Starting on March 3rd, 2013, new Walt Disney World Resort park maps are coming…
This will be the first major change made to the WDW park maps since the late-1990’s. The new maps are designed to align in look and feel with the My Disney Experience app. You’ll even notice that there is a QR code to download the app right on the front cover of the new maps.
The new maps make it clear that complimentary guest WI-FI is available in the parks, marking the first time Disney has openly admitted that this service exists. We expect the map to add some other features as MyMagic+ actually rolls out later this Spring.
So, what do you think of the new look for Walt Disney World park maps?
Update: 4/24/13 New start time plus news. The Disney Parks Blog says that the event will take place from 5-9 p.m. The event will be in the Grill and the adjacent lobby. There will be NO Vinylmation trading table. Space will be super limited. Good luck!
4/12/13– Over the past few days, collectors on every Vinylmation fan site have been discussing an unofficial fan sponsored trade night. Did we scare them into making this move? Out of nowhere, the Disney Merchandise Blog today announced a Walt Disney World Trade Night on Tuesday, April 30th held, where else, but the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The free activity will be held from 5-9 p.m. at EPSN Grill and Josten’s Center.
Both Vinylmation and Pin collectors are of course welcome and there will be two LE 750 Pin Trading Night pins available for $15.95 each.
For those who need it, here is a link to the ESPN WWOS Maps and Directions page.
For those of you who have been wondering how different the Main Street Bakery will be when it reopens in May with Starbucks inside, we managed to uncover some concept art of the interior that you will find very interesting:
The interior is currently being gutted and is getting an entirely new design. Hopefully this new layout will speed up the lines and clear out some of the congestion that was always a problem with the old bakery.
Stay tuned to WDW News Today as more information becomes available on the Main Street Bakery featuring Starbucks products. In the meantime, what do you think of this new look for the Bakery?
CRAIG LARSON
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CESAR DIAZ
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MIKE VETRONE
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AARALYN
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MIKE VETRONE
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ANGIE ANNETT
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JOSH EDWARDS
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THE PENGUIN
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MARK HOFFMANN
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ANDREW TUCKER
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RUST THIS WORLD
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JUSTIN MARSHALL
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JENNY GRINSELL
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RANDALL SMITH
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[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;”] T [/dropcap]ony Baxter. It’s not necessarily a household name and for most, it’s not even a familiar one. True enough, if I asked you to name an influential person in the history of Disney Theme Parks, Tony Baxter might not even come to mind. But for some of you, this behind-the-scenes giant of Imagineering is the first person who comes to mind.
It’s been a few weeks since Tony announced that he was stepping down from his position as Senior Vice President for Creative Development at Walt Disney Imagineering and reactions have run the gamut from anger to sadness. Tony Baxter has left his mark on the hearts of millions through his designs, his ideas and his imagination.
But who is Tony Baxter and what has he done in the past 47 years?
Travel back in time with me to 1965. There’s a young teenager working at Disneyland; sweeping footpaths, scooping ice cream, and operating a ride or two. He’s working hard to help pay for his college degree in Theatre Design from California State University in Long Beach, California. Starting with that simple cast member position, he would have the same employer for the rest of his life. Having graduated in 1969, he presented Walt Disney Imagineering (originally known as WED Enterprises) with a portfolio including a model of a “Marble Maze”. WDI, impressed by the maze’s precision, gave this young man a job. That young man’s name was Tony Baxter.
Tony’s first assignment as an Imagineer was to work on Walt Disney’s newest project which was not in Anaheim but in Florida, where “the blessing of size” provided plenty of room for the creations of WDI. The Walt Disney World resort opened in 1971 and, with such a large canvas, it’s no wonder that Tony’s talent and vision shined so brightly.
His first big step came in the mid-70s back at Disneyland in California when he designed a concept model for a new attraction with sort of western theme – a runaway mine train. In 1979, Tony’s model of that attraction became a reality when Big Thunder Mountain Railroad first delighted Disneyland guests. Today guests in California, Florida, Tokyo, and Paris continue to experience and enjoy the thrills of an attraction that started as Tony’s model.
The 1980’s parlayed Tony’s success into a more active role within Disney. 1983 saw a complete overhaul and redesign of Disneyland’s Fantasyland. The overall renaissance theme and architecture was changed and replaced with colors and textures of a Bavarian village, thus invoking thoughts and feelings of a true fairytale among guests.
All of this took place under the direction, oversight, and supervision of Tony Baxter.
With such a positive reception, this design standard was repeated and copied at Disney theme parks around the world, proving that Cogsworth knew what he was talking about when he said, “If it’s not baroque (broke), don’t fix it.” That same year, Tony led the creative efforts that brought us the Journey Into Imagination pavilion (now Imagination!) at Epcot.
One day while driving to work, Tony began to brainstorm on an attraction that would bring more guests to Disneyland’s less popular Bear Country (now Critter Country). The light bulb above his head flickered on and the idea for Splash Mountain began to take shape. In 1989 one of the most expansive projects in Disney Theme Park history opened and the first guests took the plunge into the Briar Patch. Two more versions of Splash Mountain now exist at Walt Disney World and at Disneyland Tokyo and all three continue to draw long lines of excited guests.
Even in light of all of this success, 1989 was a trademark year for Tony Baxter. Not just because of Splash Mountain, but because he was named Senior Vice President of Concept, Development, and Design in time for the design of Disneyland Paris which opened as Euro Disneyland in 1992.
The 1990s brought continued success for Baxter. Following in the successful footsteps of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular, another Indiana Jones based attraction was developed and created at Disneyland. The Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye was designed and constructed by a well-oiled machine of some 400 Imagineers led by Tony Baxter.
In 1998, Tony led a creative team to redesign Disneyland’s Tomorrowland area. The latter parts of Tony’s amazing career have seen the opening of the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, the reopening of Captain EO, and the redesign of Star Tours.
On February 1st of this year, Tony informed his fellow Imagineers via an open letter that he would be stepping down from his current role and into an advisory position. He’ll still be an influence – just not a full-time one.
In his 47 year career, Tony Baxter created numerous enduring Disney classic attractions, redesigned others, brought smiles to the faces of people on other continents, and creatively designed an entire Disney theme park, all of which beg to answer just one question: What have you done lately?
[quote]“It has been a wondrous 47 years spanning the opening of Walt Disney World to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Star Tours, from Epcot’s original Journey into Imagination to Disneyland Paris and Indiana Jones Adventure. The Imagineers I have known and shared these times with have provided invaluable experiences not to be found anywhere else on earth. The future of Imagineering and Disney Parks is incredibly bright.” – Tony Baxter[/quote]
December 11, 1998 was a landmark day at Epcot. While not officially open, it was the first day Test Track saw riders. After over two years of waiting and delays, Epcot received its first thrill ride. While official Cast Member previews would begin the next day, Epcot cast members and their guests got to experience the attraction before anyone else. However, though I wasn’t working at Epcot, I managed to get in with a group of friends that night as well. After years of waiting for the ride to open, I was there for its first night, and what appeared to be its first breakdown. Just as I pulled into the unload area, the ride suddenly stopped and the Imagineers who had been lining the platforms scattered. It was a truly memorable first ride.
Just a shade over 14 years later, I approach Test Track for the first time again, just after park opening on a Saturday morning. The line is already sticking out past the shade-providing canopy. The ride is down. “At least some things haven’t changed,” I think to myself. I’d seen plenty of reviews and videos of the so-called Tron Track and I hadn’t decided what to think about it. Rationally, I’d decided to wait to experience the ride before condemning it. I decided to get my Fastpass and come back later.
Finally, I came back in the afternoon to ride via Fastpass. Immediately, I saw we were segregated from the main queue, though the few exhibits Fastpass and Single Riders see are interesting enough for the short wait. Finally we come to the design stations. We quickly select our predesigned vehicle, and within a couple of minutes we’re loading on to our Sim-Car and we’re off. Little did I know I had bypassed the most compelling component of the new experience.
What first hit me was how beautiful the environment of the ride track is. The graphics are incredible, and definitely convey the feeling of being in the computerized environment. However, I immediately began to feel at a loss of where I am and what I’m doing in the vehicle testing storyline. The ride track may be exactly the same, but the change in narration and décor of the building don’t quite impress on the riders what exactly they are testing. When the ride switches to the cornering and high-speed sections this lack of direction is essentially minimized as the ride’s focus switches to the sensations rather than the environment. Along the way the design ranking screens have been displaying how our cars have been doing, but having chosen a pre-made design I felt no real connection to my design.
Any emotional connection to the ride is lost by taking the Fastpass or Single Rider options. The heart and soul of the attraction lie in the design features, and after going back and playing with that, my entire outlook on the ride instantly changed. Exiting into the post show, I still felt somewhat cheated. All the elements of the post show revolve around your design. From the simple performance readouts to the interactive “create your own” commercial and the drive tables, I still had fun but it felt cold and sterile. Something was missing to make the new Test Track the E-Ticket anchor Epcot deserved.
Everything changed again the second I found the design stations in the post-show area. After waiting for the station the person ahead of me had been using to time out (these desperately need a functional “I’m Done” button), I thoroughly enjoyed the design process, playing with option upon option for the full amount of time each section allowed. Everything I had just experienced hit me in a different light. I know the physical experience wouldn’t have changed, and it really hadn’t from the original ride, but I could see the emotional attachment to the car rankings and post show elements.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take my new design back through again because of timing on a busy holiday weekend, the posted wait time was well over two hours. I really wanted to see how it felt with my own car. I found it hard to believe that something so intangible made all the difference in what is billed as a thrill ride. And even more surprising, Disney has finally come up with a compelling reason to skip Fastpass. Hopefully, the advent of MyMagic+ will allow guests to predesign their vehicles and allow those who use the Fastpass option the same experience as those in the standby queue with out the hour plus waits.
In all, the new Test Track is a worthy successor to the original, but the heart of the attraction isn’t the thrill factor, it’s the tie in you get from preshow to post show with the vehicle you create. Unless the option to design your car ahead of time is introduced, I will highly recommend making Test Track your first attraction in the morning, rather than relying on Fastpass to experience the full version.
Ron has been going to WDW longer than he can remember. As a former Cast Member, he has always tried to share his love of Walt Disney World. Ron can be reached at graceysbutler@gmail.com.
[one_half]If you are interested in participating in the Disney College Program, you may have several questions about the program. One of the questions you should have is, “Will I have a life outside of the role Disney casts me for?”As a Disney College Program alumnus, I am pleased to report that the answer is completely up to you.
The Disney College Program offers a diverse amount of options for a cast member’s schedule; you may take as much or as little overtime at your work location as you want. Now, you have no control what you get scheduled, but you control the amount of overtime and what you do with your free time. I know participants who went to Walt Disney World to work, and that was all they wanted to do, and they were happy. They were living their dream, and they knew they would continue to live the dream as long as they wanted to. These people Walt Disney’s words, “You reach a point where you don’t work for money,” quite literally.
There are also people who apply and accept their offer to the Disney College Program so they can move to Orlando, Florida and party while they are there. They request as few hours as possible and try and give away hours whenever they can. They are also happy.
I, and many others like me, go down for the full experience of the Disney College Program and Orlando, Florida. I was completely content with the hours I was given, and I still made time to do almost everything Orlando and Tampa, Florida had to offer. Sometimes I even requested more hours. One week I worked almost 80 hours, and I had no complaints. During a separate week I had a 14 hour shift. Cast Members at the Magic Kingdom kept me busy; they knew if I was there the job would be done.
I was not a slave to Disney though; I did everything I could around the central Florida area that I wanted. I went to competition theme parks, and I went everywhere from Cocoa Beach to Clearwater Beach. I took the stroll down I-Drive, I shopped at the Florida Mall, and I did some of the activities that Disney offers to College Program participants.
Now, having a life doesn’t just happen when you have free time outside of work. Obviously, as you work in the role that Disney has casted you for, you will make friends with co-workers even if you do not work with them every day. You may have a social life at work and outside of work. I made some of my greatest memories hanging out with friends while working at Magic Kingdom such as the rare times when the park was slow or stopping work July 3rd and 4th to watch the Magic Kingdom’s July 4th fireworks show. Watching the same show as the rest of the near 100,000 crowd was a truly magical experience.[/one_half]
[one_half_last]Outside of work, there are many places Disney College Program participants enjoy. A couple of popular hangouts, for when we would get off after hours, were Steak and Shake and I-Hop. I can recount a myriad of times of getting off at 1 or 2 A.M. and going to one of those places with friends from Magic Kingdom or Downtown Disney. Another popular hangout spot is the Disney College Program’s apartment complexes. Each complex has plenty to do within in it, including: exercising, swimming, or playing a sport. Also, if you live in Chatham Square or Patterson Court, you live next to Mickey’s Retreat— a recreational area just for Disney cast members.
There is so much to do outside of working for Disney as a Disney College Program participant. Orlando is a fantastic place to live, work, and play. It has seven world class theme parks, and you can get into four of them for free anytime you want. There are four amazing water parks, and you can get into two of them for free at most times. There is great food, places to shop, and entertainment for everyone. It’s hard to not find something to enjoy. Because of this, Orlando, Florida was voted the #10 Best Vacation Spot in the United States by TripAdvisor in 2012. You do not get that ranking without some great things to do around the area. Additionally, the Tampa, Florida theme park and the beautiful beaches, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, are within reasonable driving distance.
One day, to remind myself from home, I created an exciting, memorable outing. I am originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I had a Cincinnati day in Tampa, Florida. I went to Clearwater, Florida for the beach and a Cincinnati restaurant—Skyline Chili. In that restaurant, they had a pennant from my high school. Later that night, the Cincinnati Reds were in town to take on the Tampa Bay Rays. The Reds won the game by a score of 5-0. It was a great reminder of home that I had time to create while attending the Disney College Program.
If you want a social life while working at Disney, you can have one. If you do not want a social life while working at Disney, you don’t have to have one. I recommend having the best of both worlds; if you don’t, the magic will wear off one day. It may not happen immediately, but it will eventually happen. When the magic does wear off, you will want friends to share your magical memories with. The magic will return with time away from Disney. Sometimes people overdose on magic; that’s when you need to step away and breathe in the breath of the sea or experience the frenzy of another local attraction. Once you do that, the magic will return to you, and you will continue to be successful and happy at “The Happiest Place on Earth.”
Have a magical day.[/one_half_last]
When issue 19 of the magazine was released, the Letter from the Editor included a note that the magazine staff was taking a short break, and would use the downtime to consider improvements to the magazine. During that time, the magazine team considered many different options.
Now the break is over, and I’m thrilled to announce that we are significantly changing the way we publish our content. Instead of releasing a monthly PDF version of the magazine, we are going to fully integrate our content into the main wdwnewstoday.com website. Our magazine articles will be published as featured content of the site. The plan is to publish a couple of articles each weekend. The articles will be highlighted as magazine articles to stand apart from the regular news posts on the site. I’ll try to answer some questions that may come up, but please let us know if you have any other questions.
Why are we making this change?
There are a couple of reasons, most notably:
When does this start?
Right now! With the publication of this post, we will begin regular posting of magazine articles to the wdwnewstoday.com website. As noted above, we will be publishing new content on a weekly basis. So check back often.
So is this the end of the print version of WDWNT: The Magazine?
As a monthly print magazine, yes. However, we are working on some ideas that will allow us to publish a quarterly or semi-annual print version that contains a review of articles published during the previous period. In addition, the first 19 issues will continue to be available.
Isn’t this basically just turning the magazine into a blog?
While we are using blog technology, we strongly believe that what differentiates us from a traditional blog is going to be our content. Our publishing model might be changing, but our content and our editorial voice is not going to be changing. We are going to continue to focus on longer articles with creative topics that will appeal to Disney fans. I am extremely proud of the fantastic content that the magazine team has produced over 19 issues, and I am confident that we will continue that going forward.
I hope that this post provides an overview of the new direction for WDWNT: The Magazine. I am very excited about where we are going, and I am certain that we will continue to bring you the most educational and most entertaining content available to Disney fans anywhere.
As always, we want to hear from you. Please email us any questions or suggestions you may have to wdwntthemagazine@wdwnt.com.
