Random Ramblins About the Company I [Somtimes] Love

[Flanger-Hanger]

OK, this thread has spawned from something being discussed in the Sleeping Beauty platinum thread that I admittedly started, and began thinking about. I ended up thinking so much about that I just had to make a separate topic about it. So this thread's alternate title will be: Flanger-Hanger's ranking of what he likes or feels the biggest connection too with the Walt Disney Company.

1. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts: It came as a surprise to my forum friend Dusty (aka Mike), that this is what I care about the WDC the most. This question relates to one which my non Disney fan friends ask alot when they hear I've taken 12 sperate vacations to WDW since 1996, "just why do you care about it so much?", "isn't it the same?", "how can you like going to see a five foot tall rodent costume?", the answer is this:

It's alive, It's magical, it's, by golly, the best thing ever!

It sounds crazy at first but it indeed is. WDW is a place that exists in reality and at 30,000 acres, is quite big (as big as Boston or San Fran in fact). It constantly changes, for better or worse, over the years in not just new attractions but also in some basic things we see in nature such as trees and plants growing over time. It is a place that involves all your senses that can take you just about anywhere, from outer space to inner space.

Comparing it to films, the resorts are more visually impressive than anything a camera can project,, because your THERE, SUROUNDED by lakes, hotels, themed attractions, restaurants, transportation systems, guests, all of which come in various shapes and sizes (especially the guests). Visiting a Disney resort, I like visiting a dream city, where smiles are genuine, it doesn't smell or look like crap (personal opinions for certain things aside) and you feel more at home than you do in your real home. This may sound like nostalgic garbage to some of you, and perhaps it is. The parks can be quite mean to you, with humidity, blisters from walking around all day, jerk like Cast Members and Guests occasionally a ruin the fun, as can having no reservations at restaurants (curse you DDP!!) and painful attractions like Sounds dangerous Staring Drew Cary, The Enchanted Tiki Room: Under New Management, and Stitch's Great Escape, but for the most part the overall experience is so dazzling you can forgive the more terrible management choices. But I complain because I care/love, and that's what the internet is for isn't it?

If you consider the parks "merchandise" or "weak imitations of the films there based on" your not looking at the broader picture. Why anyone would dare compare Snow White's Scary Adventures to the movie it's based on is ridiculous in the sense your comparing apples with oranges. A 2 1/2 minute "C" ticket level dark ride is not meant to be compared to a 84 minute movie. Each is a different experience with it's own interpretation required for the environment it's placed in. One may obviously seem superior to another but you might forget just what are you going to do once each experience is over. Once a movie is done, it's done. Once an attraction is over you have (especially at WDW) have a billion other options to choose from, including theoretically, the option to go parasailing and still technically be in the property of the resort.

Another thing to remember is that there are many attractions NOT based or tied in to any Disney property including: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, The Haunted Mansion, Carousel of Progress, Space Mountain, It's a Small World, Mission: Space, Spaceship Earth, Countdown to Extinction (name change to represent a movie ignored), Expedition Everest, etc. and that these attractions are some of the most mesmerizing experiences you can have. Plus the resorts (deluxe and DVC in particular) are like there own wonderful getaways in their own right, and it would take many pages more to really describe their experiences.

Of course regarding the Theme Parks, I have only really mentioned WDW (and seemingly just MK at that). I have not yet had the privilege of visiting others (but I will some day of course). If I had a choice between seeing Seeping Beauty in 70mm or going to Tokyo Disney Sea for a day, I'd take the second choice (If you still can't understand why, go look up pictures on google and you'll see what I mean).

The WDW resort was/is a place I went to alot when growing up and I certainly have a stronger emotional attachment to it than any Disney film and care about it more. I've read about people crying at WDW because of emotions they felt (dehydration and loosing money from your wallet aside) during such thins as fireworks shows or seeing their child meet Mickey for the first time. It sounds odd but all I can say is, take a trip to one yourself and you might better understand what I'm trying to say here.

Up next Flanger-Hanger reveals what Herbie Rides Again, Hanna Montana, Cinderella, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, Zorro, and V.I.N.CENT have in common. He can't tell you now because he doesn't know yet what they do.

[blackcauldron85]

Very well written, F-H! I do enjoy WDW, and I'm excited to go to Disneyland for the first time in September, but, for me, the movies transport me to magical places more than the parks (but I can definitely understand why you love the parks!)!

[Disney's Divinity]

I might have more of an emotional connection with the place if I had gone more than once in my lifetime. I plan to save up money once I'm done with college and go there for about a week. The first time I went was on my twelfth birthday, for three days. I don't think I could ever be as emotional about the park as the films (I'm not really a park person anyway), but I do admit there's a certain satisfaction you get that you can't get from a movie. Mostly though, I was more concerned with getting the merchandise that I couldn't find anywhere else. And there was a Disney Villain store! I practically died of happiness.

Oh, and I mean I went to WDW. Never been to Disneyland, though I will someday.

Also, I don't think the fact that the movies came first should have any effect on your love for the parks. Just because Snow White came first doesn't mean it's anywhere in my top ten. You can have respect for things without enjoying them.

[Flanger-Hanger]

Divinity, you may be disappointed to find out that Villains in Vouge at Disney's Hollywood Studios now only sells Pirates and Nightmare Before Christmas stuff. Lack of decent merchandise is one of my major complaints about WDW right now.

On too the next part,

2. Disney's Older (pre-1990) Live Action Films:My introduction to these Disney films is not quite clear to me, as I can't really remember what one was the first I watched. I know I watched Bedknobs and Broomsticks all the time and I sometimes watched Mary Poppins, but I would always stop it after the Jolly Holiday because I thought the rest was boring. Like all the other live action films. However, Bedknobs, I loved and more so than any other live action Disney film I continued to enjoy it as much as I did growing up as I did the DAC.

It wasn't however until 2006 when I would start giving other Disney live action films a chance. I started seeing as much of them as I could either by buying DVDs or renting them and I just loved practically every one I watched. It excited me more than watching any DAC because I hadn't seen them before and to me they were new. It's like that old saying "old books are new if you haven't read them" and I apply that to movies. I don't care how old it is, if it's a good story it's worth seeing. This new liking of old Disney films encouraged me to see old non Disney films, and with the help of TCM, I've seen hundreds of them.

As for post 1990 Disney films, these are the only ones I care about:

The Rocketeer
Newsies
Hocus Pocus
Muppet Christmas Carol
Muppet Treasure Island
Enchanted
Pirates films
Narnia films

post 1990, Disney movies took a turn for the worse IMO with so little hits and too many misses you can see why i don't really bother with them.

Of the older ones, these are the ones that mean the most to me:

Bedknobs and Broomsticks
The Happiest Millionaire
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Pollyanna
Swiss Family Robinson
The Parent Trap
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Black Hole (don't ask....alright ask.)
Return to Oz
Pete's Dragon
Summer Magic
The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band
The Witch Mountain films
That Darn Cat!

[stewie15]

Wow Flanger-Hanger your 1st post really showed me your point of view. For me though the films and the parks go hand in hand. Without the films the parks wouldn't exist and without the parks the films wouldn't be somewhat as popular today. So to me I love both equally.

[PeterPanfan]

I fully agree with you, Flang-Hang. The parks mean more to me..because they ARE..alive, in a sense. You can actually see your favorite characters interact in a real setting, and even meet them. Yes, I know it's people in costume, but the actors usually do such a good job at imitating the character, you forget that you're actually not hugging Mickey Mouse, but some guy.

With the rides and attractions, you're actually IN your favorite movies. You're helping the character, or fighting the villain.

I LOVE the movies, don't get me wrong...but you're just watching them. It means so much more to me do actually do it, and be a part of it.

That's why the theme parks are my favorite part of Disney.

On the other subject, I like the animated films more. I still enjoy and love the live-action ones, but I'm more passionate about the animated movies.

My favorite live-actions are:

The Parent Trap (1998)
The Parent Trap (1961)
Enchanted
The Princess Diaries (only the first)
Old Yeller
Escape/Return to Witch Mountain
Something Wicked this Way Comes
Mary Poppins
Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Babes in Toyland
Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

[Flanger-Hanger]

Hey, I thought I'd bring this thread up again and finish the ranking.

3. Disney's Animated Classics

The first film my family ever owned and the first film I ever watched was Cinderella. It started my love of all things Disney and from there my interest expanded into other DAC. I loved looking forward to seeing the new releases on VHS (I distinctly remember really looking forward to The Black Cauldron). I've seen them all but I don't care as much for them as I did when I was younger. However, these 7 films mean the most to me:

1. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
2. The Great Mouse Detective (1986)
3. The Black Cauldron (1985)
4. 101 Dalmatians (1961)
5. Cinderella (1950)
6. Lady and the Tramp (1955)
7. The Rescuers (1977)

With these being the other DAC I care about:

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
The Little Mermaid (1989)
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)
The Sword in the Stone (1963)
The Aristocats (1970)
Treasure Planet (2002)
Lilo and Stitch (2002)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
Alice in Wonderland (1951)

The reasons why I do and don't like these and others I have probably already explained on other threads so I won't bother here.

Up next, I take a brake from the ranking and instead explain in detail my issues with a certain DCOM(s).

[Flanger-Hanger]

High School Musical, or What's a Nice Girl Like You Watching **** Like This?

Please note: this is not to be offensive to the fans of HSM (whom there are plenty of), this is merely my own personal issues with this film series, don't let it stop you from enjoying these films if you do. The title is merely a reference to an obscure version of Alice in Wonderland which I'm sure only Disneykid has seen.


There has been much bashing of this particular little franchise on the interwebs lately, but few have really gone into detail about why they don't like it. A reviewer on Blu-ray.com and reviewers on our fair UD site have for sure, but here are my problems broken down step by step.

Problem 1: The Music (style used): This is rather illogical ranting on my part since I've never cared for what pop music has been since I was born. I don't like rap, hip hop, pop etc. Just give me traditional musical scores and soundtracks please. The music used doesn't have anything particularly memorable to it. it just sounds like the latest tune used for some shopping mall's background music. The kind of thing you can quite easily block out from your head and fails to grab your attention. The tunes can sometimes be catchy (like whatever Sharpay and Ryan sing together) but it's more on the "I'd really like that song to get out of my head" catchy instead of something you want to listen on your ipod nonstop.

Problem 2: The Music (how it is presented): In musicals when showing your numbers you ca do different things. Have a character burst into song as a natural extension of dialogue (like in The Sound of Music) or give a reason for a song to be presented. The second one is called a "Presentational Manner" (You hear that phrase alot on the "State Fair" (1945) Audio Commentary). This is where character is preforming on stage or given sheet music to sing etc. There is no "stage logic" required (Think Victor/Victoria) to explain why people are singing.

What happens with HSM? people do both and it just doesn't work for me. True, Hairspray does as well, but at least it's story is more interesting and the songs themselves are good. In HSM it comes off as nonsensical and unlikeable an for someone who loves watching musicals, it's not a good thing.

Problem 3: The Music (How it is recorded): There's just something odd about not only how the songs are presented but how they sound too. It doesn't seem like people are actually singing out loud in a particular location but rather they're singing to some radio someone just turned on. The whole lip syncing thing is really obvious and if you want to create a convincing musical it's not a good thing.

Problem 4: The Choreography: Let me just say this. Kenny Ortega has certainly proven himself to be very good at this. One viewing of Newsies will confirm this for anyone. However, despite all the back flipping and what not that happens in these films, there is just a complete lack of energy. Nothing that screams out at you to dance along. This could also be a result of problem 3 because there are just no sound FX what's so ever for the dance numbers, like in music videos. nothing to say people are actually dancing in these environments. A few foot taps and shoes scuffing across the floor would go a long way to making this problem better.

Problem 5: The Characters: In the first movie, Chad's a jerk, Toy's dad is a one minded monster and no one cares for anyone else's feelings. yes Teens can be jerks but really, that's some great student body east High has got.

I really need to take a break now, but when I come back I'll break down the characters individually and stuff.

[kbehm29]

What a great verbal description of how you feel about the parks, Flanger-Hanger! I share your emotions. I would rather be at Disneyland or WDW than anywhere else in the world. Just about every vacation I take, I go there. And I never tire of it. I have four sons who are 12, 10, 5, and 4 - and I already dream about taking my grandchildren there (though, not anytime soon on that, please). I budget a portion of every single paycheck toward saving for the next trip or Disney merchandise like DVDs or video games.

I just booked my third trip to WDW for November (I visit Disneyland much more frequently). I can't wait to be there again.

[PrincePhillipFan]

I completely agree with everything that you said about the parks, Flanger-Hanger. There's something about the magic that you feel in them that you can't capture anywhere else or in any other medium. It's like actually being a part of a world of fantasy for me and a place where I can expect something new and something I'm already familiar with again.

Another thing I just wanted to add that I brought up in another thread, but didn't discuss too much about, is that besides original experiences and rides, I love hearing how much so many of the old dark rides and attractions based on the features had scenes that were never in the film. To me, it seems like a whole different take on the same story, but adding more to it, but using the themes and tone that are set up by the attraction. Such as the grim tone in Snow White's Adventures and the old Sleeping Beauty walk thru, the wild and craziness of Mr Toad and Alice, and the wonderment of Peter Pan's Flight and Pinocchio's Daring Journey. I love how each dark ride/Fantasyland attraction has its own unique tone and mood setting for the retelling of the story it tells.

Also, about High School Musical, I admit that I haven't seen it, but if I ever somehow do I probably will share your same opinion since we think so much alike.