Hello everyone and welcome back. It was just a few short days ago that New Jersey announced that amusement parks would be able to open as of July 2nd. I waited anxiously and sure enough, a day later Six Flags announced that it will be opening Six Flags Great Adventure to members and pass holders on July 3rd with the park's official reopening taking place on July 4th. While I am not going to be able to attend the Friday celebration, I quickly nabbed a reservation for the 4th. I've got to admit it is very exciting to be going back to my home park for the first time since Holiday in the Park back in December. Six Flags has done a lot of preparing for the park to reopen and this blog will detail some of the changes that are a direct result of the ongoing covid-19 pandemic.
The online reservation system that crashed and caused all kinds of problems when the safari first opened seems to have been fixed. I was able to get right on the website with no delay. They have reservation options for pretty much all passes including a section for complimentary passes. Once I entered in my member number the screen brought up a calendar with different dates and times. To my surprise pretty much any time during the day still had availability. Before confirming the reservation you have to review the new health standards and procedures pages. The procedures are pretty simple to follow. Guests (and staff) need to be wearing masks (unless in a pool or water attraction or in designated zones). Upon entry guests will be temp scanned to check for fevers. While in the park social distancing guidelines are to be followed. Food and ride queues will be marked with floor signs that are six feet apart.
Really that is all that guests need to worry about doing. Dining areas are going to have modified seating, rides won't be running at full capacity, indoor attractions will have limited capacity, and the staff will be constantly seen cleaning the park and ride vehicles. The staff at Great Adventure have a monumental task in front of them in following all the guidelines that they need to follow, so please, much like I asked not to harass cast members in Disney, please don't harass the staff at Six Flags.
This is going to be a strange season for sure. Six Flags is opening on July 4th, yet there will be no July 4th Fest. There will be no fireworks. There will be no additional entertainment. The fates of Fright Fest entertainment and Holiday in the Park are currently unknown as the situation continues to evolve. What of the Jersey Devil Roller Coaster? The new ride that was slated to debut this year will not be ready to go for park opening. While construction continued for a time on the ride it did have to stop as New Jersey became a covid hot spot. Six Flags has not put out any word on when the monorail coaster will make it's debut. It will be intimidating to see it above the trees nonetheless. In all the uncertainty there is some positives.
Those who are members are going to enjoy perks they haven't had before. I for one already have my preferred parking booked as I'll be enjoying the free upgrade from Platinum to Diamond for the year. I'll also feel better about buying food and merchandise this year thanks to the additional discounts. Season pass holders will see their passes extended into next season due to the pandemic taking a chunk of their season away. Yes there are people who are upset that the park is reopening and they do not feel comfortable going. I'd hope Six Flags would come up with something for those people, but I have no idea as to whether or not anything is in the pipeline.
With an easy time reserving the day and excitement abound I am looking forward to the weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing what changes have been made around the park as the first trip back for a season always unveils some kind of (albeit not big) unexpected change. I'm sure I'll have a review blog up shortly after, but for now thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!
Tuesday, June 30, 2020
Thursday, June 25, 2020
Splash Mountain Retheming Confirmed
Big news out of Walt Disney World and Disneyland today. The classic attraction, Splash Mountain, will be re-themed to a The Princess and the Frog attraction. The Walt Disney Company claims that plans had been in the works since last summer for an eventual re-theme of the ride. Splash Mountain is currently themed to the very controversial Song of the South. While the ride is generally not the subject of controversy, the movie it is themed around has been the source of much controversy and is one of the few Disney classics that has been basically erased from history. The movie has not been released on blue ray, DVD, and is not currently streaming on Disney Plus, nor are there any plans for the movie to stream on Disney Plus.
Song of the South was released in 1946 and never saw the light of day when it came to a home video release in the United States. Despite being controversial for the films portrayal of African Americans, the cartoon characters of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear, as well as the song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah have remained popular among Disney fans including those who have not seen the movie. I'm not going to go into the plot of the movie here as this is blog is about Splash Mountain, but I do encourage you to do some looking around if you have never heard of this film and are a fan of the ride in its current state.
My feelings on Splash Mountain being changed are mixed. From a personal standpoint I have said multiple times that Splash Mountain is my favorite ride. That being said, Splash Mountain was also my favorite ride before I watched Song of the South. That is why now, despite the ride itself still being my favorite I am not heartbroken to see it getting a face lift. I am well aware that chances are 90% or more of the people who ride and love Splash Mountain have no idea what movie the characters come from, let alone who any of the characters are outside of the ride itself. While the ride features Br'er Fox, Br'er Rabbit, and Br'er Bear going through a bunch of cartoon antics, Song of the South is far more than that and it is something that I think Disney is aware of and is finally acknowledging it's time for a change as a result.
As I mentioned at the start, plans had started to form last summer about transitioning Splash Mountain to a The Princess and the Frog themed attraction. Whether or not that is one hundred percent true is of course going to be a subject of debate. Petitions have resurfaced recently both for and against Disney changing the ride which could have accelerated Disney's plans to re-theme the ride. We may never know, but we do know that change is coming.
As far as the The Princess and the Frog theme goes I am cautiously optimistic. WDW News Today has an excellent article that goes into more details on the upcoming changes and from what I have read on there, it doesn't seem bad at all. The Princess and the Frog is a really fun movie that I agree is underrated and does deserve some more praise. The music is great (jazz!), the animation may very well be the last time we see a hand drawn Disney movie, and all the characters are great. From what I have read it sounds like this ride is going to be an adventure with Tiana and Louis taking place after the end of the movie as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras celebration.
I feel like that is a best case scenario. Going on an adventure with an alligator and a princess sets this movie up perfectly for a water ride. I'm excited to see more details come out on this ride as I can think of a world of scenes and songs that could be used throughout, but for now I'll just have to keep them in my head. The obvious conclusion replacing the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah boat segment at the end of the ride is a Mardi Gras celebration and it is here that my only hesitation really pops up.
Princess and the Frog takes place in Louisiana. Splash Mountain is situated in the Frontierland. See where my only issue is. It's going to be strange to me coming out of the ride and falling back into the illusion of the American frontier. Yes, Song of the South and Splash Mountain are also southern themed, but Disney was able to theme Splash Mountain and blend the characters of Song of the South so well into the red rock mountain that it felt natural throughout the ride. I feel like that is going to be Disney's biggest challenge with that ride is not breaking that illusion and not breaking that ever important show that the Magic Kingdom is and has always been. That said, if any company can do it it's Disney.
So as we prepare to say goodbye to the current version of Splash Mountain I want to close with this. Racism has no place in the world. Nobody should be judged, treated differently, etc. over the color of their skin. Song of the South is a movie that is a product of its time. That time was so much different than things are now and Disney knows that (hence never getting released on video in the United States). Does it deserve to be celebrated with a ride? No. Are the cartoon characters a lot of fun in Splash Mountain, sure. Should they all disappear along with Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah? I personally don't think they have to considering the amount of other media they have all appeared in since the movie.
As more details start to come out regarding the upcoming changes to Splash Mountain I'll be sure to blog again on it. As of now Disney has not announced any closure dates for either Splash Mountain attraction and both original version of the rides are currently slated to reopen along with the parks as they navigate through these covid times. As always thank you for reading! We finally got some non covid related park news to react to and man was it a big one! Stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!
**** The following is a personal statement****
Hi again everyone. As I mentioned in this blog racism has no place in the world we live in today. No one should ever be judged, persecuted, treated poorly, beaten, etc. by the color of their skin. In the wake of all of the protests going on around the country we have all seen a rapid call for change and it is a change that is desperately needed. Black men, women, and children are all facing challenges that we will never be able to fully understand. My sister's friend I think sums it up best... I don't have her exact words, but it's along the lines of if you get pulled over by the police, what do think. Personally, it's "crap what did I do now". Her answer is simply fearing for her life. That is in no way okay, fair, or anything else considered good.
With all of that said... The past got us to the present and it is important for us to remember that the past did happen. We do not have to be proud of it. We do not have to celebrate it. We cannot forget it. Forgetting and erasing the past leaves the window open for similar events to unfold in the future. This goes for everything including movies.
Song of the South was mentioned many times in this blog. The movie is a great example on what is not okay to do. I've watched it and even in the fun cartoon portions there are heavy racist implications. That said, back in the 1940's, it was acceptable. The movie came out, people went to see it. The movie was re-released in the 80's and people went to see it. It hasn't seen the light of day since. My personal hope for this movie is that Disney will use it as a teaching tool in the future. I think it would be big of Disney to release the movie with an introduction explaining why the movie is the way it is and why what viewers are going to watch is not appropriate and was not appropriate in the 40's. Don't release it as a new movie. Don't even release it on Disney Plus or home video, but release it somewhere that historical films exist and let it be a lesson in not only how far we have come, but how far we have to go.
In closing, this blog, while certainly not political, will never be a place where racism will be welcomed and will never be a place where anyone will be judged for who they are. All lives cannot matter until black lives matter and while I may personally not support things that the organization does, I 100% support the movement itself and the fight for equality that shouldn't even need to be taking place. If you have read all of this thank you!
Song of the South was released in 1946 and never saw the light of day when it came to a home video release in the United States. Despite being controversial for the films portrayal of African Americans, the cartoon characters of Br'er Rabbit, Br'er Fox, and Br'er Bear, as well as the song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah have remained popular among Disney fans including those who have not seen the movie. I'm not going to go into the plot of the movie here as this is blog is about Splash Mountain, but I do encourage you to do some looking around if you have never heard of this film and are a fan of the ride in its current state.
My feelings on Splash Mountain being changed are mixed. From a personal standpoint I have said multiple times that Splash Mountain is my favorite ride. That being said, Splash Mountain was also my favorite ride before I watched Song of the South. That is why now, despite the ride itself still being my favorite I am not heartbroken to see it getting a face lift. I am well aware that chances are 90% or more of the people who ride and love Splash Mountain have no idea what movie the characters come from, let alone who any of the characters are outside of the ride itself. While the ride features Br'er Fox, Br'er Rabbit, and Br'er Bear going through a bunch of cartoon antics, Song of the South is far more than that and it is something that I think Disney is aware of and is finally acknowledging it's time for a change as a result.
As I mentioned at the start, plans had started to form last summer about transitioning Splash Mountain to a The Princess and the Frog themed attraction. Whether or not that is one hundred percent true is of course going to be a subject of debate. Petitions have resurfaced recently both for and against Disney changing the ride which could have accelerated Disney's plans to re-theme the ride. We may never know, but we do know that change is coming.
As far as the The Princess and the Frog theme goes I am cautiously optimistic. WDW News Today has an excellent article that goes into more details on the upcoming changes and from what I have read on there, it doesn't seem bad at all. The Princess and the Frog is a really fun movie that I agree is underrated and does deserve some more praise. The music is great (jazz!), the animation may very well be the last time we see a hand drawn Disney movie, and all the characters are great. From what I have read it sounds like this ride is going to be an adventure with Tiana and Louis taking place after the end of the movie as they prepare for their first Mardi Gras celebration.
I feel like that is a best case scenario. Going on an adventure with an alligator and a princess sets this movie up perfectly for a water ride. I'm excited to see more details come out on this ride as I can think of a world of scenes and songs that could be used throughout, but for now I'll just have to keep them in my head. The obvious conclusion replacing the Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah boat segment at the end of the ride is a Mardi Gras celebration and it is here that my only hesitation really pops up.
Princess and the Frog takes place in Louisiana. Splash Mountain is situated in the Frontierland. See where my only issue is. It's going to be strange to me coming out of the ride and falling back into the illusion of the American frontier. Yes, Song of the South and Splash Mountain are also southern themed, but Disney was able to theme Splash Mountain and blend the characters of Song of the South so well into the red rock mountain that it felt natural throughout the ride. I feel like that is going to be Disney's biggest challenge with that ride is not breaking that illusion and not breaking that ever important show that the Magic Kingdom is and has always been. That said, if any company can do it it's Disney.
So as we prepare to say goodbye to the current version of Splash Mountain I want to close with this. Racism has no place in the world. Nobody should be judged, treated differently, etc. over the color of their skin. Song of the South is a movie that is a product of its time. That time was so much different than things are now and Disney knows that (hence never getting released on video in the United States). Does it deserve to be celebrated with a ride? No. Are the cartoon characters a lot of fun in Splash Mountain, sure. Should they all disappear along with Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah? I personally don't think they have to considering the amount of other media they have all appeared in since the movie.
As more details start to come out regarding the upcoming changes to Splash Mountain I'll be sure to blog again on it. As of now Disney has not announced any closure dates for either Splash Mountain attraction and both original version of the rides are currently slated to reopen along with the parks as they navigate through these covid times. As always thank you for reading! We finally got some non covid related park news to react to and man was it a big one! Stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!
**** The following is a personal statement****
Hi again everyone. As I mentioned in this blog racism has no place in the world we live in today. No one should ever be judged, persecuted, treated poorly, beaten, etc. by the color of their skin. In the wake of all of the protests going on around the country we have all seen a rapid call for change and it is a change that is desperately needed. Black men, women, and children are all facing challenges that we will never be able to fully understand. My sister's friend I think sums it up best... I don't have her exact words, but it's along the lines of if you get pulled over by the police, what do think. Personally, it's "crap what did I do now". Her answer is simply fearing for her life. That is in no way okay, fair, or anything else considered good.
With all of that said... The past got us to the present and it is important for us to remember that the past did happen. We do not have to be proud of it. We do not have to celebrate it. We cannot forget it. Forgetting and erasing the past leaves the window open for similar events to unfold in the future. This goes for everything including movies.
Song of the South was mentioned many times in this blog. The movie is a great example on what is not okay to do. I've watched it and even in the fun cartoon portions there are heavy racist implications. That said, back in the 1940's, it was acceptable. The movie came out, people went to see it. The movie was re-released in the 80's and people went to see it. It hasn't seen the light of day since. My personal hope for this movie is that Disney will use it as a teaching tool in the future. I think it would be big of Disney to release the movie with an introduction explaining why the movie is the way it is and why what viewers are going to watch is not appropriate and was not appropriate in the 40's. Don't release it as a new movie. Don't even release it on Disney Plus or home video, but release it somewhere that historical films exist and let it be a lesson in not only how far we have come, but how far we have to go.
In closing, this blog, while certainly not political, will never be a place where racism will be welcomed and will never be a place where anyone will be judged for who they are. All lives cannot matter until black lives matter and while I may personally not support things that the organization does, I 100% support the movement itself and the fight for equality that shouldn't even need to be taking place. If you have read all of this thank you!
Friday, June 19, 2020
Top 5 Disney Park Rides I Wish To Ride
Hello everyone and welcome back to yet another countdown list. This list is going to countdown the top 5 rides I wish I could ride. The restrictions for this blog is that the ride has to be one that I have never ridden.The good and really complicated news is that every ride that is not located at Walt Disney World is eligible. This list can include rides that are similar to those at Walt Disney World such as Peter Pan's Flight or Haunted Mansion since they exist in multiple parks. Nearly all rides in Walt Disney World are ruled out. In fact only Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway and Rise of the Resistance are eligible for this list. Interestingly enough both of these rides are at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but will either of them make the list? Read on to find out.
5.) Indiana Jones Adventure (Disneyland California)
While the ride system is pretty much the same as Dinosaur in Disney's Animal Kingdom, the ride looks so much different that it's easy to forget the two use the same system. Indiana Jones Adventure is one of the most popular attractions in Disneyland and it is easy to see why. The ride appears to be full of danger and suspense. Traps appear everywhere, the ride seems to be kind of intense, and does an incredible job of making the rider feel like they are in an Indiana Jones movie. While I personally cannot see myself going on this ride and wishing it would replace Dinosaur, I sure to want to give this ride a shot someday!
4.) Journey to the Center of the Earth (Disney TokyoSea)
Boasting incredible visuals and a soundtrack worthy of the aesthetic, Journey to the Center of the Earth is the ride I want to get on more than any other in either Tokyo Disney Park. With effects ranging from simple lighting effects to water, to fire, to even a massive animatronic, there is just so much I want to see. It also helps that the ride is situated inside of Mount Prometheus giving it the perfect facade. I'm sure the feeling of entering the volcano has to be similar to that I would get as I approach Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden MountainPi (or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to a lesser extent). What is that feeling you ask? It's that feeling of mystery about the mountain. It's that sense of adventure that you are going to encounter something incredible whether it be the Yeti or whatever may be lurking in the center of the Earth. Someday I hope to experience this ride in real life since I am positive the videos do it no justice.
3.) Rise of the Resistance (Disney's Hollywood Studios)
If you didn't know already, I am a huge Star Wars fan. I mean look how many Star Wars related blogs are here on this site. You'd think that this ride being eligible would give something away right? Well here it is, the major attraction of Galaxy's Edge that was not open when I went. All I have heard is how incredible this ride is and how it is an absolute must do for any Star Wars fan. The biggest difference between this ride and all the others on this list is that I haven't spoiled anything about it for myself. No watching of videos, no listening to of soundtracks, and anytime I have watched a vlog I skip over anything involving the ride. I am that hyped to ride it without even seeing or hearing anything about the inner workings of it.
*** For a video of this ride visit Youtube and simply search for it.***
*** For a video of this ride visit Youtube and simply search for it.***
2.) Phantom Manor (Disneyland Paris)
Phantom Manor is a ride that has always been a dream for me to ride. The fact that there is an actual backstory to it and the way it connects to Big Thunder Mountain always reminds me of those ghost stories that you'd tell while sitting around the campfire. Heck, Big Thunder Mountain can even be seen within Phantom Manor. Where Haunted Mansion is a fun trip through a ghostly mansion with a grand finale consisting of spirits doing all kinds of fun things, Phantom Manor is a much much darker ride in it's story and that is what fascinates me so much about it. There are plenty of references to Haunted Mansion within Phantom Manor and plenty more theories such as the Hatbox Ghost being a ticket taker. Another thing I really love about this ride is it's soundtrack. The English portion of the soundtrack features Vincent Price (Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective) as the narrator/guide and oh man is he good at what he does. I really hope to one day experience this truly creepy Disney attraction for myself.
Well only one remains on this little list. That said I do want to give a few honorable mentions to rides that just missed the cut. The first is Disneyland's version of Pirates of the Caribbean. The Disney World version is good, but from what I see the original out in California blows it out of the water. From what I hear that is a sentiment shared by many as well. Mystic Manor over at Hong Kong Disneyland I hear is an incredibly unique experience from any of the other Haunted Mansion attractions. Though I do love the fan theories that link it to Haunted Mansion. What can I say, I'm a sucker for spooky type rides! Peter Pan's Flight in Shanghai Disneyland is the other ride I want to call out here. It's a remake of the classic attraction, but the added bits of pixie dust sprinkled in breathe new life into the ride and it's something I'd really love to see someday. Well with that said... Onto number 1!
1.) Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for Sunken Treasure (Shanghai Disneyland)
Okay. I have not rode this ride, but I am going to gush about it here a bit anyway. From what I can tell, Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for Sunken Treasure is nothing short of incredible. The Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise is one of my favorite movie franchises of all time and this ride looks like and I'm sure feels like you are being thrown directly into one of these movies. The way the ride starts off seeing scenes the look like the classic Disneyland attraction after years of neglect and decay is incredible. Seriously you even pass by the cage at the end of the classic ride where the dog is holding the keys just outside of the prisoner's reach. Oh they're all still right where they were, but they long since died and are now just skeletons. They still manage to do that classic whistle though. It's such an amazing way to start off the ride and send a clear message that you are in for something very very different than any pirates ride you have been on before. The classic bit ends with lightning striking a skeleton at the wheel of a ship, transforming it into Captain Jack Sparrow.
I know in the past I have complained about rides containing too many screens or not using screens to their potential (looking at you again Frozen Ever After). This ride gets it so right in that it looks so immersive that it makes you feel like you are going underwater. Right after you leave Jack you are immersed into a massive underwater scene on the screens. It's not a long scene and it culminates in awaking the kraken. Here is where the screen is done right. The ride continues as you enter a ship, but the kraken is still out there, and you can see it on the screen behind the ship, but it all looks so real that you are underwater that it's got to be easy to forget it's a screen back there. The screens are used throughout the ride like this. Eventually you see a big ship battle on screens, but you become surrounded by actual ships pretty quick. It looks incredible online, I can only imagine how amazing it must be in person.
With references to the classic attraction, and pretty much every movie besides the fifth being represented, the ride looks just perfect for me. The fact that the main villain in the ride is Davy Jones makes it all the better for me as he is easily my favorite villain in the series, though Barbossa is an incredible character throughout, but that's a story for another time. There are rides on this list that I really really want to get on at some point, and this is the one that absolutely tops them all and there is so much more to the ride that I didn't even mention in my mini gush session.
Well there you have it. The top 5 rides I wish to ride in the Disney Parks around the world. It is by coincidence only that it wound up being one ride from five different parks. Will I get ride all of these rides? Who knows! What I do know though is that I and many others, yourself included, are lucky to live in an age where videos like the ones in this blog are able to exist. Imagine years ago that a ride like Na'vi River Journey with it's incredible animatronic, or Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for Sunken Treasure with so much more than I described came out. All we would have is word of mouth to try and describe the wonders that we saw. Now people around the world are able to share that magic and while it's not the real physical thing, it is a look into something amazing and that technology now just keeps growing with virtual reality and 360 degree video.
I went off on a bit of a ramble there, but the point is, while I may never get to experience these rides first hand I am so happy and grateful that I was able to view them in some capacity. I hope you enjoy watching them as much as I have and if you need to pick up your jaw after watching Pirates of the Caribbean Battle for Sunken Treasure, it's okay I still have to anytime I watch it. As always thank you for reading and stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!
Monday, June 15, 2020
My Top 5 of Walt Disney Animation Studios Movies
Hello everyone and welcome back! We have arrived at another countdown blog! As the title suggests I will be listing off my top 4 favorite movies from Disney Animation Studios! This, of course, does not encompass the entirety of the Disney library. Movies made by Pixar, Disneytoon Studios, Touchstone, Fox, etc. are not available to pick from for this list. This means that while they are great movies, The Nightmare Before Christmas, A Goofy Movie, The Simpsons Movie, and all the wonderful (cough cough) Disney sequels will not be seen here. Remember this is my personal top 4 and chances are it will be very different from your own!
5.) The Jungle Book (1967)
5.) The Jungle Book (1967)
The Jungle Book is the last movie that Walt Disney himself had a hand in making. The movie is full of fun and excitement throughout. The music is super catchy and the characters are all so unique and entertaining. I really cannot think of a time in this movie where I am hoping for the pace to pick up. Mowgli is essentially on an episodic feeling journey back to the man village where he encounters foes in the form of Kaa the python, King Louie the orangutan, Shere Khan the tiger. Each of these villains are great in their own way, but Shere Khan is the looming threat throughout the movie. While not the most popular Disney feature, The Jungle Book was my favorite when I was a kid and my love for this movie has not gone away as I have gotten older.
4.) The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
This is why it has taken me so long to make this blog. This movie is why months ago I didn't post a top 4. This movie is brand new to my list. When I was younger I honestly wasn't a big fan of this film. When I first saw it, I didn't really understand it much, didn't care for the plights of the characters much, and the music just didn't sound Disney to me. Well, younger me apparently was nothing more than a child looking for a funny animated movie because when I finally revisited this movie, it blew me away in every sense of the word. Really since The Little Mermaid, Disney had stuck to a very strict formula for their movies. It wasn't until Pocahontas that that mold started to shift and then ultimately The Hunchback of Notre Dame broke it. The story is dark, yet strangely beautiful. The animation is out of this world good for 1996 (and still holds up well today). The characters are all incredible. Lastly, man oh man is the music good. I don't know where this movie was for a chunk of my life, but it's quickly become one of my all time favorites.
3.) Pinocchio (1940)
There isn't really too much to say about Pinocchio that hasn't been said a million times. From it's beautiful, and I mean beautiful animation, it's lovable characters, and charming story Pinocchio is really the total package. Jiminy Cricket is one of the most wholesome characters that you can find in any Disney movie and really steals the show. Musically the movie is simply incredible. What more really needs to be said other than this is the movie that featured When You Wish Upon a Star. That's how good the music in this movie is. It's main song has in a way become the theme song for Disney itself. There is a little bit of everything in here. There's action, there's heartbreak, there's a bunch of humor, and there is 1940s cultural history such as the seemingly promotion of both drinking and smoking as a way to be cool. This is another one of those movies that for me has continued climbing my favorites list as I get older and am able to appreciate it as the masterpiece that it is. Speaking of which...
2.) Fantasia (1940)
Alright nobody probably saw this coming. So what do I love so much about Fantasia? I mean after all, it is pretty much a classic music concert with animation over top of it with no story tying it all together or anything like that. Look, I understand that Fantasia is a difficult watch for a lot of people. I get that it isn't the most exciting, but what it is is a work of art. The animation and the music flow seamlessly together to create such an enchanting experience. I'm with the majority in that my favorite scenes from this film are The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Night on Bald Mountain. The former gave birth to sorcerer Mickey while the latter gave rise to the sinister Chernabog. That said, the movie as a whole is just visually stunning and is one that I find myself putting on as background music or just taking a few minutes to watch a specific segment. Fantasia was one of Walt Disney's most ambitious projects and while it didn't get the full blown 4-D effects he wanted (like folks in a theater getting splashed with water), the movie still cemented itself in history as a complete masterpiece.
So before I reveal the big number one I want to toss out a few honorable mentions to a few movies that fell just shy of making this list (note: these are not in any order). The first goes out to Aladdin. It really in hunchback's fault that this movie isn't on the list. Aladdin is an incredible movie that boasts one of my favorite villains in any Disney movie in Jafar. Next is the inevitable shout out to The Lion King. The movie is just as good now as it was when it came out and Jeremy Irons is still on another level as Scar. Lastly I want to shout out The Rescuers Down Under. This is such an underrated gem of a movie. Every time I watch it I end up with a smile and whole lot of laughs. I really wish this movie was promoted more because it really is good and worthy of the promotion of many other Disney films despite being a sequel. Finally, my number 1 Disney Animation Studios Movie is....
1.) The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Up until around the year 2000, Disney had really settled into their own formula for making movies. The renaissance era cemented that formula as hit after hit came out in musical form. Towards the end though that formula started to be messed with. One example of Disney somewhat breaking the mold was The Hunchback of Notre Dame where it remained a musical, but was much darker. That mold was further challenged in movies like Mulan and Tarzan. Finally though in the year 2000 it was shattered by a broken movie called Kingdom of the Sun. Well no... Actually Kingdom of the Sun fell into a complete mess and was transformed into The Emperor's New Groove which actually broke the mold. This movie is so off the wall, so funny, so witty in its humor that I've been watching it for twenty years and still find it just as funny as the first time I saw it.
While the movie doesn't have many characters, the four main characters, Kuzco, Pacha, Yzma, and Kronk, are all beyond funny in their own ways and interact just perfectly with each other throughout the movie. The story isn't complex at all in Yzma accidentally turns Kuzco into a llama. From there Kuzco (the emperor) needs the help of a peasant (Pacha) whom he just told he was going to build a water park where his village stands (complete with water slide). What ensues is a hilarious chase as Yzma and Kronk try to catch Kuzco before he is able to return to the palace and turn himself back into a human.
Is the movie an all time classic like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Pinocchio? Not at all, but for me it is a movie I can pop in at anytime, laugh my head off, and enjoy each and every second of without any form of boredom. For a movie that has the history this movie has (look up the sweatbox documentary on Youtube), it is incredible that it became what it is today and even more incredible that it continues to gain popularity and just continues to endure despite very little promotion and very very little merchandise.
Well there you have it. My top 5 Disney Animation Studios. I have to admit this list was incredibly hard to make. It was also incredibly hard to just not start talking about specific scenes in the movies I like (that's for another time). So many of the movies that this studio has put out I have loved. Even recent releases like Zootopia and Frozen II have found a special place with me so just picking five was really a chore. I'm sure there were some surprises on this list (especially the top 2 probably), but there it is. As always thank you for reading. I know there was a bit of a gap in blogs, but I can blame that on a bonkers work schedule as opposed to any health related delays, so I appreciate the patience. Stay tuned because the next blog will be coming real soon!
3.) Pinocchio (1940)
There isn't really too much to say about Pinocchio that hasn't been said a million times. From it's beautiful, and I mean beautiful animation, it's lovable characters, and charming story Pinocchio is really the total package. Jiminy Cricket is one of the most wholesome characters that you can find in any Disney movie and really steals the show. Musically the movie is simply incredible. What more really needs to be said other than this is the movie that featured When You Wish Upon a Star. That's how good the music in this movie is. It's main song has in a way become the theme song for Disney itself. There is a little bit of everything in here. There's action, there's heartbreak, there's a bunch of humor, and there is 1940s cultural history such as the seemingly promotion of both drinking and smoking as a way to be cool. This is another one of those movies that for me has continued climbing my favorites list as I get older and am able to appreciate it as the masterpiece that it is. Speaking of which...
2.) Fantasia (1940)
Alright nobody probably saw this coming. So what do I love so much about Fantasia? I mean after all, it is pretty much a classic music concert with animation over top of it with no story tying it all together or anything like that. Look, I understand that Fantasia is a difficult watch for a lot of people. I get that it isn't the most exciting, but what it is is a work of art. The animation and the music flow seamlessly together to create such an enchanting experience. I'm with the majority in that my favorite scenes from this film are The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Night on Bald Mountain. The former gave birth to sorcerer Mickey while the latter gave rise to the sinister Chernabog. That said, the movie as a whole is just visually stunning and is one that I find myself putting on as background music or just taking a few minutes to watch a specific segment. Fantasia was one of Walt Disney's most ambitious projects and while it didn't get the full blown 4-D effects he wanted (like folks in a theater getting splashed with water), the movie still cemented itself in history as a complete masterpiece.
So before I reveal the big number one I want to toss out a few honorable mentions to a few movies that fell just shy of making this list (note: these are not in any order). The first goes out to Aladdin. It really in hunchback's fault that this movie isn't on the list. Aladdin is an incredible movie that boasts one of my favorite villains in any Disney movie in Jafar. Next is the inevitable shout out to The Lion King. The movie is just as good now as it was when it came out and Jeremy Irons is still on another level as Scar. Lastly I want to shout out The Rescuers Down Under. This is such an underrated gem of a movie. Every time I watch it I end up with a smile and whole lot of laughs. I really wish this movie was promoted more because it really is good and worthy of the promotion of many other Disney films despite being a sequel. Finally, my number 1 Disney Animation Studios Movie is....
1.) The Emperor's New Groove (2000)
Up until around the year 2000, Disney had really settled into their own formula for making movies. The renaissance era cemented that formula as hit after hit came out in musical form. Towards the end though that formula started to be messed with. One example of Disney somewhat breaking the mold was The Hunchback of Notre Dame where it remained a musical, but was much darker. That mold was further challenged in movies like Mulan and Tarzan. Finally though in the year 2000 it was shattered by a broken movie called Kingdom of the Sun. Well no... Actually Kingdom of the Sun fell into a complete mess and was transformed into The Emperor's New Groove which actually broke the mold. This movie is so off the wall, so funny, so witty in its humor that I've been watching it for twenty years and still find it just as funny as the first time I saw it.
While the movie doesn't have many characters, the four main characters, Kuzco, Pacha, Yzma, and Kronk, are all beyond funny in their own ways and interact just perfectly with each other throughout the movie. The story isn't complex at all in Yzma accidentally turns Kuzco into a llama. From there Kuzco (the emperor) needs the help of a peasant (Pacha) whom he just told he was going to build a water park where his village stands (complete with water slide). What ensues is a hilarious chase as Yzma and Kronk try to catch Kuzco before he is able to return to the palace and turn himself back into a human.
Is the movie an all time classic like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or Pinocchio? Not at all, but for me it is a movie I can pop in at anytime, laugh my head off, and enjoy each and every second of without any form of boredom. For a movie that has the history this movie has (look up the sweatbox documentary on Youtube), it is incredible that it became what it is today and even more incredible that it continues to gain popularity and just continues to endure despite very little promotion and very very little merchandise.
Well there you have it. My top 5 Disney Animation Studios. I have to admit this list was incredibly hard to make. It was also incredibly hard to just not start talking about specific scenes in the movies I like (that's for another time). So many of the movies that this studio has put out I have loved. Even recent releases like Zootopia and Frozen II have found a special place with me so just picking five was really a chore. I'm sure there were some surprises on this list (especially the top 2 probably), but there it is. As always thank you for reading. I know there was a bit of a gap in blogs, but I can blame that on a bonkers work schedule as opposed to any health related delays, so I appreciate the patience. Stay tuned because the next blog will be coming real soon!
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