Post number 1,000

My 1,000th post is a Disney doozie with these gems. Enjoy some vintage self extermination with Mickey at his lowest point.








See more of them here

Disneyland cutting holiday corners

While in the park this weekend I couldnt help but notice that the Christmas decorations seemed a little on the cheesy cheap side.
Disneyland was once a place that prided itself on the details. Nowadays the details are gone. Take for instance the decorations on the castle. Home depot lights that are only dressed on one side of the castle. God forbid you look up after once you are on the other side of the bridge. The lights and icicles stop. It is as if they are saying "eh we got you money... whaddaya gonna do?"

Today in the park

Haunted Mansion Holiday

enhanced

Some light on the Pluto clip

A castmember sheds some light on the Pluto video clip.

'This event happened last year - that Pluto is no longer working with us. The kid being chased was rough-housing with Pluto before the camera rolled, and he did not kick Pluto at all. Pluto gave chase, and the kid started to wildly run. Pluto ran as well, which is not allowed, so that's strike one. The kid being chased started to REALLY get scared, and was screaming in earnest trying to get away. Pluto did not fully understand this. The woman who ran up and grabbed Pluto's arm was the child's mother. She demanded that he stop chasing her son, as it was no longer a game.

Pluto was angry that the woman had yanked his arm, and pulled back from her. That was strike two - he did not stop when a guest became in contact. He stepped off the curb and fell down. The woman did not push him, as he was already on the edge. However, he thought she HAD pushed him, and stood up with his paws in front of his face to show he was done. The guests in front of the camera were concerned, asking what happened, and Pluto pointed to the woman, "saying" she'd pushed him. The host then came over at this time to talk to the woman and find out the whole story. This Pluto was a very self-sufficent Pluto, who neither wanted nor needed a Host with him when he did his sets.

The falling down was strike three. However, the day in question was an exception. That Pluto decided to quit, citing that he was tired of the crowds and guests and stress it caused. The host in question was not at fault, as the host was told not to worry about Pluto and tended to the other characters. Pluto, however, took things too far on a hot day, with huge crowds, and a rowdy kid with a protective mom. The end.'

Update:
A tip from an Anonymous person claims they THOUGHT this was the Pluto that quit but were wrong. This person does indeed still work in the Magic Kingdom.

The Thick Plottens.

Disney shutters ride after accident.

An accident at Hong Kong Disneyland has forced closure of a ride called Autopia.

1 of the cars in the simulated driving ride came off its track and hit a surrounding barricade. The young woman at the wheel was not hurt.

The Disney spokeswoman says the Hong Kong government's Electrical and Mechanical Services Department has ordered the electric car ride shut down for an inspection.

Hong Kong Disneyland opened in September 2005. The Autopia ride opened last summer.

Butterhorn Patrol

Cast members are concerned about rumors that Disney is planning on outsourcing the security department. Some claim that the short contract is just to buy time for Disney to contract with some other company to take over. While existing contracts prevent a total outsourcing of the department, Disney is allowed to outsource up to 10 percent of the staff to outside companies, and can expand beyond that in certain circumstances. Layoffs or staff reductions as a result of outsourcing are explicitly prohibited. Any changes to that policy would require a modification to the contract. When asked about Disney's claims that there are no current outsourcing plans, one officer replied, “Many are suspicious, and have no doubt they will eventually try.”

Scat bear thats my bowl!

The title is missing a very imprortant "h" thanks to Photoshop. Oh and there is a little tiny Mister Hanky. How cute.

Disneyland accident

Hong Kong Disneyland on Saturday shut its Autopia driving ride after one of its vehicles derailed from a fixed track, a spokeswoman said Saturday.

Park spokeswoman Glendy Chu said the accident occurred when the driver, a young woman, hit one of the barricades surrounding the track. She said the woman was not injured.

Chu said the Hong Kong government's Electrical and Mechanical Services Department ordered the electric car ride shut for inspections. Government spokesman Raymond Wong said government investigators have not reported back their findings.

Hong Kong Disneyland, which is a joint venture between the Hong Kong government and the Walt Disney Co. (DIS), opened in September 2005 and the Autopia ride opened in the summer of 2006.

Pluto freaks on mainstreet.

Another fine example of how Disneylad hires the best of the best. Here is Pluto freaking out.

Pissed Pluto Chases Brat - Watch more free videos

They are supposed to have "handlers" who keep the costumed people safe. Pluto chasing a kid at top speed over railroad tracks is not safe and whatever the incident was it should have never gotten to this point. Pluto is clearly in the wrong. Guest safety should be a primary concern not retaliation for being kicked in the nuts by mommies little over-sugared mistake. My question is where was the Cast member who was with Pluto? It looks like he was out there all alone.

Disney needs to fire everyone in the park. They need to shut the place down for six months and restructure the whole damn thing. Top to bottom. Get rid of all the creepy people who cant get state or federal jobs because they would fail a background check. Rehire new people that are not bitter or jaded. People who can tell time using an analog clock. Pay the new employees a reasonable rate. Hire ride safety engineers that service one ride only not several in one night.
Pay benefits. Keep people who want to be career park workers don't "let them go" because they have reached the top of the pay scale.

I'm taking video of the fine workers in the park next time I go. So you can see them hard at work holding themselves upright.

Disney Fails to Monitor Sweatshops.

Thanks to Wat for handing this article over.

Workers at a Chinese factory making Disney toys are overworked, underpaid, exposed to dangerous toxins and forced to live in filthy conditions, a labour rights group said in a report Wednesday.
The study, released on the second anniversary of the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, said factory workers complained they were forced to work 28 days a month and up to 15 hours a day. (Park workers work less than 40 hours a week and are not eligible for benefits.)

Staff at Haowei Toys in southern China also are not allowed to take time off during peak seasons, according to the report released by the Hong Kong-based Students and Scholars against Corporate Misbehaviour (SACOM). (Park employees get just get sacked and replaced by another corn fed drone.)

"The conditions at Haowei reflect the failure of the Disney system to monitor and respond effectively to violations of the Disney code of conduct and the workers' rights the code professes to defend," the report said. (Disney Code o' WHAT? Ask any Disney employee and they'll tell you they wouldn't expect anything less.)

About a dozen activists staged a protest outside the theme park, waving a banner that read "No Disney Sweatshop Toys" and urging the US entertainment giant to improve working conditions. (No one cared.)

Staff are paid 2.5 yuan (32 US cents) per hour, 62.5 percent of the legal minimum wage of 4.02 yuan, while overtime premiums are also below the minimum required by law, said the report compiled from interviews with 35 employees. (Those people will be let go or killed)


The study charges that managers fine workers five yuan for toilet breaks that exceed five minutes and 10 yuan for refusing to do overtime work. (A welcome plan for workers in the park.)

The report also said workers in the paint spraying and pad printing departments complained that they were sometimes breathing in chemical and paint fumes for hours due to poor ventilation, exposing them to health risks. (Unlike the park where the smell of churros and vomit and curdling breast milk left in strollers baking in the hot sun are a free part of the whole experience.)

The employees are not given insurance against work injuries, nor are they granted pensions, the study said. (Same as the park cast members)

The report includes pictures of filthy communal toilets in the staff dormitory, saying pipes are often blocked, causing waste to spill out. (um... Park bathrooms are not much better and people pay to have access to them.)

Walt Disney said it takes "claims of unfair labour practices very seriously, and (will) investigate any such allegations thoroughly". (Walt is dead and he said no such thing.)

It admitted its own investigation had revealed violations at the Haowei factory, adding that action would be taken to rectify the problem.

"Disney is currently working on a factory remediation plan with the licensee who has placed orders with this factory," it said in a statement.

Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened on September 12, 2005, is struggling to attract visitors. The park would not disclose attendance numbers and would only say it has been given consistently high guest satisfaction ratings. (the 5 people who could afford to go there loved it.)

The Park Today

Look for Nemo in adventureland.
Craptacular hippy hippo in its a small world
enter the a-frame
Horsemouth

Cornelius waits for Zira outside the restroom

Tiki-riffic

The Egyptian Theater is currently having a three day Tiki-fest.
Scott and I went down to check out the tiki crowd.
The afternoon started out with a tiki find from Kevin Kidney. A 16mm print of the 1963 ABC series Hawaiian Eye. This print came complete with bumpers and commercials. What a treat to see a tiki-themed show that is supposed to take place in Hawaii but in actuality was filmed in Burbank. Lots of Hansard rear-screen projection. What a hoot.
The highlight of the episode was a SALEM commercial from 1963. It is similar to the one on this page but way more ridiculous.
The one we saw was also black and white yet opened with a very odd line about "freshness" being pink and green. HUH?
The knock out punch from this commercial was the like "There's freshness in every puff" I think I pee'd a little. It's OK its a movie seat everyone does it.

Then they had a nice little tiki luau complete with dancers and live tiki music and pineapple upside down cake. Oh and booze.
Then after about two hours of milling about chatting and visiting the three vendor carts selling very cool tikicrafts we returned to the theater to see the SHAG documentary THE SOPHISTICATED MISFIT.

It was there SHAG told us he is designing the art for the Haunted Mansion's 40th anniversary. Time to save my pennies.
He is the perfect artist for the anniversary.


Here is a picture of Scott and SHAG as they chat it up.

This is amazing.

It explains copyright fair use by using Disney cartoon clips. This deserves an award.

not so PC Tuesday

Today I bite the hand that entertains me.

Disneyland is a place that was built for young and old alike to enjoy. It was designed to be a place where you can leave the stresses of the real world behind and enjoy a world of fantasy. There is even a plaque at the berm as you enter the park that states in so many words that Disney wants you to escape the world of today when you enter.
Disneyland was a place where you could escape the worries of today and enter a world of yesterday or tomorrow. A world of adventure or fantasy. A place where these worlds were so encompassing that you could forget the world outside the park.

As you enter the park you travel under the Disneyland Railroad tracks. This railroad circles the park. While it serves the function as a ride and a shortcut to several lands it also serves as a barrier to the outside world. It was built on a 15 (or so) foot high berm in order to block the view of the outside world from people in the park. It was a brilliant idea that brought home Disney's idea of this being a special place unlike any in the world.


That special place is no more.

It is a poorly maintained walmart at best.

Today in Disneyland there are reminders of the outside world everywhere. In fact at times it is as if Disney is telling you to get out.

Problem #1.
While in the park you are repeatedly reminded that there are activities outside of the park. These are all casual mentions but they serve as a reminder that Disney doesn't just want you in the park they want you out. Be it a reminder that you need to visit Downtown Disney and shop or enjoy California Adventure these reminders tell you that there is a world outside and you cant escape it. More reminders...
Images of Mickey thanking a 9/11 firefighter. Now we know this never happened. Mickey never gave a damn about the firefighters. He is not real. But... the firefighter are real. They sacrificed quite a bit for ... well I'm not sure. They continue to suffer with no help from out government and ... why the hell should I be reminded of that while I am in Disneyland?
Abandoned attractions are now being taken over by outside "vendors" who treat the area like swap meets. Seriously. It is happening. Its like they are squatters.

Problem #2
Those special "Lands" are no more.
At one point (BEFORE Eisner or B.E.) When you entered adventureland the merchandise was solely adventure themed. Not any more. Today you can find Goofy hats and Finding Nemo plushies in any damn land. In fact Adventureland seems to be saturated in Pirates Booty. The real Disneyland of yore would have restricted that crap to New Orleans Square where the ride exists. Rides that don't fit into the theme of the area are a problem. Buzz Lightyear has nothing to do with the world of tomorrow nor does a submarine ride about a fish lost in the year 2003. The misadventures of Winnie the Pooh belongs in Fantasyland along with the other dark rides not in "Critter Country" a suburb of New Orleans Square that has only one other ride( based on a film Disney REFUSES to let the public see!)
At the Penny arcade in main street you can still buy candy and now pick up a copy of your favorite soundtrack on cd... just like the old days.
I can only think of two shops that maintain the immersion theme...
That creepy crystal shop in New Orleans square and the coffee place on main street. All the others seem to have cross purposed their merch in order to sell you something you could get at walmart at a better price.

Problem #3
Disney castmembers.
They used to be so nice. Years of renegotiation and dehumanizing (during Eisners time) have run the lifers out of the park and replaced them with morons who are underpaid, under trained and don't give a damn about the park. It is a village of idiots.
Sloppy confrontational goofballs. Oh and another thing... They are called castmembers we are guests. Why? It used to be that they were called castmembers because it was like putting on a show. Keeping the dream alive. Well now there is no dream and there is no show so I'm going to refer to by what they really are. Temporary employees. That is all they are. No one has a job for life at the park anymore. Up until very recent the name badges in the park used to state the temps name and the year they started working for the Disney. Aside from one person who worked in the gallery all name tags showed less than two years work history.
That is for the idiots who work face to face with the public. God knows how little training the folks who maintain the rides have.

Problem #4
Annual passholders.
Each one with a sense of entitlement.

Final park post of the day.

How is this legal? Smashing US quarter dollars with a Disney imprint and a big COPYRIGHT symbol on it. (it is on the flipside) My quarter still said "IN GOD WE TRUST" even after the attempt to remove the offending words.
Cats for sale.

Captn Victorville is either looking at the churro or... oh...
he's a tit man.


These two make a pretty picture. They were sitting in the picture spot tea cup as if it were a park bench. Not allowing little kids to have the photo memory of a lifetime. They were just sitting. Having a non-conversation. Fuckwads. Why dont you trade some pins while you waste space.

Today's top park pet peeve

At the end of main street there stands a building that used to be a restaurant. Now it sits, shuttered. Clearly an abandoned feature in the park. It now is home to the vermin of the park. PIN COLLECTORS. These scum crawl out of their swap meet homes and come to this park to trade pins with their meaty fiveheaded friends. The park allows these yahoos to take over tables that were originally designed for guests to sit and eat. THE TABLES IN THE SHADE! Now these jabbas piss on the area and call it their own. I want to get there before them and take their weekly table away from them and sit all day and do nothing. Just take their space. I want to see them complain! I hate them. Swap meet scum. Go trade your pogs at the drive-in! Disney should not allow this in the park. This is basically creating a third party vendor booth that "trades" wares. Disney is not responsible if a child gets the HANTA VIRUS from these guys rat-pissed self storage tin stars. No license needed!!! Come to Disneyland and get rid of your garbage! I want to get there early and trade Denney menus or underpants or something just to get these guys out of there. They take over the place like they own it and have a right to it.




Go peddle your crap outside the park or on e-bay where you belong.