Fear and Statistics

Ted Talks are very interesting.  I've listened to several and have always been enlightened by the topic and often fascinated, regardless of the topic.

One of the TED Talks that I continue to go back to is What Fear Can Teach Us by writer Karen Thompson.  She spoke on the connection between fear and imagination.  And what she reveals continues to resonate with me.  Particularly her discussion of the whaleship Essex.

The whaler Essex was part of the inspiration for Moby Dick.  On November 20, 1820, after an already plagued journey, the Essex was struck by a sperm whale in the Pacific Ocean, nearly 2,000 nautical miles off the coast of Chile.  The whale crushed the bow, driving the vessel backward, and leaving the Essex to quickly go down by the bow.

After spending two days salvaging what they could, the 20 American sailors on the vessel set out in their three small whaleboats, with rudimentary navigational equipment and very limited supplies of food and fresh water.

The crew had few options ahead of them.  Closest land was the Marquesas Islands, nearly 1,200 miles to the west, which might have been reachable on the supplies that they had.  They had heard frightening rumors of cannibals on the islands, however.

Another option was to sail Northwest to Hawaii, but there was a fear of the storms that would be encountered given the time of year.

The last ditch option, the most difficult, and longest option, was to sail south for 1,000 miles to get around the trade winds and then use the Westerlies to turn to South America, which would be another 3,000 miles to the East.

Whatever option they chose was plagued by specific fears:

• The Marquesas brought the potential of cannibals,
• Hawaii brought certain battering with the storms, and 
• South America brought an almost certain eventuality that supplies would run out.

Whichever fear they listened to governed whether they lived or died.  They could give into a gruesome possibility or a certain doom.

Upon a vote, they chose the longer and more difficult journey to South America.  Herman Melville, who would use the Essex as inspiration, would write "all these sufferings of these miserable men of the Essex might in all human probability have been avoided had they immediately after leaving the wreck steered straight for Tahiti.  But they dreaded cannibals."  After more than two additional months at sea, the crew had run out of food and were still quite far from land.  When the survivors were finally rescued, less than half the men were left alive and some had resorted to their own form of cannibalism.

Why did they dread the possibility of cannibals so much more than the likely probability of starvation?  Why did they respond only to the most lurid, most vivid, and easiest to imagine fear?

We have a similar problem in society today.  We are governed by the most lurid, the most vivid, and the easiest to imagine fears, instead of those that are more statistically likely to happen.  This is used to great effect by politicians, to rally people around a cause and draw support.  

We can see this in the people who refuse to travel because of a fear of planes.  Or those that refuse to travel abroad because of a fear of terrorist attack.  Despite the fact that you are more likely to be injured or die in a car than the plane and are more likely to be crushed by furniture than the terrorist attack.

We can see this as well in our obsession with guns in this country.

Gun safety at home generally requires the gun be stored unloaded in a locked cabinet, with ammunition stored in a separate locked location.  I've linked to safety tips from the National Shooting Sports Foundation that contains this specific advice.  There are even laws in certain locations that require this type of storage.  And this is done to prevent accidental discharge in the home, whether by the gun owner or others, particularly children.  

The problem is that such storage makes a gun very impractical for home defense.  If the gun must be unloaded and locked in a separate location from the ammo, then that requires precious time to obtain the gun, the ammo, to load it, etc. in the event of a home invasion.  So the narrative goes.  To be useful for home protection, the gun should be loaded and ready for a moment's notice, right?  Because that is the fear.  The fear the gun is supposed to assuage.  The fear of being attacked in one's own home and needing to defend oneself and their family.

But the statistics do not bear out this fear.

There have been at least 70 unintentional shootings by children in 2018, so far; at least 897 since 2015.  There are nearly two million children that live in homes with guns that are not stored responsibly.    This accounts for nearly 65% of unintentional child gun deaths.  And that is just accidental gun discharges; not even touching intentional gun use in domestic violence or suicide.  And those are the statistically most likely scenarios in which a gun will be fired in the home - unintentional discharge, intentional shooting in domestic violence, or suicide.  NOT for home protection.  Guns in the home are 22 times more likely to be involved in accidental shootings, homicides, or suicide attempts.  For every one time a gun in the home was used in a self-defense or legally justifiable shooting, there were 4 unintentional shootings, 7 criminal assaults or homicides, and 11 attempted or completed suicides.

If you looked at Chicago for example, in 2011 precisely one homicide listed "burglary" as the motive.  Nationwide, there are 100 burglary-homicides every year.  100 out of 323.13 million people, or a rate of 0.00003%.   The numbers do not bear out the primal fear of home invasion.  And yet it is what rules our consciousness.

A rational look at the likelihood of events would move everyone to safe storage, to prevent the more likely occurrence.  But we are governed by the irrational.  The statistically less likely.  The primal fear.  

Perhaps it's time to own up to that fear.  To admit it, to recognize that it isn't always the most rational one, and to move on from it.  That way, maybe we can actually start productively talking about it.

Guns

I'm tired.  I'm tired of this topic continuing to come up.  I'm tired of us continuing to have the same response - thoughts and prayers, then talking at each other, then a whole lot of nothing, and it's forgotten until we move on to the next one.

When I started this blog, my second post was a repost of a Facebook message on the Second Amendment in response to the Parkland, Florida school shooting.  There have only been 54 days in between these posts.  And here we are again, with a school shooting in Santa Fe, Texas.  And I haven't even touched on all of the school shootings that have occurred.  There have been 5 other school shootings in the interim, just not to the same scope.

We have an addiction to guns in this country that causes us to look at anything else except gun control as a possible solution.  It's far past time we put everything on the table.  We should be looking at mental health care.  We should be looking at bullying.  We should be looking at the family structure.  We should be looking at socio-economic status and mobility.  AND we should be looking at sensible gun control.  We're a big country and pretty good at multi-tasking.  We're more than capable of looking at it all.

But I'm too tired to write anymore on this.  Who knows what good it does at this point.  In lieu of further debate, I'm just going to post facts and let them speak for themselves.

• On an average day, 96 Americans are killed with guns.
• On average, there are nearly 13,000 gun homicides a year in the United States.
• For every one person killed with guns, two more are injured.
• 62% of firearm deaths in the United States are suicides.
• Seven children and teens are killed with guns in the United States on an average day.
• In an average month, 50 women are shot to death by an intimate partner in the United States.
• America's gun homicide rate is more than 25 times the average of other high-income countries.
• The United States accounts for 46% of the population, but 82% of the gun deaths.
• Background checks have blocked over 3 million gun sales to prohibited people.
• Black men are 13 times more likely than white men to be shot and killed with guns.
• The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of the woman being killed by five times.

https://everytownresearch.org/gun-violence-by-the-numbers/

The Second Mile

"On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus.  'Teacher,' he asked, 'what must I do to inherit eternal life?'
'What is written in the Law?' he replied.  'How do you read it?'
He answered, ' "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself."'
'You have answered correctly,' Jesus replied.  'Do this and you will live.'
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?' "

Luke 10:25-29

I love the story of the Good Samaritan. It contains a perfect summation of the law and a beautiful example of the love that Jesus has called us to.  It also shares many similarities with the story of the rich young ruler.

In this encounter with Jesus, we see a searcher truly asking Jesus what is required for eternal life.  And when asked what the Law requires, he gives the correct summary.  In fact, he gives the summary that Jesus himself gives - to love God and to love your neighbor.  This should have been sufficient, but the young expert in the law wanted to qualify who counted as his neighbor.

This was the Pharisees problem.  “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue, and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God.  You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.”  Luke 11:42  The Pharisees, like this expert, would have no problem with loving their neighbor so long as they were good Jews, but any going any further than that would be problematic.

In telling the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus described a traveler along the Bloody Path, a crooked, winding pathway going from the mountain to sea level.  It was known to be treacherous, with many areas prone to gangs and marauders.  It would not be a surprise in the story for the man to have been attacked and left injured on the side of the road.

The surprise would have come with those appearing next in the story who had the opportunity to offer aid, a priest, a levite, and a Samaritan.  The priest and the levite would have represented the very best of the best to the Jews.  The Samaritan would have been viewed as trash.  The were viewed as dogs.  Less than dirt.  Jews and Samaritans hated each other on a level of Jews and Nazis, Jews and Palestinians, Christians/Jews and Muslims, etc.

So it becomes very interesting that the only one to stop and offer aid was the lowly Samaritan.  I think Dr. Martin Luther King has one of the most interesting insights on this passage.  He outlined how the Priest and the Levite looked at the man and asked "If I help this man what will happen to me?"  King would summarize "it weighed more with them that he might be dead and defiling to the touch of those whose business was with holy things than that he might be alive and in need of care."  They were so concerned regarding their own defilement from touching a dead body, which would require a cleaning before entering the temple.  He noted that the Samaritan on the other hand looked at the man and asked “If I do not help this man, what will happen to him?"

We can further see how serious Jesus is about loving our neighbor and how challenging that will be in the Sermon on the Mount.  There Jesus outlines exactly how we are to love our neighbor.  To love them even when it hurts, when it’s uncomfortable.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'  But I tell you, do not resist and evil person.  If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.  And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.  If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.  Give to the one who asks you, and do  not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from  you.
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others?  Do not even pagans do that?  Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Matthew 5:38-48

Jesus outlined a few big categories on how to love and I really do think we underestimate how difficult and how radical they are.  First, we are to love everyone including our enemies.  We are to love and for our enemies.  Not just a "pious" prayer of “Lord bring them around to you,” though that is a part. It’s pray for them as we do ourselves: pray for their safety, pray for their nourishment, pray for their well being, etc.

Second, we are to turn the other cheek.  Jesus is literally directing us toward not seeking retribution and avoiding escalation.   Please note, Jesus does not provide any limitations on this.  There is not a limitation on the number of times that we are to turn the other cheek.  To focus on such a number is the equivalent of asking "who is my neighbor."  It's slightly missing the point.  The focus is to avoid conflict.

Jesus then reiterates this concept by instructing us to give the shirt off your back.  This example is discussed in a court room sense.  We are to settle disputes rather than seeking court justification; if giving your opponent your shirt (something extra) will settle the dispute finally, it is better to do so.

Jesus then closes the examples by telling us to go the extra mile.  The second mile.  This is a form of impressment.  In Roman days, Jews like others under Roman occupation, could be forced to carry a soldier’s bag (100 lb) for one mile.  Regardless of what the Jew was doing, regardless of where the solider was going, the Jew was required by punishment of law to carry the soldiers pack.

As you can imagine, there were typically two different types of responses to this requirement.  The Zealots, or the religious right/fundamentalists, would dig in and engage in  “civil” disobedience.  Be thrown in jail for refusal.  This type of requirement and response would be part of what led to a Jewish revolution attempt
The average person might carry the pack, but would grumble the whole way, throw the pack down at the end, and storm off in a huff.

But Jesus says do more – do something astonishing.  Don't just carry the pack the required distance.  Go further.  Don't do it begrudgingly; do it willingly.  Do it as service to God.

It's also very important to notice what Jesus does not say.

He does not say use the second mile as an opportunity just to witness.  This might be a natural outcome, but the command is not there.  We’re not to do this for an ulterior motive beyond carrying the pack and providing the assistance needed.

He also does not give any exceptions.  There is no exception for circumstance.  Of particular interest, there is no exception for the Sabbath.  On the Sabbath, Jews viewed scripture as preventing them from being able to work, regardless of what the work was for.  They had even calculated the specific number of steps that they were allowed to take to prevent them from breaking this rule.  What is very interesting about this situation is that depending on the circumstances, a Jew might be able to carry the pack for one mile and return to his home without breaking the number of steps.  By instructing them to walk two miles, still having the return trip of two miles, without an exception for the Sabbath, Jesus' new instruction would definitely cause them to break the allotted number of steps on a Sabbath.  One further indication showing Jesus cares not for our religious rules we have created, but deeply cares about his people and the instruction to love.

In that context, what does going the second mile look like today:

• Perhaps going the extra mile looks like caring for someone through their illness instead of leaving them to it as a consequence of their sin.  The church missed a tremendous opportunity to care for and love on hurting people in the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.
• Perhaps going the extra mile looks like praying for political leadership we oppose and not resorting to calling them various names or calling for their heads whether on Facebook or in person.
• Perhaps going the extra mile today looks like calling a person by the name and gender they identify with rather than the one we are comfortable with, and recognizing that a person who goes through a transition as quickly and as publicly as Caitlin Jenner has gone through may have many other issues and hurts in her life that need to be addressed

I don’t know that any of these are 100% right.  But I do know that planting our flag on one side and declaring an entire set of people as “them” and putting a chasm in between us and making them approach us only if they’ve cleaned up and agree with us, is 100% wrong.

And further, the focus on being "right" is another adventure in missing the point.  It's the pharisee asking "who is our neighbor" or asking how many times to turn our cheeks.  The focus on being "right" is one of the most detrimental instincts in the church.  It is at the root at a number of church splits that we have seen, preventing God's universal Church from getting along with each other.    It's what puts doctrine over discipleship.   And any number of horrors can be justified under the banner of being "right" (the Crusades, the Salem Witch Trials, the continued propagation of the "curse of Ham" doctrine).

So the question today is what is our response when we’re told to carry the pack:

Are we the zealot, focusing on our own righteousness, just like the Pharisees and Sadduccees?  The priest or the Levite who focuses on keeping themselves clean?

Are we the average Jew, who is dragged along and complies, grumbling all the time?

Or are we the one that astonishes?  The Samaritan who is deeply concerned about what will happen to his fellow man if he does not act?


"By this everyone will know you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 13:35

"Above all love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins."

1 Peter 4:8

20th Century Disney

With Deadpool 2 coming out this weekend, my thoughts have turned to the still pending acquisition of 20th Century Fox by the Walt Disney Company.  It boggles the mind to think that in a couple of years, a Deadpool film could be a technically Disney film.

With that in mind, I wanted to record a few random thoughts on the upcoming merger:

• If this is for content for their upcoming streaming service, Disney really is buying the best of the remaining film libraries.  Of the classic big five studios (Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, MGM, RKO, and Paramount), the 20th Century Fox film library is really the only one that Disney could acquire.  Warner Brothers, through Turner/Time Warner, controls the Warner Bros., classic MGM, and RKO libraries, and would be unlikely to sell to Disney.  Paramount with its connection to CBS is in a similar position.  Likewise the mini-major Universal would never sell to Disney.  They, through Comcast, are Disney's greatest competitor for the 20th Century Fox library.

• Fox seems also to be a good fit as it was one of the majors that did not have its own animation studio at the time.

• Disney will be getting a heck of a film library.   Shirley Temple, Charlie Chan, Rodgers and Hammerstein, the Three Stooges, and Marilyn Monroe.  Alien, The French Connection, The Day the Earth Stood Still, M*A*S*H, Miracle on 34th Street.  Planet of the Apes.  In addition to getting all rights to Star Wars and the remaining Marvel films.  This plus all of the Disney, Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Marvel materials.

• Hopefully, given the back catalog, the streaming service better dig deep and not just be the modern films.

• Additionally, this gives enough material for a Disney Classic television station.

• It really makes me upset that the Great Movie Ride is being replaced by Mickey's Runaway Railway.  I would love to see the Mickey ride added in a different location, but the Great Movie Ride could become something really amazing just focusing on Disney owned assets.  Could you imagine? Leave in Alien, Raiders of the Lost Ark,  and Fantasia. Add in Sound of Music (or any of the Rodgers and Hammerstein films), The French Connection, Young Frankenstein, Planet of the Apes, Cleopatra, The Robe, The Seven Year Itch, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and M*A*S*H.   Replace the Wizard of Oz section with an extensive Mary Poppins segment.

• Further, it's a shame that the Streets of America are gone from Disney Hollywood Studios, as the New York Street could have an amazing Miracle on 34th Street overlay at Christmas.

• And that was just film; Disney now owns an incredible television library. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, Daniel Boone, M*A*S*H, LA Law, Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Alien Nation.  Futurama.  The Simpsons.  I'm determined to get a Firefly attraction of the ground now.

• Adventures by Disney better include a 20th Century Fox Studio tour in the Southern California trip.  I would love to have a combined Muppets, Disney, Pixar, 20th Century Fox studio tour itinerary. 

• Anastasia is now a Disney princess (after years of being mistaken for one).

• I am very excited to have almost all of Marvel under one roof finally.  Just need to get Spider-man away from Sony, though I am at least glad they have worked out an arrangement.

• National Geographic will be a valuable asset, especially for Animal Kingdom.  It's a natural fit, especially given Walt's interest in true life adventures.  Will be interesting to see how they pair it with Disneynature.

• Glad they will be splitting out Fox News and the Fox Sports (beyond the Regional Sports Networks).  No need to have more redundancy than needed and this should help the FTC review.
• Though it will be years before this could impact the parks, it is exciting to get nearly all of the attractions in the park under the larger Disney umbrella (the only oddball now is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror).  After the Lucasfilm purchase, Avatar was the other major licensed property.

• Beyond Avatar, it will be interesting to see what else might make it into the parks.  Planet of the Apes?  Maybe bits of The Greatest Showman?  I doubt we'll see anything Alien or Predator.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

I love to travel.  That's an understatement; I love everything about it.  I love to research locations.   I love to plan to the travel, I love the voyage, I love the sightseeing, I love the attractions. And most of all, I love the food.

I love to research and plan where to eat when we get there.  I love to look for unique and exciting new options to try in each particular location.

We're looking at a quick weekend in New York City in the fall and I cannot wait.  We know the primary show that we want to see and want to hope to catch a TKTS show for the other day.

Most of all, right now, I am planning the food.

Korean.
Bolivian.
Cuban.
Pizza (though we know exactly where we are eating for that one).
Classic Breakfast options.

And definitely Juniors for after show cheesecake.

I want to find something exciting and new and New York is a great place to find it.  A true representation of the melting pot that is America.  Shoot, we may even go for some Harlem soul food from an Ethiopian-born, Swiss trained chef.

The menus all look wonderful and I relish looking them over.  I'm ready to go, but I'm going to enjoy these months getting ready.

Bon Voyage!

Truth

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

John 8:32

We have a bit of a strained relationship with the truth in our country.  This can be attributed to the rising cult of opinion, but it goes deeper.  We've even named the times the post-truth age.  We evaluate information for its truthiness.  And we are on the lookout for alternative facts and fake news.

Certainly, this is not something new, rather it is something we are much more aware of.  We are drowning in a flood of information and hear of far more instances of it.  But that does not make it any less troubling.

To me this has caused us to split into two different groups regarding where the fundamental problem lies.  The first group sees that the problem revolves around the refusal of absolute truths.  To them, the greatest problem is relativism.  The answer is easy.  Things are black or white, with very little, if any, grey.  And the world would be better off if these absolutes were enforced.

The second group sees only grey.  Every situation must be evaluated for its particular context and for the particular feelings and consequences that will be implicated.  There is a greater concern for the people and things involved than in upholding any absolute.

Life, of course, is somewhere in the middle.  We must recognize that there are absolute truths in this universe.   Just as there are certain absolute facts that must be upheld in order for our universe to function, there are similar moral absolutes that must be maintained in order for our society to function.

It's like the discussion of the purpose of the church from Sunday; the balance of truth and love.   Some churches like to focus only on the truth, just the truth, and only the truth.  No grace, no assistance in the struggle, just constant reminders of all the things that are a sin.  All the ways that people are going to hell.  We can think of the very extreme versions of this like Westboro, but it happens on a much more subtle way in churches all across the country in every city and town.  You can even see it in the way the Southern Baptist Convention is having to struggle with interpretations on the requirements of staying in marriages versus love and grace to those impacted in abusive relationships of various forms in the wake of the controversy surrounding Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson and his comments.  It's the desire to be right above all else.

A church that is all truth is like a smoothie that is all water, beets, celery, kale, ginger, etc.  It might be good for you, but its a little bitter and tough to swallow.  Like trying to take castor oil.

Other churches come down on all love.  Avoiding the parts of the Bible that might hurt someone or be offensive, avoiding any controversy at all.  Rather focusing only on "God is Love."  And again, while we can jump to various Universalists, it happens to a larger degree than we would imagine.  Pastors afraid to confront anyone in their church for fear of running them off.   Continuing the example, like a smoothie made of cola, sugar, candy, and chocolate.  Too sicky sweet, no substance, no benefit beyond comfort.  The syrup without the medicine.

The ideal is truth in love.  A church that loves so much, they are not afraid to correct each other in love to make sure that they grow and sharpen each other.  A smoothie that has a little spinach, almond milk, bananas, and peanut butter.  A spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.

Because we know the reality is that the churches that focus only on truth are most often focusing only on a partial truth.  Cherry picking the truths that they wish to enforce.  Or more specifically, ignoring the truths that require them to love, to be generous, to be kind, to avoid judging, etc.  Focusing on specific, absolute truths can often blind them to smaller truths as well.

Let's use another example.  The dress controversy.  An absolute truth would be that "the dress as bought in a store was black and blue".  Many people used this fact to justify their view of what was visible in the picture of the dress.  Armed with this fact, there was no way that the dress could be any other combination of color.  This would blind them to the fact of another truth - "a picture of the dress where the color saturation is off, the lighting is dark, and the exposure is different can make the dress appear white and gold."

So while it is true that we should 'have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them," it is also true that we should "first take the plank out of our own eye" and that we should "do everything in love."

That said, the sound clip is very clearly saying "Laurel" and if you are hearing "Yanny", you need to have your hearing or equipment checked.

Why moving it’s a small world from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT benefits both parks

The below is reprinting from a letter drafted to the Walt Disney Company arguing why it's a small world should be moved from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT.  I'm sending it to Bob Iger, Bob Chapek, and the presidents of the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.  Hopefully it will be read.

--------------------

There is probably no attraction more synonymous with Disney than it’s a small world.  The Happiest Voyage that Ever Sailed. Originally designed for the 1964 World’s Fair, it has become a staple of every Disneyland style park that the Disney Company has built (apart from Shanghai, a little too early for that one potentially).

Generally it’s a small world has been placed in the Fantasyland section of Disneyland style parks.  And the Magic Kingdom is no exception.  In that park, it’s a small world has a prominent place at the edge of Fantasyland and Liberty Square.  And this placement has served the attraction well for nearly fifty years at this point.

But Walt Disney World has something that other Disneyland resorts do not have, namely a larger variety of additional theme parks within the resort.  In this case, there are issues with the particular it’s a small world attraction in the Magic Kingdom, along with larger issues in the park, as well as EPCOT, that would make EPCOT a much more beneficial home for the classic attraction.

In this letter, I will address:
• The current issues faced by the it’s a small world attraction in the Magic Kingdom
• The broader issues faced by the Magic Kingdom park itself
• The issues faced by EPCOT
• The potential barriers to making such a switch
• The proposal
• The benefits to the Magic Kingdom for moving it’s a small world
• The benefits to EPCOT for moving it’s a small world

The current issues faced by the it’s a small world attraction in the Magic Kingdom
While the attraction has existed in the Magic Kingdom for nearly fifty years at this point, it has not been with a unique set of issues faced by the attraction in this location.

First, the it’s a small world attraction in the Magic Kingdom is the least aesthetically pleasing of all of the it’s a small world attractions, particularly in regard to the exterior façade.  All of the other theme parks have the Mary Blair-inspired façade, Disneyland in the classic white and gold, with the remaining parks in the multi-color version.   The Magic Kingdom has the medieval tent inspired, box-like façade with a nod to the original on the back wall of the loading area.  This was originally implemented as a concession to the heat and rain in Florida, but there have been other versions of the classic it’s a small world façade that have been used in similar harsh climates (Paris and Tokyo).  It is a shame that the most attended theme park in the world has the least appealing version of this classic attraction.

Second, the attraction in the Magic Kingdom has not received the upgrades that the other parks’ versions have.  Lighting upgrades, sound upgrades, the addition of Disney characters into their appropriate countries.  There are several items that could greatly benefit the attraction that have not yet been addressed in this version.

Though these may seem small, to address them, the exterior in particular, would require a near complete rebuild of the attraction.  If a rebuild is required, then the location is something that can be evaluated.  Particularly in light of the issues that are addressing the park as a whole.

The broader issues faced by the Magic Kingdom park itself
As the most attended theme park in the world, the Magic Kingdom itself has broader issues that need to be addressed.

First, the park is in need of additional walkway capacity to minimize congestion and choke points.  The park feels crowded far too often and is in need of additional attractions and additional pathways to alleviate the crowding.  The area between it’s a small world and Peter Pan’s Flight becomes one such choke point, with the extended queue for it’s a small world spilling out into the walkway and requiring Cast Members direct traffic to keep each side moving in one direction only.   This walkway needs to be widened and that will affect it’s a small world.

Second, the park is in need of attraction capacity.  While it’s a small world has a great hourly capacity, it takes up a great amount of land and blocks further northward expansion.  It could be replaced by much more than exists in this area currently, hopefully increasing the overall attraction hourly capacity.

Finally, moving it’s a small world and replacing it with a new attraction could help provide the anticipated boost that New Fantasyland was supposed to bring.  While the New Fantasyland section is a definite aesthetic upgrade, it did not prove to be quite the draw that was expected, perhaps due to low attraction capacity.

The issues faced by EPCOT
Likewise, EPCOT faces several issues that make it’s a small world a better fit for this theme park.

First, while the World Showcase is a very solid section of the park, Future World is in definite need of an identity.  There seems to be no central theme for this area of the park, no core identity that is driving expansion and refurbishments.

Second, EPCOT is in need of attractions.  EPCOT is able to absorb many more people than the Magic Kingdom, but it does not have the drawing power needed to pull people away from the Magic Kingdom.  It is in need of attractions with a large hourly capacity that are proven draws to get people into the park, and potentially away from the Magic Kingdom.

Finally, EPCOT is in need of family or child friendly attractions.  EPCOT is thought of as the adult park.  It has tried to add attractions that will draw in younger guests, there is still a lot that could be added.

If these issues can be addressed by moving it’s a small world, then the main concern is seeing that the benefits outweigh the costs.


The potential barriers to making such a switch
As with any change, there are inherent barriers to the change that must be overcome to justify and validate the change.

First, there is the barrier of cost.  This should be addressed first and gotten out of the way.  Moving it’s a small world to EPCOT (essentially a complete new build at EPCOT, destruction at the Magic Kingdom, and new build of a replacement) will cost a significant amount of money and time.  While I cannot begin to estimate the costs monetarily, I can imagine that the time concerns can be offset by the fact that the existing ride could be open while the new one is constructed and only taken offline when the new location is open, minimizing the impact on capacity.  Monetarily any choice regarding the attraction will have a cost, including the choice of inaction.  The only question is will the benefits outweigh the temporary monetary cost, however great.  I firmly believe the benefits to both parks will do so.

Second, there is the barrier of the status quo.  The way things have always been done.  If the ride is attracting people currently, why make any change.  While the ride definitely has its fans and pulls in people as needed, there are broader issues related to the parks that must be taken into account.  With the attendance at the Magic Kingdom on the rise, there will have to be radical steps taken to alleviate overcrowding and congestion.  I believe this one step could have a great impact in diverting guests from the Magic Kingdom into EPCOT, a park better suited to handle the crowds.

Finally, there is the barrier of nostalgia.  This may be the most challenging barrier to overcome.  There is a sense that it’s a small world belongs a Disneyland style park like the Magic Kingdom.  I believe this can be overcome by building a great new location for the attraction and by showing the connection to the purpose and identity of Future World in EPCOT.  It will be a challenge, but it should not be insurmountable.  Largely his is overcome by exciting people about the additions, drawing them away from the change.

The proposal
The ideal proposal would be to “move” it’s a small world from Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom to another park and then replacing present Magic Kingdom location with an appropriate fairy tale set of attractions.

In evaluating the other parks in the Walt Disney World resort for fit, Animal Kingdom is definitively out, as it’s a small world focuses on peoples of the world and their cultures, not the animal kingdom or man’s interaction with it.  Likewise, it’s a small world has no connection with the Walt Disney Studio or radio, television, and film media beyond the song, so Disney Hollywood Studio is not a good fit, either.

That leaves EPCOT with its focus on the future and world culture.  As the World Showcase is essentially a larger form version of the attraction, there is an argument for inclusion in EPCOT. The question becomes where to place the attraction within the park.

Ideally, as a signature attraction, it’s a small world should have a prominent location within the park, so that the façade can be used as a weenie to draw people to it. Around the World Showcase this would place the attraction either in the American Adventure location or directly across from it (12:00 and 6:00 locations respectively).  Since the goal would be to add to the park, not replace, the American Adventure location would not be desirable.  Similarly, with the attraction pads in Future World largely full, a location in either Future World East or Future World West would not be ideal.
Accordingly, I would propose adding it’s a small world to Showcase Plaza, taking up the open space and the two Port of Entry shops and extending into the lagoon.  While this would involve some reclamation given the size of the attraction and some reworking of the Friendship boat docks, I feel it would be very beneficial to both parks in the long run.

it's a small world in Showcase Plaza

The benefits to the Magic Kingdom
The opening up of the it’s a small world plot in the Magic Kingdom would provide many benefits to the park.

First, removing it’s a small world and the connected Pinocchio’s Village Haus restaurant would allow for expansion of Fantasyland to push northward in this area to match the New Fantasyland expansion.   The replacements for the area could be set back farther north, matching the new back park boundary created by Be Our Guest, Gaston’s and The Little Mermaid.   There is a substantial amount of land north of it’s a small world that is currently inaccessible.  To get to it, you either have to go through it’s a small world or around the Haunted Mansion, hugging the river.  Reworking the it’s a small world area seems to be the more direct approach.

Second, such a reworking above would allow for a wider walkway in the area north of Peter Pan’s Flight and additional walkways and pathways in the new space, to spread out current crowds.  This is highly desired given the current crowd levels.

Finally, the amount of space that would be freed up for replacement and expansion, several new attractions could be added, potentially increasing the total overall ride capacity of the park.  For example, the area containing it’s a small world and north of the attraction could be replaced by nearly the entirety of the Arabian Harbor in Tokyo Disneysea (to add an Aladdin component to complete the Disney Renaissance feel to the New Fantasyland expansion).  If Sinbad’s Storybook Adventure was stacked on top (to the north) of the Magic Lamp Theater, Agrabah Market, and courtyard, the area would be filled with room to spare at the north most portion.  This adds two attractions on top of the replacement, replaces the restaurant, and adds a market and larger open courtyard.  It would seem to be a much more beneficial use of space that the current situation.

The benefits to the Magic Kingdom are small compared to the benefits to EPCOT.

The benefits to EPCOT
EPCOT in addition receives several benefits from the addition of it’s a small world.

First, it’s a small world can solidify the identity of Future World.  Currently Future World struggles to have a coherent identity.  Each pavilion has its own identity, some stronger than others, but there is no tie between the pavilions providing a central theme or message.  Nominally, it is about man’s future and technology, but it is not borne through in the presentation in the park.  In the past, Future World has been described as a continual world’s fair.  I believe that this theme has the greatest potential for a cohesive identity for Future World and can be solidified by focusing on the world’s fair with the greatest Disney connection, the 1964 World’s Fair.  In looking at the 1964 World’s Fair, it is clear that EPCOT has attractions that have links to the four Disney attractions at that New York Fair.  The American Adventure is the clear successor to Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.    Test Track has a similar visual look and purpose to Magic Skyway and the Ford Pavilion.  Even past attractions like Horizons has a spiritual link to the Carousel of Progress.  EPCOT has needed it’s a small world to complete the set.  Please note, all arguments in this letter can also be used to explain why the Carousel of Progress belongs in Future World in EPCOT as well, as opposed to Tomorrowland.
Second, it’s a small world provides the connective link between Future World and World Showcase.  EPCOT has always felt like a park with two separate and distinct areas, connected only by a plaza.  With it’s a small world in Future World, at a prominent connecting location in Showcase Plaza, it serves as a connective link between the World’s Fair Future World and the celebration of countries and cultures in the World Showcase.

It’s a small world also adds a much needed family attraction and draw to EPCOT.  It’s a small world has a high hourly throughput and is for many a seminal ride experience for a Disney trip.  Guests will be drawn to this attraction regardless of the park that it is in.  It would be beneficial to draw more guests into EPCOT, which is better suited to handle them, and away from the Magic Kingdom, which is already overcrowded.  Further, it’s a small world is a perfect attraction for guests of all ages, especially needed for a park that is thought of as the adult park.  There are steps already underway to counteract this perception, like Frozen and Ratatouille, but it’s a small world would be a great draw in this respect as well.

A purpose build of it’s a small world in EPCOT also allows for a total refreshing of the attraction itself.  Walt Disney World would finally get an it’s a small world attraction façade that is worthy of the ride.  Given the location, the façade would need to surround the attraction, but it could be used to great benefit.  In particular, the attraction could be used for a projection show in EPCOT as it is in Disneyland, both as a standalone show and as part of Illuminations.  The purpose build could absorb the Port of Entry shops on each corner and could likewise take care of adjustments to the Friendship boat docks.  Showcase Plaza could be transformed into a better utilized space.  The side of the attraction facing the water could be used for a new stage and amphitheater or could be used for the build of a new restaurant and terrace.  The new build opens up possibilities, including upgrading the interior of the attraction with projection mapping, the Disney character dolls, and improved sound and lighting equipment.  Finally, a new build could prepare the Walt Disney World attraction for the it’s a small world holiday overlay.  The attraction could be positioned in the plaza so that the EPCOT tree would figure prominently into the it’s a small world holiday overlay.

Conclusion
Given the benefits listed above to existing issues with the attraction, the Magic Kingdom, and EPCOT, I would strongly urge and petition that the Disney company move the it’s a small world attraction from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT.

Lois Lane

My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Margot Kidder, who passed away yesterday at the age of sixty-nine.  She is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Lane in Superman: The Movie.  Her Lois Lane was a definitive performance, bringing the character back to her Rosalind Russell, His Girl Friday, roots.  She played Lois as a strong, fiercely independent and competitive reporter who fought her own crusade for truth, justice, and the American way.  She could balance her cynicism and strength with true awe and wonder in the sight of Superman.  One of the many reasons the film is still a delight.

The news of her passing started me thinking on Lois Lane as a character and more broadly about women's roles in film and media.

Like Superman, Lois Lane has turned eighty years old this year.  And through her continued presence in the comics and other media, she has gone through a lot of reinventions.

At her inception, Lois was a tough as nails investigative reporter in a male dominated workforce, who was not afraid to put herself in danger to get her story.  She was Clark Kent's rival, not love-struck over Superman, and not a damsel in distress.  She only needed saving when she intentionally put herself in harm's way to get her story.  She fit in that pre-code Hollywood version of a leading lady.  Influenced heavily by Glenda Farrell and the Torchy Blane series of movies.  This version of Lois is probably best represented in the Fleischer cartoons, where Lois repeatedly works to crack the story on her own.  Her newspaper strip had Lois defeating bad guys and getting the front page headline without any help from Superman.  She was truly the star.

Unfortunately, in the 1950s and 1960s, Lois became a love-struck, marriage obsessed, girlfriend whose number one goal was to discover Superman's secret identity.  The fiercely independent reporter was gone.  All of her stories revolved around a love triangle with Superman and Lana Lang, or about discovering Superman's identity, even in her own comic, Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane.  Reading through these comics today is often a chore, as it is hard not to read overt misogyny into the repeated times Lois is the butt of the joke, even in a title where she is the nominal star.  They do not call this period Superdickery for nothing.

Thankfully, in the years since, Lois Lane has evolved with the times to become a complex and well-rounded character again.  Truthfully, in her current status, married to Superman and mother to Jon, she is one of the most interesting DC characters today.  Still daring and adventurous, still chasing the truth, and now fiercely protective of her family.   And its her role, as a constant seeker of the truth that makes her a perfect companion for Superman. She is perhaps the most recognizable DC comics character who does not have her own title.

And that is a shame.  I have heard several writers and artists who would love to take on a modern Lois Lane comic, male and female.  I would be all over a Greg Rucka written Lois Lane, Reporter comic.

But despite her history and prominence, she is still relegated to a supporting character, primarily in two books.

Her history feels like it parallels the over all role of women in media through the 20th and 21st centuries.  If you look at Hollywood in particular, it is very revealing.  In 2013, women accounted for only 15% of all protagonists and only 30% of all speaking roles, despite representing 50% of the population.  It's strange that this is an area we have regressed in.  Women dominated Hollywood from 1917 to 1923.  Even in the heyday of the Golden Age from the 1930s into the early 1940s, all that mattered was star power regardless of gender.  Betty Davis practically ran Warner Brothers over Jack.

The early investigative Lois represented this spirit.  And her character waned as women in film similarly faded with the Hays code and the changes in social norms through the 1950s and 1960s.  Very few films from that time could even pass the Bechdel test, with large numbers of film where the women in the film never talk to each other.  Things are improving, and the response to the Wonder Woman film last year proves that there is a demand for a change.  There is still a long way to go, though.

We need Lois Lane again, front and center.  Searching for the truth, revealing it to the world.  It's what made Superman fall in love with her.  She could look at Clark Kent, Superman's bumbling alter ego representing the worst of his flaws, see right through it, and know that he was Superman.

Writer's Block and Inspiration

Hitting the wall.  

The fear of the blank page or blank page syndrome.  

Running out of gas.  

A creative slowdown.  

Lack of inspiration.  

The yips.  

Burnout.

Every creative type faces it at some point.  That time where you feel that you have run out of things to say.  At least at that particular moment.  Where your muse is no longer speaking to you.

The easy thing to do is to cave.  To give in and let the blank page reign.  To wait until inspiration strikes again, whenever that may be.

I had started this blog with the goal of posting new content daily largely as a writing exercise.  To get in the ten thousand hours Malcolm Gladwell has noted to refine talent.  To build that skill and more finely hone it.  And that requires working through the light times anyway.  To write, whether or not I have anything in particular to say that day.  So I'm bringing you along on that journey.

I had started a completely different topic for today, but could not bring it together.  I was trying to write something that was not mine.  To make an argument that I support, but have no passion in.  And it just would not come together.  So, it was discarded.

I listen to a lot of podcasts involving discussion of the creative process, often involving a lot of writers of various media.  The one question that gets asked over and over again is "how to become a writer."  And the answer, invariably, is always "write."

The longer something stays in your head, the longer the idea of writing remains only an idea, the harder it is to ever really begin.

So, write, and keep writing.  Write about what interests you.  Write about what angers you.  Write something.  Anything.  If it's bad, write it anyway and then come back to it the next day to re-write.

And if you find yourself stuck with writer's block, maybe try what I did and just write about it.

"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master."

Ernest Hemingway

Mom

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. 

Washington Irving

One of my favorites

Love you Mom!

Teacher Appreciation

Today is the close of teacher appreciation week.  I hope they have been truly shown how much they are valued this week.   By their students, the parents, other teachers, and administration.

Hopefully everyone has a teacher that they can thank in their life for inspiring or motivating them.  Recognizing the impact teachers have on the lives around them.

I feel blessed to have had so many wonderful teachers throughout my lifetime, at all levels.  There really are too many to mention here in any meaningful way.  I'm proud to have so many teachers that I would consider family and I'm proud to have teachers that I call friends.

I'm especially proud of the teacher that I married.

I see what she goes through.  I know the hours that she puts in.  She has a coach's hours, with very little off-season between the two shows.  Plus, she has the six class periods (four different, but related classes) that she has to be on top of.  And she manages a summer travel opportunity for students.

I know the hours she puts in during the summer to prepare for the start of school and the new production.  And the research that goes into show selection.

I know how she cares for her students.  They are her kids and I know that every year, our adopted family grows as the kids move through the high school.  Especially for those students who are in the shows.  If you are in a production, you are one of her kids.  She celebrates when you do and she hurts when you do.  Like good families, they can have their dysfunctions and disagreements, but the members are better for their time together.

I know the push and pull she goes through to balance her work with her students and the school and with home.  I hope she knows how well she is succeeding.

She is passionate and determined.  Imaginative and fierce.  She thinks I'm the one with more patience, but I remind her that she is the one that is surrounded by high schoolers all day and does not throttle them.

I hope she has been reminded over and over again how much she is appreciated.

The hours go way beyond whatever you imagine a regular school day is.  The pay is far too low for what we ask of them.  They cobble things together from duct-tape and bailing wire to make sure they have what they need for the class.  And they succeed in spite of the ridiculous tests that we ask them to prepare students for.

They do it because it is a calling.  Because they know that they have the potential to reach someone.  To make someone else's life better.

So go hug a teacher. Go shake their hand.  If one of them truly made a difference in your life, please let them know.  You cannot imagine how much it means to them.

And for my part,

We notice.  We thank you.  How can we help?

--------------------

And Gorgeous, if I say I love you more here, it counts right?

I Wanna Be A Producer

I wanna be a producer, with a hit show on Broadway.  I wanna be a producer, lunch at Sardi's everyday.

One of the many things I have enjoyed about being married to a theater teacher is getting to play producer.  I like reading scripts and finding good ones.  I like seeing shows to determine what will work and what cannot.  I like being a sounding board for approaches or styles and helping find pieces that will complete the set or the finishing touch for a costume.

I like being a part of making art happen.

When I dream of coming into a large sum of money (lottery or Publisher's Clearing House), being an old school patron is one of the things I can definitely envision doing.  Funding art just to see it completed.

I have even come up with a name for my production company.  Even Keeler Productions.

A stab at a logo

I've had that name since at least 2012, when I helped create a logo for Jamie's production of Julius Caesar.  A Caesar inspired by the Warriors and Mad Max, warring tribes and gang lords.  She wanted an image that really sold the different take on Caesar.  The anarchy that followed the toppling of tyranny.

And Caesar shall go forth

It's just a paint work up, but I'm still proud of how that image turned out and how it looked on the show shirts.  I'm really proud for Jamie how well that show came together and how her students sold it.  It was a very good cutting and they gave it everything.  Transition action gave way into sound.  The rhythm of the show moved so well.  And the kids sold it.  A great show.

That's the magic.  To see it all come together.  To watch truth be revealed from even the humblest of beginnings.   There is magic in the theater and the theater is magic.

I'm just glad I get to be apart of that magic as long as they will let me.

If I Were Disney CEO Part 7 - The Magic Kingdom

"Walt Disney World is tribute to the philosophy and life of Walter Elias Disney...and to the talents, the dedication, and the loyalty of the entire Disney organization that made Walt Disney's dream come true.  May Walt Disney World bring Joy and Inspriration and New Knowledge to all who come to this happy place...a Magic Kingdom where the young at heart of all ages can laugh and play and learn - together."

Roy O. Disney, Octomber 25, 1971

We have now moved on from California to Florida.  To the Vacation Kingdom of the world and to the most visited theme park in the world.

The Magic Kingdom.

If Disneyland is the cornerstone, the Magic Kingdom is the crown jewel.  The grand dame to Disneyland's girl next door.

Imagineering took what it learned from Disneyland and implemented those lessons in the Magic Kingdom.  The Magic Kingdom is grander and more open and inviting.  As Walt would mention, they had the "blessing of size" in Florida.  Today, this has become a blessing and a curse, creating some issues that need to be addressed.

I will say up front that I am a lot less precious regarding the Magic Kingdom.  Because Disneyland has Walt's direct influence and because of its status as the first park (and arguably the first theme park), I am much more inclined there to preserve what exists and add carefully.  In the Magic Kingdom, I am much more likely to propose drastic changes and have included a few below.  For me, this stems largely from the original idea that the Magic Kingdom would include unique attractions from its California counterpart.  The duplicate rides were largely a compromise.  With that knowledge, I feel freer to bring back that desired unique identity.

Accordingly, my goals for the park are both similar and widely different than Disneyland.


Primary Goals:

• Like Disneyland, a capital priority is increasing park flow capacity.  By this, I mean increasing the number and surface area of pathways that guests can used to move around the park, hopefully to alleviate some of the crushing congestion the park can experience.
• Beyond this, the Magic Kingdom also needs to increase ride and attraction capacity and utilization. Despite the "blessing of size" and the higher attendance levels, the Magic Kingdom trails Disneyland by nearly ten attractions.  The park needs a mix of A-E tickets to fill out the park offerings and to absorb all the guests it is attracting.
• Maximize utility by making sure that every space that has previously been open to guests is currently open and used to the fullest.
• Finally, I want to cement the Magic Kingdom's unique identity.  As discussed in the Disneyland post, I want the park to have its own feel compared to Disneyland and for each land to have their own feel compared to their California counterparts.  Likewise, there should be unique attractions in each segment to compel guests to visit this park in particular.  My concerns in this area come down to guest overlap.  Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom should be distinct because they share a segment of the population.  Likewise, the Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Paris need to feel unique because of the shared guest pool due to United Kingdom marketing for Walt Disney World.  Similar concerns would exist between Hong Kong and Shanghai.

With these goals in mind, I’ll walk through each land in the park and discuss the updates.  I'll be walking through the park clockwise from Main Street, heading through Adventureland first and working around to Tomorrowland.  This is generally the approach we take in visiting the park, so it makes the most sense to me to approach it this way in addressing the parks needs and changes.


Main Street:
Main Street in the Magic Kingdom represents a slightly larger town at the turn of the century.  The lessons learned in Disneyland allowed for wider streets, taller buildings (still to scale) and a slightly more upscale feel.  Like moving from Marceline to Kansas City, Missouri.

It has its issues, currently.  The entirety of Main Street has become one large store, especially the entirety of the west side.  You can move through the one large store from Town Square to the hub.

The Magic Kingdom at least has two things that are unique to this particular park.  The Harmony Barber Shop and the Town Square Theater with meet and greets for Mickey and others.

Like Disneyland, the best thing Main Street can add is to make the bypass on the east side permanent.  With the Magic Kingdom, thankfully, there is a lot more room to expand.

Second Street and the Center Street Connection

Disney has already announced plans for this area, though they have apparently put them on hold.  They are looking to add a large scale theater like the Hyperion in Disney California Adventure, inspired by the Willis Wood Theater in Kansas City, Missouri.   

While the theater makes a certain degree of sense and is a needed addition to the park, I don't believe this is the appropriate space.  The theater would take up the entirety of the space, making the only people entering and exiting the space those that were visiting the shows.  The walkways, then only absorb the crowds at show time.  For me, this space would be better served with additions that allow for a formalization of the bypass into a main through fare, as well as adding a spur that connects to tomorrow land between Buzz and the Carousel of Progress.  Creating an expansion area, but also adding to park flow capacity.  

This will also require the opening of Center Street, through the current location of the lockers.  The lockers will need to be relocated, potentially to an area in this new space.

Expanded offerings of Citizens of Main Street would also be beneficial to the park.  These are the kid of offerings that add atmosphere and can round out a guest's day.  They can work better here in the Magic Kingdom than in Disneyland given the expanded walkways and buildings.

These particular elements start to dictate what type of theme should be applied to this section.  Were the Dumbo circus area not already created as part of the Fantasyland expansion, this would be the perfect spot for it.  Related to Main Street and the turn of the century, near the railroad, and able to use the circus tents to hide views of Tomorrowland.  Currently, I wonder if the Zootopia land would fit in here.  One ride, lots of shops and experiences.  Shops able to hide the backs of buildings, puppets to entertain.  Pathways open enough to make the necessary connections.    Otherwise, I lean towards a turn of the century park, with street vendors, a swing ride, a small theater, meet and greet gazebos and plenty of shade.

Finally, the railroad at the Magic Kingdom needs to be enhanced.  There are just a couple of spots where railroad actually offers and interesting view.  For the largest portion of the ride, it looks at bare forest or even unthemed backstage areas.  Disneyland's railroad at least has the ride through Splash Mountain, the new trellis bridge, and the Primeval World and Grand Canyon dioramas.  Additions to the railroad would go a long way toward making it a draw in and of itself beyond just as a transportation system.  I will discuss proposed additions in the specific lands in which they would occur.


The Hub:
The hub in the Magic Kingdom has just come through a radical renovation, expanding park space, walkways, and fountains.  I think there is definitely room for more expansion and with the goal of adding at least ten attractions to get closer to Disneyland, the locations are going to have to be creative.

First, the most important thing will be to get the Tomorrowland Terrace Station continuously operational and to improve it's menu.  It's too valuable of a location to be seasonal.  And the arguments against the space are "chicken and egg."  It's never open, so people never eat there, etc.   The space needs a set menu, with unique offerings that become hits and are only offered there to drive people to it.

In terms of additions, I have a couple of suggestions for inside the hub itself.    I would add a couple of gazebos/bandstands for impromptu concerts and meet and greets.  Those are identified in the light purple circles below.

The first radical suggestions

For the first radical change, I would move Prince Charming's Carousel to the hub, indicated by the blue circle above.  There is plenty of land here for use that is not utilized and this is an experiment that has been tried in Shanghai.  In Shanghai, both Dumbo and the carousel are before the castle.  Dumbo is in a good location here with its own mini-land, but the carousel can be moved.  Doing so would open up Fantasyland greatly and would create a very distinctive feel to both the hub and Fantasyland.  Further, a carousel is the perfect kind of transition attraction from turn-of-the-century Main Street to Fantasyland.

There are also areas on each side of the castle that are currently just large forested sections.  These can both be better utilized.  I would like to keep as many trees in the area as possible while still adding a useful space.  To the east of the castle, I would seek to add an attraction.  To give a sense of size, you could add something the size of Peter Pan in that space.  I would add a dark ride attraction with an entrance on the east side of the building (facing Cosmic Rays, where the red arrow is).  On the front, hub-facing side of the attraction, I would want to keep a row of trees to camouflage the building.  Perhaps the ride could be themed to Hercules (particular for reasons I'll discuss with Fantasyland regarding its identity).  If not an enclosed dark ride, at least a Philoctetes training ground whip ride with Greek Statuary.

On the west side of the castle, I would look to add an Enchanted Garden space.  This would ideally be a Tropical Hideaway-like space that has tables in a garden setting with a counter service food stand.  Instead of a tropical setting, this would be a Versailles style garden, well manicured and designed.  Exactly what you would imagine surrounding castle walls.  This space could be a great benefit adding potential seating for Sleepy Hollow Refreshments and a potential view of the parades as they pass from Liberty Square into the hub.


Adventureland:
If Adventureland in Disneyland is anchored by Indiana Jones and derives its identity from that attraction, Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom is defined by two attractions and should really be split into a main land and a subland.  First there is Adventureland anchored and defined by the Jungle Cruise.  Then there is Caribbean Plaza, defined by the Pirates of the Caribbean.

The Jungle Cruise clearly dominates Adventureland, tying the various pieces together.  This is especially true with the new Skipper's Canteen restaurant.  Accordingly, Adventureland here should lean into that world travel, Jungle Cruise theme.  This means two things: 1) restoring many shops back to their original facades (removing the Agrabah overlay) and 2) replacing The Magic Carpets of Aladdin with an appropriate ride.  Previously, this list would have included the restoration of a previously used area with the Adventureland Veranda, but with that being used for the Magic Kingdom Club 33 space, the need is lessened.  I do hope they do not call it Club 33 here but something appropriate like the Admiral's Club (since it is next to a Skipper's Canteen).

A restoration and a replacement

First, the shops highlighted in yellow above should be restored to their previous tropic theme.  The Agrabah overlay has overstayed its welcome.  And should be more appropriately in another section of the park.  Others have written more eloquently on this subject than I ever could.

Further, the Aladdin spinner will be moving out of Adventureland.  It will still be in the park, as my goal is to increase the attraction count, not decrease and we will be replacing the ride here with another ride that is more theme appropriate.  Here I would add an Octopus ride, themed to an actual oversized octopus or a spinning barrel teacup like ride.  A madcap adventure the Skippers cannot control, somewhat similar to the Kraken ride in the Disney Magic Kingdoms game.

Further, I think the Adventureland portion of the old Swan Boats path that goes around the Swiss Family Robinson treehouse could be used for a Mack Interactive Boat Ride.  A Junior Jungle Cruise Skipper ride that where those on board can shoot water cannons to activate different things around the tree.  Great visuals in the land, a fun use of a prior existing water ride track layout, and a good opportunity for additional capacity (though this rides would be low).  The entrance could be just inside the Adventureland gates on the left, using that available space.

For Adventureland, there is also a large expansion pad that should be utilized.  There is a path way between Pirates and the Jungle Cruise that would be the path leading out, beyond the railroad tracks and to the expansion pad.  For this expansion, while I would love for Disney to finally build Fire Mountain, this space looks to be themed to Moana.  

Adventureland Expansion

The concept art around Moana designed for EPCOT looked nice enough, with a flume-ish ride and spinner.  Hopefully that changes, as there are really too many spinners here already and a massive flume ride, but we'll see.  I'd love to see a Moana dark ride using the Shanghai Pirates technology as well as a water play area at least.

Caribbean Plaza will remain largely the same.  I do want to make sure that the Tortuga Tavern is continuously on line and serving guests.  I would like to restore the sights and sound around Pirates of the Caribbean and in the queue particularly to restore Florida's version back to it's unique place where the fort is under attack.  Passport to Dreams Old and New outlines the changes that have been made in detail and I would look to restore this lost art.

I would also ideally like to make use of the space to the west of Pirates, perhaps with a water feature and moored galleon.  Largely looking to make Caribbean Plaza feel like a complete sub-land.

Frontierland:

Frontierland in the Magic Kingdom provides the best example of a yester-land approach to Frontierland in all of the Disney Parks.  As you make a circle around the Rivers of America, you progress through time and space in America's past, starting from Revolutionary Boston to the riverboat South and then to a late 1800s West.  Future expansion should continue this trend.

With that in mind, Frontierland as it currently exists only needs to be strengthened.  In particular, the Diamond Horseshoe needs a show and should be a more consistent dining venue.  The Country Bear Jamboree needs to get the seasonal versions back, including the Vacation Hoedown and the Christmas version.  The new Disney music version can stay for a while, but then is just cycled into the rotations.

That leaves plenty of future expansion around river to complete the circuit.  There is already a passage under the railroad tracks to get to the Splash Mountain queue.  This has already been a hot topic mentioned at past D23s as the start of Beyond Big Thunder.  The concept art so far focused on moving from Western desert America to Mexico and Central/South America, particularly focused on Coco and Encanto.

Frontierland Expansion

However, there is also concept art out for a Central and South America reworking of the Dinosaur section of Animal Kingdom. This is a much stronger concept and I would place those there, utilizing Coco, Encanto, and Indiana Jones in that space (as well as Emperor's New Groove).  

The other rumor for this space is Cars, and while I'd like to see Cars remain unique to California Adventure, I would not be heartbroken by this addition.  It's a strong land and would follow the time period and geographic movement, though moving into fantasy.  Ideally, I'd prefer a Discovery Bay or a Klondike themed area with Call of the Wild and Brother Bear, but I can live with Cars.

Continuing around through this land, the proposal out there now is for a Villains land.  The thought is that this would make a transition to Fantasyland and connect to the Haunted Mansion.  It could work, but it remains to be seen how this would be implemented.  I'd rather just see an expansion of the Haunted Mansion grounds to include a Haunted Mansion restaurant and a Villa Volta madhouse themed to the mansion, making this a little sub-land, but that's me.

Fantasyland:

Fantasyland has recently undergone a great expansion with the addition of the Fantasy Forest section.  This added Beauty and the Beast and Little Mermaid sections, as well as the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and the Storybook Circus.  To me, these additions have pointed the way toward the unique identity for Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom.  If Disneyland focuses on Walt-era classic animated films, the Magic Kingdom should focus on the Disney Renaissance films of the 1990s.  This process has already started with Beauty and the Beast and the Little Mermaid sections, as well as their presence in Mickey's Philharmagic.  Accordingly, my additions will look to strengthen this connection.

For my second radical idea for the Magic Kingdom, I propose removing it's a small world and Pinocchio's Village Haus, to be replaced with a modified version of the Arabian Coast from Tokyo Disney sea.   This would add the Magic Lamp Theater and Sinbad's Storybook Voyage, as well as move the Magic Carpet's of Aladdin to this area.  It would also add an Agrabah Food Court and Marketplace.  It has the added benefit of opening up a great section of the former it's a small world location for greater foot traffic.

A radically different it's a small world location

Further, I would replace Peter Pan's Flight with The Hunchback of Notre Dame, changing it to a flying ride on the back of a gargoyle.  The rides would have very similar visual experiences; for example, the flyover of London would be replaced with a flyover of Paris.  It also allows for a continuing Bells of Notre Dame to be the musical score for the ride.  

I would also strengthen the Disney Renaissance connection with new segments for Philharmagic adding "Out There " from the Hunchback of Notre Dame (or perhaps "Topsy Turvy"), "Just Around the Riverbend" from Pocahontas, and "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Mulan.

The rest of the new Fantasyland additions work very well and largely close off Fantasyland from any further expansion.  The area north of the new Fantasyland section, in particular north of Be Our Guest and the Little Mermaid, would be a perfect section to add enhancements to the Disneyland Railroad.

Area for Enhancements

This strip of land would be perfect to add either tunnel, a la the Rainbow Caverns, or an outdoor Fantasy scene to tie to the rest of the land.  Perhaps something like a limited motion statue of a sea monster in the retaining pond strip to the north or a dragon's cave encounter.  Something appropriately fantastic for the land it is adjacent to.

Storybook Circus has also proven to be a well-themed addition to the park.  The double Dumbo's are a great increase for capacity and the other sections perform their function well, apart from one odd choice.  There is a current third tent that is being used for a "rest and recharge" area with a few seats and plugs for phones.  While these arguably should be incorporated into the park, there is a better use for this space. 

Time to add a circus to our circus area

It has occurred to me that the set up for the Festival of the Lion King show in Disney's Animal Kingdom could be very well used for a Dumbo's Circus show.  That building would fit where the third under-used tent is and would provide a great draw for this section of the park.  If the Disney-Fox deal goes through, this circus could even incorporate The Greatest Showman into the circus.

Tomorrowland:

Like Disneyland, solidifying Tomorrowland's identity can be achieved by looking to the Magic Kingdom's past.  In particular, Tomorrowland circa 1994 is one of the strongest Tomorrowland's that has been presented.  The focus there was on the tomorrow that never was.  A highly sci-fi Tomorrowland influenced by science fiction of the 1970s and 1980s.  A lived in future (opposed to the utopian future of Disneyland).   My goal with Tomorrowland will be to work back to this ideal, but with a reflection to the additions that have been brought online.

The upcoming addition of Tron will actually aid in this goal.  The Tron coaster is going to provide a visually interesting weenie to go in next to Space Mountain, resulting in an appropriate aesthetic overhaul of the Speedway, providing an interesting vista for the Railroad passing under its canopy, and providing a night time draw with its light show. 

It also provides our theme direction - Cyberpunk, the digital future.  With Tron and Wreck It Ralph (and Marvel 2099, if they can), Disney has enough IP in the digital space to create a great unique Tomorrowland for the Magic Kindom.

Approximate location of the Tron Coaster

This puts the focus on replacements and a couple of key additions.  When Tron is online, Space Mountain will get the refurbishment it so desperately needs and an update to Cyberspace Mountain, with appropriate lighting and effects and potentially a similar Daft Punk score.  

Buzz Lightyear can get the Tokyo overlay treatment and change to Wreck It Ralph.  

Stitch's Great Escape should be changed to an Intamin Dynamic Motion Stage style 4D time travel/multiverse show with Spider-man 2099 and Layla.  Makes use of the circular space in a more dynamic way.

Tomorrowland Additions

The Carousel of Progress is gutted and replaced with the Play! pavilion from EPCOT.  This pavilion is more appropriate for the Magic Kingdom given the IPs at play and fits into the Cyberpunk aesthetic.  With the focus on digital attractions and DisneyQuest-esque experiences, this would be a solid addition to the park.  Part arcade, part meet and greet, part small form experiences - sort of a real life version of the digital Oh My Disney in Ralph Breaks the Internet.

The Speedway also gets a rehab and retheme, changing it to Sugar Rush.  This provides a bridge to Fantasyland, as well as allowing for some more interesting scenery, like the Diet Cola Mountain.  

The Peoplemover gets a subtitle as the Tomorrowland Transport Protocol, a nice nod to HTTP.  Adding some led lighting to the vehicles for effect at night and changing out the windows on the way to make the scenes more digital related.  A virus from Ralph Breaks the Internet.  Pop-up ads.  Maybe even a nod to Reboot.

We can also bring in nice renamings, making nods to Disney past.  The Lunching Pad could become the Space Bar.   The Tomorrowland Launch Depot can become Game Central Station, etc, etc.  

The stage gets some shade, a greater lighting package, seats, and overall aesthetic overhaul.  This should be a useable space in the daytime, but will be essential for ElecTRONica at night.

For additions, the space between Buzz and the Carousel would give rise to a new building with an LPS "flying" saucer attraction similar to Luigi's Dancing Cars or Aquatopia.   The colors and LEDs as well as the a Daft Punk style score, would make this an entertaining dark flat ride.  No need for IP, just an enjoyable diversion.

Further, between the Carousel and Space Mountain I would add a new building containing the restrooms that are currently situated there, but also adding an escape room and VR experience.  The escape room would appropriately be named something like ESC or the Escape Room or Escape Button and be a cyber space themed escape room.  The VR space would be a Tron themed VR experience.  It's another perfect theme as the idea of transporting into the Grib necessitates the equipment and it would allow a version of the games in Tron to be experienced.

Finally, there is space for another enhancement to the Disneyland Railroad in the segment before the Main Street Station.  Tron-esque lighting should be enhanced in the tunnel around Lightcycle Run, making a Magic Kindgom version of the speed tunnel at Disneyland.  

Seasonal Overlays:

Walt Disney World really does not do seasonal overlays.  They have in the past with the Christmas Country Bear Jamboree and have experimented with the Jingle Cruise, but they definitely do not implement them to the scale of Disneyland. 

I would bring in a healthy amount of seasonal overlays including the Summer Vacation, Halloween, and Christmas versions of the Country Bears, continuing the Jingle Cruise and potentially adding a Haunted Jungle Cruise, and Halloween Villain and Christmas Philharmagics.

Parades and Nighttime Spectaculars:

I would like to see more experimentation with the parades at the Magic Kingdom.  Festival of Fantasy is a very successful day parade for the Magic Kingdom, so I see no need to change it anytime soon. 

The Magic Kingdom does need a nighttime parade.  I am partial and would bring back a Spectromagic 2.0.  Spectromagic had the right amount of grandeur and majesty to make it a wonderful fit for the Magic Kingdom.  The waltz tempo and Jiminy Cricket narration made it very unique in Disney offerings.  Updated versions of the Spectromen and Little Mermaid sections would remain, though the Sleeping Beauty and Fantasia segments would be changed out for Beauty and the Beast's Garden and the skies of Aladdin (completing a land, sea, and sky motif).

Happily Ever After has proven to be a very popular offering.  I would add a Jiminy Cricket introduction and continue on from there.

The Magic Kingdom does need offsetting nighttime entertainment to pull people off of Main Street.  Night shows in the new Main Street Theater, the Diamond Horseshoe, and Dumbo's Circus will all help.  Ideally, a projection/environmental show in Tomorrowland can be made utilizing the Tron canopy and the stage for ElecTRONica. 

Magical Guardian and Cartoon Mascot:

Since this is another castle park, I'll identify a magical guardian as well as a cartoon mascot.

For a magical guardian, I have a little bit of a cheat.  The Magic Kingdom gets Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy.  I loved how Jiminy Cricket became the official voice of the park and would announce Spectromagic and Wishes.  I also have to confess that I also thought in all the times that I saw Wishes that when Jiminy says "well, I'll be.  The Blue Fairy" that the Blue Fairy should be the one flying over the castle at that moment.  Let Tinkerbell have her looping flight in Disneyland.  Here let's give the Blue Fairy her majestic descent.

For the cartoon mascot, it has to be Minnie Mouse.  For America's sister park to Disneyland, the Magic Kingdom needs a cartoon mascot who has equal footing with Mickey.  That can only be Minnie Mouse, who has been there from the beginning as well.  She sits with Roy in his statue.  There is nothing else more appropriate.

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Again, thanks for joining me in this exercise.

Next in the series - E.P.C.O.T.