Wednesday, December 9, 2009

EpcotServo's Interim Updates #3 - Three is a Magic Number




Hey there everyone!

It's been too long.


Way too long.

Long, empty, updateless days.









LET'S GET TOO IT!

KINGDOM

-So Space Mountain was more than a little disappointing, even with low expectations. The ride itself is just still so rough and undramatic it really overshadows the positive changes at Load. It's just...Dissapointing. The outside still looks awful, the Photo Op is laughable (I loved my first photo in which I was facing the black dirty wall it's pointed at and pointing at the electrical wiring and patchy paint blots. )

Just disappointing. The whole thing.

-Mansion looked great.

-Same with Big Thunder.

-Pirate hats still missing, still sad

-I really don't get the hub bub about the Peoplemover narration. I thought it was fine, hardly anything to get worked up over. The Space Mountain part is disappointing though too. Not cause you can't see load or the rockets, but because they don't have half the stars of Disneyland and no cool projections or lighting to look at. Disneyland's looks like vast space, ours still just looks like a dark room.

EPCOT

-Sum of all thrills was GREAT! I loved it. It was a hoot! The inversions were amazing and the ride smooth and thrilling. Only wish you got more time to design the ride. Other than that, I can't WAIT to do it some more. Too much fun. Also look for a wind up toy GORT from Day the Earth Stood Still on one of the too-awesome Microsoft Surface tables!

-Mexico had some really cool Day of the Dead shirts and assorted merch. Dio De Los Muertos!

-Mitsukoshi has finally returned to old quality practices, by stocking not just mainstream American Made merchindise, to returning to ACTUAL Imported goods from more recent and obscure things! Gundam, Evangelion, and an entire section of Ghibli. Makes me wonder if maybe John Lasseter stoped by and wanted more Totoro?

-Also have I have been reporting SOS Brigade related news, Haruhism goods have been selling VERY well, so much so, that they are now selling an excellent and brand new Haruhi T-Shirt! Another huge step up and a clear sign that the SOS Brigade WDW Divison will invade Disney because it's no doubt a source of Aliens, Time Travel, and ESPers.

-New Japan Photography exhbit is pretty cool.

-Whoopi Goldburg is doing Candlelight this year? Wow. Hey, this was just news to me.

-The Christmas tree without the stage or Lights of Winter is very sad and pathetic.

ANIMAL KINGDOM

-Hopper was not working on It's Tough to Be a Bug. Don't knock B-Show, I'd rather have a B show than none at all. Case in point, Hopper.

-Speaking of which, Yeti was in B, No Vulture, No steam (As I reported, It shouldn't have been steaming the way it was...) but the new Broken Trestle misters were working, and looked REALLY cool at night.

-As I was really read the riot act about when I first reported this, but they were running the Five Train Profile, and it's defintly the worst thing to happen to Everest. Not only does it ruin the show timing by cascading all the time, those of us in the know don't feel too comfortable hearing the track switch just a few seconds before the train clears Lift B. STOP RUNNING FIVE TRAINS DISNEY.

-Countdown, aside from being empty and the usual stuff not working, had the running Carnotaurus and all the smoke effects working. Neato!

-I love the tacky Dino Christamas lights in Dinoland.

-Animal Kingdom looks so great at night. Nuff' Said.

Ok, On to the pictures!

Enjoy!


http://picasaweb.google.com/EpcotServo/EpcotServoSInterimUpdate3ThreeIsAMagicNumber#5413345544948907666

Saturday, November 7, 2009

EpcotServo's Interim Updates #2- Remember Remember the Fifth of November

Hey everybody, It's time for the chilling second installment of our continuing stooooooOOOORRRyyy of the Interim Updates! Yes, like the half dead zombies between the Grey zone of life and death, let's shamble our way back into the Parks for some Fun times!

Oh, and the Weather was cool.



...But it's going to get hot again.



Also there's a storm out in the gulf...



...so there.


STUDIOS

-Crowds were light in the first hour, then quickly became very crowded soon after.

-So good news, Not all of the GOOD Muppet Posters are down. This is a huge relief.

However, the new posters are just as horrible in person. Pirates is alright, but the rest are just plain awful and feel out of place. It's squeaky clean dry humor in a queue that's brimming with rich subversive comedy that doesn't pander to only one audience. I've photographed the heck out of the remaining posters in case they too fall victim to the new posters, but I'm confident they'll stay.


-No new or good Star Tours merch. All just Jedi Academy and Clone Wars stuff. I'm really hoping that they celebrate the final year of one of the best attractions in Disney history in style.

In short, more orange, blue, rex, and Starspeeders. Collectable stuff too, retro and modern.

Less Jedi Training Academy junk.

-Tower and Coaster both still great.

-Midway Mania looked fine, it's been mentioned, but they've recogfigured the Tin Toy book at the exit, and it works much better. Now they see the door and head straight for it-Less clumping up the unload.

-Muppets Fountain was walled one day, back to usual the next.

-Spectacle Of Lights Preview was a blast, and the lights are great this year. They've added and tucked away some cool secrets, look for them!

-Speaking of Xmas, this is a tip off to all Tower fans, there's a Hallmark Ornament in Hallmark stores of an Old TV with the lenticular Twilight Zone opening, and it plays TV static followed by the opening. It's like the Tower of Terror ornament.


ANIMAL KINGDOM

-Everything looked great, no noticeable thingsthatneedfixin'.

-Crowds were light.

-Everest's Steam was working well, and the vulture was working. Yeti was in B-Show however.

Alright, that's about it. Now on to many many many pictures!

Enjoy!

Anime smile


http://picasaweb.google.com/EpcotServo/EpcotServoSInterimUpdates2RememberRememberTheFifthOfNovember#5401542943642718818

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

EpcotServo's Interim Updates - #1: Get Back

Hey there everyone! You know how in between The big first and second seasons of TV shows, they'll do a few "in between" Episodes to bridge the gap of what happens after the last episode of the last season and the first episode of the next season for an indefinite period of time until they can start airing Season 2?


Don't you hate it when they do that, and just wish they'd work harder to get Season 2 started quicker?



Ummmmm.....Errrr....Distraction!




Anyways, since it'll be awhile before the next season of Updates, and I can't be out of Theme parks for too long (Court Order) Let's take a visit to EPCOT!


EPCOT

-So as you've been informed by the actually informative updates by one Mr. Epcot, They've painted the Inner Legs of Spaceship Earth Blue, adding "Blueberry Blue" to Epcot's growing collection of cereal Flavor/Colors.

-Railings! They are shiny! And cool!

-Fountain of Nations was working fine.

-Food and Whine has started, meaning Wonders of life, Park Decorations, and best of all Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

-The faceomatron wasn't working right, and it wasn't taking pictures at the right rate. As someone who likes the new ending, it's totally a ripoff.

OK, on to the Pictures!

Enjoy!

http://picasaweb.google.com/EpcotServo/EpcotServoSInterimUpdates1GetBack#5386956428765831282

Monday, August 31, 2009

EpcotServo's 100th UPDATE: Ask DNA

Hey there everyone, and welcome to the 100th, and last Update for awhile! In honor of the occasion, the trip was made to Magic Kingdom, where it all started! Rain, Walk-Ons, and even fireworks made a great visit with some great pictures, so let's get right too it!

KINGDOM

-Crowds were medium to light, walked on everything due to spectromagic and wishes.

-Moychandise! Haunted Mansion and Main street Cinema have some of Disneyland's Mansion 40th SHAG stuff. Shirt, bowling shirt, Postcards, Glasses etc. The glasses are my favorite, as each one has a different Mansion portrait in the classic Shag style. Got one with my Birthday Card. Yay for Disneyland Moychandise! The rest I spent on an awesome "Discover the land of Adventure!" Adventureland shirt. Retro Tikis on the back very much in the Tiki polynesian 70's stylings of early WDW. Great stuff! They also have a retro Frontierland and Jungle Cruise shirt, but I didn't care much for the fabric/colors.

-Splash Mountain! Haven't been on this on ages and it was a rare treat: EVERY EFFECT WAS WORKING. This has never happened except for this night for me. Everything! Even hopping Brer Rabbit and all the projections!

-PeopleMover Lights are indeed color changing, and here is my video of said shenanigans...

WATCH IN HIGH QUALITY




-Halloween Decorations are going up all over Main Street.

-Saw wishes from between the two launch sites in Fantasyland. That was cool!

-Hat Pirate is still hatless. How can you be so hatless!

-Like I said, it was drizzly all night, so pardon the noir-ettic raindrops on the lens in some shots.

OK, that's about it. On to the pictures.

Enjoy!


http://picasaweb.google.com/EpcotServo/EpcotServoS100thUPDATEAskDNA#5376203258339278978

________________________________________________

WATCH IN HIGH QUALITY

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

EpcotServo's Aug.24th EPCOT Update: The Scenery's Forever

Hey everybody, last EPCOT Update before the Hiatus. So Let's get right to the right stuff, right?

EPCOT


-Crowds light, nary a line for anything.

-No visible hullabaloo around the Robocoaster thing in Innoventions other than a big wall and some construction noises.

-At Japan for the first time in YEARS, ART OF and Picturebooks, both Japanese and English, for Studio Ghibli movies have returned, such as Castle in the Sky, Porco Rosso, Kiki's Delivery Service, Totoro, and prominently featured: Ponyo. Observers will note that Japan used to be filled with a wide variety of wonderful statues, books, plush, and other goods from these films, but in the past few years replaced with hackey American goods that sell better (COUGH-HACK-transformers-HACKcough-) Excuse me. Hopefully this signals a return to the more authentic stuff for sale in the collectable portion of the store.

-Other notes from the Japan store: In celebration of the American release of Ponyo, they are giving away the US Poster for free! That's right: Free! Stop by and pick one up, how can you pass up a free poster from an amazing movie?

-Impressions De France is still a great movie, I don't care who you are.

OK, that's about it. On to the pictures!

Enjoy!


http://picasaweb.google.com/EpcotServo/EpcotServoSAug24thEPCOTUpdateTheScenerySForever#5374451591740252322