Disneyland's New PR Rep

April 11, 2003 8:01 AM

Corporate PR and an obvious parallel? Yesterday, Space Mountain at Disneyland unexpectedly closed for a two year rehab. This was planned for September but a severe maintenance issue seems to have forced their hand. This is a huge things in certain circles, and this guy sees a parallel in the official version of events.
posted by obfusciatrist (18 comments total)

On a scale of 1 to 10 for humor, this is maybe a 1.2 by my reckoning.
posted by zekinskia at 8:39 AM on April 11, 2003

Uhm, if you've read Cory Doctorow's new sci-fi novel (free download, 62 pages, a great quick read), Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, you'll notice a much more interesting parallel. Whuffie and ad-hocs, here we come!
posted by gramcracker at 8:48 AM on April 11, 2003

Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean closed at the same time? The horror, the horror...

(Actually, Space Mountain is one of the few rollercoasters I've ever enjoyed, which I suppose is tantamount to having "Coward!" tattooed on my forehead. Although I hate the Haunted Mansion, which is heresy in many circles, I must confess that I once spent over an hour noodling through the Doombuggies fan site.)
posted by thomas j wise at 9:09 AM on April 11, 2003

I'm never going back to Disney unless they re-open Mister Toad's Wild Ride. It was at least sorta literary.
posted by Ufez Jones at 9:14 AM on April 11, 2003

Zekinskia: I couldn't agree more.

It was the least funny thing I have ever seen.
posted by jon_kill at 9:27 AM on April 11, 2003

I don't know if it funny, but it was interesting to me to see someone conflate Disney's spin on a ride closure with Iraq misinformation.

And Mister Toad's Wild Ride is still open . . . at Disneyland. It was only closed at Disney World.
posted by obfusciatrist at 9:36 AM on April 11, 2003

I miss CircleVision 360. Now that was a ride!
posted by Guy Smiley at 9:57 AM on April 11, 2003

There is talk that CircleVision 360 may return, as well as the Submarines, to compensate for the closure of Space Mountain.
posted by obfusciatrist at 10:07 AM on April 11, 2003

And Mister Toad's Wild Ride is still open . . . at Disneyland. It was only closed at Disney World.

Yeah, but they replaced the one at D-World with a Winnie the Pooh ride (IIRC) and that's just unforgivable. Plus, Anaheim is a creepy fucking place.
posted by Ufez Jones at 10:49 AM on April 11, 2003

Plus, Anaheim is a creepy fucking place.

How so? Except for the, ah, gentrified areas around Disneyland itself, most of it looks rather "eh." (My family lives about fifteen minutes away from Anaheim.)
posted by thomas j wise at 11:16 AM on April 11, 2003

Plus, Anaheim is a creepy fucking place.

And (that part of) Orlando seems normal?

Besides, Anaheim's no more creepy than Buena Park or Fullerton. Now, Irvine, THAT's fucking creepy.
posted by billder at 11:22 AM on April 11, 2003

Admittedly, the gentrifried areas of Anaheim are probably all I've seen, but I figured that there was enough creep oozing in the water and carried around by the people that dress up in the character outfits to infect the outlying areas.

And yeah, billder, Orlando's pretty damn creepy as well, on the whole. But neither old a candle to Branson, Missouri. (It's like Vegas if Ned Flanders built it).

Apologies to any Anahymens that I may have offended.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:26 AM on April 11, 2003

What the hell makes Orlando creepy? It's one of the more bland, boring and homogenized places in the SE United States. Just because Disney lurks 30 minutes south...

I remember my first experience with International Drive south of Orlando.. I think I took a right on a red light, and found myself with a rental Ford coming right at me at about 40mph. The guy slammed on the brakes, leaned out the window and started yelling something in some foreign tongue. I proceeded to remind him that we drive on the other side of the road here in the states.

Fscking drunk tourists. scared the shit out of me..
posted by shadow45 at 11:38 AM on April 11, 2003

What the hell makes Orlando creepy?,
It's one of the more bland, boring and homogenized places in the SE United States.

That's what makes it creepy.
posted by rschroed at 12:22 PM on April 11, 2003

What the hell makes Orlando creepy?

The Holy Land Experience.
posted by billder at 1:07 PM on April 11, 2003

Apologies to any Anahymens that I may have offended.

Your the tourist in someone's backyard...that's why you found it creepy. {{{Tourist}}}

Disney is known by the locals to hide any accidents that occur at the park, bad publicity. Your lucky if they call the real paramedics. Back before all the lawsuits, they had their own doctor and a nurse. Many died on the way to hospital because of their stealthiness. Why I think they have changed today.

Local legend(it kept out of the news for sums of $) from several friends that worked Space Mountain: Once in a while someone will stand up while riding the coaster and become the decapitated tourist. If you have ever been on it, you notice how close one's head comes to the tracks above you; the swoosh of the noise you hear.
Ps, knowing Ufez Jones, just playing with him.
posted by thomcatspike at 2:06 PM on April 11, 2003

I confess I've been to Disney World many times. I notice lately I go mainly to marvel at the clientele. People-watching has replaced theme-parking. Best spot for non-stop observational amusement in the country. Except maybe for Branson.

For an amusing read with some interesting tidbits regarding Disney's hegemony in Florida, as well as details about Disney's propensity for attempting to mask anything not sweetness and light, I recommend "Team Rodent", by Carl Hiassen. Yes, that one: the poor man's Elmore Leonard. It discusses the Space Mountain deaths, among others. Someone even managed to off themselves on the slowly trundling Wedway People Mover. Now that takes some doin'.
posted by umberto at 8:21 PM on April 11, 2003

Best spot for non-stop observational amusement in the country.

Work at one, your never board at work with your observation.
posted by thomcatspike at 12:23 PM on April 12, 2003