Kenversations™
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Disney-MGM Studios - The Last Big Use of Audio-Animatronics?
While Splash Mountain at Disneyland, which opened in 1989 features a lot of AA, most are recycled from America Sings. Attractions such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Phantom Manor at Disneyland Paris and Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World are filled with AA characters, but they were built by popular demand following earlier versions at Disneyland.

The Great Movie Ride at the Disney-MGM Studios, which opened in 1989, was the last attraction that featured heavy use of AA to carry the show. The slow-moving ride-through takes large groups of guests through famous moments in film, with scores and scores of AA figures representing the well-known actors.

Since then, with the arguable exception of Countdown to Extinction, we have seen attractions that use only a handful of AA figures, or none at all. Plans to replace America Sings at Disneyland with another AA-filled experience never panned out. The building was eventually modified to feature Innoventions, which has only one full-sized AA figure.

The next Disney theme park to open, Disney's California Adventure at The Disneyland Resort, will feature no AA-based shows or ride-throughs. Attractions like MuppetVision 4-D and It's Tough to Be a Bug will use some AA figures, but they won't be the focus of the attractions and the shows are replicas of existing attractions at Walt Disney World.

What's Going On?
Have AA figures finished serving their usefulness in carrying the attractions? Aren't there any more great AA-heavy attraction concepts left to be turned into reality at the Disney-owned parks?

With dwindling attention spans, increasing demand for physical thrills, and the advancement of various film, video, and simulation technologies, AA technology just doesn't seem to be as important or popular anymore. AA figures are very expensive to make and maintain. The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is an example of a very popular, effective attraction that has done very well without any AA figures.

I firmly believe that the Disney parks still can and should develop great AA shows and ride-throughs. It is a matter of picking the right content. One reason they flourished before was because of great animators like Marc Davis, who was very good at developing interesting characters. While there will never be another Marc Davis or another Pirates of the Caribbean, I think AA still has a future as showcase technology if given a good chance.

-- Ken Pellman

Kenversations™ are the varied musings and observations of an individual who has been a collector and enthusiast of all things Disney, a Disneyland annual passholder and a Disneyland Cast Member. Ken has a B.A. in Thematic Environmental Design. He's a writer with interests in theme park design, The Walt Disney Company, Walt Disney, animation, and film. He can be reached directly at [email protected] and has his own website (which includes a page on just what Thematic Environmental Design is) at http://www.Pellman.com

Kenversations is posted on the second Monday of each month.

The opinions expressed by Ken Pellman, and all of our columnists, do not necessarily represent the feelings of LaughingPlace.com or any of its employees or advertisers. All speculation and rumors about the future of the Walt Disney Company are just that - speculation and rumors - and should be treated as such.

-- Posted December 11, 2000
-- Pictures by Doobie Moseley

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