The West Side of the Kingdom
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Look Out Mickey! Here Come the Wests!

With the month of November comes a landslide of news and information from The Walt Disney Company. God knows, it’s a virtual information buffet for writers with monthly (or even weekly) columns on Disney. I suppose there are several things I will touch on, although it’s not my usual style (Mr. Chris Reed does an exceptional job in that area, if I may say so myself).

The biggest but not terribly surprising news is that Disney is plopping their next theme park in China. Anyone who has had one ear to the ground has seen this coming for months. The smoke-screen comments from both Disney and the Chinese government have done little to deflect the obvious - that major developments were taking shape here and abroad. I have several friends who travel to Hong Kong regularly, and they tell me what is being said and going on there in China. It’s not been a secret in the Orient for a long time that they’re getting a Disney park. The location is good and the business is desperately needed in that area of Asia.

So, what are my thoughts on Hong Kong getting a new Disney park? I think it’s great! It will be a huge boost to the Chinese economy, and will serve as a morale boost for those living in or near Hong Kong. People are going to groan and growl that Disney needs to upgrade and spend money on its parks here in the United States before building a new park in China, but I disagree. China is going to foot most of the bill, the same way Japan is footing a nice chunk of the bill for the new Tokyo park, which I cannot wait to see, by the way. When it comes down to it, I would much rather see Disney building theme parks around the world rather than cruise lines, sports teams and related properties or television networks. For all the money that Disney spent on these “extra-curricular” ventures, can you imagine the quality of new attractions we could have had at Disneyland - or the outcome of Disney’s California Adventure, for that matter? Just a fraction of what ABC cost would have given Anaheim an incredible second gate attraction. A mere portion of what Disney has spent on its sports ventures could have rehabbed the Horizons Pavilion at Epcot nicely into Space or whatever else may be planned for the area. Disney’s strengths have always been its films and theme parks. I understand the necessity of expansion and growth for Disney; I just feel that its been too rapid and in some cases, misguided over the past years. I know I am not alone in this position. Wall Street shares these views and Disney is now scrambling to gain back its losses created by these expensive experiments, thanks to Michael Eisner’s somewhat blurred business vision of late. Good luck to the Chinese park and to all involved! Spend that Chinese capital and build a park that will make us all proud here at home!

Like many people, I was surprised by Disney’s announcement that they are banning smoking in their United States parks and directing smokers to a few small areas within the parks if they must indulge their habit. I say kudos to Disney for such a bold move, although I am sure they are going to be blasted by some and laughed at by others. I can just faintly hear Van France ranting from his cloud on high about this latest change in Disney policy! However, I think the public as a whole applauds Disney’s efforts and is eager to see this enforced.

Most Americans are conditioned for this already. Long gone are the days of smoking/non-smoking areas in restaurants. You can’t legally smoke in bars or clubs anymore (but who’s looking - certainly not the police; at least not here in San Francisco). And thank God that you can’t smoke on airplanes; I look at the “No Smoking” lamps and wonder what they were thinking back in the day when you could light up at 30,000 feet! I think that the news that you can no longer roam the Happiest Place on Earth with a cancer stick hanging out of your face is not going to shock too many Americans. I spoke with my grandfather about this subject recently, as he’s been a life-long smoker and Disneyland guest (many of you will know that I often blame my involvement with various aspects of the theme park industry on my grandpa, as he’s the one who took me to all of the Southern California parks religiously since I was about three years-old, planting the seed that bloomed into this madness) to see what his reaction was.

“I’m all for it!” he said, enthusiastically. “Any time I have been someplace where there is a ‘No Smoking’ sign posted, I have never had a problem with that. So, I think it’s a good idea; I am all for it.”

And there you have it, straight from my grandfather’s mouth; no “ifs,” “ands” or butts about it! I do not think that foreign guests such as the Japanese or Europeans are going to take to it so easily, but I am sure that enough men in black suits with sunglasses and mouse ears hats (with the ears drawn back to reflect their stern aura and hide the earpieces of their hidden communications devices) will have that under control in no time!

Another thought as we rapidly approach Thanksgiving. This time of year can be a bit of a bummer for Cast Members. As the rest of the world plays, they are the ones that have to work. They miss their family gatherings (which some avoid with glee, I might add) and also the grand turkey dinner in honor of the holiday. When I was a Cast Member, Thanksgiving was a drag, not just because I had to miss my grandfather’s famous turkey and gravy. I had to eat alone at the Inn Between (Cast Member restaurant located behind Main Street and Tomorrowland) as well. Not that I am disrespecting the food at the Inn Between - they served complimentary portions all night to thousands of us - but nothing compares to your own family’s dinner, you know? So while you’re at the parks this Thanksgiving, be sure to take a few moments and greet each Cast Member you come into contact with. They are there while their families and friends are relaxing and having a great time at home. An extra “Happy Thanksgiving,” or “Thank you for working tonight,” will bring a smile to any Cast Member’s face and I am sure they’ll be very receptive to that. I know - I’ve been there and done that.

One final thought. I am getting married on November 20th. It was a sobering thought the last time I was at Disneyland in September taking pictures of Tarzan’s Treehouse for our upcoming issue of Theme Park Adventure Magazine. Never again will I walk through the gates of the Magic Kingdom a single guy! My fiancée and I will be heading to an 8-day honeymoon at Walt Disney World after Thanksgiving Dinner with my family in Southern California, and then we’ll stop by Disneyland (we’re just dying to see the rehabbed elements in Pirates) when we return before flying back to San Francisco. So look out, Mickey, here come the Wests!

-- Rick West (November 10, 1999)

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