Mousey Moview Review - Frozen

As I sit here at the computer, it is snowing. And I mean it is cats and dogs snowing. So it makes it a perfect time to reflect on the story of Elsa and Anna in Frozen, because it really looks like the landscape outside could have been crafted by Elsa herself.

In Frozen, Elsa and Anna are two close sisters who love to play together. But in an accident in their youth, Elsa withdraws from her sister. You see Elsa has the ability to make ice and snow and her (cough cough) mutant ability harms Anna. So she hides and seeks to control her power with the help of her parents the King and Queen of Arendelle. After their parents die, Elsa is crowned Queen of the kingdom when she comes of age. But her coronation goes poorly and her ability is exposed and she goes on the run. Anna, leaves her fiancé Prince Hans, to run the kingdom as she seeks out Anna. Along her journey she meets ice salesman Kristoff, reindeer Sven and snowman Olaf. Can Anna save her family and her kingdom in this Mousey Movie:

• Wide Eyes: What struck me most about the character models in Frozen? Why it was traditional large eyes of course! Disney has a tradition of models with eyes out of proportion to real people and this film follows that tradition. And it works, those eyes are super emotional and help convey the feeling of the story. Ariel would be proud!

• Fantasyland: Oh Arendelle, can I visit you? Wait maybe I have and your alias is Fantasyland! Arendelle (okay the whole movie) is gorgeous. And I really feel that the castle and the village made me feel like I was in a Fantasyland like setting. Yes, Fantasy Like. It is not a clone of the in park experience but I did feel like if they ever wanted to build a Frozen attraction themed to the movie it could easily fit in. Additionally, the Between Wife and I agreed, a lot of the big landscapes are majestic and would look really good in World of Color.

• Throw Out the Rulebook: Everyone knows the rules of the princess movie; good behavior and true love. Well, I will say that the behavior of Elsa and Anna are far from proper in every way. As children they actually were, well kids. In fact if anything is really causing Elsa internal struggle it is the need to be perfect in her behavior to avoid showing who she is (in today’s Marvel Universe she would be sent to the Jean Grey School of Higher Learning to learn about her power and controlling it not hiding it). And as adults Anna is silly, and honestly childish. But they still hold true to essentially having a heart for others, even a broken heart, and taking risks for those they care about. My favorite rule changer is True Love. Frozen openly mocks the idea of love at first site. And the eventual act of love needed to be seen on the screen is far from what Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella experienced.

• King Candy: So is Alan Tudyk on studio contract now? Tudyk voices the Duke of Weselton, it is not pronounced the way you think! The Duke is creepy and definitely setup for comedy relief in the story, in the same sort of way that King Candy is in Wreck-It-Ralph. I hope like Ed Wynn, who Tudyk channeled in Wreck-It-Ralph, we continue to see Tudyk in Disney productions.

• Nick Fury: Marvel Cinematic Universe fans rejoice! Frozen has an end credit scene. Sure, it does not feature Nick Fury moving a franchise big agenda. But it is worth sitting through the credits to see it. And watch the credits carefully in the last minute or so of them running. There is a disclaimer that corrects a controversial generalization that the movie makes! Honestly as Disney has made clear this movie is full of Easter Eggs, from the cast of Tangled to the head cheese himself (maybe).

I really liked Frozen and I look forward to seeing it again. I honestly still liked Tangled a little better, but this film was still a hit with me. The fact that I liked it so much surprised me since I was not thrilled with the trailers at all, mostly because they first trailer really did not show me what the movie was really about. And it is a hit with the Between Kids. The oldest is pleased that we now have the Frozen Disney Infinity set, with Anna as the go to character. And the youngest has been running around telling us about the joy of warm hugs.

Yep, it is cold out here in Betweenland. The best way to deal with the chill is to get in the spirit and take in a showing of Frozen.

Between Books - The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World Trivia

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World continues to be a sentimental favorite for me.  It is as I have said before the first Disney book that my wife gave me as a gift.  And the Between Book installment reviewing that first book continues to be the most viewed post at BetweenDisney.com! So any book that Susan Veness offers, is something that I must read.

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World Trivia is a tour of the four parks of the Walt Disney World Resort.  But along with a tour, it is a game.  For each attraction there are two trivia questions.  One question is multiple choice.  The second is an open ended question.  The answers for both questions are found in the back of the book.  Along with the trivia questions, Veness provides a scavenger hunt for each park.  And as bonuses a kids and a die-hard scavenger hunt is provided towards the end of the book.  And since this is a hidden history book, Veness provides a fascinating fact and something to look for each attraction along with the questions. 

As a game, the book is lightweight and could fit in most backpacks.  The book would probably experience some wear in a pack, but should not add much weight to carry around the park.  The questions could easily help fill time in lines within the parks.  I have not even considered the eBook version of the book, which would not take up any weight since many guests would have a phone with a book app.  I just wonder how quickly one can jump from question to answer.  If anyone reads the book on a eReader, I would love the answer to that question.  And for added usability, the scavenger hunts can be cut out to go into a pocket our pouch.

Most of all I was worried that they would be too easy.  They are not, there are plenty of questions that I did not know the answers for.  During the week I read this book I kept it on my desk at work.  I told everyone who needed something that they needed to start with a question that I could answer, to put me in a good mood.  Not everyone started on a good footing!  So the questions are definitely challenging and not the same reused facts that we typically find in a Between Book.  

There is also plenty of new facts that I at least have not run across.  For example I did not know the secret of the floating bubbles at Voyage of the Little Mermaid.  The quality of facts is beyond what one can generally think to Google.  And as someone who has read many books with fun facts, I was satisfied that many of the facts were fresh to me.

The book is updated and in fact looks into the future.  For example, Veness discusses the very recent addition of mermaids to Pirates of the Caribbean.  And of course, the recent Fantasyland additions are all mentioned.  But she also has facts for an attraction that is not open with the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.  The only announced addition she does not provide content for is Avatarland, but who can blame her!

The Hidden Magic of Walt Disney World Trivia is a great extension of the Hidden Magic series.  It provides Hidden Magic in a new format, with the trivia providing a twist.  The book is interactive by providing a game that the whole family (or office) can play.  And the book does not just restate facts that can be found elsewhere (unlike many books I have been reading lately).  Fans of Veness' prior works will be pleased and families looking to add bonus fun to their trips should consider this book as a fun option.



Review Copy Provided by Author 

Walt's Windows - Disneyland U.S.A.

 

The “Disneyland U.S.A.” episode of the Disney series People & Places provides a glimpse of an early Disneyland Park, showing us the drastic differences and similarities to what we see today.  The documentary is one segment found on the Walt Disney Treasures – Disneyland – Secrets, Stories and Magic collectors tin DVD. 

This episode was released in December 1956, within 18 months of the opening of Walt’s park.  This film unlike the black and white opening day presentation, “Dateline: Disneyland” is presented in color and Cinemascope.  The film opens declaring of Disneyland that, “Its purpose is enlightenment.  Its product, happiness.”  And happy people, attired in fancy dresses and shirts with ties (not the shorts and tees of our day) is what we see as we tour around the park.

Main Street U.S.A.

·    The shape of Main Street U.S.A. seems familiar to the modern guest and we see the Main Street Vehicles shuttling families down the street to the Hub. 

·    The Omnibus and other familiar vehicles make their way down the street.  But unexpectedly we also see a western stage coach transporting guests. 

·    Additionally when we arrive at the Hub we do not see the familiar Partners Statue, which will not make its appearance for decades to come.

Frontierland

·    The program focuses a lot on this area, and it makes sense as Tony Baxter mentions in the accompanying commentary that at the time Frontierland was 1/3^rd of the park.  In one key way Frontierland looks very different. 

·    It is alive, really alive.  There are horses and mules everywhere giving you the impression that you were in the old west.  The number of animals compared with today is staggering as guests ride or are pulled by non-Audio-Animatronic animals! 

·    A big highlight is the town of Rainbow Ridge, which we can still see riding Big Thunder Mountain, and a tour through the extinct Mine Train through Nature’s Wonderland that was replaced by the current roller coaster.   

Adventureland

·    In Adventureland we find only one ride, but a ride we love in The Jungle Cruise. 

·    As they tour us down the rivers we see a lot of familiar sites including Schweitzer Falls and hippos with wiggly years.  But as we listen to the skipper spiel, in a costume that matches the stripped canopies of the boat, we hear a serious examination of sites, not jokes about the backside of water.

 

Tomorrowland

·    Like Adventureland, Tomorrowland appears sparse. 

·    You can see a lot of the Autopia track as there is little mature vegetation to frame the attraction.  It is humorous to watch well dressed men in ties and formal hats drive the Bob Gurr designed cars.  Cars whose modern equivalents are driven daily by young children. 

 

Fantasyland

·    Fantasyland is the most familiar to the modern guest of the 1956 version of the park.  Snow White, Mr. Toad, Peter Pan, Teacups, Casey Jr. Storybookland, Dumbo are all present as they tour through the area.  They just have different looks after rehabs of the past.   

·    The most obvious extinct attraction is the Skyway to Tommorrowland crossing over the park.  But I have to admit it would be fantastic if another extinct attraction ever returned to one of today’s Fantasylands, The Pirate Ship Restaurant.  That return could eliminate the rule to never eat in Fantasyland.     

“Disneyland U.S.A.” makes me nostalgic for that early Disneyland that I never experienced.  It is a very different place, an outing for people living in a more formal society.  It is clear that the guests are taking this as a day out with fancy dress.  I personally don’t think I have ever seen a guest in a tie, unless they were planning on eating at Club 33, within the parks.  One cannot help but feel good as you watch Walt Disney lead a circus parade down Main Street U.S.A., the architect enjoying his park, his stage, his playground.  Tony Baxter mentions that he has used this program with Walt Disney Imagineering new hires.  It is clear to see why as it shows a living, functioning park that brings joy to its guests.  It shows a snapshot of the past, where the park has been and how it pleased visitors.